The Crush

We've all been there, done that: most of us have had a crush that isn't reciprocated. But to what lengths will a person go to claim their unrequited love? That's the question asked in Shout Factory's newest retro release "The Crush," the 1993 feature film that became actress Alicia Silverstone's breakout role.

She plays Adrian, a 14-year-old obsessed with her parent's new tenant Nick (Cary Elwes). When her crush doesn't lead to what she wants, Adrian takes matters into her own hands and starts a downward spiral. This involves attacking Nick's girlfriend (Jennifer Rubin) with a deadly hornets nest and sabotaging Nick's career.

"The Crush" was part of the "from hell" movie thriller phase of the 1990s that titillated audiences for a time. Now, the film's dialogue and scenarios are implausible, outlandish, and humorous.

Unfortunately, you won't find out Silverstone's opinion of the film (or Elwes' either for that matter), but public knowledge reveals that she had a body double for her brief nude scenes. What you will get on Scream Factory's Blu-ray are three brand new special features not found on any previous releases:

- An audio commentary with writer/director Alan Shapiro
- "The Doting Father," a quick interview segment with Kurtwood Smith, who laughably says that everyone knew that they weren't making an award-winning film
- "Stung by Love" is actress Jennifer Rubin's interview where she discusses her horror film career and "The Crush"

Scream Factory also puts forth a disclaimer at the beginning of the film, stating an unavoidable audio issue that was also apparent on the DVD release. The soundtrack is tinny and has echoes.

Also of note: listen and watch anytime an actor says "Adrian." The name is dubbed via another actor, as Silverstone's character's name was originally known as Darian. It all makes for a very interesting viewing, and listening, experience.

"The Crush"
Blu-ray
$27.99
www.shoutfactory.com