6.7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A beautiful young martial arts expert stops a vicious street gang from robbing her grandparents' house. The gang marks her for murder, but her grandparents are killed instead. The girl sets out to take her revenge on the gang.
Starring: Robert Torti, Jon Greene (I), Tim Cutt, Tony Oliver, Hanala SagalAction | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (320 kbps)
BDInfo verified. 2nd track is the "lossy" track.
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
1984’s “Alley Cat” hopes to compete in the exploitation market, presenting a lead character who’s not one to accept trouble from others, using her karate training to make sure predatory men don’t mess with her twice. The production tries to work in some violence, nudity, and aggressive behavior to offer fans a decent ride, but the picture doesn’t get messy despite plenty of opportunity to do so. It’s something of a relief to see such restraint, with the directors (Victor M. Ordonez, Ed Palmos, and Al Valletta) actively working to make their R-rated vigilante story approachable to a slightly wider audience. It’s not a Disney production, but “Alley Cat” doesn’t revel in ugliness, providing B-movie entertainment with some fun fight scenes, an energetic lead actress with a loose command over her accent, and a somewhat timely condemnation of the American police and justice system. It’s not an especially good film, but with this type of escapism, anything that isn’t downbeat or too fetish-y is most welcome.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Alley Cat" is sourced from the 35mm original camera negative. Detail is excellent throughout the viewing experience, presenting distinct facial surfaces and full body views, and period costuming is fibrous, with lots of polyester suits and workout gear. L.A. locations are dimensional, showcasing the streets and buildings. Household decoration is open for study. Delineation is secure, preserving frame information with evening strolls around a particularly violent park. Colors are exact, enjoying bright clothing choices and vivid greenery. Makeup is defined, along with deeper uniform hues. Skintones are natural. Grain is heavier but film-like. Source is in good condition, with a few damaged frames here and there, and some mild scratches.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix delivers sharp dialogue exchanges, securing sometimes wildly different acting styles, and surges of emotion remain balanced, without distortive extremes. Scoring is lively and clear, supporting the action with satisfactory instrumentation. Sound effects deliver expected emphasis with martial art moves.
"Alley Cat" isn't sharply made (though music by Quito Colayco works especially hard to set a thriller mood), with a few clumsy performances and a lack of budgetary might. It's not relentless either, as stunt sequences only really escalate in the finale, with most of the feature about characters engaging in bad behavior or participating in mild sleuthing. "Alley Cat" isn't a lost gem, made for viewers who have a special fondness for exploitation movies from this era, where producers hired anyone with a look to become a screen brutalizer, always promising a little more than they could actually deliver. Mani isn't always commanding, but she's fun to watch, putting in some effort to become an L.A. force for justice, armed with half-speed karate and plenty of opportunities to clean up.
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