Aussie Horror 2 DVD Review

The Aussie Horror Collection 2

Reviewed by Peter West "Danger Seeker"

The Dreaming (1988):

Directed and written by Mario Andreacchio

Cast overview:
Arthur Dignam .... Prof. Bernard Thornton
Penny Cook .... Dr. Cathy Thornton
Gary Sweet .... Geoff Douglas
Laurence Clifford .... Najira
Kristina Nehm .... Warindji

The Story:

A psychological thriller – A place where ancient mysteries survive and nightmares are real. A burial ground is unearthed. A girl dies. An ancient curse lives on. And then there are the dreams... dreams or nightmares?… nightmares or premonitions? A young doctor becomes inextricably involved in a chain of supernatural events that point towards death.

Hundreds of years after the slaughter of a tribe of Aborigines a bracelet is unearthed setting off a chain of events. Dr. Cathy Thornton follows the trail of death to those who wear it and discovers the hidden secret unearthed at the burial site excavated by her father Prof. Bernard Thornton. Will she survive the curse of The Dreaming?

The Picture:

Presented in a full frame 1.33:1 aspect ratio, The Dreaming has the best transfer of the collection. Color are sharp and vivid, the image is crisp and clear. My rating: 4/5

The Sound:

The Dreaming has a Dolby 2.0 mono track, clean and free of his and distortion. My rating 3.5/5

Extras:

Scene selections and a five question trivia game are the only extras on the disc. My rating 1.5/5

Snapshot (1979):

Directed by Simon Wincer

Cast overview:
Chantal Contouri .... Madeline
Robert Bruning .... Elmer
Sigrid Thornton .... Angela
Denise Drysdale .... Lily
Vincent Gil .... Daryl

The Story:

Angela (Sigrid Thornton – The Man From Snowy River/All The Rivers Run), a gorgeous 20 year old, is lured from the humdrum world of hairdressing into the glamorous world of modeling by Madeline (Chantal Contouri). On her first assignment, Angela learns she must pose nude. Reluctantly she agrees, but is horrified when the photos appear everywhere promoting a new perfume. Strange and frightening things begin to happen to Angela as she is thrust into a world of glamour and fame. With increasing terror and suspense, she realizes that murder may be the escape from the web of intrigue and obsession that now surrounds her.

Her friends and family turning on her, her ex boyfriend stalking her, Angela doesn't know who to turn to. Will her trust in Madeline save her or wind up being a fatal friendship?

The Picture:

Snapshot is the only anamorphic transfer in the collection. The 1.78:1 image is rather dull and fuzzy. Colors are vibrant and not washed out, however this is a mediocre transfer at best. My rating 2/5

The Sound:

A Dolby 2.0 mono track that is free and of his and distortion is on the disc. The soundtrack was composed by great Brian May and provides excitement to go along with the story. My rating: 3.5/5

Extras:

Scene selections and a five question trivia game are the only extras on the disc. My rating 1.5/5

The Survivor (1981)

Directed by David Hemmings

Cast overview:
Robert Powell .... Keller
Jenny Agutter .... Hobbs
Joseph Cotten .... The Priest

A 747 jetliner, piloted by Captain Keller (Robert Powell), suffers a bomb explosion just after take-off and 300 passengers are incinerated. Keller is found wandering from the wreckage unharmed and unable to understand how he has survived. The mystery deepens when an investigation concludes that there is no possible way anyone could have survived the explosion. As Captain Keller embarks on his fateful odyssey, he is taken down the path that both The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable have followed!

Keller, haunted by visions of those that died in the crash enlists the help of Hobbs who has psychic visions to contact the spirits. One by one everybody associated with the crash scene start dying in horrific accidents. Will Keller be next?

The Picture:

The Survivor is presented in a non anamorphic 2.35:1 transfer. The image is in pretty good shape, crisp and vivid. However the lack of a anamorphic transfer detracts a bit from the viewing on a 16x9 TV. My rating 3.5/5

The Sound:

A Dolby 2.0 mono track that is free and of his and distortion is on the disc. The soundtrack was composed by great Brian May and provides excitement to go along with the story. My rating: 3.5/5

Extras:

Scene selections, a five question trivia game, a trailer and a French language track are included on the disc. My rating 2/5

Voyage into Fear (1993):

Directed and written by Murray Fahey

Credited cast:
Tiana Fahey-Leigh .... Young Madeline
Vince Gill .... Farmer Evans
Kate Raison .... Madaline Carr
Martin Sacks .... Martin Carr
Martin Vaughan .... Harris

The Story:

Madaline is troubled by the recurring visions of her past. The comfort of her envious life and social position are not enough to shake the haunting memories of her brother’s accidental death that Madaline blames on herself. Nightmares haunt her with images of her brother and also begin to blur with reality. Madaline’s frail state of mind has her believing that her brother has returned to kill her. Her husband disappears and a stranger from Madaline’s past threatens her life. Suspense builds and the truth is revealed in the chilling climax – Madaline’s life will never be the same again.

Returning to the home where she was raised, Madaline fights to come to grips with why she was blamed for her family's death.

The Picture:

Voyage into Fear is listed as being presented in a 1.33:1 aspect ratio, however there is matting on the transfer making me suspect it may be windowboxed. The picture quality is worst of the collection. It appears to be of VHS quality and I suspect that the source may have been a video transfer. Colors are slightly washed and the image is not crisp. My rating 2/5

The Sound:

A Dolby 2.0 mono track that is free and of his and distortion is on the disc. My rating 2.5/5

Extras:

Scene selections, a five question trivia game, a Spanish language track and a trailer are the extras on the disc. My rating 2/5

Peter West's Danger Seeking Summary:

The Aussie Horror Collection 2 are more films provided to Elite by Associated Screen Artists which is the same company that has provided them with the films in the first collection. However quality wise the transfers in this collection leave a bit to be desired. The movies themselves are average thrillers with The Survivor being the best of them. Whether or not these are the best elements available or the films don't warrant restoration I have no idea.

Don't let my lack of enthusiasm totally discourage you on the collection though. The films are good, I just had expected a better presentation. Snapshot is a nifty thriller with good plot twists. The Dreaming, which is the goriest of the films, has a great story embedded with Aboriginal history. The Survivor was probably some where in the recesses of M. Night Shyamalan mind when he wrote Unbreakable. Voyage into Fear contains some pretty high tension to go along with it's gothic story. If you enjoyed the first Aussie collection, I'm sure you'll enjoy this one as well. My overall rating 3/5

Films that Peter West reviews are played on a Pioneer Elite DV-47Ai DVD player, viewed on a Mitsubishi WS-55413 HDTV and listened to on a THX certified Pioneer Elite VSX-55TXi A/V Receiver through a 7.1 setup of JBL Northridge E series Speakers.