THREE and THREE…EXTREMES: Aptly Named Anthologies

THREE & THREE…EXTREMES (Blu-ray)

2002 & 2004 / 254 min (2 movies)

Arrow Video 

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Three…Extremes was released on this side of the pond in the early 2000s, and I was aware of its reputation. More specifically, I was aware that Takashi Miike was one of the directors of this horror anthology. For those unfamiliar, Miike’s prolific career includes Ichi the Killer, Audition and the nastiest episode of Showtime’s Master of Horror series. So nasty, if fact, that Showtime refused to air it, and after later catching it on DVD, I could see why.

He’s a good director, but the films I’ve seen (those above-mentioned titles) wallow in levels depravity and violence that are tough to endure…and I can generally endure a lot. But the violence isn’t just graphic. The context in which it’s inflicted is what makes it so brutal. So, tail between legs, I took a hard pass on Three…Extremes.

But here we are, 20 years later, and Arrow Video has put it out on Blu-ray, along with the first film, 2002’s Three. And guess what…I was today-years-old when I learned the film I was reluctant to watch two decades ago was a sequel. Actually, that might surprise a lot of people, since Three was only released in the U.S. (as Three…Extremes II) after Three…Extremes made waves here. Not that it matters, since they’re anthology films anyway.

Not knowing what to expect, I put on my big-boy pants and dug in, fully prepared to witness stuff I’ll never unsee…

But Three is a surprisingly subdued and deliberately-paced trio of stories by directors from Korea, Thailand and Hong Kong. In fact, the overall tone is similar to what we now might call ‘elevated horror.’ The first tale, “Memories,” features a man who appears concerned about his missing wife. Concurrently, she awakens in the middle of the street with no idea how she got there, then proceeds to make her way home. There are some effective scenes here and there, but most horror fans will see the twist ending coming from a mile away. “The Wheel” deals with a cursed marionette that wreaks havoc on the man who took it for himself after its original owners died. “Going Home,” is about a cop whose young son goes missing. While searching, he’s taken captive by his reclusive neighbor, who is trying to resurrect his dead wife. There’s more plot here than the story really needs, but it’s the best of the three, with an ironic twist and an intriguingly ambiguous denouement.

Overall, Three is longer than it needs to be, with directors Kim Jee-woon, Peter Chan and Nonzee Mimibutr all guilty of a little self-indulgence. But for the most part, it’s visually interesting, with an emphasis on atmosphere over scares and violent thrills. In fact, it’s damn near bloodless.

You won't find these at a food court.

Conversely, Three…Extremes is aptly named. “Dumplings” is Fruit Chan’s sick and twisted tale of a former actress desperate to stay young. She hires the services of a mysterious dumpling maker whose secret to eternal youth is pretty shocking (to say nothing of stomach churning, thanks to some repellant visuals and sound effects)…and the story is just getting started. In Park Chan-wook’s “Cut,” a film director and his wife are held captive and tortured by one of his former extras, who forces him to make some terrible decisions in order to save her. This one is brutal and bloody, marred by a somewhat silly ending. 

The biggest shock is saved for last, with Takashi Miike’s “Box.” But what’s shocking is that this one is not driven by violence and gore. In fact, it’s an exercise in surrealism about a young woman who has spent her life mourning the twin sister she accidentally killed when they were children. Haunting and atmospheric, this one may disappoint those accustomed to Miike’s more bloodthirsty work, but I really enjoyed the director’s emphasis on mood over logic. As the final story, however, it does end the Three…Extremes rather anti-climactically, at least compared to the visceral viciousness of the first two.

These six stories play more like individual films - complete with their own credits - than part of a whole, and the tone is mostly serious (sometimes almost melancholy). As horror anthologies go, they don’t quite deliver the sense of fun that a Creepshow episode might, but are certainly worth checking out, although Three…Extremes is definitely not for the squeamish. In addition to solid 2K restorations of both films, Arrow has included an good batch of new & archival bonus features. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review.

