The Apple Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Apple Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 15, 2017

The one-two punch of “Saturday Night Fever” and “Grease” gave birth to a host of productions aiming to achieve a similar level of box office success with the same moviemaking ingredients. It was a surge in the late 1970s that created the likes of “Xanadu,” “Can’t Stop the Music,” and, of course, “The Apple,” a particularly absurd attempt to mount a Hollywood-style rock musical, written and directed by Menahem Golan, also known as the co-founder of the infamous schlock studio, Cannon Films. “The Apple” was meant to be Golan’s ticket to the big time, remaining on trend with disco-inspire production values and big musical ambition, but it didn’t find an audience. Actually, it found an audience, but one that reacted violently to the feature’s semi-camp/semi-sincere take on biblical temptation, requiring a period of obscurity for the effort before it was reassessed in the early 2000s, rechristened as a Midnight Movie experience and deservedly so, with its general lunacy and earnestness best appreciated fully fatigued and/or drunk.

In the futureworld of 1994, world order is controlled by Boogalow (Vladek Sheybal), the owner of BIM (Boogalow International Music), a hit factory that rules the airwaves with songs that keep citizens submissive and dancing. While conquering a music competition with rock stars Pandi (Grace Kennedy) and Dandi (Alan Love), Boogalow grows obsessed with virginal Canadian singers Bibi (Catherine Mary Stewart) and Alphie (George Gilmour). Out to possess them, Boogalow offers the pair fame and fortune if they sign with BIM, a contractual agreement Alphie rejects, sensing something evil about the arrangement. Bibi, however, takes a bite of the apple, soon swept up in drugs, sex, fame, and eye shadow, losing herself in a blur of excess, keeping her away from the man she once loved.

“The Apple” isn’t a coherent film, and that’s something that requires viewers to get used to right away. Golan thrusts the audience into 1994, where the streets are dominated by tricked-out station wagons and motorcycles, and the kids of America are made slaves to the BIM, which is either a specific sound, marketing angle, or a corporation in the picture. Perhaps all three. What passes for introductions are made at a music competition show, where Dandi and Pandi rule the stage with their thumping “BIM” tune, with audience satisfaction tracked by literally gauging heartbeats. Alphie and Bibi, two nobodies from the far reaches of Canada, deliver a love song, challenging Boogalow, who sets out to possess the pair, only to destroy them by presenting a Faustian bargain.

At this point in the picture, the concept of Boogalow as Satan isn’t introduced, but it comes out of nowhere soon enough, with “The Apple” taking a turn for the literal with a fantasy sequence that finds Bibi biting into an oversized apple while paying a visit to Hell. Golan isn’t shy about emphasizing the Adam and Eve influence on the story, sending Bibi on an odyssey of sex and submission where the young women immediately disposes of Alphie, breaking his heart while she climbs the ladder of fame, becoming the hottest thing ever in a matter of scenes. “The Apple” is not known for its editorial finesse, taking great leaps between personal encounters, while dramatic moods are unstable, riled up by musical numbers, which offer some mild dancing for Boogalow (“How to Be a Master”), a disco-esque ripping rocker for Bibi (“Speed”), a ballad of tight- pantsed seduction for Dandi (“Made for Me”), and a subtle R&B song for Pandi titled “Coming.”

The soundtrack really isn’t a problem, with the songs reflecting era-specific choices in production and songwriting, and performances are generally enthusiastic, even from those who can’t sing. Golan supports his tunes with large-scale choreography and gigantic sets, showing uncharacteristic interest in the opening of his wallet to bring out the bigness of “The Apple” world, which is colorful and blindingly lit at times. The picture looks and sounds fine, but the production lacks cohesion, jumping from moment to moment, with most of the effort played sincerely, trying to take Alphie’s struggles seriously as the singer/songwriter attempts to make it on his own, still pining for the elusive Bibi. The rest is clumsy or just campy, including a mid-movie sequence where locals are forced to participate in a state-sponsored exercise routine, watching firefighters abandoned a raging inferno to dance the pounds away, while hospital duties are paused for light dancing. It’s a cute idea, and it’s one of the few instances of intentional comedy in “The Apple,” finding most antics executed with a straight face, as though Golan was truly attempting to comment on the nature of spiritual corruption via a movie where glitter is shellacked everywhere and, well, there’s a song about sex titled “Coming.”

The Apple Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "The Apple" has been polished for its Blu-ray debut, offering a new master for the fans. Quality is impressive throughout, and while the previous DVD release wasn't a disaster, the HD upgrade is most welcome, supplying a satisfactory level of detail necessary to help grasp production achievements, offering pauseable moments with costuming, set decoration, and choreography. Close-ups deliver compelling facial texture, and distances are preserved. Colors are secure, sustaining the disco-era vibe with hearty primaries and flavorful neon hues. Skintones are natural. Delineation isn't problematic. Whites have a few bloomy moments. Grain is fine and filmic. Source is in terrific shape, without distracting elements of damage and age.

And for the curious, the mysterious "Screening Print" cut of "The Apple" isn't included on this Blu-ray, with its current whereabouts unknown, believed to be in possession of a print collector who stole it during circulation.

The Apple Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix delivers a nice boost in volume and definition with musical numbers, supplying sharp instrumentation and clear vocals that tend to dominate the songs. Dialogue exchanges retain their age, with crispy highs appearing during extremes of emotion or chaotic crowd interactions. Scoring supports as intended. Atmospherics are appreciable, retaining presence with party scenes and city activity.

The Apple Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features actress Catherine Mary Stewart.

• Interview (47:07, HD) with Stewart is a lively discussion of her time on "The Apple," sharing her inexperience with film production, joining the movie through a cattle call, where director Menahem Golan picked her out of a dancing line-up. Stewart maintains her innocence at the time, working to do the best job she could while dealing with more seasoned co-stars, sharing anecdotes and memories about Grace Kennedy, George Gilmour, Joss Ackland, Vladek Sheybal, and Allan Love, who she found decades later on an episode of "Kitchen Nightmares." Stewart discusses her task of lip-synching, but offers reverence for singer Mary Hylan (who provided Bibi's singing voice), and shares memories of deleted scenes and ornate costuming, which was specifically fitted for her. Stewart seems happy about her "Apple" experience, offering thoughts on the feature's ultimate failure to connect with audiences, and its unlikely revival in the early 2000s, with Stewart even attending a midnight screening to see what the fuss was about. The interview eventually slips into filmography mode, with Stewart looking back on early endeavors such as "Scenes from a Goldmine," "Nightflyers," "World Gone Mad," "Weekend at Bernie's," and "Powder Heads." In all, a wonderful chat.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:49, HD), with a few snippets of deleted scenes, is included.

The Apple Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Apple" is a bad movie, perfect for cult consumption. However, it's never dull, is reasonably successful in the soundtrack department, and it's quite fun to watch, especially when Golan whiffs on grand ideas, including a climatic reveal of hippies as a the source of all that's good in the world, and an appearance from God, aka Mr. Topps (Joss Ackland), who drives to Earth inside a flying Rolls Royce. There's plenty of confusion to go around, as Golan loses control of the feature rather quickly, but "The Apple" achieves success in different ways, completely committing to its absurdity, watching the production aim to please to the best of its ability. It's not a picture that commands respect, but its goofiness is engaging, even endearing, emerging as one of the better musical trainwrecks of the era.