COLLECTOR'S CRYPT - GREEN ROOM (SECOND SIGHT FILMS BLU-RAY))
The horror community is often seen as a refuge for those who don’t feel that they fit in. While the genre has lost a lot of its stigma over the past decade, it still brings the same kinds of people it always has. Horror is not unique, and it’s a safe bet that a lot of horror fans are also part of other communities, such as punk, metal, and/or hardcore music. Speaking from personal experience as the curator of the crypt, many of my weekends in high school were spent at a local punk venue in downtown Tucson. It was a place where you could dance without a care, meet people who shared a similar passion for harder music, and occasionally come across skinheads or neo-nazis. An unfortunate part of any community is that the larger it gets the more susceptible it is to extremism, and the interconnectedness of punk rock and neo-nazi imagery and supporters is an unfortunate byproduct of their adjacency. Suppose you’ve ever been a part of the punk community to any extent. In that case, you likely also know just how few films represent it in an authentic way rather than as some caricature of apathy, laziness, and skunkiness. This is why Jeremy Saulnier’s Green Room, now with a brand new 4K UHD and Blu-Ray combo from Second Sight Films is such an important release. It balances the delicate weight of showing the two extremes of the punk genre and places it in the realm of pure exploitation. How does the content still hold up in a world where neo-nazis are now a more visible threat than before, and is it still as tense as we remember it?
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
A struggling punk rock band is forced to fight for survival after witnessing a brutal murder at a neo-nazi bar. Trapped in the green room, the group must use everything at their disposal if they wish to make it through the night.
HOW IS IT?
“Green Room” is the closest thing to cinema cocaine you’re likely to ever get. While the build-up first act may disinterest some viewers who don’t have familiarity with the dingy, dark, and sketchy places that you’re likely to see at a punk show the payoff is far worth it. The genius of “Green Room” is that once things go to shit, it doesn’t matter who you are or what you know because you are transported into this nightmare. Saulnier creates something so genuine it could only be born of some personal experience and executes his vision with razor-edged pacing and precision on the shoulders of one of the best casts to ever grace the genre. The material may be more about the shock than the message, but there is an evergreen quality to “Green Room” that makes it one of the best horror films of all time.
The story of a punk band taking a last-minute shady booking is something that some, but not all will relate to. The Ain’t Rights are the kind of punk band that live their lyrics for better or worse, and they just took the wrong gig. The setup in “Green Room” lays a strong foundation for the pure insanity that follows it, and make no mistake, it is insane. Much like venom coursing through one's veins, the tension ratchets up in increments of “tons” in “Green Room” once our protagonists fully understand the entirety of their predicament. It’s a simple story, but sometimes simple is the best canvas for complete madness. “Green Room” uses the obvious antagonism of neo-nazis but avoids the use of stereotypes to ground them, which makes them far more menacing and terrifying. How expectations are subverted about who they are and what their motivations really keeps the viewer in lock-step with our beleaguered band. You share their concern because what you’re seeing isn’t so over-the-top, even if the situation as a whole may be. If any filmmakers are looking to see what a masterclass is building tension is, go no further than “Green Room”. Saulnier is surgically efficient with both storytelling and character development while layering in some of the most intense moments of action ever captured on film. “Green Room” plays out with the action of a Hong Kong film and the brutality of the modern new extreme without ever crossing the line into absurdity or parody.
A lot of the credit for this has to do with the performances, which are across the board second to none. Starting with the late Anton Yelchin and anchored by a supporting cast including Saulnier familiar Macon Blair and up-and-coming Imogen Poots. To be clear, the entire cast is great, but much of the time we are focusing on these three as well as our heavy, Sir Patrick Stewart. Much like Kevin James’ role in Becky, Stewart playing the lead neo-nazi Darcy is not only a surprising turn, it is an outstanding one. Stewart transforms into a quiet, but deadly manipulator who is subtle yet effective in his chilling delivery of a careless and charismatic racist ringleader. These performances sell the fear and don’t give our heroes convenient exits, but use grit and the “f*ck it all” attitude that punk embodies to survive what is an absolute horror show. Last, but most certainly not least is Sean Porter’s cinematography. The dark hues of forest green, brown, and deep darkness all work in service of not just the title, but also the locale. All in all, “Green Room” is still one of the best-made and paced movies of all time. It is relentless, satisfying, and authentic in every possible way making it a film worth revisiting regularly and sharing with others who want to white-knuckle themselves to their chair.
