Happy Birthday to Me
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Damir Andrei, Jack Blum, Melissa Sue Anderson, Sharon Acker, Tracey E. BregmanBrand: ABE
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: Anamorphic, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 110 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-10-13
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Product features:
- HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME (DVD MOVIE)
Movie Reviews of Happy Birthday to Me
Movie Review: One of the Very Finest Slasher Films Ever Made
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the greatest films of its kind. It is a slasher movie, but it combines mystery elements with personal angst, as well. The resulting movie is a classic.
The reason I mention the emotional aspect is that it goes a long way to explaining the ending. The climax of the movie, as well as the revelation of the killer's identity and motive, can leave some people scratching their heads. Now, even I, who love the film, have to concede that it does stretch plausibility in terms of HOW the killer carries out their plot. But the motivation, and the person's state of mind, do lend an undeniable aura of pathos to the whole thing.
What I'm saying is, the fact that the killings don't really seem to be rational acts is actually one of the most authentic elements in the film. I don't think I give too much away by saying that the killer is the product of a tragically broken home. Anyone who has been in that situation would be aware that such a state of affairs can foster emotions that are intensely powerful. And violently unpredictable. Something about that pain, fear, the shattering grief and uncertainty........the combination does not lead people to their finest moments, in most cases. Big game hunters always tend to regard wounded animals as the most dangerous. The same can go for human beings who have been terribly wounded emotionally. There is something about being in such pain that you just don't care. It can lead to a destructive state of affairs.
Of course, in the real world, if everyone from a broken home became a murderer, there wouldn't be anyone left to kill. But I still think it adds something powerful to the film to see what circumstances led the killer to their ultimate agenda.
Looked at from that vantage point, it becomes as much a tragedy as a horror story.
Like the other truly great slasher films, Happy Birthday To Me benefits from an incredibly beautiful and cryptic atmosphere. A good example would be those nocturnal scenes in the cemetery. Or the incredible last act at the cottage. That final birthday celebration remains one of the most indelible images from horror history.
There is something so chilling about that moment when you see the flickering lights.........and then something so lyrically macabre in the realization that this light is emanating from the lit candles of a birthday cake.
Perhaps the strongest dimension, in terms of the films' atmosphere, lies in its distinctive music. The music is so beautiful. But it conjures up an incredible sense of sadness, which makes a nice counterpoint to the movie's more brutal moments.
THIS is what makes the release of this dvd such an important event. The last version, where they replaced the original music, was just unforgiveable. I'd much rather watch a 20 year old copy on vhs, if that's what it takes to see the movie the way it was intended. But, now, finally, it's going to get the treatment it deserves.
As I said, this is one of the great ones. And long overdue.
Summary of Happy Birthday to Me
Welcome to upscale Crawford Academy, where everyone ? especially new student Ginny (Melissa Sue Anderson of LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE) ? wants to be part of the school?s most popular clique. But now somebody has begun butchering the group?s members. Could a deadly accident from Ginny?s past be connected to the brutal killings? And as her 18th birthday approaches, will Ginny be the guest of honor at the most horrific party of all? Matt Craven (DISTURBIA), Lawrence Dane (SCANNERS) and Hollywood legend Glenn Ford (THE BLACKBOARD JUNGLE, 3:10 TO YUMA) co-star in this twisted slasher shocker from Oscar®-nominated director J. Lee Thompson (THE GUNS OF NAVARONE) that features ? as its infamous poster promised ? ?six of the most bizarre murders you will ever see!?Similar DVD Movies
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