Scream Blu-ray - Pepper Martin

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

(aka "The Outing" or "Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker")

directed by Byron Quisenberry
USA 1981

A rafting tour visit a ghost town and find themselves trapped there as a possibly supernatural presence starts picking them off one by one. That's really all there is to it. Stunt man Byron Quisenberry got some money together, rounded up some name cast members (including Woody Strode, Pepper Martin, Hank Worden, and Alvy Moore) he had worked with on films as a stuntman (along with Ethan Wayne, youngest son of John). The film lacks the expected gore, sex, and nudity and is cast of characters is composed of believable-looking tourists rather than obnoxious teenagers. There's a lot of standing around (one of the commentators points out that it seems like "Waiting for Godot... to kill you"). There also seems to be a lack of coverage that renders most of the scenes in master shot and medium shot with only a couple characters warranting a close-up (usually in the stalking scenes) but the film achieves an odd, detached atmosphere that becomes almost surreal once Strode makes his special appearance (a thought-provoking appreciation of the film can be found HERE). Purchased by Vestron for home video in the eighties, its cover was adorned with more conventional slasher artwork (a hand holding a sickle) and popped up in just about every video store I can recall. More seasoned slasher fans will want to catch up with this one if only for a change of pace.

Eric Cotenas

***

In SCREAM, a group of people on a rafting excursion happen upon a deserted town and decide to set up camp. Out of the blue, a murder occurs. It appears that the town is not as deserted as they originally thought, someone out there does not want them around and when they desperately try to escape, their rafts are destroyed. What possible hope of survival can they have now… with no chance for escape and no one around to help? Starring Woody Strode (The Professionals, Spartacus, Once Upon a Time in the West), Alvy Moore (Green Acres), Greg Palmer (To Hell and Back), Pepper Martin (Superman 2), Hank Worden (The Searchers), and Ethan Wayne (son of John Wayne).

Posters

Theatrical Release: January 1st, 1981 (USA)

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Comparison:

Media Blasters - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Code Red - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Cover		Bonus Captures:
Distribution	Media Blasters - Region 1 - NTSC	Code Red - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:22:42	1:21:57.954
Video	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 9.8 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.78:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 21,226,165,974 bytes Feature: 20,697,765,888 bytes Video Bitrate: 29.61 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:
Bitrate Blu-ray:
Audio	English (Dolby Digital mono)	DTS-HD Master Audio English 2099 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2099 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles	None	None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Media Blasters Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Audio commentary by director Byron Quisenberry moderated by Marc Edward Hueck • Theatrical Trailer (16:9; 1:26) • TV Spot (4:3; 0:28) • Still Gallery • Trailers for JUST BEFORE DAWN (16:9; 2:30), EVILS OF THE NIGHT (4:3; 0:56), KILLING BIRDS • (4:3; 2:35), and COP KILLERS (4:3; 1:44) DVD Release Date: 16 February 2010 Amaray Chapters 12	Release Information: Studio: Code Red 1.78:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 21,226,165,974 bytes Feature: 20,697,765,888 bytes Video Bitrate: 29.61 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Audio Commentary by Director Byron Quisenberry • Watch it in MARIA’S B MOVIE MAYHEM Mode with our Hostess Maria Kanellis (02:57, 00:34) • Theatrical Trailer / TV Spot (01:27, 00:31) Blu-ray Release Date: June 8th, 2021 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 13

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Code Red Blu-ray (June 2021): Code Red have re-released Byron Quisenberry's 1981 "Scream". It is still on a single-layered Blu-ray. This was originally released years ago by Code Red as a 'Limited Edition' see HERE (Out of Print). This is the 2K scan from the original negatives. The Super 16 film (blown up to 35mm for it's theatrical presentation) has a supportive bitrate on this Blu-ray from Code Red. The 1.78:1 HD frame shows us that the previous SD image was oddly cropped and matted. The typical 16mm/Super 16mm caveats exist here, With the from the larger grain, lack of detail compared to the more expensive 35mm, etc). All that being said, when you look at this new Blu-ray from Code Red in comparison to their SD DVD release, the bump in image quality is apparent to the naked eye. The framing is much better and achieves something akin to an assumed desirable symmetry. Most of "Scream" (aka "Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker", "The Outing") takes place in the dark, so the added contrast that this Blu-ray provides is welcome. Blacks are still somewhat crushed though nowhere near as poorly as the DVD.

NOTE: We have added 16 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

Code Red's Blu-ray of "Scream" presents the film with a (24-bit) 2.0 DTS-HD Master audio track. Any complaints regarding the sound would undoubtedly be a result of the 1981 slasher film's low budget production and not Code Red's Blu-ray. This was the first work from Emmy-nominated composer Joseph Conlan, who later went on to work in many other TV/Film projects. Sadly, much like the earlier SD release, there are no subtitles on this Region 'Free' Blu-ray from Code Red.

Just like the previous SD DVD release of "Scream", this new Code Red Blu-ray features the same commentary by director Byron Quisenberry and theatrical/TV trailers. In our DVD review Eric states, about the commentary; "Director Byron Quisneberry provides a frank audio commentary in which he states that his attitude towards shooting a low budget horror film was to "wing it."" Gone are the stills gallery and trailers for other Code Red releases, instead replaced with the option to watch the film in "MARIA’S B MOVIE MAYHEM Mode", an elvira/vampira style presentation with Hostess Maria Kanellis spending 3-minutes preceding the flick, and a half-minute afterwards.

What has long been touted as one of "the worst slasher films ever made", and split audiences between the so-bad-it's-good and the so-bad-it's-just-bad camps. Regardless of which camp you may fall into, Code Red's new(er) Blu-ray of "Scream" touts a 2K Scan from the original negatives, with a much better image than older DVD versions.....recommended to only the brave bad movie fans.