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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
(aka 'Graveyard Tramps')
Directed by
Denis Sanders
USA 1973
"Invasion of the Bee Girls is the best schlock soft-core science fiction movie since The Vengeance of She, ", claimed film critic Roger Ebert. And who wouldn’t be terrified by the very thought of watching these lovely bee-hived beauties love their chosen mates to death? A government inspector, that’s who. And now he alone must stop their lust for killing, before he becomes one of the Queen Bee’s honeys! This bee-witching tale stars a pair of bee-uties: Anitra Ford (The Big Bird Cage) and Victoria Vetri (When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth). ***
A classic example of the crossover genre which thrived briefly in the
Sixties and Seventies, this enthusiastic mixture of invasion horror and
badly shot soft porn focuses on a small American town whose menfolk are
mysteriously dying, apparently during the act of coitus. From the
outset, this presents us with two mysteries: why are the deaths
occurring, and who would want to have sex with these men anyway? To be
fair, the bad lighting and orangey colouration in this film don't
flatter anyone, even the genre's better-known actresses; in places the
lighting is bad enough to create an extra layer of mystery, as it's hard
to see what the characters are doing. Nevertheless, this is a B-movie
with a certain charm, pompous enough to be amusing even in its less
salubrious moments. |
Posters
Theatrical Release: June 1st, 1973
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison:
Secret Key - Region 0 - NTSC vs. MGM - Region 1 - NTSC Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Secret Key - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT MGM - Region 1 - NTSC MIDDLE Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT |
Box Covers |
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Distribution | Secret Key - Region 0 - NTSC | MGM - Region 1 - NTSC |
Shout! Factory Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:24:39 | 1:24:57 | 1:26:08.204 |
Video | 1.33:1
Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.44 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
1.85:1
Original
Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.96 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,936,260,967 bytesFeature: 22,956,386,304 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 31.99 Mbps |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate: SECRET KEY |
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Bitrate: MGM |
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Bitrate: Blu-ray |
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Audio | English (Dolby Digital 2.0) | English (Dolby Digital 2.0) | DTS-HD Master Audio English 1709 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1709 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) |
Subtitles | None | English, French, Spanish, None | English, None |
Features |
Release Information: Edition Details: • Dr.
Dildo's Secret |
Release Information: Edition Details:
• Invasion of the Star Creatures (opposite side) |
Release Information: 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,936,260,967 bytesFeature: 22,956,386,304 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 31.99 Mbps
Edition Details:
• Trailer (2:29)
• Two radio Spots
(0:36, 1:03) Blu-ray
Release Date: April 4th, 2017
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Comments: |
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. ADDITION: Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray March 2017: The Shout! factory is over 1-minute 11-seconds longer than the MGM (and even longer than the Secret Key) - without knowing specific scenes or frames - this bodes well from the Shout! Factory possibly be 'complete'. It is probably not from the MGM source. I suppose an aficionado of the film (like Charles P. below) will let us know... Kudos that it shows more information the frame - notably the side and top edges, the colors and detail are miles ahead and, even being single-layered, it looks quite smooth in-motion although I did see a few compression artifacts. It looks better than I thought with warmer skin tones and depth present. Shout! Factory use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel (24-bit) and it sounds very clear with some depth in modest effects and the score by Charles Bernstein (Trackdown, White Lightning, Stoney, Cujo, Deadly Friend, Mr. Majestyk) - you can also hear - although more discreetly Also Sprach Zarathustra and Scheherazade. Shout! Factory add optional English subtitles and the Blu-ray disc is region 'A'-locked. Only a photo gallery, trailer and two radio spots for this classic of 'B' sexploitation schlock. Shout! Factory could have done it up as a Collector's Edition with someone available for a commentary and modern interviews with some of the gals... still a gas. *** ADDITION: MGM - Region 1 NTSC - June 10': It looks like the Secret Key was taken from an open matte print - but, obviously, one in pretty rough shape. The MGM is anamorphic in the original theatrical 1.85 and we lose some information on all 4 sides. It has been stated that the MGM has a briefly cut scene (or some nudity from that scene) but the Secret Key appears to show no more... but I haven't scrutinized. After watching I actually expected the MGM to be a longer running time as it appeared to me to have more scenes. If both are cut - it is reported to be minor. Both include the attempted 'rape' scene involving Victoria Vetri. Other notable differences, aside from the obvious (1.33 open matte vs. 1.85 theatrical aspect ratios, cleanliness, etc.) are that the Secret Key starts with the R-rated 'cat' logo and it has 2-3 scenes that are (intentionally?) color-overexposed - see the very last set of captures. I tend to think the effect was meant to be in the theatrical (who would post-invent it) but I have no idea - it seems totally out of place when it is used. The MGM has optional subtitles (see sample below) and shares the single-layered, dual-sided DVD with only a trailer and has 'Invasion of the Star Creatures' on the opposite side of the disc. Big difference here and the MGM , beyond everything else, is significantly cheaper - get it while you can - some of these Midnite Movies tend to go out-of-print.
