Frightmare
(1990/Troma Blu-ray*)/Magic
Cop
(1990/88 Films Blu-ray*)/Mercy
4K (2026/MGM
4K Blu-ray**)/Pulse
(1988/Mill
Creek
Blu-ray**)/Shelby
Oaks
(2025/NEON/Decal Blu-ray**)/St.
Patrick's Day Massacre
(2025/High Fliers
DVD/**all
Alliance)/Vampire
Zombies From Outer Space!
(2024/Cleopatra/*all MVD)
4K
Picture: B Picture: C/D/X/B/B/C/B Sound: B/C/B+/B/B/B/B
Extras: C+/B/D/D/B/D/C+ Films: B/C-/C-/C/B/C/B-
Now
for a wide-ranging set of various genre films that are not always
successful...
Frightmare
(1981) also known as Horror
Star
comes out again on disc this time from Troma in a ''Tromatic''
Special Edition Blu-ray. The film is essentially John Carpenter's
Halloween
but with a Vampire instead of Michael Myers as the film transforms
into a formulaic slasher halfway through. The film is fun as a retro
slasher film and a product of its time that looks just okay on this
Blu-ray release from Troma. I can't help but yearn for another
boutique label like Severin or Vinegar Syndrome to tackle this in a
proper 4K edition down the line.
The
film stars Ferdy Mayne (Fearless
Vampire Killers,)
Luca Bercovici, Nita Talbot, Leon Askin, Barbara Pilavin, and Scott
Thomson, and is directed by Normal Thaddeus Vane.
Frightmare
is presented in 1080p high definition on 2K Blu-ray disc with an
MPEG-4 AVC codec, a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and a lossless
English DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit) soundmix.
The 2K image is nothing to write home about as the film transfer has
some visible flaws in it, which possibly could be due to the
condition of the print and we have been told that it is the same
transfer used by Vinegar Syndrome in their older, out of print
Blu-ray. It's passable for Blu-ray, but if this was a 4K transfer
there would be some more points deducted.
Special
Features include:
Original
DVD Intro Featuring Lloyd Kaufman and Debbie Rochon
Archival
audio interview with Director Norman Thaddeus Vane
Historical
Commentary with David Del Valle and David DeCoteau
The
Hysteria Continues (audio commentary from 'The
Hysteria Continues'
Podcast)
Original
Theatrical Trailer
Artwork
Gallery
Man
With A Camera: Video Interview With DP Joel King
A
Gory Lesson From The Set Of Meat For Satan's Ice Box
INNARDS!
Music Video
and
Radiation March
Frightmare
isn't a bad low budget film from the early '80s and clearly was
jumping on the popularity of slasher films at the time. It's a fun
watch in retrospect, but I can't help wanting more from the
presentation.
Magic
Cop (1990)
is a Cantonese
action flick out on Blu-ray from 88 Films where we see a cop who also
happens to hunt ghosts (Lam Ching-ying) facing off
against a supernatural drug ring. The film has some interesting
martial arts and interesting considering its age and low budget
nature. The film stars Ching-Ying Lam, Wilson Lam, Michael Kiu Wai
Miu, Wu Ma, Michiko Nishiwaki, and Billy Chow.
The
film is presented in 1080p high definition on 2K Blu-ray disc with an
MPEG-4 AVC codec, a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and a lossless
English DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit) Stereo mix.
Needless to say the transfer is not good with many imperfections
throughout. Given that this was a low budget production and
considering its age, I am sure that 88 Films did what they could, but
sadly this is not a presentation worth writing home about. It
probably is, however, the best this micro budgeted film has looked
and sounded yet... or ever will.
Special
Features include:
Double
Walled Gloss Finish O-ring featuring new artwork by Sean Longmore
(First Pressing Only)
Double-sided
foldout poster (First Pressing Only)
Audio
commentary with Hong Kong Film Experts Frank Djeng and Marc Walkow
Taiwanese
Cut with Alternate Score (SD)
Interview
with Tung Wei (HD)
Image
Gallery
Trailer
and
a eversible cover with new artwork by Sean Longmore and original HK
Poster Art.
Chris
Pratt is put on trial by a boring AI program in Timur Bekmambetov's
incredibly boring sci-fi thriller Mercy
4K
(2026,) which bombards the audience with cheap images and so much
stupidity that Amnesty International ought to investigate.
