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Night of the Comet
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray B - United Kingdom - Arrow Films Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (20th September 2014). |
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The Film
 ***This is a technical review only. For reviews on the movie from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.*** Life can be tough when you’re a Valley girl. First, there’s making sure you’re on time for pep squad practice. Then there’s having to live under the same roof as your bitchy stepmother who, you suspect, is making it with Chuck from across the road. And then, of course, there’s having to keep on the lookout for the occasional marauding zombie hungering after your flesh! Eighteen year-old Reggie (Catherine Mary Stewart – Weekend at Bernie’s, The Last Starfighter) misses out on the event-of-a-lifetime when she ditches watching the comet in favour of copping off with the projectionist at the cinema where she works. But this turns out to be a wise move when, the next day, she discovers that the entire population has been reduced to piles of red dust – leaving only Reggie, her sister Sam (Kelli Maroney – Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Chopping Mall) and a handful of other survivors to fend off the roving gangs of glassy-eyed zombies. Taking its cue from classic “doomsday” movies such as The Day of the Triffids and The Omega Man (and with a healthy dose of Dawn of the Dead thrown in for good measure), Night of the Comet is an irresistible slice of Reagan-era B-movie fare which features Cyndi Lauper dance-alongs as well as some truly gravity-defying bouffant hairstyles… Well, it was acceptable in the 80s!
Video
Independent British distributor Arrow Films have released the 1980s cult classic "Night of the Comet" on to Blu-ray in the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The transfer is 1080p and uses an AVC MPEG-4 encode. The transfer is rather good, but far from reference grade. Obviously a low budget horror movie from thirty years ago, is likely going to be more problematic transfer wise than whatever was top of the box office at the time, but we do manage to avoid problems often associated with these circumstances. First of all, the levels of scratches and flecks on the print is minimal. You do see them occasionally flicker, particularly in the long range day time shots where they become slightly more noticeable, but all things considered, this is a very clean print with no major causes for concern. The grain structure is quite heavy in some scenes, with one or two darker scenes feeling a little harsher than others, but overall everything looks reasonably natural. Saturation levels are good, skin tones look fine, and red tint adopted in several scenes never bleeds through the detail. Details themselves are quite average. Some scenes feature reasonable detail in the background, but some items don't show quite as much clarity as we would perhaps expect from high definition. Facial close-ups and clothing show some intricate details, and in more enclosed shots, are the highlight. There are no problems with edge enhancement or aliasing, and I didn't notice any banding. After viewing, I would assume the source required a bit of work before it was ready for home media. The movie is uncut, and runs 95:11.
Audio
Arrow Films have provided us with a single English LPCM dual mono track, which has good fidelity, and solid depth. One of the prime sounds from the feature is the consistent noise of wind blowing to help give us that deserted city feel, and the subtleness of it is present throughout. Dialogue is clear and concise at all times, with no mumbling and steady volume levels. The score manages to make itself known without overshadowing the dialogue or the sound effects, whilst more robust segments remain powerful. There was no obvious damage to the track such as drop outs or scratches. Optional subtitles are included in English.
Extras
The audio commentary with writer/director Thom Eberhardt isn't quite as technical as you may expect, but his enthusiasm for his project shines through in his speech, and he does have a lot to say, rarely leaving us with dreaded 'dead spots'. He talks in detail about various aspects of how the film came together, and also shares some stories from the set about his time spent with the cast and crew members. There are some interesting tidbits about the films concept included. The audio commentary with stars Kelli Maroney and Catherine Mary Stewart was easily my favourite of the three and is much more anecdotal and fun than the other two. Both Maroney and Stewart obviously have a lot of love for this movie, and a lot of fond memories. They have plenty of funny little stories to tell, and there is an occasional bump from an unknown moderator to help guide the commentary. If you're less interested in the technical aspects, and want to know more about what it was like for two young actresses, this is the commentary you should opt for first. The third and final audio commentary with production designer John Muto, is another one worth listening to, but is not as lively or enthusiastic as the previous commentaries. Muto goes into great detail about how he had to deal with the budget constraints (the budget was just $700k) and how he made the film look like it had a much higher budget than it actually did. "Valley Girls at the End of the World" interviews stars Kelli Maroney and Catherine Mary Stewart (15:00). The interviews are separate, and were filmed by Red Short Pictures on the 11th September 2013. Just like in their joint commentary, both actresses express their genuine enthusiasm for the film. Some of the information is repeated from the commentary, but although some subjects are retrodden, there is some different information about such things as how the main characters are female, the story, and working with each other. "The Last Man on Earth?" is an interview with actor Robert Beltran (12:32). Filmed by Red Shirt Pictures on August 5th 2013, Beltran focuses on the long casting process which took place before he finally secured the role of Hector. He has a much more serious demeanor than other interviewees on the disc, but this is a solid interview. "The End of the World Blues" is an interview with actress Mary Worornov, who plays Audrey, and lasts 9:54. Filmed by Red Shirt Pictures on the 18th June 2014, this interview explores Worornov's role in the film, and how the character adds an air of seriousness to an otherwise jokey picture. She talks about how director Eberhardt with affection, but also says she was not a fan of her character, but was happy as she was able to write one of her own scenes. She also tells us about an argument between the director, and the 'cameraman' who I assume to really be cinematographer Arthur Albert. The final interview is with special make-up effects creator David B. Miller, and is entitled "Curse of the Comet" (6:32). This is a little shorter than the rest of the interviews, but still provides some great information about his career at the time of the movie (Nightmare on Elm Street, Michael Jackson's Thriller). He tells us how this was his first time as supervisor though, and goes on to inform about what he had to create, and how they were approved straight away. Once again, this is filmed by Red Shirt Pictures - this time on 20th August 2013. The final on-disc extra is a theatrical trailer (1:15). The case includes a collector's booklet featuring essays.
Overall
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