Dolls Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.0

Dolls Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman June 22, 2023

Note: This version of this film is available on Blu-ray as part of Arrow's Enter the Video Store: Empire of Screams set.

The vagaries of fame and/or fortune can often be positively confounding, and in that regard it's maybe just a little odd that Charles Band has never seemed to have quite risen to the "immediate name recognition" factor of people like, say, Roger Corman. This may seem especially strange in that Band not only has tended to work in the same kind of less fulsomely budgeted B movie environment that Corman often has, with both sharing a penchant for somewhat sly, winking horror films, but also because Band founded not one but two "studios", Empire Pictures (the "subject" of this collection) and, after the demise of that enterprise, Full Moon Pictures, which continues to release Blu-rays to this day. When you add in the fact that Band hails from a really rather notable family which includes an at least somewhat famous grandfather, father, and various offspring and/or other relatives, the lack of general renown for Band becomes even more inexplicable. Arrow Video is coming to the rescue of this conundrum, however, with this elaborately packaged collection of several Band productions for Empire Pictures which should be of interest to genre aficionados, even if this set can't quite match the extravagance of Band's own Empire Pictures Collection release from several years ago, an immense offering which included all of these films on Blu-ray, save Arena, which was on DVD in that set. As fans will know (or can find out by clicking on links provided in individual reviews), the Empire set was not the only time some of these films have had prior releases on Blu-ray.

As mentioned above, The Dolls has had previous releases on Blu-ray, including one by Shout! that I reviewed several years ago. Those wanting a full plot summary are therefore encouraged to read my old Dolls Blu-ray review.

Dolls Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Dolls is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Arrow's perfect bound booklet included with this set offers the following information on the restoration:

Dolls is presented in 1.85:1 aspect ratio with stereo and 5.1 sound. An original 35mm interpositive was scanned in 2K resolution at Company 3. The film was graded and restored in 2K resolution at R3Store Studios.

This is an interesting looking presentation that is noticeably brighter and arguably just a tad warmer than the older Shout! Blu-ray, but to my eyes, detail levels between the two presentations are largely interchangeable. The organic qualities that I admired in the Shout! transfer are still on hand here, and it's at least arguable that some of the more dimly lit scenes are marginally improved in terms of the amount of shadow definition, probably due in part to the aforementioned difference in brightness. As with the Shout! version, there are some passing blemishes still on tap, and due to some opticals intermittent variances in both grain thickness and fine detail levels.

Dolls Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As with the older Shout! release, this version of Dolls offers both surround and stereo tracks, with this disc featuring DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and LPCM 2.0 options. To my ears, these Arrow tracks are virtually interchangeable with the Shout! tracks, and so I'll repeat some of my original assessment here. There's an obvious uptick in low end on the 5.1 track, but perhaps surprisingly lower registers are quite fulsome in the 2.0 iteration as well. The surround track does offer a lot of well done immersive effects, especially once the nattering, chattering dolls kick into action, though on occasion the split effects have a quasi-phased quality, which seems to afflict some repurposed 5.1 mixes some of the time. The film is frankly not helped very much by its synth-laden score by Fuzzbee Morse and Victor Spiegel, a score that tends to browbeat the listener rather than subtly supporting the tension. Still, the score is very nicely splayed through the surrounds in the 5.1 mix. Fidelity is excellent, dynamic range is very wide, and there are no problems of any kind to report. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Dolls Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentaries

  Director and Screenwriter Commentary features Stuart Gordon and Ed Naha.

  
  

  Cast Commentary features Carolyn Purdy-Gordon, Stephen Lee, Carrie Lorraine and Patrick Williams.

  
  

  Empire Alumnus Commentary features David DeCoteau talking about his friend Stuart Gordon in this newly recorded track.

• Assembling Dolls (HD; 17:01) is an interview with editor Lee Percy.


• Toys of Terror: The Making of Dolls (HD; 38:31) is ported over from the older Shout! release.


• Storyboard Comparison (HD; 8:30)


• Trailers

  Theatrical Trailer (HD; 2:34)

  
  

  Alternate Trailer (HD; 1:24)

  
  

  UK Home Video Trailer (HD; 1:35)

• Image Gallery (HD)

Additionally the keepcase features a reversible sleeve, and houses a folded mini poster and art cards.

Dolls Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As I mentioned in my review of the Shout! release, Child's Play may be the eighties' film about a malevolent killer doll that everyone remembers, but Dolls (which actually predated little Chucky by a year more or less) is perhaps overall the more enjoyable entry in this subgenre, at least for those who don't mind some patently goofy humor attending the more traditional horror movie slash and dash antics. With fun if perhaps not Oscar worthy performances and a brisk directorial style, Dolls gets to its (sharp and deadly) point quickly and manages to wrap things up with a bit of fairy tale justice and happily ever after (for those who deserve it, of course). Technical merits are generally solid, and Arrow has assembled a very enjoyable supplementary package. Recommended.