Universal Pictures

Region 1 - NTSC

2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.11 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.

Universal Pictures

Arrow Video Blu-ray

Shout Factory Blu-ray

DTS Audio English 1509 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit
Commentaries: DTS Audio English 1509 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit
DTS Audio English 1509 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit
DTS Audio English 1509 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.35:1

Edition Details:
• Theatrical Trailer (4:3; 1:27)

DVD Release Date: 7 September 2004
Amaray

Chapters 18
 

Edition Details:
• 4 panel reversible sleeve options with original and newly commissioned artwork
• Double-sided fold-out artwork poster
• Collector’s booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by critic and author Kim Newman.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
• Audio commentary with The Funhouse S/FX wizard Craig Reardon and Jeffrey Reddick (creator of The Final Destination series)
• Audio commentary with producer Derek Power and genre scholar Howard S. Berger
• Audio commentary with Justin Kerswell, author of ‘Teenage Wasteland’ and host of the slasher cinema website Hysteria Lives, and author Calum Waddell
• Carnage at the Carnival: Tobe Hooper Remembers ‘The Funhouse’ (16:25)
• Miles of Mayhem: Acting in Tobe’s Funhouse with star Miles Chapin (21:12)
• A Trilogy of Terror: The Make-up Madness of Craig Reardon, the S/FX wizard recollects his collaborations with Tobe Hooper; ‘Eaten Alive’, ‘Poltergeist’ and ‘The Funhouse’ (17:53)
• Master Class of Horror: Mick Garris, the director of Sleepwalkers and The Shining reflects on the crimson-covered career of his longtime colleague Tobe Hooper (12:56)
• Live Q&A with Tobe Hooper from San Francisco (20:43)
• Never before seen behind the scenes photographs from the collection of Craig Reardon
• Trailer
 

Chapters 12

• Deleted Scenes (5:26)
• Theatrical Trailer (1:29)
• TV and radio Spots (4:28)
 

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

NOTE: Arrow's repressing of The Funhouse will be region 'B'-locked!

ADDITION: Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - October 12': Although I may have missed the exact frame on a couple of these screen grabs comparisons - the technicals tell us that this is extremely close in terms of video quality between the two Blu-ray releases. The Shout Factory transfer does offer a lossless 5.1 surround mix - that has a few brisk separations. It also has optional English subtitles. When it comes to extras though the region FREE Arrow is stacked and remains far ahead. If you are keen on the hefty Arrow supplements that seems the disc to buy but if your extras requirements at the more modest end (although it offers the Tobe Hooper commentary and 1/2 hour of video extras plus deleted scenes) then the Shout! Factory won't disappoint with its 1080P presentation.

***

ADDITION: Arrow - Region FREE - Blu-ray - October 11': So is it that the DVD is vertically stretched? or is the Blu-ray horizontally stretched? or is it a little of both? You can judge yourself by the screen captures below but while I think it may be 'both' - I also think the DVD is more stretched disproportionately than the 1080P. The thing is that without the side-by-side comparison neither might seem as 'flawed' as they are presented below. Beyond that what we have is a typical example of the less-effectual early 80's film stock that never translated smoothly to digital. The Blu-ray is cropped on both side edges but because of the, presumed mutual, stretching - both are still 2.35:1. It's both unusual and revealing. I only own the Blu-ray and thought my viewing presentation was 'okay'. I accepted that it was not at the stellar levels of depth and detail that we have seen from the format but I don't blame the 1080P transfer - as I felt that as a reflection of the original, modest, appearance it is probably not too far off. The Blu-ray is consistent with a bit of grain, predictable noise and almost no damage. I suspect you aren't going to see Tobe Hooper's The Funhouse in a much more authentic appearance than Arrow film's dual-layered Blu-ray with a high bitrate.

Arrow supply a 2.0 channel stereo DTS audio track 1509 kbps as well as optional English subtitles on the region FREE Blu-ray disc. The UK package has extensive extras that give it the strongest proportion of value with 3 separate commentaries . The first with The Funhouse S/FX wizard Craig Reardon and Jeffrey Reddick (creator of The Final Destination series), a second from producer Derek Power and genre scholar Howard S. Berger and a third with Justin Kerswell, author of ‘Teenage Wasteland’ and host of the slasher cinema website Hysteria Lives, and author Calum Waddell (Taboo Breakers: 18 Independent Films That Courted Controversy and Created a Legend). There are 5 video featurettes (about 1.5 hour's worth); the 16-minute Carnage at the Carnival where Tobe Hooper recalls ‘The Funhouse’ , the 21-minute Miles of Mayhem about acting in Tobe’s Funhouse with star Miles Chapin, an 18-minute piece A Trilogy of Terror: The Make-up Madness of Craig Reardon where the S/FX wizard recollects his collaborations with Tobe Hooper; ‘Eaten Alive’, ‘Poltergeist’ and ‘The Funhouse’. There is also a Master Class of Horror where Mick Garris, the director of Sleepwalkers and The Shining (TV mini-series)  reflects on the crimson-covered career of his longtime colleague Tobe Hooper for more than a dozen minutes and lastly a Live Q&A, of very poor video quality, with Tobe Hooper from San Francisco lasting just over 20-minutes. There is a gallery with some 'Never before seen' behind the scenes photographs from the collection of Craig Reardon and a trailer. The package itself has a 4 panel reversible sleeve options with original and newly commissioned artwork, a double-sided fold-out artwork poster and a collector’s booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by critic and author Kim Newman.

So the Arrow Blu-ray is TOTALLY stacked and I feel the presentation is offered in a competent and fairly accurate, if not stellar, representation of the original. This is easily the product to own if you are keen on the director or film. It's hard to deny all the effort Arrow has put into this Blu-ray - it is, at its least, VERY impressive.    

Gary W. Tooze

***

ON THE DVD: Through an arrangement with Universal (who had sub-licensed most of their eighties horror titles to Image Entertainment), Goodtimes Home Video released THE FUNHOUSE on DVD in 1999 in a good, though non-anamorphic single-layer and production notes. In 2004, Universal reissued the film in a new anamorphic, single-layer, progressive transfer. A dual-layer encoding might have better served the strong colors and contrasty lighting. The 2.0 surround encoding is vivid throughout thanks to a detailed Dolby Stereo mix full of death rattles, diverting funhouse sound effects, monster cries, and John Beal's superb score. The Universal transfer is also available in this 4-film set (HERE) with SSSSSSS, PHANTASM II, and SERPENT AND THE RAINBOW.

 - Eric Cotenas