Come Play (2020)

 

 'Come Play' was written & directed by Jacob Chase and stars Azhy Robertson as a young autistic boy named Oliver who discovers a mysterious storybook app on his tablet one night. It tells the tale of a lonely monster named Larry who seemingly only desires young Oliver for a friend. However, Larry's hauntings and behavior begin to grow more violent and aggressive as the creature stops at nothing to take the boy at any cost.

The film began as a short, simply titled 'Larry' by Chase and was an effective little chiller but stretching out to a full feature has given the story more depth and a stronger foothold on what the director is trying to convey. Being a film produced by Amblin Entertainment, a company founded by Steven Spielberg it's easy to figure out that 'Come Play' will likely follow the similar trappings of 'Poltergeist' or 'Super 8' or even perhaps a bit from Jennifer Kent's excellent 'Babadook' film, but it also inputs a lot of strong themes of its own about friendships, parenting, children in need of guidance and help, and a lack of communication and companionship in an era of modern technology where we only look at our screens but not each other.

That goes a lot deeper than I ever expected for your usual horror flick these days but Jacob Chase has shown he can give you the same horror experience and make it mean something as well. The stand out here of course is the young Azhy Robertson as Oliver who was previously seen in the Oscar Nominated film 'Marriage Story'. Playing people on the Autism Spectrum is more difficult than people give credit to and as someone on said spectrum I was impressed with his accuracy while still giving the character more layers beyond his condition. You can see and feel Oliver's emotions and thoughts without Robertson saying a word and is one of the strongest child performances this year.

I also have to give a huge thumbs up to the special effects crew from the Jim Henson Puppet Shop, who provided an amazing mixture of computer effects and practical puppetry for Larry. While much of him is in shadow, when they do show him off it's quite the feat with that creepy creaks and moans he makes but also they show off that the creature does indeed mean no harm in some sense as it shows some sympathy as well.

'Come Play' may come off as a by the numbers ghost thriller on the surface, but it's so much deeper than that. It's a thought provoking film that also delivers the right amount of eerie atmosphere and thrills to satisfy horror fans looking for something a bit different this Halloween.

A

The Empty Man (2020)

 

 

'The Empty Man' is the directorial debut of David Prior and is based upon the graphic novel of the same name by Boom! Studios. It stars James Badge Dale as a man who begins searching for his friend's lost daughter and uncovering a sinister cult with dark plans for him. 

This film was shelved back in 2017 by 20th Century Fox which is now a part of the Walt Disney Company who I guess felt they could get a few bucks out of some patrons during this dry bones Halloween season. After watching the film, I can completely understand why the film was ultimately shelved until now, and that's because it makes you ask "How can I possibly market this film?". I'm gonna be upfront and say that I have neither read nor even heard of this graphic novel before sitting down to watch this flick, and in what seems like a first I went in completely blind with no prior research to see if I could critique the film better and I feel that had I seen the poster and marketing beforehand, I'd be more angry I think.

'The Empty Man' simply lacks an identity. It doesn't know what it wants to be so it throws cinematic crap at the wall to see which sticks, which spoiler alert is none of them. The beginning shows promise with an eerie atmosphere and set somewhere in Tibet as a group of mountain climbers seem to unleash a curse or spiritual entity of some kind setting up a simple premise that can be built upon if done right. We then jump ahead where the film suddenly becomes a hybrid of 'Ring' and films of the slasher genre with the titular spirit bumping off some teens in quick fashion.

We then drop that subplot and suddenly we are now in a 'Wicker Man' or 'Midsommar' cult horror film until we arrive at an incoherent science fiction climax that I won't spoil but it hardly matters. I expect most folks to be ready to pack up long before then. Now that I've savaged the movie so harshly I will say that the film does some things right. Like I said, the prologue was very well done and effectively creepy and while the story goes off the rails from there, it does retain that creep factor for most of the running time. I also have to again praise composer Christopher Young, who is a favorite among horror directors with his most famous film of course being 'Hellraiser'.

'The Empty Man' is likely a better read than it is presented here and I will likely catch up with it long before I sit through this one again. This is just another one of Fox's sad leftovers in a sea of leftovers brought over from the Disney merger. Do yourselves a favor and look for the scares somewhere else this Halloween.

D-

The Witches (2020)

 

 

 

With COVID-19 creating chaos across the globe the world as we know it has changed forever and our favorite pastimes have become one of many things compromised by the virus. Once slated for theaters this month, Robert Zemeckis's remake of the Roald Dahl novel 'The Witches' has now been given a home exclusively on the HBO MAX streaming service starting today. This new adaptation stars Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, and Stanley Tucci and follows the same beats as the novel and 90s version but throws in some of its own elements such as a location change and a somewhat extended ending.

For those unaware of the tale, it revolves around a young boy (Jahzir Bruno/Chris Rock) after his parents pass in a terrible car accident. He's left in the care of his loving Grandmother (Spencer) who takes him away to a prestigious hotel in Alabama to help him out of his sadness. However, they soon realize that they have stumbled upon a group of evil spell-casters led by the Grand High Witch (Hathaway) who are devising a new plan that will eradicate the world's children.

 

 

The 1990 film was sadly a box office bomb but showed great talent and is easily one of the best adaptations of a Dahl novel and over the years has gotten the appreciation it deserves. The new film sadly doesn't have the charm or longevity of the 90's version, but it has a lot of good going for it to make it a worthwhile experience with the kids. The obvious stand out here is Hathaway, who chews the scenery and is obviously having a lot of fun playing the Grand High Witch. She's not really scary like Huston's performance or intimidating really even when given a nasty CGI makeover but her over-the-top performance and funny lines make her the biggest positive of the film. I also loved Octavia Spencer and felt that she was the more warm and loving portrayal of the character than the previous film.

 

Honestly, the biggest problem with the 2020 'Witches' is that like many newer adaptations of children's material it simply plays it too safe, and that's saying a lot considering how far out of their way they attempt to scare children. The CGI is too cartoonish and Hathaway's performance is far too goofy to find her scary even for a young audience. The original film's director Nicholas Roeg had horror film experience and you can see it in his version. The camerawork, the special effects and witch makeup, as well as the more graphic elements from the book certainly pushed the PG rating at the time but here it's clear that they've pulled back a bit which is a shame as it goes against the tone of the book.

