6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
In his off hours, a creepy security guard masquerades as a police officer, hassles prostitutes who think he's a real cop and lets them go in return for free sex. One day he happens to witness a woman murder her husband, and he decides that she should be punished for her crime, but in his own way.
Starring: Starlyn Simone, Uschi Digard, Wes Bishop, George E. Carey, Bob CresseErotic | 100% |
Crime | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono (96kHz, 24-bit)
BDInfo
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
There’s a category of sexploitation called “roughies.” These are darker endeavors that merge the graphic highlights of adult cinema with a degree of violence, playing into shadowed corners of stimulation that are often better off left unexplored. 1974’s “A Climax of Blue Power” is an example of a roughie, but one that’s mindful of audience expectations while trying to deliver a more concrete tale of mental illness run amok. It’s a highly bizarre movie, but that’s the point, with director Lee Frost stepping inside a disturbed character to capture his concept of fantasy and his capacity for harm.
"A Climax of Blue Power" is not a film that was expected to have any life past its initial theatrical distribution. The thought of a Blu-ray release for something like this was probably unthinkable to many, but Vinegar Syndrome has decided to take a chance here and offer an HD home to a forgotten endeavor. However, the AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation isn't a pristine viewing event, with Vinegar Syndrome unable to secure proper elements for their scan, dealing with a "moderately worn theatrical print" instead. The company is underselling the wear and tear just a little bit here, with large scratches and speckling displayed from start to finish, while the opening reel also showcases missing frames and judder. Reel changes are extremely rough, and some red flashing is present. One could make the argument that such condition contributes to the vibe of the feature. Beyond damage, clarity is strong, supplying graphic displays of body parts, with textured skin, and locations retain pleasing dimension. Colors shows their age, with some fade, but primaries are compelling, finding life in greenery and uniforms. Delineation is acceptable.
The 1.0 DTS-HD MA track is more problematic than the visual experience, with the mix disrupted by sustained damaged, resulting in constant volume fluctuation. While the overall rage of the feature is understood, a few lines get buried along the way, diminishing performances. Scoring is also challenged but remains loud enough to appreciate. Again, this is Vinegar Syndrome doing what they can to bring "A Climax of Blue Power" to Blu-ray, but volume instability is noticeable.
"A Climax of Blue Power" does contain a few surprises to sustain the viewing experience, and it always seems like Frost would be happier making a police procedural than an adult movie, showing more interest in the erosion of Eddie's reality and his position as a problematic witness than any of the coupling scenes (one includes a cameo from Uschi Digard). It's ugly, but take it as a slice of film history (not sexual gospel), and parts of "A Climax of Blue Power" work better than expected.
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