Streets of Fire (1984, Walter Hill)

Streets of Fire is one of those movies that was on every video store shelf in the 80s.  Seeing that cover became second nature and I'll admit I never really thought twice about the video tape hidden under that classic slice of nostalgic artwork.  Honestly, I don't even remember why I decided to check the film out a couple years ago.  It may have been the Walter Hill association or one of the many fine actors in the film.  Regardless, it was long overdue.

Streets of Fire stars Michael Paré as Tom Cody, an ex army soldier who comes back to his hometown at the request of his sister Reva (Deborah Van Valkenburgh).  Local Pop Star Ellen Aim (Diane Lane) is kidnapped at a hometown gig, by gang leader Raven Shaddock (Willem Dafoe) and Tom, who used to be Ellen's boyfriend, is the only one who can get her back.  Along with Ellen's manager Billy Fish (Rick Moranis) and drifter McCoy (Amy Madigan), Cody has to infiltrate Shaddock's hideout and get Ellen back, while avoiding the local cops and Shaddock's goons.

Before re-watching Streets of Fire, I was ready to give it a 9/10 rating.  Apparently I had forgotten one minor flaw in the film...its dialogue.  Hill created a visually stunning "rock n' roll fable" with colorful characters, timeless scenery, rockin' music and a great cast.  Though not all bad, the dialogue however detracts from the otherwise spectacular film, as does the annoying character of McCoy (originally written as a male).  That being said, I would still consider this film a classic for its time and something I will definitely re-visit.  Just watching the concert scenes with the always lovely Diane Lane singing (actually it's not even her voice but whatever), which are an interesting mix of styles (most prevalent being 80s New Wave and 50s Rock), makes me want to watch the film over and over again.

RATING:  7/10

Death Race 2000 out today on Blu-Ray and DVD from Shout! Factory

Don't miss this truly excellent film, out today on DVD and (for the first time) Blu-Ray!

DEATH RACE 2000 SPECIAL EDITION BLU-RAY & DVD

EXTENSIVE SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE:

• New Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer (1.85:1) in high definition from the inter-positive film element
• David on Death Race: A brief look back from star David Carradine recorded in 2008
• Audio commentary with Roger Corman and Mary Woronov
• New audio commentary with assistant director Lewis Teague and editor Tina Hirsch
• Playing the Game: Looking Back at “Death Race 2000”
• Ready to Wear: In-depth interview costume designer Jane Ruhm on her inventive work for this film and other Roger Corman classics
• Designing Dystopia!: A detailed look at the film’s futuristic landscapes and now-classic race cars with co-art director B.B. Neel, car designer James Powers and car constructor Dean Jeffries.
• Start Your Engine!: How the world of Death Race 2000 came to life, interview with original story creator Ib Melchior
• Killer Score: An all-new interview with composer Paul Chihara on the creation of the film’s eclectic score, which was also his first feature film composition.
• Leonard Maltin interviews Roger Corman about Death Race 2000
• Original theatrical trailer
• Original theatrical trailer with commentary by filmmaker John Landis, courtesy of trailersfromhell.com
• Collectible 12-page booklet
• New World trailers 

Eaten Alive (1977, Tobe Hooper)

What do you do after creating one of the greatest, most horrific and influential horror films of all time?  You make another horror film using the same screenwriter and lead actress, of course.  That's what Tobe Hooper did after terrifying the world with his undisputed 1974 classic Texas Chainsaw Massacre.  It was a combination of Hooper being director, the crazy story (co-written by TCM screenwriter Kim Henkel) and a cast of horror/exploitation legends that made this a must-see film.  I first watched Eaten Alive a couple of years ago and was actually very disappointed.  Since then, I decided to give the movie, which by all rights should be a horror classic, a second chance.  The time is now.

Eaten Alive follows a young prostitute named Clara (Roberta Collins), who is kicked out of the brothel that she works for when she refuses to let young regular Buck (Robert Englund) do her in a bad place.  She seeks refuge at the local Starlight Hotel, which is run by Judd (Neville Brand), a drug addicted, puritanical maniac.  Once he realizes Clara is from the local whorehouse, he kills her in a psychotic rage and feeds her to his pet crocodile.  A couple (William Finley and Marilyn Burns) and their daughter stop by the Starlight for some R and R, but end up staying longer than anticipated when their dog is gobbled up by the croc, sending their daughter into hysterics.  They soon become targets of Judd's reign of terror, as do Clara's father (Mel Ferrer) and sister who stop by to find the missing girl.

