Customer Reviews

Savage Cinema: 12 Movie Collection

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

'Savage Cinema' is a collection of low budget, B grade films - mostly from the now defunct Crown International Pictures company - several of which are no longer available to purchase new, or even in DVD, except in this or in one of several other packages offered by Mill Creek Entertainment. Technically, the films vary in quality - I'm sure the least amount of preservation went in to the production of the packaging as possible. I'm not familiar with the procedure of transferring film stock onto DVD, but the image that shows up on my screen looks exactly like a projected film, often accompanied by the scratches, skips and cigarette burns you might notice at the drive-in.

And that's exactly what these films are - cheap films to make a quick buck off of the kids more interested in the 'getting to know you social arena' of the family sedan's back seat. Though I have no need for that sort of pretense anymore, these films still have a certain charm - though like anything else, the charm is in the eye of the beholder. I've tried to put a little thought into it, to explain to myself as well as anyone else who might wonder what the attraction could possibly be. Without trying to psychoanalyze to harshly, I'll just say that to anyone who is tired of the same cookie-cutter product being churned out in mainstream cinema today (like this, or this, or even wornout, offensive silliness like this) might be interested in something completely different. If you are, here it is. Stretch the comparison far enough, you may even say that art films and exploitation are two sides of the same coin - for people who grow physically ill at the thought of watching the next Shia LaBeouf/Megan Fox/Mel Gibson vehicle but who still love movies.

That's enough out of me. Either a person has an affinity for these flicks or not. Some reviews of Mill Creek Entertainment packages complain that the films have a MCE logo burned into the film - these did not, and I've read that Mill Creek stopped that practice after 2008. I reviewed as many of these films as I could on their individual product pages, but a few do not have any page associated with them, so I'll list the films in what I consider the best to worst, with a few comments where necessary.

Death Riders [VHS] - **** - Documentary about motorcycle stuntmen traveling the county fair circuit in 1975. Oblique look at the times and the people. See individual review.

The Pink Angels - *** - Gay bikers go to a cotillion. See individual review

Best Friends - ** 1/2 - Unremarkable cross-country drama about best friends that grow apart when one chooses to get married. Nothing special enough to rescue it from oblivion. Richard Hatch (Apollo from the original Battlestar Galactica) stars.

DANGEROUS CHARTER - ** 1/2 - Three commmercial fisherman find an abandoned yacht with an unexpected cargo. This film has the worst film quality of the collection, but still watchable. See individual review.

Hell on Wheels - ** 1/2 - Marty Robbins stars as himself - as a singer and a race car driver. Younger brother Dell fights to get out of his shadow. See individual review.

The Sidehackers - ** 1/2 - (AKA Five the Hard Way) Character actor Ross Hagen goes out for revenge after his fiancee is violently murdered. Pretty conventional up until the end - the finale adds the half star. Used by the Mystery Science Theater 3000 crew.

Death Machines - ** - Ron Marchini stars in this martial arts could-have-been-a-contender. A couple of unintentional funny scenes keeps this one from the bottom of the dog pyle. See individual review.

Little Laura and Big John [VHS] - ** - Based on the true story of the John Ashley gang down in Florida during the teens and twenties. Starring Karen Black and Fabian. Boooring. See individual review.

Wild Rebels - ** - I can't bear to write anything more about this one. See individual review. (MST3K fodder)

Burnout - * 1/2 - Should have been called 'This Is Your NHRA' 75% scenes of drag racing, 25% story of spoiled rich kid getting life lessons on the track. Great if you love drag racing - the vehicles have great personality.

Hellcats - * 1/2 - Awful transfer, awful sound, awful story, awful acting...this film isn't too bad. Psych! it's awful. (Another proud pick by MST3K)

Wild Riders [VHS] - * (if I have to give it one) - Technically better than most of the others, this film is mostly a home invasion type film, and particularly misogynistic. I'm sure there are worse exploitation films out there, but this film, either accidentally or on purpose, seems to lend a thin veneer of approval to the violence. See individual review.

