Midnight Blue was a cable access show hosted by Screw Magazine publisher Al Goldstein that aired in New York City from 1975 until 2002. These DVDs are fascinating time capsules that collect some of the more interesting segments of the program in themed discs.

Volume One deals primarily with the film Deep Throat. Make sure you turn on the trivia track (sort of a pop-up video kind of thing) to learn interesting tidbits, like the fact that Carol Conners (who played the nurse in Throat) is Thora Birch's mom. The disc includes interviews with Conners, male star Harry Reems, director Gerard Damiano, and Linda Lovelace's ex-husband Chuck Traynor.

Sometimes the interviews sink into typical "so what gets you hot?" garbage, but there is a fair amount of substance as well. And even when the actual footage is kind of dull, there's usually something interesting to read on the trivia track. Not surprisingly, there is nothing from Linda Lovelace on here. She eventually claimed she had been forced by Traynor to make Throat, and while other people address some of her claims, she isn't given a chance to speak for herself. Most likely because she wouldn't have appeared on this program once she disowned her porn past.

Volume Two of the series is dedicated to 'Porn Stars of the Seventies'. You get a lot of Marilyn Chambers, both being interviewed and also doing some pretty ridiculous nude ballet (which boils down to "improvised" dancing and simulated sex with her partner) to bad disco music.

Aside from Marilyn, the name stars include Seka, Annie Sprinkle, Georgina Spelvin, and in a rare appearance Debbie Does Dallas star Bambi Woods. Less familiar is Veri Knotty, although after you see what it is she ties into a knot you'll no doubt remember her. This disc suffers a bit more from the by the numbers porn star interview routine. One welcome change of pace from that. however, is a segment on performers who feel they were mistreated by the business.

Aside from the sex related ads, there's also some hilarious drug related ads. One is for fake cocaine that you can use to impress the ladies (not a joke, this was a real product). The other is for some kind of device that's supposed to turn your shitty dirt weed into quality hash oil.

Basically, if you're interested in adult movies, the sleazy side of New York City in the seventies and eighties, or just offbeat pop culture in general, these two discs are highly recommended. 9 out of 10 for both historical and entertainment value. Obviously if you're easily offended or have absolutely no interest in this subject, you should probably watch something else. (Bob Ignizio)

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Well, things in my personal life have settled down a little bit, so I'm back to feeling in the mood to write about some lighter things again. And it doesn't get much more lightweight than 'Planetfall', a fun new sci-fi/action DVD from the fine folks at Heretic Films.

In general, 'Planetfall' is kind of like a mix of spagetti westerns with the whole post apocalyptic sci-fi genre more or less defined by 'Mad Max' and 'The Road Warrior'. It's pretty ambitious stuff for a low budget, shot on video feature, but director Gianni Mezzanotte manages to pull it off fairly well. There are some rough spots, notably the very obvious CGI effects. However, the cast is more capable than what one usually expects from a movie this cheap, and they manage to invest their characters with enough sincerity and believability to pull at least this viewer into the story.

Heidi Fellner and Leitha Matz play two competing female bounty hunters out to recover a stolen treasure. What they don't know is that the "treasure" is actually a shipment of a drug called Psylenol, which increases the psychic powers of those who take it. This is of importance because there is a civil war going on between normal humans and those with psychic powers.

By no means is this any kind of sci-fi classic, but unlike so many of the slick, straight to video or Sci-Fi channel films I see these days, this movie has heart and soul. The screenplay is fairly well written and coherent, and you can tell that everyone inovlved in making 'Planetfall' cared about telling the story and did the best they could. There's nothing deep going on here, no art film pretentions or serious message. It's just a cheap, fun movie made for the love of filmmaking and telling a story.

