Post by: hal9g on October 02, 2010, 12:55:16 AM
Title: The Eye: 2-Disc Special Edition (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2008
Director: David Moreau, Xavier Palud
Rating: PG-13
Length: 97 Min.
Video: Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: DTS-HD High Resolution: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Other: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Stars:
Jessica Alba
Alessandro Nivola
Parker Posey
Rade Serbedzija
Fernanda Romero
Plot:
Sydney Wells is blind and has been so since a childhood tragedy. After undergoing surgery to restore her sight she learns to see again. But soon after, unexplainable shadowy and frightening images start to haunt her. Not knowing if they are an aftermath of surgery, her mind adjusting to sight, her imagination, or something horrifyingly real, Sydney is soon convinced that her anonymous eye donor has somehow opened the door to a terrifying world only she can now see.
Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Digital Copy
TheaterVision: English descriptive audio.
My Thoughts:
More of a thriller than a horror movie, it was still entertaining with a few "scary" moments. The plot was somewhat predictable, even including the final resolution, but the journey kept it interesting and of course Jessica is certainly easy on the eyes.Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 02, 2010, 05:38:00 PM
Title: Rest Stop: Uncut (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2006
Director: John Shiban
Rating: Unrated
Length: 110 Min.
Video: Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: English: Dolby TrueHD: 5.1, English: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Stars:
Jaimie Alexander
Michael Childers
Jennifer Cormack
Gary Entin
Edmund Entin
Plot:
Jess is at the wheel. Nicole rides shotgun. At the end of the road stretching before them is glamorous Hollywood. They're on a road trip, all right...straight to hell. When the runaway lovers pause at an abandoned rest stop, Jess disappears. And someone else appears - someone with his own demented sense of fun. With drills. Staple guns. Box cutters. All the tearing, grinding, ripping tools needed to hew wood. Or metal. Or people. Especially young, pretty people just like Nicole. Director John Shiban, writer and executive producer of The X-Files and Supernatural, keeps the terrors and twists coming, each out-shocking the last. Stop. Stay awhile. But don't expect to rest.
Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
My Thoughts:
I have to admit this movie did get my stomach in a knot at times and had me cringing during a few scenes. I found it quite effective that the antagonist is never actually seen, at least his face; just adding to the fear as you envision in your own mind just what the face of evil might look like.I still haven't quite figured out the RV family scene. It just doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the movie.
There are three alternate endings on the DVD. They definitely selected the right one for the theatrical release.
Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 02, 2010, 09:31:01 PM
Title: Rest Stop: Don't Look Back: Uncut (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2008
Director: Shawn Papazian
Rating: NR
Length: 89 Min.
Video: Widescreen 2.40:1
Audio: English: Dolby TrueHD: 5.1, English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Portuguese: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Stars:
Kelly Albanese
Michael Childers
Brionne Davis
Edmund Entin
Gary Entin
Plot:
One year ago, the mysterious Rest Stop killer drilled, ripped and splattered young road trippers Jesse and Nicole.
Now three more unsuspecting travelers come looking for the missing duo. And that means the killer gets to sharpen his horrific torture skills all over again - only bloodier and scarier than before. He's not alone, either. The Winnebago full of creepy living corpses is also back, roaming the old highway. And Jesse and Nicole's brutalized ghosts seek revenge, determined to give as gory as they got. Watch if you dare. But whatever you do, Don't Look Back!
Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
My Thoughts:
Jess' older brother Tom, back from Iraq, goes looking for him a year after he disappeared in Rest Stop: Dead Ahead.Just more of the same blood and gore as in the original, but with a further explanation of the RV family and "The Driver's" seeming immortality thrown in.
Pretty much ho-hum in the acting department. Not much reason to revisit this one in the future.
Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 03, 2010, 02:54:41 AM
Title: Hostel: Director's Cut (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2005
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: Unrated
Length: 94 Min.
Video: Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby TrueHD: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Portuguese: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish
Stars:
Jay Hernandez
Derek Richardson
Eythor Gudjonsson
Barbara Nedeljakova
Jan Vlasak
Plot:
College friends Paxton and Josh are lured by a fellow traveler to what's described as a nirvana for American backpackers - a particular hostel in an out-of-the-way Slovakian town stocked with Eastern European women as desperate as they are gorgeous. The two friends arrive and soon easily pair off with exotic beauties Natalya and Svetlana. In fact, too easily... Initially distracted by the good time they're having, the two Americans quickly find themselves trapped in an increasingly sinister situation that they will discover is as wide and as deep as the darkest, sickest recess of human nature itself - if they survive.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Gallery
Multi-angle
Interviews
My Thoughts:
Well, this is the third movie I've watched today that includes an obsession with electric drills. This movie starts out being your typical "buddy" movie with two guys traveling Europe in search of as much sex as they can find. Then about half-way through, they "hook-up" with two girls who lure them in with a roll in the hay, but who have ulterior motives for their actions.Some pretty gruesome scenes for the feint of heart, especially, with the young Asian girl. It is a little hard to believe that the human body can endure some of the treatment depicted without the owner passing out, but what fun would it be to torture someone who's unconscious. It would be like screwing a corpse. Then again, I hear there are people who go for that sort of thing, too.
If this is a prime example of Tarantino's work, then I now know why I've avoided it thus far.
The acting was fairly decent and the cinematography and score were decent. Those are the only things that keep me from rating this lower.
Rating:
Post by: Najemikon on October 03, 2010, 12:31:06 PM
If this is a prime example of Tarantino's work, then I now know why I've avoided it thus far.
:o
I do think the Hostel movies have a bit more going for them than average torture porn, as they at least come from a grain of truth (businessmen travelling across the world being provided with a prostitution service, and Eli Roth finding a website offering exactly what the film is about), but don't be fooled by Tarantino's name above the title.
It is very much Roth's film. He wrote it and directed it. Tarantino simply helped him get it made. "Prime example"? Not remotely.
I guess from your comment you are yet to see Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, etc? You really must, if only to see the difference. You may not like them any better, you might end up joining Antares and Jimmy in the anti-QT club, but I'm sure they wouldn't consider Hostel as typical fare from him.
Post by: Jimmy on October 03, 2010, 12:49:29 PM
I'm sure they wouldn't consider Hostel as typical fare from him.I sure don't, but I can't stand Eli Roth even more and this film is just ridiculous (I bought it, took many attempt to watch it and I've no intention to lost any more times watching it)...
Post by: hal9g on October 03, 2010, 03:32:43 PM
[/quote]
I have both Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction in my collection (and have for a very long time), but have yet to watch them.
Based on your comments, I am reserving my view on QT.
Roth would have been better served if he had done this as a documentary as he originally intended, although as he said, he probably couldn't have raised the money for it or had any "witnesses" to come forward and live.
Post by: hal9g on October 03, 2010, 09:31:24 PM
Title: Hostel Part II: Unrated Director's Cut (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2007
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: Unrated
Length: 95 Min.
Video: Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: PCM: 5.1, English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai
Stars:
Lauren German
Roger Bart
Heather Matarazzo
Bijou Phillips
Richard Burgi (1958)
Plot:
Presented by Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill, Vols. 1 & 2) and written and directed by Eli Roth (Hostel, Cabin Fever), HOSTEL PART II is the shocking and gruesome sequel about the underground torture ring where rich businessmen pay to torture and murder their victims.
The second installment in this terrifying franchise centers around three young American women (Lauren German, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Bijou Phillips, Bully, and Heather Matarazzo, Welcome to the Dollhouse) who are studying in Rome. They are lured into a hostel by a beautiful young woman who sells them in as the next victims of a murder-for-profit business. Also starring Roger Bart (TV's "Desperate Housewives") and Richard Burgi (Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation).
