The Cheat (La Triche) – Altered Innocence (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France, 1984
Director: Yannick Bellon
Writers: Yannick Bellon, Alain Marcel, Rémi Waterhouse
Cast: Victor Lanoux, Anny Duperey, Valérie Mairesse, Xavier Deluc, Michel Galabru, Roland Blanche, Michèle Simonnet, Patrick Raynal, Gérard Hérold, Guy Tréjan

Release Date: September 9th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 103 Minutes 44 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $32.95

"In Bordeaux, a murder investigation tied to a queer club pulls a married police inspector into a dangerous affair with a young handsome musician who may also be a suspect. As the investigation deepens, his involvement with the suspect begins to strain his marriage and blur the boundaries between his professional and private life.” – Synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information given about the transfer, “Newly restored in HD for its first major U.S. release, the film remains a striking entry in queer French cinema."

The Cheat (La Triche) comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 23 GB

Feature: 20.5 GB

The source looks excellent; it retains an organic appearance. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. The track sounds clean, clear, and balanced, and ambient sounds are well represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a newly created trailer (1 minute 23 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival making-of documentary titled Between Identity and Emotion: Reflections on La Triche (47 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), and trailers for The Wounded Man, Wild Reeds, Taxi zum Klo, and Angst by August.

Summary:

Yannick Bellon directed The Cheat (La Triche). Her notable films are Somewhere, Someone, La femme de Jean, and L'affût.

A police commissioner investigating the death of a prominent homosexual becomes romantically involved with a young man who's the main suspect.

Although a man's murder initiates the narrative, the police procedural elements of the story become secondary after the initial setup. That said, what begins as a murder mystery evolves into a melodrama after an illicit affair that poses a threat to the police commissioner's professional and personal lives.

While the opening moments offer The Cheat’s (La Triche) most risky moment, the scene features full frontal male nudity; the sexual encounters after that are brief, or their most graphic elements are implied offscreen. At the heart of The Cheat (La Triche) is a film about self-destructive behavior and its consequences. When it comes to the police commissioner's affair with men, The Cheat (La Triche) is a biting critic of moralism.

All around, the performances are outstanding, especially Victor Lanoux (Cousin, Cousine) in the role of police commissioner Michel Verta and Xavier Deluc (He Died with His Eyes Open) in the role of a murder suspect named Bernard Mirande. Victor Lanoux delivers a remarkable portrayal of a man leading a double life: a loving family man with a wife and child and secret sexual encounters with men. What makes Michel Verta and Xavier Deluc's performances so powerful is their onscreen chemistry.

The Cheat (La Triche) is a dialogue-driven film that has a few striking moments visually. The narrative’s thrust comes from the police commissioner’s fear of his homosexual encounters being exposed, and it is in these moments that the narrative really excels at creating tension. The narrative effectively captures your attention, but it truly reaches its peak with a significant plot twist in the final 30 minutes. Ultimately, The Cheat (La Triche) is an engrossing melodrama whose tragic finale serves as a perfect coda.

The Cheat (La Triche) gets a first-rate release from Altered Innocence that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and an insightful extra. Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Exposed – Klubb Super 8 (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Sweden, 1971
Director: Gustaf Wiklund
Writer: Tony Forsberg
Cast: Christina Lindberg, Heinz Hopf, Janne Carlsson, Björn Adelly, Tor Isedal, Bert-Åke Varg, Siv Ericks, Håkan Westergren, Margit Carlqvist

Release Date: August 21st, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 55 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Swedish, Dolby Digital Mono German
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $47.98

"17-year-old Lena (Christina Lindberg, 21 years old) is alone in town while her parents are on vacation. She is torn between her innocent boyfriend Jan and the older, worldly and perverted girl photographer Helge (Heinz Hopf, whom Christina Lindberg played against in Thriller – A Cruel Picture). Lena hikes a ride with Lars (Janne "Loffe" Carlsson) and his open-minded wife. The couple party, swim naked and have sex in front of the wide-eyed Lena. Back in the big city, she is once again attracted to Helge and his sick parties and erotic games. Memories, the present, violent fantasies and reality mix in the sexually confused girl's head." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Restored original Swedish version."

