A drunken applejack salesman must go from zero to hero and become North America’s greatest fur trapper by defeating hundreds of beavers.

For in-depth thoughts on Hundreds of Beavers, please see my colleague Cody Allen’s review from its theatrical debut here.

Video Quality

Hundreds of Beavers debuts on Blu-Ray with an impressive 1080p presentation that allows the film to look like the ultimate version of itself. The film blends live-action performances with practical locations and digitally enhanced and animated backgrounds for a delightfully cartoonish aesthetic. The transfer is as crisp and clear as intended with a textured throwback visage coming through with the proper amount of character deployed by the creative team. The screen delivers textures within clothing and whimsical production design. The black-and-white photography has firm gradients with no black crush or blooming highlights observed. All of the material within the film looks as grand and precise as you would wish for in HD. There are no egregious digital anomalies present such as compression artifacts or banding. Cartuna is doing nice work in the physical media space.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that is truly wonderful. Dialogue is virtually nonexistent outside of the lyrics to the music, but what does come through is robust as it permeates the room. All the elements are balanced well so nothing sounds trampled. The music adds some additional personality to the film, and it is executed well. The heightened sound effects are one of the most important aspects of the feature, and every nuance is given its proper representation. The surround channels are active as they flesh things out for an immersive experience. The audio track is every bit as great as the video side of the equation. Optional English and Czech subtitles are included.

Special Features

Disc One

Audio Commentaries: A trio of commentary tracks is provided in which the creative team discusses the production of the film while getting more inebriated over the three tracks. The topics range from expected insights such as the experience of shooting on location to awkward moments of watching softcore porn with crew members.

- Audio Commentary #1 (Sober Commentary): Director & editor Mike Cheslik, star and co-writer Ryland Brickson Cole Tews, and performers Jay Brown, Erick West, and Daniel Long

- Audio Commentary #2 (Drunk Commentary): Director & editor Mike Cheslik, star and co-writer Ryland Brickson Cole Tews, and performers Jay Brown, Erick West, and Daniel Long

- Audio Commentary #3 (Wasted Commentary): Performer Mike Wesolowski moderates director & editor Mike Cheslik and performers Ryland Brickson Cole Tews, Jay Brown, Erick West, and Daniel Long

Trailer (1:49)

Disc Two

Audio Commentaries

Movie with VFX Breakdown: An option to watch the entire film in an unfinished form with storyboard and visual effects added.

Deleted Scenes: A three-minute selection of unused material is provided.

Great Lakes Road Show Recap: An eight-minute look at the roadshow shenanigans that emerged when the film failed to secure major theatrical distribution and the team took matters into their own hands.

“Jean Kayak & His Acme Applejack” Lyric Video (2:41)

Bobb Barito – Sound Design Breakdowns: A five-minute look at the program that housed all of the sounds that make up the film.

Commercials & Promos (6:20)

Podcasts & Interviews: A collection of insightful and hilarious discussions about the creation of the film with the creative team.

- Movies That Made Me with Joe Dante & Josh Olsen – Interview with Mike Cheslik & Ryland Brickson Cole Tews – 5/07/2024 (1:08:02)

- Movie Mindset – Interview with Mike Cheslik – 5/27/24 (51:12)

- WMSC 90.3 Montclair State University Radio – Interview with Ryland Brickson Cole Tews – 6/01/2024 (37:33)

Blink – High School Short Film by Mike Cheslik: A 17-minute short film about a young man taking a pill that gives him access to a speedy lifestyle.

One Hundred Photos For One Hundreds Of Beavers (Featuring “Jean Kayak & His Acme Applejack” Party Mix) (10:30)

Booklet: A multi-page booklet featuring the numerous parody posters created for the film is provided.

Final Thoughts

Hundreds of Beavers is at the very least a unique outing in a time when so much can feel homogeneous. Yet, it is so much more than that, as it gleefully takes some of the best aspects of old-school filmmaking and gives it a modern creative refresh while never abandoning the charms of the past. The care put into crafting every second of this wild ride is readily apparent, and the result is a feature that delights across all demographics. The film is hilarious and fearless in its execution. It may play best with a raucous crowd, but even alone at home, you are going to have a grand time. Cartuna has released a Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and an impressive assortment of special features. Recommended

Hundreds of Beavers is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome or select indie retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Cartuna and OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.