The Lost Skeleton Returns Again – DVD Review

The Film:

For all of the things that are – Terrifying! Horrific! Spine-tingling! - writer/director Larry Blamire has created a hoot of a film back in 2002 called The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, a French-kiss to the B-pictures of the 1950s. Made for pennies with props bought off of eBay, his black-and-white opus gathered a large underground following amongst sci-fi fans, but he delivered something more than a spoof of the genre. Most film making knuckleheads today, fail to truly capture the inane dialogue and merge it into a film that feels smart about its satirical ways. It’s the reason why the spoof genre is all but dead. The trick with all sequels is to out-do yourself from the previous effort, but continue what worked before, but Blamire has to do that on the finest of wires, otherwise The Lost Skeleton Returns Again would be hobbling mess.

Luckily, (slowly) he’s smarter than your (slowly) average farter.

Good thing too, because you really want this film to be fun, much like the movies he’s placing firmly into his cheek. The B-pictures of Ed Wood might have inspired the first film, The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, but Blamire aims to a different breed of B’s, Sam Katzman and Roger Corman for this sequel. That damn Jerranium 90 has everyone after it, even the mysterious reappearance of the Lost Skeleton and Animala! Blamire is in firm control of the humor, with the stiff and naive performances, as each actor is so great in their shell-shocked attitudes. You do kind of miss those old B-movies that are filled with a wacky monsters, kooky science, and the theremin score.

Most of the film is a pitch-perfect blend of satire and ode, but Blamire does loose us a little towards the end when the film switches to color and the Cantaloupe People. It just looses a little steam, that’s all. But the great chemistry of the Skull of the Lost Skeleton and Brian Howe keep us gleefully focused, and the fun rubber monster from the Chiodo Brothers (Killer Klowns from Outer Space) aids it. The Lost Skeleton Returns Again thrills! Chills! and Kills! us with a spoof done right.

The DVD:

Audio/Video: Shout! Factory picks up the sequel, where as the first was released by Sony, and continues their fine job. Shot on the cheap, the film looks average on DVD, due to the source, but would you want a super spiffy transfer? The vintage feels looks great, so don’t complain videophiles. The audio is decent too, far better than most of the mono tracks the film is spoofing.

Commentary: Larry Blamire, along with the editor and the cast, all chime in for a fun track. Blamire offers us plenty of good behind-the-scenes info, making of, and B-movie knowledge that should be worth the listen for fans. The rest offer us some light info, along with the humor, but fans shouldn’t mind.

Behind-the-Scenes: This 11-minute featurette is fun. While not EPK, it doesn’t seem focused, yet it covers the origins and the filming, all rather quickly.

Gag Reel: It is what these things are, just some goofs.

Conclusion: For 1950′s sci-fi fans who long for those lo-fi days.

The Film: Rating:

The DVD: Rating: