A group of college friends gather for a getaway on a remote island and their April Fool's Day pranks turn to fright when someone starts killing them one by one.
The 1986 dark comedy/slasher April Fool’s Day follows a group of college kids who spend April Fool’s Day vacationing at their friend Muffy St. John’s (Deborah Foreman) parents’ remote island retreat when a mysterious assailant interrupts their holiday pranks. Director Fred Walton (When a Stranger Calls) spins a devious tale of 1980s slasher tropes that offers up little in the way of serious blood splatter and a major twist at the end. The film is not what most will expect going in, but Walton manages to keep viewers entertained in this basically claustrophobic, one-house set with clever camera angles and plenty of jump scares.
The Video
April Fool’s Day is taken from a 4K scan of the 35mm original camera negative. This HEVC 2160p (4K UHD) Dolby Vision encodement looks fantastic. I see a crisp, natural layer of grain and vibrant colors, especially in the early scenes on the boat. The darker scenes indoors show a little hint of heightened grain, but there is still nuanced shadow detail. The Dolby Vision grading gives good pop in the highlights of lights and glint of light off metallic objects.
The audio is provided in lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The 5.1 is a good remix, but nothing that will blow your socks off. It mostly adds more ambience in the surrounds and makes the mix sound more spacious. The stereo mix is more authentic and is good, with no clipping and good clarity.
The Supplements
Bonus Features:
Audio Commentary by Film Historians Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell, and Nathaniel Thompson
Special Features Blu-ray Disc:
Horror with a Twist – Part 1: Interview with Director Fred Walton (1080p; 00:23:59)
Horror with a Twist – Part 2: Interview with Director Fred Walton (1080p; 00:23:03)
Well of Lies: Interview with Actress Deborah Goodrich Royce (1080p; 00:16:33)
Looking Forward to Dessert: Interview with Actor Clayton Rohner (1080p; 00:17:16)
Bloody Unforgettable: Interview with Composer Charles Bernstein (1080p; 00:26:01)
The Eye of Deception: Interview with Cinematographer Charles Minsky (1080p; 00:17:24)
April Fool’s Day – TV Spot (1080p; 00:01:36)
April Fool’s Day – Trailer (1080p; 00:01:43)
Happy Birthday to Me – Trailer
New Year’s Eve — Trailer
The Final Assessment
April Fool’s Day is a disappointing slasher, if not for its inventive scare, but for its maddening lack of gore and twist that makes viewer feel like time has been wasted. Apart from that, this is a strong 4K release from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
April Fool’s Day is out on 4K Ultra HD January 21, 2025 from Kino Lorber Studio Classics
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A group of college friends gather for a getaway on a remote island and their April Fool's Day pranks turn to fright when someone starts killing them one by one.April Fool's Day 4K Ultra HD Review
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