Archive for Sid Haig

The Devil’s Rejects 4k

Posted in The Devil’s Rejects 4k with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on February 24, 2026 by The Late Night Horror Drive-In

The Devil’s Rejects 4k

Lionsgate released the Devil’s Rejects on 4k in October of 2025 to go with the 20th anniversary of the movie. Many were unhappy with the fact the 4k was the R-rated theatrical cut and the blu-ray that comes along with it was also the R. I thought the blu would be the unrated directors cut, but no. Apparently the directors cut footage wasn’t saved. This also happened with many of the Saw films on 4k though on those while the 4k were the R, Lionsgate did have the blu-rays with the unrated and did some tweaking to the blu-rays. My question is why couldn’t Lionsgate do the same with the Devil’s Rejects? That would still disappoint some as most of the people that would buy this would be for the 4k. Also why not include HD inserts with the 4k? We’ve had DVD releases with VHS inserts, we’ve had blu-ray releases with SD inserts. I know the argument from some is the HD inserts wouldn’t look good with the 4k. I disagree. Blu-ray is still a terrific format. It’s not like we went from VHS to 4k. Blu-ray is still and always will be a solid format.

When Scream Factory released Silent Night, Deadly Night on blu-ray that had VHS inserts. But when the 4k came out, the 4k was only the theatrical. When I watch the movie I start with the 4k but switch to an upscale of the unrated blu-ray than back to the 4k to finish. While the footage even on an upscale is rough though does look a little better than regular 1080, but point is having HD inserts on the 4k wouldn’t distracting so I don’t quite understand why Lionsgate didn’t include HD inserts. More importantly why wasn’t the footage kept? That goes for the Saw films as well. Granted Lionsgate couldn’t see into the future and see one day there would be blu-ray than 4k, but technology is always advancing. Most lost and destroyed film is from the silent era. While yes all decades have a couple of films that were lost or destroyed but this makes absolutely zero sense in the home video era to destroy footage.

Many people cancelled their pre-orders of the Devil’s Rejects and others that planned to get it at some point ended up passing. Odds are that didn’t have a huge impact on sales but the question is though is the 4k worth it?

As I’ve mentioned Lionsgate could have added HD inserts but honestly while I prefer the unrated cut but the R is still highly effective. Despite a 2-minute difference it doesn’t change the film as much as some people make it out. Some act as if the R is unwatchable. This isn’t like My Bloody Valentine (1981) where the theatrical is vastly inferior to the unrated. Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) like Rejects also has 2-minutes difference between the R and UR, but the 2-minutes added in the uncut Silent Night, Deadly Night make a big difference. Again I prefer the unrated directors cut of the Devil’s Rejects but the R is still extremely effective. Even prior to the unrated versions of My Bloody Valentine and Silent Night, Deadly Night you can see how edited they were. The Devil’s Rejects however doesn’t suffer. Too many people are being overly dramatic. Again even if the unrated cut of Rejects is better, the R-rated theatrical is still highly effective.

The Devil’s Rejects was shot on 16mm and the argument is those films don’t benefit from the 4k format like 35mm. I remember the early days of blu-ray the comments made about 16mm to 4k is akin to those that said black & white movies wouldn’t benefit from HD and you might as well stick with your DVD. That was proven totally false. The 4k format like blu-ray before it and DVD before that is meant to retain as much of the original look as possible on home video. 4k isn’t meant the films to look brand new. It’s again like the formats before it meant to retain as much of the original look as possible. I’ve seen a couple of films shot on 16mm out on 4k and no as a whole they aren’t the upgrade that you’d get with 35mm, but these 16mm films on 4k do bring an upgrade and can look terrific.

The 4k for the Devil’s Rejects retains everything that Rob Zombie was intending with the gritty exploitation style of the film. Absolutely nothing is lost on the 4k format and if anything further enhances the gritty look. Again 4k like the blu-ray and DVD are simply meant to preserve as much of the original look as possible and the 4k for Rejects very much does that. Like I said when it comes to films like the Devil’s Rejects on 4k it’s akin to the comments on how B/W isn’t meant for blu-ray.

The biggest drawback is again the lack of the unrated directors cut. There’s absolutely zero reasons why Lionsgate couldn’t include HD inserts. It would look totally fine. The drop in quality wouldn’t be that noticeable. If SD inserts could be included on blu-ray there’s no reasons why HD inserts couldn’t be included on the 4k

I can’t stress enough that while I do prefer the unrated cut, but the R-rated cut is extremely effective. It’s not like the film was edited down to PG-13. The edits for the R isn’t butchered like My Bloody Valentine or even Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood. The Devil’s Rejects even in an R and a hard R-rating.

