Stars:
Stephen Geofreys, Jim Metzler, Maria Rubel, Pat O’Bryan, Sandy Dennis, and
Robert Picardo
Writers:
Rhet Topham and Brian Helgeland
Director:
Robert Englund
Feature
length: 92 minutes
Extras:
Trailers
Languages:
English Stereo
Subtitles:
English Captions and Closed Captions and French, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean,
and Chinese Language Subtitles
Packaging:
Amaray Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 28
Sound:
Stereo
Year
of Theatrical Release: 1988/DVD Release: 2002
Theatrical
Distributor: Cinetel Films, Inc.
Home
Video Distributor: Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: R
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
Just
because you are a horror icon doesn’t mean you can direct a good horror film
as Robert Englund demonstrates in his directorial debut, which is a mess about
some nerdy high school guy getting revenge upon his tormenters and slowly
transforming into some demonic thing after dialing into a bizarre occult phone
network. The film is a mess that never gels with poor setups and lame payoffs.
Not to mention you have to endure another 90-minutes of that really annoying guy
from “Fright Night.” Kevin Yagher’s makeup effects are quite good, but
under Englund’s direction they fall flat. Robert Picardo has a good scene
stealing cameo, but not enough to justify this tepid film. A sequel followed in
the early 90s that was reportedly worse than the original. Thank God this was
not a double feature.
Columbia
TriStar Home Entertainment’s DVD release of “976-EVIL” presents the film
in a modified (1.33:1) aspect ratio. I hesitate to state panned and scanned
because I am not sure if the film was shot open matte or was indeed a
cinemascope presentation. I’m leaning toward believing it was a matted
theatrical release, but again I could be wrong. The picture quality is uneven
with some scenes displaying various flecks and grain from the source print while
others not displaying any anomalies at all. The English Stereo Soundtrack is
clear and free of any background hissing. English Captions and Closed Captions
for the hearing impaired and French, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, and Chinese
Language Subtitles are encoded as options. A “Creature Features” trailer and
the trailer for “Fright Night” wrap up the features on this DVD release.
The
menus are standard interactive still frames that are easy to navigate.
“976-EVIL” will debut on DVD-Video on Tuesday, August 13, 2002 from Columbia
TriStar Home Entertainment.
©
Copyright 2002 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.