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The horror machine keeps going. EuroCultAV just issued its yearly gift guide with our favorites from the whole year, and some new titles as well. However, December has seen a boon in new horror titles, more so than most years. Just at the end of November, beginning of December period we have seen an epic amount of blu-ray releases from Scream Factory and Warner Archive including The Mangler, Urban Legend, Horror of Dracula, and The Thing from Another World (The Thing from Another World is currently an Amazon exclusive though).
Texas Chainsaw Massacre - The Next Generation
Director - Kim Henkel
Cast- Matthew McConaughey, Renee Zellwegger
Country of Origin- U.S.
Discs- 2
Reviewer-Scott MacDonald
Earlier this year I watched Warner Archive's Blu-ray of Leatherface - Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3, and having not seen the film for 25 years I ended up quite enjoying it. With that in mind I went to revisit Texas Chainsaw Massacre - The Nex Generation. This is a film I watched a single time as a VHS rental back in the 90's. I was a lot less picky then, and still hated it. Watching it again now, unfortunately did not improve the title in the same way Leatherface improved with a rewatch. If anything the title is actually worse than I remember.
The film involves a group of teenagers lead by Renee Zellwegger's Jenny. The group end up in a head-on car accident on prom night, and end up at the farmhouse occupied by Leatherface and family. There is the typical slicing and dicing that goes on, but also a bizarre out of left-field subplot involving a secret organization that controls the government. The film itself is tonally all over the place, and while at times it certainly feels like a Chainsaw film, it also feels out of place in the series as a whole. The performances are solid for the material and Matthew McConaughey actually turns in a seriously over the top performance as tow truck driving cannibal Vilmer.
Scream presents the film in 2 versions, a theatrical cut and a director's cut that is brought to life using standard definition inserts. The overall look of the film is quite solid in its 1080p upgrade, though the inserts look out of place. That being said, it's the only way to bring the DC to life, so it's a necessary evil. Audio is handled by a DTS-HD stereo track in English that sound clear and accurately handles the audio content of the film. The disc is loaded with 2 cuts of the film, interviews, image galleries, trailers and more.
The Film (1/5)
Audio/Video (3.5/5)
Extras (4/5)
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Urban Legend
Director - Jamie Blanks
Cast-Various - Joshua Jackson, Jared Leto
Country of Origin - U.S.
Discs- 24
Reviewer-Scott MacDonald
When the Who-Dun-It horrors of the late 90's were first appearing on the scene in the wake of Scream, I had zero interest in them. The first Scream was largely fun when it came out, but it also made people who weren't genre fans suddenly, couch critics of the genre who stood above the films they were watching looking for the "rules" and "tricks" of the film, and made themselves better if they could catch a film in the act. Aside from that, the films right from the get-go began to feel derivative. I remember watching the first "I Know What You Did Last Summer" on a sick day from school, and feeling unimpressed, and wishing it was just the Mutilator instead. Now before I sound largely negative there were a few films among the lot I did enjoy. Disturbing Behavior was fun, I also did enjoy Scream 1/2, but finally Urban Legend, which I think feels like an 80's slasher film where the premise came first, and they build up around that.
The film tells a simple story about a killer on the campus of one of the safest universities in America. This killer uses urban legends as the jumping off point for his murders. The film follows a young woman named Natalie, as she notices the killer is killing people around her, and works to get to the bottom of it. Urban Legend feels very much like a post- Scream horror film with model-esque stars right off the WB. It also has a bizarre giallo-esque quality to it. Of all the films to riff on the Scream formula Urban Legend might be the best one. The kills are solid and imaginative, and the overall look has a solid atmosphere of horror.
Urban Legend comes to Blu with a solid 2:40:1 1080p transfer that Natalie conveys the look of the film with solid detail and color replication. Audio is handled by a DTS-HD MA 5.1 track that is clear, crisp, and well-balanced. Extras include a commentary track, feature length documentary on Urban Legend, behind the scenes material, new and old.
The Film (4/5)
Audio/Video (4/5)
Extras (3/5)
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Horror of Dracula/Dracula - Prince of Darkness
Director - Terence Fisher
Cast-Various - Christopher Lee, Various
Country of Origin - U.K.
