Rating summary
| Movie |  | 2.0 |
| Video |  | 4.0 |
| Audio |  | 4.5 |
| Extras | | 4.0 |
| Overall |  | 2.5 |
Ghosts of Mars Blu-ray Movie Review
Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 11, 2017
John Carpenter's "Ghosts of Mars" (2001) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; archival audio commentary with the director and actress Natasha Henstridge; archival featurettes; and more. The release also arrives with a 24-page illustrated booklet featuring Nick Pinkerton's essay "John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars"; an archival interview with John Carpenter conducted by Marc Shapiro for the September 2001 issue of Starlog magazine; and technical credits. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
John Carpenter's
Ghosts of Mars makes its Blu-ray premiere in the UK via local distributors Indicator/Powerhouse Films, but it was first release on Blu-ray in the U.S. via Sony Pictures Home Entertainment in 2009. This new release is sourced from the same master that was used for the North American release, but it has a different selection of supplemental features. For a complete analysis of the film, please see Greg Maltz's
review of the first release.
Ghosts of Mars Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.40:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, John Carpenter's Ghost of Mars arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.
The release is sourced from a master that was prepared a while ago. My guess is that it is the same master that Sony used in 2009 for the U.S. release, though there is a possibility that additional minor work was done since then. In any event, I think that the basic characteristics of these release are virtually identical, but this new release is slightly better encoded.
Despite some obvious limitations, the master is in fact quite good (and a lot better, for instance, than many older masters that have come out of Universal's vaults). For example, there are areas where it is easy to see that some minor black crush collapses detail(s), but for the most part depth and fluidity remain fairly pleasing (see screencaptures #3 and 4). Some extremely minor flatness occasionally can be spotted, but I think that even the most noticeable fluctuations are very easy to tolerate. Also, it is clear that when the master was prepared some minor grain reduction work was performed, but it is very well applied and generally unobtrusive. The primary colors are solid and there is a decent range of nuances, though my guess is that if the film is fully remastered now the color grading will be slightly different and more convincing (saturation levels in particular will be better). Overall image stability is excellent. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location. For the record, there is no PAL or 1080/50i content preceding the disc's main menu).
Ghosts of Mars Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.
I viewed the entire film with the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. I thought that the intensity level was very good during the action sequences while overall balance was never compromised. The mid-range does occasionally introduce some minor fluctuations, but I do not believe that they were introduced during the mastering process. Indeed, I believe that they are in fact part of the original sound design. The dialog is stable, clean, and easy to follow. Also, there are no purely technical anomalies to report, such as dropouts and digital distortions.
Ghosts of Mars Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
- Trailer - original U.S. trailer for Ghost of Mars. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).
- Scoring Ghosts of Mars - this archival featurette contains archival footage from the recording sessions that were held in Hollywood, California, where the soundtrack for Ghosts of Mars was completed. The music was composed by John Carpenter and performed by Anthrax, Buckethead, and guitar guru Steve Vai. In English, not subtitled. (7 min).
- Special Effects Deconstruction - this archival featurette highlights some of the special effects that are used in the film. Raw footage from the shooting of various sequences is included. Music only. (7 min).
- Red Desert Nights: Making Ghosts of Mars - presented here is archival footage from the shooting of Ghosts of Mars at a gypsum mine in New Mexico. In English, not subtitled. (17 min).
- John Eaves' Concept Art Gallery - presented here is a gallery with original concept art for Ghosts of Mars from illustrator John Eaves.
- Audio Commentary - this audio commentary with director John Carpenter and actress Natasha Henstridge was also included on the 2009 U.S. release of Ghosts of Mars. There is excellent information about the shooting process, some technical and stylistic choices, and evolution of the relationships between the main characters.
- John Carpenter: The Guardian Interview (Part 2) - Part I of this interview/Q&A session appears on Indicator/Powerhouse Films' release of Vampires. John Carpenter discusses the constantly evolving nature of the projects he worked after he gained critical and studio recognition, the Hollywood system, some stylistic changes that occurred in his films, etc. The interview was filmed at the National Film Theatre in London on July 29, 1994. In English, not subtitled. (41 min).
- Booklet - 24-page illustrated booklet featuring Nick Pinkerton's essay "John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars"; an archival interview with John Carpenter conducted by Marc Shapiro for the September 2001 issue of Starlog magazine; and technical credits.
Ghosts of Mars Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
Ghosts of Mars has received some quite harsh reviews since its premiere in 2001 and I have to say that they are well-deserved. In my opinion, it is one of the most disappointing entries in John Carpenter's oeuvre. It has a lot more in common with the generic snoozers Hollywood loves to mass-produce each year than the many hugely atmospheric films Carpenter directed early in his career that are now rightfully considered genre classics. If you disagree, you should take a look at this new release as it has some bonus features that are not available on the U.S. release and perhaps consider adding it to your collections. If you have never seen the film before, my advice is to find a way to rent it first before placing an order at your favorite etailer.