On paper, Eaten Alive sounds like it can't fail.  Rarely will you find a better ensemble cast:  Robert (Freddy Krueger) Englund, Marilyn (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) Burns, Roberta (Death Race 2000) Collins, Mel (Nightmare City) Ferrer, Janus (Hills Have Eyes) Blythe, Neville (Ninth Configuration and many others) Brand, Carolyn (House of Wax) Jones, William (Phantom of the Paradise) Finley, Kyle (Halloween) Richards, Betty (Toolbox Murders) Cole....I'm sure there are more.  The film had a very psychedelic feel with lots of strange colors, but was also very dark and smoky.  It almost felt like a fever dream filmed on recycled film stock.  So what was wrong with the film?  The main flaw for me was pacing.  It started out great but the middle become redundant, non-sensical (what was up with William Finley's character going crazy?) and just slow.  Though not a waste of time by any means, Eaten Alive had all the elements to make it a horror classic but instead it turned out being an average film with a stellar cast.  I think this may actually be a film you need to watch several times before it clicks so I definitely plan to revisit it in the future.

Fun fact:  Mel Ferrer was in another film also titled Eaten Alive, an early 80s Umberto Lenzi Italian Cannibal flick.


RATING:  6/10

Birdemic: Shock and Terror (2008, James Nguyen)

Finally, my first free movie screening thanks to this here site.  Thank you site.  My friend and I drove into Boston (Cambridge technically) to the best worst theater in the area (The Brattle) to check out Birdemic.  I had read about the film online and really didn't know what to expect.  The fact that it is being distributed by Severin Films is really what made the film a must see, based on their incredible output of sleaze.

The film starts out with the main character Rod (Alan Bagh) driving down the street, walking around and sitting in a coffee shop.  The camera frequently misses the action points (not that there really are any) and the footage of Rod looks as if it was filmed on a camcorder by a blind man.  I immediately knew what I was in for.  Rod ends up meeting (stalking) a girl in the coffee shop that he remembers from high school and somehow manages to exchange phone numbers.  The girl, Nathalie (Whitney Moore) is a fashion model who heads off to a photo shoot at a one hour photo shop.  Yes, you read that right.  Rod and Nathalie meet up for some Thai food and end up with big advances in their careers (Rod's company is doing well and he is looking forward to early retirement while Nathalie becomes a Victoria's Secret model).  They also find out that their friends are dating and agree to go on a double date.  After finally sealing the deal in a motel room, Rod and Nathalie wake up to find the city (world?) taken over by killer eagles (yes eagles).  Not just any eagles though.  These eagles not only attack people, but they also explode on impact.  Rod and Nathalie meet up with army vet Ramsey (Adam Sessa) and his girlfriend Becky (Catherine Batcha) and they take to the road in Ramsey's van, which happens to be loaded with guns.  They find two abandoned children on the side of the road and take them along to try to find out what is causing the "Birdemic".

How do I begin?  Birdemic was easily the worst movie ever made.  I even hesitate to say so bad its good.  It was just BAD.  The acting (especially Rod who sounded like he had a mouth full of marbles) was atrocious, the camerawork looked like they strapped a cheap camera to an unsuspecting bystander's head and the sound popped, hissed, cut out and frequently drowned out the actor's (if you can call them that) voices with background noise.  Not to mention the sound of the birds attacking which was almost deafeningly loud and ear piercing.  Oh and speaking of the birds, they looked as though they were CGI'd via a child.  Despite all of this (and much, much more), the film was actually very entertaining (thanks to the great late night movie crowd we viewed the film with).  By the end, I'll admit I was a little antsy because some of the gags got old, but through most of the film, the whole crowd was laughing hysterically (even the usher standing behind us).  The film exceeds at being the worst movie of all time and I urge viewers to check the film out in its limited theatrical run because the crowd really enhances the film.  I'm not sure how it would come across on home video, especially if you watch it alone.  I'm convinced it might actually cause insanity or cause the viewer to never watch another film in fear it might be as bad or (gasp!) worse than Birdemic.  Those who have seen it, know that last statement is impossible.

