Digi-Schlock: SATAN' S LITTLE HELPER (Synapse Blu-Ray)

Satan’s Little Helper is Jeff Lieberman's final film to date, an independently produced affair that only got a DVD release back in 2004. Synapse picked it up for reissue, offering an improvement in transfer quality plus some fresh extras. Here's a breakdown of what you can expect from this release...

Transfer: this was always going to be a challenging title to create a transfer for because it was shot on HD-CAM, an early digital format that isn't as strong as the current standard. The resulting film has some obvious issues baked into its look: namely, softer detail than you might be used to and some mild ghosting/blurring here and there. Synapse's transfer minimizes these issues, brings out the colors to handsome effect and the end result is an improvement on its original DVD incarnation. The DTS-HD 2.0 Stereo mix utilized here is well-balanced and offers a nicely delineated soundscape for the film.

Commentary Track With Jeff Lieberman: this is a solo track but it never falls prey to dead spots as Lieberman has a steady, relaxed stream of comments to offer throughout the running time. He gets into a lot of particulars about working with his cast, including the unpredictable improvisational style of Amanda Plummer, and offers lots of scene-specific commentary on how different areas in different states were pieced together to create the film's geography. He also offers up the motivations behind specific writing and directing choices. Like the film itself, the track has a sly sense of humor.

Vintage Behind-The-Scenes Featurette (04:58): this brief but eventful micro-featurette offers a look at how a trio of sequences in the film - a special camera rig, a window-smashing stunt and a gruesome gore FX highlight - were all achieved. Each bit smartly edits together on-set footage with the scenes from the film and Lieberman provides narration in his low-key, witty style to fill us in on the why's and the wherefores of each sequence.

The Devil And The Details (32:38): this is a new, comprehensive making-of featurette incorporating interviews with Lieberman, actor Alexander Brickel, cinematographer Dejan Georgevich, FX artist Anthony Pepe and mask designer Jonathan Fuller. Lieberman sets the tone by revealing what he was up to during his 16 year hiatus between directing films (hint: he actually had the biggest successes of his career in other roles) and then you get a briskly-edited oral history with all participants that goes into what inspired the film, how the mask was designed, the limitations of shooting on the first generation of HD film camera gear, working with Plummer and why the film went the direct-to-video route. Everyone has interesting stories to tell, with grown-up Brickel being particularly charming, but it's Lieberman who rules the roost here with his dry wit and unflinchingly directness, including a memorable end monologue about his gripes with modern society.

Mister Satan's Neighborhood (22:37): this is a tour of the film's locations, hosted by Lieberman and the "Satan Man" mask (used as a mute hand puppet). You get plenty of the expected yesterday-and-today visual comparisons of different locations but Lieberman also utilizes the opportunity to provide additional insight into his filmmaking choices as well as offering tips for the aspiring low-budget filmmaker. For example, he reveals how one memorably gross bit in the film was inspired by a story need and shows how a couple of different locations were repurposed to achieve multiple settings for the film's needs. The result is pretty insightful for the filmmaking-inclined.

Promotional Trailer (01:35): a quick, punchy trailer that communicates both the film's premise and its seesaw mix of humor and horror. The attentive soundtrack fan will notice a snippet of the opening title theme from a certain Danny Elfman score used as part of its musical bed.

Summation: A worthwhile disc of an overlooked modern horror film from a veteran that offers the best possible transfer for this visually challenging title and fortifies the presentation with a selection of worthwhile extras. Lieberman's fans will appreciate the personal touch he adds to the extras, which are as informative as they are witty. Well worth the time for those who appreciate the director's work. FYI, you can purchase this title direct from Synapse by clicking here.

To read Schlockmania's film review for Satan's Little Helper, click here.