Robert Chipman
Welcome to this column dedicated to my appreciation of physical media supplements called: Feature Presentations. The goal of this column is not to say whether a film is good or bad and worth picking up or not—I would like to highlight the discs that go the extra mile and provide film fans with enough tasty tidbits to satisfy even the hungriest of cinephiles. With all that out of the way, today’s article will focus on .com For Murder from Arrow Video.
As a disclaimer of transparency, I was provided a review copy of .com For Murder for this episode of Feature Presentations. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
In films made during the mid-1990s and the early 2000s, Hollywood proved they had no idea how technology worked. Whether scouring the virtual files in Disclosure or The Net, hilariously unsure how to use the internet, there are many films scattered over the years that have no idea how computers and online programming work.
While these films vary in quality, I’m positive the bottom of the computer-thriller barrel begins with .com For Murder. Playing as a Rear Window knock-off, the film follows two women stalked by a serial killer perusing internet chat rooms. The killer sets his sights on them, stalking and slashing his way through Los Angeles to take them out. While some might find this basic plot summation interesting, it’s not. All you need to know is the film is a Nico Mastorakis joint, for better or worse. While I enjoy some of Mastorakis’ films, this was not one of them—it’s illogical and, worst of all, tedious and boring.
Arrow Video decided .com For Murder deserves a special edition, and they delivered with this Blu-ray. The film comes with a making-of documentary featuring interviews with Mastorakis and actors Roger Daltrey and Huey Lewis. Yes, you read that correctly. The documentary features behind-the-scenes footage and comments from Mastorakis, hinting at potential turbulence between himself and lead actresses Nastassja Kinski and Nicollette Sheridan. For as low-rent as .com For Murder is, the documentary is well-constructed and does what a good making-of should. It’s a pretty good documentary, just a shame it’s wasted on such a garbage movie.
There’s a feature with Nico Mastorakis looking back at the film’s production. You get his comments about the film, alternate opening sequences, and behind-the-footage —this includes multiple minutes of strippers dancing in front of a blue screen while Mastorakis offers direction off-screen. So, there’s that. There’s also time dedicated to Mastorakis discussing why .com For Murder is ranked so low on IMDB. It’s a vengeful portion of this feature that smells of conspiracy theories. While I have issues with IMDB’s star ratings, I’ve watched this movie, and it deserves the rating it has.
Arrow Video includes unedited video interviews with Roger Daltrey and Huey Lewis. Both musicians come off as personable and discuss how and why they came to star in .com For Murder. Daltrey speaks with Mastorakis and explains why he signed on to the film; it has to do with a significant amount of money for a short time on set before the chat deviates into Daltrey’s musical career. Instead of an EPK puff piece, Daltrey’s comments shed insight into his life and work processes. His interview is a highlight and is an engaging and grounded discussion with a rock legend.
The interview with Lewis is slightly stilted, conducted with an off-camera female, and plays more akin to an EPK chat. A majority of the discussion focuses on the film and the internet. Lewis talks about using the internet but limiting its use with himself and his family. He touches upon Mastorakis not having the best bedside manner, his approach to touring, and advice for those using chat rooms. While not as insightful and engaging as Daltrey’s interview, it’s still entertaining to hear from the musician.
Arrow Video includes an image gallery with 35 shots from the finished film. The disc closes out with the movie’s theatrical trailer.
I need to add that Arrow Video offers a collector’s booklet featuring new writing from David Flint included with the first pressing of this release. The screener copy provided only came with the disc.
And there you have it! I don’t have many nice things to say about .com For Murder. The best way to sum up .com For Murder is that it’s a Nico Mastorakis movie. It’s a dumpster fire of trash cinema, not in a good way. The movie plods along and struggles to understand the film’s hook: how cyberspace works. Even if the film fails on all levels, Arrow Video does what it can to dress up the physical media release, but there’s not enough perfume for this pig. The disc contains a plethora of supplemental material, way more than this movie deserves. While I will say the documentary and Roger Daltrey interview are worth checking out, I only recommend this release for those who enjoy bad movies, the work of Nico Mastorakis, or both.
