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[tab title="Movie Review"]
. . . in which the Greeks go giallo. . .
Greek filmmaker Nico Mastorakis (The Zero Boys, Hired to Kill, Island of Death) is widely known for his affinity and his production of B-grade films. Blind Date, in which actor Joseph Bottoms, playing ex-pat Jonathan Ratcliff, suddenly becomes blind and needs the aid of a hi-tech electronic device by which to “see”, is yet another in a long line of his B-pictures. But, thanks to the special effects and some great shots of Athens, the film has an outstanding aesthetic that keeps it buoyant throughout the years.
But let’s not kid ourselves here; the film drags a bit from time to time and, as it offers little in the way of tension, can only tantalize its audience with some brief scenes of violence and some solid examples of T & A. And, man, does Mastorakis get the ladies assembled for this one and they aren’t shy either.
Featuring wonderfully topless scenes from stars Kirstie Alley (Cheers), Marina Sirtis (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Valeria Golino (Big Top Pee-Wee), and Lana Clarkson (Amazon Women on the Moon), who was murdered by Phil Specter in 2003, Blind Date certainly doesn’t shy away from the sexual aspect of the giallo. If only the rest of the movie – including the violence – had been a bit . . . filthier.
With ample displays of skin should come great violence via a gloved hand. I mean, that is what we expect in giallo films. Unfortunately, the kills here are delegated to teasing scenes of "fun" with a scalpel. Sorta. While we do have a serial killer on the loose and a suspect in mind, too, (thanks to some great editing), Blind Date is happiest when it is toying with its audience. Several scenes are set-up to make us believe that we already know who the killer is, but, just when you are thinking that is coming together all too easy, Masorakis throws us for a loop. {googleads}
And the scene in which this is achieved, bringing us closer to the future thanks to a machine that allows the blind to “see” shapes and edges , has us clinging to the side of a roof overlooking the city. Another woman bites it thanks to the scalpel killer, though. It is a nice scene of misdirection that really opens up the canvas of Blind Date. Unfortunately, it is the only solidly constructed scene of cinematic sleight of hand in the film. The rest, even the finale, sort of limps along, happy to be overshadowed by the somewhat tame structure of this murder mystery.
There is a futuristic appeal to the caper here. That electronic device that allows Ratcliff to “see” a murder and attempt to solve it is definitely dated. But, man, it is very cool. And the simplistic nature of the graphics gives this thriller a bit of a retrofitted zip that will certainly please those looking for a throwback film. There is a science fiction element included here, too, as well as a psychological one, too, because, yeah, Ratcliff is a stalker. He creeps up on women and is completely obsessed with one of his past loves, following her on dates and so on, and then, when he loses his sight, we are left with having to somewhat sympathize with this dude.
Blind Date is an interesting giallo. It is not as Hithcockian as it is needs to be, but it does make for an stimulating watch: especially thanks to all the nudity from Commander Deanna Troi.
Trust me, Trekkies are going to love that this film is now out on blu-ray thanks to Scorpion Releasing’s brand new 4K remaster of the director’s cut of the film.
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[tab title="Details"]
MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime: 103 mins
Director: Nico Mastorakis
Writer: Nico Mastorakis
Cast: Joseph Bottoms, Kirstie Alley, James Daughton
Genre: Horror | Thriller
Tagline: The ultimate hi-tech thriller
Memorable Movie Quote:
Theatrical Distributor: New Line Cinema
Official Site:
Release Date: June, 1984
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: January 8, 2018
Synopsis: Struck by sudden blindness, ad executive Jonathon Ratcliff (Joseph Bottoms, The Black Hole, Crime and Passion, The Dove) is frustrated when doctors can find nothing wrong with him. With the aid of his girlfriend (Kirstie Alley, Cheers, Look Who’s Talking), he consults a top eye doctor (Keir Dullea, 2001: A Space Odyssey, David and Lisa) who fits him with an experimental device allowing him to see with the aid of a computer interface and brain electrodes. Meanwhile, a taxi driver is taking young women up to their apartments, sedating them, and performing a little fatal amateur surgery. Their paths inevitably converge as the serial killer starts cutting too close to home.
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[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]
Blu-ray Details:
Home Video Distributor: Scorpion Releasing
Available on Blu-ray - January 8, 2019
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A
Supervised by director Niko Mastorakis, Scorpion Releasing’s brand new 4K remaster of the director’s cut of this film looks pretty damn good. Edges are strong and the colors are bold. Black levels hold their edges, too, which is pretty important due to some of the night scenes. Saturation levels are consistently strong and the details in the backgrounds and in the clothing are strong. The audio is presented in a choice of tracks: 5.1 Surround and 2.0 Stereo.
Supplements:
Commentary:
-
None
Special Features:
This release features a look at Mastorakis’ other films, a music video, trailers, a still gallery, and a theatrical cut of the movie.
- The Films of Nico Mastorakis - Featurette
- Music Videos
- Original Trailers
- Still Gallery
- Theatrical Cut of the film in Standard Definition
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[tab title="Trailer"]
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[tab title="Art"]
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