Blu-Ray Review: ‘FRANKENHOOKER’

Frank Henenlotter’s Frankenhooker hits Blu-Ray this week and we are proud to get an advance look at the Blu-Ray. For those of you that were actually around when video stores were around, you might remember this film not because of the title of the name of the film but probably because of the cover art and, for some of you lucky few, the audio activated button on the front that said “Wanna Date?” Previously released on DVD by Unearthed Films, Synapse brings us the high-definition release of Henenlotter’s early 90’s entry of comedic horror.

Frankenhooker stars James Lorinz (Street Trash) as Jeffery Franken, a medical school reject whose fiancee, played by Penthouse Pet Patty Mullen, is horribly killed in a accident by the hands of one of his creations – a remote controlled lawnmower. Feeling responsible for her death, Jeffery decides to use his knowledge of science to good use and try to rebuild her. Obviously, with a title like Frankenhooker you know what major story it is cribbing off of. However, for those of you not familiar with director Frank Henenlotter, or even to those you are, the film’s story can be a bit unpredictable with delightfully wicked results.

What I have always liked about Frankenhooker was Patty Mullen’s charm and the almost light-hearted way it handles the basic story. When I rented this back in the 90’s, I loved it. It was the first Henenlotter film I had seen and to me, as a young teenager growing up in the boring Midwest, was one of my first glimpses at New York City. The 80’s staples are evident with nudity & gore – if you really want to call it gore, I call it unique ways of killing a room full of hookers – and even some neon colored slime show up. Frankenhooker was a blast to watch as a teenager and still is a blast to watch as a 30 year old. One thing that I do wish was that Patty Mullen would have done more films as I think she was the heart of the film besides the bizarre series of events that are in the film.

The Presentation

Synapse Films, as always, hit a home run with their transfer. It is an all-new 2K high-definition transfer created from original vault materials. This is the best the film has looked, maybe even better than it’s original theatrical release. It highlights the purple color scheme that got a bit lost in the home video release. The Audio tracks provided are a new, digitally remastered 5.1 DTS-HD MA track as well as a 2.0 Stereo DTS-HD MA track. The 5.1 soundtrack sounded great with very small evidence of over production.

Special Features

• Audio Commentary with Director Frank Henenlotter & Make-Up Effects Designer, Gabe Bartalos – This sounds like the same commentary from the Unearthed Films release but I’m not 100% sure. Either way the commentary is a great listen and the stories that are shared make up for the lack of Henenlotter’s presence in the video featurettes.
• A Salad That Was Once Named Elizabeth – This and the below special features are definitely ported over from the Unearthed Films release but since that DVD is Out of Print, this is a welcome edition. It only reminds you that Patty Mullen had a lot of fun with the film and totally understood what Henenlotter was doing. Even though the main reasoning behind her getting this role was that she was a Penthouse pet, I think Henenlotter saw something in her that was more than just a sex symbol – she still looks great by the way.
• A Stich in Time: The Make-Up Effects of Frankenhooker – Bartalos shares some stories of on set happenings and how the effects were created. To be honest though, while Bartalos has fun with the feature, I thought the Bunny Ranch material was a little out of place and seemed to be more of an excuse to just film something there. I guess it loosely fits but it still seems out of place.
• Turning Tricks: Jennifer Delora Remembers Frankenhooker – Quite possibly the best feature, as long as you like Delora’s attitude, on the disc. She is honest and entertaining. Also, much respect to her standing up to James Lorinz – who Delora paints to be a bit of a drama queen. It is a great feature that almost gives you an outsider’s look into the behind the scenes production as she wasn’t a main character in the film.
• Jennifer Delora’s Frankenhooker Photo Scrapbook – This one is kind of fun to look at as it is a video slideshow with photos from Delora’s own collection with her commentary
• Theatrical Trailer

Overall, for Henenlotter fans, this is definitely to pick up. If you have never seen Frankenhooker, what the hell are you waiting for? Make a date.