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GROWLS AND ‘SWELLS’: A CLINT EASTWOOD ANALYSIS (PART 15)

EPISODE 15: SADDLE UP

A shot of the prairie landscape with a lonely rider intruding on the serene space is the best way to start this. For it will ultimately be the way we recollect the memory of Eastwood for better or for worse. And one does have to wonder if that recollection is too closely held to heart as this lionized genres impact continues in different shapes and forms.

In a film career that spans 62 years at minimum, Clint’s image is solidly planted in the mythos of the old west and the stories they behold within. Its an image that in many ways disrupts tradition for this genre and has defined its approach up to and probably beyond the present. The Western is the oldest form of storytelling film has realistically. This came out of practicality in the early days of Hollywood, where the then widely undisturbed landscape of California was suitable and cheap for Westerns to dominate the film output over any multitude of genres that required more complicated sets and controlled environments. As it progressed through the earliest parts of the 20th Century, the Western stamp was firmly defined by traditional heroics that now seem either cheesy or completely outdated. If there was a world where Clints Westerns were not around; we’d probably still have grown beyond the Ford/Wayne image, but it would have taken time. The Ford/Wayne image of the west defined lines of good and bad with a strict line down the middle, not too mention relied heavily on severely outdated notions of gender roles and race relations. It’s an image that sadly still persists in the memory of some as the definitive Western mythos.

It would be a fools errand to suggest that Clint’s Westerns solved the aforementioned issue with the Old Western tropes. The films that are at hand here are very much of a time and place culturally that several things will make you cringe within the current sphere. Undeniably though, what Clints films in the Western genre do accomplish are the breaking of many barriers from aesthetic on down to characterization. Gone are the clean cut, only slightly dirty, noble hero ethics. No, these Westerns are dirty. They inherently ask a loyal fan base to question their love of a genre that had inherently never understood the reality of their backdrop. An unrelenting free for all where everything could and probably would happen. The randomness of life and death, the amoral selfishness, and the lack of control are what define the Western atmosphere. It frankly wasnt until Clints films that we actually saw what the west was (barring some exceptions prior).

So going forward, we are tackling the stories of Clint saddling up to adventures unknown on the lone prairie. The best place to kick it off is with the Westerns he made with Universal. The three films at hand today each show a unique aspect to how Clint, whether as actor or director, handled the west in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Each shows a great desire to break convention, and in their own way they do just that.

So lets get along little doggies, as we discuss a drunk gunslinger, a mercenary with mules, and a vengeful spirit.

JOE KIDD
3 OUTTA 4 BAR SANDWICHES

With a script by the legendary Elmore Leonard, JOE KIDD is the closest to to traditional western in regards to it’s approach. In the town of Sinola, former bounty hunter Joe Kidd (Eastwood) is arrested for drunk and disorderly by the Sheriff and about to serve 10 days rather than pay his ten dollar fine. His sentence is interrupted by the disruption of a Mexican Revolutionary named Luis Chama (weirdly played by John Saxon), who becomes the target of the villainous and land hungry Frank Harlan (Robert Duvall). Harlan hires Kidd to dispose of Chama so that his acquisition of Native land will remain undisturbed by legal claim, thus pushing our reluctant gunslinger to a pulpy adventure where all is made right by Kidd refusing to go along with his employers scheme. Joe Kidd is a quick 87 minutes that gets in and out with enough action and tension to satiate, yet it revels in its desire to be anything but a fun ride. It’s glossing over of key thematic potential is almost necessary to it’s function as a good guys vs bad guys story. Clint is fun in the film, clearly having the time of his life sticking it to authority and going his own way, even if there is little depth in the process. It’s a performance that has all the Clint tropes without thematic baggage, and in a way is closer to the icon of Clint rather than the reality. Nevertheless, it’s complete fun watching his character swing into action and his final shootout with Robert Duvall is Pulp Gold.

