The term "cult classic", has shifted and changed slightly over the years. Initially, it generally referred to the weirdest and most underground movies (Eraserhead) or films that inspired genuine devotion (The Rocky Horror Picture Show). In the 1980s, the label expanded to audience-pleasing midnight movies (Evil Dead II), and now, in the 21st century, there's the so-bad-it's-good interpretation (The Room). Somewhat ironically, the films that get lost in the mix are the genuine niche projects, those with a strong sensibility that will appeal to a select few, but are not necessarily obscure or unconventional. Sordid Lives is one of those movies, an unexpected collision of Texan exaggeration and gay cinema. It's pretty savvy, actually: gay people from Middle America are not likely to find much material that speaks to their experience and reminds them of home, but the result is a tone that isn't likely to have much appeal outside of that demographic sweet spot.

Writer / director Del Shores (working from his play featuring the same characters) draws much of his humor from observation. The turns of phrase, the characterizations, the decor, the accents, even the casserole with the potato chips crumbled on it -- Sordid Lives draws a very specific world. However, that distinct voice is a double-edged sword: those who have lived in these places or known these people will probably find these details hilarious, but anyone who is unfamiliar (like myself), it can feel like there isn't actually a joke -- the viewer is supposed to laugh purely out of recognition. Other bits, such as the incident that led to Peggy's death, are funnier but Shores has a tendency to repeat them. Shores' other technique is exaggeration, both in situation and performance. It's a divisive approach, but it's also hard to imagine a more subdued execution suiting the material.

Structurally, the film is odd, separating Ty and Brother Boy off in other places while the rest of the characters gather at home before the funeral. Both of them most of the movie talking to therapists about their lives and / or lifestyles, while the film builds up their presence elsewhere through conversation. Since Ty seems to be the character Shores hopes the viewer will most identify with, this is a strange choice, both because the arcs of the characters at home can seem arbitrary without Ty and Brother Boy actually around and interacting with them, and because the two threads are opposites of one another. Ty's story is a relatively serious struggle about explaining his sexuality to his mother, while Brother Boy's therapist (Rosemary Alexander) is a cartoon villain, going so far as to demand he have sex with her in order to cure him of his homosexuality. It's not impossible to successfully combine broad physical comedy with more serious moments, but it stands out thanks to the similarity of the threads. (It should also be noted that top-billed Olivia Newton-John has a very minimal role.)

Although Shores' comedic sensibilities didn't align with mine, there's always something to be said about a movie that commits to its own vision, even when that vision is the worst, which this definitely is not. Despite his isolation from the core cast, Ty's story contains some genuinely successful emotional beats, and it's easy to understand what people enjoy about the film's flamboyant comedic style even if it doesn't connect. There's a basic compassion to the film's tone that allows dramatic moments to work even when the script doesn't quite sell how they come about. When discussing one of Ty's gay stage plays, Latrelle remarks to Sissy, "Some people call it art. I call it trash." There's a sense that with Sordid Lives -- and I mean this in the nicest way -- Shores endeavors to make both.

The Blu-ray
Sordid Lives hasn't changed much in its leap from DVD to Blu-ray, offering the same key art of a pink trailer hitched to a hearse, driving in the Texas desert. Photos of the cast -- almost miraculously lined up in an order that corresponds to the credits -- are present above the title, and the tagline "A black comedy about white trash" is prominently displayed. The two-disc release comes in a Vortex Blu-ray case with reduced plastic, with the Blu-ray on one side and the DVD copy on the other.

The Video and Audio
Wolfe Video's 1.78:1 1080p AVC Blu-ray presentation of Sordid Lives is pretty good, with the provision that a number of limitations are caused by the original photography. Shot on digital video back in 2000 or even 1999, this HD version unsurprisingly takes on a very digital appearance, as if shot with consumer-grade cameras, particularly when it comes to motion blur. Some shots exhibit black crush or white crush, depending on the shot, and contrast can occasionally be weak. However, the overall appearance of the image is extremely crisp and colorful, with a degree of depth that could only be achieved in HD. A mixed bag with a positive lean.

A little less impressive is a lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. On one hand, if a film is being released on Blu-ray, it's fair to expect HD audio in addition to HD video. On the other hand, Sordid Lives is an extremely low-budget dialogue-based comedy, and so there's almost no additional depth or richness to be culled from a new audio mix. Dialogue is often accentuated with a hint of atmospherics, namely the echo of cramped spaces, a hallmark of independent filmmaking. There's also a song during the credits where dialogue and effects are mixed way higher than the music. Otherwise, the disc sounds just fine. A lossy Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo mix and English subtitles are also included.

The Extras
The supplements for Sordid Lives are a classic case of good news and bad news. The good news is that all-new interviews with Del Shores (11:48, HD), and the rest of the cast (24:03, HD) were recorded for this release. Shores talks at length about the casting process and what the film has meant to him, while the cast mostly expresses their joy at having been associated with a film that is remembered and loved all over the world. Very charming, although they are horribly interlaced (in fact, some of the worst interlacing I've ever seen).

The bad news is that most of the extras from the previous DVD release of the film have not made the cut, including two unused songs by Olivia Newton-John, 10 deleted and extended scenes, and interviews with the cast and crew. The one carry-over from the original DVD is an audio commentary by Writer / Director Del Shores, producer Sharyn Lane, and actors Bonnie Bedelia, Beth Grant, Kirk Geiger, Leslie Jordan, Rosemary Alexander, and Newell Alexander. It's a significant list of leftovers that would probably prevent most folks from selling their DVDs.

A promo for Wolfe Video and trailers for I Am Divine and Petunia play before the main menu, and two additional trailers for Five Dances and Lady Valor are accessible under the special features menu. A "new" trailer for Sordid Lives is also included.

Conclusion
Sordid Lives didn't strike any familiar chords with me, but it has such a unique and distinct flavor that it must be for someone. In fact, the movie has enough of a devoted following to have spawned a TV show with many of the same players, and Shores is reportedly writing two sequels (A Very Sordid Wedding and Merry Sordid Christmas). The Blu-ray does the best it can with the source elements and offers some new supplements; the only real disappointment here is the lack of a large number of the original DVD's extras. If you read the synopsis and were immediately charmed, consider this one lightly Recommended.