The Curse of Frankenstein – Warner Archive Collection (UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: UK, 1957
Director: Terence Fisher
Writer: Jimmy Sangster
Cast: Peter Cushing, Hazel Court, Robert Urquhart, Christopher Lee

Release Date: October 14th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 83 Minutes 30 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10 Dolby Vision, 1.66:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10 Dolby Vision, 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR 10 Dolby Vision
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono English, DTS-HD 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish, Italian, German
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $34.99

"Driven by obsession and defying the laws of nature, Baron Victor Frankenstein dares to reanimate the dead, creating not just life but a monstrous force beyond his control. As his experiments spiral into madness, Frankenstein must confront the consequences of playing God in a world unprepared for the horrors he unleashes." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (All Versions)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "New 4K restoration of the three versions of the film."

The Curse of Frankenstein comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 86.2 GB

Feature: 43.1 GB (1.37:1 Aspect Ratio), 34 GB (1.66:1 Aspect Ratio)

The Curse of Frankenstein comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 75.8 GB

Feature: 55.7 GB (1.85:1 Aspect Ratio)

This release presents the film in three different aspect ratios, and the source used for these transfers looks excellent. Fleshy tones look healthy; colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 5/5 (LPCM Mono English, DTS-HD 5.1 English)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in English and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. Both audio tracks sound excellent; dialogue always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should. Included are removable English SDH and French, Spanish, Italian, and German subtitles.

Extras:

Extras on 4K UHD disc one include UK censor card (11 seconds, no sound), UK theatrical trailer (2 minutes 19 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), alternate eyeball scene (1 minute 11 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), a restoration featurette titled Reviving The Curse of Frankenstein (8 minutes 11 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette about Peter Cushing titled Beside the Seaside: actress Madeline Smith and Hammer expert Wayne Kinsey visit Peter Cushing’s hometown of Whitstable (50 minutes 17 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with author and critic Kim Newman, horror anthologist and writer Stephen Jones and Barry Forshaw, author of British Gothic Cinema, and an archival audio commentary with Hammer experts Marcus Hearn and Jonathan Rigby.

Extras on 4K UHD disc two include an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background (posters/stills/articles), an interview with scriptwriter and novelist Stephen Volk titled A Gothic History of Frankenstein, in which he discusses Mary Shelley's original novel, its adaptation to cinema and the legacy of Hammer's genre-defining 1957 film (24 minutes 15 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with writer/publisher Dick Klemensen titled Painting with Fine Brushes, in which he discusses cinematographer Jack Asher (11 minutes 49 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette about screenwriter Jimmy Sangster titled Good or Tuesday?, featuring comments by writer/actor Mark Gatiss, Dick Klemensen, author Stephen Laws, screenwriter/novelist Stephen Gallagher, screenwriter/producer David Pirie, and writer/publisher Wayne Kinsey (39 minutes 6 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette about long-time Hammer costume designer Molly Arbuthnot titled A Fitting Vocation, featuring comments by  professor Melanie Bell and the British Film Institute's Jo Botting (10 minutes 11 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), another featurette about Molly Arbuthnot titled Topped and Tailed, featuring comments by actor Melvyn Hayes, Melanie Bell and Jo Botting (16 minutes 21 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette titled Recreating the Creature, where Igor Studios' Lou Elsey and Academy Award-winning Dave Elsey recreate Leakey's iconic make-up on actor James Swanton (34 minutes 41 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with writer/producer Dr. Steve Haberman and filmmaker and film historian Constantine Nasr, and an audio commentary with Heidi Honeycutt, writer, filmmaker and film programmer, and cult movie expert Toby Roan.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include an 8mm abridge version of The Curse of Frankenstein (10 minutes 35 seconds, 1.37:1 aspect ratio, DTS-HD mono English with burnt-in English subtitles), an interview with cinematographer David J. Miller titled Torrents of Light: The Art of Jack Asher (15 minutes 14 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with author and cultural historian Sir Christopher Frayling titled Hideous Progeny: The Curse of Frankenstein and the English Gothic Tradition (22 minutes 49 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with composer Christopher Drake titled Diabolus in Musica: James Bernard and the Sound of Hammer Horror (17 minutes 5 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Richard Klemensen titled The Resurrection Men: Hammer, Frankenstein and the Rebirth of the Horror Film (21 minutes 51 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette titled Life With Sir, featuring comments by Peter Cushing’s secretary and long-time friend, Joyce Broughton (12 minutes 31 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), and an archival featurette titled Frankenstein Reborn, featuring comments by Melvyn Hayes, Hammer experts Denis Meikle and Jonathan Rigby, James Bernard's biographer David Huckvale, producer Michael Carreras, and screenwriter Jimmy Sangster (34 minutes 45 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles).

