Interview with Fred Andrews

Fred Andrews is the writer/director of the horror film “Creature” which stars Sid Haig, Mehcad Brooks and Serinda Swan. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Fred recently about the upcoming DVD release of the film.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the upcoming DVD release of “Creature”?
Fred Andrews: Right now I don’t know a lot about the specifics of the release.  The intention has always been to release it on Blu-Ray and DVD but I don’t know what the distributor’s plans are. I am pretty excited about it being released in these formats as it will allow a lot more people to be able to see the film and enjoy it.

AL: Did you find it hard both writing and directing the film?
FA: This was a story that had been with me in many different forms since the early 2000’s. The hardest part was probably going through the revision process with the producers when we were still in the scripting phase. There was quite a bit of back story and some other situations that we had to work on. As far as being on set we never had to wait if we wanted to re-write some lines so that was pretty convenient.

AL: What was the casting process like?
FA: Having a very young and attractive cast was something that I wanted to do from the beginning. I had a fantastic casting director by the name of Kelly Wagner who brought in a lot of great people. The people she brought in all had great energy and experience. Having Amanda Fuller, Serinda Swan and Mehcad Brooks was just great. Aaron Hill was another person that was really great to have in the film as well. I was also lucky enough to have Sid Haig and some other great character actors to be a part of the film also. I was very fortunate but a lot of that credit goes to Kelly Wagner.

AL: What did you find to be one of the more difficult aspects of the project?
FA: The post side of things I think were for sure the most difficult. Once you get in there and deliver your directors cut there is then a producers cut of the film. We then had to submit it to the MPAA which was something I had never done before. There was quite a lot of cinematic stuff that tripped the film up with the MPAA. We had a lot of back and forth with the people there. We actually had to submit the film over 6 different times to the MPAA. It was very frustrating. To get to the finished project there was a whole series of compromises.

AL: Do you see yourself doing more writing or directing in the future?
FA: I think I will continue to do both. I do however have a project coming up in the fall that I didn’t write. I will just be directing that one. I feel very fortunate to do whatever I can to tell stories. I am not opposed to doing both or one or the other.

AL: Is the horror genre a place where you feel most comfortable?
FA: I have always been a big fan of the horror genre. It has had a huge influence on my art. I am more of a monster fan than a slasher fan. I am very comfortable in the genre and it is one of the places as a director/film maker that you can take more risks. Comedy and horror for me are what I enjoy most. The mind set of those genres are very similar.

AL: What other projects do you have coming up?
FA: I am currently working on an animation piece that is sort of like a dark comedy. That project is in the pilot stage right now. I am also still working as a production designer.

AL: Is there a dream project out there that you want to work on someday?
FA: There is a book titled “A Choir of Ill Children” by Tom Piccirilli that I would love to make into a film. Even though I don’t have the rights to the book yet I think that is a project that is very close to my heart. There is also a script I wrote a few years ago that I would really like to see get made. That script has more of a horror/crime vibe to it.

 

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CD Review: Nils Lofgren “Old School”

Nils Lofgren
“Old School”
Vision Music Inc.
Produced by: Nils Lofgren, Brian Christian
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

“Old School” is the newest solo release from Neil Young/E Street Band guitarist Nils Lofgren. The album is the being released via Vision Music Inc. and features 12 new original songs produced by Nils Lofgren and Brian Christian.  As the follow up to Lofgren’s 2008 solo album titled “The Loner”, “Old School” seems to have a little bit of something for everyone. Though I found the album to be a touch different from his work with Bruce Springsteen this proved not to be a bad thing.

The album features a variety of styles such as rock; blues and country which I feel only broaden the overall appeal of this album. Each song showcased not only Lofgren’s guitar playing but also his singing. Tracks like “60 Is the New 18” and “Ain’t Too Many of Us Left” were definite standouts as they were more along the lines of Nils more familiar works. Those looking for a Springsteen album minus the Springsteen will not find it here. Lofgren shines with his own unique style and “Old School” is a perfect example of that style.

