Code Red DVD

Region 0 - NTSC

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 7.46 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

BOTH:

LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit
Commentaries:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• Audio Commentary with director Ricahrd Friedman and production manager Bill Tasgal
• Interviews with Friedman, Tasgal and producer Alex Kogan Jr. (10:54)
• BOARDINGHOUSE trailer (4:3; 1:14)
• THE DARK RIDE TV spot (4:3; 0:30)
• THE FARMER trailer (4:3; 2:07)
• SILENT SCREAM trailer (4:3; 1:10)
• THE FOREST trailer (16:9; 1:06)
• DEVIL TIMES FIVE trailer (16:9; 2:11)
• HUMAN EXPERIMENTS trailer (4:3; 2:27)
• NIGHTMARE trailer (4:3; 2:31)
• STINGRAY trailer (4:3; 3:04)
• LOVE ME DEADLY (4:3; 0:50)

DVD Release Date: July 15, 2008
Amaray

Chapters 12

Chapters 12 + 12

"Doom Asylum is presented in both the 1.85:1 and 1.37:1 aspect ratio with mono audio.

The original 35mm camera negative was scanned in 2K resolution, graded and restored at OCN Labs. The original video masters were sourced for the video inserts. The grade was supervised and this restoration was approved by director of photography Larry Revene.

The soundtrack was sourced from a set of original ¾" tape masters. The audio sync will appear slightly loose against the picture, due to the fact that the soundtrack was recorded partly in post-production."

Arrow Video presents Doom Asylum in either the fullscreen 1.33:1 or widescreen 1.78:1 aspect ratios. The widescreen seems to be a matted version of the fullscreen version, with no extra information of the sides of the frame. Both films have a high bitrate, with the fullframe version having a slightly higher one. The image is rich in detail and the colors look great. The title sequence, and various Tod Slaughter movie footage is of video-transfer quality. There is a fair amount of grain in the image, giving the movie a theatrical filmic appearance. Contrast is quite an improvement over the Code Red DVD as well. Overall, fans of the film will be very pleased with the transfer here.

The film is presented in its original mono on a 24-bit linear PCM audio track. The various horror noises are present here, and come through sounding pretty clean. There isn't any noticeable damage. As stated by Arrow, the sync can be slightly off occasionally but this is hardly an issue. The music in the film is thanks to Dave Erlanger and Jonathan Stuart. And who can forget the Tina and the Tots performance. There are optional English SDH subtitles on this Region Free Blu-ray.

The extras start with an audio commentary with "Doom Asylum" screenwriter Rick Marx. The track is moderated by Howard Berger. This is an interesting track with lots of information on the film. For a more fun and laid back track, we have another audio commentary with The Hysteria Continues podcast team (Erik Threlfall, Joseph Henson, and Nathan Johnson, lead by Justin Kerswell, author of "The Teenage Slasher Movie Book"). Next up is Tina’s Terror, a new 18-minute interview with actress Ruth Collins discussing her work on Doom Asylum. Movie Madhouse is another new extra, a 19-minute interview with the director of photography Larry Revene. We also get, "Morgues & Mayhem", a new 18-minute interview with special make-up effects creator Vincent J. Guastini. There is also the option to watch 11-minutes of archival interviews with executive producer Alexander W. Kogan, Jr., director Richard Friedman, and production manager Bill Tasgal. These interviews were previously available on the Code Red DVD. We also get a 3-minute animated stills gallery, and a 24-page insert booklet with the essay “To the Denizens of Doom Asylum: A Love Letter” by Amanda Reyes.

Doom Asylum is a fun pastiche of slasher tropes from the 80s, from the abandoned mental hospital to the wise-cracking driller killer. Fans of the film will be happy with this upgrade. The Arrow Blu-ray visuals are a huge improvement over the previously available DVD from Code Red. And ya, that is "Charlotte" (Kristin Davis) in her first film role. Highly recommended to genre fans.

Colin Zaivitz

***

ON THE DVD: Code Red's DOOM ASYLUM was previously released in 2007 with a different cover but this edition under review is the 2008 reissue now that Code Red releases are being distributed by Navarre Corporation (they were previously handled by Media Blasters). The shot-on-film, edited-on-video image necessarily comes from a video master but looks good on an interlaced TV but soft on flat panel monitors.

Director Friedman and production manager Tasgal provide a loose commentary in which they express constant amazement at their luck in finding such a genuine, atmospheric location and how many of angles of Kristin Davis in a bikini they managed to capture. They also point out the footage that was cut from the video release (for better or worse, this footage looks as good as the rest of the film). Friedman and Tasgal appear in an on-camera interview with producer Alex W. Kogan Jr. Trailers for several upcoming Code Red releases round out the package.

 - Eric Cotenas

1) Arrow (1.33:1) - Region FREE - Blu-ray  - TOP

2) Arrow (1.78:1) - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Code Red DVD - Region 0 - NTSC  - TOP

2) Arrow (1.33:1) - Region FREE - Blu-ray  - MIDDLE

3) Arrow (1.78:1) - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

Code Red DVD

Region 0 - NTSC