Air America (1990/Carolco*)/Dark Age (1987*)/Happy Hunting (2017**)/Initial D: Legend 1: Awakening (2014/Sentai Blu-ray w/DVD Set)/Kadaicha (1988**)/Innocent Prey double feature (1984**)/Mayhem 4K (2017/RLJ 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray w/Blu-ray Set)/Not Quite Hollywood (2008/*Umbrella Region Free Import Blu-rays)/Probability Zero (1969**)/Terminal Island (1973**)/The Woman Hunt (1972**)/TNT Jackson double feature (1974/**Umbrella PAL Region Free Import DVDs)

4K Ultra HD Picture: B+ Picture: B+/B/B-/C+ & C/C & C+/B/B/C/B-/B Sound: B+/B/B-/B/B & C+/B+ & B/B/B/B-/B Extras: D/B/D/C-/C/C/B/D/D/C Main Programs: C+/C+/C+/B+/C & C+/B/B/C/C/C+

PLEASE NOTE: Except for the Mayhem 4K and Initial D releases, all the releases in this review are imports now only available from our friends at Umbrella Entertainment and can be ordered from the link below.

Here's a strong new set of genre films, many exploitation pieces, worth knowing about, but we start with one that's the most mainstream...

Mel Gibson and (a young) Robert Downey Jr. star in Director Roger Spottiswoode's Air America (1990), a film that Michael Bay wishes he made that no doubt had an influence on him. Sporting impressive cinematography by the amazing Roger Deakins, the money is on the screen as they say as the film looks fantastic on disc with wide lenses that make the movie feel huge. Great performances all over the map but a screenplay that asks you to bend the rules of logic, this movie is a perfect example of a 'popcorn movie'.

The film also stars Nancy Travis, Ken Jenkins, and David Marshall Grant to name a few.

Billy (Downey Jr.) is a wacko pilot who loses his last straight job as a helicopter traffic reporter by getting after an incident on the job. He soon gets recruited to for the CIA airline in Asia where he goes up against Government soldiers, drug dealers, and a witty pilot (Gibson) to whom he is constantly at odds with on a covert and corrupt CIA airtight organization at the height of Vietnam.

The film is presented in 1080p high definition with a widescreen 2.35:1 aspect ratio and a 5.1 DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) lossless track with a clear presentation. The film has a great soundtrack with many classic tunes you'll recognize (even if they weren't released yet at the time the film takes place) and plenty of explosions and gunplay to give your home entertainment system a workout.

No extras (or menu even for that matter.)

For a different take on the film, try our coverage of the U.S. Blu-ray at this link...

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/9344/Air+America/Cujo/Near+Dark/Red+Heat+(Lionsgate

and find out more about the forgotten, failed TV series version here...

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/3845/Air+America+-+The+Complete+Series

Ozploitation classic Dark Age (1987) lands on Blu-ray in this great new release from Umbrella. The giant killer crocodile movie was definitely an inspiration to Lake Placid but is very Australian and over the top. Aiming to be the 'Jaws' of Killer Croc movies, Dark Age is pretty fun and is restored nicely in this Blu-ray release.

The film stars John Jarratt (Wolf Creek), Max Phipps, Burnam Burnam, Nikki Coghill, David Gulpilil, John Jarrat, and Ray Meagher with direction by Arch Nicholson. The film centers around a a group of hunters in the Australian Outback that are on the cusp of capturing an exceptional creature. Setting to relocate the breeding grounds, these hunters put their lives on the line against the deadly crocs.

Presented in 1080p high definition with a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.77:1 and a nice sounding, but lossy 2.0 English Dolby Digital track, the film certainly has never looked or sounded as good as it does here. The synth soundtrack is very John Carpenter-esque and all in all, the transfer looks pretty clean and is restored nicely.

Special Features include...

Audio Commentary with Actor John Jarratt and Executive Producer Antony I. Ginnane-A Bicentenary with Bite: Revisiting 'Dark Age' - Panel discussion with film historians Lee Gambin, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Emma Westwood and Sally Christie - Uncut Not Quite Hollywood Interviews with John Jarratt and Antony I. Ginnane

Living With Crocodiles: 1986 documentary with Grahame Webb, author of 'Numunwari', the book which inspired the film

Theatrical and Home Video trailers

Image Gallery including rare press and promotional material.

