The Last Blood – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1990
Director: Wong Jing
Writer: Wong Jing
Cast: Alan Tam, Andy Lau, Eric Tsang, Bryan Leung, May Lo, Natalis Chan, Law Shu-kei, Jackson Lau, Chin Ho, Chui Sau-lai

Release Date: September 25th, 2023 (UK), October 10th, 2023 (USA)
Approximate running time: 94 Minutes 9 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Cantonese, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK), $34.95 (USA)

"When a high-ranking Tibetan lama is wounded by terrorists, only a transfusion of his ultra rare blood type can save him. Heroic Hong Kong cops Andy Lau (‘Infernal Affairs’, ‘The Great Wall’) and Alan Tam (‘Armour of God’) must protect the unlikely donor, Eric Tsang (‘Lucky Stars’ series) from the assassins out to kill him." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray™ presentation".

The Last Blood comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 30.3 GB

Feature: 27.1 GB

The source is in great shape, and any source debris is minor. Colors and flesh tones look correct, image clarity is strong, black levels generally look good, and compression is solid.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Cantonese), 3.75/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Though both tracks sound clean and clear throughout, the Cantonese language track is noticeably fuller when compared to the English language track, which sounds flat in comparison. Included are removable English subtitles and removable English SDH, both for the Cantonese language track. It should be noted that the English SDH track lets you know when other languages like Japanese and English are being spoken instead of Cantonese.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a stills gallery with music from The Last Blood playing in the background, English language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Hong Kong theatrical trailer (4 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Hong Kong Film Expert Frank Djeng, reversible cover art, a double-sided foldout poster (limited to first pressing), and a double walled gloss finish O-ring (limited to 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.

The narrative revolves around a critically wounded high-ranking Tibetan lama, a man whose girlfriend shares the same blood type as the Tibetan lama, and a police officer who are in a race against time to find a blood donor.

Though there are many elements in The Last Blood that are associated with heroic bloodshed films, don’t let The Last Blood’s alternate title, Hard Boiled 2: The Last Blood, mislead you into thinking it is a typical heroic bloodshed film. In fact, the only thing that The Last Blood has in common with Hard Boiled is that both films feature explosive shootouts in a hospital.

When watching films made by Wong Jing (directed by or produced by), you know it's always going to be a fun ride. The staples of his films are bloody action setpieces, crazy plots that often defy logic, and subversive humor. The Last Blood has all three of the elements in spades.

The Last Blood has a strong cast who are all great in their roles, especially Eric Tsang (Infernal Affairs) in the role of Fatty, a small-time hustler whose blood type matches the Tibetan lama. Whenever his character appears on screen, you know something silly is going to happen. Other performances of note are Andy Lau (Funtime Killer) in the role of Brother Bee, the man whose girlfriend is in critical condition and shares the Tibetan lama’s same blood type, and Alan Tam (Rich and Famous) in the role of Lui Tai, a law enforcement officer assigned to protect the Tibetan lama.

Despite being light when it comes to things like plot and character development, most of the screen time is spent with characters racing to find a blood donor for the Tibetan lama and terrorist assassins trying to kill them before they get back to the hospital with the lama. This somehow does not derail the narrative, which does a fantastic job propelling things forward to the aforementioned shootout finale at the hospital. Ultimately, The Last Blood is a high-octane action film that fans of 1980s and 1990s Hong Kong cinema are sure to enjoy.

The Last Blood gets a good release from 88 Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative audio commentary, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Fatal Femmes: Neige/The Bitch – Fun City Editions (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: France, 1981 (Neige), France, 1984 (The Bitch)
Directors: Juliet Berto, Jean-Henri Roger (Neige), Christine Pascal (The Bitch)
Cast: Juliet Berto, Jean-François Stévenin, Robert Liensol, Patrick Chesnais, Jean-François Balmer, Paul Le Person, Anna Prucnal, Raymond Bussières, Eddie Constantine (Neige), Isabelle Huppert, Richard Berry, Vittorio Mezzogiorno, Jean Benguigui, Jean-Claude Leguay, Jean-Pierre Moulin, Clément Harari, Daniel Jégou, Jenny Clève, Jean-Pierre Bagot (The Bitch)

