7 | / 10 |
Users | 3.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
A vain actor, his best friend, and an activist end up at a mutant freak farm run by a weirdo scientist.
Starring: Alex Winter, Randy Quaid, Keanu Reeves, Mr. T, Morgan FairchildComedy | 100% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 1.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
Catching up on the production background behind Freaked is sort of like riding a roller coaster of Hollywood's own making combined with a tragedy of shattered dreams and failed promises. The picture struggled to find financing until a 20th Century Fox executive fell in love with the project and awarded the filmmakers a hefty sum of money to complete it. So confident was the studio in its pending success that marketing was ramped up even as the production rolled on. Then, a snag. A big snag. The Fox executive was replaced with another who didn't see the film's potential. Marketing dollars dried up, the picture's budget was slashed, and the end product limped into a couple of theaters, earned a pittance, and flopped onto video soon thereafter. It was a perfect storm of production woes, doubt, limited finances, and, frankly, an idea just too strange to really work outside of a niche market (think TerrorVision as a film of similar visuals but not made in the big studio system). Freaked just doesn't work, and no matter the cause, or causes, of its demise, it's just too odd, scattered, and at times even revolting, certainly not a mass audience film but probably something more welcome in those niche circles where low-budget "creature features" so often find a home.
Hideous.
Freaked's 1080p transfer delivers a fair high definition transfer that's better than many of the Anchor Bay/Fox catalogue collaborations. It offers a fine basic presentation, revealing suitably crisp definition and detail with little in the way of softness. Light grain remains, helping preserve a naturally sharp texture. Image clarity is quite good, and the 1080p resolution helps reveal the gory, yucky prosthetics in their glory. Viewers will also clearly see wires holding objects, whether intentional (the board meeting at the beginning) or seemingly not (a butterfly that floats by when the group first arrives at the freak show or those carrying the "ghost troll"). Colors aren't blindingly vibrant, nor are they dull. There's a rather happy medium to the palette, particularly as it reveals all of the reds and greens that make up many of the monster effects. Blacks are decent, though a bit noisy and pale in spots. Light print wear is evident from time to time. It's hardly a remarkable effort, but fans should be pleased with what is a clear step up from the standard definition presentation from a few years ago.
Freaked features a modest, but generally effective, Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. There's precious little life or vigor to the opening music, failing to find heft, volume, or balance, setting a rather poor precedent for the rest of the track. Fortunately things do pick up a bit, though not considerably, as the film moves along. Later musical elements don't sound so one-sided, the surround element feels more natural, and basic clarity and energy enjoy a modest uptick. Still, it's hardly a showstopper. The track additionally finds some fair, albeit minor, surround ambience from time to time. Dialogue pays clearly and smoothly from the center. Unlike some of the previous Anchor Bay/Fox catalogue releases, no subtitle options are included.
Freaked contains no extras, and no menu is included. The film begins playback immediately after disc insertion.
Freaked never quite works. It's far too over the top with precious little payoff in the way of legitimate humor, dramatic value, or artistic style. It's a hodgepodge that never comes cohesively together, and it's never clear what the point of it all may be, aside from making a really, really odd movie. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray ditches the special features of the previous DVD release. Video quality is fine but the audio could use some work. Skip it.
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