Sweet Sixteen Blu-ray - Susan Strasberg

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

directed by Jim Sotos
USA 1983

Melissa (Aleisha Shirley) is the new girl at school in a small town (her father [a slumming Patrick Macnee] is an archaeologist excavating a local Indian burial ground) and having a hard time fitting in (despite some frontal nudity in the film's opening shower scene). It seems that every guy who takes an interest in her winds up getting offed (most of the film's victims are men). While the local sheriff (Bo Hopkins) thinks he has a psycho-killer on the loose and also has to deal with racial tensions, his daughter Marci (Dana Kimmel, FRIDAY THE 13TH 3-D) decides to play Nancy Drew. Things come to a head when Melissa's mother (a slumming Susan Strasberg) invites everyone to Melissa's Sweet Sixteen party. Though advertised then and now as a slasher film, SWEET SIXTEEN plays more like a small-town mystery thriller. There's a lot going on for a slasher film, there's tension between the locals (lead by Don Stroud in redneck mode) and the Native American population, TV movie of the week popular high school girls ostracizing the new kid, family tension, a godawful 70's throwback theme song, suggestions of the occult what with the burial ground and Melissa's set of Tarot card (the theatrical cut begins with a more gothic horror atmosphere which is nice but ultimately does not fit the rest of the film).

Eric Cotenas

Theatrical Release: September 1983 (USA)

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Comparison:

Code Red DVD (Director's Cut) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. 88 Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for the Review!

1) Code Red - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT

2) 88 Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - RIGHT

Box Covers
Distribution	Code Red DVD Region 0 - NTSC	88 Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:27:57	1:27:58.856
Video	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.83 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1080P / 23.976 fps Single-layered Disc Size: 23,760,277,779 bytes Feature: 22,268,866,560 bytes Video Bitrate: 29.62 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Bitrate Blu-ray
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 2.0 mono)	LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 224 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 224 kbps
Subtitles	none	English, none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Code Red DVD Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Theatrical Cut (16:9; 4.6 Mb/sec; 1:27:39) • Introduction with Aleisa Shirley and Scott Spiegel (4:3; 1:32) • Audio commentary with Aleisa Shirley and Jim Sotos moderated by Scott Spiegel • Interviews with Aleisa Shirley and Bo Hopkins (4:3; 19:37) • Press Kit Gallery • Theatrical Trailer (4:3; 2:02) • NIGHTMARE trailer (4:3; 2:38) • STUNT ROCK trailer (4:3; 2:32) • RITUALS trailer (16:9; 0:53) • BALALAIKA CONSPIRACY trailer (16:9; 3:52) DVD Release Date: October 14th, 2008 Amaray Chapters 12	Release Information: Studio: Arrow Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 1080P / 23.976 fps Single-layered Disc Size: 23,760,277,779 bytes Feature: 22,268,866,560 bytes Video Bitrate: 29.62 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Audio Commentary by the Hysteria Continues Podcast Team • Birthday Bloodshed - Interview with Jim Harper, author of Legacy of Blood (10:23) • Reversible Sleeve with alternate Non-Slasher Collection Artwork Blu-ray Release Date: February 12th, 2018 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 12

Comments

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

ADDITION: 88 Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray (March 2018): 88 Films gives us a new HD master of the theatrical cut. The film is in 1.78:1 Widescreen and the quality is pretty decent. There are a few instances of scratches and speckles but they are not overwhelming. These imperfections add to the filmic quality and don't really detract from the viewing experience. Some darker scenes suffer from lack of detail but once again, this is probably due to the source material.

88 Films have included a Linear PCM 2.0 mono (24-bit) track. There are no real issues with the audio that aren't due to the original production's limitations. There are optional English subtitles on the Region 'B' Blu-ray disc.

88 Films have included an audio commentary from "The Hysteria Continues" podcast team. The gang is full of slasher-movie knowledge and this is a pretty fun and informative listen for any fans of the film/genre. Most interesting is hearing about the different cuts of the film. Also included is the 10-minute "Birthday Bloodshed", an interview with Jim Harper, author of Legacy of Blood Jim talks about the various cast members and the films possible influence on later slashers like Halloween 4.

Colin Zavitz

ON THE DVD: Both the director's cut and theatrical cuts of the film on this disc are both darkish and a bit soft which is endemic of the original cinematography but there is also a disclaimer stating that the original negatives no longer exist. The director's cut is anamorphic and progressive.

The full theatrical cut is an extra on the disc. The most noticeable difference is a more atmospheric title sequence than that of the director's cut (the shower scene from the director's cut does not appear here). Though anamorphic, it is interlaced and probably from a video master (its a bit grainier but also a tad sharper than the director's cut). Framing is slightly different vertically but doesn't make much of a difference. (Audio on both versions are hissy but both are significantly better than the quality of the audio commentary which has been so noise reduced that its painful to listen to with star Aleisa Shirley and director Jim Sotos moderated by Scott Spiegel (Shirley and co-star Bo Hopkins provide onscreen interviews as well).

- Eric Cotenas

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