Vinegar Syndrome’s latest slate of releases is unquestionably highlighted by PRIMAL RAGE (92 mins., 1988, Not Rated), an unintentional hoot of an Italian horror movie shot on location at Miami's Florida International University. Called by some a precursor to modern zombie thrillers like “28 Days Later,” the tongue was planted firmly in cheek (I think) in this effort from director Vittorio Rambaldi – the son of Carlo, the special effects genius who created “E.T.” -- which mixes American sensibilities with wild, ridiculous gore sequences and some hilarious moments that make for one of the most purely “fun” discs I’ve watched this year.
The story is simple: scientist Bo Svenson’s meddling with monkeys results in one of the writers from the student paper getting bitten – and turned into a mucus-spewing wild man who starts by throwing a tantrum in the emergency room and spreads to murder, proceeding to take his “Primal Rage” out on unsuspecting victims. The virus spreads around to another girl and then threatens to engulf the entire campus, unless it can be stopped by intrepid student reporter Patrick Lowe, who kicks off the fun by mopeding around campus, snapping pics of an aerobics class, to the strains of the movie’s would-be hit single “Say the Word” – an upbeat pop ditty by “The Facade Band” that factors heavily in the movie’s climax.
As you can tell “Primal Rage” is a goof but it’s a good one for folks whose sensibilities fall in line with this messy thriller that – deaths, severed heads and the Rambaldi family’s fabricated fungus infections aside – somehow manages to impart a “feel good” atmosphere even as the credits roll. Maybe it’s just that song, which makes you feel like you’re back in the ‘80s, the hero getting the girl and driving off into the sunset, all to the strains of melodious pop music.
Vinegar Syndrome premieres “Primal Rage” in a 4K UHD/Blu-Ray combo package (yes!) that offers a naturally filmic, beautifully detailed image, scanned in 4K (1.85) from its original camera negative. The mono soundtrack is clear (though the movie lists Dolby Stereo in the end credits, the source is only mono), the film featuring some ‘80s pop plus a score by Claudio Simonetti, and the extras are terrific. Presented on the accompanying Blu-Ray disc, “Primal Rage” features a full, feature-length Making Of documentary, “Baboon Bite Maniacs!,” which assembles surviving cast and crew for their fond memories of making this oddball genre exercise – it’s nearly as much fun as watching the film itself. A 2020 video interview with producer Bill Immerman and still gallery round out the release.