Greg’s Grab Bag – Albert Collins, John Lee Hooker & Halloween Horror Blu-rays

Fall, with its overcast skies and dropping temperatures, feels like a perfect time for some blues music.  Two recently released archival blues sets caught my attention and have served as a nice soundtrack for the season.

Albert Collins & The Icebreakers – Live At Rockpalast (DVD & 2-CD)

The latest release from the Made In Germany (MIG) import label as part of its Live at Rockpalast series of CD/DVD sets is a 1980 performance from Albert Collins and his top-notch supporting band, The Icebreakers.  Rockpalast is a German television program showcasing rock and jazz musicians that has been produced and broadcast since 1974.

The program, presented here in both video and audio forms, starts with The Icebreakers taking the stage to warm up the crowd with two songs before Collins makes his grand entrance.  While it would be easy to dismiss these initial two songs – “Sweet Home Chicago” and “She’s Fine” – as filler, the band members are so talented that they shine on their own.  Drummer Casey Jones contributes lead vocals to “Sweet Home Chicago” while holding down the beat.  Tenor sax player A.C. Reed takes a turn with the vocals on “She’s Fine,” while Marvin Jackson shows off his own considerable guitar chops in Collins’ absence.

Once Collins and his trusty Fender Telecaster take the stage, the heat gets turned up.  “Listen Here!”, a group instrumental effort, lives up to its name by grabbing the audience’s attention through nice solo licks while “Cold Cold Feeling” offers Collins an opportunity to stretch out with some slow-blues jams that allow the song’s sad sentiments to build and crescendo.  Reed is back in the spotlight on this one thanks to a nice sax solo segment.

Other highlights from the 13-song set include two extended pieces – “Cold Cuts” and “Frosty.”  Clocking in at almost 14 minutes, “Cold Cuts” is an epic effort by the entire band.  Bass player Johnny B. Gayden gets the festivities started with a thick bass line that invites the other musicians to join in the groove.  One-by-one they fall in line until Collins takes center stage with some great runs.  Eventually, every member of the quintet gets a chance to shine on this monster jam, including Gayden who steals the show with bass jams morphing into familiar melodies that elicit an audible response of appreciation from the studio audience.

Similarly, “Frosty” is an extended instrumental showcase.  Although it doesn’t feature the individual solo sections of its predecessor, this one is about improvising and finding/sharing a group jam – an accomplishment that seems rather effortless for this tight group of musicians.

Even though this is an enjoyable set throughout, it doesn’t always feel like an overly inspired effort.  Not that there’s anything wrong with it, but you get the sense that this is one of many really good nights for an artist and band making a living on the road. Perhaps that feeling is a testament to the group’s interplay – they just make it look that easy all of the time.  Regardless, Live At Rockpalast it is a nice showcase of both the talent that earned Albert Collins the moniker of “Master of the Telecaster” and the ability of his supporting band.

John Lee Hooker – The Modern, Chess & Veejay Singles Collection 1949-62 (4-CD)

One of the most recent blues releases from Acrobat Music – a UK-based record label specializing in reissues and collector’s edition sets – is a 4-CD set presenting John Lee Hooker’s A-sides and B-sides for all singles issued by the Modern, Chess and Vee-Jay labels from 1949 to 1962.

This set, which includes an impressive 23-page booklet featuring a nice essay and detailing credits for the massive 101 songs contained within, is both comprehensive and overwhelming. A review focusing on specific tracks and recordings would be difficult and virtually worthless since the beauty of this collection lies in its ability to specifically paint an overarching picture of a true blues legend and his progress in terms of artistry, performance and recording technology over the years.

To get the most out of this collection, listen to it from front to back.  By doing so, you will hear Hooker grow and change right before your ears.  From the simple solo renditions of “Boogie Chillun”/”Sally May” from his first single with Modern recorded in 1948 and released in 1949 (Modern 627) all the way to the fully-instrumented productions of “She’s Mine”/”A New Leaf,” including piano, baritone sax, tenor sax, guitar, bass and drums, from December 1961 (Vee-Jay 453), this is a portrait of an emerging legend during a very formative 13-year section of his career.

