House of Dark Shadows Grindhouse'd

Enter the Dragon Grindhouse'd

My Love of Grindhouse

When the HD revolution came about in 2006 with the onset of the Blu-ray and HD DVD wars I was not an early adopter however I was excited for the possibilities for what it could bring.  At that point I had a 480p projector and a 100 inch screen.  I love watching my movies on the big screen but at that time the detail quality was sub par.  The bigness of the image really brought out the pixelation and chunkiness of the 480p limitations.  A couple years later (2008 perhaps), when I finally was able to upgrade everything to 1080p I was (and still am) in movie watching heaven.

I mention that because one of my newest loves is to watch grimy and heavily worn prints.  Not for all movies but for ones that were pretty much made in the 70's, more specifically the early 70's and even mopre specifically horror movies.  How did this come out?  Tarantino's and Rodriguez's Grindhouse had a lot to do with it.  They showed a love of the old days when sometimes the only way to watch a certain movie (most low budget B movies) was to watch an old, crappy scratched-to-hell print at the local cheap theater.  

What is it that I love about watching a movie like that?  It's the scratches, the audio pops, the reel snags and the wobbly title cards aka telecine wobble.  All that can add loads to an unwatchable movie due to low budget effects and less than stellar acting.

2007's Grindhouse wasn't the lone factor though.  One October night back in 2011 I was searching all my streaming sites for a horror movie to watch.  On hulu I came across several free video's of Elvira's Movie Macabre, one of which was called "The Devil's Wedding Night" from 1973 I will review that in full detail in my next post :).  Suffice to say the print used for that show was in terrible condition.  The image was quite detailed but it was the scratchiest thing I ever saw and I loved it.  Since then I have been on quest to find similar movies with similar print damage.  It hasn't been entirely successfully with only a few finds. The next best one being 1972's "Enter the Devil".The damage is not as heavy and the overall image is soft but I was taking whatever I could get.  

Around 2013 is when I came across a powerful editing tool called Adobe After Effects and through some research and practice I was able to find out how to grindhouse my own movies. So I went through my disc collection and looked for any horror movies from the 70's to experiment with.  I grabbed a couple and potential candidate.  Below is a comparison of before and after what I was able to accomplish. 

I hadn't watched "Taste" in a very long time.  I find it kind of boring and has that late 60's/early 70's  campy aesthetic.  But since I was able to "grindhouse" it, it now has a lot more personality and has become more watchable.  I also experimented on the other side of the spectrum with "Texas Chainsaw Maassacre".  Here's are some pics of that.

With more serious and higher quality horror films I found that not only did it add some personality but it can actually help add to the tension and add a scarier quality to it.  It also kind of feels like finding an old film relic in a dusty old attic.  

Final note: These experimentations were only for my own curiosity and will never be sold.  And I have only done this with films of movies where I own the discs. 

Special ID 2013 Blu-ray review

Veteran Hong Kong director (born in Canada) Clarence Fok Yiu-leung has a resume full of actioners and thrillers under his belt.  Rumor has it that Mario Kassar originally wanted him to direct “Basic Instinct 2.”  His films boast such unique names like “Dating a Vampire in Bed”, “Snakeheads” and “Thunder Cop.”  His most recent feature uses a rather generic title which in comparison to his former films sounds like a mid 90’s direct to Showtime movie, “Special ID.” It stars Hong Kong action star of the moment, Donnie Yen.

 

As the story goes, Chan Chi-Ling aka “Dragon” played by Donnie Yen is an undercover cop who must infiltrate a dangerous crime organization in hopes to take down its leader, Cheung (Collin Chou).  Along the way, he realizes his good friend Lo (Andy On) is involved as well and is quickly making his way up the crime world ranks.  Chan is partnered up with the young and sassy Tian Jing (Fang Jing) in hopes to get him to act more like a cop as there are fears that he has been undercover too long and may have lost his moral bearings. Yen wants out completely but is convinced to finish the job he has started in hopes of one last big bust.

