Zombie High Blu-ray Review

Zombie High is presented on Blu-ray by Scream Factory, featuring an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The video quality is somewhat of a mixed bag. Portions of the film exhibit above-average sharpness and clarity, maintaining a well-resolved grain field and decent detail levels. There is a noticeable, albeit inconsistent, saturation that contributes to a visually engaging palette. However, the transfer encounters several recurring issues, such as sporadic color shifts, notably towards yellows, and frequent compression artifacts. These artifacts manifest as splotchy yellow clumps or multicolored speckles that can significantly detract from the overall viewing experience.

The first half of the film struggles considerably more than the second, with fine details suffering immensely due to heavy grain and compression. The contrast often appears blown out, resulting in an overexposed and smeary image during brightly-lit scenes. Colors in these segments are washed out, with flesh tones appearing iridescent, and black levels failing to achieve true darkness, instead presenting as bright shades of white. Common issues such as banding, haloing, and edge enhancement further exacerbate the problems, leading to a frustrating viewing experience.

Improvement in the latter half of the film is palpable, with colors regaining some richness and depth while black levels become slightly more accurate despite minor crush artifacts. Details sharpen up to reveal facial features and architectural elements with more clarity. Darker scenes tend to perform better, exhibiting solid depth and natural movements augmented by manageable grain levels. Although exterior shots occasionally appear overly washed out, the overall image quality remains a significant step up from previous media formats like VHS. Despite its flaws, this transfer offers an acceptable video presentation that retains a nostalgic charm reflective of its 80s origin.

The audio presentation of "Zombie High" on Blu-ray is delivered through a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track. The performance is, unfortunately, inconsistent. The film's score and quasi-classical cues are forcefully presented. However, the dialogue often suffers from uneven prioritization and mixing, leading to significantly varying amplitude levels between scenes. This inconsistency in balance between music, sound effects, and vocals culminates in a somewhat "in a can" sound that detracts from an otherwise potentially immersive audio experience.

The primary issue with this audio track is the continuous battle with volume levels. Quiet conversational scenes are followed by sudden, loud music cut-ins, making it necessary to frequently adjust the volume while viewing. Some dialogue moments are exceptionally difficult to hear, especially when characters whisper or sound almost dubbed, as if speaking from a different room despite being in the shot. This forced concentration of what might have been surround channel information into a single mono output results in these distracting anomalies.

Despite these drawbacks, there are portions where the audio stabilizes, offering clearer and more audible dialogue. However, these periods are sparse, and the overall experience is somewhat marred by the frequent need for volume adjustments and the muffled sound quality. In summary, while the track is functional and allows you to follow the film's narrative, its technical flaws prevent it from providing an ideal auditory experience.

The Blu Ray of "Zombie High" presents an assortment of extras that robustly supplement the primary viewing experience. Professionally compiled, these extras offer added depth to the cult classic. Notably, the theatrical trailer is a highlight, attempting—with brevity—to convey the thematic essence and tone of the film. The inclusion of a DVD copy ensures accessibility across different viewing preferences.

Extras included in this disc:

• Trailer: This HD trailer, although brief at 1:05, compellingly encapsulates the movie's premise and comedic undertones.
• DVD Copy: An additional format of the film for versatile viewing options.

"Zombie High" delivers a mediocrity that fails to fully embrace either the horror or comedy genres it seemingly targets. The film’s plot, structured around Andrea (Virginia Madsen) navigating the eerie terrain of an elite prep school, attempts to summon a mixture of dread and satire but ends up falling short. Its central conceit of students being transformed into compliant drones recalls Ira Levin’s "The Stepford Wives," yet it lacks the socio-political heft or inventive storytelling that made Levin's work compelling. The movie doesn’t manage to inject angst or urgency, despite showcasing a curious ensemble, including performances from Paul Feig and Sherilyn Fenn. Instead, viewers are presented with a plot saturated with inconsistencies and squandered potential.

Technically, "Zombie High" suffers from erratic structure and bothersome editing choices. The narrative frequently deviates from Andrea’s point of view, employing an omniscient narration style that dilutes any potential tension. The editing is uneven, with scenes cutting away just as a moment of suspense starts to build, fragmenting the flow and resulting in lost momentum. The film shares too many details too soon, eliminating any gradual buildup of fear or intrigue. Consequently, what should induce a creeping sense of paranoia merely meanders into bland repetition.

Performances are varied yet strained by underdeveloped characters. Virginia Madsen exerts an earnest effort but struggles to portray a convincing high school student at the age of 26. Supporting actors like Paul Feig offer moments of levity that are ultimately undermined by the film’s inability to maintain a consistent tone. The title "Zombie High" sets expectations for a gruesome and comedic escapade, but the final product is neither scary nor funny, leaving much to be desired. The film’s attempt to balance horror and humor results in a tonal dissonance that assures its place as a largely forgettable entry in the genre.

"Zombie High" on Blu-ray is a curious case of missed potential and technical mediocrity. While the film boasts an interesting premise and a noteworthy lead in Virginia Madsen, it ultimately falls short in execution, straddling awkwardly between horror and comedy without fully committing to either genre. The titular "zombies" deviate significantly from the classic Romero archetype, resulting in a confusing misnomer. The storyline fails to deliver consistent suspense or humor, leading to an overall viewing experience that feels disjointed and underwhelming.

The Blu-ray release by Scream Factory does not significantly elevate the film's reputation. Both the image and audio quality are substandard, with noticeable issues detracting from the viewing experience. Additionally, the disc offers minimal extras, limited to a short trailer. This lack of substantive bonus content further diminishes the value of the release, particularly for collectors and cinephiles who often seek additional insights and behind-the-scenes features.

Contrasting the damsel-in-distress approach that iconic films like "Rosemary's Baby" took versus the ham-handed attempts in "Zombie High" is an object lesson in how to properly structure a film so that the audience is left in the same predicament as the heroine. In "Rosemary's Baby," the viewer is more or less one with Rosemary as she slowly comes to believe she's part of a horrifying conspiracy. In "Zombie High," the perspective simply shifts inexplicably at times away from Andrea, divvying up too much information too early and therefore defeating any sense of suspense. Fans of Madsen or even Feig may find this enough of a curio to check out, but this is one high school which gets a pretty resounding D-.