Anyone that reads my site knows I love anthology films (I feel like I’ve opened with that line before) and Creepshow 2 is one anthology I’ve always loved. Yes, it may not be as great as the first one, the film still holds a special place in my heart, as evident by the review I did for it already on here. Because I’ve already reviewed the movie before, I’ll include a few quotes to give you the gist of the film, but the primary focus today will be on the Arrow Video Blu-ray release.
Arrow Video has given fans two versions to choose from on Blu-ray: one, a limited edition with an exclusive comic included of an undeveloped story, and the other, a regular, but still very sweet edition. The review will be on the regular version.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
DISCS: 1
ASPECT RATIO: 1.85:1
RESOLUTION: 1080p
AUDIO: Uncompressed PCM Mono 1.0, Stereo and 5.1 DTS-HD MA Surround
LANGUAGE: English
SUBTITLES: English SDH
REGION: A
RATING: R
PRODUCTION DATE: 1987
RELEASE DATE: Dec 13, 2016
PLOT SUMMARY
WHEN THE CURTAIN GOES UP THE TERROR BEGINS Horror titans George A. Romero and Stephen King deliver yet another fiendish selection of blood-curdling tales in Creepshow 2 – now newly remastered in 2K! In “Old Chief Wood’nhead“, a group of young hoodlums face retribution from an unlikely source after looting a local hardware store. Meanwhile, “The Raft” sees a group of horny teens wishing they’d read the warning signs first before taking a dip in a remote lake. Finally, an uptight businesswoman finds herself with some unwanted company following a hit-and-run incident in “The Hitch-hiker”. Whilst retaining the EC comic book flavour that made the original such a hit, Creepshow 2, this time directed by long-time Romero collaborator Michael Gornick, is a decidedly darker and grimmer affair than its predecessor and remains one of the greatest horror anthologies of all time.
MOVIE REVIEW
For ease of reading, here are some highlights from my older Creepshow 2 Movie Review.
Creepshow 2, might not live up to the greatness of the first, but it does spin a nice yarn with three separate stories.
“Old Chief Wood’nhead” story dragged a little and the action comes late. Also, it’s the tamest and least bloody of all the stories in the movie.
“The Raft” features some great gore and even a dash of nudity at a completely inappropriate time. Also, the ending is something you’ll remember forever. This one definitely ranks second best out of three, with the awful, awful acting bringing the score slightly down (only slightly though, cause the acting is so awful, it’s awesome).
What follows is a terrifying joyride, that ends with a great surprise. “The Hitchhiker” features some great special effects and an even better catchphrase that will stick with you for a long time. If you get one thing out of this story, it will be the haunting (yet funny) saying of the hitchhiker, “Thanks for the ride, lady”.
Creepshow 2, it’s full of bad, yet awesome acting, great gore, a dash of nudity and fun twists, which like I said before, is the perfect example of an 80s horror film
BLU-RAY OPINION
Creepshow 2 has been on Blu-ray before, one version by Sony and a UK edition by 88 Films. However, when checking out caps-a-holic, you can clearly see that the Arrow Video edition is the best one. The video transfer has been cleaned up, colours pop wonderfully, and the audio comes through clear. The transfer is a bit wider than the other editions, which does give us a few weird instances of garbage on the left-hand side of the screen, but nothing that will distract you from enjoying the release.
As for special features, you have some fun interviews with Daniel Beer, who discusses his time on shooting The Raft segment. If you thought they looked cold, they were a lot colder, and Beer was suffering from hypothermia because of it. There is also an interview with the Hitchhiker, Tom Wright and a quick interview with Tom Savini, who looks like he doesn’t give a shit. For special effects fans, you have an enjoyable interview with Howard Berger and Greg Nicotero. Rounding the features out are behind the scenes footage, audio commentary with director Michael Gornick and trailers/TV spots.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Brand new 2K restoration from original film elements
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
- Original Uncompressed PCM Mono 1.0, Stereo and 5.1 DTS-HD MA Surround Audio Options
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Audio Commentary with director Michael Gornick
- Poncho’s Last Ride – a brand new interview with actor Daniel Beer
- The Road to Dover – a brand new interview with actor Tom Wright
- Screenplay for a Sequel – an interview with screenwriter George A. Romero
- Tales from the Creep – an interview with actor and make-up artist Tom Savini
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Mike Saputo
- Nightmares in Foam Rubber – archive featurette on the special effects of Creepshow 2, including interviews with FX artists Howard Berger and Greg Nicotero
- My Friend Rick – Berger on his special effects mentor Rick Baker
- Behind-the-Scenes Footage
- Image Gallery
- Trailers & TV Spots
- Original Screenplay (BD-ROM Content)
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Mike Saputo
- FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Michael Blyth
VERDICT
Creepshow 2 Blu-ray from Arrow Video is a must own for the fans. The film has never looked better and the special features included are highly enjoyable to check out. Pick up the Creepshow 2 Blu-ray today!
*Thanks to caps-a-holic for the screengrabs.