She Beast

Michael Reeves' debut movie, The She-Beast, made its DVD bow as a public domain title from Alpha Video. This release isn't a very good treatment of the movie -- the source is a grainy and scratched 16mm print that presents the movie, originally shot in widescreen, in a full-screen (1.33-to-1) image that is uneven but generally washed out. The movie itself was done on a perilously low budget, and these flaws only make it look far poorer as a production. On the other hand, it is easy to appreciate many of the subtleties of Reeves' direction from what is here -- he knew his horror movies and he knew what made them work and how to translate those elements to his own work. So as an introduction to Reeves' work, flawed though it is, this isn't a bad release. But to really appreciate the movie, something better is needed and has yet (as of early 2007) to reach the marketplace. The usual Alpha six-chapter breakdown and simple, easy-to-use menu are on hand, and the playback is at least consistent even if the quality is lacking.