Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

(aka "Silver Bullet" )

 

directed by Daniel Attias
USA 198
5

 

When a series of unexplained murders occurs in the normally quiet town of Tarker's Mill, the residents decide to hunt down the killer. However, many of these vigilantes end up dead, and those who don't are no closer to finding an assailant. But, when a young wheelchair-using boy named Marty (Corey Haim) encounters a werewolf one night, the pieces begin to come together. Along with his sister and Uncle Red (Gary Busey), Marty begins a mission to capture the werewolf once and for all!

***

Based on Stephen King's novella "Cycle of the Werewolf," Silver Bullet merges Stephen King's distinctive American style of horror with werewolf mythology and a wonderful twist in a film slightly marred by the too-often-present King project low-budget woes, but blessed with lots of skill and good fortune, as well.

As a King film, you can already guess that it's set in Maine (not Castle Rock, this time, but the town of Tarker's Mills). You can also guess that it has slightly dysfunctional families with at least one alcoholic per, and that plenty of people get killed by some monstrosity.

 Excerpt from Classic-Horror located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: October 11th, 1985

Reviews                                                                        More Reviews                                                            DVD Reviews

 

Comparison:

Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Umbrella - Region FREE - Blu-ray

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

1) Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC  LEFT

2) Umbrella - Region FREE - Blu-ray - RIGHT

 

Box Covers

 

  

 

  

 

   

 

 

  

Distribution

Paramount Cinema

Region 1 - NTSC

Umbrella Entertainment
Region
FREE Blu-ray

Runtime 1:34:42

1:34:55.689

Video

2.32:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.0 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
 

Disc Size: 24,089,176,508 bytes

Feature Size: 15,608,290,944 bytes

Average Bitrate: 22.47 Mbps

Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate:

 

Paramount

Bitrate:

 

Umbrella Blu-ray

 

Audio English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; French Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1509 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 320 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 320 kbps
Isolated Score:

Dolby Digital Audio English 320 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 320 kbps

Subtitles English (SDH), none English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Paramount

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.32:1

Edition Details:
• None

DVD Release Date: May 28th 2002
Amaray

Chapters 18
 

Release Information:
Studio: Umbrella

 

Disc Size: 24,089,176,508 bytes

Feature Size: 15,608,290,944 bytes

Average Bitrate: 22.47 Mbps

Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:
• Audio Commentary with Director Daniel Attias
• Dino's Angel Takes on Lycanthropy: Martha De Laurentis Remembers Silver Bullet (25:34)
• Isolated score selections and audio interview with composer Jay Chattaway
• The Wolf Within: An interview with Evertt McGill (16:16)
• Full Moon Fever - Interviews with Special Effects artists Michael McCracken Jr. and Matthew Mungle (21:04)
• Theatrical Trailer (1:17)
• TV spot (0:31)
• Radio Spot (0:39)
• Image Gallery
 

Blu-ray  Release Date: January 12th, 2018
Standard (thick) Blu-ray case

Chapters: 12

 

Comments

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

ADDITION: Umbrella Blu-ray - February 18': Umbrella bring this 80's horror to 1080P and it advances over the SD although not as dramatically as in our Fair Game comparison. The image advances with a crisper 2.35:1 aspect ratio presentation, superior contrast, a notch ahead in detail, better supported texture and more information in the frame. This is on a single-layered disc with a decent bitrate and is dramatically ahead of the previously weak SD transfers. It looks just fine in-motion.

DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel (24-bit) lossless audio, for the original English audio, with plenty of growling and aggressive effects that carry some healthy depth. There is a score by Jay Chattaway (Maniac, Maniac Cop) with some boost to the film's suspense. It sounds fairly buoyant in the lossless transfer There are optional English subtitles and the disc is Region FREE - playable worldwide.

Extras offer an audio commentary with director Daniel Attias, who went on to direct many episodes of television shows including The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, and The Wire.  Attias gives a glimpse into the production of the film as well as working with actors Corey Haim and Gary Busey.  He talks about Stephen King giving his blessing on an improvised screen that veers away from the source text.  It is a very enjoyable track, moderated by DVD producer Michael Felcher.

Martha Di Laurentiis explains how she got into the film business, and more particularly, the horror film business beginning with Wolfen and her working relationship with Dino De Laurentiis.  She mentions how she first met with Stephen King while shooting David Cronenberg's The Dead Zone in Toronto and she talks about his varying involvement in different projects.

Umbrella include isolated score selections with audio interview with composer Jay Chattaway running to the entire film. The Wolf Within is a 1/4 hour interview with Evertt McGill and Full Moon Fever has 21-minutes worth of interviews with Special Effects artists Michael McCracken Jr. and Matthew Mungle. Lastly are a theatrical trailer, TV spot, Radio Spot and an Image Gallery.

Umbrella have given us an appealing, fairly graphic werewolf popcorner that has plenty to enjoy, looking and sounding exemplary with a commentary and extensive extras. Genre fans should eat this up. Absolutely recommended! 

 - Gary Tooze


DVD Menus
Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC

 

Umbrella - Region FREE - Blu-ray


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

 

 

 

1) Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC  TOP

2) Umbrella - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC  TOP

2) Umbrella - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


 

1) Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC  TOP

2) Umbrella - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


 

1) Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC  TOP

2) Umbrella - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


 

1) Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC  TOP

2) Umbrella - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


 

1) Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC  TOP

2) Umbrella - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


 

1) Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC  TOP

2) Umbrella - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


 

More Blu-ray Captures

 

 


 

Report Card:

 

Image:

Blu-ray

Sound:

Blu-ray

Extras:

Blu-ray

 

Box Covers

 

  

 

  

 

   

 

 

  

Distribution

Paramount Cinema

Region 1 - NTSC

Umbrella Entertainment
Region
FREE Blu-ray

 




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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DONATIONS Keep DVDBeaver alive:

CLICK PayPal logo to donate!

Gary Tooze

Thank You!