Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Death Game [The Seducers] / Little Miss Innocence [Teenage Innocence] Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 27, 2022

Peter Traynor's "Death Game" (1977) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Grindhouse Releasing. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new programs with the director; producer Larry Spiegel and cinematographer/editor David Worth; Sondra Locke; and Colleen Camp; extensive vintage promotional materials; and a lot more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The toy

In early 2019, the tiny boutique label Code Red restored Mark Lester’s directorial debut, Steel Arena (1973), and released it on Blu-ray. To date, I consider this film my biggest discovery on the high-definition format because it is an astonishing piece of Americana of the kind that will never again be possible to shoot in America. It is about a crew of professional daredevils that travel the country and stage giant shows so dangerous they have to be seen to be believed.

Approximately forty-eight hours ago, I learned that Peter Traynor, who directed Death Game, was also the producer of Steel Arena. The information emerged from a long, very interesting exclusive program featuring Traynor and Eli Roth, which is included as a bonus feature on this two-disc set of Death Game produced by Grindhouse Releasing. In this program, Traynor discusses in great detail how Steel Arena came to exist, why he initially misjudged its quality, and how shortly after it he decided to direct Death Game. While a completely different project, Death Game is a legit relative of Steel Arena, but not because of Traynor’s involvement, and I would like to tell you why because it is essentially what makes the former worth seeing.

The story that is told in Death Game is very simple. In San Francisco, an emergency spoils the romantic weekend of a wealthy businessman (Seymour Cassel) and his wife (Beth Brickell). Because the emergency is somewhere far away and the businessman has an important meeting coming up, only the wife packs her bags and quickly leaves. Soon after, on a cold and rainy night, two young and beautiful strangers (Sondra Locke and Colleen Camp) ring the businessman’s doorbell and he lets them into his lavish home. The businessman then agrees to have them spend the night there because the friend they have phoned is unable to pick them up right away. In the wee hours of the night, the businessman and his unexpected guests engage in a sexual game that gradually evolves into an unhinged sadomasochistic game no one seems capable of stopping.

This motion picture is based on a true story. It should serve to remind us that fate allows no man to insulate himself against the evil which pervades our society. This text appears at the very beginning of Death Game and is a form of defensive play that was supposed to buffer future criticism addressing the unhinged behavior Traynor and his crew captured in it. In case there is any doubt that this is precisely what the text was supposed to accomplish, watch the long program I referenced above in which producer Larry Spiegel and cinematographer/editor David Worth discuss the shooting of the prolonged threesome sequence. They were very, very enthusiastic about it, but not because they wanted to perfectly reconstruct a crucial segment of the true story from the quoted text. In other words, Death Game was conceived to be something entirely different, which is where its relationship to Steel Arena becomes undeniable.

Indeed, Death Game is a cinematic exhibition of unhinged behavior that is too real to be restaged. It is very stylized, but it is too real to be fully scripted, rehearsed, and restaged. In fact, certain parts of this exhibition become so organically fluid it is pretty easy to tell that at times Traynor was actually not in control of it and simply had the camera observe it. (The most striking footage in Steel Arena materializes in the exact same fashion, which is why the fatalities during shows are so gut-wrenching). According to Spiegel and Worth, this happened because Cassel was routinely loaded up on cocaine and alcohol while Camp temporarily became the character she played and somehow lost herself in the mayhem that becomes the centerpiece of the exhibition.

Something else that is worth mentioning is that the premise of Death Game seems like the original blueprint for Michael Haneke’s shocker Funny Games (1997). The latter is dramatically better controlled and utilizes a wider range of carefully scripted nihilistic thrills, but this is also the reason its messaging feels incredibly artificial.

*In an archival audio interview, Locke confirms that the original screenplay for Death Game was a lot more serious and creepy, and essentially unrelated to the exploitative film Traynor delivered. In 2015, Roth directed a remake of it titled Knock Knock, which brings back some of the more serious elements of the original screenplay Locke describes.

