Mikey and Nicky – The Criterion Collection (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1976
Director: Elaine May
Writer: Elaine May
Cast: Peter Falk, John Cassavetes, Ned Beatty, Rose Arrick, Carol Grace, William Hickey, Sanford Meisner, Joyce Van Patten, M. Emmet Walsh

Release Date: January 22nd, 2019
Approximate Running Time: 106 Minutes 22 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $39.95

"Elaine May crafted a gangster film like no other in the nocturnal odyssey Mikey and Nicky, capitalizing on the chemistry between frequent collaborators John Cassavetes and Peter Falk by casting them together as small-time mobsters whose lifelong relationship has turned sour. Set over the course of one night, this restless drama finds Nicky (Cassavetes) holed up in a hotel after the boss he stole money from puts a hit out on him. Terrified, he calls on Mikey (Falk), the one person he thinks can save him." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "This new digital transfer was created in 4K resolution on a Lasergraphics Director film scanner from the 35mm original camera negative. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, and warps were manually removed using MTI Film's DRS, while Digital Vision's Phoenix was used for jitter, flicker, and small dirt. At the request of director Elaine May, the grain in the picture has been left completely intact, with no grain management applied."

Mikey and Nicky comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41.5 GB

Feature: 29.7 GB

The sources look excellent; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity, contrast, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic. That said, most of the film takes place at night, and black levels look solid throughout.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio is in excellent shape; dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a TV spot (32 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer (1 minute 38 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an audio interview from 1976 with actor Peter Falk (45 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with film critics Richard Brody and Carrie Rickey (23 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with distributor Julian Schlossberg and actress Joyce Van Patten (14 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), and a 10-page leaflet with an essay titled Difficult Men written by Nathan Rabin, cast & crew information and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Elaine May wrote and directed Mikey and Nicky; it is one of only four films that she directed. The other three are A New Leaf, The Heartbreak Kid, and Ishtar.

A mobster who stole money from his boss has a contract put on his life. He reaches out to his oldest friend, who is also a mobster, but can he be trusted, or will he lead him to his death?

After directing two comedies, Elaine May went in a completely different direction with her third film, Mikey and Nicky, a crime drama about loyalty and betrayal. Tone-wise, Mikey and Nicky greatly differs from her other three directional films. While humor played a significant role in the films she directed, Mikey and Nicky adopts a darker tone and is devoid of any comedic elements. That said, the result is one of the most original crime films to emerge after The Godfather.

Although Mikey and Nicky has most of the elements associated with crime films, it does not always execute them in a familiar way. Its opening setup does a phenomenal job laying out who everyone is and what lies ahead for them. Despite their strong bond, having been friends since childhood, there is a tension between them that escalates to a boiling point. Additionally, without revealing too much, it becomes evident early on where each character stands.

The two leads, Peter Falk (Columbo) and John Cassavetes (Rosemary’s Baby), are outstanding in the roles of Mikey and Nicky. Peter Falk portrays Mikey, the more grounded of these two characters; he has a wife and child, and there is stability in his life. John Cassavetes's character Nicky is short-fused and impulsive, and his paranoia has him second-guessing everything Mikey is doing for him. A strength of their performances is how effectively they use facial expressions and body language instead of words. That said, they are surrounded by an excellent supporting cast.

The narrative is flawlessly executed; it does a superb job of balancing tense and poignant moments. In the case of the latter, when they reminisce about the past and those in their lives that have died, one scene in particular stands out: a moment where they are visiting Nicky’s mother’s grave, and instead of embracing things in a somber way, Mikey becomes annoyed at Nicky’s disrespect of the dead. That said, this moment solidifies Nicky’s selfishness and how he takes for granted his friendship with Mikey. Another area that excels is the visuals, which are filled with arresting moments that heighten the mood. Ultimately, Mikey and Nicky is a vastly underrated crime film whose gut-punch ending serves as the perfect coda.

The Criterion Collection gives Mikey and Nicky an exceptional release that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Old Dark House – Eureka Video (4k UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1932
Director: James Whale
Writers: Benn W. Levy, R. C. Sherriff
Cast: Boris Karloff, Melvyn Douglas, Gloria Stuart, Charles Laughton, Lilian Bond, Ernest Thesiger, Eva Moore, Raymond Massey, Brember Wills, Elspeth Dudgeon

Release Date: July 28th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 72 Minutes 22 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: PG (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK)

“Caught in a storm whilst journeying through a remote part of Wales, a group of travelers take refuge in a sinister mansion inhabited by the bizarre Femm family and their mute butler, Morgan (played by the iconic Boris Karloff, star of Frankenstein and The Mummy). Trying to make the best of a bad situation, the group settles in for the night—but the Femm family have a few skeletons in their closet, and one of them is on the loose…” - Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation from a 4K digital restoration, presented in a new and exclusive Dolby Vision HDR (HDR 10 compatible) grade."

The Old Dark House comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 60.2 GB

Feature: 51.3 GB

This is another exemplary encode from Fidelity in Motion. The source looks excellent, free of intrusive source damage or debris. Image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. This audio sounds excellent; dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a stills gallery (13 images), a trailer for the 2018 UK theatrical release (1 minute 36 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with director Curtis Harrington titled Curtis Harrington Saves The Old Dark House (7 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a conversation with Sara Karloff titled Daughter of Frankenstein (14 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay by critic and filmmaker David Cairns titled Meet the Femms (37 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with film critic and author Kim Newman and Stephen Jones, an audio commentary with actress Gloria Stuart, an audio commentary with James Whale biographer James Curtis, reversible cover art, an O-card slipcase (limited to 2,000 copies), and a 28-page booklet (limited to 2,000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled A Very Long Night: A History of The Old Dark House written by Craig Ian Mann, an archival essay titled Shadow Play: Whale, Priestley and The Old Dark House written by Phillip Kemp, and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

A group of travelers caught in a storm seek refuge in an isolated mansion inhabited by a sinister family who have a few skeletons in their closet.

James Whale is most remembered for the four horror films that he directed, despite being a versatile filmmaker. His first two horror films, Frankenstein and its sequel, Bride of Frankenstein, are widely regarded as his masterpieces. This brings us to his other two horror films, The Old Dark House and The Invisible Man. The latter film is widely considered one of the best examples of a horror film from Hollywood’s Golden Age, while The Old Dark House has been a film that has for far too long languished in obscurity.

Content-wise, The Old Dark House has all the elements that have since become synonymous with James Whale's other three horror films. The premise is well executed, and the narrative is perfectly paced, with key moments given ample time to resonate. The characters are well-defined, and the cast are excellent in their respective roles. The standout performance is Boris Karloff (Black Sabbath) in the role of Morgan, an alcoholic butler who works for the family who lives in “The Old Dark House.” Another performance of note is Brember Wills in the role of Saul Femm, the black sheep member of the family who is kept in a locked room for everyone’s safety.

When compared to James Whale's other horror films, the tone of The Old Dark House is closest to Bride of Frankenstein. This is especially evident in the way The Old Dark House successfully mixes humor and horror, notably Boris Karloff’s portrayal of Morgan, the alcoholic butler. Another area where The Old Dark House excels is its atmospheric visuals. Standout moments include the opening setup as the first group of travelers arrives at “The Old Dark House,” a scene where mirrors distort characters faces, and the finale, which provides a very satisfying conclusion to the events that have just unfolded. Ultimately, The Old Dark House is a first-rate horror film that fans of 1930s horror cinema should thoroughly enjoy.