Exposed comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.7 GB

Feature: 18.1 GB

The verbiage provided about the source is too vague. That said, there are noticeable nicks, scratches, and other imperfections throughout. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity is strong, there are no issues with compression and the image retains an organic appearance. That said, black levels are not as convincing as they should be.

Audio: 3.75/5 (LPCM Mono Swedish)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Swedish and a Dolby Digital mono mix in German. For this review I only listened to the Swedish-language track. That track sounds clear and balanced, and ambient sounds are well represented. Included are removable English subtitles for the Swedish-language track.

Extras:

Extras on Blu-ray disc one include a U.S. edit of Exposed under the title Diary of a Rape (77 minutes 4 seconds, 1.66:1 aspect ratio, LPCM mono English with removable English subtitles), a French version of Exposed under the title La possédée (82 minutes 38 seconds, 1.66:1 aspect ratio, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), a German version of Exposed under the title Verbotene Früchte der Erotik (77 minutes 24 seconds, 1.66:1 aspect ratio, LPCM mono German with removable English subtitles), and an audio Commentary with Patrick von Sychowski and Rickard Gramfors (Klubb Super 8).

Extras on Blu-ray disc two include a U.S. theatrical trailer under the title The Depraved (3 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a Swedish theatrical trailer (1 minute 55 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with music from the film), an extra titled The Music—two songs from the film: Exposed Theme/Lena Theme by Bernt Egerbladh (6 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), image galleries with music from the film playing in the background: Christina Lindberg Centerfolds, Unpublished Contact Sheets, Christina Lindberg in Cannes 1971, and Poster and Image Gallery, an archival featurette titled Overexposed, featuring interviews with actress Christina Lindberg and director Gustav Wiklund (17 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Swedish with removable English subtitles), an interview with film editor/actor/producer Lasse Lundberg (9 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Swedish with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Björn Adelly (8 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Swedish with removable English subtitles), an interview with Christina Lindberg titled Christina Back in Cannes 2026 (14 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Swedish with removable English subtitles), and a video essay about actor Heinz Hopf by Rickard Gramfors (20 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English subtitles).

Other extras include a slipcover (limited to 2,000 units).

Summary:

Gustaf Wiklund directed Exposed. His only other theatrical feature film, Sängkamrater (Wide Open), also stars Christina Lindberg. Other titles that Exposed has been released under include The Depraved and Diary of a Rape.

A young woman named Lena is torn between two lovers: a sadistic blackmailer and a naive boy she goes to school with.

Exposed is a coming-of-age story about a young woman and her two suitors; one shows her the darker side of life, while the other offers a safer, more mundane view. The opening setup quickly grabs you with a series of candid nude photographs; while no words are spoken, these photos are central to the blackmail plot that unfolds. The narrative is not told in the most conventional way, as some events are only a figment of Lena’s imagination. Although Exposed’s moment of truth lacks resolution, it is in line with Lena’s inability to make decisive decisions. That said, the narrative offers a few interesting twists; unfortunately, there are a few lulls that disrupt momentum.

Even at this early stage of her career, Christina Lindberg's (Thriller: A Cruel Picture) physical presence is remarkable; she’s able to convey so much by saying few words. Despite being typecast in roles like Lena, an innocent, naive character corrupted by perversions, she would still bring an enthusiasm to every performance. When discussing the performances, one must not overlook Heinz Hopf’s portrayal of Lena’s lover turned blackmailer.

Although Exposed effectively blends its psychological aspects with melodrama, its inability to decide if it wants to be an exploitation or arthouse film ultimately hurts it. There are only two scenes that stand out when it comes to the more exploitative moments: the opening photographic sequences and a bondage scene where Lena puts an end to her blackmailer once and for all. Ultimately, despite its more exploitative moments, Exposed is not as perverse of a film as its advertising or trailer suggests.

