Budget DVD reviews - Alpha/Diamond/Brentwood/Etc.

[Ian Jane]

OK, as per some requests, here's our very own Budget Reviews. Feel free to evaulate any budget release from any company like Alpha, Brentwood, Diamond, Catcom, Madacy, etc.

Please try and limit discussion of the films to the appropriate areas outside the review forum if possible so that others can refer back to this thread for evaluations of the discs themselves.

[Joe L]

Alpha's SMART ALECKS (with the Eastside Kids) is pretty good, and worth picking up. Even though these EK films are usually rough-looking anyway, this one is very decent. The audio goes low for a moment or two at the end, but it's not really a problem. I'd say anyone on the fence should swoop down and pick this one up.

I re-watched Alpha's LET'S GET TOUGH! last night, and I'm afraid it's still as lacking as it was the first time I viewed it. The major problem is that the print is very jumpy the more you get into it, and dialogue is choppy and butchered a lot. At times it's impossible to tell what's happening, and it's a shame because this film is one of their more interesting early efforts. As of yet, there's no other way to get this flick, but buy this at your own risk.

[Rick S]

Hercules Unchained is about the best looking Alpha title I've seen thus far. Nice color, image, and sound. While the print is by no means "pristine", there are very few (if any) significant defects to detract from the movie. My only complaint is that it is not widescreen. If you are a sword & sandal fan, this is a great buy.

I buy almost everything with Vincent Price. However I can't recommend Alpha's DVD of "Shock": my old tape looks better than this DVD. So you get only a nice cover for $ 6. I hope this fine little noir thriller will see a better release in future.

[Rick S]

Alpha's Mr. Moto's Last Warning is a very nice little 30s style mystery. Good performance by Lorre and a very early role for John Carradine. The disc, while not perfect, is very watchable. And, given the problems Fox has had with the restored Chan films, I doubt we will see a cleaned-up version of Mr. Moto any time soom.

I wish Alpha could get there hands on some more of the Moto movies.

[Brian Lindsey]

Here are handy links to the Alpha DVDs reviewed to date at Eccentric Cinema:

Beast From Haunted Cave (1959)
http://www.eccentric-cinema.com/cult...unted_cave.htm

Black Dragons (1942)
http://www.eccentric-cinema.com/cult...ck_dragons.htm

The Phantom Creeps (1939)
http://www.eccentric-cinema.com/cult...tom_creeps.htm

Looks like I'm gonna have to snag that HERCULES UNCHAINED disc...

Africa Screams

V:The movie is shown full (1.33:1) frame. There are around seven different DVD’s of this film and around twenty different videos. There was even a laserdisc release, although I haven’t seen this version. I’ve seen the movie on TV countless times as well as four different video versions and this Alpha disc being my third DVD. Of the many different sources I’ve seen on the film, this Alpha disc is the best, although there are still many problems. The black on white colors are a bit soft but look good throughout. Problems include specs that pop up and what appears to be a tape flaw on the top of the screen, which runs throughout the first few minutes. A:The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is fairly good. The dialogue is crystal clear and mixed well with the music score, although you’ll need to keep the remote in your hands because a few of the scenes are a little too loud.
E: No extras are included.

MOVIE---** ½
VIDEO---** ½
AUDIO---** ½
EXTRAS---no stars
OVERALL---* ½


Attack of the Giant Leeches

V: The film is shown 4:3, which is the correct ratio. I’ve seen various sources for this film and the Alpha transfer looks to be the best. The opening credits are in horrible shape but after that the picture is pretty damn clear with only minor specs. A: The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and sounds very good. The dialogue is clear without any hiss or other problems. E: No extras are included.

