Monday, October 22, 2018

Arrow Video's 2K Restoration Of Director Ed Hunt's Bloody Birthday Will Be Ready For Blu-ray On Dec. 4


DVD & Blu-ray Release Report, Ralph Tribbey
To be honest, I never understood the theatrical distribution history of Canadian filmmaker Ed Hunt’s horror gem, Bloody Birthday.    Just about every source around points to an April of 1981 theatrical launch, which must have been miniscule as it doesn’t show up in any of the Box Office Magazine charts during that period.

Bloody Birthday then dropped out of sight for the next five years and resurfaced as a theatrical release from Rearguard Productions, which was Max Rosenberg’s company back in the day (with Milton Subotsky).   The IMDB credits him as one of the film’s producers, but digging up information is difficult, especially when time is limited.   The same year, 1986, Prism released it on VHS … others have released it on DVD over the years.

With that said, word arrived this past week that Arrow Video, with domestic sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has a new 2K restoration (from original film elements) planned for delivery on Blu-ray on Dec. 4.

DVD & Blu-ray Release Report, Ralph Tribbey
This should have been an ‘80s landmark slasher/horror film, instead of just a well-received “cult” curiosity and genre-fan favorite.   How many films can you tick off that feature children as homicidal maniacs … not just one kid, mind you, but a trio of bloodthirsty butchers!   

It seems that all three were born on the same day (some mumbo jumbo about a solar eclipse occurring during the birth process) and have now come together as ten-year olds to kill, kill and kill again.   There’s the sweet little Debbie (Elizabeth Hoy) and her cohorts, Curtis (Billy Jacoby, aka: Billy Jayne — Cujo, Reckless, Just One of the Guys, etc.) and Steven (Andy Freeman), who will brutally murder teen or adult at the drop of a hat — wrong place, wrong time, you’re dead!

DVD & Blu-ray Release Report, Ralph Tribbey
Another really frustrating thing about Bloody Birthday is that the ending left it wide open for a sequel … perhaps even a film franchise series, but sadly it didn’t happen.   

As to bonus features that is a newly prepared commentary from writer/director Ed Hunt (Starship Invasions, Plague), a new video session with actress Lori Lething (as Joyce), a featurette titled “Bad Seeds and Body Counts,” and archival interview session with the aforementioned Max Rosenberg.

DVD & Blu-ray Release Report, Ralph Tribbey


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