By MICHAEL GINGOLD
It’s a stark trek through a madman’s mind in the 1974 cult film.
Grindhouse Releasing has just opened up pre-orders for its deluxe double-Blu-ray release of William Grefé’s IMPULSE, which is set to ship on or around August 12. This limited-edition (2,000 units) release presents the movie in a new 4K 1.85:1 film restoration from archival 35mm elements, and comes with a 4×6 portrait of Grefé by Dave Lebow, signed by the director and individually numbered (see it after the clip below).
Directed by Grefé (STANLEY, THE JAWS OF DEATH) from a script by Tony Crechales, IMPULSE stars Shatner as Matt Stone, a murderous gigolo who targets wealthy women and sets his sights on single mother Ann (Jenifer Bishop). Complications arise when first Ann’s young daughter Tina (Kim Nicholas) and then Ann’s friend Julia (Ruth Roman) begin to suspect that Matt is up to no good. Harold “Oddjob” Sakata and BLOOD FEAST’s William Kerwin co-star. The disc set will include the following special features:
- Audio commentary by William Grefé
- Kingdom of the Shatner: William Shatner live in Santa Monica, Oct. 9, 2022
- Provocative, in-depth interviews with director William Grefé
- Additional interviews with producer and makeup artist Doug Hobart (FLESH FEAST, SCREAM BABY SCREAM) and art director Roger Carlton Sherman
- Haunting alternate French soundtrack
- Hours of rare cinematic treasures from the vaults of William Grefé
- Still galleries
- Trailers
- Glossy illustrated booklet with liner notes by acclaimed underground filmmaker Jacques Boyreau
- Beautiful embossed slipcover with new art by esteemed painter Dave Lebow
Plus other surprises; retail price is $44.95, but pre-orders are now just $35. The new transfer has shown at LA’s Beyond Fest, the Wisconsin Film Festival and St. Louis’ Destroy the Brain marathon, and will have further theatrical screenings around the country, including the Riverside Drive-In in Vandergrift, PA on September 22 as part of the annual Drive-In Super Monster-Rama.
