4K Ultra HD تقييم - Street Trash (1987)

      Street Trash, 1987.

      Directed by J. Michael Muro.

      Featuring Mike Lackey, Vic Noto, Bill Chepil, R.L. Ryan, James Lorinz, and Nicole Potter.

      SYNOPSIS:

      A liquor store proprietor finds a box of bottles filled with a mysterious blue liquid and sells them to local drifters, unaware that the substance is harmful. The ‘body melt’ subgenre is an unusual branch of body horror that gained traction in the 1980s, partly due to the infamous Troma Entertainment's cult classics like The Toxic Avenger and Class of Nuke ‘Em High, as well as Street Trash, a vibrant and lively morality tale warning against consuming dubious blue liquids without first inquiring about them.

      While the main plot revolves around a liquor store owner who sells bottles labeled 'Tenafly Viper' containing blue liquid to various characters who enter his shop, there are several smaller narratives intertwined, with the Viper being the common link. Among these tales is that of Fred (Mike Lackey), a homeless man who interacts with several unusual characters in this dilapidated area of the city. He simply wants to drink his affordable $1 Viper but is saved from disaster by encounters with figures like Bronson (Vic Noto), a troubled Vietnam veteran with PTSD living in a junkyard run by Frank (R.L. Ryan), and the tightly wound cop Bill (Bill Chepil). In contrast, the other alcoholics in the film seem to melt into pools of blue and yellow once they encounter the beverage.

      Serving as a commentary reminiscent of Larry Cohen’s The Stuff, Street Trash is essentially a cornerstone of the body melt genre, even more so than the 1993 Australian cult classic Body Melt, despite the latter featuring Ian ‘Harold Bishop’ Smith from Neighbours, which is always entertaining. Despite stylistic similarities to the works produced by Troma during that period (including the participation of Troma regular R.L. Ryan), it is not classified as a Troma film.

      What distinguishes it from Troma is a sense of craftsmanship. The performances, largely amateur, are not outstanding, though R.L. Ryan is likely the most recognizable face if you've seen any Troma films of that era, and he is amusing in his portrayal of despicable roles. Director J. Michael Muro, who previously worked as a camera operator on several James Cameron projects and later became a prominent cinematographer, brings a level of expertise to the camerawork in Street Trash, allowing the audience to closely witness the grotesque body parts falling from their respective skeletons.

      The special effects are surprisingly impressive for a film of this nature, despite the neon-coloured liquids. One character meets a particularly gruesome demise involving a gas cylinder, and the practical effects are exceptional, exceeding typical expectations — Troma might have opted for a quick latex mask shot, but here the camera focuses intently on the detailed carnage. Though not photo-realistic, it complements the film's tone and remains convincing.

      However, despite the over-the-top gore, Street Trash has a distinctly mean-spirited character. None of the individuals portrayed are particularly likable, and there is no true protagonist, with Fred coming closest despite not being a genuinely good person. The film features toxic liquid consumption, bodies dissolving, and includes themes such as rape, gratuitous nudity, and violence — including the dismemberment of a penis tossed around the junkyard for humor — all pushing the boundaries of taste. This is done with a dark humor that is likely to provoke either laughter or disgust, and J. Michael Muro probably doesn't mind which reaction it elicits.

      The most surprising aspect of Street Trash is its lavish 4K UHD release, especially considering many high-budget films are still awaiting such upgrades, making this release particularly noteworthy. The disc is packaged in a limited edition VHS box to evoke the nostalgic feel of 1980s video shops and includes character art cards, a beermat, and a poster, appealing to collectors. Additionally, the disc features numerous extras, including two audio commentaries — one with Andrew Marshall-Roberts from The Nasty Pasty podcast and the other with author James Simpson and filmmaker Jason Impey — plus an interview with producer Frank M. Farel.

      As if that weren't enough, you also receive Meltdown Memoirs, a two-hour archive documentary on the making of the film, Melting in The Streets: The Legacy of Street Trash, a new retrospective on the film, a video essay by Darrell Buxton on the history of melt films, the short film Nightman Meltdown by Kieran Johnston & Jason Impey, along with deleted scenes, trailers, and various other features, totaling over eight hours of bonus material.

      So, is Street Trash worthy of such a deluxe upgrade? Perhaps not, but it certainly received one, and it's a magnificent sight. The vibrant colors of the various bodily fluids look stunning