As a musical document, this is an interesting collection of great historical significance.  As a blues set, this is a tremendously enjoyable listen from start to finish.

Halloween Blu-ray Bonanza

The weeks surrounding Halloween have always been a key time for horror film releases and this year is no exception.  Scream Factory, the horror-specific subsidiary of Shout! Factory, hit it out of the park in 2016 with some amazing releases from some of the biggest names and titles from the genre.

Bubba Ho-Tep (Collector’s Edition Blu-ray)

Based on a short story by Joe R. Lansdale and adapted for the screen/directed by Don Coscarelli, the man behind the influential Phantasm series of films, this witty little flick from 2002 eschews typical horror conventions and results in a truly original horror/comedy amalgam that has risen to cult classic status.

The basic premise here is that Elvis, who switched places with an impersonator in order to escape the spotlight and eventually ended up living out his days in an East Texas retirement home long after the “real Elvis” died, is locked in a life and death battle with an ancient Egyptian mummy. Elvis must defeat the mummy in order to save his live, along with the lives of his fellow Shady Rest Retirement Home residents and possibly the world.

Bruce Campbell, a beloved horror actor best known for his portrayal of protagonist Ash Williams in the Evil Dead series of films, nails the Elvis character and carries the film, along with the revered actor Ossie Davis. Davis, who passed away in 2005, portrays Jack, a retirement home resident who believes he is JFK.  Although they make an unlikely pair of friends, Elvis and Jack share a bond that elevates this film by adding some tangible emotional depth.

The Scream Factory release marks the first time Bubba Ho-Tep has been available on Blu-ray in the United States and not surprisingly, this is the best it has ever looked.  Despite the fact that a large portion of the film takes place in a somber and dimly-lit retirement home, the AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 is solid and shows off its best qualities during daytime outdoor shots and flashback sequences.  Even more impressively, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track shines, especially during special effect sequences with the mummy and his supporting cast of scurrying bugs.

While the technical specs impress, the real highlight of this set is the extensive collection of extras Scream Factory assembled. Not only does this set include everything that was previously released on the 2004 MGM collector’s edition DVD, but it also has a few new gems – an audio commentary with Joe R. Lansdale and new interviews with Coscarelli, Campbell and special makeup effects supervisor Robert Kurtzman.  In total, this Blu-ray features a whopping three full-film audio commentaries, four featurettes, a music video, a trailer, a photo gallery, a TV spot and a few other items.

Carrie (Collector’s Edition Blu-ray)

The 1976 classic Carrie is notable for many reasons – not only does this examination of teenage awkwardness, turmoil and revenge hold the distinction of being the first feature film adaption of Stephen King’s work, but it also is one of a handful of films from the horror genre to earn Academy Award nominations (Sissy Spacek – Best Actress & Piper Laurie – Best Supporting Actress).  Additionally, the fact that legendary director Brian De Palma helmed the movie and it was an early-career launch pad for actors like Spacek, Nancy Allen, Amy Irving, William Katt and John Travolta, make this film even more important.

In conjunction with the 40^th anniversary of the film’s release, Scream Factory conducted a new 4K scan of the film’s original negative to produce this Blu-ray set. The video, which is presented in an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1, is a noticeable improvement over previous standard definition and high definition releases. Although the overall presentation is a bit more ethereal than other films from the era, especially during the dream-like haze of the infamous prom scene, this new Blu-ray release cleans up visual flaws that were prevalent before and in doing so, makes this the definitive home video version of the film.

As befitting a definitive release, this set includes a wealth of bonus features.  The film’s theatrical trailer and gallery are included on the disc with the feature and an additional Blu-ray disc is included to hold the rest, including cast/crew interviews, featurettes, TV/radio spots and a new piece featuring modern-day visits to shooting locations.  The only things missing are full-length audio commentaries or any input from Stephen King – neither of which have ever been included on any home video releases, so this is not an omission.

The combination of King, De Palma, a killer cast of young talent and Scream Factory’s penchant for creating memorable collector’s editions make this Carrie Blu-ray a must-own for horror fans.

