Love At First Bite (1979)/Once Bitten (1985) Blu-ray review

Horror and comedy pair so perfectly it’s almost hard to believe it took filmmakers until the 1980s to really start cranking out some pictures. All those years of pent-up humor exploded at that point, resulting in one movie after the next ditching attempts at absolute terror for a heavy injection of humor. It makes sense why the concept gained traction; after years of seeing horror icons taken so seriously many were plum for roasting. Dracula was one such easy target, what with his Eurotrash romanticism, Misfits devilock-esque ‘do and the roster of staples endemic to vampirism (crosses, garlic, etc.). He’d been indirectly blasted once before by Roman Polanksi in The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967), but 1979 would bring about his first real skewering (staking?).

Without delving too deeply into the specifics, know that 1979 was an atypical year for vampires. No less than seven (!) films on the subject saw release that year, three of which are labeled as “Disco Dracula” titles. Just think about that – not only is there a Disco Dracula subgenre, but it grew in triplicate during one year. Kind of amazing, especially when you consider disco was heavily declining by that time. Of those three films released in ’79, the only one that still has much of a cult following is Love at First Bite, starring walking skin cancer anomaly George Hamilton as Count Dracula. Just as Mel Brooks had done five years earlier with Young Frankenstein (1974), which spoofed the original Frankenstein (1931), Love at First Bite takes a direct swipe at Bela Lugosi’s Dracula (1931). It isn’t as precise as Brooks’ film, though, using only characters and concepts while ditching the Transylvanian landscape for New York City’s cluttered streets.

After being booted out of his castle to make way for an Olympic gymnastics training facility, Dracula (George Hamilton) and his faithful insectivore servant, Renfield (Arte Johnson), head off to start a new life in New York City. Not for no reason; Drac has a crush on a magazine cover model who lives there, Cindy Sondheim (Susan Saint James). A mix-up at the airport causes Dracula’s coffin to be temporarily switched with that of a recently deceased black man from Harlem – you know where that joke is headed. Things get sorted out and the Count hits the town in search of his bride-to-be, whom he is convinced he already loves. He & Cindy meet due to his magnetic personality and cocksure charm, but once her guard comes down it’s clear she’s a bit of a mess. She’s sloppy and neurotic and, yet, the Count doesn’t care because he sees her as the reincarnation of his long lost love, Mina Harker.

One fly in his ointment, however, is Cindy’s therapist – and part-time-lover – Rosenberg (Richard Benjamin), who also happens to be grandson to Dracula’s old nemesis Fritz van Helsing. When Rosenberg finds out who has been pursuing Cindy, he runs Dracula through the gamut of apocryphal methods that will supposedly kill the undead vamp. None finds much success. Rosenberg’s very public antics eventually get him arrested, despite his vocal protests that Dracula is a public menace. He’s only taken seriously when a rash of blood bank robberies and sporadic attacks get the attention of the police chief, who authorizes Rosenberg to get back on the trail of Dracula and Cindy.

First off, in case you weren’t aware this release has restored Alicia Bridges’ “I Love the Nightlife” during the show-stopping disco number. Considering that sequence is one of the film’s highlights – and, really, a perfect fit for this sort of film - it’s amazing anyone thought it was even remotely acceptable to remove it in the first place. Yea, I know… music clearances and all that. Still a boneheaded move.

Having never seen the film, I think what surprised me most was the love story, which I had assumed would be half baked so the focus remained on the humor. Instead, it’s a complicated relationship with some genuine ups-and-downs. Dracula is way into Cindy just based on her looks, but his superficial love is immediately tested when it’s shown that Cindy is far from the glamorous, put-together model he envisioned. She’s a lady with some major hang-ups in life. Truthfully, a whole lot of the humor in this film fell flat for me, and I got most of my enjoyment out of watching these two imperfect lovers try to develop an actual relationship.

Part of the humorlessness that pervades this film comes in the form of Richard Benjamin as Rosenberg. He’s just so… stiff, mono-emotive and not really a good actor. There’s a real lag during the second act when so much of the film is following his character around while Dracula takes a bit of a backseat in his own movie. At least Renfield provides some decent laughs; he’s a little less Dwight Fry and more Marty Feldman’s Igor. It’s a fun, albeit dated, film.

