George Eastman in a tender moment as “Big Ape” in Sergio Martino’s 2019: AFTER THE FALL OF NEW YORK.
2019: AFTER THE FALL OF NEW YORK
2019: Dopo la caduta di New York
1983, Media Blasters/Shriek Show, DD-5.1 & 2.0/MA/16:9/LB/+, $24.98, 95m 40s, DVD-1 By Shane M. Dallmann
In this, one of the better-known post-apocalyptic Italian thrillers of the 1980s, the Afro/Asian/Euro- pean power bloc known as the Euraks claims victory in a war that has left Earth devastated and ster- ile. But the Pan-American Confed- eracy—represented by President Edmund Purdom—knows that the one remaining fertile woman on the planet has been secluded in the ruins of New York City for safe- keeping—and forcibly recruits a mercenary adventurer known as Parsifal (BLASTFIGHTER’s Michael Sopkiw) for a retrieval mission. Along the way, Parsifal is variously helped and hindered (sometimes both) by Romano Puppo as Ratchet, Hal (aka “Al”) Yama- nouchi as the Rat King, and George Eastman as Big Ape. While most films in this field play as hybrids of several then- contemporary action hits, this “Martin Dolman” (Sergio Martino) directed effort is so thoroughly entrenched in the persona of John Carpenter’s ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (Sopkiw’s look and performance, the premise and several specific set-pieces are unmistakable) that it baits one’s appetite to watch the original again. But the “only in Italy” effect (the miniature ruins, the bizarre
Attention, shoppers! Customers get sauced in Aisle 10 in ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES.
weapons, the familiar faces and the “Oliver Onions” score—actu- ally the work of Guido and Maurizio De Angelis and mostly recycled from YOR, THE HUNTER FROM THE FUTURE) prevails in the end, keeping things enjoyable on their own terms.
The film was released theat- rical in America in an R-rated version which sacrificed a few snippets of gore, along with the date in the title. The subsequent Vestron Video release carried an “R” on the box, but was actually uncut. Media Blasters has re- stored the title and presents the complete version in English (available in both its original 2- channel mono and a new 5.1 sound remix). The packaging suggests an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, but this is an error: the 1.83:1 framing found here is correct. Video interviews with Martino, Eastman and Yama- nouchi are included, but Media Blasters’ biggest coup—an au- dio commentary in which star Michael Sopkiw was joined by a couple of self-styled “post-nuke historians”—was regrettably compromised by rude and un- professional remarks (namely, condescension and some name- calling) directed at people who allegedly take movies too seri- ously, including certain members of the Mobius Home Video Fo- rum and the editor of this publi- cation. As a result, the disc was recalled so that the track—never mentioned on the packaging— could be scrapped, thoroughly wasting Sopkiw’s time and infor- mative participation. However, at the time of this writing, copies of the unadulterated disc were still available on the shelves of certain major chain stores. Also included is a supposed “original theatrical trailer” that is nothing more than a 60s collage of scenes Media Blasters assembled on their own.
ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES
1977, Rhino Home Video, DD-2.0/MA/+, $24.95, 83m 7s, DVD-1 By John Charles
Government experiments to produce a bigger and healthier tomato cause the juicy fruits to mutate, uproot themselves, and start munching on humans. Des- perate to keep the increasingly deadly (not to mention downright bizarre) situation canned, a gov- ernment lackey (Jack Riley) as- signs ultra-obscure secret agent Mason Dixon (David Miller) the job of finding out how to put a squeeze on it all. Aided and abet- ted in his mission by a team of even more inept assistants (in- cluding co-writer/co-producer Stephen “Rock” Peace) and in- trepid reporter Lois Fairchild (Sharon Taylor), Dixon dodges both kamikaze tomatoes and bullets from a masked assassin. Could he be getting closer to the answer that will save humanity from this unparalleled scourge? Blessed with one of the all- time great exploitation titles, ATTACK OF THE KILLER TO- MATOES! (as it is presented on- screen) manages to induce smiles on occasion, thanks to inspired bits like the closet-sized War Room, badly-dubbed Japa- nese scientist (“Technically sir, tomatoes are fags”), a terrific Davey & Goliath gag, and the slowest car chase in cinema his- tory. There is also the immor- tal theme song (“I know I’m going to miss her/a tomato ate my sister”) and a 100% genu- ine helicopter crash that was handily incorporated into the movie. (Luckily, no one was in- jured.) The project also antici- pates the “more non sequitur gags-per-frame” approach made famous by AIRPLANE! (1980). There are more misses than hits
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