C.H.U.D. 2: Bud The C.H.U.D. (1989/Vestron Collector's Series/Lionsgate Blu-ray)

Picture: B Sound: B Extras: B Film: C

The Vestron Collector's Series continues its new Blu-ray series of cult classic films (which includes Chopping Mall, Diner Massacre, Waxwork 1 and 2, and Return of the Living Dead, Part 3 - all reviewed elsewhere on this site) with the second film in the C.H.U.D. franchise directed by David Irving (1987's Rumpelstiltskin). Similar to the first in terms of story, the 1989 film centers around the appearance of a C.H.U.D. and the spreading of the disease to create a new population of zombie-like extraterrestrials.

C.H.U.D 2: Bud The C.H.U.D. stars Brian Robbins, Bill Calvert, Tricia Leigh Fisher, Robert Vaughn (who sadly passed away as this was being released), Bianca Jagger, Larry Linville, and Gerrit Graham as Bud.

Comedic and executed well on a modest budget, the film has earned a cult following and is finally finding its way onto high definition ahead of the original film heading to disc soon thanks to Arrow Films. For fans of '80s horror, it's nice to see these smaller horror flicks that haven't gotten a lot of love in previous releases get a grand release. My one gripe about the Vestron Collector's Series is that there aren't any booklets with linear notes like in Arrow releases or reversible covers, since the content is consistently strong with many new retrospective interviews, in which this release is no exception.

The 'Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers' are back after the case has been abruptly closed. The sole survivor of the race on Earth is Bud, a C.H.U.D. who is stolen from a military base after some government experimentation and brought to life by a pair of students. After getting loose in the town, he begins chomping on every human he comes in contact with until he is healthy enough to resume his flesh-eating activities. The sickness of the C.H.U.D. has spread but can it be contained?

The film isn't necessarily smart writing or cutting edge in terms of production but it is pretty fun to watch if not a little dated. Not all of the jokes are funny, and other moments are just downright corny. Many of which feature Bud as he bumbles too and from different places. Instead of blobs like in the first C.H.U.D., here we have zombies with sharp goofy teeth as the replacement, which isn't a huge stretch but strange that they didn't just stick to the same creature concept. More than likely, this creature change up was due to budget - which is unfortunate.

Presented in 1080p high definition, the film has been restored from its original elements and is presented in 1.85:1. Shot on 35mm film, the restoration and colors are pretty nice throughout - namely during the scenes that take place in the military base. The original 2.0 Stereo audio track has also been sharpened and updated to a lossless DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Stereo mix that sounds as good as it can. Much like the other Vestron Collector's Series releases, the presentation here is a vast and welcome improvement over previously released versions on lesser formats.

Special Features...

- Audio Commentary with Director David Irving

- Interview with Actor Gerrit Graham

- Interview with Actress Tricia Leigh Fisher

- Interview with Special Effects Artist Allan Apone

- Still Gallery

- Original Trailer

If you're a C.H.U.D. fan, then you won't want to miss this highly collectible edition of the film on Vestron Collector's Series. While not as good as the original and not without some cheesy and dated moments, there is still a lot to like here.

- James Lockhart

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