Rating summary
| Movie |  | 2.5 |
| Video |  | 5.0 |
| Audio |  | 3.5 |
| Extras |  | 4.0 |
| Overall | | 4.0 |
Hellbent Blu-ray Movie Review
Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 10, 2016
1988’s “Hellbent” is writer/director Richard Casey’s take on a Faustian tale of personal corruption, only his version is set in a strange playland of punk rock, performance art, and Christmas cheer. It’s a premixed cult title that’s bad with introductions and iffy with payoff, but Casey certainly isn’t phoning it in with this ode to the evils of the music business, laboring to explore themes and moods, but he often forgets there’s a story that should be told here, keeping “Hellbent” more meandering than it should be.
The trials of rock stardom is the inspiration for “Hellbent,” with Lemmy (Phil Ward) growing desperate to make something of his band, Lemmy & The Mynde Paracytes, putting his faith in predatory manager Tanas (David Marciano) to help him bring the group to the next level of fame. Of course, Tanas is Satan, exposing Lemmy to the evils of cough syrup, anger, and Uzis, commencing a battle for the performer’s soul. If “Hellbent” reads broad, it doesn’t always play that way. Casey doesn’t have the energy to camp it up, and the feature’s sincerity is difficult to swallow, creating a blank space where drama should go. Weirdness is common but rarely enticing, as much of the film is too sluggish to inspire thrills and memorable idiosyncrasy.
Hellbent Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation sustains Vinegar Syndrome's excellence when it comes to the preservation of cult titles. Detail is sharp and satisfying, picking up on the effort's rather excessive ornamentation, permitting viewers a chance to survey all the design elements crammed into the frame. Textures remain on costuming, giving punk outfits touchable fabrics. Colors are comfortably exaggerated, leading with pronounced reds and blues, while period pink also dominates. Skintones are natural. Delineation is crisp. Grain is comfortably filmic. Source is in terrific shape.
Hellbent Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix doesn't provide precision, offering a slightly muffled quality that carries throughout the listening experience. Intelligibility isn't completely sacrificed, finding dialogue exchanges easy to follow, maintaining surges in hostility. Music provides a forceful beat, giving driving song selections needed heaviness. Sound effects keep their volume and emphasis.
Hellbent Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
- Commentary features director Richard Casey.
- "A Little Bit of Chaos" (15:43, HD) is the official making-of for "Hellbent," collecting interviews from cast and crew, with most a little surprised by the cult longevity of the move. Anecdotes are brief, but there's an understanding how the low-budget picture came to be, and the featurette is nicely produced.
Hellbent Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
"Hellbent" isn't the most tasteful picture, repeatedly highlighting graphic violence around babies and toddlers, giving the effort a mean-spiritedness that's difficult to shake. I trust Casey was intending the feature to be a wild ride that roars to Hell and back. Without a sizable budget and a clear filmmaking vision, he only gets as a far as cheap sets and a hazy moral core.
