I’m
not quite out of the horror woods yet, it would seem, but a promise is a
promise. You may remember my gooey enthusiasm for this underrated gem, so I’ll
press on with reviewing the disc.
Trade Secrets
Shout!
Factory present Halloween III: Season of the
Witch uncut and in its correct aspect ratio on this Region A locked disc. I
never saw the DVD Universal released Stateside, but given the praise that disc
has received over the years, I wouldn’t be surprised if this hi-def transfer
was struck from the same source.
With
a thin-but-clear sheen of grain covering the image, Halloween III is rewarded with an increase in detail and clarity.
As ever, close-ups provide the best cases for oohs and aahs, but what struck me
especially were the little patterns and textures now clearly visible on clothing
and other materials (most notably when ‘Little Buddy’ tries to rip through the
degenerating pumpkin mask in his death throes).
Digital
noise reduction may have been applied, as there is a surprisingly slight amount
of grain in evidence, but there’s no obvious detrimental knock-on
effect, and that filmic quality is very much in evidence with little in the way
of print damage.
Likewise,
edge enhancement is never a problem, and black levels are rock solid. In fact,
Dean Cundy’s darkly envisioned cinematography is given perhaps the most
substantial upgrade, with strong colours that pop right off the screen and
shadows which only ever swallow details they were always intended to.
The
disc is supplied with a basic DTS HD Mono audio track that won’t exactly blow
away seasoned audiophiles, but still does an efficient job of reproducing the
film’s original sound design. A front-heavy affair, dialogue and music are well
balanced, with John Carpenter and Alan Howarth’s jump scare music cues
receiving a notable boost. Of course, the Silver Shamrock jingle has never
sounded better either (ohhono).
Onto
the extras, and Stand Alone: The Making
of Halloween III: Season of the Witch is exactly the kind of retrospective
documentary fans of this once sadly doomed sequel have been waiting for. Members
of the cast and crew reflect on the film’s development, its disappointing
release and the slow-but-sure rise in its cult appeal.
In
Horror’s Hallowed Grounds: The Locations
of Halloween III, hosted by enthusiastic mega fan Sean Clark, we’re taken on an eerily nostalgic
trip through the present day locations used three decades earlier to shoot Season of the Witch. Most of the key
haunts are covered, with Clark later joined by director Tommy Lee Wallace as
they explore the small town that doubled for Santa Mira; and watch out for a
fun cameo by an actor from another underappreciated 80s horror sequel.
Two
audio commentaries are also made available. The first features Tommy Lee
Wallace, who’s joined/moderated by Rob G. (from ‘Icons of Fright’) and Sean
Clark (once again). This is a most enjoyable listen that delves into virtually
every aspect of Halloween III,
whether on or off-screen. There’s never a dry moment, and its three
contributors pull off the impressive balancing act of being both deeply
informative and highly entertaining.
The
second track plonks star Tom Atkins in the spotlight alongside moderator
Michael Phelps (who worked on the Night
of the Creeps Blu-ray). Atkins exudes a huggable warmth as he fondly
recalls his time playing Dr. Challis (with tongue wedged in cheek). At times,
the discussion becomes more of a commentary on Akins’ career as a whole, with
some surprising Lethal Weapon trivia
and one particularly lengthy tangent focusing on his nightmarish experience behind the scenes of William Peter Blatty’s The
Ninth Configuration. Lack of focus aside, Atkins makes for some brilliant
disembodied company, and fans shouldn’t hesitate to sit through Halloween III with him.
And rest assured, both commentaries enjoy poking fun at Atkins’
character’s natural ability to hit on anything without a Y chromosome.
Additionally,
a selection of trailers and a still gallery are included to round out a package
that even incorporates reversible artwork. If there’s one problem worth noting,
then it’s the lack of a scene selection option. I mean, c’mon, what gives?
Final Processing
This
was the disc that finally convinced me to buy a region-free Blu-ray player
(albeit a modestly priced one with all the durability of a Kinder Egg), and I’m
glad I took the plunge. Shout! Factory have released what looks set to be the
definitive edition of Halloween III:
Season of the Witch for a while at the very least. Any fans on this side of
the pond not held back by region coding shouldn't hesitate to mark it down on their import list.
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