Shock Festival - (2010)Movie ReviewFull Cast And Crew
Director: Various
Writing Credits: Various
Rating: NR
Run Time: NA
Studio: Bloody Earth Films
Cast: Various,
Theatrical Release Date: NA
DVD Release Date: February 09, 2010
Review:There are many reasons I like “Shock Festival,” but the element that stands out to me the most is the amount of content. I literally spent an entire weekend going through all the grindhouse goodness that this DVD had to offer. I even have the trailer reel running in the background while I write this review.
But what is most impressive is the amount of detail that went into this project. Everything from the DVD menus to the mini-poster included within the DVD case is top notch. If you’re a collector, and nostalgic like I am, then you’ll appreciate it even more. Clearly the people from Bloody Earth films put their blood sweat and tears into this project and for that, I thank them.
I also thought the commentary tracks by Steven Romano were outstanding. This guy knows more about these old dirty gems than the fat guy who says “time to make the donuts” knows about getting up early. Steven could talk to you for an hour about how “Treasure of the Four Crowns” (a personal favorite of mine) was made and if the director liked cream in his coffee or not.
Side Note: In the book “Shock Festival” Steven includes photos of his living room where the walls are literally plastered with movie memorabilia. We see everything from a “Bad Lieutenant” poster to a “Dark Night at the Demon House” one-sheet. His ceilings are even lost to his madness. I guess that clears up the question if Steven is married or not.
Within the commentary tracks, Steven discusses the trailers within the reel of course, but also talks about growing up within the grindhouse world. He shares funny stories about the film industry, what it was like working with Don Coscarelli on “Phantasm” and even dabbles in current topics like the current remake craze. It’s all very interestingly geeky.
The last element of this bulging DVD set that I want to bring to your attention are the countless TV and radio spots found on disc three. See folks, I grew up in 80’s and spent my time watching films like “Porky’s”, “Gremlins” and “Stand By Me.” Eventually, I discovered the back room of my local ma-and-pa video store and that’s when I discovered films like “Grizzly”, “Motel Hell”, “The Toolbox Murders” and “Hell Night.” Years later, listening to the radio and television spots for these films is extremely nostalgic and satisfying.
I would say that there are close to 300 MP3 files and they have all been re-mastered and encoded with the original theatrical poster. I should also mention that these files are easily accessible which is great for transferring to portable devices like an iphone or PSP.
Overall, Shock Festival exceeded my expectations in every way. If you’re a fan of grindhouse, exploitation and horror films than this is a no brainer. My only complaint is that the DVD set didn’t come with a bar of soap because you’re going to need a shower after watching this sleaze. No, that’s a good thing people! Now if you will excuse me, the “Amazon Jail” trailer just came on. Gotta run!