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Interviews
Outtakes/Bloopers
Interactive Surveillance Camera Footage
My Thoughts:
The carnage continues in this sequel to Hostel but with young women as the targets instead of young men. We get a little closer look at the inner workings of the "enterprise", and a little less of the blood and gore; not much less but a little.The role reversal of Todd and Stuart was an interesting and unexpected twist and Stuart's fate will give lifelong nightmares to any red-blooded male! :o
Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 04, 2010, 03:08:37 AM
Title: The Invasion (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2007
Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Rating: PG-13
Length: 99 Min.
Video: Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: Dolby TrueHD: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Stars:
Nicole Kidman
Daniel Craig
Jeremy Northam
Jackson Bond
Jeffrey Wright
Plot:
Something terrifying has come to Earth, something that attacks us while we sleep and turns us into soulless replicants. The clock is ticking as Washington, DC psychiatrist Carol Bennell (Nicole Kidman) and her colleague Ben Driscoll (Daniel Craig) embark on a heart-stopping journey into a nightmarish world where the only way to stay alive is to stay awake. No one can be trusted. No one is safe in producer Joel Silver's bold new take on Jack Finney's classic novel The Body Snatchers.
Don't fall asleep! The Invasion is here.
Extras:
Scene Access
Featurettes
My Thoughts:
This was a pretty good remake of the old classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The use of the actual space shuttle explosion over Texas, then expanding on that to have it carry a deadly virus back to Earth and spreading it widely has just the level of plausibility to make for a viable story.Even though the plot was fairly predictable, Kidman, Craig and Kaufman did a good job of maintaining the suspense level throughout.
The timing on this movie seems to b directly related to recent outbreaks of SARS and avian flu. Maybe they should have waited for the H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic! I do have a bit of a problem with the fact that the CDC guy is in Washington, when anyone who knows anything about them knows they have very few people in D.C. and do all of their infectious disease studies in Atlanta (I worked there for 7 years).
At any rate, I enjoyed this one, especially after the last four I've watched in this horror marathon!
Rating:
Post by: Dragonfire on October 04, 2010, 04:21:20 AM
I haven't seen any of the Hostel movies...they just don't have any appeal to me.
Post by: Achim on October 04, 2010, 07:04:45 AM
Post by: hal9g on October 06, 2010, 09:28:20 PM
Title: The Covenant (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2006
Director: Renny Harlin
Rating: PG-13
Length: 97 Min.
Video: Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: PCM: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai
Stars:
Steven Strait
Laura Ramsey
Sebastian Stan
Taylor Kitsch
Chace Crawford
Plot:
To the students of the Spenser Academy, the Sons of Ipswich are the baddest boys on campus. But that's not all they share. The four friends also share a 300-year-old secret: they're warlocks, the teenage descendants of a 17th-century coven of witches. So when the long-banished fifth son suddenly appears and threatens to kill their loved ones, they realize they must face their enemy in order to prevent him from stealing their powers and shattering THE COVENANT forever.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
My Thoughts:
This was an enjoyable film with an interesting premise. It's one of those really dark movies where it's rather difficult to actually see what is going on. Seems to be a very popular filming technique for this genre. I'm not sure why the four didn't band together to fight the bad guy, or why Caleb is more powerful than Chase after ascending and inheriting power. After all Chase had ascended and inherited power also. I guess an old-fashioned one-on-one, good against evil was required and four against one wouldn't seem quite fair. Not that I give a damn about fair in these type of fights!Worth a look see.
Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 06, 2010, 09:39:24 PM
Title: Dnevnoy dozor: Unrated (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2006
Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Rating: Unrated
Length: 146 Min.
Video: Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: Russian: DTS-HD High Resolution: 5.1, English: DTS: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: Chinese, English, Korean, Spanish
Stars:
Konstantin Khabensky
Maria Poroshina
Vladimir Menshov
Galina Tyunina
Victor Verzhbitsky
Plot:
In this thrilling sequel to Night Watch, only one thing stands between peace and Armageddon: the supernatural agents of Day Watch, who fight to control the armies of Light and Darkness. When the son of a senior Day Watch officer turns to the Darkness, incredible forces are unleashed....and the fate of the world hangs in the balance!
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
D-Box
My Thoughts:
I probably should have read the overview before watching this, since I would have seen that this is a sequel to Nightwatch, which I've never watched, even though I do own it.At any rate, I found this one a little hard to follow, probably due to concentrating on subtitles most of the time and I'm not sure the translation was the best, or either, they use phrases that have no equal in English. Some hot looking babes and lots of "action" are about the only things really going for this film.
Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 06, 2010, 09:48:41 PM
Title: Phairii phinaat paa mawrana (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2006
Director: Pleo Sirisuwan
Rating: NR
Length: 103 Min.
Video: Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: Other: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Other: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English
Stars:
Andy Tungkaprasert
Chalad Na Songkhla
Chirapat Wongpaisanlux
Surachai Sangagard
Chaiwat Chirawattanakarn
Plot:
A team of police officers must track down a group of ruthless criminals who have entered a mysterious forest that is said to be cursed. Once inside the forest, the police and the criminals discover a bizarre world where mythical creatures exist and the curse of ancient treasure hidden within the forest is in fact real. As they make their way through the forest, they must fight against the creatures within and each other - in hopes of escaping alive.
Extras:
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Music Videos
My Thoughts:
A little slow getting started, but the action picks up after awhile. Photography is quite stunning at times, but the acting left a bit to be desired. Again it may have more to do with concentrating on subtitles.An interesting story with some nice CG monsters and several little unexpected twists to the story throughout.
Worth a look.
Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 06, 2010, 10:05:39 PM
Title: Dark Water (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2005
Director: Walter Salles
Rating: PG-13
Length: 105 Min.
Video: Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles:
Stars:
Jennifer Connelly
John C. Reilly
Tim Roth
Dougray Scott
Pete Postlethwaite
Plot:
The terror of Dark Water reaches new heights on Blu-ray Disc. Starring acclaimed actress Jennifer Connelly, the film Rolling Stone calls "a torrent of suspense" is a visual and auditory wonder in this revolutionary high definition format.
Life becomes a living nightmare for Dahlia Williams and her daughter when their new apartment begins to take on a life of its own. Experience every heart-stopping moment in razor-sharp 1080p, and feel the grip of every blood-curdling scream delivered in 5.1 48 kHz, 16-bit uncompressed audio. See, hear and feel the excitement with Blue-ray High Definition.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
My Thoughts:
This movie combines both horror and a psychological thriller. The director does a good job of making the viewer question whether things that are happening are real or just figments of Dahlia's or Ceci's imagination, reminiscent of movies like Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte. I'm still trying to figure out exactly why they used "Dark Water" as the manifestation of the little Russian girl. The hair coming out of the faucet was kinda gross, though.Definitely worth a spin.
Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 06, 2010, 10:17:59 PM
Title: The Descent: Original Unrated Cut (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2005
Director: Neil Marshall
Rating: Unrated
Length: 100 Min.