Death Game [The Seducers] / Little Miss Innocence [Teenage Innocence] Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.39:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Death Game arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Grindhouse Releasing.

The release is sourced from an exclusive new 4K master that is as impressive as the elaborate 4K makeovers the majors finalize. Indeed, in terms of delineation, clarity, and depth the visuals are often striking, though interestingly their strength also makes it quite easy to tell that the film was shot with a very modest budget. The most impressive visuals are from the lavish mansion and feature various layers of shadows and shadow nuances. The surface of the visuals is very healthy, too. (I only noticed one vertical line during an outdoor shot, which is probably too difficult or risky to completely remove with digital tools). Grain is wonderfully exposed and resolved. Colors are stable and healthy. However, this is the one area where I feel that some slightly more careful work could have been done. Why? Because there are prominent spikes of cyan that in certain areas give the film a slightly neon-esque contemporary appearance. The alterations are minor and usually affect primary blues and whites, but because they are consistent their presence is easy to identify in diverse areas. You can see examples of the effect on the overall color balance in screencaptures #7, 18, 25, and 26. On the other hand, during the indoor footage, for instance, there is quite a bit of stylization that actually enhances the prominence of other primaries, like green, so there are some very strong native color contrasts as well. Image stability is excellent. My score is 4.25/5.00.

Also included on this release as a bonus feature is Chris Warfield's film Little Miss Innocence. This film has been fully restored as well and looks terrific. It does not have the same stylization and polished appearance Death Game does, but it has strong organic qualities and looks exactly like a film from the early 1970s should. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Death Game [The Seducers] / Little Miss Innocence [Teenage Innocence] Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they split the image frame and the black bar below it.

The audio is excellent. If there were ever any serious age-related imperfections, and I have to assume that there were, it is impossible to tell. The dialog is clear, sharp, and very easy to follow. Yes, there are a few minor dynamic fluctuations, but they are inherited, not a byproduct of any encoding flaws. Dynamic intensity is modest, but once the mayhem begins there are some pretty good contrasts.

Death Game [The Seducers] / Little Miss Innocence [Teenage Innocence] Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

BLU-RAY DISC ONE

• Trailer - presented here is a remastered vintage trailer for Death Game. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Commentary One - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by actress Colleen Camp and Eli Roth. Mrs. Camp discusses the early stages of her acting career and recalls how she was offered to do Death Game; what it was like to work with Peter Traynor, Sondra Locke, and Seymour Cassel; and how she dealt with her wild character. (Apparently, it was Death Game that introduced Locke to Clint Eastwood). Also, there are some very interesting comments about the visual style of the Death Game, its importance for the intended atmosphere, and the long hot tub sequence. .

• Commentary Two - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by producer Larry Spiegel and cinematographer/editor David Worth. Understandably, it has much more diverse technical information addressing the on-location shots and framing of particular scenes, the use of natural light/color light and shadow, the use of a hand-held camera, the voiceover "cheats" in a couple of shots, etc.

• Little Miss Innocence (1973) - presented here is Chris Warfield's film Little Miss Innocence a.k.a. Teenage Innocence, starring Sandy Dempsey, John Alderman, and Terri Johnson. Thematically, this film is very similar to Death Game, but stylistically it has more in common with the likes of Bonnie's Kids and The Centerfold Girls. In English, not subtitled. Dolby Digital 2.0. 1080p. (73 min).

BLU-RAY DISC TWO

• Ruthless: The Peter Traynor Story - in this exclusive program, Eli Roth interviews the director of Death Game and discuss his legacy as a filmmaker and producer. Apparently, the two gentlemen grew up in the same area of Boston and even visited the same movie theater before eventually moving to LA. I also learned that Mr. Traynor was the producer of my greatest discovery on Blu-ray, Steel Arena, which was recently restored. It is a fantastic program that essentially reveals how independent films were made in America during the 1970s. The program was produced on September 13, 2019. In English, not subtitled. (110 min).

