Review: Children of the Corn Trilogy Limited Edition UHD & Blu-ray

Featuring the original film in Ultra High Definition and alternate cuts of both its follow-ups for the first time on Blu-ray, there is no better time to familiarise yourself with “He who walks behind the rows”.

Based on a short story by Stephen King, Children of the Corn is a slow burner about a young couple Peter Horton and Linda Hamilton who find themselves stranded in the small town of Gatlin, Nebraska.

It is here where they meet a religious cult of children led by Isaac (John Franklin) and Malachi (Courtney Gains), who preach the words of “He who walks behind the rows” and incite their young followers to murder all the adults.

Slow paced but filled with an increasing sense of dread that permeates from the screen (thanks mostly to the hypnotic screen presence of John Franklin), Children of the Corn has you second guessing yourself as to whether the lead adult characters will actually make it out alive or not.

Light on bloodshed but heavy on atmosphere, by the time the end credits roll you’ll feel a definite sense of unease about any kids you bump into later that day.

Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice continues the story, as the inhabitants of nearby Hemingford adopt the children who survived the events of the first movie, unknowingly welcoming evil into their midst.

More action oriented and gore filled than the original, this suffers slightly from Isaac no longer being in it and Malachi being played by a different actor.

Despite the low budget and questionable visual effects, this still had its creepy moments and the odd smile raising bloody moment.

Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest was direct to video and it shows…though not in a bad way for me, having consumed (and enjoyed) DTV horror constantly during the days of VHS.

Two orphaned boys from Gatlin are put into a foster home in Chicago, accompanied by a suitcase of corn and their belief once again in “He who walks behind the rows”. 

Business greed leads to an interest in the corn, though with no knowledge about the evil that it brings.

The silliest by far of the trilogy, this is often lambasted online, especially when compared with the usually highly regarded original movie. I however had an absolute blast watching it (especially the unrated international cut) and …dare I say it…it’s probably my favourite of the bunch! The failure of some of the visual effects actually making them even more endearing to me!

The UHD version of the original retains some film grain, but adds detail never before seen in the night time scenes in the cornfields, as well as bringing to life more of the colour palette, all benefitting greatly from a brand new 4K restoration from the original camera negative by Arrow Films.

All 3 movies look (and sound) great, complete with informative and entertaining special features, including commentaries, interviews and essays, and beautiful artwork.

My VHS memories of these movies are now replaced by this superb UHD/Blu-ray set which will be revisited on many occasions.

Not only another great UHD release by Arrow to add to your collection, but also accompanied by 2 sequels looking better than ever…and bloody enjoyable too!

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:

• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations of all three films
• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) of Children of the Corn
• Alternate cuts of Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice and Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest
• DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 audio options for all three films
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• 60-page perfect bound book featuring new writing by John Sullivan, Lee Gambin, Stacie Ponder, Craig Martin and Guy Adams
• Reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin

DISC 1 – CHILDREN OF THE CORN (BLU-RAY / 4K UHD BLU-RAY)

• Brand new 4K restoration from the original camera negative by Arrow Films
• Audio commentary with horror journalist Justin Beahm and Children of the Corn historian John Sullivan
• Audio commentary with director Fritz Kiersch, producer Terrence Kirby and actors John Franklin and Courtney Gains
• Harvesting Horror: The Making of Children of the Corn – retrospective piece featuring interviews with director Fritz Kiersch and actors John Franklin and Courtney Gains
• It Was the Eighties! – an interview with actress Linda Hamilton
• Return to Gatlin – brand new featurette revisiting the film’s original Iowa shooting locations
• Stephen King on a Shoestring – an interview with producer Donald Borchers
• Welcome to Gatlin: The Sights and Sounds of Children of the Corn – an interview with production designer Craig Stearns and composer Jonathan Elias
• Cut from the Cornfield – an interview with the actor who played “The Blue Man” in the fabled excised sequence
• Theatrical Trailer
• Disciples of the Crow, a 1983 short film adaptation of Stephen King’s short story

DISC 2 – CHILDREN OF THE CORN II: THE FINAL SACRIFICE (BLU-RAY)

• Two versions of the film: the International Cut, and the US Theatrical Cut with additional CGI and an alternate audio mix (via seamless branching)
• Brand new audio commentary by critics Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain
• Brand new audio commentary by critic Lee Gambin, in conversation with director David Price
• A New Harvest, a brand new interview with director David Price
• Sowing the Seeds of Terror, a brand new interview with co-screenwriter A.L. Katz
• Framing Fear, a brand new interview with cinematographer Levie Isaacks
• Workprint version of the film
• Stills gallery
• Theatrical Trailer

DISC 3 – CHILDREN OF THE CORN III: URBAN HARVEST (BLU-RAY)

• Two versions of the film, the R-rated US Cut and the Unrated International Cut with extended ending (via seamless branching)
• Brand new audio commentary by critics Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain
• Corn in the City, a brand new interview with screenwriter Dode Leveson
• Corn in the USA, a brand new visual essay by author and critic Guy Adams
• Early treatments, versions of the story from the development process
• Stills Galleries
• Theatrical Trailer

Review by Dave from discs kindly supplied by Arrow Films via Fetch Publicity.