Video: Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital EX: 5.1 (Matrixed 6.1), English: PCM: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Stars:
Shauna Macdonald
Natalie Mendoza
Alex Reid
Saskia Mulder
MyAnna Buring
Plot:
On an annual extreme outdoor adventure, six women meet in a remote part of the Appalachians to explore a cave hidden deep in the woods. Far below the surface of the earth, disaster strikes when a rockfall blocks their exit and there's no way out. The women push on, praying for another exit, but there is something else lurking under the earth. The friends are now prey, forced to unleash their most primal instincts in an all-out war against an unspeakable horror – one that attacks without warning, again and again and again.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Gallery
Production Notes
Storyboard Comparisons
Outtakes/Bloopers
Rated Version
My Thoughts:
A less than satisfactory story of a group of female spelunkers who enter a cavern in the Appalachians which has never been explored (not likely) or we're supposed to believe may have been explored but no one has ever emerged to lay claim to the cavern. They run into some "creatures" that I've seen countless times in other films (LOTR for one). Zero for originality here. The opening scene of the car accident doesn't really seem to tie in all that well, unless it was supposed to provide Sarah with some added inner strength to survive. Rating:
Post by: Najemikon on October 07, 2010, 01:00:52 AM
I know you didn't like it, Hal, but that's a heck of a spoiler! Can't you edit your description? ;)
As it is, the ending I believe depends on the version you saw.
(click to show/hide)
I'm really surprised at how critical you are of the cave dwellers. They are simply humanoids who have always lived in the dark so they're appearance and actions are consistent with that. I don't think Marshall was going out of his way to be original with them, just logical. I can't think of the LotR equivalent... :hmmmm:
Post by: Najemikon on October 07, 2010, 01:03:13 AM
I just noticed, you liked The Eye too. All is lost... :weep:
Post by: hal9g on October 07, 2010, 04:32:36 AM
Wow, I couldn't disagree with you more. Awesome film, best British horror for years, on a par with Asian chillers and I can't think of a US release to match it recently. Properly scary in places. My mate is a bit of a claustrophobic and really struggled with some of the pot-holing scenes!
I know you didn't like it, Hal, but that's a heck of a spoiler! Can't you edit your description? ;)
As it is, the ending I believe depends on the version you saw.(click to show/hide)
I'm really surprised at how critical you are of the cave dwellers. They are simply humanoids who have always lived in the dark so they're appearance and actions are consistent with that. I don't think Marshall was going out of his way to be original with them, just logical. I can't think of the LotR equivalent... :hmmmm:
Removed what I think you refer to as a spoiler.
As far as the cave dwellers, in terms of appearance, how about Gollum. In terms of the way they move (no care for gravity or ceilings vs floors) how about the Magog of Andromeda fame.
Sorry, but I did not find this movie the least bit "scary"...just predictable. I told you this is not my favorite genre, and I much prefer the psychological thriller aspects of Dark Water than the ghoulish gore of this movie (never saw the Korean version). And why exactly did they remain underground when there are at least two ways out, and they go out to hunt all the time?? I know, I'm not supposed to over think this kind of thing!
(click to show/hide)
Different strokes for different folks.
Post by: hal9g on October 07, 2010, 04:51:09 AM
Title: House of Wax (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2005
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Rating: R
Length: 113 Min.
Video: Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Stars:
Elisha Cuthbert
Chad Michael Murray
Brian Van Holt
Paris Hilton
Jared Padalecki
Plot:
Thrills and chills ooze all over you in House of Wax, from Dark Castle Entertainment and legendary horror producers Joel Silver and Robert Zemeckis (Gothika, House on Haunted Hill).
When their car breaks down on a road trip, six college friends are sidetracked into an eerie backwoods town. Curiosity gets the better of them when they are intrigued by its macabre House of Wax. They soon find out that the town is not what it seems and they must find their way out before they fall victim to its ghoulishly inventive killers.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Outtakes/Bloopers
Alternate Opening: Jennifer Killed
My Thoughts:
Another teenage fright fest. It's a wonder any of them make it to adulthood. Nick is the only interesting one in the whole group and he does a good job playing the "bad boy". Some rather gruesome scenes and a couple of scary moments, but nothing particularly special.Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 07, 2010, 05:00:12 AM
Title: Exorcist: The Beginning (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png)
Year: 2004
Director: Renny Harlin
Rating: R
Length: 113 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: DTS: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Stars:
Stellan Skarsgård
Izabella Scorupco
James D'Arcy
Remy Sweeney
Julian Wadham
Plot:
Having abandoned his faith in God, Father Merrin (Stellan Skarsgård) joins a British archaeological excavation in Kenya, where an inexplicably pristine Christian Byzantine church has been unearthed - looking as if it had been buried on the day it was completed. But beneath the church, something much older sleeps, waiting to be awoken. As madness swiftly descends upon the villagers and British soldiers, Merrin watches helplessly as atrocities are committed against an innocent village - atrocities he had seen before and prayed never to see again. The blood of innocents flows freely on the East African plain, and the horror has only just begun. In the place where Evil was born, Merrin will finally see its true face.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Closed Captioned
My Thoughts:
A good prequel to the original Exorcist, this story ties in nicely as we learn of Father Merrin's history and his previous encounter with evil as referred to in the original story. A lot less time is spent on the actual exorcism and more to character development and diversions to keep you off guard, including a love interest. I like the way they even tie the infamous theme music into the closing credits.Rating:
Post by: Achim on October 07, 2010, 06:28:48 AM
Sorry, but I did not find this movie the least bit "scary"...just predictable. I told you this is not my favorite genre, and I much prefer the psychological thriller aspects of Dark Water than the ghoulish gore of this movie (never saw the Korean version). And why exactly did they remain underground when there are at least two ways out, and they go out to hunt all the time?? I know, I'm not supposed to over think this kind of thing!First, I like horror films, so my suspension of disbelief is already pre-adjusted. Luckily I caught The Descent during its theatrical run and in my opinion watching this in a darkened theater and on a big screen changes the whole game! For me it was the scariest thing I had ever witness in the cinema, something a home viewing cannot recreate in any shape or form.
The orginal Dark Water is Japanese, I seem to remember, and isn't gory either. Just unsettling, as it should be.
Post by: hal9g on October 07, 2010, 08:30:04 PM
Title: Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png)
Year: 2005
Director: Paul Schrader
Rating: R
Length: 116 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.00:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Stars:
Stellan Skarsgård
Gabriel Mann
Clara Bellar
Billy Crawford
Ralph Brown
Plot:
A supernatural evil comes to a post-World War II archaeologic dig in British East Africa. Or is the escalating toll of death and dread the inevitable result of human nature? Father Merrin witnessed man at his worst during the war, and it led him to abandon the priesthood. Now, supervising the excavation of a mysterious church, he must rediscover his faith to combat a foe who's cunning, unrelenting and immortal. 'Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist' is the bold, eye-filling revelation of events that thrust Merrin (Stellan Skarsgård) onto a showdown course with mankind's most insidious enemy. Paul Schrader (director of 'Auto Focus', screenwriter of 'Taxi Driver') directs, bringing insight and palpable terror to the newest chapter of the famed horror series whos battleground is the human soul. The fear is here. It will shake you to your core.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Gallery
Closed Captioned
My Thoughts:
This is essentially the same movie as Exorcist: The Beginning, which was shot from much of the footage of this film, but was changed to make it more of a classic "horror" film. Wikipedia has a good description of the relationship between the films HERE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominion:_Prequel_to_the_Exorcist). Dominion was completed and released after The Beginning was less than a success at the box office.Not knowing the history when I began to watch this, I was expecting a completely different story. About 15 minutes into it, I realized this had to be a different version of the same plot.
Each version has it's merits and flaws, but overall, I think I enjoyed The Beginning a bit more. There was more going on and there were a couple of plot twists that kept it a bit more interesting. Even so, I rate them both the same.
Rating:
Post by: Najemikon on October 07, 2010, 08:31:42 PM
I side a bit with Jon on The Descent, but that's not important really. Different people like different film. However...First, I like horror films, so my suspension of disbelief is already pre-adjusted. Luckily I caught The Descent during its theatrical run and in my opinion watching this in a darkened theater and on a big screen changes the whole game! For me it was the scariest thing I had ever witness in the cinema, something a home viewing cannot recreate in any shape or form.
