THE LAST HORROR FILM (1982) - Troma Entertainment

The Last Horror Film
Troma Entertainment

Original Release Date Oct. 9th, 1982
Written by Judd Hamilton, David Winters, Tom Klassen
Directed by David Winters
Starring Joe Spinell, Caroline Munro, Glenn Jacobson, Don Talley
Language English (subtitles available)

Get your copy HERE from MVD

by "Doc" Hunter Bush, MovieJawn Podcast Director and Staff Writer 

The Movie Itself: Excellent

More than most labels, a Troma release is always something I kind of have to steel myself for. No disrespect to them at all, I'm a fan (Lloyd Kaufman even once told me he loved me), but with Troma, much like a certain much-discussed box of chocolates, you don't always know what you're gonna get (*). Sometimes you get gleefully gross, intentionally button-pushing, gory, silly, horny, fever dream films like The Toxic Avenger (1984), Class of Nuke 'Em High (1986), or my personal favorite: Tromeo and Juliet (1996). Sometimes you get a lesser-known, overlooked horror film that Troma have just picked up to release. If I'd done even a cursory look into the background of The Last Horror Film, I'd have known what I was in for, but I prefer to go into these disc reviews as blind as possible; it's just more fun. 

(*) This initially came down to whether the film was being made in-house by the Troma team and the creatives in their orbit, or was an independently made film that they just decided to distribute and release. Obviously, as Troma's goopy, radioactive shadow has grown over the years, more films are being independently made that ape the Troma style, which muddies the water a little bit. But I digress.

All of which is to say that The Last Horror Film is the latter: independently made on the heels of the success of Maniac (1980) which also starred Joe Spinell as a sweaty, bug-eyed weirdo and was produced in part by Judd Hamilton. Maniac made such a splash that Hamilton was asked to get another film under production ASAP. Though he wanted to work on something more in the science fiction genre, he was essentially forced into playing in the horror space again. Obviously, reteaming with Spinell was the smart move, and locking down the beautiful Caroline Munro, former Bond girl in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), makes perfect sense.

In The Last Horror Film (also known as Fanatic), Spinell plays a movie-obsessed NY cabbie Vinny who buys himself a ticket to crash the Cannes film festival so he can convince scream queen Jana Bates (Munro) to star in his debut feature. Once at the festival, murders begin happening, all with Bates at the center: her husband, various industry professionals, etc. Obviously, Vinny must be behind it all... right? The film plays with the audience's understanding and love of horror movies to get a little bit meta, using the movie-within-a-movie format as a way to showcase creative kills and keep viewers guessing.

A high concept, low budget slasher, The Last Horror Film knows what its audience wants and in my opinion it really delivers. The kills are creative and nasty--Munro herself, in clips from some of the films she's starred in as Bates, dies via electrocution in a hot tub and by having her face blowtorched off--and Vinny's numerous fantasy / dream sequences look fantastic; all smoke, abstract light, and bizarre imagery like a melting Academy Award or Vinny confronting the pretentious director within himself!

Filming guerrilla style at the Cannes film festival lends the film a lot of production value (and casual nudity), as does a third act location change to a gorgeous castle villa! Personally, I'm a fan of fake movies in movies, and The Last Horror Film has a handful. All are a lot of fun and utilized to keep the momentum up throughout the film's runtime. But so much of the film's success really falls on the shoulders of Caroline Munro and the late, great Joe Spinell. Munro weaponizes her beauty to play a put-upon actress being driven to near madness by shocking acts of violence at nearly every turn and Spinell gives another fearlessly grimy performance as a degenerate who nevertheless loves the same kind of movies we do. Just, hopefully, not the same way.

The Packaging: Average

This is slightly wider, and therefore slightly sturdier blue snap case with a single-sided cover and the disc included. It's perfectly fine, but I'm not a fan of how busy the cover is. It depicts a frame of celluloid with Jana screaming while in a shower, and it has been scratched out, as happens in the film. This is all fine, but then there is a LOT of text. A banner advertising "TROMATIC SPECIAL EDITION", the Troma Entertainment credit, AND the logo, a pull quote from Fangoria, then the title, some cast & crew bonafides and finally a legend advertising "Featuring the music of DEPECHE MODE".

Y'all. It's one song. It's a perfectly well-suited Depeche Mode song--Photographic off of their debut album Speak & Spell--and it's utilized well in the film, but did we really need to advertise that on the already-crowded cover? For what it's worth, the back is also crowded, but as is the case with a lot of modern physical releases, the majority of that real estate is taken up with the hefty list of special features. I won't really complain about that for obvious reasons.

The Video: Good

The transfer here looks great! In transfers, occasionally you'll find some instances of the clean-up/restoration process adding extra visual noise (an overall sandy texture), especially in scenes shot in low light. Here, while there is some film grain which is to be expected, even the lower-light scenes look well-made and well-preserved. The colors really pop, and the more abstract visuals are all the more exciting for it.

Whether we're on gritty New York City streets, the topless beaches of the French Riviera, a glamorous gala, or a sun-drenched villa, the entire film has a seedy nervous energy to it, translated to the audience through the frequently active camera work. It's not Paul Greengrass levels of motion anything, but there were frequent instances of the camera roving about.

But my personal favorite visuals from the film are these sequences that kind of function like interstitials, of someone isolating a single frame of celluloid film featuring the next victim, and marking it--either scratching them out or circling them. It's just a great break from the action and tension.

The Audio: Good

This is a very solid audio transfer. I have a three-channel soundbar and at no point did I notice any issues; anything that took me fully out of the experience. There are, to be fair, moments where a bit of dialogue was obviously ADR'ed (Automatic Dialogue Replacement, meaning dropping in some dialogue recorded at a later date, usually because the necessary dialogue wasn't properly recorded or audible) but that's nothing unusual, given the era and genre.

