This Arrow Video Blu-ray box set containing five movies from Empire Pictures is currently available.
Back in the 1980s, home video and horror movies were all the rage. Major studios were producing tons of features and this era also saw independents attempting to get in on the action. Charles Band was a filmmaker who formed his own production company in the 1970s, but took issue with the way distributors handled his movies. In 1983, he formed Empire Pictures and began financing and making films for theatrical and home video markets. They only lasted five years, but in that time the company released titles like Ghoulies, Trancers, Re-Animator, Ghoulies, From Beyond, Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama, Intruder and many more. To be frank, most genre enthusiasts missed their theatrical runs and caught up with these titles on VHS, where they developed an adoring audience.
Arrow Video have selected five lesser-known but noteworthy films for their new Blu-ray box set, Enter the Video Store: Empire of Screams Collection. As expected, the titles have been given picture upgrades and arrive with some fantastic extras. Specifically, it contains The Dungeonmaster (1984), Dolls (1986), Cellar Dweller (1987), Arena (1989) and Robot Jox (1990). Once again, Arrow has done a great job and the set itself is a blast.
The first film, The Dungeonmaster, is an early title from the studio. While one might expect a low-budget knock-off of Conan the Barbarian, Tron seems to be a closer inspiration. It is actually a movie about a computer programmer Paul (Jeffrey Byron) who obsesses over new technology so much that his girlfriend Gwen (Leslie Wing) begins having doubts about their relationship. An evil wizard named Mestema (Richard Moll) pulls the pair into a fantasy world where they must complete seven tasks in order to survive. Paul’s only help is his computer, which offers advice and assistance.
The movie is actually an anthology with seven different directors. It is quite hammy and dated (the lead’s outfit is particularly ill-considered) and the computer saves the lead’s ass almost all the time, but some of the segments do stand out and the film moves at a rapid pace. Monster fans will certainly appreciate the prosthetic monsters created by John Carl Buechler in the “Demons of the Dead” short, in which Paul must do battle with a troll and creatures from beyond the grave. The best segment is “Slasher,” which is set in the modern world in which Paul is mistaken for a serial killer and only has an hour to find the real culprit and save Gwen from him.
This is no classic, but it does deliver B-movie fun. The picture has been given a 2K restoration and the extras are a blast as well. There are three different cuts of the movie, including the pre-release version, a US theatrical edition and an international cut (called Ragewar). There is a lengthy interview with star Byron and a commentary track with the performer. Byron details the start of Empire Pictures and the quick production schedule, talking about the extra responsibilities given to him by Band in putting this low-budget movie together. After wrapping production on Universal’s Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn with lead Byron, the two began shooting The Dungeonmaster the following day. Each segment was shot in roughly 24 hours by a different filmmaker. Curiously enough, each of the cuts orders the challenges differently. Byron goes into some of the shooting challenges and delivers plenty of interesting tidbits. The disc also comes with a trailer and image gallery.
Dolls from Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator, From Beyond) is a genuinely great little genre film. The story follows a group of characters who find themselves stranded at the home of a pair of elderly toy makers. It soon becomes clear that the dolls are actually made from wicked, miniaturized humans with a taste for violence. Those inside end up fighting for survival. The effects are surprisingly strong for an independent feature and the mix of fairy tale and horror works well. Gordon uses the camera well and presents plenty of wonderful angles and memorable moments as the leads come face to face with a variety of creations. There’s a giant bear attack that stands out, and all of the elaborate attack scenes actually hold up and look better than some recent titles with a similar storyline.
Alas, when Dolls was originally released, it wasn’t as well thought of by genre fans as it should have been. They took issue with the fairy tale elements and didn’t appreciate the director veering away from his previous, more graphic terror flicks. The late, great Gordon himself goes into this himself in an archived commentary with writer Ed Naha. Gordon explains the deep-rooted connection between childhood fables and horror and why they both can coexist in the same picture. His argument is a very convincing one. Of course, there are plenty of tales about shooting in Italy (Band purchased a studio there and many productions were shot on lots there). The making-of is also very enlightening, with many detailing how Gordon shot it back-to-back with From Beyond on the same studio house set (which was redressed), as well as the impressive but time-consuming effects work that pushed the film’s release after the previously mentioned follow-up film.
The disc includes a great many other bonuses, including an archival cast commentary and a new audio track with Empire Pictures alumnus David Decoteau, who goes on about his personal interactions with the director and their friendship. Additionally, an interview with Gordon’s editor is fascinating and offers plenty of interesting details about their working relationship on several projects. There are also film-to-storyboard comparisons, publicity materials and more.