Aside from the film, the disc includes a behind-the-scenes documentary and several other featurettes. Kudos to Heretic for once again finding the cream of the crop of low budget shot on video cinema and giving it a nice presentation on DVD. Overall, taking the budgetary limits into consideration, I'd give this about a 7 out of 10. (Bob Ignizio)

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I'm really glad to see The Last Broadcast finally get a DVD release. The Last Broadcast is a faux documentary that plays like the sort of paranormal programming you'd see on The Discover Channel. Filmmaker David Leigh (David Beard) is obsessed with a gruesome murder that took place in New Jersey's infamous Pine Barrens, supposedly the stomping grounds of the Jersey Devil. We are told that Stephan Avkast (co-director Stefan Avalos) and Locus Wheeler (other co-director Lance Weiler), in an effort to maintain flagging interest in their paranormal cable access show, went out into the New Jersey Pine Barrens with psychic Jim Suerd (Jim Seward) and sound man Rein Clackin (Rein Clabbers) to film an investigation into the Jersey Devil. The bodies of Wheeler and Clackin were found the next day, along with enough of Avkast's blood to indicate he had been killed as well. Only Suerd survived. Suerd quickly became the chief suspect, and eventually was convicted. But the documentarian isn't so sure the right man was caught.

While often compared to The Blair Witch Project (which was actually made after The Last Broadcast), there are just as many differences between the two films as their are similarities. Like Blair Witch, The Last Broadcast begins with the premise that it is a documentary. But while Blair Witch is meant to feel like bits and pieces of film cobbled together without any real editing, Broadcast starts with the premise that we are watching a finished documentary assembled and largely filmed by someone other than the protagonists. Both films also dangle the possibility of the supernatural at the viewer, Blair Witch via an invented mythology, Broadcast through the use of the Jersey Devil legend. Both films utilize shock endings, but at the end of The Blair Witch Project, nothing is certain. At the conclusion of The Last Broadcast, most of the viewer's questions are answered.

I make these comparisons between the two films because, in many ways, this is the film I think some detractors of The Blair Witch Project were hoping for. The Last Broadcast still has an aura of realism, but it's more polished. I still find the ending of Broadcast a bit jarring in the way it suddenly pulls the viewer out of documentary mode and into traditional feature film mode, and for me at least it doesn't quite work. However, it's still a highly enjoyable horror film, and a shining example of just how good a movie made for less than $1000 can be when the people behind it are talented and passionate. Even without considering the budget, I'd give The Last Broadcast an 8 out of 10. (Bob Ignizio)

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The Quiet
(Sony Pictures)

The Quiet is sort of a sleazy melodrama with arthouse pretensions. Think American Beauty crossed with Poison Ivy and you'll have some idea of what's in store. For me, at least, the arthouse angle never really delivers anything deep enough to warrant all the seriousness, and the sleaze angle gets downplayed to the point that you can't really appreciate the movie on that level, either. And yet despite all that, there are still elements of The Quiet that I liked.

A deaf and mute girl named Dot (Camilla Belle) moves in with her godparents after the death of her father. Her godfather Paul (Martin Donovan) is an architecht who has some rather inappropriate feelings towards his cheerleader daughter Nina (Elisha Cuthbert). Meanwhile, godmother Olivia (Edie Falco) is escaping into a fantasy world of interior decorating and prescription drug addiction. Nina's best friend Michelle (Katy Mixon) acts like she's in love with high school hunk Connor (Shawn Ashmore),

but a few scenes make it clear she actually has the hots for Nina. And Conor has the hots for Dot, because he fetishizes her as some sort of silent and complient doll-like figure.

That should be more than enough grist for the mill for a trashy softcore flick, but The Quiet seems to want to dig deeper than that. Unfortunately, it doesn't really succeed on that level. Dot provides a good bit of "deep" narration, but rather than coming across as meaningful, it feels trite and almost laughable.

The movie doesn't really work as fun sleaze, either. Only Falco appears naked, and although she looks quite good, it's hardly an erotic scene. If you rent this movie hoping to see Cuthbert or Belle show some skin, you'll be sorely disappointed.

On the postive side, I thought most of the performances were strong. Mixon comes across a bit over the top, but otherwise the main actors do a good job. Also the cinematography is excellent, the soundtrack is good, and the film creates a nice tone. But for me, it just winds up being neither here nor there. There isn't enough substance to warrant the seriousness The Quiet displays at times, and there isn't enough sleaze for the film to work as pure trashy entertainment.

I guess if i had to rate this movie, I'd give it a 5 out of 10 stars. It's not a complete waste of time, but I'm not really sure what you'll gain from watching it. There's a few laughs as the movie goes over the top, and on occasion the movie manages to create a sense of genuine eroticism, but it's just so mixed up and inconsistent I can't really recommend it. (Bob Ignizio)

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This is a collection of short films originally found on David Lynch’s website. Lynch refers to these shorts as “experiments”, and that’s a fair assessment. Clearly in love with the freedom provided by the internet and digital technology, Lynch is having a blast trying different things that, if shot on film, would have been too cost prohibitive. Whether any of these experiments ultimately inform his next feature film remains to be seen, but in the meantime we can take them on their own terms.

For me, I’d say a surprisingly high number of these experiments are a success. “The Darkened Room” is the sort of surreal mystery that Lynch is perhaps best known for. It begins with an Japanese woman showing us the view from her apartment window and talking about bananas, and eventually shifts to a woman crying in a room. It’s just a sketch, but one can see how Lynch could easily use it as a jumping off point for a feature.

“Boat” shows us some of that strange, poetic beauty Lynch can create at times. There’s no real story, just Lynch trying to drive a boat so fast that he breaks through from day to night, while a woman speaks narration about the ride.

“Lamp” is more or less a documentary of Lynch making a lamp out of “Fix-All”. It’s a candid look into how he works, but probably of interest only to his most die-hard fans.

“Out Yonder/The Neighbor Boy” is easily my favorite short on this disc. Lynch and another character that I think is supposed to be his son sit and talk, frequently using the words “bes” and “beins”. Then a gigantic neighbor boy comes over looking for milk, threatening to destroy Lynch’s house if he doesn’t get it. You’ve got to like Lynch’s bizarre sense of humor, but if you do this one is a winner.

The remaining three shorts (“Bug Crawls”, “Intervalometer Experiments”, and “Industrial Soundscape”) really don’t have much in the way of narrative, and are more along the lines of Lynch trying different techniques and/or creating moods. They’re not without interest, but the “Intervalometer Experiments” in particular went on too long for me.

The disc is rounded out with a segment where Lynch answers questions from website members, and there are some good anecdotes here, especially when Lynch talks about Roy Orbison and how he came to use “In Dreams” in the movie Blue Velvet.

Obviously Lynch fans will love this, and I think fans of experimental/avant garde films who don’t normally like Lynch’s features will enjoy this as well. I’d give it an 8 out of 10, and I hope there will eventually be a second volume. (Bob Ignizio)

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This double feature of Del Tenney produced horror films actually played together as a package back in 1964, distributed by 20th Century Fox, no less. Both films hark back to a more innocent era for screen horror, while at the same time pointing in the direction of more explicit things to come.

The Horror of Party Beach is somewhat infamous for featuring monsters who have what appears to be a mouthful of hot dogs. But before we get our first glimpse of these unique creations, we get about 20 minutes worth of Frankie and Annette style beach party action. In short, lots of teenagers dance around to the swinging sounds of The Del Aires, some goofy jokes, and a motorcycle gang reminiscent of Eric Von Zipper and his Rats.

This lightheartedness is largely forgotten, however, once the hot dog monsters take their first victim. Although H. G. Lewis’ Blood Feast had already upped the ante for onscreen bloodshed the previous year, this is still a pretty bloody scene for the time, especially in a film with major studio distribution. Most previous video and TV versions of this film have been cut, but this disc restores all the gore.

Overall, this is a pretty silly film. I mean, what can you say about a movie where the one thing that can kill the sea monsters is sodium, yet the same creatures have no problem swimming around in salt water? But it’s never dull, the acting is competent, and the technical aspects (other than the monster suits) are quite professional. It’s not a good movie, but it’s hard not to like.

Curse of the Living Corpse, although the ‘B’ picture on this double bill, is actually the better film. It’s still no classic, but as an example of the gothic horror genre, complete with secret passages, soap opera intrigue, and a hint of sex mingled with the horror, it’s a nice bit of nostalgia. You also get to see Roy (Jaws) Scheider in his screen debut.

