Why So Blu?

Child’s Play 2 – Collector’s Edition (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)

Scream Factory has your horror August jackpot in the form of bringing the first 3 Child’s Play films to 4K Ultra-HD for the first time. Child’s Play 2 has largely been one of the most popular entries, many preferring it to the original even. One thing it hasn’t had before is some love on the home video front. For the first time, we are getting a Collector’s Edition treatment to the film in the form of commentary, interviews and deleted scenes. It’s long been overdue for the movie and will be available for you to have on August 16th. You can order yourself a copy by using the paid Amazon Associate’s link following the review. Also available that same day are the original film and Child’s Play 3 on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray for the first time as well.

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Film

Originally published on Naptown Nerd 9/18/2013

Two years after serial killer Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif) inserted his soul into a Chucky doll, a toy company attempts to re-create the doll, bringing Ray back in the process. The possessed doll, intent on claiming a human body, kills his way toward former owner Andy (Alex Vincent), who now lives in a foster home. Andy’s foster sister, Kyle (Christine Elise), tries to protect him, but his foster parents believe Andy is just a troubled kid — and Chucky’s murderous path continues.

The first film was produced by United Artists and they also greenlit this film.  Child’s Play 2 was canceled while it was already in preproduction.  United Artists was about to be bought out by another company.  That company was not wanting to make horror films at all (what a buncha assholes, right?).  So producer David Kirshner and Chucky were sent packing.  While the first film was a hit, no other studio seemed keen on producing it’s sequel.  So Kirshner set out to independently make the film.  Once the film was finished, Universal Studios picked it up for distribution.  The first film in the series, however, had its rights remaining with United Artists/MGM.

The series brings back Andy Barclay to be stalked by Chucky once again.  It’s 2 years later, his mother is institutionalized (aka Catherine Hicks probably didn’t want to come back) and he’s moving in with a new foster family.  In the meantime, the remnants of Chucky are recycled and fixed up into a new doll, when the machine malfunctions and a worker is killed.  The doll is still finished and manages to retain the possession of Charles Lee Ray.  Chucky manages to escape and hunt down and begin terrorizing Andy, hoping to actually possess his body this time.

With this sequel we basically get the first film ramped up.  There’s no “surprise” of Chucky, so you get him in full force from the get go.  The settings are bigger and the kills are more over the top, but essentially the stakes are the same.  Chucky is killing, Andy is getting blamed and nobody believes him.  If you enjoyed the first go-round, there’s still entertainment to be found here.

I really found myself liking the set design and kookiness of Andy’s foster parents’ basement.  There’s just something a bit haunting about it, itself.  Probably more creepy to me than Chucky.  Andy’s foster father also has a pretty grisly death in the basement as well.  This following Andy fighting Chucky with an electric knife.  Haha, so yeah, cool stuff happening in that basement.

I think the characters here are pretty good and solidly cast for a horror sequel.  As a fan of Logan’s Run, it’s nice to see Jenny Agutter in hereas Andy’s foster mom.  It’s also fun to see Beth Grant and Greg Germann pop up in small roles here, too.  The real gem of the film is Christine Elise as the foster sister Kyle.  Maybe its watching the first time as a boy and you get a soft spot for her cuz she’s that cool older girl, but she really holds down the fort in the film.  This is also her first feature film.  She’s acting and fighting with a doll, but keeps herself full committed never leaving you to believe she’s cashing in or “it’s just the work I get” type deal.  She gets down and dirty and gives us someone to root for and like just as much as Andy (who’s kinda tired at this point).  Catherine Hicks isn’t in this film, but she’s not missed a bit thanks to Christine Elise.

This isn’t a bad sequel, it just really doesn’t do much other than give you “another one”.  Its an entertaining watch.  If you dig slashers or liked the first film, this should make you happy.  The extravagance of this film works.  Its got a pretty fun final battle through the toy store where all the Good Guy dolls are made that kinda feels like switching it up and letting Chucky fight on his “home turf”.  I think the film might be a little more fun in the “turn your brain off” mode as it has silly elements.  But its, kills are better and its not a movie that’s to be taken as seriously as the first one wants you to.  That’s where I’m getting at.

Video

Disclaimer: Screen captures used in the review are taken from the standard Blu-ray disc, not the 4K UHD Blu-ray disc.

Encoding: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: 4K (2160p)

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Layers: BD-66

Clarity/Detail:  Child’s Play 2 debuts on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray with a new 4K restoration from the original camera negative. Compared to what we’ve had before with this film, this transfer is a revelation. Its bold looking with such stronger colors on display as well as good black levels, and more depth available. There’s a healthy layer of grain intact, keeping strong texture and details apparent.

