Home Grown Horrors: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Home Grown Horrors: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 25, 2021

“Home Grown Horrors: Vol. 1” takes a look at the big dreams of filmmaking, which are often blocked by the realities of regional production. With “Beyond Dream’s Door,” “Fatal Exam,” and “Winterbeast,” Vinegar Syndrome takes a look at smaller horror features that work with limited resources and nearby locations to make genre magic.

Click here for a review of Beyond Dream's Door

Click here for a review of Fatal Exam

Click here for a review of Winterbeast

Home Grown Horrors: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

See above for reviews.

Home Grown Horrors: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

See above for reviews.

Home Grown Horrors: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Beyond Dream's Door

• Commentary #1 features director Jay Woelfel, cinematographer Scott Spears, and actors Nick Baldasare and Rick Kesler.

• Commentary #2 features actor Nick Baldasare.

• Commentary (Archival) #3 features director Jay Woelfel, cinematographer Scott Spears, and actors Nick Baldasare and Rick Kesler.

• Commentary (Archival) #4 features director Jay Woelfel.

• "Where Horror Lies" (41:40, HD) is a making-of for "Beyond Dream's Door," featuring interviews with director Jay Woelfel, cinematographer Scott Spears, producer Dyrk Ashton, and actors Rick Baldasare and Rick Kesler. The group shares the state of their lives in the mid- 1980s, with Woelfel eager to make a movie, but finding resources limited in Ohio. Electing to transform a short film into "Beyond Dream's Door," Woelfel made his way to the Cannes Film Festival to learn more about potential distribution. Working with Ohio State University, production began, with the low-budget nature of the shoot providing an educational experience for all involved. Casting is analyzed and on-set memories are shared. Most interesting is Woelfel's recollection of the time period, with marketplace demands drying up just as he was about to enter the business. Reflections on the feature are also shared.

• "Beyond Dream's Door" (20:52, SD) is a 1983 short film from Jay Woelfel, presented with or without commentary by the director.

• "The Short Version" (7:47, SD) is a 2003 making-of for the "Beyond Dream's Door" short film, featuring interviews with actors Rick Baldasare and Rick Kesler, and videographer Jose Cardenas.

• Raw Footage (4:29, SD) offers dreamscape imagery.

• "At the Door of Darkness" (7:31, SD) is a 1983 short film from Jay Woelfel, presented with or without commentary by the director.

• "Come to Me Softly" (8:10, HD) is a 1988 short film from Jay Woelfel, presented with or without commentary by the director.

• Interview (1:34, SD) sits down with actor Rick Kesler to discuss the short.

• Making Of (34:21, SD) is a 2003 documentary on the creation of "Beyond Dream's Door," featuring interviews with director Jay Woelfel, cinematographer Scott Spears, videographer Jose Cardenas, producer Dyrk Ashton, and actors Rick Baldasare and Rick Kesler. Of interest is the use of BTS footage, providing a glimpse of the production in motion.

• Used and Alternate FX Footage (5:24, SD) collects takes featuring the film's central creature.

• Used and Alternate Takes (10:57, SD) present more dreamscape footage.

• Bloopers and Behind the Scenes (5:54, SD) includes random production activity.

• Local News Coverage (4:07, SD) details the media excitement surrounding the creation of "Beyond Dream's Door."

• Deleted Scenes (SD) offer "The Sewer Escape" (1:05) and "The Phone Booth" (1:08).

• And the Original Trailer (2:00, SD) and the Re-release Trailer (2:51, SD) are included.

Fatal Exam

• Commentary features director Jack Snyder, composer Carl Leta, visual effects artist William Crawford, and actors Terry Comer, Mike Coleman, and Dave Mayer.