• In the Moment - in this exclusive program, actress Colleen Camp and Eli Roth discuss the former's career, involvement with Death Game (and specifically what it was like to interact with "generous actors" like Seymour Cassel and Sondra Locke), the shooting of the violent fish tank sequence, the financing of the film (which was apparently done by ten dentists) and the problems that ensured because of it), etc. There are even a few hilarious comments about Mrs. Camp's famous helicopter scene in Apocalypse Now. In English, not subtitled. (61 min).

• Interview with Sondra Locke - in this exclusive audio interview, conducted via phone, Sondra Locke recalls her initial encounter with Clint Eastwood and discusses some of the films they made together, her involvement with Death Game, the original screenplay for Death Game and how it differed from the exploitative film Peter Traynor delivered, and her interactions with Seymour Cassel and Colleen Camp. In English, not subtitled. (15 min).

• Complete Interview with Sondra Locke - presented here is a complete version of the audio interview referenced above, in which Sondra Locke discusses her career in the film industry. In English, not subtitled. (45 min).

• Game Changers - in this exclusive program, producer Larry Spiegel and cinematographer/editor David Worth discuss their initial encounters and consequently professional relationships with Peter Traynor and discuss their involvement with Death Game. There are some particularly interesting comments about the sacking of the original cinematographer and how Death Game essentially launched Worth's career and Seymour Cassel's feud with Traynor. In English, not subtitled. (45 min).

• A Tale of Two Scripts - in this exclusive program, writer Michael Ronald Ross discusses the two very, very different screenplays that gave birth to Death Game and Peter Traynor's (mis)management of the original material. In English, not subtitled. (45 min).

• Still Galleries -
  
  1. Production stills
  2. Peter Traynor
  3. Promotional materials
  4. VHS releases
  5. Cover art

• Grindhouse Releasing Previews - a collection of trailers for upcoming and already available on Blu-ray titles from Grindhouse Releasing's catalog. (See screencaptures).

ADDITIONAL CONTENT

• Easter Egg One - go to Sill Galleries, highlight VHS Releases, and press left arrow/rewind button. You will see a new window titled SuperMuff pop up. Press on it. Included here are some vintage promotional materials featuring Colleen Camp.

• Easter Egg Two - go to Grindhouse Release Previews, highlight Ice House, and press left arrow/rewind button. You will see a new window titled The Passion Pit pop up. Press on it. Included here is a fully restored trailer for the film.

• Easter Egg Three - go to Interviews, highlight Ruthless: The Peter Traynor Story, and press left arrow/rewind button. You will see a new window pop up with a tiny head. Press on it.

• Easter Egg Four - go to Interviews, highlight A Tale of Two Scripts, and press right arrow/rewind button. You will see a new window pop up. Press on it. Included here is additional footage with Michael Ronald Ross.

• Booklet - a 24-page illustrated booklet featuring critic David Szulkin's essay "Death Game, Replayed" and technical credits.

• Cover - a reversible cover with vintage poster art for Death Game.

• Keychain Holder - in the form of a tiny hatchet like the on one of the characters in Death Game uses.

Death Game [The Seducers] / Little Miss Innocence [Teenage Innocence] Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

To say that Sondra Locke disliked Death Game is a monumental understatement, but if the serious creepy film she describes had materialized, it is practically guaranteed that it would have been instantly forgettable. Why? Because the film Peter Traynor directed is worth seeing precisely because it is not well controlled and evolves into a cinematic exhibition of unhinged behavior. Of course, it won't be everyone's cup of tea, but these types of genre projects rarely are. Grindhouse Releasing's release is sourced from a solid new 4K master and features a terrific selection of exclusive bonus features. I particularly enjoyed Ruthless: The Peter Traynor Story, which had some wonderful new information about one of my greatest discoveries, Steel Arena. Kudos to Bob Murawski and his team for producing yet another spectacular release of a unique and until recently forgotten genre film. (The two-disc set we have reviewed can be purchased here). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.