Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Feb 25, 2016 21:35:12 GMT -6
www.fangoria.com/new/the-curse-curse-ii-the-bite-blu-ray-review/
The ‘80s was a weird, wild time in the world of horror filmmaking. Imaginative, FX-heavy films were in vogue, most of which were gleefully R-rated and contingent on shock value to grab the insatiable horror audience. Likewise, the genre was sequel-crazy during the decade, franchising any and every horror property that made a buck, even if they were connected via title alone. And there’s no better example of both categories of ‘80s horror than in THE CURSE and THE CURSE II, a pair of genre oddities that are making their high-definition debut from Scream Factory this week.
On one hand, we have THE CURSE, directed by WHITE OF THE EYE actor David Keith, produced by Lucio Fulci (who supervised the SFX) and adapted from H.P. Lovecraft’s THE COLOUR OUT OF SPACE. A bizarre macabre movie with a mean-streak that plays like a tonal rollercoaster, THE CURSE isn’t necessarily good but it certainly is quite interesting. With a cast that includes Wil Wheaton, John Schneider and Malcolm Danare, there’s just so many weird elements that collide in THE CURSE that the sub-par execution of it all doesn’t necessarily make the film an outright bomb.
However, CURSE II: THE BITE is a different story altogether, literally and figurative. Simply put, CURSE II (although entirely unrelated to THE CURSE) is just an awesome, insane film that commands the audience’s attention with every jaw-dropping reveal and plot turn. From the random sub-plot featuring a worried anti-venom salesman to the legitimately impressive FX work from the one-and-only Screaming Mad George, CURSE II follows a man who gets bitten by a snake and begins turning into a snake, starting with an infected arm that sprouts an over-sized snakehead. It’s ridiculous and amazing in equal measure, and it’s so much frightful fun that it more than justifies a purchase price on this demented double feature.
In terms of transfer, Scream Factory does a fairly great job at bringing these films to high definition. While CURSE II might sport a better video transfer than THE CURSE, both offer a natural film grain, solid clarity and respectable depth, especially given the natural cinematography of both features. Meanwhile, the audio transfer on both films are rather excellent, even if they won’t turn heads for those with more structured stereo set-ups.
Yet as disappointing as THE CURSE might be, the real disappointment of this disc is the complete lack of special features on this release, a shock in its own right from the esteemed boutique label. While a commentary or an FX featurette could have benefitted either film, both discs are completely bare, with even a standard theatrical trailer missing from both CURSE flicks. It’s a bit frustrating, but at the end of the day, the collector’s out there might just give the lack of extras a pass considering the package does include a Blu-ray copy of CURSE II: THE BITE.
Overall, this writer cannot express how important it is that you see and own CURSE II: THE BITE on Blu-ray, even if it means on a barebones disc that also includes THE CURSE. CURSE II: THE BITE is horror lightning-in-a-bottle; a perfect storm of brilliant FX, masterful technical craftsmanship and a complete lack of self-awareness that beholds something that’s completely in a league of its own. Run- don’t walk- to pick up this Blu-ray disc, and watch CURSE II: THE BITE immediately; just make sure you don’t watch THE CURSE beforehand, lest you be dissuaded from watching its bonkers sequel in glorious 1080p.
The ‘80s was a weird, wild time in the world of horror filmmaking. Imaginative, FX-heavy films were in vogue, most of which were gleefully R-rated and contingent on shock value to grab the insatiable horror audience. Likewise, the genre was sequel-crazy during the decade, franchising any and every horror property that made a buck, even if they were connected via title alone. And there’s no better example of both categories of ‘80s horror than in THE CURSE and THE CURSE II, a pair of genre oddities that are making their high-definition debut from Scream Factory this week.
On one hand, we have THE CURSE, directed by WHITE OF THE EYE actor David Keith, produced by Lucio Fulci (who supervised the SFX) and adapted from H.P. Lovecraft’s THE COLOUR OUT OF SPACE. A bizarre macabre movie with a mean-streak that plays like a tonal rollercoaster, THE CURSE isn’t necessarily good but it certainly is quite interesting. With a cast that includes Wil Wheaton, John Schneider and Malcolm Danare, there’s just so many weird elements that collide in THE CURSE that the sub-par execution of it all doesn’t necessarily make the film an outright bomb.
However, CURSE II: THE BITE is a different story altogether, literally and figurative. Simply put, CURSE II (although entirely unrelated to THE CURSE) is just an awesome, insane film that commands the audience’s attention with every jaw-dropping reveal and plot turn. From the random sub-plot featuring a worried anti-venom salesman to the legitimately impressive FX work from the one-and-only Screaming Mad George, CURSE II follows a man who gets bitten by a snake and begins turning into a snake, starting with an infected arm that sprouts an over-sized snakehead. It’s ridiculous and amazing in equal measure, and it’s so much frightful fun that it more than justifies a purchase price on this demented double feature.
In terms of transfer, Scream Factory does a fairly great job at bringing these films to high definition. While CURSE II might sport a better video transfer than THE CURSE, both offer a natural film grain, solid clarity and respectable depth, especially given the natural cinematography of both features. Meanwhile, the audio transfer on both films are rather excellent, even if they won’t turn heads for those with more structured stereo set-ups.
Yet as disappointing as THE CURSE might be, the real disappointment of this disc is the complete lack of special features on this release, a shock in its own right from the esteemed boutique label. While a commentary or an FX featurette could have benefitted either film, both discs are completely bare, with even a standard theatrical trailer missing from both CURSE flicks. It’s a bit frustrating, but at the end of the day, the collector’s out there might just give the lack of extras a pass considering the package does include a Blu-ray copy of CURSE II: THE BITE.
Overall, this writer cannot express how important it is that you see and own CURSE II: THE BITE on Blu-ray, even if it means on a barebones disc that also includes THE CURSE. CURSE II: THE BITE is horror lightning-in-a-bottle; a perfect storm of brilliant FX, masterful technical craftsmanship and a complete lack of self-awareness that beholds something that’s completely in a league of its own. Run- don’t walk- to pick up this Blu-ray disc, and watch CURSE II: THE BITE immediately; just make sure you don’t watch THE CURSE beforehand, lest you be dissuaded from watching its bonkers sequel in glorious 1080p.