Kino Lorber, in conjunction with Something Weird Video have released their latest Blu-ray in their Forbidden Fruit, the Golden Age of Exploitation Picture Volume 7. In this volume the two films are Test Tube Babies directed by W. Merle Connell, who was responsible for The Devil’s Sleep and Jack Townley’s Guilty Parents, which is one of just seven films he directed. He was mostly known for being a writer of short stories.

Test Tube Babies is the story about Cathy (Dorothy Duke) and George (William Thomason, The Devil’s Sleep) who overall have a good, happy marriage. George does have a problem with one of his friends, Frank, who feels he will put the moves on Cathy, because she is extremely attractive, and Frank is a pick-up artist. Cathy settles his anxiety about Frank, even though she is hosting sexually oriented sex parties with their friends, Frank included. She gets bored with that but soon there is one other issue that is bothering Cathy. Even though she is happy, she feels that there is something missing, a void in their marriage making it incomplete. Cathy concludes that she wants to have children. After trying to have kids, as luck would have it, due to George being sterile, Cathy is unable to conceive. Dr. Wright (Timothy Farrell, Glen or Glenda) suggests using artificial insemination, a new way for a woman to have a child. With artificial insemination Cathy can have a baby and a family she and George both wanted!

Test Tube Babies is an amusing, entertaining yarn. There is a great party scene where we get some cheesecake, including women in lingerie. There is also a topless bald male and a hammy fight between two sleazy females to keep you interested. The acting is terrible throughout. Dorothy Duke, who is genuinely beautiful, cannot act at all and her voice becomes really annoying after a while, especially when she goes on and on about wanting a baby. Timothy Farrell is the most competent of the actors which really is not saying much.

Guilty Parents is a 1934 exploitation crime drama about a Helen Mason aka Helen Wilson (Jean Lacy, Narcotic), a good girl that has gone bad and has been tried for murder. The story is told in with flashbacks showing what led to her plight. Her defense attorney (John St. Polis, Call Her Savage) tries to prove that her life turned to crime, prostitution and murder was caused by her overbearing mother.

Guilty Parents is played straight save for one scene where Helen gets undressed and her naked image is seen via a silhouette and a few women in their undergarments. The film did seem to take itself seriously, becoming more of a crime film and has a shocking finale.

The Kino Lorber Blu-ray release for Test Tube Babies and Guilty Parents is not bad at all. The picture quality for Test Tube Babies outside of a few vertical lines here and there, is overall pleasing and has a polished look and has a balanced greyscale. Guilty Parents is the weaker of the two in the image department. There are signs of wear, vertical lines and print damages that are prevalent throughout the video presentation.

English LPCM 2.0 is used for both features. The track is serviceable, but I did detect an audio drop and some minor hissing on occasion for both films. It should not distract from the listening experience. English subtitles are available for this release.

Extras include a commentary for Test Tube Babies by Eric Schaefer, who authored the book Bold! Daring! Shocking True! A History of Exploitation Films, 1919-1959. He obviously was a wise choice with his background,  as he gives a tour-de-force on exploitation films.

Other features included Sex and Romance, a marital educational short film. The image quality is in bad shape, be forewarned.

An alternate title sequence and trailers for Test Tube Babies, The Devil’s Sleep, Youth Aflame, Mom and Dad, Street Corner, and The Wrong Rut rounds out the supplemental package.  Also, worth mentioning is that this is a region free release.

For those who have the other volumes in their collection, I see no reason why not to have this Blu-ray release on your shelf! There is no reason any fan of pre-1960 exploitation films should not give this release a spin! Highly recommended!

Test Tube Babies / Guilty Parents

Director- W. Merle Connell / Jack Townley

Cast- Dorothy Duke, William Thomason / Jean Lacy, Glen Boles

Country of Origin- US

Distributor – Kino Lorber

Number of Discs – 1

Reviewed by – David Steigman

Date- 12/1/20