With the exception of Wild Riders, these films are more silly than savage, which is about what I expected. Terms like grindhouse and exploitation get thrown around a lot after Tarentino and Rodriguez's efforts from a few years back (I'm sure we have them to thank for these films even being in print today), but strictly speaking, I don't think these movies belong in those catagories. There only a few scenes of really gratuitous violence, and little nudity (except Wild Riders). Perhaps they were shocking at one time, but there effect has dulled considerably over the years. To me, true grindhouse and exploitation hold their qualities despite the aging process. Still, semantics aside, these films seem pretty innocuous today. (On second thought, 'The Sidehackers' has a pretty intense scene where Ross Hagen's fiancee is murdered. That film may actually be grindhouse, but it's so cliche-ridden it's like a parody of the genre. Up until the rape/murder scene, of course.)

Nothing extra is included on the discs other than the films - no commentary, no subtitles, no trailers even. There are two films on each side of the disc, and each disc comes in a paper sleeve. No doubt that high definition televisions and disc players will highlight the problems on these transfers, though poor film stock is generally the least of these films' problems. Altogether, even if I can't imagine watching any of them ever again, I enjoyed them for what they are, which is the only way to watch. Anyone who picks this up because they suspect there are some hidden gems here are going to be sorely disappointed. It isn't often a person decides they are in the mood for a really bad film, but if that mood ever does strike, 'Savage Cinema' is here to help. As a bonus, I got my copy from a big box store for five simoleons, which makes each film just over forty pennies - now that's change I can believe in.

I happened across this when Amazon recommended it for me and i was thrilled. after BCI/Eclipse closed its doors i was afraid it was going to be impossible to track down some of the titles i still wanted and didn't get. then came the SAVAGE CINEMA 12 pack via Mill Creek. consisting of off the wall biker movies, car racing movies and some other movies like Death Machines. This collection has some of the harder to find titles and the transfers are new and widescreen with the exception of "Sidehackers" which is the original 1.33:1 pan and scan transfer. (this appears to be the same version used on MST3K) for how many movies are in this set, the quality of the movies presentation and the overall price you can't go wrong... especially if you enjoy 60's and 70's flicks that at times are unintentionally funny.

I liked most, but not all of the movies in this set. I really liked the Death Riders documentary a lot. It alone was worth the price I paid for the set. I've gotten other sets with large collections of movies like this but many of those other sets were disappointing. This one has some good stuff on it.

"Savage Cinema" is an ultra-cheap 12 movie (3 DVD) box set from our friends at Mill Creek Entertainment. The movies vary dramatically in quality and include three movies that ended up being used as grist in the "Mystery Science Theater 3000" mill. I have seen many of these films in other formats (both VHS and DVD) and have reviewed most of them individually at some point in the past, so I won't belabor detailing the nuances of all twelve instead opting to hit highlights and lowlights.

Understand that the quality of the transfers varies dramatically, with "Wild Riders" probably looking technically best (though features by far the most loathsome plot of the bunch, and is my least favorite hands down.) The roughest looking is "Dangerous Charter" which has the opening lopped off with a clumsy title card inserted, and has terrible scratches and numerous other print flaws and artifacts present throughout, especially at the beginning. They are abundant enough to be distracting. The other films are somewhere between the two extremes, but none is demo quality. Having said that, you can buy the 12 pack in many stores (or online) for around five dollars, so there isn't a lot of room to complain given that value proposition. While I won't discuss all the films, what follows are some of my brief takeaways on a sampling of them.

"Best Friends" chronicles a trying and increasingly violent dispute between two best friends during a road trip, and details the problems that ensue when one gets married and the other gets jealous. It's tedious at best. It's one of my least favorites in the set.

