"Actor: Sybil Martin"

• The Mad Butcher | DVD | (06/10/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Apart from its obvious Sweeney Todd influence this Italian production released by Harry Novak (which is also known as The Stranger Of Vienna and Meat Is Meat) exudes a strong Grand Guignol flavour thanks mainly to its ghoulish subject matter and the use of cheap bargain basement theatrical sets.

• Something Weird Collection | DVD | (26/05/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  There's schlock-horror movie-making par excellence from producer Dick Randall in this Something Weird Collection 1 twofer. Meat Is Meat (1971) finds mad butcher Otto Lehman back in the Viennese community doing what he does best. With its Sweeney Todd overtones this is not for the faint of stomach, but those who enjoy seeing nagging wives and creepy sidekicks transformed into sausages will lap up accordingly. Victor Buono is perfect casting as Lehman, with Brad Harris stylish as the bored American journalist who rumbles his activities and Karen Field looking good as the housekeeper next door. Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks (1973) is less OTT than the title suggests. Rossano Brazzi (earlier of South Pacific!) is a thoughtful Count Frankenstein, while Michael Dunn is seriously unlikable as necrophile dwarf Genz. As anthropologist-cum-sex kitten Krista, Christiane Royce brings a welcome sophistication to this gloss on the hoary Karloff classic, whose opening "location" sequence and standard of dubbing has to be seen to be believed. On the DVD: The Something Weird Collection 1 DVD presentation is of the no-frills variety usual with Siren releases. With decent remastering at 1.33:1 aspect ratio the lurid colour of both films comes through unadulterated. An added attraction is the poster gallery of low-budget shockers with mildly psychedelic soundtrack to boot. It's good, if not so clean fun for all the family. --Richard Whitehouse