Average Rating: 
Rating:  - ARG, another re-release ***BOOMSTICK EDITION***
Anchor Bay is my favorite company that produces DVD's because of their quality and the fact that they release many obscure titles that most companies would pass by.With that said, i'm a little frustrated with so many Re-Releases lately. The BOOMSTICK edition of Army Of Darkness is nice, but the package is a little flimsy. It comes in a cardboard sleeve and the 2 DVD discs are in a foldout case with the booklet stuck in the middle (not attached to the case). You'll need to take care of this one or the cover will surely become worn. It's also not all that easy to slide the cover back on the case that holds the discs. The movie(s) of Army Of Darkness are both previous editions released on seperate DVD editions. First we have the original Theatrical Version with the option of viewing the original ending seperately. The video and sound quality are excellent on this version. The Unrated version on the 2nd DVD contains about 15 minutes of added footage and you can tell the difference easily. The quality of the added scenes is below average. It is grainy and looks like raw footage. It is watchable but it detracts from the overall viewing experience. The audio on the unrated version is only in Dolby 2.0 stereo, where the Rated version on the 1st DVD has Dolby 5.1 surround. If you like the movie, then this is the edition you need. There are some great extra features that any fan will enjoy. It is indeed a great set, aside from the packaging. I just hope they don't re-re-re-re-re-release it next year again!!!
Rating: - Army of Darkness: Director's Cut
Army of Darkness is the third and final chapter in the classic trilogy that begun in 1982 with the memorable shocker The Evil Dead. Sam Raimi(director) and Bruce Campbell(lead actor) went forward to create a hoorror-comedy sequel a few years later, after the original's commercial success despite its extremely low budget. The trilogy ended(?) with AOD which turned out to be a straight action movie that retained the humor but was almost clean of the horror and gore elements of the previous two. While the latter has been a let down for the series' many followers, the fact is that it's a very entertaining film, mostly due to Campbell's cracking performance and Raimi's superb direction. The story begins where the previous one ended, with Ash (Campbell) being trapped in the middle Ages and having to find the Book of the Dead in order to return to the present. In the meantime, he accidentally unleashes the army of the dead which he has to fight with the odds against him. Featuring some quite distinctive action pieces, unforgettable one-liners and the exhilarating Ram-o-cam shots, Army of darkness is a really cool film that you won't regret watching. This DVD version is the director's cut which adds 15 min. to the theatrical cut. Also don't forget to check out the commentary track with Raimi and Campbell and an interesting look behind the scenes.
Rating: - Extremely entertaining - comedy
This review refers to the "Official Bootleg Edition" -- brown paper bag.This is a 1992 film that I wish would have transferred better to DVD. Many times the picture is blurry and out-of-focus. It is also not a true widescreen presentation. However, the framing, composition, and action sequences are so nicely done that I've bumped it up to 4 stars. You will have to watch this DVD in darkness or a totally blackened room because the final fight scene is so dark one can barely make out the action. Perhaps this is because of animation and is necessary to cover up strings, etc. Music and sound are good, not great, and there is a bit of surround sound. How refreshing to have a movie NOT end with a rap song. The female lead Embeth Davidtz is very beautiful and a real treat for the eyes. Very much a plus added to this movie. The skeleton war is advanced for cinema, past and present, and puts "The Mummy" and "The Mummy Returns" to shame. I feel that the movie holds up on its' own, but recommend watching the two previous "Evil Dead" movies so you know who Ash is. There is no gory violence here; it is almost suitable for children to watch except for some vulgar language. It is a comedy -- understand that and you won't be disappointed. There is no booklet enclosed with this package, only a Chapter List. I really enjoyed this one and will probably watch it again prior to observing my other two "Evil Dead" movies.
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