Horror DVD Review Highlights
It's been a while since DVD Stalk has hit you with the latest horror DVD
release info but we're back on track so without further ado, let's take a look
at some of the more interesting genre releases and reviews from the last two
months to have shown up in DVD Talk's ever expanding DVD Review Database...
Few horror films have been released on DVD as
frequently as Sam Raimi's classic,
The Evil Dead.
While there's absolutely no doubt in any horror fan's mind that this is a genre
milestone, it seems like the movie is being re-released every couple of months.
Anchor Bay, the culprits behind all but the original Elite DVD release of the
film, have seen fit to go back to the well that Raimi built one more time with
the recent release of
The Evil Dead: The
Ultimate Edition, which was released last month. Those who own and are
happy with previous editions will probably be content holding onto those earlier
discs but in Anchor Bay's defense, they have done a nice job with this three
disc set. They've settled the aspect ratio dispute by giving fans
both fullframe and amamorphic widescreen versions
of the picture and they've carried over a lot of the extras (though not all of
them) from previous releases. Ian Jane summed up his thoughts on this release
saying "The
Evil Dead has been released on DVD more times than most of us are to
count and with the thirtieth anniversary of the film on the horizon, it's a safe
bet that this won't be the last time we see it. That said, having both aspect
ratios included alongside the wealth of supplemental material makes this release
a winner and for the one or two people out there who don't already own a copy,
it comes highly recommended." Whether or not you'll want to plunk down for this
disc will likely depend on how many versions you own but if you've yet to add
the film to your home video library, this is the version to go for.
Out this week from Dimension's Extreme line is
Storm Warning,
an Australian survival horror/slash film that conjures up images of other,
better known horror movies but which manages to be both entertaining and
sufficiently gory as to be worth a look. It isn't the most original picture to
come out of the horror pipeline in the last little while but it's nasty enough
to count and director Jamie Blanks (the man behind Urban Legend) has done
a good job with the material. Ian sums up his take on this grisly
gore fest from down under saying "Storm
Warning is pretty derivative stuff but it delivers a few surprisingly
nasty gore scenes and despite its unoriginality does contain a fair bit of well
played suspense. Dimension's DVD looks and sounds very good and the commentary
is a welcome bonus. Not a modern classic by any stretch, the film is still worth
a watch for those who enjoy Texas Chainsaw Massacre inspired survivalist
horror." Definitely worth a rental!
High Def Horror Highlights
HD-DVD versus Blu-Ray issues aside, there are
still some top tier releases coming out on both formats, both new releases and
catalogue titles, from a few different studios. First up is Stuart Galbraith
IV's look at the 1982 remake of
Cat People,
starring the lovely Nastassja Kinski and the always
enjoyable Malcolm McDowell. Stuart's take on this Universal HD-DVD release?
"Cat
People is a stunner in high-def. The prologue, set in Africa and bathed
in red-orange light, is a knock-out. Old VHS versions of the sequence must have
looked awful, but here is rendered perfectly. Also in this opening, audiences
get their first glimpse of a black leopard, its midnight black coat among the
blackest black this reviewer has seen in high-def so far. The rest of the film
(1.85:1 in theaters, 1.78:1 on HD DVD) is somewhat more conventional, but the
optical work suffers not at all at the splashes of primary colors here and there
really jump off the screen. Shot using Panavision lenses and originally printed
by Technicolor, the 1080p / VC-1 encoded / HD-30 gets high marks. The audio,
Dolby Stereo in 1982, has been remixed in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and 5.1 Dolby Digital
Plus (in English only, with optional French and hard-of-hearing English
subtitles) and is limited in terms of its sound effects mix, and the dialogue
track is unimpressive, but Moroder's score (and David Bowie's end title song)
fare well. Cat
People, while occasionally gory, is not at all frightening or unsettling
like the best Val Lewton set pieces still are, nor does the film have the poetry
of several of those films. What it does offer are the same preoccupations as
those found in other Paul Schrader scripts like Taxi Driver and
especially Hardcore: religion, sexual taboos, "saving" souls in an
apocalyptic environment, etc. Unfortunately, Schrader's strengths seem to be
held in check for want of a commercial horror film. In one sense all of
Schrader's usual concerns are present and they had a lot in common with the 1942
original going in, hence he probably seemed like a good match with the material,
but the script doesn't put them front-and-center as perhaps they should have
been."
