6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Bo (Charlie Sheen) has trouble talking to girls. Roy Alston (Maxwell Caulfield) is filled with an uncontrollable rage. On the weekend of their high-school graduation, the two suburban outcasts head for Los Angeles and embark on a violent murder spree that shocks the nation. But these young men are neither hardened criminals or foaming-at-the-mouth maniacs. They are simply The Boys Next Door. Christopher McDonald and Patti D’Arbanville co-star in this disturbing drama that was written by Glen Morgan and James Wong (The X-Files, Final Destination) and directed by Penelope Spheeris (The Decline Of Western Civilization, Wayne’s World).
Starring: Maxwell Caulfield, Charlie Sheen, Patti D'Arbanville, Christopher McDonald, Hank GarrettThriller | Insignificant |
Crime | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 16-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
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
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).
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.
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.
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