COLLECTOR'S CRYPT - IMPULSE (GRINDHOUSE BLU-RAY)
The 1970s was a wild time in the USA. Presidential scandals, resignations, the rise of serial killers, and the spirit of free love and peace being bulldozed over by apathy and the trauma of war. It is often said that times of unease are great fodder for the horror genre, and it would be hard to argue that point considering the rise in horror and exploitation films that the ‘70s hath wrought. The ‘70s were also a time of transition for the film industry, as future auteurs began to blossom and studios were more likely to take risks to compete with the growing independent film industry. That risk-taking behavior led to some of the best and most memorable horror films of all time, but also some that have been long forgotten. Thankfully, companies like Grindhouse Releasing are here to rectify that with their newest release of a forgotten William Shatner thriller, Impulse. Long thought to be lost, this film has now gotten the deluxe 2-disc treatment, but is this an impulse to buy or avoid?
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
A paranoid, leisure-suit-wearing conman/gigolo named Matt Stone seduces lonely women, bilks them of their savings via an investment scam, then kills them. When he begins seeing an attractive widow, her daughter Tina becomes suspicious of his motives.
HOW IS IT?
“Impulse”, more than anything, is a product of its time. A time before the internet when people were more trusting of strangers, and when serial killers were becoming a serious threat across the US. It also includes one of the unhinged and odd performances Shatner gave, followed only by The Devil’s Rain. It is also a perfect grindhouse exploitation film as it contains all the hallmarks the genre is revered and reviled for; sleazy psychos, stalking and killing of women, and all with a slight twist on the “my mom is dating a maniac” trope seen across films as early as The Night of the Hunter and later into the ‘80s with Terry Quinn in The Stepfather. While “Impulse” is steeped in the time and place when it was made, it still has a broad appeal to those who enjoy the aesthetic of the long-gone 42nd St. era.
Matt Stone (William Shatner) has an origin story quite familiar to those immersed in true crime and familiar with films such as Pieces and Silent Night, Deadly Night. Bearing witness to his mother being sexually assaulted causes young Matt to stab her assailant, therefore landing him in an institution until he was begrudgingly released. “Impulse” picks up after Matt has been out for some time, and is stalking the women in the LA area with his ex-con partner, Karate Pete (Harold Sakata of Oddjob fame). The pair work in tandem as Matt assaults and kills the women, while Pete assists in robbing them so they both can continue pilfering the community. When Matt meets Ann and her daughter Tina, Tina becomes increasingly aware of Matt’s secrets. The premise is familiar and reflects a hodge-podge of inspirations reflecting the current state of the country and films that have dealt with imminent danger to a widowed mother and family. Shatner plays both parts of his persona with almost an eerie level of accuracy, seamlessly switching between a charming suitor and a crazed maniac with uncomfortable ease. You never sympathize with Matt, but then again, you’re not supposed to. This is curious since the film devotes much of the screen time to telling Matt’s story, even though his victims are the ones in peril. Aside from mourning the loss of their husband/father, Ann, and Tina are characterized as simply the next in a long line of victims for Matt and Pete, which holds the film back from keeping your attention throughout.
This is not to say that the film is boring, but rather that the most interesting scenes are the ones where bad things are happening. Seeing Matt string up his partner Pete for a supposed hanging, only to have Pete escape and then Matt chase him through a carwash then proceeding to run him over is one scene that will forever live in our memory. Still, it isn’t enough to propel the film forward and increase the tension. Things come to a head in the film when Matt breaks down and loses patience, causing him to attack those closest to Ann and Tina while still trying to rob everyone blind. Again, “Impulse” is at its best when it leans into the more exploitative elements and thankfully the third act delivers. The complete mental breakdown Matt suffers is a chilling performance and would’ve been better served if there was a stronger bond between Ann and Tina. “Impulse” misses opportunities to comment on the decreasing sense of safety and unease permeating throughout the country at the time by neglecting to devote much time to the family at the center of the story. They are simply the lucky ones who happened to encounter Matt on one of his worst days, rather than being representative of the fear so many Americans at the time felt due to the rise of serial killers and the feeling of powerlessness everyone felt having no way of catching these perpetrators. Nevertheless, these misses could largely be attributed to reflection in hindsight rather than errors of omission rather than commission.
HOW DOES IT LOOK?
The film is prefaced with a statement from Grindhouse stipulating that the original camera negative was long since destroyed, so they used an archival 35mm print as the foundation for their 4K restoration. Oftentimes these prefaces are there to set expectations on quality, and to be honest, it was hard to tell that the materials used weren’t originals. Credit to the restoration efforts of Grindhouse, who are no strangers to making old films look great, as this print looks quite good. There is a warm hue over the film that could be the byproduct of the 35mm source material, but that also may be part of the film's charm. The film is presented in 1080p HD in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Images from this release are used throughout this review and below.
HOW DOES IT SOUND?
Given the age of the film and the quality of the source material, the sound elements seem to be intact and come through clearly. The mono audio track is crisp and easy to differentiate between diegetic sound, dialogue, and action. Considering the action here is quite light it does give way to enjoying the moody soundtrack and backing score. It is hard to make the case for an upgraded audio track, even if one was available.
ANYTHING SPECIAL?
We have lamented, on more than one occasion, about the slow decline of special features on studio releases and how boutique labels have picked up that slack. Grindhouse Releasing is one of the longer-standing boutique labels in the genre, and with this being the first release as a part of the MVD Entertainment family they really pulled out the stops. This 2-disc sec is absolutely loaded with extras, and for the discerning Shatner fan many of these will be a dream. The first feature we looked at was The Making of Impulse, a 15-minute featurette consisting of interviews primarily with director Willima Grefé, with some crew appearances and one by Frank Henenlotter. This short, but dense making of is focused primarily on how they got financing and working with Shatner, as well as coverage on sound design. One fact that Grefé dropped that helped convince producers to invest was that people under 30 go to the theater on average 47 times a year (in the 1970s), and his investor group was comprised of men largely over 60. He asked them how many times they went to the movies that year, and almost all of them only had gone once or twice. He used this to justify not showing them the script beforehand, stating that they wouldn’t know what the public wants because they don’t go to see movies as much. And it worked!
Before moving onto the other feature, it must be mentioned that there are easter eggs on theses discs, and one of them we came across by accident when looking in the audio menu. We won’t tell you all too much, but it’s nice to see that Grindhouse hasn’t forgone the fun and excitement that comes with finding easter eggs on these discs. The other feature we reviewed was a 26 minute documentary on Shatner’s career titled, Between the Treks. This is an interview and retrospective with a Shatner enthusiast who talks in detail about the Canadian actors rise to fame, and the various films he did in-between his work on Star Trek. Shatner is portrayed as a daring actor who is always up for a challenge, as is evident in his work in the film Incubus and Kingdom of the Spiders. His motivations were to break free from the Captin Kirk persona and play off his charm without being beholden to it. A full list of special features included in this release are below.
Bonus Materials
Spectacular new 4K restoration created from rare archival film elements
Two-disc set containing over 15 hours of bonus materials!
KINGDOM OF THE SHATNER - William Shatner Live in Santa Monica - Oct. 9, 2022
Provocative, in-depth interviews with director William Grefé
Additional interviews with producer and make-up artist Doug Hobart (FLESH FEAST, SCREAM BABY SCREAM) and art director Roger Carlton Sherman
Audio commentary by William Grefé
Haunting alternate French soundtrack
Hours of rare cinematic treasures from the vaults of William Grefé
Glossy illustrated booklet with liner notes by acclaimed underground filmmaker Jacques Boyreau
Beautiful, embossed slipcover with new art by esteemed painter Dave Lebow
Collectible postcard featuring original oil portrait of William Shatner by artist Dave Lebow
Still galleries, trailers
Two Bonus Feature Films
And Other Surprises!
LAST RITES
“Impulse” is both the most and least Shatner movie you’re likely to see. It revels in its exploitative designs and while dated, still speaks to a pervasive fear that there are bad people out there who like to do bad things. Still, for film enthusiasts this set is a must-buy as it includes a wealth of special features that justify purchase outright!
THE GORY DETAILS
Thank you to the fine fiends over at MVD ENTERTAINMENT for providing a review copy for the crypt! Impulse is available NOW and can be purchased via MVD DIRECTor GRINDHOUSE RELEASING DIRECT!
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