HOW DOES IT LOOK?
***Disclaimer: we were not provided a 4K UHD so this review will include a comparison of the Blu-Ray***
2015 isn’t that long ago, but there is always the opportunity for cleanup when it comes to film preservation. The Blu-Ray version of Second Sight’s release offers some marginal improvements over the previous Lionsgate release that mutes some of the skin tones and really deepens some of the darkest scenes. The film is noticeably darker when compared to the previous release, but it may not be a big enough difference for those who aren’t A/V obsessed. The film is presented in 1080p in its original aspect ratio of 2.39:1 and you can see comparison screenshots from the 2016 Lionsgate release and the 2024 Second Sight Blu-Ray.
HOW DOES IT SOUND?
The DTS-HD 5.1 audio track here is pretty much the same one as the previous Lionsgate release, so don’t expect much difference there. It is still a solid audio track that carries both the dialogue and action well while also maintaining a smooth undercurrent for the score which is just right. The rear speakers get a bit of a workout on this one even if most of the action is front-heavy.
ANYTHING SPECIAL?
*** Disclaimer: we were not able to review the physical contents of the limited edition set, only what is available on the disc(s) ***
Second Sight continues to prove that they are the label to beat when it comes to putting together great packages for film fans. Much like other releases, this one is stacked to the gills with all kinds of legacy and newly commissioned features to create the most comprehensive and ultimate version of the film available. The first feature we took in was Going Hardcore: Interview with Writer/Director Jeremy Saulnier. This 32-minute feature was a single-camera interview where Saulnier talked about his early start with “Muderparty” and the journey to distance himself from it out of fear of being typecast in “sleazy horror”. After a stint in advertising and marketing, he got the filmmaking bug again and made Blue Ruin which changed his career entirely. Still, it would be 6-years between that film and Green Room, largely because Saulnier felt that he couldn’t direct other scripts and wanted to have more control over the story and the direction. Thus, the journey to “Green Room” is born. This is a jam-packed interview that goes into more detail about casting, inspiration for the story, and how such powerhouse actors like Yelchin and Stewart got involved in an indie production.
The second feature we took in was a video essay, Nazi Punks F*ck Off: Thomas Caldwell on “Green Room”. This 14-minute video is narrated by Caldwell himself and speaks on how neo-nazis are portrayed in media and how “Green Room” takes a more accurate and terrifying approach that strangely foreshadows the kind of neo-nazi groups that exist today. It is a sobering and thoughtful feature that references both the ingenuity of the filmmaking with a broader cultural context that illustrates how neo-nazis have gone from a comical form of antagonist to one that is more grounded and resonates in today’s society than it was in 2015. These kinds of features are some of the best as they give you both the critical as well as academic readings of the film to create a more holistic editorial experience. A full list of special features included is listed below.
Special Features
Dual format edition including both UHD and Blu-ray with main feature and bonus features on both discs
UHD presented in Dolby Vision HDR
New audio commentary by Reyna Cervantes and Prince Jackson
Audio commentary by Writer/Director Jeremy Saulnier
Going Hardcore: a new interview with Jeremy Saulnier
Punk Rock: A New Interview with Actor Callum Turner
Rocking Out: A New Interview with Composers Brooke & Will Blair
Going Green: A New Interview with Production Designer Ryan Warren Smith
Nazi Punks F*ck Off: Thomas Caldwell on Green Room
Archive featurette: Into the Pit - Making Green Room
Limited Edition Contents
Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Adam Stothard
120-page book with new essays by Eugenio Ercolani and Gian Giacomo Petrone, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Josh Hurtado, Jolene Richardson, Shelagh Rowan-Legg, and Thomas Watson
6 collectors' art cards
LAST RITES
“Green Room” is a modern classic that will forever stand as an example of perfectly paced and performed exploitation fare. It elevates both the genre and the material that it represents with a grounded, brutal, and nail-biting experience that is given the white glove treatment by the fine folks at Second Sight Films.
THE GORY DETAILS
Thank you to the fine fiends over at AIM Publicity and Second Sight Films for providing a review copy for the crypt! Green Room is available NOW and can be purchased via Second Sight Direct!
Stay up to date with “The Dark Side Of Pop Culture” by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
