eXistenZ

At some unspecified time in the future a software company is demonstrating their newly developed pre-release game to a crowd of enthusiasts, one which requires an organic gaming pod to physically attach a string of gamers to allow them to take part in a hyper-real virtual reality experience.  Before the demo gets properly underway one of the participants attempts to assassinate the game's designer, Allegra Geller.  She's rescued by a security guy/marketing trainee by the name of Ted Pikul, the couple heading out into the countryside in effort to avoid further attempts on Geller's life.  She's surprised to find that Pikul is no gamer himself, and thus persuades him to obtain a bioport (an entry hole to the spine) which will allow him to plug into the game pod alongside Geller.  Once hooked up they're assimilated by the game world where Pikul experiences the vivid realm of eXistenZ first hand, and its gradually perplexing effect on one's ability to discern one realty from another.

Produced around the time when home gaming was simultaneously being propelled to mainstream popularity alongside virtual reality becoming a buzz which hinted at an exciting future that seemed to procrastinate itself in a frustrating fashion, 1999's eXistenZ is David Cronenberg's problematic but nonetheless enjoyable foray into the world of gaming, incorporating his own philosophical spin on personal perception of reality.  It was an obvious choice in a sense: he'd already made a couple of wonderful films about people being confused by the boundary between that which is (apparently) real, and that which is not, referring of course to the drug-fuelled Naked Lunch and Videodrome, both of which I've revelled in viewing many times over.  I've also enjoyed viewing eXistenZ (eight times at point of writing) since and including its cinema release here in the UK, however, it's often struck me as noticeably less 'perfect' than the aforementioned highpoints of Cronenberg's illustrious career.  Harder-core gamers, or even those of the casual variety, would most likely find some of the rules of the eXistenZ game world cumbersome (the main example for me is characters getting stuck in loops until one of the players says something that progresses the game plot), whilst others may find the performances a bit odd (again, for me, I've never been keen on Jude Law's fake American-accented Ted Pikul).  Despite those problems the film inadvertently or otherwise manages to overcome them with its conclusion. i.e. by the end it's inherently difficult to argue that whatever you've found to be an issue is indeed that.  I'm not sure the distributors knew how best to market it, seeing as the trailer and poster hint at something action orientated - the film is somewhat more cerebral than that, although would never compete with the bombshell sci-fi classic that was The Matrix the very same year.

After watching eXistenZ at the cinema back in '99 I was eager to pick up the DVD the following year.  Aside from being non-anamorphic it was actually a pleasing disc for its day.  The movie has later appeared on Blu-ray a couple of times across the globe, the UK special edition release by 101 Films finally prompting me to upgrade.  Image comparisons of course reveal superiority, albeit not with as great a jump in detail as one might have expected considering the near two decades' gap between the two releases.  The transfer used could be from an older master, although it doesn't look bad in the grand scheme of things.  You have a choice of stereo or 5.1 audio replicating the Dolby Digital original.  It's a largely vocal driven, aurally subtle film so the surrounds don't get to do much, although as with the former DVD the soundtrack comes alive to some extent for the final battle (which is not large scale by any stretch) between the opposers of artificial reality and, presumably, those who revel in it.

The 101 edition comes in a very nice slipcase, packed with two discs (Blu-ray, and DVD, although not all of the extras are replicated on the DVD) and a good quality booklet.  There are three commentary tracks, though only one of these (by the director) originates from the first 2000-era DVD.  There were actually two other commentaries on the old DVD that aren't ported to the new release, so you might want to hold on to the ancient disc.  The new set does carry across the 53 minute documentary and trailer, whilst adding a host of standalone interviews from the time alongside an exclusive contemporary talk with Christopher Eccleston.  Apart from a couple of points where he brings slightly political views into the equation (I'm not sure why celebrities feel the need to attempt to indoctrinate weaker-minded viewers with their opinions but I would be happy not to have to listen to them) this is a great talk about his time on set and recollections of Cronenberg's approach.  The discs are region locked to B and 2 respectively.  In summary, this is not a perfect release (which would entail a new 4K scan in addition to - if it exists - the workprint that allegedly ran nearly 20 minutes longer) but it is a very good effort.

Cherry Falls

Down in the cosmetically idyllic suburban town of Cherry Falls, somebody is pissed at the teens and bumping them off - but not, as is usually the case, for wantonly mating with one another.  This killer bucks the trend because he/she is bumping off virgins.  The investigating sheriff faces anger from the town's parent population whilst becoming increasingly concerned for his own innocent daughter's welfare as she protects her cherry in the good old fashioned way that few bother to anymore.  There are secrets to be uncovered along the way, as well as clothing - can the sheriff unmask the killer before his own daughter gets it... one way or another?

No doubt triggered by the success of Scream and the consequential revitalisation of the slasher genre, the smartly titled Cherry Falls appeared in 2000 following a 1999 production, kind of under the radar.  Its premise turns one of the genre's established conventions (that of teens having sex leading to their demise) upside down, taking a slightly humorous route in the process.  The writer suggests that the director (Geoffrey Wright of Romper Stomper fame) darkened his script in the act of bringing it to the screen, notably with the depiction of the rape scene, however, the sly winking still shines through (for example, within seconds of the sheriff announcing to the parents at a town meeting that the killer is going for virgins, fighting breaks out among the supposedly mature populace).  The tragic Brittany Murphy is great in the lead role (alongside Michael Biehn as the sheriff), giving you something to care about amidst the mayhem.  The MPAA unfortunately had their own wicked way with this film, making sure it came out in an essentially compromised form - I suspect we'll never see the pre-cut version, which I understand contained much more nudity during the final 'fuck-fest' massacre.  Indeed it's this sequence which really caps the film off with some excitement, and would definitely have been strengthened with an increased chaos factor (I love the bit when the fleeing teens get jammed on the staircase).  All in all Cherry Falls will never be considered a classic of the genre, but it has its redeeming qualities and you get a sense that there was a slightly better film in there had our moral superiors not gotten their way.

101 Films have put this out in the UK in a 1.85:1 edition that largely apes the US Scream version.  The 101 pack contains both Blu-ray and DVD in a neat, distinctive red case.  The picture quality is reasonable although clearly not the product of the kind of full 2K/4K restoration that we've been spoiled with elsewhere.  It looks quite 'digital' (i.e. rather than filmic) but is the best we've had, possibly the best we'll get.  There are options for stereo or 5.1, the latter presenting reasonable sonic spread albeit in a rather odd fashion at times: traditionally dialogue will be fixed to the centre unless there's a good reason to send it to another speaker, whereas here it's quite often spread to the left and right channels as well as the centre.  There's a commentary from the director, and a great 24 minute interview with writer Ken Seldon, who provides just a little insight into the problems occurring during production (e.g. running over schedule to a point where shooting had to be rushed at the end), plus an 8 minute interview with the sheriff's deputy Amanda Anke.  You do get a bit more in terms of extras on the Scream edition, but the 101 dual format release is a cheaper and satisfactory alternative for UK/Europe-based fans to pick up.

The House That Screamed

Or, as it was shot, La Residencia, made in 1970.  Teresa is enrolled at an isolated all-girl boarding school by a family friend.  It is ruled over by an apparently harsh head mistress, who will have a girl beaten for public insolence (imagine that happening in today's schools), sexual awakening and consequential frustration is rife, to a point where the girls will make do with the substandard wood delivery guy, and the lesbian, sadist topdog's attention is immediately drawn to Teresa.  There are a couple of males on the scene too: the aforementioned wood delivery guy and his assistant, a handyman, and the head's son, who she keeps away from the girls as much as possible until he can find a worthy female who will love him 'in the same way' as his mother does...  And then there are disappearances - apparent escapes that soon manifest themselves as murder cases that the head herself is quick to eschew, possibility in order to avert negative publicity.  Basically, all is not well at the girls' school, but can Teresa herself escape before she suffers the side effects of residency?

The House That Screamed (to use its common US title), or La Residencia is a mixed-nationality cast Spanish horror featuring several actors that were involved in other classic works of horror (e.g. Cristina Galbo [Teresa] appeared in the masterpiece that is Living Dead at Manchester Morgue, and The Killer Must Kill Again among other things; Maribel Martin made such a sexual impression in The Blood Spattered Bride and that desperately-needs-a-definitive-Blu-ray film The Bell From Hell; Ana Maria Pol popped up in Carlos Aured's Paul Naschy vehicle Vengeance of the Mummy).  The director himself (Narciso Ibáñez Serrador) didn't work outside of TV much unfortunately, but in addition to La Residencia he directed what is now also considered to be a minor classic, Would You Kill a Child?  Perhaps he should have turned his hand to horror more often.

La Residencia is a beautifully shot piece, adopting a much more classical stance than the straightforward horror/exploitation approach that Spanish cinema became known for as the 70s progressed (I love it all nonetheless).  The photography and colour palettes are appealing throughout, and the house itself (which one might expect to be haunted from the outset) must have been a spine-tingler to explore.  The all-is-not-well narrative that boils between the deliberately formal cosmetic surface reveals much to enjoy, even if it's not always taken as far as it could be.  Without being too revelatory, the final scene is quite a punchy shocker that may induce a shiver as the end credits approach their roll.

Released in a couple of locations on Blu-ray, the edition I obtained (pictured above) is the German Alive disc, entitled Das Versteck (literally, The Hiding Place - an apt title as you will discover).  It's packed in a neat slipcase with differing art on the contained standard case (this itself has a reversible cover so you can hide the 16 certificate).  The banner on the cover translates roughly as 'The unabridged version for the first time in a new HD scan', and the slogan is enticingly 'Fear and murder in the girls' boarding school'.  There is a well presented booklet, but of course the essay is in German.  The US Scream Factory disc contains the longer, slightly more explicit cut as well as the theatrical version, whereas the Alive disc contains only the longer version.  The 2.35:1 image is largely excellent, although the sequences used to make up the fuller version are clearly taken from an inferior source or two - it's noticeable but it didn't detract from my enjoyment.

The extras between the US and German discs are mostly similar: interviews with John Moulder-Brown (the boy) - this is about 6 minutes long on the Scream but 18 minutes long on the Alive disc - and Mary Maude (Irene), running 12 minutes or so on both, plus an assortment of trailers and stills on both.  The Alive disc also contains two alternate opening sequences (cannot be played as part of the film, they're in the extras menu only). Whilst you have the choice of two cuts on the Scream, the Alive disc wins out in terms of audio options.  Not content with presenting just the English track of the Scream disc you also get a choice of German, Italian and Spanish language tracks!  These are of variable quality, though you will be pleased to know there are English (and German) subtitles available.  The interviews are subtitled in German, although these are removable.  Personally I would say the Alive disc wins out, though I suspect your purchase will probably be dictated by territory more than anything else.  Either way, it's a classy film to have in your collection.