THREE

INTERVIEWS - New and archival individual interviews with “Memories” director Kim Jee-woon, “Memories” cinematographer Hong Kyoung-pyo, “Going Home” director Peter Ho-Sun Chan, “Going Home” actor Eugenia Tuan.

MAKING-OF FEATURETTE

TRAILER

THREE…EXTREMES

INTERVIEWS - New and archival individual interviews with producer Peter Ho-Sun Chan, “Box” director Takashi Miike, “Dumplings” director Fruit Chan, “Dumplings” actor Bai Ling.

MAKING-OF FEATURETTES - One for each film.

2 TRAILERS - Three…Extremes; feature length version of Dumplings.

4 HALLOWEEN...is Not

4 HALLOWEEN (Blu-ray)

2022 / 67 min

Darkside Releasing

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

If you love a good horror anthology flick - and who doesn’t? -  look elsewhere...please.

4 Halloween opens with a ten minute sequence of a masked psycho, wearing nothing but a slaughterhouse apron, cutting away a dead man’s nose, lips and eyes. Then with no transition whatsoever, he stabs a young woman in her bathroom about 50 times. The gore is all shot in voyeuristic close-up, which I suppose is fine if that’s your sort of thing. 

But that’s the entire plot of this dialogue-free segment, which is indicative of the rest of them, prompting one to wonder if the film had an actual written screenplay. While the ‘stories’ sort of intersect, none of them are all that coherent and mostly appear to exist for the sake of a gross-out scene…save for the last story, which so blatantly rips-off of Killer Klowns from Outer Space that the Chiodo Brothers should consider suing. 

In addition to being nearly nonsensical, 4 Halloween is amateurish and cheap looking, with godawful performances and, aside from some of the gore, visual effects that look like something cooked up by a public access TV station…from the 90s. Not only is this garbage a complete waste of time, it’s a waste of the disc it’s burned on. Dust off your old copy of Creepshow instead.

EXTRA KIBBLES

ALTERNATE SCENES, BEHIND-THE-SCENES & BLOOPERS - All rolled up into one featurette. more entertaining than the movie.

TRAILERS - For this and other Darkside releases.

Revisiting CREEPSHOW 2 in 4K

CREEPSHOW 2 Limited Edition (4K UHD)

1987 / 90 min

Arrow Video

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

As a big fan of Stephen King, George A. Romero and anthology horror films in general, I loved the original Creepshow. While not as flat-out scary as I expected, the movie was a hell of a lot of fun, with great stories, plenty of humor and a colorful aesthetic that paid homage to the ancient horror comics that inspired it. Decades later, it remains the best (certainly the most consistent) anthology film I’ve ever seen. 

For once, here was a horror film that justified and deserved a sequel…maybe lots of sequels. 

So imagine my initial disappointment at 1987’s Creepshow 2, which was (and still is) inferior in almost every way. Shorter (only three stories), cheaper and aesthetically drab, the movie largely eschews the comic book flourishes that made the first one unique. Though Romero returns to write the screenplay based on King stories, he’s sorely missed in the director’s chair, replaced by longtime associate Michael Gornick. And save for one segment, much of the original’s giddy gallows humor is conspicuously absent. At the time, I felt like those responsible for the sequel didn’t really give a damn about it, resulting in a movie that should have been called CHEAPshow.

But you know what? Time has actually been somewhat kind to Creepshow 2. While it still doesn’t hold a candle to the original (nor to many episodes of the recent Shudder series), I’ve revisited the movie on numerous occasions over the years, and like Jordy Verrill's fungus, it has sort of grown on me. Without the baggage of elevated expectations, I’ve learned to enjoy it on its own terms. So have many other fans, because what was once a critical and commercial dud has since earned something of a cult following.

Shoulda gone to Supercuts.

