Death Has Blue Eyes Blu-ray Review

THE MOVIE — 2½/5

Plot Synopsis: When local gigolo Chess (CHRIS NOMIKOS) greets his vacationing friend Bob Kovalski (PETER WINTER) at Athens airport, the pair embark on a string of scams and erotic dalliances that eventually lead them into contact with an elegant wealthy woman, Geraldine Steinwetz (JESSICA DUBLIN), and her glamorous daughter Christine (MARIA ALIFERI). Geraldine blackmails the two into acting as bodyguards for Christine, who has telepathic abilities and has had her eye on them for some time. After fleeing from a series of assassination attempts, it soon becomes clear that Geraldine herself might not be quite whom she seems, as the two young men find themselves caught up in a political conspiracy of international dimensions.

Review: I’m a bit at a loss for words after watching Nico Mestorakis’s feature debut, 1976’s Death Has Blue Eyes. I haven’t the foggiest idea what I saw. The plot, admittedly thin as it is, made very little sense and involves a telepath, her older steward, a vague organization (CIA?) whose leader spends much of the time wearing a bathrobe, an assortment of feckless assassins and two chuckleheads in the lead who bound from one locale to the next, before finally being lured, I guess, to the telepath who then become her bodyguard because… not a clue.

The film, as I believe with other Mestorakis’s films, is an excuse for numerous T&A. Otherwise, there’s not much redeemable in this. The editing is scattershot (there’s one sequence that jumps cut from the hotel hallway to the bowling alley with zero transition (even a 5 second shot of Christine going there would’ve sufficed), plus some nonsensical scenes that do nothing to further any sort of character development or advance the plot (one that comes to mind is Chess leaves best bud Bob stranded, who then gets picked up by a foxy lady in a very not street legal race car, before they make out at her place – though he can’t perform after Christine makes a mental connection).

Now, in fairness, Death Has Blue Eyes is not a movie to be watched alone, like I did. Personally I was astounded on how slapdash the film was, even by independent level 1970s cinema standards, and trying to follow the plot became rather painful, following the logic was downright excruciating. But I suppose there is fun to be had if watching with a group of friends, and on that level definitely say it’s worth taking a chance.

SPECIAL FEATURES – 3½/5

This release comes in a clear HD keep case with a reversible sleeve of the film’s original poster artwork. Inside is a booklet containing essays. Features are a bit light but there are new interviews with Maria Aliferi (17:49) and Nico Mastorakis (24:43); Dancing with Death (42:03), some select original tracks; two Theatrical Trailers (2:25/3:32); and an Image Gallery (4:10).

A note about the interviews, they were produced by Mastorakis and, um, well just a tiny self congratulatory. Just a smidge.

VIDEO – 3¾/5

AUDIO – 3½/5

OVERALL – 3/5

There’s no doubt filmmaker Nico Mastorakis marches to his own drum which is commendable, but Death Has Blue Eyes was some… thing. I’m not sure what I was watching, though in retrospect some of the plot elements do make some sense, I wouldn’t suggest watching alone, this movie deserves to be viewed in a group setting.