Graduation Day: Tromatic Special Edition – Troma Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1981
Director: Herb Freed
Writers: Anne Marisse, Herb Freed, David Baughn
Cast: Christopher George, Patch Mackenzie, E.J. Peaker, Michael Pataki, Carmen Argenziano, Virgil Frye, Denise Cheshire, Bill Hufsey, Linnea Quigley, Vanna White, Ruth Ann Llorens, Tom Hintnaus

Release Date: September 8th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 96 Minutes 44 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: R
Sound: Dolby Digital Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $19.95

"It's just weeks before high school graduation and members of the track team are being mysteriously and gruesomely murdered, one at a time. When the team's star runner drops dead at the end of a championship meet, her sister Anne (Patch MacKenzie) comes to town and a series of grisly murders begin. Is Anne responsible? Or is it coach Michaels (Christopher George) who has been fired because of Laura's death? Perhaps it's the campus policeman who is disliked because of his over-zealous drug investigations? Or is it Laura's boyfriend, Kevin (E. Danny Murphy), who can't reconcile himself to Laura's death? You won't want to see Graduation Day alone!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Graduation Day comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 35.8 GB

Feature: 21.7 GB

This release uses the same 4K restoration Vinegar Syndrome used for their 2014 Blu-ray release. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression or digital noise reduction.

Audio: 3.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The track sounds clean, clear, and balanced.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 4 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival introduction by Lloyd Kaufman (2 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actress Linnea Quigley (4 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with editor Martin Jay Sadoff titled Cutting Class (7 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with producer David Baughn titled Graduation Day Blues (11 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actress Patch Mackenzie titled Acting Out in School (8 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with director Herb Freed titled Surviving the Class of ‘81 (12 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with David Baughn, and an archival audio commentary with The Hysteria Continues.

Other extras include Cannibal Lesbian Hoedown! (2 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Innards! music video (1 minute 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Radiation March (54 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Troma in Times Square (1 minute 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), TA in 4K! (1 minute 10 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and trailers for Shakespeare’s Shitstorm, Eating Miss Campbell, Curse of the Werewolf, Sweet Meats, Kill Dolly Doll, The Toxic Avenger, Class of Nume ‘Em High, Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D., and Tromeo & Juliet. 

Summary:

Herb Freed directed Graduation Day. His other notable films are Haunts, Beyond Evil, and Tomboy. Graduation Day was made in 1981, what is widely regarded as the most prolific year for the slasher film. While Graduation Day was made on a modest budget, it is one of the more successful slasher films at the box office.

A psychopath targets a member of the track team after one of their teammates dies tragically during a track meet.

The premise takes on a familiar theme: revenge. The narrative does a great job balancing exposition with moments of carnage. When it comes to the kills scenes, they are not that gory, and many of them abruptly end. That said, despite having the core ingredients one expects from a slasher film, the narrative stalk and kill approach is very predictable.

While none of the performances are going to win any awards, the entire cast are enjoyable in their roles. The standout performance is Patch Mackenzie (Death Dimension), who portrays Anne Ramstead, the older sister of the young girl who died during a track meet. Her character has more depth than the rest, and she takes advantage of that with her performance. Rounding out the cast are several recognizable faces: Christopher George (City of the Living Dead), Michael Pataki (Dead & Buried), Linnea Quigley (Night of the Demons) and Vanna White (‘Wheel of Fortune’).

One of the tropes of the slasher film is misdirection, notably when it comes to concealing the killer's identity. Graduation Day’s attempts at misdirection are not as clever as they want to be, and it quickly becomes clear who the killer is. When it comes to the murder death set pieces, they are always creative, with each victim killed in a different way. Ultimately, despite its shortcomings, Graduation Day does succeed in one regard: it provides the audiences what it wants.

Graduation Day makes its way back to Blu-ray via a first-rate release from Troma Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Girls: 2 Disc Edition – Cult Epics (UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Canada/France/West Germany, 1980
Director: Just Jaeckin
Writers: Just Jaeckin, Géza von Radványi, Jean-Luc Voulfow
Cast: Anne Parillaud, Zoé Chauveau, Charlotte Walior, Isabelle Mejias, Christophe Bourseiller, László Szabó

Release Date: May 12th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 94 Minutes 39 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $49.95

"Three teenage friends--Suzanne (Charlotte Walior), Annie (Zoé Chauveau), and Catherine (Anne Parillaud, later of La Femme Nikita)--as they navigate the emotional turbulence of adolescence, love, and self-discovery. Spending their nights in discos and cinemas chasing adventure and romance, they are joined by Suzanne's younger sister, Betty (Isabelle Mejias), who eagerly imitates their behavior, only to stumble into adult consequences she isn't yet prepared for." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (4K UHD), 4.25/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "4K Transfer from the original negative."

