Up! (4K UHD Review)
- Review Date: Jun 26, 2025
- Format: 4K Ultra HD
-
Director
Russ MeyerRelease Date(s)
1976 (April 29, 2025)Studio(s)
RM Films International (Severin Films)- Film/Program Grade: N/A
- Video Grade: A-
- Audio Grade: B+
- Extras Grade: C+
Review
Russ Meyer, particularly during his spate of sexploitation comedies in the 1970s, was a controversial filmmaker, to say the least. Despite his films being successful, primarily due to being released in conventional movie theaters, they came under heavy scrutiny from right-wing activists and politicians to left-leaning moral crusaders, and everyone else in between. That didn’t stop them from being hits with broad-minded audiences though. In fact, it only made them that much more appealing. By the time he wrote, shot, produced, and directed 1976’s Up!, he had redefined himself as an avid connoisseur and frequent supplier of satiric sexual gonzo lunacy.
Under the watchful eye of The Greek Chorus (Kitten Navidad), Up! opens with the extreme sexual activities of Adolf Schwartz (Edward Schaaf), who is actually Adolph Hitler secretly surviving and hiding out in a large castle in the backwoods of California. After some lengthy congress involving both women and men, including his whip-wielding servant Paul (Robert McLane), he’s subsequently murdered in his bathtub after an unknown killer sneaks in and dumps in a piranha. Elsewhere, the buxom Margo Winchester (Raven De La Croix) finds herself the center of attention in a small town, lorded over by the insatiable local sheriff Homer (Monty Bane), as well as the patrons of Alice’s Cafe, run by Paul and Alice (Janet Wood). As this disparate group of fornicating individuals find satisfaction in each other’s arms, a mystery develops as to who killed Adolph and what the intentions of our leading characters truly are.
In comparison to his Vixen trilogy and some of his other films, Up! is considered one of Russ Meyer’s lesser erotic adventures, admittedly so by the filmmaker himself. It’s certainly one of his more chaotic works, and that’s saying something, especially when you look at the other films he made during this period. As with some of his previous work, the violence towards women was certainly frowned upon during release, and though it’s over-the-top and almost cartoon-ish in nature, the sexual assault on display in a couple of scenes definitely caused the lead actress, Raven De La Croix, some on-set issues that were never really resolved.
Up! is unusual in that it portrays bi-sexual characters as not just women, but men. For its time, it’s a fairly progressive aspect of the film, and one that straight male fans were not expecting, which one would presume is why the film isn’t held in higher esteem. It also has a giallo-like touch when the unseen, black-gloved killer does away with Adolph. The eventual reveal and the incredibly long-winded exposition from that character, and the characters they interact with, is so over-the-top that it’s ludicrous. Yet, Meyer banked on absurdities in his work. His films can be exhausting for the uninitiated, just from the sheer amount of exaggerated energy that they exude. In the case of Up!, it’s also the amount of cutting in between shots that further adds to the exhaustion. There’s no question that Russ Meyer is at the helm, but Up! is a more frenzied picture, one that will leave you spinning, which Meyer was very good at.
And if you’re already in it for the long haul, Up! is just another Russ Meyer farcical tour de force, one that’s had very little appreciation compared to something like Beyond the Valley of the Dolls or Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, or even among his other hilariously unhinged sex romps. One of the positives to come out of Up! was Russ Meyer’s meeting and working with Kitten Navidad, who became not just his future collaborator, but his longtime companion.
Up! was shot by Russ Meyer on 35mm film, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Severin Films debuts the film on Ultra HD with a new 4K restoration of the original camera negative that’s been graded for High Dynamic Range in HDR10, and presented on a dual-layered BD-66 disc. This presentation has a little more obvious damage than some of the other Russ Meyer 4K restorations. There’s some mild streaking leftover, as well as occasional emulsion damage, telecine wobble, and some speckling and scratches here and there. However, everything appears organic to the source with grain that’s mostly well-resolved, though the source is a bit uneven due to a heavy use of opticals. The bitrate sits between 80 and 100Mbps at any given time, and detail is boosted dramatically over previous presentations, thanks in no small part to the HDR grade. It’s a primarily forested and countryside color palette, which is varied and lush, with perfect flesh tones. Blacks are also deep with perfect contrast and excellent shadow detail. It’s slightly imperfect due the condition of the source, but thoroughly cinematic in appearance.
Audio is included in English 2.0 mono DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. It’s a little uneven in places, presumably as it’s been pieced together from a couple of sources, but it’s mostly solid with only mild distortion built into the soundtrack. The score and sound effects have plenty of push to them, and dialogue is perfectly discernible. It’s limited by its age, but supports everything well, without any instances of hiss, thumps, or crackle.
Severin Films’ 2-Disc 4K Ultra HD release of Up! sits in a black Amaray case alongside a Region-Free 1080p Blu-ray with an insert and a slipcover that features the original theatrical artwork, re-creating the original RM Films VHS and DVD artwork. This is also being released simultaneously in the US, Canada, and the UK, for those keeping score. The following extras are included on each disc:
DISC ONE (UHD)
- Audio Commentary with Elizabeth Purchell
DISC TWO (BD)
- Audio Commentary with Elizabeth Purchell
- No Fairy Tale...This! (SD – 18:05)
- Radio Spot (HD – :30)
The audio commentary features film programmer and historian Elizabeth Purchell, who previously covered Severin’s release of Motorpyscho. I wasn’t a fan of that track, but this one is much better. In it, she lauds the filmography of Russ Meyer and how she first discovered it, covering its absurdities, and how both critics and the general public perceive it. Detailing Up!, she talks about the unusual amount of homosexual content in it, how it has more cuts than most of Russ Meyer’s previous work, and how she believes it to be underrated, especially since it’s always been difficult to see in widescreen and in such high quality. While she takes the time to talk about the cast, she also delves into Meyer’s history, including his unmade projects, eventually leading to a discussion of the making and release of Up!. In the vintage interview No Fairy Tale...This!, actress Raven De La Croix talks about becoming an actress and working on the film, noting that she displeased Russ Meyer by sneaking out at night while they weren’t filming, but also the hardships she faced on the set, including almost drowning. She also mentions how she became closer to him before his death when he sought spiritual advice from her. Last is a radio spot for the film.
There are also a couple of extras missing from previous releases. The Arrow Video Region-Free DVD release in the UK also features Russ Meyer’s Pussy Galore Nite, which contains an interview with Kitten Natividad; and the Fravidis Region 2 DVD release in France contains an interview with Meyer, an interactive quiz, and a trailer for the film.
Severin Films has been slowly but surely releasing Russ Meyer’s catalogue on 4K Ultra HD with beautiful results, and Up! is no exception. It’s a lovely presentation of a film that’s had very little tender care on home video. For Russ Meyer fans, it’s definitely worth picking up.
- Tim Salmons
(You can follow Tim on social media at these links: Twitter, Facebook, BlueSky, and Letterboxd. And be sure to subscribe to his YouTube channel here.)