Piranha 2 The Spawning Blu-ray

Firstly, a HUGE thanks to our Patreon supporters. Your generosity touches me deeply. These supporters have become the single biggest contributing factor to the survival of DVDBeaver. Your assistance has become essential. We are always trying to expand Patron benefits... you get access to the Silent Auctions and over 5000 unpublished screen captures (in lossless PNG format, if that has appeal for you) listed HERE. Please consider helping with $3 or more each month so we can continue to do our best in giving you timely, thorough reviews, calendar updates and detailed comparisons. Thank you so much. We aren't going to exist without another 100 or so patrons.

Search DVDBeaver

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

("Piranha II: Flying Killers" or "Piranha II: The Spawning" or "Piraña II: los vampiros del mar" or "The Spawning" or "Piranha Part Two: The Spawning")

Directed by James Cameron, Ovidio G. Assonitis (uncredited)
USA / Italy / Netherlands 1981

It may seem like paradise, but just off shore, a new brand of terror has been unleashed ...
While investigating the mysterious death of a diver, scuba instructor Anne Kimbrough (Tricia O’Neil, Are You In The House Alone?) makes a horrific discovery: mutated piranhas, with wings that enable them to fly, are responsible for the death. As the body count rises, Anne desperately tries to convince the manager of the resort to call off the annual fish fry on the beach, but he’s determined to give his guests the ultimate feeding frenzy. This exciting sequel to Joe Dante’s original Piranha also stars Lance Henriksen (Aliens, The Terminator) and is the directorial debut of James Cameron (Avatar, The Terminator, Aliens)

***

This poorly scripted horror film about miniature, finny "jaws" details the mating rituals of the fictional "grunion" fish (falsely introduced as "piranhas" for more box-office recognition) and their need to attack and kill humans -- either inside or outside the water. These saber-toothed wonders have been hatched from a canister of eggs on a sunken ship in front of a posh Club Med resort, which features the mating rituals of humans who at times need to attack and kill fish. The product of a series of secret genetic engineering experiments, the toothy fish are to be tracked down by an undercover biochemist (Steve Marachuk), who is soon joined by the resident scuba diver at the resort (Tricia O'Neil). With believable gore but second-rate special effects, this film in no way presages the coming success of its debut director, James Cameron.

Excerpt from B+N Located HERE

Posters / Video Covers / Laserdisc Covers

Theatrical Release: December, 1981

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

Comparison:

Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray vs. 88 Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

Distribution	Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray	88 Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:34:38.214	1:34:38.172
Video	1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rays Disc Size: 31,601,436,002 bytes Feature: 24,457,605,120 bytes Video Bitrate: 30.99 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video	1.85:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-rays Disc Size: 25,122,574,629 bytes Feature: 24,701,552,640 bytes Video Bitrate: 30.86 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Shout! Factory Blu-ray:
Bitrate 88 Films Blu-ray:
Audio	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1660 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1660 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)	LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles	English, None	English (SDH), None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Shout! Factory 1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rays Disc Size: 31,601,436,002 bytes Feature: 24,457,605,120 bytes Video Bitrate: 30.99 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Interview with Actor Rick Paull Goldin (15:55) • Interview with Make-Up Effects Artist Brian Wade (14:09) • Trailer (1:50) Blu-ray Release Date: July 31st, 2018 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 12	Release Information: Studio: 88 Films 1.85:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-rays Disc Size: 25,122,574,629 bytes Feature: 24,701,552,640 bytes Video Bitrate: 30.86 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Gloss O-Card slipcase Double-sided A3 Foldout Poster • Original Trailer (1:50) • Reversible sleeve featuring original “Flying Killers” poster Blu-ray Release Date: August 24th, 2020 Standard Blu-ray Case inside cardboard slipcase Chapters 12

Comments:

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

88 Films in the UK have also brought the cult classic Piranha II: The Spawning to Blu-ray with a "NEW 2K Scan From The Original Camera Negative!". It's the exact same image quality as the Shout! Factory from 2018, and the audio is 24-bit - albeit linear PCM and it also offers optional English subtitles (see samples below.) Extras for the disc are only the same trailer but this limited edition (3,0000 copies) has a sweet Gloss O-card slipcase, a double-sided A3 foldout poster and the package has a reversible sleeve featuring original “Flying Killers” poster. Region 'B' schlock fans should love this one...

***

Shout! Factory have brought the cult classic Piranha II: The Spawning to Blu-ray with a "NEW 2K Scan From The Original Camera Negative!". It's on a dual-layered disc with a high bitrate but colors can be dullish and the overall visuals are thick but probably a decent representation of the less-resilient 80's film stock used. It can look a bit soft in the opening scenes but is generally consistent with surprising detail in close-ups. There is no damage and the in-motion 1080P presentation is adept - most likely as good as it will get for this schlock favorite.

Shout! Factory provide a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel (24-bit) track in the original English language. There is an early sequence with some sync issues but the film's intensity is focused into the score by Stelvio Cipriani (What Have They Done to Your Daughters?, The Night Child, Nightmare City, The Blood Stained Shadow, Killer Cop, Rabid Dogs, Baron Blood, A Bay of Blood). . It raises the tension and sounds solid in the lossless. Shout! Factory add optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

Supplements include a new 16-minute interview with actor Rick Paull Goldin (Chris Kimbrough in the Piranha Part Two: The Spawning) remembering the production and another, almost 1/4 hour interview with 'Make-Up Effects' artist Brian Wade cited as being the 'piranha sculptor' for the film. Lastly, is a trailer - there are no liner notes.

Piranha II: The Spawning seems a mix-n-match production with many scenes, including some nudity and underwater-sex thrown together for its trashiness to garner some exploitation appeal. It's silly overall but the kitsch attraction is that it takes itself seriously. The Shout! Factory Blu-ray has value with the film's uniqueness being a James Cameron credit and the over-the-top premise of flying piranha fish. Recommended to those who get as big of a kick out of this as I did.