Search - Morgana on DVD

This is BLONDE HEAVEN

Gregory Holmes | 04/14/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This film is actually David DeCoteau's BLONDE HEAVEN in an edited and strangely renamed version. Why Full Moon decided to release this film under the enigmatic title of MORGANA is a mystery to me, since there is no character in the film named Morgana. The cover art declares that "Julie Strain is MORGANA" but all through the film she is referred to as Illyana and is listed as such in the end credits. The cover photo art also has nothing to do with the film.

The plot concerns a group of shape-shifting, rune worshiping vampires who run an escort service in Hollywood! Angie, a wannabe actress from Peachtree Oklahoma gets mixed up with the group and draws the attention of "coven leader" Illyana. It is up to her boyfriend Kyle (who has followed her to Hollywood from Peachtree) and his vampire hunting buddy, Pluto to save Angie from the vampires. There is lots of neck biting and hot vampire sex along the way.

As with all David DeCoteau films, this one is beautifully photographed and one gorgeous, hypnotic scene follows another. Sadly, many of the more erotic segments are obviously truncated and edited to get an R rating (in particular the stunning vampire orgy at the music video party). Why Full Moon choose not to release an unedited version of this film is another mystery. Many scenes seem to be missing altogether and some appear to be out of order. I have a copy of the unedited opening sequence of this film (it is available as one of the extra features on DeCoteau's Lunar edition DVD of VOODOO ACADEMY) and there are significant cuts made from that version and the one that appears on this DVD. It is a rather sad state of affairs. DeCoteau took his name off the picture and it joins several other films he directed for Full Moon on the Ellen Cabot resume.

The DVD transfer is pan and scan. I don't know what aspect ratio the film was originally shot in. The transfer looks pretty good but some scenes have an awful lot of grain. I don't know if this is just a bad transfer or if the film stock had problems. The diologue sounds muffled in many places as well, although the Reg Powell soundtrack is brilliant and clear. The DVD is very much a bare bones affair. There are no chapter stop menus (although you can skip ahead on the DVD) and the only extra is a few Full Moon trailers. The trailer included on the disc for MORGANA contains scenes that do not appear in the movie. Something crazy really went on with the editing of this film.

I have given the film Five stars in spite of the all the problems with the DVD. The film is so beautiful, hypnotic, silly and campy that I found it hard to resist. Any movie where a character utters the line "Die Vampire fiend!" has to be a classic of some sort. Hopefully one day this film will be issued in a properly edited and restored version but until then, we can be happy that we have at least this much BLONDE HEAVEN."

Trash

C. swann | usa | 05/02/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"This is really a piece of trash and that's where it is going. Amazon advertised the "unrated" version" sent the "R" version. Really dissapointed with Amazon. Don't waste your money."

WRONG RATING

Larry J. | St. Louis MO. | 01/13/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"AMAZON LISTS UNRATED BUT IS A R RATED ONE HAD TO SEND BACK TO SELLER !!"

SOFT PORN

Gregory Holmes | 02/17/2009

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I GOT THIS DVD BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS A TYPICAL VAMPIRE MOVIE.IT'S NOT.I ONLY WATCHED 20 MINUTES OF IT.IT'S NOTHING BUT NUDITY AND SEX."