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Delirium
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray ALL - America - Severin Films Review written by and copyright: Eric Cotenas (23rd January 2022). |
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The Film
 When secretary Susan Norcross (Debi Chaney) comes home late one night and discovers her roommate Jenny (Pat Knapko) impaled through her bedroom door on a spear, she immediately suspects that the killer is Charlie (Nick Panouzis), a young man who showed up at the office for a job interview. Investigating detectives Paul Dollinger (Turk Cekovsky) and Larry Mead (Terry TenBroek) have little else to go on, and suspect that Susan's boss Donald Andrews (Bob Winters) may be hiding something since he can tell them little more than Susan despite conducting an hour-long interview. Their time is divided between the murder and the apparent but unlikely suicide of a thief and murderer who repeatedly escaped justice through technicalities. When Jenny's stolen car is found not far from the body of a hitchhiker (Letty Garris) who washes up on the beach, however, the detectives at least have something of a trail but still no idea as to what is driving the man to kill and when he will strike next. The only person who seems to know what is going on in Charlie's head is Eric Stern (Barron Winchester), a paramilitary officer who knew Charlie in Vietnam and has been using him and other fellow soldiers as part of a vigilante operation seeking justice for those who have been wronged and are rich enough to pay for it, among them Andrews who is cracking under the pressure of the investigation. Stern does not like having his methods questioned and routinely arranges for accidents among those who cross him. As Dollinger and Mead discover a common link between a number of strange suicides of other criminals who have evaded justice, Susan is targeted for death when she starts snooping on her own quest for justice for her roommate (and to help love interest Mead). Although Delirium – also known as "Psycho Puppet" – has its share of blood-spatter, some car crashes, gnarly squib hits, Vietnam warfare reenactments in rural fields and derelict industrial complexes, as well a couple neat explosions, the Missouri-lensed regional flick was largely forgotten stateside where it gathered dust on the shelves with a slasher-esque cover while the audience draw scenes of scantily-clad and nude women brutalized by a crazed Vietnam vet gave the film a bit of infamy in the U.K. during the Video Nasty hysteria. Although structured as two parallel stories, the film really cannot seem to decide if it is a crazed killer film or a vigilante violence film (director Peter Maris avers that he was brought in during production when the original director was inadequate, so he might have had little or nothing to do with some or all of the Charlie scenes since the actor never interacts onscreen with any of the main characters). Stern's military tough and the men who pay him are suitably odious in their willingness not only to pursue vigilante justice but to also silence any innocents with no remorse and exploit the mental illnesses of returning vets – Winchester's height and beady appearance behind his glasses along with his recklessness when defied may be intended to suggest delusions of grandeur propped up by a stockpile of guns and bombs – while Charlie would have been more pitiable (especially in pensive scenes underscored by the same KPM tracks heard in David Cronenberg's Rabid) if he did not appear to go out of his way to murder women when he is supposed to be laying low. In spite of a bit of dialogue that seems to be pointing towards a neat plot twist, the film requires some stupidity on the behalf of its characters (both heroes and villains) to get to the messy climax that strives at the last minute for some unearned poignancy. Unsuccessful on its own terms, Delirium is of interest both as a DIY regional flick, and for embodying the late seventies/early eighties exploitation zeitgeist as a slasher/Vietnam vet/vigilante justice mishmash.
Video
Barely released theatrically stateside, Delirium had five releases on VHS – counting clamshell and slipcase versions of the rare Caravan Video edition and the much easier-to-find Academy Home Entertainment release – but had no takers on DVD in spite of its Video Nasty pedigree (although the VTC pre-cert apparently still does well among collectors in the UK). Severin Films' 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 widescreen Blu-ray comes from the only known 35mm print, and it is thankfully quite well-preserved with little damages and stable colors. Shadow detail and some loss of detail in highlights is subject to the original 16mm photography and the resulting blowup work (presumably the same master will be used for 88 Films' UK edition due out at the end of the month).
Audio
The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track is clean, providing reasonably clear dialogue, sparse foley effects outside of the explosions and gunfire, and original synth tracks that have more presence than the aforementioned library tracks. Optional English SDH subtitles are also included.
Extras
Extras include "Directing Delirium" (20:24) in which director Maris recalls emigrating from Greece, coming to Missouri where he had relatives who sponsored him, working as a painter and photographer, and getting interested in filmmaking while shooting some 8mm film for actor friends. Of the film, he recalls casting through word of mouth – TenBroek was a fireman, the coroner was the actual city coroner who fancied himself another Quincy, M.E. as was the police chief – and getting to utilize locations and city services through a well-connected sex film theater owner. In "Monster Is Man" (16:34), special effects artist Bob Shelley reveals that he was working for the Bomb Squad Disposal Unit when he was hired to blow up some cars on Moonrunners which lead to more projects since he was one of the few in the area who had the experience and a pyrotechnics license. On Delirium, he reveals that he only worked on bullet squibs and the car explosions – all shot in one day – while the Vietnam scenes were shot by another unit. He also worked on the prosthetics, including the spear and pitchfork impalements, and a hand-lopping the director came up with on the scene when he saw one of the crew was born without one of his hands. The disc also includes the film's theatrical trailer (1:48).
Packaging
The cover is not reversible, but copies ordered directly from Severin Films come with an exclusive slipcover while supplies last.
Overall
Unsuccessful on its own terms, Delirium is of interest both as a DIY regional flick, and for embodying the late seventies/early eighties exploitation zeitgeist as a slasher/Vietnam vet/vigilante justice mishmash.
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