7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
The film opens on a shot of the "Los Angeles City Limits" sign. It then cuts to Fred Halsted taking a walk in the forest and coming upon a man sunning himself in the nude. They briefly talk and end up having passionate sex in the wilderness only to be interrupted by bulldozers destroying the wildlife area in order to build a new suburb. The film suddenly switches to inner city Los Angeles as Halsted and a man from Texas discuss in voice over the problems with modern society and the dishonesty of most people. This is inter-cut with shots of hustlers, bums, vagrants, porn theaters and shops, as well as footage of a man (presumably the Texan) being brutally tortured by Halsted. Eventually the man is bound and left helpless in a closet, a symbol of the violent and trapping nature of Los Angeles. The film ends on shots of newspapers saying that a young man was found dead after being tortured.
Starring: Jim Frost, Rick Coates, Fred Halsted, Joey Yale, Paul BarresiDrama | 100% |
Erotic | 65% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
With “The Fred Halsted Collection,” Altered Innocence strives to bring the deep cult appeal of the filmmaker to a wider audience. It’s a noble endeavor, distributing three shorts from the helmer, including “L.A. Plays Itself” (55:17), “Sextool” (61:06), and “The Sex Garage” (35:09), with each of the offerings highlighting Halstead’s interest in experimental imagery and hardcore scenarios, working to bring a level of artfulness to underground cinema while preserving his fascination with titillation.
The AVC encoded image for all three short films are listed as "beautifully restored" by The Museum of Modern Art, though they remain in pretty rough shape. There's pronounced damage, with jumpy frames and heavy scratches common, along with some inherent camera issues at times. Age is inescapable, but overall detail reaches as far as the original cinematography goes, offering a softer but present look at skin surfaces and graphic encounters. "L.A. Plays Itself" also has the benefit of being something of a travelogue, showcasing city sights and signage. Color is appealing, with strong primaries on clothing and decoration. Skintones are natural. Greenery is also acceptable.
The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix isn't offering sharpness, with age present during the listening experiences. Intelligibility isn't threatened, but recording limitations are encountered. Musical offerings are acceptably defined for this type of endeavor.
"The Fred Halsted Collection" is best reserved for those who at least semi-understand what's included in this set, as the offerings are not suited for a cold viewing. The shorts have their artistic ways and the stamp of approval from The Museum of Modern Art, but entertainment value is up for intense debate, making this set more of an experience for established Halsted fans.
Slipcover in Original Pressing
2000
1979
2011
Sexy Erotic Love
1980
Voglia di guardare
1986
Le notti porno nel mondo nº 2
1978
Emanuelle nera nº 2 / The New Black Emanuelle
1976
Emanuelle nera
1975
1968
1996
1965
1966
1965
1974
Import
1991
1965
2011
Dzieje grzechu
1975
1991
Suor Emanuelle
1977