Fun fact: aside from that one Depeche Mode song, the most interesting thing about the soundtrack is that it features seven songs written and performed by Jesse Frederick and Jeff Koz. Both men would go on to some acclaim in the television theme song realm, with Koz creating the song Faces of the Heart, which was the opening theme for General Hospital from 1993-2004. Frederick meanwhile wrote (with Bennett Salvay and show producer Jeff Franklin) and performed Everywhere You Look, the theme song to Full House. As a TGIF kid and a mid-to-late '90s soap opera viewer, it turns out BOTH of these songs are very familiar to me.

The Supplements: Excellent

The number one thing I look for in the bonus features for a physical release is: context. I like to be able to learn as much as I can about the situation(s) that a particular film was created in. In that regard, this release of The Last Horror Film is a home run and then some. There are three commentary tracks--two with (as he is described) "Joe Spinell's Best Friend", Luke Walter and one with Caroline Munro and film critic and Frightfest co-founder Alan Jones--and two illuminating interviews. Producer / co-writer Judd Hamilton's interview especially gave great insight into the film's origins, while Spinell's personal friend Sal Sirchia's interview is more about his relationship with Spinell during the last two years of Spinell's life.

There is also a ton of Troma-related material, so if you're unfamiliar with their whole deal and aesthetic, you'll definitely be more familiar after checking these out. I would like to draw special attention to the 5 minute feature Highlights from Tromadance (which is Troma's version of Sundance). The clip really highlights Troma's whole ethos of never giving up. Make your movie, your way; keep trying to get eyes on it; make it happen. I know Troma gets a lot of flak for their overall house style, and while I understand it (and could write an entire piece on the studio's evolving aesthetic), they're nothing if not inspirational.

• Commentary track with Joe Spinell's Best Friend Luke Walter
• Commentary track with Caroline Munro and Frightfest's Alan Jones
• New commentary track with Luke Walter
• Like a Father Figure: Sal Sirchia remembers Joe Spinell (21:11)
• My Last Horror Film Ever! Archival interview with producer Judd Hamilton (18:58)
• The Last Horror Film: New York and Cannes Locations (14:24) (HD)
• Mr. Robbie (a.k.a. Maniac II) (short film featuring Joe Spinell) (8:05) (SD)
• The Last Horror Film Trailers:
• Trailer 1 (as Fanatic) (0:32) (SD)
• Trailer 2 (as Fanatic) (0:31) (SD)
• Trailer 3 (0:58) (SD)
• Tromatic Extras:
• Highlights from Tromadance 2015 (5:21) (HD)
• The Return of Dolphin Man (4:48) (SD)
• Kabukiman's Cocktail Corner (9:44) (HD)
• Troma Trailers:
• Return to Nuke 'Em High - Vol. 1 (2013) (3:24)
• Return to Nuke 'Em High - Vol. 2 (2017) (1:49)
• The Toxic Avenger (1984) (3:32)
• Class of Nuke 'Em High (1986) (3:23)
• #Shakespeare’s Shitstorm (2020) (3:14)

One last thing I want to mention, and I've put it here because I guess it's sort of an unadvertised bonus feature(?), but when you start the movie, a brief intro (4:08) plays starring Troma founder Lloyd Kaufman. In it, he briefly talks up the film you're about to see before taking a pill that instantly changes his sex. He then hits the streets, playing into Troma's image as somewhat regressive, and deliberately provocative, before having Lloyd get told off by some guys (including Troma regular and former The Last Drive-In bandleader John Brennan!) who inform him that "It's 2015, dude. (Cross-dressing) is no big deal. Get over yourself!"

To be clear: after the introductory bit, none of this skit has anything to do with The Last Horror Movie, it's just Troma being Troma, and while it's a little clumsy and a little messy, the heart of the piece is in the right place. Just wanted to mention this because it comes out of nowhere and was an ...odd note to open on.

Final Thoughts: Highly Recommended

I'll always enjoy this variety of '80s slasher. They might not have a ton to say beyond the titillation, but not every ride at the amusement park can be The Hall of Presidents. Some are a rollercoaster, built purely for giddy thrills, cheap scares, and copious toplessness ...Okay, my analogy fell apart near the end there, but you get what I'm saying.

This is worth watching for Joe Spinell alone. The man is a particular kind of character actor / genre legend--he also appears in the first two Godfather and Rocky films, Sorcerer, and Taxi Driver for starters--and with any performer like that, I find watching them get to play the lead an endlessly entertaining use of my time. But beyond that, between the locations, the clever meta story, and the creative death scenes, The Last Horror Film offers a lot of entertainment for slasher fans.

HIM (2025) - Universal Pictures

HIM
Universal Pictures

Original Release Date Sept. 19th, 2025
Written by Skip Bronkie, Zack Akers, Justin Tipping
Directed by Justin Tipping
Starring Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, Jim Jefferies
Language English, Spanish, and French; (subtitles available)

Buy it HERE from Orbit

by "Doc" Hunter Bush, MovieJawn Podcast Director and Staff Writer 

Overview:

HIM comes to 4K & Blu-ray from Universal. Directed by relative newcomer Justin Tipping, whose previous film Kicks (2016) caught the eye of Jordan Peele, the film is almost over-stuffed with style, symbolism, and themes. Universal's release of HIM features a fantastic video transfer and audio package with a deep bench of bonus features.

The Movie Itself: Excellent

Four stars for a football x horror movie might seem high at first glance. I will admit that the film is more of a conceptual experiment than some more narratively focused films. What does it take to become The Best at something? What are you willing to do to get there? These sorts of questions are more what HIM is concerned with than telling a more traditional story with more traditional obstacles and nemeses, and on first viewing, that shook me.

