The Sorcerors [Blu-ray]

 

“The Sorcerers” is an excellent of-its-time British low-budget thriller (though it’s described as a horror, I don’t really class it as such) made by Tigon Productions and directed by the late Michael Reeves (1944 – 1969), who is better known for his later film “Witchfinder General” (1968). It’s from an idea and original screenplay by the late John Burke, though you wouldn’t know that from the credits.

The blu-ray picture quality couldn’t be much better, having been well restored with typical deep, glowing colours of the time (1967), no damage, debris or sparklies evident. The unusual story-line benefits from the added bonus of a look at a film-maker’s perception of the “swinging” London club scene of the time, though the music played in the club scenes is typical mid-60’s film library fodder and that played by the club band is more average 1964/5 rhythm and blues than the pop and psychedelic music associated with the time – there’s no trace of Sgt. Pepper-style psych or pop at all. The only realistic “swinging” London thing here is in fact a plethora of mini-dresses on the leading ladies, including Susan George. Outside the club scene London is portrayed as a grey, grim place. Boris Karloff stars whilst the other male lead is a young, arrogant and suave Ian Ogilvy, which should keep the ladies happy (indeed his character appears to be keeping several of them happy in the film).

The sound is an acceptable LPCM mono 2.0 but would have benefited greatly from what would appear to have been an easy remix into stereo or even a little ambient surround-sound to give you a choice of audio, whilst retaining the original. Perhaps the lack of this was down to cost. Unusually for a blu-ray, you get a nice colour booklet (a substantial 20 pages) of information and pictures relating to the film and peripherals, including a couple of interviews (by Johnny Mains with Tom Baker and Ian Ogilvy), though there is nothing on the film’s restoration. There is also the added bonus of one of the film’s posters occupying the full reverse of the case cover.

If you like the film as much as I do, I can also recommend the associated hard-back book “The Sorcerers: The Original Screenplay” by John Burke, edited by Johnny Mains, which, as well as containing the text of John Burke’s original film outline from 1965, then called “Terror for Kicks”, also contains the text of John Burke’s original story and screen play of “Terror for Kicks” and much extra connected and interesting information, including how the final screenplay evolved. All this restores John Burke to his rightful place as the original writer of the story and screenplay which was later slightly altered by Michael Reeves and Tom Baker (no, not that one) at Boris Karloff’s request to change his character’s profile from an evil baddie to a not-so-evil baddie, John Burke being too busy with other work to do this. That resulted in Tom Baker and Michael Reeves being credited with the screenplay and Burke relegated to a “from an idea by” position ever since, even on this new 2014 blu ray edition which, on the rear cover, credits the screenplay to Baker and Reeves with no mention of Burke. In the booklet’s text of an interview of Ian Ogilvy by Johnny Mains, Ogilvy is asked whether he read Burke’s original screenplay and says that he knew nothing of it until Mains told him. The book’s a limited edition of 500 so be quick (I’ve just received my copy so it is still available, probably as it’s very much a niche subject) but it should also be out in a more affordable paperback edition.

Both the film and the associated book are highly recommended.