Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Hot Under the Collar Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 1, 2023

Director Richard Gabai found some success with 1991’s “Virgin High,” which represented his effort to participate in teen horndog cinema from the 1980s, looking to get his career going by playing with a safe subgenre. Unfortunately, the feature wasn’t really up to the challenge of providing a raunchy good time, with Gabai more interested in silliness without the comedy chops to sell such craziness. However, profit is profit, and Gabai was sent right back into action for 1992’s “Hot Under the Collar,” which is a sequel/remake of “Virgin High,” with most of the gang back to make trouble at a Catholic institution, revealing some strange hostility toward religion from Gabai. Still, mockery of Christianity is something in “Hot Under the Collar,” which largely tries to skate by on nothing, with the helmer recycling some jokes from the previous endeavor, and his new material isn’t effective at all, creating quite the patience-testing viewing experience.

Jerry (Richard Gabai) is a manager at Arby’s trying to seduce his girlfriend, Monica (Melinda Clarke), attempting to use hypnosis to achieve his sexual goals. However, mistakes are made during the influencing process, with Monica overhearing a performance from a televangelist instead, inspiring her to reject lustiness and seek a new life at the Convent of the Blessed Virgin, run by Sister Flavia (Velvet Rhodes). With Monica locked away with her roommates, Jerry is left on the outside with pals Zoomer (Jeff Bowser) and Theo (Kent Burden), inspired to form a plan of infiltration, which finds the horny guy dressing as “Father Guus” and “Sister Voluptua” in an attempt to sneak around the convent and locate his love. Also interested in the property is Cleeghorn (Buddy Daniels Friedman), a gangster who believes handyman Max (Rajnish Babakan) has stolen a bag of diamonds from him, sending in Rowena (Tane McClure) to seduce the stranger and collect the stones.

“Hot Under the Collar” is introduced as a “Musical Action Comedy of Mistaken Identity and Hypnosis.” The last part is correct, as an unexpectedly large portion of the plot involves magical suggestion, with the mind-melting practice helping to trigger Monica’s transfer to the convent, and Jerry also masters some moves to help on his quest to acquire a semi-willing partner. However, instead of following such weirdness, “Hot Under the Collar” basically returns to the “Virgin High” experience, with Jerry once again in charge of shenanigans involving his entrance into a religious building -- the same one he infiltrated in his previous misadventure. It’s all very familiar, but that appears to be the point, with Gabai trying to slap a movie together quickly to coast on the modicum of financial success “Virgin High” achieved.

There are two movies going on in “Hot Under the Collar,” with Jerry’s quest to reach Monica the A story, while the B story belongs to Cleeghorn, a criminal looking for stolen diamonds, sending in Rowena, his top woman, to rock Max’s world. There are henchmen as well, with Stuey (Madison Monk) and Beano (Mickey Rubin) contributing to the cartoon atmosphere of the picture with their slapstick stupidity, while Rowena is meant to bring comical heat, adding the only R-rated scenes in the feature, which is one careful edit away from becoming a Disney Channel film. Gangster happenings are dreadful, sold by actors who clearly aren’t being directed, and Rowena’s descent into love with Max adds little to the plot. However, all of this is better than time with Jerry, who plays a nun and a priest to get into the building, with Father Guus eventually pulled into leading mass, which he turns into a game of Simon Says. Aggressively exaggerated scoring by Michael Morrell only makes tired goofballery all the more painful to sit through.

Hot Under the Collar Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Hot Under the Collar" offers softer detail on the cast, with skin particulars limited, exploring differences in ages. Costuming is decently fibrous, going from thicker religious uniforms to silkier lingerie. Interiors are open for study, entering the convent and a local Arby's. Exteriors are dimensional, touring the property and a few L.A. sights. Colors are accurate, with strong primaries on period clothing and eveningwear. Darker convent gear is preserved. Greenery is distinct. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain carries a slight processed look. Source is in good condition, with some wear and tear occasionally present on the left side of the frame.

Hot Under the Collar Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix shows signs of age. Dialogue exchanges are reasonably clear, with no intelligibility issues, but sibilance issues are present. Music is also limited, but the basics of the synth score are appreciable, supporting wacky events. Sound effects are blunt but appreciable.

Hot Under the Collar Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Intro (3:37, HD) is a welcome to the Blu-ray experience from director Richard Gabai, who was inspired to make "'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' at catholic school" with "Virgin High." Impressing investors with his previous work, "Assault of the Party Nerds," Gabai was handed a larger budget and the chance to make a 35mm movie. Execs were happy with the results, ordering a sequel while selling the home video rights to "Virgin High" to Columbia Pictures, which gave the film a large presence in the marketplace.

• Commentary features director Richard Gabai and actress Melinda Clarke.

• Image Gallery (14:26) collects BTS snaps.

• "Pray and Meditate" (6:26, HD) is a "song and dance" sequence from "Hot Under the Collar," which includes a restored verse that was previously believed to be a bit too offensive for the original release of the picture. The clip also features an intro by director Richard Gabai.

• Behind-the-Scenes Footage (158:26, SD) is a lengthy examination of the "Hot Under the Collar" shoot, offering a terrific fly-on-the-wall look at the daily work put into the production. Most of the footage highlights the creation of shots (even inside an Arby's) and the atmosphere on set, but dips into catering and stunts are included as well. There's excellent atmosphere to study, along with some big behavior from the cast and crew.

• "These Days" (2:56, SD) is a music video from Richard Gabai's band, The Checks.

• And a Trailer (1:45, HD) is included.

Hot Under the Collar Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Hot Under the Collar" does make time for a musical number, living up to its main title promise, but I'm not sure what happened to the comedy and action parts of the script, as a climatic skateboard chase is it for physical activity, and jokes just aren't happening here. Gabai tries to summon a sense of chaos for the finale, which involves the arrival of The Pope (Burt Ward), who takes time to visit the convent, pulled into Cleeghorn's violence. There's also a cameo from a martial arts production shooting in the area, but this idea is too clunky and strange to contribute to the steamrolling experience the helmer is looking to land. "Virgin High" was miscalculated and annoying, but "Hot Under the Collar" is a bad idea from the start, primarily out to keep Gabai's career on the move during a time in home video history when literally anything was pushed into production to keep video store shelves stocked with new releases.