The orginal Dark Water is Japanese, I seem to remember, and isn't gory either. Just unsettling, as it should be.
Oh, sod. Yes you're right, I keep getting Korea and Japan mixed up, I'm sure the inhabitants of both will be pleased to hear! :-[
Dark Water is little more than a haunted house story, but I found the remake to lose the punch. I don't scare very easily, but I definitely got the biggest jump for years from the rooftop sequence! :bag: And The Descent was a close runner up when her hat is scraping across the pot hole... :suicide:
Post by: Najemikon on October 07, 2010, 08:32:56 PM
Post by: hal9g on October 07, 2010, 08:38:56 PM
...(in comparison to the peerless original)...
Well, there you go. Something we can agree on!!! :tease:
Post by: Achim on October 08, 2010, 06:37:40 AM
The Blu-ray is getting good reviews (transfer and extras). ;) I ordered mine last week. The two versions are on separate discs, not seamless branched....(in comparison to the peerless original)...
Well, there you go. Something we can agree on!!! :tease:
Post by: Najemikon on October 08, 2010, 12:12:22 PM
Post by: hal9g on October 08, 2010, 08:33:59 PM
Title: White Noise (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png)
Year: 2005
Director: Geoffrey Sax
Rating: PG-13
Length: 98 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Stars:
Michael Keaton
Chandra West
Deborah Kara Unger
Ian McNeice
Sarah Strange
Plot:
The year's most disturbing thriller explores the unsettling possibility that the dead can contact us...
all we have to do is listen.
When architect Jonathan Rivers (Michael Keaton) loses his wife in a tragic accident, he turns to the shadowy, unnerving world of Electronic Voice Phenomonon - communication from beyond the grave. But as he begins to penetrate the mysteries of E.V.P., Jonathan makes a shocking discovery: once a portal to the other world is opened, there's no telling what will come through it.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
My Thoughts:
Michael Keaton, as Jon Rivers, is excellent in this movie as he becomes obsessed with a phenomenon known as EVP, Electronic Voice Phenomenon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_voice_phenomenon) after the death of his wife. Once introduced to EVP by a man who claims to have been contacted by his dead wife, Jon's life is taken over by his pursuit of further contact with the other side. He soon learns that there is both good and bad in the hereafter as well, and his wife leads him to discover the grim truth about her own death. When Jon discovers that he is seeing the deaths of people before they actually happen he begins a crusade to save them.A chilling and eerie movie based on a supposedly real phenomenon. Definitely a keeper.
Rating:
Post by: addicted2dvd on October 08, 2010, 08:38:39 PM
Post by: hal9g on October 08, 2010, 08:51:29 PM
Thanks for the review Hal... I been considering that movie for a long time... but for some reason never bothered it pick it up.
Warning: no blood and gore!
Post by: addicted2dvd on October 08, 2010, 09:17:56 PM
Post by: hal9g on October 09, 2010, 12:47:03 AM
Title: Nochnoi dozor: Unrated (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2004
Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Rating: Unrated
Length: 114 Min.
Video: Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: DTS: 5.1, Russian: DTS-HD Master Audio: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: Chinese, English, Korean, Spanish, Commentary
Stars:
Konstantin Khabensky
Vladimir Menshov
Valery Zolotukhin
Maria Poroshina
Galina Tyunina
Plot:
The forces of Light and Darkness have co-existed in a delicate balance for hundreds of years...until now. Even as the Night Watch polices the Dark Others-among them vampires, witches and shape-shifters-a chain of mysterious events triggers a dreaded, age-old prophecy, shattering the balance and unleashing an apocalyptic war unlike any the world has ever known!
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Gallery
Closed Captioned
D-Box
My Thoughts:
I found this movie to be very slow-paced at times. Some of the action sequences were good, but much was left to the imagination, e.g., this Gloom concept. It is clear that this movie was intended as a set-up for a sequel. The ending was somewhat anti-climatic and left many unanswered questions. It was just OK.Rating:
Post by: Najemikon on October 09, 2010, 12:52:10 AM
I found this movie to be very slow-paced at times. Some of the action sequences were good, but much was left to the imagination, e.g., this Gloom concept. It is clear that this movie was intended as a set-up for a sequel. The ending was somewhat anti-climatic and left many unanswered questions. It was just OK.
Rating:
They did make the sequel, Hal... Day Watch. It was supposed to be a trilogy, but I lose track of why it didn't happen. I liked Night Watch and have Day Watch, but for some reason still haven't watched it. The director went onto Wanted...
Post by: hal9g on October 09, 2010, 01:05:30 AM
I found this movie to be very slow-paced at times. Some of the action sequences were good, but much was left to the imagination, e.g., this Gloom concept. It is clear that this movie was intended as a set-up for a sequel. The ending was somewhat anti-climatic and left many unanswered questions. It was just OK.
Rating:
They did make the sequel, Hal... Day Watch. It was supposed to be a trilogy, but I lose track of why it didn't happen. I liked Night Watch and have Day Watch, but for some reason still haven't watched it. The director went onto Wanted...
Yeah, actually, I watched Day Watch earlier in my marathon, because I didn't realize it was a sequel to Night Watch. I was just saying that when I watched Night Watch, it became obvious by the end that they were planning a sequel (didn't know it was to be a trilogy) because there were so many issues left open-ended. I'm now curious about where they would have gone with it in the third film, or did they just condense the 2nd and 3rd films into Day Watch?
Post by: Najemikon on October 09, 2010, 01:27:29 AM
Post by: hal9g on October 09, 2010, 05:01:25 AM
Title: Underworld: Unrated (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2003
Director: Len Wiseman
Rating: Unrated
Length: 134 Min.
Video: Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: PCM: 5.1, English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Italian: PCM: 5.1, Italian: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, French, Italian, Commentary
Stars:
Kate Beckinsale
Scott Speedman
Michael Sheen
Shane Brolly
Bill Nighy
Plot:
In the Underworld, Vampires are a secret clan of modern aristocratic sophisticates whose mortal enemies are the Lycans (werewolves), a shrewd gang of street thugs who prowl the city's underbelly. No one knows the origin of their bitter blood feud, but the balance of power between them turns even bloodier when a beautiful young Vampire warrior and a newly-turned Lycan with a mysterious past fall in love. Kate Beckinsale and Scott Speedman star in this modern-day, action-packed tale of ruthless intrigue and forbidden passion all set against the dazzling backdrop of a timeless, Gothic metropolis.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Featurettes
Music Videos
Storyboard Comparisons
Outtakes/Bloopers
My Thoughts:
This movie was pretty action-packed right from the start. While I felt that Beckinsale's performance was good, the strongest character was Michael Sheen as Lucian. Brolly's portrayal of Kraven left a whole lot to be desired. I love the way this movie was filmed, giving it a true "Transylvania" feel, it almost felt like it was in black-in-white at times. I also enjoyed the score.Not the strongest of stories, but not bad either.
Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 09, 2010, 08:24:17 PM
Title: Resident Evil (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2002
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson [Paul W. S. Anderson]
Rating: R
Length: 101 Min.
Video: Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby TrueHD: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Italian: Dolby TrueHD: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Portuguese: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Commentary
Stars:
Ryan McCluskey
Oscar Pearce
Indra Ové
Anna Bolt
Joseph May
Plot:
A team of paramilitary commandos must battle flesh-eating undead, killer mutant dogs, and a supercomputer's deadly defenses before an unleashed virus consumes humanity in this adaptation of the hit video game series!
