6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A band staying at a desert based home soon fall prey to a ruthless, black clad killer who chops, stabs, and strangles them to avenge a terrible event in their past.
Starring: Diana Karanikas, Angela Eads, Kay Schaber, Angela Scaglione, Steven KyleHorror | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
In the 1980s, the wave of “Satanic Panic” was helped along by heavy metal, with bands courting controversy by playing up the presence of evil in their music, giving kids a reason to celebrate and parents a reason to worry. 1990’s “Dead Girls” uses this hysteria to inspire a murder mystery, with director Dennis Devine and writer Steve Jarvis creating a study of musicians slowly picked off by a masked killer, dealing with all the interpersonal relationships and acts of alarm required for this kind of film. “Dead Girls” has the setting and the idea, but Devine doesn’t have much execution, struggling with his limited budget to cook up some real suspense during the unusually long run time (106 minutes), visibly struggling to make anything in this draggy endeavor seem exciting.
After a long history with VHS releases and YouTube links, "Dead Girls" comes to Blu-ray offering fans an AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation sourced from a 4K scan of the original 16mm camera negative. For those who've only seen the feature in its low-res state will likely find the viewing experience a revelation, as detail is suddenly found in the frame, exploring facial particulars on the large cast and the fibrousness of their outfits. Cabin interiors showcase decoration, along with barn adventures, and exteriors around the great outdoors are dimensional. Colors are bright and appealing, delivering healthy primaries on clothing choices, while red blood emerges with power. Greenery is distinct, and skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is heavy but film-like. Source is in good condition. A hair is noticeable during an early scene, which is explained in the making-of documentary on the disc.
"Dead Girls" opens with a card explaining that production limitations and age have created an "inherently compromised" sound for the listening experience. Indeed, the 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix has some issues, finding occasional dialogue exchanges slightly unintelligible, but not completely lost. Volume is uneven as well, shifting from scene to scene. Music carries a slightly blown out quality, but supports adequately during suspense sequences.
Instead of delivering shocking scenes of horror or enticing moments of lewdness, "Dead Girls" ultimately goes for a sudden barrage of turns and twists, which helps to extend the run time as Jarvis looks to outwit viewers with a final act that's all over the place. Perhaps some viewers will respond positively to a conclusion that's working extra hard to be surprising, but one wishes this effort was spread throughout the endeavor, creating a stronger whodunit. "Dead Girls" can't overcome its limited budget and clunky filmmaking, despite active performances and some giallo-esque touches. It fails to land as a thriller or even a heavy metal nightmare, leaving potential on the table as it only strives to be tricky in its final moments.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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