Welcome to Mayhem.. errr Mayhew mansion
Released by: MVD Entertainment Group
Release Date: January 26, 2016
Production Year: 2015
Region Code: 1
Running Time: 1:38:53
Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0
Video: NTSC Anamorphic Widescreen
Subtitles: None
THE FILM - [ 2 / 5 ]:
Millionaire Mason Murphy (Ray Quiroga) renovates the haunted Mayhew mansion. He moves his family to the estate with his creepy servant Zacharia (Gary Busey).
He plans a tremendous lunar eclipse viewing party to celebrate his return to his hometown of River Ridge Iowa. At the party, a witch casts a spell to summon the spirit of her dead boyfriend. The magic runs out of control under the eclipse and a series of deadly accidents lead to revenge killings and then all the monsters come out as the party guests are murdered one by one.
Each murder and death is unique, macabre, and horrifying at the Mansion of Blood. Who, if any, will survive?
That pretty well sums up the plot. Unfortunately I did not find the film to be as good as the plot sounded. It started off with a flashback scene that most will either laugh at or shake their head. For a low budget indie horror film, it has some decent production values. Despite the quality of some of the special effects not quite matching the filmmakers enthusiasm, the effort is there.
Gary Busey and Robert Picardo fans may be let down by the limited amount of screen time the two have in the film which is a shame because a number of the other actors don't have the same ability. Yes Gary Busey may be a bit "off" but he can still command some presence in a scene and I don't find his acting as terrible as some.
I think if you go in to this film fully expecting the cheese factor to be high and perhaps have a couple drinks in you if that typically helps, the film would be more enjoyable. I was fully expecting the movie to be more straight-up and serious and I suspect that played a large part in my disappointment. Course, if you happen to be a fan of Syfy channel movies, this should be right up your alley. Just don't expect giant snakes, crocodiles, sharks, etc.
AUDIO - [ 3.5 / 5 ]:
The DVD features an English Dolby Digital 2.0 audio track. The audio quality is quite good with a nicely balanced track. Dialogue was clear and crisp. The sound effects and score were finely reproduced as well. While a 5.1 track could have been an improvement, the film sounds fine with what is available. Along with being a catchy tune, the end credits song "Mansion of Blood" by Sam Stone sounds good. There no subtitles included with this release.
VIDEO - [ 3.5 / 5 ]:
"Mansion of Blood" comes to DVD thanks to TomCat Films and MVD Entertainment Group. The film is presented in NTSC Anamorphic Widescreen. Indie films often have a very cheap look to them but that is not the case for "Mansion of Blood." A welcomed surprise, the film looks fairly good. While it may not look like a top of the line Hollywood production, the picture quality should not disappoint. The colors in the film stand out nicely whether it's a hot pink dress worn by a character or the various colors used in swimming pool scenes. Skin tones and black levels both appeared fine. As for sharpness, it was more middle of the road. All in all, it is a nice looking film on the DVD.
SPECIAL FEATURES - [ 1 / 5 ]:
Trailer (1:02)
IN CONCLUSION:
While I did not overly enjoy the film, I would give it another chance along with a different mindset and expectations. Gary Busey and Robert Picardo appear in small roles which should still please some of their fans. The DVD itself features good audio and video quality which is a big plus. The only extra is a trailer. A Gary Busey interview could have been an entertaining addition.
OVERALL RATING: [ 2.5 / 5 ]
That pretty well sums up the plot. Unfortunately I did not find the film to be as good as the plot sounded. It started off with a flashback scene that most will either laugh at or shake their head. For a low budget indie horror film, it has some decent production values. Despite the quality of some of the special effects not quite matching the filmmakers enthusiasm, the effort is there.
Gary Busey and Robert Picardo fans may be let down by the limited amount of screen time the two have in the film which is a shame because a number of the other actors don't have the same ability. Yes Gary Busey may be a bit "off" but he can still command some presence in a scene and I don't find his acting as terrible as some.
I think if you go in to this film fully expecting the cheese factor to be high and perhaps have a couple drinks in you if that typically helps, the film would be more enjoyable. I was fully expecting the movie to be more straight-up and serious and I suspect that played a large part in my disappointment. Course, if you happen to be a fan of Syfy channel movies, this should be right up your alley. Just don't expect giant snakes, crocodiles, sharks, etc.
AUDIO - [ 3.5 / 5 ]:
The DVD features an English Dolby Digital 2.0 audio track. The audio quality is quite good with a nicely balanced track. Dialogue was clear and crisp. The sound effects and score were finely reproduced as well. While a 5.1 track could have been an improvement, the film sounds fine with what is available. Along with being a catchy tune, the end credits song "Mansion of Blood" by Sam Stone sounds good. There no subtitles included with this release.
VIDEO - [ 3.5 / 5 ]:
"Mansion of Blood" comes to DVD thanks to TomCat Films and MVD Entertainment Group. The film is presented in NTSC Anamorphic Widescreen. Indie films often have a very cheap look to them but that is not the case for "Mansion of Blood." A welcomed surprise, the film looks fairly good. While it may not look like a top of the line Hollywood production, the picture quality should not disappoint. The colors in the film stand out nicely whether it's a hot pink dress worn by a character or the various colors used in swimming pool scenes. Skin tones and black levels both appeared fine. As for sharpness, it was more middle of the road. All in all, it is a nice looking film on the DVD.
SPECIAL FEATURES - [ 1 / 5 ]:
Trailer (1:02)
IN CONCLUSION:
While I did not overly enjoy the film, I would give it another chance along with a different mindset and expectations. Gary Busey and Robert Picardo appear in small roles which should still please some of their fans. The DVD itself features good audio and video quality which is a big plus. The only extra is a trailer. A Gary Busey interview could have been an entertaining addition.
OVERALL RATING: [ 2.5 / 5 ]