"Burnout" is ostensibly a coming of age story about a boy obsessed with drag racing, and the reconciliation he has with his annoying attorney father. It is mostly footage of drag races, and gets boring really quickly. The one standout highlight is the hilarious but disastrous "flying kite cycle!" This was short and inoffensive, but extremely amateurish with amazingly bad acting.

"Dangerous Charter" is another snoozefest, with a plot about maritime doublecrosses, heroin smuggling, and badly sung love ballads. The quality of the transfer makes it almost painful to watch, but it's in the middle of the pack here overall.

"Death Machines" is a confusing and frequently unintentionally funny martial arts movie about rival groups of assassins killing each other off. It features huge 1970s cars, some amazingly ugly clothes, terribly choreographed fight scenes, and acting that ranges from acceptable to wholly inept. Beware of this one for the extraordinarily annoying electronic musical score, which is beyond tolerable. Except for the music, it's not unenjoyable for one viewing.

"Death Riders" is my favorite film of the collection. It's a documentary about traveling teenage stuntmen in the 1970s and features some harrowing stunts (and some that aren't so terrifying) and loads of interviews with the performers. I liked the grittiness and earnestness of the film, and found the camaraderie to be heartwarming. I also enjoyed the otherworldly performance at a naturist retreat in Indiana, in which one of the good-natured boys performed in the only attire appropriate for the event (the motorcycle jump from that day is sure to provoke a laugh and perhaps a grimace.)

"Little Laura and Big John" is an insufferable romantic gangster movie from the era of prohibition. Set in Florida, it features some of the worst songs ever penned, and dreadful acting from the two leads, mod hair Fabian in an eye patch (yeah, he's a murderous gang leader) and Karen Black who uses the worst southern accent I have ever heard in a mainstream movie. If that wasn't enough, part of it is tinted in sepia, and much of it is narrated by Laura's mother! Why? Who knows! This is a total cinematic calamity. The actual print is better than most here, but the quality of what's on the screen makes watching it out of the question.

"Pink Angels" is a biker movie with a very unusual twist. It is definitely the most peculiar of the films in the set, and it must be seen to be believed. That's all I'm going to say about it.

"Wild Riders" is easily my least favorite film in the set, despite having the best print quality. Except for the closing scene of cello-related mayhem (don't ask) the film is nothing but a reprehensible misogynistic excuse to torment two women in a remote house. It's utterly despicable in every way, and I would recommend it to no one.

There a few others that I didn't mention because they are already quite well known in B-movie circles, but you get the flavor of the set. I have always loved these kinds of movies, and expect I always will. None of these films will ever be a favorite of mine, but for the price I would definitely recommend buying the set for people inclined to watch obscure and bizarre films from yesterday. If you start now, you can finish all 12 in 18 hours, so what are you waiting for?

First off, the intent of this post is not to describe or review each individual movie included in the Savage Cinema box set, but to augment and correct some of the information provided by other reviewers. My goals in picking up this set were to get an uncut, un-MYSTied edition of The Sidehackers and a DVD copy of Wild Rebels to replace my worn Academy Entertainment VHS, as well as hopefully pick up some much-needed shelf space by replacing my stand-alone copies of Hell on Wheels and The Hellcats. In short, I accomplished the former but not the latter, and while I do not expect fully restored, Criterion-quality transfers in a 12-movie budget collection, the obvious lack of care taken by Mill Creek with the set as a whole is disappointing.

The best news is that, as another reviewer has stated, the movies are free of the annoying watermarks that deface other, earlier Mill Creek releases I own, and for the most part, the film prints are in reasonably good shape, with relatively minor speckling and blemishing and acceptably saturated and balanced color. Plus, five of the movies (Pink Angels, Death Machines, Wild Riders, Death Riders, and Best Friends) are presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, although the rest are not (contrary to what another reviewer wrote here). Three more (Wild Rebels, Dangerous Charter, and Little Laura and Big John) are, however, presented in their 1.37:1 open matte incarnations, which means that you can enlarge them on a widescreen TV and watch them in their original widescreen aspect ratio. Sidehackers, The Hellcats, Hell on Wheels, and Burnout are all presented in less than optimal full frame pan and scan versions, but the fact that the movies are not all transferred in anamorphic widescreen is not what really disappoints me about this box.