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Music Videos
Blu-Wizard 2.0
My Thoughts:
Well if you like non-stop action, ever-increasing levels of danger and a variety of "demons" to battle, this will be right up your alley. Obviously, the zombies weren't "bad" enough, and even the mutated dobermans didn't provide a sufficient enough adversary, so they had to throw in the Licker (an early version of the virus gone bad). And finally they had to mutate the Licker to make it even "scarier".Jovovich does a credible job and their are several scenes that will get your stomach into knots. Definitely no happy ending here! :(
Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 09, 2010, 10:58:13 PM
Title: Resident Evil: Apocalypse (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2004
Director: Alexander Witt
Rating: R
Length: 94 Min.
Video: Widescreen 2.40:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: PCM: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, Portuguese, Spanish
Stars:
Milla Jovovich
Sienna Guillory
Oded Fehr
Thomas Kretschmann
Sophie Vavasseur
Plot:
After narrowly escaping the horrors of the underground Hive facility, Alice (Milla Jovovich) is quickly thrust back into a war raging above ground between the living and the Undead. It's a heart-pounding race against time as the group faces off against hordes of blood-thirsty zombies, stealthy Lickers, mutant canines and the most sinister foe yet.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Blu-Wizard
My Thoughts:
Not as good as the original. I think what bothers me about this movie is that they've concentrated so much on the action that there's zero character development. You don't get to know any of the characters well enough to develop any kind of connection. The "bad" guy, other than Nemesis, keeps changing and there's little indication as to what their true motivation is. The good guys get bitten and turn into bad guys, there really doesn't seem to be any way to overcome the forces that are behind the conspiracy, and in the end, when you think you've won, you actually haven't. Obviously, they were setting up the sequel! This barely gets a three rating for action and Nemesis.Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 10, 2010, 01:00:55 AM
Title: Resident Evil: Extinction (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2007
Director: Russell Mulcahy
Rating: R
Length: 94 Min.
Video: Widescreen 2.40:1
Audio: English: Dolby TrueHD: 5.1, French: Dolby TrueHD: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Portuguese: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Commentary
Stars:
Milla Jovovich
Oded Fehr
Ali Larter
Iain Glen
Ashanti
Plot:
Milla Jovovich is back in the third chapter of the hugely successful Resident Evil franchise! This action-packed horror film is filled with intense special effects and more zombie terror! Also stars Ali Larter, Ashanti, Mike Epps, and Oded Fehr.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Picture-in-picture
Blu-Wizard 2.0
My Thoughts:
I think they should have just quit after the first one. Five years after nuking Racoon City, and yet the "bad" guys still have all the power and supplies they need to run their underground complexes; while on the surface, the virus has wiped out the rest of the world except a few odd survivors. Cites are buried under sand. Hundreds of clones have been created (full grown, no less), but what exactly is the purpose. If they really want to cure the virus, why aren't they working together with Alice. How is it that Alice has wandered for 5 years when she is supposedly under the control of the "Alice program".It's just all too disjointed. Not to mention that they have to revert to Hitchcock to add something new to the horror. Just did not work for me! Maybe I'm just burned out on this storyline. :yucky:
Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 10, 2010, 03:55:49 AM
Title: American Psycho: Uncut Version (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/BluRayLogo.png)
Year: 2000
Director: Mary Harron
Rating: Unrated
Length: 102 Min.
Video: Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: DTS: 5.1
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Stars:
Christian Bale
Justin Theroux
Josh Lucas
Bill Sage
Chloe Sevigny
Plot:
Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) is a Wall Street yuppie, obsessed with success, status and style, with a stunning fiancée (Reese Witherspoon). He is also a psychotic killler who rapes, murders and dismembers both strangers and acquaintances without provocation or purpose. Based on the controversial novel, the film offers a sharp satire to the dark side of yuppie culture in the '80s, while setting forth a vision that is both terrifying and chilling.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Closed Captioned
My Thoughts:
This is an interesting study of the Wall Street yuppie psyche. Even though this is described as a satire, and it is hard to believe that anyone would believe that someone would obsess over raised lettering on a co-workers business card, the underlying kernel of truth is sadly there. Patrick's sterile personality, monotonous speech patterns and plastic demeanor remind me a lot of a certain U.S. Vice President. The repeated mis-identification of people's names (and the fact that everyone is a vice-president) is a chilling commentary on the clone-ish nature of the group of people who make up this homogeneous sect of ladder climbing, greedy corporate "officers" who have no feeling for any other human being besides envy.An enjoyable psychological thriller.
Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 10, 2010, 07:33:21 PM
Title: Hellraiser: Hellseeker (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png)
Year: 2001
Director: Rick Bota
Rating: R
Length: 89 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English
Stars:
Dean Winters
Ashley J. Laurence [Ashley Laurence]
Doug Bradley
Rachel Hayward
Sarah Jane Redmond
Plot:
Pinhead is back in 'Hellraiser: Hellseeker' - the next chilling chapter in the electrifying 'Hellraiser' legacy originated by frightmaster Clive Barker!
When the puzzle box is once again solved, the devastating demon Pinhead (Doug Bradley) and his legion return to unleash Hell on Earth and demolish all who dare oppose them! But standing in his way is Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Laurence – 'Hellraiser I, II, III') – the only person who had defeated Pinhead in the past – and it’s up to her to save the world from this ultimate evil! Also featuring Dean Winters ('Oz', 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit') – you don't want to miss any of the horror as Pinhead will stop at nothing to impose his will on eternity!
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Closed Captioned
My Thoughts:
In spite of the overview describing Pinhead as a devastating demon and "horror", I felt this was more of a psychological thriller and murder mystery. There were multiple murders, but they weren't particularly "horror"-filled. Even so, this was enjoyable enough and kept you guessing while all the time wanting to believe that Trevor was completely innocent. A decent surprise ending explains it all!Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 11, 2010, 02:54:39 AM
Title: Blade: New Line Platinum Series (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png)
Year: 1998
Director: Stephen Norrington
Rating: R
Length: 120 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English
Stars:
Wesley Snipes
Stephen Dorff
Kris Kristofferson
N'Bushe Wright
Donal Logue
Plot:
Wesley Snipes stars as the tortured soul Blade - half man, half immortal. Blade sharpens his lethal skills under the guidance of Whistler (Kris Kristofferson), his mentor, guardian and fellow hunter of the night. When the bloodthirsty Immortals' lord, Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff), declares war on the human race, Blade is humanity's last hope for survival.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Production Notes
DVD-ROM Content
Closed Captioned
Isolated Score with Commentary
My Thoughts:
I quite enjoyed this film. Lots of action, a decent plot, great effects for the most part, good acting, a decent score and lots of atmosphere. The blood bath at the beginning was pretty gross. The serum that caused the vampires to "explode" reminded me a lot of the effects of exposure to Mars atmosphere in Total Recall. Pretty cool. Definitely a keeper.Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 11, 2010, 05:19:10 AM
Title: Blade II (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png)
Year: 2002
Director: Guillermo Del Toro
Rating: R
Length: 117 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital EX: 5.1 (Matrixed 6.1), English: DTS ES: 5.1 (Matrixed 6.1), English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English
Stars:
Wesley Snipes
Kris Kristofferson
Ron Perlman
Leonor Varela
Norman Reedus
Plot:
When the world is threatened by a new and deadlier breed of super vampires, the legendary 'Blade' (Wesley Snipes) and his mentor Whistler (Kris Kristofferson) must join forces with the Bloodpack, an elite team of vampire warriors. In order to stop the carnage, the ravenous fiends must be destroyed at all costs. This high-voltage adventure is exploding with spectacular effects and martial arts action!