Bekmambetov already delivered horrid mega-dud remakes of War
Of The Worlds
and Ben-Hur,
so doing a lame knock-off of Spielberg's overrated (but at least
ambitious) Minority
Report
continue this hack filmmaker's uncanny need to take hit films people
liked with original and make them into some of the worst crap in all
of international cinema history!
In
a LONG, LOOOOONNNNNFGGGGG 99 minutes that makes his one awful
semi-hit, Abraham
Lincoln Vampire Hunter
(2012) seem somehow clever, Pratt is one of the worst detectives in
cinema history, once (mindlessly and brainlessly) supporting an AI
judge (played by Rebecca Ferguson, extremely
wasted here; Dune
3
cannot get here fast enough for her or us!!!) playing like Judge
Dredd in a crystal meth/crack cocaine coma. Someone has killed his
wife and he is accused, so can be prove his innocence? Can we watch
new 4K scan of the 1960s TV classic The
Fugitive
instead?
The
director and so-called screenplay should be taught in film schools on
everything NOT to do in a genre film like this. The supposedly human
actors are boring, the film is boring, I was hoping the AI Judge
would turn into Judge Dredd and shoot up everything just to make it
stop, but I would not play along and fall to their dirty trick of
yelling the title of this $60 Million disaster (it sure does NOT look
like it was that expensive) or something more creative, like Leo The
Lion jumping out of the MGM logo and mauling everyone.
After
the overrated Russo Brothers put Pratt together with the terrific
Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger
Things)
for the low-wattage/low voltage dud The
Electric State
(2025) costing over five times this, but with the same non-hit
results, Pratt should probably stick with proven franchises because
he's not THAT strong and actor, performer or personality to overcome
this crap. Especially looking so bored here.
Looking
very dated upon arrival, I expect this to date very swiftly and have
anyone watching to ask what were they thinking and how did this get a
greenlight. Its that bad and is already an early candidate for one
of this year's worst films. Hope the Razzies board gets some huge
complementary cases of Tylenol and Advil!
The
2160p HEVC/H.265, 2.20 X 1, Dolby Vision/HDR (10; Ultra HD
Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image has some good shots,
but we get WAY TOO MANY sloppy, soft and cheap shots I could have
made on a MacBook and it does nto meld well, so I see why a regular
Blu-ray was not included. The lossless Dolby
Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 mixdown for older systems) mix is the default
highlight of this mess,. Though even it is inconsistent and can only
do so much.
There
are thankfully no extras.
Pulse
(1988) is an '80s horror thriller that centers on an evil surge of
electricity that travels from house to house causing chaos in its
midst. So as this intelligent spark of electric maniacally attacks,
one family dares to fight against it as it turns their house into an
electrical war zone.
The
film stars Joey Lawrence, Cliff De Young, Charles Tyner, Robert
Romanus, and Dennis Redfield.
Pulse
is presented in 1080p high definition on 2K Blu-ray disc with an
MPEG-4 AVC codec, a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and an English
LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 16bit) Stereo mix. The film looks and sounds up to
standards for the format and has been well preserved with no glaring
issues.
The
film wants to be a Spielberg-type kid against the supernatural film,
but is missing the character development and warmth to make it feel
that way. Instead, it feels like the concept has been done much
better since, even in modern thrillers where A.I. has run amok in the
M3gan
films or even Final
Destination
has a similar vibe to this. That being said, though the concept has
been done better since, I can see how Pulse
helped shape this sub genre.
No
extras.
Neon
presents Shelby
Oaks
(2025,) a mix of traditional narrative fused with a faux documentary
in the same style inspired by The
Blair Witch Project.
Despite a few similarities of the other films in the genre, Shelby
Oaks manages to be its own thing and succeeds where other films of
its like fail.
The
film centers on a group of paranormal investigators who end up going
missing during film their YouTube series ''Paranormal
Paranoids.''
When the bodies are found except for the show's host Riley Brenan
(Sarah Durn,) her sister Mia (Camille Sullivan) becomes desperate to
find her and get some answers. As she dives deeper into the mystery,
she uncovers a demonic force that begins to terrorize her after a
murder suspect offs himself in front of her and leaves behind a tape
of missing footage. In a narrative structure similar to The
Ring,
the sister goes down and darker and darker paths with the more clues
she discovers the locations seen in the clues. The film succeeds in
its darker moments and creepy locations, namely an abandoned town
with plenty of jump scares along the way.
The
supporting cast includes Michael Beach, Brendan Sexton III, and Robin
Bartlett, is directed by Chris Stuckmann and produced by Michael
Flanagan.
