Gwar

For some reason, even the most half-baked idea seems to come across like gold when delivered in a latex monster suit. What else could have kept Gwar in fake blood and guitar strings for two decades now? And that’s exactly what this DVD sets out to prove. A thinly veiled career retrospective, Blood Bath and Beyond is merely a compilation that pilfers Gwar’s depleting stock of archives: bootlegged early shows, demos and B level — Gwar’s B level at that — mini-movies. These incredibly loose ends are tied together through the concept of lead singer Oderus Urungus and manager Sleazy P. Martini accepting the questionable "Show Biz” award for 20 years of, well, blood baths and beyond. Parked in director chairs to introduce, critique and mock each segment, we find Urungus struggling to ham it up and a haggard Martini offering laughable, albeit strained, quips. With a few expectations, Blood Bath and Beyond is typical Gwar fun: gory, silly, cheese-laden and kitschy. However, it’s also a cheap attempt at suckering us into stuff they couldn’t be bothered releasing in the past. Keep that in mind and the only disappointment will be the price tag. (DRT, www.drt-entertainment.com)