It was on a repeat viewing that the film began to gel. All the disparate elements, as well as the prevalence of style, all started to come together more for me and really began to work together, like a team. The commentary track with director Justin Tipping further elucidated the sheer amount of detail and levels the film is working on at all times. Which isn't to say that HIM can't be over-stimulating, at times coming off like an especially grizzly, psyche-assaulting Gatorade commercial, it's just that over time, I've learned to add "(complimentary)" to the end of that statement.

Story and style aside, HIM features an impressive lead performance from Tyriq Withers (as Cam) and an absolutely dynamite, career-redefining performance from Marlon Wayans. Withers' emotive eyes convey a depth of emotion from scene to scene, always acting as a grounding force; a calm (no pun intended) eye of the storm no matter how crazy events outside are, and trust me, they get plenty crazy. Wayans, meanwhile, is essentially giving the best hair-trigger psychopath performance of the decade?

Ultimately there's more about HIM to root for than against, and as was my experience, a second go-round was what it took to really click with it. If you dig on unusual horror movies, occult symbolism, Alejandro Jodorowsky-style visuals (seriously), top-tier villain performances, or the ethos of "God, Family, Football", you'd be remiss in letting HIM pass you by.

The Packaging: Good

The packaging here is just fine; no large complaints. The cover image, especially coming from a film with so much visual creativity, is a little underwhelming: Zay stands behind a seated Cam, with his hands on Cam's shoulders, showcasing Zay's impressive collection of championship rings, with the vague impression of stadium lights behind them.

The case is your standard, black snap-case. There's also a slip cover which recreates the same cover image described above. Like I said, nothing necessarily wrong with it, but I think it's underselling the film's visual language a little in the hopes of catching the eye of football & horror fans with less avant-garde tastes?

The Video: Excellent

As with my Bugonia 4K review, I'm giving this an 'Excellent' because maybe, somewhere out there in the cinematic cosmos, there's a film that looks inarguably better than this. Maybe. Regardless, HIM looks incredible. Color, as director Justin Tipping mentions during his commentary track, plays a major part within the film, as do things like the costuming and set design. Even more so than in your average film. This 4K presentation does all of these justice, allowing you to soak up every detail. Every drop of blood, sweat, and tears is perfectly preserved.

The lighting is very manicured in HIM, due in large part to the unusual locations where they filmed, but everything is incredibly well-balanced here. Similarly the effects shots look tremendous. There are repeated sequences shot with an infrared camera, and to say things have come a long way since Predator (1987)'s heat vision is a massive understatement.

The Audio: Excellent

My major takeaway, sonically, from HIM was how well-integrated the score is. There's an entire special feature based around how the score was created, and the ways in which it was utilized, and with that in mind, I paid special attention to it upon my rewatch. Beyond just conveying the tone and emotional content, the score is manipulated in almost meta-textual ways, like having it performed as though it were part of the music being heard within the film itself!

My three-channel soundbar might not be the fanciest set-up, but the Dolby Atmos made the most of it. Dialogue was clear, the music was powerful, the sports and training impacts all felt brutal, and the sheer size of some of the rooms was conveyed very well through the mix.

The Supplements: Excellent

I'm giving the bonus features here a very high score because there are a lot of them, and they are obviously well thought-out. Aside from a bunch of deleted scenes and an alternate ending, there are numerous making-of featurettes examining the film's themes, how certain scenes were constructed, the casting of Marlon Wayans, and as mentioned above, the work that went into scoring the film.

I also want to give a special shout-out to the commentary track with director Justin Tipping, which was full of even more insights. It also features my favorite trope of commentary tracks: when a filmmaker will point out a moment in the film that is obviously an effects shot, briefly claim they did that practically, and then admit they were kidding, ending with some version of "That's what we call Movie Magic." Like a toddler giggling at the 'got yer nose' gag, I laugh every time.

• Alternate Ending: "Zay's Nightmare" (2:13, HD)
• Deleted End Credits Scene: "Food of Freedom" (1:07, HD)
• Deleted Scenes (13:20, HD):
• "Cheers"
• "Don't Be a Mascot"
• "The Publicist"
• "Fantasy Football"
• "Cam's Discovery"
• Becoming Them (9:07, HD)
• The Sport of Filmmaking (10:10, HD)
• Anatomy of a Scene: "A Diabolical Game of Catch" (4:26, HD)
• Anatomy of a Scene: "Rebirth" (4:53, HD)
• Hymns of a Goat (4:36, HD)

Final Thoughts: Highly Recommended 

I watched HIM for the first time at the end of last year, and enjoyed it just fine, but felt like I just wasn't on the same wavelength as the film. I jumped at the chance to review this release because I really wanted the chance to re-examine it, and I was not disappointed. HIM is a film that I can see being a tall order for some people: narratively light, thematically and conceptually dense, and with some very difficult moments (to paraphrase Justin Tipping "In football, the body horror is build-in").

However, nothing about the film is superfluous. There are no cheap scares, no pointless violence. Everything serves the film by supporting the themes, which are asking some very interesting questions. Add to that the fantastic lead performances, and the jaw-dropping visuals, and HIM makes for a very satisfying addition to the under-represented Sports Horror genre.

BUGONIA (2025) - Universal Pictures / Focus Features

Bugonia
Universal Pictures / Focus Features

Original Release Date: Oct. 24th, 2025
Written by Will Tracy, based on Save the Green Planet (2003) by Jang Joon-hwan
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
Starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Alicia Silverstone, Stavros Halkias
Language English, Spanish, or French, with subtitles also available in English, Spanish, or French

Buy it HERE from Orbit DVD

by "Doc" Hunter Bush, MovieJawn Podcast Director and Staff Writer 

The Movie Itself: Excellent

Bugonia is a film that plays with reality. You can read that sentence a few ways and they're each true. Bugonia plays with the audience's understanding of what is really happening, but it also plays around with elements of the world we find ourselves in. When unassuming but intense Teddy (Jesse Plemons), with the help of his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis) kidnaps wealthy CEO Michelle (Emma Stone), he doesn't do it out of malice or revenge. You see, Teddy has a crazy theory bolstered by online research and he intends to force Michelle to verify his improbable belief.

