Baby Doll Strippers (3 Stars)

I read that the Blu-ray "Harlots of the Caribbean" contained an extra feature, a short film called "Strippers Inc". I had no idea what it is, but as soon as it started I recognised it as "Baby Doll Strippers" with a new name.

The film, if it can be called that, is about a strip club owner interviewing three girls who want to work for her. After the interviews she asks them to show their skills as private dancers. The girls take turns in pretending to be men, so that the potential strippers can show how they seduce them.

The interview sections were so realistic that they seemed like they were candid question and answer sessions, with the actresses giving honest answers from their own lives. The dancing sections were obviously rehearsed. I greatly enjoyed the interview sections, but the dances didn't live up to my expectations. I doubt I'll ever watch this film again.

Despicable Me (4 Stars)

Amazon Friday #43

Today I collected my granddaughter Evelyn from kindergarten. On the way home I asked her if she wanted to watch a film with me. That was an important question. She recently turned five, and she's never watched a film. She's happy watching videos on YouTube. Now it's time for her to move up to the next level. I picked the film "Despicable Me", better known as "the Minions film". Isn't that what everyone calls it?

I thought she might get bored, but she didn't. I'm sure she didn't understand everything. The film started with the Egyptian pyramids being stolen, but she doesn't know what the pyramids are. Nevertheless, she watched the whole film intently, bursting into laughter at any slapstick intervals. The film was a success, and there will be many more.

By the way, she drew this picture for me this morning. The two hearts are her heart and mine. Forever together. I love her so much.

Success Rate:  + 5.9

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Harlots of the Caribbean (4½ Stars)

It's taken a long time to get here. After 20 years, "Harlots of the Caribbean" has finally been released on Blu-ray. I was worried that Fred Olen Ray would only release his bikini films (as he likes to call them) if they starred Christine Nguyen, because she's his most popular actress, but here we have a film with the amazing Beverly Lynne, Rebecca Love, Nicole Sheridan and Beverly Lynne. Did I just say Beverly Lynne twice? It must be the echo out at sea.

That's not a harlot on the Blu-ray cover. It's the pirate queen Morgana, who used to have sex with every man before she made him walk the plank.

And those aren't harlots either. It's Beverly Lynne and Nicole Sheridan, modern day treasure hunters.

In fact, there aren't any harlots at all in the film. It's just a catchy title.

I bought two Blu-rays in the Medina collection that were released at the same time this month. I'll give a complete summary when I watch the other film.

Vier Fäuste für ein Hallelujah [comedy version] (4 Stars)

This is the comedy version of "Four Fists for a Hallelujah". Supposedly. I don't think it's any funnier than the version I watched yesterday. From what I've read the dubbing was more accurate in the theatrical version, but there's one significant exception: in the new version Terence Hill is called Trinity, as he should have been from the start.

Which version is better? I prefer this one. Trinity remains Trinity.

Vier Fäuste für ein Hallelujah (4 Stars)

I'm so frustrated with this film that I almost decided not to review it. It makes a mockery of my film blog and films in general. I reviewed it once before, using the English DVD title, "Trinity is still my name". That's the literal translation of the original Italian title. In Germany the film is called "Vier Fäuste für ein Hallelujah", i.e. "Four fists for a Hallelujah". That means absolutely nothing, but Germans like spectacular film titles. The title change doesn't bother me, except in the German dubbing Terence Hill isn't called Trinity, his name is Sleepy Joe. Why? The answer is only known to the super-intelligent boss of the German studio responsible for the dubbing when the film was released in 1971.

In 1982 the film was rereleased for video. For reasons also unknown to me the film was redubbed and called the "comedy version". That doesn't make sense either, because the original film was already a comedy. I just watched the original "theatrical" version, and I'll watch the comedy version tomorrow.

The Holy Virgin vs the Evil Dead (4 Stars)

There are cult films, there are cinematic oddities, and then there's "Holy Virgin vs the Evil Dead", a gloriously unhinged slice of Hong Kong supernatural cinema that seems determined to throw every outrageous idea at the screen. The result is a film that's messy, wildly inconsistent and almost impossible to forget.

The story combines Taoist magic, vampires, ghosts, zombies, black magic and martial arts into a single chaotic package. Logic is sacrificed in favour of spectacle, with one bizarre set piece following another at a relentless pace. The film rarely slows down long enough for the audience to question what's happening before introducing another monster, magical duel or outrageous plot twist.