Klubb Super 8 gives Exposed its best home media release to date. Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Fatal Flying Guillotine: Collector's Edition – Visual Vengeance (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Taiwan/Hong Kong, 1978
Director: Raymond Lui
Writers: Hui Sing-Yue, Raymond Lui
Cast: Chen Sing, Carter Wong, Chen Shao-Peng, Mu Szu-Cheng, Cheung Lik

Release Date: September 1st, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 80 Minutes 19 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo English, Dolby Digital Stereo Mandarin
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $37.95

"Deep in the forbidding Valley of No Return, a reclusive master, driven to madness by his own obsessive training, perfects a nightmarish weapon - the "Lightning Strike," a savage evolution of the flying guillotine with twin, whirling blades designed for maximum carnage. Any intruder who dares cross into his domain faces instant decapitation with ruthless precision. But when a vengeance-driven fighter (Carter Wong) sets his sights on the valley, seeking justice for his mother's death, he must confront both the master's deadly invention and the head-chopping chaos it leaves in its wake." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “New 2K transfer from original film elements supervised and composited by film archivist Toby Russell."

Fatal Flying Guillotine comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 32 GB

Feature: 18.4 GB

While the source looks clean and free of any distracting imperfections, it does not retain an organic appearance. Colors fare well, image clarity is generally sharp, and there are no issues with compression. That said, black levels are never convincing and there are a handful of gorier shots that were sourced from VHS.

Audio: 2.75/5 (Dolby Digital Stereo English), 3/5 (Dolby Digital Stereo Mandarin)

This release comes with two audio options, a Dolby Digital stereo mix in English and a Dolby Digital stereo mix in Mandarin. The English-language track has some background hiss; apart from that, the differences are minor. Dialogue comes through clearly, and ambient sounds are well-represented. Included are removable English subtitles, which directly translate the English-language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a Visual Vengeance trailer for Fatal Flying Guillotine (2 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background, Chan Siu-Pang: 10 Styles of Tamo demonstration (5 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Carter Wong (20 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay by Justin Decloux titled Chan Siu-Pang Was There (9 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay by Justin Decloux titled A Brief History of Flying Guillotine Movies (8 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Justin Decloux of the Important Cinema Club Podcast, Fatal Flying Guillotine: old-school ‘Dirty VHS’ version (87 minutes 57 seconds, 4:3 Pan and Scan, Dolby Digital mono Engllish, no subtitles), reversible cover art featuring alternate VHS art, a folded mini-poster featuring original theatrical art, ‘Stick Your Own’ VHS sticker set (limited to the first pressing), a lobby card reproduction set (limited to the first pressing), an O-card (limited to the first pressing), and a 12-page booklet with an essay titled Looking Back at the Fatal Flying Guillotine written by C.J. Lines.

Other extras are Visual Vengeance trailers for Born a Ninja and Commando the Ninja, The Nine Demons, and Ninja Operation Knight and Warrior.

Summary:

Hong Kong cinema of the 1970s had a lot in common with Italian cinema of that era; both of their film industries were genre driven and whenever a film became widely successful, there were countless imitators. A prime example is Fatal Flying Guillotine, a film that capitalized on the success of Jimmy Wang Yu's legendary martial arts film, Master of the Flying Guillotine.

Fatal Flying Guillotine has more action than exposition, but its storyline is not easily summarized. There are two characters whose stories drive the narrative. The first is Shen Mo Chao, a reclusive martial arts master who lives deep in the valley of no return; the other is Shen Ping, a young gifted martial artist who’s searching for a cure for his ailing mother. Tying their two stories together is a book called Dharmals, which is in the possession of the Shoalin monks. When it is discovered that their copy is a forgery, a traitor is exposed, putting Shen Ping on a collision course with Shen Mo Chao.

Opening sequences play a pivotal role in setting the tone and laying the foundation in martial arts cinema. Fatal Flying Guillotine dives right in with a gory scene that showcases Shen Mo Chao's Lighting Strike, a deadly dual flying guillotine weapon. From there, the action is nonstop with brief intervals of exposition to move things forward. When it comes to the action sequences, they fall into two categories: scenes that are well-executed but nothing special and scenes where the dual flying guillotine is employed.

The performances are best described as serviceable. Most of the characters are caricatured bad guys whose bloodlust is second to none in their quest for power. While Carter Wong (Big Trouble in Little China) more than fulfills the role of the hero, he’s just not given much to do beyond the action sequences. The standout performance is Chen Sing (The Chinese Boxer) in the role of Shen Mo Chao. He made a career out of playing evil characters and Shen Mo Chao is arguably his best performance.