Extras:
Scene Access
Closed Captioned
My Thoughts:
Every bit as good as the original, they've made it a lot harder to kill the Reepers. It had gotten a little too easy to kill vampires, so this picked it up a notch. It is a bit annoying how Blade goes from the brink of death, to full-charged super-hero in no time flat so many times. I could also have done without the rap music! :thumbdown: Otherwise, one of the best sequels around.Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 12, 2010, 04:17:56 AM
Title: Blade: Trinity: New Line Platinum Series (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png)
Year: 2004
Director: David S. Goyer
Rating: Unrated
Length: 122 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital EX: 5.1 (Matrixed 6.1), English: DTS ES: 5.1 (Matrixed 6.1), English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Stars:
Wesley Snipes
Kris Kristofferson
Dominic Purcell
Jessica Biel
Ryan Reynolds
Plot:
Blade (Wesley Snipes) returns as the ultimate vampire hunter in the explosive third and final film, 'Blade: Trinity'. For years, Blade has fought against the vampires in the cover of the night. But now, after falling into the crosshairs of the FBI, he is forced out into the daylight, where he is driven to join forces with a clan of human vampire hunters he never knew existed – The Nightstalkers. Together with Abigail (Jessica Biel) and Hannibal (Ryan Reynolds), two deftly trained Nightstalkers, Blade follows a trail of blood to the ancient creature that is also hunting him, the original vampire, Dracula.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Gallery
DVD-ROM Content
Closed Captioned
Both Theatrical (rated R) and Extended Versions (not rated)
My Thoughts:
This film was the weakest of the trilogy for me. The movie dragged at several points and I did not care for the Hannibal King character..I just don't like wise asses, not to mention that while Blade and Abigail are killing off vampires left and right during the big, climactic fight scene, Hannibal has fights with just two and almost loses both. Purcell does a good job with Drake, and I really liked his "primal form". The whole lock up sequence at the police station and the escape were just a waste of valuable film time.Fortunately, this seems to be the end of the story...hopefully!
Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 13, 2010, 11:15:45 PM
Title: Frankenstein: Classic Monster Collection (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png)
Year: 1931
Director: James Whale
Rating: NR
Length: 70 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital: Mono
Subtitles: English, French
Stars:
Colin Clive
Mae Clarke
John Boles
Boris Karloff
Edward Van Sloan
Plot:
Boris Karloff stars as the screen's most memorable monster in what many consider to be the greatest horror film ever made. Dr. Frankenstein dares to tamper with life and death by creating a human moster out of lifeless body parts. It's adaptation of the Mary Shelley novel blended with Karloff's compassionate portrayal of a creature groping for identity that makes "Frankenstein" a masterpiece not only for the genre, but for all time.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Gallery
Production Notes
DVD-ROM Content
"Boo!" a short film
My Thoughts:
For me this is the grand-daddy of horror films and the epitome of the genre. This movie gave me nightmares as a child, and for many years, until I was a young adult, I would not watch it. Watching it today, all of those old feelings came swooping down on me, and just proved that i was not just childhood fears that scared me way back then. From the setting to the timing to the music to the acting, this is a classic for all time.Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 16, 2010, 08:21:29 PM
Title: Dracula: Classic Monster Collection (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png)
Year: 1931
Director: Tod Browning
Rating: NR
Length: 75 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono, French: Dolby Digital: Mono, Spanish: Dolby Digital: Mono, Music Only: Dolby Digital: 5.0, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, French
Stars:
Bela Lugosi
Helen Chandler
David Manners
Dwight Frye
Edward Van Sloan
Plot:
This DVD edition contains three special versions of Dracula!
Dracula (The Restored Version)
Although there have been numerous screen versions of Bram Stoker's classic tale, none is more enduring than the 1931 original. The ominous portrayal of Count Dracula by Bela Lugosi, combined with horror specialist director Tod Browning, help to create the film's eerie mood. Dracula remains a masterpiece not only of the genre, but for all time.
Dracula (Featuring New Music By Philip Glass)
The original version of Dracula starring Bela Lugosi has been remastered to feature a specially composed musical score by world-renowned composer Philip Glass and performed by the Kronos Quartet. Glass' music lends greater depth to an already timeless classic!
Dracula (Original Spanish Version)
Filmed simultaneously with the English language version, the Spanish version of Dracula is a completely different, yet equally ominous vision of the horror classic. Utilizing the same sets and identical script, cinematographer George Robinson and a vibrant cast including Carlos Villarias and Lupita Tovar deliver this chilling and evocative tale.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Gallery
Production Notes
DVD-ROM Content
New Isolated Music Score
My Thoughts:
Although there are some good scenes in this film, overall, I think this was overacted and way too melodramatic. Legosi's handling of this role (even though it is the one he is best known for) is just too much for me and unrealistic to the point of being laughable. The mood and setting of the film was good, but I think the "effect" of brightening the eyes of the vampires was overdone. It is interesting how some of the mythos of Dracula was all established in this early film; e.g., fear of garlic, wolfbane, sunlight, crosses; lack of reflection in mirrors, death by wooden stake through the heart, changing into bats and/or wolves, having to rest in soil of the "homeland", sleeping in coffins during the day. Some of these have endured the test of time; others have not.I suppose given the age of this film it has many merits, but I cannot rate it any higher than a 3.
Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 16, 2010, 09:57:59 PM
Title: The Mummy: Classic Monster Collection (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png)
Year: 1932
Director: Karl Freund
Rating: NR
Length: 73 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital: Mono
Subtitles: English, French
Stars:
Boris Karloff
Zita Johann
David Manners
Arthur Byron
Edward Van Sloan
Plot:
Boris Karloff’s legendary performance has become a landmark in the annals of screen history. As the mummy, Im-Ho-Tep, he is accidentally revived after 3,700 years by a team of British archaeologists. It is revealed in a flashback that he was a high priest, embalmed alive for trying to revive the vestal virgin whom he loved, after she had been sacrificed. Alive again, he sets out to find his lost love.
Today, over 50 years after The Mummy was first released, this brooding dream-like film remains a masterpiece not only of the genre, but for all time.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Production Notes
Web links
My Thoughts:
This film is truly more of a love story than a horror film. Karloff gives an excellent performance and the supporting actors/actresses are all credible in their roles, not to mention the beauty of Zita Johann. The film provides quite a bit of the historical background for the story of Imhotep that is missing in many other later films which simply have a mummy rise up still wrapped in cloth and go on a killing spree. Surprisingly, only two people die in this version, and there is absolutely no gore. It is amazing how the dread of what is happening can be portrayed without the blood and guts required today. I really enjoyed watching this again.Rating:
Post by: Antares on October 17, 2010, 12:28:52 AM
It is amazing how the dread of what is happening can be portrayed without the blood and guts required today. I really enjoyed watching this again.
This is the reason I prefer my Horror to be from this time period, as opposed to post 1978.
