DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW Blu-ray

This little gem just arrived today.

DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW is a made-for-tv movie from 1981. Honestly, I only realized recently that it was made for television. I've probably not seen it more than twice before. I guess Winnipeg just doesn't have the cable TV saturation of other markets . In this case, that's a good thing because the movie is still very fresh for me. I'm old enough to have seen it 30 years ago and it's likely been at least 20 years since I last saw it.

It's always a special treat when something like this comes out on Blu-ray. 30 years ago, I would have been watching this on a 19" set. Who could have imagined seeing it in high definition on a 60" screen.

This flick comes to us from the good folks at VCI who have a long history of doing great work with smaller titles. Of course, they also have a history of producing discs with technical glitches . Actually, my BD played perfectly but I've seen a small number of reports from people experiencing a glitch or two. As always, Blu-rays can be sensitive to firmware in some players. But, Like I said, mine played perfectly and I don't see any issues listed in the amazon reviews.

The movie looks wonderful. It has undergone a restoration for this release. The opening two minutes with the credits and various opticals looks a bit rough but once the movie itself gets going, it's great. Clear as a bell, great color and minimal edge enhancement. Blu-ray.com reviews this with 4.5 stars out of 5 for the picture.

VCI also provides three LPCM soundtracks. One is the original mono which is presented as 2 channel mono. There's a 5.1 surround track and, finally, a commentary track.

Also included are a number of extras including a rather extensive Q&A with major cast members. A rarity with modern discs, this also has a nice fold-out booklet about the movie.

I look forward to more BD releases from VCI. I think they have CITY OF THE DEAD on the radar for a BD release.

Last edited by Dex Robinson (2011-11-21 21:52:54)