Motorpsycho! – Severin Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1965
Director: Russ Meyer
Writers: Billy Sprague, Russ Meyer, James Griffith, Hal Hopper, Ross Massbaum
Cast: Haji, Alex Rocco, Steve Oliver, Lane Carroll, Joseph Cellini, Timothy Scott, Coleman Francis, Sharon Lee, Steve Masters, Arshalouis Aivazian, Russ Meyer, George Costello, Fred Owens, Richard S. Brummer

Release Date: April 29th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 74 Minutes 1 Second
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10+
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $59.95

"When a trio of psycho bikers launches a sexual assault and murder spree in a desert town, the local veterinarian (Alex Rocco of THE GODFATHER fame in his screen debut) teams with a rage-ravaged vixen (the incredible Haji in her own first film role) to settle the score." - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "This 4K restoration was produced by The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

The film was scanned, graded, and restored at ImagePro from the 35mm original camera negative, with additional sections scanned from the 35mm interpositive."

Motorpsycho! comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 54.9 GB

Feature: 53.6 GB

The source is in excellent shape; it is vastly superior to all of this film’s previous home media releases. Flesh tones look healthy, and image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid. Also, grain remains intact, and the image always retains an organic look.

Motorpsycho! comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 23.1 GB

Feature: 21.3 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 English with removable English SDH. Like the video, Severin has done a fantastic job with the audio. The audio is in excellent shape; there are no sibilance issues, dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise ambient sounds are well-represented, and the score sounds appropriately robust. That said, not only does the audio sound better than ever, it is difficult to imagine it sounding any better.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with film historian Elizabeth Purchell and filmmaker Zach Clark.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actress Haji and actor Alex Rocco titled Desert Rats on Hondas (21 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Elizabeth Purchell and Zach Clark.

Other extras include a slipcover.

Summary:

A motorcycle gang led by a sadistic Vietnam veteran terrorizes a small desert town.

Though Russ Meyer’s films from Vixen! onward are outrageous farces that are technicolor explosions that leap from the screen, there is something equally striking about his use of black & white cinematography in his gothic cycle of films. Motorpsycho! is the third film from Russ Meyer’s gothic period, the other three are Lorna, Mudhoney, and Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!. These films came after Russ Meyer’s "nudie-cutie" period, and they all contain elements synonymous with "roughie films," a sub-genre that evolved from "nudie-cuties." Tone-wise Russ Meyer’s Gothic period is noticeably darker than his other films.

Motorpsycho! taps into the delinquent-themed film movement that rose to prominence in the latter half of the 1960s. The narrative revolves around a gang that does and says what they want to, without fear of repercussions. Though most cower in their presence, there are two characters who are hell-bent on getting revenge against them.

Motorpsycho! does a phenomenal job drawing you in with an opening sequence that perfectly sets the tone. It is in this opening setup that we are introduced to three bikers who come upon a man fishing and his wife sunbathing in a bikini. Aroused by the sight of the voluptuous woman, they decide she is theirs for the taking.

All around the cast is excellent, especially Steve Oliver (The Naked Zoo), who portrays Brahmin, the short-fused leader of the biker gang. He delivers a menacing performance that is believable and utterly terrifying. Other performances of note are Alex Rocco (in his film debut) in the role of Cory Maddox, a veterinarian whose wife was sexually assaulted by the biker gang, and Haji (Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!), in the role of Ruby Bonner, a character who was shot in the back by the biker gang and left for dead.

No matter what genre he’s working in, Russ Meyer’s films do a superb job employing humor. Case in point Motorpsycho!, a film whose dialog is laced with sexual innuendo. The most prominent example of humor occurs in a scene where Cory is bitten by a snake, and he repeatedly urges Ruby to suck it out. This is a moment that purely embodies the cinema of Russ Meyer.

The narrative is briskly paced; it does an excellent job building momentum to an explosive finale that serves as a perfect climax. Visually, it's gorgeous black and white cinematography that takes full advantage of the desert locations. Though Russ Meyer keeps most of the violence off-screen, he’s able to create some intense moments. Ultimately, Motorpsycho! is a solid revenge-themed film that ranks among Russ Meyer’s best works.

Motorpsycho! gets a definitive release from Severin Films, 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

Up! – Severin Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1976
Director: Russ Meyer
Writers: Russ Meyer, Anthony-James Ryan, Roger Ebert
Cast: Edward Schaaf, Robert McLane, Elaine Collins, Candy Samples, Su Ling, Janet Wood, Linda Sue Ragsdale, Raven De La Croix, Monty Bane, Marianne Marks, Larry Dean, Bob Schott, Foxy Lae, Ray Reinhardt, Kitten Natividad

Release Date: April 29th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 80 Minutes 17 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10+
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $59.95

"Welcome to a sex-blasted burg in Northern California where sodomized Führers, ravenous piranha, sapphic ecstasy, murder mystery, Shakespearean appropriation and the remarkable Raven De La Croix collide, with Kitten Natividad – in her RM Productions debut – as The Greek Chorus of it all." - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "This 4K restoration was produced by Severin Films and RM Films International.