Also from Universal, and exclusive to the
HD-DVD format, is David Fincher's 2-Disc director's cut release of
Zodiac. One
of the most acclaimed thrillers of 2007, Fincher's
take on one of America's most infamous serial killers was great in its
theatrical form and shapes up to be even better in its director's cut. DVD Talk
reviewer Ryan Keefer had this to say about the movie and about the HD-DVD
release: "Fincher shot this
entire film using digital cameras, meaning it was filmed and presumably edited
in high definition. The 2.35:1 widescreen presentation is in 1080p, using the
AVC/MPEG-4 codec and it's a thing of beauty. Blacks are deep and solid without
any contrast issues to speak of, color reproduction is rich and accurate, and
detail is razor sharp in the foreground and background (I could pick out the
writing on a spice tin in Graysmith's house). As opposed to films like
Pirates of the Caribbean or Transformers, the visual effects/computer
generated shots in
Zodiac
seem downright minimal, so for live action driven films, this is as good as it
gets. This release of
Zodiac
makes me sad. Why you ask? Well, with this being released in the first full week
of 2008, many people will forget this at the end of the year when it comes to
compiling their Top 10 lists, but this one should be the measuring stick for all
other discs to follow, regardless of whether it's in high or standard
definition. The two-disc edition of
Zodiac
is phenomenal, replete with exhaustive and detailed extras on the theatrical and
actual events. The technical qualities of the disc are just as top notch. If you
like Fincher or the film, add this to your collection and/or double dip
appropriately." Daniel Hirshleifer had similarly great things to say about the
set, summing up his
review by saying "Zodiac
is the next step in David Fincher's evolution as an artist. This slow-paced and
deliberate work holds a sea of riches to the attentive and thoughtful viewer.
This HD DVD is far and away the best presentation of the movie available, with
stunningly clear picture and faithfully reproduced sound. The set ports over all
of the special features from the two-DVD set, including a pair of excellent
commentaries. However, the HD DVD gets the nod for offering almost all of the
supplements in high definition. While it's been mostly ignored in the current
glut of self-congratulatory award ceremonies, Zodiac
was one of the best films of 2007 and this stellar high definition presentation
offers the chance to give it that repeat viewing it so greatly deserves."
Another popular genre film from 2007 was
Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. A deft blend of fantasy and horror,
this adult fairy tale helped to further cement the director's place as one of
the best in the business. While New Line did a great job with it's two disc
standard definition release last year, the simultaneous Blu-Ray and HD-DVD
releases really bring out the best of the film's unique look and design. Daniel
had this to say about the
HD-DVD release "Pan's
Labyrinth is a layered and nuanced film that gained quite a bit of
notoriety for its writer and director, Guillermo Del Toro. The piece works best
with repeated viewings, where attentive audience members can really dig into the
meat of the work. This HD DVD gives the best home video presentation of the film
to date. Although the image does at times suffer from unreasonable noise
reduction, the audio is nothing short of revelatory. We also get all of the
special features from the previous special edition DVD and features exclusive to
the next gen formats. Very easily Highly Recommended."
John Sinnott took a look at the
Blu-Ray release
and summed up his thoughts by saying "Filled
with wonderful images, a well thought out story, and some absolutely superb
acting, Pan's
Labyrinth is a work of art. This story of a young girl growing up in bad
times is sure to stay with viewers long after the movie is over. The Blu-ray
presentation is excellent with a great picture and one of the best audio
presentations I've heard. Ever. Add to that a wonderfully full selection of
bonus items and the result is a don't-miss disc. DVDTalk Collector Series."
Exclusive to Blu-Ray in high definition is the hit comic book adaptation,
30 Days Of Night,
a different take on the vampire genre based on the graphic novel from Steve
Niles and Ben Templesmith from IDW Publishing. While DVD Talk reviewer Adam
Tyner admits that the film is far from perfect, he sums up this release by
stating "No clunky sense of
humor. No existential moaning. No screenplay that reads like a Masters thesis on
the deconstruction of the vampire myth. Nope,
30 Days of Night
is just a brutal, blood-spattered, balls-out vampire flick. The movie looks and
sounds incredible on Blu-ray, and
30 Days of Night
is backed by a reasonably impressive set of high definition extras as well.
Recommended." Sounds like this is a release to look out for on either standard
DVD or Blu-Ray, take your pick as it'll be available in stores everywhere
courtesy of Sony Pictures on February 26th.
Recent Horror Titles That May Have Flown Under Your
Radar!
DVD Talk reviewer Bill Gibron is a
longstanding fan and champion of low budget, independent horror movies so who
better than he to give you a look at a pair of micro-budget shockers that are
actually worth your time? First up on Bill's hit
list is the Heretic Films DVD debut of
Die And Let Live,
a quirky horror comedy from young director Justin Channell.
