Project-Blu The Monster Squad, by M. Enois Duarte

The Monster Squad

By: M. Enois Duarte, 12.6.2009

The Movie Itself:
'Monster Squad' is Fred Dekker's follow-up to the cult favorite, and somewhat better, 'Night of the Creeps'. Although both films aim at homage of horror classics, they each approach the material differently. Most obvious, 'Squad' targets younger viewers, not only with a cast of kids but also with a sort of 'Goonies' sensibility. Then there's the fact the movie lacks the same subtle, wink-wink sort of humor professed by 'Creeps.' This is more straightforward fantasy fare with obvious movie references and a group of outcasts turned heroes. At its heart, Dekker's second film is an adventure tale with monsters of the black-and-white era of horror filmmaking.

The plot centers on a small group of pre-teens who idolize the classic creature-features from the 30s through the 50s, calling themselves The Monster Squad. Club leader Sean (Andre Gower) recently purchased a book written by the legendary vampire hunter Van Helsing (Jack Gwillim). When he learns of a stranger's interest in the book, the squad fears a sudden uprising of monsters in their small town. A further investigation confirms that Dracula (Duncan Regehr) has brought his cohorts -- Frankenstein's Monster, Wolfman, Gil-man, and the Mummy - to wreak havoc. It's up to The Monster Squad to stop the monster invasion with the use of a magic amulet.

'The Monster Squad' is sometimes lumped together with 'Howard the Duck' and 'Little Monsters' as bad 80s flicks which continue to be enjoyed by a loyal audience. Of course, this adventure tale through the house of horrors is more beloved and cherished by those who grew up with the Fred Dekker classic. The entire movie is a celebration of the genre by uniting the monsters of classic Universal films. There hasn't been a get-together of this magnitude since the Abbott & Costello series or the Hammer Films of yore. The producers even went so far as to film in the Universal backlot, trying to cleverly disguise the town square in which Doc Brown required 1.2 gigawatts of power.

This is the movie's best feature, along with the numerous allusions made to other films many young viewers might not be familiar with. Dekker also takes a small stab at modern genre entries. At one point, Sean mentions his excitement for the latest franchise installment surrounding a holiday, called 'Groundhog Day Part 12'. Unfortunately, the rest of the plot and storyline could've used a little more work as clues seem a bit too convenient, even for a feature aimed at children. There are also a few things which go without explanation, like the amulet being found in a small town in the middle of nowhere U.S.A.

Still, Dekker does a very good job of keeping the ship afloat and retaining audience interest. Added to that is the sheer enjoyment of seeing classic Universal monsters inflicting mayhem and disorder in a contemporary environment. In the end, and ignoring some minor drawbacks, 'The Monster Squad' is a fun and entertaining little 80s flick for the whole family to enjoy.
Rating: 7/10

The Presentation:
Lionsgate Films Home Entertainment released 'Monster Squad' back in 2007 in a two-disc 20th Anniversary DVD. Comparatively, this Blu-ray edition is without a doubt a significant upgrade and boasts a great looking picture for a film over twenty-years-old. The AVC-encoded transfer in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio arrives with a good balance in contrast and a barely noticeable grain structure. The color palette is bold and richly rendered especially reds and greens. Flesh tones also appear warmly accurate and healthy, with close-ups exposing some nice texture in the complexions. Brightness levels are the transfer's best and strongest feature, displaying dynamic, ebony-dark blacks which give the image appreciable dimension. Shadow delineation is equally strong and provides good visibility in low-lit interiors while nighttime sequences are cinematically attractive. Fine object details are well-defined and sharper than expected, but nothing extraordinary. Still, the Fred Dekker favorite looks very good on Blu-ray.
Rating: 7.6/10

Unfortunately, the DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack is not as impressive as the video, but it has its moments of generating a fun aural experience. The front-heavy mix delivers clear, discernible vocals, and separation is smooth and nicely balanced. Low-frequency effects are in ample supply, but they provide some good, deep bass to those scenes which require it. The rest of the soundstage exhibits a welcoming and often engaging presence with plenty of clarity, strong acoustics, and a mid-range which stays consistently sharp and spacious. The surrounds are mostly silent, which is expected of a twenty-year-old sound design, but there are times during certain action sequences that objects suddenly fly by the listener. The musical score also fills the front channels nicely and occasionally bleeds into the background, lightly enhancing the soundfield. Overall, it's not the next best thing is catalog titles, but it's good nonetheless.
Rating: 7.0/10

Overall Presentation: 7/10

** 9 - 10 = Reference / 8 = Excellent / 7 = Good /
6 = Satisfactory / 5 = Average / 4 & under = Below Average **

The Extras:
As a 20th Anniversary Edition, 'The Monster Squad' arrives on Blu-ray with a nice and hearty package of bonus material.

Audio Commentary with director Fred Dekker and cast
Audio Commentary with director and director of photography Bradford May
Monster Squad Forever! (HD, 76 min)
Five-part retrospective, featuring interviews with cast and crew.
A Conversation with Frankenstein (SD, 9 min)
Vintage interview with actor Tom Noonan while in character.
Deleted Scenes (SD, 14 min)
Animated Storyboard Sequence (HD, 2 min)
Still Gallery (HD, 6 min)
Theatrical Trailers (HD)

Rating: 8/10

Final Thoughts:
'The Monster Squad' is Fred Dekker's second film aimed more at family entertainment and obvious allusions to classic Universal monsters. Despite some very minor drawbacks in the plot, the cult favorite is an entertaining little piece that both children and adults can enjoy. This 20th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray comes with a good A/V presentation and nice collection of bonus material. Fans are sure to be happy with the purchase while newcomers will want to give this 80s flick a rent.
Rating: 7/10