Big Picture Big Sound

Here we are at the height of summer, but for horror fans it's never too early to start thinking about fall, and the season of scares that's just around the corner. To help you get in the mood early for Halloween, Anchor Bay Entertainment announced Tuesday that they will soon be releasing a special version of... "Halloween"!

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the horror classic that was originally made for a mere $325,000 and went on to become one of the most successful independent movies of all time. The bloodcurdling tale of escaped lunatic Michael Myers terrorizing babysitter Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) terrified a generation of viewers, and the runaway success of the original film ultimately inspired seven sequels. Contemporary viewers were also treated to a Rob Zombie-helmed reboot in 2007, but for true fans, nothing could surpass the iconic horror of the original.

Now Anchor Bay Entertainment is celebrating the film with a special Blu-ray release that's sure to excite collectors and die-hard afficionados as well as winning over a new generation of fans. And they're doing it right: ABE and Trancas International have partnered to present an all-new HD transfer personally supervised by the film's original cinematographer, Academy-Award nominee Dean Cundey. Soundtrack options will include a new 7.1 audio mix as well as the original mono audio, and a brand new feature-length audio commentary by writer/director John Carpenter and star Jamie Lee Curtis. As if that weren't enough, ABE is rounding out the package with an impressive selection of special material: an all-new bonus feature with Ms. Curtis, selected bonus features from previous ABE releases, and, for the first printing only, a collectible limited-edition book-style package with 20 pages of info featuring archival photos and an essay by "Halloween" historian Stef Hutchinson. The first printing also includes specially commissioned cover art by Jay Shaw, making this a must-have for collectors and loyal fans alike. The SRP for this release is $34.99 (as always, check Amazon for special discounts) and the pre-book date is listed as August 28.

For those who may not be familiar with the original "Halloween" - if, in fact, there are any of you out there - it's worth noting that the 1978 release was Ms. Curtis's film debut. At 20 years old, she carried the film with her realistic performance and gave rise to the term "scream queen". Long on scares and (relatively) short on gore, the film is a master class in the art of directing a thriller - and the seamlessness of its production, which managed to make the most of the project's rock-bottom shooting budget, are worth a look too. Whether you've been through a hundred "Halloween" viewings or will be checking it out for the first time, you're certain to see something new with this well-crafted release from Anchor Bay Entertainment - and its chills may be just the thing to make you forget the summer heat.