Track Listing:
1.)    Old School
2.)    60 Is the New 18
3.)    Miss You Ray
4.)    Love Stumbles On
5.)    Amy Joan Blues
6.)    Irish Angel
7.)    Ain’t Too Many of Us Left
8.)    When You Were Mine
9.)    Just Because You Love Me
10.)  Dream Big
11.)  Let Her Get Away
12.)  Why Me

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CD Review: Dropkick Murphys “Going Out In Style: Fenway Park Bonus Edition”

Dropkick Murphys
“Going Out In Style: Fenway Park Bonus Edition”
Born and Bred Records
Producer: Ted Hutt
Live Recording: Michael Lapierre
Disc 1 / Tracks: 13
Disc 2 / Tracks: 18

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Going Out In Style: Fenway Park Bonus Edition” is the latest release from the Irish tinged punk rock band Dropkick Murphys. The album is being released via the groups own Born and Bred Records and is a special repackaging of the groups 2011 studio release “Going Out in Style”. The 2 disc album features new cover art, the 2011 studio album and a complete live show which was recorded over two nights at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass.

Fans that may have picked up “Going Out In Style” when the album first was released last year may not find this album as appealing as I did. Disc 1 features the standard release of “Going Out in Style” which features 13 studio tracks and no additional content. Disc 2 is the live Fenway Park recording which features a variety of classic DKM tracks that were compiled from the bands 2 night performance at the historic baseball park. Songs such as “Tessie” and “The State of Massachusetts” were instant favorites as the live version of these songs seemed to have a bit more life than the studio takes. Midway through the show the band performs 3 acoustic tracks which I felt took away some of the overall energy. Personally I think it would have been nice to hear the electric version of “Boys on the Docks”. Though not a personal favorite of mine these acoustic performances were still stellar and packed full of traditional Celtic folk sounds.

Though both albums don’t feature any new material by the band “Going Out In Style: Fenway Park Bonus Edition” will be a great pick up for someone who attended the shows and or is a diehard Dropkick Murphy’s fan. The songs contained on these two discs should be more than enough to hold everyone over until the release of the bands new studio album.

Track Listing: Disc 1
1.) Hang ‘Em High
2.) Going Out In Style
3.) The Hardest Mile
4.) Cruel
5.) Memorial Day
6.) Climbing a Chair to Bed
7.) Broken Hymns
8.) Deeds Not Words
9.) Take ‘Em Down
10.) Sunday Hardcore Matinee
11.) 1953
12.) Peg O’ My Heart
13.) The Irish Rover

Track Listing: Disc 2
1.) Hang ‘Em High
2.) Sunday Hardcore Matinee
3.) Deeds Not Words
4.) Going Out in Style
5.) The Irish Rover
6.) Peg O’ My Heart
7.) Tessie
8.) Cruel
9.) Climbing a Chair to bed
10.) Take ‘Em Down
11.) Devil’s Brigade
12.) Boys on the Docks
13.) The Dirty Glass
14.) The State of Massachusetts
15.) Kiss Me, I’m Shitfaced
16.) Time to Go
17.) I’m Shipping Up to Boston
18.) TNT

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CD Review: Caliban “I Am Nemesis”

Caliban
“I Am Nemesis”
Century Media
Producer: Benny Richter, Marc Goertz
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

“I Am Nemesis” is the 8th studio album from heavy metal group Caliban. The group hails from the Ruhr area of Germany and consists of Andreas Doener- vocals, Marc Goertz- guitar, Patrick Grun- drums, Denis Schmidt- guitar/vocals and, Marco Schaller- bass. The album is being released via Century Media Records and features 12 tracks that were produced by Benny Richter and Marc Goertz.

The new album by Caliban grabs you by the face and just doesn’t let go. The album cuts directly to the core and picks up where the bands previous release titled “Say Hello to Tragedy” left off. Guest vocal performances by Mitch Luker of Suicide Silence and Marcus Bischoff of Heaven Shall Burn only add to the guttural attack of “I Am Nemesis”. Tracks like “Memorial” feature machine gun like double bass playing along with melodic choruses while tracks like “Broadcast To Damnation” and “Modern Warfare” go up one side of you and down the other. Producer Benny Richter and Co-Producer/Guitarist Marc Goertz did a great job creating a really heavy album. Each song on “I Am Nemesis” features a fairly straight forward arrangement which I felt made the songs quickly accessible. Personally I would have like to have heard more melodic choruses/break downs as I think this is a real strong point that the band does not utilize enough. Over I feel Caliban’s “I Am Nemesis” is sure to be hit among the head banging faithful.

Track Listing:
1.)    We Are The Many
2.)    The Bogeyman
3.)    Memorial
4.)    No Tomorrow
5.)    Edge Of Black
6.)    Davy Jones
7.)    Deadly Dream
8.)    Open Letter
9.)    Dein R3.ich
10.)   Broadcast To Damnation
11.)  This Oath
12.)  Modern Warfare

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Concert Review “Van Halen: A Different Kind of Truth Tour”, Buffalo, NY

“A Different Kind of Truth Tour”
Van Halen, Kool & the Gang
Date: Friday, March 9th 2012
Venue: First Niagara Center Buffalo, NY

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Van Halen made a stop at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, NY on March 9th as part of their “A Different Kind of Truth” tour. The tour is in support of the band’s latest album of the same name and, is the first studio recording to feature original vocalist David Lee Roth since 1984. The unlikely act of Kool & the Gang would kick off the show playing an hour long set that filled the arena with the bands own special blend of R&B. Fans present for the group’s performance seemed a little baffled as to why this style of band was opening for a rock act. This question has plagued the tour since the line ups initial announcement and it will mostly likely be noted as one of the more odd tour line ups.

Van Halen would take the stage after a brief intermission and seemed to catch the crowd off guard as the set was kicked off by Alex Van Halen blasting into the classic Kinks song “You Really got Me” all while the house lights were still up. Within seconds the rest of the band was on stage and the crowd was on their feet. A place they would remain their throughout the rest of the evening. Though the show did not appear to be a sellout fans in attendance were treated to classic Roth era hits such as “Everybody Wants Some!!”, “Dance the Night Away” and “Jump”. The set also featured several new tracks off the bands newly released album. The entire band sounded and looked great. Each member appeared to be in great spirits as there was a lot of interaction between the members. I felt the set list for the night could have featured a few more of the bands hits and, I think everyone in attendance would have really enjoyed Michael Anthony back on bass completing the bands classic original line-up. One could only hope that we see that reunion sooner than later.

Van Halen Set List:
1.) You Really Got Me
2.) Runnin’ With the Devil
3.) She’s the Woman
4.) Romeo Delight
5.) Tattoo
6.) Everybody Wants Some!!
7.) Somebody Get Me a Doctor
8.) China Town
9.) Hear About it Later
10.) Oh, Pretty Woman
11.) Drum Solo
12.) Unchained
13.) The Trouble with Never
14.) Dance the Night Away
15.) I’ll Wait
16.) Hot For Teacher
17.) Women in Love
18.) Girl Gone Bad
19.) Beautiful Girls
20.) Ice Cream Man
21.) Panama
22.) Guitar Solo
23.) Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love
24.) Jump

 

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Blu-Ray Review “Plan 9 from Outer Space”

Directed by: Ed Wood
Starring: Bela Lugosi, Tor Johnson, Vampira
Distributed by: Legend Films
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Running Time: 79 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Legend Films is known for colorizing classic films and they their restoration of “Plan 9 from Outer Space” is very impressive. The coloring on the film is looks like it was done with care and very sharply with each scene. Even though this film is considered one of the “worst films of all-time”, I really have sweet spot for it and always enjoy watching it. This is technically the first time that this film has been properly released on Blu-ray. The first being by Rifftrax as a glorified commentary track, though that release wasn’t restored or cleaned up at all. Legend Films really did a great job restoring it in both color and black-and-white.

So many have tried to figure out the actually plot of this film and how it actually comes together as a film. The film itself and Ed Wood’s life even inspired the 1995 Tim Burton directed bio-pic with Johnny Depp as Ed Wood (one of my personal favorites). In “Plan 9”, it is just plain simple fun or madness or both as aliens resurrect the dead as zombies in order to stop human kind from creating a sun-driven bomb. The film has many issues during production including the death of Bella Lugosi. I wish Ed Wood could see this film today as it has become such a cult classic. Love it or hate it, this film will always be around.

The video resolution looks really sharp in its 1080p transfer. The only main concern is that the aspect ratio on the Blu-ray is 1.33:1 compared to the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Nothing major missed though. Theaudio is actually quite decent as it includes an DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. Since this film is considered one of the “worst”, you might not expect much but in video and audio this release definitely succeeds, thanks to Legend Films.

The special features are impressive for this release. Starting off is a commentary track by MST3K’s Mike Nelson, which definitely delivers some great laughs. There is trivia subtitles, which I enjoyed quite a bit about the film. There are also a few features on Ed Wood. The first is called “Ed Wood Home Movies”, it is presented in HD even though it is old grainy footage. It is short but definitely worth checking out for a rare look into some personal moments with Ed Wood. Then there is “Ed Wood Commercials”, also in HD included some really priceless shorts, definitely in the spirit of Ed Wood. Lastly if you prefer the classic black and white version of the film, as with all Legend releases they included the original black and white version as well, so everyone is happy.