4k- 5/5

Audio- 4.5/5

Extras- 4.5/5

The Film- 4.5/5

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Big Bird Cage (1972) Review

Posted in Big Bird Cage with tags , , , , , on November 11, 2014 by The Late Night Horror Drive-In

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THE BIG BIRD CAGE

**** Out of 5

Tagline- Women So Hot with Desire They Melt the Chains That Enslave Them!

Release Date- July, 1972

Running Time- 95-Minutes

Rating- R

Writer/Director- Jack Hill

Starring- Pam Grier, Sid Haig, Candice Roman, Vic Diaz, Andy Centenera

When it comes to the exploitation film Roger Corman is one of the biggest names though more often than not he’s not always mentioned outside of the hardcore exploitation film fans. Roger Corman has been involved with 100s and 100s of films and though he may not always have an onscreen credit, but for me he’s one of my biggest influences and not only was he a pioneer in exploitation films, but he also helped launched the career of several notable actors and filmmakers. When it comes to the Women in Prison genre, Corman may not have started it, but he did however probably make the biggest impact on future filmmakers of WIP films. When you look at the career of Roger Corman when you are involved with as many films as he was you’re bound to have a lot of poor films, but Corman also produced (as well as written and directed) many upon many cult classics and the Big Bird Cage is one of my favorite Corman films and probably my favorite Jack Hill film.

WIP films are often known for violence and sleaze, but the Corman WIP films are a bit tamer than what would follow. The Big Bird Cage features some violence and nudity, but its not as graphic as other films within the genre, but that doesn’t make the film any less effective. This film is sometimes billed as a sequel of sorts to the Big Doll House, which was released the previous year. While the Big Bird Cage has some of the same cast and crew as well as being shot in the Philippines, but outside of that there really isn’t much of a connection and I personally don’t see it as a sequel at all. While the Big Bird Cage may not be the best WIP film ever made it easily though rates as one of my favorites. This is one of those films you can just sit back and have a good time with. The Big Bird Cage has been labeled a satire of WIP films and I suppose there might be a couple of satirical moments I wouldn’t label it one. Not every exploitation film that plays up to camp value is a satire. This film is quite campy and funny and it really makes for such an entertaining viewing.

Blossom (Grier) and Django (Haig) are revolutionary fighters and to start the revolution they hatch a plan for Grier to be sent to prison with Django breaking her out.

The screenplay by Jack Hill might be light on plot, but more than made up for in the fun factor. Hill’s script is often funny and while the characters might lack depth they are however a lot of fun. Hill’s script is quite clever and a bit different than most WIP films. As I mentioned this film is sometimes labeled a satire and while there might be a few satirical aspects, the script is simply meant to be fun and campy and Jack Hill very much delivers.

As director Jack Hill delivers an excellent and well paced film. From the very start until the closing shot, The Big Bird Cage runs at a smooth and fun pace. There are also so,e really great action scenes in the final act and made more impressive when taking into account the low budget. I’ve seen a few films by Jack Hill and this would probably be my favorite. It’s just a really fun film with strong pacing, characters and action scenes. The Big Bird Cage is just a real fun time and at 95-minutes it actually feels way shorter. If you’re into WIP films, this one comes highly recommend. Jack Hill crafts not only one of my favorite WIP films, but one of my favorite exploitation films.

There are some truly funny scenes here and Vic Diaz as a gay prison guard is a riot and is many of the more memorable scenes. And he even gets raped by one of the sexually frustrated female inmates. There isn’t anything in the least offensive since everything is so campy and another highlight is Sid Haig posing as a gay prison guard, which will have you rolling in laughter. Sid Haig did plenty of exploitation films and worked with Jack Hill a few times and this in my opinion was their best outing. Pam Grier as Blossom is a joy to watch and seriously was there a woman finer than Pam Grier back in the 70s? Like Sid Haig, Pam Grier also worked with Jack Hill many times and again this would be my favorite film they did together.

Overall the Big Bird Cage is one of my favorite WIP films. We have Roger Corman, Jack Hill, Sid Haig, Pam Grier, beautiful women and really what more can one ask for? This was just a really fun film with plenty of great comedic moments and excellent action scenes.