Summary:

Terence Fisher directed The Curse of Frankenstein. His other notable films include The Man Who Could Cheat Death, Horror of Dracula, The Revenge of Frankenstein, and The Mummy (1959).

Not only is The Curse of Frankenstein an important film that reshaped UK horror cinema, but it is also a film that forever changed Hammer Films' legacy. Founded in 1934, Hammer Films primarily produced dramas and comedies before branching out into sci-fi and eventually creating their landmark horror film. The Curse of Frankenstein. That said, while The Curse of Frankenstein retains core elements of Mary Shelley's story, it is a reimagining that bears little resemblance to previous Frankenstein film adaptations.

At the start of the narrative, Baron Victor Frankenstein's fate is unveiled: he is awaiting execution for the murder of his maid. From there, the narrative is mostly told via a lengthy flashback, retracing his life from childhood to bringing the dead back to life and the monster turning on its creator. While his fate is immediately known, the narrative does a superb job holding your attention by fleshing out his backstory.

Although Peter Cushing (Corruption) and Christopher Lee (The Wicker Man) both appeared in Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet, the first time they appeared in a scene together was in The Curse of Frankenstein. While both actors are known for their horror films, before The Curse of Frankenstein, neither of them, up to that point, had worked in horror cinema. Their roles are strikingly different: Peter Cushing’s character delivers extensive dialogue, while Christopher Lee’s performance relies solely on physical expression. Another performance of note is Hazel Court (The Man Who Could Cheat Death) in the role of Elizabeth Lavenza, Victor Frankenstein’s cousin and fiancée.

Besides Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, Terence Fisher was the other key component of most Hammer Films' success in the horror genre. His direction for The Curse of Frankenstein: not only does he get the most out of his cast, but he also delivers a handful of visually arresting moments. When it comes to the overall visual look, The Curse of Frankenstein is filled with breathtaking cinematography that’s infused with gothic horror elements.

From a production standpoint, The Curse of Frankenstein is a film where everything perfectly aligns. Although only 83 minutes in duration, its narrative covers a lot of ground and has more depth than films that are half an hour longer. James Bernard's exemplary score should not be overlooked, as it does a remarkable job reinforcing the mood. Ultimately, The Curse of Frankenstein is a film deserving of its landmark status, and it has not lost any of its luster after all of these years.

The Curse of Frankenstein gets an exceptional release that leaves no stone unturned; it comes with a solid audio/video presentation, there are three aspect ratio options, and a wealth of informative extras. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Picture of a Nymph: Deluxe Limited Edition – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1988
Director: Wu Ma
Writers: Wu Ma, Chan Ka-Cheong
Cast: Yuen Biao, Joey Wong, Wu Ma, Elizabeth Lee, Lawrence Ng, Yuen Wah

Release Date: February 23rd, 2026 (UK), March 10th, 2026 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 97 Minutes 58 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 12 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £25.00 (UK), $49.95 (USA)

"Set in ancient China, the story follows a gentle scholar whose chance encounter with a mysterious young woman leads to a love that transcends the boundaries of life and death. But when he unwittingly releases a vengeful demon from centuries of imprisonment, the spirit of his beloved becomes the demon’s only hope for regaining power. To protect her, the scholar paints her likeness, allowing her to hide within the portrait—but his devotion soon draws the wrath of dark forces." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Brand new 2K restoration from the original negative."

