Originally Posted by Don May, Jr.

Some folks have asked us exactly what this version is, so I'll tell ya.

Basically, what this is, is the first FIRST version of the film that Obrow and Carpenter made, under the original DEATH DORM title. It's the first 16mm-35mm blow up they did (maybe even a test version because the audio wasn't final on the print and sounded so bad you couldn't hear anything).

We pulled the print out of curiosity because it had an alternate title on the boxes and all of us were surprised when we found it contained the extra material. At one point, when talking with Jeffrey Obrow when we first started the project, he even told me there was nothing extra in the film... so to find the uncut version of the film was a bit of a shock to us all.

We really wanted to use this for the transfer, obviously, but we couldn't find the original audio stems to match the uncut print. They weren't anywhere and probably got lost or cut down to make the final version we all are familiar with, with the extra bits thrown out long ago.

As I said before, the audio on the uncut print was non-existent... it was SO bad that dialogue was muted, noisy and so low you could barely make out what anyone was saying, if at all. It sounded like the audio was recorded at low volume through a staticy short wave radio speaker.

Luckily, we did find the original mag tracks that matched the final R rated DORM version, and they sounded pretty good.... but this posed an interesting problem... how do we make the audio of the shorter version match our version that was longer? Well, we pulled out all the stops and created new sound effects, foley and remixed the longer sequences. In one scene of the lead actress putting down a notebook, I even had to go into a sound booth and make the same sound to put it in to the movie. Footsteps, outside ambiance, etc... we had to create new sounds and then "make" them fit into the mix so they didn't sound like 2010 sound effects put into an 80s movie. It was a bitch, but we pulled it off (kudos to Spencer Hall at HD STUDIOS who worked with me on this). It was LOADS of fun putting in the additional noises for the extra skull drilling and spiked bat hits.

I was a bit worried as we were working because, what would we do if there were extra scenes of DIALOGUE? Sure, replacing music and creating footstep noises and doors opening, etc. are ONE thing... but what if someone talks? How would we ever get the dialogue? Well, luckily, there is only ONE brief (only a few seconds) transitional scene of the cast members talking at a table in the distance that we didn't have audio for. It appears right after the killer smashes up the dinner table and cuts to the cop coming in to talk to them. You couldn't even tell what they were saying in the uncut print and the audio was mixed so badly it sounded like static (which may be why it was originally cut out in the first place). I didn't want to cut the scene out (the scene is obviously missing in the released version), so we left it in and used some music to create a faded transition to the cop who walks in to question the kids.

This was quite an undertaking for us at Synapse. It was exciting, frustrating and challenging and, in the end, I'm thrilled we were able to put out a version of THE DORM THAT DRIPPED BLOOD that no one, not even the filmmakers themselves, has seen in 30 years. This is a totally different version of the film... it has additional/alternate scenes (the spiked bat sequence no longer has the club coming down towards the camera... it has the guy getting hit in the face 8+ more times!), a couple longer (and gorier) kills, etc.

Originally Posted by TheDuke

I'm kind of confused about this, apparently Pranks and The Dorm that Dripped Blood are the same movie? So this is a reversible cover?

Originally Posted by NoirFan

As mentioned on the previous page, yes.

Originally Posted by Chet Desmond

Got home from work and "Vampire Circus" was waiting for me! Thanks Synapse!

Originally Posted by asianxcore

Definitely post up your thoughts on the A/V quality if you get a chance.

I want to pick up that disc sometime this month.

Originally Posted by TomOpus

Those trailers were pretty beat up. I don't see rebuying them again on blu.

Originally Posted by NoirFan

Although you will get a few new trailers and a commentary this time around.

Originally Posted by TomOpus

But you're also losing some of the original ones since it's "the best of...".

Originally Posted by NoirFan

Too bad the 42nd St. Forever Blu-ray won't include volumes one and two in their entirety.

Originally Posted by TomOpus

I know. I was countering the argument that you're getting new ones with the fact that you're losing old ones. One would think there's enough room for all of volumes one and two. I already own all 4 volumes and it would be nice to be able to completely replace my DVDs. Now it looks like I would have to keep all my originals just to gain a few new ones and a commentary.

Originally Posted by bse

There are actually 5 volumes, the 5th being my favorite.

Originally Posted by NoirFan

Right, but the Blu-ray will be drawn from the first two volumes only.