Deathdream (Dead of Night): Limited Edition – Blue Underground (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: UK/Canada, 1974
Director: Bob Clark
Writer: Alan Ormsby
Cast: John Marley, Lynn Carlin, Richard Backus, Henderson Forsythe, Anya Ormsby, Jane Daly, Michael Mazes, Arthur Anderson, Alan Ormsby, Mal Jones 

Release Date: November 28th, 2017
Approximate Running Time: 88 Minutes 28 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $39.95

"In this shattering variation on "The Monkey's Paw," grief-stricken suburban parents (Academy Award nominees John Marley of The Godfather and Lynn Carlin of Faces) refuse to accept the news that their son Andy (Richard Backus) has been killed in Vietnam. But when Andy returns home soon after, something may be horribly wrong: Andy is alive and well... or is he?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “a new 2K restoration from the 35mm negative.”

Deathdream comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 38.7 GB

Feature: 24.2 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Colors and flesh tones look correct; image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid; and grain remains intact.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English. The audio is in excellent shape. Dialog always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced and robust when it should, and ambient sounds are well-represented. Included with this release are three subtitle options: English SDH, Spanish, and French.

Extras:

Extras for this release include, a stills gallery (186 images-posters/ads/US pressbook/stills/behind the scenes/makeup effects/home video art/Alan Ormsby’s movie monsters/Alan Ormsby’s creations), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), alternate Deathdream opening credits (3 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a student film directed by Alan Ormsby (10 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), screen test with Gary Swanson, the original actor cast in the role of Andy (12 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with production manager John ‘Bud’ Cardos titled Flying Down To Brooksville (5 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with composer Carl Zittrer titled Notes For A Homecoming (19 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Anya Liffey and screenwriter/make-up artist Alan Ormsby (29 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Richard Backus titled Deathdreaming (11 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette titled Tom Savini: The Early Years (10 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with director Bob Clark, an audio commentary with Alan Ormsby, reversible cover art and a twenty-page booklet with cast & crew information and an essay titled “I Died for You, Doc. Why Shouldn’t You Return the Favor?”: Revisiting “Deathdream” written by Travis Crawford.

Included with this release is a DVD that has the same content as the Blu-ray included as part of this combo.

Summary:

Deathdream was directed by Bob Clark, a versatile director whose other notable films include Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things, Black Christmas, Breaking Point, Porky's, and A Christmas Story.

Deathdream is clearly an allegory about war, but the actual war is never mentioned. That being said, when one takes into account when Deathdream was made, there is a strong indication that the film is referencing the Vietnam War.

Performance-wise, the cast is all very good in their respective roles. with the standout performance being Richard Backus in the role of Andy Brooks, the young man who returns home after dying in combat. Other notable performances include John Marley (The Godfather) in the role of Andy’s father and Lynn Carlin (Faces) in the role of Andy’s distraught mother, who refuses to acknowledge the truth about her son.

From a production standpoint, the premise is superbly executed. And nowhere is this more evident than when it comes to the eerie visuals. With the finale, we get a very satisfying resolution to the events that have just unfolded.

Throughout the history of cinema, there have been countless films that have explored the horrors of war. And though there have been a handful of horror-themed films that have explored this subject matter, one would be hard-pressed to name a horror film that delivered this subject matter as effectively as it is executed in Deathdream.

Deathdream gets an excellent release from Blue Underground that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer