I can’t tell you how long it’s been since we’ve had a great anthology horror film. It’s been a while, because I really can’t remember the last great anthology film we were given in theaters or home video, but “Three… Extremes” is a surefire breath of fresh air for the horror genre, and one that thankfully did not go unappreciated. I’ve waited a long time to finally see this film, and apparently the wait was utterly worth it, in the end. Take three excellent Asian directors, and let them go hog wild on-screen with rarely a step back into discretion. Fuck “Masters of Horror,” these three directors take you to school. In these three incredibly directed tales, we’re taken through the ringer of the three extremes of humanity.
Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971)
What helps “Let’s Scare Jessica to Death” pave the way as a genuine horror film, is that it’s more content with examining the pure madness of the human mind than it does splashing blood on the walls. Which is not to say there isn’t blood, but the madness of the entire premise is perfectly exemplified thanks to the often desolate set pieces before us. The farm house in which our characters reside, the small town down the road, and even the lake, are all spots that are perfectly maddening and morbid to the story.
F Troop: Season Two (DVD)
I don’t have a lot of experience with the series “F Troop” except knowing that it’s a classic, and I recall catching it a few times when I was a kid. This was before cable, when network television kept classic shows in syndication, and not recent ones. They were better times.
“F Troop” is very much in the vein of Mel Brooks, and if you’re a fan of the man, this series may be right up your alley. “F Troop,” for the uninitiated, sets down on a Civil War camp out in the woods of Fort Courage, and a group of hapless soldiers who get into wacky misadventures with visitors, and assorted guest stars.
Along the way, they also run into the Hekawi’s, a band of equally zany Native Americans, who hide out in the woods, and secretly team with a few of the soldiers in the camp.
Much like “Hogan’s Heroes,” the group manage to get away with a lot of gags under their superior’s noses, and use the Hekawi’s as instruments in their plans. In the first episode, much of the soldiers are being relocated, and in an attempt to thwart the plans, enlist the Hekawi’s to threaten war on them if the soldiers go, with hilarious results.
There’s also the appearances of Paul Lynde as a singing mounty who keeps the camp under tight watch for a French fur trader, who is being hidden by the Hekawi’s, and Harvey Korman who plays a domineering German balloonist who interrupts the affairs in the fort.
“F Troop” has a lively energy, and some truly sharp one-liners that will keep you in hysterics for most of the time. The origin of the Hekawi’s, and their name, is especially funny, but “F Troop” season two marks the debut of the color format for the series, which sadly only ran two seasons, and experienced new life in syndication, much like “Star Trek” and “The Honeymooners.”
All the episodes are present, politically incorrect Native American gags and all, and it’s a quality release that’s sadly very slim on extras. There’s only a brief retrospective on the entire series. But beyond that, fans of the genuine Mel Brooks comedies would be well advised to seek this out at their nearest convenience. It’s a treat.
Ice Road Truckers
Speaking as the grandson of a long time truck driver, “Ice Road Truckers” is an accurate depiction not just of truck drivers who make the trek across dangerous snowy and icey terrain, but of the dangers truckers facer in general. Set amidst the cold wastelands, “Ice Road Truckers” spotlights the endless journeys of various truck drivers as they take on the harrowing tasks of driving across country, through snow, ice, sleet, and lands without signs or safeguards.
Creepshow III (2006)
Just so you know, Stephen King and George Romero had as much to do with this as Romero did with “Day of the Dead: Contagium.” Just so you know, “Creepshow III” is about as much of a sequel to the series, as “Debbie Does Dallas” is a documentary on sports. Taurus Entertainment had the pure balls to attempt to tie this in with the original “Creepshow” series, and failed, big time. And guess what? A “Creepshow 4” is on the way. Yes, sir. Taurus, the maker of pure dog vomit, has now continued the crappy sequels department, and their reign of terror isn’t ending any time soon. “Creepshow III” is one of their plans of attack on the genre, and “Creepshow III” is a pure travesty on the senses. It’s so bad it inflicts actual physical pain on its viewer. It’s so bad it makes Uwe Boll look like a brilliant director. It’s bad, would be the general bullet point of this review.
CHiPs: The Complete First Season (DVD)
If I told you that I thought “CHiPs” was a pretty good show, and that I sort of re-considered my whole notion that it was rather sucky, would you hold it against me? Just checking. Because lord help me, “CHiPs” wasn’t the worst series I’ve ever seen. This is probably because a few weeks ago I had to review the utterly painful “War at Home,” but hell, for what it’s worth, this series isn’t too bad.
Scoop (2006)
After the painfully overrated “Match Point,” I was basically ready to welcome anything else that Allen could offer us. Sadly, going out of New York and onto the UK for his comedy thrillers has worked against Allen, and he’s pretty out of his element, as it becomes apparent with “Scoop.” All essence of genius and life is gone, and every one liner that Allen hurls our way manages to fall flatter and flatter to the point where it becomes rather pathetic. Especially when you consider the fact he’s now resorted to remaking his own movies, with “Scoop” being a loose remake of “Manhattan Murder Mystery.”