Plot: What’s it about?
A lot of folks would kill to be members of Phi Delta Kappa, but in 1963, several would be members were killed during rush week. The young men were slaughtered as part of a dark ritual, an occult event inside of a mausoleum. The man behind the murders is believed to be Zachary Malius (Charles Cragin), a former priest who lost his mind. As the lone suspect, Malius was carted off to an insane asylum for the rest of his life. Almost three decades later, Malius remains locked up at the mental institution and Phi Delta Kappa remains a hot fraternity. As part of the hazing process, some pledges are sent out to take photos of Malius, then return to the house with those photos, earning some points in the motion. But the plan doesn’t unfold as they intended and soon enough, Malius is on the loose once again. A chain of brutal deaths follow, until a man from Malius’ past interferes and reveals the truth about the ritual. Malius was resurrected from beyond the grave, as part of a prank that turned out to be all too real. Now this man must send Malius back to his tomb, but the power of the undead is immense. Can Malius be sent back to the realm of the dead, or will his trail of murder continue to expand?
Teens have sex, then teens get killed. This is the basic formula used in countless slasher movies, but isn’t it tiresome. If you ask me, the premise is never tiresome and while deeper, more complex horror is always welcome, a mindless slasher can be loads of fun. The storyline can be rehashed, the characters thin, and the production values low, but with some decent atmosphere, well crafted gore, and naked women, the formula is as good as new. Happy Hell Night follows the tried and true methods of slasher cinema, but does it stand out or turn into just another low rent horror picture? The film parades out the usual genre trimmings in grand fashion, so fans of slasher cinema should be satisfied. A few ladies disrobe and showcase their talents, including some very welcome full frontal nudity. Fans of the popular C.S.I. series will be surprised to see Jorja Fox here, but she isn’t the lone famous face. Sam Rockwell (Clownhouse, Lawn Dogs) is also seen here, while Darren McGavin (A Christmas Story, Raw Deal) appears in a glorified cameo role. The naked women are balanced out with some fun blood and guts, including some graphic and well made death scenes that genre fans will love. Happy Hell Night is not a horror classic, but it is a fun watch and for genre buffs, the movie is worth a purchase, or at least a rental.
Video: How does it look?
Happy Hell Night is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. I am impressed with this transfer, but it still shows some problem signs, which lower the score somewhat. The image looks on the dated side and also has some grain present, but I think a low budget film from 1991 is allowed some leeway in those respects. The colors look good, very soft when needed to be, as well as more natural when that is called for, a very well balanced scope. The contrast is sharp too, with a few scenes that seem overly light, but no real issues in the end. I suppose this could look better, but this is still a solid visual presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
As with the video elements, time has taken a toll on the audio materials, but that could also be related to the low budget productions. You can’t make something from nothing after all, so perhaps even with new surround mixes, the audio still wouldn’t be that remarkable. The dialogue is clean and never hard to understand however, while music is crisp and never overpowers the other elements. In other words, no need to adjust the volume throughout this one, as it all stays in proper order at all times. The sound effects have good presence, as far as mono allows, but keep your expectations within reason.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer.
