Blue Sunshine [2 Discs]

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Several former college students find their former drug experiences catching up with them in an unexpected and terrifying manner in this clever horror outing. Jerry Zipkin (Zalman King) is a bright but troubled man in his late twenties who graduated from Stanford University in 1968 but hasn't had much luck getting his life in order since then. One night Jerry attends a party with a few old college buddies, and is shocked when one of them, Frannie (Richard Crystal), suddenly loses all his hair in a single lump and goes on a bloody rampage. When circumstantial evidence makes Jerry a key suspect in the murders of three women at the party, he sets out to find out what happened, and with the help of another school friend, surgeon David Blume (Robert Walden), he discovers a link between Frannie's bizarre behavior and several similar incidents which recently occurred. In each case, the killers attended Stanford in the late '60s, and all had used Blue Sunshine, a potent but tainted variety of LSD sold by Ed Flemming (Mark Goddard), a bootleg acid chemist who is now a respected mainstream political candidate. Jerry struggles to stay one step ahead of the law as he tries to piece the story together, knowing that another victim of the drug could go insane at any moment. Blue Sunshine was directed by Jeff Lieberman, who has two other cult favorites to his credit, Squirm and Just Before Dawn. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 2
• Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 (Alternate Wide Screen)
• Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
• Features:
  • New anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1), supervised by director Jeff Lieberman
  • Brand new Dolby Digital 5.1 remix created and mixed for home video environments
  • Original mono soundtrack
  • Full running audio commentary by director Jeff Lieberman
  • Original short film "The Ringer" directed by Jeff Lieberman
  • Still gallery
  • Rare original theatrical tailer
  • Liner notes
  • 30-minute video interview: "Lieberman on Lieberman"
  • Never-before-released original soundtack CD available only in this package

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Alice Ghostley - O'Malley's Neighbor

• Director:

  Jeff Lieberman

• Producer:

  George Manasse

• Screenwriter:

  Jeff Lieberman

• Composer (Music Score):

  Charles Gross

• Editor:

  Brian Smedley-Aston

• Makeup:

  Norman Page

REVIEW:

• This odd yet intriguing blend of horror and thriller trappings lacks the craftsmanship to live up to its potential, but has won a cult following thanks to its mix of shocks and social commentary. The best element is director Jeff Lieberman's script, which infuses its drug/political paranoia plot with an undertone of criticism toward the wild hippies who became placid yuppies and populate the script with quirky but believable characters. Unfortunately, Blue Sunshine suffers from inconsistent acting; the biggest problem in this area is leading man Zalman King, who overdoes the method-acting theatrics in an attempt to make his character seem intense. However, Robert Walden turns in a witty, low-key performance as helpful doctor David Blume and Ray Young is downright terrifying as an ex-drug addict turned brutal bodyguard. Blue Sunshine also dilutes its effectiveness with some experiments that don't work (for example, a scene where King enters the house and "relives" the murders that happened there) and an anti-climactic ending that leaves too many loose ends untied. However, it remains compelling despite these flaws thanks to Lieberman's ability to create taut suspense set pieces; highlights include a scene in which a deranged victim of the title drug pursues the children she is babysitting with a butcher knife and an unexpectedly brutal attack that happens in a placid condo setting. Ultimately, Blue Sunshine is too uneven to please a general audience, but offers enough moments of interest for fans of horror films and offbeat cult items. ~ Donald Guarisco, Rovi