7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.1 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
In a small town, a wrongfully killed man exacts revenge on those who murdered him from beyond the grave.
Starring: Charles Durning, Larry Drake, Lane Smith, Tonya Crowe, Robert F. LyonsHorror | 100% |
Mystery | 4% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
English: LPCM 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 16-bit)
English: LPCM 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
English, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
It took the movie studios a while to figure it out, but television didn’t need to be their enemy. By the late 1950s, most of the majors had their own television production units which were churning out weekly episodic television with the same professionalism—if often the same lack of flair—that made the studio system so productive and profitable when studios owned their own theaters and needed new product for them once a week. It took another ten years or so for the studios to realize there were ancillary profits to be made in longer form one-offs, titled World Premiere movies for stateside broadcast, which could then be exhibited theatrically internationally. The made for television film became its own self-sustaining genre, even divorced from overseas theatrical exhibitions, and there are a number of great telefilms which are still very well remembered to this day. Unfortunately, very few have yet to see the Blu-ray light of day. VCI, the niche label located in the heartland of the United States, is helping to ameliorate that situation by bringing one of the rarer made for television films to high-def. Dark Night of the Scarecrow was a CBS World Premiere “event” the week before Halloween 1981. This creepy “little” film boasts a surprising amount of thrills and chills as it depicts the frightening actions of a band of backwoods vigilantes, including Charles Durning as the worst mailman ever. (One wonders about product placement in this film—did the U.S. Postal Service actually approve the use of its signature trucks and uniforms?) Dark Night of the Scarecrow has attained a rather large cult following courtesy of regular cable showings this time of year for the past couple of decades, and that legion of fans should be thrilled (and chilled) to discover this title out on Blu-ray.
Dark Night of the Scarecrow creeps onto Blu-ray with a VC-1 encoded 1080p transfer in 1.33:1 (remember, this was a 1981 television broadcast). Though this is a 30 year old television commodity, the results are often staggering on this Blu-ray, which boasts impressive sharpness and clarity, as well as extremely well saturated color and more than abundant fine detail. The close-up of the burlap sack hiding hapless Bubba is a good indication of the level of fine detail available throughout this high definition offering, and the overall look of this presentation is extremely filmic, with natural grain and a very well delineated texture. Flesh tones are occasionally just a tad on the ruddy side, but overall color is accurate and very robust. There is some very moderate crush in the darkest nighttime sequences, but it's of trifling concern given the overall stupendous look of this Blu-ray.
Dark Night of the Scarecrow is presented with two lossless audio options, its original mono soundtrack delivered via an LPCM 2.0 mix, and a rather artful if minimalist surround repurposing courtesy of an uncompressed LPCM 5.1 track. The mono track is damage free, and offers wonderful clarity with regard to Glenn Paxson's marvelously creepy score, certainly one of the best from any 1980s television movie. The surround track also reproduces Paxson's score with just a bit more depth and nuance, and it also places occasional foley effects with discrete channelization, though the bulk of the track is still anchored rather firmly in the front three channels. Fidelity in both of these tracks is excellent, with clear and clean dialogue, and well prioritized effects and underscore. Abundant low end also helps to create a suitably foreboding mood throughout the film.
With this release of Dark Night of the Scarecrow, VCI has firmly stepped up to the Blu-ray plate and delivered what is easily its best high definition release to date. With a largely immaculate image, not overly tinkered with but also boasting impressive new levels of detail, and with well done lossless audio, as well as some great supplements, this is the sort of package that other niche labels would do well to emulate. Dark Night of the Scarecrow itself is a great little creepy thriller, filled with excellent character bits for a slew of fantastic actors (many of whom you'll recognize from their long film, television and even stage careers). Feigelson's writing and De Felitta's direction are sharp and in tune with each other, and special props need to be given to Glenn Paxson, who delivers one of the coolest, most nicely dissonant horror scores to grace any made for television movie of the era. This is a wonderful Hallowe'en present from VCI and it comes Highly recommended.
Collector's Edition
1981
2013
Collector's Edition
1981
Collector's Edition | Uncut Version 4K + BD / Theatrical Version BD
1981
2015
2019
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1984
1986
1988
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1982
Collector's Edition
1981
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2011
1981
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1980
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