D V D C R Y P T

HOUSE OF WAX

Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra
Written by Chad Hayes & Carey W. Hayes
Produced by Joel Silver, Robert Zemeckis & Susan Levin
Cinematography by Stephen Windon
Music by John Ottman
Cast: Elisha Cuthbert, Chad Michael Murray, Brian Van Holt, Paris Hilton, Jared Padalecki, Jon Abrahams & Robert Ri'chard

2005/113 mins/Color/5.1 Dolby Digital
1.85:1 anamorphic/English/US/NTSC Region 1

Review from Warner Bros. DVD

First of all lets make it clear, this is not a direct remake of the 1953 Vincent Price movie. A group of six teenagers friends are on their way to big football game. After driving all night, they decide to camp in the forest for the rest of the night. They get an unwelcomed visit from a truck with an unseen driver. The next morning as they wake up, one of the cars' fan belt has been cut and they need to find a new one. Like most idiots teens in any movies, they separated themselves... one group goes to the local town to find a new fan belt while the others will try to make it to the game. Well guess what?! The latter group never make it to the game while the other one discover a wax museum and one strange but helpful resident.

This is the fourth Dark Castle Entertainment movie... and finally they got it right. After the very dumb HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL remake, the terrible GHOST SHIP and useless GOTHIKA, Joel Silver, Robert Zemeckis & Susan Levin have produced a good and bloody typical 80s style horror flick. Sure the cast features some of the most annoying and terrible "actors" from today but thankfully most of them will die of brutal ways! Paris Hilton especially gets it bad with a big pole through her head... priceless. No way could I ever buy that Chad Michael Murray was a tough guy, come on the guy was in THE CINDERELLA STORY! Elisha Cuthbert gives the most interesting performance and it the nicest to look at... especially compared to all the creepy wax figures.

Say what you want but I truely believe that if that movie had been madde in the 1980s, everyone here would praise it! It has every elements from those 80s "classics" we all love. The annoying stupid teens, opening ending for sequel, chase scenes, lotta blood, hot chicks, keep creepy setting, good atmospheric score (no I aint talking about that lame metal and hip hop music that actually hurts the film - will Hollywood ever learn?). The only thing missing is some nudity...

Sure, the ending isn't the greatest... but remember those from the 1980s! Apart from HALLOWEEN, SLEEPAWAY CAMP, THE PROWLER and a few FRIDAY THE 13TH... most sucked, yeah even all of the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (mother through the window anyone!).

Warner Bros. have released HOUSE OF WAX on DVD in a very nice edition. First of all the movie is presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio and it is anamorphic. The image has a little grain but I believe it was the intention of the director Jaume Collet-Serra and the director of photography Stephen Windon. The 5.1 Dolby Digital track is loud and clear creating all the audiophonic atmosphere the movie needs. We get the choice of either listening to the movie in English, French or Spanish.

The disc also features lots of extras such as; "B-Roll and Bloopers Video Cast Commentary" in which the leads comments on the movie, recollecting some of the events, bloopers and more (27 minutes). "Wax On: The Design of HOUSE OF WAX" is an 8 minutes featurette on the film. Its interesting but way too short. In "House built on Wax" they take a look at the fx of the movies (10 minutes). We get a three minutes gag reel, an alternate opening in which a new character called Jennifer is killed. "From Location: Joel Silver reveals how" is yet another too short featurette with a nice ending. There's also the trailer for the movie, one for the TALES FROM THE CRYPT seasons on DVD and SCANNER DARKLY. The menus features some very cool waxed animation and music, the movie is separated in 31 chapters, come in a keep case with n o booklet or inlay card.

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