Bugonia constantly swaps who we believe. We spend just as much time early on with both factions, so there is no instinctual feeling that one or the other is our main character. Once Michelle is captured, she repeatedly changes her tactics when dealing with the implacable Teddy and much more tender Don, leaving the audience unsure from moment to moment how much of what we're seeing is to be believed. Beyond that, Lanthimos and screenwriter Will Tracy are playing with the preconceptions around conspiracy thought and the conspiracy theorists themselves. But I won't go too much further with that line of thought in order to avoid SPOILERS.

What I will say is that Aidan Delbis is a fantastic discovery and gives a very grounded performance. Being a comparatively inexperienced actor holding his own against Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, two fantastically naturalistic performers, even in something as out there as Bugonia, it's quite a feat.

The Packaging: Average

This is a fairly basic first-run release, but not shabby by any means. There is a slipcover with the same image as the disc cover: a bald Michelle staring upwards in what may be ecstasy, with what looks like honey and blood dripping down the image. It's all very warm; orangey browns and tans with the golden maybe-honey and maroon maybe-blood. Inside you find the sleek black plastic dual disc 4K case. Like I said, a pretty traditional release, but still quite handsome.

The Video: Excellent

The video looks incredible. Bugonia looks incredible and is made more so by largely being unremarkable. There are not many flashy shots or sets on display, but what is here has been crafted with such intentionality that it lends the film a fascination. Sure, Michelle's offices are cool and ultra modern, but it's the home where Teddy and Don live that repeatedly caught my eye. The house was constructed from the ground up in High Wycombe in England (doubling for Atlanta, Georgia) and was designed by set designer Prue Howard. There are so many interesting details, and the choices in color, texture, and layout made every scene shot inside feel like looking into a jewel box.

To that end, the cinematography by Robbie Ryan--his third collaboration with Lanthimos after The Favorite (2018) and Poor Things (2023)--is amazing. Deep colors, deep shadows, an appreciation for light in a space and for the feel of nature, which is a surprisingly relevant subtext for this film. Ryan shot on VistaVision, a technique that utilizes a widescreen version of tradition 35mm film, the same technique recently used on The Brutalist (cinematographer Lol Crawley) and One Battle After Another (cinematographer Michael Bauman) making the 2020s the biggest era for the technique since the late '60s.

All of these details in the settings and location, all the fine detail allowed by the VistaVision format is all beautifully rendered in this release. I was frequently struck by how sumptuous a scene looked, whether it was Michelle being held in the basement or Teddy riding his bike to work in bright sunshine, but somehow it never distracted from the overall film. I felt fully immersed in the experiences, like being there. I don't believe I've ever seen a transfer this satisfying looking, but I'm certainly open to the idea.

The Audio: Excellent

I am incredibly happy to see that composer Jerskin Fendrix is nominated for an Academy Award for this score. For multiple reasons. Firstly, it's just a very good score: it has movement and utilizes an occasional focus on one group of instruments over another to highlight feelings of unease, or to emphasize the scope of Teddy's beliefs with appropriate sonic gravitas. What's more, and is my second talking point, he composed this fantastically well-suited score without access to a script or a rough-cut of the film. Apparently Lanthimos, who Fendrix says "...likes to mess with me", only gave him a handful of key words to work from!

I don't have the fanciest of set-ups currently, just a three-channel soundbar, but I noticed no issues with the audio package for Bugonia. On a practical level, I never had to adjust the volume once I found a good level and despite the presence of the occasional deep tones or intentionally buzzy string section, my soundbar was never tortured, never vibrated to a distracting degree. Additionally, from a mixing perspective, there are scenes with multiple points of audio information and they're all perfectly clear. For example, one scene of Teddy biking features the score, the audio from podcasts he's listening to, and the sounds of the world around him: nature, passing cars, etc. All in a pretty perfect balance.

The Supplements: Average

This only has one feature, I checked both the 4K and standard Blu-ray discs just to be sure, which is underwhelming to put it mildly. This is the main deterrent for me when I consider picking up a recent movie's first major release. But, I will say, it's a very interesting featurette and at over 20 minutes, it's nothing to sneeze at. Would I have liked dedicated, deeper-diving featurettes on the set design, the score, the cinematography, and etc.? I sure would, but I'm not against doing a bit of my own research when something interests me.

• The Birth and the Bees: The Making of Bugonia (23:07) (HD)

Final Thoughts: Highly Recommended

I've been in the pocket for Yorgos Lanthimos since I went to see The Lobster on a date--yes, and we're still together--and have never really been disappointed in any of his films. Even so, I think Bugonia is a triumph of creativity and fantastic film on multiple metrics. Despite being a remake of a film and sharing a ton of thematic and ideological DNA with that, it is (or I suppose they are) just fantastically unique and thought-provoking. Beyond that, as exemplified above, I loved the production end of things on this film. It looks, sounds, and overall feels fantastic. Just an excellent viewing experience.

If you like auteur filmmaking, UFO / conspiracy thought, paranoid thrillers and stand out, believable performances, Bugonia is a must see, and this release does justice to it all.

BORN IN FLAMES (1983) - Criterion

Born in Flames
Criterion
Original Release Date: Feb. 20th, 1983
Written by Ed Bowes, Lizzie Borden
Directed by Lizzie Borden
Starring Honey, Jean Satterfield, Adele Bertei, Florynce Kennedy
Language English (SDH available)

Get your copy HERE from Criterion, or HERE from Diabolik

by "Doc" Hunter Bush, MovieJawn Podcast Director and Staff Writer 

The Movie: Excellent

Half documentary, half science fiction polemic, Born in Flames asks questions that are still as relevant as ever. Instead of imagining a dystopian future, filmmaker Lizzie Borden shows us a future ten years out from a "socio-democratic" victory. Described as "the most peaceful war ever", it seems the U.S.A. just decided they were fed up with fascism and communism and have now settled into a seemingly idyllic worldview. Except not everyone is being treated truly equally.