TWO MULES FOR SISTER SARA
3.5 OUTTA 4 “NUNS”

TWO MULES FOR SISTER SARA is an interesting beast because it dares to balance comedy with tense action in a way that many viewers may think is closest to a Tarantino film than anything else they can recall. Directed by Clint mainstay Don Siegel, Clint plays a mercenary for hire who saves a nun, Sister Sara (Shirley MacClaine) from four undesirables in the desert. He then teams up with Sister Sara to help Mexican Revolutionaries in their struggle against French Soldiers during the French intervention of Mexico, and along the way develop feelings for each other. SISTER SARA’S strength in the film is putting Shirley MacClaine on almost equal footing with Eastwood in terms of grit, ability, and wit. To be honest, it is astounding that they didnt do more films together, as they are almost a match made in heaven, with their squabbling debates on religion and morals providing for some excellent character moments. In a scene where he is instructing MacClaine on how to remove an arrow from his shoulder, we see him get progressively drunk and numb while she attempts to follow steps. It’s a prolonged sequence that is worth every frame. For Clint’s part, it’s a delight to watch the character develop with the help of his co-star, and provides for some memorable moments and one liners. He definitely shows us why we would follow him for so long beyond the silent drifter. In addition, Don Siegels direction is unsurprisingly masterful, with the climatic battle at the French Army camp being an exhilarating and bombastic watch. Plus, if you ever wanted to see Shirley MacClaine eat a rattlesnake and declare it good grub, this is your movie.

HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER
4 OUTTA 4 BUCKETS OF RED PAINT

Clint Eastwood should have made a truly traditional horror film. I think he would have done fantastic with the genre. Previously we discussed PLAY MISTY FOR ME, and how it operates as a supreme slasher film worthy of that distinction. With HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER, Clint makes a Horror Western that operates on a similar level to the art house horror films we gobble up like candy today. A stranger (Eastwood) enters the seemingly timid town of Lago and from that point forward, raises hell. Despite a very disturbing first impression, the townsfolk ask The Stranger for assistance with gunning down three killers who are due to be released from prison and will undoubtedly return to the town. It is truly best, if you havent seen the film, to not go beyond this point plot wise. While the fact of it being a scary ghost story has already been spoiled, the story as it develops and plays out is much more spoiler- filled from and aesthetic and thematic sense. HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER is a brutal and unrelenting film supremely directed by Eastwood who utilizes his standard dark and shadowy imagery to full effect. It’s beats hit hard and by the end you have gone on a dizzying yet endlessly fascinating and effective horror ride. Clints performance as The Stranger, for that matter, is a horror performance that is nearly iconic and should not go unnoticed. The same praise goes to the ensemble cast, particularly the recently passed Verna Bloom and the always amazing Geoffrey Lewis. I would love to do a whole podcast episode on HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER at this point. Revisiting it for this series left me speechless in a way I never acknowledged the first time I saw it years ago.

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All right, we’re gonna stop and camp here for the night. Next time we arise and head out on the trail, we shall visit more of Clint’s journeys on the wild frontier.

GROWLS AND ‘SWELLS’: A CLINT EASTWOOD ANALYSIS (PART 14)

Episode 14: The Final “Clint Catch Up” Roundup

Alrighty folks, I’m a massive liar… well, I guess it’s only massive in the scheme of this Filmography Breakdown.

We are going to get to the Westerns and the final articles in the series, but in going through the list of Clint’s massive (and I mean, Massive) filmography, there are two films that I neglected to put on other respective entries in the analysis. Human error has been frequent as of late in regards to this 3 years running series of dissection. It’s not unlike the errors in some of Clint’s characters. The best laid plans usually falter, leaving only reflection and regret regardless of tiny victories.

The final two films of “Clint Catch Up” definitely mirror those sentiments, as they show very unique looks at Clints range in acting. The two films on their own could not be further apart if you drive them to different planets in a rocket ship, yet their commonality lies in how whether you are a good guy in the military or a bank robber on the lamb, the specter of regret and frustration lingers.

