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 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

Directed by Jonathan Demme
USA 1975

 

A ‘70s exploitation classic, released on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK! Academy Award winner Cloris Leachman stars in Crazy Mama as Melba Stokes, a middle-aged woman who runs a California beauty parlour with her mother Sheba (Ann Sothern) and teenage daughter Cheryl (Linda Purl). When the shop is repossessed, the three ladies take a road trip from California to the family home in Arkansas that turns into a crime spree. Also starring Donny Most (Happy Days), Jim Backus and Stuart Whitman. Directed by Academy Award winner Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs).

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Melba Stokes, her mother Sheba and daughter Cheryl embark on a crime spree after their California beauty parlor is repossessed. Their destination is Arkansas, where the three generations of women want to reclaim the family farm.

Posters

Theatrical Release: July 9th, 1975

Reviews                                                                                                       More Reviews                                                                                       DVD Reviews

 

Review: 101 Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

Crazy Mama is also available on a Double feature Blu-ray by Shout! Factory with The Lady in Red

Bonus Captures:
Distribution 101 Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:19:55.041        
Video

1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 26,796,164,605 bytes

Feature: 23,835,260,928 bytes

Video Bitrate: 35.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles English (SDH), None
Features Release Information:
Studio: 101 Films

 

1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 26,796,164,605 bytes

Feature: 23,835,260,928 bytes

Video Bitrate: 35.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• Commentary with director Jonathan Demme and Roger Corman
• Interview with Jonathan Demme and Roger Corman (14:51)
• Theatrical Trailer (2:48) and TV Spots (1:05)


 Blu-ray Release Date: June 13th, 2022

Transparent Blu-ray Case

Chapters 8

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: 101 Films Blu-ray (June 2022): 101 Films have transferred Jonathan Demme's Crazy Mama to Blu-ray. It looks fairly good with a few speckles and light damage infrequently surfacing (see samples below.). The 1080P is modest but consistent in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio nudging into dual-layered territory with a max'ed out bitrate. There are a few examples of depth but overall seems like a decent replication of the theatrical presentation - certainly advancing on SD.

NOTE: We have added 60 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, 101 Films use a linear PCM dual-mono track (16-bit) in the original English language. Crazy Mama has quite a barrage of gunfire in one scene with a violent car crash.  These moments that come through with modest depth. The score is by Snotty Scotty and The Hankies (their only film credit. You may also recognize snippets of Santo & Johnny's Sleepwalk, The Everly Brothers' Devoted To You + All I Have To Do Is Dream and The Chordettes' Lollipop instilling the time period of when the film was set (50's.) IOt sounds clean if unremarkable in the lossless transfer. 101 Films offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The 101 Films Blu-ray offers a the same commentary by director Jonathan Demme and Roger Corman as found on the New Concorde full frame DVD transfer and the subsequent Shout! Blu-ray and DVD. Demme is quite humble about his grassroots filmmaking. This is also true of the 1/4 hour 'interview' with the pair discussing how they got involved together in making this and Caged Heat. There are trailer and TV spots that have also been on other digital editions. 

While I'm quite a fan of Cloris Leachman (who passed at 94 last year, 2021, R.I.P.) I wasn't really into Jonathan Demme's Crazy Mama. If not a legitimate part of the Hicksploitation genre, must be skirting the edges. Cloris seems quite ageless at almost 50 here - and at 71 reportedly posed nude while body-paint for 'Alternative Medicine Digest'. I always liked her in Dying Room Only made two years before Crazy Mama. She has appeal for me but there is also support from Stuart Whitman, Noir siren Ann Sothern appearing 'Grande Dame Guignol'-ish, sexy Linda Purl, brief Jim Backus and Donny Most (That's 'Don Most' now.) It also has the film debut of Bill Paxton and Dennis Quaid! So the UK gets Crazy Mama on Blu-ray from 101 Films. It's kinda fun and goofy - like a 70's screwball adventure comedy. Enjoy.

Gary Tooze

 

Menus / Extras

 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Damage - Speckles

 

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More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE

 

 

 
Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

Crazy Mama is also available on a Double feature Blu-ray by Shout! Factory with The Lady in Red

Bonus Captures:
Distribution 101 Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray


 


 

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