I DEMAND THIS ON DVD
Added 3/10/2008
Well, I have to kick myself in the butt.. The Stepfather series is perhaps the best slasher series since the original psycho. Although pt 2 and 3 had been released on dvd, I hesitated on purchaseing them due to hoping the 1st movie would be released, which it never has. Now that I have waited, it looks like pt 2 and 3 are soon to be no longer avaliable on dvd... Does this mean that there will be a boxed set released with pt 1, 2, and 3 together? God I hope so. If this were so I would buy it without a doubt. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE RELEASE ALL THREE STEPFATHER DVDS TOGETHER!
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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It is dreck
Added 12/23/2007
Probably not for everyone. I like to bottom feed occasionally, and this movie is deep treat. I kind of wish they would release it in DVD.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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We Just Need A Little Order
Added 7/2/2007
What a shame. "THE STEPFATHER" is easily one of the slickest, smartest, and most underrated slasher flicks of all time, let alone the 80's. Good Acting, Direction, Script, Score, etc... and you would think with the current popularity of Terry O'Quinn(LOST), Embassy, or whoever owns this picture, would take full advantage and release it on a 2 disc "20 year anniversary edition". BUT NOOOooo, the big-wigs at DVD Headquarters feel what we really need on DVD are the reruns of "MAUDE". Sweet.
Don't make me go Jerry Blake on you. Release "THE STEPFATHER" on Region 1 DVD. FATHER KNOWS BEST!
2 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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This is my view on why I believe this is not on dvd yet
Added 9/4/2006
First off, this is just what I think and it may not be correct.
Part two was owned by HBO and they have rights to put out the DVD by their company which they did. Now embassy, "if I am correct" is owned by Sony but I am not for sure. I believe they would have to get a company to get the rights to have this before it goes to dvd because I have not seen a movie yet from embassy on dvd. There are several embassy VHS movies out there but not as of yet on dvd. I maybe wrong though. I think Saturday the 14th was embassy but I have to check in on it but it is on dvd. Again dont quote me on why this is not released on dvd but I believe that a company other than embassy has to get the rights to put their name on the dvd.
1 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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Terry O'Quinn makes his mark
Added 6/25/2006
This is one of the best thrillers to emerge from the 1980's. It's got assured direction from Joseph Reuben. An excellent script by Donald E. Westlake.And an absolutely mesmerizing performance from Terry O'Quinn, who invests his character with enough repressed fury to make most screen psychos look like Mr Rogers.
The film starts out with a real sense of style as O'Quinn washes his bloody hands in a bathroom sink then proceeds to alter his appearance drastically before walking downstairs to his murdered family; its a startling and creepy beginning and the rest of the film is as stylish and well done. I think its biggest strength is the well-developed psychopathology of Terry O'Quinn's character;his behavior actually makes sense in terms of his madness; this is a refreshing change of pace from most films of this type, where the killers have zero motivation and are just plot-devices.
3 out of 4 people found this helpful.
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stepfather2
Added 11/13/2009
stepfather 1 and 2 just take me back in the early 80's great movies, now they don't make movies like this anymore, they try but it's not the same...
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Pretty good, but it still has the number two next to its title.
Added 10/26/2009
Ah, the only thing good to come out of Hollywood regurgitating, er, I mean remaking old horror films is that it gives who ever owns the rights to the original a money incentive to release special editions of the originals, for the first time ever in regard to the first Stepfather. Here we have an unlikely sequel in Stepfather II. Unlikely because the original, while being extremely well received critically, came and went at the box office. Once on video the original started gaing steam and became a hit similarly to the original Austin Powers. So, about two years later a direct to video sequel was planned and Terry O'Quinn was courted to reprise his very complex role. They eventually got him and a sequel was made.
