Certificate: 18
Running Time: 100 minutes
Release Date: 5 December 2011
Nucleus Films have been quietly making a name for themselves recently, releasing some older forgotten genre fare as well as this series of trailer collections. They seem to have recognised that some people enjoy the trailers before a film on a trip to the cinema and have gone back to the golden era of exploitation to handpick trailers that embody the time period of the late 70s to early 80s. It was a time before the infamous Video Nasty era which so sadly optimised the censorship debate in the UK, and exploitation, sex and violence sold even the weakest and cheapest films, regardless of quality.
As this release is the third in the series, the movies that are on show certainly are starting to appear to be from the lower end of the spectrum, but there is still much to fascinate and intrigue. There is enough sleaze and debauchery to appease even the most ardent gore-hound. With fifty five films on show, there is an understandable chasm in quality between some of the trailers. Some are hilariously awful whilst others are just plain awful. If you think that there are too many unprofessional productions being made today, you may reconsider your opinion after viewing some of the selections here. There was little hope that most of these films could live up to the hype of the trailers, but then again isn’t that true of a lot of recent films as well? The films that are showcased in this selection – as well as the two previous releases in the series – are a mixture of horror; exploitation; Blaxploitation; Far Eastern influences and others that almost appear to be documentaries, but aren’t. It really is that eclectic.
As a collection, it is difficult to rate this in the same vein as full features, but from an enjoyment point of view, this is a fun way to waste an hour or so, especially if you invite a few friends round and get some alcohol in. There are only a handful of horror trailers on here, but for entertainment purposes, this is good fun.
The additions of cinematic posters for some of the films as well as a short documentary hosted by Kim Newman are welcome bonuses.
JD GILLAM