Outshining Hamilton’s bronze resplendence is pale Canadian Jim Carrey, in his first theatrical leading role with Once Bitten (1985). This one plays more like a ribald ‘80s teen comedy, full of horny virgins and plenty of un-p.c. humor. In a somewhat coincidental twist, this film sees an actual supermodel, Lauren Hutton, playing the role of a vampire known as Countess. She looks remarkable for someone who’s “400 if she’s a day”, according to her personal assistant Sebastian (Cleavon Little), but the upkeep on those to-die-for looks is a steady supply of virgin’s blood – three sips before Halloween to be precise. Only problem is, finding a virgin in a city like Los Angeles isn’t easy work. Luckily, one of Countess’ nights on the town coincides with high schooler Mark (Jim Carrey) and his buddies’ own evening of prospect searching. Mark’s girlfriend, Robin (Karen Kopins), refused to have sex with him the night before, so he quickly determines the next best option is to find a willing partner somewhere in Hollywood. Countess and Mark hit it off at a singles bar and the two head back to her place almost immediately.

They hook up, although Mark’s recollection of their steamy night is pretty foggy. Did they have sex? She claims so. But now he’s starting to feel weird and act very different. The sun seems too bright. His fashion sense is getting darker. He’s having incredibly bizarre dreams. And he eats raw meat and drinks animal blood without giving it a second thought. Robin is justifiably concerned. When Countess draws blood from Mark a second time, it leads directly to a dance-off face-off between Mark, Countess and Robin (set to an on-the-nose track entitled “Hands Off”). If Countess manages to siphon some virgin blood from Mark just one more time her beauty will endure, but Robin isn’t willing to let her guy go without a fight. It might be a faux pas now, but how can you not laugh at the stampede brought about by the cry of “Fag alert!”?

The humor in Once Bitten is typical of ‘80s teen comedies, but what puts it over the top are Jim Carrey’s physical mannerisms and wacky faces. Fans of his style will be cracking up watching him dance with a sweater, or when he hisses at a couple local kids, or during any of the vampiric nightmares he has throughout. His malleable punim and range of expressions are his bread-and-butter comedy, but he’s also just as able to handle the scenes of serious drama. Cleavon Little kills it here, too, as Countess’ snarky out-of-the-closet assistant who is lightning quick with his quips. Mark’s two eternally-horny buddies are so desperate to get laid it’ll make you cringe, especially when one of them continues to use his staple pickup line, which is the sort of thing a guy with no understanding of women would say to get laid. The scene in the locker room showers where the two of them are looking for a bite on Mark’s thigh, at the behest of Robin, had me rolling because it’s just so wrong.

Love at First Bite makes its Blu-ray debut on this double-feature disc, featuring a 1.85:1 1080p image that is undoubtedly a step up from previous releases. The print from which this transfer was sourced looks very clean, with only minor flecks here and there. The cinematography presents a decent level of depth which comes through clearly in HD. Detail is only moderate in medium or wide shots, but up close it’s very sharp and lifelike. Colors are accurate and saturation is where it should be. Black levels, too, are strong.

The situation is the same in regard to the 1.85:1 1080p image for Once Bitten. The majority of productions around this time tend to have similar aesthetics, so as long as the source materials are kept in great shape – which these were – the end result is pretty expected. No DNR was used on either film, leaving grain intact as a fine layer over the picture.

Both films feature an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo track, and as you might’ve guessed both are more or less similar in terms of delivery, separation and overall presence. The sound design is typical of ‘80s comedies, with most of the focus on the dialogue and not much in the way of action. That’s not a complaint, just a fact. Luckily, Scream Factory has a knack for delivering solid stereo tracks, with dialogue clean, centered and well-balanced in the mix. Both films also feature source music that is presented with high fidelity, adding some weight to the track. “Once Bitten” has a little more in the way of discreet effects and separation, more dynamic, but otherwise these two are very similar. English subtitles are included for both films.

As far as extras go, there isn’t much here at all. Each film has its trailer, while Love at First Bite also gets a few radio spots.