Girls Comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 62 GB

Feature: 61.1 GB

The source looks excellent, free of any source imperfections. Flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look. That said, there are some moments where grain looks thicker than others.

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

Disc Size: 43.1 GB

Feature: 22.4 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 4.5/5

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

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an audio commentary with Jeremy Richey and Peter Verstraten.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a video essay by Jeremy Richey titled Who is Just Jaeckin (18 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival TV interview with director Just Jaeckin, and actresses Anne Parrilaud, Zoé Chaveau, and Charlotte Walior (4 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), Last Interview with Just Jaeckin (16 minutes 54 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Isabelle Mejias (20 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), scenes exclusive to the German cut of Girls, which recasts Claus Obalski in the role of Jérôme (25 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital mono German, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Jeremy Richey and Peter Verstraten.

Other extras on the Blu-ray disc include trailers for The Island Closet to Heaven, The Debut, My Nights with Susan, Sandra, Olga & Julie, and The Key.

Other extras include a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Just Jaeckin made a conscious effort to create a few films that were not like his two greatest successes, Emmanuelle and The Story of O. The first two films, Madame Claude and The Last Romantic Lover, arguably showcase Just Jaeckin's strengths as a filmmaker. The third film from this era, Girls, tells a coming-of-age story about four mischievous teenage girls who seek fun while often neglecting their responsibilities.

If someone were to watch Girls without knowing that Just Jaeckin directed it, Girls only shares a connection with his other works through the playful humor that is characteristic of his filmography. What immediately captivates viewers about Girl is its vibrant energy; it is brimming with youthful exuberance. Additionally, what distinguishes Girl is the way Just Jaeckin’s direction skillfully navigates the more sensitive moments experienced by the four young girls.

As strong as Just Jaeckin’s direction and the story are, a film is only as good as its cast, and Girls has an exceptional one. The four girls are perfectly cast, and two of them, Charlotte Walior and Isabelle Mejias (Julie Darling), are making their film debuts. The most notable cast member is Anne Parillaud, who would go on to star in the iconic role of Nikita from La Femme Nikita. The rest of the cast is populated by strong performances that complement the four leads and their characters' stories.

The opening setup does a superb job fleshing out the four main characters. The narrative is always engaging, and it does an excellent job building momentum as the four girls' risky behavior finally catches up to them, and a poignant finale of self-reflection serves as a perfect coda for the four girls' story. One standout aspect of Girls is its exceptional soundtrack, composed by Duncan Mackay and Eric Stewart of the rock band 10cc. Their iconic song "I’m Not in Love" features prominently in the series. Overall, Girls is a well-crafted melodrama where everything seamlessly comes together.

Girls gets an excellent release from Cult Epics that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful 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

God of Gamblers II: Limited Edition – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1990
Director: Wong Jing
Writers: Wong Jing, Corey Yuen
Cast: Andy Lau, Stephen Chow, Monica Chan, Ng Man-tat, Sharla Cheung, Charles Heung, Chow Yun-fat

Release Date: April 27th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 104 Minutes 53 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £17.00 (UK)

"Back to the casino – only this time, the Joker's wild. After his adventures with the world's greatest gambler in the first film, crafty Knife (Andy Lau – Hard Boiled 2: The Last Blood) teams up with another preternaturally gifted card sharp, Sing, played by Stephen Chow (Forbidden City Cop), here at his absolute silliest. But the odds are stacked against them: a crooked rival wants to take Knife out for good – and he's dealing from the bottom of the deck." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer: "High-definition Blu-ray presentation in original 1.85:1 aspect ratio."

