Chalk up another one for Lumivision, a small laserdisc company compared to giant Image, that lately has been making a big splash with their remastered editions of cult favorites.
'Heathers' became an instant cult classic when it was released during the summer of 1989, and made Christian Slater and Winona Ryder teen idols. Michael Lehmann's dark, bitterly comic tale of teen angst, peer pressure, high school cliques, murder and suicide is the prefect antithesis to the rosy, cheery schooldays portrayed in John Hughes' teen flicks.
The film has been letterboxed for its 1.85:1 theatrical aspect ratio, and the image is sharp, the contrast deep and the colors accurate. The previous video and laser versions, distributed by the now-obsolete New World, were awash in haze, the colors bled and the sound left a lot to be desired. On this new laserdisc, the soundtrack is warmer, the music more resonant and the dialogue clearer. The film is still in monaural, but the improvement in sound quality is remarkable.
On analog track 1, director Lehmann, producer Denise DiNovi and screenwriter Daniel Waters (all of whom collaborated again on Tim Burton's 'Batman Returns' in 1992) offer an amusing running audio commentary, speaking of the film's cult status, tales of the film's production, working with prima donna actresses (Shannen Doherty), and an alternate ending that no longer exists. Of note are the filmmakers' comments on their failure to secure the rights to repeatedly use 'Catcher in the Rye' in the film (J. D. Salinger refused to let them use his book so, instead, 'Moby Dick' substitutes as a literary reference to teen isolation and confusion); and Lehmann's decision to use a predominantly-orchestral score for the film, instead of the typical collection of B-side rock-song rejects that over-cram most adolescent films. Incidentally, analog track 2 contains a music-and-effects track, without dialogue, highlighting David Newman's instrumental music.
Following the film at the end of side 2, Lumivision has included the theatrical trailer, 3 television commercial spots and an exhibitor trailer that was made to promote the film to theater owners and industry insiders.
Fans of 'Heathers' will simply be ecstatic at the quality of this remastered disc. It's too bad none of the film's outtakes and deleted scenes survived New World's housecleaning, for they would have made the supplemental section more complete. But as it stands, the few extra goodies on this disc are enough to satisfy the 'Heathers' cult. And the price is just right.
Vital statistics: Lumivision; 2 sides; CLV; Widescreen (1.85:1); Monaural; Chapter stops; $49.95
S. Damien Segal.
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