Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 1.85:1 on this single-sided, double-layered DVD; the image has been enhanced for 16X9 televisions. This was a good but unexceptional transfer.
Sharpness usually satisfied. At times the movie could be a bit soft and ill-defined, but most of the flick seemed reasonably concise. I noticed no signs of jagged edges or shimmering, and edge enhancement stayed minimal. Print flaws were minor. I saw a couple of small specks and that was it. Grain was moderately heavy, but it was much less of a factor than it was for the first four movies.
The movie depicted a natural palette with fairly good clarity and vivacity. Even colored lighting was smooth, as the movie consistently presented acceptably lively tones. Blacks also improved and came across as deep and firm, while shadows were nicely concise and not too opaque. This was never an excellent presentation, but it looked good enough for a “B”.
In addition to the film’s original monaural soundtrack , A New Beginning came with a new Dolby Digital 5.1 remix. The soundfield opened things up to a moderate degree. Environmental material dominated, though a few scenes brought greater breadth to the proceedings. The standard rainstorm used the various channels well, and some minor movement across channels appeared. Music also demonstrated nice stereo delineation. The surrounds remained pretty passive, but they contributed decent reinforcement.
Speech betrayed no edginess and sounded reasonably natural, with tones that were a little tinny but not badly so. Effects stayed clear and acceptably accurate, and louder elements showed reasonable heft. Music offered decent dynamics and was relatively warm and full. Though not great, this was probably the best Friday soundtrack to date.
How do the picture and sound of this 2009 disc compare to the 2004 release? Unfortunately, I was unable to directly compare the two; the version I reviewed in 2004 was available only as part of a boxed set called “From Crystal Lake to Manhattan”, and I gave it away years ago.
Based on my comments about the 2004 release, it might appear that the older disc offered superior visuals. And perhaps it did, but because I can’t directly compare the two, I can’t state this with certainty. I do know that the 2009 disc provides a cleaner presentation, and it definitely gives us different audio. I like the new 5.1 mix and think it expands the original monaural in a satisfying manner.
We find a bunch of new supplements here. First comes an audio commentary from director Danny Steinman, filmmaker/fan Michael Felsher, and actors John Shepherd and Shavar Ross. All four sit together – with Felsher connected via phone – for this running, screen-specific piece. They discuss cast and performances, some character/story issues, controversies and fan reaction, sets and locations, gore and effects, MPAA concerns, music, and a few other production areas.
On paper, the commentary covers a good array of subjects. However, most of the time the participants just joke around, and Steinman acts as the worst offender. He thinks the track is an opportunity for him to crack wise and only occasionally throw out an actual film fact. We do learn a little here, but the lame attempts at comedy make this a tedious listen.
Yet another edition of Lost Tales from Camp Blood appears here. In this seven-minute and nine-second short film, we get another tedious chapter in this poorly developed series. The first four segments were boring, and clip five isn’t any better.
Continuing a series started on Final Chapter, The Crystal Lake Massacres Part II runs 10 minutes, 10 seconds. Just like “Part I”, this piece examines the Friday flicks from a faux documentary viewpoint. That premise has the potential to be lame, but “Massacres” is actually a fun dissection of movie events.
New Beginnings: The Making of Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning goes for 11 minutes, three seconds and features Steinman, Felsher, Ross, stuntman Tom Morga, compose Harry Manfredini, and actors Tiffany Helm and Dick Wieand. We get some thoughts about characters and story, cast and performances, costume choices, music, MPAA issues, gore and effects, and the movie’s reputation. “Beginnings” repeats some info from the commentary, but it also lacks that tracks annoying elements – well, some of them at least, as Steiman’s lame jokes still crop up on a couple of occasions. The program’s too short to be very valuable, but it offers a decent synopsis of some topics.
A Preview for The Uninvited opens the disc. We also get the theatrical trailer for New Beginning.
Anyone who wants a radical departure from the standard Friday the 13th epic won’t get it in A New Beginning. However, the movie manages to broaden its horizons somewhat, as we finally get a Friday that feels like more than just a remake of the others. The DVD offers decent picture, audio and extras. This is a fairly good release for a reasonably interesting horror movie.
To rate this film, visit the Ultimate Edition DVD Collection review of FRIDAY THE 13TH PART V: A NEW BEGINNING
