Richard Kern - Hardcore Collection is a one-of-a-kind exploration of various artistic boundaries and visual aesthetics with a daring unorthodox approach to filmmaking. The Hardcore Collection, which hails from the renowned underground director and photographer Richard Kern, is not a traditional movie in the sense of narrative storytelling, but is instead a compilation of various short films and music videos he directed primarily in the 1990s, thus providing a glimpse into the visceral underground culture of that era.

Renowned for his association with the 'Cinema of Transgression' movement, a New York-based subculture of experimental and avant-garde filmmaking, Richard Kern presents his unique visual language in this thought-provoking collection. As a prominent figure in this movement that rebelled against conventional norms and taboos, Kern's collected works in the DVD reflect a dynamism that is raw, gritty, and purposely provocative. The subjects he chose to focus on were often contentious and polarizing, including sexual fetishism, extreme behavior, and body modification.

The collection features eight selected shorts, each with a distinctive theme, experimental narrative style, and guided by controversial, yet thought-provoking artistic philosophy. Breaking all the rules of traditional filmmaking, Kern ventured into the realms of shock value, gore, and explicit content. Decidedly graphic visuals interweaved with Kern's own bizarre sense of humor paves the way for a unique viewing experience, traversing topics that may not be palatable for a mainstream audience, but are nonetheless important to the discourse of underground cinema.

Despite his tendency toward the shocking and the sensational, Kern also manages to infuse an element of raw human authenticity into his work. The filmmaker uses imagery as an almost corporeal language, exploring the physical extremes of human beings to create a dialogue about society and expectations.

Notable pieces within this collection include contact prints, lithographs, silver gelatin prints, and Polaroids that offer not only shock but also an intense exploration of human nature and the boundaries of personal morality and conventional aesthetic. Besides his filmed oils, the collection is topped off with Kern's music videos for bands like Sonic Youth and the Butthole Surfers.

Regarding the technical aspects, Kern employs a color palette dominated by shades of pulsating bold colors, coupled with black and white frames, creating an eerie atmosphere that reflects and resonates with the often visceral subject matter. The ambient sound design and a lack of polished dialogue further elevate the sense of transgression and rebellion in his pieces.

However, Richard Kern - Hardcore Collection is not for everyone. Given its explicit content coupled with Kern's penchant for the grotesque and bizarre, the collection will likely challenge viewers' comfort zones. Kern walks a fine line between the obscene and the avant-garde, and his work leaves a charged impact that can range from admiration to revulsion depending on the viewer's sensibilities.

Nevertheless, the collection represents Kern's artistic statement - an uncompromising vision that resisted mainstream norms and pushed the boundaries of cinema to new limits. With this collection, Richard Kern created a time capsule of New York's 90s underground scene, encapsulated through his unflinching daring and distinct visual style. For those interested in the experimental filmmaking movement and bold visual narratives, it presents a look into the underground culture that formed part of New York City's dynamic history.

In sum, Richard Kern - Hardcore Collection is a testament to artistic willingness to push past societal norms and confront the viewer with the unfamiliar. Though not meant for a mainstream audience, the collection is likely to spark conversation for its stylistic choices, subject matter, and its reflection of a specific era in New York’s underground art scene. Simply put, Richard Kern - Hardcore Collection is anything but a conventional movie experience — it's a challenging explosion of artistry, embodying Kern’s artistic philosophy in every frame.