Revisiting films can always leave a funny taste in the mouth. Even more so if they are from your own back catalogue and have been seen in a long distant viewing. Sometimes the revisit can be tasty. Proving the film is a meaty dish, having pieces that you might have missed and adding juicy goodness. Other times they can be a lot blander and lack seasoning. The first is a god send in the desert of good cinema. The latter is a stodgy mess that leaves you unfulfilled like that gluten free bagel. In DEADLY GAMES, the story of a homicidal manic and a group of friends in a small town, lining up to be his victim, you can say we get an offering that is replete with much.

A masked maniac prowls the local area, liking to sadistically psychologically torture women before murdering them. When the maniac murders Keegan (Jo Ann Harris) sister, it means she has to come home to unpick the clues. While there she befriends local cop Roger (Sam Groom) and cinema projectionist Billy (Steve Railsback). One is strong and clever, the other silent and self aware. Both like to play a horror-themed board game. But why is it every time the dice is thrown, another body is found?

Steve Railsback is the sort of character actor who had a plethora of good performances but will be remembered for one. No, not as the Colonel in BARB WIRE! The unhinged performance he gave as Charles Manson in 1976’s TV mini-series Helter Skelter of course. In DEADLY GAMES director Scott Mansfield relies on the skills of Mr Railsback to keep his very lacking script in check. This is metered out in a cagey performance that settles well but is often over shadowed by a very unbalanced counter from Sam Groom and Jo Ann Harris. One playing the role like a psycho that looks like Jefferey Epstein and the other, like a 70s softcore porn star. With the lines to match.

DISC

So to the disc, I wonder why a 2K restoration was required. It looks nice but then so would anything that is given a lush restoration. It doesn’t improve the film however as my old dad would say, ‘You cant polish a turd’.

EXTRAS

The Hysteria guys rip the films to shreds and I dont really get their bits or their stich but they are funny and make valid points about the plotting, lack of tension, dubious casting and why is that board game not in any publicly or available? The rest is a hash of people admitting to working on the film and probably not understanding why we care they did…

Special Edition Contents:

Brand new 2K restoration from the original camera negative
Original uncompressed mono audio – Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Brand new audio commentary with The Hysteria Continues
Sooty’s a Sh*t – a brand new interview with actor Jere Rae-Mansfield
Practical Magic – a brand new interview with special effects and stunt co-ordinator John Eggett
Extensive image gallery featuring never-before-seen production photos and promotional material
Original Trailer
Original screenplay under the title Who Fell Asleep [BD-ROM content]
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly-commissioned artwork by Ralf Krause
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Fully-illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by film historian/author Amanda Reyes