God of Gamblers II comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41.1 GB

Feature: 28.7 GB

The source used for this transfer is in great 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 DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, balanced, and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), additional scenes from the Taiwanese version (23 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Mandarin with removable English subtitles), an interview with director Wong Jing titled Money Maker (21 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with film critic and author David West, an audio commentary with Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival), reversible cover art, a double-sided fold-out poster, and an O-ring slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Directed by Wong Jing, a prolific producer and director who is now into his fifth decade of making cinema in Hong Kong. Anyone who's familiar with Hong Kong's heyday of the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s is sure to have seen one of his films. And though he often takes on the role of producer, most films he is associated with have his distinctive bombastic style.

Someone has stolen the identity of the God of the Gamblers' protégé and plans on using it to steal millions in a fraudulent charity card game.

Although titled God of Gamblers II, the film serves more as a blend of All for the Winner and God of the Gamblers rather than a traditional sequel to the latter. Chronologically, God of Gamblers II stands as the third installment in a series that currently comprises 15 films.

Although Andy Lau’s (Infernal Affairs) character Michael Chan, aka Knight of Gamblers, is the protagonist, it is really a film that has two protagonists whose stories intersect. The other lead is Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle) in the role of Chow Sing Cho, aka the Saint of Gamblers. While Andy Lau's performance leans towards seriousness, Stephen Chow's character encounters numerous absurd situations that offer ample comic relief.

When it comes to the humor, while most of it revolves around Stephen Chow’s character, once again he’s joined by Ng Man-tat, a frequent collaborator of Stephen Chow’s who’s often the recipient of his physical humor. There is a running gag where the Saint of the Gamblers has supernatural powers that aid him in his gambling endeavors. Unfortunately for him, his powers only work as long as he does not keep any of his winnings, which would give him bad luck.

The main constant throughout the God of the Gambler series is Wong Jing, who directed 10 of the 15 films. Anyone familiar with the films of Wong Jing knows what to expect; his direction is always solid, and he usually lets the cast do what they do best, instead of imposing a singular vision on them. That said, he does deliver a handful of stylish moments visually.

The narrative is a very satisfying balance of the Knight of Gamblers and the Saint of the Gamblers stories. When it comes to pacing, things move quickly, and the narrative does an excellent job building to its finale, a card game between the Knight of Gamblers and the man who stole his identity. While humor is key to the story, there are also well-crafted action scenes. Although Chow Yun-Fat's character, the God of the Gamblers, casts a significant shadow over the story, he is only referenced frequently by other characters. He appears in just two brief moments, both of which are archival footage from the original film, God of the Gamblers. Ultimately, God of the Gamblers II is a highly entertaining film that stands on its own, making prior knowledge of the two films that came before it unnecessary.

God of Gamblers II gets an excellent release from 88 Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of informative extras. Highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

G.I. Samurai: Limited Edition – Arrow Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1979
Director: Kôsei Saitô
Writer: Toshio Kamata
Cast: Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba, Noriko Honma, Haruki Kadokawa, Shin Kishida, Asao Koike, Shin'ichirô Mikami, Noboru Nakaya, Mikio Narita, Isao Natsuyagi, Raita Ryû, Hiroyuki Sanada, Kenpachirô Satsuma, Mizuho Suzuki, Katsumasa Uchida

Release Date: May 5th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 139 Minutes 14 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese, DTS-HD Stereo Japanese. DTS-HD 5.1 Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $39.95

"During a routine military exercise, modern-day soldiers led by Second Lieutenant Iba (Chiba) find themselves transported back in time four hundred years to war-torn feudal Japan. Facing attack by samurai warriors from rival clans, frictions rapidly emerge among these modern-day soldiers, whisked from a time of peace, freed from the strictures of a higher authority and stranded in one of the bloodiest and most decisive periods in Japan's history." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "The film was restored in 4K by Kadokawa Pictures in 2022.

All materials were provided by Kadokawa."

G.I. Samurai comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46.4 GB

Feature: 32.9 GB

There are two optional viewing modes via seamless branching: the original Japanese version or the uncut English-language version titled Time Slip. 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: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Stereo Japanese. DTS-HD 5.1 Japanese), 4.25/5 (LPCM Mono Japanese)

This release comes with three audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese, a DTS-HD stereo mix in Japanese and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Japanese. All of the tracks sound clean, clear, balanced, and robust when they should. The stereo and 5.1 tracks do an excellent job expanding the soundtrack. The audio tracks and English subtitles can only be changed via the setup menu and not during playback. 