All right, enough introspection, lets dive into the final “Clint Catch Up” as we watch a Marine learn to use his words and Jeff Bridges in a dress.

HEARTBREAK RIDGE

3 outta 4 Members of Recon Platoon

Heartbreak Ridge, at its most audacious, must be seen within the context of the time it was made and released. Centering on Sgt. Highway (Clint) and his attempts to mold the minds of the young Marines in the Reconnaissance Platoon, the film unfolds in an Old Fashioned “Rising to the Occasion” fashion that does remain an interesting watch. The film’s only real crutch may honestly lie in its final moments, recreating the invasion of Greneda. It is not to say it is an error on a technical level by any means, but it plays out (especially today) as a Pro-Regan hurrah. The finale aside, the film as a whole does a wonderfully tight job of creating characters you want to follow and care about. The Sgt. Highway character is most interesting when he is attempting to reconcile with the wife he neglected (a strong and confident Marsha Mason ) and watching him fumble through the attempts at getting in touch with his “feminine side” (which the way this films figures is severely outmoded thinking). It is a film very much of its time, but expertly made enough to be worth a glance, especially if you have an interest in war films.

THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT
4 outta 4 Cars Stolen

Without THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT, you dont have THE DEER HUNTER or HEAVENS GATE (the latter of which can be amongst yourselves to debate about). Michael Cimon’s feature directorial debut is one that gets oft under looked by the noteworthy entries previously mentioned, primarily because it does not demand attention from you whether you’re a film scholar or a casual movie buff. Set in and around Montana, the film follows Clint as “The Thunderbolt”, a bank robber on the run from a gang that thinks he betrayed them. He encounters Lightfoot (the always astounding Jeff Bridges) and the two set off on a search to find the hidden loot Thunderbolt claims to not have squealed about. What follows is a rather reflective film around male bonds and the decisive divide of the reliable past and the ever evolving present. The film has a cycle to it and takes delight in humiliating its two leads along with Thunderbolts bandit compatriots (George Kennedy and Geoffrey Lewis). Its almost omniscient of the films Clint himself would later direct. The film is low key despite having a steady supply of action and a 20mm Cannon being shot at a bank wall, an incredible feat that is entirely thanks to Ciminos script and direction. Clints performance is more subtle than most of this era, and takes on a mentor mentality that feels more in line from something you really notice come the time of Unforgiven. It’s almost as if he was already drawing out in his mind how he would like to be remembered: Cool and tough but also sad and wise. In addition, you cannot leave this film without loving Jeff Bridges. Even this early, Bridges is full of the charm and lively energy that counts among the reasons we still enjoy seeing him in films today.

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Good, it’s finished… no more catch up. Stay tuned Clints western material (Fucking Finally) .

GROWLS AND ‘SWELLS’: A CLINT EASTWOOD ANALYSIS (PART 13)

Episode 13: You Have The Right To Remain a Punk.

Welcome back once again to the Clint Eastwood article jamboree…

‘Jamboree’ may be too strong a proclamation of enthusiasm. As fun as this series has been to tackle over the past 3 years, its definitely a series of ups and downs in tone, emotion, and quality. No one can ever say though that Clints work isn’t consistently entertaining, regardless of the quality. But like all great performers, you take a few blows along the way.

I cannot think of a better way than that to introduce us to todays article, which tackles a body of Clints Cop work that has nothing to do with the iconic Harry Callahan. Some of those films have been tackled but were deemed fit for other categories and articles (also a matter of what I had time and or access to watch at any given moment). The 4 films we will be looking at today are easily the most forgettable (with the possible exception of one), and they tend to be further down the slide bar on a google search of Clints filmography. Nevertheless, these films do show a varied approach that proves at the very least interesting to explore. In the end, no matter how strong the films or its possible fans can be, they lack the dynamic and watchable San Francisco rule breaking renegade.

