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Ghost children can always ruin your day.

God bless DVD.  The longer it’s around the more arcane the DVD releases seem to become.  More and more labels are popping up to release long forgotten films that were staples of any video store in the 80’s.  The Code Red label is dedicated to finding the forgotten films of the 70’s and 80’s releasing them on DVD.  Code Red isn’t going for quality titles.  They are scraping the bottom of the barrel bringing back films that most would rather stay forgotten, films like The Forest. 

Better known for its striking cover (look at that deadly knife and those crazed eyes, it screams scary) than the quality of the film inside, The Forest is a sub-standard slasher release with limited appeal.  Fans of slasher films will rejoice at having another 80’s classic on DVD but everyone else will probably wonder why anyone took the time to release it on DVD.  It’s the kind of movie that is perfect to put on with a bunch of friends but sole viewing will have you doing other things and casually glancing at the screen from time to time. 

The Forest is about what you would expect from an 80’s slasher film.  Two decide to camping for the weekend into the woods outside of L.A.  The wives drive up first to secure the campsite with the men following a few hours behind them.  The women meet the ghostly apparition of a woman looking for her two children.  The two ghostly children are spying on the women and alert their crazed knife-wielding cannibal father.  The father soon goes on a tear to kill and eat the two girls but not before those crazy ghost kids decide to warn the women.  People die, people are eaten, ghost children abound and not much really happens. 

What’s most surprising is that Code Red didn’t just dump the movie on disc and release it, which is so often the case for smaller imprints.  We are given two commentary tracks one with director Jones and star Gary Kent.  The two record the commentary track on a hand held recorder while watching the movie in a theatre.  They have some good details to share about the production and I would recommend watching it with this audio track instead of the main track. The second audio commentary has writer Greg Goodsell moderating a commentary track with the director and cinematographer Stewart Asbjornsen. 

Normally, two audio commentaries would be impressive but Code Red goes the distance and includes a lengthy featurette with interviews with Jones, Asbjornsen and Kent.  It fills in the holes the commentaries leave.  Finishing out the disc is a photo gallery, a promo trailer and seven Code Red previews of other lost 70’s and 80’s camp films.

The Forest isn’t a must see 80’s horror gem.  It’s moderately good and works more as a party film instead of an edge of your seat slasher.  There isn’t much in the way of meance or scares but plenty of camp goodness.  At times you’ll think you’re watching a porn without the sex as the lighting, camera angles and music are all reminiscent of early 80’s pron.

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