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Blu-ray Review “The Little Shop of Horrors (1960)”

Directed by: Roger Corman
Starring: Dick Miller, Jack Nicholson, Jonathan Haze, Mel Welles
Distributed by: Legend Films
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Running Time: 70 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

Legend Films is known for colorizing classic films and they did a very notable job with 1960’s “The Little Shop of Horrors”. The color is very subtle and feels like it was beautiful hand panted on each scene. I have seen this film many times and I am big fan of Roger Corman and this film still works well for me. This is the first time that this film has been released on Blu-ray and Legend films really did a great job restoring it in both color and black-and-white.

Everyone knows the classic story of “The Little Shop of Horrors”. This 1960 film was also one of Jack Nicholson’s first roles. Seymour grows an exotic plant that has an insatiable appetite for blood and people. As the plant grows larger and larger and hungrier and hungrier, things start to get out of the control for the local flower shop and their bloodthirsty plant.

The video resolutions looks really sharp in its 1080p transfer. The only main concern is that the aspect ratio on the Blu-ray is 1.33:1 compared to the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Nothing major missed though. The audio is nothing special but includes a DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track.

The special features only included a commentary track by MST3K’s Mike Nelson, which definitely delivers some great laughs. Lastly if you prefer the classic black and white version of the film, as with all Legend releases they included the original black and white version as well, so everyone is happy.

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Interview with Sanctuary’s Robin Dunne

Robin Dunne is the star of the SyFy hit series “Sanctuary”.  The show recently completed it’s fourth season.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Robin about the season, his first effort directing and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: You star in “Sanctuary” but what made you turn to directing this season?
Robin Dunne: I have always had this approach to the business, which is to diversify. Some actors just want to be actors and I am a little jealous of them sometimes. I have always wanted to act and write and I have done both now. So I thought the next natural step for me was to direct. Working on “Sanctuary” was the best possible place to get my feet wet, everyone knew each out and works so well together. I have never been more prepared for something in my life. My only fear on directing was to not let my whole team down. I am really happy with the way the episode came out. The whole crew and team really wanted me to succeed.

MG: Who is the better director you are Amanda (Tapping)?
RD: [laughs] I think Amanda is more experienced at it. It is interesting because every director has style and approach. I didn’t even know what my style was going to be until I got out on the floor and started directing. Amanda tends to be more of a technical director then me. She is very specific and uses cranes for different shots. I am not quite there yet. But let me tell you that directing is a blast.

MG: Any future plans to direct more episodes?
RD: I would love to direct more. Should we get a season five, I would love to take on a few more episodes.

MG: On a production side of the show, it doesn’t seem like there is as much CGI as there used to be; can you reflect?
RD: It on scale actually. There are some episodes that are very heavy in CGI and others are very little. The reason for that is because there is such a time crunch that we are under to deliver the show to the network. The visual effects company gets so bogged down. There is a delicate balance of keeping all the visual effects in the show as possible without but also not hurting ourselves that the episodes won’t be ready in time. In terms of directing, the visual effects was also another great educational process. I learned that during certain shots, if I put the camera in one spot then this (pointing) whole section by the window is going to need visual effects. You might want that though, but if it is not entirely necessary you can move the camera over slightly away from the window and not need all that effects done. When we started the show, it was only a two hour pilot, so we could spend a much time as we needed on the effects.

MG: Have you ever considered crossing over into other Syfy shows?
RD: I have thought about directing an episode of “Warehouse 13” just to give them the hardest time ever [laughs]. I would love to bust Eddie (McClintock)’s chops. It is one thing to walk on a set that you have been working on for years but it is another thing walking on a set that is brand new to you. It would be a whole different challenge.

MG: What is your favorite episode from season four?
RD: You know, I really like the episode that I directed, episode six titled “Homecoming”. I think my favorite episode of the season, actually of the whole series to date, is episode eight titled “Fugue”, which is our musical episode. It was such an amazing thing to do. It took all of us out of our comfort zones. Being in the recording sessions were great. Being on stage with the little ear piece playing that music that only you can hear, while trying to sing and act at the same time. It was such a challenge but such a fun episode. There is something about singing that brings out a certain emotional level in people. It works so well into the story that the audience is barely going to notice the music. They are not going to be able to notice when we are breaking into song. It definitely has to be one of my favorites.

