Ever wonder what the people over at Cult Epics do when they're not compiling great short film collections? Or doing one of their amazing transfers? Fear not, I have the answer; they're directing their own movies.
FILM- Bettie Page: Dark Angel covers the life of America's most (in)famous pin- up girl at the high point of her bondage career. It shows the in depth relationship she had with Irving Klaw (the only person she modeled bondage for), her quest for stardom, and her emotional instability. Aside from showing her life and troubles, we also get the reenactments of 6 "lost" 16mm loops (Klaw destroyed them just before being raided by the feds). The biopic begins to close with Bettie's downward spiral; (brought on by loose relationships, federal "decency" investigations, and a stalker) and ends with her shocking conversion to Christianity.
Only two kind of people are ballsy enough to tackle a biopic about Bettie; idiots and geniuses. I'm pleased to say Nico B is the latter. This film is dead on. From that Tennessee twang that Bettie talks with, to the emotional roller coaster than controlled the later part of her life; this film shows it all. I really like how this film steered away from her nude modeling and focused on what made her the "Dark Angel". Also, Nico B. really showed the Klaw/Page/Yeager relationship very well. The recreations look very nice, and don't overpower the main film at all. This film does the last years of the late model's career justice. 8/10.
PICTURE/ AUDIO- Dark Angel was shot in 2004, so I didn't expect age to have affected this film. The picture is amazing! Much better than I could have imagined. My only let down was that I was hoping for a little more "age damage" on the bondage reenactments, but that is no big deal. 9/10.
The audio is just like the picture; great, but lacking on a few things. While there are no audio blemishes or fading, the voice over narration seems too soft compared to the rest of the sound. Aside from that, everything is really, really good (including the soundtrack!). 9/10
EXTRAS- Cult Epics sure knows how to round out a good dvd; pile on the extras! The 2 disk set comes with: A 5 part behind the scenes look at the recreations (with a bonus nude photo shoot), 3 original music recordings, a photo gallery, and two trailers. The second disk is entitled "How to Pose Nude by Bunny Yeager". It includes footage shot by Nico B. during several photo shoots, a photo gallery, and 2 short clips (The Maid & Date with Paige). it's impossible not to give this a 10/10.
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