Firstly, this is a pretty good film as far as sequels go. Of course, it requires huge leaps of faith right from the top. At the end of the original Stepfather Terry O'Quinn's character was definitively DEAD. No, not wounded, no not take off to prison, but totally and absolutely D-E-A-D. This sequel makes the wise diecision to just start with The Stepfather in mental institution with some knife wounds. No big explanation of how he survived, but there he is and he has. Much better then some convoluted soap opera explanation ala Halloween: Resurrection. Then the plot moves into familar territory in the Stepfather escaping and resuming his old tricks, the persuit of the perfect family, under the guise of a marital therapist. He courts Meg Foster(a stunning beauty whose exotic pale blue eyes limited her from getting more meaty parts). When Meg Foster's character's ex shows back up, well....well, if you've seen the original Stepfather you know the rest.
Getting O'Quinn back in the title role is the main reason to see this sequel. The sequel plays up the black humor elements from the first regarding O'Quinn's Reagan era inspired perfect family ideal, and closed off-ness to sexuality of any sort. In this film when he is invited to be for some carnal knowledge he treats it more like a chore, job or duty rather then an act of passion. Hmmm, sounds like a typical conservative type.LOL. Meg Foster is the woman in question and she is a very sturdy foil for O'Quinn to play off of. She comes off interesting and understandable without seeming too much like an idiot, not noticing her finace' weird behavior. Caroline Williams(Texas Chainsaw Massacre II) plays the obligatory best friend, who also conveniently happens to be a mail carrier. Jonathan Brandis plays Meg Foster's son in one of the young actor's earlier roles. They're all solid and lend a level of realism that a sequel of this nature desperately needs.
The problem with this sequel, beyond the fact that it's a sequel, comes in the form of the ending. The ending is very hurried and doesn't quite live up to the build up the first two thirds of the film promises. Sure, you get some great blood battered bride imagery, but that's about it. Joseph Ruben did a much better job of miling the suspense and thrills from his rote finale to the original Stepfather. Plus, once you've seen the first film, you know the routine and in this film, though they do throw in some nice twists(the blind neighbor is quite inventive and hysterical), we've been here and done this before. O'Quinn creates such a compelling character that he keeps you in the game if the plot doesn't. Plus, it's hard to simply just except The Stepfather being alive at the top of the film. For a few minutes the contrivance reminds you naggingly so that the first film was a masterpiece of the genre. Once O'Quinn gets rolling with his character it helps ease the pain that comes with sequel-itis, but it may not work the same way for all.
Director Jeff Burr(Leatherface:Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, Pumpkinhead II) keeps things stylish and similar to a Dario Argento film from the late 70's. I've listened to two commentary tracks from Jeff Burr, and he provides one for the new special edition of Stepfather II, and this one has a Leatherface tinge to it. Burr seemed to have been one of the few innocent souls working in Hollywood in the eighties. He talks, like in the case of Leatherface, about studio interference, and how some other director came in and added some slight gore scenes to his final cut. A great anecdote on the commentary is how Burr sent a VHS copy of his first cut of Stepfather II to reknowned critic Pauline Kael to see, so she wouldn't judge the film based on the final product. He says she wrote back, but doesn't go into detail on what was in the letter. This commentary track is the same one that was on the Mirmax DVD released back in 2003, as is the alternate scenes(which showcase Burr's original and far more subtle take on the suspense scenes), but comes with a brand spanking new thirty minute retro doc interviewing Burr, the producers, editor, and screenwriter. It was interesting to find out that this film actually did have a theatrical release. The producers were so anamored with the final product that they put up the dough to put it in some theaters. Then, they went as far as to make the third Stepfather film sands Terry O'Quinn(actually saw the third one first when I was twelve, it's not too good---mostly due to the lack of Terry O'Quinn).
I got this DVD really cheap used. I'm not a huge fan of this sequel, but I love Terry O'Quinn's returning performance, and Burr's stylish direction, but most of all I like the black comedy that is further mined from the material. It's not campy black comedy, it doesn't take you out of the suspense, but it's more abundant in this sequel. It's worth checking out, at least renting. I'd rather sit through this sequel then ever see the remake.
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outstanding and very proffessionaly delivered and handled
Added 3/2/2009
I would do bussiness again with this guy anytime if I could give ten stars on the way you did bussiness with me I would -three thumbs up/ten stars from me/I enjoyed doing bussiness with you. Thanks Again james
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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