Post by: hal9g on October 17, 2010, 12:41:14 AM
Title: The Invisible Man: Classic Monster Collection (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png)
Year: 1933
Director: James Whale
Rating: NR
Length: 71 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, French
Stars:
Claude Rains
Gloria Stuart
William Harrigan
Henry Travers
Una O'Connor
Plot:
Claude Rains delivers a remarkable performance in his screen debut as a mysterious doctor who discovers a serum that makes him invisible. Covered by bandages and dark glasses, Rains arrives at a small English village and attempts to hide his amazing discovery. But the same drug which renders him invisible slowly drives him to commit acts of unspeakable terror. Based on H.G. Wells’ classic novel and directed by the master of macabre James Whale, The Invisible Man not only fueled a host of sequels but features some special effects that are still imitated today.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Gallery
Production Notes
Closed Captioned
My Thoughts:
An interesting story with some pretty incredible special effects given that this movie was made in 1933. The acting wasn't really great, but I enjoyed seeing Gloria Stuart (elderly Rose in Titanic) as a young woman and I think Henry Travers is just a marvelous character actor. A fun time.Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 17, 2010, 02:49:24 AM
Title: The Bride of Frankenstein: Classic Monster Collection (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png)
Year: 1935
Director: James Whale
Rating: NR
Length: 75 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, French
Stars:
Boris Karloff [Karloff]
Colin Clive
Valerie Hobson
Ernest Thesiger
Elsa Lanchester
Plot:
One of the most popular horror classics of all time and an acclaimed sequel to the original Frankenstein. The legendary Boris Karloff reprises his role as the screen's most misunderstood monster who now longs for a mate of his own. Colin Clive is back as the overly ambitious Dr. Frankenstein, who creates the ill-fated bride (Elsa Lanchester). Directed by the original's James Whale (his last horror film) and featuring a huanted musical score, The Bride Of Frankenstein ranks as one of the finest films not only of the genre, but for all time.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Gallery
Production Notes
My Thoughts:
A fun, almost humorous sequel to Frankenstein. I like the way they worked Mary Shelley, the author of the original book, in as the story teller of what happened after the Monster was supposed to have died in the mill fire. She then plays a double role as the monster's mate. The scene with the blind fellow is always touching. I'm not sure where they came up with the hairdo for the "bride", but that alone should have won an Oscar. Her quick, stilted movements gave her an interesting mechanical feel, and her hissing reminded me of a really pissed off cat. An OK sequel.Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 17, 2010, 04:28:19 AM
Title: The Wolf Man: Classic Monster Collection (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png)
Year: 1941
Director: George Waggner
Rating: NR
Length: 70 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital: Mono
Subtitles: French
Stars:
Claude Rains
Warren William
Ralph Bellamy
Patric Knowles
Bela Lugosi
Plot:
The original horror classic that introduced one of the screen's most infamous monsters! Lon Chaney, Jr. portrays Larry Talbot, who returns to his father's castle in Wales and meets a beautiful woman. One fateful night, Talbot escorts her to a local carnival where Jenny's fate is revealed by a mysterious gypsy fortune teller. The dreamlike atmospheres and elaborate settings combined with a chilling musical score make The Wolf Man a masterpiece not only of the genre, but for all time!
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Gallery
Production Notes
Closed Captioned
My Thoughts:
This is classic horror at it's best. The werewolf mythology is explained in the opening scene and the story starts building on it immediately. With leads played by Chaney, Rains, Bellamy and Legosi, Universal couldn't go wrong. The foggy marshes, the gypsy camp, the fortune telling, the sign of the pentagram...all just great touches. The way Chaney slowly comes to the realization of what has become of him and the horror of knowing what he's done is done superbly. The beginning of a great legacy!Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 18, 2010, 02:02:39 AM
Title: Phantom of the Opera: Classic Monster Collection (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png)
Year: 1943
Director: Arthur Lubin
Rating: NR
Length: 93 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital: Mono
Subtitles: English, French
Stars:
Nelson Eddy
Susanna Foster
Claude Rains
Edgar Barrier
Leo Carrillo
Plot:
This spectacular retelling of Gaston Leroux's immortal horror tale stars Claude Rains as the masked phantom of the Paris opera house -- a crazed composer who schemes to make a beautiful young soprano (Susanna Foster) the star of the opera company and wreak revenge on those who stole his music. Nelson Eddy, the heroic baritone, tries to win the affections of Foster as he tracks down the disfigured "monster" who has begun murdering those who resist his mad demands. This lavish production remains a masterpiece not only of the genre, but for all time.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Featurettes
Production Notes
My Thoughts:
Although included in the Classic Monster Collection, I'm not sure it really belongs. It is really a story of unrequited love and obsession. The setting provides a grandeur for the cinematography which is spectacular with vibrant colors for the on-stage opera players, and even though I am not a big opera fan, the score was simply marvelous. Claude Rains gives his usual stellar performance and Susanna Foster handles her "can't make up my mind between two suitors and my career" role quite nicely. If yo do like opera, the music is splendid. The "underworld of the "phantom" makes for a stark contrast from the "play" world from which he has been cast out. Very well done!!!Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 18, 2010, 04:02:42 AM
Title: Creature from the Black Lagoon: Classic Monster Collection (http://) (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png)
Year: 1954
Director: Jack Arnold
Rating: NR
Length: 79 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital: Mono
Subtitles: English, French
Stars:
Richard Carlson
Julie Adams
Richard Denning
Antonio Moreno
Nestor Paiva
Plot:
Scientists drug and capture the creature, who becomes enamored with the head scientist’s female assistant (Julie Adams). The lonely creature, “a living amphibious missing link,” escapes and kidnaps the object of his affection. Chief scientist (Richard Carlson) then launches a crusade to rescue his assistant and cast the ominous creature back to the depths from where he came. Well-acted and directed, and with Bud Westmore’s brilliantly designed monster, Creature From The Black Lagoon remains an enduring tribute to the imaginative genius of its Hollywood creators.
Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Production Notes
Closed Captioned
My Thoughts:
Along the lines of King Kong, the Creature falls in love with the lovely maiden and kidnaps her to have her all to himself. Not a very original plot. About the only things that make this film worthwhile are the creature's design and the underwater photography which was a fairly young art at the time. A couple of "tense" moments during the fight scenes were about as scary as it got.Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 24, 2010, 12:10:36 AM
| (http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/02/025192140129f.jpg) | Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943/United States)
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Stars:
Ilona Massey as Baroness Elsa Frankenstein
Patric Knowles as Dr. Frank Mannering
Lionel Atwill as Mayor of Vasaria/Inspector Arnz
Bela Lugosi as Frankenstein's Monster
Maria Ouspenskaya as Maleva, the Old Gypsy Woman
Plot:
Bela Lugosi as Frankenstein's Monster and Lon Chaney, Jr. as the cursed Wolf Man collide in one of the great classic horror films of the 1940s. Beginning as a moody chiller, director Roy William Neill sets the stage for an unforgettable clash. The resurrected Wolf Man, seeking a cure for his malady, enlists the aid of mad scientist Patric Knowles, who claims he will not only rid the Wolf Man of his nocturnal metamorphosis but will also revive the frozen body of Frankenstein's inhuman creation.
Extras:
- Scene Access
- Feature Trailers
- Production Notes
My Thoughts:
A decent sequel to both Frankenstein and The Wolf Man although the special effects did not progress much in the intervening four years. I thought that Boris Karloff did a better job as The Monster in the original than Bela Legosi did in this version. It's unclear what motivated the doctor to follow Talbot from England Frankenstein's castle or what made him change flip-flop at the end, but at least in this one there's the Baroness to add a little beauty and sophistication, and boy seems to get girl in the end! Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 24, 2010, 01:48:32 AM
| (http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/02/025192140129f.jpg) | House of Frankenstein (1944/United States)
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Stars:
Boris Karloff as Doctor Niemann
Lon Chaney as Larry Talbot
John Carradine as Dracula
Anne Gwynn as Rita
Peter Coe as Carl Hussman
Plot:
House of Frankenstein
Deranged scientist, Gustav Niemann (Boris Karloff), escapes from prison and overtakes the director of a traveling chamber of horrors. Pulling the stake out of a skeleton, he revives the infamous Count Dracula (John Carradine) and commands him to kill the man responsible for his imprisonment. He then finds the frozen Frankenstein Monster (Glenn Strange) and the Wolf Man (Lon Chaney, Jr.) buried under the ruins of the infamous Frankenstein laboratory. When he brings them back to life, the Monster is uncontrollable and drags him to a watery grave.
