Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

The Vineyard Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 28, 2019

James Hong has enjoyed an incredible acting career dating back to the 1950s, playing a wide variety of characters in nearly every genre around. However, in 1989’s “The Vineyard,” Hong strikes gold as a wicked vintner who uses the blood of youth and the power of black magic to secure eternal life, which is not a character one comes around often enough. Co-directing (with William Rice) and co-writing the endeavor as well, Hong tries to do everything for “The Vineyard,” which has its rough B-movie movements and iffy assembly, but also manages to be immensely entertaining, with moments of horror, sleaze, and flashes of camp helping to generate an amusing sit with an awfully strange endeavor. Hong understands what the work needs, and he gives it all he’s got to secure cult appeal.

Living a luxury life, Dr. Po (James Hong) is a successful vintner surrounded by glorious acres on his private island. Thanks to the power of a Mayan god and a special amulet, Dr. Po has managed to prevent aging, dealing with the forces of darkness and a special collection of bodies in his dungeon, draining his prisoners of blood to help him live even longer. Under the guise of producing a movie, Dr. Po welcomes a collection of young actors to his property, paying special attention to Jezebel (Karen Witter), the star of the picture, while journalist Jeremy (Michael Wong) tags along to conduct interviews. While an introductory party commences, Dr. Po has something far more seductive and sinister in mind for his guests, while Jeremy begins to snoop around the property, uncovering the danger of Dr. Po’s winery as the host begins to torment the visiting thespians.

There’s not a strong story to keep “The Vineyard” together, but the premise offers an opening for insanity, finding Dr. Po a malevolent man using seduction and power to maintain control of his estate and life. He deals appropriately with his cheating spouse, tossing a python in her bed, ordering his goons to slice up her lover. Wine sales are strong, with a rare bottle creating a bidding frenzy at an auction. Dr. Po is also something of a celebrity on the vintner circuit, inspiring Jeremy to investigate such a legacy. The only thing Dr. Po can’t handle is aging, working with shavings from his prized amulet to keep the ravages of time away, allowing him to continue living his playboy lifestyle. However, the blood needs to flow on the island, luring needy young things to the vineyard to participate in a movie shoot that’s more about collecting prisoners than creating big screen magic.

“The Vineyard” has some assembly issues (editing is a tad confused at times), but the entertainment value of the movie is rarely lost. We watch as the actors enjoy the vineyard, finding the celebratory mood at a costume party, which leads to excess and a hangover few won’t ever forget. There’s a voodoo element to Dr. Po’s intimidation, using magic to torment the visitors, with one young woman coughing up a nest of spiders, while a nervous guy accepts an acupuncture treatment form his host, unwittingly giving Dr. Po control of his body. Hong and Rice keep up the gore, and they add plenty of nudity to satisfy exploitation demands, delivering a lively viewing experience that dips into martial arts and mysticism, along with the grim realities of the wine, which may or may not be created inside giant barrels with dead bodies floating around in them.

The Vineyard Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "The Vineyard" brings out all the intended ghoulishness of the feature, and its beauty as well. Clarity is terrific, with sharpness securing defined facial surfaces and makeup achievements, while costuming is fibrous, doing well with fuzzier sweaters and silkier eveningwear. Locations are dimensional, and interiors are open for exploration, offering distinct ornamentation. Colors are vibrant, with bright greenery and strong primaries, generating vivid period fashion and interior decoration. Stranger weird science hues are memorable. Skintones are spot-on, helping with the film's extensive displays of bare flesh. Delineation is communicative, doing especially well with evening sequences. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in terrific condition.

The Vineyard Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix secures a distinct and confident listening experience for "The Vineyard." Dialogue exchanges are defined throughout, remaining stable as extreme emotions and survival instincts are explored, and a few instances of mild separation keep things active. Scoring is supportive, offering an appealing synth push that's appropriate for a B-movie event. Sound effects are defined, giving macabre events some presence, while atmospherics do well with household movement and visits to the vineyard.

The Vineyard Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Welcome to the Vineyard" (19:27, HD) is a conversation with director/star James Hong and producer/star Harry Mok. Hong's quest to find something significant to play led him to the creation of "The Vineyard," which was partially self-funded by the helmer, who wanted to maintain control over the shoot. Meeting Mok, the pair worked tirelessly to put the project together, finding actual vineyard locations for little expense, and collecting a varied group of actors, with some, like Michael Wong, just getting started in the business. The collaboration with co- director William Rice is explored, along with Hong's mission to deliver some Asian representation, using his power to provide professional opportunities. "The Vineyard" was picked up by New World Pictures, who only released it in Atlanta, much to Hong's disappointment, and he feels the movie could've reached a larger audience without all the sexual content. There's a lot of respect shared between the men, with Mok making it clear Hong was his mentor and friend. The veteran actor also examines his early career aspirations (delivering some amusing impressions in the process), and his eventual Hollywood ambitions.

• "Zombies from San Jose" (12:16, HD) explores "The Vineyard" with co-director Rice, who won the job after approaching a producer at an audition, soon making friends with Hong, who needed more of a partner on the shoot, to help juggle responsibilities. For 21 days, Rice and Hong did their best to bring the feature in on time, with the production dealing with locations and technical challenges, including makeup work on the zombies. Rice's job responsibilities are recalled, along with his undead wrangling, unsure how to answer the eternal question, "How do zombies walk?" The helmer details the wrap gift Hong presented him, and his first encounter with "The Vineyard" in the wild, finding a VHS tape for rent while making a different movie.

• "Sacred Earth and Restless Souls" (16:52, HD) sits down with cinematographer John Dirlam, who recounts his success in film school, scoring gigs before finishing his education. After meeting Rice, Dirlam was brought on to shoot the feature, soon realizing he was dealing with an incomplete camera package and no money in the budget. Celebrating the team effort required to bring "The Vineyard" to life," Dirlam praises his crew and Hong, who was overwhelmed at times with all that was expected of him. Additional topics include dealing with zombies, interactions with Mok, and the beauty of the vineyards used in the picture.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (3:53, HD) is included.

The Vineyard Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The screenplay gets a little carried away in the final act as a zombie uprising is introduced to take matters over the top, but "The Vineyard" doesn't fall apart. Hong and Rice are tasked with crafting low-budget delights, trying to celebrate the genre and give it a few new highlights, and they're largely successful. It's not a major endeavor, but it has a ghoulish spirit and some laughs as it carries on with malicious winery encounters.