Review by Brian Montgomery
Studio:
Theatrical: Tristar Pictures
Blu-ray: Lionsgate
Disc:
Region: FREE!
(as verified by the
Momitsu region FREE Blu-ray player)
Runtime: 1:22:10.759
Disc Size: 47,661,485,210 bytes
Feature Size: 25,663,672,320 bytes
Video Bitrate: 34.99 Mbps
Chapters: 17
Case: Standard Blu-ray case
Release date: November 24th, 2009
Video:
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio:
DTS-HD Master Audio English 3806 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3806
kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit /
DN -4dB)
Dolby Digital Audio English 224 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 224 kbps
/ DN -4dB / Dolby Surround
Dolby Digital Audio English 224 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 224 kbps
/ DN -4dB / Dolby Surround
Dolby Digital Audio English 224 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 224 kbps
/ DN -4dB / Dolby Surround
Subtitles:
English (SDH), English, Spanish,
none
Extras:
• Audio comentary with co-writer/director
Fred Dekker and Squad members Andre Gower,
Ryan Lambert and Ashley Bank
• Audio comentary with co-writer/director
Fred Dekker and director of photography
Bradford May
• Monster Squad Forever!
• A Conversation with Frankenstein (8:39)
• Deleted scenes (14:00)
• Animated storyboard sequences (1:40)
• Stills gallery
• Original theatrical trailer and TV spots
The Film:
Seventh-grade horror fanatics come to the
rescue when their town is invaded by
Dracula, the Frankenstein monster, the Wolf
Man, the Mummy, and the Creature From the
Black Lagoon. Released in 1987, this kiddie
comedy has accumulated a sufficient glaze of
nostalgia to win a 20th-anniversary DVD
package. But as a former seventh-grade
horror fanatic, I was seriously put off by
it: even a burlesque like Abbott and
Costello Meet Frankenstein managed to create
some sense of genuine menace, yet the
monsters here seem less reminiscent of the
Universal classics than of a Universal
Studios tour. Fred Dekker directed a script
he cowrote with Shane Black, who moved on to
greener pastures with the Lethal Weapon
series
Excerpt of review from J. R. Jones located
HERE
Image:
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray
captures were taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.
The image on the disc is surprisingly good.
Using a MPEG-4 AVC codec at 1080p
resolution, the video here certainly hasn't
looked this good since it first played in
theaters. There are no signs of artificial
manipulations, artefacting, or damage to be
found anywhere on the print. The clarity of
the image is often jaw dropping for a film
from the mid 1980s, and the colors look
vibrant and warm. Indeed, the stereotypical
80s fashion sported by Horace (aka "Fat
Kid") simply look amazing, and for those of
us who survived the era, they'll bring you
back to the time.
Audio & Music:
The disc also sports a lossless DTS-HD MA
5.1 in addition to an optional Dolby Digital
2.0 track. The former audio track is very
strong and clear. It ranks among the best
5.1 HD tracks that I've come across,
boasting no instances of unwanted background
noise or signs of artificial manipulations.
The music really shines here, with a
stereotypical montage segment of the kids
preparing for battle with an uplifting power
ballad really standing out for a number of
reasons. The 2.0 track is acceptable, but
given the HD option, I'm not sure why one
might bother with it. The optional English
and Spanish subtitles are clear and don't
obstruct the image.
Extras:
The disc also boasts a surprising amount of
extras. First, there are two commentary
tracks on the disc. Both tracks feature
director Fred Dekker, but the first has
three of the child actors from the film
(long since grown up), and the second has
him with cinematographer Bradford May. So
far I've only listened to the first, but it
was quite fascinating to hear what happened
to the actors in the film. Sadly, Dekker
reveals that Brent Challam, who played
Horace in the film, died of pneumonia at
only 22. The film also boasts a five part
documentary entitled "Monster Squad
Forever!", which the filmmakers discuss the
making of the film and runs longer than the
film itself! Next, there's a very strange
mock interview with actor Tom Noonan as
Frankenstein, discussing his Hollywood
career from the 1930s through the mid 1980s.
The interview is amusing, but more grin and
chuckle inducing then laugh out loud funny.
Next, there are animated storyboard to film
comparisons as well as a stills gallery, and
trailers and TV spots. Finally, there's also
14 minutes worth of extended and deleted
scenes.
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Bottom line:
"Monster Squad" was a childhood favorite of
mine, and one that I haven't revisited since
since I was about 10. When I saw it for a
mere eight dollars I thought that I would
pick it up and give it a shot. I was
pleasantly surprised to see that much of it
held up to my memories. It's no masterpiece,
but it was still a lot of fun. Given the low
price and the exceptionally high quality of
the disc, I can easily recommend it.
Brian Montgomery
April 14th, 2010
