Deadly Games – Arrow Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1982
Director: Scott Mansfield
Writer: Scott Mansfield
Cast: Alexandra Morgan, Jo Ann Harris, Sam Groom, Saul Sindell, Steve Railsback, Denise Galik, Dick Butkus, Christine L. Tudor, Robin Hoff, Jere Rae Mansfield, Colleen Camp, June Lockhart, William Patrick Johnson

Release Date: February 21st, 2022 (UK), February 22nd, 2022 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 95 Minutes 13 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 18 (UK), R (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"A masked maniac with a penchant for a horror-themed board game is playing his own twisted game with the women of a small American town. Each time the dice is rolled, another victim meets a grisly end. Returning home to mourn the death of her murdered sister, Keegan (Jo Ann Harris) befriends local cop Roger and oddball cinema projectionist Billy (Railsback) - but soon finds herself in the killer’s sights." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “Brand new 2K restoration from the original camera negative.” 

Deadly Games comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 36.4 GB

Feature: 25.2 GB

This is another solid restoration from Arrow Video. The source used for this transfer looks excellent. Colors and flesh tones look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid throughout, and the grain remains intact.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, and included with this release are removable English SDH subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced. Range wise, ambient sounds are well-represented, and the score sounds robust.

Extras:

Extras for this release include theatrical trailer (1 minute 58 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), image galleries: promotion (31 images-stills/posters/home video art/other promotional materials) and behind the scenes (63 images-stills), an interview with special effects and stunt coordinator John Eggett titled Practical Magic (21 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Jere Rae-Mansfield titled Sooty’s a Sh*t (24 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with The Hysteria Continues, original screenplay under the title Who Fell Asleep [BD-ROM content], reversible cover art, a limited-edition slipcover (limited to first pressing) and a twenty-four page booklet (limited to first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay titled The Games People Play: Exploring the Midwestern Gothic in Deadly Games written by Amanda Reyes and information about the restoration.

Summary:

Though Deadly Games has all the core elements that are expected from a slasher film, the result is a film that is sure to let down some fans of slasher cinema.

After a fantastic opening sequence where a woman is in an isolated location being watched by an unseen intruder who stalks and kills her, there is a slow buildup to this sequence that allows the tension to build to a fever pitch. This sequence is outstanding and it is a textbook example of how to do a kill scene.

After this sequence, the next thirty minutes are mundane moments of exposition with the various characters before the next kill sequence. That said, the kill sequences carry over into Deadly Games. Unfortunately, there are not enough kill sequences.

Though Deadly Games has all the resources to successfully achieve its goals, the premise is full of possibilities, the performances are very good, the kill sequences are stylishly photographed, and there's a creepy ending that’s very effective. Despite all these positives, Deadly Games is ultimately undermined by a mediocre narrative.

Arrow Video gives another slasher film a definitive release; recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer