Where there’s a drill, there’s a way. Corbin Bernsen stars as homicidal dentist Dr. Alan Feinstone in these two horror favorites, available for the first time on Blu-ray™. In The Dentist, Beverly Hills dentist Dr. Feinstone seems to have the perfect, ordered life — until the discovery of his wife’s affair with the pool boy sends him off the deep end, unlocking the killer inside. The Dentist 2 finds the evil doctor in a maximum-security mental hospital…but not for long, as he escapes to a small town and turns his attention to a new love interest and new victims.

For thoughts on the The Dentist Collection, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

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Video Quality

The Dentist Collection containing The Dentist and The Dentist 2 arrives on Blu-Ray with each film making their 1080p debut. Each film is provided on their own separate disc in their original aspect ratio “digitally restored” without any specific details given about the source. These transfers share a lot of the same qualities, so they will be talked about as a pair with any meaningful differences pointed out. Neither transfer is close to a 5-star experience, but overall these images maintain a level of quality that seems about right for these films. Despite the claims of being digitally restored, they appear to be derived from dated masters that have not had a huge amount of work done to them.

The transfer is naturally filmic with some favorable detail in the special effects, production design and texture of clothing. Given the low budget nature of these features, you may be surprised by how good things can look at their best. Scene to scene can look a bit inconsistent, either incredibly clear and distinct or a bit soft and lacking fine detail with clumpy grain. Colors are a mixed bag with some moments making an impression and others lacking true vibrancy, and the black levels are a bit weak in their depth. Brightly lit scenes can occasionally feel a bit too hot, but nothing too egregious. It is clear that you are watching an HD transfer, but do not expect to be blown away with the quality. Print damage is present but kept to a minimum across both films. Fans who have been waiting for these gonzo tales should find these to be enjoyable on the whole.

Audio Quality

Lionsgate Home Entertainment brings us these new Blu-Ray discs with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix that brings these two movies to life quite well. While the video may not be anything to write home about, the audio is in much better shape overall. The music that accompanies these movies establishes a sinister tone as the score flows through with a firm fidelity. The dialogue holds up nicely, coming though clearly without being stepped on by the music or sound effects. The environmental effects are delineated nicely including the piercing sounds of drills. This collection handles audio very well for fans. Optional English, English (SDH) and Spanish subtitles are provided on this disc.

Special Features

The Dentist

Audio Commentary: Director Brian Yuzna and Special Make Up Effects Supervisor Anthony C. Ferrante deliver a very informative commentary track in which they discuss the background and development of the film, the production history, memories of the cast and crew involved, initial reluctance to the brightly lit aesthetic, the contributions of Corbin Bernsen, shooting on a tight budget, how the film differs from the original concept and more. These two are a wealth of information and make this well worth a listen.

Isolated Score Selections Featuring An Audio Interview with Composer Alan Howarth and Director of Photography Levie Isaacks: Michael Felsher from Red Shirt Pictures conducts two interviews followed by selections from the score of The Dentist and The Dentist 2. Felsher does an incredible job between these two interviews of gaining specific insights about this movie along with their careers at large.

The Doctor Is Insane: A new 16-minute interview with star Corbin Bernsen in which he discusses what attracted him to this role, needing some sort of justification for his character’s actions, the experience of working on the set, the special effects work, how he feels about his involvement with the franchise and more.

Medical Malpractice: A new 14-minute interview with co-writer Dennis Paoli in which he discusses developing this story with Stuart Gordon, how they work together as a team, the universal terror of going to a dentist, why this profession lends itself to a psychological analysis and more.

Mouths Of Madness: A new nearly 18-minute interview with Special Makeup Effects Supervisor Anthony C. Ferrante and Makeup Effects Artist J.M. Logan in which they discuss getting a big break with this franchise, the reality of making these mouths on a tiny budget and using them for multiple people, creating something that is memorable and more.

Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.

Still Gallery: A nearly six-minute collection of images from the production of the film and promotional materials are included here.

The Dentist 2

Audio Commentary: Director Brian Yuzna and Special Make Up Effects Supervisor Anthony C. Ferrante deliver another great commentary track in which they discuss coming aboard this sequel, the advancements in the special effects, the contributions of Corbin Bernsen, having connective tissue with the first film and more.

Isolated Score Selections Featuring An Audio Interview with Composer Alan Howarth and Editor Christopher Roth: Michael Felsher from Red Shirt Pictures conducts two interviews followed by selections from the score of The Dentist 2. Felsher does an incredible job between these two interviews of gaining specific insights about this movie along with their careers at large.

Jamie’s New Neighbor: A new 14-minute interview with Actress Jillian McWhirter in which she discusses giving her all no matter the quality of the material, getting started with performing, her chemistry with Corbin Bernsen, the small town atmosphere and more.

A Tale Of Two Dentists: A new 10-minute interview with Producer Pierre David in which he discusses the place of these two films in popular culture, working with the creative figures, the ease with which the sequel came together, the challenges they faced and more.

Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.

Still Gallery: A four-minute collection of images from the production of the film and promotional materials are included here.

Final Thoughts

The Dentist Collection brings together two films that wanted to bring the same level of fear to dentist offices as Jaws did for the ocean. What really makes these two films sing is the committed insanity of Corbin Bernsen. Throughout his journey into madness, you always somewhat understand why the character is behaving erratically even if you disagree with what they are doing. The direction of Brian Yuzna brings a bit of flair to the proceedings to make this one a capable entry into the sick and demented horror genre. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a new Blu-Ray set through their Vestron Video Collector’s Series featuring a decent A/V presentation and a substantial arrangement of special features. If you are a fan of the series, this is a pleasing package at a knockout price. Recommended

The Dentist Collection is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and Digital.

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

Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.