Although Fatal Flying Guillotine starts off strong, and its non-stop action does a great job holding your attention, the narrative loses momentum about half way through. After the aforementioned opening sequence, the next best scene is a bloody finale that does a superb job tying everything together. Ultimately, Fatal Flying Guillotine is a fun, albeit predictable, martial arts film.

Visual Vengeance gives Fatal Flying Guillotine its best home media release to date.

                                 Screenshot Example of Inserts.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Quick Let's Get Married – VCI Entertainment (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1964
Directors: William Dieterle, Victor Stoloff
Writer: Allan Scott
Cast: Ginger Rogers, Ray Milland, Barbara Eden, Elliott Gould, Carl Schell, Michael Ansara, Walter Abel, David Hurst, Leonardo Cimino

Release Date: September 22nd, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 95 Minutes 56 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: GP
Sound: Dolby Digital Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Thief Mario Forni arrives in a small Italian town searching for hidden treasure, posing as a house painter. He falls for Madame Rinaldi, a local brothel owner, while secretly locating the treasure beneath a statue in an old church. When a prostitute named Pia confides her pregnancy nearby, Mario speaks from inside the statue, pretending to be St. Joseph, and leaves her gold coins. Believing it a miracle, Pia inspires the town, drawing attention from a suspicious mayor, banker, and a visiting bishop. Even after learning the truth, the bishop sees real value in the hope the "miracle" brings. When the statue collapses, revealing a golden cross, the town celebrates--while Mario and Rinaldi slip away with part of the treasure to start anew." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3/5

Quick Let's Get Married comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.5 GB

Feature: 20.7 GB

While the source is clean and free of any debris, it does not retain a filmic appearance. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity is strong, and there are no major issues related to compression.

Audio: 3.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital mono mix in English with SDH. While the track sounds clean, clear, and balanced, range-wise it is limited.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a poster & photo gallery of Ginger Rogers, Ray Milland, Barbara Eden, and Elliott Gould movies and television shows; alternate opening and closing credits under the title 7 Different Ways (2 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital mono); and an audio commentary with film historian, podcaster, and artist Rob Kelly.

Included with this release is a DVD that has the same content as the Blu-ray included as part of this combo release.

Summary:

From its inception, Quick Let's Get Married was a troubled film; its original director, Victor Stoloff (Sinfonia fatale), was fired and replaced by William Dieterle (Portrait of Jennie). Although filmed in 1964, under the working title The Confession, the film would not be released until 1971 under the title Quick Let's Get Married. 

A thief looking for a treasure buried underneath a St. Joseph statue takes interest in a distraught woman and when he speaks to her, she thinks that the statue talked to her. His words renew her faith in humanity, and as a result, a series of events unfold that lead the locals to believe they are divine interventions from St. Joseph.

What begins as a crime caper evolves into a romantic comedy where a thief becomes romantically involved with a brothel’s madame. While the treasure beneath the St. Joseph statue is central to the story that unfolds, that subplot often takes a backseat to romantic encounters and corrupt government officials. The most intriguing character is a prostitute named Pia, whose lover abandons her when he finds out she’s pregnant. That said, Pia’s character serves as the moral center for a film populated by immoral characters.

Quick Let's Get Married was produced by William Marshall, who at that time was married to Ginger Rogers (Magnificent Doll) and it was planned as a comeback for her after an 8-year absence from theatrical films. Ginger Rogers is cast in the role of Madame Rinaldi, and Ray Milland (Lost Weekend) is cast opposite her in the role of a thief named Mario Forni. They had previously worked together on The Major and the Minor.

The cast is a who’s who in 1950s and 60s film and television, notably Barbara Eden in the role of Pia. Made a year before, she portrayed what is arguably her signature character, Jennie, from I Dream of Jeannie; she delivers a heartfelt performance that stands out among the cast. Other notable cast members are Michael Ansara (The Manitou), who portrays a corrupt mayor, and Elliott Gould (The Long Goodbye), who makes his theatrical film debut portraying a mute.

Sometimes the narrative is too clever for its own good, which disrupts momentum. Fortunately, there is never a shortage of surprises to keep things from getting predictable. While the humor can be hit or miss, the funniest moments are scenes with Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland. Ultimately, on paper, Quick Let's Get Married should have turned out much better than it did, and the result feels like a missed opportunity.

