A Ouija board spells trouble for Ami Dolenz in WITCHBOARD 2: THE DEVIL’S DOORWAY.
in the age of dissolution and therapy and pervasive recording technology. Since diegetic-cam- era movies reflect the reality of consumerism and production in the Youtube era, this trend prob- ably isn’t going away soon. Ex- tras are a brief making-of, an alternate ending (not radically so), about 8m of deleted scenes, and Becca’s photo scrapbook. The two-disc BD/DVD pack- age, which includes a digital DH copy, offers an excellent 1.85:1 image with English tracks in 2.0, 5.1 and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, plus French and Spanish in 5.1, with English, French and Spanish subtitles. A single-disc DVD is available.
WITCHBOARD 2: THE DEVIL’S DOORWAY
1993, Olive Films, 98m 57s, $29.95 BD-A, $24.95 DVD-1 By Chris Herzog
If the second installment of
the Witchboard trilogy isn’t quite as fondly remembered as
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other horror titles from the same era, its few fans should be pleased with the effort Olive Films has put into their release. The early ’90s are considered by many a particularly weak period for popular horror cinema, and while WITCHBOARD 2 doesn’t do much to challenge that per- ception, it does have its charms. The film is really a sequel in name only to WITCHBOARD (1986), so viewers seeking a continuation of that film’s story- line will find only another itera- tion of the standard “solve the ghost’s murder” plot, albeit with a twist or two along the way. Young artist Paige (Ami Dolenz) moves into a new apartment and discovers that the previous tenant’s Ouija board has been left behind. Soon, she is in con- tact with the spirit of an appar- ent murder victim and finds herself with a frightening mys- tery to solve as an unseen force begins killing the people around her. Dolenz has enough natural charisma to carry the picture
despite an uninspired script by director Kevin S. Tenney (NIGHT OF THE DEMONS) and the over- lit cinematography that plagued mainstream film at the time. Despite its R-rating, the film re- mains rather tame for much of its running time, before deploy- ing a few flashes of nudity and blood in the third act.
Really, the biggest selling point for this release isn’t the quality or the reputation of the film, both negligible, but rather the generous helping of extras Olive has (unusually for them) added to the package. A com- mentary track with the writer/di- rector and two cast members, some deleted scenes and a making-of featurette provide a glimpse into the practical and creative decision-making that shaped WITCHBOARD 2 and other horror films of the period. The combined effect may prove at least as entertaining and valu- able as watching the film itself, if not more so. A selection of trailers is also included.
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