Cocaine Werewolf (2024/MVD/Cleopatra Blu-ray)/Crippled Masters (1979/Film Masters Blu-ray)/The Watchers 4K (2024/Warner 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray)

4K Ultra HD Picture: A- Picture: B-/B/X Sound: B-/B/A- Extras: C/C+/C+ Films: C/C+/C

Now for new horror offerings, wacky as they are in these cases...

Cocaine Werewolf (2024) says it all in the title. A no budget B-film to its core, Cocaine Werewolf (2024) features a drug fueled Wolfman on the prowl and obviously the film checks off all of its genre necessities: booze, babes, drugs, and action. The ultra low budget film seems like a fun effort between some friends and looks like everyone involved had a fun time making it, but this certainly isn't going to be on any top ten lists this year. The werewolf is a cheap looking mask and there isn't any production design effort anywhere to be seen. It does carry a few laughs or neat shots here and there, but hard to watch in terms of filmmaking style.

The film stars Addison Turner, Alyssa Spicer, Brice Kennedy, and Cody Losinger.

The film is presented on Blu-ray disc in 1080p high definition on Blu-ray disc with an MPEG-4 AVC codec, a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and an English DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit) lossless mix. The 2K presentation is fine seeing that this is an ultra low budget film that isn't very cinematic or pretty to look at. The color correction is very saturated and the black levels are pretty high on most of the film, which results in a loss of definition.

Special Features include a Slideshow, Trailers and Director's Feature Length Audio Commentary.

Cocaine Werewolf isn't even on the same level of Wolf Cop let alone Cocaine Bear. Not much to sink your claws, paws, or teeth into here.

If you need proof that you can overcome a disability, look no further than the martial arts cult classic, The Crippled Masters (1979) also known as Tian can di que. In this wild film, which has been newly restored and out now on Blu-ray disc from Film Masters, two skilled martial artists lose their limbs to an evil master and vow to seek revenge on him for mangling them. In the process is impressive fight sequence after impressive fight sequence with this memorable and funny feature.

The film stars Sung-Chuan Shen, Chao-Ming Kang, and Chiu Ho and is directed by Chi Lo.

The Crippled Masters has been remastered from a rare 35mm print and restored onto 1080p Blu-ray disc, looking and sounding better than previous releases with the 1080p high definition on Blu-ray disc with an MPEG-4 AVC codec, a widescreen aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and audio tracks in lossless DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) English dub 2.0 Mono, Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (with optional English subtitles (all 48kHz, 16-bit), and lossy, English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono.

Special Features :

Documentary by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures

Feature Length Audio Commentary by The Important Cinema Club

Original trailer using restored film elements

and Liner Notes by Lawrence Carter-Long .

The Crippled Masters looks pretty good here, especially when you consider that this film has been hard to come by for many years and was in desperate need of a restoration. You can read about the sequels (yes they made a few!) here:

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/11421/The+Crippled+Masters+2+++The+Crippled+Maste

The Watchers 4K (2024) is the first feature from Ishana Shyamalan, whose father is obviously M. Night Shyamalan (Split, Unbreakable, The Sixth Sense), who also produced the film. Ishana started her directorial career with the Apple TV series Servant, which I would suggest checking out even though it is sadly not on physical media as of this writing.

With The Watchers, the Shyamalans are staying on brand by continuing to make heavy supernatural dramas with original concepts and ideas. The Watchers, while it has a handful of interesting sequences, doesn't really stand as tall with other features from the filmmaking family, sadly. The film looks and sounds great, but there isn't much else to it that's particularly captivating or memorable aside from its jaw dropping Ireland-set backdrops. Starring the very talented (and underrated in her adult career) Dakota Fanning, the film has a storyline that's very complex and hard to understand at times, and a very goofy third act that doesn't really pay off what it sets up.

Set in Ireland, a young American woman named Mina (Fanning) is sent by the pet shop she works at to deliver a unique yellow bird to someone who lives in the middle of nowhere in the deep woods. After pretending she's someone else and picking up some random guy at a bar the night before, Mina sets out on her work journey with the very cool looking bird. Things go south when Mina's car stops suddenly as it reaches the woods. There she comes to find a group of creatures have barricaded three strangers in a strange building.

In this strange building is a glass wall that sees out into the woods, where the people are forced to stay indoors in fear once nightfall hits and ''perform'' for these creatures all night long against their will. They are also left with one DVD of some random season of a reality series to watch. How they have electricity in this building in the middle of nowhere is never explained of course. Nor what the relevance is of his odd reality show that has nothing to do with anything. After dying of starvation and boredom (even though they all look well nourished), any attempt to escape the woods, results in getting lost and / or walking in circles.

These three strangers are a older skilled woman who calls all the shots (Olwen Fouere), a younger woman whose husband succumbed to the monsters (Georgina Campbell), and a younger man whose losing his grip on reality (Alistatir Brammer).

Mina, still recovering from the death of her mother over a decade earlier that she caused in a car accident, makes it her mission to escape and reconnect with her lost sister. In order to do so, she has to outsmart these woodland monsters and somehow find her way home. Are you lost yet? Well, things just get more convoluted and confusing from there.

It can't be overstated enough, that the film looks magnificent on 4K UHD and is presented in 2160p on 4K UHD disc with HDR10, an HEVC / H.265 codec, a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and an audio tracks in lossless Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 mixdown for older systems) and lossless DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit) English mixes. While the film wasn't a huge smash in the box office, I am happy that Warner Bros. decided to put it out in 2160p regardless.

The scenery of Ireland looks fantastic with beautiful sweeping shots of countrysides and eye pleasing colors and atmosphere. If only all of it had a story that actually made sense, it would be all the better. Clearly, M. Night brought in his seasoned production crew to make this feel as big budget as possible. This is a nice test of a good 4K UHD set-up as there are so many beautiful shots in this that it makes you really want to visit the woods of Ireland by the end of it.

A complicated story and so-so acting from everyone, but Dakota Fanning really holds this one back. None of the characters are particularly likable and so the stakes aren't really that high. Things just get weirder and weirder with no real punch to pay it off. It looks and sounds fantastic though and is worth checking out for that reason alone. But if you are expecting another thriller worthy of The Sixth Sense or even The Village, then you may need to set your expectations a bit lower.

I will say I am interested to see what else Ishana Shyamalan does in the future with hopefully a screenplay worthy of her talent.

- James Lockhart

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