Extras:
- Scene Access
- Feature Trailers
- Production Notes
My Thoughts:
Well, another sequel, this one featuring Frankenstein, The Wolf Man and Dracula, with only Lon Chaney playing his original role. Although we don't see much of The Monster (at least alive) in this film, Glenn Strange does a credible job (better than Legosi in Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man). I think John Carradine does an excellent job portraying Dracula, even if it was a rather short sequence in the film. Boris Karloff, as usual, is excellent as Niemann and I enjoyed the sequences with the young Gypsy girl. All-in-all, an entertaining short (71 min.) movie.Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 24, 2010, 04:01:38 AM
| (http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/02/025192057328f.jpg) | Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Mummy: Comedy Legends (1955/United States)
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Stars:
Bud Abbott as Pete Patterson
Lou Costello as Freddie Franklin
Marie Windsor as Madame Rontru
Michael Ansara as Charlie
Dan Seymour as Josef
Plot:
Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy is loaded with surprises in this continuation of the "horror comedy" series of films spoofing the horror film genre of the 1930's. This was their last movie at Universal Studios after fifteen years of comedy films. Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy just happens to be one of the best films of their entire career.
Pete and Freddie (Abbott And Costello) overhear a Cairo archaeologist's chatter about discovering a legendary mummy and decide to apply as chaperones for the corpse's journey to America. But when they arrive at the archaeologist's home, he has been murdered, they mummy seems to have disappeared and to top it all off, the boys become owners of a sacred medallion that holds the key to the location of an ancient buried treasure that many would kill for! Learning that the medallion is cursed, Pete hides it in a most appetizing place and Freddie bites the bait. Then it's up to the bumbling Americans to preserve the legend of the mummy and keep the treasure from falling into the wrong hands. Abbott and Costello Meet The Mummy is loaded with surprises. One of the most interesting is Lou Costello's daughter Carole appearing as a cigarette girl who pours water all over her dad! This gem of a film is filled with laughs for everyone in your family–especially Mummy!
Extras:
- Scene Access
- Feature Trailers
- Production Notes
- Closed Captioned
My Thoughts:
Not a "horror" movie at all, but a spoof of them, if you have an hour and a half to kill with some silly comedy with mummies thrown in for laughs, this might be your cup of tea. Although not a big fan of Abbott and Costello, they are pretty good in this film, but Richard Deacon cast in the role of an evil Egyptian cult leader, somehow just doesn't ring true for me. I guess all those appearances on The Dick Van Dyke Show all but make it impossible for me to take him seriously. Marie Windsor was particularly good in her role, but the studio sets used were pretty bad! The scene where they road the horses up to the tomb of the princess was really atrocious. You can't expect much from a low-budget "b" movie I suppose.Rating:
Post by: hal9g on October 24, 2010, 06:29:05 PM
| (http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/02/025192057229f.jpg) | Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein: Comedy Legends (1948/United States)
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Stars:
Bud Abbott as Chick
Lou Costello as Wilbur
Lon Chaney, Jr. as Lawrence Talbot
Bela Lugosi as Dracula
Glenn Strange as Monster
Plot:
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein continues the horror-comedy series and features "the boys" with their usual quota of familiar routines providing the backbone of the plot by becoming Count Dracula's victim for a brain transplant. Lon Chaney, Jr. appears as the Wolf Man along with Dracula played by Bela Lugosi and Glenn Strange as the Frankenstein monster.
Abbott and Costello, as railroad baggage clerks, receive a strange shipment–the last remains of Dracula and Frankenstein's monster. But this deadly duo is still very much alive. So when the shipment arrives at the House of Horrors, the Monsters are not in their crates but have disappeared to a secret hideaway island. Blamed for the disappearance, Abbott and Costello follow their trail to the island where not only do they meet up with Dracula (Bela Lugosi) and the Monster (Glenn Strange), but a Mad Scientist wants to switch Costello's brain with that of the Monster. With everyone chasing each other, the Wolf Man (Lon Chaney, Jr.) shows up to scare them all. In the end everything works out: Costello finds romance and the Monsters find their final resting places…or do they?
Extras:
- Scene Access
- Audio Commentary
- Feature Trailers
- Featurettes
- Gallery
- Production Notes
- Closed Captioned
My Thoughts:
Another silly classic horror spoof, featuring Frankenstein's Monster (Strange), Dracula (Legosi), the Wolf Man (Chaney) and a brief glimpse of the Invisible Man (Price). This is a good blend of horror and comedy and a decent cast, although the McDougal character (Frank Ferguson) was horribly over-played. I was a little surprised that Karloff was not in this movie. Since this takes place in the U.S., I wonder how they all (the monsters) get back to Europe for the subsequent sequels?? Not sure if this is true of all copies of this release, but mine has a very annoying thin, white line running down the left side of the frame throughout the entire film. Looks like the framing is off by a couple of pixels. I had the same problem with The Creature form the Black Lagoon (Universal Monster Collection) except the line was bright blue....extremely irritating.Rating:
Post by: Najemikon on October 24, 2010, 07:12:05 PM
Post by: hal9g on October 24, 2010, 09:08:40 PM
How did you find Legosi in this, Hal? On a recent documentary, it was suggested that his involvement in the project should have been the final embarrassing straw for his careers decline, but in fact, he comes out of it very well and gives a much better Dracula than in the original film.I would agree with you that his performance here was better than the 1931 film. Not nearly as melodramatic or over-acted, and I think because it was a "comedy horror" he handled the part a bit more light-hearted, which to me was more entertaining.
Post by: hal9g on October 24, 2010, 09:19:05 PM
| (http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/08/086162090707f.jpg) | Young Frankenstein: Special Edition (1974/United States)
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Stars:
Gene Wilder as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein
Peter Boyle as The Monster
Marty Feldman as Igor
Madeline Kahn as Elizabeth
Cloris Leachman as Frau Blücher
Plot:
Mel Brooks' monstrously crazy tribute to Mary Shelley's classic pokes hilarious fun at just about every Frankenstein movie ever made. Summoned by a will to his late grandfather's castle in Transylvania, young Dr. Frankenstein (GENE WILDER) soon discovers the scientist's step-by-step manual explaining how to bring a corpse to life. Assisted by the hunchbacked Igor (MARTY FELDMAN) and the curvaceous Inga (TERI GARR), he creates a monster (PETER BOYLE) who only wants to be loved. CLORIS LEACHMAN, MADELINE KAHN, KENNETH MARS and GENE HACKMAN co-star in this inspired vision of lunacy.
Extras:
- Scene Access
- Audio Commentary
- Feature Trailers
- Deleted Scenes
- Featurettes
- Gallery
- Production Notes
- Closed Captioned
- Interviews
My Thoughts:
With the exception of this film and Blazing Saddles I've never been a big Mel Brooks fan, but this movie is absolutely hysterical at times.Although the humor is a bit silly at times, the acting is just tremendous and the comedic timing, especially of Wilder and Feldman, is simply marvelous. With many familiar scenes from the original 1931 film, Brooks has built on the story adding new and hilarious moments. The scene where Madeleine Kahn breaks out in song with "Oh sweet mystery of life, at last I've found you..." had me laughing my ass off! Very funny stuff!
Rating:
Post by: Kathy on October 24, 2010, 09:36:20 PM