the prowler

Other than a few class acts, ‘80s slasher movies relied almost exclusively on their creative “kills” to attract attention. And after beheading, puncturing, smashing and exploding a literal army of zombies in the original Dawn of the Dead, make-up legend Tom Savini was up to just about any challenge. The Prowler actually has a leg up on Savini’s work in Friday the 13th (shot a year earlier) at least in terms of its gruesome effectiveness. There’s a convincing pitchfork to the midsection, butcher knife through the brain, throat slitting and a pre-Scanners head explosion that splatters the screen like the 4th of July! Helmed by Joseph Zito (who went on to direct a Friday the 13th chapter as well), the film bears a striking structural resemblance to My Bloody Valentine, with a 1945 preamble massacre that bans a local college graduation dance for 35 years. Of course, when the party is resurrected so is the titular killer, complete with army fatigues and assorted weaponry. As movie serial killers go, he lacks motivation and personality. But every time Savini steps up to the plate, he knocks it out of the park. So it makes sense that Blue Underground’s uncut hi-def reissue focuses most of the bonus material around his work, including a commentary and behind-the-scenes gore footage. The enhanced Blu-ray transfer is a definite improvement, but just don’t expect the sort of miracles the company worked on their recent Fulci titles.

Movie critics love to compare and contrast. So its rather surprising the Ben Stiller and Woody Allen don’t get mentioned in the same sentence too often. Allen was one of the defining comedians of his era; a writer / director who garnered critical acclaim and hipster adulation, but who matured into a thoughtful (although often infuriatingly inconsistent) filmmaker. Stiller ain’t there yet, and may never be. But the two men share more than a few annoying mannerisms. They exude a New York aura that seems to seep from their neurotic pores. And they both have flashes of genius that you can never discount. In Greenberg, director Noah Baum Bach uses every ounce of Stiller’s built-in personality; that mean-spirited self-loathing that can surgically deconstruct a scene. Here he takes the cork of the bottle to create a character that’s impossible to like but all too easy to understand. A failed musician who sabotaged his band’s record deal 15 years prior, Roger Greenberg (Stiller) drifts into his old L.A. universe and starts an on-again, off-again relationship with the brother’s personal assistant (the wonderful Greta Gerwig). With a chip on his shoulder and a master plan to “do nothing” with his life, Roger reacts to the push-pull of everyday life with a vitriol that is both painful and amusing. The same can be said of Baumbach’s film, which fits neatly into the new indie category of bizarre characters behaving bizarrely. But manages to stay above water long enough to provide Stiller another chance grow into something more that guy who was in those Museum movies. Universal’s Blu-ray comes with the usual array of hi-def enable special features (pocket Blu, social Blu, BD Live) and three featurettes.

Shout Factory and Fabulous Films continue their mission to save every short-lived TV show in history with a 4 DVD set of StreetHawk, otherwise known as “Knight Rider on a motorcycle.” Actually the show, which aired 13 episodes in 1985 on ABC, compares quite favorably to Hasselhoff’s production. Nothing can compare to KITT the talking TransAm, but star Rex Smith has a goofy California appeal that matches the Hoff’s machismo. And when the helmet goes on, there’s a bad boy element that gives this vigilante on two wheels some teeth. Both men are recruited by a secret government agency to operate their respective hi-tech rides. The Streethawk features Hyperthrust and air brakes which, when used in combination, allow a rider to perform a complete 360 in mid-air. More weapons were added throughout the shows run, including lasers, missles and an ejector seat. Christopher Lloyd pops up as the chief bad guy in the pilot, but Streethawk’s major claim to fame is the TV debut of George Clooney in episode two. We’re not talking some rinky-dink cameo either; George has a major part…and he’s brought his ‘80s hair with him. There’s no dancing around the fact that this mid-season replacement has a blatant cash-in feel as far as concept is concerned. But for a copycat production of the Hasbro era, Streethawk gets pretty good mileage. Extras include an unbroadcasted pilot, all-new Making Of documentary, stills, biographies and a slick booklet that breaks down each episode.