Blu-Ray Round Up: MGM Releases Wave of Modern Horror Classics

CHICAGO – Start planning your Halloween marathon now. Last week, we highlighted the Universal wave of titles that included greats like “Shaun of the Dead” and “Army of Darkness” and we’re back with another wave of modern horror classics, including Oscar winners “Silence of the Lambs” and “Misery”.

The Blu-Ray Round-Up, HollywoodChicago.com’s regular column that highlights synopsis, tech details, and special features for titles that might otherwise fall through your Blu-Ray buying cracks, doesn’t usually play favorites, but every good horror fan should have “Manhunter,” “Silence,” “Child’s Play,” and “Misery” in their collection. Whether or not you need to own the “Wrong Turn” films is something only you can decide.

All five titles were released last week, September 15th, 2009. Both “Child’s Play” and “Misery” are presented in a BD/DVD combo pack with both HD and standard versions of the film.

“Child’s Play”

Photo credit: MGM/Fox

Synopsis: “The “chills come thick and fast” (Los Angeles Times) as voodoo and terror meet within an innocent-looking doll inhabited by the soul of a serial killer who isn’t ready to die. From the Director of Fright Night comes a “clever, playful” (The New York Times) and stylish thriller with “excellent special effects” (Leonard Maltin) and heart-pounding suspense guaranteed to scare! After 6-year-old Andy Barclay’s (Alex Vincent) babysitter is violently pushed out of a window to her death, nobody believes him when he says that “Chucky,” his new birthday doll, did it! Untilthings start going terribly wrong dead wrong. And when an ensuing rampage of gruesome murders lead a detective (Chris Sarandon) back to the same toy, he discovers that the real terror has just begun’the deranged doll has plans to transfer his evil spirit into a living human beingyoung Andy!”

“Child’s Play” stars Catherine Hicks and Chris Sarandon. It was written by Don Mancini and John Lafia and Tom Holland and directed by Holland. The film is presented in 1080p widescreen with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, Dolby Surround track, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital track, and French Surround track. The film is rated R.

Special features on “Child’s Play” include Audio cmmentary with Alex Vincent, Catherine Hicks, and Chucky designer Kevin Yagher, Audio commentary with producer David Kirshner and screenwriter Don Mancini, Scene-specific Chucky commentaries, “Evil Comes in Small Packages 3,” “Chucky: Building a Nightmare,” “A Monster Convention,” “Introducing Chucky: The Making of Child’s Play,” Original Theatrical Trailer, and Still Photo Gallery.

“The Hannibal Lecter Collection”

Photo credit: MGM/Fox

Synopsis: “Witness the birth of evil in spine tingling clarity, as the eerie and intense Hannibal Lecter Anthology captures Manhunter, The Silence Of The Lambs and Hannibal together on stunning Blu-ray Disc for the first time. Manhunter, the intense thriller from writer-director Michael Mann (Heat, Public Enemies), first introduced the world to the cunning, unforgettable serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The psychological horror continues in The Silence Of The Lambs with Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins (The Elephant Man, Nixon) as the sophisticated murderer, alongside Oscar winner Jodie Foster (Maverick, Contact) as FBI agent Clarice Starling, who liaisons with the killer in order to solve a murder case. Lastly, Hopkins is “perverse perfection” (Rolling Stone) in his reprisal of the role of Dr. Lecter in Hannibal, as he comes out of hiding to draw FBI agent Clarice Starling (Julianne Moore; Boogie Nights) into a high-stakes battle that will test her strength, cunning and loyalty.”

“Manhunter” stars William Petersen, Joan Allen, Kim Greist, Brian Cox, Dennis Farina, Stephen Lang, and Tom Noonan. It was written and directed by Michael Mann. The film is presented in 1080p widescreen with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital track, and French 5.1 Dolby Digital track. The film is rated R.

“The Silence of the Lambs” stars Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, and Ted Levine. It was written by Ted Tally and directed by Jonathan Demme. The film is presented in 1080p widescreen with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital track, and French 5.1 Dolby Digital track. The film is rated R.

“Hannibal” stars Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, Ray Liotta, Frankie R. Faison, Giancarlo Giannini, and Francesca Neri. It was written by David Mamet and Steven Zaillian and directed by Ridley Scott. The film is presented in 1080p widescreen with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital track, and French 5.1 Dolby Digital track. The film is rated R.

None of the films include any special features.

“Misery”

Photo credit: MGM/Fox

Synopsis: “Novelist Paul Sheldon (Caan) doesn’t remember the blinding blizzard that sent his car spinning off the road. Nor does he remember being nursed back from unconsciousness. All he remembers iswaking up in the home of Annie Wilkes (Bates)a maniacal fan who is bent on keeping her favorite writer as her personal prisoner for the rest of his “cock-a-doodie” life!”

“Misery” stars James Caan, Kathy Bates, Frances Sternhagen, Richard Farnsworth, and Lauren Bacall. It was written by William Goldman and directed by Rob Reiner. The film is presented in 1080p widescreen with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital track, and French 5.1 DTS track. The film is rated R.

Special features include Audio Commentary by Director Rob Reiner, Audio Commentary by Screenwriter William Goldman, “Misery Loves Company,” “Marc Shaiman’s Musical Misery Tour,” “Diagnosing Annie Wilkes,” “Advice For the Stalked,” “Profile of a Stalker, “Celebrity Stalkers,” and “Anti-Stalking Laws”.

“Wrong Turn”

Photo credit: MGM/Fox

Synopsis: “An indescribable nightmare begins when a group of young friends is stranded on an isolated road deep in the Appalachian hills of West Virginia, with no hope of rescue. Desperate and fearing for their lives, the horror surges as they find themselves relentlessly pursued by a force of evil beyond their imagination!”

“Wrong Turn” stars Desmond Harrington, Eliza Dushku, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Jeremy Sisto, and Kevin Zegers. It was written by Alan McElroy and directed by Rob Schmidt. The film is presented in 1080p widescreen with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, Spanish Dolby Surround track, and French 5.1 Dolby Digital track. The film is rated R.

Special features include Commentary by Director Rob Schmidt and Stars Desmond Harrington and Eliza Dushku, Deleted Scenes, “The Making of Wrong Turn,” “Eliza Dushku: Babe in the Woods,” “Stan Winston,” “Fresh Meat: The Wounds of Wrong Turn,” and Original Theatrical Trailer.

“Wrong Turn 2: Dead End”

Photo credit: MGM/Fox

Synopsis: “This chilling sequel to the surprise hit film returns to the woods of West Virginia; a backdrop for the new reality television show “The Apocalypse: Ultimate Survivalist.” As the contestants compete in various challenges to test their physical and mental prowess they soon find themselves in a fight for their lives as they are stalked and hunted by a family of mutant, inbred cannibals.”

“Wrong Turn 2: Dead End” stars Erica Leerhsen, Henry Rollins, Texas Battle, and Kimberly Caldwell. It was written by Turi Meyer & Al Septien and directed by Joe Lynch. The film is presented in 1080p widescreen with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, Spanish Dolby Surround track, and French 5.1 Dolby Digital track. The film is not rated.

Special features include “More Blood, More Guts: The Making of Wrong Turn 2,” “Making Gore Look Good,” “On Location With P-Nut,” and Cast & Crew Audio Commentaries.

[19]	By BRIAN TALLERICO [20] Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com [19]