Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		2.5

The Haunted World of el Superbeasto Blu-ray Movie Review

Hitler's pickled head? Check. Gratuitous nudity? Check. Excessive Violence? Check. 'El Superbeasto' throws in everything but the kitchen sink for this animated outing from Rob Zombie.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 5, 2009

Mr. Rob Zombie feels it would be a little unkind to present this picture without just a word of friendly warning.

Rob Zombie: Heavy Metal thrasher, filmmaker, connoisseur of all things taboo. From the demented mind of one of this generation's most noted Horror maestros comes...The Haunted World of el Superbeasto? The title alone -- it's as zany as, say, House of 1,000 Halloween Rejects -- elicits a chuckle from those not "in the know," but delve into the film, and it's quintessential Zombie. Perverted, grotesque, crude, bloody; the film shies away from nothing, and if there's not a nude body, splattered blood, or a dirty word pouring from the mouth of any character during any given second of the film, chances are the wrong disc is in the Blu-ray player. This straight to video feature, based on Zombie's own comic series of the same name, thrives on its quirkiness. It's certainly different from anything out there; from zombie Nazis to that ever-perplexing decision between the girl and chicken wings, The Haunted World of el Superbeasto has everything its target audience could ever want in an animated...whatever this is.

'I'm only interested in talent.'

The musclebound, smooth-talking, always-ready-for-action (any kind of action) Superbeasto (Tom Papa) is winding down at his favorite watering hole after a hard day's work on the set of his latest adult film when he lays eyes on Velvet Von Black (Rosario Dawson), a big-chested, wise-cracking dancer who just so happens to have the mark of the devil stenciled into her derriere. Superbeasto can't take his eyes off her, but when he shows up at her dressing room door with a beer helmet and a bouquet of flowers, he finds he's been beaten to the punch by a gorilla. This isn't any ordinary gorilla; it's Doctor Satan's (Paul Giamatti) right-hand man. Satan wishes to rule the world, and to do so, he needs to marry and mate with the girl with the sign of the beast. After a lengthy debate over whether he should save the girl or go enjoy an order of hot wings with a side of bleu cheese dressing, Superbeasto settles on the former, setting off a series of zany adventures where blood is mandatory and clothing is optional. Oh, and Superbeasto's sister Suzi X (Sherri Moon Zombie) spends the movie in a catsuit (or less) stealing Hitler's pickled head and fighting off zombie National Socialists.

The Haunted World of el Superbeasto sets a peculiar tone in its opening minutes. A throwback to the classic days of Horror and Science Fiction, audiences are forewarned of the nature of the film, and the opening titles recall the classic Horror movies of yore with black-and-white photography and scratchy music. What's to follow wouldn't have even made it past the initial draft back in the day. Crossing every boundary of taste and delving into the surreal along the way, The Haunted World of el Superbeasto combines the zany charm of a Saturday morning cartoon with the disturbing tone of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, or any of Rob Zombie's own live action films, for that matter. It's not the first animated feature to revel in foul language, nude characters, or excessive violence, but nothing before has been so direct and over-the-top as this. Completely zany from start to finish, The Haunted World of el Superbeasto banks on the novelty of the concept, and while it makes for an interesting premise and starts out promisingly enough, the movie becomes far too repetitive and grates on the nerves soon after it piques the curiosity. Even at a brisk 78 minutes in length, there's only so many times the film can mow down SS zombies or revel in gratuitous blood and chesty girl shots. The story itself is rather weak; it's good enough to get from one bare-chested girl to the next, but viewer's won't be glued to their HDTV's to find out whether Dr. Satan wins the day or if Superbeasto can thwart Satan's plan and finally eat those hot wings.

The Haunted World of el Superbeasto Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Haunted World of el Superbeasto features a 1080p, 1.78:1-framed high definition transfer. As expected, it's of near-reference quality. The film is appropriately colorful, and whether the action takes place in a well-lit interior or more gloomy nighttime or subterranean locales, the image tends to dazzle with its broad array of hues that seem to pop directly off the screen with every shot. The brief black-and-white open looks appropriately worn, complete with artificial grain, speckles, and lines over the image. There's a fair sense of depth to the image, and most every scene delivers crisp, clear visuals that, when presented in high definition, reveal every nuanced detail the artists have inserted into the movie. The image is well-defined, though lines can sometimes exhibit some jagged edges. Though slight banding is also visible in a few select shots, The Haunted World of el Superbeasto makes for an eye-popping Blu-ray transfer.

The Haunted World of el Superbeasto Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Haunted World of el Superbeasto features a wonderful PCM 5.1 uncompressed soundtrack. Loud and aggressive but at the same time incredibly clear and always a whole lot of fun, the track offers plenty of dazzling sonic moments that compliment the jaw-dropping visuals wonderfully. Sound effects pour out of every speaker; the track features plenty of atmospherics, such as the reverberations of a microphone or light music playing in the background, and the many action-oriented scenes deliver a full-fledged surround-sound experience. Listeners will feel sufficiently immersed into the film from a sonic perspective. Aside from the deliberately scratchy and center-focused opening title music, the film's score and many theme songs are played with a superb clarity that brings the soundstage positively alive with the film's whacky songs and general sonic goodness. Rounded out by strongly delivered dialogue reproduction, The Haunted World of el Superbeasto sounds fantastic on Blu-ray.

The Haunted World of el Superbeasto Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Haunted World of el Superbeasto arrives on Blu-ray with minimal bonus materials. Full Length Animatic (1080p, 1:17:32, Dolby Digital 5.1) presents the entire film in a raw form with crude drawings and, in many places, an absence of color. Also included is a collection of deleted scenes and shots (1080p, 4:28) and alternate scenes (1080p, 35:17).

The Haunted World of el Superbeasto Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If the title alone isn't enough to at least pique the curiosity, then nothing will. The Haunted World of el Superbeasto isn't a good movie -- it's repetitive and features a weak plot line -- but most will be watching just to see what the heck it's all about. The Haunted World of el Superbeasto sacrifices the gore and atmosphere of House of 1,000 Corpses, eschews the nitty-gritty tone of The Devil's Rejects, and forsakes the grim realism of Halloween in favor of a hybrid Horror/Comedy that looks and sounds like a Saturday morning cartoon at a glance but is decidedly for adult -- and mature -- audiences only. Arriving on Blu-ray courtesy of Starz, The Haunted World of el Superbeasto delivers a high quality visual and aural presentation, but Zombie fans will be disappointed in the lack of bonus materials. Worth a rental for the curious or otherwise inclined.