NEWS REVIEW: INDICATOR / POWERHOUSE : REMASTERED AMICUS FILMS 'I MONSTER' BLU RAY : LEE AND CUSHING CLASSIC LOADED WITH EXTRAS!

SOME OF THE FAVOURITE titles in the Amicus films locker are films that also feature, BOTH Christopher Lee AND Peter Cushing. As usual, the chemistry worked, even if the script and production values were dim to 'someone get a candle'!  That chemistry worked so well, because maybe of several support system, in casting both of their characters were in conflict with each, (see The Creeping Flesh, Dracula, The Gorgon, The Mummy). One instance that threw a curve ball was the film 'Horror Express' where they both actually complemented each other, even though their characters were in competition. But, when there is a 7ft tall flesh eating alien/zombie on the loose and you are trapped in a long journey, on a cramped Siberian Steam Express, you join forces. One of the few that tried to follow this 'PC and CL characters working together was, 'Nothing But The Night' a complicated plot didn't help and not so defined development of their roles, made what could have been a great film, into a confusing one.

 

CINEMA AUDIENCES in the 1960's and 70's liked their fantasy and horror movies, quite simple until flicks like 'The Exorcist' 'Halloween' and 'Alien' came along. Even if the roles played were small variations on what they had seen times before, it was popular : Good Guy, Bad Guy, Trusted guy, Liar...and the also carrying tropes, tried and tested and often box office winners. BUT stray too far from the expected, that has brought that bottom, paying and on that seat, and you are in danger of loosing them and your box office returns. Amicus Films, 'I MONSTER' is such a film. Only a producer like the legendary... oh yes he was.. Milton Subotsky, would take such a gamble. Did he change the characters names from Jekyll and Hyde to Marlowe and Blake, because his personal competitor, Hammer films, had produced and were releasing a swing and twist on the well known story of Jekyll and Hyde, 'Dr Jekyll and SISTER Hyde', that would be released around the time of his efforts? Well, in 1982 I asked him. He said, 'No! I thought it would be fun. I think the public would be bored of another telling of the story and the SAME names.!' Hmmm . .

 

SUBOTSKY also took another gamble, on looking for a young and fresh pair of eyes to direct his planned 'J and H', in all but name, flick. He took a recommendation and suggestion from his lading star name... Christopher Lee. Stephen Weeks was a very young 22 year old, who Subotsky signed up, his trust based on a  aguy who had staretd his career when just 17, directing a series of short films for UK Southern Television's 'Day-by-Day' programme and his cinema short film, 'Moods of a Victorian Church' (1967) at age 19, and his first cinema drama, a film set in the First World War in France '1917' (1968) when he was 20. The film '1917' was the film that Lee had seen, and impressed shared with Milton...

AS IF SUCH YOUNG EYES and hands on the wheel wasn't enough of a tricky path to take, Subotsky threw another dice and this time found numbers, that would almost sink the production. To give his turn on the Jekyll and Hyde story, and a potentially a lap passes Hammer and their throw, Subotsky decided to turn the whole production in a '3D Extravaganza' a costly process, that his bet stake would not cover, so he would put his stake on, a hit and miss hobby and gimmick process called,  The Proven Pulfrich effect, (The Pulfrich effect is a psychophysical percept wherein lateral motion of an object in the field of view is interpreted by the visual cortex as having a depth component, due to a relative difference in signal timings between the two eyes.) For a short time, director Weeks went along with it, until set designers unfortunatley made and  errected sets, that were the WRONG way around, and coud not be covered by the camera, by panning in the desired direction. Weeks quietly dumped any further shooting of footage in Subotsky's recommended request. This is WHY in the film, several scenes that were planned to be used as part of the entire 3D film, were still used in the released 2D footage. The camera pans, sways and never stops moving or dancing around. Shots show the camera straying behind pillars, during conversations and waltzing like a dervish, for no appartent reason . .  it's different! Needless to say, the film was released in traditional 2D, and the 3D became a rumour years after the release, with ferriting fans finding truth around 2000.    

ABOVE: WITH THE HELP OF PCASUK collection photgraphs, you can visit our GALLERY POST FEATURE from AUGUST 2018, of make up artist HARRY FRAMPTON creating CHRISTOPHER LEE'S Mr Blake : RIGHT HERE 

 

MUCH OF THE VALUE in Amicus films , 'I Monster' is the fortunate casting of Lee and Cushing. Weeks did well to let them do their thing. Lee very much enjoyed working on the film and probably, not since Hammer films 'The Curse of Frankenstein' and 'The Mummy', had he given such agreement and assent to wear such disguising make up and prosthetics. His Mr Blake is really enhanced by Peter and Harry Frampton's make uo skills. You can see Lee IS enjoying the role and plays it very well indeed. Sadly, Peter Cushing plays door-mat Utterson, Marlowe's lawyer, which in all versions of the Robert Louis Stevenson story, acts in narrator and damp squid by numbers role. It's a role that, with Subotsky taking some liecence with the Dr and Mister names and some multiplication with his screenplay, really should have also added some meat to the Utterson role too. There is some action with Cushing and Lee in the closing moments, but Cushing looks like he is waiting on the chocks, ready to demonstraite his acting chops. Mike Raven plays a wonderful empty wardrobe in all his scenes, while also guesting Richard (Doctor Who) Hurndall looks the part and plays well with what he has... The fims pace is different to ANY Hammer film, it really ISN'T a Hammer film. What it quite cleverly and bravely is, it plays almost like a victorian melodrama. It's unusal, but works extremely well. Weeks knew what he was doing for sure, so much so there are many fans who credit 'I Monster' as a very faithful adaptation!  

THE INDICATOR BLU RAY RELEASE of Amicus film 1971 'I Monster' is a NEW 2K restoration by Powerhouse films, from ORIGINAL FILM MATERIALS. Indicator here offers TWO presentation of the film : An ORIGINAL 75 minute in dusration THEATRICAL CUT and the lesser seen EXTENDED 80 minute version, BOTH seamlessly branched on a single layered bly ray disc.There is a solid look to the visuals of the film, a typical 'film-like' texture, typical to the UK presentation look of the early 1970's era. The look isn't particularity full of different ranges, which is also typical of theatrical releases at this time. You will spot areas of softness, a look that one can see is inherent in the actual production. This takes nothing away from the experience of the film, and is not to be associated with a fault of the 1080p transfer of this film.  

QUICK LISTING OF 'I,MONSTER' EXTRAS

• Audio commentary with director Stephen Weeks (2020)

• Audio commentary with Weeks and film scholar Sam Umland (2005)
• The BEHP Interview with Peter Tanner - Part One, 1914-1939 (1987): an archival audio recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring the celebrated editor in conversation with Roy Fowler and Taffy Haines (1:15:05)
• Introduction by Stephen Laws (2020): appreciation by the acclaimed horror author (5:57)
• Stephen Weeks at the Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films (1998): archival video recording of the director in conversation (15:47)
• Interview with Milton Subotsky (1985): archival audio recording of the famed producer (3:01:50)
• Interview with Carl Davis (2020): the renowned composer discusses his score (18:07)
• Image gallery: publicity and promotional material
* UK Original theatrical trailer (3:01) / US theatrical trailer (1:47)
• Kim Newman and David Flint trailer commentary (2017): short critical appreciation by the genre-film experts (1:47)
• Limited edition exclusive 36-page booklet with a new essay by Josephine Botting, Milton Subotsky on I, Monster, an archival interview with Stephen Weeks, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits
• World premiere on Blu-ray
• Limited edition of 3,000 copies

INDICATOR'S #EXTRAS features for their blu ray release of Amicus films, 'I, MONSTER' gets off to a great start, with a NEW commentary provided the film's director Stephen Weeks. rarely these days, do we get a Peter Cushing / Christopher Lee release, with such a current vibe! Most directors, of such a film from an era produced over 50 years ago, sadly are no longer with us, to provide a such a current and fresh delivery. Weeks provides all the background on many of the issues concerning the production of this film, from his own and excellent perspective. We all know that the production was to have been produced in 3D, it is very refreshing to not only get the full background on why that was proposed and most importantly, why it didn't happen! He gives us a very informative breakdowns on scenes, the chosen angles, lighting and his experience of working with the cast. It's ALL here.

AFTER DECADES of much speculation from fanzines and magazines, we are able to at last hear his views on working with the producer teams of Subotsky and Rosenberg, warts and all. In my experience talking and corresponding with Weeks for several years, I have always found him to be, very honest, quite detailed in his recall on making 'I Monster'.. having waited a LONG time for a recorded interview with depth and opportunity to finally come along, it's a very reassuring demonstration of the fact, that he is and has always been a director, who even when younger, and produced I Monster, who had bags of vision and talent. 

AS A PLUS we also get the opportunity of a SECOND INTERVIEW with Weeks, which was recorded back in 2005, with Sam Umland. There is also the choice of watching the feature with the accompaniment of over an hour of a BEHP interview with 'Peter Tanner - Part One, 1914-1939  from 1987'. This is an archival audio recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, which features this celebrated editor in conversation with Roy Fowler and Taffy Haines! Indicator are very generous in providing all of the THREE audio options on BOTH edits of 'I Monster'  All three of these audio options are available on both cuts of I, Monster. 

THERE IS ALSO a new six minute introduction by acclaimed horror author, Stephen Laws, next we get a 20 minute archival video recording of Stephen Weeks from 1998, at the Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films. 

NEXT ON THE LIST is another archival interview, this time from producer Milton Subotsky recorded in 1985. As with all Subotsky interviews, there's detail, stories and quite a few surprises. It's a packed THREE HOUR experience!. Renowned composer, Carl Davis provides us with a 18 minute interview, discussing his score for 'I,Monster'.

SOMETHING THAT IS AN EXPECTED EXTRA on blu ray releases these days also gets the Indicator treatment is an IMAGE GALLERY, any of these stills , will probably come as new to most collectors, on set, behind the scenes and press plus there's the gallery of publicity and promotional material, both UK original theatrical trailer and US theatrical trailer plus a Kim Newman and David Flint trailer commentary from 2017, this gives the package a cool, informed and  critical appreciation by two respected genre-film experts. 

VISIT THE TWO PART PCASUK GALLERY FEATURE from AUGUST 2018 with a collection of on set and behind the scenes photographs during the shooting of Amicus films 1971, 'I, MONSTER' :HERE  and  HERE 

IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT this package has a limited edition (3,000 copies) exclusive 36-page booklet with a NEW essay by Josephine Botting, Milton Subotsky on I, Monster, an archival interview with Stephen Weeks, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits. If EXTRAS on blu rays is YOUR THING, like me you will be quite impressed by what is on offer here and busy for quite sometime. Indicator has obviously taken time and care in finding EXTRAS that matter and give the package added value to collector and fans! With an opportunity of seeing this film again, with a cleaner print, crisper image and the whole SKIP LOAD of very interesting extras, these are the reasons for my pre-order. It also brings my Amicus Cushing collection on BLU RAY to a very nice end, shelf stacked and looking complete! So, be wise, place your order and tell them...'TAKE MY MONEY, please . . . '

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