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John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness: Collector's Edition
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray A - America - Shout! Factory Review written by and copyright: Anthony Arrigo (20th September 2013). |
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The Film
 Without a doubt, horror auteur John Carpenter enjoyed one of the greatest runs in the history of the genre, spanning from his under siege gang tale "Assault on Precinct 13" (1976) and ending with the Roddy Piper classic "They Live" in 1988. His results after that period are generally considered a mixed bag, but the films he made during those 12 years are sacrosanct to horror fans. But even within that winning streak, with so many films to choose from some people are inevitably going to dismiss a couple as sub-par - and for some reason that always seems to be the fate for "Prince of Darkness" (1987). Lately, however, fans seem to be getting a little more forgiving. It seems like an obvious analogy, but some of Carpenter’s films really are like a fine wine, only gaining more appreciation with age. "The Thing" (1982) was a total bomb when it was released, and now many fans (myself included) put it at the top of their favorite horror films. So, now, some 25 years later, "Prince of Darkness" can be seen as more than “that movie with liquid Satan” thanks to Scream Factory’s new Blu-ray release. "Prince of Darkness" was made at a time when Carpenter was interested in theoretical physics and quantum mechanics, and he decided it would be a novel concept to present themes of good and evil contained within matter and anti-matter. For the few who don’t know the film’s plot, a priest (Donald Pleasence) is given possession of a key that unlocks a door behind which an ancient, swirling liquid evil is contained within a massive cylinder. The priest arranges for Professor Birack (Victor Wong) and some of his students to stay the weekend at the church so they can study his findings. Once they arrive, strange vagrants surround the church and prevent anyone from leaving. Everyone also begins to experience a bizarre, shared dream that warns them of an apocalyptic future. The mysterious liquid begins to leak from the container, infecting some of the students with its contents and causing them to act violently. Kelly (Susan Blanchard) is afflicted with a bruised mark on her arm, and eventually she is possessed by the full contents of the container, bringing to life the Anti-Christ himself. Only a few survivors are left to battle Satan’s forces before he can bring his father, the Anti-God, back into the world. Carpenter considers this film as the second in his “apocalypse trilogy” (the other two are "The Thing" and 1995’s "In the Mouth of Madness"). Although all three have vastly differing plots, they each share an ending that suggests mankind’s future may not be so bright. "Prince of Darkness" presents a lot of intrigue by employing a plot that isn’t needlessly nebulous. Even John himself admits he doesn’t know what some things in the film are supposed to mean. And that’s a good thing, because not everything always has to be explained away. I’ve often found the scariest horror films are the ones where nobody is safe and everything seems like a threat. Here, we’ve got worms and bugs and beetles scaling the walls, a group of nefarious homeless people who seem to spring up out of nowhere to attack, an evil liquid that shoots in people’s mouths like Satan’s personal Super Soaker, a man made of bugs delivering a cryptic message, and the embodiment of Satan which not even Donald Pleasence’s ax can defeat. Speaking of which, I have to give credit to Blanchard for making that nearly-silent performance as the Anti-Christ so memorable. As if that grotesque, runny, bloody, half-melted skin-falling-of-the-face make-up wasn’t almost enough to make a man dry heave, the sense of wonder she can elicit just by using her eyes added another element to that character. Satan hasn’t been fully formed in around seven million years or so according to the movie, and Blanchard plays the role like a newborn with a profound sense of power. And when her eyes widen, making the whites stand out amongst a bloody mess of red, it looks very goddamn creepy. Big props also to an uncredited Mark Shostrom for handling the gruesome duties on Blanchard’s rotten face. I remember seeing her face as a massive fold-out poster in Fangoria’s Bloody Best back in the 90's and the image stuck with me ever since. Casting was always a strong suit for Carpenter as well, and while we don’t get a Kurt Russell or a Roddy Piper here we do get one Jameson Parker and, with that, one damn fine moustache. Seriously, did someone in makeup put a wig on a NY strip steak and glue it to his lip? I’ll bet that push broom has swept more than a few corners clean. Parker might be one of the few leading men to be upstaged by his own facial hair. He’s a fine leading man, mildly charismatic, but he’s also got a bit of a creeper vibe to him. His early come-ons to Catherine (Lisa Blount) are awkward, but then I guess he is supposed to be a bit of a nerd here, right? Pleasence is here for gravitas, nothing more. Other than saying, “Hey guys, here’s this evil liquid I found”, there isn’t a lot for him to do in the film. He spends half the movie hiding and reading his bible. Peter Jason has his Carpenter debut here, his first of seven films they did together, and he mostly provides comic relief. He’s one of those great character actors that round out a picture and elevate it. Dennis Dun had been seen previously in "Big Trouble in Little China" (1986), and he plays his character here with the same frantic energy and horn dog nature we got in that film. As a huge Alice Cooper fan, can I just say how fantastic it was seeing him in a horror movie I love? Just two years earlier he starred in "Monster Dog" (1985), which is only worth watching for the two music videos he performs. To give you an idea of how bad it is if you haven’t seen it, the director is Claudio Fragasso. Yes, the guy who did "Troll 2" (1990). Anyway, Cooper got involved because his manager, Shep Gordon was a producer on the film and suggested Alice record a song for the movie. He did, and then he wound up playing the “leader” of the homeless people, eventually using one of his own stage props to impale a victim who also happened to be listening to the song Cooper recorded for the film. "Prince of Darkness" contains many of the themes and settings that Carpenter liked to employ – the church’s forced isolation and confined setting, paranoid, mistrust, a small outnumbered group fighting against many, and an ending that suggests things aren’t going to just go back to being how they once were. This film has one of those powerful endings that knows exactly when to cut, leaving viewers’ brains in a scramble trying to hypothesize what happens next. It’s a vastly underrated film, and now thanks to Scream Factory we get it served up on Blu-ray with healthy upgrades in both picture and sound, as well as enough extras to keep Satan occupied through the next millennia.