The film was scanned from the 35mm original camera negative at Illuminate Studios Hollywood, with color and restoration work by Severin Films".

Up! comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 59.3 GB

Feature: 58.2 GB

The source is in excellent shape; it is vastly superior to all of this film’s previous home media releases. Colors are nicely saturated, flesh tones look healthy, and image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid. Also, grain remains intact, and the image always retains an organic look.

Up! comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 25.3 GB

Feature: 23.1 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 English with removable English SDH. Like the video, Severin has done a fantastic job with the audio. The audio is in excellent shape; there are no sibilance issues, dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise ambient sounds are well-represented, and the score sounds appropriately robust. That said, not only does the audio sound better than ever, it is difficult to imagine it sounding any better.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an audio commentary with film historian Elizabeth Purchell.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a radio spot (30 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actress Raven De La Croix titled No Fairy Tale...This! (18 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with film Elizabeth Purchell.

Other extras include a slipcover.

Summary:

A busty hitchhiker who has just arrived in town is besieged by perverts and ne'er-do-wells.

Though humor is central to the cinema of Russ Meyer, from Vixen! onward it reached a level of outrageousness that would reach its apex with Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens. The humor in Up! leaves no subject unscathed; in the opening setup, there is a character named Adolph Schwartz, who looks a lot like Adolph Hitler. This character has a dungeon, and they are into kinky things like being sodomized. Someone holds a grudge against Adolph Schwartz, and they kill him by putting piranha in the bathtub. This opening setup does a phenomenal job of setting the tone and laying the foundation for what follows.

Russ Meyer is known for casting buxom women and photographing them in such a way that they always look ravishing. Another thing that he excelled at was discovering new talent for his films, and with Up! Raven De La Croix was his latest find. She portrayed a character named Margo Winchester, who, from the moment she arrives on screen, men are easily distracted in her presence. It is a shame that she would never work with Russ Meyer again, since she had all the right assets and delivered an exemplary performance.

Another performance of note is Janet Wood (The Centerfold Girls), who portrays Sweet Li'l Alice, a woman who runs a diner with her husband. Kitten Natividad, who would go on to star in Russ Meyers' next film, Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens, portrays The Greek Chorus, a character who serves as a narrator. Her character spends all of their screen time naked, climbing and straddling trees. That said, when it comes to the performances, everyone is game as they fully embrace whatever they are asked to do.

Though the narrative follows a linear path, it feels more like a series of loosely connected vignettes. There is little in the way of exposition, as the main focus is characters having sex or doing outrageous things. The narrative moves briskly, and a lot actually happens despite the relatively short running time of 80 minutes. Another strength of the narrative is how you never know where it will go next, and when the killer's identity is finally revealed, it is a genuine surprise.

As mentioned before, humor is central to the story that unfolds, and a recurring gag involves a sheriff who spends his time seeking sexual favors instead of fulfilling his duties. An area where Up! excels is Russ Meyer’s editing; his use of sound and juxtaposition of images does a superb job of enhancing mood. When it comes to the sex scenes, Russ Meyer had a knack for putting characters in the most absurd positions and unusual places. Ultimately, Up! is another highly entertaining film from Russ Meyer, a truly unique filmmaker who rarely compromised.

Up! gets a definitive release from Severin Films, 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

The House of Lost Souls – Cauldron Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1989
Director: Umberto Lenzi
Writer: Umberto Lenzi
Cast: Joseph Alan Johnson, Stefania Orsola Garello, Matteo Gazzolo, Laurentina Guidotti, Gianluigi Fogacci, Hal Yamanouchi, Licia Colò, Costantino Meloni, Charles Borromel, Dino Jaksic, Marina Reiner, Beni Cardoso, Fortunato Arena, Massimo Sarchielli, Fabio Branchini, Giulio Massimini, Vincenzo Menniti

Release Date: May 13th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 87 Minutes 27 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $34.95

"A group of young geologists get stranded in a dilapidated old hotel when their path home is washed out by the rain. This proves to be a wrong turn as the hotel comes alive with the vengeful spirits of the dead, hell-bent on taking their head chopping revenge upon the living. No one is safe in The House of Lost souls! " - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "2K restoration."