Picture of a Nymph comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray. 

Disc Size: 28.4 GB

Feature: 26.6 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and black levels are strong, and compression is solid.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background (stills/posters), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Hong Kong cinema expert Frank Djeng, an audio commentary with Hong Kong cinema expert David West, reversible cover art, an art card (limited to this edition), an O-card and rigid slipcase (limited to this edition), and a 40-page perfect-bound book (limited to this edition) with cast & crew information, an essay titled More Ghosts and Gremlins, Less Golden Harvest written by Paul Bramhall, and an essay titled Ghosts, Scholars, and Spirits: The Legacy Behind Picture of a Nymph written by Fraser Elliott.

Summary:

Wu Ma directed Picture of a Nymph. Notable films he’s directed or co-directed include The Water Margin, All Men Are Brothers, From China with Death, Along Comes a Tiger, The Heroes, The Dead and the Deadly, Picture of a Nymph, and Just Heroes. Besides directing, he was also a prolific actor, appearing in over 300 films.

A Taoist monk and his disciple protect a scholar from two ghosts, one that gravely wants to harm him and the other who is in love with him.

Released first in Taiwan, five months after A Chinese Ghost Story, Picture of a Nymph has many similarities to that film. Beyond their similarities when it comes to premise, both of these films have Joey Wang (My Heart Is That Eternal Rose) and Wu Ma (Righting Wrongs) in lead roles essentially portraying the same type of character. That said, where these two films overlap, there is one significant area where they differ tone-wise. Where A Chinese Ghost Story is a horror film with fantasy elements, Picture of a Nymph is a fantasy film with ample amounts of lighthearted humor.

The opening setup does an excellent job drawing you in, and the narrative is very effective in building momentum to a love-conquers-all finale. Another strength of the narrative is how well it balances moments of exposition and action set pieces. Also, when it comes to pacing while things move briskly, that is not to say that key moments are not given an ample amount of time to resonate.

Yuen Biao (On the Run) and Lawrence Ng (Sex and Zen) are the two most consequential actors, despite having no connection to A Chinese Ghost Story. While Lawrence Ng's character, the scholar, is technically the protagonist, Yuen Biao's character, the Taoist monk's disciple, constantly overshadows him. Joey Wang is enchanting in the role of the ghost who falls in love with the scholar, and Wu Ma’s character, the Taoist monk, is the source of the majority of the comic relief.

Not surprisingly, the action set pieces do not disappoint; they are filled with inventiveness and impressive stunt work, especially when it comes to moments with Yuen Biao. The biggest and most impressive action set piece is a finale that takes place in hell, and characters are in a time crunch to leave before the doorway out closes. As mentioned before, humor plays a large role in the story that unfolds, and a long-running gag is how the Taoist disciple pretends to be a mute while around the scholar. The lack of words provides for some interesting exchanges between these two characters. Ultimately, despite its familiarity, Picture of a Nymph is a highly entertaining film that succeeds because of the performance of its four leads.

Picture of a Nymph gets a first-rate release from 88 Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras. Highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Lookin' Italian – Severin Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1994
Director: Guy Magar
Writer: Guy Magar
Cast: Jay Acovone, Matt LeBlanc, Stephanie Richards, Lou Rawls, Don Dinardo, Ralph Manza, Denise Richards

Release Date: February 24th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 101 Minutes 11 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH, English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $24.95

"Having survived a New York City shootout gone horrifically wrong, a former mafioso (Jay Acovone of Beauty and the Beast and Stargate SG-1) is now living a quiet life working in a Los Angeles used bookstore. But when his reckless nephew (LeBlanc) gets involved with local gang culture, they're both dragged into an unforgiving urban jungle where fear is weakness, vengeance is destiny, and family bonds can never be broken." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "now scanned in 4K from the original camera negative".

