4K Ultra HD Review: TRICK OR TREAT (1986)

TRICK OR TREAT

Directed by:  Charles Martin Smith

Distributed by:  Synapse Films /  MVD Entertainment

  1986's TRICK OR TREAT is another film to add to my list of films I have always heard and known about, and even owned on DVD for years, but had just never got around to checking out for some reason.  I was excited when Synapse Film's new 4K UHD release arrived for review, as it would finally make me sit down and watch it!    I'm very thankful I got the chance to review this one, because it was a lot of fun!  

 1980's horror films have such a unique feel to them.  That is probably my favorite decade of horror films.  I'm happy to report that TRICK OR TREAT fits right in and is now among one of my favorite 80's horror classics!

 Here is a brief synopsis of the film from the Synapse Films website:

Rock 'n' roll will never die, in this 1980s cult favorite that stars Marc Price (Family Ties) as Eddie Weinbauer, a teenage outcast who idolizes Sammi Curr (Tony Fields), a heavy metal superstar. After Sammi dies a violent death, his spirit returns to help Eddie get even with his high school tormentors. In doing so, Sammi begins to gain control over Eddie's life and brings him deeper into the world of the occult. When Eddie realizes that he has become the tool of Sammi's vengeance, he attempts to stop him, and the horrifying events that follow leave no one unscathed.

Featuring special appearances by Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osbourne, Trick or Treat marked the directorial debut of veteran actor Charles Martin Smith (Never Cry Wolf, Starman) and features a legendary soundtrack by Fastway. Red Shirt Home Video and Synapse Films are proud to present this heavy metal horror classic in an all-new 4K restoration presented in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) with a head-banging 5.1 surround sound mix and loaded with hours of supplemental material including multiple commentary tracks and a feature-length video retrospective! No false metal!

 I always knew that Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osbourne were in this film, but be advised they were both on screen for a matter of seconds.   Looking back at my old DVD makes me laugh as they both got top billing, purely using their names for DVD sales.   Synapse Films' choice in cover art for this  new release is much better and a much more fitting representation of the film. 

 As soon as the movie started and I saw the main character, Eddie, I immediately recognized him.   It was Skippy from Family Ties!    Marc Price did an excellent job in this film and it was fun to see him in something other than that aforementioned sitcom. The story is pretty cool, especially seeing what is basically a demon conjured by playing a heavy metal album backwards.  That is something all our parents warned us about as kids, at least if you are around my age and grew up in the 70's and 80's.   The special effects are fun and actually still hold up pretty well considering the age of the film. 

 The presentation of this film is outstanding.  The 4K restoration creates vivid colors and contrasts and is super clean.   Also of note is the soundtrack, most of which was done by English Heavy Metal Band, FASTWAY.   There is some great music in this film, and I will be putting the soundtrack on my Amazon Music playlist! 

TRICK OR TREAT is available now on 4K UHD from Synapse Films and like most all of Synapse's releases, they have spared no expense when it comes to Special Features!   Special Features include the following:

• Limited edition o-card available on the FIRST PRESSING ONLY!
• 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative mastered in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) and approved by Director of Photography Robert Elswit
• Lossless English DTS-HD Master Audio of the original 2.0 theatrical mix and an all-new 5.1 surround sound mix
• Audio commentary with director Charles Martin Smith, moderated by filmmaker Mark Savage
• Audio interviews with writer/producer Michael S. Murphey and writer Rhet Topham, moderated by film historian Michael Felsher
• Audio conversation with Paul Corupe and Allison Lang, authors of Satanic Panic: Pop-Cultural Paranoia in the 1980s
• Rock  & Shock: The Making of “Trick or Treat” - An all-new retrospective featuring director Charles Martin Smith, actors Marc Price, Glen Morgan, Elise Richards, and Larry Sprinkle, writer/producer Joel Soisson, costume designer Jill Ohanneson, assistant set costumer Francine Decoursey, construction foreman Tom Jones, Jr., special make-up effects artist Everett Burrell, music executive producer Stephen E. Smith, composer Christopher Young, and a special appearance by Gene Simmons
• In The Spotlight: A Tribute to Tony Fields featuring interviews with the late actor’s family and friends
• Horror’s Hallowed Grounds: The Filming Locations of “Trick or Treat” with Sean Clark
  
• “After Midnight” music video
  Theatrical Trailers, TV Spots and Radio Spots
• Still Gallery featuring optional audio interview with still photographer Phillip V. Caruso
• Vintage electronic press kit
• Reversible cover artwork
• Region free for worldwide playback