• "Fatal Examination" (47:40, HD) is the making-of for "Fatal Exam," featuring interviews with director Jack Snyder, composer Carl Leta, visual effects artist William Crawford, foley artist Dave Mayer, and actors Terry Comer, Mike Coleman, and Carol Carlberg-Snyder. Backgrounds on all the interviewees are established, with Snyder looking to graduate from 8mm shorts to a 16mm feature, taking inspiration from John Carpenter's "The Thing" to create his initial story. Resources are recalled, with the shoot taking place in Comer's house, and Snyder shares an amusing anecdote about sneaking into a college building to complete a classroom sequence. Technical achievements are detailed, including the creation of stop-motion animation, which was selected over puppetry and a man-in-suit. The interviewees recall their various jobs on-set, working with comfortable camaraderie in freezing temps. The documentary closes with an informative timeline of production, which began in 1985 and wasn't completed until 1990. Music offerings are highlighted, and cult longevity is celebrated.

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

Winterbeast

• Commentary #1 features producer Mark Frizzell.

• Commentary #2 features director Christopher Thies, producer Mark Frizzell, and cinematographer Craig Mathieson.

• "It Came From Lone Peak" (73:22, HD) is an early workprint version of "Winterbeast," with sections of the movie unfinished.

• "A Movie For Filmmakers" (18:44, HD) is an appreciation piece from screenwriter Simon Barrett ("You're Next").

• "He Wears Sunglasses at Night" (14:15, HD) is a video conference interview with actor Mike Magri, who admits "Winterbeast" is the only film he's ever done, largely focusing on building his stage career as a younger man. Asked to replace another actor, Magri joined the "Winterbeast" shoot, which carried on for a long time. The interviewee offers praise for producer Mark Frizzell and recalls the picture's limited release.

• "Sweat and Persistence" (27:39, HD) is an interview with producer Mark Frizzell, who shares his early love for Ray Harryhausen and his creations, inspiring him to pursue stop-motion animation. Frizzell's relationship with director Christopher Thies is detailed, and he offers thoughts on the physically draining nature of stop-motion work. The creation of "Winterbeast" is remembered, with Frizzell highlighting technical challenges and examining a lengthy post-production process, which carried on for years before the movie was finally finished. The interviewee closes with an anecdote about showing "Winterbeast" to his film students to help them feel better about their projects, only to learn about the endeavor's cult appeal.

• "So Bad, It's Good" (10:19, HD) is a video conference interview with actress Dori May Kelly, who was working her way into the Boston theater scene when she tried her luck with an audition for "Winterbeast." Kelly offers praise for Mark Frizzell and recalls camaraderie with some of her co-stars.

• "My First Career" (13:36, HD) is a video conference interview with actor David Majka, who tracks his developing friendship with Mark Frizzell and shares his impression of Christopher Thies. Majka identifies his "standby" status during the lengthy filming process for "Winterbeast," and examines the movie's amazing life as a cult title.

• "I Saw It In a Dream" (10:35, HD) is a video conference interview with actor Charles Majka, who shares his relationship with Mark Frizzell and his appreciation for Christopher Thies. The filming process for "Winterbeast" is analyzed, with Majka accepting multiple jobs during the shoot. And the feature's cult legacy is celebrated.

• "Soap Opera Footage" (11:49, SD) edits together early video-shot scenes for "Winterbeast," making use of work that wasn't going to fit into the film.

• "Oh Dear, What Can The Matter Be?" (19:36, SD) is the original, undated making-of for "Winterbeast, featuring interviews with Mark Frizzell, Christopher Thies, Charles Majka, and Dave Majka.

• Deleted Scenes (13:00, SD) are offered.

• Audio Interview (3:44) with composer Michael Perilstein is a brief, overly jokey bit from the interviewee, who mentions an "upcoming" CD release of the "Winterbeast" soundtrack and plugs his other scores.

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

Home Grown Horrors: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The DIY moviemaking nature of "Beyond Dream's Door," "Fatal Exam," and "Winterbeast" can result in a lack of pace, but imagination is always present, sensing the struggle of a small production trying to put on a bloody show for genre fans. Supplements are wonderful, and Vinegar Syndrome puts together the best possible version of these endeavors, giving admirers, the filmmakers, and their extended families a chance to relive a moment in time when Hollywood dreams were realized in backyard productions.