The basic plot of Lake Dead reads like a patchwork quilt of overused horror-movie clichés.
Video:
One of the other things "Lake Dead" has going for it is the above-par camera work and set design. The widescreen presentation, featuring a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, makes great use of the cinematography and cements its place as one of the best-looking films in the After Dark Horrorfest. Unlike the majority of these eight films, the night scenes actually look good, not bluish or grainy.
Audio:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track sounds fine but doesn´t match the film´s exceptional video.
Extras:
Even though IMDb has a listing for something titled "Lake Dead: Behind the Scenes," the only special feature included on this disc is the same one that´s on all eight of the After Dark Horrorfest DVDs. It´s nineteen minutes´ worth of the moronic "Miss Horrorfest" webisodes that are simply an advertisement for the show featured on the Horrorfest Web site.
Film Value:
At times "Lake Dead" shows a possibility of originality, but every time the film even glances at the road less traveled, its naïve filmmakers pull on its leash and force it back onto the path of familiar territory. The only other thing worth noting about this otherwise average film is that if you scrutinize the backgrounds of the main characters, a surprising number of them (all but the adopted one) have the possibility of being inbred.
With almost all of this year´s Horrorfest DVD offerings being real stinkers, I´m going to suggest a similar yet more-effective recent independent horror film for the ones that fail to hit the mark. Rather than simply reprise the same worn-out horror clichés the way "Lake Dead" shamelessly does, Adam Green´s wonderful "Hatchet" builds off those similar themes and creates an ode to horror films and their creators. It´s got better gore, it´s got quality actors, and it is legitimately funny; plus, the mutant killer in "Hatchet" is played by Kane Hodder, the best actor to ever don Jason´s hockey mask. To top it off, "Hatchet" features non-gratuitous cameos from horror icons like Robert (Freddy Krueger) Englund and Tony (Candyman) Todd.
One of the other things "Lake Dead" has going for it is the above-par camera work and set design. The widescreen presentation, featuring a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, makes great use of the cinematography and cements its place as one of the best-looking films in the After Dark Horrorfest. Unlike the majority of these eight films, the night scenes actually look good, not bluish or grainy.
Audio:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track sounds fine but doesn´t match the film´s exceptional video.
Extras:
Even though IMDb has a listing for something titled "Lake Dead: Behind the Scenes," the only special feature included on this disc is the same one that´s on all eight of the After Dark Horrorfest DVDs. It´s nineteen minutes´ worth of the moronic "Miss Horrorfest" webisodes that are simply an advertisement for the show featured on the Horrorfest Web site.
Film Value:
At times "Lake Dead" shows a possibility of originality, but every time the film even glances at the road less traveled, its naïve filmmakers pull on its leash and force it back onto the path of familiar territory. The only other thing worth noting about this otherwise average film is that if you scrutinize the backgrounds of the main characters, a surprising number of them (all but the adopted one) have the possibility of being inbred.
With almost all of this year´s Horrorfest DVD offerings being real stinkers, I´m going to suggest a similar yet more-effective recent independent horror film for the ones that fail to hit the mark. Rather than simply reprise the same worn-out horror clichés the way "Lake Dead" shamelessly does, Adam Green´s wonderful "Hatchet" builds off those similar themes and creates an ode to horror films and their creators. It´s got better gore, it´s got quality actors, and it is legitimately funny; plus, the mutant killer in "Hatchet" is played by Kane Hodder, the best actor to ever don Jason´s hockey mask. To top it off, "Hatchet" features non-gratuitous cameos from horror icons like Robert (Freddy Krueger) Englund and Tony (Candyman) Todd.
