Eight Legged Freaks
Warner Home Video
Cast: David Arquette, Kari Wuhrer, Scott Terra, Scarlett Johansson
Extras: Commentary Track, Additional Scenes, Short film, Essay, Trailers
Rating:
I’m a sucker for classic horror and science fiction films and the 50s monster movies are most definitely one of my guilty pleasures. As such I was truly looking forward to seeing ’Eight Legged Freaks, ’ a modern-day homage to the great monster films, such as ’Tarantula’ and ’Them!’ And, I wasn’t disappointed. Not at all. As a matter of fact I am very tempted to say that ’Eight Legged Freaks’ is probably one of the best Halloween movies around! It is campy enough to entertain your party guests and get the to laugh out loud, it is suspenseful enough to keep you on the edge, and it has some very cool monsters.
The DVD features an anamorphic transfer of the movie in its original 1.85:1 widescreen aspect ratio that is absolutely clean and free of blemishes. Color reproduction is very good with natural-looking tones and powerful hues. Black levels are very good and help create an image with plenty of visual depth to it. No distracting signs of edge-enhancement are evident and the compression is also without flaws.
The release comes with a 5.1 channel Dolby Digital audio mix that is very aggressive. Surround channels are engaged very frequently and very effectively. The sound stage is wide and makes sure the viewers is entirely engulfed in the sonic experience. The bass extension gives the track solid punch while the high ends remain clear throughout.
’Eight Legged Freaks’ comes with a commentary track featuring cast and crew members. The track is entertaining and doesn’t’ take itself too seriously. It is enjoyable though and a nice addition to the release. The DVD also contains eight additional scenes and the short film ’Larger Than Life,’ which was the trigger for the movie, when it caught the producers’ eyes.
As I said before, I think ’Eight Legged Freaks’ is one of the best Halloween movies currently in the market. Its mixture of camp, horror, monsters and cool special effects make it a lot of fun to watch. Just don’t try to take it seriously – then you will certainly enjoy the ride!