In the included interview, Borden boils the film down to its central idea: "What if women were still left behind after the socialist revolution? It would be working women and women of color." We are therefore introduced to a number of revolutionaries; women attempting to affect change. Honey (played by Honey), and Isabel (Adele Bertei) both host late night (pirate?) radio shows--Phoenix Radio and Radio Ragazza respectively--playing tunes and urging listeners not to settle for the imperfect world of the new American Socialism, better though it may be, and Adelaide (Jean Satterfield) and Zella (Florynce Kennedy) of the Women's Army, with Adelaide doing the more boots-on-the-ground good work of recruiting and organizing relevant protests, like a secretary's strike.

There are also the Bicycle Brigades, groups of women on bikes who travel the city keeping an eye out for women being harassed, preventing assaults by circling like sharks and drawing attention by blowing whistles. In what I think is a perfect distillation of the film's themes, a newscaster reports that "...officials condemn the lawlessness of such vigilantism asking for information regarding the women involved" before cheekily adding "...perhaps even their telephone numbers."

This shows the central hypocrisy of Borden's futuristic world: women are still not being treated fairly with regards to equal job opportunities and basic physical safety, meanwhile we are shown a cabal of men trying to suss out the leadership structures of these groups and organizations in an attempt to dismantle them. This hypocrisy, that women are not to have their needs taken seriously but are simultaneously a potential threat to all of society, is the logical discordance that drives the film. With Born in Flames, Borden seems to be plainly asking: Which is it?

Borden cast non-actors for most of the roles and, rather than giving them strict lines to follow, would have a discussion of the scene's themes, then allow them to speak their minds. These issues were what was on their minds at the time and, while the issues at hand have most definitely changed, we as a society are still nowhere near anything you could call an idyll.

As things build towards a legitimately quite shocking ending (which is all I will say), Borden's obvious punk ethos and ideals of equality are underlined and undermined in equal measure. Though obviously made inexpensively, and largely lacking recognizable names (there are a few exceptions), Born in Flames is a powerful example of a filmmaker pushing the boundaries of their means, and not being afraid to demand better from the world.

The Packaging: Excellent 

This is your average Criterion packaging, which is overall better and sturdier than your average slim, blue case. The cover image is of Honey staring down the barrel of the camera while addressing the city via her Phoenix Radio show, with appropriately punk-tinged text and visual jazz.

The Audio + Video: Good

This is not a crystal clear film. Borden shot on whatever film was available, including scrap ends, so there are some changes in visual quality from time to time, and overall, even though Born in Flames has been restored, it still looks like what it is: a film more concerned with passion than precision made by a filmmaker with something to say.

But that roughness, the grain, the quote/unquote "imperfections" are emblematic of punk. Born in Flames is gritty, not pretty, and chooses poignancy over technical perfection. This only adds to the faux documentary aesthetic, feeling off-the-cuff and unrehearsed, which sells the reality presented in the film, in turn underscoring the film's once-and-future relevance. It cannot be understated how brilliantly creative this approach is. Rather than setting her film in an overblown dystopia, having the world seem otherwise "good" really demands the viewer interrogate their own world and ideals. More authors spring to mind than have utilized this approach than filmmakers, so aspiring directors: take note.

Special Features: Average

I'm lukewarm on the special features on this one. With something like this, which is fairly unique conceptually and was created in a similarly unique way, I would like all the context you can give me. What's included here is an admittedly very informative interview with Borden, and her previous feature, 1976's Regrouping.

Regrouping, briefly, is another not-exactly documentary. If the opening text is to be believed, it was originally intended to be more of a straight-ahead document of a women's group, before the subject group lost interest, leaving Borden holding the bag. My read on it is that it ends up becoming a frustrating viewing experience about the frustrations she was feeling, but I'll leave you to make your own assessments.

Altogether, I feel like, even supplemented by the essays in the included booklet, I still want for more context.

• Lizzie Borden Interview (12:21)
• Regrouping (1:15:06)

In Summary: Buy it on sale

Obviously, all films are not for all people, and non-narrative (or not-exactly narrative) films can be a slightly taller order. Born in Flames, despite the novelty of its futuristic setting, and the shocks of its climax (which I avoided discussion of because I believe it's best experienced without expectation), this is still ultimately a documentary. However, I feel like the concerns, the issues, at the core of the film are still so prevalent that the film is worth watching as more than just a snapshot of its time. Definitely worth watching, slightly less definitely worth owning.

NEVERMORE: THE RAVEN EFFECT (2025) - ETR Media

Nevermore: The Raven Effect
(Aug. 23rd, 2025)
ETR Media
Directed by Geordie Day
Written by Geordie Day
Starring Scott Levy, Billy Corgan, Tommy Dreamer

Buy it HERE from Vinegar Syndrome

by "Doc" Hunter Bush, MovieJawn Podcast Director and Staff Writer 

Overview:

Nevermore: The Raven Effect comes to Blu-ray from ETR Media. Directed by documentarian Geordie Day, who has a pedigree of TV and features from true crime to sports docs, Nevermore unpacks the life, legacy, and impact of a key figure in the independent wrestling scene. While ETR's release lacks bonus content to sweeten the deal, the movie itself is still a draw.

The Movie Itself: 5 stars

Documentaries are always odd creatures for critical review, at least to me. Traditional concepts about narrative structures and cinematography are, if not entirely out the window, then at least skewed. While you can, and many do, structure the way they deliver information according to some version of a story arc, filmmakers are still more constrained by actual events than in any other art form. Likewise, the cinematography is largely up to whatever footage is available. So what most documentaries come down to for me is how informative they are. How well and how fairly do they deliver the information at their core?

