Far more gratifying is the first correctly-matted (1.78:1) US video release of Norman J. Warren’s TERROR, arguably the best (and certainly the most suc- cessful) film of the prolific British director, which first popped up in a full-frame transfer as part of the long-OOP Rhino Video “Hor- rible Horrors” Crown Interna- tional collection [reviewed VW #119]. Warren’s SUSPIRIA-fla- vored tale (scripted by David McGillivray) of supernatural mur- der and mayhem plaguing a film crew continues to entertain and, while we’ve always had the film fully uncut, Scorpion has been kind enough to port over the ex- tras from Anchor Bay UK’s OOP box set THE NORMAN J. WARREN COLLECTION [VW 118:64], in- cluding the generous 40m mak- ing-of retrospective “Bloody Good Fun” and a pair of deleted scenes. That disc’s audio commentary has not been included here. The double feature can be viewed on its own or in the fully- hosted (but not interrupted)
“Katarina’s Nightmare Theater” presentation. Katarina Leigh Waters does a fine job of intro- ducing each film, covering sig- nificantly more than the usual trivia: for TERROR, for instance, she includes the title’s kinship to the works of Dario Argento and Pete Walker, in addition to the expected “That’s Peter Mayhew from STAR WARS,” and she’s considerate enough to save the well-deserved wisecracks for THE DEVIL’S MEN until after the fea- ture has played. All told, this package is an attractive bargain for the asking price.
DREAM HOUSE
2011, Universal, 91m 40s, $29.98 (DVD), $34.98 (DVD/BR) By Michael Barrett
This slick hybrid sells itself as a ghost story, which is accurate, but it’s also a muscular specimen of the Millennial Unreality thriller. One message is that we tell ourselves stories to feel better, but do we feel better?
Will Atenton (Daniel Craig) resigns from a fancy publishing house to write that novel he’s been hatching and stay home with wife Libby (Rachel Weisz) and two adorable daughters somewhere in New England (Ontario). He notices tensions at the house of neighbor Ann (Naomi Watts), and then scary trespassers signal that his re- cently purchased fixer-upper housed a massacre years ago. His investigation proves unfor- tunate, as this melancholy winter’s tale spells the ruination of upper middle-class dreams all over the neighborhood. This story can hardly be discussed without giving away surprises best left to the viewer. Too much may have been said al- ready, and the final shot only adds one more rueful layer of unreality.
David Loucka’s script makes a few unnecessary forays out- side Will’s point of view to stoke the unease. The finale weaves many flashbacks into a gestalt
This time it isn’t only a movie. Mad Dolly herself (L.E. Mack) has returned to serve up some TERROR in Norman J. Warren’s film by that title.
7
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
