The Electric Chair

 (1976)

The Electric Chair Blu-ray delivers stunning video and decent audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
The murder of an innocent, happy couple leads to a courtroom trial that would sentence the killer to death, but who really did it?


For more about The Electric Chair and the The Electric Chair Blu-ray release, see the The Electric Chair Blu-ray Review published by Brian Orndorf on April 9, 2017 where this Blu-ray release scored 4.0 out of 5.

Director: J.G. Patterson Jr.
Writers: J.G. Patterson Jr., Don Cummins
Starring: Katherine Cortez, Barry Bell, Nita Patterson, Don Cummins, Martin McDonald, J.G. Patterson Jr.
Producers: J.G. Patterson Jr., Hugh Rollings

» See full cast & crew

The Electric Chair Blu-ray Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf, April 9, 2017

1976's "The Electric Chair" offers a haunting title and an initial scene of corpse discovery that promises something macabre to come. However, it's unwise to trust drive-in cinema, which often uses every trick in the book to sucker audiences in to see something they'd otherwise avoid like the plague. Instead of a chiller, "The Electric Chair" is a particularly terrible episode of "Law & Order," taking the action to North Carolina, where lawyers and cops attempt to figure out the motive behind a double murder and bring someone to justice for the crime.



When a preacher and a comely member of his flock are killed in the middle of a park, the locals have difficulty figuring out a culprit. Suspects are rounded up, clues are gathered, and the trial begins, but even this highly formulaic approach confuses writer/director Pat Patterson ("The Body Shop"), who doesn't trust the natural flow of crime and punishment, playing much of "The Electric Chair" as deliberately as possible, including a real-time sequence where the doomed woman gets dressed in her bedroom. Padding is a mighty force in the feature, which is actually a legal drama, not a fright film, watching the men in charge put together a case and battle in court, examining the finest oddballs North Carolina has to offer.

The Electric Chair Blu-ray, Video Quality

 

Let's get real here: the AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation is likely going to be the best "The Electric Chair" is ever going to look on home video. Age is unavoidable, and wear and tear is displayed throughout the viewing experience, with scratches, speckling, cigarette burns, brief chemical damage, and jumpy frames present, and there's mild discoloration on the right side of the frame at times. However, even with visual issues, basic filmic needs are met here, offering satisfactory clarity on faces and locations, bringing out a decent amount of detail to survey. Colors are also capable, highlighting primaries and richer hues for blood and greenery. Delineation is passable, going about as far as the original cinematography allows.

The Electric Chair Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix is also hit with age-related issues, but mild ones mostly contained to fluctuating volume levels. Microphone use isn't a priority to the production, leaving dialogue exchanges acceptable. Scoring is pronounced, driving what passes for atmosphere in the effort, and soundtrack selections are adequate. While nothing's sharp on the track, one can follow the performances and detect intended moods. Hiss is minimal.

The Electric Chair Blu-ray, Special Features and Extras

 

• Commentary features "The Electric Chair" crew members Phil Smoot and Worth Keeter.

• "Maria's B-Movie Mayhem" (3:20, HD) replaces Code Red Femme Fatale Katrina Leigh Waters with another wrestling woman, Maria Kanellis. Appearing in a brief skit in a short skirt, Kanellis portrays herself visiting the Code Red studios, only to be kidnapped and strapped to an electric chair by a masked man named "Bill." To justify all the fetishistic behavior, the featurette highlights some trivia about "The Electric Chair," which Maria calls "terrifying," proving she never watched the film.

• Interview (12:40, HD) with Jerry Whittington is interesting, as he was never involved with the production of "The Electric Chair." Instead, Whittington was tasked with cutting out 17 minutes from the original cut to save on reel shipment costs, with this version of the film eventually distributed on DVD. Whittington has a lifelong relationship with the exhibition business, working with projectors since he was a kid, and eventually teaming with Dick Clark for a moment during the icon's producing career. Hilariously, Whittington doesn't think much of "The Electric Chair," admitting that the picture is so bad, there's really no difference between the two cuts.

• "2.35:1 Ending" (5:49, HD) presents the final electric chair sequence in scope, severely cropping the image to simulate a more cinematic appearance.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included.

The Electric Chair Blu-ray, Overall Score and Recommendation

 

There are two major capital punishment sequences in the picture, justifying the title, but the rest is painful to sit through, filled with tedious legal battles, abysmal acting, and iffy technical achievements (though editing sometimes perks up to set the mood of the scene). And, if you're a student of murder mysteries, there's no whodunit here, as the killer is clearly identified right off the bat. "The Electric Chair" is inept, barely a movie, but accept it as filler for a punishing drive-in schedule, and maybe there's some fun to be found. If you can stay awake while watching it.

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The Electric Chair Blu-ray, News and Updates

• Code Red Goes Blu - November 15, 2012

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