Forced Entry (After Hours Cinema) Review

Distributor: After Hours Cinema Edition Details: Standard DVD Movie Specs: Genres: Feature Film, Classic, Horror Run Time: 83 minutes Rated: X Release Year: 1973 Director: Shaun Costello (as Helmuth Richler) Written by: Shaun Costello (as Helmuth Richler) Director of Photography: Joel Shapiro (as Jayson Black) Cast: Laura Cannon, Harry Reems (as Tim Long), Jutta David, Shaun Costello (as Helmuth Richler), Ruby Runhouse, Nina Fawcett Release Specs: Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono Subtitles: none Video: Full Frame, 1.33:1 Video Format: NTSC Format: DVD Regional Code (for DVD/Blu-ray): 0 (All) Number of discs: 1

Forced Entry is the first feature film made by adult film director Shaun Costello. It was shot over a two day period and cost a grand total of $6,200 to make. Sadly, while there are hints of the talented director-to-come buried in this film, Forced Entry isn't a very good film as an adult film or as a horror film.

One of the biggest issues the film faces is the pacing. It feels long. Having only directed loops prior, Costello had not yet learned how to do proper pacing for a feature film bogging Forced Entry down with extra unnecessary footage that doesn't help the film at all. For instance, while Harry Reems is stalking Jutta David who is having sex with David (Shaun Costello) a lot of footage is shown with Reems on the fire escapes. While the footage is well shot, there isn't much action and this would have been a case where less is more applies. Not all the footage used was necessary and the viewer finds themselves looking at the clock after a while.

Another mistake was using Ruby Runhouse and Nina Fawcett for the ending scene. Costello explains they came free with the shooting location and they were hopped up on mescaline. The second is very obvious and the two become annoying really fast. Costello would have been better off to have figured out a way to shoot alternate footage with two other actresses and just not have included Runhouse and Fawcett in the final product. Their mescaline induced antics get old and wear on the scene.

The ending is also rather bad. I don't want to get into the details of it and ruin the film for those who want to see it, but it comes across as majorly overextended and forced in as a way to bring the film to an artificial end.

Not everything Costello did with the film was bad though. As noted earlier, there are glimpses of the director-to-be here. The opening with the police photographing the crime scene was very well constructed and had a mainstream feel to it. The gore was well done and, after learning how they were done, rather creative. Laura Cannon gives an absolutely amazing and unsettling performance as Reems' second victim.

The story is unique and interesting. The story focuses on a Vietnam veteran (Reems) who has returned home from the war and is now working at Joe's Friendly Service station. He steals the addresses of female customers who pay via credit card and use the information to stalk, rape, and kill them. However the story should have been more developed. Reems only stalks three times during the film. And while stalking and raping them, he has flashbacks to the war, which is shown through stock footage of the war that Costello purchased. While that was a cute idea, it doesn't work the best as the film is constantly flipping between Costello's footage and the stock footage.

All in all, Forced Entry might be interesting to watch to see Costello's first feature, but it is unlikely that one would ever want to watch it again.

After Hours Cinema has sadly skimped on this release and sadly the extras are what could have made this release worth picking up. Forced Entry is presented in the full screen aspect ratio of approximately 1.33:1. The print that After Hours Cinema has used for the master is not in good shape. The print sports heavy print damage and a multitude of artifacts. Colors are often on the light side and blacks come across as red in some portions. The film is watchable but collectors will probably be less than thrilled with this release.

Forced Entry is presented with an English Dolby Digital 2.0 monaural track. There are signs of age in the audio with pops and crackles. It may also be a problem with the original master, but there are portions that are hard to hear well. The audio isn't horrible, especially for the age of the film.

After Hours Cinema has included a few extras but really missed the boat on this release. There is a small booklet included by Shaun Costello on the making of the film. There are also three silent loops included on the disc, one in black and white and two are in color. One is in horrible shape and the other two are in poor shape. The only one identified by name is the second one “The Last Payment” from Eroticsex Films which has burned in English and German subtitles and stars Shaun Costello and Jean Parker. The first one stars Shaun Costello and the third, from Danish International (number 30), stars Harry Reems.

The booklet that comes with the disc is excellent, however, I really think that After Hours Cinema should have gone further with Costello for this release including, at least, a feature on what he thought of the film and how he might have done it different later had it not been his first feature and a feature-length commentary.

Forced Entry is the first feature to come from director Shaun Costello, that sadly isn't that good. While there are glimpses of the director-to-be in it, Costello's lack of knowledge on how to craft a feature shows heavily creating a film that is rather boring to watch. After Hours Cinema has gotten a less than stellar print to make the master from and has skimped on the extras.

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