Gregory Horror Show – The Nightmare Begins…
Picture: C+
Sound: B- Extras: C- Shorts: C-
Though the vast majority of the Geneon/Pioneer releases
are Japanese Animé titles, the company has decided to issue a strange and maybe
even questionable series of CG animated shorts series called The Gregory
Horror Show. Though it was made in
2002, it looks so old that its animation’s cyber memory limits make it look
much older, not to mention the over-simplification of the characters.
The gist of each installment is that it tries to
capitalize on a childish fear and exploit it by using the camera constantly as
the point of view of the viewer, who is supposed to be terrified or get so
involved that the effects of being trapped will somehow eventually take hold of
the viewer. Is this supposed to be
fun? I found it stupid, repetitious,
and maybe a problem for some viewers above the age 13 minimum the box
recommends.
The full screen 1.33 X 1 image is older-looking CG that
looks like an early PC mystery game with tons of function and graphic
limits. That might be the intent, then
you have no control of the point of view versus even those antiquated games,
which you can take as laughably stupid or possibly a form of psychological
terrorism. This is not for children and
any adult showing it to a child is a total idiot.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo with some Pro Logic surrounds
is the strongest feature of this DVD by default, also being the most modern
thing about the whole presentation.
Extras include four more ultimately annoying and pointless installments
of a sister set of shorts with some of the same characters. You may be curious to see it once, but you
will be bored afterwards, so see The Gregory Horror Show with zero
expectations if you are no offended.
- Nicholas Sheffo
