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Vicious Lips - Blu-ray Review

2 beersBecause in the far future, even on the other side of the universe, we will still need some goddamn rock and roll.

Ah, the glorious big-haired days of neon and glitter.  What a ride the middle part of the 1980s was.  The space age was a-knock-knock-knocking and our popular culture responded appropriately with moonwalk dances, Members Only jackets, and big hoop earrings.  Everything was “outta this world” and “outta sight”.  It was a time when MTV and the music video ruled and its many influences showed itself in our movies…even the bad ones.

Vicious Lips, written and directed by Albert F. Pyun, sees new life this week thanks to the HD upgrade courtesy of Shout! Factory.  Unfortunately, the visual punch-up doesn’t even begin to fix the issues that render this spacey flick more of a curiosity item from producer Charles Band than, in fact, a movie.  We’ve got an all-female band, an engaging lead performance from actress Dru-Anne Perry as Judy the band’s new lead singer, and a comical performance from Anthony Kentz as their crafty manager who speeds the band to their next cosmic concert in the universe, yet none of that equals a functioning narrative.

Hell, we even get some trash-talking cannibals thrown in AND some nudie girls in the desert sands.  Just how low can they go and not get sand in their butts?  Watch this movie and you’ll find out!  Okay, so there’s all that in this B-movie, but nothing – and I do mean nothing – trumps the cosmic, 80’s ear candy that the band pumps out.  So, yeah, Vicious Lips sounds AND sometimes feels like one long music video.

If you were hoping for the T&A teased by the artwork, you are in for a HUGE disappointment.  And if it was a comedy you came looking for, sniff around another dumpster because there’s not enough of it to be found here.  There’s nothing truly cosmic about any of the tawdry stuff either, just one band member who begins to slip further and further into dependency as her band figures out how to work together in order to make this all-important galaxy gig they are on their way to a career-defining mega hit performance.

And then their spaceship crashes.  Shit.  Blind stupid luck and, perhaps, the murdering stowaway (Christian Andrews) from Venus could be blamed.  Or maybe it’s the manager.  He, thanks to the humorously rude onboard navigational system, was warned of the impending doom.  What to do?  What to do?  The thing is, by this point in the movie (as it isn’t funny enough or sexy enough) we just don’t give a shit.  Truly, we don’t.

Vicious Lips promises to be a high-concept on a low budget.  It pulls off one of those things well enough.  The problem is that too much of the movie is all flash and little bang.

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Vicious Lips - Blu-ray Review

MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime:
84 mins
Director
: Albert Pyun
Writer:
Albert Pyun
Cast:
Dru-Anne Perry, Gina Calabrese, Linda Kerridge
Genre
: Horror
Tagline:
They're lost and loose in outer space.
Memorable Movie Quote: "We'll make it happen. Don't worry, baby. Don't worry."
Theatrical Distributor:
Empire Pictures
Official Site:
Release Date:
No U.S. theatrical release
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
August 29, 2017
Synopsis: A band finally gets the opportunity for that breakthrough gig if they can make it to an "in" club on another planet in time.

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Vicious Lips - Blu-ray Review

Blu-ray

Blu-ray Details:

Home Video Distributor: Shout Factory
Available on Blu-ray
- August 29, 2017
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles
: English
Audio:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

Shout! Factory presents Vicious Lips with a gloriously ripe 1080p presentation.  Black levels are deep and defined.  Edges hold their lines well.  Textures are identifiable and individual items of clothing have layers never before noticed.  The creature and costume effects are limited, but look decent in HD.  Even the model that lands in the desert appears crisp and crackling.  The film is presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and supports a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, presenting the dialogue up front and carrying a nice balance between the effects and the soundtrack.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • None

Special Features:

Charles Band talks honestly and with good detail about the events leading up to the making of the movie, the studio’s downfall, and the actual filming in Culver City.  His new interview is the only extra.

  • Interview With Executive Producer Charles Band

 

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Vicious Lips - Blu-ray Review

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