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Category:    Home > Reviews > Horror > Monster > Terror > Eaten Alive (1977/MVD/Arrow Blu-ray w/DVD)

Eaten Alive (1977/MVD/Arrow Blu-ray w/DVD)



Picture: B+/B- Sound: B+/B- Extras: B+ Film: C+



Tobe Hooper's 1977 film Eaten Alive is a bizarre horror/psychological film that isn't for everyone and his first film after making The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Featuring a young Robert Englund (Freddy of the original A Nightmare on Elm Street series), along with Marilyn Burns (Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Neville Brand and William Finley (Phantom of the Paradise), the bizarre film is set in Louisiana and is in many ways similar to Hitchcock's Psycho just on a much darker Southern setting. Arrow has done an outstanding job with this release debuting a new 2K restoration of the film, a collectible insert booklet, and tons of extras this not as well known film is here in deluxe form.


A psychotic redneck who owns a dilapidated hotel called the Star Light in rural East Texas kills various people who upset him or his business, and he feeds their bodies to a large crocodile that he keeps as a pet in the swamp beside his hotel.


The 2K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative approved by Tobe Hooper features a sharp 1080p high definition transfer with a 1.85:1 widescreen aspect ratio on Blu-ray with a PCM 1.0 Original Mono audio track (Uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray). The colors are sharp and the blacks pure throughout, making the film look better than ever, and it needed the upgrade. There's also a DVD included which presents the film in standard definition and a lossy Dolby Digital Mono 1.0 track as originally release and a sliver better than the Dark Sky DVD.



Special Features include...

Audio commentary with co-writer and producer Mardi Rustam, actors Roberta Collins, William Finley and Kyle Richards, and make-up artist Craig Reardon

New introduction to the film by Hooper

Blood on the Bayou - a brand new interview with Hooper

Gator Bait - a brand new interview with star Janus Blythe

Monsters and Metaphors - a brand new interview with make-up artist Craig Reardon

The Gator Creator - an archive interview with Hooper

My Name is Buck - an archive interview with star Robert Englund

5ive Minutes with Marilyn Burns - the late Texas Chain Saw star discusses her role in Eaten Alive

The Butcher of Elmendorf: The Legend of Joe Ball - featurette looking at the true-life story of the South Texas bar owner on whom Eaten Alive is loosely based

Original theatrical trailers for the film under its various alternate titles: Eaten Alive, Death Trap, Starlight Slaughter and Horror Hotel

TV and Radio Spots

Alternate Opening Titles

Behind the Scenes Slideshow

Stills and Promo Material Gallery

Audience Comment Cards

Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin

Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic Brad Stevens, illustrated with original archive stills and posters.


All in all, the film is very creepy with an unnerving soundtrack and cinematography that is very claustrophobic, making it an interesting psychological study. If you're a fan of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, then you might enjoy this one also.


For more on the film from our previous coverage of older DVD editions, try these links:


Elite

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4420/Eaten+Alive+(Elite+DVD-Video+re-issu


Dark Sky

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/5990/Eaten+Alive+%E2%80%93+2-Disc+Sp



- James Harland Lockhart V

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