Discs- 1/1
Reviewer-Scott MacDonald
The Hammer Dracula films are some of my favorite vampire films of all time, and just in time for the holidays comes two new Blu-rays of series favorites. The Warner Archive collection issues a Blu-ray of the highly anticipated Horror of Dracula, while Scream Factory issues the 2nd ever Region A Blu-ray of Dracula - Prince of Darkness which vastly improves on the A/V content of the prior Millennium release.
Horror of Dracula is the first film in Hammer's Dracula sequence. It is based on a screenplay by Jimmy Sangster, and riffs on the original book, more than it adapts it. The film opens with Jonathan Harker going to Dracula's castle to start his job as librarian for the count. Of course, his motive is actually killing the count, but in the process he dies, and becomes a vampire. Dracula then abandons his home, to take residence near Harker's fiancee, and her family to begin his terror anew.
Dracula - Prince of Darkness is the third film in the Hammer Dracula sequence, but the first to directly follow Horror Dracula. In this film 4 travelers are abandoned by their coach driver adjacent to Dracula's castle. They are then given a ride to the castle itself, where Dracula's servant Klove, takes them in, feeds them, and allows them to rest, before committing a blood sacrifice and resurrecting Dracula.
Both films are absolutely brilliant gothic horror entries. Horror of Dracula really opens up the Hammer universe of films. The brilliant Curse of Frankenstein established the look of early Hammer entries, and Horror solidified it. The film though not accurate to the novel, is one of the finest Dracula films ever crafted, Dracula - Prince of Darkness is quite possibly the best of Hammer's traditional Dracula entries. The film has an overwhelming atmosphere that can easily draw the viewer in. Both films are spearheaded by commanding performances by Christopher Lee. The 2nd film is notable for his lack of dialogue, and still he creates a vicious, haunting performance out of the material.
Warner Archive's Blu-ray of Horror of Dracula is apparently based on the 2007 BFI restoration and is given a solid 1:85:1 1080p transfer. The colors are more accurate to the original presentation, but there is some compression issues in dark scenes, not too overwhelming, but it is there. Detail is fine as well. Audio is handled by a DTS-HD audio track in English that sounds quite suitable for the material. Dracula - Prince of Darkness is given a 2:35:1 1080p transfer from a 4k scan and looks remarkable. Excellent detail, colors, and black levels and none of the DNR that plagued the original release. Horror of Dracula has no extras, not even the Japanese footage from other recent releases. Dracula - Prince of Darkness has 2 commentaries, a World of Hammer episode on Dracula, and more.
The Films (5/5) - Horror of Dracula (5/5) - Dracula Prince of Darkness
Audio/Video (3/5) - Horror of Dracula (4/5) - Dracula Prince of Darkness
Extras (0/5) - Horror of Dracula (3.5/5) - Dracula - Prince of Darkness
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Silent Night, Deadly Night 2
Director - Lee Harry
Cast- Eric Freeman, James Newman
Country of Origin - U.S.
Discs- 1
Reviewer-Scott MacDonald
Silent Night, Deadly Night might be the most controversial films of the 1980's. Its release spawned a huge series of protest, that likely helped, rather than hindered the film. Of course, with most successful properties there will be a sequel, and Silent Night, Deadly Night certainly got a few starting with the notorious Silent Night, Deadly Night 2. The film like Wes Craven's Hills Have Eyes 2 recycles a good amount of the original film as part of a bizarre flashback sequence that centers around Billy’s (the killer from SNDN) brother, Ricky (Eric Freeman) being interviewed in a mental institution by a psychiatrist about his life. Some of the flashbacks are just bizarre, like Ricky seemingly remembering his parents murder from the first film, since he was just a baby, but most of it works well. Oddly, this gives viewers the feeling of 2 films in 1, since the flashbacks give a lot of the high points of the original, while trimming most of the fat. The reaming film shows Ricky's life after his brother's death, including a romantic interlude, and his inevitable breakout from the institution where he dons the famous Santa suit, and goes out to kill.
I have heard over the years that SNDN 2 was not a good film. I don't know what film they were watching, but I loved this. The film is a total riot, the death scenes new and recycled are fantastically executed (though not especially gory). The central performance by Eric Freeman as Ricky really makes this film. It is so over the top, it makes Troll 2's cast look like they were performing for Cassavetes in comparison. But it's so over the top and ridiculous it quickly becomes part of the brilliance of the piece as a whole. For certain parts of the film Freeman does an understated growl for his dialogue, and watching that I couldn't help but want a Eric Freeman Batman film. Yes, I'm totally going there.