So go for a ride along with Clint as we tackle an Organ Donor mystery, an Mad Max- esque finale, Clint in the Big Apple, and a moment with groin punches to dummies.

BLOOD WORK
1.5 OUTTA 4 Organs
*Spoilers*

The very late 90’s and very early 2000’s are weird time in Clints filmography, and none is more noticeable than Blood Work. Directed by Clint and with a screenplay by Brian Helgeland, the film follows Clint as a retired FBI agent tracking down serial killer who killed the invividual whose organs were donated to Clint. It’s a premise that certainly makes for an interesting trailer, but lacks any gusto to back up its initial pitch. The film heavily relies on melancholy and regret that tries much to hard to be as gritty as Fincher film. *Spoilers for a 2002 film* When the killer is revealed to be Jeff Daniels, it honestly has the odor of, “We need a John Doe reveal.” The films primary merit is really just spending time with Clints playing a cop going around the red tape or his interactions with Anjelica Huston as his doctor. All of Clints talents behind and in front of the camera are there, but the story and the plodding along do not measure up.

THE GAUNTLET
2.5 OUTTA 4 Buses

Efficiently directed in 1977 by Clint regular, Don Siegel, THE GAUNTLET is most decidedly a Dirty Harry rip off, and part of the reason that is rated as high as it is. The film follows Clint as a balls to the wall blitzed on booze Phoenix cop who is sent to Las Vegas to extradite a prostitute (Played by former flame Sondra Locke) and get her back to Phoenix to testify in a trial. The film falls down a rabbit hole of twists and turns that are fair but certainly convenient the “Everyone is against Clint” structure. The films saving grace and reason for placement in a history book is this insane finale. In it, Clint and Sondra hijack a city bus equipped with armor that looks like it was stolen from a George Miller film. The remained of the film is a fun for its time and still so action packed scene that is great to watch on a technical level alone. Its a testament to Siegels abilities as a director to make even one of his most mediocre outings and entertaining splash.

COOGANS BLUFF
2 outta 4 Fishes outta Water
If you listened to the Henry Jarvis solo episode of Reel Nerds Podcast, you have already heard his funny glib review of Coogans Bluff. Sadly, I will not be as hilarious as Henry in my analysis… or frankly ever in life period. Anyway, COOGANS BLUFF is actually the earliest of Clints outings as a COP, pre- dating Callahan. In a small way, it’s interesting to see what he takes into Harry and what he leaves behind in the Big Apple. The film follows Clint as ANOTHER Arizona officer who has to extradite a criminal. The twist: He’s gotta get him from New York City. It is a clear “Small Town Country Values in Big City Craziness” story that HEAVILY relies on Clints charm and approach to not grow stale in any way. Also directed by Don Siegel, the films novelty wears down slowly but surely and the outter elements step up to the challenge for the most part. Credit is due though for finding what works and doesnt work for Clint playing a cop, as pre-Callahan can indeed be spotted amidst the sea of aged situational humor.

TIGHTROPE
3 OUTTA 4 Dummies Getting Beat The Fuck Up

TIGHTROPE is an fascinating beast in Clints filmography. I’ll get this out of the way: the film does not hold up entirely well. Its foundation of a troubled New Orleans cop investigating sex crimes while tackling his own twisted desires and attempts to understand from a female point of view are most certainly of their time and do not hold up. If you watch the film in context of a 1984 world, its an underrated film in Clints body of work. The film walks it’s namsake fairly well, only dipping into the insane a few times. Eastwood reportedly directed most of the film while letting initial director (and writer) Richard Tuggle retain credit. That being the case, its interesting to see Clint move toward this feminine understanding, even if it holds zero water by todays standards. It is a film that is psychologically fascinating, and as a cop film manages to be a truly compelling and creepy detective story that thankfully ignores the Callahan Mold.

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Alrighty folks, the Ride Along is over. Next time, we will be doing one more Clint Catch up before we finally Saddle Up for Western Territory.

