100 Tears: Extended Director's Cut – Unearthed Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 2007
Director: Marcus Koch
Writer: Joe Davison
Cast: Georgia Chris, Joe Davison, Raine Brown, Jack Amos, Kibwe Dorsey, Rod Grant, Norberto Santiago, Jerry Allen, Jeff Dylan Graham, Krystal Badia

Release Date: March 11th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 95 Minutes 28 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Stereo English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $34.95

"After being accused of crimes he did not commit, a lonely circus performer exacts his revenge on those who unjustly condemned him. The act sparks something inside of him which he cannot stop and now, years later, his inner-demons have truly surfaced. Part urban legend, part tabloid sensationalism... he is now an unstoppable murderous juggernaut, fueled only by hate. Going to the circus will never be the same!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5

100 Tears comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43 GB

Feature: 22.2 GB

Shot with a Digicam HDV, the source looks best during daytime moments; many of the darker moments' clarity is not as strong. That said, flesh tones and colors look correct, and compression is very good. 

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM stereo mix in English with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced, and range-wise, things sound very good.

Extras:

Extras for this release include trailer 1 (2 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), trailer 2 (3 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), outtakes (4 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), 16 deleted scenes (10 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), original behind the scenes (20 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles),  additional behind the scenes (34 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Blood, Guts & Greasepaint: Making 100 Tears (23 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Marcus Koch (45 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Marcus Koch Childhood Films (20 minutes 44 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Marcus Koch and Unearthed Films Stephen Biro, and 100 Tears the original cut (92 minutes 35 seconds, 1.77:1 aspect ratio, DTS-HD stereo English with removable English subtitles).

Summary:

Two journalists investigating a series of killings cross paths with a killer clown.

Horror cinema is all about their monsters and killers; they can make or break a film. Though the horror genre has a variety of monsters, when it comes to clowns, there is an added level of creepiness. That said, there is nothing funny about Gurdy, the clown in 100 Tears; he is a killing machine that oozes with creepiness.

The narrative is slow-moving, predictable, and there is minimal backstory. What the narrative lacks in exposition, it makes up for with an abundance of gory kills. That said, the carnage moments liven things up, while the exposition moments kill any momentum. Also, though the acting is serviceable, the main attraction of 100 Tears is its over-the-top carnage. Ultimately, 100 Tears is all gore and nothing else.

100 Tears gets a first-rate release from Unearthed Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation, two versions of the film, and a wealth of extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer

8½ – The Criterion Collection (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/France, 1963
Director: Federico Fellini
Writers: Federico Fellini, Tullio Pinelli, Ennio Flaiano, Brunello Rondi
Cast: Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale, Anouk Aimée, Sandra Milo, Rossella Falk, Barbara Steele, Madeleine Lebeau, Caterina Boratto, Eddra Gale

Release Date: December 10th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 139 Minutes 27 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $49.95

"Marcello Mastroianni plays Guido Anselmi, a director whose new project is collapsing around him, along with his life." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4k UHD), 4.25/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Completed by Cinecitta S.p.A. and Centro Cperimentale di Cinematographia--Cineteca Nazionale for the Fellini 100 Project, this new 4K restoration was created from the 35mm original camera negative, which was made available by RTI-Mediaset and Infinity."

8½ comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 89.9 GB

Feature: 60.3 GB

This new transfer is a solid upgrade over Criterion's 2010 Blu-ray release. The source looks excellent; image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

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

Disc Size: 45 GB

Feature: 24 GB

The Blu-ray uses the same master that Criterion used for their Fellini box set.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Italian with removable English subtitles. Also, there are some dialog exchanges in English. This audio track sounds excellent; dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should. Included are removable English subtitles for Italian dialog.

Extras:

Extras the 4K UHD disc include an archival audio commentary with film critics Gideon Bachmann and Antonio Monda.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a stills gallery (96 images), rare photographs from Gideon Bachmann’s collection (15 images), U.S. theatrical trailer (3 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with English text, no subtitles), an archival introduction by filmmaker Terry Gilliam (7 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival documentary on Fellini’s lost alternate ending for 8½ titled The Last Sequence (50 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles),  an archival documentary about Federico Fellini’s longtime composer titled Nino Rota: Between Cinema and Concert (47 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital mono German and Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actress Sandra Milo (26 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with filmmaker Lina Wertmuller (17 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with cinematographer Vittorio Storaro (17 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a short film directed by Federico Fellini titled Fellini: A Director's Notebook (51 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Federico Fellini’s letter sent to producer Peter Goldfrab outlining Fellini: A Director's Notebook, and   an archival audio commentary with Gideon Bachmann and Antonio Monda.

