WELCOME TO THE GRINDHOUSE
(R)
MOVIE: **1/2 (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5)
Studio: Anchor Bay
BY KEVIN CARR
Before the feature film “Grindhouse” completely tanked at the theaters, prompting the Weinsteins to release those film as separate DVDs, Anchor Bay Entertainment planned to cash in on the Grindhouse phenomenon. This summer, they released the “Welcome to the Grindhouse” double feature DVDs.
The first release includes sexploitation films “The Teacher” and “Pick Up.” Both are mid-70s drive-in fair featuring young bodies jiggling in the breeze. “The Teacher” follows a 28-year-old hot high school teacher as she seduces a former students. “Pick Up” follows two teenagers as they hitch a ride with a guy in a motor home, only to get lost in the Florida wilderness.
The second release includes horror pictures “Black Candles” and “Evil Eye.” “Black Candles” tells the story of a woman settling the affairs of her deceased brother, only to find her husband seduced into her sister-in-law’s Satanic cult. “Evil Eye” follows a playboy who has dreams of killing people.
All four films are great examples of true grindhouse flicks. They’re poorly produced with plenty of T&A. Of course, with the Internet making T&A so accessible these days, the allure is gone a bit. However, if you’re a fan of crappy drive-in C features, you’ll enjoy these films. Both discs also come prepped for “The Grindhouse Experience,” allowing you to view previews of old exploitation films from the Crown International library.