The Hazing

Oh man, I still regret of not getting this fun flick with the slipcover. But that's fine, just being able to have this gem in my collection was fantastic! The Hazing is like a mix of American Pie with Evil Dead 2, and only after you watch, you will understand why!!

Fun b-horror

Solid film...

A fun film let down by a dreadful AI-processed transfer.

This was shot on Super 16mm Kodak film stock, so I can only wonder whether the original camera negatives or a usable film print were unavailable. That might at least explain the source they worked with, because this looks like the most egregious use of AI to upscale and “enhance” standard-definition material I’ve ever seen. Tiffany Shepis’ husband, Sean Tretta, is credited with the 2023 AI restoration.

Fine detail and any recognisable trace of film grain have been scrubbed away, leaving waxy faces and bizarrely processed backgrounds, with artificial sharpness applied where it has no business being. During the "Reservoir Dogs (1992)" walking parody set to "Little Green Bag", a tree in the background looks like a blurry blob from an old FMV point-and-click adventure, with parts of the image dissolving into something resembling dust or fog. Calling this master distracting would be an understatement. People sometimes resemble cardboard cutouts, with harsh outlines separating them from their surroundings.

In motion, it looks even worse than the stills suggest, with apparent frame dropouts, choppy movement, faces slipping into an unnatural blur and washed-out colours. Why not get in touch with Vinegar Syndrome’s Oscar Becher about the approach used for the Degausser Video line, where video sources receive proper mastering work? This looks like an attic hobby project where someone applied an automated AI process and called…

This is a funny mix of slasher and the supernatural

Brad dourif is funny as **** and it is crazy mutch extra material !

Big recommendation

+++++