In that regard, Nevermore: The Raven Effect is a triumph. I'm a lifelong Philadelphian, and sometime-long wrestling fan, so there are periods of my life where I was made extremely aware of Raven and of ECW. Raven was always regarded as something of a mastermind, and over the years, I became more aware of his reputation within the industry for having one of the smartest minds for the art form of wrestling, But I'd never been able to find too much footage of the man speaking out of character.

Thankfully, documentarian Geordie Day delivers exactly that, and in droves. Very early on, Raven (né Scott Levy) says "Wrestling is the only thing I was ever a natural at. That and taking opiates." That kind of honesty and humor are present throughout the doc, and Raven speaks just as openly about everything from his early years, to his struggles with injury and drugs (an all too common refrain in wrestlers, especially of the era), to how he views himself.

The Blu-ray:

This release features a reversible cover, with each side showcasing a different illustration of Raven in his heyday. On one side, he sits on the corner, "Raven's perch", with the ground in front of him strewn with weapons. A crowd of sign-wielding fans is cast in magenta tones behind him, and an actual Raven sits on the turnbuckle above his head (which I'm fairly certain never happened, but not 100% sure).

The reverse side shows Raven standing in a ring wrapped in barbed wire, holding two title belts. The background of fans has been replaced with the chainlink fence of a steel cage. It's a strangely haunting illustration. There was also a slipcover featuring additional illustrations--Raven in the ring with Sandman standing outside, bloodied on one side, Raven taking an unprotected chair shot on the reverse--from the same artist, whose name I could not find, but alas, it seems to have sold out.

The Video: 4 stars

This release looks great, but as I said, traditional ideas of cinematography and discussion of things like film grain and the like are kind of pointless here. Everything shot specifically for this doc is nice and crisp, and overall, the footage from early in Levy's career looks good; nothing's too grainy to understand what you're looking at, which I suppose is the benefit of only having to go so far back.

The doc does something kind of fun with still photos: a faux-3D effect where the background and focal portion of an image are presented on two different planes with slight motion between them. It gives them an extra oomph of dynamism, which I appreciated.

The Audio: 3 stars

Similarly, the audio was perfectly acceptable for a documentary, and even through my three-channel soundbar, was immersive enough. I can't think of any moments that stand out especially in either a positive or negative manner from an audio perspective, other that really enjoying some of the music chosen.  The slightly different room sounds / tones in the various interviews with Levy really help remind you that this was something assembled over a long period of time: softer and warmer in his living room for instance, verses in some cavernous lobby, doing a meet and greet.

The Supplements: 2 stars

The majority of the Bonus Features are additional interview snippets from the likes of Blue Meanie, DDP, RVD, Tommy Dreamer, and Chris Jericho. They're at times heartwarming, like Jericho realizing how close he came to never getting together with his wife, and at time heartbreaking; Perry Saturn detailing the hardships he's gone through are tough to handle. But they're all fascinating.

• Bonus Interviews:
• Billy Corgan (3:37)
• Blue Meanie (6:02)
• Chris Jericho (3:36)
• DDP (6:20)
• Raven (2:17)
• RVD (16:47)
• Sandman (5:36)
• Saturn (7:27)
• Tommy Dreamer (7:16)
• Trailer (2:32)

Final Thoughts: 

Nevermore: The Raven Effect will appeal to a subset of a subset of people: wrestling fans might only have a passing familiarity with Raven to begin with, but if you're someone who is interested in wrestling as an art form, and not just the entertainment it produces, you could do a lot worse than hearing Scott Levy's story straight from the Raven's mouth as it were. Beyond that, his involvement with ECW allows for a really interesting idea of what ECW was at the time to form at the edges of this doc. If you're an aspiring wrestler, or someone interested in the craft of wrestling, Raven's story gives you plenty to admire, and plenty to avoid. Recommended.

DAKOTA (1974) - Cult Epics

Dakota
Cult Epics
Apr. 11th, 1974
Written by Charles Gormley, Jan Verstappen, Harrie Verstappen, idea by Wim Verstappen
Directed by Wim Verstappen
Starring Kees Brusse, Diana Dobbelman, Monique van de Ven, Willeke van Ammelrooy
Language Dutch (w/English subs)

Click HERE to purchase from MVD

by "Doc" Hunter Bush, Podcast Director and Staff Writer at MovieJawn

The Movie: Average

Dick de Boer (Kees Brusse) loves being a pilot. He loves his plane, the titular DC-3 Dakota, but times are tough. He has a mandatory inspection coming up in a few months and will need a few thousand bucks to get the plane in shape enough to pass muster. What's a fella to do? Well, smuggling seems to be an option. As de Boer, his world and his problems slowly come into focus, we begin to feel the tension that must be alive inside him all the time.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a film quite like Dakota. Though it's described as an "adventure film" by the Encyclopedia of International Film (a German collection of film reviews from the magazine Filmdienst), it's more of a slow-burn moral thriller than anything else. The climax of the film begins roughly halfway through the run time, and we're given our most direct assessment of de Boer in the film's penultimate scene; the kind of character description usually placed at the beginning, to help the audience find their collective footing. Very unique.

I don't know if all of it works for me. Kees Brusse's performance could be called stoic if I was being especially flowery. The man is a cipher. He gives away very little, only occasionally getting angry, but even these moments aren't big emotional outbursts. This can work in a film, see Le Samouraï (1967) for instance, but nothing ever felt out of de Boer's control.

The big set piece of Dakota is one long flight, on which de Boer is transporting a whole bunch of boxes. The audience can take their guesses at what's in 'em, and de Boer seems curious, but ultimately decides it might be better not to know. Early in the film some acquaintance at the airport warns de Boer that his flight plans have been raising negative attention--he'll sometimes take twice as long going one way on a trip than on the return--and a meeting with Helen (Diana Dobbelman) to inquire about a job reveals that she's also under surveillance.

