In case you haven’t checked out this little Canadian horror film, the plot is: “A doctor has a lifelike, anatomically-correct medical dummy, with muscles and organs visible through its clear skin, named Pin (after Pinocchio). Via ventriloquism, Pin explains bodily functions in a way kids can relate to. When the over-strict doctor and his wife are killed in a car crash, his son (Leon) transfers his alter-ego into Pin, whom he always believed was alive. He starts using Pin as an excuse to over-protect his sister (Ursula) from admirers and deflect unwanted intrusions, even to the extent of committing murder.”

Here’s the original’s trailer:

Thoughts?

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: 4 out of 5 stars

The DVD: Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The Film:

Make Room for Daddy! I guess 1987′s The Stepfather didn’t need a sequel, but remember this was a product of the ’80s, and in the era, well any era in horror actually, but more so then, a successful horror flick will get a sequel. Stepfather II is very similar to Psycho II for a variety of reasons. Both Norman Bates in that film and Stepfather here open their sequels in a mental institution, both are sequels to successful suspense films deemed classics, and both must cleverly get to what makes a sequel a sequel: out doing the previous film.

Now, neither out done the firsts, and how could they? In fact, both played their cards straight and didn’t deviate from the suspenseful structure that work for the first films. Where most sequels get bloodier and more outrageous, outside of some humorous elements, Stepfather II is a nice film. O’ Quinn returns to the role as the Stepfather and still finds some interesting angles to play with, much like Anthony Perkins did. Good actors do that, and based off of what we know about his character in the first film, it’s a hoot to see him wince when watching these dating service videos. None of the women fit his ideals on making the perfect family, and O’ Quinn’s reactions are great. Also great, are scenes of him watching Thunderbirds, a not so subtle nod to his own marionette life he has made, and seeing him play with his Crispy Rice cereal.

Stepfather II plays the franchise’s formula pretty safe, outside of some reshoots Miramax forced, camping up the violence. I’d say it’s a safe slasher, because that’s what the film became: a slasher. It really doesn’t add to the first film’s study of failed American ideals and the crazed pursuit of how far one man will go to keep it intact. Instead, it plays it by the numbers. That’s not a bad thing, because even with some flaws, Stepfather II is pretty fun, with some great little moments, especially the climax at the chapel, and fun performances by O’ Quinn, Meg Foster, and Caroline Williams.

The DVD:

Audio/Video: Don May’s Synapse Films have always been superb in restorations and presentations, no matter what the film. Not their best transfer to date, but a solid one nonetheless. Image is sharp, colors decent, little print damage, and due to its low budget, it looks pretty good on DVD. The audio certainly feels dated, but the stereo track handles the score, the effects, and the dialogue without any issues.

Commentary: Director Jeff Burr and his producer for the film offer a candid listen, that should make for a good time for the film’s fans. It always seems rare to hear directors open up about issues on set or whatnot, so these types of tracks are great to listen too. Honest with some humor, even with a few dead air moments, it’s a great listen.

The Stepfather Chronicles: Daddy’s New Home: Running 30 minutes, this documentary was made along with the first film’s by Red Shirt Production and it is equally as great. Again, no Terry O’ Quinn, but everyone else is here chatting up on their experiences, and the Miramax issues. Another solid feature for fans.

Deleted Scenes: Wow! 30 minutes of various bits, including some alternative death sequences, with Optional Commentary make these a must watch, if only to see a possible different version of Stepfather II.

A bunch of Trailers and a Still Gallery finish off the selection of extras.

Conclusion: By no means the classic the first film was, Stepfather II has some merits, and it worth a look for horror fans. Synapse gives us a superb disc, though.

The Film: Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The DVD: Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

How would you like to meet Jill Schoelen (Popcorn), Meg Foster (They Live), Darin Scott (Tales from the Hood), and Caroline Williams (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2)? Just visit Spudic’s Movie Empire in Van Nuys this Sunday, October 18, for a special signing for The Stepfather and Stepfather II. Be sure to be their between 1-3 PM for all the fun.

 ”Eric Spudic has been writing, acting in, and making movies for nearly a decade. He’s amassed over 60 feature film credits. You’ve probably seen him on Cinemax, Sci-Fi Channel, or on Showtime. Mr. Spudic also wrote the cult hits AQUANOIDS and CREEPIES.

Eric has a personal collection in the thousands. He’s obsessed! So obsessed that he bought out an entire video store at the age of 19 to satisfy his movie-watching needs. Over the years, he’s bought and sold over 20,000 movies. Mostly under the Ebay user id of colonelcrapper.

In 2008, he decided to take his love of movies one step further. To start an EMPIRE. Spudic’s Movie Empire. The store contains thousands of dvds, videos(many of them not on dvd), and video games. We offer our movies cheaper than most because we buy store inventories and massive personal collections.

We can also special order most hard-to-find movies for a flat $10 + tax. PLUS! We can resurface/clean your used dvds, cds, and video game discs for $3 each!”

Source: My Space