Bad Channels - Robert Factor

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

directed by Ted Nicolaou
USA 1992

Director Ted Nicolaou's BAD CHANNELS for Charles Band's Full Moon Entertainment feels more like an extended music video for Blue Öyster Cult ("Don't Fear the Reaper") - a la Albert Pyun's VICIOUS LIPS for Band's Empire Pictures - than one of the studio's usual monster efforts. When Pahoota's AM radio station KDUL discovers that they can transmit nationwide at 666 MHz, station owner Vernon Locknut (Aaron Lustig, THE SHADOW) ditches the "All Polka" format in favor of hiring rock DJ Dan O'Dare (Paul Hipp, BAD LIEUTENANT), freshly fined by the FCC for the on-air broadcast of his sexual encounter with another radio talent. Stuck covering the fluff assignment is Cable World News reporter Lisa Cummings (Martha Quinn, DEAD HEAT) who finds her own citing and other local reports of a UFO more interesting and runs off with the sheriff (Victor Rogers, MEAN JOHNNY BARROWS) to investigate a report. The reports turn out to be true as an alien - designed by John Criswell (CREEPOZOIDS) - and his robot partner take over the station with DJ Dan and his engineer Corky (Michael Huddleston, JOHN CARPENTER'S VAMPIRES) huddling in the control booth as the alien beams hallucinatory images of a rock band (in extended musical numbers) to capture hot women. As DJ Dan tries to warn the public, the sheriff and the media believe it is all a publicity stunt (or a hostage situation) as the alien continues to collect more rockin' babes (including MERIDIAN's Charlie Spradling as diner waitress "Cookie").

Eric Cotenas

Posters

Theatrical Release: 25 June 1992 (USA)

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DVD Comparison:

Full Moon - Region 0 - NTSC vs. 88 Films - Region 0 - PAL

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for all the Screen Caps!

(Full Moon - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. 88 Films - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Full Moon Region 0 - NTSC	88 Films Region 0 - PAL
Runtime	1:21:12	1:21:18
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.19 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.47 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: Full Moon
Bitrate: 88 Films
Audio	English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo	English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo
Subtitles	none	none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Full Moon Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • VideoZone making-of (4:3; 11:22) • Website Info • Only available in 'Full Moon Classics Volume One' with 'Arcade', ' Netherworld', 'Seedpeople', and • 'Shadowzone' DVD Release Date: 10 April 2007 Amaray Chapters 7	Release Information: Studio: 88 Films Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • VideoZone making-of (4:3; 11:24) • Trailer (4:3; 1:39) • 88 Films Trailer Park: • 'The Corpse Grinders' • 'Two Moon Junction' • 'Blood Orgy of the She Devils' • 'Hideous!' • 'Girl in Gold Boots' • 'Robot Wars' • 'Dollman' • 'Doll Squad' • 'Castle Freak' • 'Slice & Dice' DVD Release Date: 17 March 2014 Amaray Chapters

Comments

88 Films' dual-layer disc does what it can with a twenty-two year old NTSC video master, and the results are colorful and a little less sharper than Full Moon's interlaced single-layer presentation. The Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo tracks are comparable. Both releases include the film's VideoZone making-of segment while the UK disc features the film's original trailer as well as ten more trailers in the 88 Films Trailer Park section.

- Eric Cotenas

DVD Menus
(Full Moon - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. 88 Films - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)