 

It is an entertaining idea that is only slightly different from the loads of other undercover actioners which have flooded the genre over the last 10 years. The plot is fairly linear except when the backgrounds of the characters are told through a series of flashbacks which help flesh out relationships and emotional attachments.  The story can be as ridiculous and hackneyed as they come.  The main attraction here is the martial arts scenes.  Although well-choreographed they lack any wow factor. It’s hard hitting when it comes to violence but there is nothing extraordinary about it.  In fairness, Fok does not use the easy go-to of shaky cam and fast editing.  He lets the action play out clearly and honestly.  “Special ID” has a silly, playful spirit and at times can be pretty humorous. However, tone is also an issue as it wildly switches between action, goofy comedy and serious distress.  It makes for an uneven experience.

 

While I have not seen him in much before Yen has an affable quality to his acting which helps him come off as an everyman albeit with very good fighting skills. His athleticism and agility are impressive as he never seems to be out of breath, even in long camera takes. What is even more notable is after viewing this movie I found out he was 50 years old when it was filmed.  I wouldn’t have guessed him to be a day over 35 years old.  Yen seems to be a weekend warrior here in which he gives a rather perfunctory and casual performance.  This is a not necessarily a bad thing.  It gives his character a likable of edge which helps with being able to identify with him. 

Video:

Well Go USA provides “Special ID” with a 2.35:1 widescreen image that looks as immaculate as digital cinema can be. Shot with a Red One camera, detail and sharpness score high marks, especially in clothes and all the neon signage.  This is a vibrantly colorful movie with nighttime sets in and around Shenzhen (China) and Hong Kong. Black levels are inky and rich. Fans will be pleased with what they see.

 

 

Audio:

Identical 5.1 DTS-HD MA tracks can be selected in either English or Mandarin.  Action scenes use all channels fluidly and realistically without any obvious issues.  LFE is sparse but present when needed.  There is also a Dolby 2.0 track that is underwhelming compared to the other two tracks. Subtitles are available for purists.

 

 

Extras:

There is a trailer for the film itself and a sub 5 minute Making Of which sheds a little light on the production process.

 

 

Bottom Line:

Well Go USA’s “Special ID” biggest flaw is its lack of being memorable.  There are no standout performances or set pieces. Yen’s hand to hand action scenes are athletically impressive but hackneyed.  There are no moments that help separate it from the rest of the genre. The disc is technically sound with terrific video and audio.  “Special ID” will satisfy action junkies looking for another fix but it won’t last long.

 

Banshee Season 2 DVD review

I fully stand by my review of season one of “Banshee” and season two stays right on course with all the violence and sex that Cinemax can throw at you. It is apparent some lessons were learned from that initial season which leads to a more cohesive and smoother storyline this time around. 

We start right where we left off after the gunfight altercation with Rabbit (Ben Cross) and his henchmen.  With Rabbit presumed dead, Lucas Hood (Anthony Starr) is recovering in his room behind the bar.  The deep gash that Rabbit knifed into Lucas’s face has healed up nicely without a scar to be seen. The story then moves to a small federal review of those events from last season’s finale held by FBI Agent Jim Racine (Zeljko Ivanek) As the review goes on we see flashbacks which is a good way to ease us back into this world.  With that out of the way the season dedicates several episodes to larger storyline as opposed to the single episode challenges which occurred in the first season.  This is a good move, to move from a series of unrelated jobs to a more of a cohesive stretched out narrative.  With this, it gives the show an almost “True Detective” feel. In the third episode a key storyline gets introduced as well as some pretty interesting characters especially the menacing Chayton Littlestone (Geno Segers). His size and anger exude dread and destruction making for a formidable foe for Lucas and his police force. The Kinaho reservation is more prominently featured in this season as well as the Longshadows who are trying to keep it in their control.  

