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Trapped Alive (2019) - Blu-ray Review

A mutant motherfucking cannibal in an abandoned mine shaft called Forever Mine? Oh, hell, yes. 

Mungo. Hot Rod. Face. These are three escaped felons that you do not want to cross paths with on a long and lonely stretch of road.  Especially at night; especially in the snow; especially in an abandoned mind.  But that’s exactly what happens in Trapped Alive, a horror film about underground mutants that was originally filmed in 1988 but didn’t see the light of day until 1993 thanks to AIP Home Video

"Atmospheric and completely off its rocker"


For two young ladies, their fates are tragically sealed once these three criminals cross paths with them on a chilly night.  They, Robin Adams (Sullivan Hester) and Monica Perry (Laura Kallison), are on their way to a Christmas party hosted by Robin’s father (Cameron Mitchell), but where they end up – thanks to an ill-advised detour and a rotted-out cover to a mine shaft – has them face to face with a messed-up grandpa mutant (Paul Dean) . . . who just happens to have a burning fever for flesh.

Written and directed by Leszek Burzynski (Blood Harvest), Trapped Alive is my kind of messed-up shoestring budget horror flick.The gore and the special make-up effects are done by Hank Carlson (who was in high school at the time) and they are stunning; good examples as to why he would later go on to Army of Darkness and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Sure, these characters are annoying and, sure, we are rooting for the bad guy to dispose of these wastes of breath, but the movie never gives up on its gonzo intentions and that, regardless of how bland some of the drama gets, is reason enough to seek this title out. {googlads}

Thankfully, Arrow Video has done the dirty work for us.  Exclusively restored from the original 35mm camera negative and scanned in 2K, this graded and restored transfer (in 1.78:1) was supervised by the film’s director of photography Nancy Schreiber It looks amazingly pristine and this re-release ought to be celebrated by all genre fans out there. 

This film gives two fucks about logic and, adding a twisted Alice in Wonderland-like atmosphere around its underground trappings, dares to take us deep into the wildness of Eagle Rock, Wisconsin without so much of a guide – unless, of course, you count the deranged mutant tearing the flesh off of his victims in the mine shaft. Trapped Alive (2019) - Blu-ray Review

Atmospheric and completely off its rocker, this fun and cheesy flick – when the danger isn’t enticing enough – turns to sex and nudity to keep our interests in it.  A typical night out with a horror flick, right?  Except this title – having one of our leads spend most of her screen time in her underwear – goes for the jugular with a fair amount of skin-ripping gore and general weirdness.

Hunt no more for this rare find.  Trapped Alive is now available from Arrow Video.

4/5 beers

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[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]

Trapped Alive (2019) - Blu-ray Review

Blu-ray

Blu-ray Details:

Home Video Distributor: Arrow
Available on Blu-ray
- June 4, 2019
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles
: English SDH
Audio:
English: LPCM Mono
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc; reversible slipcover
Region Encoding: Region-free playback

The brand new 2K restoration from the original camera negative offers more details than ever before.  The mine shaft comes alive in treacherous turns and jagged edges.  Even the shadows pop in this solid transfer, being offered in full 1080 glory for the first time.  Flesh is punctuated and the gore, thanks to the FX work of an early master, is quite tasty.  The original mono audio provides the sound and there is optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • Continuing Arrow Video’s fine treatment of off-the-wall titles, there are THREE NEW commentaries: one with director Leszek Burzynski, one with special effects contributor Hank Carlson and horror writer Josh Hadley, and one with The Hysteria Continues.

Special Features:

Once again, Arrow Video delivers the goods with their supplemental material.  Fans get a brand new making-of documentary with interviews from director Leszek Burzynski, cinematographer Nancy Schreiber, production manager Alexandra Reed and actors Alex Kubik and Sullivan Hester, a 1988 television documentary on Windsor Lake Studios, featuring footage from behind the scenes of Trapped Alive and contemporary interviews with director Leszek Burzynski, producer Christopher Webster and production designer Brian Savegar, and a featurette where the Trapped Alive director discusses his early forays into genre movie-making.  A reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Justin Osbourn and a Collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Zach Carlson are also included.

  • There’s Evil Underground
  • Upper Michigan Tonight
  • Leszek Burzynski: The Early Years

Blu-ray Rating:

  Movie 4/5 stars
  Video  4/5 stars
  Audio 4/5 stars
  Extras 3/5 stars

Overall Blu-ray Experience

4/5 stars

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[tab title="Film Details"]

Trapped Alive (2019) - Blu-ray Review

MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime: 92
mins
Director
: Leszek Burzynski
Writer:
Leszek Burzynski, Julian Weaver
Cast:
Jay Leggett, Cameron Mitchell, Sullivan Hester
Genre
: Horror
Tagline:
There's EVIL underground ....
Memorable Movie Quote: "They never arrived"
Theatrical Distributor:
Eagle Films
Official Site:
Release Date:
December 23, 1988
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
June 4, 2019
Synopsis: One wintry night, pals Robin and Monica are making their way to a Christmas party when they’re carjacked by a gang of crooks recently escaped from the local penitentiary. With the two young women taken as hostages, things take an even darker turn when their vehicle plummets down an abandoned mine shaft, trapping them underground with the dangerous crooks - and a mutant cannibal.

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Trapped Alive (2019) - Blu-ray Review

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