7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Take a cliched Horror-story beginning, a remote Gothic mansion, an insane hostess, a group of strangers (four men, three women and a gorilla) and you pretty much begin to see that this is not meant to be a serious film, but rather a parody of several other (older and better) ones. Social and sexual confusion & misunderstanding guarantees that this odd cast of characters will come together and entertain & amuse for 120 minutes.
Starring: Marion Eaton, Melinda McDowell, George Kuchar, Mookie Blodgett, Ken ScudderHorror | 100% |
Erotic | 40% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH, French, Spanish, German
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
The underground movie scene of the 1960s and ‘70s provided a Wild West experience for its participants. Free of studio control, often constructing pictures with hopes and dreams instead of money, the filmmakers were cleared to explore their imagination to the fullest, dissecting the world around them with bizarre creations steeped in provocative imagery and interpretational screenwriting. For some, pure insanity was the goal, with 1975’s “Thundercrack!” a prime example of a feature that’s primarily driven by curiosity and impulse, trying to disrupt expectation in every way imaginable. Directed by Curt McDowell and scripted by George Kuchar (who also appears in a supporting role), “Thundercrack!” is a wild viewing experience out to merge melodrama with hardcore pornography, leaving little to the imagination as feels around in the dark for a story to back up all the absurdity.
The AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation is the result of an extensive restoration operation to bring "Thundercrack!" to the HD realm without access to the original negative, which is thought to be lost. Using available 16mm elements, Synapse has done an impressive job with limited resources, piecing together an original cut of the black and white movie, working to tame its difficult imagery. Delineation is mostly secure, permitting viewers a chance to survey the dark frame, while balance remains approachable with periodically bloomy whites. Some mild artifacting is present, and source damage is almost unavoidable considering the obscurity of the title, but nothing distracts. Detail battles softer cinematography and source limitations, but textures are there for study, including graphic sexuality and cartoonish make up.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix for "Thundercrack!" battles inherent sound issues, with range limitation easily identified throughout the listening experience. Again, Synapse is working uphill here, and they manage to create a satisfactory soundscape for a difficult picture, making sure dialogue (which almost sounds intentionally muted at times) is available, following the collection of bickering and moaning as far as it can go. Fuzziness remains, along with hiss and pops, but overall stability is agreeable, just never remarkable. Scoring isn't defined, but it blends into the cacophony with ease, while sound effects retain their bluntly naturalistic and animalistic intentions.
On Blu-ray:
"Thundercrack!" is tedious, but it's artful as well, with McDowell pursuing a few silent film techniques, and there's clever use of exaggerated 2-D backgrounds to help establish dreamscape visits and flashbacks. There's plenty of creativity to enjoy in the feature, and performances, as amateurish as a few are, remain passionate, completely engaged with the material's excess. "Thundercrack!" isn't a defining example of the underground movie movement, but it remains a valuable one, with startling directorial and screenwriting ambition that helps to cover problematic areas where the production misfires wildly. And for those who hold any deep-seated sexual fantasies about gorillas, this is a must-buy.
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