DVD Review - The Hidden

Click here to learn more about anamorphic widescreen!

Site created 12/15/97.

review added: 4/3/00

The Hidden
1987 (2000) - New Line

review by Brad Pilcher of The Digital Bits

Enhanced for 16x9 TVs

Film Rating: B-

Disc Ratings (Video/Audio/Extras): B+/A-/A-

Specs and Features

98 mins, R, letterboxed widescreen (1.85:1), 16x9 enhanced, single-sided, full frame (1.33:1), single-sided, dual-layered (second layer for supplements), Snapper case packaging, theatrical trailer, special effects footage narrated by director Jack Sholder, audio commentary by the director and Tim Hunter, film-themed menu screens, scene access (21 chapters), languages: English (DD 5.1), subtitles: none, Closed Captioned

"How does it feel to be human?"

Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets The Terminator in the 1987 film, The Hidden. That's according to Roger Ebert, who may have been a little generous. Helmed by Nightmare on Elm Street 2 director, Jack Sholder, this high concept movie simply follows the chase for an alien slug. Yep. That's about it. What sets this apart from other "alien slug possesses people" films is that this one loves fast moving Ferraris, hard-hitting rock music, and has an almost Clockwork Orange-like affinity for a bit of the ultra-violence. Nothing too out of the ordinary there, right?

An anecdotal script combines with some passable directing and acting to bring together what reads like a standard cheesy sci-fi B-flick. Michael Nouri is Tom Beck, an roughneck L.A. detective who is appropriately baffled as previously upstanding citizens suddenly go on burglary and murder sprees. Kyle MacLachlan (notable for his genre entries Dune and Showgirls) plays Lloyd Gallagher, an emotionally muted FBI agent who turns out to be more than meets the eye. Together, they hunt down this alien slug, who's jumping bodies in order to elude capture.

On the video end, the disc is good but not great. Film grain is evident at points, but isn't distracting. The colors are vibrant, with no real artifacting issues. However, the transfer just doesn't aspire to the levels of quality we've seen elsewhere on DVD. The audio is better, tossing out an encompassing sound field. It too never really excels, but you can't fault it for that. It's good and it's solid, and that's really all it has to be.

The extras are fine, continuing New Line's strong DVD commitment. What you get with this disc is good, although it's worth noting that the now-defunct Lumivision announced a special edition of this film, that was to have included deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes footage that is absent in this release. If that material existed, it's sorely missing from this special edition. What we do get is an insightful and impassioned commentary done by director Jack Sholder with writer/director Tim Hunter (River's Edge). It is beyond me what Hunter has to do with this movie, but his quips are fun and welcomed. There's also a brief roll of special effects footage showing the development of the alien and ray gun. Sholder comments over this as well, and it nicely rounds out the disc. A trailer is standard and a widescreen and full screen presentation are also present.

All in all, the film is good. The directing is good. The acting is solid. The script is strong on dialogue, but if you listen to the commentary, you'll see how much the director cut. The film still suffers from a dated feel and a corny premise, but it's worth a brainless watching and the extras help it out. This film may not change you, but if 80s sci-fi turns you on, this is one DVD you might want to check out.

Brad Pilcher
bradpilcher@thedigitalbits.com