GODZILLA-THON #16 - Gojira/The Return Of Godzilla/Godzilla 1985 (1984)

Toho had wanted to make a new Godzilla film for some time. In fact, they didn't really want to stop ni 1975 with Terror of Mechagodzilla, but external factors forced Godzilla into early retirement where he remained for nearly a decade. Cut to the 1980s and Toho was planning a new installment in the series, the first of the Heisei era. Technically, however, this isn't a Heisei film. Emperor Hirohito didn't die until after this film was produced, making the first true Heisei era film Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989). Early plans had Godzilla fighting a shape-shifting creature, likely one of a dozen or more ideas the studio went through before deciding on what's part sequel/part reboot. Titled simply Gojira, it plays out like a sequel to the 1954 original, referencing Godzilla's last rampage and treating his presence like a force of nature. But it can't be a true sequel since the Godzilla in that film died, something that is questioned (with no foundation) here. I like the ambiguity, personally. After Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965) continuity was never a strong suit with the series. Plus, this incarnation of the Big G is one of his best designs ever. Godzilla made a full return to his roots, too, reverting back to the destructive, unstoppable beast as he was first envisioned. There are no opponents in this film, unless you count Super X, the government's high-tech, high flying aerial defense vehicle. Changes were a long time coming in the series, and producer Tomoyuki Tanaka - still at the helm 30 years alter - was there to oversee Godzilla's next era as king.

It's tough to discuss this film and not immediately mention the two distinct versions of it that exist. I grew up watching Godzilla 1985 on a loop. I'm not even kidding. I wore that VHS tape down to the limit. This was my favorite entry. I absolutely loved everything about it. Then, years later I learned the Japanese edit of the film was vastly different, and supposedly superior, to the U.S. cut. Once I finally saw it, I had to agree - the Japanese version is a better film. But I grew up on the 'Merica version; it defined a large part of my childhood.

The basic premise is the same in both cuts. A fishing vessel gets caught up in a big storm off a small island coast and one of the crew men, Okumura, sees Godzilla rise up out of the earth just before it cuts to the opening credits. When the vessel is reported missing, Goro, a local sailor, happens upon it and rescues Okumura after doing battle with a mutated sea louse. Okumura learns that what he saw was Godzilla, but even though he alerts the government's top officials they decline to take any action for fear of a public meltdown. But soon they're given no choice when Godzilla rips a Russian nuclear submarine in half, causing an immediate conflict between the U.S. and Russia. Japan's Prime Minister acknowledges that Godzilla has returned, vowing to do whatever they can to stop him short of allowing the use of nuclear weapons. When Godzilla comes ashore to drain power from a nuclear plant, Prof. Hayashida and his team notice that he's drawn by the sound of birds flying overhead. They get the idea to use the frequency to lure Godzilla back to Mt. Mihara and into the active volcano. Before this happens, though, Godzilla appears in the bay before attacking Tokyo. He smashes buildings, tramples trains, and squashes people until the Super X is deployed. It battles Godzilla, managing to knock him unconscious with cadmium missiles before succumbing to his atomic breath. Godzilla eventually awakens and heeds the call coming from Mt. Mihara, where a fiery doom awaits.

Gojira (1984) received a major release in America, with a strong marketing push and many new scenes shot featuring actor Raymond Burr, who starred as reporter Steve Martin in the first American edit of a Godzilla film with Godzilla: King of the Monsters (1956). Many scenes from the Japanese version were excised to make room for the new footage, but the final U.S. version still ran around 16 minutes shorter. The bulk of the changes came in the form of scenes featuring Martin at home, bumbling officials at the Pentagon, Martin being brought in to consult at the Pentagon, and a final recitation from Martin over the end credits. Oh, and let's not forget lots of obvious Dr. Pepper product placement shots. You'd think it was the only thing left to drink in America.

The Most controversial change made to the film involved the editing of the nuclear tension between Japan, U.S., and Russia. In the Japanese cut, the Russians are just as eager to avoid a nuclear conflict as everyone else. When Godzilla attacks Tokyo Bay, crippling a stealth Russian warship with controls to their space nukes, the wounded captain does everything in his power to try stopping the nuke before it's launched. But in the American cut, the captain, bleeding and weak, stumbles into the control room to launch the nuke! Watching the film now, it's laughable to see how the Russians are made to look like such cartoon villains. We're only missing a shot of one twirling his mustache to make it official.

One minor addition to the U.S. cut that I've always liked was Godzilla's final shrill skreeonk before plummeting into the lava below in Mt. Mihara. It's a chilling cry, one that is conspicuously absent in the Japanese edit. It added an extra bit of sympathy for the big beast, as you realize he was only doing what came naturally to him, and now man's interference with nature has once again caused suffering - this time in the form of his own. We all know Godzilla was just taking a nap down there and not actually dead, since he re-emerges from Mt. Mihara in this film's follow-up. But that final shriek, and the shots of the Prime Minister crying (which still confuses me - Godzilla did destroy your city and stomp your people, you know), had a big impact on me way back when I first saw the film.

Most versions of the U.S. cut contained Marv Newland's short cartoon, Bambi Meets Godzilla. My old bootlegged VHS had it, so I must've watched that short about a thousand times. It ends exactly how you think it would. 

We've got a new film, in a new era, on Godzilla's 30th birthday. You know what that means: new suit! The Big G received a major overhaul for his '80s debut, going right back to his roots. All of the design features seen here were exactly as Godzilla looked in the original film, the only exception being this film didn't have small, prominent ears on the head. Which, frankly, looks much better without them. He has four toes now instead of three, the dorsal plates are larger and parallel rows of smaller plates have been added on either side of the main plates. His eyes look grim, with more white showing and virtually no sympathy to be seen. This was the final film for special effects supervisor Teruyoshi Nakano, who believed he had gone out on a high note, considering his work here to be the best he'd done. Quite honestly, that isn't something I can argue with because the work done here is fantastic.

His prop department also built a 50-foot tall foot, to be used in shots of Godzilla trampling houses and people. Also constructed was a 20-foot tall animatronic Godzilla puppet, which had a wide range of facial movements in addition to having two arms that moved as well. It might not look much better than the old King Kong animatronic on the Universal Studios tram tour, but I've always felt the design cues and sculpting were the best the series had seen up to that point. Godzilla looks pissed, with a might fine set of fangs proudly displayed each time he holds his head back and roars with fervor. The puppet's actions are limited to roaring and exhibiting emotions the suit was never capable of, so any complaints about its inclusion might stem from the fact it can't really attack or do anything too action heavy. But it looks so killer.

The entry almost saw the return of some of the series' veterans, but extenuating circumstances prevented either from happening. Producer Tomoyuki Tanaka attempted to sway director Ishiro Honda back to the series, but the word is that he refused based on how poorly he felt Godzilla had been treated in the '70s. This is an odd excuse given Honda's directed the worst film in the Showa series (All Monsters Attack) and the last film of that era (Terror of Mechagodzilla). Personally, I feel that new blood was needed behind the camera if this were to feel like a fresh start. At this point, the person most responsible for Godzilla's enduring success was Tanaka, so as long as he was on board the films were in good hands.

There was also talk of bringing back longtime series veteran Akihiko Hirata, but he sadly passed from lung cancer before production began. He starred in seven films total throughout the series, beginning with Gojira (1954) and ending with Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975), having been present for both the first and last film of the Showa era. And he was only 56 when he died. Let this be a lesson kids: don't fucking smoke.

The series had always been known for showcasing a wide range of diverse soundtracks, and the compositions of first timer Reijiro Koroku are among the best any Godzilla film has ever enjoyed. Continuing with the theme of getting Godzilla back to his roots, the themes used here are dark and foreboding, with a degree of melancholy and emotion I don't think I've ever felt from a G film before. Koroku's main theme alone is iconic, promising something grand and ominous to come as the screen crackles with strips of flame peeling away on the screen. The opening credits are mesmerizing and memorable, perfectly setting the tone of what's in store. I find it funny that of my two favorite big monsters - Godzilla and King Kong - both of their respective reboot soundtracks are my favorites in the series. John Barry's work on King Kong (1976) is some of my favorite music of any film ever, and the same goes for Koroku's work here. 

Godzilla finally had his rebirth in the '80s, but this would be only one of two films he made during that decade. The follow-up, Godzilla vs. Biollante, wouldn't be produced for release until 1989, five years later. That's a big gap for a series that used to hit theaters once a year, a benefit Godzilla wouldn't have again until 1991. This next entry would once again rely on a fan contest to choose a winning script, leading to one of the largest, and certainly strangest, foes Godzilla has ever faced. 

Day Of The Dead (1985) Blu-ray review

I hope this doesn’t sound too harsh to some (although I have a feeling it won’t), but I sometimes find myself wishing George A. Romero had never returned to the zombie sub-genre after completing Day of the Dead (1985). Romero built this sandbox, he’s the godfather of gut-munching zombie horror; however, few can argue his recent trilogy of films is even closer to what he wrought starting back in 1968. Night of the Living Dead is the seminal film for zombies. Period. He wrote the blueprint, he made the template. Dawn of the Dead (1978) is what I consider to be a perfect horror film. George nailed it, no question. Everything about that film works on numerous levels. Day, though, seems to be a toss-up for a lot of fans. It can’t be faulted for effects and gore, but the characters have always been a point of contention for some. Personally, I’ve always liked the exaggerated, maniacal personalities many of the lead actors possess. This world isn’t like Dawn, where you could still get lucky and find new people to join up with for survival. In Day, these people just might be all that’s left. According to an estimate by the good Dr. Logan (Richard Liberty), the dead outnumber us roughly 400,000:1 with no signs of slowing down. Naturally, everyone is a little bit on edge.

Day of the Dead maintains the singular setting of its predecessor, only this time the walls are even tighter with our main group huddled deep below the Earth in a mine; a sprawling, labyrinthine cave that looks more like a massive tomb. Dr. Sarah Bowman (Lori Cardille) and Dr. Logan are tirelessly working to find a cure to the zombie epidemic using corpses brought down from up top. Their efforts are made doubly difficult by the presence of Col. Rhodes (Joe Pilato) and his rowdy bunch of troops. Logan’s procedure seem to have worked on one zombie, a “fast” learner named Bub (Howard Sherman), but the surgery is too difficult and esoteric to ever provide a viable means of stopping the outbreak. The possibility of a cure or solution seems dire, especially to the audience, making this less a film about ending the current apocalypse and more a study of how humanity cracks under the pressure of knowing we’re next on the extinction list.

Two aspects of this film that are undeniably stellar are Tom Savini’s gruesome makeup FX work, and composer John Harrison’s score. First off, I know some people who absolutely hate this score and, honestly, I just don’t get it. Harrison previously provided the tunes for Romero’s Creepshow, which was also graced with a chillingly horrific soundtrack. His work here is both ominous and slightly playful, sounding like a mix between synth music to signal the apocalypse and something you’d be listening to on a Jamaican beach, which seems especially fitting given how the film ends. Of course, some of it does sound like it was culled from Jan Hammer’s Miami Vice tapes, too, so I can see where there might be issues for certain listeners. Savini was in rare form here, delivering what are arguably some of his greatest effects to date. He had a stellar team behind him, including current KNB heads Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger. Not to knock Dawn in any way, but the zombie and victim work there can’t hold a candle to the ultra-realistic, hyper-gory palette he brought to life here. From the opening of the film, where we’re introduced to a stumbling, blood-drooling Dr. Tongue, the picture hardly lets up from one stunning, shocking set piece after the next, culminating in the classic Romero full-body pull-aparts fans crave.

Ok, enough yammering about the film. You all know what you’re in for by now. Let’s get to the real reason why you’re here – how does this disc stack up to the countless editions that have come before it? More importantly, how’s the “all-new transfer” that’s touted virtually all over the packaging? It’s good – in fact, about as good as this film is ever going to get – but it’s not perfect, so upgrade accordingly. The previous blu-ray released by Anchor Bay was soft and a bit less detailed, a hindrance due to the minor DNR that was applied in mastering the disc. Many fans may have purchased the region-free blu-ray released by Arrow in the U.K., but that release, too, is plagued by DNR. A side-by-side comparison of Arrow’s disc versus Scream’s shows that grain is almost scrubbed free in the prior’s edition, losing any semblance of detail in the image. Scream Factory’s release is the best possible presentation given the limitations inherent in the source. Day is never going to look reference-quality. The film was shot in a mine, with varying light sources, and while it was all done on 35mm the fact remains that it was a low-budget production and those roots will never recede - however, Scream has delivered the cleanest presentation that is clearly not tampered with in any way, aside from some contrast boosting. Whether or not it’s worth upgrading whatever disc you own currently depends entirely on your personal preference. Some people don’t mind DNR one bit. Hell, they may even love what it does, and so this release might not appeal to them. If you’re a serious fan of the film, though, then I’d suggest this edition if only because you’ll be seeing it as close to the original presentation as possible. Grain is present throughout, although it never gets heavy enough to become obtrusive. Only the optical shots are heavily grainy since that’s just how opticals look. Fans will also be happy to hear that this release finally contains the unaltered mono mix in DTS-HD. The missing and changed effects that were found on both AB and Arrow’s releases have been reinstated here, allowing fans to hear the theatrical track for the first time in lossless audio. It’s a limited track that works hard to pump out all the required sounds, sometimes to the detriment of the intended range. This is how it was mixed, and any multi-channel audio tracks are simply faux to give listeners a bit more oomph.

If you’ve bought the old Anchor Bay DVD, the special edition Anchor Bay DVD, the Anchor Bay blu-ray, and the Arrow blu-ray, chances are you know that with every new edition of Day comes a few new bonus features along with the loss of a few. This release from Scream Factory is no different, featuring a bit of the old and a bit of the new. On the recent side of things is World’s End: The Legacy of Day of the Dead. a full-length documentary, presented in HD, that runs for around an hour and a half. This lengthy doc features many of the usual suspects – Romero, Savini, Nicotero, Pasquale Buba, Howard Sherman, Pilato, etc. – along with a few faces we don’t see so much – Cardille, Gary Klar – all of whom reminisce fondly about their time on set. Some of Savini’s on-set footage is spliced in here, too. The documentary’s only problem is that much of what’s discussed has been said other places a hundred times before. I’d call this “definitive” only in the sense that most of the anecdotes and information about the shoot have finally been collected in one piece since everyone available spills their guts. I mean, how many times can we hear about the fridge going out and the pig guts spoiling, right? It isn’t that the information isn’t of value, just that this piece runs very long and it doesn’t feel like it’s covering any new ground. I loved it for the candid recollections and to hear a fresh perspective from old faces, but it brings no new shit to light, so to speak. Two audio commentaries have been ported over from the Anchor Bay blu-ray, the first with writer/director George A. Romero, special effects artist Tom Savini, production designer Cletus Anderson, and actress Lori Cardille. Too many people on one track can sometimes be a bit much, but everyone seems to get a word in when the time is right here. The second track is with filmmaker Roger Avary. He’s a big fan of the film. I don’t know who tracks like this appeal to, frankly. I only care to hear from those involved in making the movie; I don’t really care about the first time a young Roger Avary watched it. Right? Behind the Scenes Footage from Special Effects Creator Tom Savini’s Archives is the same 30-minute featurette that appeared on the previous blu-ray. Presented in full-frame, this is the footage Savini shot of the film’s many gory set pieces. Wampum Mine Promotional Video is an eight-minute ad for the services provided by the mine. No mention of facility use during a zombie holocaust. Underground: A Look Into the Day of the Dead Mines follows Ed Demko (is this guy a fan? no clue) through the mine locations, although a lot of it is Ed posing and reciting film lines with blurry shots of the mine in the background. It’s a bit like Horror’s Hallowed Grounds lite. It’s unfortunate they couldn’t have lowered Sean Clark down into that mine for his usual segment. A selection of Theatrical Trailers and TV Spots have also been included. Finally, there is a Still Gallery containing images including: Behind the Scenes, Day of the Dead Locations, Posters & Lobby Cards and Miscellaneous. The disc loses some features from both the Anchor Bay and Arrow releases, so completists are going to want to hang on to those.

This release from Scream Factory can’t be called the definitive edition of Day of the Dead because it still fails to collect all of the available bonus features in one convenient location. I know that probably isn’t even possible (well, with enough money anything is), but I’m sure fans are just tired of having to re-buy their favorite films over and over, filling their shelves with yet another copy acquired for a handful of new extras. At least this release goes the extra mile in delivering an image that presents the film as accurately as possible, outshining both previous releases by an appreciable, albeit minor, degree. The new features are well-produced, featuring recent interviews and collected tales, but in bringing not much new information to the table many fans may find even a lengthy documentary doesn’t satisfy their hunger. For those who don’t own any prior releases (there has to be at least a few of you), and even those that do, this stands for now as the best release available.