This is also a more emotional season.  The characters problems are deeper and the line separating morality from being a criminal is muddied and contemplative.  Anthony Starr is better this time around and is more charming and not as one note.  He convincingly plays a guy who is trying to play sheriff. By this I mean that he doesn't just step into a sheriff's role and acts like a sheriff. He just does enough to make it look like he knows what he's doing and have some type of law and order. He doesn't use police jargon but he has learned the basics.  And he still gets his ass whooped almost every episode.  His police force take a larger role as well with Deputy Brock (Matt Servitto), Deputy Kelly (Trieste Kelly Dunn) and Emmett (Demetrius Grosse).  The rest of the cast like Sugar, Job, Carrie, Kai are all back and great in their respective roles. It was also nice to see Julian Sands back on screen as the gun wielding Priest, Yulish.

The one big negative I’ll give this show, aside from some suspect acting from time to time, is the editing.  They are going for a pseudo artsy-kinetic editing technique that does not really work for me.  Two different scenes will be happening at the same time and they will be intercut with each other as each of the events unfold.  However, most of the time the scenes have no consequence on each other.  This can cause some unintentional confusion between what is a flashback and what is really happening.  This is especially an issue during the bank truck heist scene early on in the season.  I could see it being done sparingly to bring some heft to certain scenes but this is done at least once an episode. A scene will be cut up and shown out of order, showing a character’s reaction to the current scene.  It’s a strange choice but I’ll give them credit for trying to be creative and giving the show its own unique style.

“Banshee” has a lot of production value inconsistencies as well. With the show being what it is, it doesn't have as high as a budget as Game of Thrones or Boardwalk Empire and you can see some cracks in the foundation. The makeup and wigs aren’t as expertly done as in those other shows.  The fight choreography while amazing at times, can look amateurish in some other scenes. The effects work is better this time around but still not at a cinematic level.

Video:
As before HBO/Cinemax presents “Banshee” in 480P using it’s OAR of 1.78:1.  Again, the image looks very well detailed. The same color palette is used here as it was in season one.  This time around there does seem to be some more de-saturated scenes which are intentionally made to look grainy and messy.  Like before, it looks pretty good for standard DVD. 

Audio:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 track does what it needs to do considering it is lossy. It may lack the extreme highs and lows of a lossless track but that is about the only thing is lacks. Every bullet, punch, kick and chokeslam is as alarming as it needs to be. The bass is gets mean at the appropriate times as well.

Extras:
This set includes five Audio commentaries throughout the ten episodes. There are also several Deleted scenes and well as a Conversation Between Olek and The Albino.  The Zoomed in feature is back as well.  The best of the bunch is “Banshee Origins” which is a 45 minute episode (broken into 17 different chapters) that details what led up to the very first episode.  At 45 minutes it is like getting a free episode. 

Bottom Line:

Again, I stand by everything I said in season one with one noted exception, Anthony Starr has leveled up a bit in his acting. He looks more comfortable and has broadened his spectrum, adding some much needed charm to the role.  This second season brings in some intriguing storylines as well as some even more intriguing (and frightening) characters for Sheriff Lucas Hood to deal with. Definitely recommended for escapist entertainment. Just don't compare it to the upper upper echelon of TV shows and enjoy the ride.

Flu (2013) DVD review

Epidemic movies have been a reoccurring topic since the seventies. “The Andromeda Strain” brought a clinical, docudrama approach.  “Outbreak” introduced 90’s film-going crowds to possible worldwide obliteration by germs.  And Soderburg’s “Contagion” gave us a cold, unflinching approach showing the fragility of humans.  The most recent take on a viral disaster is 2013’s “Flu” directed by the eclectic Korean helmer, Kim Sung-su. Leaving the cold, depression of “Contagion” behind, “Flu” feels more along the lines of a subdued Roland Emmerich undertaking.