Child’s Play (Collector’s Edition Blu-ray)

Ask the average person you encounter on the street if they know who Charles Lee Ray is and you will likely get a blank stare or a look of confusion. However, if you happen upon a horror fan, they are going to recognize that as the name of the serial killer whose soul now resides inside the demonic Good Guy doll Chucky in the Child’s Play series of films.

Released in 1988, when dolls like Cabbage Patch Kids, My Buddy and Teddy Ruxpin were some of the most popular and profitable toys, Child’s Play won over fans with its foul-mouthed and murderous doll villain.  The film was so well received that it launched a franchise of five sequels, with a possible sixth in the near future. Due to its popularity, the original film has been released to home video in various formats and packages over the years, but this new high definition set from Scream Factory is by far the finest.

The video here is presented on Blu-ray with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 that was culled from a brand new 2K scan of the interpositive, a positive image made from the edited camera negative that allows for more accurate color reproduction. This results in fine details and nice colors that weren’t always as evident on previous releases – this is definitely the best this film has looked since its initial theatrical run.  The audio here is also worth mentioning – especially how the film uses surround sound to help build tension when you hear but don’t see Chucky as he prepares to attack. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track takes full advantage of that effect and draws the viewer even further into the action.

Once again, Scream Factory puts the “special” in special features by spreading the supplementary goodies out over the two Blu-ray discs.  In addition to previously released trailers, featurettes and commentaries, this set also includes a new commentary with Director Tom Holland and three new featurettes – two focused on Howard Berger and his special effects work on the film and one profiling Ed Gale, the unheralded actor who wore a Chucky costume for parts of the film.  As with the other Scream Factory collector’s editions, the special features here are top-notch.

John Carpenter’s The Thing (Collector’s Edition Blu-ray)

Saving the best for last, the new collector’s edition Blu-ray of John Carpenter’s The Thing is an instant classic.  Although the legendary horror flick has been released multiple times in every home video format since its 1982 theatrical release, this 2-disc set is clearly the best of the bunch thanks to a comprehensive package that features top-notch video and audio, along with a veritable treasure chest of bonus features.

Set in the stark and frozen landscape of an Antarctic research station, the film captures the tense and graphic conflict between a team of American researchers and an otherworldly creature set on destroying life.  Kurt Russell gives a stellar turn in the lead role of R.J. MacReady, as does Wilford Brimley as Blair, but the real star here is Carpenter. His deft directing touch uses both story and setting to take what could be a simple sci-fi/horror film and turn it into a supreme psychological thriller that does not rely solely on cheap scares or excessive gore to make it memorable.

From a technical standpoint, this Blu-ray is excellent. Scream Factory produced a brand new 2K scan of the interpositive, a process which was overseen by the film’s Director of Photography Dean Cundey.  The result is a more detailed and inviting presentation than ever available before. There have been questions raised about color grading for this Blu-ray and although comparisons reveal a cooler overall color palette, I don’t find it distracting and certainly the positives greatly outweigh the perceived negatives.  For my money, this is the best The Thing has ever looked on a home video.

I know I am probably starting to sound like a broken record, but the bonus features assembled here are truly outstanding – even bordering on overwhelming.  In addition to exhaustively compiling the best supplements from previous releases including vintage featurettes, audio commentary by Carpenter and Russell, trailers, outtakes, a feature-length documentary, TV/radio spots, an annotated production archive and a network TV broadcast version of the film, Scream Factory also produced a new audio commentary with Cundey and new interviews with cast and crew for this Blu-ray set.

Although this is likely not the last home video release for this film, it sets the bar very high for future editions.

C.H.U.D. (Blu-ray)

Shout! Factory/Scream Factory isn’t the only company to have recently reissued archival horror films on Blu-ray.  Arrow Video got into the act with its new edition of C.H.U.D., resulting in a treatment of this gritty little piece of ‘80s horror that befits its status as a cult classic.

