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Thanks
to Anchor Bay Entertainment, House/House II have received
the DVD treatment we were campaigning for! Thanks
to all the House fans who wrote in with their opinions
and suggestions for what should be included.
You
can buy the DVD's online via Amazon: click
here
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House
DVD Review
by Andy Hargreaves
House
has had many incarnations on various different
formats over the years, home video, sell through video,
laser disc, and yes of course who can forgive or forget
the tragic British DVD by Digital Entertainment? But
help is on hand in the form of the new American House
DVD by Anchor Bay. House is the latest of New World's
films to be given DVD treatment by Anchor Bay and
the results are stunning. The first thing that struck
me as I watched the DVD was the time and care Anchor
Bay have taken to present House in the right
way.
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The movie lettering
and trailer-style house silhouette greet you as you enter
the first animated option screen along with audio from
the opening title of the score. The initial impact is
strong. The viewer is than faced with three options:
1.
Chapter selection
2.
Extras
3.
Play movie
I was dying to see if
the film transfer would impress as much as the striking
opening screen, I was not disappointed. The image quality
is excellent, House is presented "at long last" in
an anamorphic widescreen transfer from the 1.85:1 print,
which gives the film a feeling of unsullied freshness It's
like owning a painting for years then after having it cleaned,
you realize there are details you had never noticed.
The colour is razor-sharp
with no hint of blotching during playback. The new transfer
of House is like watching a new film. The picture
has never looked so good, and looks like it was shot last
week, not 15 years ago. The sound is also distortion free
and is presented in Dolby digital mono. With no messy dialogue
or FX cross over.
Additional material: Anchor
Bay has uncovered treasures in the attic to bring an array
of nice supplements to this DVD. Firstly there is a commentary
track with producer Sean S Cunningham, Director Steve Miner,
Writer Ethan Wiley (Writer/ Director of House 2) and Actor
William Katt. Secondly Anchor Bay has included a 12-minute
featurette called 'The Making of House' which was made back
in 1986. It includes clips from the new transfer of the
film along with 'behind the scenes' footage and interviews
with actors William Katt, Richard Moll and George Wendt.
It also includes special effects stills and an interview
with effects designer James Cummings.
The
Principal
Features of the DVD
1st 20,000
Copies include bonus House II Disc !!
Widescreen
Presentation enhanced for 16x9 TVs
The Making
of House Featurette
Audio Commentary
with Director Steve Miner, Producer Sean S. Cunningham,
Writer Ethan Wiley and Star William Katt.
Theatrical
Trailers
Still Gallery
2 x House Poster
Replicas
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The only thing wrong with the
featurette is that it's not long enough. Finishing
off the supplements are two trailers from the theatrical
release and a great stills gallery of rare house materials
and liner notes by Anchor Bay's Michael Felsher.
Is
that it?
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Well no, not if you order
one of the first 20,000 copies of House as you will
receive a free copy of the sequel House 2: The Second
Story which is also in widescreen with trailer and commentary
track by Writer/Director Ethan Wiley, and producer Sean
S Cunningham. The House DVD package is stunning,
simply stunning....I've waited
years for this Roger!!!!
Below:
The Original Campaign Artwork
Below you will see the
artwork from artist Andy Hargreaves which was launched by
Roger Cobb's House last year in a campaign to have House
released with these special features. It worked!
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