MOVIE---***
VIDEO---***
AUDIO---***
EXTRAS---no stars

The Bat

V:The film has always had all sorts of controversy around it due to the aspect ratio. The Roan Group LD and DVD had the film letterboxed at 1.78:1 while the Anchor Bay release was 4:3. This Alpha disc is full frame but seems to be a P&S copy of the Roan DVD. Throughout the film it seems that the left side of the frame is missing some information especially during the opening credits where Vincent Price’s name is half way cut off. The actual print quality is very good, which is another reason I believe this is from the Roan disc. A:The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is very good. The spoken word and score are crystal clear without any hiss or pops.
E:Nothing.

MOVIE---**
VIDEO---***
AUDIO---***
EXTRAS---no stars

Bluebeard

b]V:[/b]The movie is shown full frame (4:3). The picture quality is a mixed bag from the start. There are specs, cuts and lines all over the print but this was the same case with All Day Entertainment’s release of the film. I very seriously doubt a good print of this film is out there anywhere. The Alpha disc is way too bright and is washed out. A:The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is pretty bad, although the All Day disc was bad as well. There’s static all through the track but the spoken words are easily heard. E:Nothing at all.

MOVIE---** ½
VIDEO---* ½
AUDIO---* ½
EXTRAS---no stars

Bowery at Midnight

V:The movie is shown full frame (4:3) and comes with a decent print. The Roan Group released the best version of this film but the Alpha disc isn’t too bad. The print is overly dark with scratches and specs but the film is still watchable.
A:The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is easy to hear, although there’s constant hiss in the background. E:---Zippo.

MOVIE---** ½
VIDEO---**
AUDIO---**
EXTRAS---no stars

The Corpse Vanishes

V: The movie is shown 4:3, which is the correct ratio. The picture quality is certainly better than other budget releases but there are still many problems. There are some specs that appear throughout the print but these are never distracting. The contrast is set a bit too high, which is something I find wrong with every budget disc. Overall the picture quality is somewhat better than the Roan print. A: The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is pretty good. No major cuts or skips in the soundtrack, although some hiss is heard. E: Nothing.

MOVIE---** ½
VIDEO---** ½
AUDIO---***
EXTRAS---no stars

Dungeon of Harrow

V: The movie is shown 4:3, which is the correct ratio. I’ve heard this is the best the film has ever looked but the print is still in very bad shape. The colors are all faded and appear brownish throughout. There are some specs and cuts in the print as well. A: The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is decent. The spoken words are clear without any hiss, although they are a bit lower than the narration. E: Nothing.

MOVIE---no stars
VIDEO---*
AUDIO---** ½
EXTRAS---no stars

The Human Monster/The Devil Bat

V: Both films are shown full frame. THM looks downright horrid. Specs, scratches and grain are all over the print, although I must say this is the best thing about the print. Every scene is way too dark. The print seems to have been taken from the horrid VHS that people owned for many years. TDB is in decent shape, although better versions are out there. The print used here is full of specs, which is also on other prints, although not this bad. A:Both films have Dolby Digital Mono tracks. THM sound is distorted and full of hiss. Dialogue can still be heard although it isn’t too clear. TDB sound good with clear dialogue. E:Neither film contains any extras.

[i]The Human Monster[/b]

MOVIE---** ½
VIDEO---1/2 *
AUDIO---*
EXTRAS---no stars

The Devil Bat

MOVIE---*** ½
VIDEO---**
AUDIO---**
EXTRAS---no stars


The Fury of the Wolfman

V: The movie is shown P&S (1.33:1) and the OAR was 2.35:1 so we’re missing a lot of stuff. There are some good P&S jobs and there are some bad but this here is really bad. The print used is in very bad shape due to all the colors being faded and most scenes have specs. It isn’t a horrible transfer if you don’t mind VHS quality. A: The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is decent. The (dubbed) spoken words are clear without any major problems. E: None.

MOVIE---no stars
VIDEO---**
AUDIO---** ½
EXTRAS---no stars

Lady Frankenstein

V: The movie is shown full frame (1.33:1), which is the incorrect ratio. The DVDDrive-In version of the film is still the best print I've seen although this Alpha disc comes in second. The colors are washed out and grain runs throughout the film, although it isn't as bad as the VHS or Madacy disc. A: The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and like the picture, it's better than the Madacy disc but a far cry from the DVDDrive-In version. E:Nothing included here except for the wonderful cover art, which isn't even an extra.

