Review Archive: October 2003
The Changeling
Things go bump in the night when John Russell (George C. Scott) moves into a big old house, after his family are tragically killed in a road accident. For Halloween, Daniel Stephens braves the dark corridors, winding stairways and the mysterious attic, and lives to tell the tale...
To The Devil - A Daughter
Mike Sutton has reviewed the R2 release of To The Devil - A Daughter, part of Warners Hammer Horror Resurrected boxset. An interesting and undervalued film receives a reasonably good transfer but nothing else.
The Entity
Gary Couzens has reviewed the Region 2 release of The Entity. A fine performance from Barbara Hershey is the highlight of this rather exploitative horror film from 1981, based on a true story. It's released on a budget DVD with a good picture and soundtrack but only the trailer as an extra.
Le Pharmacien de Garde
As his contribution to the DVDTimes Halloween Special, "Nefarious" Noel Megahey has reviewed the French Region 2 release of La Pharmacien de Garde (The Pharmacist). Vincent Perez is a chemist of druidic lineage who takes eco-terrorism to horrifying lengths.
Another Heaven
"Nauseous" Noel Megahey has reviewed the Artsmagic’s Eastern Cult Cinema release of George (Jôji) Iida’s horror thriller, Another Heaven. A serial killer is making culinary dishes with victims' brains, but that is only the beginning of the horrors facing a couple of police detectives.
Suspiria: Limited Edition
Michael Mackenzie has reviewed the 3-disc limited edition US release of Suspiria, the masterful and disturbing gothic fairytale that is often proclaimed to be Italian director Dario Argento's greatest work.
Darkness Falls
The advice after watching this film is: Don't lose a tooth! Drawing heavy influence from eighties horror movies, director Jonathan Liebesman invites us to Darkness Falls, a small town with a dark secret. Daniel Stephens takes a look at the region 2 DVD.
Opera: Limited Edition
Michael Mackenzie has reviewed Anchor Bay's Region 0 USA Limited Edition of Opera, one of Italian thriller master Dario Argento's most celebrated works.
Damien: Omen II
Gary Couzens has reviewed the Region 2 release of Damien: Omen II, a so-so sequel in which the Antichrist goes to military academy. Fox's DVD, only available as part of the trilogy boxset, is solid but not outstanding.
The Omen
Just in time for Halloween, Michael Mackenzie has dipped into the R1 special edition release of The Omen, a renowned 1976 horror movie directed by Richard Donner and featuring Gregory Peck, Lee Remick and David Warner.
Frankenstein Created Woman
Maniacal Mike Sutton has reviewed Frankenstein Created Woman, available in the UK as part of the Hammer Horror Resurrected boxset. A very interesting film but only a mediocre DVD.
Patrick
To open DVD Times's Halloween special, Gary Couzens has reviewed the Region 4 release of Patrick, an effective horror-thriller directed by Richard Franklin in 1978. Magna Pacific's DVD is as bare-bones as they come, but on the other hand can be bought very cheaply.
Alice in Wonderland
Roy Gill has reviewed the BFI's Region 2 DVD release of Alice.
Soylent Green
Warners spoil us even more with their budget releases. Karl Wareham samples Soylent Green and finds it still tastes rather good.
Quatermass and the Pit
Mike Sutton has reviewed the first disc of Warner's six disc Hammer Horror Resurrected boxset. Quatermass And The Pit is one of the best Hammer films but Warners haven't done anything very exciting with it. An average transfer and no extras is the best we get.
Phil Mulloy: Extreme Animation
Anthony Nield has reviewed the Region 2 release of Phil Mulloy: Extreme Animation. A collection of 24 shorts, this release features the majority of the director's work since the early nineties, allowing for a full appreciation of Mulloy's distinctive sardonic humour.
Blood Of Dracula
Joy of joys, its a low budget exploitation drive-in movie from the paranoid 1950's. Karl Wareham nearly broke his glasses in the melee that followed the rush to review this...
Letter to Brezhnev
Gary Couzens has reviewed the Region 2 release of Letter to Brezhnev, a lively Scouse romantic comedy from 1985 that still stands up well today. This DVD from C'est la Vie, released today, has worthwhile extras but disappointing picture quality.
Halloween 25th Anniversary SE
Mike Sutton has reviewed the Anchor Bay R2 release of Halloween: 25th Anniversary Edition. One of the best films ever made has received a very good transfer and some fascinating bonus features.
The DVD is released on the 27th October 2003.
National Lampoon's Van Wilder: Party Liaison
Iain Boulton has reviewed the region two release of National Lampoon's Van Wilder: Party Liaison, another campus comedy that has followed the surge of teen films since American Pie.
3 Days - Jane's Addiction
The long awaited and often bootlegged Jane's Addiction tour film finally gets a DVD release. The bad news is that it might not have been worth the wait...
Have I Got News For You: Best of the Guest Presenters
Bex has reviewed the Region 2 release of Have I Got News For You: Best of the Guest Presenters by VCI. This 2-disc release unsurprisingly contains a wealth of superb comic moments from the 2002/2003 series of this popular satirical news programme, and it's hard to pass up the chance to see some unlikely people helming the show (including William Hague, Bruce Forsyth, Boris Johnson, and Martin Clunes, among others) in the wake of Angus Deayton's departure.
The Matrix Reloaded
Chris Kaye offers his thoughts on the second film in The Matrix Trilogy in this review of the recent Region 2 DVD release from Warner.
Finding Nemo
Michael Mackenzie has reviewed the Region 1 Collector's Edition release of Finding Nemo, the lastest film from the creators of Toy Story and Monsters Inc.
Dr Terror's House of Horrors
Mike Sutton has reviewed the upcoming R2 release of Dr Terror's House of Horrors, the first of the Amicus anthology films. An enjoyable and influential film has received a pleasing DVD release from Anchor Bay.
The DVD is released to buy on the 27th October 2003.