By Ernie Magnotta
Filmmaker Lewis Teague has some very
impressive credits. In 1964, he directed an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. In the 70s, Teague worked at Roger
Corman’s New World Pictures as an editor and assistant director before helming
1979’s crime drama The Lady in Red.
He also edited an Oscar-winning short in 1976 titled Number Our Days, worked on classic TV shows like Barnaby Jones and performed second unit
on Sam Fuller’s The Big Red One
(1980). Teague is probably best known for directing cult classics such as the
underrated 1980 monster movie Alligator;
the vigilante film Fighting Back
(1982); the Stephen King adaptations Cujo
(1983) and Cat’s Eye (1985), and the
romantic comedy The Jewel of the Nile
(1985). Recently, Dirty O’Neil, the
first feature film to be directed by Teague, has been made available on
Blu-ray.
Dirty O’Neil concerns police
officer/ladies’ man Jimmy O’Neil (Morgan Paull, Blade Runner) who must do everything he can to stop three
dangerous criminals from terrorizing his small, peaceful town.
The entertaining film, which was co-directed
and written by Howard Freen and distributed by American International Pictures,
is filled with solid direction and features fun performances by wonderful
talent the likes of Art Metrano (Police
Academy series), Pat Anderson (TNT
Jackson), Katie Saylor (TV’s The
Fantastic Journey), Tara Strohmeier (The
Great Texas Dynamite Chase), Anitra Ford (TV’s The Price is Right), Kate Murtagh (The Night Strangler), John Steadman (1977’s The Hills Have Eyes) and Playboy Playmates Jeane Manson (The Young Nurses) and Liv Lindeland (Picasso Trigger). Dirty O’Neil also benefits from a simple and engaging story, a
catchy musical score by Raoul Kraushaar (1953’s Invaders From Mars), and contains enough action and laughs to fill
its brief 89 minute running time.
Dirty O’Neil has been released in
high definition Blu-ray from a brand new 2K master and is presented in its
original anamorphic (1.85:1) widescreen aspect ratio. The great looking and
sounding Region 1 disc also contains English subtitles, the original theatrical
trailer and trailers for Dagmar’s Hot
Pants, inc.; National Lampoon Goes to the Movies; Maria’s Lovers; Checkered
Flag or Crash and Sunnyside.
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