Blu Ray Review: DEAD KIDS (aka STRANGE BEHAVIOR)

[youtube id=”Enter video ID (eg. Wq4Y7ztznKc)” width=”600″ height=”350″]

---

The Movie

Originally released in 1981, Dead Kids (released in the US as “Strange Behavior”), can now be seen in its widescreen glory thanks to the ghouls over at Severin. According to Fangoria, Dead Kids is the “best horror movie you’ve never seen”. A quote that spoke directly to yours truly, as I had never seen the film. Despite the fact that I’m a serial slasher film watcher. However, Dead Kids is not your run-of-the-mill slasher flick. And that’s a good thing. But it does start out pretty textbook.

Summer is approaching. Two high school seniors, Peter (played to perfection by Dan Shor), and Oliver (Superman’s pal Jimmy Olsen in four films, Marc McClure), are looking to make some extra money. Oliver tells Peter he’s been moonlighting at the local college and making cash for being a lab rat, and talks him into doing the same in order to pay for his college applications. What could go wrong? Maybe everything, because when Oliver takes Peter to meet the vampy Professor Gwen Parkinson (played by Fiona Lewis), who’s already been experimenting on him, they observe a class on mind control being taught by the long deceased creep, Dr. Le Sange, via a video recording. Did I mention that Peter’s Dad (played by   veteran actor Michael Murphy) is also the small town police chief? But Peter is both intrigued and strapped for cash, so he volunteers anyway.

From here, the film progresses slowly. But along the way we’re treated to a few good creep-outs. In the first five minutes, a teenager gets killed and we get to see the killer’s face. Slasher sacrilege! There’s also the killer in a creepy mask (a replica of Swedish pro-wrestler Tor Johnson, yikes). However, at about 45 or so minutes in, it’s clear that there is a real story here. The film is also quietly reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick’s dystopian Clockwork Orange when it comes to its use of color, and texture, as well as its smart use of well-placed shock value. And just when you think you have Dead Kids all figured out, you realize that the film has sucked you in, character by character, via eerie events and plot devices, and not by the promise of a growing body count. Clearly, you know nothing.

Sure, Dead Kids isn’t your stereotypical non-stop teenage blood bath. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a great horror film. There are a quite a few memorable and unexpectedly shocking gory scenes, as well as a few great performances (and typical slasher movie bad acting) by the cast. The good ones belong specifically to the complicated relationship of Peter and his cop Dad; the gorgeous Fiona Lewis, as the creepy femme-fatale doctor that’s always looking for “new blood” for her experiments; and the film’s terrifying villain, who, when revealed, is about as evil as they come.

Presentation

Shot on location in Auckland, New Zealand, the methodical film is really beautiful to watch, especially in widescreen. Transferred to HD from the original negative for the first time, the color of the film is vibrant, and is a distinct improvement over the previous DVD release from 2008. The soundtrack scores points as well, with music from Tangerine Dream, Nick Cave’s “The Birthday Party,” and a memorable dance party scene featuring Lou Christie’s 1966 hit, “Lightin’ Strikes.”

Special Features

Special Effects with SFX expert, Craig Reardon

The first extra I went for was a segment with special effects artist Craig Reardon whose work has been featured in films like The Funhouse, American Werewolf in London, and Poltergeist, among others. Many images from Reardon’s extensive CV are featured. When it comes to Dead Kids, Reardon recalls having very little time to prepare for the film, five days in total – including the travel time from LA to New Zealand. Knowing that, it’s nothing short of impressive at how successfully Reardon pulled off the effects in the film, many of which were improvised and accomplished with very little prep, under the constraint of a very “modest budget”.

Audio Commentary with Co-writer Bill Condon and actors Dan Shor and Dey Young

According to Condon, this is his first time seeing the film in wide-screen in 20 years. Condon, who never went to film school, is open, and full of interesting back-story and first-person historical accounts about the horror films of the 80’s. It’s a fun Mystery Science Theater kind of extra, and Condon, Shor and Young really sound like they are having fun reliving stories about their time together.

Audio Commentary with Director Michael Laughlin

This extra is tough as Michael Laughlin wasn’t able to record the commentary in person, and did so over the phone from his home in Hawaii. Aside from that, Laughlin’s fondness for the film and its making is apparent.

Isolated Music Track

For many, this extra is a pretty sweet one. Even if you’re not a fan of Tangerine Dream, the soundtrack featured here is undeniably cool. My only gripe is that I wish there had been more of the soundtrack in the film itself.

US and International trailers.

The International trailer for Dead Kids is more action-packed than the US one, and gives away way too much detail about the film. So, don’t watch it if you’ve never seen the film, or it will spoil nearly all of its highlights, as well as the film’s “worth waiting for” ending.

Overall

The satisfying, tension-filled conclusion that made me scream out loud, is one of the many reasons that make Dead Kids a highly entertaining horror time-capsule well worth your time, and a great obscure addition to your growing blood-splattered Blu Ray collection.