 

 

While I don't think the CGI really enhances the movie, it's done well and there is some clever use of practical mixed with computers such as with the witch's various features so while it won't age as well it is good enough. The music by Alan Silvestri is well...music. It's not a standout score for the man, especially after coming off of 'Avengers: Endgame' but the film also utilizes some period songs that are all fun and appropriate picks. As far as technical elements go overall 'The Witches' has great cinematography, set design, and sleek but it's just missing that feeling of something being off like the original. It's a bit too bright and cheery, most scenes set in the middle of the day which may have been to keep the scarier elements more toned down but it feels odd to have a spooky movie have little to no spookiness.

 

 

I saw the film on HBO MAX using their 7-day free trial and overall I'd say I was satisfied with this movie. It's nothing special really but as far as a Halloween kids film I'd recommend it if you see it for free. Otherwise you won't be missing out on much if you're a fan of the original or are looking for something else out there. Anne Hathaway is the biggest reason to check it out in my opinion as she's clearly having a ball being absolutely nuts and she's pretty funny. Still though, I think most are better off just checking out the original film. This one doesn't have that magic or uniqueness to make it stand out much.

C-

The Fog (1980)

 

 

'The Fog' was written and directed by John Carpenter (Halloween) and stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Atkins, Hal Holbrook, and Janet Leigh. The story revolves the seaside town of Antonio Bay, where a mysterious phenomena seems to have plagued the town one cold dark night. It all leads to a dark background of the town's origins, conspiracies, and a mysterious and deadly fog that begins to take over the town and killing it's residents.

The minute 'The Fog' begins, it will become perfectly clear why it's yearly watch on my Halloween playlist. An old sea dog recounts the tale of the mysterious figures who were led to their deaths at sea and brings an ominous warning to the children. This campfire opening sets the tone perfectly: it's a modern day urban legend or tall tale we all were told as children. We then transition to the town of Antonio Bay as we see windows break, lights come on by themselves, and even mild earthquakes. It's a good opening that provides great tension and gives us that feeling that something is off.

We then meet a few of our cast members who at first all seem unrelated but various subplots will bring them all together at the film's climax. This causes some of the film's issues however as only two characters have any kind of significance to the plot: Radio DJ Stevie Wayne and Father Malone who both have important ties to the backstory and action of the film. The rest of the gang here are underwritten or feel unneeded, with Jamie Lee Curtis being the standout of this issue. For someone who received top billing and got onto the poster, her character serves no purpose to the story whatsoever but don't get me wrong, I do love Jamie Lee but I don't know why she's here.

Thankfully, getting through the exposition is relatively quick here and once the ghosts arrive in the fog the movie picks up again to make for an enjoyable climax. Really what makes 'The Fog' so effective is the special effects by Rob Bottin, score by Carpenter himself, and Dean Cundey's always excellent camerawork making it an effectively eerie tone. Carpenter could always take a story or idea that may come off as cheap or B-Grade in the hands of anyone else and make it work and look like a 50 million dollar movie. While 'The Fog' doesn't offer as much substance or scares compared to his other work, it's still works enough to make it a part of your annual Halloween marathons. Oh, and please avoid the 2005 remake at all costs.

Ju-On: The Grudge vs The Grudge (2004)

 

 

 

I realized when going back to the few movies I DID manage to see in theaters in 2020, I saw that I had seen 'The Grudge' back in January...and then I re-watched about five minutes of it again and remembered why I forgot about it. But it did make me think of when I would go back and check out the previous entries before tackling the newest sequel or remake so better late than never I suppose. I'm going to be covering both the 2002 Japanese original (which is actually a sequel to 'The Curse' which never got adapted in the US) and it's 2004 US remake. Both films are directed by Takashi Shimizu and both were huge hits at the time during a big boom for the sub-genre known as J-Horror after the success of 'Ring' and it's American counterpart as few years earlier. But does being directed by the same person mean the same quality?

 

The premise is similar for both films and overall it does seem like many scenes or lines of dialogue are exact so there's little change in that department. The story involves a cursed home where the ghost of a murdered wife and her child haunt and eventually kill anyone who enters the home, or has contact with anyone who has entered. How this premise is shown is where the two films begin to take different courses. The remake makes the common horror mistake of explaining too much with exposition rather than slowly revealing information like the original which tends to spread out it's mythology throughout. While this is a common problem with western horror in general, I feel that 'The Grudge' makes this mistake stick out all the more because the filmmakers chose to keep the location in Japan, but having 99% of the cast be westerners. 

The debate of whitewashing in Hollywood has been a hot topic for many years now, and in this case I see the problem. Changing the venue to the appropriate place can drastically make a difference when remaking a foreign product for another country. This was why 2002's 'The Ring' was a bigger success because it took the original premise of a video tape that haunts you and changed it to Seattle to make the setting more fitting. 'The Grudge' just feels very unrealistic that so many caucasian people would be living in the country all near this house, especially when you are aware of the country's strict immigration policies. It takes you out of the movie for myself and many others and it feels more than a bit insulting to have Sarah Michelle Gellar patronizing the audience by explaining Japanese culture as mysterious and weird like this is the 1800's.

 

 

What the remake does do well is recreating the original's iconic scares well without adding any gore or jump scare nonsense. It also manages to take some scenes from other films in the series such as 'Ju-On: Curse' and even though having the mostly white cast isn't ideal they all perform well. Really, going back over these two films it was harder than I thought to pick out precise elements that made one superior to the other but really what it comes down to is this: They are so similar that it just ultimately makes the 2004 remake pointless. It does nothing to stand out as it's own movie like with 'The Ring' it's more or less the exact same film so there's really no reason to see it over the Japanese version unless you're really that much against subtitles. However at that point why would 'The Grudge' even interest you? Takashi Shimizu got very lucky and was given a once in a lifetime chance for a foreign director to make it in Hollywood and it's hard to blame him for taking it. It's just a shame it didn't turn out to be such a fairy tale ending for him with a pointless remake, a terrible original sequel, and two sequels without his involvement. Thankfully, his work in Japan such as 'Marebito' were worthy redeemers.

Terror in the Aisles (1984)

 

 

'Terror in the Aisles' is a strange one among the many horror movie documentaries out there. If you've ever seen one of those infamous clip show episodes of 'The Simpsons', you'll know what I'm talking about here. The film is a compilation of what was considered at the time the most scary and intense movies of all time with far too many to list here. So why bother with watching various clips from hundreds of scary movies when it's easy to do so on YouTube in 2020? Well, I won't say that 'Terror in the Aisles' is necessarily a convinient way to view these movies but the context of when it released does give it some merit.