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (35 images—stills/posters), a teaser trailer (42 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with text in Japanese and removable English subtitles), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba (20 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor Isao Natsuyagi (23 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actors Hiromitsu Suzuki and Monsieur Kamayatsu (21 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actors Jun Eto and Isao Kuraishi (21 minutes 44 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor Eiji Suzuki (3 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an appreciation by Mark Schilling titled The Good Fight (22 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an appreciation by Matt Alt titled Acting in Self-Defense (18 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a discussion between film critics Masaki Nomura and Tatsuya Masuto titled Back in Time (21 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Samm Deighan and Tom Mes, an English-language version of G.I. Samurai under the title Time Slip (139 minutes 14 seconds, 1.85:1 aspect ratio, LPCM mono English with non-removable English subtitles for text in Japanese), reversible cover art, a slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and a 24-page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Sanity Slip written by Josh Slater-Williams, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Kôsei Saitô directed G.I. Samurai. Although he mostly worked in television, his notable theatrical feature films are Devil’s Flute and Ninja Wars. The English language version of G.I. Samurai was released under the alternate title Time Slip.

A squadron of Japanese soldiers is transported into the past, where shoguns and samurai rule the land. Lt. Yoshiaki Iba tries to keep his men in line while he thinks of a way to get them back home. Kagatore is an ambitious samurai who aspires to be the next shogun, and when he sees Lt. Yoshiaki Iba's advanced weaponry, he forms an alliance. Does Kagatore have ulterior motives or will he help Iba and his men find their way back home?

Starting in the late 1970s, Kadokawa was producing the most inventive films coming out of Japan. Where their main competitors, Toho and Toei, were focusing on samurai and yakuza films, Kadokawa was making films that thought outside of the box; case in point: G.I. Samurai, a time travel film that pits modern soldiers against samurai.

Another thing that sets G.I. Samurai apart from other films from this era is its interesting take on time travel. The modern-day soldiers, while plotting their return home, seemed primarily focused on the prospect of meeting their ancestors. They showed little concern for the thousands of samurai they killed in the process, some of whom might have been related to them. That said, this logic of how the future can only be altered when you come in contact with your ancestors is a major flaw that is never really explained. 

Outside of Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba (The Street Fighter), the core cast is mostly made up of relative unknowns. Fortunately, this works in the film’s favor, since it is really an ensemble film that does not rely on star power carrying it. Speaking of Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba, he’s given plenty of chances to flex his muscles. His standout moments are a scene where he rides a horse during a battle and a scene where he hangs from a rope that dangles from a helicopter while he shoots an Uzi.

The opening setup does a superb job pulling you in, and the relationship that evolves between Iba and Kagatore is its heart and soul. The narrative employs flashbacks that cut between past and present memories that link characters with their ancestors. While most of these moments are very effective, some of them disrupt the narrative's flow. 

Although the special effects look incredibly dated, they still serve G.I. Samurai well. That said, it is the action sequences where G.I. Samurai excels the most. They are expertly executed and epic in size, and the final third of the film is all-out action that doesn’t let up until the final moments. Ultimately, G.I. Samurai is a highly entertaining take on time travel.

G.I. Samurai gets an exceptional release from Arrow Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of informative extras. Highly recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Gialli, Guns & Gore! The Films of Darren Ward (Sudden Fury, A Day of Violence, Beyond Fury) – Treasured Films (Blu-ray)

Release Dates: UK, 1997 (Sudden Fury), UK, 2010 (A Day of Violence), UK, 2019 (Beyond Fury)
Director: Darren Ward (All Films)
Cast: Chris Barfoot, Antony Dobson, Stuart Farrell, Adam Light, Andy Ranger, Nick Rendell, Victor D. Thorn, David Warbeck, Antony Wedge (Sudden Fury), Giovanni Lombardo Radice, Nick Rendell, Christopher Fosh, Victor D. Thorn, Peter Rnic, Steve Humphries, Helena Martin, Tina Barnes, Forbes KB, Pete Morgan (A Day of Violence), Dani Thompson, Hannaj Bang Bendz, Lee Craven, Jeff Stewart, Giovanni Lombardo Radice, Tina Barnes, Dan van Husen, Mark Chapman, Joanna Finata, Glenn Salvage, Anthony Straeger, Tony Mardon (Beyond Fury)