Cellar Dweller from John Carl Buechler was one of the lowest-budgeted titles from Empire and was released straight-to-video, but it has managed to find a following due to its unique concept. An aspiring comic book creator (Debrah Mullowney) travels to the artist colony where her hero Colin Childress (Jeffrey Combs) used to work before being blamed for a murder. Once there, she makes friends and enemies and learns that those who draw in the basement studio can bring creatures to life.
It is low-budget and takes a while to deliver any monster mayhem, but it’s a likable picture with some great practical effects. One of the interesting plusses is that the able protagonist is incredibly charismatic, possessing a likable self-assuredness that stands out among other titles of its era. There are some fun interactions between herself and the other characters.
Those looking to learn more about the movie after viewing it will find an excellent interview and commentary track with Michael Deak, a make-up effects artist and friend of the late Buechler who played the monster in the film. He has some entertaining stories about the production and the performers. There’s also a great featurette about Buechler and his career that will make many want to revisit his films. Additionally, there are promo materials, personal set photos from Deak, and a sales sheet used to help get funding for the picture.
The fourth Blu-ray contains Arena, which was another title that was shot in 1988 as the company was in financial trouble and took a couple of extra years to find a release. The movie is set around an intergalactic fighting league. A human short-order cook (Paul Satterfield) is discovered by a promoter (Claudia Christian) and ends up in the ring battling a wide variety of aliens.
The concept is great, the fighting monsters are a joy to behold and there are some fun moments. They certainly do some nifty things with the sets, but it does feel like a movie in desperate need of a little extra cash to help sell its epic scale. In addition to a widescreen edition restored in 2K, there is also a full-frame version that emulates how most people saw the flick for the first time.
Perhaps the most intriguing elements are found in the bonus features. There’s a commentary with the director who details the many challenges he faced in completing the film. It seems that the budget was cut in half at the beginning of production, and co-producer Irwin Yablans was a thorn in the filmmaker’s side from the beginning, causing numerous problems. The interview with co-screenwriter Danny Bilson (co-writer of The Rocketeer and the recent Da 5 Bloods) is equally critical. He insists that the original screenplay was much sharper and that Band made significant changes that ended up being a detriment to the finished project. He has other negative comments about Band actions while the executive struggled to keep things afloat at Empire.
The final disc delivers another title from Stuart Gordon, the low-budget science-fiction opus Robot Jox. It’s set years after nuclear war has ravaged the world. In an attempt to prevent further human losses, governments use giant fighting robots to resolve political disputes. Robot pilot Achilles (Gary Graham) represents the American-influenced market, who must square off against Alexander (Paul Koslo) from the Soviet-influenced territories. Also involved in the fracas is Athena (Anne-Marie Johnson), a genetically engineer pilot ready to take over for Achilles.
Again, the movie doesn’t have as big of a budget as it should, but it holds up surprisingly well and offers some thrills. The fights are interestingly rendered, the climax offers a big surprise and the movie delves into some serious subjects with a surprising level of skill. The cast is also great, with the over-the-top Koslo’s work being a highlight. Lines like “Achilles, I’ve already killed you… up here!” (screamed aloud as Alexander points to his head) are entertainingly delivered and make a lasting impression.
Besides a 2K upgrade, the Blu-ray also contains some great extras. There’s an excellent archived interview and commentary with Gordon in which he notes what prompted this venture into science-fiction (namely, his admiration for Transformers and Robotech: The Macross Saga). He also notes working with screenwriter and author and war veteran Joe Halderman to get a deeper understanding of and realistic tone to the characters. There’s a featurette on the elaborate visual effects and a commentary track from the visual effects artists. Additionally, there are interviews with Gary Graham, Anne-Marie Johnson and Paul Koslo. And all note the unintentional connections with later science-fiction robot epic Pacific Rim (remarkably, the pitch for this film’s unrealized follow-up involved the surviving characters from all nations joining forces to fend off giant alien invaders).
Graham talks about the shoot in Italy with some fun tales, but notes that he still doesn’t care for the film’s ending. Although from this reviewer’s perspective, that is what makes it interesting (especially considering the fact that both men are responsible for the deaths of so many around them). Johnson notes how ahead of its time the movie was and how much attention it still gets. There’s much more, including promo materials, sales sheets and other bonuses.
And if that weren’t enough, the box also comes with a book featuring new writing on the movies, as well as double sided posters for each film and reproduction art-cards. If you’re familiar with the films of this independent studio, then you’re guaranteed to enjoy the Enter the Video Store: Empire of Screams Blu-ray box set. These films aren’t all classics, but they do deliver B-movie thrills better than many can claim, even today. The films all look a little sharper and the bonuses reveal more fascinating details and secrets about what went on behind-the-scenes. It’s fascinating to watch and the set comes highly recommended. Don’t hesitate to pick it up if you can still find it!