DVD Collectors Online

Strangeland, a review by Jimmy

Title: Strangeland (1998)

Genre: Horror
Director: John Pieplow
Rating: NR
Length: 1h31
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1:85.1
Audio: English
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Kevin Gage   
Brett Harrelson
Dee Snider
Linda Cardellini
Robert Englund

Plot:This one isn't as known as it should be if you ask me. At first it looks like your regular serial killer movie, but it isn't. In fact this is a more a story about how as a society we create killer, not that this Capt. Howdy guy isn't a sick fuck to begin with but... The story take a different turn at the second act when he is liberated from the psychiatric hospital where he was treated after three years completly cure and ready to start a new life. The guy isn't the same anymore in fact he is some kind of frail wimp who wouldn't even scare my eighty four years old grandmother. Not long after his liberation he is attacked and left for dead by a crowd, this is why I say that we as society we create the monsters. Sure his bad side came back but is he really the one to blame? You got a surprising good performance in a dual role from Dee Snyder who also wrote the script for this film, I can't say the same for most of the others since the performance are not really nuanced (you are bad or you are good, no middle point) but Kevin Gage overact less than usual. The effects are really well done and you feel the suffering (see you don't need CGI to look good, a good effects guy can works miracle).

Anyway enough talking (or writing) we have here an underated gem who deserves to be seen.

Rating :

(From Jimmy's - 2013 Ooctober Horror Marathon on October 9th, 2013)

Knives of the Avenger, a review by Achim

Title: I coltelli del vendicatore
Year: 1966
Director: Mario Bava
Rating: NR
Length: 85 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: Italian: Dolby Digital Mono, English: Dolby Digital Mono
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Cameron Mitchell
Fausto Tozzi [Frank Ross]
Giacomo Rossi-Stuart [Jack Stuart]
Luciano Pollentin [Louis Polle]
Amedeo Trilli [Michael Moore]

Plot:
In their third and final collaboration, 'Cameron Mitchell' stars for 'Mario Bava' as a Viking drifter torn between guilt, vengeance and his love for a peasant woman and her young son. Co-written by Bava (as 'John Hold'), the film delivers robust raping and pillaging yet proffers a uniquely humanistapproach that virtually re-imagines SHANE as a Viking drama. The result transcends its typically chestthumping genre to emerge as one of Bava's most emotionally complex and visually compelling films.

This remastered presentation of KNIVES OF THE AVENGER includes, for the first time on DVD, the original Italian language audio track with optional English subtitles, as well as the dubbed English track.

Extras:
Scene Access
Trailers
Production Notes


The overview talking about vikings I wasn't sure I'd really want to watch this today; vikings sounding more like Sunday-afternoon entertainment. But, this is Bava and all was well

First of all the whole film felt more like a western than a viking movie. Lots of horse riding (did vikings do that....?) and especially the music made one almost forget that this is played in the north and they used swords rather than guns. The complex, but far from confusing story was told skillfully, always keeping me interested about what was coming next; never is the viewer giving too much or too little information.
Two standout moments where Bava expertly tightens the tension screw were the face-off in the inn and the climax. Also interesting (although possibly not on purpose) was how th emovie started out rather colorful, mainly lush greens, and then as the story progressed into the darker sections the colors on screen became muted.

Acting was quite good, but as usual the fact that everything was dubbed (even the Italian track, guess the on-location sound was unusable) made things difficult to judge.



(From Mario Bava marathon on June 29th, 2009)

Tom's TV Pilots marathon, a review by Tom

Joey: Season One (2004/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Warner Home Video (United States) Length: 524 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

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Plot:
Joey Tribbiani leaves New York for a chance at show biz fame in Hollywood - and a reunion with his left-coast sister and nephew. Take off on a new life - and new laughs with Matt LeBlanc, the 2005 People's Choice Award Winner as Favorite Male Television Star, and another great TV comedy ensemble cast! This Deluxe 4-Disc Set of the Complete Season One features all 24 hilarious episodes. For grand, goofy fun, Joey's your guy.


Joey
1.01 Pilot
Writer: Shana Goldberg-Meehan (Writer), Scott Silveri (Writer)
Director: Kevin S. Bright
Cast: Matt LeBlanc (Joey Tribbiani), Andrea Anders (Alex Garrett), Paulo Costanzo (Michael Tribbiani), Jennifer Coolidge (Bobbie Morganstern), Drea de Matteo (Gina Tribbiani), Wayne Wilderson (Director #2), Jason Huber (The Taxi Driver), Matthew Mullany (The Director), Lawrence A. Mandley (The Slate Guy), Nancy O'Dell (Herself), Ethan Erickson (Sam), Tommy Perna (The Criminal)

When the series first aired, I was really disappointed by how much it differed from Friends. Only in the second season I thought the series picked up a little. But then it was cancelled.
Watching the pilot episode now I found it better than I remembered it being.

Rating:

(From Tom's TV Pilots marathon on June 3rd, 2012)