As for the stories themselves, I enjoy the first one, “Ol’ Chief Woodenhead," more than I used to. A fairly straightforward tale of just-desserts, its utter predictability doesn’t help, but the segment features a terrific villainous performance by a very young Holt McCallany (who’s now a reliable character actor) and some nice atmospheric touches. Conversely, one of King’s best stories, “The Raft,” is turned into the movie’s cheesiest segment, with unlikable characters, shitty performances and a man-eating slab of lake-dwelling goo that resembles a bunch of Hefty bags tied together. However, this one does feature some nasty gore effects. 

The best segment, “The Hitchhiker,” is the only one that would have been right at home in the first film. The story of a hit-and-run victim who won’t stay dead, this one boasts fun performances by Lois Chiles as a self-absorbed driver and Tom Wright as the title character seeking revenge. Creepshow 2 also has a wraparound story tying it all together, that of a comic book fan getting revenge on bullies with the help of Venus fly traps. This story (as well as The Creep himself) is animated, and cheaply, too, but it’s pretty amusing.

In the end, I no longer think Creepshow 2 was made by folks who didn’t give a damn. They simply did their best with the talent and meager resources available to them at the time. So all things considered, everyone involved who wasn’t a pencil pusher did manage to put together an entertaining little horror film. 

Now it’s available on 4K as a limited edition boxed set and features a pretty good video upgrade, though the three audio options are the same as Arrow’s previous Blu-ray release (and not really a complaint since the DTS-HD Master Audio track is really good). Having been sent a promo disc for review, I can’t comment on any physical supplements, but all of the other bonus material (outlined below) is the exactly same as the Blu-ray. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review.

FEATURETTES - Screenplay for a Sequel is an interview with screenwriter George A. Romero; Tales from the Creep is an interview make-up legend with Tom Savini (who plays The Creep in the wraparound segments); Poncho’s Last Ride and The Road to Dover are interviews with actors Daniel Beer (Randy) and Tom Wright (The Hitchhiker); Nightmares in Foam Rubber is special effects featurette, including interviews with Howard Berger & Greg Nicotero; My Friend Rick is an appreciation of make-up artist Rick Baker, featuring Howard Berger.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Michael Gornick.

BEHIND-THE-SCENES FOOTAGE

TRAILERS & TV SPOTS

SCREENPLAY GALLERIES

RAMPO NOIR: A Strange Anthology

RAMPO NOIR (Blu-ray)

2005 / 134 min

From Arrow Video

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Edogawa Ranpo was an author apparently considered to be Japan’s answer to Edgar Allan Poe. I'm not familiar with any of his work and have no idea if Rampo Noir is an accurate representation of it, but as horror films go, this one is certainly “out there.” Though sometimes intriguingly (and grotesquely) bizarre, it’s just as often ponderous and pretentious.

Rampo Noir is an anthology film based on four of the author’s stories, each helmed by a different director. The only connecting thread is actor Tadanobu Asano, who appears in all of them. The first story is “Mars Canal,” which consists of a naked man beating a naked woman, then he stumbles to a remote pond and collapses. With no dialogue or sound effects - just an increasingly grating synth drone - good luck trying to decipher what the hell any of it is supposed to mean. Fortunately, this segment is less than 10 minutes long.

“Mirror Hell” is at least more comprehensible, telling the story of a dreamy-but-psychotic mirror maker who uses his craft to kill women that are attracted to him. Though it features one of Ranpo’s most popular recurring characters, private detective Kogoro Akechi (Asano), there’s more emphasis on the unhinged antagonist and his sadomasochistic proclivities. Additionally, the story is pretty poky and comes to an abrupt, unsatisfying conclusion.

The new Captain Underpants.

If you can imagine Johnny Got His Gun being directed by David Cronenberg, you’ll have good idea of what to expect with “Caterpillar,” about a helpless, monstrously disfigured ex-soldier who’s subjected to physical, psychological and sexual abuse by his wife. Attempts at elevated, artistic horror are often offset by overall cruelty and nastiness, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t weirdly interesting.

