Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD (Includes Blu-ray), Arrow Video, out now

The first three movies in the Children of the Corn series get high definition polishes from Arrow, with the original being a 4K UHD.

The standard practice with horror franchises is that the first movie is an absolute cracker, followed by increasingly poor sequels demonstrating the law of diminishing returns. But what’s so surprising about the 11-film Children of the Corn series is that even the first one is nothing to write home about.

Fritz Kiersch’s low budget 1984 horror flick is based on a 1977 short story by Stephen King, first published in Penthouse before being included in collection Night Shift. It’s a neat little story about a couple who stumble upon a cult of killers who worship a deity in the cornfields. The movie benefits immeasurably from Linda Hamilton as female lead Vicky in the same year that she hit the big time as Sarah Connor in The Terminator. The story is standard nuts and bolts horror, with a budget that doesn’t allow for a decent monster and uses some very basic animation in its climax. And that should have been it.

A belated sequel followed in 1993 with Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice (a journalist and his son travel to Nebraska to investigate the mysterious town of Gatlin where, unbeknownst to them, a murderous cult of children are still waiting in the corn fields) and In Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest (1995) two brothers connected to the murderous children’s cult are taken to Chicago by an adoptive couple. Films II and III are both included as HD Blu-ray, each with alternate cuts, but it’s the original that gets all the bells and whistles.

Children of the Corn is a 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible), and considering the age of the print, it benefits from the depth of colour injected into it by the HDR. Unfortunately, this also amplifies the crude animation and shots that have been over-processed. The extras are, however, a joy, with cast and crew sharing their experiences and being as bemused as the rest of us as to the enduring appeal. Two audio commentaries are joined by over two hours of features about the movie, its locations and legacy. Disciples of the Crow, a 1983 short film adaptation of Stephen King’s short story, is also a nice addition.

Verdict: Buy it for the fascinating extras and crisp presentation of the original, but II and III really aren’t worth your attention – and it’s not really a trilogy. 8/10

Nick Joy

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