MEET THE MANIAC AND HIS FRIEND
Released by: Arrow Video
Release Date: September 14, 2014 (UK) / September 15, 2015 (US)
Production Year: 1977
Region Code: A + B
Running Time: 1:30:54
Audio: English LPCM Mono
Video: 1080p (1.85:1 Aspect Ratio)
Subtitles: English SDH
THE FILM - [3.5 / 5]:
Meet the maniac and his friend. Nearly a decade before he donned Freddy Kruger's famous red and green sweater, horror icon Robert Englund delivered a supremely sleazy performance as Buck in "Eaten Alive," another essay in taut Southern terror from Tobe Hooper, director of "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre."
Meet the maniac and his friend. Nearly a decade before he donned Freddy Kruger's famous red and green sweater, horror icon Robert Englund delivered a supremely sleazy performance as Buck in "Eaten Alive," another essay in taut Southern terror from Tobe Hooper, director of "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre."
Deep in the Louisiana bayou sits the ramshackle Starlight Hotel, destination of choice for those who like to check in but not check out! Presided over by the bumbling, mumbling Judd (and his pet crocodile which he keeps in a large pond out front), the patron of this particular establishment may seem like a good-natured ol' Southern gent, but he has a mean temper on him, and a mighty large scythe to boot. Oozing atmosphere from every pore (the entire film was shot on a sound-stage at the famous Raleigh Studious, which lends it a queasy, claustrophobic feel) "Eaten Alive" matches "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" for sheer insanity and even drafts in Chain Saw star Marilyn Burns as the terrorized woman-in-peril, alongside William Finley (Phantom of the Paradise) and Mel Ferrer (The Longest Day).
"Eaten Alive" is a horror film I have enjoyed for a long time. It is similar in tone to Tobe Hooper's "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" in that it has a dirty and gritty feel to it. The Starlight Hotel looks like the type of place you just drive right by when you are looking for a place to stay while on a road trip. It has that roach motel look to it that can almost make your skin crawl without even seeing the inside. This works wonderfully as it helps to further engulf the viewer in the sleazy atmosphere. The movie features a fair amount of blood and gore with the practical effects looking good.
"Eaten Alive" is a horror film I have enjoyed for a long time. It is similar in tone to Tobe Hooper's "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" in that it has a dirty and gritty feel to it. The Starlight Hotel looks like the type of place you just drive right by when you are looking for a place to stay while on a road trip. It has that roach motel look to it that can almost make your skin crawl without even seeing the inside. This works wonderfully as it helps to further engulf the viewer in the sleazy atmosphere. The movie features a fair amount of blood and gore with the practical effects looking good.
Shortly after the film opens we meet Clara and also Buck, who utters a memorable phrase that has been repeated often over the years by those that have seen the film. After Clara scoffs at Buck's idea and intentions, she leaves for the Starlight Hotel where she encounters Judd (Neville Brand, "Without Warning"). More visitors soon arrive including Harvey Wood (Mel Ferrer) who is looking for his daughter, and a family consisting of Roy (William Finley), Faye (Marilyn Burns) and their own daughter Angie (Kyle Richards, "Halloween"). I don't want to spoil what happens along the way. Let's just say that not everyone survives until the end of the movie.
The film also features a number of other actors in small roles, that have worked in horror films including Stuart Whitman (Ruby), Crystin Sinclaire (Ruby) and Janus Blythe (Wes Craven's "The Hills Have Eyes"). Fans of the sitcom, "The Addams Family" will find none other than Morticia herself, Carolyn Jones in the movie. But you probably won't recognize her due to her characters appearance.
AUDIO - [4.5 / 5]:
There is one audio option on this Blu-ray and it is an English LPCM Mono track. The sound quality is terrific. The dialogue and sound effects are crisp and crystal clear. The track maintains a well balanced volume level throughout the movie. Whether it is the ear piercing screams from a soon-to-be victim, the splashing of water outside the Starlight Hotel or sounds from the lively bar where Buck hangs out, it all sounds great. I did not notice any issues with the audio at all such as hissing, dropouts or pops. The Blu-ray also includes optional English SDH subtitles.
VIDEO - [4.5 / 5]:
"Eaten Alive" arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video. The film is presented in 1080p with a 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio. For this Blu-ray release, Arrow Video had a brand new 2K transfer of the film created from the original camera negative. The results are fantastic. The movie has never looked better. The colors look great and really pop. The greens in Clara's outfit look gorgeous and robust. The contrast level in the film looks spot on. Black levels look fine as well. There is a nice looking layer of grain that looks to have been handled rather well. Even in darker scenes, it never seems overly heavy as is the case with other films. Throughout the movie, there is a good amount of detail present. In brighter scenes, the fine detail really shines whether it's the characters hair, clothing or miscellaneous objects. The film elements appear to have been well kept over the years with how great this transfer looks. Skin tones also have a pleasant and natural appearance. There are some instances of white specks here and there, but I did not find it to occur frequent enough to be distracting. Fans should be extremely pleased with the amazing job Arrow has done.
