Actors: James Lorinz, Mike Lackey, Mark Sferrazza, Bill Chepil
Directors: James Muro
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Synapse Films
Release Date: July 9, 2013
Run Time: 102 minutes
Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars
I grew up watching Troma movies (and even appeared in one of them) at a way to young age. So growing up in the 80’s I was in love with the horror genre and all the “trash” that came out of it. “Street Trash” is a very unique film, since it aims to offend so much with its super-gore and bad taste but it ends up only entertaining. The special effects are all practical and really make me yearn for those days when everything wasn’t digital. There was a lot of hard work that went into making this film, especially on a low-budget and it is just pain fun. In the world of reboots and remakes, it is great to see something truly original. This is definitely not for the squeamish but highly recommend for all hardcore horrorhounds.
Official Premise: In the sleazy, foreboding world of winos, derelicts and drifters in lower Manhattan, two young runaways eighteen-year-old Fred (Mike Lackey) and his younger brother, Kevin (Mark Sferrazza) live in a tire hut in the back of an auto wrecking yard. Life is hard, but the most lethal threat to the boys is the mysterious case of Tenafly Viper wine in Ed’s liquor store window. The stuff is forty years old… and it’s gone bad. REAL bad! Anyone who drinks it melts in seconds, and it’s only a dollar a bottle!
Synapse Films has beautifully re-mastered this film in high-definition and gave it the love and attention that it deserves. The 1080p transfer with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio presentation is very sharp and for a low-budget movie from the ’80s looks just plain awesome. It was taken from original camera negative and was meticulously restored. The colors in this film are very key and they really pop with this new transfer. The film has a certain cartoon feel to it and this really extenuates that positive. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is also impressive. It works very well with the dialogue and especially with the Vietnam War flashback. This track was created specifically for home theater systems and it sounds great. This is easily one of the best Synapse Films in the recent years.
Synapse went all out with the extras included the ability to create your own bottle of Tenafly Viper Wine with an exclusive label sticker included. The special features are stunning like the film itself. There are two commentary track included. The first is with writer/producer Roy Frumkes, which is super informative and fun. The second is with director James Muro, it is more technical and a little drier but still a tons of great info. “The Meltdown Memoirs” is an epic two plus hour multi-part documentary that really encompasses all aspects of the production. There is the original 16mm short film “Street Trash”, which inspired the film.
There is an “Interview with Jane Arakawa” from 2007 sharing her experience making “Street Trash”. Lastly, there are a few Deleted Scenes and Outtakes, as well as Promotional Teaser and Theatrical Trailer included.