The
script and film does a good job of setting up its world by way of
faux documentary that crafts a strong narrative and gets you into the
story from the beginning. Our main character is first introduced in
an interview and then we begin to see the story unfold from her
perspective. The film is well made and has some pretty effective
creepy moments throughout.
Shelby
Oaks
is presented in 1080p high definition on regular Blu-ray disc with an
MPEG-4 AVC codec, a widescreen aspect ratios of 1.85:1 and 2.39:1 as
jumps back and forth through MiniDV footage and traditional digital
and has a beautifully mixed track in a lossless English DTS-HD MA
(Master Audio) 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit) mix to accompany. The film has a
nice professional presentation that's of a high standard with nothing
glaring in terms of presentation.
Special
Features:
Six
Episodes: The Making of Shelby Oaks
Four
Episodes of Paranormal
Paranoids
The
Final Tape
featurette
Crime
Scene Gallery
Special
Hidden Feature
Original
Trailer and TV Spots.
Shelby
Oaks
is an original and interesting film even if it occasionally borrows
ideas from others and is worth checking out if you are into ghostly
supernatural type films.
St.
Patrick's Day Massacre
(2025) is a holiday horror movie that doesn't quite hit the lucky
mark. When a group of four girlfriends go to Dublin for St.
Patrick's Day, they come across a local who buys them a drink and
takes them to an abandoned tavern where a murderous rampage occurred
on St. Patrick's Day centuries earlier. In not long until they are
stalked by the undead killer himself who is buried under the floor
boards whose out on a murderous rampage of revenge.
The
film stars Marta Svetek, Ayvianna Snow, Charlie Bond, Manoj Anand,
Annabella Rich, and Ben Manning.
St.
Patrick's Day Massacre
is presented in anamorphically enhanced, standard definition (480i)
on DVD with a 2:35.1 widescreen aspect ratio and a lossy 5.1 Dolby
Digital Audio mix. The film looks compressed throughout on DVD with
some of the flashback scenes in some shits showing heavy compression
due to the filter used on the footage. I'm sure there are better
transfers out there than the one here in standard definition. The
use of green is very overused throughout the film too, which is
obviously intentional.
No
extras on the DVD.
St.
Patrick's Day
does what it can with the holiday horror formula, but lacks in
suspense and substance.
Michael
Stasko's Vampire
Zombies From Space! (2024)
is an ode to 1950s sci-fi and horror, Ed Wood movies, yet fused with
modern gore and corny humor. Surprisingly, this black and white
modern film is actually quite remarkable and a lot of fun if you are
familiar with where its inspirations are coming from.
Surprisingly
gory, the film centers on a town overrun by Vampire Zombies from
Outer Space (led by Dracula himself) that terrorize the locals and
turn them into bloodthirsty zombies. Humanity's only chance lies in
fighting back. Directed by Michael Stasko, the black and white
comedy/action/retro/sci-fi horror film has plenty of easter eggs in
it for fans that include recreations of classic Hollywood vampires
(and Judith O'Dea of Night
of the Living Dead
playing Elvira was an interesting choice).
It
also cleverly uses Plan
9 From Outer Space
as canon and has UFOs and bats on visible strings as a wink to Ed
Wood's charming low budget movie style of the 1950s. The film does a
good job of capturing the period as well and has nice costuming and
plenty of picture cars to sell the environment. There's some pretty
hilarious bits too when one character (whose voice sounds similar to
Elvis) fights the lower half of this dismembered zombie brother.
The
film stars Jessica Antovski, Rashaun Baldeo, Andrew Bee, Oliver
Georgiou, Craig Gloster, Simon Reynolds with Judith O'Dea, Lloyd
Kaufman, and David Liebe Har.
Vampire
Zombies From Space!
is presented in 1080p high definition on 2K Blu-ray disc with an
MPEG-4 AVC codec, a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and a lossy
English Dolby Digital Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit) mix. The film is in
black and white which does look pretty good on Blu-ray disc here and
helps call back the era of filmmaking the film is imitating.
Special
Features:
Audio
Commentary
Deleted
Scenes
Promotional
Clips
Slideshow
and Trailers.
Vampire
Zombies From Space!
achieves what it sets out to do and then some. An ambitious low
budget production that was clearly made with consideration and love
for the films that it imitates particularly those of Edward D. Wood,
Jr.
-
Nicholas Sheffo (4K) and James Lockhart
https://letterboxd.com/jhl5films/
