Just Before Dawn (1981) (Blu-ray Review)
Directed By: Jeff Lieberman
Starring: George Kennedy, Mike Kellin, Chris Lemmon
Rated: R/Region A/1:79/1080p/Number of Discs 1
Available from Code Red DVD
Five friends set out for a weekend camping excursion, to drink, frolic and skinny-dip on an isolated piece of land one of them has inherited. Despite ominous warnings from local forest ranger (GEORGE KENNEDY, AIRPORT, DEATHSHIP), strange backwoods families, and a hollering drunken hunter (Mike Kellin, SLEEPAWAY CAMP) claiming to have witnessed his friend’s evisceration by the hands of “Demons”, they trek further into the foliage. Beautifully shot, extremely eerie, and with a horrifying twist that will make you wonder…Will any of them survive those dark hours Just Before Dawn? Starring Gregg Henry (MEAN DOG BLUES, RICH MAN POOR MAN), Deborah Benson (SEPTEMBER 30, 1955), Jamie Rose (TV’s LADY BLUE), Chris Lemmon (TV’s THUNDER IN PARADISE), and Ralph Seymour (UNDERGROUND ACES). CODE RED proudly presents JUST BEFORE DAWN painstakingly restored from the original 35mm Internegative.
When I first reviewed Just Before Dawn in 2010 I think I was a little underwhelmed by it. I went into a 1981 slasher looking for more blood than what I got, but over the years I’ve grown to appreciate what we do get from Just Before Dawn a lot more. These people are deep in the woods and you will believe it when you watch. The notion of being deep in the woods with some crazed twins out to get you is a frightening idea and it works well for the movie. Like I said before in my old review, we get violence, we just don’t get an all-out gore fest. You do get good characters, like the one played by George Kennedy. And, you acting as a whole isn’t horrible, but there are some spots especially when our final guy standing cowers in fear and shock that are a little corny. Still, there are more positives than negatives with at least a strong final girl.
I do wish the film moved a little faster than it does, but I can’t hate the film for it because it at least isn’t doing it just because. This is a slasher flick that toys with the idea of using mood and suspense to help it’s case and it does that pretty well from time to time. There are a few jumpy moments that play out well and do their job of trying to make you jump and that does deserve to be praised. I would never call Just Before Dawn my favorite slasher film, but when compared to other second-string slashers from the 80s you could do a lot worse. This trip into the “Ma and Pa” areas of the woods is a mixed bag, but it finishes strong with a memorable kill. The Blu-ray of the film could be considered a little mixed as well, but it has enough strong moments to justify buying the Blu-ray if you can find it. There are very detailed moments and then there are some soft ones to go along with them. Still, a very noticeable improvement none the less.
- EXTENDED CUT, for overseas distribution
- Original Theatrical trailer