The final story, “Crawling Bugs,” is arguably the most twisted, but also more disjointed and meandering than the others. The basic story centers on a loony, germophobic limo driver’s obsession with a popular stage actress. Creative, colorful production design enhances an overall surrealistic tone and the main character’s descent into madness. There are also surprising moments of black humor, including a final scene that will either illicit gasps or giggles. 

Like most anthology films, Rampo Noir has issues with consistency and all four stories are longer than they need to be, leaving one with the impression that these directors would have been better off focusing more on pure horror and leaving artier aspirations at the door. Half the time we’re morbidly fascinated, other half we’re certain we can grab a snack from the kitchen without bothering to hit the pause button.

EXTRA KIBBLES

NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review.

CROSS THE LENS - This is a 75-minute making-of documentary, shot during the film’s production. I actually enjoyed it more than the movie itself.

INTERVIEWS - Individual interviews with director Suguru Yakeuchi, director Hisayasu Sato, director Atsushi Kaneko, cinematography advisor Masso Nakabori, cinematographer Akiko Ashizawa, actress Yumi Yoshiyuki.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - by Jasper Sharp and Alexander Zahlten.

STAGE GREETING - Cast & directors Q&A footage at Rampo Noir’s Japanese premiere.

IMAGE GALLERIES

JUNE ZERO and the Nazi MacGuffin

JUNE ZERO (Blu-ray)

2022 / 105 min

FROM COHEN MEDIA GROUP

Review by Princess Pepper😽

Among those responsible for the Holocaust, Adolf Eichmann was one of the most notorious members of the Nazi Party during Word War II. He escaped the allies after the war and hid in Argentina until 1960, when he was found and returned to Israel to stand trial. Eventually found guilty, Eichmann was executed in 1962.

But June Zero isn’t about Eichmann, his crimes or the trial. He’s already been found guilty, sentenced to death and is in prison awaiting the verdict on his appeal. Instead, the film tells three different interlinked stories, each focused on a character impacted by the verdict, however tenuously. As with most anthology-type films, the stories vary in interest level and effectiveness.

This first is about David (Koby Aderet), a teenage petty thief who’s aware of the trial, but indifferent to its historical significance. He’s forced to take a job working for a power plant owner hired to build the oven that’ll cremate Eichmann after the execution, but proves to be very adept and is personally invested in how well the oven works. Meanwhile, peripheral adults often discuss their religious scruples and the morality over Israel's decision to execute & cremate Eichmann. At no point is David a particularly nice kid - largely self-absorbed & apathetic - but his story is engaging and ultimately serves as a wrap-around for the others.

"Don't stare at me while I'm thinking, kid."

In the second story, Haim (Yoav Levi) is a prison guard and Moroccan Jew tasked with watching over Eichmann while in prison, mainly to prevent any effort by European Jews to cheat the hangman. He doesn’t want the job, but takes it very seriously, even after being involved in a car crash that affects his perception and judgment. One particular delusion has him taking extreme measures to protect Eichmann from an innocent barber he mistakes for a formerly interned Jew. A strange episode, it's the only one where Eichmann is actually seen, but never fully…a wise narrative decision that emphasizes he’s little more than a MacGuffin in the film.

The final story is probably the least surprising because its tone reflects what I initially assumed the entire film would be. Micha (Thom Hagy) was part of the prosecution’s team during the trial, and also lectures others about his personal experiences as an Auschwitz survivor. This one is essentially a debate with fellow Israeli Ada (Joy Rieger) over whether or not post-war Judaism should be so heavily represented by suffering during the Holocaust. The episode is suitably low-key and poignant, but both the mood and setting seem to belong in a different movie (though Micha himself briefly appears in the second story).

Overall, June Zero maintains interest, mainly due to good performances and well-written stories that focus on characters existing in the background of a historic event, greatly aided by the use of hand-held cameras. This results in an intimate film, though maybe not always as emotionally affecting as one might hope for.