 

Now I did say that the film is comprised mainly of various clips and scenes, but it does have a skeleton so to speak with the narration and newly shot footage of actors Donald Pleasance of the 'Halloween' series and Nancy Allen of 'Carrie' who provide eerie dialogue that comes off as pure cheese these days but gives the movie an extra boost with its fun and silly nature. Having Pleasance and Allen talk about the horrors of the world, movies, and various other related topics while trying to act scared in a movie theater of patrons is quite amusing and keeps the film from getting dull. You also get some fun moments where various audience members are shown as cliches such as the stoners and the ones who yell at the characters on screen.

While it's not a documentary in the traditional sense, the film does at some points bring up various topics such as the classic Universal Monsters era, the evolution of makeup effects, and asks the audience why do we seek out horror films? They sadly gloss over this material very quickly in favor of getting as many clips from various films in as possible but the highlight is a famous interview with director Alfred Hitchcock as he goes over a couple of the techniques he would use to scare his audience, including the famous monologue about the bomb under the table. The lack of information of these various horror movies really drags down 'Terror in the Aisles' for me, especially when we have 7 hour docs on just one film series these days. The film also oddly chooses to take scenes from a ton of movies that aren't considered "horror" such as 'Nighthawks' and 'Marathon Man'. With so many films being utilized here and even more if you see the television cut of the film, bringing in these random clips are a bit odd to me.

I've always enjoyed 'Terror in the Aisles' but I will also admit that it's far from the best horror documentary out there. If you grew up renting tapes in the 80's and 90's like I did, you probably have already seen it and it was a good way to get a taste of all these famous horror films at the time but my nostalgia clashes with the facts, and the facts are that a 90 minute clip show does not age well in the era of YouTube or other video sharing sites. It's a fun little movie overall that won't bore you, but it won't wow you like it did to my generation either.

 C

Buy or Rent 'Terror in the Aisles' Here

 

Friday the 13th: The Collection Deluxe Edition (Part 4)

 

 

(Continued from part 3):

 

...Each movie in the series gets it's own case featuring the original poster artwork and the first five movies have reversible covers featuring alternate poster art. The set also includes two bonus discs of special features in a separate case along with special features on each film's disc. A booklet covering the entire series is a fun but brief read that is a nice little bonus. If you pre-ordered from Shout! Factory's official website, the set also came with two limited edition posters.

The first four 'Friday' films have been remastered and are presented with a brand new 4K transfer and they are the best the series has looked yet. 'The Final Chapter' in particular being a stand out its crisp visuals and vibrant colors. Part V-Jason X seem to be the same blu-ray transfers from the previous collector's set and while that's a bit of a bummer, they all still have nice transfers overall. The biggest disappointment here is how Shout! or Warner Bros. got a little cheap with Freddy vs Jason and the Remake because they're the exact same blu-ray discs you can buy individually. Even the artwork on the disc itself remains unchanged. Come on guys, you did such a beautiful job with this set and you couldn't even change the disc art?

Audio transfers are also brought over from the previous release but luckily the sound mixes are very good or as good as 'Friday the 13th' is gonna get at this point. Ten films are presented with Dolby 5.1 while the latter are presented in Dolby True HD. I did seem to think the dialogue was a bit better and more audible this time around though it has been a while since I first went through my old sets for comparison but I did notice a nice boost to the sound effects and music which do seem to be remixed for a better output. 

 

 

I won't be getting into every single special feature at once because we'll be here all day so instead, I will be going over the new additions exclusive to this set and give out a list of the special features below at the end of the review. The original film adds some television and radio spots and an international trailer so not a whole lot new here but I think at this point, we've gotten all we're going to get out of the first film.

Part 2 includes one of the best additions of the set by finally including the long lost deleted scenes from the film. These are unfortunately presented without sound and are in VHS quality but I think the picture is nice considering its age and the uncut kills do not dissapoint. This is a big win for fans of the series and was the highlight of the set for me. Also included are two brand new audio commentaries, a new interview with actress Amy Steel, and the original Mono soundtrack.

Part 3's biggest addition is that the film can now be seen in modern digital 3D, though I was unable to experience this due to needing a 3D television, which are now in short supply and were generally unpopular. This is a nice thing to throw in but it does seem strange since I'm not sure how many people will even be able to experience it.

We then skip over to 'A New Beginning' we get two new commentaries with the cast, crew, and a fan commentary with Adam Marcus (Hatchet) & Joe Lynch (Mayhem) who also provided a fan commentary for part 4 in the last set. Part VI adds two more commentaries on top of the two it already had which is an extra nice bonus for fans of 'Jason Lives' like myself.  

 

 

We then jump way ahead to 'Jason Goes to Hell', which oddly gets a lot of love from Shout! Factory this time around. We finally get both the 'R' and 'Unrated' cuts of the film on blu-ray, and tons of new features including various interviews and a mini documentary and a second commentary for the unrated cut. The same love goes to 'Jason X' as well with the film finally getting a commentary which is nice and a nice documentary that's a fun watch even if you aren't the biggest fan of the film. You also get new interviews and a brand new introduction to the film from Kane Hodder.

As stated above, 'Freddy vs Jason' and the 2009 remake are the exact same discs from previous single and box set releases and have no new features whatsoever. This is the biggest flaw of the set as a whole because it just seems lazy. They actually tried to put a lot of love and effort into even the worst films of the series but they couldn't bother to get new material for these? And the remake is only presented in its extended cut so unlike 'Jason Goes to Hell' you can't watch the shorter and better cut of the film. At least with 'FvJ' it does include some decent features like an audio commentary and some documentaries but after such a fun ride through the rest of the film's special features, it's a dull ending.

Luckily, the two bonus discs more than make up for those lackluster final movies, and their additions give this box set a total of over 25 hours worth of special features and you'll be content watching them for quite a while if you even end up finishing it all. It has both new and old special features from previous bonus discs including more deleted scenes, new interviews, archival material, documentaries, and even the Alice Cooper music video 'Man Behind the Mask'. This set is absolutely packed.

So, we've finally come to the finale of this marathon review for the new 'Friday the 13th Collection' set! I really appreciate you sticking with me throughout and I cannot thank you enough. Overall, my final verdict is this is a must have set for any 'Friday' fan or horror fan in general. I know that this series has been re-released time and time again but if you love this franchise you really are gonna want this one. It has every single piece of material possible aside from the Crystal Lake Memories documentary from all of the previous releases as well as a tone of brand new material. This is the ultimate 'Friday' experience!

Friday the 13th: The Collection (A+)

FILMS: (B+)

VIDEO: (A+)

AUDIO: (A)

SPECIAL FEATURES: (A+)

 

 

 DISCS ONE: R-RATED THEATRICAL VERSION OF FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980)

• NEW 4K Scan Of The Original Camera Negative
• NEW International Theatrical Trailer
• NEW TV Spot
• NEW S. Radio Spots
• NEW K. Radio Spot
• U. S. Theatrical Trailer
• Movie Stills Gallery
• Posters And Lobby Cards Gallery

DISCS TWO: FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980) – UNCUT VERSION

• NEW 4K Scan Of The Original Camera Negative
• NEW Restored Original Mono Track
• Audio Commentary With Director Sean S. Cunningham, Screenwriter Victor Miller, Actresses Adrienne King And Betsy Palmer, Composer Harry Manfredini, Editor Bill Freda, And Assistant Editor Jay Keuper, Hosted By Peter M. Bracke
• Fresh Cuts: New Tales From Friday The 13th
• The Man Behind The Legacy: Sean S. Cunningham
• Friday The 13th Reunion Panel
• Lost Tales From Camp Blood – Part 1
• NEW Vintage Fangoria Magazine Article (BD Rom)

DISC THREE: FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 (1981)

• NEW 4K Scan Of The Original Camera Negative
• NEW restored mono track
• NEW Slashed Scenes – the long-awaited uncut gore footage!
• NEW Audio Commentary with actress Amy Steel, filmmaker Thommy Hutson and author Peter M. Bracke
• NEW Audio Commentary with actors Russell Todd, Kirsten Baker, Bill Randolph, Lauren Marie-Taylor, Stu Charno and author Peter M. Bracke
• NEW My Life with Ginny – a conversation with actress Amy Steel, moderated by Justin Beahm
• NEW Vintage Fangoria Magazine Article (BD-Rom)
• Inside Crystal Lake Memories: The Book
• Friday's Legacy: Horror Conventions
• Lost Tales from Camp Blood – Part 2
• U.S. Theatrical Trailer
• Japanese Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spots
• Radio Spots
• Movie Stills Gallery
• Poster and Lobby Cards Gallery

DISC FOUR: FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 3 (1982)

• NEW 4K Scan From The Original Camera Negative For Both The 2-D And 3-D Versions Of The Film
• NEW Blu-ray 3-D Version Of The Film (To Watch The 3D version, You Must Have A Fully Capable 3D TV And 3D Blu-ray Player)
• NEW Restored Mono Track
• Audio Commentary With Actors Larry Zerner, Paul Kratka, Richard Brooker, And Dana Kimmell
• Fresh Cuts: 3-D Terror
• Lost Tales From Camp Blood – Part 3
• Vintage Fangoria Magazine Article (BD Rom – NEW To The Set)
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spots (NEW To The Set)
• Radio Spots (NEW To The Set)
• Movie Stills Gallery
• Posters And Lobby Cards Gallery

DISC FIVE: FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER (1984)

• NEW 4K Scan From The Original Camera Negative
• NEW Restored Mono Track
• Audio Commentary With Director Joe Zito, Screenwriter Barney Cohen, And Editor Joel Goodman
• Fan Audio Commentary By Filmmakers Adam Green And Joe Lynch
• Slashed Scenes With Audio Commentary By Director Joseph Zito
• Jason's Unlucky Day: 25 Years After Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter
• The Lost Ending
• Jimmy's Dead Dance Moves
• The Crystal Lake Massacres Revisited Part I
• Lost Tales From Camp Blood – Part 4
• Vintage Fangoria Magazine Article (BD Rom – NEW To The Set)
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spot (NEW To The Set)
• Radio Spots (NEW To The Set)
• Movie Stills Gallery
• Posters And Lobby Cards Gallery

DISC SIX: FRIDAY THE 13TH PART V: A NEW BEGINNING (1985)

• NEW Restored Mono Track
• NEW Audio Commentary With Melanie Kinnaman, Deborah Voorhees, Tiffany Helm, And Author Peter M. Bracke
• NEW Fan Audio Commentary By Filmmakers Adam Green And Joe Lynch
• Audio Commentary With Director/Co-screenwriter Danny Steinmann, Actors John Shepherd And Shavar Ross
• Lost Tales From Camp Blood – Part 5
• The Crystal Lake Massacres Revisited Part II
• New Beginnings: The Making Of Friday The 13th Part V
• Vintage Fangoria Magazine Article (BD Rom – NEW To The Set)
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spots (NEW To The Set)
• Movie Stills Gallery
• Posters And Lobby Cards Gallery

DISC SEVEN: FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VI: JASON LIVES (1986)

• NEW Restored Stereo Track
• NEW Audio Commentary With Thom Mathews, Vinny Gustaferro, Kerry Noonan, Cynthia Kania, CJ Graham, And Author Peter M. Bracke
• NEW Fan Audio Commentary By Filmmakers Adam Green, Joe Lynch, And Writer/Director Tom McLoughlin
• Audio Commentary With Writer/Director Tom McLoughlin
• Audio Commentary With Writer/Director Tom McLoughlin, Actor Vincent Guastaferro, And Editor Bruce Green
• Lost Tales From Camp Blood – Part 6
• The Crystal Lake Massacres Revisited Part III
• Jason Lives: The Making Of Friday The 13th: Part VI
• Meeting Mr. Voorhees – Alternate Ending Storyboards
• Slashed Scenes
• Vintage Fangoria Magazine Article (BD Rom – NEW To The Set)
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spots (NEW to the Set)
• Still Gallery

DISC EIGHT: FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VII: THE NEW BLOOD (1987)

• NEW Restored Stereo Track
• Audio Commentary With Director John Carl Buechler And Actor Kane Hodder
• Audio Commentary With Director John Carl Buechler And actors Lar Park Lincoln And Kane Hodder
• Jason's Destroyer: The Making Of Friday The 13th Part VII
• Mind Over Matter: The Truth About Telekinesis
• Makeover By Maddy: Need A Little Touch-Up Work, My A**
• Slashed Scenes With Introduction
• Vintage Fangoria Magazine Article (BD Rom – NEW To The Set)
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spot (NEW To The Set)
• Movie Stills Gallery
• Poster And Behind-The-Scenes Photos

DISC NINE: FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VIII: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN (1989)

