Drag Me To Hell

“Drag Me To Hell is horror-movie heaven.” – Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

Christine Brown (Alison Lohman, Officer Downe) is on her way to having it all: a devoted boyfriend (Justin Long, Jeepers Creepers), a hard-earned job promotion, and a bright future. But when she has to make a tough decision that evicts an elderly woman from her house, Christine becomes the victim of an evil curse. Now she has only three days to dissuade a dark spirit from stealing her soul before she is dragged to hell for an eternity of unthinkable torment. Director Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead Trilogy, Darkman) returns to the horror genre with a vengeance in the film that critics rave is “the most crazy, fun and terrifying horror movie in years” (Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly)!”

Drag Me To Hell is a return to the genre that made Sam Raimi a household name in the horror genre. His combination of slap-stick and horror quickly earned him a place in cult status as his Evil Dead trilogy is still very much celebrated today. Drag Me To Hell revisits this type film, as Raimi prides himself in putting his actors through a wide variety of torment in such a way that delights the audience. While most actors would never dare to go through some of the things he insists, Raimi seems to emanate a sense of trust among his cast who literally follow him through Hell to entertain the masses.

Raimi seems fascinated by this type of story surrounded by demons, Hell, and all the evil that sprouts forth from its depths. The curse that befalls Christine is very unique, and equally as frightening, as something as simple as her doing her job to try and impress her boss for a promotion which entails her denying a Gypsy woman an extension on her mortgage is the cause of the deadly curse that damns her soul to Hell. The three days she has before the demon comes from her is equally as intense, as Christine tries everything she can to appease the demon to try and save herself. The psychological effects of the impending deadline are very effective in terms of tension, as well as other conflicts the protagonist has with the Gypsy woman that are all very disturbing, disgusting, and hilarious!

Recognition has to be given to Alison Lohman for putting up with the type of torture that Raimi loves to inflict on his actors. Fans of Raimi know his joy for doing the same to longtime friend Bruce Campbell, and Lohman definitely takes her share of abuse having some of the most disgusting things imaginable happen to her. The most fun part of the film are these slap-stick gore-filled moments that can almost seem cartoonish in a way, but still deliver a good laugh while your stomach turns. For those that may not be familiar with Sam Raimi and his eclectic style, this may be a turn off for people solely looking for horror and gore, as having slap-stick in a horror film definitely appeals to a certain niche. Hopefully this has turned a new generation into Sam Raimi fans, causing them to revisit his Evil Dead trilogy and gaining an entirely new appreciation for his work.

Drag Me To Hell is a wildly entertaining thrill ride filled with suspense and hilarity throughout the entire film. Not having seen it since it was released in theatres, I was happy to see how well its aged, and although it may not be as iconic as Raimi’s Evil Dead trilogy, Drag Me To Hell demonstrates that Raimi can go back to his roots whenever he pleases and prove he hasn’t missed a step.

Video

Drag Me To Hell is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.40:1. Both the Theatrical version and Unrated version included in this set have a new HD Master of the 2k digital intermediate. The transfers look very good, with great balance of color, with grain kept to a manageable level. Although the original blu-ray never had any issues from what I could tell, this new transfer looks good as well.

Audio

The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The audio track sounds excellent, with an amazing balance between the surrounds as this film is filled with screams and demonic effects of all kinds. Despite this, never is the dialogue from the center channel difficult to make out. Accompanying the film is an equally impressive score that adds some great atmosphere.

Special Features

Scream Factory has included some brand new extras for this release, all are very interesting and worth checking out. On this set you’re going to see:

Disc One:

• NEWHD Master Of The Theatrical Cut Taken From The 2K Digital Intermediate
• Production Diaries –  With Behind-the-scenes Footage And Interviews With Co-writer/director Sam Raimi, Actors Allison Lohman, Justin Long, David Paymer, Dileep Rao, Lorna Raver, Special Effects Guru Greg Nicotero, Director Of Photography Peter Deming, And More (35 Minutes)
• Vintage Interviews With Director Sam Raimi And Actors Alison Lohman And Justin Long (33 Minutes)
• TV Spots
• Theatrical Trailer

Disc Two:

• NEWHD Master Of The Unrated Cut Taken From The 2K Digital Intermediate
• NEW To Hell And Back– An Interview With Actress Alison Lohman (12 Minutes)
• NEW Curses! – An Interview With Actress Lorna Raver (16 Minutes)
• NEWHitting All The Right Notes – An Interview With Composer Christopher Young (17 Minutes)
• Still Gallery

Drag Me To Hell is a worthy addition to Scream Factory’s Collector’s Edition series, giving it all the treatment and attention it deserves. This is a must for fans of Sam Raimi and his unique style of slap-stick horror, and would be a great introduction for those unfamiliar with it.