Here’s a look at a pair of entertaining horror films now available in the Blu-ray disc format.
Abigail: Collector’s Edition (Universal Studios Home Entertainment, rated R, 110 minutes, 2:39:1 aspect ratio, $29.98) Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett deliver a monstrous twist to their crime dramedy that home entertainment horror fans will surely sink their teeth into.
The woeful tale of six professional criminals kidnapping a young girl named Abigail (Alisha Weir) for ransom goes horribly wrong after they take the budding ballerina to the creepy Wilhelm Manor.
The group quickly finds out that their handler and orchestrator of the job, Lambert (Giancarlo Esposito), has thrown them under the bus after learning that she is the daughter of the legendary, extremely violent and unforgiving crime lord Kristof Lazaar (Matthew Goode). But something even more sinister lies afoot.
Specifically, they are locked in a spooky kill house controlled by a centuries-old vampire. As they say in the monster movie business, “Let the blood buffet ensue.”
The gore, culminating with exploding bodies, merges beautifully with suspense and humor to deliver a fresh and entertaining narrative to the timeworn genre of vampire films.
Ms. Weir also delivers a commanding performance as the young killer, often carrying the story as it evolves into a roller coaster ride of carnage.
Best extras: The titled “Collector’s Edition” does deliver an adequate supply of digital goodies, starting with a welcomed and lighthearted optional commentary track starring both directors and editor Michael P. Shawver (according to the leaders, because everyone else turned them down).
Recorded almost three weeks before the film’s release, the discussion is short on anecdotes but loaded with production information touching on the shooting script, editing, casting of Abigail, shooting a film in Ireland, music, effects, combat and costuming.
Viewers also get four featurettes (roughly 22 minutes in total) covering the bloody practical effects, casting, Abigail’s vampiric transformation and the directors modernizing vampire lore.
Also, a surprisingly long, 10-minute gag reel is not very funny but offers a look at the off-screen hijinks on the set.
The First Omen (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, rated R, 119 minutes, 1:85:1 aspect ratio, $34.99) A recently released prequel to one of the most iconic horror franchises in the history of cinema moves to home theaters in the high definition format to present director Arkasha Stevenson’s orchestration of ancient evil.
Set in Rome in 1971, the story introduces an innocent nun-in-training, American Margaret (Nell Tiger Free), who lives with her religious sisters and elders in a Catholic orphanage for girls.
Her introduction to the disturbed and abused Carlita (Nicole Sorace) and a frantic Father Brennan (Ralph Ineson) has her unwittingly exposed to a priest-fueled mission to give birth to and then control the Antichrist to scare people back into believing in the church.
The narrative builds on simmering terror and discovery as the conspiracy unfolds to identify the mother who will ultimately give birth to Hell’s spawn.
A selection of effective jump scares, a bevy of offscreen screams, some gory deaths, a pair of grotesque births and a freaky possession scene deliver the horror and terror.
Fans will find “The First Omen” faithful to the franchise while delivering as much a psychological thriller as a traditional, supernatural horror film.
The 1970s-period piece in a full-screen presentation looks like it was shot in the era with cinematographer Aaron Morton choosing a mooted lighting scheme blended with some sickly yellow interior coloring. Outdoor moments nearly mirror the style of the original, 1976 film.
Best extras: A minuscule collection of three featurettes offers five minutes on the director’s vision, as explained by Ms. Stevenson; a five-minute focus on Margaret, as relayed by the actress and director; and eight minutes on the production and brief comparisons to “The Omen.”
• Joseph Szadkowski can be reached at jszadkowski@washingtontimes.com.
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