David "The Rock" Nelson Collection: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		1.0
Video		2.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		3.5

David "The Rock" Nelson Collection: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 5, 2024

Conrad Brooks was a B-movie actor primarily known for his association with notorious director Ed Wood, and he would be the first person to remind you of this connection. Brooks participated in the making of “Glen or Glenda,” “The Sinister Urge,” and “Plan 9 from Outer Space,” enjoying the attention of such career achievements, and he has a superfan in Dave “The Rock” Nelson. A monster cinema maniac, Nelson developed a desire, perhaps obsession, to make little pictures indulging his greatest genre fantasies, cranking out titles while paying no attention to technical achievements. It’s all about the love of the game for Nelson, who tries to blend his favorite things in 1994’s “Conrad Brooks vs. Werewolf,” which puts the actor in the danger zone, portraying…well, himself, as he spends a sunny afternoon in Baltimore running around a pier and a cemetery, chasing Nelson in a Halloween mask. The intent is to generate a shot-on-video romp with older men and a helmer who really has little idea what he’s doing. It’s meant to be fun, but “Conrad Brooks vs. Werewolf,” from the moment it begins, transforms into a small screen dead zone, with viewers treated to amateur acting and backyard filmmaking that puts in no effort to become the schlocky blast it imagines itself to be.

It’s a lovely day in Baltimore, and Henry (Henry Bederski) is determined to spend it in a drunken haze. Stumbling out of a bar in the early afternoon, Henry elects to enjoy happenings at a local pier, unaware that a Werewolf (David “The Rock” Nelson) is stalking him. When Henry is killed by the creature, Ted (Ted Brooks) discovers the body, sharing news of the murder with his brother, Conrad (Conrad Brooks). Angered by such senseless violence, Conrad picks up an Uzi, setting out to destroy the Werewolf, who apparently resides in an old cemetery. Conrad is joined by Ted, who brings a baseball bat to the fight, with the men hunting for the monster, prepared to kill a beast who’s trying to hunt them.

“Conrad Brooks vs. Werewolf” demands a lot of patience to sit through. Even at 44 minutes in length, extraordinarily little happens in the picture, which begins with shots of Henry drinking at a bar. Nelson can’t handle basic camera focus, and the point of inebriation is cartoonishly communicated, with the character soon hitting the pier for an afternoon of staggering around. The only passably amusing element in the feature are the few moments Nelson conducts business in the public, watching pedestrians react puzzlingly to a drunk old man, while a guy in a werewolf mask and gloves tries to act stealthily in the bright sun of the day.

Henry eventually loses a battle with Werewolf, and Ted is there to discover the scratched body, sharing news with Conrad, who’s not about to let the monster get away with murder. Weirdly, Conrad knows exactly where the creature resides, which permits Nelson to get out of public view (not before adding shots of Conrad walking around populated areas with a toy Uzi), taking the action to the privacy of an old cemetery, allowing him to mess around without outside interference. “Conrad Brooks vs. Werewolf” doesn’t intensify. In fact, it goes right to sleep, with Nelson sweating to pad the effort with lengthy scenes of characters walking, and Conrad mostly narrates everything he does, making sure to offer as many Ed Wood references as possible. Instead of launching a B-movie battle, Nelson seems determined to bore viewers to death.

David "The Rock" Nelson Collection: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Conrad Brooks vs. Werewolf" was shot with a commercial grade camera, and editing is deck-to-deck, leaving the viewing experience pretty standard looking for a no-budget, home movie-like endeavor from the era. Editorial damage is common, including many blackouts, and overall age is hard to miss. Detail isn't there for the SOV production, offering only a general understanding of frame information, and even that's not always the case as basic focus is challenged at times. Color also wrestles with the duped look of the picture, offering fade and age. Only the most powerful of hues remains, including greenery and the brown fur of the monster.

David "The Rock" Nelson Collection: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA also deals with technical limitations and age. Dialogue exchanges are passable, with line-readings mostly yelled, helping the battle against background noise. Music is limited to maybe a single song, with most of the listening experience devoted to whatever Nelson's microphone is able to pick up, leaving chirping birds the uncredited composers of the movie.

David "The Rock" Nelson Collection: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Bonus Movies include "Son of Werewolf" (21:37) and "Adventures of Janet" (15:13).

• Intro (43:46, HD) for "Conrad Brooks vs. Werewolf" features director Dave "The Rock" Nelson in his basement, shouting at the camera. Somewhere in the middle of his ranting and raving, he offers some information about his connection to Conrad Brooks and their collaborations. Nelson is unhinged, and it doesn't seem to be an act, unless he's genuinely interested in repelling audiences. Only Nelson and his shtick knows for sure.

• "Bloopers and Outtakes" (36:08, SD) collects all the flubbed lines, mishaps, and clumsy ideas from "Conrad Brooks vs. Werewolf." Some of this material is simply long takes, permitting viewers to sample a bit of Dave "The Rock" Nelson's directorial presence.

• "The Brooks Brothers" (31:19, HD) is a 1994 interview with Ted, Henry, and Conrad Brooks. Dave "The Rock" Nelson offers a brief intro to set the scene, with the actual conversation taking place at a marina, complete with construction work carrying on in the area. The men discuss their careers, time with Ed Wood, and detail some personal history.

• "The Brooks Family" (13:54, SD) is a 1993 visit with Conrad Brooks, introducing grandchildren Gary and Geneva, daughter Connie, and dog Taco to viewers. The gang fields questions from Dave "The Rock" Nelson and show off shooting locations for "Conrad Brooks vs. Werewolf."

• "The Rock: Ed Wood of the 21st Century" (57:39, SD) is a 2010 documentary about the filmmaker, allowing him to discuss his career highlights and detail his love of horror movies. Clips from his work make up the highlights of the profile, allowing viewers to take a break from Nelson's tiring on-screen energy.

• "Pumpkinman Lives" (19:59, SD) is a 2023 short film by Brewce Longo, who pays tribute to the works of Dave "The Rock" Nelson.

• TV News Segment (2:20, HD) is a brief mention of Dave "The Rock" Nelson, celebrating the release of "Conrad Brooks vs. Werewolf."

• And Trailer #1 (3:06, SD) and Trailer #2 (10:14, SD) are included.

David "The Rock" Nelson Collection: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Conrad spends most of the movie trying to find Werewolf, and once he locates the monster, the rest of the picture is focused on ways to dispatch the beast. This includes the use of a soiled t-shirt, which Brooks peels off his own body to weaponize. "Conrad Brooks vs. Werewolf" is a brutal viewing experience with no momentum or compelling goofiness. It's made simply to delight Nelson, who doesn't care about filmmaking essentials (such as performances and editing), out to live his dream, which apparently involves creating leisurely "homages" for those with the patience to sit through them.