The Old Dark House gets an exceptional release from Eureka Video; this film has never looked or sounded better on home media, and it comes with 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

The Tragedy of Man: Standard Edition – Deaf Crocodile (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hungary, 2011
Director: Marcell Jankovics
Writer: Marcell Jankovics
Cast: Ágnes Bertalan, Péter Blaskó, Ferenc Borbiczky, János Bácskai, László Csurka, Iván Dengyel, Andrea Fullajtár, Barbara Hegyi, István Koncz, Péter Korbuly, Adam Lux, Tünde Majsai-Nyilas, Piroska Molnar, Ervin Nagy, Éva Pap, Janka Solecki, Norbert Straub, Éva Szabó, László Szacsvay, Tibor Szilágyi, Tamás Széles, László Ujréti, Mátyás Usztics, Ferenc Végh 

Release Date: August 12th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 166 Minutes 20 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo Hungarian
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"Out of the galactic void at the beginning of the story emerges Lucifer the Devil, the Great Winged Bat, Anubis, the antagonist who adopts many faces and forms as it guides and manipulates the characters of Adam and Eve throughout history, searching for the purpose of human existence—if there is one." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

The Tragedy of Man comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.9 GB

Feature: 37.1 GB

Fidelity In Motion delivers a solid encode; the source looks excellent. Colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD stereo mix in Hungarian with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a 2025 release trailer (1 minute 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Hungarian with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with György Ráduly, director of the National Film Institute (NFI)—Film Archive, on the history of Hungarian animation and the career of Marcell Jankovics, moderated by Dennis Bartok (56 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with key animator Piroska Martsa and background artist István Orosz, moderated by Dennis Bartok of Deaf Crocodile (83 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English and Hungarian with a translator for Hungarian). A video essay by film historian Evan Chester titled Time and Transformation: Marcell Jankovics The Tragedy of Man (23 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Hungarian film clips) and an audio commentary with animation producer and podcaster Adam Rackoff, podcaster and film critic James Hancock, and filmmaker and podcaster Martin Kessler.

Summary:

The Tragedy of Man was written and directed by Marcell Jankovics; he’s most known for Son of the White Mare. Although The Tragedy of Man began production in 1988, its completion took 23 years. Due to financial issues, Marcell Jankovics filmed each of the 15 segments one at a time. Although these segments link together to form one cohesive narrative, he employed a different visual style for each segment.

The Tragedy of Man is an adaptation of a Hungarian play written in 1861 by Imre Madách. The narrative is set in multiple eras, from the creation of the universe to a distant future. Each segment features Lucifer, who is joined by Adam after offering him and Eve the forbidden fruit. Expelled from the Garden of Eden, Adam turns his back on God and lets temptation overtake him. Throughout his journey with Lucifer, Adam and Eve assume various forms; specifically, Eve transforms into the woman he desires.

At its heart, The Tragedy of Man is an exploration of humanity, notably its darker side. The narrative is filled with cultural and historical references, and its visuals are overflowing with imagination; together these two things create an enthralling cinematic experience. When it comes to subject matter, The Tragedy of Man is a film that is clearly meant for adults. At 166 minutes in length, The Tragedy of Man is one of the longest animated films ever made, and there is so much to absorb that multiple viewings are recommended.

Deaf Crocodile gives The Tragedy of Man a definitive release, highly recommended.

Note: There is a deluxe release of The Tragedy of Man that comes in a slipcase and a 60-page book with an essay by PEN Award-winning historian and esoteric author Mitch Horowitz and an essay by film critic Walter Chaw (Film Freak Central).

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Ministry of Fear – The Criterion Collection (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1944
Director: Fritz Lang
Writer: Seton I. Miller
Cast: Ray Milland, Marjorie Reynolds, Carl Esmond, Hillary Brooke, Percy Waram, Dan Duryea, Alan Napier, Erskine Sanford

Release Date: March 12th, 2013
Approximate Running Time: 87 Minutes 8 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"En route to London after being released from a mental institution, Stephen Neale (Ray Milland) stops at a seemingly innocent village fair, after which he finds himself caught in the web of a sinister underworld with possible Nazi connections." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "This new digital transfer was created in 2K resolution on a Lasergraphics scanner from a 35mm safety fine-grain master. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, and jitter were manually removed using MTI's DRS and Pixel Farm's PFClean, while Image Systems' Phoenix was used for small dirt, grain, noise reduction, and flicker."

