101 Films have been releasing a series of classic, cult horror films. Often the first release of a Blu Ray in the UK. Released in high quality formats and sexy boxes. The most recent one is, well Razzie nominated, horror starlet featuring, haunted house HELL NIGHT. When a film gets a Razzie nomination, you kinda know what you are getting. You also know that you are in for a treat. I had never seen HELL NIGHT and that is interesting because I have seen almost every horror film from the 80s by this point. Of course I know Linda Blair very well indeed and I have come across the work of Tom DeSimone. Who is well known for his gay friendly films and of course that scuzzy classic REFORM SCHOOL GIRLS.
Time for us to delve into the horror filled, monster mansion of the night from hell. We have a fraternity, Alpha Sigma Rho. We have four pledges who have to do the trial to join. Joining is the most important thing to get. You will get girls or boys, respect and maybe even a good job at the end of it. In this case they must spend a night in Garth Manor. Garth Manor has history. Twelve years ago the previous resident slaughtered his family. Two of the pledges, Marti and Jeff ignore the story and enter the mansion. Problem is a killer lives inside the walls. One by one, members of their group mysteriously disappear. HELL NIGHT is on and the deaths are mounting up.
I have nothing really to compare the original standard source to this 4K scan transfer. What I can say is this. HELL NIGHT is directly inspired by the, then massive, slasher film craze. It suffers from the ages issues. From a lack of clarity, a lack of energy and dire, mass produced cinematography. The styling there in was always excessive to be less difficult to capture. The 4K is interesting actually because it gives the film a far better feeling. The darkness is creeping but it is also creaky, as you would expect. The dispatches of victims also has been improved because its clarity makes it more comical. This is compared to the standard clips on YouTube.
The extras are a heap of great things. Linda Blair: The Beauty of Horror is really rich and fun. Really well put together as a beginner introduction to her. Anatomy of the Death Scenes is what some films in the horror slasher canon need. A good dissection of the technical creation of the films scenes.
Special Features:
- Transfer from a 4K scan of the best surviving archival 35mm film print with minor SD inserts to replace missing footage
- Limited edition booklet: Includes The Scare Blair Bunch: Hell Night, Linda Blair and the Rise of the American Sorority Slasher by Andrew Graves and Haunted Houses on Film by Barry Forshaw
- Linda Blair: The Beauty of Horror
- Hell Nights with Tom DeSimone
- Peter Barton: Facing Fear
- Producing Hell with Bruce Cohn Curtis
- Writing Hell with Randy Feldman
- Vincent Van Patten and Suki Goodwin in conversation
- Kevin Brophy and Jenny Neumann in conversation
- Gothic Design in Hell Night
- Anatomy of the Death Scenes
- On Location at Kimberly Crest
- Theatrical Trailer
- TV Spots
- Radio Spot
- Photo Gallery
