Blu-ray Review: THE EXTERMINATOR – ‘80s Vigilante Movie Still Holds Relevance Today
Vigilantes in movies have always been a popular concept, from the D.W. Griffiths 1913 western A Misunderstood Boy to last years Kick-!*$% audiences have enjoyed the idea of "Ordinary Joes" taking the law into their own hands to right societys wrongs and ensure justice is done. While vigilantes have remained a regular theme throughout the years, the genre has never been more prolific than during the 1970s and early 80s. Films such as Taxi Driver, Death Wish and The Exterminator, which is released on Blu-ray for the first time this week, took vigilantism to new levels, pushing boundaries of acceptable violence on film and reflecting the changes in American values following the Vietnam War.
John Eastland (Robert Ginty Coming Home) is a Vietnam veteran who, having survived a torture ordeal and witnessed the brutal deaths of his friends, returns home to a tough neighbourhood in New York. When some local thugs take a dislike to his best friend Mike (Steve James The Delta Force), leaving him paralysed, something snaps in Eastland. Taking the law into his own hands, the former marine sets out to clean the streets of every low-life, good-for-nothing gangbanger, mobster and ghetto ghoul across the city in a savage orgy of vigilante vengeance. However Detective James Dalton (Christopher George - Chisum) is in hot pursuit of The Exterminator and planning to put a stop to his trail of death and destruction.
Ginty makes for an unusual lead as Eastland. The chubby-cheeked star lacks the charisma and one-liners of Charles Bronson or the intensity of RobertDe Niros Travis Bickle but still somehow manages to be just as engaging and steely-eyed in his exploits. Support comes from Steve James who some will know from American Ninja but aside from a Vietnam set prologue and a brief warehouse fight he doesnt get many opportunities to kick !*$%. Christopher Georges detective serves as the ying to Eastland's yang, they are both from similar backgrounds but have chosen very different paths. When he is investigating the killings around the city he adds an important counterpoint to the story but a distracting sub-plot involving George and his relationship with a nurse played by Samantha Eggar is totally unnecessary slowing the film down in places and is rather tenuously linked to the main narrative.
Despite the films exploitation style and Video Nasty roots the film still proves to be relevant by touching on subjects such as racism, gang violence, paedophilia and euthanasia. However the treatment of such topics is far from subtle and the violence is extreme to say the least. People fed on a diet of Saw style torture porn may find the film to be twee in its depiction of violence with some of the more lurid details happening off screen but a number of scenes are still pretty shocking. Within the first five minutes we are treated to an impressively real throat slitting and decapitation sequence with excellent special effects by the legendary Stan Winston. Further highlights of the gratuitous brutality include a mob boss being fed through an industrial meat grinder, numerous villains burned by a flame thrower, poisoned bullets and many more meticulously planned acts of depravity.
Writer and director James Glickenhaus doesnt flinch from showing New York as a dark, decaying, desperate place populated by scum and villainy all of which is vital to making Eastlands crusade all the more necessary. Literally starting with a bang during theVietnam prologue Glickenhaus keeps things moving at a reasonable rate and aside from the previously mentioned cop and nurse sub-plot the film rarely pauses for breath. However the film does suffer from a slightly disjointed feel with some pretty harsh transitions between scenes making it feel like the story was loosely formed around a few ideas for violent deaths.
Despite the films faults, most of which can be blamed on the miniscule budget, it still remains an entertaining addition to the vigilante genre and still has the power to shock with some extreme acts of violence carried out by the leading man. It may lack the notoriety of some of the classics from the same period but The Exterminator holds relevance today and proved popular enough to warrant a sequel four years later which if you enjoy the original is worth seeking out for more of the same.
Quality
Ive often thought that so-called Video Nasties should be viewed on the sketchiest format possible to retain an authentic Snuff-like cinéma-vérité feel to the film. Luckily the HD transfer for The Exterminator is not too polished and actually doesnt stray too far from its VHS roots in places but dont let that put you off. The picture presented in the original aspect ratio of 1.78:1 is still clear and crisp and is certainly the best the film has ever looked, but by not restoring the print too much and keeping scratches and heavy grain in the image it manages to maintain the grind house, exploitation style originally intended.
The soundtrack is presented with two options; a stereo DTS-HD Master Audio or the original mono track and both are very good considering the age and quality of the original source. Again this is probably the best the film has ever sounded with minimal crackle or hiss but it is still limited and not likely to be the disc you would choose to show off your system to your mates.
Extras
As with all recent releases from Arrow Video, this Blu-ray is well served with a solid set of extras. The best of the bunch is an audio commentary with Mark Buntzman, producer of The Exterminator and writer/ director of The Exterminator 2 in conversation with Calum Waddell. Buntzman provides an entertaining, well paced talk track covering pretty much everything you would want to know about the film.
The films director James Glickenhaus provides a short introduction as well as taking part in Fire And Slice: The Making of The Exterminator, essentially just an interview with Glickenhaus but never the less an informative discussion of the film. The only other extra is a slightly bizarre look at how 42nd Street in New York has changed from the sleaze centre of the city to the tourist district it is now. Basket Case director Frank Henenlotter presents this look at the area and seems oddly saddened that the neighbourhood has been cleaned up.
Completing the package is a collectors booklet featuring brand new writing on the film from critic David Hayles as well as the now obligatory Arrow Video choice of reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork. Also included is a double sided fold out poster, all in all a decent package.
Film 4 out of 5
The Exterminator is a solid entry into the vigilante genre. With its unusual leading man and extreme ultra-violence it hits upon many issues still relevant today.
Visuals 3 out of 5
The film has never looked better but it is still gritty enough not to lose its grind house roots.
Audio 3 out of 5
The disc includes both a new stereo mix and the original mono soundtrack which much like the picture quality is thankfully not too polished.
Extras 3 out of 5
A reasonable selection of extras but it is only really the audio commentary that goes into any depth on the film.
Presentation 4 out of 5
As always, an excellent presentation from Arrow Video featuring a selection of reversible covers, a comprehensive booklet and a poster.
Overall 3 out of 5
The Exterminator may not be as well known as genre classics Death Wish and Taxi Driver but is certainly worthy of a mention in the same sentence and deserves to be re-discovered with this Blu-ray release.
The Exterminator is available on Blu-ray now.