MOVIE---*** 1/2
VIDEO---* 1/2
AUDIO---* 1/2
EXTRAS---no stars

Maniac/Reefer Madness

V: oth films are shown full frame. It should also be noted that both films have been released by major studios with a lot better quality. RM looks just like every other low-budget release the film has gotten over the past ten years. The B&W image is soft, full of specs and dirt. M on the other hand actually has a somewhat better picture than the Kino release. The print here doesn’t have as many cuts or specs but the image is way too soft. The Kino version is slightly better but this one here is far from the worst I’ve seen. A: Both films come with a Dolby Digital Mono track. Both contain a lot of hiss, although the dialogue is easily heard if distorted.E: Neither disc has any extras, although the cover art is wonderful.

Reefer Madness

MOVIE---no stars
VIDEO---*
AUDIO---**
EXTRAS---no stars

Maniac

MOVIE---no stars
VIDEO---**
AUDIO---* ½
EXTRAS---no stars

Monstrosity

V: The movie is shown full frame, which appears to be the correct ratio. I can’t see any info being lost on the sides. The picture quality is actually pretty good, although you shouldn’t expect Warner quality. Some of the scenes are overly dark and the black levels aren’t too good but overall the film is very watch able. A: The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and sounds pretty good. The dialogue is upfront without any loud hiss or cuts. E: Nothing.

MOVIE---*
VIDEO---** ½
AUDIO---** ½
EXTRAS---no stars

Phantom From Space

V: The movie is shown 1.33:1, which is the correct ratio. The picture quality doesn’t contain too many scratches or specs but there’s a fuzzy look to it. This is a better picture than the video I saw years ago but you won’t be showing off your television using this film. A: The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is very good. The dialogue, music score and sound effects are crystal clear without any cuts or hiss. E: No extras are included.

MOVIE---** ½
VIDEO---**
AUDIO---***
EXTRAS---no stars

Unknown World

V: The film is shown full frame, which is the correct ratio. The opening credits are cut off on the right side so apparently this is zoomed a little during the credits. After the opening credits the film appears to be shown the correct way. The picture quality is pretty good with minor print damage, although the contrast is too high throughout the film. The darker scenes are also a bit too dark. A: The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is good. The spoken words are clear without any hiss or pops. E: You get a small catalogue of other Alpha titles, which shows off those beautiful colors.

MOVIE---* ½
VIDEO---**
AUDIO---** ½
EXTRAS--- ½ *

Creature from the Haunted Sea

V:The film is shown full frame (1.33:1) and looks decent. This is another Public Domain title, which has been on budget tapes for many years. The Alpha prints starts off in very bad shape with all sorts of scratches and dirt. As the film moves along the print clears up a lot. In fact, some of the scenes are crystal clear. A:The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is pretty weak. The sound is bad but this is due to the actual film and not the DVD. The DVD is at fault due to all the hiss and scratches.
E: Nothing at all.

MOVIE---no stars
VIDEO---**
AUDIO---*
EXTRAS---no stars

The Death Kiss

VIDEO---The movie is shown full frame (1.33:1) and looks pretty good for such a rarely seen film. This is a public domain title on a budget disc so of course there are problems with the print. Black lines runs down the print throughout the film but they are never a distraction. Scratches are also on the print but again, not too distracting. The film certainly looks a lot better than I was expecting it to. Another problem is that there are certain jumps in the print where scenes are cut by under a second.

AUDIO---The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is pretty good. The dialogue is loud and clear, although some hiss is heard in a few scenes.

[b]E�:b]Nothing at all.

MOVIE---***
VIDEO---***
AUDIO---***
EXTRAS---no stars

Indestuctible Man

VIDEO---The movie is shown full frame, which is the correct ratio. The print is in pretty bad shape with all sorts of specs and scratches. The print is also a bit too dark, which doesn’t help matters any. The now infamous cut of dialogue inside Chaney’s cell is also cut on this release.

AUDIO---The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and isn’t too bad. The sound here is actually better than that of the Roan version. The soundtrack has never sounded right for this film but the Alpha discs track is rather clean of any pops.

EXTRAS---Nothing.

OVERALL---While this is certainly far from a good movie, the performance from Chaney makes it watch able. This Alpha disc isn’t in very good shape but this film has never looked good on any format.

MOVIE---** ½
VIDEO---* ½
AUDIO---***
EXTRAS---no stars

King of the Zombies

VIDEO---The movie is shown full frame and is in pretty good shape. The picture is clear throughout, although the black and white image is a bit too low. The main problem comes from some major print damage, which consists mostly of specs and scratches.

AUDIO---The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is pretty good. The dialogue is mixed well with the Academy Award Nominated score.

EXTRAS---Nothing.

OVERALL---A very bad horror film with all sorts of racial jokes and stereotypes. The Alpha disc is decent, although the Roan version is a bit better but I certainly don’t recommend paying an extra $20 for it.

MOVIE---**
VIDEO---**
AUDIO---***
EXTRAS---no stars

Mad Monster

VIDEO---The movie is shown full frame (1.33:1). The print is in pretty bad shape with all sorts of scratches and lines. The print is also overly dark but is watchable nonetheless.

AUDIO---The sound is Dolby Digital Mono. The track is easy to hear but hiss is in the background. Halfway through the film for some reason the sound goes haywire and sounds terrible. This here last around one minute and is a major distraction.

EXTRAS---Zero.

OVERALL---A slow and predictable Poverty Row film without much to offer. The Alpha disc is on the poor side but what do you expect for $5? This film is also available on a Retromedia disc, which is supposed to be a little better, although I’ve heard the difference isn’t too much.

MOVIE---**
VIDEO---**
AUDIO---* ½
EXTRAS---no stars

Phantom from 10,000 Leagues

VIDEO---The movie is shown full frame (1.33:1), which is the correct ratio. The print is in very good shape, although there are still all sorts of problems. The print is a lot better than the majority of public domain titles. Scratches are still on the print but the biggest problem is the overly dark picture.

AUDIO---The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is fairly decent. The dialogue and music score are easy to hear, although hiss can be heard throughout.

EXTRAS---Nothing at all.

OVERALL---If you’ve got an extra $5 to spend then this is a film for you. The Alpha disc is rather good for the retail price. I certainly don’t see a Special Edition of this coming anytime soon.

MOVIE---** ½
VIDEO---***
AUDIO---**
EXTRAS---no stars

Spooks Run Wild

VIDEO---The movie is shown full frame (4:3) and looks rather good considering this is a budget label. The picture is too dark, which is the main problem and specs do appear throughout the film.

AUDIO---The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is very good. The music score and dialogue is easy to hear without any hiss.

EXTRAS---Nothing at all.

OVERALL---Your typical haunted house comedy that’s only saving grace is the performance from Bela Lugosi. This Alpha disc is certainly worth the $5, although the video quality isn’t too good.

MOVIE---**
VIDEO---**
AUDIO---***
EXTRAS---no stars

White Zombie

VIDEO---The movie is shown full frame (4:3). The Roan Group released a version of this on LD and DVD, which looks a lot better but the print used by Alpha isn’t too bad. Specs appear all over the print as does some lines.

AUDIO---The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is fairly decent. The dialogue is easily heard, although there’s some distortion in the track.

EXTRAS---Nothing.

OVERALL---A very good, if somewhat slow and badly acted film, which set the rules for many films to follow. A must see due to Lugosi’s wonderful performance. The Alpha disc lacks the V/A/E of the Roan release so let the price tag be your guide on which version to buy.

