The Positively No Refunds: Bride and the Beast/The White Gorilla [DVD]

It's not often that two films as dubious (though inarguably entertaining) as The Bride and the Beast and The White Gorilla are presented on DVD with the tender loving care VCI Entertainment has lavished on this ""Positively No Refunds"" double-feature disc. The Bride and the Beast (scripted by none other than Edward D. Wood Jr.) has been given a widescreen transfer to disc in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1 (letterboxed on conventional televisions and enhanced for anamorphic playback on 16x9 monitors), while The White Gorilla appears in its full-frame ratio of 1.33:1. The package notes claim both films have been transferred from their original negatives, and while there are occasional visible flaws in the original elements, these pictures look better than they ever have on home video (especially The White Gorilla), though the quality of the transfers sometimes call attention to the shoddy camera work on both movies. The audio for both films has been mastered in Dolby Digital Stereo, retaining the original monophonic sound mixes, and sounds as good as can be expected. Both features are in English, with no multiple language options or subtitles included. Extensive bonus materials have been included with this release, including commentary tracks for both movies. The Bride and the Beast commentary is hosted by author Tom Weaver, and also features actress Charlotte Austin and actor Slick Slavin (aka Trustin Howard), both of whom appear in the picture, as well as gorilla suit expert Bob Burns. Weaver and Burns team up again for the commentary on The White Gorilla. The disc also includes still galleries for both features, biographies of the leading cast members, a collection of trailers, and original footage from the silent serial Perils of the Jungle, which was re-used in The White Gorilla. VCI Entertainment really went the extra mile in putting together this DVD, and fans who embrace the ""so bad its good"" aesthetic will certainly be pleased with the results.
: Language:English
: Program Type:Movie
: Screen Format:Enhanced Widescreen for 16x9 TV
: Studio:Vci Video
: Region Code:0
: Sound Features:stereo
: Aspect Ratio:1.33:1
: Format:DVD
: Product Name:The Positively No Refunds: Bride and the Beast/The White Gorilla [DVD]
: Product Tags:DVD
Wedded bliss for a young couple (Lance Fuller and Charlotte Austin) is marred slightly by the bride's discovery of her husband's pet gorilla, for which she begins to develop an unnatural attraction; her husband's understandable jealousy leads him to destroy the ape. Hypnotic past-life regression leads Austin to the conclusion that she was actually a gorilla herself in a previous existence, which explains her obsession... sort of. The pair decide to get away from it all, journeying through some tedious stock footage to the jungles of Africa for a hunting safari, where yet another chest-pounding primate (besides Fuller, that is) has been waiting for just such a golden opportunity to have his way with the young lady. If this has the feel of an Ed Wood sub-classic, that's because it is -- at least by way of the screenplay. This may serve to explain the array of chic angora sweaters sported by Austin and the abundance of incongruous stock footage.~Cavett Binion
Name : Charlotte Austin: Role : Laura
Name : Lance Fuller: Role : Dan
Name : Johnny Roth: Role : Taro
Name : Steve Calvert: Role : The Beast
Name : William Justine: Role : Dr. Reiner
Name : Jeanne Gerson: Role : Marka
Name : Gilbert Frye: Role : Capt. Cameron
Name : Slick Slavin: Role : Soldier
Name : Bhogwan Singh: Role : Native
Name : Jean Ann Lewis: Role : Stewardess