Release Date: April 27th, 2026 (UK), April 28th, 2026 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 108 Minutes 1 Second (Sudden Fury), 94 Minutes 53 Seconds (A Day of Violence), 117 Minutes 17 Seconds (A Day of Violence)
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 720 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Sudden Fury), 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (A Day of Violence, Beyond Fury)
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo English (All Films)
Subtitles: English SDH (All Films)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £29.99 (UK), $49.95 (USA)

Sudden Fury: "Randall is a small time crime boss with his eye firmly on his rival's cocaine stash and criminal empire. Randall and his right-hand henchman Jimmy hire legendary hit man Walker, to take out his nemesis Harris. With Harris out of the way, Randall plans to take over sole distribution of the cocaine trade for the south coast of England. It soon becomes apparent to Walker that Randall never intended to pay for his work and his plan of domination soon becomes compromised. Randall pulls out the stops to have Walker killed, but Walker doesn't go down easy..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

A Day of Violence: "Mitchell Parker lies dead on a morgue slab. In life, he served the low ranks of debt collectors, surrounded by the filth and scum that the streets had to offer. On a routine collection he stumbles across £100,000 in cash, hidden in the sofa of one of his clients. A dark and haunting past hangs over the head of Parker, one that will lead him on a journey of redemption and ultimately sacrifice. Hunted by the gang whose money he has stolen, he must evade capture and use the money to rid himself of his demons once and for all." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Beyond Fury: "Ex-Mercenary Michael Walker and his pregnant girlfriend Claudia are brutally attacked. Now with Claudia and the unborn child dead, Walker reverts to his military training to hunt down and serve his own kind of street justice. The concluding part of Ward's 'Crime trilogy' is his most ambitious, action packed and goriest of the three." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 2/5 (Sudden Fury), 3.25/5 (A Day of Violence), 3.75/5 (Beyond Fury)

Sudden Fury comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.8 GB

Feature: 22.2 GB

A Day of Violence comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41.8 GB

Feature: 22.2 GB

Beyond Fury comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.9 GB

Feature: 27.3 GB

Sudden Fury is the worst-looking transfer, while Beyond Fury looks the best, and A Day of Violence falls somewhere in between them. That said, the provided screenshots give a clear indication of what to expect.

Audio: 4/5 (All Films)

Each film comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD stereo mix in English with removable English SDH. All tracks sound clean, dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and action sequences are reasonably robust.

Extras:

Extras on the disc with Sudden Fury include reversible cover art, an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background, (poster/home video art/stills), an archival trailer (2 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), outtakes (11 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), deleted scenes (1 minute 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a behind-the-scenes make-up reel (47 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Darren Ward titled The Crime Trilogy Part 1: Sudden Fury (13 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a retrospective documentary titled Sudden Fury: 12 Years On (33 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio Commentary with Darren Ward and actor Nick Rendell, and three short films directed by Darren Ward; Paura Il DIavolo (41 minutes 7 seconds, 1.78:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Blue Fear (67 minutes 49 seconds, 1.85:1 aspect ratio/letterboxed widescreen, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and Bitter Vengeance (18 minutes 12 seconds, 1.66:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Paura Il Diavolo: An ancient evil kills everything in its path.

Blue Fear: In this giallo-inspired short, a man witnesses a murder, and the killer sets out to silence him before being exposed.

Bitter Vengeance: A hit squad is sent to ambush a hitman instead of paying him for his services. Bitter Vengeance’s story evolved into what became Sudden Fury, and it was part of an anthology film directed by Darren Ward titled Three Tickets to Hell.

Extras on the disc with A Day of Violence include reversible cover art, an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background, (poster/home video art/stills), 'Soprano' trailer (2 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), soft trailer (2 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), hard trailer (2 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), deleted scenes; full-length driving (5 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles) and extended car crash (42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Darren Ward titled The Crime Trilogy Part 2: A Day of Violence (13 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Darren Ward and Nick Rendell for A Day of Violence, a feature-length documentary directed by Darren Ward titled Making-of A Day of Violence (91 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a short film directed by Darren Ward titled Nightmares (11 minutes 55 seconds, 1.78:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Darren Ward about Nightmares titled The Crime Trilogy: The In-between Years (11 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Darren Ward for Nightmares.

Nightmares: A serial killer relives his murders through a series of nightmares.

