Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

The Crazies Blu-ray Movie Review

When is a zombie movie not a zombie movie?

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman November 15, 2017

Note: This film is available as part of George A. Romero: Between Night and Dawn.

Mention the name George A. Romero to just about anyone, and if they recognize it, chances are they’ll be prone to think largely of films like Night of the Living Dead, or indeed prone to think only of that film. The legendary 1968 zombie film was such a watershed moment in the history of horror that it perhaps unavoidably branded Romero and his coterie of Pittsburgh collaborators in ways that any creative artist would probably try to break free from, if only to clearly establish that they were not a “One-Trick Pony” (so to speak). There’s an obvious “and now for something completely different” streak running through the three films that Arrow has assembled in its cheekily titled Between Night and Dawn set. This trio of films consists of the trifecta Romero and his repertory company (both in front of and behind the camera) produced in the wake of Night of the Living Dead. Of the three, the first film to come out after Night of the Living Dead, There’s Always Vanilla, is perhaps the “most” completely different, due at least in part to the fact that Romero didn’t write it (and, notably, considered the finished film something of a disaster). Season of the Witch and (especially) The Crazies arguably have more in common with what’s traditionally thought of as Romero canon, with plot lines that at least touch on science fiction or otherworldly phenomena, and with both addressing a frequent subtext of Romero’s works, the dialectic between an anachronistic individualist and those heeding to societal norms.

Of the three films in the Between Night and Dawn set from Arrow, The Crazies would seem to be the one easiest to “shoehorn” into what many folks would consider Romero’s stock in trade, the zombie movie. There are a number of elements in The Crazies that play pretty much exactly like (or at least extremely similarly to) some traditional elements in zombie flicks, including an epidemic sweeping over large portions of the populace while a panicked set of survivors attempts to keep themselves safe both from the “virus” and those suffering from it. This film varies a bit from some other zombie movies, including in fact some of Romero's, by positing a reason for the outbreak, which in this case results from the release of a biological agent. That ends up involving members of the military and/or the government, in a plot device that plays a bit like some of Romero's later politically charged zombie offerings like Day of the Dead.

The Crazies is also the sole film in this set which has received a previous Blu-ray release, which my colleague Martin Liebman covered in his The Crazies Blu-ray review. Marty gives a thorough overview of the film's plot dynamics in that review, for those who are not acquainted with this "zombie-esque" feature.

The Crazies Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Crazies is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.67:1 (not the 1.66:1 mentioned in Arrow's verbiage below). Arrow's insert booklet contains the following information on the restoration:

The Crazies (aka Code Name: Trixie) has been restored by Arrow Films and is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1 with mono sound.

The original 35mm camera negative and a CRI element were scanned in 4K resolution on a pin-registered Arriscan at OCN Digital. The film was graded on a Baselight and restored using a combination of software tools and techniques at Deluxe Restoration, London. The original mono soundtrack was transferred from the optical negative elements.

The original film and audio elements for The Crazies were made available for this restoration by Films Around the World. Additional research and inspection was done by Joe Rubin at OCN Labs, CT.

The Crazies is another very nice looking restoration from Arrow, and one which clearly improves upon the lackluster Blue Underground version from several years ago. Virtually every issue Marty mentioned in his review has either been eliminated or at least ameliorated in this version. The color temperature is consistent (though brightness is just a bit variable), and elements like the deep reds of fire engines or blood on some victims pop with considerable immediacy. While there is a bit of grain variability on display, generally speaking things look natural, though this is the one transfer in the set that struggles just a little with some compression issues in the darkest scenes. While any of the major damage Marty talked about in his review has been dealt with, the most eagle eyed viewers may still be able to spot stray (small) flecks and the like, issues that mostly noticeable during some of the darkest sequences. The Arrow release looks somewhat darker overall to my eyes than the Blue Underground release, something that tends to elevate the appearance of the grain field but which also helps to establish stronger contrast.

The Crazies Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

All three films in this set feature LPCM Mono tracks, and all share many of the same characteristics, so I'll treat them in tandem. While dialogue, effects and the sometimes unusual score choices (including some electronic music) come through with relative clarity, all three tracks suffer from an undeniable boxiness that tends to tamp down energy and can make things sound artificial at times. There is also occasional but not overly distracting distortion at times, especially in the higher registers when voices get raised or (more noticeably) when some of the brasher cues are being utilized. Marty was even harder on the Blue Underground version's audio than I'm being on this track, but I'd say while my score is just a tad higher, I concur with Marty's assessment of the many of the issues and anomalies on the track mentioned in his The Crazies Blu-ray review.

The Crazies Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary with Travis Crawford also features an uncredited Bill Ackerman.


• Romero Was Here: Locating The Crazies (1080p; 12:24) is analogous to the narrated location guides included on all three of the discs in this set, but in this case it's guided by the on screen presence of Romero historian Lawrence DeVincentz, who tours sites in Evans, Pennsylvania.


• Crazy for Lynn Lowry (1080p; 15:54) is a fun interview with the actress.


• Q & A with Lynn Lowry (1080p; 35:52) is from the 2016 Abertois Film Festival in Aberystwyth in the United Kingdom.


• Lee Hessel Audio Interview (1080p; 4:32) was done by Hessel's son, and plays out to stills from the film.


• Behind the Scenes Footage (1080p; 6:26) features optional commentary by Romero and DeVincentz.


• Alternate Opening Titles (1080p; 00:35)


• Image Galleries include:

  Filming Locations (1080p; 26:56) features commentary by Romero historian Lawrence DeVincentz.

  Collectible Scans (1080p; 6:04) offers an assortment of things like stills and magazine articles.



• Trailers and TV Spots

  Trailer 1 (1080p; 2:57)

  Trailer 2 (1080p; 3:04)

  TV Spot 1 (1080i; 1:04)

  TV Spot 2 (1080i; 00:33)

The Crazies Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

About the only down side to this new release is that it didn't port over the Romero commentary from the Blue Underground version. Otherwise, this is a solid upgrade and easily comes Recommended.