First off, let’s get the quality issue out of the way: Retromedia ain’t Warner Home Video or Sony. Fred Olen Ray is (I’m assuming) often working with his own personal library.. That said, most seem to be 35MM, and, to his credit, he does go the 16 x 9 anamorphic route. Suffice to say, many of his grindhouse prints are…well grindhouse prints. So get used to the scratches, reel change continuity gaps, audio pops, etc. Physical glitches of this sort, in any other DVD ensemble, would be rightfully lambasted as a detriment; however, considering Retromedia’s subject matter, the ragged shape of these ghosts of the Baby Boomer adolescent years, adds to their viewing fun and enjoyment. If you remember seeing them in your nabe or on The Deuce – this is about as close as one can get to authentically recreating that experience. Ok – now that we’ve rattled that skeleton, let me say that this new collection, MUSCLE MADNESS, looks and sounds about the best that I’ve ever seen in the company’s impressive growing catalogue. So onward to Mount Olympus!
GOLIATH AND THE SINS OF BABYLON (1963) chronicles the ancient city’s bummer summers when invaders regularly demanded 24 hot looking virgins for sacrifice. The men don’t like this – nor do the women…Figure it this way – if raising our transit fares this June pissed us off – imagine what this deal does to the average Babylonian. To the rescue are the rebel brigade freedom fighters featuring genre notable Mark Forest and a soon-to-be major star Giuliano Gemma. The babes include the eye-popping gorgeous Jose Greci (aka Liz Havilland, Susan Paget), who does some impressive sweating and flexing herself as the female participant in a chariot race. The real “keeper” of this entry is the print itself. A rarity for this kind of movie – especially for the U.S. release, was the decision to lens it in Technicolor and the extraordinary widescreen process TechniScope. The source used for this transfer is indeed a Technicolor 35 – and boy does it look it. Rich reds, deep blues and solid flesh tones add a lush luster to the proceedings usually lacking in the peplum. A friend correctly observed that a palace master establishing shot could be passed off as something out of Ray’s King of Kings (Nick – not Fred Olen). Of course, we’re not talking direction – we’re commenting on the awesome color of the segment…and, in regard to this manner, he was absolutely right.
On the downside of this platter is the co-feature – the incredibly stupid COLOSSUS AND THE AMAZON QUEEN (1960). I don’t know why Retromedia insists on doing this – but every time they make points with serious collectors by presenting a movie in its correct aspect ratio, they delight in pairing it with a 16MM TV pan-and-scanned sidekick. Key to the peplums (as well as most 1960s Italian cinema) was the use of scope. When watched full frame, they are pointless grainy scanner-headache inducing torture tests. Why would someone want to view an extreme closeup of someone’s nose during a warrior confrontation? In this case, the proboscis in question is slumming star Rod Taylor, who supports peplum regular Ed Fury (misspelled on the jacket as Ed Fuy) and the supposed loveliness of Gianna Maria Canale and Daniella Rocca (supposed, as we never really see them). If it wasn’t on the same side as GOLIATH, I’d say just toss it like a discus. In these modern times, I must opt for ignore and eject.
The highpoint of this box is the single disc re-issue of THE STEVE REEVES COLLECTION. American-born Reeves was the only bona fide star to come out of this genre, and he indeed does posses the presence to transcend the prequisite act of barechestedly destroying any temple in sight with the possible exception of Shirley. He actually does emote on occasion, and effectively. Without question 1959’s GIANT OF MARATHON stands as one of his masterpieces. In this pic, Reeves suitably plays a celebrated Olympian who helps dethrone a corrupt society of evil politicians. Way to go! What is outstanding about this movie is the behind-the-scene talent. It’s co-directed by the brilliant Jacques Tourneur (Out of the Past, I Walked With a Zombie) and Mario Bava!!! Bava also tripled up as cinematographer and special effects supervisor. When one adds (the overworked and aforementioned) Daniella Rocca and the ridiculously beauteous Mylene Demongenot as the competing females – what’s there NOT to love. The color is a bit faded but not offensively so. In brief(s), this is one Zeus-damn good little movie!
The Reeves co-feature is 1963’s THE AVENGER (aka the more joke-ready WAR OF THE TROJANS). This is a sequel to 1961’s Trojan Horse, which proved a massive surprise hit worldwide. Here the nomadic survivors of the beleaguered city must battle a whole new populace of ruthless human scum while struggling to reconstruct their lives. Reeves plays Aneas – and good or bad – the English dubbers avoided the obvious possibilities. His two smokin’ panting babes in pursuit are Carla Marlier and the ravishing Liana Orfei. THE AVENGER is likewise well directed – this time by transplanted American Albert Band, who made the 1958 cult Richard Boone horror classic, I Bury the Living (in the 1980s, Band and his son would start their own independent production company that begat a slew of loopy top notch splatter fun – the most prominent being Stuart Gordon’s Re-Animator). As with MARATHON, THE AVENGER looks and sounds pretty decent; granted some of the color is washed-out, but not serious enough to prevent inclusion in that 1960s nostalgia program you’ve been talking about since the debut of Mad Men.
The final offering in this box is 1964’s HERCULES AGAINST THE MOONMEN, which, even for peplum logic, gongs the moronity clanger. Granted, the title alone underlines the fact you are not about to enter Graham Greene territory (EITHER of ‘em!), but truth be told, by ‘64, this kind of movie was already considered passé – something even the most unimaginative Italian producers must have realized. Here then is the result - the cinematic equivalent of waterboarding; adding insult to injury are the histrionics of star Alan Steel, who makes Bull Montana look like Ronald Colman. For non-discriminating three year olds or collectors who delight in live audience Mystery Science Theater fests.
Come on, Retromedia – more krimis and how ‘bout The Mongols or Gold For the Caesars?!!
- Mel Neuhaus
MUSCLE MADNESS: all single layer color Letterboxed [2.35:1; 16 x 9 anamorphic] with the exception of COLOSSUS AND THE AMAZON QUEEN, which is full frame toga smegma.