SPECIAL FEATURES - [4.5 / 5]:
Intro by Tobe Hooper - When playing the film, you have the option to view it with a 20 second Intro by director Tobe Hooper.
Intro by Tobe Hooper - When playing the film, you have the option to view it with a 20 second Intro by director Tobe Hooper.
Audio Commentary - This track features co-writer and producer Mardi Rustam, make-up artist Craig Reardon and stars Roberta Collins (Clara), William Finley (Roy) and Kyle Richards (Angie). The participants are not all present together for this commentary. Their individual segments are proceeded by an introduction with their name, which is a nice touch so listeners can easily tell who is speaking. First up is Mardi Rustam who as well as talking about Tobe Hooper and other members of the cast and crew, tells an interesting story about Robert Caramico, the director of photography. He said that during the second week of shooting, a couple union officials came to visit Mr. Caramico to tell him he was not allowed to work on the non-union film. After they discussed the matter, Robert Caramico quit the union and tore up his card, so he could continue working on the movie. Next to speak is Roberta Collins who tells a story of how a seemingly innocent dinner with Neville Brand turned into a scary situation. William Finley follows and he talks about his role in the film and also speaks about what is happening on the screen through several scenes. Kyle Richards also chimes in on her role of Angie and how she was scared to death when Neville Brand was chasing her because she felt like she was going to actually be killed. Craig Reardon discusses some members of the cast, including Neville Brand and also his career. This commentary track was fairly informative and a pleasure to listen to all participants. Fans of the film should enjoy this.
Interviews
Interviews
- Blood on the Bayou: An Interview with Tobe Hooper (14:03) - Tobe talks about shooting the film on the same sound stage as Sunset Boulevard, the characters, actors and the films production.
- Gator Bait: An Interview with Janus Blythe (11:38) - Janus mentions how she got her part in the film and discusses her career. She shares personal stories such as the car that picks her up in the film was her own. Janus at one time had her own talk show and thankfully we get to see a few short clips.
- Monsters and Metaphors: An Interview with Craig Reardon (11:35) - Mr. Reardon talks about his time on the film and working with Tobe Hooper and Neville Brand.
Archive Interviews - Interviews ported over from the Dark Sky Films DVD.
- The Gator Creator with Tobe Hooper (19:38) - Tobe discusses the different scripts for "Eaten Alive" and also the cast and aspects of the production of the film.
- My Name is Buck: A Look Back at "Eaten Alive" (15:05) An interview with Robert Englund. He speaks about his role in "Eaten Alive" and other films in his career. Robert talks about how he and Tobe Hooper got along really well and how he enjoyed his time on the set.
- 5ive Minutes with Marilyn (5:18) - An interview with Marilyn Burns. She briefly discusses her career and working with the other actors in the film.
The Butcher of Elmendorf: The Legend of Joe Ball (23:05) - This featurette takes a look at the true story of the South Texas bar owner Joe Ball, on whom "Eaten Alive" is loosely based.
Theatrical Trailers: Seven trailers, some featuring different titles for the film.
TV and Radio Spots: Two "Starlight Slaughter" TV Spots and two "Eaten Alive" Radio Spots.
Alternate Credits (1:05) - An alternate opening credits sequence with the "Death Trap" film title.
Galleries:
- Behind the Scenes Slideshow (8:09) - Slideshow of stills accompanied by music.
- Stills and Promo Material
- Comment Cards - Some of the negative comments, which there were plenty, made me laugh.
This Blu-ray and DVD Combo Pack also features reversible cover art with original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin.
Collector's Booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic Brad Stevens, illustrated with original archive stills and posters.
IN CONCLUSION:
A good horror film and an outstanding release by Arrow Video. As mentioned before, this is a Blu-ray and DVD Combo Pack. If you are a fan of this film, you most definitely want to purchase this. There is a trailer below for those who are unfamiliar with "Eaten Alive." I suggest horror fans buy this release because it not only has great audio and video quality, it also includes a large amount of special features. For those checking my math for the overall score, yes I know it technically should be 4.25 but since I go by half-points, I rounded up since this release is more than deserving.
OVERALL: [4.5 / 5]