4.7 | / 10 |
Users | 1.2 | |
Reviewer | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
A family moves in to look after the Winchester mansion for a few months, and soon find themselves terrorized by vengeful spirits. With the help of a paranormal investigator they'll unravel the mystery of the house.
Starring: Lira Kellerman, Michael Holmes, Patty Roberts, Tomas Boykin, Kimberly Ables JindraHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 48% |
Supernatural | 30% |
Mystery | 17% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
The closed mind is a trap.
It's rip-off time in Asylumland. Today's victim: The Haunting in
Connecticut, a semi-successful Spook picture though hardly one worthy of spawning a
"mockbuster" follow-up, but far be it from The Asylum to leave any potential market segment
without a
cheap knock-off to accidentally pick up off the shelf. Their take on the Haunted House genre,
Haunting of Winchester
House, isn't a very good movie, but for The Asylum, the results are well above average. The
film is littered with Asylum-typical cheap computer-generated visual effects, a
sluggish pace, and no real rhyme or reason for its existence beyond making the studio a cheap
buck or two. Who in their right mind would rent or buy this ahead of the Real McCoy, other than,
of course, masochists, insomniacs, treasurers of low-grade cinematic rubbish, collection-padders,
and movie reviewers? Nobody, but that's OK; those several niches probably bring in a
fair haul. Enough to sustain even a low-rent studio like The Asylum? No, but factor in the mom
with three kids under the age of five tugging at
her legs and making a holy terror in the video store, and she just might pick up the wrong
"Haunting" movie that her husband wanted to see. It's those markets and that rushed mom that
are Asylum's bread-and-butter, and if they can make a few partially-dishonest dollars, then more
power to them -- but pray for those that have to review these things on a semi-regular basis.
Onward to the Asylum!
Haunting of Winchester House scares up a stable and, at times, good-looking 1080p transfer. Certainly, it's not going to look like some fresh-from-theaters big-budget Blu-ray release from a major studio, but Echo Bridge's presentation generally sports quality detailing even through the glossy and terribly flat video sheen and many darkened frames throughout the movie. Indeed, the transfer showcases some excellent textures on close-ups of both the house's weathered porch and various tree trunks around the property. Clothes showcase some fine details, and faces and skin, too, reveal a fair amount of lifelike information. Colors lean towards a dull gray tone, even in the daylight scenes, but that seems in-line with the picture's intended visual scheme. Blacks are never too problematic, though they certainly crush out a few details here and there. Other problems like banding and aliasing are kept to a minimum, and noise is never seen in abundance. All things considered, it's hard to complain too loudly about the quality of this release.
Haunting of Winchester House creeps onto Blu-ray with a lowly Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack. This track is no great shakes, but it's also proficient at a base level, delivering most every element with satisfactory clarity. Of course, it wants for greater precision and realism, but never is the track below par for a cheap-o Asylum picture. The track finds something of an inconsistent and sloppy low end, but music is nevertheless smooth, accurate, and in the earlier scenes of the film, inviting. It's spacious enough, wandering around to the side speakers, giving the track a somewhat larger feel. Dialogue is consistently accurate and focused up the middle. Haunting of Winchester House's soundtrack isn't going to wow anyone in the audience, but listeners should at least be satisfied with this generic meat-and-potatoes presentation from Echo Bridge.
This Blu-ray release of Haunting of Winchester House contains no special features.
Haunting of Winchester House looks like a typical Asylum movie, but dig a bit deeper and it's actually one of the studio's better films. That's not saying much, really, but it's so far ahead of garbage like War of the Worlds 2: Next Wave and Megafault that it looks far better than it really is. Still, Director Mark Atkins' film creates a decent enough atmosphere; delivers a few honest scare scenes; works off of a halfway decent script; and concludes with a stale, but still surprising, finale. Haunting of Winchester House is a low-budget clunker, but it's like finding an old Ford Festiva in drivable condition living amongst a bunch of rusted out Yugos with their seats and engines torn out. This Echo Bridge release of The Asylum's Haunting of Winchester House features a fairly nice 1080p transfer, a passable two-channel soundtrack, and no extras. If ever forced to watch a movie from The Asylum at gunpoint, this ranks among the best choices.
2007
Theatrical + Unrated Alternate Cut
2007
2019
1973
2012
2010
2013
2015
1982
2018
2013
2016
2009
1983
2011
2002
Collector's Edition
2001
The Pact II
2014
Extended Cut
2015
Extended Director's Cut
2018