CLICK HERE to purchase the 4K UHD edition

4K ULTRA HD Review: THE CONVENT (2000)

 

THE CONVENT 

Directed by:  Mike Mendez

Distributed by:  Synapse Films / MVD

  I am not sure how this film avoided my radar, but not only have I never seen THE CONVENT, I have never even heard of it!   I find this very odd, as it was so much fun!   How did I miss this one all these years!!   Here is the basic plot synopsis from the Synapse Films website:

In 1960, a young woman named Christine enters St. Francis Boarding School for Girls and lays waste to the resident nuns. Four decades later, a group of college students head to the long-abandoned building late one night to tag it with their fraternity letters, little knowing that rumors of the place being haunted are terrifyingly true. Stir in a couple of disapproving cops and a band of unlikely Satanists, and the table is set for a feast of demonic infestation and bloodshed that only the grown-up Christine (Adrienne Barbeau, THE FOG, SWAMP THING) can possibly stop.

  

 This film had me hooked from the very beginning.  In fact, this might be one of the coolest movie openings of all time.  The movie shows us young  Christine going into a convent and wreaking havoc, shooting up the place, and burning the priest and nuns.  This is done in slow motion, to the tune of "You Don't Own Me" by Lesley Gore.  This is such an effective opening, and the music is perfect for this opening scene.   

  We don't really know why Christine is doing this, but later in the film we get the full story of why she did it from the adult Christine, played by horror legend Adrienne Barbeau.   Speaking of horror royalty, we also get to see the great Bill Moseley in this film, although I was not a fan of his part.  He plays a cop alongside an interesting casting choice in rapper Coolio.  They play a very comedic pair, which was very reminiscent of the horribly out of place cops in THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT.  The comic relief was not needed in that film, and it wasn't needed here either. 

  

  This film reminded me of movies like, DEMONS, and NIGHT OF THE DEMONS.  If you liked those films, you will love this one.   Although made in 2000, it had more of a feel of a 80's or 90's film, and that is a compliment for sure!    The film was full of some great practical effects, and the makeup effects on the main demon were amazing, utilizing some sort of glowing make up to make it look like her veins were glowing a cool blue color.  Very well done!  

 While I never saw an older version to compare it to, I have to say that his 4K UHD version looks amazing.   Very vibrant colors and super sharp picture!  If you have an older DVD of this film, you'll definitely want to do yourself a favor and make an upgrade to the 4K Ultra HD disc!

  THE CONVENT is available now from Synapse Films and MVD Entertainment and contains the following special features:

• *Limited Edition Combo (4K UHD + Blu-ray) Release of only 4000 units total
• *Limited Edition Slipcover only on this combo release
• *4K remaster of the uncut version supervised and approved by director, Mike Mendez
• *Mastered in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• *5.1 stereo surround mix from the original 16-track audio masters
• *Cast and crew audio commentary, featuring director Mike Mendez
• *“Lords of Hell” audio commentary featuring Saul and Dickie-Boy
• *Video tour of both THE CONVENT and KILLERS film locations
• *Vintage “Making of” featurette
• *Vintage original studio Electronic Press Kit (EPK)
• *“It’s Always Something with a Virgin” Liner notes booklet from Corey Danna
• *Deleted scene
• *Gore outtakes
• *Still gallery
• *Promotional trailers
• *Reversible cover art

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray

CLICK HERE to purchase the 4K UHD

Blu-ray Review: SORORITY BABES IN THE SLIMEBALL BOWL-O-RAMA (1988)

SORORITY BABES IN THE SLIMEBALL BOWL-O-RAMA
Directed by:  David DeCoteau
Distributed by:  Full Moon Features

  I am a huge fan of Full Moon Films....they have some great, cheesy films that have brought horror fans years of entertainment and continue to do so to this day.  While I have seen a lot of Full Moon films,  there are plenty of classic ones I have just never got around to seeing for one reason or another.   SORORITY BABES IN THE SLIMEBALL BOWL-O-RAMA is one of those films.  I have always heard of this title, but have never seen it until now.   Here is the plot synopsis from the Full Moon Direct website:

  In a bowling alley from hell...there's only one way to score!

  There are no freshmen in the college of love, and they're about to graduate to madcap mayhem when a sorority prank goes crazy. Out to steal a trophy from a local bowling alley, the kids accidentally unleash the imp -- a sadistic little spirit with a diabolical sense of humor. He creates demons and loves sexy women. He's the original party animal, inviting you to come along and die laughing -- just like everybody else.

