“Wolfman’s got nards!”
You know who to call when you have ghosts, but who do you call about monsters?!! The Monster Squad - a group of young kids devoted to protecting their suburban neighborhood from strange things that go bump in the night - ain’t afraid of no ghouls!
Written by the soon-to-be 80's Uber-screenwriter Shane Black (Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout) in conjunction with Fred Dekker, The Monster Squad was scripted from Dekker's idea of "the Little Rascals against the Universal Monsters?" The result was a highly unique blending of old-school characters, updated and blended into a dark comedy that completely embodied the decade of excess . . .
. . . and it worked perfectly. Of course, this perfection would be discovered much later when The Monster Squad landed on home video because, as most are aware, this film failed to make a dent at the box office. In a perfect world, you know, this would have been a MONSTER of a hit.
But now, proving to have yet another new life, The Monster Squad arrives on 4K, with a brand new transfer, thanks to Kino Lorber Studio Classics!
All your favorites are here: Count Dracula (Duncan Regehr), Van Helsing (Jack Gwillim), the weird Wolfman (Carl Thibault), grotesque Gill-Man (Tom Woodruff Jr.), mildewed Mummy (Michael MacKay) and freaky Frankenstein (Tom Noonan)! And, in this rich comedy, they are pitted against a group of suburban kids - the only ones who believe in their existence - and it’s a battle to find a mystical amulet. If the monsters find it first, they will rule the world; if the kids complete a ritual, spelled out for them in the Diary of Van Helsing, then they can send the Monsters back to Hell forever... and keep the world safe.
The script is an inspired blending of classic elements from the Universal vaults and 1980's cynicism, taking The Goonies to task. The Monsters embody everything we love about their classic incarnations, along with some adult-worthy menace. The kids are likable, clever, inventive, and endearingly vulgar, swearing like sailors, and throwing insults as if they were knives at a carnival. In addition, and quite remarkably, the story interweaves subplots of marriage problems and its impact on the kids, bullying, sexual awakening, as well as treading into the more hokey territories seen in the monster films of the 40's, seamlessly. This story never seems to be inconsistent in tone. The dialogue is witty, and natural, especially between the children and refreshingly irreverent.
Performances in this film are outstanding. Duncan Regehr who beat out Liam Neeson portrays Dracula with an integrity, intelligence and stone cold menace that makes for a truly insurmountable foe. Equally, notorious method actor Tom Noonan gives an original, ambiguous, and ultimately warming performance as Frankenstein's Monster. Playing Sean, the leader of the Monster Squad, Andre Gower naturally embodies the role with an ease and confidence that defies his age. His team-mates are equally believable, imperfect and relatable, and appear to have been cast to type it worked. Playing Sean's little sister, Phoebe, Ashley Bank at all of five for real delivers a three-dimensional five year-old, and a sharp instinct for comic timing.
This was only Dekker's second film. It doesn't show. His sophomore is as effective in its blending of styles as the script in its subject matter. The humor is timed to perfection; the scares as well. Dekker also shows a particular panache for action sequences, and fast pacing. Distinctly 80's is the mammoth/unsubtle amount of product placement, and obligatory cheesy pop song montage scene, but since everyone was doing them back in the day, these do nothing more give this generation X-er a warm feeling of nostalgia.
Not surprisingly, the awesome make-up interpretations of the classic monsters - that are at once recognisable but also original - were provided by the can-do-no-wrong Stan Winston. What really helps all this film's many virtues pop is the production design, which is grounded in some weird way, like the characters, but at the same time epic... almost mythological. In the same realm, Bruce Broughton's score delivers grandeur without being overblown.
The Monster Squad, sadly, did fall in the box office like a lead balloon. For a film that dares to be irreverent, that knows its homages to the hilt, and that entertains both kids and adults alike... look no further. For this cult classic, it’s resurrection time!!!.
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
Home Video Distributor: Kino Lorber
Available on Blu-ray - October 12, 2021
Screen Formats: 2.35:1
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Discs: 4K Ultra HD; Blu-ray Disc; Three-disc set
Region Encoding: 4K region-free; blu-ray locked to Region A
The Monster Squad - a group of young kids devoted to protecting their suburban neighborhood from strange things that go bump in the night - ain’t afraid of no ghouls! Count Dracula (Duncan Regehr) escapes Van Helsing (Jack Gwillim) and adjourns to modern-day Earth in search of an ancient amulet that will grant him final control over the delicate balance between good and evil in the world. To help him, the creepy Count calls on some old friends: the weird Wolfman (Carl Thibault), grotesque Gill-Man (Tom Woodruff Jr.), mildewed Mummy (Michael MacKay) and freaky Frankenstein (Tom Noonan). Standing in their way—The Monster Squad! Produced by Peter Hyams (Running Scared), written by Shane Black (Lethal Weapon) and Fred Dekker (Night of the Creeps) and directed by Dekker, the cult smash Monster Squad makes ghost-busting look like child’s play!
VIDEO
Retaining a crisp and accurate filmic look, the 4K transfer from Kino Lorber, which uses the original camera negative from cinematographer Bradford May’s 35mm film, is spot-on and proves to be the essential way to see this cult classic. The inky blacks never waiver and the colors absolutely pop thanks to the detail embraced in this transfer. The grain structure is intact and so too are the framerates. Presented in an expressive 2.35:1 ratio, The Monster Squad has never looked better than it does now.
AUDIO
Audio is included in English 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. For those wanting the original experience, stick to 2.0 and be prepared for a fun ride.
Supplements:
Commentary:
- Commentary One
- Commentary Two
Special Features:
To put it bluntly, this baby is locked and loaded! Check it out.
DISC 1 (4KUHD):
- Brand New HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Neg
- Audio Commentary by Director Fred Dekker and Cinematographer Bradford May
- Audio Commentary by Director Fred Dekker with Actors Andre Gower, Ryan Lambert and Ashley Bank
- Triple-Layered UHD100 Disc
- Optional English Subtitles
DISC 2 (BLU-RAY):
- Brand New HD Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative
- Audio Commentary by Director Fred Dekker and Cinematographer Bradford May
- Audio Commentary by Director Fred Dekker with Actors Andre Gower, Ryan Lambert and Ashley Bank
- Monster Squad Forever: Five Part Documentary (79 Minutes)
- A Conversation with Frankenstein – Archival Piece with Tom Noonan (9 Minutes)
- Deleted Scenes (15 Minutes)
- Animated Storyboard Sequence (2 Minutes)
- Stills Gallery
- Theatrical Trailer
- TV Spots
- Dual-Layered BD50 Disc
- Optional English Subtitles
DISC 3 (BLU-RAY):
- WOLFMAN’S GOT NARDS (2018) - Documentary Feature Co-Written and Directed by The Monster Squad Star Andre Gower. Starring Shane Black, Fred Dekker, Seth Green, Adam Goldberg, Andre Gower, Heather Langenkamp, Adam Green and Chuck Russell
- Optional English Subtitles
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Composite Blu-ray Grade
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MPAA Rating: PG-13.
Runtime: 80 mins
Director: Fred Dekker
Writer: Shane Black; Fred Dekker
Cast: Andre Gower; Robby Kiger; Stephen Macht
Genre: Horror | Adventure
Tagline: You know who to call when you have ghosts. But who do you call when you have monsters?
Memorable Movie Quote: "It's Frankenstein, guys. He's our friend. Come on, guys. Don't be chickenshits."
Theatrical Distributor: TriStar Pictures
Official Site: https://kinolorber.com/product/the-monster-squad-4kuhd
Release Date: August 14, 1987
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: November 28, 2023.
Synopsis: The Monster Squad—a group of young kids devoted to protecting their suburban neighborhood from strange things that go bump in the night. They ain't afraid of no ghouls! Count Dracula (Duncan Regehr) escapes Van Helsing (Jack Gwillim) and adjourns to modern-day Earth in search of an ancient amulet that will grant him final control over the delicate balance between good and evil in the world.
