Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Zapped! Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 11, 2016

Robert Rosenthal's teen comedy "Zapped!" (1982) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of independent distributors Olive Films. There are no supplemental features on this release. In English, without optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The date

Barney Springboro (Scott Baio, Foxes, Skatetown, U.S.A.) does not wear glasses, but he is a classic nerd. He does not have a girlfriend, isn’t interested in sports and seems obsessed with some secret lab project that even his best friend Peyton Nichols (Willie Aames, Paradise) thinks is a bit silly. His parents are worried that there might be something wrong with him -- because it is very possible that he has started taking drugs and this is why he isn’t interested in girls -- but he does not care.

When something goes terribly wrong in the lab, Barney faints and then wakes up with telekinetic powers. First he shares the news with Peyton, who instantly concludes that now they can easily impress any girl they want, and then the geeky Bernadette (Felice Schachter), who has been looking for a good story for her next newspaper article. For awhile the boys have plenty of fun, but when Peyton begins flirting with the beautiful but pretentious Jane Mitchell (Heather Thomas), they get in trouble with some of the big bullies. Meanwhile, the more time Barney spends with Bernadette, the more he begins to realize that she might be the right girl for him.

The story is rather silly, but Zapped! works very well for two simple reasons. First, it is honest and relaxed. Almost immediately after the opening credits disappear, one knows exactly what type of entertainment director Robert Rosenthal and writer Bruce Rubin have in mind -- and this is precisely what they deliver in huge doses. Sure, the humor could have been better, but there is something awfully charming in the rougher segments where the boys and girls try to outsmart each other. (Compare them to any segment from Fifty Shades of Black to see just how bad things can get). Like most memorable ‘80s teen comedies, this film is also firmly in the R-rated camp and could not be any more relaxed about it. What this means is that it easily finds humor in some awkward situations that would never even be considered for a similarly themed contemporary film.

The second reason is the cast. Again, if one looks hard enough, one could find plenty to critique, but the kids and the adults appear genuinely enthusiastic and their energy actually creates quite an atmosphere. When Barney and Peyton decide to give Jane and the bullies some of their own medicine, it does feel right when they succeed. And when the naughty principal (Robert Mandan, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas) and his naughty admirer (Sue Ann Langdon, Without Warning) decide to have a bit of fun, well, it also feels right that they do act slightly irrationally.

The finale is an obvious homage to Brian De Palma’s cult horror thriller Carrie. There are different twists here -- which shall remain unnamed -- but it wraps up the entire film quite nicely. In fact, had it been a bit longer and flashier, it almost certainly would have made the film even more attractive.

Rosenthal shot Zapped! with cinematographer Daniel Pearl, who is probably best known for his contribution to Tobe Hooper ‘s cult horror film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

In 1990, Doug Campbell and Jake Hooker directed Zapped Again!, a sequel to the original film. This film, however, was a direct-to-video project.

Zapped! Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Robert Rosenthal's Zapped! arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Olive Films.

There are a few segments before and after transitions where density fluctuates a bit and it is easy to see that the master that was used to produce this release isn't new, but overall the film actually looks quite wonderful in high-definition. During close-ups, for instance, depth is consistently pleasing. Shadow definition could be better during the darker footage, but there are no troubling anomalies. Clarity does fluctuate a bit, but the bulk of the daylight footage looks quite good. There are no traces of recent degraining or sharpening adjustments. Grain can be better exposed and resolved, but the film does have a good organic appearance. Colors are stable and mostly looking healthy. More importantly, even though saturation could be better, there is a nice range of healthy nuances. Image stability is very good. A few tiny flecks can be spotted, but there are no large damage marks, cuts, stains, debris, or warped frames. (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).

Zapped! Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are not provided for the main feature.

Music has a very important role in the film. There are a number of excellent rock tracks that are used to enhance the '80s atmosphere quite well and without exception they all sound lively and sharp. Dynamic intensity is modest, but clarity and balance are very good. The dialog is clean, stable, and crisp. There are no audio dropouts, pops, or digital distortions.

Zapped! Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Most unfortunately, there are no supplemental features to be found on this Blu-ray release.

Zapped! Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I liked pretty much everything about Robert Rosenthal's Zapped!. It is a silly little film with a big heart that delivers exactly what these types of '80s teen comedies are known for -- good laughs and great atmosphere. If you have Zapped! on DVD and are wondering whether you should upgrade, the answer is an easy yes. The film looks quite wonderful in high-definition. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.