Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Happy Birthday to Me Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 20, 2022

J. Lee Thompson's "Happy Birthday to Me" (1981) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include enew program with actress Tracey E. Bregman; new audio commentary by co-screenwriter Timothy Bond and historian/filmmaker Daniel Kremer; and vintage promotional materials. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

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).

Happy Birthday to Me Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Happy Birthday to Me arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from an older master that was supplied by Sony Pictures. In case you are wondering, this is the same master that British distributors Indicator/Powerhouse Films used to produce this Region-B release in 2016.

While there are some minor but obvious limitations on this master, I think that the film still looks quite good in high-definition. For example, delineation, clarity, and depth remain pleasing throughout the entire film. Yes, there are some darker areas where small shadow nuances and fine detail can be better handled, but there you won't have to worry about serious anomalies. On the contrary, even in darker areas the visuals retain a fine organic appearance. Color balance is very convincing. There is some room for improvement in terms of saturation, but I think that only a minor expansion in the supporting nuances will make a noticeable difference because it will alter the dynamic range of the visuals. Still, the difference will not be dramatic because the current master is very nicely graded. Image stability is good, but I did notice a bit of shakiness here and there. A good example can be seen around the 0:23.29 mark. (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).

Happy Birthday to Me 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 DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

There is a pretty dramatic difference between the 5.1 and 2.0 tracks. The latter is the original Mono track and its dynamic range simply does not match the one from the 5.1 track. Also, there is a neat separation on the 5.1 track that makes a noticeable difference, though you shouldn't expect it to be consistent. I viewed the entire film with the Mono track and only tested a few areas with the 5.1 track. There are no age-related anomalies to report.

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

• Sister Slasher - in this exclusive new program, actress Tracey E. Bregman, who plays the character of Thomerson, recalls her work with J. Lee Thompson during the shooting of Happy Birthday to Me in Montreal. Also, Mrs. Bregman explains why and how the original ending of the film had to be rewritten and reshot to reveal her character's transformation. In English, not subtitled. (10 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by co-screenwriter Timothy Bond and is moderated by historian/filmmaker Daniel Kremer. The two gentlemen cover a wide range of topics, from Columbia's involvement with Happy Birthday to Me and its production in Canada to the nature of the killings and the characterizations (and specifically how some were apparently tweaked). Also, there are some interesting observations about J. Lee Thompson's directing methods and career as well as Glenn Ford's legacy.

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage U.S. trailer for Happy Birthday to Me. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• TV Spots - presented here are a couple of vintage TV spots for Happy Birthday to Me. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Radio Spots - presented here are a couple of vintage radio spots for Happy Birthday to Me. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

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

While I understand why Happy Birthday to Me appears on various lists of popular slasher films, I think that it is a pretty straightforward project whose greatest strength is Lance Rubin and Bo Harwood's soundtrack. To be honest, there are vastly superior slasher films that I would enthusiastically recommend before I even consider Happy Birthday to Me. Kino Lorber's Blu-ray release is sourced from an older but quite good organic master that was supplied by Sony Pictures. It has a nice new program with actress Tracey E. Bregman and a very good new audio commentary by co-screenwriter Timothy Bond and historian/filmmaker Daniel Kremer. If you are a fan of Happy Birthday to Me, consider picking up the Blu-ray when it is heavily discounted.