MOVIE---****
VIDEO---**
AUDIO---**
EXTRAS---no stars

Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome

VIDEO---The movie is shown full frame (4:3), which is the correct ratio. I’m not sure where Alpha got their print (Roan perhaps?) but the transfer is very good. The print is very clear, although a few small specs pop up. During the opening credits there’s some print damage but nothing major throughout the rest of the film.

AUDIO---The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is crystal clear. The track is free of any hiss or scratches with the dialogue and music score perfectly mixed.

EXTRAS---Nothing at all.

OVERALL---This is certainly the best of the series with Karloff giving a very memorable performance. The Alpha DVD is actually one of the best I’ve seen from them but I’m going to guess their transfer is from the Roan set.

MOVIE---***
VIDEO---****
AUDIO---****
EXTRAS---no stars

Dressed to Kill

VIDEO---The movie is shown full frame (4:3), which is the correct ratio. The picture quality is shockingly good considering this is a public domain title. There are a couple scratches here and there but overall the print is fairly clean. The contrast levels are too high but the film is still very easy on the eyes.

AUDIO---The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and suits the film just fine. There’s a little hiss in the background but this never becomes a distraction. The spoken words are crystal clear without any problems.

EXTRAS---For starters you get two audio commentaries that…….Just kidding. This is an Alpha release so no extras for you.

OVERALL---Certainly far from a classic but the two leads certainly keep the film going. The Alpha DVD is the best I’ve seen the film look so this will do until someone releases a remastered version.

MOVIE---***
VIDEO---***
AUDIO---***
EXTRAS---no stars

Hunchback of Notre Dame

VIDEO---The movie is shown full frame (4:3), which is the correct ratio. Image released a version of this, which I’ve heard looks very good but I haven’t seen this version. Compared to the old Goodtimes VHS this print here is certainly better but there are still many problems. There are various scratches and specs all over the print, but this is to be expected for such an older film. I’m not sure how many of these scratches were removed from the Image version or the upcoming Kino version so it’s hard to compare the prints.

AUDIO---The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and actually sounds very good. The music score is upfront and packs a nice little punch. I’m going to guess this was taken from either the Image DVD or perhaps a LD. This certainly sounds a lot better than the videos I’ve seen.

EXTRAS---Nothing at all.

OVERALL---A legendary if pretty bad film, which should be seen at least once due to the terrific performance from Chaney. The Alpha DVD is a good was to view the film if you are mildly interested but fans should certainly hold off for the Kino release coming later this year.

MOVIE---** ½
VIDEO---* ½
AUDIO---**** ½
EXTRAS---no stars

Invisble Ghost

VIDEO---The movie is shown full frame (4:3), which is the correct ratio. The print is pretty good and appears to be the same as that on the Brentwood disc. There are a few specs and scratches but nothing major. The opening credits look very bad but things get better from there on.

AUDIO---The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is good. No hiss or pops in the soundtrack with dialogue very clear.

EXTRAS---Nothing.

OVERALL---A wonderful little film but I wish they’d kept the mystery of the killer hidden until the end. Lugosi certainly gives one of his best performances here. The Alpha disc is on the same page as the Brentwood disc but I haven’t seen the Roan version. I’ve heard the Roan disc isn’t one of their better products.

MOVIE---*** ½
VIDEO---***
AUDIO---***
EXTRAS---no stars

Mr. Wong Detective

VIDEO---The movie is shown full frame (4:3), which is the correct ratio. The print actually looks very good ranking highly above all those other public domain versions. This could have been taken from the Roan edition, although their picture is slightly better. There are a few specs that pop up but nothing major. The biggest problem with the print here is that the contrast is set way too high. During the opening credits the contrast is so high that you can hardly read the titles on the screen.

AUDIO---The sound is Dolby Digital Mono and is very good. The dialogue is upfront and crystal clear without any hiss or scratches.

EXTRAS---Nothing but the beautiful art work.

OVERALL---This is a decent film in a rather poor series but you’ve got Karloff playing an Oriental so you might as well check it out once. The Alpha disc is pretty good and it appears that they used the same print as Roan, although they messed up on the transfer with the overly bright contrast.