Lookin' Italian comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46 GB

Feature: 29 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones and colors look correct; image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid; and the image looks organic.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD stereo mix in English with removable English SDH. It should be noted that there is an English subtitle track that translates most of the Italian dialogue. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, ambient sounds are well represented, and the score sounds appropriately robust.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a gag reel (12 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival behind-the-scenes featurette (3 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Inside Edition exclusive look TV segment (3 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a Q&A with director Guy Magar and actors Jay Acovone, Matt LeBlanc, Stephanie Richards, and Ralph Manza from the 1994 Palm Springs International Film Festival (20 minutes 4 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor John LaMotta (10 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Lou Rawls (6 minutes 54 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with Stephanie Richards (7 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with Matt LeBlanc (11 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with Jay Acovone (10 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with Guy Magar (12 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an interview with Guy Magar titled Directin' Italian (12 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Summary:

While Guy Magar predominantly worked in television, he’s most known for his only other feature film, Retribution.

A former mobster is drawn back to his former life because of his hot-headed nephew's impulsive behavior.

Although the protagonist's former life in the mafia influences the story, the mafia aspect primarily serves as a launching point, remaining mostly in the background. A flawlessly executed narrative does a superb job drawing you in and holding your attention as it builds to a cathartic finale where the protagonist finally finds redemption. Another strength of the narrative is how it allows the characters time to be themselves, which allows the audiences to get to know them better.

The most impressive aspect of Lookin' Italian is the performances, which all around are outstanding. The standout performance is Matt LeBlanc (Friends) in the role of Anthony, the nephew who's unreliable and always has a new woman on his arm. Although Anthony has traits in common with Matt LeBlanc’s most famous character, Joey Tribbiani, it is the things that set him apart from that character where he excels the most, making his portrayal of Anthony the best performance of his career. Another performance of note is Jay Acovone (Cruising) in the role of Vinnie, Anthony's uncle. Vinnie is the heart and soul of Lookin' Italian, and he delivers a performance that carries this film emotionally. A cast member of note is Denise Richards (Wild Things), who appears briefly as one of Anthony's girlfriends.

There is no aspect in which Lookin' Italian fails to exceed expectations; it is a film that explores the Italian-American experience, drawing parallels to Mean Streets in several ways. There are two poignant moments that really drive the narrative. The first of these is a scene where Vinnie tells Anthony why he walked away from the mafia, while the other is a scene where Vinnie finds a distraught Anthony in the shower covered in the blood of his friends who were killed in a drive-by. Another area of note is Jeff Beal’s exemplary score, which perfectly captures the highs and lows. Ultimately, Lookin’ Italian is a moving melodrama that explores family, redemption, and vengeance.

Severin Films gives Lookin' Italian a definitive release. Highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Decadent Evil 2: Remastered – Full Moon Features (Blu-ray)

Release Date: USA, 2007
Director: Charles Band
Writer: Domonic Muir
Cast: Jill Michelle, Daniel Lennox, Ricardo Gil, Jon-Paul Gates, James C. Burns, Mike Muscat

Release Date: March 10th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 80 Minutes 35 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo English, Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $24.95

"After surviving their encounter with the queen vampire Morella, sweet vampire Sugar (Jill Michelle) and her human boyfriend Dex (Daniel Lennox) travel with Marvin the homunculus to Little Rock, Arkansas. Their plan: to revive Marvin's dead son, the world's smallest vampire hunter, 3-foot-tall Ivan Burroughs (Ricardo Gill), with the life-giving blood of the King Vampire. Soon, Sugar and Dex are drawn into a coven of the wicked creatures that are using a local strip club as cover. Will our heroes be victorious? Or will they succumb to the vile allure of this new strain of "decadent evil?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Full Moon presents this crazy cult classic in HD for the first time, transferred from the original 35mm negative."

Decadent Evil 2 comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 21.2 GB

Feature: 15.8 GB

This is one of Full Moon’s stronger transfers; flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 3.75/5 (Dolby Digital Stereo English), 3.5/5 (Dolby Digital 5.1 English)

This release comes with two audio options, a Dolby Digital stereo mix in English and a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, balanced, and robust when they should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include Decadent Evil 2’s original trailer (1 minute 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a behind-the-scenes featurette (15 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a locations featurette titled Visions Auditions (8 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and a making of documentary titled Battle of the Bands (42 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Other extras include trailers for Cutter’s Club, Quadrant, Arcade, Crash and Burn, and Bad CGI Gator. 

