
Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice 4K
(2024/Warner 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray)/For
Your Consideration
(2006/Castle Rock/Warner Archive Blu-ray)/Infinite
Santa 8000
(2013/Synapse*)/Toxic
Crusaders: The Series
(1991-1993/Troma/*both MVD Blu-ray)
4K
Ultra HD Picture: B+ Picture: X/B+/B+/B- Sound: B+/B+/B+/B-
Extras: C/C+/B/B Main Programs: C/B/C/C+
PLEASE
NOTE:
The For
Your Consideration
Blu-ray is now only available from Warner Bros. through their Warner
Archive series and can be ordered from the link below.
Now
for some creepy comedy for the holidays...
Tim
Burton's Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice 4K
(2024) is the highly belated, yet still hoped for sequel to the 1985
hit Michael Keaton horror comedy with Keaton (as big and as relevant
as ever!) is back as the title character and it is as if after about
40 years, he never stopped. The Deetz Family has an unfortunate, sad
event happen that brings three generations of them together as a
result, with Lydia (Winona Ryder, full rejuvenated by her remarkable
work on the instant classic Stranger
Things)
is still upset and haunted by the title character. It will get worse
when he finally returns.
Unfortunately,
it takes forever for him to return and the screenplay drags out,
especially if you are not a fan of the original hit film. There is
some goof work here in costumes, production design, visual effects
and other money on the screen, but really helping out beyond that is
a supporting cast that tries to keep this going. They include solid
turns by Catherine O'Hara, Jenny Ortega, Justin Theroux, Willem
Dafoe, Arthur Conti and Monica Bellucci. That makes it all the more
disappointing that it never gels and worse. Even some big fans were
unhappy and even all these decades later, this could have worked
better. Too bad, but it has been a moderate hit and one of the few
Burton has had since he massacred Planet
Of The Apes
so horrifically back in 2001.
If
you have not seen it and are very curious, see it and fans who have
not already will do just that. At least the 4K disc is top rate.
The
2160p HEVC/H.265, 1.85 X 1, Dolby Vision/HDR (10; Ultra HD
Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image on Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice 4K
looks good and is an all-HD shoot, but I do not like the color
highlights or approach chosen, trying to match the first film, yet
not totally succeeding or complementing it. I thought the look would
change after the first few minutes or even scenes, but no. It just
goes on and on and on and on in the same form and it is ultimately
miserable and is barely the best performer on the list. The
lossless Dolby Atmos
(Dolby TrueHD 7.1 mixdown for older systems) is also decent, well
recorded, mixed and mastered and professional. However, it too is
only so engaging, so its fine for what it is, but limited and the
combination is too. Fans will hopefully be happier.
Extras
include Digital Code, while the disc adds:
Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice Commentary by director Tim Burton
The
Juice is Loose! The Making of Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice.
The
Ghost with the Most: Beetlejuice Returns
Meet
the Deetz
Handbook
for the Recently Deceased
Shrinkers,
Shrinkers Everywhere!
An
Animated Afterlife: The Stop-Motion Art of Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice
and
'Til
Death Do Us Park.
For
more on the original film, here is our coverage of the film in 4K...
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/15774/Best+Of+Cher+(1975,+1978+-+2013/Time+Life
And
on regular Blu-ray years before...
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/7924/Beetlejuice+%E2%80%93+20th+Anniversary+Delux
A
hilarious-yet-dated Mockumentary that goes behind the scenes of a
Hollywood production that gets some Oscar buzz from this new fangled
thing called ''the internet'', For
Your Consideration
(2006) has a huge cast of familiar faces including Catherine O'Hara,
Parker Posey, Eugene Levy, Michael McKean, and Ricky Gervais to name
a few.
The
film offers Director Christopher Guest's sharp filmmaking skills in
top form as he tells the story of a troubled production infiltrated
with egos from different departments that fuel a traveling rumor
about an Oscar nomination for one of the stars that gets bigger and
bigger as it goes along. It is also a time capsule of a recent,
older Hollywood that is slightly gone, but much of this remains as
true and comically as realistic and true as ever.
For
Your Consideration
is presented in 1080p high definition on Blu-ray disc with an MPEG-4
AVC codec, a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and an English DTS-HD
MA (Master Audio) 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit) soundmix. The film has been
nicely restored on Blu-ray and looks great on this Blu-ray release
which is surprisingly its first release on Blu-ray in the states.
Special
Features:
Commentary
by writers Eugene Levy and Christopher Guest
Over
30 Minutes of Hilarious Bonus Material
and
an Original Theatrical Trailer.
For
Your Consideration
is pretty hilarious with a strong cast that carries it through.
The
crudely animated Infinite
Santa 8000
(2013) gets a new transfer from Synapse Films in time for the holiday
season. From the mind of filmmaker Michael Neel and originally a web
series, the adult Christmas film feels like a low budget adult swim
episode that goes to great lengths to demonize innocent characters
from not just Christmas, but other holidays as well..
The
film features the voice talents of Duane Bruce, Tara Henry, and
Michael Neel.
A
heavy metal Christmas tale set in the year 8000 where everyone must
kill to survive in the war torn post apocalyptic world. Its up to
Santa and his sidekick Martha to fight a hellish landscape of evil
robots, mutated animals, and of course The Easter Bunny leading up to
a Mad Doctor that is hellbent on world domination. The film goes to
great lengths to be shocking and ''evil heavy metal'' in its
execution of hellish animation. Not much of it works and it feels
more like a desperate attempt to be controversial.
Infinite
Santa 8000
is presented in 1080p high definition on Blu-ray disc with an MPEG-4
AVC codec, a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and a lossless English
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Stereo (48kHz, 24-bit) soundmix. The
sound track is predominately death metal style music that lends
itself well to the zany content therein. Considering the animation
style, the transfer is up to the high standards set by Synapse who
consistently make great looking discs.
Special
Features:
Audio
commentary with creators Greg Ansin and Michael Neel
The
complete original 13-part web series (including optional audio
commentary)
and
multiple interview featurettes with cast and crew.
Infinite
Santa 8000
will appeal to a certain crowd, but it tries a bit too hard on the
whole though is not without its own brand of creativity.
A
spin off of The
Toxic Avenger
films from Troma Entertainment, the Saturday Morning Kids Cartoon
vibe of Toxic
Crusaders: The Series
(1991 - 1993) which is for the whole family unlike the film series
which is definitely for adults only. Fans of the Troma have been
eagerly awaiting this release for some years to have as a companion
piece to The
Toxic Avenger Collection,
which out on 4K UHD and reviewed elsewhere on this site at...
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/16363/Equalizer+3/Gran+Turismo+(both+2023/Sony+Blu
With
an underlying environmental message similar to Captain Planet
(reviewed elsewhere on this site,) but with a Troma spin, the bizarre
superhero Toxie uses his new powers to clean up the evil and greedy
forces that are willing to poison the environment. Meanwhile, the
sinister Dr. Killemoff wants to destroy the Earth with toxic
chemicals and radioactive waste, so it resembles his polluted planet
Smogula and its up to Toxie and his team to stop them.
The
animated series features the voice talents of Gregg Berger, Susan
Blu, Rodger Bumpass, Paul Eiding, and Ed Gilbert. Two major guest
voices were Michael J. Pollard (Bonnie and Clyde) and Chuck McCann
(Far
Out Space Nuts
and Pac-Man).
The first episode was written by Chuck Lorre, who went on to create
Two
and a Half Men,
The
Big Bang Theory
and HBO's Bookie.
Of
course Troma's co-founders, Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, also
co-wrote a few scripts too.
13
Episodes span two discs and include The
Making of Toxie, This Spud's For You, Club Fred, Tree Troubles, The
Pollution Solution, A Site for Sore Eyes, Mr Earth-Superhero, Toxie
Ties The Knot, Invasion of the Biddy Snatchers, The Snail Must Go
Through, Nab that Toxie Cab, Still Crazy After All These Shears,
and That's
No Villain That's My Mom.
Toxic
Crusaders
is presented in 1080p high definition on Blu-ray disc with an MPEG-4
AVC codec, a full frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1 and lossy English
Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 kbps) Stereo sound vs. a lossless track not
here for some reason. The series is dated for sure and the transfer
reflects that of a dated television cartoon with a transfer that
isn't pristine. The film has been remastered and looks as good as it
can considering its low budget nature and age. The imperfections
actually work in its favor as it's an aged '80s style Saturday
Morning Cartoon.
Special
Features:
New
introduction by Lloyd Kaufman
Commercials
for Toxic Crusaders toys
TV
spots
Lost
archival footage
and
a documentary on the video game.
Toxic
Crusaders
is fun for fans of the Toxic Avenger character and for nostalgic pop
culture reasons. It is almost a bit absurd that a film as violent
and sexually charged as The
Toxic Avenger
would get a children's show spin-off in the first place, but maybe
that's part of the joke. Considering the character is popular more
with cult film fanatics than your normal everyday joe, it's something
of a small miracle that this animated series even exists and is a
product of its time.
To
order the
For
Your Consideration
Blu-ray go to this link for it and many more great web-exclusive
releases at:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/ED270804-095F-449B-9B69-6CEE46A0B2BF?ingress=0&visitId=6171710b-08c8-4829-803d-d8b922581c55&tag=blurayforum-20
-
Nicholas Sheffo (4K) and James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/