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In an era when vinyl records can make a comeback, I suppose it was inevitable that nostalgia for the days of VHS tapes would rear its ugly head. But I don't think anyone actually misses the format itself. Comparatively speaking, the picture quality was never that great and they wore out pretty fast, especially rental copies. What we truly miss is the ritual...venturing to the nearest mom & pop video store and perusing shelf after shelf of battered boxes covered in stickers reminding us not to leave the tapes in the sun.
Several years ago, Mill Creek Entertainment tapped into that nostalgia with a wonderfully packaged series of Blu-ray releases with slipcovers resembling old VHS boxes, complete with creases, frayed stickers urging us to rewind, and glimpses of the cassettes themselves. We’ve been periodically getting them ever since, only now Alliance Entertainment is doing the honors. True to form, most of the films in the series are those which more-or-less found their audience in the pop & pop video stores. The latest batch is no exception…six titles, mostly from the 80s, that have been largely forgotten over time (often for good reason), though some viewers might have fond memories of renting them back in the day.
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| Didi is offered some Skittles. |
YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE (1977/91 min) wasn't just a home video staple. Released in theaters in 1977, this was actually a pretty big hit, largely because of its syrupy title song that was inescapable on AM radio (and also won an Oscar that year). The movie itself is the perfunctory but largely unremarkable story of a young woman, Laurie (Didi Conn), who dreams of being a singer. We’ve all seen this stuff done better before, though Conn is quite good in the role. Still, most of us probably remember the song more than the film. It might also horrify you to learn that the creator of both, Joseph Brooks, was eventually arrested for being a serial rapist, which certainly casts a dark shadow while revisiting this thing today. 😺😺
LOVELINES (1984/93 min) is a silly teen comedy about two young rock singers from different bands who fall in love right before the town’s local battle-of-the-bands competition. Featuring a primary cast who don't remotely look like teenagers and largely went on to do little else noteworthy (save for Michael Winslow), this one predictably reeks of the decade from which it sprang (more so than any of the other films in this review). And even though I’d never actually seen this one before, I felt like I had. For viewers who think the ‘80s were Hollywood’s greatest decade, I guess that could be considered praise. Look quick for a very young Miguel Ferrer as a guy who goes by the name of Dragon. 😺
SUNSET (1988/102 min) was released just before Die Hard instantly turned Bruce Willis into an action star. Before that, he did some forgettable comedies (and a couple of real pooches) which capitalized on his popularity on the hit series, Moonlight. Of those, Sunset is one of the better ones, which is largely due to his co-star James Garner, who has fun playing Wyatt Earp alongside Willis as Tom Mix, a famous actor during the silent era. The two find themselves running afoul of a gangster, a concept with comic potential that legendary director Blake Edwards surprisingly struggles to exploit (considering his resume of comedy classics). Still, the story is fairly engaging and this one has the distinction of being the last decent movie Edwards would make.😺😺😺
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| "You like it? It's grape flavored." |
FAST FORWARD (1984/113 min) is directed by none other than the late, great Sidney Poitier. But being legendarily great in front of the camera doesn’t always transfer behind it. Despite his reputation as a serious actor responsible for many iconic characters, most of the movies he helmed were either dumb comedies or derivative dramas. Fast Forward is a distressingly bland and predictable underdog story about a talented batch of teenagers dedicated to winning a dance competition. The anonymous cast struts from one familiar scene after another, culminating in…well, you know the rest. There’s nothing particularly bad about the film itself (the dance sequences are good), just nothing noteworthy that hasn’t been shown in countless other movies. However, it’s Citizen Kane compared to Poitier’s next (and last) directorial effort, Ghost Dad.😺😺
COLD STEEL (1987/90 min) is the one title of this latest collection I have absolutely no memory of. I don’t recall it being released in theaters, nor did I ever notice it at the video store. But ironically, this is the one I probably enjoyed the most. Part of that might be because I can’t resist a good revenge story, but also because I didn’t have my expectations all that high to begin with. Cold Steel ain’t gonna make anyone forget Death Wish, but as low budget action movies go, I’ve seen far worse. It’s got a pretty good cast led by Brad Davis as a cop looking to avenge his dad’s murder, only to square off against Iceman (Jonathan Banks), who wants revenge on him. There ain’t a lotta depth (or brains) to be found here, but the action is kinda fun and the film boasts Sharon Stone in a pre-stardom early role. 😺😺😺
In terms of actual content, these are bare-bones Blu-rays, but I suppose you could look at it this way: None of the old VHS copies had bonus features, either. The purpose of these re-releases is purely aesthetic, meant for collectors of a certain age who didn't grow up on Netflix and its generic title descriptions. For them, these are a fun way to retro-fit your video shelves.
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