Summary:

Charles Band, the man behind Full Moon, wrote and directed Decadent Evil 2. Other notable films he directed are Parasite, Trancers, Crash and Burn, and Meridian.

A vampire and her mortal lover try to repay Ivan, a vampire hunter who died saving their life. They search for a master vampire whose blood can revive Ivan.

While Decadent Evil 2 is a continuation of Decadent Evil, there are many moments where you will experience déjà vu. Not only are a strip club and exotic vampire dancers used again, but the narrative also unfolds in a similar way, making it easy to see where things are going. That said, despite being a sequel, Decadent Evil 2 feels like a redo of its predecessor.

The real star of Decadent Evil 2 is the practical special effects, notably, a puppet master-like creature called a homunculus. Where he spent most of the previous film locked in a cage, this time he’s allowed to roam more freely. When it comes to pacing, the narrative does not flow as well as its predecessor. On a more positive side, the enthusiastic performances make things more enjoyable by selling the outlandish premise. Ultimately, Decadent Evil 2 feels like a step backwards that gets further undermined by its predictability.

Full Moon Features gives Decadent Evil 2 its best home media release to date.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Decadent Evil: Remastered – Full Moon Features (Blu-ray)

Release Date: USA, 2005
Director: Charles Band
Writers: Charles Band, Domonic Muir
Cast: Phil Fondacaro, Debra Mayer, Daniel Lennox, Raelyn Hennessee, Jill Michelle

Release Date: March 10th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 74 Minutes 16 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo English, Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $24.95

"Nasty, horny human/reptile hybrid homunculus Marvin spends his days as a cursed, cage-bound attraction at a decadent strip club called the "Meat Market," run by ancient vampire Morella (the late Debra Mayer, Blood Dolls). Once, Marvin was fully human, and when he crossed Morella, she put a spell on him to shrink and bear witness as she and her fellow parasitic peelers drained the club clientele dry, night after night. Now, as Morella executes her final kills to become the most powerful vampire of all, Marvin's son, Ivan (Phil Fondacaro, The Creeps, Troll), appears, armed with a plan to exact the ultimate revenge against her." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "presented here for the first time in a stunning HD transfer scanned from the original 35mm negative."

Decadent Evil comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 19.4 GB

Feature: 15 GB

This is one of Full Moon’s stronger transfers; flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 3.75/5 (Dolby Digital Stereo English), 3.5/5 (Dolby Digital 5.1 English)

This release comes with two audio options, a Dolby Digital stereo mix in English and a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, balanced, and robust when they should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include Decadent Evil's original trailer (1 minute 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a blooper reel (4 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and a behind-the-scenes featurette (16 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Other extras include trailers for Bad CGI Gator, Head of the Family Noir, Aimee: The Visitor, Gingerdead Men Murder-Thon, The Gingerweed Man, and Weedjies: Hallowed Night.

Summary:

Charles Band, the man behind Full Moon, wrote and directed Decadent Evil. Other notable films he directed are Parasite, Trancers, Crash and Burn, and Meridian.

Morella is a vampire who is only a few kills away from achieving invincibility, and the only obstacle in her path is a vampire hunter; he is the son of her former lover, whom she has turned into a homunculus that she keeps in a cage.

Charles Band and his company, Full Moon Features, have a formula that they have been using for over 40 years. They make predominantly horror films that often throw T&A and humor into the mix. Decadent Evil sees him once again venture into the world of the vampires, and this time around, there is a strip club where several of them work.

Although Decadent Evil clocks in around 74 minutes in length, when you remove the opening and closing credits and a 10-minute prologue that is footage from Vampire Journals, it barely clocks in at one hour in length. That said, the reused Vampire Journals footage does a great job of setting the foundation for the narrative that unfolds. When it comes to pacing, things move quickly, and the narrative is very effective at building to its finale.

