Looking Back at EARTH II

EARTH II (Blu-ray)

1971 / 97 min

From Warner Archive Collection

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😺

In addition to bringing hundreds of old classics to Blu-ray, Warner Archive seems well aware of an entire generation who grew up on made-for-TV movies of the 1970s. Some of this writer’s first exposure to horror, science-fiction and thrillers came courtesy of the ABC Movie of the Week and CBS Tuesday Night Movies.

One of them I vaguely recall is Earth II. Like such similar TV movies from the era as Genesis II and The Questor Tapes, it was originally produced as the pilot episode for a potential series, but never found an audience. As a kid with a growing interest in science-fiction, I remember tuning in to watch it, but almost nothing about the actual plot

Revisiting Earth II on Blu-ray was an interesting experience. The special effects and space sequences that kept me glued to the set when I was eight years old are obviously antiquated, but an enjoyable trip down memory lane nevertheless. Conversely, having remembered nothing about the story beyond the basic premise, much of the film felt completely new to me.

Earth II is an orbiting space station (predating the ISS) that is declared a sovereign nation with its own democratic government, so committed to peace that even toy guns are forbidden. Though commanded by David Seville (Gary Lockwood), all decisions affecting its thousands of citizens are voted on by everyone. This idyllic existence is threatened when the Chinese park an orbiting nuclear weapon nearby, threatening war if anyone tinkers with it.

Gary suddenly realizes how much he misses Stanley Kubrick.

David wants to leave it alone, but goaded by hawkish new arrival Frank Karger (Anthony Franciosa), the citizens vote to capture the bomb and deactivate it. But Frank wants to go one step further and keep the bomb to make Earth II a nuclear superpower, to the chagrin of his distraught wife, Lisa (Mariette Hartley), who wants to keep the station a peaceful society to raise their son. So she launches the weapon, thinking it will fly into the sun (which was originally suggested by David). Instead, it heads toward Earth. So now David and his team must retrieve and disarm the bomb, which is growing increasingly unstable.

Conceptually, I can see how Earth II could’ve been a decent series (if somewhat short-lived, like most sci-fi shows of the era). Though not particularly thrilling, the movie’s teleplay is pretty well written and occasionally thought provoking. With a cast consisting primarily of television actors, the overall performances are decent. And despite obviously being created with future episodes in mind, the pilot works well enough as a standalone story.

Of course, the primary appeal of Earth II today is purely nostalgic. Its quaint ‘70s aesthetic and TV origins would probably be lost on anyone who didn’t grow up with this stuff. For those who did - like yours truly - watching this is an agreeable look back at a bygone era of TV science-fiction.

COMPANION Is Full of Surprises

COMPANION (Blu-ray)

2025 / 97 min

From Warner Bros #InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😺

Part of me wishes I could’ve watched Companion without any prior knowledge of the premise. But I get it…you can’t market a sci-fi horror thriller without at least dropping a hint that its main character, Iris (Sophie Thatcher), is a robot created and programmed to be a loving soulmate. Still, even the Blu-ray cover tends to undermine the big revelation writer-director Drew Hancock masterfully builds up to during the first act.

On the other hand, Hancock has plenty of other surprises up his sleeve, most of which the viewer isn’t likely to see coming. More importantly, the basic plot subverts our assumptions that Companion is yet-another tale of AI gone bad. So no…Iris doesn’t become an unstoppable Terminator or malicious Weyland Yutani android. In fact, she’s the main protagonist.

Shopping in Stepford.

To avoid spoiling some of the movie’s wild, wonderful twists and turns, I’m gonna refrain from going into any more story details. I will say that Companion features a consistently compelling narrative, excellent overall performances (especially Thatcher) and well-realized characters, most of whom, at one point or another, are not who they seem to be when first introduced. This is all largely thanks to a well-constructed, intelligent screenplay that also addresses such timely issues as toxic relationships, personal autonomy and, of course, the ramifications of AI technology.

That’s not to say Companion is some kind of serious cautionary tale. Though certainly offering ideas and themes that are worth pondering, it’s mainly a wildly entertaining sci-fi thrill ride. Suspenseful, violent and sometimes wickedly funny, it’s a fast-paced film that doesn’t wear out its welcome with unnecessary peripherals, building to a satisfying climax and resolution. So far, this is one of the best of the year.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Companion: I Feel Therefore I Am focuses on Sophie Thatcher’s role as Iris; Companion: Love, Eli features Harvey Gullen discussing his character; AI Horror includes details related to the special effects.