NOTE: Charles P. sent us this in email: "The MGM DVD
looks and sounds the best, of course, but it is also missing footage
here and there, especially at reel changes. The most egregious bit of
missing footage that I noticed (there many be many more deletions,
perhaps some very tiny due to damage - I didn't notice) is almost an
entire scene! If you watch the scene on the MGM DVD, there is a
noticeable cut and jump in the logic of the scene. Some of the footage
on the MGM version is extremely cropped on all 4 sides, which is why I
went back to the PD version for those shots as I believe a different
incomplete source was used to try to cover that gap of missing footage,
perhaps a 16mm print that was already cropped to some degree. I don't
believe the scene was edited for content, though I can't explain how MGM
has the elements and apparent rights to the film and only have a worn,
incomplete theatrical print in the vault from which to work.
***
ON THE SECRET KEY DVD: Firstly, the Midnite Movie Edition at 1.85:1, available HERE, is going to be the superior edition. We will compare and I think it should blow this 'Secret Key' package away. The film is very cool, grindhouse/sexploitation stuff. The other two features here are not worthy of the time invested but Invasion of the Bee Girls is! - The alt features are described as: "2069: A Sex Odyssey: Five sexy astronauts from the all-female planet Venus invade a town nestled at the foot of the Alps. Their mission: seduce enough Earth-men to continue their race for another 10,000 years! Dr. Dildo’s Secret: Obsessed with the desire to create a perfect woman, a mad scientist grows facsimiles in his basement – and breathes them into life through sex!" Ho-hum... although the Sex Odyssey has enticingly bad DUBBING (which is amusing). The print used for this DVD transfer has extensive scratches - which in itself is not such a poor thing to replicate the genre. Most will recall the Rodriguez/Tarantino Planet Terror and Death Proof and how scratches were intentionally added to give this nostalgic effect. But aside from the 1.33 print, reported to be theatrically shown in 1.85, the transfer is very low caliber - interlaced with an appallingly low bitrate, hazy and it shares the dual-layered disc with 2 (count'em 2!) full features and some trailers. Audio is likewise weak - 2.0 channel with no optional subtitles. Anyway, bottom line is to not bother with this 'Sleazy Sci-Fi of the 70s' DVD and wait for our Midnite Movies disc comparison. I've ordered it so it should be coming soon... |
DVD Menus
Secret Key - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. MGM - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT
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Additional Features:
Secret Key - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. MGM - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT
Shout! Factory Region 'A' - Blu-ray
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
MGM - Region 1 - NTSC TOP Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
Subtitle samples
Screen Captures
Secret Key - Region 0 - NTSC TOP MGM - Region 1 - NTSC MIDDLE Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
Secret Key - Region 0 - NTSC TOP MGM - Region 1 - NTSC MIDDLE Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
Secret Key - Region 0 - NTSC TOP MGM - Region 1 - NTSC MIDDLE Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
Secret Key - Region 0 - NTSC TOP MGM - Region 1 - NTSC MIDDLE Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
Secret Key - Region 0 - NTSC TOP MGM - Region 1 - NTSC MIDDLE Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
Secret Key - Region 0 - NTSC TOP MGM - Region 1 - NTSC MIDDLE Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
Secret Key - Region 0 - NTSC TOP MGM - Region 1 - NTSC MIDDLE Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |