Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

The Monster Squad Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 15, 2023

Fred Dekker's "The Monster Squad" (1987) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include two archival audio commentaries; archival documentary on the making of the film; archival program with Tom Noonan; deleted scenes; trailers; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The old crew

One thing everyone can agree on is that the first two films Fred Dekker directed, Night of the Creeps and The Monster Squad, instantly made it crystal-clear that his enthusiasm for genre films was genuine. Yes, it is true that the 1980s were probably the best decade for aspiring young directors to make a splash with genre films like the ones Dekker wanted to shoot, which means that he was lucky to get the opportunities to do them. However, in the grand scheme of things, this seems like a moot point. At the time, there were a lot of other aspiring young directors who faked their enthusiasm because they were well aware that the majors wanted these types of genre films, and once in the system, they quickly started moving toward more ‘serious’ films.

Dekker did not. He got in, left his mark, and then refocused on his first passion, which was writing. I think that this was a mistake. After The Monster Squad, Dekker should have continued to pursue bigger projects and kept directing. Why? Because he was rapidly becoming very, very good at directing genre films.

Last night, I was halfway through The Monster Squad when I suddenly realized that nothing that I was seeing looked or felt like sophomore material. What exactly do I mean by this? Well, when was the last time you revisited Night of the Creeps? It is a decent genre film, but it feels like a big exotic cocktail that was mixed up by an enthusiastic young bartender who was experimenting with different flavors without realizing that some are incompatible. You know what I mean, right? The top portion of the cocktail is fine, but toward the middle something is not quite right, and at the bottom, the balance is unquestionably off. It is a nice looking cocktail, boasting some great colors, but it needs more tuning to impress. I cannot write the same about The Monster Squad. On the contrary, when Dekker made it, he had the top, middle, and bottom portions of it done right. In other words, after directing Night of the Creeps, his progress was undeniable.

There is something else that must be underscored whenever The Monster Squad is compared to Night of the Creeps or evaluated on its own as a genre film. It is a very, very risky project. It unites Count Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, the Gill Man, and the Mummy, unquestionably four of the most iconic cinematic horror characters, and then puts them on a collision course against several kids that identify themselves as The Monster Squad. There is so much potential here for a gigantic box office disaster, it is a small miracle that Dekker was asked to direct The Monster Squad. Yes, he co-wrote the screenplay for it too, but so what? If you think that during the 1980s a studio executive could not have passed on a project like this, or offered it to a much more experienced director, you do not understand how the system works -- or worked back then. After Night of the Creeps, someone trusted that Dekker could do The Monster Squad right, and rolled the dice on him. It is easy to say now that it was the right call, but it was a very, very risky call, too.

This brings me back to my speculation that Dekker’s decision not to pursue bigger projects and direct them was a mistake. The Monster Squad tells an original story -- just the short prologue with Van Helsing would have been enough to ensure its cult status -- reveals wonderfully crafted characters, and builds a terrific atmosphere. Its dialog is one hundred percent unfiltered and witty, too. And yes, it produces plenty of classic 1980s eye-candy that now looks borderline groundbreaking. (I am sorry, but the digital trickery in the Marvel films looks quite boring when compared to the good old-fashioned costumes and FX that are everywhere in The Monster Squad). So, Dekker was on the right track and very quickly moving in the right direction, too.

Is there anything The Monster Squad could have done better? Yes, it could have lasted longer. I would say at least another twenty minutes, but preferably more. In its current form, it is only eighty-three minutes long.

The Monster Squad Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Monster Squad arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release introduces a new 4K restoration of The Monster Squad, which is also available on 4K Blu-ray. You can see our listing and review of this release here.

I viewed the new 4K restoration in native 4K and then did quite a few comparisons with the 1080p presentation. As mentioned in our review of the 4K Blu-ray release, the new makeover looks very impressive in native 4K and 1080p, and I even prefer how some darker areas look in 1080p. In native 4K, color reproduction is superior in other areas, but you have to keep in mind that in 1080p everything looks great as well. Delineation, clarity, and depth are comparable, and I personally would have been perfectly fine with the 1080p presentation. On my system, I was unable to see massive discrepancies in the dynamic range of the visuals, and I selected several areas where I thought that the native 4K presentation would clearly excel. Fluidity is very good in both resolutions. Obviously, the film looks just as healthy in 1080p as it does in native 4K. Why do I mention all of this? This Blu-ray release offers an outstanding technical presentation of The Monster Squad, so if you do not have a 4K system, you can comfortably add it to your collection. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

The Monster Squad Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

I only tested various sections of the 1080p presentations. The comments below were included in our review of the 4K Blu-ray release of The Monster Squad.

Purists will have a difficult decision to make. I spend quite a bit of time switching between the 2.0 and 5.1 tracks, and I must say that the latter handles various sections of the film better. Obviously, there is plenty of action throughout the film that provides the right opportunities, but I do not think that this is the main reason the 5.1 track performs as well as it does. In a couple of areas, I noticed that the 2.0 track is a bit uneven, which is something that can create the impression that there is more going on there. However, dynamic intensity is still very, very good.

The Monster Squad Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary One - this archival audio commentary was recorded by Fred Dekker and cinematographer Bradford May. The two commentators recall how The Monster Squad was put together and its production initiated, and discuss interesting details throughout it that pay tribute to classic films from other decades (Tod Browning and his work are repeatedly mentioned); Dekker's admiration for Peter Hyams and his work, who was also one of the film's executive producers; some very particular lensing choices that were, some of which worked, but some did not; James Mitchell's excellent editing work; the FX and some risks that were taken; the film's cult status; etc.

• Commentary Two - this archival audio commentary was recorded by Fred Dekker and actors Andre Gower, Ryan Lambert, and Ashley Bank. Even though this commentary features plenty of descriptive information about the production of the film, it is more of a walk-down-memory-lane affair, as the participants remember their contributions and comment on what they like about certain segments.

• Monster Squad Forever - this archival five-part documentary offers an in-depth look at the production and lasting appeal of The Monster Squad. Included in it are clips from interviews with Fred Dekker, Andre Gower, Duncan Regehr, producer Jonathan Zimbert, and monster makers Alec Gillis and John Rosengrant, amongst others. In English, not subtitled. (77 min).

• A Conversation with Frankenstein - in this archival program, Tom Noonan discusses his famous character and does a fair amount of friendly mocking along the way. In English, not subtitled. (9 min).

• Deleted Scenes - presented here is a collection of deleted scenes that were culled from Fred Dekker's personal archives and the syndicated television version of The Monster Squad. In English, not subtitled. (15 min).

• Animated Storyboard Sequence - presented here is a collection of original storyboards that were prepared for the final fight between The Mummy and The Monster Squad. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Stills Gallery - presented here is a collection of original production stills, lobby cards, posters, and covers from various home video releases. With music. (9 min).

• TV Spots - presented here are two vintage TV spots for The Monster Squad. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage trailer for The Monster Squad. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

The Monster Squad Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It is so easy to understand why The Monster Squad acquired a cult status. It is a small but bold genre film that runs on genuine enthusiasm and tries its best to impress. People who love genre films can instantly detect this. If I could change one thing about The Monster Squad, it would be its running time. I would add at least twenty more minutes of fireworks (and then I would cheat and find a way to sneak in The Invisible Man). Kino Lorber's release introduces a fabulous new 4K makeover of The Monster Squad that looks terrific in native 4K and 1080p. It also has a great selection of archival bonus features. (The same 4K makeover is also available on 4K Blu-ray). VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.