Stepfather – DVD Review

The Film:

Arriving late in the 1980′s, the original Stepfather is an anomaly in the horror genre during 1987, as at that time, horror was decisively more lurid and bloody. Despite a tame handling of the murders, the script calls for a more chilling experience, a character study that thrills and chills, even way faced up against some of popular horror films of the day. Think about it: it’s 1987 and Friday the 13th sequels were increasing more violent, Nightmare on Elm Street sequels were a few in and completely fantastical in its violence, and Clive Barker’s Hellraiser was about to be unleashed, ushering in a new breed of horror, and here’s The Stepfather. A film that is almost Hitchcockian in its approach.  Hailed at the time as a great suspense thriller, 20 plus years later, it still is.

Loosely based on the John List murders, a curious case of a man who, in his ideals, failed at the so-called American Dream. Studying the List case, it’s interesting to note on how displaced he became after loosing his job, something now-as of this writing- many Americans can relate too. The screenplay by Donald E. Westlake really amps up this notion and the preservation of the stereotypical American Dream to some great results. I mentioned how this film feels very Hitchcockian, and it is very restrain in its violence. But like Hitchcock himself used, it’s not the climax, but the build up. The film opens to a great scene of “Jerry” (Terry O’ Quinn) changing, shaving, getting dressed, then walking down stairs through a vicious crime scene of some murders he just committed. The smoky cinematography, mixed with some fine camera work, instant thrust us into an unsafe world.

The Stepfather is known for the great, now iconic, performance of O’ Quinn as the Stepfather, and with such a well-written character, the father figure in their hands became a twisted amusement of fear and self-pity. Capitalizing off of the stereotypical male archetypes in a patriarch family, O’ Quinn shines and yet scares us. What if Daddy isn’t the one to trust? Also interesting is the roles he thinks the women should have in the family unit. This is all great subtext to further the suspense, and a huge reason The Stepfather still intrigues us all these years, sequels, and a remake later. Who am I here? There’s no confusing The Stepfather; a film that is a minor suspense classic.

The Film:

Audio/Video: Shout! Factory releases a wonderful presentation here. While some print flaws pop up here and there, the overall image captures the Northwest beautifully, whether is colorful scenery or the murky, rainy days, The Stepfather looks darn good. As for the audio, the Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is as good as it was back in ’87. Crisp, clear, focused, it aids the film. Fans should really like this presentation.

Commentary: The director Joseph Ruben goes solo for a decent track. There’s some decent talk, as Michael Gringold from Fangoria moderates. I’d say listen to this track as a supplement to the documentary below, as that is more informational. A fairly average track for fans only.

The Stepfather Chronicles: This wonderful 35 minute documentary covers everything about the film, with all of the cast and crew interviewed. Sadly, Terry O’ Quinn wasn’t present, but there’s enough talk about him, as well as other great stories for fans to enjoy. This is really worth watching, as it’s well made and informative.

A little two page Liner Notes are the only other extra.

Conclusion: The Stepfather is a great suspense film and Shout! Factory honor that legacy with a superb release.

The Film: Rating:

The DVD: Rating: