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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "The Imp" )

 

directed by David DeCoteau
USA 1988

 

Three bored college roommates - "Fat Don Juan" Jimmie (Hal Havins, NIGHT OF THE DEMONS' Stooge), horny Keith (John Stuart Wildman, TERROR NIGHT/BLOODY MOVIE), and horror movie geek Calvin (Andras Jones, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 4: THE DREAM MASTER) - decide to spy on the Delta Delta Delta ("felt-a-Delta") midnight initiation ritual (which in the past have involved paddlings, worm-filled bras, and "whip cream delight"). When they get caught by sadistic sorority president Babs (Robin Stille, SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE), they are blackmailed into helping sore-bottomed pledges Lisa (Michelle Bauer, HOLLYWOOD CHAINSAW HOOKERS [under her pre-scream queen fame name Michelle McClellan]) and Taffy (Brinke Stevens, HAUNTING FEAR) break into a bowling alley and steal a trophy as a souvenir. What the pledges and the losers don't know is that Babs' father owns the shopping mall and that she and her two cohorts Rhonda (Kathi Obrecht, LINNEA QUIGLEY'S HORROR WORKOUT) and Frankie (Carla Baron, HALLOWEEN NIGHT/HACK-O-LANTERN) will be watching them from the surveillance cameras. It turns out that they are not the only intruders in the bowling alley when Calvin runs into Spider (Linnea Quigley, RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD) robbing the cash registers. After some catty back-and-forth, the parties are set to go their separate ways when the trophy Jimmie has picked out is dropped and out pops a jive-talking imp who calls himself "Uncle Impy" (voiced by Michael Sonye, aka "Dukey Flyswatter" of the band Haunted Garage). He offers to grant each of them one wish; of course, this is a horror film and wishes in a horror film usually backfire on the grantee in gory ways...

Being a theatrical release (through Urban Classics, a theatrical distributor funded by Empire Pictures' Charles Band), SORORITY BABES IN THE SLIMEBALL BOWL-O-RAMA is hampered in the gore department by some obvious abrupt MPAA-mandated cuts, but there's a healthy smattering of R-rated (and whipped cream-doused) nudity. Unfortunately, the film fails to make good on its wishes-backfiring scenario, with characters more often dispatched by their demonized pals than a twist in their good fortune (it doesn't help that the script has the horror movie character warn them of what is most likely to happen if they make their wishes). The imp (created by Craig Caton, who worked on the creature effects crews of big budget films like FRIGHT NIGHT, 2010, and BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA during this period) has some lame one-liners, but the live actors are all likable despite paper-thin characterizations. It matters not that pledges are in their thirties because they are Brinke Stevens and Michelle Bauer (although the latter is not afforded the camp opportunities of her lead role in films like THE TOMB). The always-welcome George "Buck" Flower (billed here as C.D. LaFleur, but instantly recognizable) makes an amusing appearance as the janitor who knows the imp's backstory (and how it got into the bottom of a bowling trophy). The score of prolific TV composer Guy Moon is partially recycled from his score for CREEPOZOIDS, his previous assignment for director David DeCoteau (scenes from his direct-to-video feature DREAMANIAC also appear as the horror movie Calvin is watching on TV early on); however, the most memorable track is the 1987 single "Here in the Darkness" written by Bob Parr and performed by Greg Stone (featured as the main and end title themes).

Eric Cotenas

Poster

Theatrical Release: 29 January 1988 (USA)

Reviews        More Reviews       DVD Reviews

DVD Comparison:

Cult Video - Region 0 - NTSC vs. 88 Films - Region 0 - PAL

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for all the Screen Caps!

(Cult Video - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. 88 Films - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers

 

 

 

 

Distribution

Cult Video

Region 0 - NTSC

88 Films
Region 0 - PAL
Runtime 1:19:15 1:16:00 (4% PAL speedup)
Video

1.33:1 Open Matte format
Average Bitrate: 5.99 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.33:1 Open Matte format
Average Bitrate: 5.99 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

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

Bitrate:

 

Cult Video

 

Bitrate:

 

88 Films

 

Audio English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono

English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono

Subtitles none none
Features Release Information:
Studio: Cult Video

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• Trailer
• Trailers for ASSAULT OF THE KILLER BIMBOS, BEACH BABES FROM BEYOND, CREEPOZOIDS, SLAVE GIRLS FROM
• BEYOND INFINITY, BIMBO MOVIE BASH, CANNIBAL WOMEN IN THE AVOCADO JUNGLE OF DEATH, PARASITE, and PETTICOAT PLANET
• Merchandise
• Biographies
• Website Link

DVD Release Date: 26 October 1999
Amaray

Chapters 23

Release Information:
Studio: 88 Films

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• Trailer (4:3; 1:24)
• Trailers for EVIL BONG 2: KING BONG, TOURIST TRAP, PUPPET MASTER, GINGERDEAD MAN 2: PASSION OF THE CRUST, EVIL BONG 3: WRATH OF THE BONG, THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM, CASTLE FREAK, SKULL HEADS,
• GINGERDEAD MAN 3: SATURDAY NIGHT CLEAVER, and THE GINGERDEAD MAN

 

DVD Release Date: April 2nd, 2012
Blue Amaray

Chapters 16

 

Comments

Both single layer, progressive transfers are sourced from an older master (presumably the one created in 1993 for the US laserdisc release), 88 Films' disc has the slight edge in sharpness possibly due to the higher resolution of the PAL format. The mono audio on both discs is comparable.

Neither disc has any interview or commentary from director David DeCoteau (who has recently moderated some commentaries for other filmmakers for Code Red Releasing). Cult Video's disc includes trailers for films of similar vintage, while 88 Films' disc features trailers for some of Full Moon's more recent production (like the GINGERDEAD MAN and EVIL BONG trilogies).

 - Eric Cotenas

 


DVD Menus
(
Cult Video - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. 88 Films - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)
 

 


 

Screen Captures

(Cult Video - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. 88 Films - Region 0 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 


(Cult Video - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. 88 Films - Region 0 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 


(Cult Video - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. 88 Films - Region 0 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 


(Cult Video - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. 88 Films - Region 0 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 


(Cult Video - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. 88 Films - Region 0 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 


(Cult Video - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. 88 Films - Region 0 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 


(Cult Video - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. 88 Films - Region 0 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 


 

Report Card:

 

Image:

88 Films

Sound:

Draw

Extras: Draw
Menu: 88 Films

 
DVD Box Covers

 

 

 

 

Distribution

Cult Video

Region 0 - NTSC

88 Films
Region 0 - PAL

 

 




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