Tone. It’s a crucial aspect of any creative product on our screens, whether in theaters or at home. How a story is delivered, whether light-hearted or dark, serious or satirical. One of the great examples of this is Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In it’s better known and appreciated TV format, a funny,whip-smart coming of age tale, blending themes of feminism and friendship with darker supernatural fare. The film version was a campier, inconsistent version, a proto-Buffy that while it had the same core intent, was muddled in it’s ideas and delivery. Comparisons can be cruel though, as the film retains plenty of charm while being a interesting peek at the early stages of Joss Whedon’s final, and uncompromised vision. 25 years since it’s release, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is back with a new Blu-ray.
Synopsis:
Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, Paul Reubens and Luke Perry star in this funny, action-packed fright-fest. For pampered cheerleader Buffy (Swanson), the only thing worse than discovering that her town is infested with vampires is being told it’s up to her to defeat them all — including their creepy leader (Rutger Hauer)! But, with help from a mysterious stranger (Sutherland) and a handsome mechanic (Perry), Buffy’s soon kicking serious vampire butt in this cult classic!
The best analogy is that the ingredients are there, just not in the right quantities. Part of this stems from Whedon removing himself from the set and with it, any guiding hand over the production. His original vision has been laid out in the comic series The Origin however. What we ended up with under director Fran Rubel Kuzui, is a mishmash. Predating the show by 5 years, the 1992 film was a meeting of schlocky Hammer horror and Clueless, before we even knew who Cher Horowitz was.
Despite the admirable efforts of Kirsty Swanson, this Ms. Summers has far less depth. Superficial, untested, far ditzier and snarkier than the beloved character portrayed by the vastly underappreciated Sarah Michelle Gellar. At the core, the character explores much of the same idea in both depictions. A strong woman, finding her way, accepting responsibility while breaking the cycle of tradition. That’s what Buffy is all about, embracing your independence, not t wasting your potential. Hell, the TV show even made it more obvious in it’s seventh season by naming those possible slayers, lying in wait for activation, as ‘potentials’. No matter how cheesy or disjointed the film is, that message gives it plenty of heart. The refinement of the character and past trauma laid out here are certainly crucial to the foundations of the TV version.
Elsewhere, instead of Giles, you have Merrick as Buffy’s Watcher. Donald Sutherland bringing an undeniable gruff gravitas to the film, although he notoriously rewrote his own lines during filming, contributing to Whedon’s departure. Luke Perry (Google him, big in the 90s, huge) plays Pike, a rather wooden precursor to Angel/Spike. On the villainous side we have Lothos, a Vampire of legend brought to life (death?) by Rutger Hauer, who goes full ham, we’re talking honey glazed. His relationship with the slayer is presented as a conflict through the ages, a hint at reincarnation to make things more personal. Although this angle is never really solidified, explained, or truly explored. Finally, you have Paul Reubens as the right hand man to Lothos, who seems to ‘get it’. Giving a performance closest to the tone Whedon originally envisioned, an OTT death scene aside.
While tone was uneven, or ill-fitting,there are moments where Whedon’s intent does come through. Some of the snappy dialogue is present, relatable glimpses of High school struggles, the juxtaposition of traditional and modern approaches, and even a fun training montage set to The Divinyl’s Ain’t Gonna Eat out my Heart No More. But these are a few aspects in a film that overall feels compromised. One man’s vision, executed by another, that never really gets beyond the shtick of a Cali girl who kills and is worried about her hair and nails.
The Package
The image quality on this release does vary in quality. There is a hazy fuzz that sometimes looks like natural grain, other times is far more pronounced causing speckling, notably in bright outdoor scenes or dark interior ones. Flashbacks to the ‘Dark Ages’ seem worst, but this may be intentional? Some scenes, such as an encounter with the principals office (32min) look much crisper than others. While lacking crispness, the colors do pop throughout.
Special features are limited, including a short behind the scenes featurette, a theatrical trailer, and a few TV spots. After a little digging, it seems apparent this isn’t a new version, merely a re-packaged re-release, which is a shame, but not entirely unexpected. Apparently it does offer up the first opportunity to own the film digitally, with the included code.
The Bottom Line
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is easy to label as a flawed, but fun diversion. But it’s better appreciated as how it helped refine the vision for a TV great. Cheesy, unrefined, but with a heart fans will find familiar. While the release is somewhat lacking in terms of visuals and extras, it represents the best you can get and is certainly enough value for money.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 25th Anniversary Edition, is available from October 3rd