Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Tragedy Girls Blu-ray Movie Review

There’s going to be a generational divide when it comes to the audience for “Tragedy Girls.” There will be those who understand, possibly even relate to the modern depiction of teenagedom, which is showcased here as a marathon of social media anxiety, bullying, and insincerity. Older audiences will likely spend the viewing experience being grateful they are no longer adolescents, forced to compete in a ferociously connected world. Thankfully, “Tragedy Girls” isn’t a documentary, but a horror comedy, offering satiric touches and exaggerated performances to help viewers ease into the challenges of juvenile life, which, for this endeavor, include murder. Co-writer/director Tyler MacIntyre pulls off a bit of a miracle here, finding ways to connect to unpleasant characters, while the rest of the movie speeds ahead with macabre twists and turns, and shares a love for bloody mischief.

Tragedy Girls Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Returning to one of their most popular titles, Gunpowder & Sky brings "Tragedy Girls" back to Blu-ray with an AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation. A major upgrade isn't prepared, with the release offering just a slightly better encode and a pressed disc. Colors remain vivid, handling fresh hues throughout, moving from more realistic looks to the use of blacklight in the finale. Skintones are natural. Detail is strong, doing well with skin surfaces and fibrous outfits. Delineation is satisfactory. Mind banding remains on this presentation.

Tragedy Girls Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Going from lossy to lossless, "Tragedy Girls" receives a pleasant boost of power with the 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix. Dialogue exchanges are crisp throughout. Soundtrack selections secure sharp instrumentation and thumpy low-end presence, also delivering a circular sense of engagement. Surrounds also deal with atmospherics, appreciating school bustle and exterior adventures, along with elements of violence. Sound effects are distinct.

Tragedy Girls Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary #1 features director Tyler MacIntyre and co-writer Chris Lee Hill.

• Commentary #2 features film historians Kat Ellinger, Lindsay Hallam, and Miranda Corcoran.

• "Red Carpet at Screamfest 2017" (7:37, HD) captures the cast answering banal questions at the film's premiere event.

• "Q&A at Screamfest 2017" (14:17, HD) joins the cast and director Tyler McIntyre onstage as they field questions from the audience.

• Interview (11:54, HD) is a chat with director Tyler MacIntyre, who tracks the development of the material, celebrates technical achievements, and discusses the use of social media in the movie.

• Interview (9:17, HD) is a chat with screenwriter Chris Lee Hill, who discusses the history of horror in the film, the pursuit of a special tone, and the experience of principal photography.

• Interview (34:49, HD) is a 2017 discussion of "Tragedy Girls" with director Tyler MacIntyre. Topics include the development process for the feature, preparation, the opening sequence, planning and execution of certain kills, the prom sequences, and characterization.

• "Cheerleaders, Hotties, and Cars" (4:48, HD) is a collection of BTS footage from three days of the shoot.

• "The Most Gruesome Deaths" (7:46, HD) collects BTS footage from two extreme kill sequences, also offering script pages for comparison.

• "Movie Magic: Raw Footage vs. Finished Sequence" (1:57, HD) offers a look at the production process.

• "Raw Behind the Scenes Footage" (40:18, HD) is the full, uncut look at the making of "Tragedy Girls." The fly-on-the-wall approach is most welcome, offering a sense of production effort. However, some of this material is repeated elsewhere on the disc.

• "Shoot the Motorcycle Crash" (5:26, HD) is BTS footage of Josh Hutcherson's role in the feature.

• "Costume Sketches and Fitting" (3:45) collects photos of stars Alexandra Shipp and Brianna Hildebrand as they try on various outfits for the film.

• "Mask Design and Camera Tests" (3:11, HD) delivers pages of mask options and blacklight footage.

• "Special Makeup Effects Gallery" (2:33) presents pictures of gruesome creations prepared for "Tragedy Girls."

• "Selected Storyboards" (7:58) provide images from the planning stages of the production, supported by scoring cues.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:07, HD) and a Red Band Trailer (2:08, HD) are included.

Tragedy Girls Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The new release of "Tragedy Girls" isn't a radical update of an already decent looking feature. There's lossless sound to give the sonic push of the film a crisper presence, which is nice. Supplements are loaded, with some unfortunate recycling of footage, but information concerning the creation of the picture is clearly identified, presenting fans with more to enjoy, as the last Blu-ray only contained a single commentary track.