Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

The Amazing Mr. No Legs Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov July 22, 2020

Ricou Browning's "Mr. No Legs" a.k.a. "Killers Die Hard" (1978) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Massacre Video. The supplemental features on the disc include an original theatrical trailer and vintage promotional materials. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The executioner

Folks, you should ignore critics trying to convince you that Mr. No Legs is a good film because it isn’t. But I also encourage you to avoid critics that have a hard time understanding why the film can still be very entertaining.

I had never seen Mr. No Legs before and when Massacre Video began promoting their upcoming Blu-ray release, I was quite intrigued by its description. It sounded very wild and my initial suspicion was that it would be very similar to Duke Mitchell’s films. (I refer to Gone with the Pope and Massacre Mafia Style). I mean, how could it not be when the vintage poster for the film prominently features a guy in a wheelchair with built-in rifles. However, later on I learned that Mr. No Legs was directed by Ricou Browning, who had previously done a couple of episodes for the Flipper TV series, and my discovery confused me. I could not quite see how Browning’s style would have evolved so much that he would direct a film like the one I expected Mr. No Legs to be.

A few days ago, Massacre Video’s Blu-ray release finally arrived at my house and I sat down to view Mr. No Legs. About twenty or so minutes into the film I already knew exactly what type of entertainment Browning was trying to deliver with it, and why he would not match the ‘quality’ of Mitchell’s films. You see, all of these films were done with small budgets and plenty of restrictions and they don’t even attempt to hide that it was so, which is perhaps the main reason why they could be attractive. I wrote could because there is a lot of amateurish material in them that a certain group of viewers will never find attractive. But they also have very different intensity, and in Mitchell’s film the intensity is the glue that holds the mayhem together. This isn’t the case with Browning’s film. There is plenty of intensity in it as well, but it is actually used to support the progression of a coherent story.

The majority of Browning’s characters appear more rational as well. Two of them are Florida cops who are on the warpath because one of them has lost his sister in what appears to be a drug-related crime, so they have to stay rational while trying to take down the killers and the organization they are working for. Their superior has a very clear understanding of the organization they are facing as well, so at least initially they have a sound strategy to deal with it. Unfortunately, I think that this is the film’s biggest weakness. Why? Because the parts of it that actually look very attractive -- like the out of left field catfight in the bar and the handicapped executioner’s violent outbursts -- essentially replicate the great mayhem from Mitchell’s film, and yet they are routinely restricted. In other words, the material that adds the exotic flavor to the film and makes it look unpredictable and entertaining isn’t allowed to freely flourish.

Fortunately, the second half of the film is almost completely devoid of any rationality and produces a lot of fireworks and kitsch that are guaranteed to warm up the hearts of seasoned connoisseurs with a soft spot for wacky drive-in projects. It is just a little disappointing that the film wasn’t scripted to be an all-out circus of crime. (Ted Vollrath, the guy that plays the crippled executioner, does some pretty incredible things throughout the film, and I don’t even think he reaches his limits).

*Massacre Video's release of Mr. No Legs is sourced from the last surviving 35mm print, which was located in France. It features two versions of the film: an uncut composite version and French cut. The latter has been censored.

The Amazing Mr. No Legs Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Mr. No Legs arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Massacre Video.

The release is sourced from a new 2K master that was reportedly struck from the best surviving 35mm print, which was located in France. It features two versions of the film: an uncut composite version and French cut. The latter has been censored.

I viewed the composite version and as I expected the quality of the presentation varies quite a bit. What does this mean exactly? It means that the entire film has a stable organic appearance but the presentation retains the limitations of the 35mm that was used to produce the new master. There are some scratches, a few quick frame skips, and even color instability. Also, on the composite version there are a few inserts with different density levels (see screencapture #18). So, I would say that the overall presentation is better than what you would get from a 'grindhouse print' but with sizeable limitations that make it impossible to compare to presentations of vintage films the likes of Vinegar Syndrome and Mondo Macabro deliver. Given the nature of the surviving materials, I believe that a score of 3.25/5.00 is very fair. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

The Amazing Mr. No Legs Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this release: English LPCM 2.0. and German LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I assume that the audio was transferred from the 35mm prints 'as is', because it has some pretty obvious dynamic unevenness and occasionally even very minor distortions. The dialog is still clear and easy to follow, though, so you should not even need to turn on the optional English SDH subtitles while viewing the film.

The Amazing Mr. No Legs Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Theatrical Trailer - a vintage theatrical trailer for Mr. No Legs. In English, not subtitled. (2 min, 1080p).

• Stills Gallery - vintage promotional materials for Mr. No Legs. With music. (3 min, 1080p).

• Additional Trailers - additional trailers for the following titles from Massacre Video's catalog:
  
  1. The Devil
  2. American Rampage
  3. Final Stab
  4. Suicide Dolls

• Cover - reversible cover with vintage poster art.

The Amazing Mr. No Legs Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Mr. No Legs should appeal to folks that have had a good time with Duke Mitchell's Massacre Mafia Style and Gone with the Pope. It is not quite as unhinged, but Ted Vollrath does some pretty remarkable things before the camera that I actually had a hard time believing were filmed without any special effects. Massacre Video's release is reportedly sourced from the last surviving 35mm print, which was located in France. RECOMMENDED.