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[tab title="Movie Review"]
OUCH. Weston gets it right in the balls. Why so complex, Electra? And mean?! Maybe it’s all the lecherous POVs that have pushed you over the edge. Or is it the threat of boarding school from your mother?
The striking psychosexual territory of Julie Darling, a b-movie whose centerpiece is arguably a literal game of chess that becomes a classic battle of the bitches between the always luscious Sybil Danning (The Howling II) and Isabelle Mejias (Scanners II: The New Order) for the affection of one man. Thing is, one woman is the man’s new wife and the other is his …wait for it… teenage daughter. And they both get in on some hot bedroom action.
There’s something the matter with Julie. She’s cold and calculating. An awkward teenager through and through but she truly does love her daddy. And her eight-foot long boa constrictor is witness to her deadly devotion.
Unfortunately, she could give two shits about her mother (Cindy Girling) or any other person that compromises her time with Daddy Dearest. Just leave her to chocolate milk. The drama all comes to a head the day her mother is killed by a grocery deliverer (Paul Hubbard) turned would-be rapist. All of which Julie, as she is just upstairs, is witness to, refusing to interfere as her mother pleads for her life. That’s how ice cold she is.
Directed by Paul Nicolas (who also co-wrote the film), Julie Darling sexes up elements of The Bad Seed as one teenager plots and schemes her way into her father’s bed after the shocking death of her mother. The film spins in several directions, opening up its narrative scope to involve a close friend of Julie’s, as Julie winds up seeking the assistance of her own mother’s murderer with her new problem: a better looking woman. Her hook to the criminal? You can rape her all you want!
Julie is blind with rage. And the delivery man is no dummy. He might not be able to get it up when he’s not taking a woman against her will but he knows trouble when he sees it. And Julie is only just that. With shadows looming and a spacious house to play in, Julie Darling is a dangerous and demented romp through all things Jungian bitch fight.
Nicolas, who made Chained Heat with Danning and Linda Blair the same year as this one, keeps the film focused on an attentive script and a cast, including Mejias in spite of her youth, that remains on point. Adding to the demented spirit of the flick are the Berlin locations utilized under a snow-drenched cityscape, adding depth to the rather frigidness of the icy story. There’s nothing easy about this thriller, making it a solid release from Code Red who present the film on Blu-ray thanks to a brand new 2K scan from the original interpositive.
Underestimation is the name of the game when Julie comes to town.
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[tab title="Details"]
MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime: 100 mins
Director: Paul Nicholas
Writer: Paul Nicholas
Cast: Anthony Franciosa, Sybil Danning, Isabelle Mejias
Genre: Horror | Thriller
Tagline: She's sweet sixteen, and she simply loves her daddy.
Memorable Movie Quote: "I want you to kill my stepmother."
Theatrical Distributor: No theatrical distribution
Official Site:
Release Date: No U.S. theatrical release
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: May 8, 2017
Synopsis: A teenage girl with a fixation on her father witnesses the rape and murder of her mother, whom she despised. Years later, her father remarries. Despising her stepmother and step-brother as much as she did her real mother, Julie begins plotting her new mom and brother’s demise, all in an effort to keep daddy all to herself.
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[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]
Blu-ray Details:
Home Video Distributor: Code Red DVD
Available on Blu-ray - May 8, 2017
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles: None
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: Region-free playback
Code Red has simply outdone itself with the blu-ray release of this film. With an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, the new 1080p MPEG-4 AVC upgrade of Julie Darling is pretty appealing. The film has never looked as crisp and clean as it does here. The Berlin locations are expressive and detailed. Blues are steadier and the location is detailed. Shadows a bit more engaged and the film just looks a bit more professional than remembered. Thanks to Code Red, the title certainly looks better than it ever did on previous releases. Cleaner and with a bit more life, the audio is presented in a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track.
Supplements:
Commentary:
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There are two commentaries included with the release. The first comes from Mejias, who doesn’t understand the flick’s popularity, and the second features Danning. The actresses are a joy to listen to as they react to a movie they haven’t seen in awhile.
Special Features:
We get two brief (but fun) on camera interviews with Danning and Mejias as they discuss the movie and their career. Both also record an introduction that plays before the movie starts. Fun stuff.
- Intro (1 min)
- Mejias Interview (15 min)
- Danning Interview (20 min)
- Code Red Trailers
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[tab title="Trailer"]
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[tab title="Art"]
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