Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

There's Nothing Out There Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 24, 2019

The primary takeaway from 1991’s “There’s Nothing Out There” is how it predates 1996’s “Scream” when it comes to self-aware horror films, making it uncomfortably clear that the Wes Craven production pulled things from writer/director Rolfe Kanefsky’s work to help build what would go on to inspire a genre reawakening, this time finding movies armed with newfound marketplace consciousness. Perhaps Craven did steal from Kanefsky (it certainly looks to be the case), but such industry theft isn’t the point here. “There’s Nothing Out There” came first and did the frantic “horror rules” business a bit better, offering structure and comedy to a creature feature that gleefully spanks cliches to create a madcap survival romp.

Ready for a relaxing weekend in the woods, couples David (Jeff Dachis) and Janet (Claudia Flores), Jim (Mark Collver) and Doreen (Wendy Bednarz), and Nick (John Carhart III) and Stacy (Bonnie Bowers) have arrived at a remote house, eager to party. Tagging along is Mike (Craig Peck), who’s spends his days renting horror movies and recognizes trouble when the gang drives by a car wreck on the way to the cabin. While everyone goes about their business, enjoying food and sex, Mike’s worst fears come true, with the gang soon facing the wrath of a turtle-like monster who feasts on human flesh and shoots lasers out of its eyes. Panic ensues, with Mike paying careful attention to horror cliches to help survive the night.

It’s hard to hate any movie that opens with a stalking sequence set inside a video store. While the scene eventually pulls its punches, it does get “There’s Nothing Out There” off to a roaring start, tracking a young victim’s desperate scramble to escape a VHS rental oasis also inhabited by a gloved killer. The opening defines the speed of thrills Kanefsky is aiming for, using bouncy handheld camerawork and furious editing (from his father, Victor Kanefsky) to set the pace of the picture, which soon carries into the weekend plan for the couples, who are counting on isolation to help them with seduction requirements, breaking free from schooling suffocation.

It’s the Cabin in the Woods setting, and formula is key to the viewing experience, with Mike the video junkie capable of decoding the warning signs he spies all over the property. He knows the rules of horror survival and tries to share them with his friends, but nobody understands, giving “There’s Nothing Out There” a chance to pick off the youngsters one at a time, increasing the threat level with the reveal of the monster, who’s not hidden from view, using his beefy tentacles to slide across the floor and collect dinner, leaving green slime trails behind. Kanefsky doesn’t have a major budget, but he’s capable of creating hysteria when necessary, also keeping the hits coming, rarely pausing the effort outside of nude scenes, working to make something sellable for the 1992 VHS marketplace.

There's Nothing Out There Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Billed as "Newly scanned & restored from its 35mm interpositive," "There's Nothing Out There" arrives on Blu-ray with a full grasp of the original cinematography. While inherent softness is present, clarity remains satisfying, with the viewing experience providing a chance to survey the house setting and all its decoration, monster particulars, and skin surfaces, as the endeavor offers plenty of nudity. Textures are also appreciable on costuming, giving period outfits and swimsuits natural appeal. Colors are respectfully refreshed, bringing out strong primaries throughout, finding greenery around the woods particularly inviting. Darker hues also communicate the unreality of the central monster. Delineation is secure. Grain is thicker but filmic. Some speckling and mild scratches are detected, but the source is in fine shape.

There's Nothing Out There Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix also reaches the limits of technology, offering a pleasingly loud but somewhat uneven track that periodically battles with low-budget recording challenges. Some muddiness is encountered and sibilance issues are found, but dialogue exchanges aren't overwhelmed, with expositional needs met and argumentative behavior controlled. Scoring takes a more confident position, handling the synth push with definition. Sound effects are acceptable, delivering details on monster attacks and household destruction.

There's Nothing Out There Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary #1 features director Rolfe Kanefsky, joined by filmmakers Joe Lynch and Jeff Reddick.

• Commentary #2 features Rolfe.

• Commentary #3 features Rolfe, editor Victor Kanefsky, and actors Craig Peck and Mark Collver.

• Commentary #4 features The Hysteria Continues.

• "There's a Movie Out There" (52:27, HD) is a dual conversation with Rolfe Kanefsky and his father, producer/editor Victor, with the pair walking through the writer/director's personal history. Rolfe explores his early interest in storytelling, developing into a proper helmer while in his teens, creating feature-length pictures while still in high school, even receiving a bit of training while interning at Troma. Time at college inspired Rolfe to launch a proper filmmaking endeavor, aiming to create "There's Nothing Out There," finding help from his father to battle inexperience, especially when the crew wasn't fond of his ideas. The men discuss post-production achievements, the problematic release of the feature, and their own relationship, which plays out in the interview, finding Rolfe trying to work through the details of his experience while Victor interrupts with parental precision, looking to keep his boy honest.

• "40 Years of Cutting" (30:59, HD) focuses solely on Victor, who's interviewed by friend C. Courtney Joyner about his long history in the editing business, dating back to his 1952 start. While personal history and professional philosophy is covered, career highlights are the primary focus, with the discussion including "Bloodsucking Freaks," "Ganja & Hess," and "There's Nothing Out There," also summarizing his on-set relationship with his son, Rolfe. There's also a mention of Victor's own directorial efforts, including the 2016 documentary, "Art Bastard."

• Interview (18:24, SD) with Craig Peck catches up with the actor (who plays movie expert Mike) in his home theater, where he recounts his history with "There's Nothing Out There." Initially delivering a horrible audition, Peck wasn't offered the job, soon taking off to the Hamptons to feel sorry for himself. When the talent selected for the part wasn't working out, Peck was cast, only to end up struggling to find his character. Peck also describes the on-set atmosphere during the shoot.

• Archival Interview (35:56, SD) is an undated chat with Rolfe in his bedroom, who's joined by the monster from "There's Nothing Out There," exploring his inspiration and execution of the film.

• "Copycat" (10:30, SD) is a short film about Rolfe, with a British director using his interview with the helmer to create a piece about the history of "There's Nothing Out There" and its eye-opening similarities to "Scream."

• "Murder in Winter" (110:30, SD) is an early feature film from Rolfe.

• "Just Listen" (14:37, SD) and "Mood Boobs" (19:37, SD) are two shorts from Rolfe.

• Behind the Scenes (16:08, SD) offers a look at the apartment-bound making of "Mood Boobs," including the creation of… mood boobs.

• Music Video (5:15, SD) is for a track from "There's Nothing Out There," also presented with commentary by Rolfe.

• Production Stills Gallery (4:17) collects BTS snaps, and it's also presented with commentary by Rolfe.

• Behind the Scenes Rehearsal Footage (10:38, SD) delivers VHS walkthroughs of some of the action and house touring scenes, and it's also presented with commentary by Rolfe.

• -production Footage and Video Storyboards (7:11, SD) highlight early planning and scene construction, and it's also presented with commentary by Rolfe.

• Animation Test Footage and Deleted Shots (3:26, SD) are presented with commentary by Rolfe.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:16, SD) is included, also presented with commentary by Rolfe.

There's Nothing Out There Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"There's Nothing Out There" is amusing but also exhausting, finding Mike diminishing in screen appeal the more the screenplay demands commentary from him. And some of the more defined detours from the cinematic realm, including a few characters breaking the fourth wall, push their luck. "There's Nothing Out There" is a more engaging viewing experience when it isn't trying so hard to be irreverent, making a perfectly find mess of victims and property with the basics in murder, exposed skin, and genre appreciation.