• Audio Commentary With Director Rob Hedden
• Audio Commentary With Actors Scott Reeves, Jensen Daggett, And Kane Hodder
• New York Has A New Problem: The Making Of Friday The 13th Part VIII – Jason Takes Manhattan
• Slashed Scenes
• Gag Reel
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spots (NEW To The Set)

DISCS TEN: JASON GOES TO HELL: THE FINAL FRIDAY (1993) – R-RATED THEATRICAL VERSION

• NEW 2K Scan Of The Interpositive
• NEW Introduction By Director Adam Marcus
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spots (NEW To The Set)
• Movie Stills Gallery
• Poster And Behind-The-Scenes Photos
• A Look At The Friday The 13th Prop Museum Book

DISC ELEVEN: JASON GOES TO HELL: THE FINAL FRIDAY (1993) – UNCUT VERSION

• NEW 2K Scan Of The Interpositive With HD Inserts
• NEW Audio Commentary With Adam Marcus And Author Peter Bracke
• Audio Commentary With Director Adam Marcus And Screenwriter Dean Lorey
• NEW Introduction By Director Adam Marcus
• NEW The Gates of Hell – An Interview With Director Adam Marcus
• NEW Jason vs. Terminator – Adam Marcus On Growing Up With The Cunninghams
• NEW Über-Jason – An Interview With Kane Hodder On Playing Jason
• Additional TV Footage With NEW Optional Audio Commentary With Director Adam Marcus And Author Peter Bracke

DISC TWELVE: JASON X (2002)

• NEW 2K Scan Of The Interpositive
• Audio Commentary With Director Jim Isaac, Writer Todd Farmer, And Producer Noel Cunningham
• NEW Introduction By Kane Hodder
• NEW Audio Commentary With Writer Todd Farmer And Peter Bracke
• NEW Outta Space: The Making Of JASON X – Featuring Interviews With Producers Noel Cunningham And Sean S. Cunningham, Actor Kane Hodder, And writer Todd Farmer
• NEW In Space No One Can Hear You Scream – An Interview With Writer Todd Farmer
• NEW Kristi Is A Headbanger – An Interview With Actress Kristi Angus
• NEW Jason Rebooted – Sean S. Cunningham On Jason Goes To Hell And Jason X
• The Many Lives Of Jason Voorhees – A Documentary On The History Of Jason
• By Any Means Necessary: The Making Of Jason X – Making-Of/Production Documentary
• Club Reel
• Vintage Cast And Crew Interviews
• Behind-The-Scenes Footage
• Electronic Press Kit (NEW To The Set) – Cast And Crew Interviews And Behind-The-Scenes Footage
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spot (NEW To The Set)
• Movie Stills Gallery
• Posters And Behind-The-Scenes Gallery

DISC THIRTEEN: FREDDY VS. JASON (2003)

• Audio Commentary With Director Ronny Yu, Actors Robert Englund And Ken Kirzinger
• 21 Deleted/Alternate Scenes, Including The Original Opening And Ending With Optional Commentary By Director Ronny Yu And Executive Producer Douglas Curtis
• Genesis: Development Hell
• On Location: Springwood Revisited
• On Location: Cabin Fever
• Art Direction: Jason's Decorating Tips
• Stunts: When Push Comes To Shove
• Make-up Effects: Freddy's Beauty Secrets
• Visual Effects Exploration
• My Summer Vacation: A Visit to Camp Hackenslash
• Pre-fight press conference At Bally's Casino in Las Vegas
• Music Video: Ill Nino "How Can I Live"
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spots

DISC FOURTEEN: FRIDAY THE 13TH (2009)

• Hacking Back/Slashing Forward – Remembering The Groundbreaking Original Movie
• Terror Trivia Track With Picture-In-Picture Comments From The Cast And Crew
• The Rebirth Of Jason Voorhees – A Look At The Making Of
• Additional Slashed Scenes
• The Best 7 Kills

DISC FIFTEEN: BONUS DISC (#1)

• NEW Crystal Lake Confidential – An Interview With Producer/Director Sean S. Cunningham
• NEW Machete Memories – An Interview With Producer/Director Steve Miner
• NEW Chicago To Connecticut: The Early Career Of Harry Manfredini – An Interview With Composer Harry Manfredini
• NEW The Magic Keyboard – Harry Manfredini On Scoring Friday The 13th
• NEW Blood Types – An Interview With Actor Harry Crosby
• NEW Once Speared, Twice Shy – An Interview With Actor Bill Randolph
• NEW Back To Camp: The Locations Of Friday The 13th And Friday The 13th Part 2 Hosted By Michael Gingold
• NEW It Came From The Vaults – An Interview With La-La Land Records' Matt Verboys And Michael V. Gerhard And Composer Harry Manfredini
• NEW Finding Friday: On Location Of The Friday The 13th Films
• The Friday the 13th Chronicles – An 8-Part Featurette On The First 8 Films
• Secrets Galore Behind The Gore – A 3-Part Featurette On The Makeup Effects Of Part 1, Part 4 And Part 7
• Crystal Lake Victims Tell All!
• Tales From The Cutting Room Floor
• Friday The 13th Artifacts And Collectibles
• Jason Forever – Q&A With Ari Lehman, Warrington Gillette, C.J. Graham, And Kane Hodder
• Legacy Of The Mask
• Slasher Films: Going For The Jugular
• The Friday The 13th Playing Cards Still Gallery
• Easter Eggs

DISC SIXTEEN: BONUS DISC (#2)

• Music Video: Alice Cooper The Man Behind the Mask
• NEW Alice Lives: Alice Cooper And Friday The 13th Part VI – A Look At The Music Video The Man Behind The Mask Featuring Interviews With Alice Cooper And Director Jeffrey Abelson
• NEW Legends Never Die – Tom McLoughlin At The Hollywood Forever Cemetery
• NEW Life, Death And Jason Voorhees – An interview With Director Tom McLoughlin
• NEW The Road To Crystal Lake – An Interview With Producer Sean S. Cunningham
• NEW Faceless Evil – Sean S. Cunningham And Jason
• NEW Jason Was Here: Friday The 13th Part 3 – 6 Locations Then and Now
• Scream Queens: Horror Heroines Exposed (2014) – Including Interviews With Adrienne King And Melanie Kinnaman (80 Minutes)
• Slice And Dice: The Slasher Film Forever (2013) – Including Interviews With Corey Feldman And John Carl Buechler (78 minutes)
• Trailer Reel – All 12 Friday The 13th Trailers In A Row
• Freddy Vs. Jason Storyboards And Production Galleries
• Friday The 13th (2009) Teaser Trailer
• Friday The 13th (2009) Theatrical Trailer
• Friday The 13th (2009) TV Spots
• Friday The 13th (2009) Electronic Press Kit – Interviews With Cast And Crew, Behind-The-Scenes Footage
• Friday The 13th Series Newspaper Ad Still Gallery – Vintage Newspaper Ads For All 12 Films
• Easter Egg

 

Friday the 13th: The Collection Deluxe Edition (Part 3)

 

 

'Jason Goes To Hell' isn't without some positives but they hardly make up for such a poor attempt at a sequel. This is the first of the series once Paramount sold the rights over to New Line Cinema (Now Warner Bros) and you can see that they've given it a better budget with it's slick look and the gore has been ramped up and is more extravagant than before. Don't get me wrong, changing things up once in a while with a long series like 'Friday the 13th' can work like with 'Jason Lives' but what 'Jason Goes To Hell' is attempting here is retconning lore that's been established for a decade and it's just far too late in the franchise to attempt such a thing. Revealing that Jason is a resurrected demon thanks to the necronomicon from 'The Evil Dead' series and his heart is a hell worm that possesses people is certainly an original idea but it just does not fit the 'Friday' formula. Even with such a drastic departure, the film still keeps the cheap thrills and tropes of the slasher films that came before so it's really just a new idea on the surface but the same rotten fruit underneath. It's my least favorite film in the franchise, but at least I can appreciate some things about it.

I know, I know, Jason in space, worst in the series, all that other jazz but so help me I do find this one enjoyable. Don't be mistaken 'Jason X' is a bad movie all around from the acting, to the cheaper look, and the weak kills aside from a fan favorite however unlike JGTH, this one is entertaining because of how bad it is. Whereas the previous film played its silly supernatural story completely straight and grim, 'Jason X' revels in its sillyness coming off almost as a spoof. It's a theatrically released SyFy original movie and it's a fun piece of trash to watch with some buddies. Kane Hodder would again reprise his role for the final time and as said with my previous reviews of part VII & VIII he does a good job as Jason but he's in the worst movies of the series. For the majority of the film his makeup and design is pretty weak and almost looks as if very little makeup was even applied. It's the same problem as the last film where the version of Jason you came to see is only in the final act. As for everything else, like I said it's like watching a SyFy original or an episode of 'Star Trek'. It's baffling to believe that this film has the budget this high for such a low quality product. Still, I've got much more of a soft spot for 'Jason X' than some others. Consider it my guilty pleasure in a series of guilty pleasures.

I don't really see 'Freddy vs Jason' as a 'Friday the 13th' film to be honest. It has Freddy as the primary antagonist with Jason just doing his thing and being a puppet for Freddy throughout. It also revolves primarily around Freddy regaining his powers and takes place in his hometown of Springwood. But it's in the box set so I have to give it a once over. This was the first major film of either series for myself growing up as I had only caught a few of each on TV late at night so while familiar with the characters I did not realize just how big of a deal this was. Looking at the film now as a big fan of both franchises, I can easily see why the audience was left disappointed. The film is surprisingly slow paced with a lot of the kill or horror scenes being spaced out or just being forgettable until you get to that final act when they finally fight each other. If it was just fighting for the entire running time, that would have had fans just screaming in their seats cheering on their favorite killer but the truth is that the film is so focused on the teens and their stories that it becomes a chore to avoid skipping to the end. This concept does not need a plot or characters really to make fans happy. Just have Freddy and Jason fight each other and kill tons of victims along the way until someone rises victorious. Just go insane with it rather than weigh it down with so much boring padding.

 

During the heyday of horror remakes very few were worth the effort of making or watching them and even those were more for their popcorn entertainment value and are mere afterthoughts of the genre. The 2009 'Friday the 13th' doesn't really ascend further than that but of the major horror franchises that got the remake treatment in the 2000's it's by far the best. It takes what works in the previous films and doesn't try to stray too far or use any kind of extraordinary plots like so many remakes would attempt but just plays like any other 'Friday the 13th' film. The film's biggest flaw is how it opens but not the opening itself. The opening is one of the best of the series with this 20 plus minute long prologue before the title shows on screen and you get to see the sheer brutality of Derek Mears' new Jason with some solid kills. It's after that amazing opening that it goes downhill in the middle when we meet the second group of teens which are far more obnoxious and forgettable. We also have a silly subplot involving one of the girls from the prologue being kept prisoner by Jason and her brother searching for her. This is just needless padding, something that seems to plague these more recent 'Friday' films but this is especially an issue because all these stacked subplots result in a nearly 2 and a half hour movie. A 'Friday the 13th' film can hardly hold itself together at 90 minutes let alone 2 hours which is a huge strike against this film. What I do enjoy aside from the opening is Jason himself in this film, who's a brutal survialist like Rambo who uses animal traps and bow and arrows etc. While this makes the kills themselves a bit dull, they are still nice and gory just not particularly creative. 'Friday '09' is overall a good sequel but a bad remake of the original that runs too long for its own good but is much better than the previous three entries.

Jason Goes to Hell: (D-)

Jason X: (D+)

Freddy vs Jason: (D)

Friday the 13th (2009): (C+)

 

 

We've finally come to the end of the movie portion of our review. Whew! We now will be going over the rest of the set in tomorrow's review including our final verdict for the set. Thanks for reading folks, and enjoy your Halloween.

Friday the 13th: The Collection Deluxe Edition (Part 2)

 

 

Now we come to the divisive entry in the series, which has become a bit of a tired issue to be honest so I'll be brief with it. Part V is known for being 'That one without Jason' and like 'Halloween III' the film has been the punching bag of the franchise for decades now. However, like 'Halloween III' it now has it's own little following among 'Friday' fans, giving it a sort of cringy hipster aspect to it. Let me be upfront with this: I was unaware of this supposed hatred for 'A New Beginning' for many years and grew up watching it just as much as any other entry and now looking at the film critically, it's more of a highlight than many of the later films. That being said, it's also not this amazing experience the hipster fans would have you think either. It's just another 'Friday the 13th' but it's a fun 'Friday the 13th' with ridiculous and funny characters, random silly moments, grindhouse sleaze, and the highest body count of the series (even with the many edits thanks to the MPAA). You're already at a disadvantage if you are going into these 'Friday' films expecting anything but cheesy fun so it's best to just sit back and watch the silliness unfold.

