DVD and Blu-ray review: The Party's Over (1963)

If one film was crying out for a release by the BFI's Flipside arm, it was surely Guy Hamilton's <b>The Party's Over</b>. Why? Well, this obscure cult gem has pretty much been out of circulation since its mid-60s debut and is well deserving of a wider audience. But also, because the original film was hacked apart by the censor - which means a reissue would require some loving care by sympathetic experts. Experts like the BFI's team of movie obsessives.

Guy Hamilton went onto bigger things, involving himself in everything from Bond classics to the original Superman flick, but The Party's Over remains his most controversial work. At least at the time, this tale of a beatnik gang and the myseterious disappearance of an American heiress wouldn't qualify as an '18' these days, but back in the 60s, it was cut severely by the British Board of Censors and packed off to the 'adult' circuit with an 'X' certificate. But it's hard to tell you why without giving away the 'twist' in the movie. So you'll just have to take my word on it.

DVD Review: Take An Easy Ride (1974)

When a DVD pops up claiming to be the most notorious British exploitaiton film ever, well you just know we're going to chasing up a copy. So here we are with a review of Kenneth Rowles' Take An Easy Ride.

Its controversial nature isn't particularly its content, but in the movie's history and execution. Let me explain. Originally, Take An Easy Ride was going to be a public information film. Motorways were big business in the UK, as was hitchhiking, so Mr Rowles decided to pitch the idea of a public safery film about the perils of hitchhiking in light of newspaper reports of girls being raped and murdered on the open road. Makes sense - and one commercial station had shown an interest in it. But so had someone else.

9th Fantastic Films Weekend in Bradford - it really is fantastic

Ok, where can you see 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later, Birdemic, eXistenZ, Faust, Full Employment, Horror Express, In The Market, Island, Killer Display, Lizard in a Woman's Skin, Mark of The Devil, Matthew Hopkins Witchfinder General, Patrick, Plague Town, Psycho, Robocop, Salvage, Screamtime, Secret Rites, Shadow, The Cicerones, The Giant Spider Invasion, The Image, The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue, The Sorcerers, Three Cases Of Murder, Videodrome and Zone of the Dead: Director's Cut in one place over a single weekend? Simple - at the 9th Fantastic Films Weekend in Bradford.

The weekend is the 4th - 6th June 2010, with the movies supported by the usual special events and guest appearances, including British directors Stanley Long (Screamtime and cinematographer of The Sorcerers) and Michael Armstrong (The Image starring David Bowie and Mark of the Devil). This year, the weekend also includes a special guest appearance by English screenwriter and FFW patron Jeremy Dyson. Stanley will also be signing copies of his autobiography X-Rated: Adventures of an Exploitation Filmmaker.

All the details on the website.

DVD Review: Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue - remastered edition (1974)

Some years ago, a friend of mine said there was a zombie movie set in Manchester. Oh how I laughed at his nonsense. Then some time after that, I encountered Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue. Yes, I was the foolish one. Although the 'set in Manchester' line is still tenuous.

Optimum has reissued this Jorge Grau-directed cult classic in the UK with a nice digital restoration, which looks far superior to any previous versions I've seen on video or shiny disc. Sharp, clean, bright and colourful it could almost pass for a modern-day effort. Lovely job Optimum. But what about the movie? Well...

DVD Review: Goodbye Gemini (1970)

If you mention Goodbye Gemini, chances are the person you are talking to has never heard of it. Or if they have, they've only heard the (rather cool) soundtrack, recently reissued by Harkit. Perhaps that's because the movie itself hasn't been available to buy in the UK - until now.

Yes, out as a special edition DVD in the UK via Odeon, this rather unusual swinging London-style chiller is ripe for reappraisal, even if the end product doesn't quite live up to the early part of the movie.