My biggest complaint is that virtually all of the transfers display some form of digital artifacting (stairstepping, edge fringing, and/or noise) to a greater or lesser degree. Sidehackers, Pink Angels, Burnout, and especially Hell on Wheels suffer the most, but nearly every movie looks like you're watching it through a piece of lightly patterned glass. While the source print of Hell on Wheels actually features deeper blacks, sharper detail, and better color saturation than the out-of-print VCI edition, the heavy artifacting and noise present pretty much nullify these advantages, giving the transfer a grainy, speckly look that suffers in comparison to the VCI DVD even though that disc appears a bit washed-out and soft. It's not as though superior transfers of two feature-length movies can't be fit onto one DVD; I own dozens of double-feature DVDs that look just fine if not terrific, exhibiting virtually none of the artifacting and speckly noise of the transfers presented here.

A further irritating aspect of this set is the bargain basement packaging. The outer case is a bit thicker than a standard DVD box, but when you open it up the three discs are all housed in individual black paper sleeves fitted into a square indentation in the inside back cover. I would have gladly paid another dollar or two to have the discs packaged in a standard-thickness DVD case with a double-sided hinged insert. Fortunately, I keep a small stock of that type of case on hand for just this sort of situation, and immediately trimmed the left and right edges of the paper cover insert and transferred the whole shebang to a new case and threw the old one away. (The only worse packaging I have seen yet is for several of Sony's "Icons of . . ." collections where the three discs are stacked on top of one another on a single spindle, and the all-time worst, the Car 54 Volume One set from Shanachie where there is nothing but a thin lip of plastic at the bottom of the insides of the case to keep the discs from literally falling out when you open it, which they have a tendency to do unless you lay it on a flat surface and carefully open it like a book. I also had to transfer those sets to new cases to prevent damage to the discs due to accident or excessive handling.)

Yet another minor gripe with this set is that it is not indicated anywhere on the packaging which movies are on which disc, or on which side. You have to pull them out one by one and squint at the ultra-tiny type around the center hole to find the movie you're looking for. Admittedly, not the end of the world, but would it have been so hard for Mill Creek to provide this information on the cover so you don't have to needlessly handle the discs so much?

Again, I don't expect gorgeous, restored transfers or deluxe packaging in a set with this price tag. But on the other hand, I would have gladly paid twice the price to get sharper, cleaner transfers and decent packaging so that I could add these titles to my collection and be done with it. As it is, I'll be hanging on to my VCI edition of Hell on Wheels and my anamorphic widescreen copies of The Hellcats (BCI) and Pink Angels, and will be on the lookout for superior transfers of Wild Rebels and The Sidehackers should they ever appear (an unlikely event, I know). Perhaps Crown International should be more careful about who they license their catalog to (their logo and copyright line appear on the back of the case). The DVDs of their movies I've purchased that were released through Rhino and BCI all look far superior to the transfers in this set.

Overall, I'm not unhappy that I picked up this set, especially considering the dirt-cheap price. But I'm just sort of irritated that, as seems to happen all too often, another budget DVD company has dropped the ball on what could have been a first-rate release (of admittedly second- and third-rate movies) if they had just taken a little more care with the mastering and presentation.

This Mill Creek DVD-budget-box is just great! The picture quality of the movies is fine. Not like the bad quality of the movies in these kind of "50 Movie Packs".
There are no extras, like trailers or something else, but 12 Movies for a cheap price like this, don't need extras!
All fans of grindhouse - movies will be very satisfied with this box!

Man these are some real stinkers. Maybe 2 of them were interesting but the rest, its like a skunk walked in. I'll be reselling mine I'll never watch them again.