Plot: What’s it about?
A hideous demon had been buried for many years, until a wizard named Walter Machen (John Carradine) ressurected the evil spirit. The demon is known as Jack-O, a horrific creature with a vicous scythe in his hand and a pumpkin for a head. This beast hunts down all those in path, as he seeks to quench his thirst for blood and death. The wizard was soon put to death for his actions, but as he died, he swore revenge on the townspeople. But no one was cursed more than the Kelly family, who bore the brunt of Machen’s damnation. Now a hundred has passed, but the presence of Jack-O can be felt, though the spirit remains buried. But young Sean Kelly (Ryan Latshaw) has been having bad dreams, one that he is unable to explain or understand. When some local punks manage to unleash Jack-O however, those nightmares turn real. As if Halloween wasn’t eerie enough, now a vicious and evil creature lurks in the shadows. Jack-O slashes down anyone he encounters, from party crazed teens to motorcycle toughs. But he is on his way to the Kelly household, to make sure the curse is fulfilled. As he and his babysitter Carolyn (Linnea Quigley) pass the time, Jack-O gets closer and closer. Can he somehow survive the assault of this evil spirit, or will the curse be fulfilled and Jack-O’s reign of terror last forever?
Ah yes, just in time for the creepiest holiday of all, Retromedia has given us a new edition of the seasonal classic, Jack-O. We all remember the cool video artwork from the old times, but does old pumpkin noggin still have the magic touch? Jack-O isn’t a blood, gore, and titties epic, but the film still entertains, no doubt about it. In addition to the maniac with a razor sharp scythe and a pumpkin for a head, you’ll find some potent genre stars involved here. If you want Scream Queens, how about Linnea Quigley (The Return of the Living Dead, Nightmare Sisters), Brinke Stevens (The Slumber Party Massacre, Sideshow), and Dawn Wildsmith (Evil Spawn, Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers)? Yes, all three can be seen in this film, not to mention Cameron Mitchell (The Toolbox Murders, The Demon) and John Carradine (Satan’s Mistress, Frankenstein Island). The performances are passable, but don’t expect the world here, even from this fine ensemble. The gore is limited too, though the death scenes are decent enough, while breasts are in short shrift here to boot, but I do suppose four boobies are better than none. So for fans of horror movies from the old days of videos, Jack-O is a blast to go back to, but even newcomers to the genre should be pleased. Retromedia’s new disc blows the past editions out of the water, so make sure to nab this new version. You can tell you have the right one, as the disc is marked as a 10th Anniversary Edition.
Video: How does it look?
Jack-O is presented in 1.85:1 widescreen, which has not been enhanced for widescreen televisions. The previous disc looked awful, as did most video incarnations, but this new digital transfer, in widescreen no less, rights all of those wrongs. I do wish this were anamorphic, but aside from that, I have no real complaints. The image is clean and crisp, not soft and grainy as before, so fans will be thrilled. The detail level is off the charts, as the visuals have more polish and shine than I ever expected. I suppose when you suffer through substandard editions for years, you really do appreciate it when a proper treatment is offered.
Audio: How does it sound?
You won’t want to use this to showcase your home theater, but the included audio option is stable, so no real complaints. The materials seem a little dated and the low budget roots can be heard, but on the whole, this is a more than solid effort. Aside from the obvious sound sync errors, which have always been present, there’s no issues to report, as sound effects and dialogue seem in order, I think. This isn’t the crispest track I’ve heard, but it is more than sufficient and never falters much, so I can’t be too harsh.
Supplements: What are the extras?
A brief reel of behind the scenes footage kicks us off, then we move to an audio commentary track with director Steve Latshaw and producer Fred Olen Ray. This is a superb session, one that film fans will not want to miss, even if they have no interest in this movie. The film’s theatrical trailer is also found on this release. This disc also includes a reel of footage and the trailer for Gator Babes, which make nice inclusions on this release.