 

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Blu-ray Review “Wizards: 35th Anniversary Edition”

Directed by: Ralph Bakshi
Starring: Bob Holt, Steve Gravers and Jesse Welles
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: PG
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 81 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

If you are a fan of Ralph Bakshi then you would be excited for this release, if not then you probably have never heard of this film. Bakshi is the director of film’s like “Fritz the Cat”, “The Lord of the Rings (1978)” and “Cool World”. His animation style is so unique and very interesting to watch. This film holds up well over the years and looks decent on Blu-ray. The real draw on this release has to be the Digibook packaging. The release comes with a 24-page full-color digibook. It includes a note from Ralph Bakshi, a short essay on the film, and lots of sketches and concept art. Definitely worth picking up if you are fans of Bakshi and the film.

The film itself follows the battle between Avatar and his evil brother Blackwolf. Avatar is an eccentric but kind sorcerer-ruler of Montagar, which is a magical place inhabited by elves and fairies. Blackwolf has plans to dominates Montagar. But with the help from fairy Elinore, a robot assassin named Peace, and Elfin spy Weehawk, Avatar must save his world from darkness.

The Blu-ray presentation is good but not amazing. The video looks good in 1080p transfer but is not perfect. The color really pop and the animation looks sharp even though its shows a little age. The audio boasts an impressive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track and also includes a English Dolby Digital mono track. Note: this US release does not include the score-only audio track like the UK release unfortunately.

Since this is the 35th Anniversary release, I was hoping for some new special features but there is nothing new and everything is only presented in standard definition. There is a commentary track from Bakshi, which was used on the 2004 DVD release. It is a good commentary track though and very informative. There is a 35 minute making-of feature called “Ralph Bakshi- The Wizard of Animation Featurette”, definitely worth checking out and wish this was in HD. Lastly there is two trailers, TV spot and a photo gallery included.

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Blu-ray Review “In the Land of Blood and Honey”

Directed by: Angelina Jolie
Starring: Zana Marjanovic, Goran Kostic, Rade Serbedzija, Dzana Pinjo, Nikola Djuricko
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Running Time: 127 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

When you hear that Angelina Jolie is writing/directing a film, the first thing that pops into my head isn’t a foreign film. Well she did a really great job with “In the Land of Blood and Honey”, it is directed with a sharp eye and written very smartly. The content of the film is very intense consisting of rape and violence but she is still able to intertwine her romance into the story. I felt the film drags a little in the second half and gets a little confusing but overall I would say I enjoyed it.

The film is set in the in the 1990s during the Bosnian War. It locks conflicted romance of Danijel and Ajla, two people from different ethnic backgrounds. Danijel, a soldier fighting for the Serbs, and Ajla, a Bosnian held captive in his camp. Shortly before the war though the two knew each other and were one their way to possibly falling in love. As the war develops the their relationship gets more complicated as war drives them apart.

This combo back includes the Blu-ray and also a DVD of the film. The authentic language version is available on the BD with English subtitles, and the newer before released English language version is available on the DVD. If I had the option to watch it I would highly recommended the foreign language version. The Blu-ray presentation is superb. It looks great with its 1080p transfer, very sharp and very realistic. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is also very impressive and works well with the war scenes and the film’s beautiful score.

The extras are decent but lacking commentary from Angelina Jolie. “The Making of In the Land of Blood and Honey” Featurette takes you behind-the-scenes through filming in two languages and the local cast reflections on the actual the war. There are a few deleted scenes also included. Lastly exclusively available on the Blu-ray version is a Q&A with Jolie and Actress Vanesa Glodjo. Definitely worth checking out to get more insight into the film.

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Blu-ray Review “The Descendants”

Directed by: Alexander Payne
Starring: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Nick Krause, Patricia Hastie
Distributed by: Fox Searchlight
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 115 minutes

Film: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

As much as I love the film “The Artist”, it is obvious that George Clooney should have won the Oscar for his role in this movie. It is hard for an actor to be able to both make you laugh and cry in the same 2 hours and Clooney does it. When this film first came out I really had no interest in it but once it started picking up some pace, it grabbed my interest. Clooney’s performance seems to come so naturally and feels really laid back just like the Hawaii setting in the film. The film also features great performances from Beau Bridges and Matthew Lillard, though overall this is a real ensemble.

Following an accident of his wife leaving her in a coma, Matt King (Clooney), a high-powered Hawaii real estate lawyer (George Clooney) finds himself in charge of their young daughters (Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller) that he barely knows. Matt is also on the verge of making a very important family decision of selling a large portion of Hawaii’s beaches for hotel space. While spending time with his daughters, reflecting his wife’s situation he realizes that there are things that he has never noticed before about his family and his wife. With his daughters help he is able to find a way to change his life and theirs on the process.

The video looks absolutely fantastic and really shines in it 1080p transfer. The film was shot in stunning Hawaii and this film literally transports you to the beaches and just feels really laid back. The audio in this release packs a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. It is not really pushed hard but it works well with the ambient sounds in the film and just seems to work well overall.

The special features are good though lacking any commentary track from Payne or Clooney. Since the film is all about George, so is this feature “Everybody Loves George”. “Working with Alexander” is lead by the director as he takes us through the production himself. “The Real Descendants” tells the real story story behind this film. “Hawaiian Style” focuses on the production side of shooting on location in Hawaii. Alexander Payne chats about the “Casting” in the next feature to come up with this dream-team cast. “Working with Water” deals with the difficulties of shooting on water.

More features include three music videos featuring footage from Hawaii: “Will I Ever See You Again”, “Postcards from Paradise” and “Honolulu’s Whisper”. My least favorite feature is “Waiting for the Light”, which a short montage of behind-the-scenes footage. From least to favorite, the next one is “The World Parade: Hawaii”. which is shows a reel of silent documentary like footage from turn-of-the-century Hawaii. “A Conversation with George Clooney and Alexander Payne” is a sit down with director and its star and ends up being a lot of fun. There are two short deleted scenes that were included, an explanation of each is given from the director. Lastly there is a theatrical trailer included.

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Blu-ray Review “Wallace & Gromit: World of Invention”

Director: Merlin Crossingham
Distributed by: Lions Gate
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 174 minutes

Series: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

I was very disappointed when I started watching this “Wallace & Gromit” release especially since it doesn’t really feature much of the duo. Instead it is a science-based show hosted by them, only introduced and closing segments. Though the show is light on the science aspect as well. It only really features brief rather useless clips that discuss a variety of scientific facts and gizmos. While Wallace introduces each of the inventors from around the world, he also reveals a few of his own creations. I wish it was a lot more of that and a lot less of the cheesy science clips.

The Wallace and Gromit animated sections looks great even though only presented in 1080i. Since the series uses a lot of stock and archive footage there is a lot of graininess in those segments and they don’t look great on Blu-ray. The audio track uses an DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and works well but doesn’t blow you out of the water. I do not think that there is a rush for BBC One to create a second season of this show, one was plenty.

There is only one extra on this release but it is not completely worthless. There are six “World of Invention Shorts” presented in HD and running almost 40 minutes. They are a consisted of fun do-it-yourself construction experiments. Kids might need some help from their parents but overall they are pretty cool. The six segments are: Atmosphere Railway, Wind-Powered Sprinkler, Fin Ray Grabber, Air Rocket, Spy Camera and Upside-Down-O-Scope.

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Blu-ray Review “This Is Not a Movie”

Directed by: Olallo Rubio
Starring: Edward Furlong, Peter Coyote, Edi Gathegi
Distributed by: Kino Lorber
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: March 20, 2012
Running Time: 99 minutes

Film: 1.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

The title says it all this is not a movie, this is the Edward Furlong show. He plays not only one role but three. You need to have a real tolerance for him to enjoy this film. It deals with the end of the world but its scope doesn’t leave the hotel room where he is staying. I was very interested in the first 10 minutes with this film and then I realized it was going nowhere. The only thing that made this film watchable was its fake trailers like “The System Strikes Back”, “Regan Force” and “The Jesus Chainsaw Massacre”.

This movie is really about nothing, it is a surreal, psychedelic, apocalyptic trip into nothing. With the end of the world less than 48 hours away, Pete Nelson (Furlong) spends it inside a Las Vegas hotel with his alternate personalities. He spends it fighting with them and just wasting time but like I said overall doesn’t really do anything. Edi Gathegi from “Twilight” pops in as a ghost for a split second and I have no idea why he was necessary in the story.

