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Halloween: H20 - Collector's Edition
List Price: Unknown [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The Movie:
I've not been a fan of the "teen horror" genre that's recently been so popular, and recently has gotten to the point where it's being parodied(the upcoming "Scary Movie"). The only one of these films that I've enjoyed is "I Know What You Did Last Summer"; it wasn't perfect, but the director knew that what the audience doesn't see is usually scarier than what it does see.
Directed by Steve Miner(recently of "Lake Placid"), I didn't feel that "H20" was really a bad picture, or a terribly good one. It just is what it is, a moderately effective horror film on occasion. For a film that only lasts about 90 minutes though, it takes a bit too long to get itself going. The film revolves around Laurie Tate once again, now living under a different name and with a son and boyfriend in California. She's also taken a job as the principal of a private school. Of course, it's almost Halloween and it won't be long before Michael Meyers is back once again.
The performances are generally good, and Curtis plays the character with a hard edge that's fairly enjoyable to watch. Also on hand for the proceedings is teen film regulars Josh Hartnett and Jodi Lynn O'Keefe, as well as Dawson's Creek star Michelle Williams. Director Miner keeps the tension level moving up quite nicely throughout the film, and once it gets going, it really moves solidly towards the final conclusion.
And, of course, there's another in the series listed as "in production", although who knows if it will actually come together. As for this one again, it is what it is. Not terrible, but not anything terribly great, either. A couple of hours of decent entertainment.
The DVD
VIDEO: Released when Buena Vista was still doing non-anamorphic transfers, "Halloween: H20" still looks very good. I don't have any major complaints, just minor details that could have been better. Sharpness is very good, with the exception of a few dark sequences, which seem slightly on the soft side. Detail is good as well, especially during the daylight sequences. The movie occasionally seems ever-so-slightly dark looking, but it could have been that way in the theater, as well.
There's some noticable marks and scratches on the print used, but these are only in isolated instances and not consistently a problem throughout the entire movie. There's the slightest amount of shimmering apparent on occasion, but again, this is not a major problem. Pixelation is non-existent, as well. As with many of the Buena Vista titles that were produced during their non-anamorphic efforts, it's a very nice looking image, but there are areas where it could be improved.
SOUND: Sound can be a horror film's best friend, but apparently the filmmakers haven't learned that for this film, which really misses quite a few opportunities to scare the audience further. Surrounds are really not used terribly often and when they are, they aren't terribly effective in their use. Sound does remain nicely dynamic, though, and the score sounds clear and crisp. Dialogue is clear and easily understood, as well. This isn't a terribly agressive soundtrack, and it could have used more creativity in the audio.
MENUS:: As with many Disney menus, there isn't much at all to the menus - just a film-themed image; no music, no spooky animation, no nothing.
EXTRAS: "Halloween: H20" became infamous after it was released. Originally listed as having quite a nice package of features(well, nice for a Buena Vista title, normal for everyone else), the final disc came and included barely anything. Even the early packaging listed many more features than the disc included. The packaging was corrected, but the price was never changed from the too-high $39.99. There are still a couple of extras, but they are definitely not worth the high price tag.
Unmasking the Horror: A fairly interesting documentary that offers interviews with Jamie Lee Curtis, writer Kevin Williamson, director Miner and many members of the cast who chat about not only the making of this film, but the series as a whole. It's pretty promotional in nature, but hearing the viewpoint of Curtis on what made her decide to do the project as well as the history behind the production makes for a pretty enjoyable viewing.
Also: A music video from Creed and a trivia game. That's it.
Final Thoughts: The movie was suprisingly decent, but the disc is not worth the high price tag for what it offers. A rental for horror fans.
I've not been a fan of the "teen horror" genre that's recently been so popular, and recently has gotten to the point where it's being parodied(the upcoming "Scary Movie"). The only one of these films that I've enjoyed is "I Know What You Did Last Summer"; it wasn't perfect, but the director knew that what the audience doesn't see is usually scarier than what it does see.
Directed by Steve Miner(recently of "Lake Placid"), I didn't feel that "H20" was really a bad picture, or a terribly good one. It just is what it is, a moderately effective horror film on occasion. For a film that only lasts about 90 minutes though, it takes a bit too long to get itself going. The film revolves around Laurie Tate once again, now living under a different name and with a son and boyfriend in California. She's also taken a job as the principal of a private school. Of course, it's almost Halloween and it won't be long before Michael Meyers is back once again.
The performances are generally good, and Curtis plays the character with a hard edge that's fairly enjoyable to watch. Also on hand for the proceedings is teen film regulars Josh Hartnett and Jodi Lynn O'Keefe, as well as Dawson's Creek star Michelle Williams. Director Miner keeps the tension level moving up quite nicely throughout the film, and once it gets going, it really moves solidly towards the final conclusion.
And, of course, there's another in the series listed as "in production", although who knows if it will actually come together. As for this one again, it is what it is. Not terrible, but not anything terribly great, either. A couple of hours of decent entertainment.
The DVD
VIDEO: Released when Buena Vista was still doing non-anamorphic transfers, "Halloween: H20" still looks very good. I don't have any major complaints, just minor details that could have been better. Sharpness is very good, with the exception of a few dark sequences, which seem slightly on the soft side. Detail is good as well, especially during the daylight sequences. The movie occasionally seems ever-so-slightly dark looking, but it could have been that way in the theater, as well.
There's some noticable marks and scratches on the print used, but these are only in isolated instances and not consistently a problem throughout the entire movie. There's the slightest amount of shimmering apparent on occasion, but again, this is not a major problem. Pixelation is non-existent, as well. As with many of the Buena Vista titles that were produced during their non-anamorphic efforts, it's a very nice looking image, but there are areas where it could be improved.
SOUND: Sound can be a horror film's best friend, but apparently the filmmakers haven't learned that for this film, which really misses quite a few opportunities to scare the audience further. Surrounds are really not used terribly often and when they are, they aren't terribly effective in their use. Sound does remain nicely dynamic, though, and the score sounds clear and crisp. Dialogue is clear and easily understood, as well. This isn't a terribly agressive soundtrack, and it could have used more creativity in the audio.
MENUS:: As with many Disney menus, there isn't much at all to the menus - just a film-themed image; no music, no spooky animation, no nothing.
EXTRAS: "Halloween: H20" became infamous after it was released. Originally listed as having quite a nice package of features(well, nice for a Buena Vista title, normal for everyone else), the final disc came and included barely anything. Even the early packaging listed many more features than the disc included. The packaging was corrected, but the price was never changed from the too-high $39.99. There are still a couple of extras, but they are definitely not worth the high price tag.
Unmasking the Horror: A fairly interesting documentary that offers interviews with Jamie Lee Curtis, writer Kevin Williamson, director Miner and many members of the cast who chat about not only the making of this film, but the series as a whole. It's pretty promotional in nature, but hearing the viewpoint of Curtis on what made her decide to do the project as well as the history behind the production makes for a pretty enjoyable viewing.
Also: A music video from Creed and a trivia game. That's it.
Final Thoughts: The movie was suprisingly decent, but the disc is not worth the high price tag for what it offers. A rental for horror fans.
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