Scream Factory utilized 2 HD masters to bring SNDN 2 to life. Unfortunately, it does not look exactly great. But it's step up from the DVD I suppose. Because of the 2 masters, there is an uneven overall look to the film, with slight amounts of flicker, and color fluctuation due to the quality of the changing sources. There is a lot of natural, film like material here. But also some moments appear to have DNR utilized to at least a small degree. The sequences between Ricky and the therapists for example, show a certain waxiness in close-ups. Audio is handled by a DTS-HD MA 2.0 track in English that does the job well dialogue comes through clearly, and without issue. Extras include multiple commentary tracks, a huge hour plus long making of that interviews the cast and crew of the film. There are also additional interviews, featurettes and a short film made for the release where Freeman reprises Ricky in an interview. Fantastic stuff here. Well worth the price of admission.
The Film (4/5)
Audio/Video (2/5)
Extras (4/5)
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The Mangler
Director - Tobe Hooper
Cast- Robert Englund, Ted Levine
Country of Origin - U.S.
Discs- 1
Reviewer-Scott MacDonald
I remember seeing the Mangler on late night TV in the 90's, quite frequently, and when it stopped showing up on TV. I don't recall ever having the urge to go back and see it, but this film has fans, and that's understandable in a way. It's based on an early short story by Stephen King, and is directed by Texas Chainsaw Massacre's Tobe Hooper, while also featuring Freddy Kreuger himself, Robert Englund in a starring role. It's just that the film itself does not measure up the sum of its parts. The film involves a town being kept in check by regular sacrifices to the "Mangler" in an industrial laundry facility.
Of course, a huge stationary machine can only be so scary, and Hooper does film it in a way that presents the horror of the "Creature". Nonetheless, outside of some decent visuals, and Englund's performance not much goes on with this film. Like King's directorial debut Maximum Overdrive, it involves sentient machinery, though I believe Maximum Overdrive has sheet entertainment value on its side, while this just feels like it exist to add one more King story to the cinematic cannon. Although, I do have to admit moderate amusement when the machine becomes mobile in the third act and begins stalking the facility it is housed in.
Scream presents the Mangler in a very solid 4k transfer presented 1080p taken from the OCN. Detail is very solid here, colors are nicely reproduced, and grain looks organic and natural. The audio handled by a DTS-HD 5.1 track does the job reasonably well, dialogue and score come through clear with some slight patches where I had to juggle the remote to get decent sound. Extras include an audio commentary with the director, a 22 minute interview with Englund where he defends the film, an SD behind the scenes featurette and more.
The Film (2.5/5)
Audio/Video (4/5)
Extras (2.5/5)
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The Thing from Another World
Director - Christian Nyby
Cast- James Arness, Margaret Sheridan,
Country of Origin-U.S.
Discs- 1
Reviewer-Scott MacDonald
I have to say that Warner Archive are really bringing some horror greets the last few months. We have gotten 3 Hammer Dracula titles from the studio, and now this. The long in need of a Blu, The Thing from Another World. Though largely overshadowed by the John Carpenter 1982 remake, the film is a suspenseful and creepy affair that utilizes the 1950's social elements to create something truly timeless. The film is credited to director Christian Nyby, with the great Howard Hawks stepping in as producer, and uncredited director.
The film follows a military team living in the arctic. They find a spaceship in the ice, thaw it's pilot, and take it back to their base where all hell breaks loose. The film is a paced affair with the titular Thing not making an appearance until almost an hour into the film, and then only seen sporadically throughout the rest of the picture. That allows Nyby/Hawks to create better developed characters, and develop the situation and setting much better, but also create a suspenseful atmosphere that begins to pay off in the latter half of the film.
Warner Archives presents The Thing from Another World in a quite remarkable 1:37:1 1080p AVC encoded transfer. Contrast is solid, and detail is very good. Grain looks natural, but does not overwhelm. Audio is handled by a DTS-HD MA 2.0 track that sound quite solid with dialogue and score coming through crisp and clear. Extras include 2 trailers one in HD, the other SD.
The Film (5/5)
Audio/Video (4/5)
Extras (1/5)
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