The Blu-ray presentation was ok with not much really pushing its limits.  The video itself looks clear and well presented though overall. The audio track was also nothing special.  The music in the film was by Slash (former Guns ‘n’ Roses) but it isn’t mind-bending and doesn’t really stand out.  I expected this kick-ass soundtrack but was left disappointed.

The bonus features are nothing special either like the movie. There are a few few deleted scenes nothing that would have helped this movie though. There is an interview with Peter Coyote and Slash, worth checking out. Lastly there is a photo gallery and trailer for the film. I would have liked a see a directors commentary to get some back insight as to what the hell was the point of this film.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, movie, review

Blu-ray Review “Killer’s Moon”

Directed by: Alan Birkinshaw
Starring: Anthony Forrest, Tom Marshall, David Jackson, Hilda Braid
Distributed by: Kino Lorber/Redemption
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 90 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

This film reminds me of a poor combination of “A Clockwork Orange” and “I Spit On Your Grave”. They film was banned in the UK with a X-rating back in the day due to its rape and gore scenes but in comparison to today’s films they are tame. The story is also tame and has no direction causing the film to drag on for its short 90 minutes. It doesn’t really get a chance to take off and therefore falls flat quickly.

The film follows a group of school girls that become stranded in the woods and looking for a place to spend the night, they are unaware that they are actually in a lot of danger. There are being stalked by four mental patients, who escaped from their clinic and to make it worse are also being used as medical experiments. They are stuck in a dream-like state and believe that there is no consequence to their actions.

The remaster is from the original 35mm negatives. It looks good with its high def upgrade but not overall impressive. The audio is like the video nothing really impressive boasting an uncompressed LPCM 2.0 track. Redemption is usually know for their impressive remastered editions but this one really doesn’t cry out amazing.

The special features are not really great either besides the audio commentary track. It features James Blackford from Redemption chatting with director Alan Birkinshaw and actress Joanna Good about the film and their recollections. Besides that there are two trailers that are in HD and photo gallery also in HD. Then there is two separate interviews with the director Alan Birkinshaw and actress Joanna Good. They are only in standard definition and run about 12-15 minutes each. Even those the features aren’t packed it is much better than the last few releases from Redemption like “Virgin Witch” and “Hills Have Eyes: Part 2”, which had none.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, killers, moon, review

Interview with Stephen Nemeth

Stephen Nemeth is the CEO of Rhino Films. He has produced films like “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” and the recent documentary “Under The Boardwalk: The Monopoly Story”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Stephen about his films and what we can expect from him in the 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you got involved with Kevin Tostado and “Under The Boardwalk: The Monopoly Story”?
Stephen Nemeth: I was speaking a film event in San Diego and he and Craig (Bentley) were there and mentioned what they were doing and it totally peeked my curiosity!

MG: Tell us about getting Zachery Levi to narrate the film?
SN: We all discussed who might be right and for a myriad reasons, Kevin wanted to approach Zach. I know his manager well and reached out to her and we made a deal.

MG: How does process of producing a documentary differ from feature films?
SN: It’s two totally different worlds. In making a feature narrative, you are sliding down a slippery slope if you begin without a finished/tight/strong script. In the doc world, some of the best ones typically begin as an exploratory journey where you just start shooting and the onion gets peeled and you discover something you perhaps didn’t even imagine/can catch lightning in a bottle etc. You also typically do not have the scheduling restraints you have in the feature world.

MG: “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” is one of my favorite, tell us about producing this film?
SN: This is a book deal in itself, really, I was offered a book deal in and around the making of this film but ultimately passed for many salacious reasons. ‘Nuff said but an overall amazing experience.

MG: How was it working with Terry Gilliam?
SN: It’s the best and the worst news to get as once he comes on board. You really do need to cede control because he has tunnel vision/very specific ideas of how it will all shake out. He’s a genius, so you sort of just need to let that happen!

MG: I am a big Philip K. Dick fan, tell us about “Radio Free Albemuth”?
SN: I’m really proud of this as its one of if not the only PKD adaptation made in the fiercely independent spirit of the author. It is very raw and authentic…not slick and so delicious for the purist!

MG: What do you generally look for in a project, when approached to produce?
SN: Is there a reason to make it/will anyone care!

MG: What else do you have planned for 2012 and Rhino Films?
SN: So much!! Prepping “Snake and Mongoose” shooting next month. I have many films on deck and seven documentaries in production. Also, “The Surrogate” gets released by Fox Searchlight in October. So we will have the next seven months promoting that special film properly!

 

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: interview, nemeth, stephen
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