RATING:  7/10*

*(this rating is for the enjoyment level of the film - the film itself is unrateable)

Death Race 2000 (1975, Paul Bartel)

Thanks to the fine folks at Shout! Factory, I received a copy of the new re-release of the Roger Corman Cult Classic, Death Race 2000 (hitting stores on DVD and Blu-Ray June 22nd).  It's been a few years since I've seen it and I was very anxious to watch it again.  Before I saw the film the first time, I had heard the name many times but didn't really know what it was about.  When I finally read the synopsis, I had to see it immediately.

Death Race 2000 is an over the top, futuristic, car racing film.  In the year 2000, the Annual Transcontinental Road Race is a cross country race run by the government.  The contestants earn points by killing innocent pedestrians along the way.  The favored contestant and previous champion is Frankenstein (David Carradine), a man whose body is as much metal as flesh.  Frankenstein is up against a ruthless group of racers, each more blood thirsty than the next.  Heading the pack is "Machine Gun" Joe Viterbo (Sylvester Stallone), a belligerent gangster who has no problem slapping around his female companion.  Also in the race are country gal Calamity Jane (Mary Woronov), Matilda the Hun (Roberta Collins) and Nero the Hero (Martin Kove). 

Death Race 2000 is, simply put, a masterpiece.  Everything about the film is pretty much flawless.  The cast is top notch and each play their colorful characters perfectly.  The story is so silly and over the top but irresistible.  The film even throws in some political themes, but more importantly there are the gory deaths, T&A and explosions galore.  For those familiar with director Paul Bartel's filmography (other than the similarly themed Cannonball), he may seem like an odd choice to direct this film but it has much of the same off the wall, tongue and cheek humor that he is known for.  I really can't think of anything I didn't like about this film, which is rare.  I highly recommend pre-ordering the new Shout! Factory DVD or Blu-Ray , which includes some all new special features and a 12 page booklet.

RATING:  10/10

Dennis Hopper R.I.P.

Ballad of Easy Rider (Bob Dylan/Roger McGuinn)

The river flows
It flows to the sea
Wherever that river goes
That's where I want to be
Flow river flow
Let your waters wash down
Take me from this road
To some other town

All he wanted
Was to be free
And that's the way
It turned out to be
Flow river flow
Let your waters wash down
Take me from this road
To some other town

Flow river flow
Past the shaded tree
Go river, go
Go to the sea
Flow to the sea

The river flows
It flows to the sea
Wherever that river goes
That's where I want to be
Flow river flow
Let your waters wash down
Take me from this road
To some other town

Deathsport / Battletruck coming to DVD from Shout! Factory

A PAIR OF ROGER CORMAN ROGUE SCIFI CLASSICS

ON ONE COLLECTOR’S EDITION DVD COMING THIS AUGUST 2010

SHOUT! FACTORY PRESENTS

DEATHSPORT/ BATTLETRUCK  

DOUBLE-FEATURE COLLECTOR’S EDITION DVD        

featuring the long-out-of-print cult favorite DEATHSPORT in widescreen

and the long-awaited debut of BATTLETRUCK on dvd

Slammin’ into Stores Nationwide August 3, 2010

From Shout! Factory

Brace yourself for twice the fun, twice the adrenaline rush, and twice the traction, as Shout! Factory, in association with New Horizons Picture Corporation, set to release a dynamic duo of Roger Corman classics on one double-feature collector’s edition DVD. August 3, 2010 will see the release of Deathsport/BattleTruck Collector’s Edition, which marks the first time Deathsport being presented in a widescreen format, as well as the first-ever DVD release of BattleTruck (released theatrically as Warlords of the 21^st Century). This double-barreled dose of high-octane excitement decisively marks the latest summer installment from fan favorite Roger Corman’s Cult Classics home entertainment series.

Deathsport/ BattleTruck Collector’s Edition boasts a stellar selection of new bonus content including all-new cast and crew interviews, commentaries, vintage trailers and more. A must-have for Roger Corman fans and collectors, own two of Roger Corman’s popular cult hits at an attractive price of $19.93 SRP.

The worldwide success of Death Race 2000 fueled Corman’s desire to make Deathsport, which also stars Emmy Award^®  and four-time Golden Globe^® nominee David Carradine (Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and 2, TV’s Kung Fu). It was not a direct sequel but certainly a thematic follow-up.

Set 1,000 years in the future, following the Great Neutron Wars, the world is divided into desert wastes and isolated city-states. Lord Zirpola (David McLean, Kingdom of the Spiders) captures the notorious “Desert Ranger” Kaz Oshay (Carradine) and forces him to fight to the death in his game, Deathsport. Now Kaz must face his past and fight to save himself, his city and the future from the war that Lord Zirpola is about to wage.

