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Disconnected (1984) - Blu-ray Review

4 beers“I feel like I am stuck inside a low budget horror film,” says Carmine Capobianco as he stares into the camera.  He’s right, of course, he is stuck inside a low budget horror film and it is a glorious sight indeed to behold.  Disconnected might not make a whole lot of sense upon an initial viewing, but it is unforgettable in its articulation of the caged and the creepy. 

One does not simply watch a movie by filmmaker Gorman Bechard (Psychos in Love).  No, you have to EXPERIENCE a movie by Gorman Bechard.  They are totally bonkers but in all the right ways.  And, trust me, the man delivers the goods.  Even in 16mm.  He and longtime collaborator Carmine Capobianco have a great chemistry together and, with this their debut feature together; they absolutely provide an unyielding horror flick concerning twins and strange phone calls.

Believe it or not, Disconnected makes its Blu-ray/DVD debut with this stellar 2K restoration by Vinegar Syndrome.  That’s right, it was only ever available on VHS back in the day.  And now it arrives in crackling 1080p.  Bravo, Vinegar Syndrome, bravo.  This goddamn film deserves a wider audience.  It is, in fact, The Room worthy. 

Alicia (Francis Raines) and her twin sister Barbara Ann (also Francis Raines) don’t have the best of relationships.  They are often at each other’s throat and consistently trapped within a game of one-upmanship.  That is until Alicia finds a strange man out front of her house and then, coincidentally, starts receiving strange phone calls.  Her sister is fooling around with her new boyfriend, Mike (Carl Koch), and it isn’t the first time either.  Her sister is always taking what’s hers.  Soon, visions of her being strangled start rocking through her skull. 

So she calls up Franklin (Mike Walker) who has been hitting on her in the video store she works at.  For a good time, all you have to do is call.  Right.  But Franklin is one sick puppy and the bloodied female corpse lying in the bed next to him as he answers Alicia’s call is all the proof you need.  Poor Alicia can’t catch a break. 

And the phone calls won’t stop coming in.  Her paranoia runs amuck and Raines provides good reactions to the insanity being inflicted upon her.  Even when she is playing her sister.  The game is afoot as these two sisters complicate their lives inside a city where the bodies are piling up.  Could it all be connected?  Is Franklin the killer we think he is?  And are they next?

Featuring a blistering rock soundtrack that still sounds relevant today and fairly frightful scenes of rock and schlock, Disconnected is a movie that mystifies and amuses more than it does drive you completely mad.  It isn’t a great film but damn, if this one doesn’t nail the horror.  And sometimes all it takes is a single shot of a white phone.  The ringing is unending.   

You’ve not seen anything as far out and wacky as Disconnected, a cult film that truly lives up to its title. 

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Disconnected (1984) - Blu-ray Review

MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime:
82 mins
Director
: Gorman Bechard
Writer:
Gorman Bechard, Virginia Gilroy
Cast:
Frances Raines, Mark Walker, Carl Koch
Genre
: Crime
Tagline:
Is anybody there...
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
November 24, 2017
Synopsis: Alicia has been receiving strange phone calls in which loud and ghastly sounds echo through the receiver. Her relationship with her boyfriend, Mike, has hit a dead end and Alicia fears he’s having an affair with her twin sister, Barbara Ann. And all the while, a psychotic slasher is murdering young women with the police powerless to stop him. But then Alicia meets kind and nerdy Franklin. Will he be the man she’s been searching for, or will his own dark secrets destroy their newfound happiness?

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Disconnected (1984) - Blu-ray Review

Blu-ray

Blu-ray Details:

Home Video Distributor: Vinegar Syndrome
Available on Blu-ray
- November 24, 2017
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles
: English SDH
Audio:
DTS-HD master audio mono
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

Newly scanned and restored in 2K from 16mm film elements, Disconnected looks all sorts of amazing in 1080p.  There is a nice level of grain to the image and nothing looks too sickly sweet or over polished.  Colors, while never bright, are strong and black levels are even, maintaining their shapes and shadows.  The film is presented with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and a DTS-HD master audio track.  This is a naturally shot film, makes good use of its locations, and much of the sunlight captured by the camera feels and looks saturated quiet nicely. 

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • Fans get a full-length commentary track with writer/director Gorman Bechard and actor Carmine Capobianco as the two talk about the making of the movie and crack each other up.

Special Features:

This special limited edition embossed package (designed by Derek Gabryszak) is limited to just 2,000 units, so act quickly.  We get an introduction from the director and his star, new interviews with Gorman Bechard and Carmine Capobianco. A short film by Bechard, a booklet essay, and new cover designs with reversible artwork.  A booklet with an essay by Art Ettinger is also included.

  • Dissecting Disconnected: Interview with Gorman Bechard
  • Getting Disconnected: Interview with Carmine Capobianco
  • Director introduction
  • Twenty Questions: A short film directed by Bechard
  • Twenty Questions Q & A Introduction

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Disconnected (1984) - Blu-ray Review

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