Scare Package Blu-ray Review

"Scare Package," an anthology film with seven distinct cinematographers, offers a visually diverse experience. While the shorts exhibit varied stylistic choices, the majority are well-lit and aren't afraid to experiment with color, featuring neon-infused sets and subtle post-production tweaks. Despite none of the segments appearing to be shot on film, some, such as "Cold Open," display noticeable graininess, potentially added artificially. The 1080p Blu-ray transfer from RLJ Entertainment is commendable, delivering a high bit rate with no excessive noise reduction. However, the Rad Chad segments occasionally display brief pauses between shots, likely due to source issues or branching in the extended "The Last Drive-In" version included as an extra.

The Blu-ray presentation boasts a crisp Hi-Def picture with substantial definition, though it comes with an unconventional 2.00:1 aspect ratio and is interlaced at 1080i. This may have been a choice necessitated by the variety of shorts. The encoding is robust, with a strong AVC on a BD-50 disc, ensuring no discernible compression artifacts. While the visuals are bright and possess an over-driven contrast, they align well with the anthology's comedic tone rather than serious horror. Overall, the technical aspects of the Blu-ray release provide clarity and consistency across the different styles of each segment, making "Scare Package" a visually engaging watch despite its low-budget origins.

The DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track for "Scare Package" delivers a satisfying mix that caters well to its anthology structure, despite the varied contributions from different directors. Dialogue is often front and center, ensuring clarity, while background effects and the original score are subtly integrated into the rear channels. The audio mix effectively navigates between the frequent jump scares and atmospheric elements, providing a reasonable amount of force without overwhelming the low-budget charm of the film. Optional English (SDH) and Spanish subtitles are included, enhancing accessibility.

"Scare Package’s" 5.1 DTS-HD MA audio track manages to maintain coherence despite the disparate sound designs. The dialogue remains clear and well-prioritized, even when louder, more dynamic cues emanate from the rear channels. The track offers sufficient bass and channel separation to create a fully discrete listening experience. However, it falls short of delivering a truly immersive audio environment. The optional subtitles in English SDH and Spanish are rendered in a white font during the main feature, ensuring readability.

Overall, the audio presentation of "Scare Package" provides a respectable mix, balancing dialogue, dynamic effects, and score within its 5.1 DTS-HD MA framework. While it may not achieve the utmost in immersion, it efficiently leverages channel separation and atmospheric punches to align with the film's anthology format.

The Blu-ray release of "Scare Package" impresses with its engaging set of bonus features, housed in a standard keepcase with retro cover art and an embossed slipcover. Notable among these is the full special episode from "The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs," an extensive and entertaining commentary series that adds depth to the viewing experience. The selection also includes an insightful audio commentary from co-creators Aaron Koontz and Cameron Burns, along with several lighter additions such as a blooper reel and a handful of short featurettes. These extras collectively provide an expansive insight into the film's creation and are presented in quality high definition.

Extras included in this disc:

• Audio Commentary: Features Aaron Koontz and Cameron Burns.
• The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs: A special episode with interspersed commentary.
• Original Not-As-Good Ending: An alternate ending.
• Locker Room Z: A short zombie-themed feature.
• Rad Chad's Rad Ad: A promotional video store trailer.
• Blooper Reel: Behind-the-scenes outtakes.

"Scare Package," a 2020 horror anthology from Shudder, revolves around Rad Chad's Horror Emporium, a struggling video rental store owned by Chad (Jeremy King). Comprising seven short stories, each with different casts and crews, the narrative is interspersed with meta-commentary and introductions from Chad and his new employee, Hawn (Hawn Tran). The film's total runtime stands at an ambitious 110 minutes, offering a diverse yet uneven array of low-budget shorts.

The movie’s episodic structure yields both hits and misses. "M.I.S.T.E.R." by Noah Segan presents a unique spin on werewolf mythology blended with Fight Club-style satire, while "Girls Night Out Of Body" by Courtney and Heather Andujar provides a few genuine scares beneath its feminist surface. These episodes stand out along with Baron Vaughn's "So Much To Do," which combines an original concept, sharp comedic timing, and engaging lead performance by Toni Trucks. Conversely, segments like "Cold Open" by Emily Hagins and "One Time In The Woods" by Chris McInroy struggle with subpar acting and over-reliance on genre tropes. The weakest link is Anthony Cousins’ "The Night He Came Back Again! Part IV: The Final Kill," plagued by unfunny gags and poor pacing.

Ultimately, "Scare Package" wobbles between effectiveness and mediocrity. Some segments achieve a pleasant balance of humor and horror, while others rely heavily on well-worn clichés and fall flat. The overall experience is enriched slightly by recognizable faces like Joe Bob Briggs. However, the Blu-ray release from RLJ Entertainment compensates somewhat for the film’s unevenness with robust audio-visual quality and compelling extras. This offering will likely appeal to ardent horror enthusiasts, though it may not meet the expectations of those seeking substantive frights or consistently high-quality storytelling.

"Scare Package" is a mixed bag of horror shorts that attempts to blend humor with traditional horror tropes. While the overall execution of the film is uneven, with approximately fifty percent of the segments hitting the mark, it offers enough compelling moments to merit at least one viewing. RLJ Entertainment's Blu-ray release enhances the experience through solid audiovisual specifications, making good use of both sound and high-definition video to bring out the most in each short.

The Blu-ray also includes a notable bonus feature: an engaging episode of The Last Drive-In featuring the legendary Joe Bob Briggs. This addition provides valuable insights and a layer of entertainment that complements the film's content. Despite Joe Bob Briggs' presence, some may find the comedic aspects of the horror anthology falling short of expectations, lacking the consistency needed to fully captivate an audience.

In conclusion, "Scare Package" on Blu-ray by RLJ Entertainment offers a mix of hits and misses within its horror-comedy anthology. However, its robust A/V quality and the entertaining bonus feature with Joe Bob Briggs elevate it above mere curiosity status, making it a worthwhile watch for genre enthusiasts, especially around Halloween. Recommended for those who appreciate horror-comedy anthologies and can overlook occasional tonal inconsistencies.