GROWLS AND ‘SWELLS’: A CLINT EASTWOOD ANALYSIS (Part 12)

clint

EPISODE 12: CLINT CATCH UP (PART 2)

Greetings once again you eager seekers of Eastwood knowledge…. well maybe not knowledge so much as an opinion by an insane dork… yeah that sounds about right.

Anyway, we are back with more category catch up and we have 1 more category to complete. We will be diving back into the topic of the very first installment, “Strange Place, Familiar Face”, as there were two films neglected foolishly by yours truly.

The two films covered in this section of “Clint Catch Up” are unique in the respect that they each carry the burden of very peculiar settings, plots, and/or characters. Both somehow represent just how Clint is able to utilize his presence to sell you on a crazy journey.

Interestingly, one of these films also will observe the unavoidable fact that not every Clint Eastwood film is above aging beyond its abilities given the changes of the world.

So lets look at the two remaining films in “Strange Places”, where we examine John Malkovichs concern for a duck and a climbing expedition in the Alps.

IN THE LINE OF FIRE
3 outta 4 Presidents Saved

IN THE LINE OF FIRE marks the final time until TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE where Clint was directed by someone other than himself. This outing is helmed by Wolfgang Peterson, who’s style in this film I can only describe as “Excitingly Eccentric.” The film has Clint playing a Secret Service agent who was once on the job protecting the president, who returns to that position after receiving mysterious threats against the current president from an assassin who calls himself Booth.

The film operates on a level of emotional weight involving Clints character having failed to properly protect JFK, thus leading him down a dark road to personal redemption. While it isnt the deepest Clint has dug, he pulls it off with his usual grace in these particular films. The film moves efficiently thanks to Petersons direction and it is definitely a blast to watch for the performances, particularly from John Malkovich as Booth. The one thing that is extremely evident in the film, is watching Clint move through it with his ease, you can tell that he is pretty much done (at least until Trouble With The Curve) taking direction from others.

THE EIGER SANCTION
2 outta 4 Mountains

Where… where to begin. Well if I were to pitch this briefly to you, THE EIGER SANCTION is a movie where assassins fight each other while climbing the Swiss Alps. Fun, right. Well yes and no. Theres no denying that the film is well directed by a then “fresh to directing” Clint, with his visual acumen soaring to new heights with his direction on the many scenes with mountain climbing and high level terror. Sadly though, this is a well grilled hot dog that is wrapped around a stale bun of exposition and plot (yeah, I did a Hot Dog metaphor and I’m not proud of it). The conceit of the exhilarating events in the Alps involves an obvious “James Bond” style set up of a Assassins society that features a eccentric and often annoying set of side characters, other than George Kennedy of course.

Thus it takes us much too long to dive into the events that frankly are the selling point of the experience. It’s also interesting to point out that this film has aged rather terribly in regards to its content and situations regarding the B-Plot and individual scenes. To say its a bit cringing is an understatement and it makes Dirty Harry look like a saint in comparison. This isnt so much a flaw as an observation and worthy of note if your going in for a revisit. It is VERY MUCH of its time. Still, it may be worth it to observe the unique direction and cinematography that Eastwood pulls off here in the latter half of the film.

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There.. now we caught up with the ever in momentum Mr Eastwood. In the next article we will be exploring Clints non- Dirty Harry cop roles.

‘Dark Forest’ Review

DF cast

The current state of the horror genre nowadays has bore much sweet fruit. With the current wave of socially relevant fright fest that have emerged in turbulent times, it does seem that some styles and tones that were extremely prevalent in the 80’s horror are getting makeovers for the better or being left to the ages because there is almost no possible way to justify their continuance.

Watching ‘Dark Forest’, the debut film from Zellco Productions in Canada, I felt that former revelation throughout on both the positive and negative.

