Phobe:
The Xenophobic Experiments (1994/InterVision DVD)
Picture:
C Sound: C Extras: B Film: B
Made
on a budget of only $250 Canadian with volunteers and broadcasted
originally on Canadian television, Ontario filmmaker Erica
Benedikty's Phobe (1994) was shot on location in the Niagara
region and has the plot of a big budget franchise Hollywood film but
made on a half a shoestring. Full of terrible special effects, awful
acting, and prehistoric looking CG - what works in the film is the
obvious passion that the group had for making it. Taking inspiration
from Terminator, Star Wars, Predator, and a
handful of other sci-fi films - this is a must see for fans of low
budget movie watchers and the disc is packed with cool features
courtesy of InterVision!
An
extraterrestrial (though human in appearance) Ex Military
Lightsaber-wielding specialist is called in to target and recover a
deadly military alien experiment who has escaped on the planet earth.
Upon track the Phobe, he meets a young girl and a few friends who
help along the way, all of which are on a race for time to destroy
the Phobe's egg in 72 hours.
The
film has been fully remastered and is presented in its original
1.33:1 full frame aspect ratio and a lossy Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
track. While the transfer isn't anything to write home about, it
captures the analog video look as well as it can and looks fine
overall on disc. Some moments have some tracking lines (like from
the VHS days) that add to the experience, in my opinion. This isn't
a film that is SUPPOSED to look good, after all.
Special
Features include...
Audio
commentary by writer/director Erica Benedikty, moderated by Rue
Morgue Magazine contributor Paul Corupe (Canuxploitation.com) and
Peter Kuplowsky (Laser Blast Film Society)
Director
Erica Benedikty's first feature-length movie, ''Back in Black''
''The
Making of Phobe'', a new featurette by Josh Johnson (Rewind This!)
Q&A
with cast and crew following hometown screening of the movie in St.
Catharines, Ontario
Original
FX shots from 1995 broadcast version of Phobe
Outtakes
Gribble
Hell Performs the Phobe Theme
I
had fun watching the film and will definitely suggest it to others to
watch too!
-
James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/