Bill's take? "Perhaps the best way to judge an effort like
Die And Let Live
is to place it through a genre gauntlet. The first question is easy - is it
funny? The answer is a resounding "Yes". The next step is a tad trickier. Is the
film scary? Or at the very least ladled with buckets of blood? The response is
positive, but ripe for reconsideration. In essence, a film like this isn't out
to deliver the shivers. Instead, it wants to remind us of other movies that
provide ample fear factors- and have fun doing it. As a result,
Die And Let Live
is a surreal hybrid, part homage, part funny freak out. Easily earning a Highly
Recommended rating, Channell, Lively, and Crosby deserve a great deal of credit
for what they accomplish here. Perhaps one day they will rise above the other
outsider auteurs to take their place among the appreciated members of the
mainstream. Until then, we have this fantastic film, and all the joy it brings.
It is a rare thing indeed." It would also make Bill a happy camper if more
people were hip to
Punk Rock Holocaust 2,
on DVD in unrated form from Halo Eight Productions and sometimes XXX director
Doug Sakmann (the man behind Re-Penetrator and The XXX-orcist).
Perhaps it's this critic's Sex Pistols/Clash/Ramones rich past, or his inherent
love of all things splattery, but
Punk Rock Holocaust 2
touches parts of his peculiar aesthetic that usually are left pretty much
unexplored and/or unscathed. The combination of music, murder, mayhem, and
monkeyshines simply breaks down his curmudgeon-like cynicism and brings him
right back to a mohawked 1977. As a result, this fabulous fright farce earns a
Highly Recommended rating. But potential viewers be warned. If you love wuss
rock, think anything acoustic or New Aged is the high end of fist-pumping
squall, stay away from
Punk Rock Holocaust 2.
Similarly, if you like your horror handed to you on a paltry PG-13 platter, gore
excised to protect your precious Ritalin reconfigured mind, then this movie is
not for you either. Those who like it louder, faster, nastier, and nuttier need
apply, however. Thanks to the devious Doug Sakmann, all your simplistic chord
progression tendencies will be sufficiently satisfied - and then some."
A pair of Asian horror hits that have arrived
in recent months are certainly worth a look. Image Entertainment's Region 1 DVD
debut of the nasty Shaw Brothers horror classic
The Killer Snakes
took reviewer John Wallis to a happy place and he had this to say about the
disc: Killer
Snakes is "Unglamourous, down and
dirty, weirdo horror made during the peak of the exploitation era by one of the
Shaw Brothers best horror directors. A decent transfer. It is going to be a
judgment call for an importer who own the HK release, the improvements, the
additions, are only marginal. However for the strictly R1 viewer, it is well
worth picking up and checking out a classic piece of grindhouse." Definitely
inspired by the success of the original Willard,
The Killer Snakes
is an oddity that's worthy of shelf space in any international horror fan's
collection. From Discotek Media comes the strange Japanese schlock-fest,
Sexual Parasite,
better known in some circles as
Killer Pussy!
Bill Gibron says "Sexual
Parasite might just be the greatest movie ever made. Then again, it may
just be a surreal sex splatter job featuring the most dangerous poontang in the
history of horniness. All lack of logic - and DVD extras - aside,
Sexual Parasite
is a wonderful reminder that, on more than one occasion, the grindhouse style of
movie really understood the concept of excess in entertainment. This represents
one of early '08s most demented surprises. Easily earning a Highly Recommended
rating, this redolent revamp of every sex/splatter cliché in the gangrenous
genre book definitely has to be seen to be believed - and even then, you may not
fully comprehend what your baby beltway eyes are witnessing. Filmmaker Takao
Nakano proves that tits and terror translate into a universal language, one
easily understood (and accepted) by the vast majority of schlock film fans. Just
check your holier than thou proclivities at the door, sit back, and enjoy. Your
subconscious salaciousness will be glad that you did."
A long awaited European Horror DVD release
finishes off our look at the latest domestic DVD
offerings. Dark Sky originally announced
Tragic Ceremony
for release over a year ago alongside a couple of other delayed discs but it
wasn't until January of 2008 that Riccardo Freda's freaky gothic spookfest say
the light of day. Stuart Galbraith took a look at the disc and had this to say
about it. "For fans of such
low-rent European horror films,
Tragic Ceremony
has a few things in its favor. The entire story takes place over a period of
less than 24 hours or so, and the fact that it's told almost entirely from their
point-of-view keeps it a bit more interesting than other teens-in-trouble
thrillers of this type. There are little flashes of atmosphere from Freda
(credited under his usual pseudonym, "Robert Hampton") here and there, such a
brief scene with Jane walking down a flight of stony steps, with lightning
flashing through windows where long sheer curtains billow in the wind. The
makeup effects, credited to Carlo Rambaldi, are gruesome and elaborate for the
period, predating similar work found in splatter films a full decade later."
While it might not be an essential Euro horror release, it's still an enjoyably
trashy romp and the presence of Camille 'I Spit On Your Grave' Keaton
gives it some curiosity value.
Cineplex Scares: Current Theatrical
Horror
Other Horror DVDs Released in the Past
Two Months
Overlooked Horror
Discs From The Past
Not everyone grabs the latest horror discs the
day they're released, so out of the sheer goodness of our hearts, we've decided
that with each DVD Stalk column we'll dedicate a section to quality horror DVDs
that you might have missed the first time around. This month's choice is the
Criterion Collection release of
Eyes Without a Face.
Here's what DVD Savant has to say about this classic work of French horror....
Eyes Without a Face
is an exquisite horror film that works as a collision of aesthetic visuals and
intolerably inhumane content. It stands alone from the glut of
commercially-oriented Eurohorror that started a couple of years before. It's
French, a country that loved horror movies but didn't make many. Despite its
then-outrageous gore content, it's not presented or structured as an
exploitation movie. Its serious director channels the poetic surrealism of Jean
Cocteau into the contours of the horror film; even though
Eyes Without a Face
has the surface naturalism of a crime thriller, the immediate reference has to
be Cocteu's Blood of a Poet and the fantastic
Beauty and the Beast.
It also harks back to the work of Feuillade, especially Fantomas and
Judex, which
director Georges Franju would remake with similar fantastic imagery.
Noted surgeon
and neurologist Doctor Génessier (Pierre Brasseur) buries his drowned and
mutilated daughter Christiane, much to the concern of his aide/secretary Louise
(Alida Valli) and his medical intern Jacques Vernon, Christiane's forlorn
fiancée. But back at his foggy country clinic, Christiane (Edith Scob) is very
much alive, hiding in the Génessier mansion and wearing a mysterious blank-faced
mask, wandering deranged through the corridors. Louise spends her days stalking
students outside the Sorbonne, looking for young women with eyes and skin that
match Christiane's ...
Eyes Without a Face
has horror aplenty, but it requires patience. The centerpiece is the famous
surgery scene, which becomes less important with repeated viewings. We witness
the destruction of beauty with the cool precision of the professional surgeon,
and have to realize that the human image we most identify with, the face, can be
taken apart in less time that it takes to carve a Thanksgiving turkey. The skin
is an organ not really attached to most of the viscera below it, and Génessier
has no problem lifting an entire mask-like graft section in one piece. The idea
of visualizing such a process for a film must have been anathema in 1959;
Franju's story may not be literally about the producer-imposed taboos of animal
vivisection or Nazi medical experiments, but the spirit is there in force. Just
as some genre fans were disappointed a few months ago to discover that the
almost sedate thrills of Mill of the Stone Women didn't add up to a
contemporary action-packed horror film experience, there will doubtlessly be
many curious fans who will check out
Eyes Without a Face
and ask what the big deal is. The deliberately paced film concerns itself with
contemplating horror more than dishing it out by the bucketful. But viewers
tired of cookie-cutter horror films, who respond to magical masterpieces like
Beauty and the Beast will be amply rewarded here. Part of the appeal for
Savant of
Eyes Without a Face
was the inability to see it in a decent version for so many years, but it's far,
far too good to be just a cult film.
Upcoming DVD Scares For February
2008
As DVD Stalk encourages you to check
us out over at our MySpace page. If you've got a MySpace account, make sure you stop
by and friend us. You keep reading and we'll keep writing. If there is anything that you, the
loyal reader, would love to see covered in this area, please feel free to send
us a note to [email protected].
We'd love to read your comments and feedback. Send us your thoughts on other
things you'd like to see in the space, or even random thoughts about the world
of horror. Drop us a line at
[email protected]. Don't forget to visit the
DVD Stalk Forum to
chat about all things horror-related, and join us at
DVD Stalk on MySpace.
DVD Stalk Editor: Ian
Jane.
Contributors to DVD Stalk: Ian Jane, Bill Gibron,
Stuart
Galbraith IV,
Daniel Hirshleifer,
John Sinnott,
Adam Tyner, John Wallis and
DVD Savant.