Executive produced by Roger Corman, Deathsport is directed by Henry Suso and Allan Arkush. Co-starring in the film are beautiful B-movie starlet and 1970 Playboy Playmate of the Year Claudia Jennings, Jesse Vint (Forbidden World) and perennially popular big-screen bad guy Richard Lynch (Invasion USA, Bad Dreams, The Sword and the Sorcerer).

Inspired by the success of The Road Warrior, Corman acquired the award-winning New Zealand-made action blowout BattleTruck for distribution, rechristened it Warlords of the 21^st Century and released it to screens in 1982. The film earned an enthusiastic cult audience and has not been available on home video for more than 20 years until now.

After the Oil Wars have ravaged the Earth’s landscape, gasoline has become a precious commodity. On his marauding search to commandeer all of the oil in existence to fuel his massive, heavily-armored battle truck, Col. Straker (James Wainwright, The Survivors) ravages a peaceful commune. Riding to their rescue is a mysterious man on a motorcycle (Michael Beck, The Warriors, Megaforce), who becomes their only hope when he decides to bring the fight to Straker, aided and abetted by Straker’s runaway daughter, Corlie (Annie McEnroe, Beetlejuice, Wall Street). It’s a mechanized, motorized version of the story of David and Goliath, and only one can survive.

The action-packed Battletruck also stars Bruno Lawrence (Smash Palace, The Quiet Earth) and two-time Emmy^® nominee John Ratzenberger (Up, Toy Story 1, 2 and 3, TV’s Cheers). Cinematographer Chris Menges would go on to win Academy Awards^® for The Killing Fields and The Mission and become an acclaimed director in his own right.

For her performance as Corlie, McEnroe won the Clavell de Plata Award as Best Actress from the Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival.

DEATHSPORT/ BATTLETRUCK DOUBLE-FEATURE

COLLECTOR’S EDITION BONUS CONTENT:

DEATHSPORT SPECIAL FEATURES

• New anamorphic widescreen presentation (1.78:1)
• Audio commentary with co-director Allan Arkush and editor Larry Bock
• Interviews with actor Jesse Vint
• Original theatrical trailers
• Still gallery
• Trailer and TV spots

BATTLETRUCK SPECIAL FEATURES

• Audio commentary with director Harley Cokliss
• Trailers

Shout! Factory will continue to present Roger Corman’s Cult Classics home entertainment releases on a monthly basis. Upcoming highlights include Starcrash,  Slumber Party Massacre: The Collection, The Evil, Twice Dead, Not of This Earth, Time Walker, Dead Space, among others.

Independent filmmaker-producer Roger Corman’s storied career ranks as one of Hollywood’s most amazing success stories. Having produced more than 350 films and directed 50 others, his influence on American film goes far beyond his own energetic, creative low-budget movies. He is arguably one of Hollywood’s most gifted and masterful filmmakers. In 2009 he was the recipient of an honorary Academy Award for his contribution to the medium of film.

Noted for his keen ability to spot young talent, Corman’s most lasting legacy will undoubtedly be the legion of producers, directors, writers and actors he has fostered, among them: Jack Nicholson, Francis Ford Coppola, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, Ron Howard, Peter Fonda, Jonathan Demme, Gale Anne Hurd, Diane Ladd, Tommy Lee Jones, Sandra Bullock, Bruce Dern, Talia Shire, Charles Bronson, Joe Dante, Carl Franklin, Bill Paxton, Dennis Hopper, Peter Bogdanovich and Sally Kirkland.

Shout! Factory is a diversified entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their careers sharing their music, television and film faves with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD offerings serve up classic, contemporary and cult TV series, riveting sports programs, live music, animation and documentaries in lavish packages crammed with extras. The company’s audio catalogue boasts GRAMMY^®-nominated boxed sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable “best of” compilations. These riches are the result of a creative acquisitions mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention. With its fingers on the pulse of pop culture, Shout! Factory continues to impact the entertainment media landscape through acquisition of top quality programming for home entertainment releases. Shout! Factory is based in Santa Monica, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit www.shoutfactory.com

Academy Award^® and Oscar^® are a registered trademark and service mark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Golden Globe^® is a registered trademark of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Emmy^® is a registered trademark of ATAS/NATAS.