Other extras include a leaflet with an essay titled The Beautiful Confusion written by Stephanie Zacharek, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

8 ½ is an unfiltered view of the filmmaking process, its triumphs, and its failures. 8 ½ is also an exploration of the role that real life plays in the filmmaking process and how life often imitates art. The narrative revolves around a director named Guido as he navigates his professional and personal lives while trying to make his latest film. Filled with self-doubt, Guido searches for the answers by looking to the past and examining the present.

From its opening moments, it's clear that 8 ½ is a film where anything can happen. Reality and fantasy intermingle, and there’s no regard for time. Guido's insecurities shine through in moments of reality, but it is in moments of fantasy that 8 ½ is most captivating. Though there are many moments that stand out, the fantasy sequence where Guido interacts with women from his life is the most memorable. At one point during this sequence, when the women are not obeying his commands, Guido gets out a whip and acts like a bullfighter. This subconscious moment reveals so much about Guido, and it makes his journey all the more potent.

Though cinema has had countless director/actor collaborations, few have reached the heights of Federico Fellini and Marcello Mastroianni. Federico Fellini's experiences inspired the film "8 ½," and the protagonist, Guido, is a fictionalized version of himself. When it comes to performances, one would be hard-pressed to name a film where Marcello Mastroianni did not deliver an exemplary performance. Marcello Mastroianni is outstanding in the role of Guido; he delivers a flawless performance that effortlessly captures his character's highs and lows.

8 ½ has an extraordinary cast filled with recognizable faces like Claudia Cardinale (who portrays herself), Anouk Aimée, who portrays Guido’s wife, and Sandra Milo, who portrays Guido’s mistress. In the case of the latter, she delivers a scene-stealing performance in the role of the other woman. Another performance of note is Barbara Steele (Black Sunday), who portrays one of the wives of one of Guido’s friends. Also, Federico Fellini had a knack for casting people with interesting faces, and in this area 8 ½ delivers in spades.

Another key contributor to the cinema of Federico Fellini is composer Nino Rota, who collaborated with him on 17 films. With 8 ½ Nino Rota delivers a remarkable score in which he uses many familiar pieces of music from other composers. That said, the score also features many original music cues written by Nino Rota that capture the circus atmosphere of 8 ½. From the moment that music appears, sight and sound create a perfect fusion.

Though Federico Fellini films are known for their visuals, which often contain striking and symbolic imagery, 8 ½ really marks a turning point for him as a filmmaker. Federico Fellini's earlier films were grounded in reality, but from 8 ½ onward, his films became more fanciful. Also, 8 ½ would be Federico Fellini's last film shot in black and white before transitioning to color. Shooting a film like 8 ½ in color would have significantly altered it; some films were meant to be shot in black and white.

Though the narrative is essentially a series of loosely connected vignettes, it is surprisingly coherent and never difficult to grasp. At 139 minutes in length, pacing is never an issue, as things move briskly from one enthralling moment to the next. Appropriately, everything culminates with a circus-like finale where all the characters gather and dance in a circle until the lights go out. Throughout his career, Federico Fellini made several films that deserve their status as masterpieces; 8 ½, Federico Fellini’s celebration of the filmmaking process, is one of these films.

8 ½ makes its way to 4K UHD via an exceptional release from The Criterion Collection, 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

1982: Greatest Geek Year Ever!: Collector's Edition – MVD Rewind Collection (Blu-ray)

Release Date: USA, 2022, 2023
Director: Roger Lay Jr.

Release Date: November 5th, 2024
Approximate running time: 163 Minutes 30 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Interlaced / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English, DTS-HD Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $39.95

"MVD Rewind Collection is proud to present "1982: GREATEST GEEK YEAR EVER!" in its original, unedited feature length form for the first time!

1982: GREATEST GEEK YEAR EVER! is an epic documentary about the greatest geek year in films, 1982, featuring stars, directors, writers, producers and pop culture historians sharing their insights about such legendary movies as E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Blade Runner, John Carpenter's The Thing, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Poltergeist, Creepshow, Night Shift, The Dark Crystal, 48 Hours, First Blood, Tron, Conan The Barbarian, Cat People, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, The Road Warrior, and much, much more.

