Director/writer Jonathan Betuel has been known for low-budget horror flicks.  “MY SCIENCE PROJECT” available on dvd from ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT, is arguably his best film, and while it isn’t a horror film, it demonstrates his ability to create a well-crafted sci-fi adventure for the whole family.  It feels like an episode from Spielberg’s “AMAZING STORIES” expanded for a feature-length film.

The story is about Mike, a likeable enough kid who’s just not taking school too seriously.  It’s gotten to the point that his teacher, Dennis Hopper, has demanded he either hand in a completed science project or fail the class.  While looking around a military base, he finds an object that he thinks he could pass off as something he created.  What he doesn’t know is that this device has an inherent power to change space and time.  This gimmick leads to some great surprises as beings from the past end up in the school hallways, amongst other strange things happening. 

Dennis Hopper is terrific as the slightly eccentric science teacher, taken with Mike’s object. 

ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT has released this film twice.  The first dvd presentation featured the correct aspect ratio of 2.35:1, with 16:9 enhancement, by itself.  There is some intrusive artifacting on this release, but colors are generally sharp.  The contrast is in great shape, with deep blacks and grays. Fleshtones appear natural throughout. 

ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT has provided a Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround mix.  “MY SCIENCE PROJECT” is one of those ‘80s films with a dated sound scheme.  There are a limited number of surround effects, but the music helps the mix and all speakers come to life.  Fidelity is limited, but dialogue is always intelligible and free from distortion. 

The newer dvd presentation of the film, offers both the letterboxed and pan&scan versions of the film. The letterboxed version is the same as was available previously.  The pan&scan version is horrible, offering grainy imagery as well as images that have been so severely cropped, as to ruin the impact to almost every decent scene.