Death
Spa
(1989/Gorgon/MPI Blu-ray w/DVD)
Picture:
B/C+ Sound: B/C+ Extras: B Film: C
Death
Spa
(also known as Witch
Bitch)
sums it all up in the title. Hot babes, stretching out in the spa
for some privacy and relaxation and someone has to go and turn the
temperature up too high for comfort. If it wasn't made in the late
80s and was made today, it would be terrible but seeing that the
nostalgia for the time period is charming, the film works as a low
level slasher. In truth, this release is comparable to titles in the
Scream Factory library and is a decent presentation for Blu-ray.
The
new fitness club in town has everything the health nut could possibly
desire: a variety of workout machines, classes taught by sexy
instructors, and a state of the art computer control system for
maximum client comfort... with one catch. The spa is haunted by the
ghost of the owner's dead wife who will stop at nothing to make sure
the clients get a proper work out. Think of all the fun weapons the
witch has to choose from! Dumbbells, leg presses, and rowing machines
- the possibilities are endless!
Captured
in a new 2K High Definition transfer from the original uncut and
uncensored camera negative, this is Death
Spa
like you've never seen it before!
That
means a really nice 1080p Blu-ray and anamorphically enhanced DVD
that is as good as this is going to look in that format. The audio
sounds great too which its DTS-HD Master Audio track on the Blu-ray
and Dolby Digital Mono on the DVD version. The aspect ratio is
preserved in its original 1.78:1 format for the film that has a total
run time of 87 minutes. Merritt Butrick (Star
Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan,
Fright
Night 2,
TV's Square
Pegs),
Rosalind Cash (Omega
Man,
Adventures
Of Buckaroo Bansai,
Klute,
Hickey
& Boggs)
and Brenda Bakke (L.A.
Confidential,
TV's American
Gothic)
are the most familiar faces here.
Extras
include a Commentary with the Director, Producer & Editor, a
charming documentary - An
Exercise in Terror: The Making of Death Spa,
Theatrical Trailer, and Video Trailer.
If
you are a fan of 80s slashers with Casio keyboard soundtracks and
gross out kills then this release may be the exercise you're looking
for! However it is no Halloween
2 -
more of a film you would have seen on the shelf at your local video
store somewhere in the back aisle.
-
James Harland Lockhart V
www.vimeo.com/jamielockhart
