Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

directed by Charles Band
USA 1997

 

When sewage treatment worker Martin (Andrew Johnston, FRENCHMAN'S FARM) discovers a bizarre medical deformity clogging up the system, he sells it to underhanded medical specimens dealer Belinda Yost (Tracie May, THE GAME) who plans to sell it to wealthy collector Napoleon Lazar (Mel Johnson Jr., MURDER BY NUMBERS). Yost's ditzy secretary Elvina (Rhonda Griffin, NAKED FEAR), however, tips off rival collector Dr. Lorca (Michael Citriniti, PSYCHOS IN LOVE) whose frequently topless assistant Sheila (Jacqueline Lovell, THE EXOTIC HOUSE OF WAX) steals the specimen from Lazar at gunpoint. Since the acquisition of medical oddities is a grey area, Yost and Lazar approach private detective Leonard Kantor (Jerry O'Donnell, LOVE ALWAYS) to get it back. Kantor quickly surmises that Elvina isn't as stupid as she appears - although not much less - and told Lorca about the specimen. The four head to Lorca's castle - somewhere in Pennsylvania - to recover the specimen, which has also disappeared from Lorca's display with two others. Lorca blames their disappearance on Lazar and the others of stealing them, and seals off the castle, trapping them with him and Sheila until he can find his "babies". Unbeknownst to them, Lorca's latest specimen isn't so dead and has resurrected three more who are just as willing to kill as Lazar and Lorca are to capture them.

Although shot in Romania with much of the regular Full Moon regulars - Vlad Paunescu has moved from cinematographer to producer with the photographic duties going to Adolfo Bartoli (AMOK TRAIN) - the film's tone feels more lopsided than the company's other "little monster" movies with its mix of juvenile humor and R-rated blood and nudity (not unlike Full Moon's THE CREEPS, also with Griffin). The animatronic creatures by Mark Rappaport (300) are stiffer than the stop motion effects of David Allen (PUPPET MASTER), and the scoring of Richard Band (CASTLE FREAK) is proficient but undistinguished. The end product is amusing enough if slight and predictable.

Eric Cotenas

Poster

Theatrical Release: November 2005 (France)

Reviews                                                                More Reviews                                                           DVD Reviews

DVD Review: 88 Films - Region 0 - PAL

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for the Review!

DVD Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

Distribution

88 Films

Region 0 - PAL

Runtime 1:22:51
Video

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 6.71 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

Audio English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo
Subtitles none
Features Release Information:
Studio: 88 Films

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
•  Audio Commentary by stars Michael Citriniti and Mel Johnson Jr.
• VideoZone making-of (4:3; 19:21)
• Trailer (4:3; 1:55)
• Full Moon Trailer Park

DVD Release Date: 27 January 2014
Amaray

Chapters 8

 

Comments

88 Films' dual-layer disc appears to be an NTSC-to-PAL conversion (the BBFC lists a 79:27 timing for the previous Prism Leisure disc suggesting that Full Moon was unable to provide 88 Films with the PAL video master) of the original video master (although a minor Full Moon effort, the cinematography warrants digital remastering). The Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo encoding of the original Ultra Stereo track fares better than the picture.

The film is accompanied by an audio commentary with lead actors Citriniti and Johnson - one of the few audio commentaries Full Moon produced back at the time of the film's DVD release - which finds the amused actors waxing about shooting in Romania and telling anecdotes about their fellow cast members and the special effects (it makes one wish the script had been more substantive to give them more to work with). The disc also includes the film's VideoZone making-of featurette and the film's original trailer (as well as ten more Full Moon trailers).

  - Eric Cotenas

 


DVD Menus
 

 


Screen Captures

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 


DVD Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

Distribution

88 Films

Region 0 - PAL

 




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

 

Hit Counter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DONATIONS Keep DVDBeaver alive:

CLICK PayPal logo to donate!

Gary Tooze

Thank You!