While it's no Jaws, there's some fun moments in Dark Age the make it worth tracking down if you're a fan of Ozploitation... or killer crocodile movies.

For more on the film, here's our earlier Blu-ray coverage...

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/11251/Dark+Age+(1987/Umbrella+PAL+Region+Free+DV

The new thriller Happy Hunting (2017) is a fast paced and interesting flick that centers around a drifter whose struggling with alcoholism and is unwilling attendance in a brutal redneck spectators sport akin to a gladiator arena. Set in the dirty and desolate desert, Happy Hunting isn't too bad of a film if you're into films that explore the brutality of human nature.

The film stars Ken Lally, Kenny Wormald, and Martin Dingle Wall to name a few. The film is directed by Joe Dietsch and Lucian Gibson.

Presented in standard definition PAL format import DVD with an anamorphically enhanced widescreen aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and a lossy 5.1 Dolby Digital track, the presentation is up to standards with the format but nothing too incredible. The film is shot and color-timed well, with a greenish tint throughout that reminds me of a David Fincher film.

No extras.

If you're into movies like The Most Dangerous Game, The Purge, and films of the like then you may want to give this disc a spin.

Koichiro is a local racer practicing one night, until he becomes a witness to a impromptu late night race between a rival team and a mysterious white Trueno 8-6. Turns out the rival team is the Akagi Red Suns and after eating the dust of the mysterious ghost racer, they are hell bent on revenge and challenge the local team, the Akina Speeders in attempt to smoke out the mysterious driver. Little did Koichi know the mysterious ghost racer is closer than he knows, his gas attendant Takumi Fujiwara. But when the pride of the local team is on the stakes, will Takumi race to protect his friends?

Initial D: Legend 1: Awakening (2014) has Takumi Fujiwara as your ordinary high school boy/tofu delivery boy, but underneath his innocent face he is the son of a legendary racer and has blood of a pro-racer. Even among his friends, his father has secretly passed along his driving skills. Only Takumi isn't into racing (or so he says) and because of his late night driving, his local team's reputation now threatened by a real pro racing team, those Akagi Red Suns, who can't believe a mysterious ghost racer beat them and believe he is one of the locals. However, the only thing that gets Takumi more hotter and bothered than his car (and racing) is his girl friend Mogi.

This was a racing anime about fast cars and even faster drivers, though it also exists as a live action version and a series, a series made into a movie and brought back to inspire late night impromptu illegal racing and car lovers, however like any good driver knows, it's not the car but all about the driver and his skills.

The 1080p 1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image represents a mix of color and artwork that is on the soft side and not one I'm a big fan of on the Blu-ray, made softer and worse on the anamorphically enhanced DVD also included. Better is the DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix (lesser, lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 on the DVD) that really kicks and plays well, if not the most state of the art, it is not bad. Extras include trailers.

Two Australian films from the '80s, Kadaicha (1988) and Innocent Prey (1984) both land on disc together in this new double feature on one PAL Import standard definition DVD from our friends at Umbrella, who never fail to find unique films to add to their library. Hard to find for a long time, both films are of so-so quality but weren't recorded on the best film stocks to begin with. They are both fun, even if they aren't quite cult classics.

In Kadaicha, which was directed by James Bogle (Whitely) and is also known as Stones of Death, some residents suddenly discover their homes have been built on top of a sacred graveyard that has a curse surrounding it. Soon this group have to battle together to take on the undead! The film stars Zoe Cardies, Tom Jennings, and Eric Oldfield and has kind of a Poltergeist-esque vibe but, ya know, with a lot of Australian accents.

Innocent Prey, is all about finding love in the wrong places as a woman discovers that her husband is actually a serial killer that has a passion for killing prostitutes. Once his wife witnesses him in action, she calls the authorities and gets him put away. Now that she has brought this murderer to the spotlight, what consequences come with that?

The film stars P.J. Soles (of Carpenter's Halloween, Stripes and Rock 'n' Roll High School fame), Kit Taylor, Grigor Taylor, John Warnock, and Susan Stenmark to name a few. Out of these two, I'd say this one is the better one.