Release Date: September 19th, 2023
Approximate Running Times: 91 Minutes 1 Second (Neige), 92 Minutes 54 Seconds (The Bitch)
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Films)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French (Both Films)
Subtitles: English (Both Films)
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $49.95

"From the neon underworld of early '80s Paris come two stylish, atmospheric films noirs. In Juliet Berto and Jean-Henri Roger's Neige, Berto is a barmaid in the red light Pigalle district who attempts to score for her deceased drug dealer friend's clients. In Christine Pascal's The Bitch, Isabelle Huppert is the woman at the heart of a Hitchcockian tale set in the world of French high couture." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (Neige), 5/5 (The Bitch)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "This 4K restoration of Neige, undertaken by JHR Films and StudioCanal, was sourced from the original picture and sound negatives. It was completed by L'Immagine Ritrovata under the supervision of Renato Berta in 2020."

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

Disc Size: 26.5 GB

Feature: 25.9 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity and compression are solid, black levels look very good, and the image looks organic.

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "This 4K restoration of The Bitch, undertaken by JHR Films and StudioCanal, was sourced from the original picture and sound negatives. It was completed by L'Immagine Ritrovata under the supervision of Renato Berta in 2020."

The Bitch comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 27.2 GB

Feature: 26.7 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image looks organic.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono French - Neige, DTS-HD Mono French - The Bitch)

Neige comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in French with removable English subtitles.

The Bitch comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in French with removable English subtitles.

Both of these audio tracks are in excellent shape. Dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, both audio tracks do a great job with ambient sounds, and their scores sound appropriately robust.

Extras:

Extras for Neige include an image gallery (posters/stills/press book/home video art), a newly created trailer (1 minute 31 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with non-removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with Samm Deighan.

Extras for The Bitch include an image gallery (posters/stills/other promotional materials), a newly created trailer (1 minute, Dolby Digital mono with English text), and an audio commentary with Samm Deighan.

Other extras include reversible cover art, a slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and a 20-page booklet with an essay titled Night at the Crossroads written by Steve MacFarlane, an essay titled Juliet Berto: Adorable Offender written by Jessica Felrice, an essay titled Uncomfortable Viewing written by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, and cast and crew information for both films.

Summary:

Though these two films, Neige and The Bitch, share several themes and are both suspense films, their other connection is that both of their directors died tragically in their early 40s. Juliet Berto died of breast cancer six days before her 43rd birthday, and Christine Pascal died at the age of 42 by suicide.

Neige: A barmaid at a bar tries to score drugs for the clients of her deceased drug dealer friend.

Though Neige has many of the elements that one would associate with neo-noir cinema, the result is a film that does not fit so easily into the neo-noir genre. In fact, Neige is better described as a melodrama. Though there is a crime element to the story at hand, it takes a back seat to the characters and their interactions, which are the main focal point.

Besides co-directing Juliet Berto (Celine and Julie Go Boating) in the role of a barmaid named Anita, her performance is the heart and soul of Neige. She had an impressive resume as an actress, in which she worked with filmmakers like Jean-Luc Godard, Jacques Rivette, and Joseph Losey. That said, the rest of the performances pale in comparison to her portrayal of Anita.

From a production standpoint, there is not an area where Neige is lacking; it is a film that always maximizes its resources. The use of real locations enhances the story at hand, and the narrative does a great job building towards a jarring finale that puts an exclamation mark on the events that preceded. Ultimately, Neige is a riveting melodrama that works as well as it does because of its characters.

The Bitch: A disgraced former police officer turned private detective crosses paths with the girl, now a woman, whose moments of indiscretion ended his career in law enforcement.

The opening sequence does a phenomenal job of setting the tone and setting the stage for the events that follow. In this sequence, a police detective sees a girl thrown from a car, and when she runs up to his car, he lets her in. From there, things spiral out of control, and he rapes her. To complicate matters further for the detective, she is underage, and he is sent to prison for six years.

