This Game’s Called Murder is a dark and wickedly funny tale of murder, greed and betrayal in the eccentric Wallendorf family. Mr. Wallendorf (Ron Perlman, Hellboy) is an iconic women’s footwear designer with a sadistic streak. His wife (Natasha Henstridge, Species) is his equal in conniving and brutality, while their troubled daughter Jennifer (Vanessa Marano, Dexter) is a social media celebrity trying to figure out her love life and world domination at the same time. The Wallendorfs are power-crazed sociopaths, and This Game’s Called Murder exposes their most outré transgressions with shocking savagery.
For thoughts on This Game’s Called Murder, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic here.
Video Quality
This Game’s Called Murder debuts on Blu-Ray with a 1080p presentation in 2.00:1 from a high definition master that captures the film incredibly well. The project has a bold, vibrant color palette that pops off the screen consistently while showing off a great amount of detail and clarity. There is slight banding in certain shots, but it is not pervasive throughout. Despite being fairly low budget, it never ceases to impress with how sleek the film looks even with the occasional variances in aesthetics from the different locations. The bright whites do not show off any instances of blooming. Black levels hold up nicely as they appear with great depth. Objects hold up well in the shadows and retain their depth. The special effects are executed well considering the limited budget they had to pull it off. Overall, this is a really solid disc that showcases the work well.
Audio Quality
Kino Lorber delivers this new Blu-Ray disc with both a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track that gives nice life to the production. This movie is at its best when it is having fun with its sound design. The environmental effects are delineated nicely with some unsettling sounds of violence and animal noises on display. The dialogue holds up quite nicely, coming though clearly without being stepped on by the music or sound effects. The music maintains a strong fidelity and comes through the room really purposefully. This is a track that represents the film in a very satisfying way. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
- Interviews
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- Natasha Henstridge: A three-minute conversation in which Hendstridge discusses her character in the film, her experiences working with her costars and more.
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- Vanessa Marano: A three-minute conversation in which Marano discusses her character in the film, the dynamic her character has with her parents, the visual style of the film, the place of social media in the story and more.
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- Alessandro Marvelli: A four-minute conversation with the Production Designer in which he discusses the freedom of working on this film, his inspiration for certain elements, his favorite parts of working on the project, how his work impacts his life and more.
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- Judson Mills: A four-minute conversation with Mills in which he discusses his role in the film, working with his costars, the tone of the film, the aesthetic of the film and more.
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- Ron Perlman: A three-minute conversation with Perlman where he discusses his character, the fun of playing an over-the-top character, the commentary on technology and more.
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- Tory Devon Smith: A three-minute conversation with Smith in which he discusses his initial reaction to the script, working with Ron Perlman, his love of Vanessa Marano and Natasha Henstridge and more.
- Trailers: The two-minute trailer is provided here for This Game’s Called Murder. There are also trailers provided for 15 Things You Didn’t Know About Bigfoot, Double Walker, Lucky Grandma, Ma Belle My Beauty, Summertime and Survival Skills.
Final Thoughts
This Game’s Called Murder is a film that has a lot it wants to say, but it does not go about it in a particularly clever or nuanced way. There are some amusing bits of satire, but more often than not the comedy falls flat. The performances are likewise not the strongest aspect of the film, yet they get the job done. Kino Lorber has released a Blu-Ray featuring a terrific A/V presentation and a decent assortment of special features. If you are looking for a bizarre swing for the fences, you can attempt this one.
This Game’s Called Murder 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: Kino Lorber 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