Both films are presented in muddy standard definition with full frame aspect ratio and 2.0 English lossy Dolby Digital mixes. They both seem to be shot on a video format as there isn't anything impressive about the transfers here. Innocent Prey is shot and directed interestingly, namely the scene where P.J. Soles discovers that her husband is a killer. She sees in his reflection him pulling out a switch blade and readying the kill that is matched with a nicely close up of her wide eyed looking through the window at him. An interesting little movie that's almost a nod to Hitchcock.

Special Features include...

Looking Back on Innocent Prey: A Conversation with P.J. Soles

Trailers

Overall, a fun disc with two forgotten films.

Director Joe Lynch (The Knights of Badassdom and collaborator with Hatchet filmmaker Adam Green) brings us his action packed new horror comedy Mayhem (2017), which should have gotten the spotlight that the similar themed James Gunn-produced Belko Experiment stood in last year. (Belko is reviewed elsewhere on this site). Using the office as a battleground setting for survival, Mayhem stars Steven Yuen (Glen from The Walking Dead) and Samara Weaving (Ash vs the Evil Dead) and should be at the top of your watch list.

Mayhem also stars Steven Brand, Caroline Chikezie, Kerry Fox, and Dallas Roberts.

David Cho (Yuen) has worked his way up the ladder at his corporate desk job as a lawyer for a major firm. However, he hasn't gotten that way by being a push-over but rather by being a ruthless businessman. One particular bad day, David ends up the victim of a rare virus that releases human inhibitions and causes its victims to act out their primal instincts... without any social repercussions. Soon, the entire office building is infected by the virus (and the building surrounded by a SWAT team) as violence spreads like wildfire. With the help of a former client that at first isn't too fond of him (Weaving), David ends up battling his way to the top floor of the building, where he must face off with the cocaine-infused big boss and nine executives in order to get justice for his unlawful firing.

Mayhem succeeds in many ways that The Belko Experiment did not. It's more brutal, doesn't hold back from violence and nudity, and features a great performance by Steven Yuen - certainly showing him as a capable actor outside of The Walking Dead. Filled with many memorable sequences, Mayhem is a refreshing journey for horror fans who like films like Battle Royale or The Raid not to mention other noticeable inspirations. In a way, Mayhem feels like a zombie movie without quite being one.

RLJ presents the film in stunning upscaled 2160p HEVC/H.265, HDR (10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image with a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and a great sounding English DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless track - both of which reach high standards for the format. Character details and violence are more in your face down to imperfections not-noticeable on the also included 1080p Blu-ray version. The film is very well shot and has several epic moments that are captured well on the format.

No digital copy.

Bonus features include:

"Creating MAYHEM: The Making of the Film"

Feature length audio commentary with director Joe Lynch, Director of Photography Steve Gainer & Editor Josh Ethier

and Art of David Cho

Mayhem is a pleasant surprise and a film that I definitely enjoyed. Looking forward to seeing more from Director Joe Lynch in the future!

Not Quite Hollywood (2008) is a great documentary on Ozploitation Cinema lands on this packed Blu-ray release from Umbrella. The film features several great interviews and clips from some of the craziest and outrageous genre films ever produced.

Everything from such landmark Australian films such as Stone, Turkey Shoot, and the Mad Max trilogy to various selections from popular sub-genres such as Kung Fu, smut, horror films, and much more, Not Quite Hollywood, directed by Michael Hartley, should be at the top of every cinephile's watch list.

The film features interviews with Quentin Tarantino, Dennis Hopper, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Barry Humphries to name just a few of the many here.

Presented in 1080p high definition with a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.77:1 and sound mixes in both 2.0 and 5.1 lossy Dolby Digital. The disc looks and sounds fine throughout but may have some problems playing in some American Blu-ray players even though it's listed as all region.

There's over 9 hours of extra features on this packed Blu-ray release which includes...

Audio Commentary from Ozploitation auteurs

Deleted/Extended Scenes

The lost interview: Chris Lofven

A word with Bob Ellis

Quentin Tarantino and Brian Trenchard-Smith interview

MIFF Ozploitation panel

MIFF red carpet footage

BTS footage

UK interview with Director Mark Hartley

The Bazura Project segment

The Monthly conversation

The Business: interview

Extended Ozploitation trailer reel

John D. Lamond: CONFESSIONS OF AN R-RATED FILMMAKER

Richard Franklin on-set interview

Terry Bourke's NOON SUNDAY reel

BARRY McKENZIE: OGRE OR OCKER documentary

INSIDE ALVIN PURPLE documentary

TO SHOOT A MAD DOG documentary

Ozploitation stills and poster gallery

NQH production gallery

NQH pitch promos

and an Original theatrical trailer.