Later on in the narrative, he crosses paths with a woman who reminds him of the girl from that fateful night. Unable to move on or forget her, he starts to follow this woman around to learn more about her. And the further he digs, the more his life spirals out of control as the answers start to fall into place.

Christine Pascal’s The Bitch, like the films of Claude Chabrol, owes a lot to the cinema of Alfred Hitchock. The Bitch is a suspense film that plays with duality in the same way that Alfred Hitchcock did in a film like Vertigo. Both films feature a woman who looks like another woman and a man whose obsession with said woman drives their narratives.

When it comes to the performances, the cast is all great, especially Isabelle Huppert (La Cérémonie) in the dual roles of Aline Kaminker and Édith Weber. She delivers an outstanding performance that reflects the moments she’s on screen. The other performances of note are the two male leads, Richard Berry in the role of the disgraced detective and Vittorio Mezzogiorno in the role of Max Halimi, the man who crontols Aline (aka Edith) every move.

From its opening moment to its bittersweet, emotionally charged finale, there is rarely a moment for the viewer to catch their breath. The well-constructed narrative does a phenomenal job of building tension and maintaining momentum that builds towards the aforementioned gut punch of an ending. Another strength is the neo-noir-infused visuals, which greatly add to the mood. Ultimately, The Bitch is an extraordinary film, and it is one of the best examples of a French suspense film.

Fatal Femmes: Neige/The Bitch is an excellent release from Fun City Editions that gives both films solid audio video presentations and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Arnold – Vinegar Syndrome (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1973
Director: Georg Fenady
Writers: Jameson Brewer, John Fenton Murray
Cast: Stella Stevens, Roddy McDowall, Elsa Lanchester, Shani Wallis, Farley Granger, Victor Buono, John McGiver, Bernard Fox, Patric Knowles, Jamie Farr

Release Date: September 26th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 95 Minutes 12 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: PG
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $42.98

"When wealthy, eccentric Lord Arnold Dwellyn dies, his funeral also doubles as a wedding: Arnold gets hitched to his mistress Karen, who will inherit his vast estate...if she agrees to meet several conditions. This includes remaining in his mansion with Arnold’s corpse by her side. Karen—along with Arnold’s ex-wife, his brother, and several members of his family—are unhappy with this arrangement, but desperate to get their hands on Arnold’s vast wealth, which allegedly includes a pile of money hidden somewhere on the grounds. But as each of the guests attempt to break or subvert the conditions of Arnold’s will, the consequences end up being lethal and Karen finds herself caught up in a series of grisly murders. Has Arnold returned from the dead to take revenge on his greedy loved ones, or is there a living, breathing killer lurking around the mansion?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm interpositive."

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

Disc Size: 28.8 GB

Feature: 26.1 GB

The source used for this transfer looks great; any source debris is very minor. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and though grain remains intact, there are some moments where it is noticeably thicker.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds clean, clear, balanced, and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a brand new video essay by film historian Samm Deighan titled The Gothic Horror Comedy in Hollywood (21 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH), an audio commentary with  Mike White, author and co-host of The Projection Booth Podcast, reversible cover art, and a spot gloss slipcover limited to 6,000 units.

Summary:

Directed by Georg Fenady, whose filmography mostly consists of TV series made for TV films. The other feature film that he directed was Terror in the Wax Museum, which was shot back-to-back with Arnold.

The narrative revolves around the recently deceased Arnold, who marries his mistress, who will inherit his estate as long as she remains by his side. Unhappy with the conditions of his will, family members who try to get their hands on his wealth end up dead.

Arnold features an absurd premise that somehow works as well as it does because its characters fully invest themselves in the events that unfold. And though the narrative has few real surprises, character after character comes to a tragic demise due to their greed. That is not to say that the narrative does a great job holding your attention until the final twist that ends the film.