Depth:  Depth of field is terrific and this transfer really helps to showcase the film’s terrific cinematography and scale. Motion is smooth, filmic and carries no issues with any sort of distortions, blurs or jitters.

Black Levels: Blacks are natural and very deep with great saturation and contrast that really brings a great look to the colors on display. No issues arise from darker areas eating up information. The nighttime and dark room scenes are an elite step up above the previous standard Blu-ray image. No crushing witnessed.

Color Reproduction: Colors are very nicely saturated with plenty of tints and shades helping to bolster a bold look. Primary colors are terrific and really pop. Display panels, neon lit signs, car lights and more get an extra glow buffer from the HDR.

Flesh Tones: Skin tones are natural and consistent from start to finish of the film. Facial features and textures as well as make-up effects are terrific and hold up with every wrinkle and freckle as well as dried blood stain plenty discernible and full of information.

Noise/Artifacts: Clean

Audio

Audio Format(s): Dolby Atmos, English 2.0 DTS-HD MA

Subtitles: English SDH

Dynamics: Child’s Play 2 features a nice, open and free flowing Atmos track. Its not a be all to end all, but it really elevates the film in good, natural ways with a precise mix. Its plenty loud and impactful to engage.

Height: From above you get a lot of screen accurate inclusions but there are also some fun moments in the factor that come from above as well as some building and pulsating with the score to hep bring the room to concert for it.

Low Frequency Extension: The subwoofer does some solid work in punching with gunshots, car crashes, glass shattering, impalement and loud factor machine engines humming and smashing parts.

Surround Sound Presentation: There’s some mainly front focus to the mix, but ambiance built from the rear/side channels as well as some unique contributions can’t go overlooked. Rolling sound power that travels across the room in any given direction is indeed plenty effective.

Dialogue Reproduction: Vocals are clear and crisp.

Extras

Child’s Play 2 is a 2-disc set that comes with the Blu-ray edition. All bonus materials outside of the commentary are found on the standard Blu-ray disc.

Audio Commentary

• with Director John Lafia

Puppet Master (HD, 12:57) – An interview with writer Don Mancini. He goes into the new production hands and how much more he was aligned on how the film was shot and lit. Mancini reveals that Return of the Living Dead was an influence on the film’s balance on tone with comedy and horror. He also opens up about always wanting to be close with the actors on any film he works on because they are the custodians of the characters he wrote. There’s also a bit where he talks about a disgruntled Jenny Agutter and Gerrit Graham working on the movie.

Under Pressure (HD, 7:56) – An interview with Alex Vincent. He talks about feeling pressure when seeing his named top billed. There’s a bit about his scholastic experience and not wanting to talk about the film and being driven nuts about his father’s boasting about his son’s success any chance he could. Filming the second movie was a much for fun experience for him, Mancini being on set and the two of them going to the Back to the Future Part III set and having lunch with Michael J. Fox.

The Family Expands (HD, 7:37) – An interview with producer David Kirschner. He talks the separation from MGM after the first film and a call from Steven Spielberg to bring Chucky to Universal. There’s a whole bit about being glad of the decisions made on this film then because he certainly wouldn’t have made or been able to make them today.

In Kyle We Trust (HD, 10:09) – An interview with actress Christine Elise. Being a near miss on being casted in the first film, she says that she was brought in when they revisited tapes. She considered Don Mancini to be a big brother and ally for her and Alex Vincent. A lot of her work with Chucky and Alex Vincent was done with C-stands and blue tape because of child labor laws and them filming his stuff first and her later. “If you sucked horribly, but the doll got it, that’s the take they’re gonna use.”

School’s Out (HD, 5:28) – An interview with actress Beth Grant. “I am a believer in listening to the children.” She channeled her frustrations with president Reagan and his wife into her character. Grant talks about an incident where she got stabbed with the bike pump and it missed and hit her in the head. In regards to Mancini, “He’s family. He makes everyone feel like family.”

The Second Dance (HD, 3:59) – An interview with executive producer Robert Latham Brown. “Chucky was a big budget himself, he was getting paid like a star.” Brown talks about how everything tech-wise was an improvement from what was available before.

Extra Scenes From The Broadcast TV Version (HD, 11:20) 

Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:18)

TV Spot (HD, :31) 

Summary

Child’s Play 2 has retroactively topped the original when you look back at it embracing what the first film is afraid to, and having a sense of unique style to it. The film has finally been given the love fans have wanted for years with great new interviews, deleted scenes and commentary track. The new transfer and Atmos mix make for the definitive viewing experience of the film. An instant pick-up and upgrade from any version previously available.

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