‘Dark Forest’ lays out the story of a group of ladies heading out for a camping trip in an isolated forest. Among the group is Emily (sympathetically portrayed by Laurel McArthur), whose abusive boyfriend Peter (Dennis Scullard) is adamant she not go on the trip to the point where he hurls insults and beer cans at her friends. When she sneaks away from him to join her friends on the trip, Peter anger protrudes further outward as he enlists his ‘friends’ to join him in hunting the girls down in the forest. What follows is a Roger Corman-esque spree of bloodshed that recalls the 80’s splatter-fests of yesterday.

Sadly and Gladly, the film is ambitious be more than what it is at many points. Starting off with the central plot line, the idea of slapping together the slasher characterization onto the all too timely topic of domestic abuse is inspired in ways, creating a potentially terrifying villain whose selfish nature and demented viewpoint of love are cringe worthy. And Dennis Scullard as Peter is up to the challenge, providing a truly creepy persona. Despite his menace, the film as a whole undermines its potential relevance by relying on Exploitation tropes. This is apparent in the way female side characters are treated or treating each in a very outdated fashion.

Alas, it is all underdeveloped in a 75 minute film that also carves time for a second and third group of victims who seem to be there to provide further kills for Peter in order to rack up the body count, despite the fact they are irrelevant to his goal. Interestingly, they seem to throw romance in his face in a nearly comical fashion before he proceeds to hack and slash. The idea is there, but it seems to be lost in the forest without a map.

The film also grasps onto a Death Proof style third act where the heroes and villain face off. Again, another great idea that feels too little developed when also trying to embrace a 80’s slasher esthetic. The sub- genre they manage to tap into is one that usually devoid of much substance and sincerely is just there for thrills. That, combined with editing that barely connects anything together, left me wondering if there was an extra 30 minutes of set-up/exploration that is on the cutting room floor to get it to an acceptable length for distribution.

Yet in spite of my blows, I admire this films intent to try for that blend. There are moments when the film is aimed straight at the target and even hit the target. The final showdown in the last 5 minutes recalls a mix of the visual grit of the first Slumber Party Massacre finale mixed with the aforementioned Death Proof’s attitude. And the cinematography is a big shining star in the film as it fully embraces the 80’s grit and rough edges that reminds me of the VHS and early dvd copies of those Slasher films I watched behind my folks back at 8.

All in all, I feel that Zellco, and Writer/Director Roger Boyer, have the potential to hit a home run in the indie filmmaking ball game based on their passion and intriguing ideas.. sadly, this film was not that homer.

Do feel free though to watch it and judge for yourself. It is now available on iTunes, Amazon Prime, and other VOD sites.

The Scream Factory Crypt Part 6: Bad Moon

Welcome to the Scream Factory Crypt! In this binge series I will be watching all my Scream Factory titles I own alphabetically! Scream Factory is my favorite imprint of Blu-Ray’s because they take movies that studios and the public might not adore but have fans and deserve to be given respect. This will take a long time as I have over 120(!) titles and counting, I know I will have more before I finish, so stay tuned! Not only will I talk about them on the podcast but I will review them here as well so you can see how I feel about aspects of each release. Part 6 is, Bad Moon!

Bad Moon is one of my favorite werewolf movies. It’s lean, mean and gory. Plus the werewolf effects are awesome (except for the last transformation that reveals the movies late 90’s vibe). That Scream Factory has released this on blu-ray has truly been a surprise of the best possible kind. Based on the novel, Thor, Bad Moon takes place in the rural mountains of Washington, where a photojournalist Ted returns from a trip in Nepal to see his sister, Janet. What his sister doesn’t know is that Ted and his girlfriend were attacked by a werewolf, his girlfriend was killed and Ted received the curse of lycanthropy. Janet lives alone with her son, Brett, and his loyal German Shepard Thor. Thor senses there is something wrong with Ted, but do Janet and her son realize too late?

Bad Moon is such a fun ride. The opening is super sexy, and super violent. Blood flows, the werewolf chomps. I like my werewolf movies with a sense of the werewolf being almost super human. I also like how lean the movie is. It howls by in 79 minutes. The disc has two cuts of the film, and they both run about the same. The director’s cut is the way to go, it features a smidge more gore, nudity and it ditches some of the silly CGI werewolf transformation. Michael Pare plays Ted with a great amount of sympathy and menace, he was a great casting choice.

Bad Moon arrives on blu-ray looking amazing. I have seen this movie many times on DVD and watching it in high definition is like watching a new movie. The lush forest sprayed with gooey red looks amazing. No crushed blacks and the grain is kept at a minimum. This transfer looks stunning.

The howls on Bad Moon sound great as well. Dialogue is crisp and clear. The sound effects are bone crunching, teeth gnawingly awesome. No issues here.

The disc is not a Collector’s Edition but it packs some pretty great extras. The commentary by director Eric Red is informative and very well thought out, however you can tell he is reading from notes which makes listening to it somewhat of a chore as Red does not sound organic in his observations. Informative but a little dull. The best feature is Nature of the Beast: Making Bad Moon that features interviews with the cast and crew. I always admire Scream Factory’s ability to get some of these actors and crew to talk about a lost horror gem. Also included are a theatrical trailer and some really cool animated storyboards.

Another Scream Factory release that has me drooling, if you are a fan of werewolf movies you owe it to yourself to pick up, Bad Moon!

Movie: A-

Video: A

Audio: A

Extras: B+

Overall: A

The Scream Factory Crypt Part 5: Bad Dreams/Visiting Hours

Scream Factory does a great job on these double feature film sets. The films will have similar tones, and while they may not meet the criteria for their collector’s editions, if they can, they will still put some nice features on the disc adding to the value.

Bad Dreams is a neat little horror film. After a child survives a fire at a suicide cult she awakes from a thirteen year coma, only to find that the deranged cult leader might be alive as well. Bad Dreams on the surface seems to be sort of A Nightmare on Elm Street rip off, and that is a little true. But it does benefit from above average special effects, and some pretty good talent in front of and behind the camera. Bruce Abbott and Richard Lynch lead a more then capable cast. Bad Dreams was directed by Andrew Fleming who would go on and direct the cult favorite, The Craft as well as some great TV shows like Arrested Development. The pedigree is in Bad Dreams and for gore fans it has some pretty great deaths. Overall a pretty solid horror film.

Visiting Hours isn’t quite as good as Bad Dreams, but serves as a capable slasher film. An anchorwoman, Deborah Ballin survives an attack from a deranged killer. When the killer finds out she is still alive he pays her a visit! Also taking place in a hospital, Visiting Hours was released at the height of slasher mania. It doesn’t slash with the best of them, but it is a fun movie. It also sports a great cast, Lee Grant and William Shatner appear in Visiting Hours adding to its credibility. Like most slasher films that try to take themselves too seriously, Visiting Hours suffers from some pacing issues. Overall not as good as Bad Dreams, but still lots of fun.

You will find Bad Dreams/Visiting Hours packaged on the same disc but each film doesn’t suffer too much in video clarity and detail. Both movies look better than they have before with only a little noise and grain peeking in. Having seem Visiting Hours before on DVD I can say that the picture is noticeably better.

The audio won’t blow you away but it gets the job done. Both are presented in Master Audio Mono so not too much in the way of pushing your sound system to the max.

The extras on the disc are surprisingly packed, especially for Bad Dreams. On Bad Dreams there is an informative commentary by the director, plus interviews with the cast and crew. A feature on the cool special effects, a behind the scenes feature. Plus the original ending and theatrical trailer, not bad for a semi-successful horror film. Visiting Hours is light but still has a welcome interview with the screenwriter and some radio and TV spots.

Bad Dreams/Visiting Hours is a pretty solid horror double feature, above average films, average video and audio, plus some pretty solid extras make this a bargain double feature. If hospital killing shenangins are to your liking this disc is definitely worth your time.

Films, Bad Dreams: B+/Visiting Hours: B-

Video: B-

Audio: B-

Overall: B

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