She Shoulda Said 'No'! / The Devil's Sleep Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

She Shoulda Said 'No'! / The Devil's Sleep Blu-ray Movie Review

An interesting exploitation-era production.

“She Should'a Said 'No'!” (also known as “Wild Weed” or “The Devil's Weed”) is a 1949 exploitation film exploring drug culture that is based on the short story penned by Arthur Hoerl. The feature-film is produced by Richard Kay (Untamed Women, Girls on the Loose). Starring Anne Lester, “She Should'a Said 'No'!” isn't a lost masterpiece but as a golden-age-of-exploitation film it has some merit.

Anne Lester (Lila Leeds) is a sensual party-lovin' girl who finds herself in an unexpected situation: the new recruit of a hard-boiled cop, Capt. Hayes (Lyle Talbot). Hayes seeks Anne's help in taking down villainous drug-dealer Markey (Alan Baxter). Markey sold drugs to Anne's younger brother, Bob (David Holt), who died of a drug overdose. Can Anne help Capt. Hayes take out Markey and bring safety to the community?

The music score composed by Raoul Kraushaar (Billy the Kid Versus Dracula, Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter) isn't half bad. The score adds to the film and makes it a bit more fun to experience. While not a top-tier score, the effort is appreciated.

"She said yes?!"

The cinematography by Jack Greenhalgh (Mercy Plane, Adventure Island) manages to imbue the filmmaking with some solid craftsmanship that elevates the material. As an exploitation film, expectations are always low – but the results are surprisingly professional. A decent effort.

The screenplay by Richard H. Landau (The Six Million Dollar Man, The Black Hole) is a bit of fun in the over-the-top indulgences of the storytelling. The concept seems far-fetched and the execution is comical at times. Yet the story somehow manages to be decent entertainment regardless (and that is certainly impressive).

Sam Newfield (Racing Luck, Adventure Island) manages to imbue the filmmaking with a sensibility that actually works for the story. While “She Should'a Said 'No'!” might make modern audiences chuckle at times, this is actually a decent enough effort by all involved. Edited by Richard C. Currier (Call of the Jungle, Leave It to the Irish) and Seth B. Larsen (The Strange Mr. Gregory, 77 Sunset Strip), “She Should'a Said 'No'!” doesn't feel over-long or under-cooked and it zips by. A classic? No. Exploitation gem? Maybe.

She Shoulda Said 'No'! / The Devil's Sleep Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, "She Should'a Said 'No'!" is presented in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full-frame. The scan is in excellent shape compared to some of the earlier films included in Kino's Forbidden Fruit line. The scan has some slight scratches and minor print wear but looks good overall. There is no significant print damage. At times, "She Should'a Said 'No'!" looks amazing and demonstrates exceptional clarity, detail, and depth to the image. Even the black levels look acceptable.

She Shoulda Said 'No'! / The Devil's Sleep Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in uncompressed PCM mono. The audio on "She Should'a Said 'No'!" is surprisingly excellent given the age of the elements. Dialogue is consistently clear and easy to understand throughout the feature.

Though the release certainly has a limited range in regards to high fidelity, the production sounds clean, engaging, and satisfying. The audio track never sounded fatiguing and harsh or as if it was lacking in the necessary clarity to tell the story. There was no egregious hiss or crackle on the track, either.

Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.

She Shoulda Said 'No'! / The Devil's Sleep Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary on "She Should'a Said 'No'!" by film historian Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

"She Should'a Said 'No'!" Theatrical Trailer (SD, 1:23)

Bonus Film: The Devil's Sleep (aka Hopped-Up) is based on a story by Danny Arnold and Richard S. McMahan. Starring Lita Grey Chapin (the young teenage spouse of Charlie Chaplin) and Timothy Farrell (as a ruthless crime overlord), The Devil's Sleep is an early-era exploitation-circuit release. Produced by George Weiss. Directed by W. Merle Connell.

The Devil's Sleep is presented in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full-frame. The print showcases significant wear. There are a lot of thin scratches on the print. The detail sometimes looks underwhelming – certainly still watchable though and the film benefits from a high definition scan but still lacks a crisp restoration. The audio is presented in uncompressed PCM mono. The audio track has a thin soundstage with an abundance of hiss and crackle. Dialogue is still distinguishable but the track certainly lacks finesse.

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: The Devil's Sleep (Hopped Up) (HD, 2:55), Test Tube Babies (HD, 3:20), Pin-Down Girls (Racket Girls) (HD, 1:59), and Marihuana (HD, 2:08).

She Shoulda Said 'No'! / The Devil's Sleep Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"She Should'a Said 'No'!" offers decent-enough thrills. The film is entertaining (even if it is absurdly over-the-top at times). The Blu-ray release features a strong presentation and has plenty of extras. Recommended.