6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
When Joel's best buddy K invites him to New York City to stay, the country boy can't wait to hit the streets and see a little action - that's when all hell breaks loose. In an uptown bar, Joel is smitten by a temptress 0 a demonic succubus in human form from the Darkside who leaves her lovers drained dead. One by one, Joel's friends fall victim to her charms, leaving Joel to face the evil temptress... and his destiny... alone.
Starring: Kadeem Hardison, Bill Nunn, Samuel L. Jackson, Melba Moore, Michael MicheleHorror | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.66:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono (96kHz, 24-bit)
BDInfo verified
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
James Bond III was a child actor, appearing in such pictures as “The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain.” 1990’s “Def by Temptation” is the thespian’s attempt to take control of his career, pouring time and energy into a low-budget horror feature, taking writing and directing duties, along with a co-starring role. For Bond III, the creative experiment delivers an odd but compelling B-movie, and one that has a little more style and enthusiasm than its competition. “Def by Temptation” isn’t an offering for those who require the cleanest filmmaking standards, working as a more of a loose, intermittently inventive journey into monsterdom, adding bits of seduction and psychological inspection to help spice up the viewing experience. Bond III is a tad sloppy here and there, but his need to add his voice to the genre shows throughout the endeavor, making something unique and charmingly bizarre.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is a 2K scan from the original camera negative, with Vinegar Syndrome finding new life for "Def by Temptation." Vibrant colors are detected right away, with stylish lighting and costuming, giving bar scenes some heft as blazing reds and blues emerge, while Temptress's signature gold nails pop accordingly. Neighborhood visits are engaging, keeping the urban mood, and skintones are natural. Detail is excellent, showcasing defined faces that range from average to inhuman, and set decoration is open for study, including K's cluttered apartment. Costumes are textured. Delineation is strong, preserving frame information. Grain is fine and filmic. A few brief speckle storms are detected, but nothing's distracting.
The 1.0 DTS-HD MA does a fine job with the limited soundscape of the picture, keeping soundtrack selections in play throughout, delivered with comfortable weight and presence, occasionally inching toward overwhelming dialogue exchanges during bar sequences. Voices are preserved, with performance choices coming through with clarity, maintaining consistency when suspense elements increase. Atmospherics are acceptable, providing a feel for bar bustle. Sound effects retain their loudness.
"Def by Temptation" is smaller, and it eventually runs out of gas before the big finale, but Bond III has some decent ideas to explore in his screenplay, and he supports fine performances as well, with Bond giving it her all as Temptress, keeping sexuality forward and violence intense. Hardison and Bond III also share some chemistry as the pals, giving the feature a feel for human relationships and concerns before monstrous events come into play. It's not a complete package, but "Def by Temptation" scores with modest production effort, embracing genre expectations as it figures out ways to be creepy and cheeky without losing itself to absurdity.
Temptation | Slipcover Edition Limited to 1,500 | SOLD OUT
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