  The Sorority Babes won't live through initiation, but don't blame that cute little killer. He's evil by nature and funny as hell. And even if you can take a joke, it kills you.

  Linnea Quigley, Andras Jones, Robin Rochelle, Hal Havins and Brinke Stevens star in the much anticipated Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama. Restored from the original 35mm camera negative and with some exclusive extra features, including the oldest Behind-The-Scenes feature Full Moon has ever presented, Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama is so funny it just might kill you!

  The first thing I noticed with this film is that is stars 3 of the greatest scream queens around...Linnea Quigley, Brinke Stevens, and Michelle Bauer.  They are staples of a lot of Full Moon films, so seeming them together in the same film was a lot of fun.   In fact, everything about this film is a lot of fun!   It was originally titled THE IMP as the film focuses on an imp that is released from a bowling trophy.  I don't think the film ever explains why the imp is trapped in a bowling trophy, but being a Full Moon film, I didn't really expect it to!  Ha!   The imp is pretty evil, and turns some of the girls into demons, but he is pretty funny while doing it!  He throws out the one liners and reminds me a lot of  the Black Devil Doll.  

  The acting in the film leaves a lot to be desired, but that is expected with a cheesy 80's horror flick like this.   It doesn't take away from the movie at all.  The one thing that did bug me was the character of Jimmie played by Hal Havins.  This is one of the most irritating characters I have seen in a while.  Hal is the same person that plays Stooge in NIGHT OF THE DEMONS that also came out in 1988.  He is the big, jock character. He is annoying in that film too, and he basically plays the same character in this film.  Luckily, Jimmie is one of the first ones to fall victim to the imp, getting his head torn off by the demons and then having it used as a bowling ball! 

  While Jimmie's head might have been a gutter ball, SORORITY BABES IN THE SLIMEBALL BOWL-O-RAMA is a perfect strike in my opinion!   It's a quick 80 minutes that is fun the entire running time.   The film was recently released on a brand new Blu-ray and it is quite an improvement compared to the older DVD release.  The Blu-ray contains the following special features:

*  Tales from the Bowling Alley! Never-before-seen behind the scenes featurette!
*  NEW audio commentary with director David DeCoteau, writer Sergei Hasenecz and Scream Queen Brinke Stevens.
*  Full Moon Trailers

 I need to point out that the behind the scenes featurette is an amazing addition to this Blu-ray.  I am really surprised the filmmakers thought to film a behind the scenes feature way back in 1988.   It is as much fun as the film is, especially the exclusive interview with the imp itself!   This is a must have Blu-ray in my opinion!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray

 

DVD Review: THE DEMON'S ROOK

THE DEMON'S ROOK
Directed by  James Sizemore
Distributed by Cinedigm and Tribeca Film

  I am a huge fan of practical effects, especially when it comes to blood and gore.  Unfortunately, we don't see as much of that these days with the ease and affordability the CG effects allow.  THE DEMON'S ROOK is good news for those of us who love our practical effects.    Here is the basic plot of the film from the film's imdb.com page:

  A young boy named Roscoe finds a portal to another world where he is taught magic by an elder demon known as Dimwos. Dimwos raises the boy into manhood, revealing to him many secrets.

  I was a huge fan of THE DEMON'S ROOK.   This movie really took me back to the 1980's splatter films.  It reminded me of a film I would have watched after riding my bike down to the local movie store and picked out a horror movie I knew nothing about, but loved the cover.   I found some great gory horror films this way, and THE DEMON'S ROOK is a great ode to those films. 
  Most movies this day rely on heavy computer effects, which to me is not the way a horror film should be made.  Director James Sizemore wrote and starred in this film, and he obviously knows how a horror movie should be made. 
  Most of the acting in this film is great, with a  few exceptions as you will find with most low budget horror films.  The film is shot very well with crisp colors and some nice angles.  The real star of this show, though, is the effects.  Along with this is the makeup and costumes.  The make up and costume people did an amazing jog on this film and should be extremely proud of the end result.

  THE DEMON'S ROOK is available now on DVD and contains the following special features:

*  "GOAT WITCH" - a short film by James Sizemore
*  Making of a Demon
*  Filmmaker Commentary
*  Deleted Scenes
*  Gag Reel

  I must add that the short film, GOAT WITCH, which is found in the bonus features is a must see.  This is a very creepy film shot with little dialog, relying heavily on costumes, effects, and make up.  Just like in THE DEMON'S ROOK, the make up and effects were done extremely well.  