VCI Entertainment gives Quick Let's Get Married a servicable audio/video presentation and an informative audio commentary.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Reanimator Academy: Collector's Edition – Visual Vengeance (Blu-ray)

Release Date: USA, 1992
Director: Judith Priest (Bret McCormick)
Writer: Benton Jennings, Judith Priest (Bret McCormick)
Cast: Steve Westerheit, Connie Speer, Richard Perrin, Benton Jennings, Julian Scott, Sarah Paxton, Tom Fegan, J. Scott Guy, Tricia Anderson, Matt Montano

Release Date: August 25th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 68 Minutes 32 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Interlaced / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $34.95

"The fraternity brothers at Delta Epsilon Delta are your typical red-blooded American party animals, that is except for Edgar Allen Lovecraft. He's locked up in his room trying to cure death and finds a serum that works on the severed head of a recently deceased comedian. When a mafia hood steals the serum to use on his murdered squeeze, her reanimated corpse goes on a campus killing spree—let the corny puns and one-punch decapitations fly!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 1.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Transfer from existing SD tape masters."

Reanimator Academy comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 26.9 GB

Feature: 10.4 GB (Reanimator Academy), 7.4 GB (Children of Dracula)

There is only so much that can be done with the source, which looks rough. That said, image clarity and black levels are never convincing, and colors fluctuate.

Audio: 1.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital stereo mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio lacks depth, and it's a positive that there are English subtitles for this release.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a Visual Vengeance trailer for Reanimator Academy (1 minute 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Bret McCormick Reanimator Academy Q&A at Nitehawk Cinema (15 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Fred the Head interview (4 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Tom Fegan (4 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with composer Greg Synodis titled Brainwaves: Scoring Reanimator Academy (7 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a locations featurette titled Back To School: Reanimator Academy Location Tour (5 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Bret McCormick titled Talking Heads (8 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Reanimator Academy’s 2023 director’s alternate soundtrack cut (68 minutes 32 seconds, 1080 interlaced, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH), an audio commentary with Sam Panico of B&S About Movies and Bill Van Ryn of Drive-In Asylum, a bonus feature film: Children of Dracula (55 minutes 57 seconds, 1080 interlaced, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview for Children of Dracula with Bret McCormick (4 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), reversible cover art, original poster art, a 'Stick your own' video store sticker sheet (first pressing only), a folded mini-poster, a video store card (first pressing only), and a limited-edition O-Card slipcover (first pressing only).

Other extras are Visual Vengeance trailers for Highway to Hell, The Abomination, and Repligator.

Summary:

Reanimator Academy: Bret McCormick directed Reanimator Academy, who's known for low-budget cinema like The Abomination and Repligator.

The narrative revolves around a college student named Edgar Allen Lovecraft, who’s created a serum that reanimates the dead. His first experiment is on the severed head of a dead comedian, which he successfully reanimates. From there things spiral out of control when a mafia hood steals the serum and brings a dead hooker back to life who then goes on a killing spree. 

While the film’s title and the name of its protagonist, Edgar Allen Lovecraft, make reference to H.P. Lovecraft, Reanimator Academy’s connection to the literary writings of H.P. Lovecraft is nonexistent. Reanimator Academy is a textbook example of an ultralow-budget horror film that tries to associate itself with a known commodity. The acting is horrible, and the narrative is padded with moments that make it feel longer than it is. Despite attempts at humor, the film consistently fails to deliver.

The genesis of Reanimator Academy can be traced back to David DeCoteau, who served as the film’s executive producer. Looking for work, Bret McCormick reached out to David DeCoteau, who offered him a film and the only requirement was he had to use the title Reanimator Academy. Shot quickly over one weekend on video, Reanimator Academy is not the type of film that one puts on their resume. That said, it is not surprising that the director Bret McCormick used a pseudonym for Reanimator Academy.

Children of Dracula: A documentary about vampires with people who claim to be vampires and it is narrated by Joe Estevez.

Visual Vengeance continues to rescue cinema from obscurity and give it Criterion-like home media releases.

Written by Michael Den Boer