Going back to at least 1978’s Halloween, horror movies often like to take place on various notable occasions. For another entry in this subgenre, we go to 2023’s Founders Day.

In the small New England town of Fairwood, locals conflict with each other over the upcoming mayoral election. It pits incumbent Blair Gladwell (Amy Hargreaves) and Harold Faulkner (Jayce Bartok).

All of this occurs in the lead-in to “Founders Day”, a celebration of Fairwood’s tricentennial. Along the way, a maniac dressed in 18th century garb slaughters residents and creates chaos.

Though self-aware slasher flicks that lean toward parody predated 1996’s Scream, it remains that sub-genre’s heavy hitter. Ever since that Wes Craven flick became a hit nearly 30 years ago, its influence has permeated horror.

One would need to be blind to not recognize the ways that Day echoes Scream. While not a clone of the 1996 flick, it definitely feels like a cousin.

And an inbred cousin at that. Day comes with the bones of a decent scarefest but lacks the competent execution it needs to succeed.

Actually, I would find myself tempted to call Day a ripoff of 2023’s Thanksgiving if the timing lined up. However, given that Day made the festival rounds in summer/fall 2023 and Thanksiving didn’t reach audiences until November 2023, this doesn’t fit.

Whatever flicks influenced Day, they did so to such a strong degree that it never finds its own identity. Instead, we get a random mix of genre clichés in search of a story and actual entertainment.

None of this comes with much logic, internal or otherwise. Of course, many horror flicks play fast and loose with these elements, but Day just seems barely concerned with them.

Which I could forgive if the end product offered some thrills or even basic intrigue. Instead, it just regurgitates the same old same old genre fans have seen over the decades.

I get the impression those involved labeled Day a “satire’ more because they realized how amateurish the whole thing felt. Rather than recognize the film’s poor acting and clumsy construction, this allowed for the portrayal of Day as a spoof of crummy horror flicks.

I don’t buy it. A badly made movie is a badly made movie, and nothing about Day really emphasizes parody.

Instead, we just find a dull and clunky horror flick without real purpose or merit. I’ve seen worse but nonetheless I fail to locate anything here to recommend.

Founders Day appears in an aspect ratio of 2.39:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. The transfer presented the film in an appealing manner.

Sharpness looked good. A smidgen of softness hit some wider shots, but those instances remained insubstantial, so the majority of the flick showed fine clarity and accuracy.

Jaggies and shimmering failed to distract, and edge haloes remained absent. The movie also lacked any source flaws and was consistently clean.

In terms of colors, Day went with standard amber and teal most of the time. The hues worked well within the design choices.

Blacks were pretty deep, and shadows were well-depicted, an important factor given the potentially murky interior settings. The image offered a “B+” presentation.

As for the movie’s DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack, it lacked a ton of ambition, though I didn’t view that as a flaw. A story like this came heavy on ambience and light on opportunities for fireworks, so the absence of showy sequences failed to become a problem.

When the action heated up, however, the mix reflected that and used the spectrum well. Music filled the various channels in a satisfying manner, and effects fleshed out the spectrum in a logical way. Nothing dazzled but the mix seemed suitable for the material.

Audio quality pleased. Speech was concise and natural, while effects remained accurate and full-bodied.

Music was vibrant and dynamic. While this was never an especially memorable track, it worked for the story.

As we move to extras, we open with an audio commentary from writer/director/actor Erik Bloomquist, writer/producer/editor Carson Bloomquist and director of photography Mike Magilnick. All three sit together for this running, screen-specific look at story/characters/genre domains, cast and performances, sets and locations, photography and editing, effects, music, and connected topics.

Overall this becomes a pretty solid commentary that offers a good overview of the production. While it loses a little steam along the way, it still brings more than enough information to turn into a net positive.

A Still Gallery provides 212 shots from the set. This becomes overkill but we still get some good glimpses of the production.

We also find a Production Time Lapse that runs 14 minutes, 36 seconds. This indeed gives up a rapid-fire view of the film’s creation. Obviously it flies by very quickly but it still becomes a fun way to observe a lot of the shoot.

A mix of promotional materials ensue. In addition to teaser and theatrical trailers, we locate a circa 2014 concept trailer. It spans two minutes, 14 seconds and existed as a clip intended to raise money. It brings an intriguing tool.

The “concept trailer” can be viewed with or without commentary from Erik Bloomquist. He offers some notes about the reel that add value.

A Regal Mystery Movie Monday Intro occupies 55 seconds and involves actors Devin Druid, Emilia McCarthy, Olivia Nikkanen, and Amy Hargreaves. Regal offers a program that previews new movies on Mondays for $5 but doesn’t reveal them until the audience ends up in the auditorium. “Intro” just welcomes those viewers.

Lastly, Blair and Harold Visit DC occupies three minutes, 58 seconds and features actors Hargreaves and Jayce Bartok in character as they chat with tourists and locals. It becomes an amusing promo piece.

If you seek a fresh and original slasher flick, look somewhere other than Founders Day. It borrows heavily from Scream and its siblings but fails to create a lively horror experience. The Blu-ray brings positive picture and audio along with a mix of supplements. I hoped to enjoy Day but thought it collapsed under its clichés and spotty performances.