Whew! I never thought this day would come! Scream! Factory has already proven itself to be the best spot for getting older horror films but they really hit the jackpot here. Clive Barker’s 1990 cult classic has finally been released in it’s entirety within a pretty bad ass box set on Blu-ray. The new Nightbreed release comes with the original theatrical cut and the brand new director’s cut which Clive Barker himself always wanted (note: this is not the Cabal Cut).

It’s a damn shame that Barker doesn’t direct anymore, it really is. Nightbreed was his second to last commercial directing effort (last being Lord of Illusions) and since then he has gone back to writing various short stories, video games and screenplays. While I’m excited he is writing the remake of Hellraiser and Jacqueline Ess (based on his short story by the same name), I just can’t help but miss his vision especially after watching the complete badassery that comes from this new Director’s Cut …there’s even a musical number!

As always with Scream! Factory the transfer quality is amazing, particularly with the Director’s Cut given they had to piece it back together from previously “lost” footage. But what really makes this Limited Edition set triumph over anything Scream! has previously produced is the amazing box it comes in. You won’t find a flimsy paper box arriving in the mail, you get a hard sturdy case with original artwork seamlessly printed on it. You also get both versions of the artwork created for Nightbreed on the Director’s Cut and the original poster art on the Theatrical Cut. Last but not least the set comes with a nice collector’s booklet explaining the story behind reviving The Cabal Cut as well as glossy pictures featuring all of the main characters. You can pre-order a copy of Nightbreed: The Director’s Cut – Limited Edition at Scream! Factory for $79.97 and it is WELL worth the money. If it’s out of your budget you can order Nightbreed: The Director’s Cut for $23.95. Both editions come with one version of the posters created for this item.

It had been awhile since I had seen Nightbreed so it was a pleasure to get to watch both the theatrical and director’s cut back to back. Nightbreed is such a stylish flick and it’s a real bummer that it bombed in the box office because Boon’s story is unlike most leading character’s. Boon is such a tragic character because from the word “go” he is doomed and by the one person who is supposed to be helping him! Now one problem I always had with the original cut is that it didn’t really seem to flow well, it paced along fine in the beginning and then all of the sudden everything involving Midian just seemed rushed.

In the Director’s Cut we get a lot more involving the romance between Lori and Boon, which is actually pretty cool because we get to see more of Lori becoming a stronger character while she searches for Boon. I don’t want to spoil the alternate ending but it was a much better and more fulfilling one than the theatrical ending. I was sort of bummed that Decker seems to be less of the focal point in the Director’s Cut, not that he is there less it just seems like he is because of all the extra footage added.

But really the best part of the Director’s Cut is the expansion of the “Nightbreed vs Human” aspect, which goes back to what I was saying about the end of the film being rushed. It really doesn’t make sense for this aspect to be cut down so much because the movie is titled “Nightbreed” but it always confounded me as to why there wasn’t more monster action. Well now I know and boy is it every glorious and tragic! Morgan Creek really dropped the ball by initially cutting over 40 minutes of footage because Nightbreed becomes an entirely different movie, a better one actually even though it is a bit long in the tooth.

Nightbreed: Director’s Cut will be available October 28th, just in time to host a Halloween party with it! So what’s everybody’s favorite part of Nightbreed? Personally I love anything to do with Decker (David Cronenberg) because it’s fucking Cronenberg being a sadistic freak!

Official Synopsis: 

Multimedia horror maven Clive Barker followed the success of his feature directorial debut, Hellraiser, with this equally surreal effort, based on his novella Cabal. The story involves the plight of Aaron Boone (Craig Sheffer), a young man tormented by visions of monstrous, graveyard-dwelling creatures. Seeking the aid of his clinically cold therapist Dr. Decker (played by Canadian horror auteur David Cronenberg) in deciphering his nightmares, Boone becomes convinced that his frequent blackouts are linked to a recent spate of mutilation murders in the area. His frantic search for the truth leads him to the subterranean city of Midian, the dwelling place of a mythical race of undead nocturnal monsters known as the “Nightbreed.” But it is only after he is cornered and shot dead by police that Boone’s real journey begins — he finds himself resurrected as one of the Breed. Though Barker‘s unique and graphic vision is somewhat blunted by choppy editing (thanks to relentless tampering from the studio), this is nevertheless a fine sophomore project from a talented storyteller; the central conceit of presenting the monsters as the “good guys” — at least compared to the gun-and-bible-toting lunatics who hunt them — is handled with verve and originality. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi