Why So Blu?

Creepshow: Season 3 (Blu-ray Review)

RLJE Films, a business unit of AMC Networks, has picked up select rights to the horror series CREEPSHOW 3 from Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural. RLJE Films has released CREEPSHOW 3 on DVD and Blu-ray. CREEPSHOW, the anthology series based on the 1982 horror comedy classic, is still the most fun you’ll ever have being scared! A comic book comes to life in a series of vignettes, exploring terrors ranging from murder, creatures, monsters, and delusions to the supernatural and unexplainable. You never know what will be on the next page. Creepshow Season 3 is now available on Blu-ray and DVD! 

 

Series

Creepshow: Season 3 makes its Blu-ray debut courtesy of RLJE releasing via Shudder. The format is still the same and consists of 6 episodes and 12 segments. These are spread on two Blu-ray discs for your viewing horror. Personally, I enjoyed the season 3 but I don’t know if it’s the case of diminishing returns. Creepshow: Season 3 is nowhere near as good as the previous seasons, and some of the acting is downright cheesy, but the entertainment factor is still 100% there.

Skeletons in the Closet has to be my favorite episode of the season, because it’s an obvious love letter to the art of physical and practical effects of the horror film industry. They even include an awesome and amusing tribute to Psycho.

The format remains the same in that the stories generally revolve around down and out characters seeking better lives, or of folks desperately in need of their comeuppance. That usually means that folks will meet a ghastly demise. The series doesn’t seek to reinvent the wheel. It follows the formula that works and has worked since the original 1982 film of the same name.

I’ve read that there will be a 4th season, so I will keep my eyes peeled. Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead) has done a great job of keeping the show on track. He literally does everything from co-writing, producing, and directing most of the episodes himself. KNB (his company) also does the special make-up effects for the show.  When does he sleep?! It’s the love of the material and genre that seems to be the motivating factor.

 

Video 

Resolution: 1080p

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Clarity/Detail: Contrast and sharpness levels are pristine. I did not notice any instances of post-production tweaking, or artificial enhancements. Sharpness levels were not a problem either.

Depth: Depth levels are nice and expansive. For a “low budget” show, they do get their money’s worth by making the show seem bigger in scale. The transfer highlights these expansive attributes.

Black Levels: Black levels are nice and deep, free of crush.

Color Reproduction: Colors are nice and bold. I did not detect any instances of banding or pixilation. The show is colorful, as well, outside of the black & white episode.

Flesh Tones: Flesh tones look nice natural, but the image is so clear that on some of the women, you can see that they are wearing heavy base beauty make-up. That’s not a dig on the transfer at all, it’s quite the opposite.

Noise/Artifacts: Clean.

Audio 

Audio Format(s): English DTS HD-Master Audio 5.1

Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish

Dynamics: The series features some heavy jump and action oriented scares that come through nice and loud, without being aggressive and brash. RLJE never disappoints with their lossless soundtracks and this is no different!

Low Frequency Extension: The low-end (LFE) subwoofer channel gives the horror proceedings a a swift kick in the pants when it comes to enhancing all of the low guttural sounds that the vast array of creepy crawlies emit. There are some nice action beats that benefit from the powerful subwoofer channel.

Surround Sound Presentation: The surround sound channels handle the ambience rather well, but where it excels is during those scenes involving monsters shifting, creeping, or running around in the back stage area. There’s a latter episode where giant spider run all over the place and you can literally feel them walking above your head.

Dialogue Reproduction: Dialogue levels are clean, clear, and crisp. No issues there.

 

Extras 

The extras on the Creepshow: Season 3 Blu-ray set are somewhat light and spread over two discs. Disc 1 has the panel interview segment, which runs just over 35-minutes. The second disc has the raw making-of and photo still gallery. I enjoyed the making-of and you can see Greg Nicotero working his butt off – “Jack of all trades” style. My personal favorite special feature is the comic book booklet included.

• Amazon’s Comic-Con@Home Panel Interview with Greg Nicotero, Mattie Do, Rusty Cundieff, Michael Rooker, and James Remar, moderated by Entertainment Weekly’s Clark Collis
• Behind-the-Scenes Raw Footage
• Comic Art Booklet
• Behind-the-Scenes Photo Gallery

Summary 

Creepshow: Season 3 was an enjoyable enough romp. I don’t think it’s as strong as the first couple of seasons, but it runs along nicely and at a brisk pace. The Blu-ray video/audio specs are top notch as always, and the special features are fine. This set is for horror fans and definitely for Creepshow fans! Recommended!

 

 

 

Creepshow: Season 3 is now available on Blu-ray and DVD!

ORDER NOW!

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