Vixen!

Bluesky

Severin Films are releasing Russ Meyer's Vixen trilogy in UHD, Blu-ray and DVD formats.

The first film, Vixen!, looks great on the 4K UHD. This version is making use of High Dynamic range but Meyer's film does not derive much benefit from this. Most of the film is shot in a well lit outdoor environment, it's not in black and white or special effects heavy. The contrasts between light and dark are mild and can be adequately displayed without the need for HDR.

The UHD version comes with two audio commentaries, the first by Meyer and the second by the star of the film Erica Gavin. Both are entertaining, varied and provide a lot of information about the film. The second commentary by Gavin, the film's star, should put to rest any qualms people may feel about Meyer as a film maker. Despite making exploitation films, Meyer didn't sexually exploit his actors, and didn't stand for anyone doing it on his film sets. The disc also comes with an original trailer which is a fun little watch.

The Blu-ray and DVD come with some added special features. There is the short prologue to the 1981 re-release of the film which is a poke against censorship, and a couple of archive interviews with the stars and director which are a bit samey after the audio commentaries. The best addition is a short documentary piece on the battles that Meyer had with the censors in Cincinnati. It shows something of how Vixen! pushed boundaries in the late Sixties. A modern audience might not appreciate how controversial a film it was back then.