Extras on the disc with Beyond Fury include reversible cover art, an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background, (poster/home video art/stills), a teaser trailer (1 minute 17 seconds,) a trailer (2 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette titled The Crime Trilogy Props Tour (7 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Gasworks visual effects reel (2 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo), a featurette titled Chainsaw Fun (6 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a behind-the-scenes featurette (38 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Darren Ward titled The Crime Trilogy Part 3: Beyond Fury (33 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Darren Ward and Nick Rendell for Beyond Fury, a short film directed by Darren Ward titled Passion (13 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Darren Ward for Passion.

Passion: An homage to the giallo film that was made for an anthology film titled Exhibition of Evil. What the narrative lacks in exposition, it makes up for with a series of stylized killings.

Other extras include a 32-page booklet with an essay titled Furious: The Story of the John Woo of Southampton written by Tom Lee Rutter.

Summary:

Sudden Fury: A small-time crime boss looking to take over the local cocaine business hires a hitman to kill off his competitors. Things go awry when he double-crosses the hitman, who then marks him for death.

When one thinks of ultra-low-budget do-it-yourself cinema, there are not that many examples of action films. Case in point, Sudden Fury is a film that sticks to crowd-pleasing elements like blood-soaked carnage that is over the top and then some. That said, there are even fewer ultra-low-budget action films that pull it off as well as Sudden Fury does.

While the performances suit the story that unfolds, unfortunately, the characters are mostly one-note, which gives the cast little to work with. The most memorable performance is David Warbeck (The Beyond), who delivers a delirious portrayal of a sadistic hitman who takes too much pleasure in his job.

It's clear early on that Sudden Fury is more concerned with style than substance. Although the narrative has a few lulls, for the most part things move at a good momentum that effectively builds to an explosive, high-body-count finale. Considering the budget, the action sequences are actually impressive. Ultimately, Sudden Fury is a highly entertaining film that never strays from its strengths, over-the-top action and bloody carnage, making its shortcomings easy to look past.

A Day of Violence: A debt collector for a crime boss steals £100,000 that belongs to his employer. 

The narrative is told via a lengthy flashback from the memories of the debt collector who now lies lifeless in the morgue. The narrative moves briskly and it does a phenomenal job building momentum with a series of tense moments that top each other.

All around, the cast are excellent in their roles, especially Nick Rendell in the role of a debt collector named Mitchell. He perfectly portrays a determined man who can endure a beating while leaving a trail of corpses behind. Giovanni Lombardo Radice (Cannibal Holocaust) makes a brief appearance as a man who owes the crime boss a large sum of money.

When it comes to the action, it's bombastic, and the carnage is brutal and gory. Ultimately, A Day of Violence is a solid exploitation film that does an excellent job of drawing you in and holding your attention.

Beyond Fury: An ex-mercenary reverts back to his old ways when a group of thugs kill his wife and unborn child while leaving him an inch from losing his life. From there he sets out on a vendetta, killing everyone involved and wiping out a crime syndicate in the process.

Beyond Fury is a sequel to Sudden Fury; it's a continuation of Walker’s story that further fleshes out his past, notably his connection to a secret government agency. In terms of growth, from a production standpoint, Beyond Fury is light years ahead of Sudden Fury. Not only are the action sequences, special effects, and acting better, the narrative is greatly enhanced by more exposition.

The narrative has two storylines that run parallel; one is about a man looking to avenge the murder of his girlfriend and unborn child, while the other is about the police investigation into their deaths. Not surprisingly, the most arresting moments are where Walker tracks down those responsible and viciously works them over before killing them. That said, the narrative does a superb job building momentum to a twist finale that provides the protagonist the closure he needed.

The narrative strikes a satisfying balance between exposition and bloodletting. In terms of the latter, the carnage often ventures into excessive territory, with certain moments that may not be suitable for the faint of heart. The most notable cast member is Giovanni Lombardo Radice, known for his role in House on the Edge of the Park, portraying a Russian crime boss named Ivan Lenzivitch. Ultimately, Beyond Fury stands as Darren Ward’s most accomplished film to date.

Treasured Films’ Gialli, Guns & Gore! The Films of Darren Ward is more than just a collection of three thematically connected films; it encompasses Darren Ward’s entire filmography. Overall, this release is solid and sure to delight fans of do-it-yourself cinema. Recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer