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Directed by George A. Romero
USA 1993

 

Masters of horror Stephen King and George A. Romero have created a "gripping, creepy, frightening", (L.A. Reader) film that "thrills, shocks and works us over", (Los Angeles Times)! Featuring an "intelligent screenplay and first-rate cast", (The New York Times) including Oscar winner Timothy Hutton, Amy Madigan (Fringe), Julie Harris (The Haunting) and Michael Rooker (The Walking Dead), The Dark Half has "a terrific premise for a thriller and director George Romero sets it up with skill and style", (Roger Ebert).

Horror writer Thad Beaumont (Hutton) hopes to distance himself from his murder novels and from George Stark, the name he has used to anonymously author them. To achieve this, he cooks up a murder to play out in real life: a publicity stunt that should lay Stark to rest forever. But when the people around him are found gruesomely slain (and his own fingerprints dot the crime scenes) Beaumont is dumbfounded until he learns that Stark has taken on life of his own...and begun a gruesome quest for vengeance!

***

Thad Beaumont (Timothy Hutton) has had success writing novels under both his real name and his pseudonym, George Stark, which he uses to publish base thrillers. When word gets out that they are one and the same, the author holds a mock funeral for Stark. But after a rash of murders eerily similar to those in the Stark books, Thad and his wife, Liz (Amy Madigan), realize that Stark is real and responsible, and must work with local Sheriff Pangborn (Michael Rooker) to stop him.

Posters , VHS Cover, Book

Theatrical Release: April 23rd, 1993

Reviews                                                                      More Reviews                                                                    DVD Reviews

 

Review: Koch - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

and on Blu-ray in Spain

Also available on Blu-ray from Shout! Factory in the US:

    

Distribution Koch - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime 2:01:28.489 
Video

Disc Size: 47,926,273,215 bytes

Feature Size: 41,661,478,272 bytes

Average Bitrate: 36.62 Mbps

Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video  
Bitrate:
Audio

LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit

DUB:

LPCM Audio German 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit
Commentaries:

LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit
LPCM Audio German 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit
Subtitles English, German, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Koch

 

Disc Size: 47,926,273,215 bytes

Feature Size: 41,661,478,272 bytes

Average Bitrate: 36.62 Mbps

Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video  

 

Edition Details:
• Audio Commentary with Writer/Director George A. Romero

• Audio Commentary with Marcus Stiglegger and Kai Naumann (in German)

• The Sparrows are Flying Again (36:29)
• TV Spot (0:35)
• Trailer (1:37 in English or German)

 Blu-ray Release Date: February 8th, 2018
Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 17

 

 

Comments:

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

 

Firstly, this was released by Shout! Factory in November of 2014 HERE. WE don't have it to compare. I presume this was taken from the same source as some of the 'Scream Factory' extras are duplicated. Koch's Blu-ray transfer is on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate. It looks consistent with a few speckles but the visuals are not crisp or dynamic and that probably has more to do with the film stock used. It is bright with decent detail and some textures prevalent. I was pleased with the presentation in-motion and suspect that it's a decent representation showing frequent depth although the 1080P image isn't reaching the heights of the format.

 

The Koch Blu-ray uses a linear PCM 2.0 channel audio track (16-bit) in the original English and a German DUB. There are aggressive effects - but not an abundance - and they are supported with some minor depth. Impacting on the presentation is the score by Christopher Young (Flowers in the Attic, Hellraiser,  Rounders,  Species) adding tension, mystery and atmosphere. There are optional English (see sample) and German subtitles offered on Koch's Region 'B'-locked Blu-ray disc.

Like the Shout! Factory this has a rewarding audio commentary by director George A. Romero and he is always great to listen to discussing the production and many other details. Koch add a second commentary with Marcus Stiglegger and Kai Naumann (in German only). Duplicated from the US release are Red Shirt Pictures' 36-minute 'Making of...' The Sparrows are Flying Again! directed by Michael Felsher in 2014 with actors Rutanya Alda and John Amplas plus producer Declan Baldwin and others. There is also a short TV Spot and a trailer available in both English or German.

 

This was typical Stephen King story (complete with an author-character) with a Romero style and good performances from Hutton, Amy Madigan, Michael Rooker and it was nice to see Julie Harris - if only briefly. There was something a little fun about it - shades of intensity but overall a garden-variety horror-thriller not fully taking advantage of the fascinating doppelganger concept, imo. The Koch Blu-ray offers a lot for fans who want to see the film and listen to the Romero commentary.   

Gary Tooze

 

 

Menus/extras

 

 

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

 

Screen Captures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Box Cover

and on Blu-ray in Spain

Also available on Blu-ray from Shout! Factory in the US:

    

Distribution Koch - Region 'B' - Blu-ray



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