6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
They're back! The giant underground creatures that terrorized a desert town in Tremors are now plowing their way through Mexican oil fields, gobbling up everything and everyone around-and only one man can stop them! Two desert desperados, down-on-his-luck Earl Basset and gung-ho survivalist Burt Gummer, take on the task of destroying the monsters. Together they devise an ingenious plan for tracking and killing the creatures.
Starring: Fred Ward, Chris Gartin, Helen Shaver, Michael Gross, Marcelo TubertHorror | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 27% |
Comedy | 1% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 4.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Perhaps somewhat comically, there wasn't "a whole lotta shaking goin' on" when Tremors was originally released in 1990, at least in terms of rumbles from hordes of people rushing to the box office. That may make it seem positively odd that the film should spark a "franchise", and in that regard, while it's simultaneously a bit surprising that even one sequel got made, I'd argue that the equally unexpected appeal of Tremors 2: Aftershocks probably gave as much impetus to the idea of there even being a franchise as the first film did. The production and release of Tremors 2: Aftershocks is dealt with in some detail in the supplements Arrow has aggregated for this outing, and so won't be repeated ad nauseum here, but it's interesting to note that much as the first Tremors "took off" (and/or under, as the graboid case may be) courtesy of the then nascent home video rental market, Tremors 2: Aftershocks also maybe almost "accidentally" ended up being a more or less direct to video offering. That didn't necessarily mean instant universal acclaim, and kind of like the first film, it took a while for the Tremors 2: Aftershocks "cult" to develop. This film has only been previously available as part of Universal's Tremors: Attack Pack release from several years ago, and as one of the leading curators of "cult" items, Arrow is now offering it as a standalone with their typically great assortment of supplements.
Tremors 2: Aftershocks is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Arrow provides the same insert booklet for its (standalone) 1080 and 4K UHD releases, which contains the following information on the restoration:
Tremors 2: Aftershocks is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 with stereo surround audio and a remastered 4.0 mix. The original 35mm camera negative was scanned in 4K resolution by NBC Universal. The film was restored in 4K and graded in SDR and HDR10 by Heavenly Movie Copr. Dolby Vision grading was completed by Fidelity in Motion.Marty gave pretty high marks to Universal's Blu-ray release of Tremors 2: Aftershocks, but as I've said vis a vis other reviews from the veritable Dark Ages (and/or 2015, as the case may be), what sufficed as a 4.0 then may not receive the same high marks in hindsight, especially when compared to this highly improved new transfer. As those interested can see by doing a little contrasting and comparing, the Universal presentation looks considerably darker and dowdier than this one, with a kind of ugly gritty black grain field that's especially noticeable against the bright sunny skies that predominate the outdoor footage throughout the story. While this version is noticeably brighter, suffusion is excellent and the palette pops really beautifully throughout (if also a little disturbingly once graboid blood and guts start exploding all over the place). Despite being much more tightly resolved, grain is still very much apparent and gives this presentation a commendably organic appearance. There are some very brief, occasional moments of spiking grain and loss of clarity in some opticals which are probably even more noticeable in Arrow's 4K UHD presentation than in this 1080 one.
The stereo mix was supplied by NBC Universal. The 4.0 source stems were digitised from the 2" 24 track masters at NBC Universal and the 4.0 mix was remastered at Deluxe, London. To make the 4.0 mix compatible with modern surround sound setups the single rear surround channel has been split and adjusted to fit the two rear channels of a standard surround setup.
Tremors 2: Aftershocks features DTS-HD Master Audio 4.0 and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 options (see the excerpt from the insert booklet reprinted above for more details). You can't really go wrong with either of these, though the 4.0 mix does add some really fun if intermittent immersion and has a more floorboard rumbling low end. The engagement of the rear channels is really rather interesting in the 4.0 mix, and tends to be used at times almost as quasi-startle effects when, for example, the mix is almost completely forward until a graboid suddenly emerges from the ground and then all four channel hell breaks loose for a moment or two. There are some other interesting "widenings" as in the very opening cue, which offers the solo guitar in the front channels but then slowly weaves the orchestra in in the rear channels. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.
- Commentary by S.S. Wilson & Nancy Roberts
- Commentary by Jonathan Melville
- Tremors (HD; 1:55)
- Tremors 2 (HD; 1:53)
Jonathan Melville is pretty unabashed (and, frankly, unashamed) of his love for this sequel, claiming it's one of the all time greats. Some may wish to quibble with that designation, but Tremors 2: Aftershocks is a lot of fun a lot of the time, and Arrow once again offers a release with secure technical merits, appealing on disc supplements, and really handsome packaging offering even more non disc swag. Recommended.
1996
Limited Edition
1996
Limited Edition
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Special Edition | 4K Restoration
1996
Special Edition
1996
1996
2001
2004
2015
1990
1954
Collector's Edition
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2010
1996
1957
2013
2018
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1978
1993
2002
1984
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Mutant / Roger Corman's Cult Classics
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1974