7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.2 |
A seemingly average man, after murdering his entire family, remarries a widow with a teenage daughter in another town and prepares to do it all over again.
Starring: Terry O'Quinn, Jill Schoelen, Shelley Hack, Charles Lanyer, Stephen ShellenHorror | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 2.5 | |
Audio | 2.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Father knows best.
Forget that embarrassment of a Stepfather remake; this is the real
mccoy,
the one to watch, a worthwhile, gripping, and classic Horror picture that's both frightening and
entertaining, not to mention well-made and, frankly, a legitimate motion picture beyond the fact
that
the remake is, well, a series of moving pictures. Like many of the best genre films, the 1987
edition of The Stepfather comes from the ranks of the small budget movie world; as such,
it's
certainly nowhere near as slick as the 2009 edition, but Director Joseph Ruben's picture is proof
that
it's not spit and polish but rather nuts-and-bolts elements like steady direction, good acting, and a
quality story that ultimately
make this story work. That's not even to mention that's there as underlying sense of despair and
anticipation of the Stepfather's eventual meltdown in this version that's completely absent in the
remake; this picture gets to the
psychological underpinnings of the story whereas the new version simply seems to
gloss over them in favor of slapping together a good-looking movie that happens to have a slasher
element
built-in.
Never make fun of a man in a pink shirt.
Shout! Factory weds The Stepfather with Blu-ray and the results won't leave viewers in a state of marital bliss. The image is very rough, but it does benefit from the high definition treatment. Fine detail ranges from bland to average; the transfer picks up some nice textures on inanimate objects such as clothes and paved streets, but it sometimes fails to capture the more intricate details on faces, leaving characters looking a bit flat. Slight color bleeding is evident at times; the overall color scheme favors a somewhat bland appearance, and the transfer struggles with some difficult color gradations from time to time, notably on the combination that sees bare skin in darker scenes. Flesh tones veer towards a decidedly red shade, while blacks are fairly stable though occasionally crushing out finer details. Additionally, the image is littered with debris, scratches, random blue speckles, and other assorted anomalies. They clear up from time to time but are visible more often than not. While The Stepfather could benefit from a restoration, the material as-is benefits from the improved clarity and stability of the Blu-ray image, particularly when viewing on larger screens.
The Stepfather slashes onto Blu-ray with a serviceable PCM 2.0 soundtrack; the Dolby TrueHD presentation advertised on the packaging is not included. This one's fairly routine, delivering a forgettable but adequate presentation. The Stepfather is more of a dialogue-driven picture than an effects-heavy and atmospheric Slasher; the spoken word occasionally comes across as squishy and undefined, while there's an occasional bleed-over from the center channel to the front sides. Sound effects, too, lack a more precise definition, and occasionally sound far too loud or a bit too quiet, relatively speaking, in relation to how they match the on-screen visuals. This soundtrack's not built to immerse the listener into the film. It's very basic and not all that impressive, but it gets the job done.
Unfortunately, The Stepfather doesn't come with nearly as many supplements as found on some of Shout! Factory's recent Roger Corman releases, but what's here is of a relatively high quality. First up is an audio commentary track with Director Joseph Ruben and Fangoria magazine's Michael Gingold that's well-informed and informative. It enjoys a nice flow with a good deal of back-and-forth banter over plenty of relevant material, including the score, the process of writing the script, character traits and off-screen backgrounds, the quality of the actors, and much more. This track will greatly please the film's fan base. The Stepfather Chronicles (1080p, 26:45) is a well-produced retrospective piece on the film that features cast and crew looking back on a real-life event that inspired the film, the process of writing the script, the picture's tone and absence of a more traditional Slasher style, the casting process, the remake, and more. Rounding out this collection of extras is a hodgepodge of previews, including The Stepfather's original theatrical trailer (1080p, 1:52), the film's video store promo (480p, 2:35), its German trailer (1080p, 1:48), and trailers for both The Stepfather II (480p, 2:06) and The Stepfather III (480p, 1:50).
The Stepfather doesn't just use its angle as an excuse for another slasher. There's a depth to the character and a (demented) purpose behind his killings, and the true beauty of The Stepfather comes from the effort one must put into deciphering the darker origins behind Jerry's madness. This is a wonderfully-crafted psychological Horror picture; those in search of another run-of-the-mill Slasher will walk away disappointed, but those looking to engage the brain and revel in an absolutely outstanding performance by Terry O'Quinn will find much to love with The Stepfather. Shout! Factory's Blu-ray release of this Horror classic is a bit raw; the technical presentation could use an upgrade, and while the supplements are low in number, they're high in quality. Despite some technical issues, the quality of the movie warrants a purchase. Recommended.
Collector's Edition
1988
Limited Edition
1980
1981
1981
2015
2016
2009
2012
2014
1984
2018
Unrated Collector's Edition
2007
1982
2018
2019
2012
2014
2018
2018
Uncut
2013