Love Merchant/the Layout

"Joe Sarno was one of the sharpest and more sophisticated filmmakers to rise from the East Coast sexploitation scene, and two black-and-white melodramas from his 1960s period are paired up on this DVD release from Something Weird Video. Both The Love Merchant and The Layout have been transferred to disc in their original full-frame aspect ratios of 1.33:1, and in both cases the films look unexpectedly strong on DVD, struck from good-looking prints and boasting fine contrast and a broad range of grays. The audio for both pictures has been mastered in Dolby Digital Mono, and sounds a bit better than one might expect for the period; both features are in English, with no multiple language options included. As a bonus, the disc includes the original trailer for The Love Merchant and coming attractions for four other Sarno features. Also featured are two silent softcore peep-show loops (which are fun but a bit out of place given their much earlier vintage) and a gallery of movie-oriented men's magazine covers from the 1960s, which has appeared on several other SWV discs. While the bonus material is good but not great, the main attractions on this set have been treated with tender loving care, and Sarno loyalists will be more than pleased with the presentation."