Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Happy Birthday to Me Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 31, 2016

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

Most of the film takes place inside and around the prestigious Crawford Academy and follows a group of boys and girls who are trying to have a lot of fun while attending classes. A few are in relationships but they don’t seem committed to each other. They are good friends who enjoy socializing together.

The bonds between the friends are tested when they begin to disappear and the local authorities launch an official investigation. Around the same time, the film’s main protagonist, Virginia (Melissa Sue Anderson, Midnight Offerings), also suffers a series of intense panic attacks. Some of these attacks then splinter into flashbacks that reveal bits of her troubled past and begin overlapping with events that are happening in the present. The past and present are eventually properly realigned and a vicious killer steps out of the shadows.

J. Lee Thompson’s film Happy Birthday to Me is impossible to take seriously. There are a couple of reasons why: First, it is devoid of the common logic that defines normal people. This isn’t to imply that in the real world there are no wacky chameleons whose heads function in mysterious ways and they say and do things that normal people would not even consider, but in this film, the character transformations are so utterly artificial that it immediately becomes painfully obvious that they are nothing more than structural points for its narrative. Second, despite recognizing the fact that the tense atmosphere is all that it has to offer, the film does some extra work to convince that it is more than a genre piece with limited potential. So instead of emerging as an enjoyable slasher, it ends up being a thriller that borrows a few genre tricks and then completely misuses them. Third, there are parts of the film where some of the actors create very awkward contrasts because they are bringing different types of intensity before the camera. Good examples are the murders and the flashbacks where the young actors can appear too intense, while the older actors that emerge after them struggle to match their intensity. Glenn Ford’s psychiatrist, in particular, frequently looks out of sync, though he is the most authentic of the entire group. This has a significant impact on the flow of the events and ultimately the film’s credibility.

The film should appeal to a limited group of viewers who have a soft spot for 80s slashers, but even they will eventually admit that there is a lot of material in it that simply does not work as well as it should -- or at least the honest ones should.

The soundtrack is surprisingly good and in the most effective sequences the music is as important as the camera movement. It was created by Lance Rubin (TV’s Dallas) and Bo Harwood (John Cassavetes’ The Killing of a Chinese Bookie,A Woman Under the Influence).

*This recent Blu-ray also includes the controversial electronic soundtrack for Happy Birthday to Me, which was used for the 2004 home video release of the film.

Happy Birthday to Me Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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).

Happy Birthday to Me Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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.

Happy Birthday to Me Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary - this is an new audio commentary that was recorded exclusively for the Indicator/Powerhouse Films Blu-ray release of Happy Birthday to Me. It is from four very big fans of the film -- Justin Kerswell (author of Teenage Wasteland: The Slasher Movie Uncut) Joseph Henson, Erik Threlfall and Nathan Johnson -- who essentially deconstruct its narrative and then discuss its most effective sequences. There is also plenty of interesting information about slasher films in general.

• Alternative Soundtrack - included here is the controversial electronic soundtrack for Happy Birthday to Me which was used for the 2004 home video release of the film. Presented as LPCM 1.0.

• Theatrical Trailer - original U.S. theatrical trailer for Happy Birthday to Me. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• U.S. TV Spot 1 - original U.S. TV spot for Happy Birthday to Me. In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• U.S. TV Spot 2 - original U.S. TV spot for Happy Birthday to Me. In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• U.S. TV Spot 3 - original U.S. TV spot for Happy Birthday to Me. In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• UK TV Spot - original UK TV spot for Happy Birthday to Me. In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• Image Gallery - a collection of original promotional materials for Happy Birthday to Me.

• Booklet - 24-page illustrated booklet featuring extracts from the original press kit for Happy Birthday to Me, advertising and promotion guide, and selected original published reviews of the film.

Happy Birthday to Me Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

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.