Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

The Boys Next Door Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 6, 2020

Penelope Spheeris' "The Boys Next Door" (1985) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; audio commentary by Penelope Spheeris and Maxwell Caulfield; interviews with actor Kenneth Cortland; extended scenes; and more. In English, with optional Enlgish SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Dangerous visitors

This film could have been made only in LA and only during the ’80s. It is brash, erratic, fast, and angry. It is hardcore punk and damn proud of it.

The plot is just a wrapper for an incredible dose of destructive energy. Best friends Bo (Charlie Sheen) and Roy (Maxwell Caulfield) leave their small town and head to LA to experience the many vices the city has to offer. Six hours later, they pull at a gas station and nearly kill the man behind the counter. At the beach, they injure an elderly woman and then have more fun with a couple of brave beauties. At a popular gay club, the boys pick up a ‘friend’, visit his place, and then leave him lying in a puddle of blood. At a not-so-busy video game arcade, the boys meet a pair of lovebirds and later on they get shot in their car. At a lousy pub Bo hooks up with a lonely older woman (Patti D’Arbanville) but an hour later Roy kills her on her couch. Eventually, the LA cops surround the visitors in a fancy mall, but even there they still figure out a way to have a bit of macho fun.

The Boys Next Door is a prime example of a genre film that can no longer be made. It was directed by Penelope Spheeris, once a punk icon in LA, who nowadays appears to be one of its biggest critics. Spheeris hasn’t disavowed the film but recognizes a lot of serious problems in it and does not like its attitude.

Too bad.

The one and only reason this film looks unique and is still worth seeing is its attitude. It is what makes absolutely everything that happens in it appear legit -- the ugly is unloaded without filters and the bad is left to flourish with complete disregard for the censors. This is what a genuine punk torpedo should be.

What’s the message of such a film? It is precisely the point, it does not have one, or at least it does not have one that mainstream critics can recognize. It was created to hit hard and self-destruct, like its characters, and that's it. The only thing that matters is its attitude, which is defined by pure and impossible to contain energy.

Great White, Iggy Pop, Code Blue, and The Cramps add plenty of fuel to the fire that rages throughout the film, but it feels like the original soundtrack should have utilized a bigger selection of straightforward punk tracks, preferably from smaller LA bands. As it is, the soundtrack has a semi-hard rock edge with a mainstream appeal, which isn’t bad but lacks proper testosterone.

*This recent release from Severin Films is sourced from an exclusive 4K master that was struck from the original 35mm camera negative. It also features extended scenes, as well as a vintage opening sequence with the alternate video title Blind Rage.

The Boys Next Door 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, The Boys Next Door arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films.

The only reason I am not giving the technical presentation a perfect score is because there is some room for minor encoding optimizations. It is nothing to worry about, but if you project, you will likely notice that a couple of the nighttime sequences could look slightly tighter. If you upscale to 4K, the higher resolution bump will take care of your concern(s). So, the new 4K master that Severin produced for this genre film is fabulous. The visuals are very healthy, vibrant, and boasting wonderful ranges of organic nuances. As noted above, fluidity could be better, but I thought that it was still quite pleasing. It is easy to tell that the film was also very carefully graded because the color balance is great, especially during the darker/nighttime footage where various nuances and shades begin to emerge. Image stability is very good. I noticed a few tiny flecks, but there are no debris, cuts, damage marks, or other distracting age-related imperfections. (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).

The Boys Next Door Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 16-bit). Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

When Roy and Bo meet the Marine recruiter in the beginning of the film the audio temporarily becomes flat and thin, but my guess is that this is an inherited limitation because there are no obvious signs of digital deterioration. The rest of the audio sounds terrific.

The Boys Next Door Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original R-rated trailer for The Boys Next Door. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 1080p).

• Blind Rage - in this new program, Stephen Thrower, author of Nightmare USA: The Untold Story of the Exploitation Independents, discusses Penelope Spheeris' background, the genre identity of The Boys Next Door, and the era in which the film was conceived. In English, not subtitled. (25 min, 1080p).

• Both Sides of the Law - in this new interview, actors Maxwell Caulfield and Christopher McDonald remember their collaboration on The Boys Next Door and what it was like to work with Penelope Spheeris (while she was wearing various leather outfits that apparently had a great impact on their ability to focus on their parts), and discuss the film's tone and attitude. There are some pretty funny comments about Charlie Sheen and his not so healthy habits and additions as well. In English, not subtitled. (20 min, 1080p).

• Give Us Your Money - presented here is a new interview with street band performers Texacala Jones and Tequila Mockingbird, who have small cameos in The Boys Next Door. In English, not subtitled. (6 min, 1080p).

• Caveman Day - in this archival interview, director Penelope Spheeris and Maxwell Caulfield recall their collaboration on The Boys Next Door and explain how their appreciation of the film evolved as they got older and their lifestyles changed. The interview was conducted for the Cinemaniacs presentation of The Boys Next Door at Backlot Studios in Melbourne on November 19, 2015. In English, not subtitled. (21 min, 1080p).

• Tales From the End Zone - in this new video interview, Kenneth Cortland remembers how he was cast to play the character of Dwayne, which was his first acting gig. The actor also recalls what it was like to be around Penelope Spheeris. In English, not subtitled. (13 min, 1080p).

• The Psychotronic Tourist - a closer look at some of the key locations in Los Angeles where important sequences from The Boys Next Door were shot. Before and after comparisons are provided. In English, not subtitled. (14 min, 1080p).

• Alternate Opening Title and Extended Scenes - extended scenes and a vintage opening sequence with the alternate video title Blind Rage. (5 min, 1080p).

• Commentary - this audio commentary was recorded by Penelope Spheeris and Maxwell Caulfield.

The Boys Next Door Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

During the '80s, the vibrant LA punk scene existed in a completely different universe, which is the place that inspired reformed punk icon Penelope Spheeris to shoot The Boys Next Door. This film oozes pure and very dangerous kinetic energy that is not allowed to exist in contemporary cinema, and this is basically what makes it special. Severin's Blu-ray release of The Boys Next Door is sourced from a first-class exclusive new 4K restoration. It also comes with a good selection of new bonus content that features plenty of recollections from the people that made the film. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.