'Jason Lives' was my absolute favorite in the series when I first saw them all during one big weekend marathon and it's aged pretty well since. While meta humor in film is really nothing new, this is one of the better examples in the horror genre long before 'Scream' would claim the term for itself nearly 20 years later. When the movie opens with Jason being resurrected by a bolt of lightning like the Frankenstein monster and the title sequence is a parody of the famous James Bond gunbarrel opening you should probably not be taking this too seriously. The meta humor is shown even through Jason's kills like a man being thrown against a tree and his blood smearing onto a smiley face carved into it. You also have the fourth wall breaking, the references, and taking the tropes and having some fun little differences with them. 'Friday Part VI' is the party movie of the franchise, a movie that's just there to entertain the audience and have a fun atmosphere while still delivering on what you'd expect. It's easily in the top list of the movies.

'Friday the 13th Part VII' is a popular entry for many and I can see why. It's the first to see fan favorite Kane Hodder playing Jason for the first of many times and he does elevate the movie somewhat. However, in my opinion I think Kane just got the raw end of the deal with these movies and stars in the weaker or outright bad sequels. Now 'The New Blood' isn't terrible really and the final fight between Jason and Tina is an awesome display of special effects work, but sadly the film's problems are down to the troubled production and of course the damned MPAA once again. Every single kill in this movie is cut to the point where they have no impact or memorability whatsoever. The producers also caused drastic script changes and an alternate ending that just feels rushed. It's just not a good movie compared to others in the series, but I can't really blame the director or Kane Hodder and I don't but I have to review the final product as is and it's a low point for me.

I used to really love this movie as a kid, and I remember renting it a lot more than others. I don't really know what I saw in this one because while not as terrible as others would tell you 'Jason Takes Manhattan' is easily the worst of the original Paramount series and a super weak climax to a decade long streak. I do really enjoy the look of this film compared to others in the series and it's easily one of the best visually. I also don't really hate the idea of the film taking place on a ship, and really given the film's low budget is what they should have done. Like 'A New Beginning', this one gets a lot of crap due to false advertising and being overly ambitious despite a low budget slasher. The kills are also almost 'PG-13' levels and even when you see the uncut footage on the disc this is a tame movie when compared to the others. The worst thing of all however is Jason's design, which is easily the cheapest and laziest incarnation especially when the previous film's makeup was so impressive. He has a muppet face and green slime thrown all over him. And then of course the film's ending is probably the dumbest and most non-sensible finales of any film. 'Jason Takes Manhattan' isn't the worst and I can sit through it once in a blue moon or during a marathon but man it's just a goofy bore. The whole issue with a lack of New York City isn't even the top three of this flick's biggest issues.

Friday the 13th: A New Beginning   (B+)

Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (A) 

Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (C+)

Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan  (D)

Friday the 13th: The Collection Deluxe Edition (Part 1)

 

 

Please Note: This review will be divided in multiple parts. These parts will be posted at a later date.

 

While we aren't getting a new film in the 'Friday the 13th' series anytime soon due to the ongoing lawsuit, at least we've been given quite the treat from Scream! Factory this year with this massive 16 disc box set. Scream! worked with Warner Bros and Paramount Pictures to give us the definitive 'Friday' experience, or at least the best we can possibly ask for in 2020. Because this is a daunting task I have before me, this will be a special review or rather a series of reviews going over each portion of the set with a final review overall at the end of the week. 

So starting out we'll be reviewing the first four films in the series and only the movies. The special features, audio/visual quality and other elements will be discussed in a later review. So, let us begin with 1980's 'Friday the 13th'.

 

 

The original film in a franchise is usually gold and always held in the best regard with fans, however I am sadly one that doesn't feel the same when it comes to 'Friday the 13th'. The original will always have Betsy Palmer, Crazy Ralph, and being one of the innovators of special effects gore at the time but it's just really not one of the films of the series I tend to re-watch often. Looking over it for this review, I struggled getting through it all the way due to the constant padding it has. The Monopoly scene, the making coffee scene, and numerous others are just tedious and fail at building tension. What saves the original film is of course Betsy Palmer's stellar performance as Mrs. Voorhees but she only shows up in the last act but it is a fun finale all the same. The gore effects do hold up overall as well, though with this new transfer some look a bit more dated than others but overall still good, especially the uncut version. The first 'Friday' just isn't one I go back to when I have better and more fun films in this series to check out instead.

Just one year later, we have part 2 and while it doesn't raise the bar or anything it's a vast improvement over the original especially given the quick turnaround. Of the entire 'Friday' series, I think Ginny (Amy Steel) is the strongest final girl and easily in the top 5 best characters as well. The kills are amped up this time as well, including the infamous double spear kill (Even though they were heavily cut down thanks to the MPAA but more on that in the Special Features section). Steve Dash is one of the scariest incarnations of Jason and makes for one of the many memorable endings of the franchise. The negatives here are mostly carried over from the first as it does still have some needless padding here and there before the movie really gets going. I also felt it may have been a bad idea to kill off the previous film's heroine and Crazy Ralph as I felt it was far too soon and these characters could have been developed a bit longer and maybe Alice could've teamed up with Ginny at the end. Overall, 'Part 2' is a step up from the original but it also shows how quickly it was put together with its script.

Part 3 or Part 3D as it's sometimes called seems to be somewhat of a mixed bag. I'd say for myself, it depends on what my mood is whenever I pop this one in. Sometimes, I absolutely love it while other times I get bored or just feeling kind of meh about it. I think it tends to get a bit too much love due to it being the film where Jason acquires his iconic mask but very rarely do I hear people give the film any more praise than that other than maybe Shelly. To me it really is a rehash of the first film, even copying the original's jump scare ending but everything is acted, shot, and overall made poorer. Having said that, I do still prefer watching 'Part 3' more than the original if for nothing else than I do like a few of the characters and the kills, while silly and cheaper make me laugh. The biggest reason I enjoyed it is Richard Brooker's Jason who is my personal favorite. He is imposing, scary, aggressive, and brutal and he has this funny swagger when he walks like it's just another day for Jason. 'Part 3' is a downgrade from the previous two but it's popcorn entertainment is as strong as ever.

