Deadly Prey (1987) / The Deadliest Prey (2013)
Company: Olive Films along with Slasher Video, under there
Martini Entertainment line.
Starring: Ted Prior, Cameron Mitchell, Troy Donahue, Fritz
Matthews, David Campbell, Dawn Abraham, Tara Sandford Kleinpeter, Art James,
Cat Tomeny, and Michael Prior.
My Review and Thoughts:
Here we enter a double feature of two action packed low
budget, Drive-In wonderment's of the B-movie class. A true dose of perfect B-Movies to entertain.
Deadly Prey is a trip back to the Ma and Pa video stores. As I have often
stated, I miss those days of entering movie heaven, role after role of VHS cover
art. Those days are long gone, but as long as there are companies like Olive
Films, Slasher Video, Martini Entertainment, there will be outlets to experience, these cheesy beauties once again.
Our first feature is Deadly Prey, starring Ted Prior. Your
main character is Michael Mike Danton (Ted Prior). Colonel Hogan is
your main baddie, who uses his mercenaries in any situation for the right price.
Danton minding his own business, taking out the trash one day is kidnapped. He
is forcefully taken to a wooden area, striped, and placed in a human hunting
situation. Hogan is using innocent people for training his new troops. But what
Hogan doesn’t realize is they took the wrong man. Danton is not your average
person. Danton is a Vietnam Veteran with the skills of killing, and taking out
enemies one by one.
This is a great 80’s action on the lines of a B-movie, but
all fun entertainment. It’s fun, cheesy, and a wonderful trip back into the world
of lower budget action films of the 80’s. A perfect late night, Drive-In style
cinematic cheese-fest of perfection. Fighting, guns, and victims.
Olive Films, Slasher Video, Martini Entertainment did a
fantastic job in bringing this forgotten 80’s film to Blu-ray.
Next up is the sequel to Deadly Prey, known as The Deadliest
Prey. This takes place years later. This was made in 2013, so you can see the
huge gap. 27 years, the wait was long, but the result was b-movie greatness.
What is so great about this, is everyone is back for a second dose of butt kicking.
Danton 27 year’s later, take out the dam trash again, and is kidnapped yet again
by the cat and mouse mercenaries. Danton is placed again back in the woods, and
must fight again to survive the ordeal. The blood is more, the deaths are more, leading to that phrase, the second time around is more, more, more. Ted Prior
returns to the part he made famous (giggles). Danton must fight to survive his ordeal
again, and now it’s no holds bar. Also returning from the original is David
Campbell and Fritz Matthews. Also another family member joins the cast of the
Prior. You are introduced to Michael Prior. Michael worked also on two other David
Prior films, Lost at War which he was second assistant director, and on Zombie
Wars, which he played the character of Young David. So it’s a family affair in
these b-movie wonderment's.
Now if you don’t know both of these where directed and
written by David A. Prior. And stars his brother in the main lead character Ted
Prior. David Prior sadly passed this year in August 2015. Prior was a genius of
lower budget cinema. He has directed and created many films. He was the
co-founder of Action International Pictures, or simple known as AIP. He created
some of the greatest cheesy films of all time. He was a true B-movie god and
guru that never got the stardom he deserved. I feel that he is as great, as Roger
Corman.
Prior created one of the first slasher films to ever be shot on tape,
the one and only B-movie 1983’s Sledgehammer. If you haven’t seen it, then it
can’t be explained. Prior has always been a part of my life, growing up watching
all his action cheese fest, and horror b-movies.
He was everything that
is great about making movies. He did it his way, his style, and his vision. I
can mention many films that he created that would leave you in a world of
B-movie bliss. With films like, ManKillers (1987), Killer Workout (1987), Death
Chase (1988), Future Force (1989), The Final Sanction (1990), and so many
others. He worked all the way up to his death. His last film being co-writer to
the 2015’s, Dancin’: It’s On! Directing 34 movies in his career. Sadly 59 years
old is way too young to die, he had so many other wonderful b-movies to create.
There is one thing I was always
guaranteed going into his films, I was going to be thoroughly entertained no
matter how cheesy they were.
Another great aspect about Deadly Prey is it has some great co-stars the one
and only Hollywood acting legend Cameron Mitchell. Mitchell needs no
introduction to the film world, starring in many countless films both great and
small. They Were Expendable, Flight to Mars, Carousel, Blood and Black Lace,
Hombre, The Toolbox Murders, The Swarm, The Demon, Without Warning, Night Train
to Terror, Memorial Valley Massacre and many others. He starred in many high
budget films, all the way to cheesy, low budget B-movie glories. He was a true
golden age actor that left a world of entertainment to many fans. It was great
seeing him in this.
Starring your main lead Ted Prior really needs no
introduction also to the countless fans of B-movies. He was in many of his
brother’s films, and also in many other cheesy wonderment's such as, Surf Nazi’s
Must Die. He is a fantastic action B-movie star. A perfect blend of over the
top entertainment in all its glory.
Deadly Prey also has the wonderful, sexy
Troy Donahue, another Hollywood star. He was an ultimate sex symbol in the 50’s
and 60’s. Not only an actor but a singer. He stared in one my favorite Sci-fi
films, 1957’s The Monolith Monsters. He was in many films both great and small. Later
in life he was in the amazing, The Godfather Part 2, and one my favorite films, John Water’s Cry-Baby. It was really great seeing him in Deadly Prey.
Audio/Video:
Now you have to realize that the original Deadly Prey was
never treated well, and so the best available elements have been brought to
this blu-ray. I think the film has never looked any better than this release.
You have to realize Deadly Prey was remastered from a PAL Beta SP format. It
was transferred to Blu-ray in this style. It’s rough at times, but still is a
great example of bringing out an 80’s film that never really was treated well
in the first place. Slasher Video, Olive Films and Martini entertainment did an
utterly awesome job in my viewpoint.
Deadly Prey has an aspect ratio of 1.33:1
The Deadliest Prey has an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and looks
wonderful on this blu-ray.
Special Features:
Something I love about the Slasher Video releases is they come with special features. I wish Olive Films would realize that is what collectors, and fans want. They want extras on
their Blu-ray’s. Thankfully the Slasher releases through Olive Films blu-ray and DVD has done that.
On Deadly Prey you get the Extras:
Photo Gallery, Dubbed Prey, Deadly Prey Trailer, Interview
with Makeup Effects Artist Jack Hojohn, and outtakes.
On The Deadliest Prey you get the special features:
Interview with Ted Prior, Interview with David A. Prior,
Interview with David Campbell, Interview with Fritz Matthews.
Overall:
This was a great double feature. Weather you watch them a part or together like I did, it's all entertainment. Back to back
B-movie action films that leave you smiling in perfect entertain bliss. Slasher
Video, Olive Films through the Martini Entertainment created awesome, must
own, must see blu-ray's for any fan who love the B-movie style.
I was thoroughly happy
and pleased with both of these wild, over the top, perfect examples of B-class
action. It doesn’t get any better than these two wild, films on great blu-ray
releases. Rest in Peace David A. Prior.
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