Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Test Tube Babies Blu-ray Movie Review

Testing, testing: 1, 2, 3...

Test Tube Babies is one of the best efforts included in the Kino Lorber Forbidden Fruit series. The film is produced by George Weiss (Dance Hall Racket, Racket Girls). Starring Dorothy Duke and William Thomason, Test Tube Babies explores fertility and the journey of a couple seeking parenthood. For classic exploitation-era films, Test Tube Babies is worth a watch.

Cathy (Dorothy Duke) and George (William Thomason) want nothing more than to have a beautiful child to call their own someday. The chance to have a child seems like the fulfillment of an American dream and a realization of their relationship. Unfortunately, Cathy and George have a serious medical problem which prevents them from being able to conceive a child. Seeking help from Dr. Wright (Timothy Farrell), an unexpected solution to their child-bearing woes is proposed.

The performances are at the heart of the filmmaking. Dorothy Duke delivers a strong performance in the central role. The role was made for Duke: she excels in the part and manages to make the film significantly more entertaining. William Thomason also manages to impress in his role opposite Duke's – without a doubt, the pair have some undeniable chemistry.

"Did you study for the test?"

The cinematography by Irving Akers simply works – even if it is not perfection. The visual component of the filmmaking is effective and manages to help the filmmakers tell the story. There is plenty of decent visual flair here.

The screenplay by Richard S. McLahan (The Devil's Sleep) is more serious in tone than many other exploitation-era productions. The film seems re-branded for the market more-so than anything else. Test Tube Babies is an effective drama to some degree – though plenty of modern viewers might ultimately find it humorous given the subject-matter.

W. Merle Connell (Hometown Girl, The Flesh Merchant) capably directs Test Tube Babies and manages to make the most of the plot-line. The film isn't anywhere near as bad as I expected it to be. Ultimately, some viewers will find it to be an effective drama – others will label it as if it is a parody. I expected nothing particularly special out of the film given its low-pedigree but ended up enjoying it a decent amount. Worth a watch.

Test Tube Babies Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Test Tube Babies is presented in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The print is in excellent shape in many regards. The scan is razor sharp and there is excellent depth to the image. Black levels are also impressive. Compression is effective as well. However, the print does have some deficiencies. There is some telecine wobble visible and the presentation also has some thin scratches on it. Even so, Test Tube Babies looks good overall.

Test Tube Babies Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in uncompressed PCM mono. The sound quality is a bit muffled sounding at times. Even so, the audio track is easy-enough to understand. The score soundtrack also sounds thin and is lacking in finer details. Some of this may be due to the age of production and elements but ultimately the audio just wasn't well-restored.

Optional English subtitles.

Test Tube Babies Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Eric Schaefer

Sex and Romance (HD, 5:19)

Test Tube Babies Trailer (HD, 3:20)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from Kino Lorber: The Devil's Sleep (HD, 2:55), Mom and Dad (HD, 1:08), Street Corner (HD, 2:11), The Wrong Rut (HD, 2:36), and Youth Aflame (HD, 1:38).

Test Tube Babies Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Test Tube Babies is a decent film that is better than the exploitation marketing would lead some audiences to believe. The filmmaking is entertaining and the performances were worthwhile. Recommended.