My personal favorite in the series overall is 'The Final Chapter', a movie that was so final that eight more sequels happened (including a second 'Final' chapter). This film is the definition of the 80's from the music, to the cast, and the overall feel and look. It's the best film in the series at this point on a technical level and Tom Savini returned to helm the special gore and Jason makeup effects. You also have one of the best Jason's in this film, played this time by Ted White. He's extremely pissed off and brutal in every kill and he runs which adds more menace to the character and it helps that White is a tall, muscular man to top it off. He was the stunt double for John Wayne so just imagine that. The movie also has my favorite cast of teens and are actually given different personalities and some kind of development before they're quickly taken out and it makes them the most memorable of the series. The film is also lightning paced with a fast runtime and a high body count, thankfully cutting out the fat of the previous three flicks. As a 'Friday the 13th' movie, this is a perfect sequel, just be sure to go in with a certain perspective.

Friday the 13th (1980): C+

Friday the 13th Part II: B-

Friday the 13th 3D: C+

Friday the 13th The Final Chapter: A

 

 

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Friday the 13th The Collection Deluxe Edition (Review Currently In-Progress)

 

So for the rest of this week, rather than adding a new movie per day like usual I will be putting together a mega review for the new 'Friday the 13th' box set that just released from Scream! Factory. The review will take some time so I hope everything is worth it and I make you guys happy. Have a Happy Halloween and we'll be back with the regular reviews next week!

If you'd like to pre-order your own set from Amazon, go ahead an click the link below. It helps me out a little bit for every click so I'd really appreciate your support. Thanks again folks.

The Witches (1990)

 

 

'The Witches' was released in 1990 and is based upon the 1983 novel by Roald Dahl, who also brought us the beloved children's books 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' & 'Matilda'. In what is likely his darkest tale ever, the story revolves around a young boy and his grandmother after his parents die in an accident. They vacation at a prestige hotel in England to recover when the young boy discovers a sinister plot to murder all the children in the countryside led by the evil Grand High Witch. Unfortunately, the boy is discovered eavesdropping and is turned into a mouse making things a little more complicated.

This one is an absolute classic hands down and one of my personal favorites. It's always a fun experience to go back to a movie you haven't seen since childhood and seeing it with a different set of eyes. You see those little details or appreciate the movie for it's more technical aspects or in the case of this film just how dark they were able to go with the film while still giving it that child friendly charm. This is a PG children's film with grotesque witches who wish to commit genocide, push a baby in a pram down a hill to lure out a child, and horrific transformations into mice. Yet looking at it again all the criticisms the film received for being too dark for kids seems a bit harsh and very exaggerated. Trust me, this is no less scary than your average 'Harry Potter' film but that being said it's not like I'd suggest showing this to a toddler or anything.

 Nicolas Roeg was best known for creating adult thrillers from the 60's and 70's so seeing him in the director's chair with a children's film at first seems like a strange choice. However, his talents with those thrillers make for some brilliant cinematography and overall style that gives the film a sophisticated look in comparison to other family fare of the time. The makeup and creature work was provided by Jim Henson's shop and would sadly be his last contribution before his untimely death. The Grand High Witch's makeup effects are appropriately grotesque and scary and Anjelica Huston is still able to out act everyone else even when caked in heavy appliances. The mice puppets are well done and cute and they mix in some real life animals here and there. Some blue screen and photo effects have aged poorly but overall the special effects have aged well in 30 years.

I highly recommend 'The Witches' especially with a remake on the way in a couple of weeks. It's a great film to show during the Halloween season that's not too scary but gives the kids enough of a fun fright.

A-

 

(Watch The Witches on Amazon)

Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)

 

 

'Tetsuo: The Iron Man' is quite possibly the strangest Japanese film I have ever seen, and that's saying a lot. Released in 1989 and directed by Shinya Tsukamoto who is famous for his low budget and surreal cinema the plot revolves around a young man who is attacked one day by what seems to be a woman possessed by some mutated entity that leaves her covered in metal parts. After he returns home, he begins to slowly mutate into a bio-mechanical creature and wreaks havoc as he attempts to find out who or what has done this to him.

The film is often compared with 1977's 'Eraserhead' and it's easy to see some similarities. The underground look and black and white film certainly give it that David Lynch feel, but Tsukamoto seemed to have taken inspiration from the work of Swiss artist H.R. Giger who designed the titular creature in the 'Alien' franchise. However to say that 'Tetsuo' is merely an imitation is an insult to the film itself as it offers a unique experience you won't find anywhere else. One minute you have a man running down a street covered in metal parts, and then we see a sped up stop motion animated sequence that is frantic and hyperactive, giving you a huge jolt of adrenaline.

If I had to criticize 'Tetsuo: The Iron Man'? I would say that those looking for cohesion may want to look at the director's later work. This is a modern art piece in motion so what little narrative is there is mainly up to the viewer to interpret. Even then, there are some moments where I'm just left scratching my head wondering just what the hell was going on in this man's head? The film also has a sequel that has a bit more polish to it and it's also a film I recommend but the original is where you should start if you're looking for something truly unique.

A -

(Watch 'Tetsuo' on Amazon)

House of Wax (2005)

 

 

 The 2000's was a decade drowning in horror remakes, with at least a pair of them or more releasing every year or so. While there were obvious horror gems such as 'High Tension' and 'Martyrs', the mainstream audience was subjected to recycled material and little else. It's no wonder then that 2005's 'House of Wax', which is based on the 1953 Vincent Price film which coincidentally was also a remake, pretty much came and went with little to no fanfare and mostly negative reviews from fans and critics.

So how does it hold up watching it in 2020? Well, it's definitely a product of its time with slick overly stylized look and using whatever WB actors were available at the time hamming it up but I will say that this second time around, I enjoyed myself a lot more. The film really is a remake in name only and has been often seen as more of a remake of 1979's 'Tourist Trap' with many story elements and even some set pieces and kills mimicking it. The one thing this film has over those is some decent gore effects that are pretty graphic and sometimes mean spirited for a studio horror film and of course you have the infamous Paris Hilton kill but it also utilizes some pretty dated CGI at times, mainly the killer's face which is off putting.

But what is here is still impressive, especially considering the film's fiery conclusion was utilizing a real set with very little CG (and unfortunately caused a bad fire on the Warner lot) and it's a great ending overall. I also enjoyed the story and background given to the killer who ironically has more depth and backstory than the teens who are by far the worst aspect. For most of the remakes of the time, the casts were always the weaker aspect and 'House of Wax' is no different. They're all unlikeable, act poorly, and do stupid things even for horror movie standards.

So at the end of the day, should you give the film another chance? I think so. If you are a fan of slasher movies this one has the goods and is one of the better looking horror films of the time. The film's actors can annoy but overall this is a perfectly decent horror remake with good kills and production value.

C+

(Watch House of Wax on Amazon)