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Released by: Olive Films
Released on: March 31st, 2015
Directed by: Peter Masterson
Cast: Roy Scheider, Karen Young, Lane Smith
Year: 1989
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The Movie
Night Game is an odd little film, a late period relic of the 1980s which straddles a number of genre lines, without ever committing to one long enough to grab a proper focus.
A maniac is murdering young women, and it's up to one determined detective-played by veteran actor Roy Scheider-to track him down, before his young fiancee (Karen Young) becomes the killer's next victim. Night Game is part American giallo, part slasher and part police procedural thriller, keeping the actual murder set pieces far enough apart while the characters are given some back story and personality, even while the actual killer's motivation is rushed in at the end with a confusing and, frankly silly, plot twist.
The slashings themselves are vicious, physical assaults, however, as each of the young women are mercilessly slaughtered with a longshoreman's hook. Granted, there isn't much in the way of gratuitous nudity or gore, but each set piece strikes with enough force to be memorable. These sequences are also impeccably lit, particularly during a sequence in a funhouse, where future Xena star Renee O'Connor meets her untimely demise at the hands of the killer, all the while bathed in an eerie red light.
The film itself is fairly ridiculous, and more than a little sexist, as each stalk-and-slash scene is framed with a lurid sense of glee, while most of the men depicted here in director Peter Masterson's film either have secrets to hide skeletons in their closet, or are just plain dumb. Composer Pino Donaggio delivers a slinky 'n sleazy score full of saxophone, which definitely places this film straight in the sights of its late 80s time slot. Proper enjoyment of Night Game, however, ultimately comes down to much throwaway plot one can suffer through in order to get to some nicely shot and satisfyingly atmospheric murder sequences.
Video/Audio/Extras
Olive Films Blu-Ray of Night Game does look properly gorgeous, however, with a supremely sharp and detailed picture, with bright colors and deep blacks. The aforementioned murder scene in the funhouse looks particularly great here in high definition-nicely framed here in the disc's 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen picture-while the 5.1 DTS audio track is free of hiss and background noise. Sadly, there are absolutely zero extras here, just a "play" option and chapter stops.
The Final Words
Night Game isn't the most original or exciting film in the world, but it does provide enough slasher nostalgia and semi-sleazy thrills to fill an afternoon for those with a particularly high tolerance for the stuff. Give it a shot.
Click on the images below for full sized Blu-ray screen caps!