The House of Lost Souls comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 40.4 GB

Feature: 27.4 GB

The source looks excellent; this film has never looked better on home media. The flesh tones appear healthy, the colors appear correct, the image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the grain remains intact.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. That said, the Italian language tracks sound more robust. Included are English subtitles for the Italian language track and English SDH subtitles for the English language track. It should be noted that subtitles can only be chosen via the audio setup menu, and they cannot be turned off while watching the main feature. Also, you cannot toggle between the two audio options while watching the main feature.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with FX artist Elio Terribili titled Working with Umberto (18 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with composer Claudio Simonetti titled The House of Rock (14 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival career spanning interview with director Umberto Lenzi from 2001 titled The Criminal Cinema of Umberto Lenzi (52 minutes 213 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Samm Deighan, and an audio commentary with Rod Barnett and Adrian Smith.

Extras not carried over from the limited edition release for this standard edition release include a poster, and a rigid outer box.

Summary:

The House of Lost Souls is one of four made-for-television films known as The Houses of Doom. The other three films are The House of Clocks, The Sweet House of Horrors, and The House of Witchcraft.

Lost and needing shelter for the night, a group of friends stay at an abandoned hotel.

With The House of Lost Souls, Umberto Lenzi takes a The Shining-like scenario and makes it his own. Outside of the opening setup and one other moment, the bulk of the narrative takes place inside of the hotel. Its isolated location and decrepit-looking decor greatly enhance the mood. That said, the way in which Umberto Lenzi exploits this location is a textbook example of low-budget filmmaking that maximizes its resources.

This time around, Umberto Lenzi is clearly making a film geared toward a teenage audience. Like some other horror films he made around this time, Nightmare Beach and Hitcher in the Dark, there is a slasher-like vibe going on, albeit with a supernatural twist. Unfortunately, anyone looking for anything new will be disappointed since The House of Lost Souls is a film that relies heavily on well-worn horror cinema tropes.

Where past decades of Italian genre cinema relied on star power, often from foreign countries, to draw a wider audience, by the late 1980s films like The House of Lost Souls had casts who remained unknown. Though some blame can be attributed to dubbing, in either language the cast of The House of Lost Souls are lacking screen presence. Costantino Meloni, who portrays Gianluca, is another in a long line of annoying kids in Italian genre cinema. Massimo Sarchielli (The Conformist), who portrays the cemetery caretaker, a character who looks like one of the Super Mario brothers.

Though The House of Lost Souls is lacking in exposition, it tries to make up for it with its murder set pieces. Fortunately, when it comes to moments of carnage, this is one area where Umberto Lezni always delivers. The kills come by way of decapitation, the most memorable of which is a boy whose head is caught inside a washing machine. One of The House of Lost Souls' most durable assets is Claudio Simonetti’s score, which does a superb job heightening the mood. Ultimately, The House of Lost Souls is a predictable horror film that even this genre's most diehard fans will find a chore to get through.

The House of Lost Souls gets an excellent release from Cauldron Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The House of Witchcraft – Cauldron Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1989
Director: Umberto Lenzi
Writers: Gianfranco Clerici, Umberto Lenzi, Daniele Stroppa
Cast: Andy J. Forest, Sonia Petrovna, Susanna Martinková, Marina Giulia Cavalli, Paul Muller, Maria Stella Musy, Alberto Frasca, Maria Cumani Quasimodo, Cesare Di Vito, Tom Felleghy

Release Date: May 13th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 89 Minutes 34 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $34.95

"An over-worked journalist recovering from a breakdown has been suffering from nightmares. To help ease his struggles, his wife takes him to an idyllic country home for the weekend. Nightmares soon turn to reality as the dark truth about the house threatens to undo all who dare stay the night." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "2K restoration."

The House of Witchcraft comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 36.7 GB

Feature: 26.8 GB

The source looks excellent; this film has never looked better on home media. The flesh tones appear healthy, the colors appear correct, the image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the grain remains intact.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. That said, the Italian language tracks sound more robust. Included are English subtitles for the Italian language track and English SDH subtitles for the English language track. It should be noted that subtitles can only be chosen via the audio setup menu, and they cannot be turned off while watching the main feature. Also, you cannot toggle between the two audio options while watching the main feature.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with FX artist Elio Terribili titled Artisan of Mayhem (19 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with cinematographer Nino Celeste titled The House of Professionals (18 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with Eugenio Ercolani, Nathaniel Thompson, and Troy Howarth.

Extras not carried over from the limited edition release for this standard edition release include a poster, and a rigid outer box.

Summary:

The House of Witchcraft is one of four made-for-television films known as The Houses of Doom. The other three films are The House of Clocks, The Sweet House of Horrors, and The House of Lost Souls.

A man recently released from a psychiatric ward visits a home he saw in his dreams.

