Open Graves/100 Feet (Blu-ray) (2008)

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    Icon Entertainment have combined two straight to tv thrillers, Open Graves, and 100 Feet, into a single disc Blu-ray package with no other extras. Open Graves looks good with an attractive cast and promising plot but is let down by lack-lustre acting and clumsy direction. 100 Feet is a much better effort with genuine scares and great performances from the lead actors. Overall this package is worth a look if you can find it at a discount price.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

Open Graves (Blu-ray) (2008)

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General		Extras
Category	Horror	None
Rating
Year Of Production	2008
Running Time	88:23
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	4	Directed By	Álvaro de Armiñán
Studio Distributor	Icon Entertainment	Starring	Eliza Dushku Mike Vogel Ethan Rains Naike Rivelli Lindsay Caroline Robba Gary Piquer Alex O'Dogherty Boris Martinez Ander Pardo
Case	Amaray-Transparent
RPI	$49.95	Music	Fernando Ortí Salvador

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	Full Frame	English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (1536Kb/s) English DTS HD High Resolution Audio 5.1 (2304Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	1.85:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	1080p
Original Aspect Ratio	1.85:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

"Curses last forever"

     Open Graves is a straight to TV/DVD 2008 horror film which borrows heavily from titles such as Jumanji and the Final Destination series whereby seemingly innocent choices lead to horrific consequences. There is also a similarity to the Raimi production of Drag Me To Hell which coincidentally was released at around the same time. In this case Erica (Eliza Dushku) and Jason (Mike Vogel) are leading a group of surfers on the golden beaches of Spain. Under ominous circumstances they come into possession of a board game created during the Spanish Inquisition called the Mamba. According to legend the game itself is made from the bones and skin of an alleged witch who died under torture from her priestly tormentors. After a night of revelry the group decide to play the game – a decision that sets in train a sequence of events whereby members of their party sequentially meet unfortunate ends. Eventually Jason and Erica begin to suspect that the game losers, and their subsequent accidents, are somehow connected. This theory is confirmed after confronting the Mamba's former owner, and they come to the realisation that losing in the game condemns you to an early grave, whereas the winner is granted one wish.

     After a promising opening sequence Open Graves lumbers with a cliché ridden plot and wooden characters. Although the leads are certainly good looking there is really little else to get excited about and even the deaths are fairly ho-hum. There is one "eye popping" scene early on which amused me, but if the intention was to horrify then it didn't work (on this viewer at least). The unconvincing CGI didn't help throughout and, unlike similar scenes directed by Raimi (for example), I don't think the campily executed gruesome bits are played for humour.

     Dushku and Vogel haven't got much to work with in the screenplay so perhaps their lack-lustre performances here should be discounted. Their clumsy romantic sub-plot lacks conviction and there seems to be no chemistry between them. Dushku has done good work in the past on TV (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Tru Calling) and the big screen (On Broadway, The Alphabet Killer), and she certainly looks good on screen so I was hoping for better things. Unfortunately however I had to resist fast forwarding to the death scenes to avoid nodding off.

     Open Graves is the headliner movie included as a double-header disc along with 100 Feet.

Video

     This film is presented in 1.85:1 aspect. This seems to be the original aspect ratio but there is a conflicting description claiming a 2.35:1 aspect.

     This is an adequate transfer but not a great example of high definition video. There are no particular faults in the video presentation however it was really no better than what you would expect in a good quality DVD. Blacks were good and there was no trouble in differentiating objects during night and dimly lit scenes. Colours were also good although I expected more pop for the beach scenes in sunny Spain. Flesh tones were good with facial close ups showing an even colouration across the features. There was some digital noise throughout although it was not particularly annoying.

     Overall the video quality is rated as good. The picture detail was sharp enough but somewhat noisy. There were no film artefacts.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

     This audio track overall is very good. The default DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 at around 2,100Kb/s delivers a good soundstage with directional effects used very well. The alternative Dolby Digital TrueHD 5.1 at around 1,500Kb/s is very similar to the DTS offering and so I would not prefer one over the other. The DTS version is significantly louder than the TrueHD offering so volume compensation is required when switching from one track to the other.

     There were no audio synchronisation issues and voices were clear and easy to understand. There were no clicks or dropouts or any other audio problems that I noticed. The front sound stage was very good with main voices coming from the centre channel and effects used appropriately from all directions. The surround channels were used successfully to complement the action. The subwoofer was also used to good effect when crashes and bangs were required.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Menu

    The menu featured looping audio with static background.

    This Blu-ray twin movie offering does not seem to be duplicated elsewhere however there are Open Graves movie only versions available on Region 1, Region 2 and Region 4 DVD. The Region 1 version is advertised with 2.35 video aspect but I can't be certain that this is correct. If you have a Blu-ray player then I think this version would be the best option.

     Open Graves borrows heavily from other better made horror movies but ultimately falls short of being effective. The dialogue is clichéd, the plot derivative, and the acting wooden. There are couple of good scenes but these are book ends to a largely forgettable series of events. Director Álvaro de Armiñán and the film makers are obviously constrained by a tight budget but nevertheless there is a distinct lack of imagination and skill. There are no extras as such and I'd rate this movie as good for a rental only – if only to check out Eliza Dushku.

     The video quality is good. The audio quality is very good.

     Extras are confined to the "bonus" movie 100 Feet.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

100 Feet (Blu-ray) (2008)

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General		Extras
Category	Horror	None
Rating
Year Of Production	2008
Running Time	96:26 (Case: 93)
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	4	Directed By	Eric Red
Studio Distributor	New Deal Studios Icon Entertainment	Starring	Famke Janssen Bobby Cannavale Ed Westwick Michael Paré
Case	Amaray-Transparent
RPI	$49.95	Music	John Frizzell

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	Full Frame	English DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 (2304Kb/s) English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (1536Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	1.78:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	1080p
Original Aspect Ratio	2.35:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

"Till Death Do Us Part Wasn't Enough"

     Marnie Watson (Famke Janssen) has just been released into twelve months house arrest after a lengthy prison sentence imposed after murdering her policeman husband. An electronic bracelet ensures that Marnie cannot venture more than one hundred feet from a monitoring device in the house. If she goes past the perimeter or tampers with the bracelet then her prison sentence is reinstated for a further ten years. Her husband's former cop partner Lou Shanks (Bobby Cannavale) has made it his mission to watch Marnie in the hope of catching her out. Shanks is so obsessed that he spends a large proportion of his time watching the house from inside his parked car. In interchanges between Shanks and Marnie we learn that husband Mike was an abusive and violent man who, because of his cop status, was allowed to terrorise Marnie over a number of years as her 911 help calls went ignored.

     Unfortunately for Marnie the harassment from Shanks becomes the least of her problems as strange things begin happening in the house. Firstly the red blood stain on the wall cannot be permanently erased. Secondly the electricity supply is turned off and can't be connected for days. Most importantly dead husband Mike starts making ghostly and threatening appearances to the increasingly terrified Marnie. With no contact outside of the house apart from Shanks and the grocery delivery boy Joey (Ed Westwick) who she befriends, Marnie is isolated within the dark and haunted house. At first she hides Mikes's appearances from Shanks and Joey, but Shanks becomes suspicious about what is happening in the house, and also about the visits of Joey. As the ghostly events escalate in intensity and threat, Marnie is torn between breaking her bond and returning to jail, or being punished by her dead husband for his murder.

     100 Feet is a classically constructed ghost story with bumps in the night, ghostly apparitions and startled cats. Janssen pulls of a great performance as the unfairly convicted and strong willed Marnie. With a script predominantly focussed on the abused wife the success of 100 Feet rests firmly on Janssen's shoulders. Fortunately she handles the role with total command and succeeds in making her determination to stay in the house believable, and her sense of guilt and shame as a victim understandable. The character of Shanks is a little more difficult to understand, with his apparent loathing of Marnie underwritten by what I took to be a subtext of secret attraction, leading into his transition to a protective figure. Fortunately however, Cannavale is almost as good as Janssen in bringing just the right levels of emotion and believability into his scenes. Michael Pare is also surprisingly effective as the vengeful and menacing husband with Westwick also strong as the delivery boy/romantic interest.

     In writing and directing 100 Feet Eric Red has created a film that deserves better than its straight to cable TV and DVD fate. The acting is first class, the scares are truly frightening, and the premise behind the story engaging and thought provoking. The few plot holes evident are all forgivable given the overall strength of this film.

     100 Feet is the second movie included as a double-header disc along with Open Graves.

Video

     This film is presented in an 1.78:1 aspect however the original was released at 2.35:1. This is a very good transfer but not as crisp and detailed as the best Blu-ray has to offer. In a movie where most of the sets are indoors with dark surroundings it is important for blacks to be well defined. Fortunately in this instance blacks were very good and there was no trouble in differentiating objects. Colours were also good given the muted surroundings. Flesh tones were true to life with the pale face and dark eyes of Janssen presented faultlessly. There was no significant digital noise and no film artefacts noticed. Overall the video quality is rated as very good.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

     The default DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 at around 2,400Kb/s delivers an excellent soundstage with directional effects very well used. The alternative Dolby Digital TrueHD 5.1 at around 1,200Kb/s is very similar to the DTS offering and so I would not prefer one over the other. There were no problems with audio synchronisation and voices were clear and easy to understand. Disappointingly there were faint clicks throughout the movie (for example at 4:48 and 5:13). These clicks were evident on both DTS and Dolby Digital tracks in the same place and initialy I thought they might be intentional. The noises weren't obtrusive, nevertheless once I noticed them I started listening for them. Perhaps the average listener on a different system would not notice them at all. There were no dropouts or any other audio problems that I noticed. The movie score by John Frizzell complements the on screen action well with a suitably ghostly tone.

     The front sound stage was very good with main voices coming from the centre channel and effects used effectively from all directions. Surround channel use was appropriate and complemented the action well. The subwoofer use was used effectively to deliver the crashes and bangs.

     This audio track overall is very good but let down by faint clicks.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

     No extras.

     This Blu-ray twin movie offering does not seem to be duplicated elsewhere however there are 100 Feet movie only versions available on Region 1, Region 2 and Region 4 DVD. The Region 1 DVD uses the 2.35:1 original aspect which you might prefer otherwise if you have a Blu-ray player than I think this version would be the best option.

     100 Feet is a well written and effectively produced ghost movie that delivers plenty of scares within a thoughtful screenplay. The acting is first class and special effects quite convincing for a second tier movie. Director and writer Red uses familiar ghost movie clichés but not to excess. For the gore hounds there are a couple of well executed scenes that certainly deserve the MA+ rating. There are no extras as such however I'd class this movie as highly recommended.

     The video quality is very good. The audio quality is very good. Extras are confined to the "bonus" movie Open Graves.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall