Army Of Darkness – HD-DVD/DVD Combo Format Edition
Picture:
B Sound: B Extras: C- Film: B
Sam Raimi
is now known for bringing Spider-Man
to life, now on his third film and counting, but it is actually his second
trilogy after his ever-popular Evil Dead
films. Army Of Darkness (1992) is the largest of the three productions (so
far?) and one with more than one cut. We
have previously looked at two of them, one of which was an import, which you
can read about at the following link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/2112/Army+Of+Darkness+(MGM+R3/NTSC+v.+Anchor+Bay+Boomstick+R1+Ed.)
So now,
here’s another edition, but this time it is in High Definition in the HD-DVD
format. Though it is the shorter cut and
only a theatrical trailer is included, this is the best looking and sounding
version issued to date, including the anamorphically enhanced 1.85 X 1 image on
the standard DVD side. The 1080p digital
High Definition version is a little better, but it is one of these cases where
the DVD side looks really good despite some poor moments, while the HD side
shows improvements in that transfer while also showing new problems and limits. The Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 mix is also good
for a low-budget film and the standard DVD standard Dolby Digital 5.1 version
shows some improvements over previous mixes with punchier surrounds and sound
effects that enhance the action and comedy.
So this
Combo edition is not going to have all the interesting extras fans have been
going after on DVD, but it is a good (if not outstanding) HD performer that is
basic and satisfactory for the format.
It is also the kind of older favorite title all the studios need to come
up with for the HD marketplace.
- Nicholas Sheffo