Arnold features a solid cast who are all great in their roles, especially Stella Stevens (The Nutty Professor, 1963) in the role of Karen, the woman who marries the recently deceased Arnold. Her character is a gold digger who seduces man after man in her quest to find Arnold’s hidden fortune. Other performances of note are Elsa Lanchester (The Bride of Frankenstein) in the role of Arnold’s sister Hester and Jamie Farr (M*A*S*H) in the role of a servant named Dybbi.

Arnold is yet another in a long line of “Old Dark House’ horror films. And just like so many other “Old Dark House’ horror films, humor plays a significant role in Arnold. And nowhere is this clearer than when it comes to the aforementioned premise. That said, one of the funniest bits is how prerecorded tapes made by Arnold come up at the most opportune moments. Needless to say, the black humor in Arnold is pitch perfect in its execution. Ultimately, Arnold is a deliriously funny film that fans of subversive humor and ghoulish subject matter should thoroughly enjoy.

Arnold gets a first-rate release from Vinegar Syndrome that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a pair of informative extras, highly recommended.

 Written by Michael Den Boer

August Underground's Mordum: Limited Edition – Unearthed Films (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 2003
Directors: Jerami Cruise, Killjoy, Michael Todd Schneider, Fred Vogel, Cristie Whiles
Writers: Jerami Cruise, Killjoy, Michael Todd Schneider, Fred Vogel, Cristie Whiles, Allen Peters
Cast: Cristie Whiles, Fred Vogel, Michael Todd Schneider, Jerami Cruise, Killjoy

Release Date: October 10th, 2023
Approximate running time: 81 Minutes 49 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo English
Subtitles: N/A
Region Coding: Region A/Region 1 NTSC
Retail Price: $39.95

"The sequel to the cult classic August Underground is a character study in the sick, an amoral putrid fantasy. The found footage contained in August Underground's MORDUM documents extreme deviant sexuality, torture and murder, while unfolding a classic tale of a man and woman in love. However, the woman cannot give up her other lover, who also happens to be her younger brother. August Underground's MORDUM will vomit all over you and leave you for dead!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video:

August Underground's Mordum comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.7 GB

Feature: 18.3 GB

The source for August Underground's Mordum is never going to look pretty; it was shot on video with the intention of looking like amateurish found footage. That said, I see no need to score or further describe this transfer since the screenshots below give a clear indication of what to expect.

Audio:

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital stereo mix in English. The audio, just like the video presentation, is intentionally rough around the edges, and an English subtitle track would have been greatly appreciated.

Extras:

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a trailer (1 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a photo gallery with music playing in the background, original animation (27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), U.S. Premiere 2003 (19 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), three extended scenes: Gut Fucking, Hang Out and Home Invasion (12 minutes 53 seconds total running time, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), deleted scenes: Big Guy Intro, Poop Shot, Mustard Money Shot, Snow Piss, Bathroom Slaughter, Yang His Fuckin Tongue Out, and Lick My Pubes (12 minutes 53 seconds total running time, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), behind the scenes special effects image gallery with music playing in the background, Rue Morgue Disciple' Necrophagia music video (3 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Stephen Biro interviews Jerami Cruise (12 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), A Family Affair Of Love And Hate: an interview with Michael Maggot (33 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Remembering Killjoy (5 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), The Most Disturbing Scene (5 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Mordum Lives (4 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Art Ettinger And Allana Sleeth interview (11 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Zoë Rose Smith interviews Fred Vogel (42 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Dave Parker interviews Fred Vogel (42 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Snuff Purgatory: Severed Cinema interviews Fred Vogel (56 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Sickcess: A Necrophagia Mockumentary (38 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Sickcess trailer (1 minute 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Mordum screening from Flashback Weekend 2004 (36 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Slit Throat Demo from Flashback Weekend 2004 (56 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Zombie Demo from Flashback Weekend 2004 (105 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Jerami Cruise and Ultra Violent Magazine's Art Ettinger, an audio commentary with Toetag.

Other extras include reversible cover art, a slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and trailers for August Underground and August Underground's Penance.

Included is a DVD that has everything the Blu-ray does except these extras: Art Ettinger And Allana Sleeth interview, Zoë Rose Smith interviews Fred Vogel, Dave Parker interviews Fred Vogel, Snuff Purgatory: Severed Cinema interviews Fred Vogel, Sickcess: A Necrophagia Mockumentary, Sickcess trailer, Mordum screening from Flashback Weekend 2004, Slit Throat Demo from Flashback Weekend 2004, and Zombie Demo from Flashback Weekend 2004.

Summary:

August Underground's Mordum is a collaborative film between Fred Vogel, who directed August Underground, and four other filmmakers. Though the idea behind August Underground's Mordum was to showcase special effects for toe tag pictures, this is an interesting concept. The result is a film that feels like a random series of moments of grotesque carnage and nothing more.

From a production standpoint, August Underground's Mordum tries to replicate everything that made its predecessor August Underground. Once again, going with the found footage concept, August Underground's Mordum tries to enhance the realism by using shaky camerawork and degrading the video. Also, there is no narrative structure; the special effects are clearly the main attraction. And when it comes to the special effects, though most of them are pulled off effectively, there are some instances where they look bad. Ultimately, August Underground's Mordum is extreme, in-your-face cinema whose only purpose is to shock or revolt you.

August Underground's Mordum gets a definitive release from Unearthed Films.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Captain Apache – Kino Lorber (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: UK/Spain, 1971
Director: Alexander Singer
Writers: Milton Sperling, Philip Yordan
Cast: Lee Van Cleef, Carroll Baker, Stuart Whitman, Percy Herbert, Elisa Montés

Release Date: October 6th, 2015
Approximate running time: 94 Minutes 6 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: N/A
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: OOP

"Spaghetti Western legend, Lee Van Cleef (Bad Man s River, Sabata) stars in this western as Captain Apache, a Native American US Army officer on a secret mission. Van Cleef investigates the murder of an Indian Agent whose dying words April Morning is the only clue to who killed him. As he gets closer to solving the case, he uncovers an elaborate plot to assassinate the President.” – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 3.75/5

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

Captain Apache comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 18.2 GB

Feature: 17.5 GB

The source used for this transfer is in very good condition and when compared to previous home video releases, this transfer is the best this film has looked to date on home video.

Audio: 3.75/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English. The audio is clean, clear, and balanced throughout.

Extras:

Extras for this release are limited to trailers for Barquero and Sabata.

Summary:

Captain Apache is given the task of discovering what a dying Indian Commissioner’s last word, “April Morning,” means. It also appears that there are other people who want to keep the meaning behind “April Morning” under wraps. And every time Captain Apache locates someone who knows something about “April Morning,” they end up dead before they spill the beans.

During the spaghetti western heyday of the 1960’s and 1970’s, Lee Van Cleef (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) was one of the most in-demand actors working in this sub-genre. And though Captain Apache is actually a Euro-Western, there are many elements in Captain Apache that are widely associated with the spaghetti Western sub-genre.

On the surface, Captain Apache is a difficult film to take seriously. With so much of the content having a tongue-in-cheek vibe to it, nowhere is this clearer than when it comes to the casting of Lee Van Cleef in the role of an Indian.

Without a doubt, Captain Apache’s main draw is Lee Van Cleef in the role of the protagonist. He delivers a delirious performance that, in lesser hands, could have been a disaster. And though he was often typecast throughout his career, the majority of his performances stood out because of his charisma.

Other notable cast members include Elisa Montés (99 Women) in the role of Rosita (Shadows in an Empty Room) in the role of a gun runner named Griffin, and Carroll Baker (The Sweet Body of Deborah) in the role of a salon girl named Maude.

From a production standpoint, the visuals are best described as serviceable. The most memorable moment visually is a scene where Captain Apache hallucinates after being drugged. Besides the delirious dialog, another area where Captain Apache delivers humor is the theme song, which Lee Van Cleef sings. Ultimately, despite Captain Apache not being a good film, it is still a highly entertaining film, so bad it's a good kind of way.

Captain Apache gets a strong audio/video presentation from Kino Lorber.

Written by Michael Den Boer