What makes the film so entertaining is its refusal to play by any conventional rules. Horror, slapstick comedy and fantasy action collide throughout, creating the kind of manic energy that defined many low-budget Hong Kong productions of the late 1980's and early 1990's. The special effects are charmingly primitive by modern standards, relying on practical tricks, wire work and energetic performances rather than digital effects. The rough edges only add to the film's appeal.

The performances embrace the madness with complete sincerity. Nobody seems concerned about realism; every actor commits wholeheartedly to the increasingly absurd situations. That commitment helps transform what could have been an incoherent mess into something strangely infectious.

Viewed as a conventional horror film, "Holy Virgin vs the Evil Dead" has obvious flaws. The plot barely holds together, character development is minimal and tonal shifts can be dizzying. But those are also the qualities that have earned it a loyal cult following. Fans of Hong Kong genre cinema appreciate its fearless imagination and willingness to ignore every filmmaking rule in pursuit of entertainment.

It's not a polished classic, it's an unforgettable curiosity. If you enjoy supernatural martial arts films, over-the-top practical effects and wonderfully unpredictable storytelling, "Holy Virgin vs the Evil Dead" offers a delirious ride unlike almost anything else. It's exactly the kind of wonderfully eccentric film that rewards cult cinema enthusiasts willing to embrace its glorious insanity.

The Paperboy (5 Stars)

Quietly, practically unnoticed, "The Paperboy" delivered one of the creepiest evil child thrillers of the 1990's. Directed by Douglas Jackson, the Canadian film follows a lonely paperboy who becomes obsessed with creating the perfect family, eliminating anyone who stands in his way.

What makes "The Paperboy" memorable isn't graphic violence but the unsettling performance by Marc Marut. He gives Johnny an unnerving mix of childish innocence and cold-blooded manipulation, making him far more disturbing than many supernatural horror villains. The suburban setting and low-budget production give the film an everyday realism that makes his behaviour even more believable, while the script plays on the fear that true evil can hide behind the face of an apparently ordinary child.

Although it was released straight to video and largely overlooked by critics, "The Paperboy" has steadily built a reputation among horror fans. Much of that reputation can be traced to legendary horror host Joe Bob Briggs, who championed the film during his MonsterVision run, famously calling it "the most underrated horror film ever". That endorsement introduced countless genre fans to a film that many had never even heard of, and Briggs' enthusiasm helped cement its status as a hidden gem.

Its scarcity only added to the mystique. For many years "The Paperboy" was difficult to obtain in English-speaking countries, leading horror fans to seek out rare VHS tapes, imported DVDs and later online copies. Combined with its bizarre premise, memorable scenes and Marc Marut's unforgettable performance, that rarity transformed the film into exactly the kind of title that thrives through word of mouth. Rather than becoming famous through box office success, it earned its reputation through devoted fans recommending it to one another.

The Paperboy isn't a polished classic, but its creepy atmosphere, genuinely disturbing central performance and enduring reputation as an overlooked gem make it one of the most deserving cult horror discoveries of the 1990's. Even if Joe Bob Briggs' claim that it's "the most underrated horror film ever" is open to debate, the fact that people are still discovering and celebrating it more than three decades later suggests he wasn't exaggerating by very much.

There's a high probability that the film will one day be released on Blu-ray or even 4K. The reason for optimism is that "The Paperboy" has gone from being an obscure direct-to-video thriller to a genuine cult title. Over the last decade it's been rediscovered by horror fans, helped enormously by Joe Bob Briggs' enthusiastic endorsement and the rise of boutique labels that specialise in forgotten genre films. Companies such as Vinegar Syndrome, Severin Films, Arrow Video, Terror Vision and Unearthed Films have built their businesses on releasing exactly this kind of overlooked cult horror.

A new Blu-ray would make sense because:

• the film has never received a widely available, restored HD release in North America.

• its reputation has grown steadily through word of mouth.

• boutique labels are increasingly licensing direct-to-video horror from the 1980's and 1990's.

• Marc Marut's performance has become something of a cult talking point among horror fans.

A special edition could easily include:

• a new 2K or 4K scan of the original camera negative (if it still exists).

• an interview with Marc Marut.

• a retrospective with director Douglas Jackson.

• a commentary discussing the "evil child" subgenre.

• Joe Bob Briggs explaining why he considers it "the most underrated horror film ever".

If any forgotten 1990's horror film deserves this treatment, "The Paperboy" is one of the strongest candidates. Its cult reputation is still growing rather than diminishing, which is exactly the kind of trajectory that attracts boutique physical media labels.

The Baby's Room (4 Stars)

It's taken me a long time to get my hands on this film. It's the only film made by Alex de la Iglesia that's never been released with English subtitles. I was finally able to find a downloadable version on the web site DVD Lady. Unfortunately, the subtitles are poor quality with countless spelling mistakes, but at least they're understandable. For instance, the word forget is always spelt with two t's, i.e. "forgett". Apostrophes are either omitted or inserted in the wrong place, e.g. "I dont wan't to go home".

The film stands apart from all of De La Iglesia's other films. It's lacking his typical comedic elements. The reason is that he was commissioned to make a film for a horror anthology series; six films were made by six different directors. He was constrained in the content he could create, and he was even more constrained in his budget. He was only given one million Euros to make the film, which limited him in his use of locations. And yet I was surprised to read glowing reviews of "The Baby's Room". It's considered the best of the six films in the anthology, which hardly surprises me, but many critics also call it a masterpiece of supernatural horror. 

The film is about Juan and Sonia, a couple with a seven-year-old son who buy a large run-down building. The problems begin when they install a baby phone. They hear a man's voice in their baby's room, but when they rush into the room the baby is alone in his bed. So they buy a baby monitor with a camera. Juan wakes up and sees someone sitting next to his son. He rushes into the room and finds nobody. Is it possible that there are ghosts who're only visible on electronic devices, not to the human eye? That's the mystery.

Do I like it or not? Initially I was disappointed because it was so un-Iglesia-ish. As the film progressed and the secrets were slowly unveiled I became increasingly enthralled. I'm sure to watch the film again later this year. Wait for my next review.

The Legend of Fong Sai Yuk 2 (4½ Stars)

While "The Legend of Fong Sai Yuk" is remembered as one of the great martial arts comedies of the 1990's, "The Legend of Fong Sai Yuk 2" takes a noticeably different approach. Although it reunites Jet Li with director Corey Yuen and retains the dazzling action that made the original such a success, the sequel shifts away from broad comedy and romantic adventure towards a more serious patriotic drama. The result is a film that feels less playful but more emotionally driven.

The first film balanced spectacular kung fu with slapstick humour, outrageous misunderstandings and an almost screwball romance. Much of its charm came from Fong Sai Yuk's youthful recklessness, his attempts to win the heart of Ting Ting and the hilarious relationship between his parents, especially his formidable mother. Even the elaborate fight scenes often had a comic edge, turning martial arts into a form of physical comedy.

The sequel largely abandons that tone. Instead, Fong becomes involved with the Red Flower Society, an underground resistance movement dedicated to overthrowing the Qing dynasty. Political intrigue replaces romantic confusion and the story carries genuine emotional weight as questions of loyalty, sacrifice and patriotism come to the forefront. The stakes are considerably higher than in the original, giving the film a more mature atmosphere.

Jet Li adapts effortlessly to this change in tone. His Fong Sai Yuk is still energetic and charismatic but has become a more responsible and determined hero. Rather than simply reacting to outrageous situations, he is forced to make difficult moral choices, making the character feel as though he has genuinely grown since the first film.

The action remains exceptional. Corey Yuen stages another series of inventive martial arts sequences, filled with speed, precision and astonishing athleticism. The choreography is slightly less whimsical than before, favouring fast, intense combat over comic invention. The climactic battles are among the most impressive of Jet Li's early Hong Kong career, combining graceful wirework with bone-crunching hand-to-hand combat.

The supporting cast also reflects the film's changing priorities. While Fong's mother still provides flashes of humour and proves once again to be one of Hong Kong cinema's greatest action heroines, the comic family dynamics take a back seat to the larger political conflict. The villains are darker, the betrayals more personal and the emotional consequences far more significant than in the first film.

Viewed on its own, "The Legend of Fong Sai Yuk 2" is an outstanding martial arts adventure that successfully broadens the scope of its predecessor. Those expecting another carefree action comedy may initially be surprised by its more serious direction, but the stronger dramatic focus gives the sequel an identity of its own rather than simply repeating the original formula. Together, the two films complement each other perfectly; one celebrates youthful exuberance and romance, while the other explores courage, loyalty and sacrifice without ever sacrificing the breath-taking action that defines the series.