Malevolence

The DVD, which includes animated menus stained blood red and considerably creepier than the movie, features widescreen presentation (1.85:1), enhanced for 16x9 TVs, the usual scene selection and a choice of 2.0 stereo/5.1 surround/DTS. There are also optional subtitles for the hard of hearing.

A full audio commentary from writer/director/composer/producer Stevan Mena, actor Brandon Johnson and associate producer/editor Eddie Akmal covers the grueling travails of a low-budget independent shoot, the uncomfortable reality of dog-sized rats and the luck of finding a real abandoned slaughterhouse and a farmhouse that resembles the famous spooky A-frame from The Amityville Horror .

Back To The Slaughterhouse' (32min) is an excellent featurette, including interviews with cast and crew and lots of anecdotes about the production; The Dark Side Of Horror (13min) is an interview with star Samantha Dark (geddit?) about practicing the perfect scream, wearing the same clothes for four months and looking forward to the film's sequel and prequel.

Additionally, there are deleted scenes (10min), comprising some longer, slower and entirely disposable alternate takes, the occasional (equally disposable) new scene and some bloopers. There is an extensive photo gallery (57 stills), some pointless rehearsal footage (1min) between Brandon Johnson and Heather Magee, a selection of TV/radio spots (3min) and a trailer.

Reviewed on: 12 Oct 2005