Bloody Birthday Blu-ray

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

(aka "Creepers" or "Creeps")

directed by Ed Hunt
USA 1981

Ten years ago, Debbie (Elizabeth Hoy, HOSPITAL MASSACRE), Curtis (Billy Jacoby, SUPERSTITION), and Steven (Andy Freeman, BEYOND WITCH MOUNTAIN) were all born on the same night during an eclipse. As their joint tenth birthday approaches, the inseparable trio take up baseball bats, handguns, and bow and arrow to take out their parents, teachers, and friends. Only Joyce (Lori Lethan, THE PREY) and her little brother Timmy (K.C. Martel, THE AMITYVILLE HORROR) suspect that the three kids are psychopathic murderers and they are next on the list of the precocious trio's targets. Then-unknowns Joe Penny (TV's JAKE AND THE FATMAN), Michael Dudikoff (TRON), and comedian Julie Brown (CLUELESS) co-star. Susan Strasberg (THE MANITOU) and Jose Ferrer (THE BEING) hang around for a day to pick up a paycheck. Killer kids pointing handguns at the screen should be more disturbing, but the film is better remembered today for Julie Brown's striptease early in the film. While THE BAD SEED was surely an influence, the use of a Southern California suburb for the Midwest recalls a similar look and atmosphere to John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN, while the score seems to be aping FRIDAY THE 13TH's shrieking strings. The notion that the kids have no souls because they were born during an eclipse is not really developed, and it is more unsettling that the child actors are actually close to the age of their characters (their smirking disingenuousness is more unsettling than their carnage). Lethin (who went onto more traditional slasher territory with THE PREY and the slasher comedy RETURN TO HORROR HIGH) makes a good "final girl" and the sequence of the three killer kids attacking Joyce and her little brother is the film's most exciting part.

Eric Cotenas

Posters

Theatrical Release: 28 April 1981 (USA)

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Comparison:

Severin Films - Region 0 - NTSC vs. VCI Home Video - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Severin Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. 88 Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for all the DVD Screen Caps!

1) Severin Films - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT

2) VCI Home Video - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Severin Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray - THIRD

4) 88 Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - RIGHT

Box Covers

Distribution	Severin Films Region 0 - NTSC	VCI Home Video Region 0 - NTSC	Severin Films Region FREE - Blu-ray	88 Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:24:36	1:24:33	1:24:44.788	1:24:46.623
Video	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.3 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.76:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 4.95 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 22,317,947,849 bytes Feature: 17,141,569,536 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 23.99 Mbps	1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,292,793,125 bytes Feature: 19,404,570,624 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 26.79 Mbps
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Severin Films
Bitrate: VCI Home Video
Bitrate: Severin Blu-ray
Bitrate 88 Films: Blu-ray
Audio	English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono	English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono	LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit	LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 320 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 320 kbps Audio Interview: Dolby Digital Audio English 224 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 224 kbps
Subtitles	None	None	None	None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Severin Films Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Audio Interview with director Ed Hunt (51:10) • Don't Eat the Cake: Interview with Actress Lori Lethin (16:9; 9:50) • A Brief History of Slasher Films featurette (16:9; 15:11) • Trailers for THE BABY, BLOODY MOON, NIGHTMARES, and HORROR EXPRESS DVD Release Date: June 28th, 2011 Amaray Chapters 16	Release Information: Studio: VCI Home Video Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.76:1 Edition Details: • Interview with producer Max Rosenberg (4:3; 17:22) • Director Biography • Trailers for KISS OF THE TARANTULA, DON'T OPEN THE DOOR, and HOMEWORK DVD Release Date: 23 January 2003 Amaray Chapters 12	Release Information: Studio: Severin Films Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 22,317,947,849 bytes Feature: 17,141,569,536 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 23.99 Mbps Edition Details: • Audio Interview with director Ed Hunt (51:13) • Don't Eat That Cake Interview with Actress Lori Lethin (9:52) • A Brief History of Slasher Films featurette (15:13) • Theatrical Trailer (2:00) • Severin Trailers (10:36) Blu-ray Release Date: July 8th, 2014 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters: 16	Release Information: Studio: 88 Films Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,292,793,125 bytes Feature: 19,404,570,624 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 26.79 Mbps Edition Details: • UK exclusive audio commentary with Justin Kerswell, author of Teenage Wasteland • Audio Interview with director Ed Hunt (51:10) • Don't Eat that Cake: Interview with actress Lori Lethin (9:52) • 'A Brief History of Slasher Movies' featurette (15:13) • Bloody Birthday Trailer (1:58) • Bloodsucking Freaks Trailer (2:01) • Tourist Trap Trailer (2:00) • Two Moon Junction Trailer (2:10) • Reversible Sleeve Incorporating Original Artwork • Booklet Notes by Calum Waddel Blu-ray Release Date: June 23rd, 2014 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters: 16

Comments

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

ADDITION - 88 Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray June 2014: The 1080P UK transfer is slightly more robust, but I don't have the vision or system to pick up the superiority - although it does exist. Likewise I can hear no difference in the lossless audio tracks (both LPCM.) Neither offer a subtitle option but the 88 Films is region 'B'-locked.

The major difference would be in the extras - essentially duplicating the Severin with the 50-minute audio interview with Ed Hunt (under 'Audio Options'), 10-minutes with Lori Lethin and the 15-minutes of Slash Movies featurette. 88 Films DO add an exclusive audio commentary with Justin Kerswell, author of Teenage Wasteland. The UK package also has a reversible sleeve incorporating original artwork and a liner notes booklet with notes by Calum Waddel. So, 88 Films wins with the commentary but being region 'B'-locked may dismiss it as a choice for some purchasers.

***

ADDITION - Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray June 2014: Severin's three simultaneous Blu-ray releases of July 8th, 2014, The Baby, Bloody Birthday and Bloody Moon, share many transfer characteristics - so I will duplicate some of my comments. All three are single-layered with the same bitrate and in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Each seem to use the same source as their previous SD, supporting the same color scheme etc. They also seem to have all the same extras as the older DVDs (as well as no optional subtitles) but all offer lossless audio.

Detail, grain support definitely improve in the 1080P, but the production inconsistencies also show through with the higher resolution. The lossless audio does help with the mood and creepiness. Of the three, this might be my favorite. It's probably the most polished and the kid-angle adds a real layer of uncomfortable-ness. I did enjoy this Blu-ray, including the - more extensive- extras. Genre-fans should indulge.

***

ON THE DVD: Severin's new dual-layer is largely an improvement over the VCI edition, but the film isn't that great looking to start with, and the night scenes are underlit. Both transfers are framed at around 1.78:1 (Severin's cover claims 1.66:1, but the film would have been projected at 1.85:1 in the states). Night scenes look a little better, but the overall lower contrast of new transfer robs some of the shots of perceived depth while simultaneously revealing more detail. Audio is improved over the VCI version as well, but still has some minute distortion (noticeable on the music track). Despite some gunfire, the two tracks only exhibit some real bass during the song underscoring Julie Brown's striptease early in the film.

While the VCI disc had an interview with producer Max Rosenberg (formerly of Amicus) in which he has some disparaging things to say about director Ed Hunt, the Severin disc includes a lengthy telephone interview with the director and a pleasant and humorous interview with lead actress Lethin (she makes a humorous remark about Strasberg's small role: "How do you method act dying?"). Neither disc features the film's theatrical trailer. Anchor Bay UK also released a Region 2 DVD with a 5.1 remix (reportedly not very impressive) and the Rosenberg interview from the VCI disc.

- Eric Cotenas

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(Severin Films - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. VCI Home Video - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)