6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Girl student wants to be part of the school’s most popular clique. But somebody has begun killing the group’s members. Could a deadly accident from her past be connected to the brutal killings?
Starring: Melissa Sue Anderson, Glenn Ford, Lawrence Dane, Sharon Acker, Frances Hyland (II)Horror | 100% |
Thriller | 19% |
Mystery | 14% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
BDInfo verified. There are two separate "Mono" audio track mixes as set-up options.
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Region free
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
J. Lee Thompson's "Happy Birthday to Me" (1981) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British label Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include an exclusive new audio commentary by The Hysteria Continues team; an alternative soundtrack; original trailer and TV spots; and a collection of original promotional materials. The release also arrives with a 24-page illustrated booklet featuring extracts from the original press kit for the film, advertising and promotion guide, and selected original published reviews. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
The girlfriends
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, J. Lee Thompson's Happy Birthday to Me arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.
The release is sourced from a master that Sony Pictures almost certainly must have prepared a while ago, but it is a very good one. For example, well-lit close-ups typically boast very good depth, while throughout the film clarity is consistently very pleasing. The color scheme is also convincing. The primaries are solid and natural and there is even a pretty decent range of nuances, though it isn't difficult to see that there is still some room for rebalancing optimizations. Density is good, but a new scan will unquestionably improve grain exposure and ultimately density; in some darker areas, the light crush will also be eliminated. Still, the film has a solid and overall very pleasing organic appearance. (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 problematic PAL or 1080/50i content preceding the disc's main menu).
There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
I viewed the film with the lossless mono track and thought that its quality was outstanding. It has excellent depth and the music easily breathes in all the right areas where it must enhance the desired atmosphere. There is even a very good range of nuanced dynamics. The dialog is always stable, clean, and free of abrupt drops/spikes.
It is very easy to understand why Happy Birthday to Me ranks high on various lists of popular slasher films, but I found it quite uneven and ultimately disappointingly predictable. What partially redeems the film is the fantastic soundtrack that Lance Rubin and Bo Harwood created for it. It is very, very effective, and the Blu-ray handles it really well. If you are a fan of the film, this should be the release you want to have in your collection.
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