The Devil’s Rejects (Unrated DVD)
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Writer/director Rob Zombie’s opus on 1970s outlaws and outlaw justice, The Devil’s Rejects, brings back several characters from his 2003 hit House of 1000 Corpses. However, it’s really not a sequel so much as a completely different look at the thrill-killers Otis (Bill Moseley), his sister Baby (Sheri Moon Zombie), Mother Firefly (Leslie Easterbrook), and Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig). A major addition to the story are two new characters, Sheriff Wydell (William Forsythe) and Charlie
When I first saw The Devil’s Rejects, I was stunned by its gripping, gritty blend of fear, ferocity and fun. (Read the entire review here.) It only happens once every three or four years, but when a movie gets under my skin I go all out for it. It’s a rare pleasure to be a journalist and a fan when coving certain films, so I did everything I could to get the word out on The Devil’s Rejects. Now I get to play town crier all over again with the DVD — and believe me, the two-disc, unrated release of The Devil’s Rejects is worth every penny. Lions Gate has been known in the past to skimp on the extras, but I’m pleased to report that it’s not the case this time around.
Disc 1:
The first of the two commentary tracks is from Zombie, and as he did on the House of 1000 Corpses, he’s not shy about pointing out continuity errors (there’s a great one in one of Leslie Easterbrook’s scenes), or talking about what didn’t work and why. He also points out real dead things in the shots (that pig head on the archway that leads to the Firefly house isn’t a prop), and how scenes of actual highways accidents inspired Wayne Toth for the scene involving Wendy Banjo. Zombie, keeping up a very nice running commentary (no long pauses, thankfully), also goes into what lines are ad libbed, how the scripts was changed by the day to accommodate the locations, how Marty the movie critic (played by Robert Trebor) was inspired by Gene Shallot, and much more.
The second commentary features actors Sheri Moon Zombie, Sid Haig and Bill Moseley. This track is more fun and loose than Zombie’s, turns out ultimately less satisfying as far as details go (but it’s still well worth a listen — actor commentaries are becoming fewer on DVDs lately, so it’s good to have this).
There’s also a five minute blooper reel that’s pretty funny. My faves are the one of the maid discovering the bodies in the shower; weapon malfunctions; and an F-bomb montage.
The Morris Green Show, Ruggsville's #1 Talk Show featurette is the entire episode of what we see just a snippet of in the film. The show starts off with a monologue by our self-centered, totally oblivious host (Daniel Roebuck), yammering on about meeting actor Bob Crane and taking in his stage play, Beginner’s Luck. Green’s guest, Dr. Robert Bankhead (Dwayne Whitaker), is there to talk about Riggsville’s recently-discovered den of vipers, The Devil’s Rejects, but he can barely get a word in edgewise as Green injects his own opinions (referring to himself in the third person, naturally) and making jokes. It’s a really fun, cool “extra”.
There are two full-length Captain Spaulding TV commercials, wherein he’s hawking his wares: The Murder Ride, homemade fried chicken, and his famous “Captain Spaulding For President” iron-on tee-shirts.
Cheerleader Missing – The Otis Home Movie isn’t quite as exploitative as Jim Van Bebber’s The Manson Family on the whole, but at only a few seconds it’s just as gratuitous and pointless.
The Deleted Scenes are a real treasure trove for true fans of the film — there are a few superfluous ones, and even for the ones that aren’t you can see why they were cut for pacing. But it’s great to have them.
Otis and Candy Make Funky Music — At the time the movie came out, both Bill Moseley and EG Daily talked fondly of this sequence, in which Otis and Charlie’s best hooker, Candy, have some fun in the bedroom. There’s no nudity here, but plenty of laughs and craziness.
Personal Escort into Hell — A scene that bridges Sherrif Wydell driving Baby, Otis and Cutter from Charlie’s Frontier Town back to their home. While it may have slowed the pacing, it does make more sense and it also shows a little more progression of the characters’ attitudes.
Dr. Satan Attacks – Dr. Satan, a villain from the first movie, is shown briefly in the hospital where he was taken after the shootout in the opening scene, where he attacks a nurse played by
Also: Snakebite, French Tickler, Pork Rinds, Marshmallow Ass, Keep Your Mouth Shut, Family Arguement [sic], Swamp Escape
Makeup and Wardrobe Tests show the actors posing and mugging at the camera, so the makeup artists, lighting and camera people can see how see how they will look in broad sunlight, indoors, in shadow, etc.
There’s also a Buck Owens performance clip, Satan’s Gotta Get Along Without Me (which is only shown briefly on TV in the movie).
A short but sweet Matthew McGrory (1973 – 2005) tribute which offers snippets of interviews with the towering actor on the set, plus a behind-the-scenes montage.
There’s a still gallery featuring many photos that haven’t already been seen online; theatrical trailers; a TV spot; plus ads for the soundtracks CDs.
Disc 2:
30 Days In Hell: The Making Of The Devil's Rejects is an exhaustive two-and-a-half hours long documentary on the making of the movie. It goes from the very beginning of preproduction to the final “cut!” on set. Unfortunately, it doesn’t carry through to the film’s premiere at the San Diego Comic-Con (I was there, and it was a gorehound’s gala — not only did Lions Gate have an amazing booth at the convention, the red carpet premiere itself was an eventful affair). Despite that, 30 Days In Hell: The Making Of The Devil's Rejects is one of the best-ever making-of documentaries I have ever seen. These behind-the-scenes featurettes usually drag on and on, but thanks to judicious editing by Glenn Garland (who also edited the feature) this one doesn't ever get tedious.
The Devil’s Rejects Unrated DVD 2 Disc set is well worth buying, and watching again and again in all its gory glory.