Shout Factory released this on DVD and blu-ray as the Women in Cages Triple Feature along with Women in Cages and the Big Doll House. I have the blu-ray and I must say The Big Bird Cage looks incredible in HD. Due to the age and budget of the film one cannot expect perfection. Grain levels are never overpowering and there is some minor print damage. Clarity is excellent and the Big Bird Cage looks great. There are a few shots here and there where quality drops, but for the most part the film looks wonderful and retains its gritty exploitation look. The audio was also quite strong as well and this was a top notch release from Shout Factory.

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Night of the Living Dead 3D & Night of the Living Dead Re-Animation Reviews

Posted in Night of the Living Dead 3D & Night of the Living Dead: Re-Animation with tags , , , , , , , , on February 24, 2013 by The Late Night Horror Drive-In

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NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD 3D

** Out of 5

Tagline- An All New Dimension of a Horror Classic

Release Date- November 6th, 2006

Running Time- 80-Minutes

Rating- R

Screenplay- Robert Valding

Director- Jeff Broadstreet

Starring- Brianna Brown, Joshua DesRoches and Sid Haig as Gerald Tovar

I’m gonna keep this short as possible since this film doesn’t deserve a full write up snd truth be told by even writing anything about this film i wasted even more of my time. I don’t hate all remakes and while I think after a while it gets tiresome even more so when many are so inferior, but my hate of this film has nothing to do do with that. The fact Night of the Living Dead is in the public domain any hack can make their own version and Jeff Broadstreet is the hack in question and this guy needs to get kicked in the nuts. He obviously learned absolutely nothing from watching the original and the original is actually shown during the film with characters watching it on TV I assume this was meant to be a homage and to be funny. It wasn’t. It was stupid and the best parts of this movie are clips of the original being shown. This film is a complete insult to George Romero and the legacy of Night of the Living Dead.

Also seeing how NOTLD was already remade in 1990 one has to wonder why there was even a need for this garbage? Its movies like this that gives the horror genre a bad name. Back in the 70s and 80s zombie films were quite popular before fading away for quite sometime until Shaun of the Dead played a part in bringing them back and this film makes me wish zombie movies stayed dead.

Sid Haig back in the 70s appeared in many exploitation flicks and as the tide turned on these movies Haig managed to go on, but it wasn’t until House of 1000 Corpses he really made his comeback and my question is how did the makers of this garbage land him? Unless it was blackmail I can’t see any other reason.

Night of the Living Dead 3D is pathetic and Jeff Broadstreet nothing but a hack who really needs a kick in the nuts. The only positive thing I can say about this trash is it can be fun to sit back and make fun of sad and pathetic of a film it turned out, but there are plenty of films out there that work on the so bad its good level. This isn’t one of them.

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NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD REANIMATION

* ½ Out of 5

Tagline- The Beginning of the End

Release Date- October 16th, 2012

Running Time- 88-Minutes

Rating- R

Writer/Director- Jeff Broadstreet

Starring- Andrew Divoff, Jeffrey Combs, Sarah Lieving, Robin Sydney

As bad as Night of the Living Dead 3D was its a masterpiece compared to this pile of trash called a film. Jeff Broadstreet clearly doesn’t know a thing about filmmaking and its quite sad there are people out there with actual talent that never make it in the industry while this idiot gets to make films for a living no matter how low budget or little seen. If Broadstreet’s goal was to piss all over Romero’s film he succeeds in that.

I’m not even gonna waste my time getting into the plot since the film doesn’t deserve any more attention than I’ve given it. I’ve seen a lot of bad films, watched movies by bad filmmakers, but Jeff Broadstreet just might be the least talented filmmaker to ever make a motion picture and this guy makes Claudio Fragasso look like Martin Scorsese.

What’s truly amazing is he some how got Sid Haig in this first and here with the sequel he lands Andrew Divoff and Jeffrey Combs. Either they needed the money, were blackmailed or tricked into agreeing to star in this waste of a film. And Divoff actually has a producing credit!

There is also a lame attempt at social commentary with rather than FOX News the station is called Fixd news and we have a character called Sister Sarah who looks and sounds like Sarah Palin. The social commentary is silly and laughable and here’s a tip for Broadstreet; just because you remade a Romero film doesn’t make you him so lay off the social commentary cause it just comes out as a hack filmmaker trying to be funny.

The zombies are lame looking, the deaths even lamer. This is as bad as filmmaking as you will find. The film moves so slowly as nothing really happens until the end and the dialogue so bad and not even in a good way make this film total boredom. One scene has a charcter mention the events of Romero’s first 3 Dead films as well as the Savini remake. I assume it was meant to be funny. It was wasn’t all it did is remind me I could be watching way better films at the moment.

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