NIGHTBREED (1990) / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: CLIVE BARKER / STARRING: CRAIG SHEFFER, DAVID CRONENBERG, ANNE BOBBY / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Clive Barker’s controversial follow up to his Hellraiser double bill finally comes together in this director’s cut that seeks to tell the real story that the filmmaker intended to almost 30 years ago. Gone is the ham-fisted approach at turning his lyrical tale of misunderstood ‘monsters’ succumbing to the real horror of man into a hack and slash tale. Instead, we have an almost biblical tale of Boone (Sheffer), a reluctant hero who, once discovering the hidden underground refuge of Midian, becomes the saviour of its freakish inhabitants while mankind proves themselves to be the true monsters.
Words can’t do justice to the difference that this superbly restored version makes to Barker’s visionary tale. Not that the original theatrical cut (also included here) didn’t have its own charm in a way – enough to create a following despite the studio’s misplaced ideas about its true nature. But this really is a whole other film with an altogether better balanced focus on Boone’s journey and the menagerie of creatures that become his family. This is Nightbreed as it was always meant to be, and it’s bloody marvellous.
Given the immense effort that has been put into producing this director’s cut, it stands to reason that no stone had been left unturned in doing so. As a result, this incredible set comes with absolutely everything on board.
While the introduction to Barker’s cut comes with an introduction by the man himself as well as restoration producer Mark Alan Miller, the feature Commentary by the duo really expounds on the process they had to go through in order to find original footage thought to be long lost. It also gives a unique insight into Barker’s tormented experience during the film’s latter production which is otherwise missing from the release as he doesn’t appear on any other features on either disc. The theatrical cut also comes with commentary from critics Adrian J Smith and David Flint.
The second disc really provides what has to be one of the most complete documents of a film ever put to disc, with everything presented by the people involved who talk you through each process in sometimes minute detail. Genuinely, the extensive material included here is just jaw dropping. Tribes of the Moon is the documentary to watch, featuring interviews with the key participants who all provide their side of the story on the film’s production and subsequent bafflingly recut theatrical release. Featurettes back this up, pushing into more detail on subjects from the prosthetics to stop motion, stunt work, editing, matte painting and more, all of which are filled with rare footage and images that would make any fan of the film squee. Then there’s the interviews with the likes of Nightbreed alum Nicholas Vince in Memories of Midian, critic Kat Ellinger and what Arrow set would be complete without Kim Newman schooling us all in film history and Barker’s place in it.
In addition to all of this, there’s also deleted and alternate takes, image galleries, make-up tests, the extended torture scene flashback, rehearsal tests, theatrical trailer, TV Spots and even the original screenplay!
