6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 1.5 | |
Overall | 1.5 |
A group of motorcyclists on a "treasure hunt" are terrorized by a gang of murderous psychopaths.
Starring: Christopher George, Preston Pierce, Roberta Collins, Linda Borgeson, John Davis ChandlerHorror | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.66:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 1.5 | |
Video | 1.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 4.5 | |
Overall | 1.5 |
Note: This film is available as part of He Came from the Swamp: The William Grefé Collection.
Anyone who thought Arrow Video had already released the mother lode of Florida based exploitation fare with their gigantic The Herschell Gordon Lewis Feast set
from a few years ago had best be prepared to realize that the intrepid folks at this label known for catering to (cinematic) cultists of various stripes
may have in fact only been offering an appetizer of sorts. It’s kind of amazing in a way to hear Herschell Gordon Lewis himself singing the praises of
William Grefé in the feature length documentary They Came From the Swamp included in this new set devoted to Grefé’s work, but Lewis
actually makes a point of stating that he was the interloper on territory Grefé had already staked out, and that Grefé couldn’t have been
more gracious in welcoming Lewis to the far south fold, so to speak. It may be a little odd, then, that for at least some fans of exploitation cinema
Herschell Gordon Lewis’ name may be better remembered than that of William Grefé, something that may seem especially unexpected given the fact
that Grefé was at least occasionally able to muster A-list (or formerly A-list) talent like Rita Hayworth for some of his projects, an
accomplishment that probably never would have even occurred to Lewis to attempt.
Sting of Death is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.66:1. Arrow's hardcover insert book has a full page devoted to the transfers of each of the films, starting with some generic overview verbiage and then some brief comments on each film:
All the films included in this collection have been restored from the best available materials. Whilst every effort has been made to offer up the best possible presentations, the results inevitably vary according to the condition of the source materials, some of which were in poor shape. We hope that this does not affect your enjoyment of the films.As should probably be obvious, a "16mm scope print" is not the ideal source for a presentation, and this transfer is further hobbled by the fact that the source is in pretty rough, ragged condition. Numerous signs of age related wear and tear predominate, including shifts in color temperature, large scratches, knicks, dirt and other damage. The print also shows some pretty serious signs of fading, and some of the nighttime scenes, like those in Mako: The Jaws of Death, suffer from crush to the point that it can be hard to make out things. The widescreen framings coupled with a 16mm source can often mean fine detail is minimal. As should be expected from a smaller format source, grain is pretty thick and gritty looking most of the time.
Sting of Death was scanned from its original 35mm negative. The audio was sourced from a 35mm optical track negative.
Death Curse of Tartu was scanned from a 16mm print. The audio was also sourced from this print. The 16mm print - presumably a TV print - was found to have been trimmed for gore, so these missing shots were sourced from a lesser copy 35mm print and reinstated.
The Hooked Generation was scanned from a 16mm internegative. The audio was sourced from a 16mm optical track negative.
The Psychedelic Priest (AKA Electric Shades of Grey ) was scanned from a 16mm Ektachrome release print. The audio was also sourced from this print.
The Naked Zoo was scanned from its original 35mm negative, which had been recut to the Barry Mahon version of the film. In order to recreate William Grefé 's original director's cut, the footage unique to that version was sourced from a badly faded and warped 35mm workprint. The audio was sourced from a 35mm double edged track print and a 35mm track negative.
Mako: Jaws of Death was scanned from two 16mm prints, which were composited for best quality sections of each. The audio was also sourced from these prints.
Whiskey Mountain was scanned from a 16mm scope print. The audio was also sourced from this print.
All materials used in these restorations were supplied William Grefé , Lisa Petrucci / Something Weird Video, Vinegar Syndrome, Ed Tucker, and AGFA (American Genre Film Archive).
Surprisingly, Whiskey Mountain's LPCM Mono track has withstood the test of time a good deal better than the video element. There are still problems, including a low frequency hum that can be heard on occasion, but the film's kind of jangly score (including a theme song played by The Charlie Daniels Band) actually sounds relatively decent. There are still definitely problems here, including fluctuating amplitude and clarity, but when compared to the video side of things, audio comes off considerably better. Optional English subtitles are available.
- Original Trailer (1080p; 1:16) has the SWV watermark.
- Original Radio Spot (1080p; 00:33)
- TV Show Whiskey (1080p; 1:27) features Barbara Walters!
- The Weird World of LSD (1967) (1080p; 2:50)
- Fireball Jungle (1968) (1080p; 00:22)
- The King of the Jungle (1969) (1080p; 1:18)
- The Magic Legend of the Juggler (1970) (1080p; 00:32)
- Bloody Friday (1972) (1080p; 2:09)
- Super Chick (1973) (1080p; 00:32)
If Whiskey Mountain had eliminated or at least shortened its weirdly static first section, it might have been one of the more compelling films in this set, as once the "real" plot kicks in, things get suitably disturbing. This features some of the roughest looking video in the set, but audio emerges surprisingly intact. This disc also features some excellent supplements, including the really worthwhile documentary on Grefé.
(Still not reliable for this title)
1966
1966
1971
1970
The Jaws of Death
1976
1968
1970
1972
1974
Garu, the Mad Monk
1970
1970
1963
Legacy of Horror | Theatrical and TV Cuts
1978
1968
1984
1983
1970
1984
1967
1970