6.6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.3 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.7 |
After the mysterious death of a toyshop owner, a doctor and the man's daughter investigate the Irish-dominated Northern California community of Santa Mira, a company town owned by the Silver Shamrock Novelty corporation.
Starring: Tom Atkins, Stacey Nelkin, Dan O'Herlihy, Michael Currie, Ralph StraitHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 36% |
Supernatural | 18% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
None
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
The world's going to change tonight.
There's a certain expectation for Horror movie franchises, namely that they remain largely stagnant, rightly or wrongly serving up the same old,
same old beyond the first film or two, usually tweaking for the worst as time goes on but carrying over the same basic cadence and always with the
same killer on
the poster for the long haul.
It's called "evolution," and every franchise goes through its own at some point. For A Nightmare on Elm Street, it was the transformation of Freddy
Krueger from a hard-edged dreamscape killer to a more commercially viable dark comedian of sorts. In Friday the 13th, it was elevating Jason Voorhees to killer status after
the death of his mother and, of course, ditching the hood for the iconic hockey mask. The Halloween franchise underwent an entirely different sort of
transformation. The original classic was followed up by a strong sequel that picked up right where the first left off, only to see the third picture
go in an entirely different direction, a Halloween movie in "name only" if one expects "Halloween" to be synonymous with
"Michael Myers," but also a "Halloween" movie in the truest sense of the word. It was something of a noble effort, really, made even before
the Horror "sequel" craze really took off in the mid-80s,
coming into theaters right on the heels of Friday the 13th Part 3 and before the world was introduced to Freddy
Krueger. The film wasn't particularly well-accepted, because, well, first, it wasn't what everyone expected, and second, most saw it is a
subpar genre picture, no matter the name attached to it. Yet there's a good bit to like -- not exactly love -- about Season of the Witch,
setting aside the title and looking at it as a standalone entity and not necessarily a piece of a larger franchise puzzle.
This can't end well.
Halloween III: Season of the Witch features a wishy-washy debut Blu-ray transfer. The image is defined, particularly early on, but a pasty, flat appearance. It looks too smooth -- faces in particular are practically devoid of detail beyond basic shapes -- and largely unnatural, certainly not filmic. Even rougher surfaces like brick walls outside the hospital come up lacking. The image tightens up a bit once the action shifts to Santa Mira. Grain makes a few appearances, textures seem more naturally complex, and faces find a bit of life. Fortunately, the image remains fairly sharp throughout, though there are some sporadic edge halos that practically make objects glow, such as a cop inside the hospital early in the film or a shot of the Santa Mira church steeple later on. Colors are fairly bland; early darker scenes are noticeably so, but again, as the film progresses, vibrance and accuracy increase a bit. Black levels are solid, and flesh tones never seem to veer too far away from a natural appearance. There are only a few scattered speckles that shouldn't interfere with one's enjoyment of the film. Overall, this isn't a dazzler by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a passable transfer.
Halloween III: Season of the Witch scares up a DTS-HD MA 2.0 lossless soundtrack for its Blu-ray debut. There's little range and not much energy to this one. Listeners will feel indifferent at best, not particularly engaged or enthused, but that doesn't mean a poor track, just one that's not naturally of the all-in, completely-immersive sort. The synth notes and digital elements heard over the opening titles are adequately presented. There's nothing dynamic, big, or memorable about this portion of the track, but the antiquated effect actually seems to benefit from a somewhat less intrusive sound presentation. The notes and beats and sounds are perhaps a tad mushy but are handled well enough, flowing practically from the direct center of the stage with not much in the way of added spacing. Thunder and drenching rain heard minutes later fail to immerse the listener in the moment; the effects are fairly straightforward and puny, but they convey the sound's basic needs well enough. Light natural outdoor ambience hovers around the middle of the stage, perhaps stretching a bit further than most other elements. A car explosion in chapter three sounds dull and lazy. The famous "Silver Shamrock" jingle musters all the fun it can in the track's limited confines. There's a slightly scratchy feel to it, but the console TV speakers-era authenticity is welcome. Dialogue is even and clear, playing nicely from the center. This is a pretty straightforward track. There are no surprises and really no disappointments. This wasn't going to be the next great sound demo disc, so what's here is fine, all things considered.
Halloween III: Season of the Witch arrives on Blu-ray with a very good array of extra content, which includes two audio commentary tracks,
featurettes, and advertising material.
Halloween III: Season of the Witch is a largely forgettable little picture, linked to history and implanted in the subconscious mind of the Horror aficionado simply because the word "Halloween" appears in its title. It's wrongly decried, but rightfully left out of the upper-echelons of its genre. Ignore the name and enjoy a decent little time waster with a few good ideas and a fair implementation thereof. On the flip side, the characters largely stink. Yet all told this is a fun little Chiller that offers up a smattering of gore, a decent story, and an unforgettable hallmark jingle. Scream Factory's (a subsidiary of Shout! Factory) Blu-ray release of Halloween III: Season of the Witch offers decent video, acceptable audio, and a very nice collection of extras. It's a shame the picture quality isn't a bit better, but overall this is a solid Blu-ray debut for Halloween III and a strong first outing from Scream Factory. Recommended.
The Complete Collection Edition
1982
1982
4K Scan
1982
Collector's Edition
1982
Collector's Edition | Exclusive Red, Yellow and Orange Splatter 7" Vinyl + Poster
1982
Collector's Edition | Sacred Bones Exclusive | Exclusive Black, White and Orange Splatter 7" Vinyl
1982
Collector's Edition
1988
Collector's Edition
1989
1995
Halloween 8
2002
30th Anniversary Edition | Includes "Terror in the Aisles"
1981
1998
Unrated Director's Cut
2009
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2007
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1978
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1988
1981
2019
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1980
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1993
1982
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1984