Just Before Dawn

[Christian Bates-Hardy Pod Person Find all posts View Profile Close Christian Bates-Hardy]

Has anyone picked up the Code Red Blu-ray of this backwoods slasher? Your thoughts?

I'm interested in seeing what the picture quality looks like but I can't seem to find scans of this anywhere.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

I'll post some caps for you after work. I've got it.

[Christian Bates-Hardy Pod Person Find all posts View Profile Close Christian Bates-Hardy]

Cool, thanks Ian. :up:

[Clive Smith noodle doodle Find all posts View Profile Close Clive Smith]

Just Before Dawn

It looks much better than the DVD, with a slightly limited and garish colour palate. Detail's massively improved but there are a lot of 'soft' shots which are as intended. Definitely worth the upgrade though.

[Paul L Scholar of Sleaze Find all posts View Profile Close Paul L]

It looks much better than the DVD, with a slightly limited and garish colour palate. Detail's massively improved but there are a lot of 'soft' shots which are as intended. Definitely worth the upgrade though.

I'll echo what Clive said. It's definitely a big upgrade over the Shriek Show DVD and, I would assume, the various other DVD releases - not only in terms of the presentation but also in terms of the uncut presentation. The longer version is in rougher shape but still watchable - and despite showing quite a bit of damage is still yards ahead of the Shriek Show DVD. I'm very happy with it.

[Jason C Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jason C]

JBD is one the best backwoods slashers so I was looking to upgrade. Unfortunately the impressions I was reading of the blu-ray on some horror forums were very lukewarm so I haven't pulled the trigger. It's a shame Bill doesn't send screeners to reviewers. I have a feeling someone like Ian would be able to talk me into upgrading this one.

[Christian Bates-Hardy Pod Person Find all posts View Profile Close Christian Bates-Hardy]

I'll echo what Clive said. It's definitely a big upgrade over the Shriek Show DVD and, I would assume, the various other DVD releases - not only in terms of the presentation but also in terms of the uncut presentation. The longer version is in rougher shape but still watchable - and despite showing quite a bit of damage is still yards ahead of the Shriek Show DVD. I'm very happy with it.

That's great to hear. I've never actually seen in the film in any shape or form, but it sounds right up my alley.

[Christian Bates-Hardy Pod Person Find all posts View Profile Close Christian Bates-Hardy]

It's a shame Bill doesn't send screeners to reviewers. I have a feeling someone like Ian would be able to talk me into upgrading this one.

Yeah no kidding. I'd love to review Code Red stuff, and most of the people who come to R!S!P! regularly are buyers/collectors, so you'd think our promotion would help his business out.

[Christian Bates-Hardy Pod Person Find all posts View Profile Close Christian Bates-Hardy]

Then again I'm still relatively new here and to Code Red so if there's a history to Bill's policy of not sending out screeners, I'm not aware of it.

[Alex K. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Alex K.]

I never liked this one but I can't pinpoint why. I guess I never found the characters likable and it doesn't have the gore or say atmosphere (especially the later) compared to say The Burning, or Final Terror or Rituals.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Some caps from the regular version (as opposed to the bonus extended version, which is beat up but still cool to see). Click'em for full sized images.

[Christian Bates-Hardy Pod Person Find all posts View Profile Close Christian Bates-Hardy]

Wow that transfer looks pretty good to me. Thanks for uploading those screen caps Ian!

[Christian Bates-Hardy Pod Person Find all posts View Profile Close Christian Bates-Hardy]

I never liked this one but I can't pinpoint why. I guess I never found the characters likable and it doesn't have the gore or say atmosphere (especially the later) compared to say The Burning, or Final Terror or Rituals.

The Final Terror looks pretty good. Haven't seen it either. I'll probably grab the Scream Factory Blu when it's out this summer.

[Alex K. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Alex K.]

I really like the Final Terror even though it's not the kind of film that sets the world on fire but it has a unique element among the Slashers. After the 1st act all of our characters are aware of a killer picking them off and they work together and try to survive this. It has a definite realism quality to it that the vast majority of slashers lack. Plus it has a great campfire tale feeling (just like The Burning).

[Paul L Scholar of Sleaze Find all posts View Profile Close Paul L]

I never liked this one but I can't pinpoint why. I guess I never found the characters likable and it doesn't have the gore or say atmosphere (especially the later) compared to say The Burning, or Final Terror or Rituals.

RITUALS is phenomenal. I hadn't seen that one prior to the Code Red DVD coming out (I'm not sure if it was ever released in the UK), so it was a blind buy at that point, but it's a great film. I haven't seen THE BURNING in maybe ten years or more (I should pick that one up on Blu, really), but it's a good film too, and FINAL TERROR's worth tracking down as well.