For more on this film, including links to our coverage of some of the films featured, try this link...

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/9105/Not+Quite+Hollywood+(2008/Documentary/Australi

and for good measure, Umbrella's great restoration on Blu-ray of The Man From Hong Kong, one of the best OzPloitation films ever...

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/14591/The+Blob+(1988+remake/Sony/TriStar/Umbrella+i

Written by the Italian Horror Mastermind Dario Argento (Suspiria, Opera) and directed by Maurizio Lucidi, comes the low budget Nazi-centric Probability Zero (1969) starring Henry Silva. Set in Norway and centers around a team of Allies who blow up an underground Nazi factory where the Germans have taken a crashed Spitfire that contains a new radar system with cruel intentions.

Presented in standard definition with an anamorphically enhanced widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1, the picture here is discolored and jumps from reds to greens to blues throughout most of the film and is pretty distracting. As this is probably due to the original source material, I was hoping for a better looking transfer here. The sound mix is in a standard lossy Dolby Digital English 2.0 Mono track.

No Extras.

Nothing too special about this film unless you're a diehard Argento fan that wants to see everything he ever did.

Stephanie Rothman's Terminal Island (1973) is a great concept for a film that could easily be rebooted or remade in a modern way. The premise is an isolated island where some of America's most horrible convicts are dumped and left unsupervised. The only rule is that they can't get off the island but they have to stay on it. In this world, where nobody, even the most criminally insane, are left in check... who could possibly survive?

Women are sold as sex slaves under the iron clad rule of Bobby (Sean Kenney) who rules the camp. Of course, none of these scumbags like to take orders from one another, and soon a liberation for women's freedom stakes out as its man vs. woman on an island where anything goes.

The film stars Tom Selleck, Don Marshall, Ena Hartman, Phyllis Davis, and Roger Mosley, Selleck's future Magnum, P.I. co-star.

Presented in standard definition DVD with an anamorphically enhanced widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and a 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono track, the presentation is fine for DVD, especially with this being an older film. It could obviously benefit in HD and hopefully will be in the future.

No extras.

This is fun if you like films from the era, but is a better concept that movie in execution, despite the skills Rothman has that she's displayed in helming films like The Velvet Vampire (reviewed elsewhere on this site). No doubt this will be a curio, though.

Finally, there's plenty of girl power in this action packed double feature from Umbrella that highlights Grindhouse cinema flicks of yesteryear: The Woman Hunt (1972) and TNT Jackson (1974). I love releases like this because it gives films like these a chance to flourish. Even though it would be cooler if they were in HD, the standard definition transfers are passable as these films were made on a shoestring budget anyway.

The Woman Hunt - Directed by Eddie Romero in conjunction with Roger Corman's New World Pictures label, the film is a remake of the classic story The Most Dangerous Game and centers around a foreign correspondent who is kidnapped and used for prey in this man vs woman epic. The film stars Sid Haig, Pat Woodell, and John Ashley.

TNT Jackson - she's a one mama massacre squad! This blaxploitation epic features the no holds barred heroine TNT Jackson (Jeanie Bell - who was one of the first black Playboy Playmates) who, much like Shaft and James Bond, doesn't mind mixing a little bit of sex in with her butt kicking. This movie is fun from frame one and pure silliness that would be offensive to many if it was made today.

The film centers around TNT Jackson, who goes to Hong Kong in search of her missing brothers. After facing off against drug dealers, rapists, and armed robbers, you won't believe some of the action in this fun flick! The film also stars Stan Shaw, Pat Anderson, Ken Metcalfe, and Chiquito.

Both films are presented in standard definition with full frame aspect ratios and lossy 2.0 English Dolby Digital Mono track that look and sound fine for the format.

The only extras are the original (and amusing) theatrical trailers for both films.

Or more on Jackson, try this link...

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/11221/Arena+(2011/Sony+DVD)/Freerunner+(2010/Imag

To order any of the Umbrella import Blu-rays and/or DVDs, go to this link for them and many more hard to get titles:

http://www.umbrellaent.com.au/

- Ricky Chiang (Initial D) & James Lockhart

https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/