Home Media Magazine - July 13-19, 2008 - (Page 14)

REVIEWS BLU-RAY SPOTLIGHT I IN THE LINE OF FIRE Sony Pictures, Thriller, $28.95 Blu-ray, ‘R.’ Stars Clint Eastwood, Rene Russo, John Malkovich, Dylan McDermott, John Heard. Edited by John Latchem www.homemediamagazine.com I BRUTAL MASSACRE: A COMEDY Street 7/22 Anchor Bay, Comedy, $26.97 DVD, ‘R’ for language, sexuality/nudity and some violent images. Stars David Naughton, Brian O’Halloran, Gerry Bednob, Gunnar Hansen, Ellen Sandweiss, Betsy Baker, Theresa Tilly, Ken Foree, Vincent Butta. I DEATH VALLEY ing from eccentric investors, to his mostly unsuccessful attempts at directing a pretentious cast and a blundering crew. Luckily, Harry’s experience allows him to struggle through the production even when he loses a crew member in an onset accident and when his lead actor quits before the film is finished. In the end, Harry’s fate will lie in the hands of persnickety studio execs and the fans. Following his 2004 debut horror film Malevolence, writer-director Mena shows his comedic side with Brutal Massacre, for which he picked up the best director award from the 2007 Long Island International Film Expo. With an ensemble cast featuring a diverse mix of actors such as Naughton, in his best performance since An American Werewolf in London, and the always hilarious sidekick O’Halloran (Clerks), plus horror icon Hansen (the original Leatherface) as a crazed Vietnam vet, the film’s intelligent mix of humor and horror puts it in a league of its own — above films such as Scary Movie. The film is being released in select markets at the beginning of July, just before the DVD hits store shelves, which should give it a well-deserved summer boost. Die-hard horror fans also will appreciate the film’s incorporation of Fangoria, which is currently offering a contest that is prominently displayed on its Web site to win a copy of the DVD. – Matt Miller Street 7/22 Allumination, Horror, $29.98 DVD, ‘R’ for strong violence including a rape, drug use and language. Stars Eric Christian Olsen, Dash Mihok, Rider Strong, Vince Vieluf, Genevieve Cortese, Brendan Fletcher. W ith Clint Eastwood currently featured in Warner’s “Dirty Harry” boxed sets on DVD and Blu-ray Disc, fans of the Oscarwinning actor, director, producer and writer also will want to add this action-thriller to their high-def collection. Although it’s not a Harry Callahan movie, Eastwood’s Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan has many similarities to that iconic character. This cat-and-mouse thriller works because of the acting chops of Eastwood and John Malkovich, who plays Booth/Frank Leary, the man who wants to kill the president. Rene Russo, Dylan McDermott, Fred Dalton Thomson and John Mahoney round out the solid cast. While this Blu-ray version, which is presented in anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) and in 5.1 TrueHD surround, doesn’t add any features different from the special-edition DVD version, the 1080p video upgrade is excellent and the enhanced audio brings Italian composer Ennio Morricone’s musical score to life. It would have been nice to have something new for this high-def release, such as a featurette that puts the 15 years since the film’s release into perspective. As is, the new disc has only a BD Live feature to access new film and home entertainment trailers. What is included in the extras department is the Showtime special “Behind the Scenes with the Secret Service,” which includes interviews with the actors and real secret service agents; “The Ultimate Sacrifice,” a short documentary on the Secret Service; and a pair of featurettes: “How’d They Do That?,” which features effects artists and “Catching the Counterfeiters,” which focuses on real FBI agents. Rounding out the extras is a rather bland commentary by director Wolfgang Petersen and five deleted scenes that add nothing to the film experience. Since this is such a solid film with the beautiful backdrop of Washington, D.C., Eastwood fans will want to add this to their HD library even without any cool BD exclusives. The film speaks for itself, and it looks amazing on BD. – John Gaudiosi F rom This Is Spinal Tap to Borat, a well-made mockumentary can become a cult classic overnight, while serving as an outlet for independent filmmakers to poke fun at areas of society that deserve ridicule. One of the latest offerings in this increasingly popular genre is Stevan Mena’s fresh, witty Brutal Massacre: A Comedy. Focusing on the trials and tribulations of making an independent horror film on a shoestring budget, Brutal Massacre follows washed-up director Harry Penderecki’s (Naughton) last stab at making a comeback with his latest slasher flick of the same name. Trying to regain some credibility with studios and fans after a series of ‘B’-movie bombs such as Bowel Movement, Harry knows that his new film will either resurrect or end his career — if he doesn’t go insane trying to get it finished. Reporter Bert Campbell (Butta) documents the entire production, from Harry trying to secure financ- W hen Josh (Olsen) and three friends head to the California desert for a drug-filled birthday celebration, the last thing they expect is to end up in a war with a ruthless local biker gang known as the Scorpions. Before the weekend is over, friendships will be tested, lives will be lost and only the lucky will survive. From the get-go, their excursion is plagued by problems, including Josh almost shooting his friend while having a bad mescaline trip. Things only get worse the next morning when they try to leave and find some hooligans have ransacked their SUV, stealing everything including the battery. It’s not long before two of the punks return to start trouble. And with everyone’s tempers running high, the confrontation quickly escalates into a deadly shootout that brings out the entire Scorpions posse, who drive the outsiders into a cave and slowly close in on them. Knowing they can’t hide for long, Josh executes a risky plan to help his remaining friends escape alive despite being outnumbered and outgunned by the Scorpions. Debuting at the 2004 Los Angeles Film Festival under the name Mojave, Death Valley will not disappoint fans looking for a terrifying thriller — imagine Deliverance meets The Hills Have Eyes. What makes the film so disturbing is that it’s not over the top. Everything in the film is plausible, so much so that you really begin to sympathize with the characters as they fight for their lives. It’s this sense of realism that drives the story and helps create an intense underlying tone throughout. As an independent film, it also benefits from having a talented cast of familiar faces, including Olsen; Mihok, who plays the leader of the Scorpions; and the unforgettable Cortese (star of TV’s “Wildfire”). – Matt Miller 14 Home Media Magazine July 13–19, 2008 http://www.homemediamagazine.com

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Home Media Magazine - July 13-19, 2008

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