6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A newlywed couple disappeared in 1974, their 8mm tapes reveal one of the most horrifying events in Mexican history.
Starring: Diana Bovio, Rolando Breme, Guillermo Callahan, Blanca Alarcón, Rubén González GarzaHorror | 100% |
Foreign | 94% |
Mystery | 2% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Spanish: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Spanish: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 CD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
There’s not a lot of room to do something different with the found footage subgenre. These films basically share the same moves, working to create some level of realism while teasing elements of horror or mystery before being whipped into a frenzy for the finale. 2016’s “1974: La Posesion de Altair” is no different, with writer/director Victor Dryere taking his tale to the decade of 8mm home movies, tracking the decline of a young woman in touch with dark forces, while her husband captures her grim awakening with his new camera. Dryere has some atmosphere and a dramatic destination he wants to reach, but there’s not a lot of suspense in “1974,” which sticks close to the found footage playbook.
The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "1974" does fine with all the 8mm footage. There's an effort to age the picture, adding scratches and debris, which makes for compelling wear and tear to help set the mood. Grain is heavy throughout. Detail reaches as far as possible, delivering a basic understanding of character imagery and locations. Color is also appreciable, with golden, sunlit interiors and threatening situations in colder lighting. Delineation is satisfactory.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix supports the feature's intent to provide creepy moods, working with sometimes active atmospherics around the house and into the night, visiting the open world. Dialogue exchanges are communicative, often dealing with whispering performances. Music is limited but supportive, and sound effects are more authoritative, delivering strange noises in the house and grander reveals, which also offer some low-end activity.
"1974" has the look of the era and performances are acceptable for this type of movie. It's the rest of the film that lacks freshness, with Dryere making familiar moves with shadows and surprises, offering a stale take on found footage creepiness.
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