DANZA MACABRA, VOLUME THREE: Severin Goes To Spain

DANZA MACABRA, VOLUME THREE:

THE SPANISH GOTHIC COLLECTION (Blu-ray)

1971-1975 / 364 min (4 movies)

FROM SEVERIN FILMS

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

For the third volume of their Danza Macabra Blu-ray series, Severin Films sails across the Mediterranean to resurrect four Spanish gothic horror films from the early seventies. Like most boxed set collections, they vary in quality, but certainly serve up a selection of titles slightly left of the mainstream. 

1971’s Necrophagous (aka The Butcher of Binbrook) is arguably the goofiest, though atmospheric and teasingly ambiguous. However, the story ultimately ends up being a science project gone wrong, with Michael Sharrington (Bill Curran) messing around with human cells, turning people into monsters. He’s also dedicated enough to experiment on himself, with horrifying/amusing results. This is the only film presented in English.

Released the same year, Cake of Blood is a (mostly) historically-based anthology film that’s a bit more high-minded than your usual Amicus flick from the same era. As these types of films go, this one is surprisingly consistent. “Tarot” is as interesting riff on The Seventh Seal, while “Victor Frankenstein” boils Shelly’s story down to its bare essentials (it’s also also the weakest of the bunch). “Terror Among the Christians” features vampires terrorizing people during the Roman era. Finally, “The Dance” (the only story set in the present) has a hypnotic, haunting quality that’s enhanced by creative production design. Alas, no actual cake.

"Wake up! It's time for school!"

1974’s Cross of the Devil is probably the weakest movie in this collection. While not terrible, the story feels the most derivative. A writer heads to Spain to visit his sister after receiving an urgent letter, only to find she’s since been murdered. Naturally, he feels compelled to solve the mystery. This one draws obvious inspiration from the darker - and more compelling  - Blind Dead series. 

Despite the stupidly generic title, 1975’s The Night of the Walking Dead is easily the set’s best film. Also known as Strange Love of the Vampires (which is far more accurate), it’s a stylish, almost romantic tale of nasty villagers vs. sympathetic bloodsuckers. Caught in the middle is terminally ill Catherine (Emma Cohn), torn between an unlikable suitor and compassionate Count Rudolph (Carlos Ballesteros). This one is also the most violent of the four films, especially during the rousing final act.

Obviously, these titles are fairly obscure on this side of the pond. None of them are masterpieces, but fans of early 70s’ European gothic horror will find a lot to love here. Each film has been nicely restored and include some contextually interesting bonus material. Stored in a sturdy, well-designed box, they're also packaged in individual cases with their own unique cover art.

EXTRA KIBBLES

NECROPHAGOUS

SOMETHING YOU’VE NEVER SEEN - An appreciation by Angel Sala,. The head of programming of the Sitges Film Festival.

THE FIRST HORROR FILM FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD - Maria Pilar Rafales discusses the Sitges Film Festival.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By podcaster Andy Marshall-Roberts.

TRAILERS

CAKE OF BLOOD

INTERVIEWS - Individual interviews with actress Marisa Paredes, co-director Jaime Chavarri and actor Jose Lifante.

AN ARTHOUSE UFO - Another appreciation by Angel Sala.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By podcaster Rod Barnett and author Dr. Adrian Smith.

CROSS OF THE DEVIL

INTERVIEW - With screenwriter Juan Jose Porto.

FANTASY AND IMAGINATION: THE LEGACY OF GUSTAVO ADOLFO BECQUER - Video essay about the director by author Xavier Aldana Reyes.

THE REAL TEMPLAR KNIGHTS MOVIE - Yet another appreciation by Angel Sala.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By authors Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw.

THE NIGHT OF THE WALKING DEAD

INTERVIEWS - Individual interviews with actor Joes Lifante and writer Juan Jose Porto.

A DEADLY INVITATION TO ANOTHER DIMENSION - Angel Sala appreciates this one, too! Yay!

SPAIN’S CINEMATIC VAMPIRES - Video essay by author Xavier Aldana Reyes.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By author Kat Ellinger.

ALTERNATE SPANISH CREDIT SEQUENCE