Witchboard on Blu-Ray Review

Witchboard on Blu-Ray

 

 

 

Just a couple of years before unleashing perhaps his most popular motion picture ("Night of the Demons"), Kevin Tenney made his directing debut with "Witchboard," an old-school, climatic horror flick that pays attention to a party of buddies at a party who communicate with spirits through a Ouija board. Brandon (Stephen Nichols) has done this several times before, communicating with the spirit of a young boy named David, who died in a heartbreaking accident at the age of 10. His former buddy, Jim (Todd Allen), thinks the whole thing is foolish, but Jim's girlfriend, Linda (Tawny Kitaen), chooses to give it a try. Brandon and Linda successfully make contact, but the session comes to an abrupt end when the spirit becomes perturbed. Meanwhile, Jim remains doubtful that anything really happened. However, as Linda's interest in the Ouija grows, stranger things begin to take place, leading Brandon and Jim to believe that something is after her, something from the other side.

On the surface, "Witchboard" resembles a campy, cheesy horror motion picture that most would shrug off pretty quickly, but it's those qualities that keep it more enjoyable than most of the same films. It's one of those movies that you can watch and take seriously, while not taking it so seriously at the same time, somewhat like the "Friday the 13th" movies of the same period. However, the flick also has a neat little mystery quality to it, making you wonder what's really going on with this Ouija board and the spirits that the characters are supposedly connecting to. There are times when it begins to drag, particularly in the last thirty minutes or so, but the mystery and the atmosphere help things move along pretty well, leading right up to the ridiculously silly ending (featuring perhaps the worst "falling out of a window" shot I've ever seen). This could be right up your alley if you're a fan of old-school horror done well.

 

Audio/Video:

 

"Witchboard" comes to Blu-ray in a refreshing 1.85:1, 1080p High Definition transfer that makes the video look better than it ever has. Overall, you really couldn't ask for better quality for a low-budget horror film that's nearly 30 years old.

 

Bonus Features:

 

Included on the disc are the following extras:

 

- New Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Kevin Tenney and Actors Stephen Nichols, Kathleen Wilhoite, and James Quinn
- Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Kevin Tenney, Executive Producer Walter Josten, and Producer Jeff Geoffray
- Progressive Entrapment-- The Making of Witchboard
- Vintage Making of Witchboard
- Cast Interviews
- On Set with Todd Allen and Stephen Nichols
- On Set with the Makers of Witchboard
- Life on the Movie Set
- Constructing the World of Witchboard
- Outtakes
- Behind the Scenes Gallery
- Promo Gallery