While everything about Decadent Evil screams low-budget, one has to admire filmmakers who still use practical special effects, notably, a puppet master-like creature called a homunculus. Despite being a horror film with vampires, carnage is minimal. The performances are best described as enthusiastic and they suit the film well. Ultimately, Decadent Evil is a by-the-numbers horror film, only recommended for those looking to waste some time.

Full Moon Features gives Decadent Evil its best home media release to date.

Written by Michael Den Boer

She Shoots Straight – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1990
Director: Corey Yuen
Writers: Barry Wong, Corey Yuen, Yuen Kai-chi
Cast: Joyce Godenzi, Carina Lau, Sammo Hung Kam-bo, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Yuen Wah

Release Date: February 24th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 92 Minutes 32 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese, LPCM Stereo Cantonese, LPCM Mono English, DTS-HD 5.1 English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"Inspector Mina is a career-focused officer who has just married her supervisor (Tony Leung Ka-fai, Ashes of Time), who himself comes from a family of dedicated police officers. Her new sisters-in-law (including Carina Lau, Ashes of Time, Days of Being Wild) are a little jealous that Mina outranks them, but when a gang of violent Vietnamese criminals (led by the always excellent Yuen Wah, Eastern Condors, Kung Fu Hustle) target the family, the sisters unite into a lethal force of vengeance." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "2K restoration from the original negative."

She Shoots Straight comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray. 

Disc Size: 36.2 GB

Feature: 30 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Flesh tones and colors look correct; image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid; and the image looks organic. That said, it looks comparable to Eureka Video’s 2023 Blu-ray release.

Audio: 4.5/5 (LPCM Mono Cantonese, LPCM Stereo Cantonese), 4/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 English), 3.75/5 (LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with four audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese, a LPCM stereo mix in Cantonese, a LPCM mono mix in English (classic dub), and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. The two Cantonese tracks are the strongest; dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and action sequences sound robust when they should. The mono English track lacks depth and sounds more restrained than its Cantonese counterparts. The 5.1 English track does a great job expanding the original mono source. Included are removable English subtitles for the Cantonese language tracks and removable English subtitles for Cantonese text when watching in English.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), English language opening/closing credits under the title Lethal Lady (2 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background (stills/posters), an interview with screenwriter Yuen Kai-chi (15 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Asian Cinema expert Frank Djeng, reversible cover art, and an O-Ring Slipcase (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Corey Yuen directed She Shoots Straight. He’s known for Yes, Madam!, Righting Wrongs, and The Transporter.

A Vietnamese gang seeks vengeance against the police officers who were responsible for the deaths of their members during a nightclub robbery.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, Hong Kong cinema was at the forefront of strong female characters in action cinema. And arguably the premier director making these types of films, known as Girls with Guns, was Corey Yuen. In addition to directing films, he possessed a rich background as an action director. His choreography for women in action sequences was unparalleled.

The thing that immediately grabbed me when watching She Shoots Straight is that it is not your typical Hong Kong action film. Where action often tends to be the focus, in She Shoots Straight, the relationships of its characters are the focus, notably when it comes to the protagonist, her husband, and his family. Instead of jumping right into the action, the opening sequence is a wedding, and it is about nine minutes before any action occurs.

She Shoots Straight has an amazing cast who are all very good in their roles, especially Joyce Godenzi (Eastern Condors) in the role of Inspector Mina Kao and Carina Lau (Project A2) in the role of Huang Chia-Ling, who is also a police officer and is Mina’s sister-in-law. The interactions between these two actresses' characters are the heart and soul of She Shoots Straight. Other performances of note are Sammo Hung Kam-bo (The Magnificent Butcher), whose character provides some comic relief, and Yuen Wah (Dragons Forever) in the role of the main villain.

Although the characters are central to She Shoots Straight, it is important to note that the action sequences also deliver impressive moments. The stunts featured in these sequences are remarkable, and some of the action scenes are quite graphic in their portrayal of on-screen violence. That said, the narrative does a great job balancing melodrama and action. Ultimately, She Shoots Straight is a must-see film if you're a fan of girls-with-guns films.

She Shoots Straight gets a first-rate release from 88 Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras. Highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer