Page 24 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, III & IV • October 1, 2014 DVD releases (continued from Restaurant page) and Stanley Tucci, the special effects dominate. The three-disc Blu-ray 3D combo pack contains 3D Blu-ray, standard Blu-ray, and DVD versions of the film, a digital copy, and several behind-the-scenes featurettes. “The Last Step Down”/“Blood Lust” (Kino Lorber) is a double bill of 1970s grindhouse movies. “Grindhouse” is a term for a theater that mainly shows exploitation films. It is named for the defunct burlesque theaters located on 42nd Street in New York City, where “bump ‘n’ grind” dancing and striptease were featured. Both movies are intentionally exploitative of the soft-core horror genre. “The Last Step Down” is about the initiation of several voluptuous young women into a satanic cult and capi- talizes on the popular fascination with the occult of the 1970s. “Blood Lust” is a stylized adaptation of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s Gothic novella, “Carmilla.” This is an especially rare film that was sold on 8-millimeter directly to consumers via magazine advertisements. Though not pornographic, both films feature exten- sive scenes of staged sexual activity and are intended for mature audiences. Keep in mind that they shamelessly pushed the envelope of taste over three decades ago and included risqué content that established studios avoided. As horror films, they fall far short in the suspense and performance departments, and are today more interesting as cultural curiosities. There are no extras on this DVD release. “The Desert Song” (Warner Archive) is the third film version (and the first in color) of the 1926 Sigmund Rom- berg/Oscar Hammerstein II operetta. Made in 1953, it stars Gordon MacRae as El Khobar and Kathryn Grayson as the daughter of a military officer stationed in Arabia. Raymond Massey is the dastardly Sheik Youssef whose nomadic army El Khobar subdues in his guise as leader of the Riffs. Steve Cochran, Ray Collins, Dick Wesson, and Allyn McLerie are also featured. Songs include “Long Live the Night,” “The Riff Song,” “Romance,” “Gay Parisienne,” and “One Alone.” Made during the era of classic musicals, “The Desert Song” lacks the topical wit, modern slant, and witty dialogue of many of its contem- porary musicals. Grayson sounds wonderful, but MacRae in miscast as the rebel leader. He would come off much better as Curly in “Oklahoma!” two years later.