After a cutesy iLoveCinema company credit and a text saying “This film is not based on real events” we begin with a “SPEED” type of introductory action scene.  Rescue worker Kang Ji-goo (Jang Hyuk) repels into a sinkhole to rescue a newswoman Kim In-hae (Soo Ae) as her car is suspended by some wires it became entangled in. With a last minute leap as the car plummets they start bickering immediately. Moments later we find out that there was something very important in her car that she needed and was not able to get because she was pulled out. Around the same time, a truckload of illegal immigrants shows up at its destination in Bundang with all of them dead except one. He escapes into the city and infects everyone as he is the carrier. As the city goes into lockdown to suppress the spread of the virus, which is identified as the Avian flu, Kang must find and rescue Kim and her toddler daughter Kim Mi-reu (adorably played by Park Min-ha)before they fall victim to the flu or the military’s aggressive need to stop the spread at any cost.

Although it’s not Oscar material “Flu” tries harder than your average American summer blockbuster.  Director Kim Sung-su does a genuinely effective job of invoking fear with some disconcerting imagery and onscreen actions. During the obligatory “ransack the local grocery store for supplies” scene, it feels raw and truly chaotic without too much embellishment. Upon entering the quarantine camps there are many shots of people doing anything they can to cover up their sickness to prevent from being quarantined.  The depicted actions of the military are the scenes that seemed to have resonated the longest with me.  During one scene, an officer is seen zipping up a body bag on someone who is not dead yet.  His explanation of this to a witness is that they will be dead soon anyways.  Many of the officers take the law into their own hands in dealing with unruly individuals.  The high ranking officials and politicians who have been quarantined make decisions based on cold, survivalist reactions with little thought put towards those who are not sick but still in the city.  Kim also lingers his camera on the sick to see their suffering  The spread of this is also shown is several montage sequence of people coughing, touching things and spreading the virus.  There is a definite vision here, that can be demonstrated in the many sweeping city shots of chaos.  The slick production values allow the city of Bundang to be seen as a character itself. The convincing scenes of panic and chaos shown in these wide, comprehensive shots of show the effects of rioting and panic, much like a wound on a body. Also upping the anti is Park Min-ha’s cuteness factor.  She might be one of the most delightfully sympathetic kids in a movies I have ever seen.

           

While the film does a lot more good than bad, there are still a couple of hiccups that bring the film down a tad.  For one, the characters interconnectedness is too convenient at times resulting in characters being able to find each other rather easily in a chaotic big city where law and order is falling apart around them. This rather egregiously occurs while Kang is looking for Mir near the end. Also, while at times there is some pretty impressive CGI, it can be dodgy at times making scenes feel chintzier than they should. These are not huge detriments but do stick out from the most stellar production.

Video:

The 235 widescreen image is about as good as standard def will look.  Viewed on a 50” screen the image looks clear without too much digitalization.  Black levels falter a tad, turning a dark gray however the is no noticeable crushing. Daytime scenes along with the spanning cityscape shots show a lot of detail and even a little depth. Banding and jaggies are kept to a minimum and the color reproduction is accurate.

Audio:

The Korean and English 5.1 Dolby Digital lossy tracks equal the standard def video in extending to the upper reaches of efficiency. Dialogue in the Korean and English tracks are clear and accurate.  Bass is present throughout and rumbles appropriately when needed. All speakers are utilized nicely during scenes of intense action.

Extras:

The special features are small but interesting.  In a Behind the Scenes featurette, we get to see the director Kim Sung-soo talk about his ideas for the film. Also talked about are the use of digital effects to change the normal looking city footage into a place of urban destruction.  Standard interviews with cast members are peppered throughout.  Lastly are several deleted scenes.

Bottom Line:

All aggrandizing aside, this is how these types of movies should be made. “Flu” is a worthy example of how to make an entertaining blockbuster with some dramatic weight. The characters are lively without being cartoonish which helps immensely in a production like this. There are no overblown set pieces which feel out of place.  All the action is relevant and tempered. The acting is above average, thanks to an endearing effort by the actress who played little Mir.  For standard definition, the disc quality is a good as you can hope for.  Recommended to fans of disaster films and those who are interested in what modern day foreign blockbusters are doing these days.