DIGITAL COPY

FLIGHT RISK Never Soars, But...

FLIGHT RISK (Blu-ray)

2025 / 91 min

From Lionsgate

Review by Princess Pepper😼

Say what will about Mel Gibson as a person…until now, his directorial career was pretty damn impressive. Even that dour slab of Christian torture porn known as The Passion of the Christ was an ambitious achievement. 

But I sensed no ambition behind Flight Risk. Gibson’s previous movies all felt like passion projects. Whether one liked any of them or not, we never doubted he was putting his heart & soul into every shot. Conversely, this one is aesthetically underwhelming, looks cheaply cranked out and plays like the recent direct-to-video stuff Gibson's acting career has been regulated to ever since he went all funny on us. If I had paid to see this in a theater, I’d have felt short changed.

Not that I ever actually intended to see it in a theater. The generic title & trailer, stupid tagline (Y’all need a pilot?) and the fact that Mark Wahlberg hasn’t done a good movie in years precluded making it part of any expensive date night plans. But at home, where my expectations are always significantly lower? I have to concede that Flight Risk isn’t half bad. At no point does it exceed those tempered expectations, but there are worse ways to kill 90 minutes.

That might be faint praise for a movie directed by the guy responsible for Braveheart, Apocalypto and Hacksaw Ridge, but it’s safe to say Mel Gibson is no longer that guy. His work in Flight Risk reflects a director-for-hire. As such, he knows how to keep the story chugging along with perfunctory skill, but does little beyond that. 

Marky Mark flies coach.

Actually, the film’s MVP is Mark Wahlberg, which I never thought I’d say with a straight face. If you can get past the standard-issue plot, cavernous lapses in plausibility and Topher Grace obnoxiously re-channeling Eric Foreman, Walhlberg’s scenery-chewing performance is a real hoot. He plays Daryl Booth, a sadistic hitman hired to kill fugitive mob accountant Winston (Grace), who’s being escorted by disgraced FBI agent Madolyn Harris (Michelle Dockery) to testify at a trial. To do this, he poses as the pilot flying them back to civilization from a remote Alaska location where Winston’s been hiding. Naturally, chaos ensues.

Almost the entire story takes place in the claustrophobic confines of the airplane, but Wahlberg compensates for the setting’s limited cinematic possibilities with a wonderfully unhinged performance. As Booth, he leers, sneers, intimidates and assaults his prey like a man who’s really into his work. And despite being repeatedly (and violently) bested by Harris, he’s as resilient as Jason Voorhees, bouncing back from a variety of injuries that would likely kill most mere mortals. 

More importantly, he (sort of?) disappears into the role. Though his character’s pattern baldness looks more like a freshly-shaved head, this is one of my few times watching Mark Wahlberg where I wasn’t constantly reminded I was watching Mark Wahlberg. The movie needs him too, because elsewhere, Flight Risk is a comparatively minor action flick from a director whose movies were once events. It’s watchable and sometimes fun, but only marginally better than the kind of stuff that typically premieres on Netflix.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTE - Risk Management: Making Flight Risk is an eight-minute featurette consisting of interviews with Gibson, screenwriter Jared Rosenberg and some of the cast.

TRAILER

DVD AND DIGITAL COPIES

DELICATESSEN (4K) and ANTIVIRAL (4K): Some Casual Cannibalism

DELICATESSEN and ANTIVIRAL (4K UHD)

From Severin Films

Review by Princess Pepper😺

Severin Films serves up a couple of meaty treats in delicious 4K. One is a French cult classic. Considering the name and growing reputation of the director, the other probably will be. And both of them throw subtle touches of cannibalism into their already bizarre narratives.

DELICATESSEN (1991/99 min) - The first feature film by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (co-directing with Marc Cano), Delicatessen is a visually stunning calling card. It combines elements of post-apocalypse sci-fi, horror and black comedy into a Pythonesque tale of a butcher who hires handymen so he can kill, cut-up and sell them as meat in his deli. But the new guy, ex-circus performer Louison (Dominique Pinon), endears himself to the butcher’s daughter, Julie (Marie-Laure Dougnac), who wants to save him from the same fate.

The nutshell story is only a small part of what makes Delicatessen enjoyable. There are other subplots involving other eccentric tenants who share the building (my favorite being an unhappy housewife’s elaborate attempts to commit suicide). And despite some dark underpinnings, the overall tone often borders on whimsical, as exemplified with Louison & Julie’s developing romance, as well as some strange-but-amusing musical set-pieces. 

Both narratively and aesthetically, the whole thing plays like something out of Terry Gilliam’s repertoire (Gilliam himself lent his name to the promotional campaign during its initial release). The subject matter might be off-putting to casual viewers, and the story is occasionally a little meandering, but overall, Delicatessen is a unique film that’s engaging just to look at.

EXTRA KIBBLES: FEATURETTE - Fine Cooked Meats: The Making of Delicatessen; INTERVIEWS - Individual interviews with directors Jean-Pierre Jeunet & Marc Cano, ‘presenter’ Terry Gilliam and Marc Cano by himself; TRAILER; AUDIO COMMENTARY - By co-director Jean-Pierre Jeunet; 4K & BLU-RAY COPIES.

This man orders the Not-So-Happy Meal.

ANTIVIRAL (20212/108 min) - Brandon Cronenberg is, of course, the son of undisputed body horror master David Cronenberg. Having previously watched and reviewed his second film, Possessor, one thing was certain: The apple didn’t fall too far from the tree. 2012’s Antiviral was actually his first effort, and while not as graphic and gory, there’s some twisted imagination at work.

There’s also a timely, relevant theme running throughout the film, that of celebrity worship taken to sick extremes. In this world, fans can buy and eat meat genetically grown from their idols’ cells. But the truly obsessed are happy to pay exorbitant amounts of money to inject themselves with viruses and diseases carried by famous people. In fact, its a huge business, with corporations competing for the rights to the most popular celebrities’ blood.

Syd Match (Caleb Landry Jones), a salesman for Luca Clinic, hawks pathogens from Hannah Geist (Sarah Gadon), the Taylor Swift of infected idols. He also injects himself in secret, then sells his infected blood on the black market, which not only renders him increasingly ill, he runs afoul of pirates and competitors.

That’s the rudimentary summary of a fairly complex (and occasionally murky) storyline. The film is pretty thin on characterization, but remains morbidly compelling and visually impressive. Cronenberg fills the screen with beautiful and repulsive imagery, leading to a twisted climax that must be seen to be believed. All told, it’s one hell of an audacious debut.

EXTRA KIBBLES: FEATURETTES - Anatomy of a Virus is an interesting 30 minute making-of doc; Reviving a Dead Cell is about the film’s 4K restoration; Brandon Cronenberg: A First Time Director’s Vision is a short interview; First Meeting features actors Caleb Landry Jones and Sarah Gadon; The Design of Antiviral focuses on the film’s production design; Manufacturing Celebrity features short segments with cast & crew; “BROKEN TULIPS” - Short film by Brandon Cronenberg, which was the basis for Antiviral; AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Brandon Cronenberg & cinematographer Karin Hussein; DELETED SCENES; TRAILER.

"Guess I shoulda read the instructions first."

In addition to a bunch of interesting bonus features (especially those accompanying Antiviral), both films have been given excellent 4K transfers. Delicatessen has never looked or sounded better, while Antiviral’s cold aesthetic seems tailor made for the format. They are highly recommended for those whose tastes lean toward the offbeat and bizarre.

The Beasties & Babes of BLOOD ISLAND

FEAR IN THE PHILIPPINES: THE COMPLETE BLOOD ISLAND FILMS (Blu-ray)

1959-1970 / 368 min (4 movies)

From Severin Films

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat

While Eddie Romero may not be quite as revered as the ‘other’ horror director who shares the same surname, he managed to put together a scrappy little franchise in his own right. But instead of undead hordes, he served up mad doctors and mutant monsters. In lew of shopping malls and underground bunkers, they lurked in the jungles of Blood Island. 

From 1959 to 1970, Eddie and partner-in-grime Gerry de Leon cranked out four low budget films in what came to be known as the Blood Island series, all produced in the Philippines, but shot in English with American and Filipino actors. Whereas George A. Romero used the Living Dead films as a platform to address society’s ills, Eddie was mostly used his as a platform for babes, boobs & blood…in increasing amounts as the series progressed (or regressed, depending on your point of view).

The first film, 1959’s Terror is a Man, is actually pretty good. Moody and atmospheric, it’s a loose adaptation of H.G. Wells’ The Island of Dr. Moreau, featuring Richard Derr as William, a shipwreck survivor who’s rescued by Dr. Girard (Francis Lederer), a scientist obsessed with surgically making a panther more human. William himself becomes obsessed with Girard’s sultry wife, Frances (Greta Thyssen). And since Thyssen is unbelievably gorgeous, who can blame him? This is the least exploitative film of the series, and ironically, the only one Romero isn’t credited with directing.

Terror is a Man may be the better film, but 1968’s Brides of Blood is arguably the kookiest, therefore more fun. This one begins with an attempted rape by its hero, Jim (John Ashley), who tries to have his way with blonde bimbo Carla Henderson (Beverly Powers, aptly credited as Beverly Hills). She’s the unsatisfied wife of Dr. Paul Henderson (Kent Taylor), who’s on Blood Island to engage in scientific shenanigans of his own. Meanwhile, the locals are regularly sacrificing naked young women to a jungle-dwelling beast, while the rest of the cast are being terrorized by killer trees. It’s a crazy as it sounds, but related to the first film in name only. This is also the first appearance of Ashley, who apparently enjoyed visiting The Philippines enough to return for the next two films.

Reuniting with his wife, Dr. Henderson suddenly remembers why he wanted a divorce.

Do you remember that Star Trek episode where Kirk is forced to train for gladiatorial combat by a hot alien babe in go-go boots and a foil bikini? That woman, Angelique Pettyjohn, is Romero’s token tart in Mad Doctor of Blood Island, which is completely unrelated to the first two entries (John Ashley plays a different character as well). This one features yet another overconfident scientist, Dr. Lorca (Ronald Remy), who turns hapless humans into monsters. This one ups the blood & boob count, with the lovely Pettyjohn considerably less Reynolds Wrapped.

She wasn’t the only Star Trek starlet to head overseas. Celeste Yarnell joins Ahley for Beast of Blood, the only film in the series that’s actually a direct sequel. Dr. Lorca’s chloroform creature from Mad Doctor of Blood Island is back for more mayhem, as is the dreaded doctor himself (this time played by Eddie Garcia). The bloodiest entry of the franchise - including a lengthy & graphic surgery scene - it’s also more lurid and rapey, but not as much goofy fun as its predecessor.

Fear in the Philippines features pretty decent transfers of all four films, and each comes with a good selection of bonus features, mostly interviews with critics, historians, a few cast members and Eddie Romero himself (who passed away back in 2013). He may not be as well known as ol’ George, but fans of his brand of schlock cinema will get a kick out of this. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

Terror is a Man:

INTERVIEWS - Man Becomes Creature, with Hemisphere Marketing Consultant Samuel L. Sherman; Dawn of Blood Island, with co-director Eddie Romero; Terror Creature, with author Pete Tombs; When the Bell Rings, with critic Mark Holcomb.

TRAILER

POSTER & STILL GALLERY

Brides of Blood:

INTERVIEWS - Jungle Fury, with co-director Eddie Romero; Here Comes the Bride, with Hemisphere Marketing Consultant Samuel L. Sherman; Beverly Hills on Blood Island, with actress Beverly Powers.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Samuel L. Sherman

ALTERNATE TITLE SEQUENCE

TEASER & TRAILER

POSTER & STILL GALLERY

Mad Doctor of Blood Island:

INTERVIEWS - The Mad Doctor of Blood Island, with co-director Eddie Romero; Tombs of the Living Dead, with author Pete Tombs; A Taste of Blood, with critic Mark Holcomb.

2 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By historians Nathaniel Thompson & Howard S. Berger; 2) By Samuel L. Sherman

TRAILER

POSTER & STILL GALLERY

Beast of Blood:

INTERVIEWS - Celeste and the Beast, with actress Celeste Yarnell; Dr. Lorca’s Blood Devils, with actor Eddie Garcia.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Samuel L. Sherman

SUPER 8 DIGEST VERSION - This is interesting.

TRAILER

RADIO SPOT

POSTER & STILL GALLERY