The Frighteners [DVD] [1996]

Director Peter Jackson mixes comedy, horror, special effects, and Michael J. Fox in Universal's The Frighteners. Presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, this transfer looks stunning and is very sharp in both detail and clarity. The black levels are all very well-rendered with the color patterns and fleshtones all solid and even. Except for a slight amount of edge enhancement in a few scenes, this transfer is truly top-notch. The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround in English and French. This is a very enveloping soundtrack that features a ton of directional sounds in both the front and rear speakers. All aspects of the soundtrack are free and clear of any hiss or distortion. Much like the video portions, the audio is also very well produced. Also included on this disc are English and Spanish subtitles. While a laserdisc filled with extras exists, Universal has decided to produce a relatively bare-bones edition of this film on DVD. The only extra features included on this disc are some production notes, a few talent bios, some film highlights, and a theatrical trailer for the film. Maybe someday there will be a better edition of this popular film; until then viewers are stuck with this lackluster edition.