1960s-era drive-in flick a 'cerebral' DVD arrival

• Article
• Comments ()
• Click-2-Listen
• Videos

By

Arguably the most cere- bral drive-in movie ever made, Wesley E. Barry's minimalist but mega-brained 1962 cult sci-fi film Creation of the Humanoids at last joins the DVD ranks, via Dark Sky Films ($14.98). It's our ...

DVD pick of the week

Part ontological meditation, part contemporaneous civil-rights parable, this post-apocalyptic gem pits the Klan-like Order of Flesh and Blood, led by the strident Cragis (Don Megowan), against a race of well-meaning, ever-evolving automata (called "clickers" by their bigoted human overseers) initially developed as slaves to help mankind's nuclear-war-depleted ranks.

When Cragis learns that his own sister Esme (Frances McCann) is "in rapport" with a clicker named Pax (David Cross), he vows to home-wreck that happy relationship.

While slight on action — the movie is virtually a filmed play — "Creation" more than compensates with Jay Simms' at once thoughtful and witty script, Mr. Barry's low-key (indeed, nearly no-key) direction, Ted Rich's garish pop-art set designs, veteran Hal Mohr's colorful cinematography and Universal Pictures legend Jack Pierce's robotic make-up effects.

And though not perfect, Dark Sky's new digital transfer represents a major improvement over long-withdrawn VHS versions we've seen.

Dark Sky's disc includes a bonus second feature, Antonio Margheriti's 1965 Italian space opus War Between the Planets, plus theatrical trailers and vintage drive-in intermission ads.

The same label also issues the jaw-dropping 1965 campfest Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster in a separate edition ($14.98), another must for couchside drive-in buffs.

Tele-video

Comedies of all stripes and eras dominate the week's TV-on-DVD slate. Warner Home Video continues the misadventures of Tom Wopat and John Schneider in The Dukes of Hazzard: The Complete Sixth Season and introduces the "Friends" spin-off Joey: The Complete First Season (four-disc, $39.98 each), starring Matt LeBlanc as the eponymous hero.