Taking his cargo of mystery boxes (J.J. Abrams, eat your heart out), de Boer flies to a nearby friendly island, offloads all the seats, and onboards a dozen barrels of fuel allowing him to fly and refuel uninterrupted. The following sequence is presented as though it has the inherent tension of driving that truck full of explosives across the bridge in Sorcerer (1977), but the quietude of the Dick de Boer performance means that my pulse never really pounded. Instead, the sequence sells de Boer's competence as a pilot.

What all this means is that the film might scratch the itch for viewers who appreciate technical proficiency. If the technical and logical acuity of the time travel in Primer (2004) really appeals to you, or you find the tactical accuracy in the John Wick films really satisfying, Dakota might tick the same box for you. For me, while I enjoyed the film as a character piece, and its overall message about freedom, it left little for me to strongly recommend. 

The Packaging: Excellent

Obviously, I had some issues with the film as a whole. Well, I have none when it comes to the packaging. The release comes in a handsome, sturdy clear case allowing you to see the reversible cover. On one side is an illustration designed by Juan Esteban R. of Dick de Boer working on one of the Dakota's engines. The reverse is the original Dutch poster art featuring the Dakota soaring past the logo with drawings of Kees Brusse, Monique van de Ven, and Willeke van Ammelrooy set against a serene blue sky. There is also a slipcover edition depicting the Juan Esteban R. illustration.

I genuinely love the look of this release and have enjoyed seeing it on my shelf, waiting for me to dive in to the film.

The Audio + Video: Excellent

For a film that is over fifty years old, this release of Dakota looks incredible. Yes, there's film grain and the particular orangey-red of the opening credits and titles looks a little deep-fried, but none of it was unwatchable (or unreadable in the case of the titles). While not crystal clear and sharp, these kinds of visual signifiers add the to texture of a film. It adds a certain respectable aging to the movie and that is in no way a detriment.

Beyond that, the cinematography is wonderful. Dick de Boer driving around Curaçao looks great and feels like a travelogue. That feeling quadruples once the Dakota is in the sky. Interesting fact: Jan de Bont, director of such '90s classics as Speed (1994) and Twister (1996), was the original cinematographer on this before allegedly developing some kind of relationship with actress Monique van de Ven which led to both of them eventually leaving the project. While van de Ven apparently had her character removed from the portion of the film she had not yet shot, de Bont was replaced by Theo van de Sande.

For what it's worth, I think both cinematographers did a fantastic job. Watching the Dakota languidly cutting through the sky, with a shimmering ocean below truly feels like magic. I should also say that I have no knowledge of how accurate this anecdote may be, as I saw another source saying van de Ven and de Bont began their relationship on another film set. So who knows?

Special Features: Average

I was not wowed by the special features here, gang, despite initially being quite excited. The first is the Dakota Press Flight, and the 2nd is just titled Cannes Film Festival. Both of these were, frankly, boring. Almost no one is introduced in any way, so I never really knew who or what I was looking at. The effect is akin to watching a stranger's home movies from parties you weren't at. They all seem to be having fun, which is great, but not interesting (to me at least).

Now I will say that on the Dakota Press Flight, when they have engine trouble and have to perform an emergency landing for repairs, I was slightly more engaged that the previous footage of journalists I don't know drinking and smoking on a plane. But then they fix the problem and get back on the plane to resume drinking, smoking and hanging out. Similarly, there are a few moments of drama in the Cannes video, but since I don't really know who any of these folks are, I'm more than a little lost.

In all fairness, I have not yet listened to the included commentary, from Peter Verstraten, so perhaps it will establish some context and resolve some of my issues. I'll get to it eventually.

• Dakota Press Flight (19:14)
• Cannes Film Festival (8:16)
• Gallery
• Scorpio Films Trailers
• Dakota (1974) (2:43)
• Wan Pipel (1976) (3:30)
• Frank & Eva (1973) (2:24)
• My Nights with Susan, Sandra, Olga, & Julie (1975) (2:04)
• Obsessions (1969) (2:56)
• Blue Movie (1971) (1:52)
• Pastorale 1943 (1978) (2:01)

In Summary: Borrow this (consult your local library!)

Dakota is a very interesting film, and can see why others with more specific tastes would dig it, but it's just not quite for me. Much as I was excited to check out a Dutch film (I can think of one or two I've seen that were actually made by Dutch filmmakers, not just filmed around the Netherlands), and as interested as I have since become in Scorpio Films (created by Dakota director Wim Verstappen and producer Pim de la Parra, a director in his own right), Dakota just barely registered on my radar, which would probably make Dick de Boer very happy.

THE BETRAYAL (1966) - Radiance Films

The Betrayal
Radiance Films
Original release date: July 2nd, 1966 (Japan)
Written by Rokuhei Susukita (original idea), Seiji Hoshikawa & Tsutomu Nakamura (screenplay)
Directed by Tokuzô Tanaka
Starring Raizô Ichikawa, Kaoru Yachigusa, Shiho Fujimura, Ichirô Nakatani, Takuya Fujioka
Language Japanese (English subs)
Runtime 1 hr, 27 mins

Buy it HERE from MVD, or HERE from Radiance

by "Doc" Hunter Bush, MovieJawn Podcast Director and Staff Writer 

What happens when a system founded on honor is inhabited and manipulated by dishonorable men? What does honor mean then? The Betrayal throws you into the deep end right from the jump. Gorgeous black and white cinematography and the sprawling countryside of 1960s Japan quickly give way to a samurai on horseback who rides into town, to the Minazuki clan dojo and demands to be trained. After being told that the master has retired for the day and that the dojo is closed, the man storms off, badmouthing the dojo to other Minazuki samurai he encounters on the road. In a moment of prideful weakness, the samurai lash out, fatally wounding the man but not killing him.