Looking over Umberto Lenzi’s 36-year career, it is impressive how he remained active throughout, even when many of his contemporaries struggled to find financing or just retired from filmmaking. A key to his longevity has to be his ability to move from genre to genre as trends shifted and constantly deliver solid films, in many instances despite limited resources. Out of all the Italian genre filmmakers prominent in the 1970s, his output in the 1980s, consisting of 16 films, is the most prolific.

The supernatural is the central element throughout The Houses of Doom films. The narrative revolves around a man whose marriage is in trouble, and his wife suggests they go to a home in the country to work on their issues. Once there, he gets a feeling of déjà vu when he recognizes that this house is the same one from his dream. From there, a series of bizarre events and disappearances occur, foreshadowing what he witnessed in his dreams.

Out of the four The Houses of Doom films, The House of Witchcraft has the strongest cast. When it comes to the performances, it is a trio of actresses who stand out: Sonia Petrovna (Ludwig), who portrays the protagonist's wife; Susanna Martinková (Detective Belli), who portrays the protagonist's psychiatrist (she is also his sister-in-law); and Maria Cumani Quasimodo (Five Women for the Killer), who portrays the witch from the protagonist's dreams. The weakest performance is Andy J. Forest (Miranda) in the role of the protagonist. It's not just a matter of dubbing; in either language he delivers a dry, one-dimensional performance. A cast member of note is Paul Muller, a frequent collaborator of Jess Franco; he portrays the blind man.

After a solid opening setup, the narrative never manages to create momentum, and pacing could be stronger. Though the narrative is dialogue-heavy, there are a few well-timed jump scares. That said, outside of the murder set pieces, there is not much else going for this film. The most memorable moments are the dream sequences, the interactions with the witch, and the car wreck sequence. The ever-reliable Claudio Simonetti (Opera) delivers a solid score that perfectly underscores the mood. Ultimately, The House of Witchcraft is a fairly conventional horror film that sometimes tries to explore the psychological aspects too deeply.

The House of Witchcraft gets an excellent release from Cauldron Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Themroc: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France, 1973
Director: Claude Faraldo
Cast: Michel Piccoli, Béatrice Romand, Marilù Tolo, Francesca Romana Coluzzi, Jeanne Herviale, Stéphane Bouy, Coluche, Madeleine Damien, Patrick Dewaere, Miou-Miou, Myriam Mézières

Release Date: May 19th, 2025 (UK), May 20th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 109 Minutes 10 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Living at home with his mother, bachelor house painter Themroc (Michel Piccoli, Belle de Jour) leads a dull life. One day, after an unearned run-in with his boss, the usually docile Themroc rebels and dismantles his myopic world." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “Themroc was restored in 4K resolution from the original camera negative by StudioCanal and supplied to Radiance Films as a High-Definition digital file."

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

Disc Size: 38 GB

Feature: 29.7 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones are healthy, colors look correct, image clarity, contrast, and black levels are strong, and compression is solid. Shot on 16mm and blown up to 35 mm, the grain looks thick; that said, the image always looks organic.

Audio: 5/5

There is no spoken dialog; characters cough, grunt, and speak gibberish. The audio sounds clean and balanced. Included are two removable English subtitles; the second of these two is more elaborate. It is essentially a descriptive audio translation of what is happening and heard.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (7 images - posters), an interview with film critic Manuela Lazic who discusses Michel Piccoli (23 minutes 26 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with film critic David Thompson who discusses Themroc (23 minutes 19 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an archival French TV interview with actor Michel Piccoli and director Claude Faraldo (17 minutes 30 seconds, LPCM stereo French with removable English subtitles), reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 20-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) cast & crew information, an essay titled Themroc: The Return of the Repressed written by Alison Smith, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

A house painter who lives with his mother and sister revolts against society after an incident at work.

There are no spoken words, just coughing, grunts, and other sounds. It is through characters' emotions and body language that they speak. Though the narrative moves in a linear way, its unconventional approach might present a challenge for some viewers. That said, if you embrace what the filmmaker is trying to achieve, it becomes easier to glean information as the story progresses.

All of the heavy lifting is done by the cast, especially Michel Piccoli (Contempt) in the role of the protagonist, a man who reaches his breaking point and smashes societal norms. Though the lack of dialogue seems daunting, the cast must have found freedom in not having to speak. Through gestures and expressions, you can express more than through words. The rest of the cast is filled with recognizable faces: Béatrice Romand (Claire’s Knee), Marilù Tolo (The Five Days), Coluche (Tchao Pantin), and Patrick Dewaere (Série noire).

Though Themroc deals with some subject matter that pushes boundaries, notably the protagonist's inappropriate relationship with his sister, the overall tone of the film is lighter than expected. It is clear that the director is approaching everything from a satirical view, and this is most apparent in how effectively it employs humor. Ultimately, Themroc is a unique cinematic experience and a brilliant deconstruction of the working class.

Themroc gets a definitive release from Radiance Films, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer