“PRODUCING SCHLOCK!” a 8m 3s profile of Adamson from a pro­ gram called SPLIT SCREEN. We previously reviewed the Roan Group LDs of DRACULA VS. FRANKENSTEIN and SATAN’S SADISTS and will compare the new DVDs to those earlier re­ leases before reviewing the other three, which are all making their disc debuts. While a welcome release, the
DRACULA VS. FRANKENSTEIN laserdisc [reviewed VW 35:61] suffered from a poor pressing and one of the most idiotically placed sidebreaks in the history of the format. The LD presenta­ tion was also so mildly letter- boxed (at 1.45:1), it appeared to be fullscreen on most consumer monitors. The DVD is 1.33 with a slightly different framing, add­ ing a bit more picture on the bottom and the right side of the screen, while subtracting modestly from the top. The compositional differences are insignificant but the DVD is sharper and colors look more stable. Regardless, nothing will ever fully help the considerable faults of Gary Graver’s original cinematography (16mm blown up to 35mm). The sound is about the same, though the dropouts plaguing the final couple of min­ utes of the LD are thankfully not present on the new release. The DVD carries over all the supple­ ments from the LD (Sherman’s commentary, trailer, TV spot, original ending, alternate ver­ sions of two scenes that are vir­ tually identical to those in the final release, and a still gallery), while adding three others. A brief bit of silent 8mm footage Sher­
during the climax is included, along with three screens of in­ formation about Joeb Ruzi, who created the Dracula ring worn by Zandor Vorkov and passed away in 2000. Of more interest to most
man shot of the church used o
John "Bud" Cardos learns that Kent Taylor just doesn't feel like a swig when he's a hostage of SATAN'S SADISTS.
viewers will be a slightly extended version of the scene featuring Forrest J. Ackerman, whose character “Dr. Beaumont” is sur­ prised in his car by Dracula and ends up being crushed by the Frankenstein Monster (John Bloom). Sherman and the Acker- monster reminisce about the filming of this footage in a bit taped at a recent Chiller Theater convention. Only a few seconds of dialogue are added to the se­ quence, in which Beaumont tries to curry favor with Dracula by revealing that the monster’s only vulnerable spot is his heart. This information obviously had to be dropped from the final version, as the vampire is able to destroy the creature simply by tearing him limb from limb. The footage is from a work print, providing one with the opportunity to hear Vorkov (a stockbroker whose real name is Roger Engel) say his lines without the silly echo cham­ ber effect that was added later. The DVD is programmed with 9 chapters, while the LD offers 17. The laserdisc of SATAN’S
SADISTS [reviewed VW 48:64] is in faux widescreen, with a 1.66:1
matte slapped over a cropped transfer. Missing information from all four sides of the screen, the image was badly off-balance, marring the already sub-standard 16mm cinematography. The DVD offers the movie in full­ screen; some picture information is still missing from the sides, but the look is much more symmetri­ cal. Aside from opening up the image top and bottom, the DVD appears to be culled from the same master, with slightly im­ proved color and sharpness. The trailer and Sherman’s audio com­ mentary are carried over to the DVD, which also offers three TV spots, a still gallery, and an in­ terview Regina Carrol gave back in 1969/70 for Birmingham ra­ dio station WAQY. The record­ ing is in poor condition and the content is hardly illuminating, but remains of definite interest to fans of the late actress. Again, the DVD’s 9 chapters fall well short of the 17 encoded on the LD.
Like several of Adamson’s
movies, ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN began as one film and ended up becoming something else before
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