Some Peculiar Picks For PARAMOUNT SCARES, VOLUME 2

PARAMOUNT SCARES, VOLUME 2 (4K UHD)

1981-2022 / 393 min (4 movies)

FROM PARAMOUNT

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

This is Paramount’s second horror-themed 4K collection following last year’s stellar boxed set, which featured an eclectic selection of five classic and recent titles. With a beautifully designed box, loads of additional collectible goodies and creative new slipcovers, it was one of 2023’s best releases.

Paramount Scares Volume 2 offers another great batch of physical goodies (outlined below), some similar to Volume 1, some different. This set is also nicely packaged, the box sporting a similarly designed collage representing the four included titles (no ‘mystery title’ this time), as well as great new slipcovers. But this time around, I’m a little perplexed over some of the films chosen for this collection.

Though it has its naysayers, including World War Z is kind of a no-brainer. Famously bastardizing Max Brooks’ original novel - essentially tossing everything but the title - the film is a superlative example of the zombie film elevated to epic proportions. Dark, serious and smartly written, what the film lacks in the usual gore is compensated by its overall intensity, believable characters and an excellent performance by Brad Pitt. From a box office standpoint, it’s Paramount’s most successful horror film, as well as the biggest of the entire zombie subgenre. Additionally, the Blu-ray features the unrated version. Running seven minutes longer, the differences appear minor, though the violence seems to pack more of a punch.

Roger Ebert once said his negative review of Friday the 13th Part 2 could apply to any other film in the franchise, and he wasn’t entirely wrong. But I’m still at a loss why Part 2 was selected for this set. The original Friday the 13th was no great shakes either, but was the one that started it all and is widely considered the classic. Part 2 is similarly artless, but also the blandest of the entire franchise. Though the body count remains high, it’s largely bereft of the graphic, gory kills that made the first such a hit with teenagers. And while it marks the first appearance of Jason as the killer, this is before he donned his iconic hockey mask. So…why?

1997’s Breakdown is the best film in the collection and you can read our summary & review HERE. It’s also one of most underappreciated thrillers Paramount has released over the past 30 years. However, calling it a horror film is really a stretch. This tension-filled thrill ride features a great story, some excellent action sequences and a supremely sinister batch of antagonists led by the late J.T. Walsh, to say nothing of Kurt Russell’s dedicated performance in the lead role. But while there certainly are some anxiety-loaded moments, Breakdown is more of an action thriller along the lines of Duel. 

Rounding out the set is Orphan: First Kill (you can read our original review & summary HERE). For a prequel to 2009’s sleeper hit, at least it manages to justify its existence. Sure, we’re aware of Esther’s secret (the big reveal in the original), but without giving too much away, other characters are hiding much worse skeletons in their closet…enough to turn Esther into sort-of an anti-hero. While not a great film - and more of a black comedy - its inclusion makes a little more sense than Friday the 13th Part 2 (since the original Orphan was distributed by Warner Bros). Still, I can think of some true classics that would better round out this collection (such as Don’t Look Now, The Dead Zone or Cloverfield, to name a few). Oh well…there’s always Volume 3.

Every film looks and sounds great, but with the exception of Orphan: First Kill, they’ve all been released on 4K before with the same bonus features (World War Z actually has fewer than some previous versions). However, it’s all the physical swag that sells this set and its another fun batch. As for the films themselves, Paramount Scares Volume 2 is worth picking up for World War Z and Breakdown if you’ve never added them to your collection. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

FANGORIA MAGAZINE - Features new and reprinted articles/reviews.

COLLECTIBLE POSTER - A colorful collage of all four films.

IRON-ON PATCHES - One for each film.

“PARAMOUNT SCARES” LOGO PIN - A green one his time.

“PARAMOUNT SCARES” DOMED STICKER

WORLD WAR Z

THEATRICAL (4K) AND UNRATED VERSIONS (Blu-ray)

FEATURETTES - Origins; Looking to Science.

WWZ PRODUCTION - A four-part behind-the scenes doc.

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2

FEATURETTES - Inside “Crystal Lake Memories” (the book's author discusses putting it together); Friday's Legacy: Horror Conventions; Lost Tales from Camp Blood Part II is a horror short inspired by the franchise (others are available on other F13 titles); Jason Forever is a Q&A featuring four guys who’ve previously played Jason Voorhees.

TRAILER

BREAKDOWN

FEATURETTES - Filmmaker Focus features director Jonathan Mostow; Victory is Here features actress Kathleen Quinlan; A Brilliant Partnership features producer Martha De Laurentis.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Jonathan Mostow and actor Kurt Russell.

ISOLATED SCORE

ALTERNATE OPENING - With optional commentary by Jonathan Mostow.

TRAILERS