[REC] Revisited

With Arrow Video’s recent re-release of the brilliant [REC] on Blu-ray we thought it was time to revisit the amazing Spanish found footage horror and its two sequels.

28 Days Later meets The Blair Witch Project as a mysterious virus turns the inhabitants of an apartment building into a horde of frenzied, bloodthirsty ghouls in [REC] – the original 2007 “found footage” phenomenon that spawned a hit franchise and US remake.

A television film crew, documenting the night shift of a Barcelona fire brigade, get much more than they bargained for when they attend an apparently routine call-out. Upon arrival at an inner city apartment, the firefighters are viciously attacked by the elderly female occupant, who appears to be in the throes of some sort of viral infection. Before long, the virus has taken hold of the entire building, which is cordoned off by the authorities. Trapped inside, the television crew – using their cameras to capture the events as they unfold – and the other remaining survivors find themselves pitched into a nightmare of unimaginable proportions.

Fusing the zombie genre with the “found footage” format to throw the audience right into the midst of the action, [REC] is a terrifying, relentless rollercoaster ride which builds to one of the horror genre’s all time bone-chilling climaxes.

Below we run through the [REC] trilogy with a brief review of each excellent episode:

[REC] (2007)
What we said:
“For sheer practicality, the entire scenario is spare and effective. Keeping everyone trapped in a confined space, with close to zero special effects (apart from some good make-up) allows for a low-budget horror, but the film manages to never look cheap (unlike a great many American horror films)….[Rec] makes for a visceral and vibrant watching experience (though the ending does stand out for sheer blood-pumping, seat-squirming horror), which left me feeling most impressed with its makers.”
Read the full review on the link below:
https://lovehorror.co.uk/zombies/263/rec-2007/

Movie Rating: ★★★★☆ 


Trailer:
YouTube video

[REC] 2 (2009)
What we said:
“Rec 2 impresses because of a bold willingness to rewrite its own rules. In doing so, it sweeps the rug from under you feet, leaving you in the dark in regards to what can and will happen. With Rec 3 already announced, only time will tell if Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza can continue to re-invent their world so successfully. Either way, it won’t be long until we take a trip back into hell, which is, truly, an appealing prospect.”
Read the full review on the link below:
https://lovehorror.co.uk/zombies/4922/rec-2-2009/

Movie Rating: ★★★★☆ 


Trailer:
YouTube video

[REC] 3: Genesis (2012)
What we said:
“Blood and guts are spilled in sensation ways with some inventive weapons with the chainsaw wielding Clara giving Kill Bill’s Bride a run for her money on the ass-kicking lady list. Combing elements of Evil Dead and Brain Dead, the movies most obvious influence in its style, themes and murderously possessed maniacs is Demons which is by no means a bad thing at all…Regardless of whether [REC] 3: Genesis shows us a glimpse of the future for the [REC] films or is simple an entertaining interlude in the series Plaza manages to entertain, excite and alarm in equal measure making a holy union of horror and humour that you are sure to fall in love with.”
Read the full review on the link below:
https://lovehorror.co.uk/zombies/27588/rec-3-genesis-2012-review/

Movie Rating: ★★★★☆ 


Trailer:
YouTube video

[REC] is available now on Blu-ray packed full of the special features listed below. The movie is also out now on the Arrow Video Channel. Start your 30 day free trial now: https://bit.ly/AVCUK. We have a chance to win a copy right HERE

Special Features:
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors’ booklet with new writing on the film by Xavier Aldana Reyes
• High Definition Blu-ray presentation with two viewing options: the “theatrical version” (24fps, 1080p, 78 mins) as shown in cinemas, and the “production version” (25fps, 1080i, 75 mins) as originally filmed
• Original Spanish DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 audio options on both versions• Optional English subtitles
• New audio commentary by film critic and historian Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, author of Found Footage Horror: Fear and the Appearance of Reality
• Archive commentary by directors Jaume Balaguero & Paco Plaza
• The Making of [REC], an archive featurette examining the process of production featuring interviews with cast & crew
• How to Shoot a Horror Movie, a French-language featurette presented by directors Jaume Balaguero & Paco Plaza
• Archive interview with Jaume Balaguero & Paco Plaza looking back on the film
• The Fantastic Four, an archive panel discussion with [REC] directors Jaume Balaguero, Paco Plaza and new wave Spanish horror contemporaries Gonzalo Lopez Callego and Juan Antonio Bayona
• On set footage of the cast & crew at work on key scenes including “the attack on Mrs. Izquierdo” and the “climb to hell”
• Archive interview with director of photography Pablo Rosso
• Archive interview with sound supervisor Xavi Mas
• Archive interview with sound designer Oriol Tarragó
• Confidences, a video diary by star Manuela Velasco
• Deleted and extended scenes, including “Fire Station Redux”, “The Secret Archive” and “Corridors of Nails”
• Casting, original video footage from the audition process
• Trailers and TV spots
• Image gallery
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Adam Rabalais

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Alex Humphrey

Alex studied film at the University of Kent and went on to work for Universal Pictures in their Post Room gaining an inside look at the movie industry from the very bottom. Constantly writing reviews in everything from local magazines to Hip Hop sites Alex honed his critical skills even spending a brief period as a restaurant critic. Read more

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