Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Rockula Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 22, 2019

Luca Bercovici's "Rockula" (1990) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Shout/Scream Factory. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; exclusive new video interview with actor Dean Cameron; exclusive new video interview with director Luca Bercovici; and exclusive new audio commentary with Luca Bercovici, actress Tawny Fere, and composer Hilary Bercovici. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Can't miss it. It will be one Hell of a night!

All of the films that I remember seeing with Dean Cameron have me convinced that he has had a hell of a time in Hollywood. I mean, seriously, just take a quick look at some of the films that he did during the late ‘80s and ‘90s: the notoriously bad comedy Ski School and the equally silly sequel Ski School 2, the similarly-themed but a lot better Miracle Beach, the romantic comedy Summer School, and the beloved Men at Work. This guy even found the time to pop up in a couple of different episodes from ALF. Forget about the fact that just about all of the ‘serious’ critics trashed the comedies that he appeared in because I can guarantee you that Cameron had the time of his life doing what he did and getting paid for it. He had so much fun working that from time to time he probably pinched himself just to make sure that he wasn’t dreaming. Amazing.

In Luca Bercovici’s Rockula, which is another one of those ‘bad’ films that the mainstream critics did not like, Cameron plays a young vampire named Ralph who has been cursed to live with a broken heart because centuries ago he could not keep the girl that he was madly in love with. Her spirit would repeatedly return with a different body, but every twenty-two years the kooky pirate that killed the girl would also reemerge and once again take her away from him. Now Ralph has met Mona (Tawny Fere), who is the newest version of the girl that he once lost, and he intends to break the curse so that together they could finally live the beautiful life that escaped them. His plan involves his band, Rockula, and an interesting twist that requires Mona’s assistance. There is only one small problem: Mona is completely unaware of her past history with Ralph, and she does not even believe that vampires actually exist.

There is a massive amount of kitsch in Rockula and it is of the same kind that made the comedies that are mentioned at the top of this article ‘bad’. So, if you know any of these films and thought that they are unwatchable, there is an excellent chance that you are not going to enjoy what Rockula has to offer.

If the opposite is true, however, and you have had a good time with them, there is actually a pretty decent chance that you may conclude that Rockula is a minor gem. The main reason for this is the presence of a surprisingly good soundtrack which enhances the kitsch even more. To be clear, you should not expect a lavish period pop-rock atmosphere of the kind that exists in Walter Hill’s Streets of Fire, not even close; rather, if you know the Cannon Group catalog try to remember Boaz Davidson’s Dutch Treat which relies on a soundtrack of similar quality to strengthen its story.

Cameron and Fere look quite wonderful together, though a lot of lines that the latter utters while trying to figure out what her new boyfriend is up to are pretty awful. On the other hand, Toni Basil plays the vampire’s horny mother and has some great lines that are responsible for the best laughs in the entire film. Thomas Dolby’s expressions also feel right for his weird mortuary owner. Right In the middle of all the crazy fun rock 'n' roll legend Bo Didley also makes a quick appearance.

*Shout/Scream Factory’s recent release of Rockula is sourced from a brand new remaster of the film. It also features an exclusive new audio commentary with director Bercovici, Fere and composer Hilary Bercovici, as well as new interviews with director Bercovici and Cameron.

Rockula Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Luca Bercovici's Rockula arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Shout/Scream Factory.

The release is sourced from a wonderful new organic remaster. If I had to guess, I would say that it was struck from an interpositive because ideally the density levels should be a little bit better, but the end result is great. If you view your discs on a larger screen, or project, you will be very, very pleased with the overall nicely balanced visuals. During some of the darker footage there are small nuances that are not perfectly defined, but there are still plenty of lovely details and depth remains strong (see screencaptures #11 and 12). A lot of the nicely-lit close-ups look outstanding (see screencapture #5). The color grading is very good. The primaries are properly saturated and stable; there are very good ranges of healthy nuances as well. Image stability is excellent. Finally, there are no distracting debris, cuts, damage marks, stains, or other age-related imperfections to report. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Rockula Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit) and Alternate English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit). Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I ended up viewing the film with the alternate track after performing some random comparisons with the original track. So, my guess is that there is some additional remixing work that was done on the alternate track because during the music performances there is a pretty big difference in terms of separation. Elsewhere throughout the film there are also some dynamic changes, though I would describe them as more subtle. Clarity and stability are outstanding. Finally, there are absolutely no traces of age-related anomalies, such as background hiss, crackle, pops, or hum.

Rockula Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview with Luca Bercovici - in this brand new video interview, director Luca Bercovici recalls how Rockula was conceived, a hilarious meeting with Menahem Golan that ended up changing the original concept and tone for the film (initially the film was supposed to be very dark), the casting process and the arrival of Dean Cameron, the use of music throughout the film, etc. The interview was conducted exclusively for Shout/Scream Factory in 2018. In English, not subtitled. (20 min, 1080p).

• Interview with Dean Cameron - in this brand new video interview, actor Dean Cameron recalls how he became involved with Rockula, and discusses his odd character, the visual appearance of the film, the interactions he had with the rest of the cast, the use of music and his performances, etc. The interview was conducted exclusively for Shout/Scream Factory in 2018. In English, not subtitled. (14 min, 1080p).

• Commentary - in this exclusive new audio commentary, director Luca Bercovici, actress Tawny Fere, and composer Hilary Bercovici go down memory lane and explain in great detail how Rockula was conceived, how various parts of the film were scripted and shot (with some of the changes that were made), how they managed to use the Munsters' car in a key sequence, how the music for the film was created and used, etc. The commentary is moderated by the producer of this Blu-ray release, Henry Weintraub.

• Trailer - a vintage trailer for Rockula. In English, not subtitled. (2 min, 1080i).

• Cover - reversible cover with vintage poster art.

Rockula Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Given the subject matter and the massive amount of late '80s kitsch that is loaded in it, Rockula is actually one rather remarkably beautiful film. Obviously, it cannot compete with genre classics like Walter Hill's Streets of Fire, but there is a legit atmosphere in it that basically made these types of films attractive. If you remember and like Boaz Davidson's Dutch Treat, which is another Cannon Group title with a big pop rock soundtrack, I am convinced you will also have a good time with Rockula. This recent release from Shout/Scream Factory is sourced from a strong new remaster and has a nice selection of exclusive new bonus features. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.