My Bloody Valentine (2009/Lionsgate Blu-ray + DVD/3-D and 2-D Versions)
3-D Picture:
B/B- 2-D Picture: B-/C+ Sound: B/B- Extras: C- Feature: C-
The
original My Bloody Valentine from
1981 was not exactly a slasher classic, but something unique and different from
the other films in the genre, starting with the unique use of Canadian
locations at a time when shooting in the country was less typical. Add the use of actual underground shooting
and it stood out among the usually U.S.-make productions. The new and usually uninspiring 3-D cycle has
added a little new life to the played out Horror genre and a 2009 remake that
is flatter than it should have been.
Shot in
Pittsburgh and surrounding areas in digital High Definition, the characters are
uninteresting, one-dimensional, highly undeveloped and the teens here are made
to sound hip, with it and of our time in the most desperate ways. Yawn!
They are so boring, you wonder if they will even feel a pick-ax if one
went through them, but that is the desensitizing side of the genre and everyone
seems very bored. You will too.
As
compared to the original, which was somewhat original, had some fun moments,
wacky gore sequences (in its uncut edition) and some life to it, this is very
by-the-numbers and very run of the mill.
Out in Blu-ray and DVD editions, both offer regular playback (2-D) and
3-D with four pairs of glasses included, but that cannot save this mess and the
3-D is so underutilized and badly used that even that aspect is a bore. Skip this one!
The 1080p
1.78:1 digital High Definition image is good, but not great in 3-D, again not
using the effect to best advantage and half-baked depth shots are not the same
as using 3-D fully. The 2-D version is
even weaker, with constant motion blur the 3-D gets away with. The anamorphically enhanced DVD versions work
much the same way, but have weaker picture than the Blu-ray. The DTS-HD Master Audio (MA) lossless 7.1 mix
shows the limits of the production’s recording, which mirrors the lack of
dimension of the 3-D image, rarely kicking in.
The Dolby Digital 5.1 EX mix on the DVD is even weaker, with some of the
dialogue in both mixes barely stereophonic.
A disappointment across the board and formats.
Extras
include Blu-ray exclusive Digital Copy, Lionsgate Live & MoLog BD Live
functions, while both editions offer an audio commentary track by Director
Patrick Lussier & Co-Writer Todd Farmer, alternate ending, two featurettes,
gag reel and deleted & extended scenes.
Not much to see here.
For more
on the original film and storyline, try this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/8206/My+Bloody+Valentine+(1981/Lionsgate
- Nicholas Sheffo