Plot: What’s it about?
Linda Brewster (Tawny Kitaen) is a beautiful woman, but she has issues, one of which is her loser boyfriend Jim (Todd Allen). He is a real jerk and everyone thinks so, especially Linda’s former lover Brandon (Stephen Nichols). Although to be honest, Brandon wasn’t such a nice dude either, so Linda just has poor taste in men. But her luck takes a horrible turn when a wild party evolves into a haven for evil, not just a standard bender. Brandon shows up at the wingding with a ouija board, which entrances most of the guests. The potential of contacting the other side interests everyone, especially Linda. When Brandon is able to conjure up the spirit of a ten year old boy, chills are sent down the spines of all those present. But the scene soon turns dark when another spirit emerges and casts the young boy aside, with wicked intentions. After the session ends, Linda is drawn back to the board, though no one else dares to revisit the spirits. So she goes against better judgment and uses the board alone. This sparks a chain of bad events, as deaths start to crop up involving folks that Linda or her friends know. The evil spirit from the ouija board has unleashed a terrible rage, which threatens to become even worse. Where did this evil spirit originate from and more to the point, can it somehow be stopped?
The fans of 80s horror can rejoice, as another awesome genre flick has reached DVD, the always fun Witchboard. This isn’t the usual sleaze and gore festival, which might disappoint some, but in the end, there’s no need for such concern. In a shocking turn of events, Witchboard turns out to be more than mere 80s cheese, but a solid genre picture. Kevin Tenney (Night of the Demons, Witchtrap) directs with a lot of style and presence, which pushes Witchboard a step or two above the film’s peers. This is by no means a masterpiece or even a great motion picture, but for what it is, Witchboard is quite good. The point-of-view scenes work very well, while Tenney relies more on eerie atmosphere than blood and guts, a tactic with will upset some, but one which is effective and generates some good scares. So if you need buckets and buckets of blood, then you’ll be let down, but if tension and atmosphere will suffice, then Witchboard delivers. Plus, you have all the fun of a typical 80s horror movie as a bonus. As if all that wasn’t enough, how about sex kitten Tawny Kitaen (Gwendoline, Bachelor Party) in a totally nude shower scene? That sealed the deal I am sure, but if not, then you’ll just have to take a chance. Witchboard is a blast and a must have for genre fans, so bring on those sequels!
Video: How does it look?
Witchboard is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. I was surprised with how good this treatment is, but due to the film’s age and budget, some flaws do surface, although that is to be expected. I saw a little grain at times and some print issues, but nothing to be concerned about, not by any means. The image looks cleaner than I had figured on, while colors and flesh tones seem right on the money, no real complaints to be made here. The contrast is solid also, much richer and sharper than I would have counted on. In the end, this is a terrific looking transfer and while some flaws are present, fans will still be thrilled with the results.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included mono soundtrack is decent, but some issues arise that force me to lower the score somewhat. The music and sound effects come through in fine fashion, but the dialogue presents some worries. In a lot of scenes, the vocals are mixed in too low and can be hard to understand at times. Then if you crank up the volume to balance it out, the other elements are too loud and you’re no better off than before. So you might have to pay extra close attention in those scenes, but aside from that, this is a solid mix.
Supplements: What are the extras?
An audio commentary track is the most substantial extra, as director Kevin Tenney and producers Walter Josten & Jeff Geoffray discuss the production. A cast member, especially Kitaen would have been nice, but this is a solid session. With three voices, the session isn’t often silent and a lot of good information is revealed. This disc also includes some television spots, a look behind the scenes, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