Set in the literally dark and crime-ridden urban landscape of 1980s New York City, C.H.U.D. gets its name from Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers – the subterranean man-eating creatures plaguing the city (although a different acronym is mentioned late in the film).  Despite the fact that future Home Alone cast members John Heard and Daniel Stern both star here and a very young John Goodman makes a cameo appearance alongside Jay Thomas as police officers, this film is not very notable for its plot and pacing.  That said, the film has endured over the years thanks to the campy characteristics that helped it earn cult status in the first place.

Appearing for the first time on Blu-ray, Arrow has compiled an awfully impressive release with its 2-Disc Limited Edition set that includes two separate cuts of the film – an extended “Integral Cut” and the “Original Theatrical Cut.”  The film’s “Integral Cut” boasts a new 2K film transfer and the results are evident.  Despite the quality and limited budget of the initial production, the drab setting of New York City during one of its lowest periods and the age of the film, this Blu-ray looks surprisingly great – definitely better than you expect it to.

In addition to making the film look as good as possible, Arrow Video assembled a strong collection of bonus features. The best of the bunch is a chummy, entertaining and off-the-cuff audio commentary track featuring director Douglas Cheek, writer Shepard Abbott and actors Heard, Stern and Christopher Curry.  Also worth mentioning is an interview with creature creator John Caglione, Jr. about the design of the C.H.U.D. monsters, a new featurette about the New York filming locations and an interview with production designer William Bilowit.

While this may not be recommended for those who haven’t seen the film before, C.H.U.D.’s legion of fans will find this a must-own Blu-ray.

Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan (Blu-ray)

There may be no bigger name in the history of the visual effects industry than the late great Ray Harryhausen.  His contributions as a pioneer of stop-motion animation defined the look of special effects in films from 1949 through 1981 and during that time he produced some of the most memorable creatures in film.

Harryhausen’s creations like Mighty Joe Young from the 1949 film of the same name, Cyclops from The 7^th Voyage of Sinbad, Crab from Mysterious Island, Talos, Hydra and the sword-handling Skeletons from Jason and the Argonauts, Kali from The Golden Voyage of Sinbad and Medusa, Bubo and Kraken from Clash of the Titans would shape the imaginations of children for decades and would influence many generations of future filmmakers and visual effects professionals.  To pay homage to Harryhausen and to bring more attention to his tremendous legacy, Arrow Video recently released a 2011 documentary Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan on both Blu-ray and DVD.

A labor of love, this documentary was assembled by writer/director Gilles Penso as a tribute to the artist – a lengthy proof point making the case for his lofty status as the most influential visual effects master ever.  This case is built over the course of the 95-minute documentary through interviews with some of the biggest names in fantasy and science fiction film, including Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Peter Jackson, Terry Gilliam, Guillermo Del Toro and Tim Burton – all talking about the role Harryhausen and his effects/films played on their own legendary careers.  Adding even more gravitas is revered film critic/historian Leonard Maltin.

Although these film masters validate Ray’s importance, the best parts of the documentary are the interviews with Harryhausen and the archival footage of his early work and his creative process.  This documentary is a feature-length treasure trove – one that is both detailed enough to please Harryhausen devotees and general enough to introduce new audiences to his incredible work.

Because the film contains a lot of archival footage and many of the source interviews were conducted before HD footage was the standard, the image quality of this documentary is not really comparable to most current Blu-ray releases.  That said, it is unlikely that people interested in Harryhausen and his work will find that a detracting factor.  Ultimately, this is still a good looking film and the quality of the content far outweighs any technical shortcomings.

The icing on the cake here is a wealth of quality bonus features.  New interviews with director Edgar Wright, actor Simon Pegg and special effects legends Peter Lord and Rick Baker, rare Super 8 archival footage from the set of The 7^th Voyage of Sinbad, two Q&A sessions, including one with Harryhausen from 2012, deleted scenes, additional interviews and an audio commentary are included.  The most unique bonus feature is an interesting piece documenting the director and producers opening packed boxes of models from Harryhausen’s archives.  Fans will find it breathtaking to see the original models for cherished creatures like Hydra and Kraken emerge from their protective storage packaging.

Until next time, enjoy the music & movies!

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