Ministry of Fear comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 28.7 GB

Feature: 23.7 GB

The source is in great shape; some minor debris remains. Image clarity and compression are solid, contrast and black levels are strong, and the image looks organic.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. Though there is some light background hiss, dialogue always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with Fritz Lang scholar Joe McElhaney (17 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), and an 8-page leaflet with an essay titled Paranoid Style written by Glenn Kenny, cast & crew information, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Fritz Lang directed Ministry of Fear. Notable films he directed include Der Müde Tod (Destiny), Metropolis, Spies, M, Scarlet Street, The Woman in the Window, and The Big Heat.

After being released from an asylum for killing his wife, a man accidentally receives something that was meant for someone else, making him the target of Nazi sympathizers.

Set in Britain during World War II, Ministry of Fear is a spy thriller that does a remarkable job executing Alfred Hitchcock’s wrong man premise. The opening setup is exemplary, and what follows are a series of well-timed moments of misdirection that reinforce the mounting tension. While the pacing slows a bit in the middle section, it still manages to maintain your attention. The final 30 minutes feature expertly crafted moments of suspense that culminate in a gripping rooftop shootout, providing an outstanding climax.

All around, the cast are excellent in the roles, especially Ray Milland (The Lost Weekend), who portrays Stephen Neale, a man who was recently released from an asylum, and a chance encounter puts his life in danger. He delivers a convincing portrayal of a man riddled with guilt. Another performance of note is Dan Duryea (Scarlet Street), who portrays one of the Nazi sympathizers. Although his role has limited screentime, it aligns with the unscrupulous characters he typically portrays.

Ministry of Fear is one of four anti-Nazi films Fritz Lang directed. The other three films are Manhunt, Hangmen Also Die!, and Cloak and Dagger. Although Ministry of Fear is the weakest of these four films, it still exceeds the best works of numerous other directors. Fritz Lang’s direction is solid; the visuals are filled with arresting moments that are overflowing with tension. One of the more striking moments is a séance scene in which a gun accidentally goes off and kills someone. Ultimately, Ministry of Fear is a well-made spy thriller that fans of this genre should thoroughly enjoy.

Ministry of Fear gets a first-rate release from The Criterion Collection that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a pair of informative extras. Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

First Love: 4K Restoration – VCI Entertainment (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: West Germany/Switzerland/Hungary, 1970
Director: Maximilian Schell
Writers: Maximilian Schell, John Gould
Cast: John Moulder-Brown, Dominique Sanda, Maximilian Schell, Valentina Cortese, Marius Goring, Dandy Nichols, Richard Warwick, Keith Bell, Johannes Schaaf, John Osborne

Release Date: July 15th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 89 Minutes 24 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Bittersweet study of a sixteen-year-old boy who becomes infatuated with an impoverished princess during an era of social decay and impending revolution." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 2.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "New 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negatives."

First Love comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 34.6 GB

Feature: 25.5 GB

Despite being given a new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negatives, the result is far from optimal. Colors look better in some moments than others, and black levels are not convincing; there are instances of black crush. That said, the image is generally crisp, and there are some compression-related issues, most noticeable during darker moments.

Audio: 3/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. Though the audio sounds clear and balanced, it is limited range-wise.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 41 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), a featurette titled From First Love to Lasting Art: John Moulder-Brown (2 minutes 50 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette titled Maximilian Schell: The Quiet Titan (2 minutes 7 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette titled Dominique Sanda: The Enigmatic Muse of Cinema (1 minute 22 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor John Moulder-Brown titled Deep Passions (24 minutes 6 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with film historian, podcaster, and artist Rob Kelly.

Included is a DVD that contains the same contents.

