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

ADDITION: 101 Films (Black Label) Blu-ray (June 2020): 101 Films (Black Label, Spine #14) have transferred Sean S. Cunningham's The New Kids to Blu-ray. It on a single-layered disc with a reasonable bitrate. After about the first 10-15 minutes the image is fairly consistent. It never looks dynamic but probably accurate to the less-resilient mid-80s films stock used. I thought I saw a niggling artifacts or two but if it was there, it was inconsequential. Contrast has some dullness but overall a reasonable HD presentation.

NOTE: We have added 52 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, 101 Films use a linear PCM 2.0 channel dual-mono track (16-bit) in the original English language. It is another advancement in the film's audio and score by Argentinean Lalo Schifrin (famous as the guy behind the Mission: Impossible theme as well as Charley Varrick, Day of the Animals, Hit!, Man on a Swing, Rollercoaster, Tango and many other films) plus there is other music; Bill Wray's "Stand Up", Brock Walsh's "Making a Move", Jess Harnell's "Edge of Survival" etc.. 101 Films (Black Label) offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The 101 Films (Black Label) Blu-ray offers a new commentary by film critics Sean Hogan and Jasper Sharp who have some fun and point out some interesting conclusions discussing writer Stephen Gyllenhaal who did a lot of TV movie and series directing after The New Kids - as well as being a father to Jake and Maggie (great job Dad!) I thought it was a pretty decent commentary. There are also interviews with director Sean S. Cunningham - for almost 18-minutes and writer Gyllenhaal for more than 1/4 hour. Nice to get their voices in the supplements for some background and what has transpired in their careers since. The package has a limited edition booklet (3000 copies) that includes ‘80s Gang Violence Movies and The New Kids by Jon Towlson and Pushing the Envelope: Sean Cunningham by Barry Forshaw. 

Okay, The New Kids stands out in a minor way from the procession of similar teen 'bullying/revenge' flics of the 80s. This has the small-town countrified milieu but I think more could have been made utilizing Psycho-ish horror for the shower scene, confusion/fear via The Lady from Shanghai via the hall of mirrors sequences and Straw Dogs for the gory finale... if nothing more than capitalizing on a referenced homage. Meh. Performances are something to note; Shannon Presby is strong - he eventually became Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County veering away from acting. Lori Loughlin is her usual cute wholesome self, James Spader is the psycho bully after being the hero of such in Tuff Turf - also from 1985. Assuring to have Eric Stoltz and brief, Tom Atkins as support. I mean, The New Kids is not that bad of a movie as much as a missed opportunity to have been made better, imo. Still entertaining, if predictable, and it has some nostalgia value. The 101 Films (Black Label) Blu-ray does a decent job and has worthwhile extras if you are that keen. Some may prefer the more reasonable (less than $8 USD) Millcreek option.

Gary Tooze