Blu-ray review: V/H/S

V/H/S
Blu-ray review by David Blackwell

DETAILS: 116 minutes, audio commentary, alternate ending for 10/31/98, extra scenes, featurettes, cast and crew interviews, webcam interviews, photo and design galleries, theatrical trailers
VIDEO: 1.78:1 (Anamorphic Widescreen) 1080p High Definition
AUDIO: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish

STUDIO: Magnet Releasing/ The Collective/ Bloody Disgusting/ 8383 Productions/ Magnolia Home Entertainment
RELEASE DATE: 12-4-2012

PLOT SYNOPSIS: A group of guys are hired by a mysterious third party to steal a VHS tape from a house only to find each tape they play is more horrifying than the last one.

V/H/S is an interesting found footage anthology film even though the framing device is the least interesting part of the film. I'm happy they stayed mostly on the story of the found footage tales because I didn't like any of the random group of guys who break into a house to steal a VHS tape. The tales on those tapes including the taped Skype conversation are an interesting and sometimes terrifying assortment of tales. I rather take a horror movie like this one over a Paranormal Activity sequel any day.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The extras include a variety of interviews with cast and crew about the movie which gives a clear picture of how the project came together (they originally wanted it to be a TV series and there may a sequel one day) and plenty of behind-the-scenes stories. The Webcam interviews wraps up the interview material done in Skype fashion.

AXS TV: A LOOK AT V/H/S is a promo fluff piece on the film while AMATEUR NIGHT- BALLOON NIGHT looks at what was done to achieve the final shots of one of the stories on the tapes. The Alternate Ending of 10/31/98 isn't nearly as good as the ending that the tape ended with. More Tuesday The !7th is extra footage for that story on V/H/S. Also on the disc are a Behind The Scenes Photo Gallery and a Conceptual Design Gallery- Lily. The cast and crew audio commentary rounds out the extras in addition to theatrical trailers for other releases from Magnolia Pictures and Magnet.

FINAL ANALYSIS: I didn't like the framing story of V/H/S, but the stories on the tapes pack a punch for found footage tales. My favorite had to be one that takes place on the last day of Spring Break (mostly in a hotel room as seen through spy glasses). I hope they make a sequel and hopefully they come up with a better framing story.

this Blu-ray review is (c)12-11-2012 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com