Night of Dark Shadows Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray presentation of "Night of Dark Shadows" delivers an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1, offering a surprisingly commendable visual experience considering the film's modest budget and its rare presence on home video since its theatrical release. The transfer retains a naturally filmic appearance, capturing the dimly lit scenes with a wealth of shadow detail and exceptional gradations in the color scale. However, contrast inconsistency is a notable issue, occasionally leading to a milky blue sheen in some outdoor sequences that detracts from fine detail and clarity. Despite these fluctuations, the transfer generally maintains sharpness and provides extremely good clarity in its best moments.

The high-definition picture quality exhibits a balanced contrast and brightness, with deep blacks and crisp whites contributing to a well-rounded visual presentation. The color palette stands out for its bright, accurate primaries, especially in scenes showcasing the gothic architecture of the Collins mansion and detailed textures on clothing and foliage. However, the print does show its age, with occasional resolution issues and flesh tones that range from natural to unnaturally flushed. Additionally, evidence of noise reduction affects close-ups, resulting in waxy appearances that lack expected fine textures. Overall, while this Blu-ray transfer has areas for improvement, it succeeds in delivering an engaging viewing experience with notable bouts of impressive detail and clarity.

The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono mix on the Blu-ray of "Night of Dark Shadows" is a serviceable yet somewhat disappointing audio presentation. While it captures the eerie ambiance with its distinct spooky sound effects and maintains a commendable balance between dialogue and Robert Cobert's unconventional score, it lacks depth and width. Fidelity is suitable for its narrow nature, showing no significant damage, but it does not provide an immersive experience.

Unfortunately, the track often appears flat and listless, with a limited dynamic range that remains mostly in the mids, rarely venturing into higher frequencies. The soundtrack's absence of warmth and variation, coupled with a notable lack of bass, leaves the audio feeling hollow and empty. While these shortcomings are likely inherent to the original recording rather than the DTS-HD Master Audio codec itself, they hinder the translation to a high-resolution audio format. On a positive note, dialogue reproduction stands out as strong and clean, but this alone does not compensate for the overall dullness of the mix.

The Extras section of the "Night of Dark Shadows" Blu-ray release, while minimal, does provide some captivating content for dedicated fans of the film. The primary addition is the original theatrical trailer, which is presented in standard definition. Notably, this offering may seem limited in scope compared to more comprehensive releases, however, it retains a nostalgic charm and provides a glimpse into the movie's initial promotional strategy. Although additional behind-the-scenes footage or interviews would be valuable, the inclusion of the theatrical trailer offers a direct link to the film's original era, maintaining historical interest. Overall, the extras are modest yet appreciated, allowing aficionados to revel in the legacy of this classic.

Extras included in this disc:

• Theatrical Trailer: The only available supplement is the movie's original theatrical trailer, presented in standard definition.

"Night of Dark Shadows," the directorial second effort in the "Dark Shadows" franchise by series creator Dan Curtis, transitions from the vampiric horror of “House of Dark Shadows” to a brooding tale of possession and reincarnation. The film diverges significantly from its series predecessor, taking a deep dive into psychological and gothic undertones. David Selby reprises his role as Quentin Collins, now a contemporary artist who inherits the Collinswood estate with his new wife, Tracy (played by Kate Jackson). The storyline interweaves themes of reincarnated souls, past-life romances, and spectral presences, establishing a periodically compelling narrative set within the eerily atmospheric mansion.

Despite its eerie undertones, the film struggles with tonal confusion and pacing issues. Forced editing cuts mandated by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer have evidently contributed to its disjointed progression and occasional shifts in storytelling approach. The plot, revolving around Quentin’s gradual realization of his past life and entanglement with the spirit of Angelique (Lara Parker), offers moments of intensity but is also hampered by extensive exposition and flashbacks that disrupt the flow. The film’s moodiness is accentuated by Robert Cobert's unorthodox score, which oscillates between solo piano motifs and harmonica interludes, sometimes diluting the intended suspense.

Though "Night of Dark Shadows" endeavors to weave a rich tapestry of foreboding and spectral intrigue, it loses traction due to fragmented storytelling and an uneven script. While it retains elements like Quentin's Theme from the series' familiar milieu, the film often falls short in delivering consistent chills. Some sequences come off as unintentionally humorous rather than fright-inducing, notably the climactic scenes involving Angelique. Despite a strong cast reprising various roles from the original series, the film’s potential is largely undermined by its execution, rendering it a curious yet ultimately unremarkable addition to the "Dark Shadows" canon.

'Night of Dark Shadows,' the direct follow-up to the first 'Dark Shadows' movie, presents itself as an intriguing proposition but ultimately falls short of both its potential and its predecessor. The film's foundation rests on an interesting character, Quentin, who, despite promising much, is not adequately developed to fulfill narrative expectations. The plot suffers from fragmented storytelling, which fails to capitalize on its eerie ambience and leans more towards mild intrigue rather than delivering consistent horror.

The Blu-ray release, while competent in technical aspects such as audio and video quality, does little to elevate the viewing experience. Video quality is commendable, with a clear and sharp presentation that does justice to the film’s dark and moody atmosphere. The audio is adequately balanced, ensuring that dialogue and background scores align well. However, the release is notably bare-bones, offering only a single trailer as a supplement, leaving aficionados of the series wanting more in terms of additional content or behind-the-scenes insights.

'Night of Dark Shadows' is not without its moments of atmospheric charm. Fans of subtle, brooding horror might appreciate its occasional moodiness and stylistic choices. However, the lack of a coherent and engaging storyline makes it unlikely to attract a broader audience. For those who can embrace its illogical twists and occasional silliness, it offers a nostalgic journey into the 'Dark Shadows’ universe. This Blu-ray release comes recommended only for the most dedicated fans who value the ambient over the terrifying.

There was a fantastically funny old Peanuts cartoon where Snoopy was atop his dog house attempting to write the Great American Novel, starting with that infamously horrible Bulwer-Lytton opening line, "It was a dark and stormy night." The ever-critical Lucy came by, read the sentence, and launched into a withering diatribe informing Snoopy of how horrible the opening was and how readers needed to be instantly drawn into a story by meeting an unforgettable character. The next frame revealed Snoopy's brilliant editing choice: "He was a dark and stormy knight." 'Night of Dark Shadows' actually has a fantastically interesting lead character in Quentin, even if this Quentin isn't exactly Dark Shadows' Quentin, but the film never adequately builds on the potential of that character. This would have been a much more effective film had it been told exclusively from Tracy's viewpoint, leaving the audience to wonder if Quentin were indeed possessed or simply losing his veritable marbles. As it stands, 'Night of Dark Shadows' is occasionally quite moody, but it's far from a scare-a-thon. For those who like ambiance more than horror and who can also live with a little illogic and outright silliness, 'Night of Dark Shadows' comes Recommended.