The Nest

Rating:
Summary: Good, entertaining film; poor, disappointing DVD...
Review: I guess I'm one of the hundred or so people who've had the pleasure of viewing this "cockroach classic"(as Roger Corman puts it). Saw it for the first time probably a decade ago, near the time that I was introduced to the horror genre. With a reasonable script and decent acting, the film's already ahead of the genre curve. Add to that a healthy dose of genuine suspense, a few squirm-inducing scenes, and some surprisingly good special effects during the final act, and you end up with one effective horror flick. This is not high art, but it's not the cheesy exploitation film the DVD's cover implies, either. If you go in expecting a B-movie you won't be disappointed, and you may even be impressed. However, if you go in expecting "Citizen Kane"...; well, you deserve what you get.

It would be an understatement to say the announcement of this disc caught me by surprise. Thank God for Roger Corman! If it weren't for him, "The Nest" probably would've been condemned to VHS for eternity. Sadly, this DVD is not the improvement for which one might hope. In fact, I hesitate to say that it's an improvement at all. Though my VHS copy is long gone and I've no basis for comparison, this DVD is lacking in every category. The packaging claims "Digitally Remastered", but from what source?

To start, the picture is noisy more often than not; this is especially apparent in the many darker sequences. Shadow detail is near nonexistent, making those special effects I mentioned very hard to discern. It wouldn't surprise me if this transfer was made from an old composite video master. This just doesn't look like film to me(though I'm no expert). The audio doesn't fare any better. A standard Dolby Digital 2.0 track encoded at 192kb/s, I'm not sure if it's stereo or mono, but it certainly isn't surround. Background hiss is present from beginning to end.

Extras are limited to a trio of trailers for "Humanoids", "The Unborn", and "The Terror Within". The packaging claims "Original Theatrical Trailer", but no trailer for "The Nest" is included(that I could find). Also included is a brief bio for producer Roger Corman and what amounts to filmography highlights in paragraph form for actors Robert Lansing, Lisa Langlois, Franc Luz, and Terri Treas. A commentary from Roger Corman, director Terence Winkless, and perhaps a member or two of the cast would've been nice.

In the end, all that matters in this purchase decision is whether or not you like the film. If you've never seen "The Nest" and it sounds appealing to you, the low price makes it a good candidate for a blind purchase. I recommend it for the strengths of the film. Enjoy!