  I highly recommend THE DEMON'S ROOK to all you horror fans.  They don't make films like this one much anymore, so when they do, definitely give it a watch and support it.  I look forward to future films from Mr. Sizemore!

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

Check out the trailer for the christian horror film, THE LOCK IN...

  I was browsing on the Rue-Morgue website when I came across a headline that really caught my attention.  The headline was "Christian horror film wants to scare the porn demons out of you".  What in the world?  Ha!  The film is called, THE LOCK IN.  Here is some info about the film from the official press release:


“Imagine your life being torn apart and the very wiring of your brain being changed by a seemingly innocent prank. This is what happens when three teenage boys are terrorized by demon activity after a ‘dirty magazine’ is snuck into an overnight church event called a lock in. During the lock in, members of the youth group are ‘locked in’ the church to have fun, play games, and get to know one another. In spite of the youth pastor’s attempt to intervene, the boys must come to terms with the pornographic images themselves in order to be truly freed from the demon. …
“The demon is a metaphor for the true damage pornography can have in the lives of youth. There are never graphic or pornographic images shown in the movie. The producers of the film felt that it was important to tell a Christian story about real issues but to keep the images family friendly so anyone could be entertained without fear of exposure to questionable pictures.”


  Sounds interesting. The trailer looks like your typical found footage, "Paranormal Activity" knock off.  I am not sure this film will keep teenage boys from looking at dirty magazines in the future, but it's worth a shot I guess!  What do you think about the trailer?  Does it look like this will be a good, scary movie?  Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website

Movie review: PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 (2011)

  

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3
Directed by:  Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman
 
  
I went and saw PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 last week and I have had to do some thinking before I just threw my review together.  This wasn't a movie I just loved so much I had to tell everyone about it, nor was it a movie I just hated so much I felt the need to immediately post about it and let people know about it.   I ended up with mixed feelings about the film.  Overall, it was good and it is definitely worth checking out if you are a fan of the previous two films.  Here is the brief plot synopsis of the 3rd film from imdb.com:

In 1988, young sisters Katie and Kristi befriend an invisible entity who resides in their home.

HA!  I said it was  brief plot synopsis, didn't I!  Well, that pretty much sums up the plot, you know from seeing the other 2 films what the movie is about basically.   The film starts off kinda slow, but I remember the other 2 films doing that too.  Only small stuff happens at first, then it just gets crazier and crazier as the movie goes on.

I was afraid at first this movie was going to be just like the other two....when I saw the first door move by itself.  I thought to my self that we have seen this before, and was afraid we were just in for a retread of the past two films.   Well, with good and bad results, this was not a just a retread of the past two films.  PA3 amped it up a bit and went well above and beyond the story of the first 2 films.   This had mixed results for me. 

I knew this film was going to be different when I saw a sheet with what looked like a small child under it go into the kitchen where the baby sitter was sitting....but when the babysitter turned around, the sheet just fell to the ground as it nothing was under it at all.  I knew then that we were going to see more of the physical presence of the demon that was haunting the house.   

The filmmakers also introduced a new camera technique that worked quite well.   The Dad puts the camera on an old oscillating fan, letting him scan two rooms with one camera.  This was a cool idea and led to some great scenes, as just as you think you are about to see something in one room, the camera then cuts away as it pans to the next room.  This creates a very suspenseful aspect for us the viewers.

One thing that I didn't quite like about the film was the introduction of  the coven of witches with has something to do with the demon in the house, but the film never quite explains as to what they are doing and how they are involved.   I don't want to say much about this, as I don't want to totally ruin it for you if you haven't seen it yet, but this move seemed a little over the top to me.  

The film does contains some of the bigger scares found in any of the 3 films.  Kudos to the filmmaker for making this film goer literally jump in his seat...multiple times! 

I think this movie must be seen in a theater to really enjoy it.  I have seen the other 2 films both in the theater and they are so much fun when sitting in a crowd and witnessing people's reactions to the film.   PA3 probably got the best reactions for sure, and I went on a weeknight with in a theater that was probably only 1/3 full.  Yet we had some group of girls around us that screamed at the top of their lungs at 2 or 3 points in the film.   This really helps the experience of watching these films I think. 

Overall, I would recommend this for sure if you are a fan of the other 2 films. This is a prequel, so it is good to get some back story on Katie and Kristi to see how all this started.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 is playing in theaters now!

 
CLICK HERE to visit the official website and watch the trailer