Lions Gate presents

The Devil's Rejects (Blu-Ray) (2005)

“Dying is not an option. Now you stick that back in that gray matter of yours and you make that stick, 'cause any other thought is gonna get you cold slabbed, toe tagged and mailed home to your mamma in a plastic bag. Are we crystal?”- Sheriff John Quincy Wydell (William Forsythe)

Stars: Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, Sheri Moon Zombie, William Forsythe
Other Stars: Michael Berryman, Ken Foree, E.G. Daily, Priscilla Barnes
Director: Rob Zombie

Manufacturer: Lionsgate
MPAA Rating: Not Rated for Strong violence, gore, language, rape
Run Time: 01h:49m:23s
Release Date: 2006-08-22
Genre: horror

Style Grade	Substance Grade	Image Transfer Grade	Audio Transfer Grade	Extras Grade
A+	A+	B+	A	A-

 

DVD Review

In many ways, The Devil’s Rejects is the movie that I’ve always wanted to see made, only I never knew it. I know how that sounds, but this film, Rob Zombie’s second feature as a writer/director is more than just a follow-up to his previous hit,House of 1000 Corpses. It’s a brilliant piece of filmmaking, and hands down one of the very best films of the year.

Picking up a short while after the events in House, Sheriff John Quincy Wydell (the inimitable William Forsythe in one of his best performances of all time) and an army of police launch a violent raid on the Firefly residence. In the opening scene, a violent shootout occurs leaving some of the family members dead, others captured and Otis (Bill Moseley), Baby (Sheri Moon-Zombie) and Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig) on the run. Wydell, haunted by the memory of his deceased brother (Tom Towels from the first film), has become obsessed with bringing his brother’s killers to justice and sets out to find the remaining members of the clan to do just that.

Just as it sounds, The Devil’s Rejects is a very different film from its predecessor. Some have argued that this one isn’t really a horror film, but that's a moot point, really. This is a down and dirty, violent and depraved film. It’s loaded to the brim with torture, sexual degradation, brutal killings, beatings and gunfights. There isn’t a major character in here with any sort of moral compass. Its heroes and villains are pretty much interchangeable. In short, this is the sort of movie they don’t make anymore, haven’t made for a very long time and the type that we just assumed would never be made again!

That’s precisely what makes Zombie’s second film so special. Technically, it’s amazingly well done. Many filmmakers have claimed to make ‘throwback’ films to a particular era, but this one is almost a vintage piece from the 1970s (only a few brief CGI blood spurts prevent this from being almost interchangeable). Zombie has clearly learned a lot in between his two films and of the two, this is the one that glistens with a sheen of professionalism. This sequel is entirely devoid of the MTV-style that plagued the first film. Using several techniques that were in common use throughout the 70s such as freeze frames and wipes and executed in an extremely gritty manner, this is as close to a ‘throwback’ as we’re ever likely to get.

To further ensure said authenticity, the soundtrack is peppered not with Zombie’s music and driving metal, but music from the 70s. The decision to do so lends this film even more authenticity. Naturally it takes more than music to produce a 70s-style film, but it definitely doesn’t hurt it. It’s another necessary ingredient in this concoction of inspired filmmaking.

Zombie’s writing skills were fairly efficient throughout his first film but this time around, he manages to write a surprisingly compelling movie. The three members of the Firefly family that take center stage in this sequel are given ample room to develop and we see them as far more believable persons this time out. Bill Moseley is a particular standout as Otis because he’s terribly intimidating but can also be hilarious with his choice line delivery and attitude. What really impresses with Moseley in Devil’s Rejects however is his ability to say a lot with little more than his eyes (pay close attention to the climax). Otis is an evil man, but not incapable of feeling sadness and grief, arguably even revulsion for some of the things that he’s done.

Another strong part is William Forsythe’s starring role as the tortured and psychotic Sheriff Wydell. The script approaches this character with far more depth than I was expecting and Forsythe captures the anguish of the character perfectly. Wydell is a man whose need for revenge grows so great that he’s eventually consumed by that need. Forsythe, like Moseley, can go from likable hero to terrifying villain at the stop of a dime. I credit Zombie’s casting choice for giving this underrated actor a beautiful and meaty role for him to sink his teeth into.

The other members of the Firefly family are also handled by good actors who give the film their all. Leslie Easterbook (you remember her from the Police Academy films) replaces Karen Black as Mother Firefly and for my money, delivers a somewhat more menacing performance than Black from the first film. Sheri Moon-Zombie’s second turn as Baby is just as sexually charged and menacing as before (a lot more ass shots including one ass double) and Sid Haig is always a pleasure as Spaulding. The casting was very strong in the first film, but is pitch perfect in every way here.

And on the subject of casting,Devil’s Rejects often reads like a who’s who as far as horror films of the 70’s goes. Ken Foree has a small but memorable part as one of Spaulding’s old friends, Charlie Altamont. His scene with the chicken salesman could be one of the funniest things ever committed to film. Michael Berryman is another inspired choice and plays one of Charlie’s assistants. The script even finds time for Berryman to shine, playing off Foree in some truly priceless moments. Danny Trejo and Diamond Dallas Page turn up as a duo of unscrupulous bounty hunters and porno icon Ginger Lynn shows up for a cameo as well. Rounding out the supporting cast are P.J. Soles (Halloween) and Steven Railsback (The Stunt Man). Nearly every role consists of quality fan favorites, just another one of the joys of watching this film.

There’s a lot going on in this sequel and it gets high marks for featuring one of the most unsettling and genuinely disturbing moments the genre has seen recently. The humiliation and degradation of Priscilla Barnes’ character at the hands of Otis isn’t easy to take, nor should it be. There’s enough happening in this one to ensure that the viewer will find their laughs elsewhere, but none is intended for the hotel scene. Barnes deserves a lot of credit for taking this part and doing a great job with it. Probably best know as Terri on Three’s Company, here she’s little more than a victim but she makes a lasting impression.

Rating for Style: A+
Rating for Substance: A+

 

Image Transfer

	One
Aspect Ratio	1.85:1 - Widescreen
Original Aspect Ratio	yes
Anamorphic	yes

Image Transfer Review: Arriving on Blu-Ray fairly early in the format’s existence, The Devil’s Rejects has been a source of controversy on many a message board since its release in 2006, presumably because of the grainy nature of the film that has more to do with Zombie’s style than any real fault of the disc. I happened to see the film four times during its theatrical run and this Blu Ray release is a more than accurate representation of said image. Zombie shot this film as if it were an unearthed relic from the 1970s, complete with it’s washed-out colors and dry pallate. That said, this Blu Ray disc offers a nicely detailed picture, complete with solid blacks without any sign of compression—a true sign of a nice transfer.

My only qualm with the image comes from some occasionally soft and blurry shots that fail to retain the sharp detail of the overall presentation. These are few and far between, but mange to mar an otherwise solid and respectable transfer.

Image Transfer Grade: B+
 

Audio Transfer

	Language	Remote Access
Dolby Digital EX	English	yes
DTS	English	no

Audio Transfer Review: Both tracks included on this disc, the Dolby EX and the DTS ES, offer solid performances. I can’t discern much of a difference between the two; both offer clear and aggressive audio from each speaker. The music is loud and effective, but it never overpowers the dialog or action. This is a very busy soundtrack and both of these audio tracks promise a fantastic viewing experience.

Audio Transfer Grade: A 

Disc Extras

Animated menu with music
Scene Access with 14 cues and remote access
Subtitles/Captions in English & Spanish with remote access
11 Deleted Scenes
2 Feature/Episode commentaries by 1: Writer/Director Rob Zombie2: Cast: Sheri Moon, Sid Haig, Bill Moseley
Packaging: standard Blu-ray packaging
Picture Disc
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: single

Extras Review: Unfortunately, Lionsgate did not port over the excellent 30 Days in Hell documentary that was on the SD release of this film. This Blu-Ray ports over both commentary tracks and the collection of deleted scenes, and unlike those on Zombie’s Halloween, I would’ve liked to have seen a number of these scenes put back into the film. The real highlight would be the Dr. Satan scene featuring a cameo by Rosario Dawson, but almost every scene included in these excised bits add a little bit to the characters and story. Maybe they didn’t drive the narrative forward in any significant way, but they sure are fun to watch!

The commentary tracks are both worthy as well. The Zombie track is fun and informative, providing amusing anecdotes regarding his cast (I especially enjoyed the stuff about Ginger Lynn and her commitment to her cameo) and the filming process. The cast track is a howl as well. Haig, Moon and Moseley have fantastic chemistry together and is further evidenced by their lively discussion about the filming of this sequel.

Extras Grade: A-
 

Final Comments

The Devil’s Rejects leaves a lasting impression. It’s everything that the hardcore horror fans have been dying for. Rob Zombie got things 100% right with this one. Having made what in my opinion is an instant classic here, I can only anxiously await his future projects because, unlike many recent films, this one fulfills everything it promises and then some.

Matt Serafini 2008-05-23