Curse also pushes the boundaries a bit, offering up some glimpses of female flesh, a severed head on a serving tray, and other fairly adult elements for a film geared to the teen market. Although the basic plot has been around since films like The Old Dark House (1932) and The Cat and the Canary (1927, plus several remakes), the sadistic masked killer has more in common with the villains of Mario Bava giallos like Blood and Black Lace (1964) and The Whip and the Body (1963). It’s also hard not to compare this to Francis Ford Coppola’s Dementia 13, another film in which family members are killed off for an inheritance.

Similarities to other films aside (and considering how close together all these films were made it’s hard to say who, if anyone, really borrowed from whom), Curse is a fun bit of gothic horror that stands on its own. And packaged together with its original co-feature, this makes a great little time capsule of early sixties horror.

The disc also includes a short interview with and full length commentary by Del Tenney, as well as trailers for the double bill. At a retail price of only $14.99 (and I got mine even cheaper), it’s hard to pass this up. While the films themselves probably only warrant a 6 out of 10 for actual quality, for entertainment value I’m giving this package a 9 out of 10. (Bob Ignizio)

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This is another erotic anthology from 1979, but this time around all the segments are directed by Walerian Borowczyk, and all are tied together thematically. The title Immoral Women refers more to how society might view the protagonists than how the director feels about them. In fact, if anything, Borowczyk seems to sympathize with his female characters. The three female leads in these segments are all victims who take revenge on their tormentors.

The first segment features the most explicit sex, as a baker’s daughter seemingly leaves her working class lover to become an artist’s model. She’s also lusted after by a sleazy banker, and eventually plays her two suitors against each other for her own ends. The segment also manages to get in a few good digs at the Catholic church, and while slow moving is never anything less than gorgeous to look at. The strong pay-off also makes up somewhat for any issues with pacing.

In the second segment, a young girl has an unhealthy obsession with her pet bunny rabbit, which leads to some suggested bestiality. And that’s probably one of the least disturbing aspects of this segment. This is a delightfully twisted tale, and my personal favorite of the three segments.

In the final segment, and the only one set in the “present day”, a woman is kidnapped for ransom. Her husband piddles around about paying up, but the family dog eventually comes to the rescue… and then some. While this didn’t quite have the impact on me I think was intended, I have to say I haven’t seen anything quite like it.

Now in case you’re expecting some truly explicit kink fest, I must warn you that this film is all about imagination and implied eroticism. It’s also about Borowczyk’s obvious distaste for the bourgeoisie. If you want a saucy sex romp, look elsewhere. Rather, this is a serious art film that doesn’t shy away from the sexual. And as that, it is a success. I’d give Immoral Women 8 out of 10. (Bob Ignizio)

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Private Collections is a 3 part anthology film released theatrically in 1979. There doesn't seem to be any common theme tying the parts together, other than above average quality. Thanks to the fine folks at Severin Video, the film is now available on DVD.

The first segment, "Island of the Sirens", is easily the lightest. Director Just Jaeckin (Emmanuelle, Story of O, Gwendoline) is just having fun with the tale of a shipwrecked sailor (Roland Blanche) who washes up on an island paradise. At first he does all he can to be rescued. Once he discovers he's sharing the island with a quartet of beautiful native girls who feed him, bathe him, massage him, and share him sexually, however, our sailor figures he just might have hit the lottery. Of course with a title like "Island of the Sirens", it doesn't take a genius to figure out things aren't as idyllic as they seem.

Like I said, this is pretty lightweight stuff. But Just Jaeckin is a master of beautifully shot softcore eroticism, and if that's what you're looking for, this segment definitely delivers. The other thing that elevates the segment is the presence of Laura Gemser as the main native girl. Gemser is best know to exploitation movie fans for playing "Black Emanuelle" in a series of often bizarre films. She has almost a Bettie Page like quality, seeming completely comfortable and happy while prancing about the island naked.

The second segment, "The Grass Labyrinth", couldn't be more different from the first. Directed by Japanese experimental filmmaker Shuji Terayama, this segment is sensual and dreamlike. There's the shred of a story (a young man searching for the lyrics to a song his mother used to sing him), but this is more about mood and symbolism than plot.

I'd be lying to you if I said I knew what this segment was about, but it's visually stunning and compelling, nonetheless. If you're looking for erotic content, at least in the manner one usually expects to find it in soft-core films, you might be disappointed. This is more like a film by Peter Greenaway or Luis Bunuel. There are erotic moments, but I can't really imagine too many people getting turned on by this. I definitely want to check out the feature length version that Terayama released in 1983, though.

Finally, we get a segment from Polish director Walerian Borowczyk. "Le Armoire" is based on a story by French writer Guy De Maupassant, an author not exactly know for bright and cheerful works.

Here, a gentleman contemplating suicide hires a can-can girl to spend the night with him until his dark mood passes. While the woman has no problem with a short liaison, she is reluctant to spend the entire night. Nonetheless she accepts, and it soon becomes clear she has a secret.

Although this is a fairly downbeat segment, there are some great shots in it that show Borowczyk to be a master of the tease. It's more warm than hot, but for what it is "Le Armoire" is very well done.

So overall, Private Collections offers up three very different visions of erotica from three very different filmmakers. It's not the best of its genre, but this is still a decent and interesting soft-core film that has more to offer than just nudity. On a 1 to 10 scale, I'd give this one about a 7 ½. (Bob Ignizio)

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The plot could best be described as The Warriors accidentally drink radioactive chemicals and turn into bloodthirsty cannibal mutants. While their fellow gang members go on a violent rampage, a few lucky enough to have avoided the toxic cocktail try to survive. But there’s also a rival gang out to get them, trapping our protagonists between a rock and a hard place. Just as Demon Summer was a major step forward from Midnight Skater, The Red Skulls shows the Campbell’s skills as filmmakers improving yet again. The Red Skulls boasts a better screenplay, better acting, better special effects… everything across the board is a step up.

Those disappointed by the relatively small amount of gore inDemon Summer will have nothing to complain about here, but the film also boasts a more complex and satisfying storyline. There’s a fair amount of campy humor, but also some genuine emotion.

Sure, there are a few amateurish performances, and the movie shows its budget at times, but this still blows away 99% of the shot on video flicks out there on so many levels it’s hard to nitpick. The DVD also includes an audio commentary, trailers, behind the scenes documentaries, outtakes, and a Lords of the Highway video for “Freaky Tiki”. If you’re the kind of person who can’t get past the inevitable shortcomings of a shot on video feature made for about $5000, you will probably want to pass on this. Personally, though, I think this is a lot more fun than any of those slick but soulless movies that wind up on the Sci-Fi Channel, and for sheer entertainment value I’d give it 7 out of 10. (Bob Ignizio)

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Bottom line, every basic storyline has been used. It's the way the story is told that keeps things fresh, and up til now the Saw series has felt reasonably fresh to me. I actually thought Saw II improved on the first, but sadly I can’t say the same for this latest installment. It’s not bad, but it doesn’t really blow me away either. Tobin Bell returns as Jigsaw, the terminally ill antihero of the series who sets elaborate traps for people he feels don’t truly appreciate life.

 Jigsaw’s traps are always escapable, albeit at a serious cost, but this time around it seems he isn’t playing fair. Of course, it’s not that hard to figure out who is responsible for changing the rules. Anyone who watched the last film will know instantly. So it seems a bit odd that the filmmakers try to disguise the character’s identity in an early scene.

 But whatever. It’s a strange choice, but doesn’t ruin the movie for me. More damaging I think is the way this movie feels it has to tie up all the loose ends in the series, and clutters the plot with way too many minor characters. For instance, the movie starts with Donnie Wahlberg’s character from the previous movie escaping, but doesn’t get back to him until almost the end. And when it does, I found it kind of anticlimactic. There’s also a flashback to Jigsaw sharing a romantic moment with a blonde woman, but this doesn’t really pay off, either.

Saw III still excels when it comes to sadistic and inventive kills, and Bell’s performance is good as usual. Unfortunately, neither the writing nor the other actors are up to the same level. It’s still a reasonably enjoyable way to spend two hours, but compared to its predecessors Saw III pales by comparison. It’s worth watching, but I can’t really see myself wanting to see it again. I’d have to give this one 6 out of 10. (Bob Ignizio)

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