A legend of terror is no campfire story anymore!
Released by: Scream Factory
Release Date: May 21, 2013
Production Year: 1981
Region Code: A
Running Time: 1:31:29
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono
Video: 1080p (1.85:1 Aspect Ratio)
Subtitles: English SDH
THE FILM:
GATHER AROUND THE CAMPFIRE TO DIE!
A group of summer camp pranksters get the scare of their lives when they target the camp's creepy caretaker...and he takes bloody revenge!
After a cruel joke goes awry, severely burning him and subjecting him to five years of intensive, unsuccessful skin graft treatments, Cropsy (Lou David) is back at camp...and ready to wreak havoc on those who scarred him! With his hedge clippers in hand, he terrorizes the camp and systematically mutilates each victim. Can a few courageous campers save themselves and destroy this demented madman before he kills them all?
Starring Brian Matthews (Crime Stopper), Leah Ayres (Bloodsport), Brian Backer (Fast Times At Ridgemont High), Larry Joshua (Dances With Wolves) and featuring early film appearances by Fisher Stevens (Short Circuit), Jason Alexander (Seinfeld) and Holly Hunter (Raising Arizona).
I had never heard of or seen "The Burning" until sometime after it started airing on MGM HD. The film was never at my local mom and pop video store or even at Blockbuster Video. So I was in for a real treat when I was finally able to watch it. That raft scene. Wow. One huge plus for the film is it features the awesome practical effects of the legend, Tom Savini. Buying the DVD when it was released was an easy choice as was upgrading to the Blu-ray when it came out. A fun 80's slasher that should not be missed. Watching the film for the first time, it was neat seeing the future Hollywood stars in the movie. It is still fun to see them. Hopefully this Blu-ray brings the film more attention and introduces a whole new generation to the legend of Cropsy.
AUDIO:
The sole audio option for this release is an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track. The audio sounds pretty good. Balance between the dialogue, Rick Wakeman's great score and the sound effects, sounded fine. I did not notice any issues with the audio like drop outs or hissing. I don't think Scream Factory could have done much better with the present audio. There are optional English SDH subtitles included as well.
VIDEO:
"The Burning" slashes its way on to Blu-ray thanks to Scream Factory. The film is presented in 1080p with a 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio. Fans should be pleased with how well the video quality turned out. The film had aired on the television channel MGM HD several years earlier and the film had a DVD release, so fans had been waiting and hoping for the film to come to Blu-ray. The DVD looked very good but this is definitely an upgrade. Colors look great with a rich saturation. The skin tones in the film look very natural. There is also a nice thin layer of grain present which does get a little heavier in certain scenes, but I never found it to be overwhelming in any way. Black levels are adequate as well. There is a fair amount of fine detail present in close up shots. There are some minor white specks that appear sporadically during the film but never to the point of being distracting. Overall, the film looks great.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
In addition to the following features, a region 1 DVD is also included in this combo pack. The cover art is also reversible.
Audio Commentary #1 - This track features Director Tony Maylam and international journalist, Alan Jones. This track is more informative from a technical viewpoint. Mr. Maylan discusses many topics involving the film including Cropsy's shears, the nude scenes, working with Tom Savini, the cast, the films setting and the infamous raft scene.
Audio Commentary #2 - This track features actresses Bonnie Deroski and Shelley Bruce along with moderator Edwin Samuelson of The CineFiles. This is a fairly entertaining track despite neither of the actresses playing a main character in the film. The pair seem to have fond memories of their time making the movie. They share some fun and interesting stories about the cast. Edwin Samuelson does a fair job of keeping the conversation going with questions for the ladies.
Blood 'N' Fire Memories (18:01) - A really good featurette with Tom Savini talking about the practical effects and death scenes that appear in the film. He explains a bit about how the burn scene from the beginning of the film was done as well as the terrific raft scene. A must watch for fans.
Blood 'N' Fire Memories (18:01) - A really good featurette with Tom Savini talking about the practical effects and death scenes that appear in the film. He explains a bit about how the burn scene from the beginning of the film was done as well as the terrific raft scene. A must watch for fans.
Slash & Cut (12:04) - An interview with Editor Jack Sholder. Mr. Sholder talks about various scenes in the film. He says he didn't think "The Burning" was a good film and didn't think there was anything particularly original about it. Though he did think the film was well made.
Cropsy Speaks (11:19) - An interview with actor Lou David. He talks about how he became interested in acting as well as how he was filming the day after his son was born. It isn't too hard to tell that Mr. David would have liked there to have been a sequel to the film. I think most fans would agree with him.
Summer Camp Nightmare (6:45) - This features an interview with actress Leah Ayres (Michelle). She talks about her start in acting and some experiences on and off the set during the films production.
Summer Camp Nightmare (6:45) - This features an interview with actress Leah Ayres (Michelle). She talks about her start in acting and some experiences on and off the set during the films production.
Behind the Scenes Footage (7:56) - Viewers get to see some similar footage that appears in the Tom Savini interview, but more of it. Fans interested in the effects used in the film should watch this.
Theatrical Trailer (1:27)
Make-up Effects Still Gallery (2:25)
Poster & Still Gallery (3:05)
IN CONCLUSION:
A Blu-ray that looks and sounds great. It also has some terrific special features included. This is a must own 'Collector's Edition' from Scream Factory, if you are a slasher fan or even a horror fan. The movie itself is good too. Scream Factory did a very nice job with this release that should easily please fans of the film.
OVERALL: 4 / 5