MOVIE---** ½
VIDEO---*** ½
AUDIO---*** ½
EXTRAS---no stars

[b]

[Andrew Monroe]

THE HEAD is a bizarre little film,a precursor to THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN`T DIE in some ways.Very expressionistic atmosphere and a thoroughly dispicable villain in Dr.Ood.The print is unfortunately pretty bad in some places,jumpy and grainy in several spots.A striptease scene is missing(thanks to Carl Perez for this info).It`s very badly edited out.If you`re interested in this West German oddity,which I do recommend,this may not be the way to see it.

[Jason P]

Still no word on how Alpha's Terror Creatures from the Grave looks? Mirek over at the Latarnia Forums said he was told it was pushed back a week or so and he would post on it when he got it.. Still no word from him either.

[bbfarmer]

Picked up an interesting purchase at my local Walgreen's drug store tonight. They have a huge rack of Front Row Video dvds, which is a bargain label I've always had good luck with. So I bought JOE with Peter Boyle and FURY OF THE WOLFMAN with Paul Naschy.

FOTW said Front Row on the box, Front Row on the disc, but when I started it, it was an Alpha disc, with Alpha's logo and menus. So obviously they're distributing some of Alpha's product.

Then I popped in JOE, which is also Front Row, but IT had the familiar look and menu of a Brentwood disc. (No Brentwood logo, but otherwise identical.)

As to the disc quality: Although JOE is fullframe, it is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous, about as good as a dvd transfer gets. (and the movie doesn't look like it's supposed to be widescreen, anyway)
FOTW is ok, if a little faded and pinkish.

Just thought I'd mention this since some folks (like me) have trouble finding Alphas in local stores but might have Front Row. They also had a Front Row disc of THE BRAINIAC, which I didn't get since I have the BWF version, but I'm betting that's the Alpha version. And for $3.99, it's cheaper than Alpha.

[Bob H]

Originally posted by bbfarmer


Then I popped in JOE, which is also Front Row, but IT had the familiar look and menu of a Brentwood disc. (No Brentwood logo, but otherwise identical.)

As to the disc quality: Although JOE is fullframe, it is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous, about as good as a dvd transfer gets. (and the movie doesn't look like it's supposed to be widescreen, anyway)

I agree; the quality of Joe is excellent with one minor hitch . . . copyright information for Media Galleries, Inc., the company that authored the disc, pops up for a few seconds during one scene. It's a very minor inconvenience and shouldn't stop anyone who wants to purchase this title at a bargain price. By the way, Media Galleries does authoring for both Brentwood and Front Row which might explain why the menus are so similar.

[bbfarmer]

I hadn't checked the entire movie yet, so I didn't know that familiar Media Galleries blurb was on there. Sometimes those don't come up at all depending on which player I'm using; it seems to switch on your player's subtitle function automatically to show the blurb, and some players don't respond.

On the whole, I've had nothing but good luck with Front Row discs. They don't have as big a selection as many bargain labels, but maybe that's because they have a quality standard. I know that sounds unlikely for a bargain brand, but I have many Front Rows and I've never gotten a murky, unwatchable transfer like many other labels deliver.

I just found this dvd today for about $8.00 . I don't usually buy budget dvds because they are hard to watch more then once.
this dvd includes Hercules, and Hercules unchained bith starring steeve reeves. Where catcom lacks in quality of transfer they sure make up for it in the bulk of entertainment that they have crammed onto one dvd. besides the 2 movies they also have a popye, and a superman cartoon. It was nice seeing these cartoon's I haven't seen them in years. you alos get vintage commercials, and there is an intermission so that you can get some refreshments. Hercules is 105 minutes as the box states, and the colors are faded, and the print is worn. Hercules unchained runs about 97 minutes but the box states 107 minutes and is in worse shape then the first film.. never have seen any of these films before i don't know which time is correct, or if anything is cut. there is about 4 hours of total content on this dvd. This dvd was alot of fun.