comin at ya

There has never been - and probably never will be - a more aptly titled movie than Comin' At Ya, the 1981 spaghetti western that kick started the short-lived second generation of 3D motion pictures. Producer / star Tony Anthony had had some success with his Stranger films, a progressively wackier series of internationally-financed Clint Eastwood rip-offs that showcased his offbeat slacker appeal and comic touch. Ironically, the plot of Comin' At Ya is as serious as spaghetti westerns get, but it's balanced with some of the most ludicrously entertaining "in your face" 3D effects ever attempted on screen.

After his wedding day is interrupted by two thugs who leave him for dead and abduct his beautiful bride (the legitimately beautiful Victoria Abril), bank robber H.H. Hart (Anthony) saddles up for revenge, tracking his quarry to a run-down border town where dozens of women are sold into the prostitution trade. With the help of a drunken Irishman, Hart hatches a plan restore justice...and get some payback of his own.

Comin At Ya begins with one of the most ingenious opening credit sequences ever staged in 3D, each title revealing itself in eye-popping fashion, like the underside of a boot, a dangling bottle or tattered treasure map. And it all sets the stage for the film's true agenda, which is providing the most unabashedly exploitative three-dimensional experience technology would allow at the time. Everything from flaming arrows, flying bats and man-eating rats (not to mention a baby's butt!) are thrust into the screen with all the subtly of a monster truck commercial. Story is really never a consideration when it comes to these show stopping moments.

But that doesn't mean there isn't one at all. In fact, one of the more surprising things about revisiting Comin' At Ya is how dark the plot really is. The opening wedding sequence was an obvious influence on Tarantino's Kill Bill, and while the rest of the film doesn't go to those sorts of extremes, a story revolving around rape, torture and forced prostitution isn't exactly typical escapist 3D fare. Director Ferdinando Baldi (Texas, Adios) knows his way around the western genre and crafts some authentic cinematic moments when the opportunity allows.

But for most folks reading this, the real question will be: how does all this look on a home 3D display? The answer is: that depends. Just a quick search online will turn up a number of differing opinions. But the truth is, Tony Anthony and company were going for an overtly headache-inducing experience from the get-go. Where '80s 3D follow-ups like Jaws 3D and Friday the 13 Part III used the technology only sparingly, Comin' At Ya is a nearly non-stop demo reel. Yet their inexperience shows in the sloppy photography, focus issues and dirty lenses. The final verdict is the film didn't look that great to begin with (this reviewer caught it at its Fantastic Fest debut a few years back). And the new Blu-ray presentation isn't much of a restoration, merely a "re-imagining" with some new color effects inserted by a company called Noir 3D. While the additions had the approval of Anthony and only pop up now and then, it was still a misguided choice.

That said, even in the standard 2D version (which is presented on disc as well), Comin' At Ya is a giddy bit of nostalgia. And it's great to have it on home video in any version; much less an authentic 3D experience that still has the power to make jaws drop. That's good, because MVD's release is limited to the main feature and a pair of promotional trailers.