Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Code Red's DEVIL TIMES FIVE DVD, November 25, 2006
This is one of my pet favorite films and frankly I was surprised to learn that an actual DVD release was in the works. DEVIL TIMES FIVE is another one of those long lost home video era cult favorites due to what poor taste the film seems to revel in. People often sneer when reading the premise of the film -- especially at the presence of cultural punching bag Leif Garrett -- but once you have seen it you cannot help but be somewhat charmed by it's wickedness.
THE PLOT: Five little psychopathic monsters en-route to a state run mental hospital for the criminally insane survive a horrifying bus accident in the California mountains. The tykes make their way across the frozen winter countryside and take up residence in a resort home owned by a local hospital magnate. They then proceed to terrorize, torture and murder the six adults on-hand in a single minded game to collect "People Toys" for a life sized playset up in the loft bungalow of the chalet's caretaker. Creepy, innapropriately entertaining and surprisingly well made, this is a highly recommended shocker for fans of low budget 1970s American horror.
Code Red's DVD is made from a brand new direct to digital transfer from the original negatives, and for anyone who is used to the somewhat murky fullframe VHS prints will be a revelation during some of the darker passages: You can pretty much see everything now. While I am not a big fan of the digital coloring process used to simulate the DeLuxe color process used (including light-through projection: it just doesn't look the same, ever) and am concerned that the LBX cropping to 1:78:1 (anamorphic, 16x9) may have resulted in some loss of information at the top and bottom, it's still a fabulous little DVD version that should suit fans well, and hopefully make some new ones.
The content of the film is about the same as what we know from the older VHS releases, with added bonus features of a theatrical trailer, an alternate opening sequence, and a photo gallery of advertisement art. There are also interview segments featuring some of the original participants and an optional commentary track as well. It's too bad that Leif Garrett -- who could probably have used the money -- was not able to participate due to scheduling conflicts beyond his ability to control (re: prison). Stay in school, kids.
Overall I give the DVD a 4/5. It's worth the money, and those old Media Ent. video tapes still have life yet, with the correct color and the original open matte 4:3 transfer. Some things in life are worth holding onto.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
What's creepier than a psychopathic child? FIVE OF THEM!!!, May 4, 2008
Here is a story of five stark raving mad children while on their way to a mental institute their bus crashes in the snowy mountains. The unaware three couples awaiting in a cabin that they thought was a vacation, have no idea what their in for when the satanic kids arrive. Of course the couples take in the ever so innocent little ones, and become the victims of a unknown evil.
Although the story starts out very slow, and the adult characters in the movie are over the top ignorant, and quite bad at acting, the children well make up for them in this film. They have a certain way of drawing the audience in, and scaring anyone who watches. You never find out why they are so crazy, which I guess is suppose to be meant for you to use your own imagination. It takes about an hour for anything really bad to happen, except for the killing of the mental institute employee. Once the brutal killings start they never let up. There are some unforgettable murder scenes,(like piranha's in the bathtub) that will leave you feeling like maybe you could pass on the idea of ever giving birth to demented little kids like these.
Even though Devil Times Five is not quite up there with movies like The Exorcist or Who Can Kill A Child, it still deserves to be in the horror collection. When evil corrupts innocence it becomes very scary indeed. Never underestimate the evil of a child or five. I recommend this for anyone who likes cult movies with children playing the villians. Is also a very low budget film.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
All Time Worst, April 30, 2008
This is by far the worst low budget horror movie I have ever seen. It could fall into the "So Bad It's Good" category. It appears to have been filmed over a weekend with all scenes shot in one take. If you like bad B-Movies you will love it.
The extras with cast members make it worth watching. At least rent it to see what Dawn Lyn (Voted the worst child star of all time) looks like today. One can clearly see why Dawn is still called "The Queen Of Grunge". The best part of this entire DVD are the comments made by Miss Lyn. When asked about the movie she replies " I've never actually seen the movie" Let me get this straight she agrees to be interviewed on camera and discuss a movie that she's never seen. What did she think they were going to talk about the weather? She does recall a few vague memories although her look of utter confusion after every question is asked is priceless.
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