MONSTER HOUSE (DVD Review) - 8/4/07

I debated about getting this on DVD and initially didn't bother. Stuck without anything to watch I thought this might fill a gap and I'm glad I did. It has a really nasty mean streak through it and also has a lot of depth to the actual pictures (Presumably why some showings were in 3D format) and when you find out that it was through Motion Capture Performance it makes a lot of sense. Not only do you get the vocals but the actor's original performance at the same time, then rendered into CGI animation for a further realistic touch. It is surprisingly creepy and frightening for a children's film and comes over more like a horror than anything else in a very subtle way which is reminiscent of a child's point of view. Headed by a unpleasant Steve Buscemi (But for all the right reasons) and performances from Kathleen Turner and Jon Heder among others, this rattles along at a fair old pace pushing all the right buttons in a certain cringe-worthy way as the cartoon version of a "Twilight Zone" episode.

The awkward fat kid, his geeky nerd of a mate and the girl (All stereotypes present!) find out that the local neighbourhood haunted house really is "haunted" and decide to do something about it as the adults don't listen and time is running out. Cue all manner of escapades as the kids attempt to find the solution to their problems.

SPECIAL FEATURES: Commentary, 7-Part Making-Of covering various part's of the film's Production & Multi-Angle Evolution Of A Scene. An excellent The Art Of Monster House Photo Gallery & DVD-ROM feature. Collector's Edition has a cardboard outer sleeve with Interactive Animation Wheel that folds out and revolves.

Special Features Not Rated or Close-Captioned. 2.40:1 Anamorphic Widescreen. Region 1 (USA) NTSC DVD - Colour. CC. Runtime: Approx 91 Mins. Rating: PG. Languages: English & French 5.1. Dolby. Subtitles: English & French. SONY 2006. ISBN # 043396166851.