Filled with exclusive interviews, rare behind-the-scenes footage and exclusive never-before-seen clips (including Henry Winkler's home movies from the set of Night Shift) in a fun, lively, no holds barred celebration of the legendary movie-going year of 1982. "1982: Greatest Geek Year Ever!" takes viewers behind- the-scenes to a time when fandom was in its infancy, featuring eye-opening interviews with Ron Howard, Paul Schrader, John Sayles, Amy Heckerling, Henry Winkler, William Shatner, Sean Young, Joanna Cassidy, Keith David, Cameron Crowe, Michael Deeley, Lisa Henson, Dean Devlin, Bruce Campbell, Dee Wallace, Felicia Day, Susan Seidelman, Roger Corman, Barry Bostwick, Marc Singer, Bryan Fuller, Leonard Maltin, Mike Medavoy and more, in front of and behind the camera, from some of the biggest and most influential movies ever made!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video:

1982: Greatest Geek Year Ever! comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.7 GB

Feature: 32.7 GB

This documentary uses film clips, on-set footage, and other archival materials, and the quality varies. That said, the newly filmed interviews look the best.

Audio:

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English and a DTS-HD stereo mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. Included are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a trailer (58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), deleted/extended scenes (41 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), The Fans Speak: Fans Favorite Films Featurette (16 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), 2022 San Diego Comic-Con Panel (28 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with director/producer Roger Lay, Jr. and writer/producer Mark A. Altman, an audio commentary with producers Scott Mantz, Thomas P. Vitale and Mark A. Altman, a collectible mini poster (limited to first pressing), and a slipcover (limited to first pressing).

Other extras include trailers for One Dark Night, Swamp Thing, The House on Sorority Row, Liar's Moon, The Last American Virgin, and Mortuary.

Summary:

This documentary begins by exploring how the movie-watching experience differs now vs. 1982. Where everything is now at your fingertips, in 1982 going to the cinema to watch a movie was an event. They also discuss how the movie-making process has changed since the 1980s. From there, the discussion focuses on the biggest films from 1982.

In 1982, there were two Steven Spielberg films that were released one week apart; Blade Runner and The Thing were released on the same day, and it was a year where sci-fi cinema in particular excelled. 1982 was peak time for teen sex comedies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Porky's, and The Last American Virgin. That said, the films of 1982 were one of the most diverse slates of titles in Hollywood’s history.

Content wise, this documentary is a mix of talking heads providing their opinions and background information about the films discussed. Though most information about these films will be known by cinema enthusiasts, this is not a deal breaker since this is a documentary that leans heavily on nostalgia. Ultimately, 1982: Greatest Geek Year Ever! is a fun trip down memory lane that cinema enthusiasts should thoroughly enjoy.

MVD Rewind Collection gives 1982: Greatest Geek Year Ever! a solid release, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Seven From Texas - Dorado Films (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Dates: Spain/Italy, 1964 (The Seven From Texas), Italy/Spain, 1966 ($100,000 for Lassiter)
Director: Joaquín Luis Romero Marchent (Both Films)
Cast: Paul Piaget, Robert Hundar, Fernando Sancho, Gloria Milland, Jesús Puente, Francisco Sanz, Raf Baldassarre (The Seven From Texas), Robert Hundar, Pamela Tudor, Luigi Pistilli, José Bódalo, Jesús Puente, Roberto Camardiel, Aldo Sambrell, Benito Stefanelli ($100,000 for Lassiter)

Release Date: March 28th, 2023
Approximate Running Times: 90 Minutes (The Seven From Texas), 99 Minutes 39 Seconds ($100,000 for Lassiter)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (The Seven From Texas), 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen ($100,000 for Lassiter)
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Mono English (Both Films)
Subtitles: English, Spanish, Italian, German, Brazilian Portuguese (The Seven From Texas)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: OOP

"The story of seven dangerous men hired to escort a sick woman and her husband across treacherous territory. Each of the mixed bag of seven has lives altered by circumstance and their own unique motives in helping the pair. They meet hostile Indians and then must brave through the expansive, barren desert in a seemingly doomed trek to civilization, overcoming death in more ways than one." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 2.5/5 (The Seven From Texas), 1/5 ($100,000 for Lassiter)

Here’s the information provided about Seven from Texas's transfer, "mastered in 2K."

The Seven From Texas comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 19.9 GB

Feature: 18.6 GB

There are nicks, scratches, and other debris throughout. Colors lack consistency; they look faded; black levels are nonexistent; and image clarity leaves room for improvement. Also, there are mild compression issues, and contrast looks blown out.

$100,000 for Lassiter comes of a single layer DVD.

