6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
What has the world come to when the director of Sasquatch at the Mall can't get a gig? That's what horror auteur Harry Penderecki is wondering. Once considered a horror legend, with a string of hits like Bowel Movement, People Pesticide and I'll Take the Ring Back and the Finger Too, he now finds himself on the outside looking in at Hollywood. Determined to make his comeback, Penderecki returns to direct what he believes will be his ultimate masterpiece, Brutal Massacre. Follow along with the documentary crew to discover whether Harry will reassert his genius, or remain a relic of the '80s.
Starring: David Naughton, Brian O'Halloran, Gerry Bednob, Gunnar Hansen, Ellen SandweissHorror | 100% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 kbps)
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Even writer-director Stevan Mena admits most have probably never heard of Brutal Massacre: A Comedy, Mena's skewering of the film industry in general and the horror film industry in particular. That situation may be remedied with this Blu-ray, which might be an unexpected pleasure for those who love the horror genre despite some of its more lo-fi aspects (and maybe for some fans because of those lo-fi aspects), and who are open to an "insider's" joke laden take on what making an independent horror film can be like. In his appealing and at times rather scabrous commentary included on this disc as a supplement, Mena states that he made Brutal Massacre: A Comedy after Malevolence was released and Mena felt he was in danger of becoming a parody of himself if he continued in the horror genre. Kind of hilariously, Mena went on after this "identity crisis" and Brutal Massacre: A Comedy to make Malevolence 2: Bereavement and Malevolence 3: Killer, which might suggest that Mena either did or did not learn any lessons that Brutal Massacre: A Comedy may have offered.
Brutal Massacre: A Comedy is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Mena Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. While the IMDb lists this as a 35mm outing, Mena states in his commentary that it was shot on Super 16 (I assume it may have been blown up later for whatever theatrical exhibition it had). One way or the other, this is an appealing looking presentation, though one that doesn't have much "spit and polish" in terms of an overly glossy look. Detail levels are generally quite commendable, offering precise looks at elements like Penderecki's checked jacket or the cross-hatched beret that cinematographer Hanu Vindepesh wears. The palette looks natural throughout, with a solid accounting of colors, perhaps aided and abetted by the fact that no discernable tweaking to the imagery has been attempted.
As with the Malevolence trilogy linked to above which also received Blu-ray releases from Mena, this disc features only lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital 2.0 mixes. While these suffice perfectly well for what is largely a dialogue driven affair, a lossless track might have arguably upped some of the comedic effect of things like the "startle" effect mentioned above with regard to Hansen's memorable entrances throughout the film. The surround track does at least slightly open up the sound stage in some of the outdoor material in particular. Dialogue is presented cleanly and clearly throughout the presentation. Optional English subtitles are available.
Mena was absolutely correct with regard to my personal absolute lack of knowledge about Brutal Massacre: A Comedy, but that perhaps only made the film more of a generally enjoyable surprise for me. The film starts out like gangbusters, with a series of rather piquant "insider" jokes, but it then tends to wallow a bit in shtick that doesn't always connect, before regaining some significant comedic traction as Penderecki struggles to finish his film and get it into theaters. Mena's approach here is very smart for the most part, and if I were one of his Penderecki-like cohort, I might suggest that he matriculate more into comedy and away from horror. Technical merits are solid, with an understanding that this disc only has lossy audio. For horror fans with a sense of humor if for no one else, Brutal Massacre: A Comedy comes Recommended.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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1982
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