Happy Birthday to Me
by J. Lee Thompson
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Frances Hyland (II), Glenn Ford, Lawrence Dane, Melissa Sue Anderson, Sharon AckerDirector: J. Lee Thompson
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); Japanese (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 1.0
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 110 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-10-26
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures
Movie Reviews of Happy Birthday to Me
Movie Review: 4 stars for the movie, 1 star for the DVD
Summary: 1 Stars
"Happy Birthday to Me" is one of the classiest slasher films ever made; it's suspenseful, it has very high production values, and it has some pretty good performances from people like Glenn Ford and Melissa Sue Anderson, who was best known as Mary Ingalls on the TV show "Little House on the Prairie". Despite having a big-name director (J. Lee Thompson) and a major studio (Columbia Pictures) behind it, "Happy Birthday to Me" is mostly remembered for the hilariously exploitive poster art (shish kabobs, anyone?), which was also used as the cover for the 80's home video release. Why Columbia/Sony decided to replace that highly original and striking art with THIS is beyond me. There is a birthday cake in the film, and a knife, but there are no possessed girls or ominous castles to be found. I'm sure this misguided marketing attempt pleased at least two people: the clueless graphic designer and the lucky daughter who got to be a model for the day.
But even worse than the hideous new cover art -- which actually isn't new anymore, because the DVD has been around for four years now -- is the new soundtrack Columbia/Sony decided to slap on the picture instead of securing the rights to the score by Bo Harwood and Lance Rubin. Only the end credits song by Syreeta and a few music cues remain. The 80's dance score is wildly inappropriate for the movie and kills any suspense that was built up. The result is the cinematic equivalent of a lobotomy.
I bought this DVD knowing full well what a monstrosity it is, but I only paid $5. I can't imagine paying full price. The picture quality is good and the movie isn't completely unwatchable this way, but the original soundtrack is ten times better and makes the film a more memorable and enjoyable experience. Do yourself a favor and track down a VHS copy. Perhaps Sony will release another DVD edition with the proper soundtrack, but I wouldn't count on it.
Summary of Happy Birthday to Me
Happy Birthday to Me typifies the horror genre prior to the self-reflection and irony that saturated the genre in the late '80s and '90s. A solid cast, decent acting, a well-written script, and relatively high production values result in a solid movie that is engaging on its own in addition to offering a glimpse into the history of '80s horror. The plot follows the rules of the genre (later parodied in such films as the Scream and Scary Movie series). A number of teenagers (played by actors who appear visibly older than their characters) from an elite prep school get into mischievous sexual situations fueled by alcohol and pot smoking. As teens start to disappear, murdered in a variety of violent ways, the film suggests a number of suspects. Is the killer the troubled star played by Melissa Sue Anderson who lost her overbearing, social-climbing mother in a car accident that she survived? Or is it the stern school mistress, the wacky, cool social clown, the social misfit, or none of the above? The film keeps you guessing until the final scene. Happy Birthday is a must-see for serious fans of the horror genre and this release is a solid digital mastering of the movie. Hardcore fans should note that the DVD release was not able to secure the rights to the original soundtrack so this version features an alternate soundtrack of largely nondescript '80s electronic music. --Brian SaltzmanHorror DVD Video
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