Video
Scream Factory has released "Prince of Darkness" on Blu-ray with a sharp 2.39:1 1080p 24/fps AVC MPEG-4 encoded image that will please fans immensely. Carpenter shot this film using wide-angle lenses in an anamorphic format, which often results in some softness around the edges. Make no mistake; this is the best the film has ever looked. There’s a moderate layer of grain over the image, preserving the filmic aesthetic. Fine detail receives a big boost over the previous DVD's, as exemplified in the cracks on Pleasence’s face, or the ability to count the individual hairs that make-up Parker’s luxurious flavor saver. An occasional problem with films being seen in HD is that make-up work or other effects lose their magic under the scrutiny of hi-def, but thankfully the only element that’s made more apparent is the matte work used in the beginning. The palette used is fairly dark and devoid of bright colors, but this disc has no problem making sure everything is delineated and crisp. Black levels likewise hold up well, allowing for detail to appear even through shadow.
Audio
There are two options present: an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound track (48kHz/24-bit), or an English DTS-HD 2.0 stereo track. The multi-channel option is the clear winner here, pumping an unholy life into Carpenter & Howarth’s low-end synth score. Bass response is excellent, buttressing the soundscape that the two composers created. Hints of that score echo through the rear speakers when needed, enveloping viewers into this universe wholly. Dialogue levels are spot on, with no clarity issues. The track is also devoid of any hisses, pops, clicks, etc. A mood is set by the continuous score, though it never rises to a level that becomes obtrusive. Subtitles are available in English.
Extras
Don’t let that back cover fool you, this disc comes packed with much more than it advertises. Included here are an audio commentary, numerous interviews, an alternate opening, location footage, theatrical trailers, and more. Keen-eared fans will recognize the audio commentary with writer/director John Carpenter and actor Peter Jason; it’s a port of the region 2 Momentum DVD track. Carpenter starts off with, “Welcome to Ghost of M…, oh wait, wrong movie”. And it just keeps getting better from there. Jason is a total hoot, chewing his way through this track like it’s a role. He quizzes Carpenter on his directorial style, how he chooses his actors, working on the score, and what the film means to him. Anyone who has listened to a Carpenter commentary knows they are endlessly entertaining and rewarding. This is no exception. "Sympathy for the Devil: An Interview with John Carpenter" (1080p), this interview runs for 10 minutes and 28 seconds. The horror icon talks about his influences on this film, especially the writers he borrowed from in coming up with the plot. He also discusses the film’s themes, credits, locations, and editing. "Alice at the Apocalypse – An Interview with Alice Cooper" (1080p) is an interview that runs for 9 minutes and 27 seconds. The legendary shock rocker talks about his childhood growing up in front of the TV, full of black-and-white movies, as well as how he got involved with this production, and the film’s cult status. "The Messenger – All-New Interview with Actor & Special Visual Effects Supervisor Robert Grasmere" (1080p) is an interview that runs for 12 minutes and 36 seconds. He started off working on the film’s effects, and then one night Carpenter asked him if he could act. He said yes and wound up being one of the most memorable characters in the film, if for no other reason than his ominous delivery of “I’ve got a message for you… and you’re not going to like it.” "Hell on Earth – A Look at the Film’s Score with co-composer Alan Howarth" (1080p) featurette runs for 10 minutes and 15 seconds. Howarth says that Carpenter already knows what he wants inside and out, so it’s his job to make sure John has all the tools he needs at his disposal, as well as someone who can add layers to his score. Whatever they did worked because their work on many films is incredibly memorable. Alternate opening from the TV version (1080/60p, 1.33:1) runs for 6 minutes and 55 seconds. The main difference here, other than quicker opening credits, is that the film positions itself as being all a dream in Brian’s head. "Horror’s Hallowed Grounds" (1080p) is a locations featurette that runs for 13 minutes and 44 seconds. Host Sean Clark returns to deliver another hilariously informative look at the film’s major shooting locations. Fans will no doubt appreciate the many in-jokes and spoofs presented, too. Trailers & radio spots runs for 2 minutes and 58 seconds, containing one theatrical trailer and two radio spots. Still gallery runs for 4 minutes and 21 seconds, containing many behind-the-scenes and publicity shots for the movie. Finally, keen-eyed fans should be able to easily spot the Easter egg hiding on page two of the bonus material. Highlight the cross the reveal an interview with John Carpenter conducted during a panel at Screamfest 2012, running for 12 minutes and 10 seconds.
Packaging
Glorious. As with every Scream Factory Collector’s Edition, the film receives a slip-cover featuring newly commissioned artwork. Underneath, the single disc is housed in a standard Blu-ray keep case, the cover art of which can be reversed to display the film’s original theatrical poster. I can’t express enough how much I love what these guys do.
Overall
"Prince of Darkness" is a king on Blu-ray, featuring the best A/V presentation the film has ever enjoyed alongside a wealth of extras that should leave fans happy. Nobody is doing a better job than Scream/Shout! Factory when it comes to genre releases, and I hope they never stop.
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