Summary:

First Love was Maximilian Schell’s theatrical debut as a director. Notable films he directed include The Pedestrian, Tales from the Vienna Woods, and Marlene. First Love was adapted from Ivan Turgenev's novella of the same name.

A teenage boy spends the summer in the countryside with his family and falls in love with the slightly older woman who lives next door.

First Love is not only a story about a young boy's first love but also a story of coming-of-age. Though he falls in love, all of his interactions with the woman are superficial; there is no depth to their interactions. It is clear early on that her feelings for him greatly differ; she sees him more like a brother than a romantic suitor. She is also a free-spirited individual who surrounds herself with numerous potential suitors, expressing affection for them in various ways.

Outside of the two leads, John Moulder-Brown (Vampire Circus) and Dominique Sanda (The Conformist), none of the other performances stand out. Fortunately, the performances work well within the story that unfolds. John Moulder-Brown is convincing in the role of a young man who's discovered love, and there is a naivety to his performance that makes his journey all the more potent. Dominique Sanda’s character is a mystery; she’s enchanting and bewitching at the same time, and she more than fulfills the role of an object of desire.

First Love is a period set melodrama, and its solid production design creates an utterly believable world. The narrative moves at a deliberate pace, and visuals are in lockstep with languid shots of beautiful landscapes. That said, there is an abundance of atmosphere, which more than makes up for the narrative’s shortcomings. Ultimately, First Love is an engaging film about unrequited love and betrayal whose bittersweet ending serves as a perfect coda.

VCI Entertainment gives First Love an underwhelming audio/video presentation.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Blood Dolls – Full Moon Features (Blu-ray)

Release Date: USA, 1999
Director: Charles Band
Writer: Charles Band
Cast: Kristopher Logan, Debra Mayer, William Paul Burns, Warren Draper, Nicholas Worth, Jodie Fisher, Phil Fondacaro

Release Date: August 12th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 85 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo English, Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $24.95

"Follow the weird adventures of wealthy, warped lunatic Virgil Travis, an eccentric billionaire whose bizarre mask conceals a deadly secret. To satisfy his insatiable kinks, Virgil kidnaps an all-girl rock band and creates a trio of killer dolls (the titular "blood dolls") to enact violent vengeance on his enemies. As the volume turns up, the bodies pile up and the girls strip down; Virgil's dastardly lusts lead to a shocking grand finale." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "remastered in HD."

Blood Dolls comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 21.4 GB

Feature: 16.5 GB

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

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

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

Extras:

Extras for this release include Blood Dolls original trailer (2 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a blooper reel (2 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a music video titled Pain (4 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Videozone - Behind the Scenes of Blood Dolls (26 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and a promo for Blood Dolls titled Holyweird directed by Penelope Spheeris (5 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Other extras include trailers for Deathstreamer, Quadrant, Bad Channels, Subspecies 5, Bad CGI Gator, and Crash and Burn.

Summary:

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

An eccentric billionaire, whose abnormally large head results from experiments conducted by his mother during his childhood, employs the same procedures she used on him to create living dolls that exact revenge on those who have wronged him.

Charles Band is well-known for his work in the realm of killer doll and toy movies. His companies have produced titles like Dolls, Demonic Toys, and Puppet Master. While Blood Dolls shares similarities with these films, it ultimately fails to capture the elements that made them enjoyable and worth revisiting.

Anyone seeking impressive performances should look elsewhere; the true highlights of Blood Dolls are the trio of menacing killer dolls. The special effects are practical, with no CGI, and they hold up really well. The kills are gory and overflowing with blood.

Though the narrative is by-the-numbers stalk-and-kill horror, it does a good job balancing carnage and moments of exposition. For whatever reason, there are two endings, which play consecutively. The first of these is substantially better, and things should have really ended there. Ultimately, Blood Dolls brings nothing new to the table and is only recommended for fans of Full Moon and their brand of cinema.

Full Moon Features Blood Dolls Blu-ray release comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a pair of entertaining extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer