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Willow Creek
R2 - United Kingdom - Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (4th June 2014). |
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The Film
 ***This is a technical review only. For reviews on the movie from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.*** Jim and his girlfriend Kelly are visiting the infamous Willow Creek, the alleged home of the original Bigfoot legend – the tale of huge ape like creatures that roam the forests of North America. It was there that in 1967, the legendary beast was captured on film and has terrified and mystified generations since. Keen to explore more than 50 years of truth, folklore, mis-identifications and hoaxes, Kelly goes along for the ride to keep Jim happy, whilst Jim is determined to prove the story is real by capturing the beast on camera. Deep in the dark and silent woods, isolated and hours from human contact, neither Kelly or Jim are prepared for what is hidden between the trees, and what happens when the cameras start rolling...
Video
Independent British distributor Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment have released Bobcat Goldthwait's found footage horror "Willow Creek" onto DVD in the original aspect ratio of 1.78:1, in a transfer which has been anamorphically enhanced. As far as these genre movies go, the quality of the transfer is certainly passable. One of the biggest issues with reviewing the transfer and audio quality of found footage horror films, is that we are often supposed to be looking through the handheld camera of student documentarians, or people just out for laughs with their camcorder who get caught in a terrifying dilemma. With this, many directors of photography take various stances on how they wish these genre movies to look, from faux damage and blurriness, through to poor contrast. "Willow Creek" takes the stance of looking as though it has been filmed digitally, but the image does have a few issues. At times, there is quite a lot of edge enhancement and mild aliasing, and haloing also becomes obvious on several occasions. There is a lack of crystal clear clarity and sharpness throughout, but I'm guessing this could well be a creative choice. There are no signs of obvious 'real' damage to the actual transfer such as scratches or dirt, and although the natural lighting can cause some blooming on lighter colours, the image still pops - especially the green foliage of the woods. Overall, this is a good transfer, and genre fans won't necessarily be disappointed. The feature is uncut and runs 76:20 PAL.
Audio
There are two audio options available on this release: - English Dolby Digital 5.1 - English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo For my viewing I opted for the 5.1 audio track, which was adequate. As per many found footage movies, we are not only viewing it through the camcorder, but we are also hearing it this way also, meaning that the vast majority of "Willow Creek"'s audio is based around the front speakers, with the surrounds barely getting a look in until the final, gratifying scenes. In a couple of scenes, dialogue can appear slightly tinny and mumbled, but like the transfer, it is hard to determine if this was a creative choice or not. Generally though, there are no issues with the audio included here such as scratches or drop outs - just don't go in expecting a full-on surround sound experience. No subtitles have been included.
Extras
The extras start with an interview with Tom Yamarone with song (4:33). Yamarone is a bigfoot researcher who likes to sing songs about our hairy friend (Bigfoot Songs). He seems quite a joyful character and the song included is quite an amusing little ditty. Unfortunately, the interview itself doesn't really amount to much, and the quality of the audio is poor due to the interference. The "Bigfoot's Footprints" featurette is essentially a bunch of behind the scenes footage of the cast and crew making Bigfoot's imprints lasting 10:55. No high-tech trickery here, just a pair of enlarged wooden feet strapped to shoes. It's always good to see various members of the production having a laugh and genuine enjoyment in these featurettes, as the love for the project shines through and can be infectious. The "West Coast Premiere" featurette, is footage from the premiere, clocking in at 6:18. Starts off with a funny and short interview outside the screening with director Goldthwait, but we then get to hear his introductions in typical Goldthwait fashion. He talks about there being a Q&A after the screening, but unfortunately, what could've been an excellent extra, is not included - though we do once again get another song from Tom Yamarone! The rest of the extras are self-explanatory. Start-up Trailers: - "A Lonely Place to Die" (1:47) - "Last Passenger" (1:26) Theatrical Trailer (1:08)
Overall
"Willow Creek" is an above average found footage movie, with an excellent long scene featuring the two main characters in a tent which changes the tone quickly in great fashion. It's far from my favourite Goldthwait film (Sleeping Dogs Lie is a classic), but it does show he can do more than dark biting comedies. The technical presentation is good, and similar to that of similarly budgeted found footage horrors.
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