Plot: What’s it about?
A mysterious and tragic event unfolded in this mansion two decades ago, one that took an entire family into darkness. The Yang household was a wealthy one, but fortune couldn’t sustain them, so a mass suicide was entered into and death arrived for all present. But an heir surfaces some twenty years later, a young man named James (Jason Chang) who plans to move in to his family estate. He and his girlfriend Yo (Terri Kwan) soon take up residence in the eerie old mansion, but the home is not a warm one. After a little time passes, James begins to have vivid nightmares of the past, visions that haunt him even when he wakes. At the same time, unusual things happen around the house, from strange noises to ghostly figures walking the halls. The house can’t scare off James and Yo however, who decide to uncover the truth for themselves. So they delve into the darkness of his family’s past, but can they survive what they find?
Tartan’s Asia Extreme line continues to be a personal favorite of mine, a treasure trove of Asian horror that is loaded with varied choices. The Heirloom is a Taiwanese installment and while not up there with the elite films found in Tartan’s series, it is well worth a look. The Heirloom is rather basic in terms of storyline, but offers some nice turns and twists. As expected, a couple hops in logic are required, but this is horror, after all. The pace is slow and the atmosphere is quite good, though too many cheap scares litter the film’s duration. Even so, the atmosphere is eerie and mysterious, especially for the first two-thirds or so. The film is restrained however, often to a fault and that holds back the scares and scales back the final act’s power. I think the best part of The Heirloom is the visuals, which have an antique texture, though a very dark one. The house is a huge part of the story and it looks as eerie as it should, which helps the film’s atmosphere. The buildup is better than the payoff however, so just enjoy the ride and don’t expect a phenomenal conclusion. The Heirloom should be scarier than it is, but even as is, it warrants a rental from horror fans.
Video: How does it look?
The Heirloom is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The print used is in perfect condition, with no grain, debris, or marks to be seen, a stunning start, to be sure. The film uses a dark, dim color spectrum, so don’t expect bright, vivid hues in all scenes. But the colors are presented as intended and that is what counts, as the visual design is upheld. Just as impressive is the contrast, which supplies well balanced black levels and accurate detail throughout. This is simply a stunning transfer and of course, fans will be nothing short of thrilled with this treatment.
Audio: How does it sound?
A movie doesn’t need explosions, shootouts, or car chases to provide a dynamic audio experience, a fact proven by this release. The included Dolby Digital and DTS options take the material’s eerie, tense presence and creates a terrific soundtrack. As if the suspense wasn’t intense enough, the audio here cranks up the tension a few more notches. A poor soundtrack could have brought down the experience, but both options here sound excellent and make full use of the film’s audio potential. The music is superb in this film and as expected, is given much life in these treatments. No dialogue issues either, as the vocals have a clean and crisp sound, even if you have no idea what is being said. This disc also includes subtitles in English and Spanish, just in case you’re a bit rusty with your Mandarin.
Supplements: What are the extras?
You’ll find a nice assortment of goodies here, a packed house audio commentary track, some deleted scenes, a look behind the scenes, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
