Body Count

Body Count

Ahh...'Body Count'...now here's one of those films from the eighties that I've been keen to see get the DVD treatment for some time, and I've been somewhat surprised that until now no one (especially Stateside) has seen fit to do just that. But it is with thanks that 'E-M-S DVD' had the savvy to pick up a couple of Ruggero Deodato back catalogue titles for their growing horror collection...

'Body Count' is one of those films that on paper should add up to something special, and while it does deliver some ripe horror fun it still just fails to meet its full potential. Directed by Deodato, music by Claudio Simonetti and a cast that includes genre stalwarts David Hess and Mimsy Farmer- it's enough to make any horror fan lick their lips in anticipation.

Basically, the film is set in an old camping ground (owned by husband and wife Hess and Farmer) that had been the location of some hapless teenage murders some years before and is now closed due to Hess's fear of more killings ensuing. Their poor son had been witness to one of these bloody murders and although not harmed (physically) himself he went off years later to join the armed forces. The film begins proper when we meet the son on his return from service, en route to the homestead he is picked up by a group of fun loving (and somewhat over age) teens who he invites to camp at the family's disused camp ground. Dad (Hess) is not so pleased about these kids hanging around as his years of paranoia about the old killings makes him believe that the arrival of the young folk will inevitably see the blood spilling yet again...and he isn't wrong! One by one the teenagers are knocked off in a bloody fashion but are they the victim of a returning serial killer or are they victims of an old Indian curse placed upon the land?

Having been a fan of 'Body Count' for some years since its UK video release, I was somewhat excited to revisit its pleasures on its arrival on DVD and while I wasn't whooping with delight at the film itself, the presentation pleased me no end. As I said, on paper the film has a lot of expectation building on the various genre favourites involved and at times the film is a marvellous delight of slasher cinema but at other times it's very much dated (in that eighties clean living teen hokum sorta way!)

Deodato's direction only ever really comes into shining form whenever the killings begin and it is in fact the death scenes that give the film an edge that will delight fans of the slasher genre. Simonetti's tribal thumping theme is another of the films highlights, simple but highly effective and whenever you hear the main theme kick into gear you know you're in for some crimson killing delights. The death scenes are very much akin to 'Friday the 13th' done Italian style that will be another point of pleasure for genre fans. But it is the slapdash delivery of the bulk of the casts' performance that inevitably disappoints. Although both Farmer and Hess go confidently through the motions of their roles (and Dave Parker's script is a good one too), it's the thirty something teenagers that will at times have some reaching for the fast forward button on their remote controls.

The disc from 'E-M-S' is a solid and well-presented affair. The film print itself seems to have been taken from the old video releases master (4:3 full screen) and the image just falls short of being immaculate, pin sharp and colourful throughout with virtually no blemishes to be seen. The 2.0 mono audio track is pleasantly hassle free also with both Simonetti's excellent score and the vocal audio being presentable throughout. There are a few nice extras on the disc also, but none of which sadly relate to the film itself. There's a brief text bio section on Deodato (in German) and a selection of horror trailers for other 'E-M-S' releases including (the very underrated) 'Dial Help', 'Tower of Evil', 'Inseminoid' and more.

'Body Count' is a solid enough fun slasher movie that comes into its element when the killings begin. This disc from 'E-M-S' is a very welcome and nicely presented print and should be welcomed by fans of the movie, new and old! Check it out!

Review by Alan Simpson


 
Released by E.M.S. DVD
Rated 18 - Region 2 (PAL)
Running time - 83m
Ratio - Full screen
Audio - Dolby digital 2.0
Extras :
Bio pages & EMS Trailer Gallery
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