Search - Hell Night on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Graphic Violence, Adult Situations, Not For Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 1981 DVD Release: 08/24/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 42 mins Studio: Anchor Bay Members Wishing: 13 Genres: Horror, Sex Horror, Slasher Film

This plodding, derivative slasher opus -- a surprise box-office hit -- stars Exorcist vet Linda Blair as one of a quartet of sorority and fraternity pledges required to spend the title evening of their initiation inside the spooky Garth Manor. The mansion was the site of a gruesome multiple murder, wherein the owner killed his wife and three of his four deformed children before taking his own life. After the four pledges bed down for the night (mainly with each other, though Blair is called upon for the standard "virginal heroine" role here), mischievous upperclassmen descend into the house, intending to scare them out of their wits...but something even more repulsive than a pack of drunken frat-boys beats them to it. It comes as no surprise that Garth's fourth child -- apparently the most monstrous of the bunch -- is still roaming the premises, and doesn't take kindly to strangers. An early foray onto exploitation turf for director Tom de Simone, this film has a fairly stylish look, though mired by underlit photography and silly performances. Blair is appealing, but her role is sadly underwritten. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

Linda Blair - Marti
Vincent Van Patten - Seth
Peter Barton - Jeff
Kevin Brophy - Peter
Jenny Neumann - May

Linda Blair stars in the 1981 horror movie staple Hell Night -- with horrific results! Anchor Bay has once again done a fantastic job on a low-end title, making sure that this 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer is relatively clear of any defects or imperfections. There is some slight grain and dirt in the beginning of the film, but by the time the middle has rolled around, the movie's picture looks clean and concise. Audio is presented in Dolby Digital Mono 1.0 and sounds passable, not flat and hollow (as most mono tracks usually sound). No subtitles or alternate tracks are available on this disc.
=Hell Night does offer some decent extra features, starting off with an audio commentary by actress Linda Blair, director Tom DeSimone, and producers Irwin Yablans and Bruce Cohn Curtis. Although there are some lulls in the conversation, overall this is an informative and sometimes funny commentary track. Also included on this disc are two 30-second TV spots, as well as a widescreen theatrical trailer. Anchor Bay has done a decent job on a small title that normally wouldn't have gotten such grand treatment. ~ Patrick Naugle, All Movie Guide