Tweet
Released by: Camp Motion Pictures
Released on: December 13th, 2016.
Director: Greg Lamberson
Cast: Jessica Zwolak, Debbie Rochon, Paul Mcginnis
Year: 2015
Purchase From Amazon
The Movie:
The latest film from Slime City director Greg Lamberson, Killer Rack tells the somewhat sordid tale of office worker Betty (Jessica Zwolak). She works hard but doesn't get the recognition she should. On top of that, her personal life isn't any more exciting than her professional life. Really, Betty's life is pretty bland, and it all seems to come down to the fact that she's rather flat chested.
Things changes for Betty once she meets Doctor Kate Thulu, (Debbie Rochon), the best damn plastic surgeon in town. She's going to hook Betty up with the kind of implants that she just knows will change her life and get her everything she could possibly want. But you've got to figure with a name like that, the good doctor might just have an ulterior motive, right? Right! Kate worships those pesky Lovecraftian 'Elder Gods' and unbeknownst to her latest patient, plans to use her fake chesticles to bring about a new reign for the dark ones!
Killer Rack is just as ridiculous as it sounds. Yeah, it's Troma-esque at times in that it's way over the top and plenty gory but the movie is clever. Much of the credit for that goes to the script from writer Paul McGinnis, which does a fine job of making us feel for poor Betty but also in creating some amusing supporting characters to help bring what is a pretty preposterous concept to life.
The film was made with a modest budget but Lamberson manages to get the most out of what he had to work with. The effects are well done and really help to sell the concept. They're gooey, gory and appropriately over the top, particularly in the last twenty minutes or so where the movie just goes for it. The performances are pretty good here too. Jessica Zwolak, who Lamberson last collaborated with on Dry Bone back in 2013, is really strong as sad-sack-no-rack Betty and it's fun to watch her character transform once the surgery has taken place. Likewise, the always reliable Debbie Rochon, who had previously worked with Lamberson on Slime City Massacre and also Dry Bones, is fantastic as the sinister surgeon.
Intended to be more of a comedy with horror film elements than the other way around, this one won't scare you but it might gross you out and it will make you laugh. There's a lot to like here, this is clever, original and really well done.
Video/Audio/Extras:
The 1.78.1 anamorphic widescreen presentation offers good black levels and nice, lifelike color reproduction. The shot on digital video movie is nice and clean, and the disc is well authored so there aren't any serious compression issues. Some light banding and minor shimmer pops up here and there but otherwise, this looks good thanks to the obvious care that went into both the compositions and the lighting.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo track, the only option, is fine. Dialogue is generally easy to understand and while there are a couple of spots where the levels jump, these are rare exceptions. Overall the movie sounds pretty good, music is used well and the sound effects come through with some solid resonance. There are no subtitles or closed captioning options provided.
Greg Lamberson's commentary is interesting, as it gives the director a chance to talk about casting the film, the location, the effects set pieces, the script and what it was like working with the different cast and crew members assembled to bring Killer Rack to fruition.
Aside from that, the disc also includes an eighteen minute behind the scenes featurette documenting the cast and crew hard at work on the production, four deleted scenes, a selection of trailers for other Camp Motion Pictures DVD releases and two bonus short films - Kill The Bitch (which also stars Jessica Zwolak) and The Camper, both of which are fairly amusing. Menus and chapter selection are also provided.
The Final Word:
Killer Rack isn't particularly scary but it is pretty damned funny and occasionally way over the top with its effects set pieces. This is quickly paced, well-acted and entertaining in its own quirky, screwy way. The DVD release from Camp Motion Pictures looks and sounds good and contains a nice selection of supplements as well - it's ridiculous but it is a lot of fun.
