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 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

Directed by Max Kalmanowicz
 USA 1980

 

Something is terrifyingly wrong with the children of Ravenback. After their school bus passes through a mysterious cloud of yellow smoke, the children are are transformed into bloodthirsty zombies with black fingernails which burn anything they touch. As parents and unwitting townspeople are burned to a crisp, the local police force frantically searches for the missing kids, unaware of their new and deadly powers…

Shot back to back with FRIDAY THE 13TH, and sharing some of the same crew, Max Kalmanowicz’s THE CHILDREN is an outrageous and fun drive-in horror classic. Featuring an eerie score from Harry Manfredini (FRIDAY THE 13TH) and produced by Carlton Albright (LUTHER THE GEEK), Vinegar Syndrome brings THE CHILDREN to Blu-ray, newly restored from the best surviving film elements and in its extended director’s cut!.

Theatrical Release: June 13th, 1980

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Review: Vinegar Syndrome - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Cover

CLICK to order from:
Distribution Vinegar Syndrome - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:33:39.905          
Video

1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 35,251,541,468 bytes

Feature: 27,016,731,264 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.93 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

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

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1409 kbps 1.0 / 96 kHz / 1409 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit)
Commentaries:

Dolby Digital Audio English 128 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 128 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio English 128 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 128 kbps / DN -4dB
Subtitles English (SDH), none
Features Release Information:
Studio: Vinegar Syndrome

 

1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 35,251,541,468 bytes

Feature: 27,016,731,264 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.93 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• AUDIO COMMENTARY WITH DIRECTOR MAX KALMANOWICZ
• AUDIO COMMENTARY WITH PRODUCER/CO-WRITER CARLTON J. ALBRIGHT
• "CHILDHOOD MEMORIES: MAKING THE CHILDREN" AN INTERVIEW WITH CARLTON J. ALBRIGHT & PRODUCTION MANAGER DAVID PLATT (17:04)
• "RETURN TO RAVENSBACK" A LOCATIONS THEN-AND-NOW FEATURETTE (09:42)
• "THE LOST SCENE" AUDIO FROM A LOST SCENE OF THE CHILDREN (02:42)
ARCHIVAL VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH CARLTON J. ALBRIGHT (07:09)
• "MEMORIES OF THE CHILDREN" ARCHIVAL FEATURETTE WITH: CARLTON J. ALBRIGHT. PATRICIA ALBRIGHT & GIL ROGERS (03:14)
• "MAKING THE CHILDREN" ARCHIVAL FEATURETTE WITH: CARLTON J. ALBRIGHT & DAVID PLATT (02:55)
• "THE CHILDREN: THE MUSICAL" ARCHIVAL INTERVIEW WITH STAN RICHARDSON, CO-CREATOR OF THE MUSICAL RENDITION OF THE CHILDREN (11:03)
• Reversible cover artwork


 Blu-ray Release Date: November 23rd, 2018
 Custom Blu-ray Case

Chapters 5

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

Vinegar Syndrome bring 1980's "The Children" to us on a dual-layered Blu-ray cited as "Newly scanned & restored in 2k from a combination of its 35mm original camera negative and best surviving 35mm theatrical prints". The 1.85:1 image features a maxed out bitrate. Though the picture quality varies from scene-to-scene, for the most part this is a solid transfer. The rougher looking scenes are most likely due to the film stock used in production and not a fault of the transfer. Colors look good, dated but good. Contrast is also pretty healthy. Detail is usually very impressive though some scenes do look a little soft. Overall a nice transfer from the folks at Vinegar Syndrome.

"The Children" is presented in its original 1.0 mono, on a 24-bit DTS-HD track. Though things can sound a little flat at times, this is a reasonable track. Dialogue is clearly audible, and the score is by none other than Harry Manfredini (Swamp Thing). There are optional English SDH subtitles on this Region Free Blu-ray.

Vinegar Syndrome have stacked this Blu-ray with a number of notable extras. There are 2 audio commentaries, one with director Max Kalmanowicz and one with producer/co-writer Carlton J. Albright. "Childhood Memories: Making the Children" is a 17-minute interview with Carlton J. Albright and production manager David Platt. "Return to Ravensback" is a 10-minute piece showing what the shooting locations look like now. "The Lost Scene" is 3-minutes of audio from a scene where the picture was lost. There are also some archival interviews including a 7-minute one with Albright; the 3-minute "Memories of the Children" with Carlton J. Albright, Patricia Albright and Gil Rogers; and the 3-minute "Making the Children" with Albright and Platt. "The Children: A Musical" is an interview with Stan Richardson, co-creator of the musical rendition of "The Children".

Vinegar Syndrome have another hit on their hands here with this offbeat slice of celluloid. Recommended.

Colin Zavitz

 

Menus / Extras

 

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Box Cover

CLICK to order from:
Distribution Vinegar Syndrome - Region FREE - Blu-ray


 


 

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