Disc Size: 4.2 GB

The source for this film looks similar, only worse since it is a single-layer DVD.

Audio: 2/5 (The Seven From Texas), 1.5/5 ($100,000 for Lassiter)

Each film comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital mono mix in English. Both tracks have distortion, most noticeable when the score appears. Despite dialog coming through clearly enough to follow, range-wise, these two tracks sound flat; they lack any depth. The Seven From Texas comes with removable English, Spanish, Italian, German, and Brazilian Portuguese subtitles.

Extras:

Extras on the Blu-ray disc with The Seven from Texas include theatrical trailers for The Seven from Texas (3 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), The Implacable Three (2 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), $100,000 for Lassiter (3 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles) and The Relentless Four (3 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles).

A bonus DVD that has the film $100,000 for Lassiter, aka Dollars for a Fast Gun.

Extras on the DVD disc with $100,000 for Lassiter include theatrical trailers for The Three Musketeers of the West (3 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Billy the Kid (3 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles) and Gatling Gun (3 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles).

Other extras include 2 mini poster cards, a 4-page insert for Seven from Texas, a 8-page booklet with an essay titled Seven From Texas (Hour of Death) Film Insights written by Tom Betts and a 12-page booklet with an essay titled Once Upon a Time… in the Spanish West… written by Mike Hauss.

Summary:

The Seven From Texas and $100,000 for Lassiter were both directed by Joaquín Luis Romero Marchent, most known for directing Cut-Throats Nine.

The Seven From Texas: A man recently released from prison discovers that the woman he loves has moved on and married another man. When he discovers that she is ill and her only hope is a town on the other side of Apache territory, he assists her on a treacherous journey.

By the time Joaquín Luis Romero Marchent directed The Seven From Texas, he had already directed two other westerns, The Implacable Three and Three Ruthless Ones. And yet, the result is a film that bears little resemblance to what one expects from a Spaghetti western.

Redemption is at the heart of The Seven From Texas. The narrative revolves around a protagonist who is looking to make amends with the woman he loves, even though she has moved on to another man. Also, there is a subplot that revolves around a man who has a vendetta against the protagonist.

Though the performances are good, it is hard to look past the weakest link, Paul Piaget, in the role of the protagonist. He delivers a wooden performance that lacks the charisma so many Spaghetti western leads have. That said, Robert Hundar (Free Hand for a Tough Cop) delivers a memorable performance in the role of Ringo, a man with a vendetta against the protagonist.

Though there are a few areas where The Seven From Texas does not excel, notably when it comes to a lack of on-screen violence, when it comes to the two main action set pieces, they do not disappoint. The deliberately paced narrative does a great job building momentum towards a phenomenal ambush finale. Other strengths are Joaquín Luis Romero Marchent’s solid direction and the picturesque visuals, which take full advantage of the landscapes. Ultimately, The Seven From Texas is a solid Spanish western that is free of Spaghetti western influences.

$100,000 for Lassiter: A wheelchair-bound wealthy landowner who controls the water supply extorts money from the nearby farms. One day, a stranger with knowledge of the past arrives and sets in motion a blackmail scheme against the wealthy landowner.

$100,000 for Lassiter has many Spaghetti western staples: blackmail, revenge, and greed. And though it also employs the strange scenario of pitting sides against each other, it is ultimately a tale about revenge that culminates with a twist finale that perfectly brings everything to a head.

Deception plays a significant role in the story that unfolds. And nowhere is this clearer than when it comes to the protagonist, Lassiter. When he appears in town, he presents himself as a book-learned person who has never held a gun. When, in reality, he is a highly skilled gunman. Throughout, there are many moments where Lassiter uses deception to gain the upper hand.

The cast features several recognizable Spaghetti western faces, and they are all very good in their roles. The most surprising performance was by Robert Hundar (The Cynic, the Rat, and the Fist) in the role of Lassiter. In most films that I have seen him in, he usually plays a secondary bad guy, while this time around he is the lead, and he does a great job.

Once again, Joaquín Luis Romero Marchent directs a Spaghetti western that is not as violent and flashy as other mid-1960s Spaghetti westerns. Fortunately, his direction is rock-solid. The narrative has a good balance of action and exposition. And though there is a deliberateness to the pacing, momentum is never an issue. Ultimately, $100,000 for Lassiter is a well-made Spaghetti western that fans of this genre should thoroughly enjoy.

The Seven From Texas and $100,000 for Lassiter get mediocre audio/video presentations from Dorado Films.

Written by Michael Den Boer