From Beyond [UHD+BD] [Blu-ray] [Region A & B & C]

Only downside is the 2 other blu rays discs that aren’t the main 4k disc are region B, so I’ll need to be a region A player down the road as they seem loaded with extras.

Gooey and gory cult-classic sci-fi horror adaptation of the H.P Lovecraft short story by the creative team behind ‘Re-Animator’. ‘From Beyond’ contains everything that makes 1980’s horror films so much fun.

Dr. Edward Pretorius (Ted Sorel), a kinky mad-scientist performing secret experiments in a creepy attic, until he gets his head bitten off; Crawford Tillinghast (Jeffrey Combs), Pretorius’ assistant and the beleaguered hero, who unfortunately develops a taste for human brains; and Dr. Katherine McMichaels (Barbara Crampton), the beautiful and demure skeptic, who loses her good-girl in glasses personality, along with her clothes and inhibitions, when she’s transformed into a leather-clad nymphomaniac. Copious amounts of KY-Jelly drip from grotesque shape-shifting monsters, luminous creatures with an insatiable appetite for human flesh appear in the air, and carrying a flashlight is certainly not going to protect you against what’s coming ‘From Beyond’.

The majority of people, myself included, will have originally seen this movie on a rather tired and worn VHS tape, which can be attributed in part to it being an excellent horror film, but also due to the fact that Barbara Crampton is beautiful and frequently flashes her flesh. The remastered and uncut Blu-Ray is a pixel-perfect presentation of this decadent, darkly humorous horror in all its debauched glory.

Back in the mid to late ’80s, this was kind of a big deal. Following on from their triumphant debut ‘Re- Animator’, creative team Stuart Gordon (director), Brian Yuzna (producer) and screenwriter Dennis Paoli unleashed this rather ‘gooey’ splatter filled monster epic that promised to outdo the craziness of their previous picture… which it almost does. But lets face it – nothing can truly overthrow the good Dr West and his unique brand of lunacy. Even though they do give it a helluva good try…

We first meet obsessive and slightly unhinged scientist Dr. Edward Pretorius (Ted Sorel) who between kinking it up with a bevvy of local ladies, has plunged his crazy brain into the discovery of a parallel universe where pleasure and pain rule. Alongside his meek assistant Dr. Crawford Tillinghast (Jeffrey Combs) they both attempt to trip the light fantastic, but when Pretorius is murdered by a creature ‘from beyond’, Crawford is subsequently accused of his dispatch… When the local authorities disbelieve his cracked up tale of interdimensional beasties, they turn to psychiatrist Katherine McMichaels (Barbara Crampton) and detective Bubba Brownlee (Ken Foree) for help. Returning to the scene of the crime, they soon discover the secrets of that parallel universe when it is opened up once again allowing all manner of monsters to cross over and torment our trio, with a returning Pretorius intent on taking control of both that dimension… and ours.

Although not as good as ‘Re-Animator’ there is much to enjoy in this lurid follow up. Director Stuart Gordon has a real keen eye for the macabre laced with dark humor and ‘From Beyond’ is riddled with it. Lead Combs plays everything extremely straight and at times is genuinely deadpan funny (his ‘It ate him… bit off his head… like a gingerbread man!’ is a major comedy highlight), thankfully he’s ably supported by both Crampton and Sorel who eat up the silly screenplay ensuring the absurdity is delivered with real relish. This H.P. Lovecraft adaptation may not be faithful, but it sure delivers the late ’80s gory goods; from a whole heap of ghoulish monsters to the old bout of head ripping – this one’s got it all.

This Blu-Ray release from Second Sight is a delight featuring both a brilliant transfer and vibrant audio, rounded off by a plethora of excellent special features: Stuart Gordon talks the movie, an interview with writer Dennis Paoli and Barbara Crampton, the FX of From Beyond, audio commentary with Stuart Gordon, Brian Yuzna and Jeffrey Combs and a storyboard to film comparison. All in all, its a slight step back from ‘Re-Animator’ in terms of Gordon’s filmography but taken as a separate entity, it delivers a wonderfully gonzo good time. Highly recommended purchase.

The last time I bought this movie was on VHS & I thought it was amazing back then, but thought the transfer to HD would probably be a bit ropey. I was wrong, the cinematography is amazing & the colours are really vivid. The practical effects for the most part stand the test of time & look better than some of the modern CGI I’ve seen in horrors.
The extras included on the disc are worth the price of the disc if you have been a fan of this film for years. I couldn’t stop laughing when Carolyn Purdy-Gordon was talking about tripping on acid!

I have read most of Lovecraft’s stories, being a bit of a fan of his works. I used to have this film on video and I was pleased to find it again on dvd and add it to my collection. I like Stuart Gordon’s films and I enjoy anything Jeffrey Coombes is in. This looks a bit dated now, but I enjoyed watching it, discovering again things in it I had forgotten about.

Starring Jeffrey Combs (of Re-Animator fame). A tale of scientists trying to create a machine to see creatures that live in our atmosphere, that are usually invisible to the human eye. And then it all goes amazingly wrong for the two scientists. Blood and guts (or brains) aplenty here. All i can say is watch out for Combs staring into the camera and uttering the words “and it bit off his head like….like a ginger bread man”.