Plot: What’s it about?
As he ventured through the barren reaches of the desert, Abel Wood (Tab Hunter) runs into a dancehall lady named Rosie Velez (Divine). Of course, being the gentleman that he is, Abel escorts her to the nearest town, a place by the name of Chile Verde. This town is known for being a rough and tumble place, as the men are rough folks and the ladies love to tumble in the sack, if you know what I mean. The two newcomers to town meet up with a fiery saloon owner, Marguerita Ventura (Lainie Kazan) and soon enough, she tells them about the gold rush fever that has struck the town. It seems there’s talk of some serious gold in the hills and of course, that means everyone in town is looking to score a piece of the action, the larger the better to be sure. Abel, Rosie, and Miss Ventura have their sights on the treasure of course, but so does Hard Case Williams (Geoffrey Lewis) and since he is a notorious gunslinger, that’s bad news. In a part of the lands where lust, greed, and back-stabbing rule the days, who will end up with the gold and the good lovin’?
I was overjoyed when Anchor Bay announced this film for release on our beloved format, so as soon as the disc arrived, I had to give it a spin. I rank this experience up there with seeing the film for the first time, as the new widescreen transfer is like viewing a whole new picture. I’ve always like this movie and getting to see it in full widescreen form was a treat, to be sure. This is not your usual western, what with all sorts of madcap antics and off the wall nonsense. The direction of Paul Bartel allows for all kinds of fun to unfold, while the strange cast adds a lot of laughs also. Tab Hunter, Cesar Romero, Henry Silva, and Divine lead the cast, which is filled with hilarious members from top to bottom. I don’t think movies come as silly as this one very often, so if you’re into insane westerns, don’t miss this release. As much as I like this movie and would recommend it, a lot of people despise it and think it sucks, but then again, that’s to be expected with such an offbeat picture. So this one won’t be for everyone, not by a long shot, but fans of unique films will want to at least give this a rental.
Although he was better known for his work in front of the camera, Paul Bartel also directed a handful of pictures, some of which have become true cult classics. He was hilarious and always a welcome sight as an actor, but his direction is just as solid and I love most of his movies. In this case, he uses his typical off the wall nature in the western realm, with humorous and sometimes outrageous results. I can understand why his crass and often offensive humor didn’t win all viewers over, but I happen to love it and it is on full showcase within this film. I do wish he would have been able to deliver some more movies, but at least we have Lust in the Dust and his other efforts to appreciate. Other films directed by Bartel include Blood Relations, The Longshot, Eating Raoul, Cannonball, Naughty Nurses, and Death Race 2000. The cast includes Tab Hunter (That Kind Of Woman, The Sea Chase), Henry Silva (The End Of Violence, Above The Law), Woody Strode (Posse, Horror Safari), Geoffrey Lewis (The Way of The Gun, Double Impact), Cesar Romero (Donovan’s Reef, Hot Millions), Lainie Kazan (The Crew, The Delta Force), and Divine (Mondo Trasho, Pink Flamingos).
Video: How does it look?
Lust in the Dust is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I am very impressed with this visual presentation, as the source print looks clean, grain is minimal, and the image is quite sharp at all times. Of course, this doesn’t look as pristine as more recent releases, but this is by far the finest edition of this film on home video. The colors look natural, but also bright and show no real errors, while flesh tones seem normal as well. No issues with contrast either, as shadows look excellent and I saw no detail loss, very cool indeed. If you’ve seen this film before, you will be blown away by this all new widescreen transfer, kudos to Anchor Bay on this one.
Audio: How does it sound?
I wasn’t let down with the included mono track, but then again, it wasn’t all that memorable in the end. Of course, this film relies on vocals more than anything and since those come across well, I have little to complain about with this mix. The dialogue seems very clean and easy to understand, with no volume or clarity issues I could detect. Of course, the music and sound effects don’t pack much of a punch, but I didn’t expect them to and in truth, the basic experience is all that’s needed with this material. This disc also includes English captions, in case you’ll need them.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a talent file on Paul Bartel and the film’s theatrical trailer, but the main extra here is a behind the scenes featurette. This piece, More Lust, Less Dust is a cool little bonus, but I wish it was longer and more in depth. But at around sixteen minutes, it is longer than most promotional featurettes, so I am pleased it was tacked on this release.
