Sheep Skin... an indie horror film with some bite.
Released by: Unearthed Films and MVD Entertainment Group
Release Date: May 10, 2016
Production Year: 2013
Region Code: 1
Running Time: 1:19:33
Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0
Video: NTSC (2.35:1 Aspect Ratio)
Subtitles: None
THE FILM - [ 3 / 5 ]:
'Sheep Skin' is a gritty and realistic take on the werewolf sub-genre. The film centers around a group of friends in a punk rock band, who kidnap a business man because they believe he is actually a werewolf hiding in plain sight. The group takes the man to a nearby warehouse, where they have one night to prove that their suspicions are true. As the night goes on, tensions mount and the group begins to question their own motives. Are they right about the man's true identity, or have they made a terrible and deadly mistake?
If you think the film is going to be a cheap and poorly made independent film, you would be wrong. No, not all of the acting is top-notch. But the majority of it is good. The film itself looks pretty good and while it retains a low budget feel, it comes off much better. I hadn't even watched a trailer for the film prior to watching it so I had no idea what I was in for. I hadn't even read a plot synopsis so I could just go in without any preconceived notions and I was pleasantly surprised by the film. I never felt bored or that the film was dragging on too much. It moved along at a decent pace with its under 80 minutes run time.
'Sheep Skin' as the synopsis states, really does play out more like a realistic take on a werewolf film as opposed to what you generally see from nearly all films of the sub-genre. It isn't an action-heavy film but when present, the practical effects looked really good and were effective. The film has a little revenge aspect to it but there really isn't a huge opportunity to make use of it the way we normally see it played out.
Director/Writer Kurtis Spieler did a very good job in his directorial effort and I am looking forward to seeing what he comes up with next.
AUDIO - [ 3 / 5 ]:
The DVD features an English Dolby Digital 2.0 audio track. The track does an adequate job for what it is. It doesn't provide terrific ambiance in the film's various settings but with this sort of film, that might be expecting a bit much. The sound levels of the DVD were balanced fairly well even though there were occasions where the viewer might strain a little to hear the dialogue.
VIDEO - [ 3 / 5 ]:
'Sheep Skin' comes to DVD thanks to Unearthed Films and MVD Entertainment Group. This DVD is NTSC Region 1 and the film is presented in the 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio. Overall the film looks good. There are times when the picture looks a bit noisy. Colors looked strong whether it was the clothing of a character or part of the surroundings. There was an average amount of detail present. The picture quality won't wow you but shouldn't leave you disappointed either. For a low budget independent film, it didn't have the "cheap" look that typically puts me off when trying to watch them. You can look at the screen captures provided and click to view them full size to get an idea for yourself.
SPECIAL FEATURES - [ 4 / 5 ]:
Black and White Version of 'Sheep Skin' - Before the feature plays, a (1:53) intro by the director Kurtis Spieler plays where he explains the reason for this version of the film.
Audio Commentary - Director-Writer Kurtis Spieler and Producer Nicholas Papazoglou provide commentary for the feature. The pair discuss the film making process for 'Sheep Skin' and the troubles encountered along the way. They also provide some information about particular scenes as the movie plays. I thought it was an informative track and if you enjoyed the film, you'll probably like the commentary as well. The commentary track is only playable with the color version of the film.
Deleted Scene (3:18) An introduction first plays explains that it's more of an extended version of one of the warehouse scenes.
Behind the Scenes (11:04) - This mostly pertains to the werewolf effect.
Sheep Skin (2007 Short Film) (11:52)
Dick Punchers Music Video (2:49)
Trailer (1:03)
OVERALL RATING - [ 3 / 5 ]
AUDIO - [ 3 / 5 ]:
The DVD features an English Dolby Digital 2.0 audio track. The track does an adequate job for what it is. It doesn't provide terrific ambiance in the film's various settings but with this sort of film, that might be expecting a bit much. The sound levels of the DVD were balanced fairly well even though there were occasions where the viewer might strain a little to hear the dialogue.
VIDEO - [ 3 / 5 ]:
'Sheep Skin' comes to DVD thanks to Unearthed Films and MVD Entertainment Group. This DVD is NTSC Region 1 and the film is presented in the 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio. Overall the film looks good. There are times when the picture looks a bit noisy. Colors looked strong whether it was the clothing of a character or part of the surroundings. There was an average amount of detail present. The picture quality won't wow you but shouldn't leave you disappointed either. For a low budget independent film, it didn't have the "cheap" look that typically puts me off when trying to watch them. You can look at the screen captures provided and click to view them full size to get an idea for yourself.
SPECIAL FEATURES - [ 4 / 5 ]:
Black and White Version of 'Sheep Skin' - Before the feature plays, a (1:53) intro by the director Kurtis Spieler plays where he explains the reason for this version of the film.
Audio Commentary - Director-Writer Kurtis Spieler and Producer Nicholas Papazoglou provide commentary for the feature. The pair discuss the film making process for 'Sheep Skin' and the troubles encountered along the way. They also provide some information about particular scenes as the movie plays. I thought it was an informative track and if you enjoyed the film, you'll probably like the commentary as well. The commentary track is only playable with the color version of the film.
Deleted Scene (3:18) An introduction first plays explains that it's more of an extended version of one of the warehouse scenes.
Behind the Scenes (11:04) - This mostly pertains to the werewolf effect.
Sheep Skin (2007 Short Film) (11:52)
Dick Punchers Music Video (2:49)
Trailer (1:03)
OVERALL RATING - [ 3 / 5 ]