This begins a harrowing story about love and honor that manages to cram the emotional movement and bodycount of your average epic into a sleek 87 minute runtime. When the man's brother arrives at the Minazuki dojo demanding satisfaction for what we learn was the eventual death of his brother, who rode home badly wounded, he demands vengeance. Fearing a war with this more powerful neighboring clan, Master Taihei (Shôzô Nanbu) turns to his right hand man, and soon-to-be son-in-law, Kobuse (Raizô Ichikawa). The plan is this: since no one will claim responsibility, Kobuse will take the blame, be exiled, and spend one year as a wandering ronin. By the time he returns, tensions will have passed and he will be allowed to reintegrate into the dojo and finally marry Taihei's daughter Namie (Kaoru Yachigusa).

What no one anticipates is that Master Taihei would pass away suddenly in the intervening year. Once Jurota (Ichirô Nakatani), the one fellow Minazuki samurai who knew the truth, denies all knowledge, Kobuse is left with no one to believe his story. Additionally, having been denied their bloody reparations, the Iwashiro clan are actively on the hunt for Kobuse. Homeless, honorless, and hunted, Kobuse repeatedly finds himself in situations where he is the only levelheaded swordsman, the only truly honorable man.

The Betrayal gave me Infernal Affairs (2002) / The Departed (2006) vibes once I wrapped my head around all the players and their POVs, so fans of that kind of life-or-death tension and wronged-man stories: pay attention.

This release comes in a sturdy case with a double-sided cover. One side is an image from the film of Kobuse in a stand-off against his former master atop a ridge, while the reverse side is a more stylized image of Kobuse in a pop of color, with several black and white opponents in the background done in a pseudo-collage style and set against a stark white background. Both are fantastic choices to have on your shelf; one giving off more "film appreciator" aesthetic while the other is a touch more "grindhouse".

Also included is a booklet with some details on the transfer and a fascinating essay from film studies author Alain Silver which details a lot of cultural and cinematic language and explains how certain aspects of storytelling present in The Betrayal evolved out of kabuki theatricality. He also compares certain directorial choices to films like Harakiri (1962) and assorted works of Akira Kurosawa. This gives me not only a lot of context (which I love) but a leg up on the language I can use to discuss these things.

The Betrayal looks fantastic. Obviously, there's some film grain and texture present in this release, but the images are very sharp, offering an entire spectrum of shades despite this being a black and white film. There's also a certain artfulness to shooting with only black and white in mind, a deliberateness you can feel in the framing of shots and the combinations of set and costume to make actions and movements clearly readable. You can throw a desaturation filter over your Logan (2017) or Fury Road (2015) and enjoy them, but it's a completely different animal to watch something made by filmmakers actively thinking in monochrome.

The one wrinkle that might turn off some of the more tech-geeky film aficionados out there is that this is a mono audio track. Personally, I didn't mind it. I don't really expect or need a film from 60 years ago to offer an immersive audio experience (even if I had that kind of set-up, which I don't) and the mono track not only gave me everything I needed from it, but it also kind of reinforces the throwback-y feel of watching a film that takes place in a different century. Much as small children looking at old photographs might assume that the world of 100+ years ago was actually sepia or black & white, even though I know better, I kind of like to believe this mono audio is what Japan might have actually sounded like in whatever century this story takes place in. There's different approaches to the concept of "immersion", is my point.

Overall the special features present on this disc are decent. While there isn't a full-length commentary track, there are a selection of scene-specific commentaries, from Tom Mes, (which thankfully have a 'Play All' option) offering insight into the filmmaking and background of director Tokuzô Tanaka, and leading me to track down the film Orochi (1925), which directly inspired The Betrayal. The 'Path to Betrayal' featurette, narrated by Philip Kemp, expands upon that relationship and compares moments from both films. One amusing anecdote is that Orochi (which means 'Serpent') was originally titled The Outlaw, but could not be released under that name because it depicted the titular outlaw in a heroic light.

I wasn't wild over the third bonus feature, which plays like a PowerPoint presentation on Recurring Visual Themes in Tokuzô Tanaka's films. While I found the subject matter itself interesting, the presentation--just text over footage--felt a little lacking. I'd have more enjoyed a little more of an examination of what these elements might represent narratively in the various films, and some narration (if Tom Mes, who put it together, wasn't available, that Philip Kemp fella did a bang-up job). Also, not to be nitpicky, but if the titles of all these films could be onscreen for longer (so I can add 'em to my Letterboxd watchlist), that would've been much appreciated.

• Scene Specific Commentary (41:24)
• The Path To Betrayal (10:00)
• Recurring Visual Themes (9:24)

The world of samurai / bushido films goes deeper than Kurosawa, great as that filmography obviously is, and I'm very glad that The Betrayal is being made available. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in this world. Imagine enjoying organized crime films, but only ever hearing about The Godfather (1972), or the films of Martin Scorsese. Sure, you're getting great stuff, but what about Donnie Brasco (1997), The Untouchables (1987), or Miller's Crossing (1990)? This is why I'm glad and grateful to live during an nearly unprecedented era of film access. I'm able to be exposed to so many films outside the usual lanes that are still well within the genres I enjoy. Additionally, the special features here led me to track down Orochi, which if nothing else, makes me feel slightly more well-rounded as a film viewer.

The Betrayal is a blast that throws you into the action as it begins and doesn't waste any time after that. Every moment furthers the story, increasing our understanding of the characters and the importance they place on their honor. Then of course, when that honor is finally ...betrayed, we're treated to a climactic marathon of violent retribution. When the film ended, I was stunned in my seat. While the release might have some minor technical deterrents for some, I still wholeheartedly recommend you seek this one out if you enjoy Kill Bill (2003/2004) or the aforementioned Kurosawa, and want to dive deeper.