Review: BLOODY TERROR: The Shocking Cinema of Norman J Warren, 1976-1987

Blu-ray: BLOODY TERROR: The Shocking Cinema of Norman J Warren, 1976 – 1987

When questioned about their favourite horror directors, people often cite Italians such as Dario Argento or Lucio Fulci. Others go more mainstream and choose Americans like Wes Craven or John Carpenter.

However, us Brits have a homegrown horror director, who might not have been as prolific in his output as the as the others, but he sure as hell kept me highly entertained during my youth…and yes, I also watched the movies of Pete Walker, but it was always Norman J Warren who was my favourite.

Thankfully this superb boxset from Powerhouse Films and their Indicator series of releases, will continue to keep me even more entertained by Norman J Warren\’s work well into my later years, thanks to the best audio and visual presentation I\’ve ever seen of these movies, and also an incredible set of special features that has me salivating so much that I\’m still constantly wiping the keyboard dry as I type this.

The movies are: Satan\’s Slave (1976), Prey (1977), Terror (1978), Inseminoid (1981), Bloody New Year (1987).

All of the movies have a quintessential British essence running throughout them, be they set on a deserted island (Bloody New Year), or in outer space (Inseminoid). This is in part due to the great actors that appear in Warren\’s movies: Michael Gough, Stephanie Beacham, Judie Geeson, etc.

However, there is also a smattering (or should that be \’splattering\’?) of blood and gore in the movies, as well as titillating lingering shots of bare flesh…I will never forget the 1st time I saw Judy Geeson lying naked and slowly opening her legs. What happens to her after that certainly took me by surprise, and you\’ll have to watch Inseminoid to find out for yourself. (I got Norman to sign my Inseminoid 1 sheet when I met him in the early 1990\’s, and he was an absolute gentleman).

Throughout all of the movies in this boxset are themes of isolation, tenacity and ambiguity, and while the budget constraints on each of them may very well show through in the occasional wobbly set and sometimes harsh cinematography, the narrative is never hampered by these things and always strives to deliver much more than it has any right to.

You may well have noticed that I haven\’t given a synopsis or breakdown of any of the 5 movies in this set, and this is purely intentional, as I believe that this boxset should be experienced for the 1st time knowing as little as possible about the movies.

\”Well how should I decide whether to buy? \” you may well be asking.

If you\’re already a fan of Norman J Warren, then this is the boxset to buy. 

If you\’re not familiar with his work but enjoy low budget horror, then this is the boxset to buy.

If you\’re a cinephile who loves to experience all spectrums of cinematic output, then this is the boxset to buy.

Yes there are detractors of Warren\’s work who \’poo poo\’ everything that he does, but that also applies to every director out there. 

We\’ve had the pleasure of reviewing many of the Indicator releases, and it is very rare indeed that they let us down. This particular release is definitely a high water mark in all of the boxsets we have had here at 60MW Towers. The special features are absolutely incredible, and even if one (or more) of the movies are not to your particular taste, then spending hours going through all of the commentaries, interviews, documentaries, unseen footage, etc, will give you more of an appreciation (and educated insight) into what it takes to get movies like this made.

Buy this boxset before it inevitably sells out, then sit back and enjoy some great British horror.

INDICATOR LIMITED BLU-RAY EDITION BOX SET SPECIAL FEATURES:

SATAN’S SLAVE

• 2K restoration, newly supervised and approved by director Norman J Warren
• Original mono audio
• Two presentations of the film: the director’s cut (89 mins); and the export version (90 mins)
• Audio commentary with Warren and screenwriter David McGillivray (2004)
• Audio commentary with Warren and composer John Scott (2019)
• Before the Blood (2019, 29 mins): Warren recalls his earliest experiences in the film industry
• All You Need Is Blood (1976, 13 mins): vintage ‘making of’ documentary, presented in High Definition for the first time
• All You Need Is Blood Outtakes (1976, 33 mins): rare and previously unseen footage shot on location
• Creating Satan (2004, 30 mins): archival documentary featuring interviews with Warren, McGillivray, actor Martin Potter, and others
• Devilish Music (2004, 13 mins): archival interview with John Scott
• Two deleted scenes with commentary by Warren
• Censoring ‘Satan’s Slave’ (2019, 16 mins): video demonstration of the cuts imposed by the British Board of Film Censors in 1976
• Original ‘U’ certificate theatrical trailer
• Original ‘R’-rated theatrical trailer
• Image gallery: promotional and publicity material
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• UK premiere on Blu-ray 

PREY

• 2K restoration, newly supervised and approved by director Norman J Warren
• Original mono audio
• Audio commentary with Warren and film historian Jonathan Rigby (2004)
• The BEHP Interview with Norman J Warren – Part One (2018, 60 mins): archival video recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring Warren in conversation with Martin Sheffield
• Keep on Running (2004, 28 mins): archival documentary on the making of Prey, featuring interviews with Warren, actor Sally Faulkner, producer Terry Marcel, and others
• On-set Footage (1977, 3 mins): rare behind-the-scenes footage with commentary by Warren
• The Bridge (1955–57, 7 mins): rare footage from Warren’s ambitious early film project about a pilot on a mission to locate a bridge in Germany during World War II, with optional director’s commentary
• Making ‘The Bridge’ (1957, 2 mins): rare and previously unseen footage with commentary by Warren
• Carol (1962, 3 mins): mute test footage from Warren’s unrealised feature about teenage pregnancy and backstreet abortion, featuring Georgina Hale and Michael Craze, with optional director’s commentary
• Drinkin Time (1963, 3 mins): silent comedy short directed by Warren
• ‘Drinkin Time’ Introduction by Norman J Warren (2019, 4 mins)
• Whipper Snappers (c1977, 1 min): toy advertisement directed by Warren
• ‘Whipper Snappers’ Introduction by Norman J Warren (2019, 4 mins)
• Original theatrical trailer
• Image gallery: promotional and publicity material
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• UK premiere on Blu-ray
  
  

TERROR

• 2K restoration, newly supervised and approved by director Norman J Warren
• Original mono audio
• Audio commentary with Warren and screenwriter David McGillivray (2004)
• The Early Years (2019, 17 mins): Warren recalls his first films as director
• Bloody Good Fun (2004, 41 mins): archival documentary on the making of Terrorfeaturing interviews with Warren, McGillivray, actors Carolyn Courage, Mary Maude, James Aubrey and Elaine Ives-Cameron, and others
• Tales of Terror (2019, 13 mins): actor John Nolan reflects on Terror’s production
• Norman J Warren: A Sort of Autobiography (2004, 28 mins): archival interview with the director
• Four extended scenes, with introductions by Warren
• Norman J Warren Presents Horrorshow(2008, 33 mins): anthology film of five horror tales, hosted by Warren
• Daddy Cross (2011, 2 mins): trailer for a 1978 ‘lost film’, with voice-over by Warren
• Original theatrical trailer
• French theatrical trailer
• TV spot
• Radio spot
• Image gallery: promotional and publicity material
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• UK premiere on Blu-ray
  
  

INSEMINOID

• 2K restoration, newly supervised and approved by director Norman J Warren
• Original mono audio
• Audio commentary with Warren and assistant director Gary White (2004)
• The BEHP Interview with Norman J Warren – Part Two (2018, 67 mins): archival video recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring Warren in conversation with Martin Sheffield
• Norman J Warren at the Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films (2011, 62 mins): archival video recording of the director in conversation with horror author John Llewellyn Probert
• Subterranean Universe (2004, 45 mins): archival documentary on the making of Inseminoid, featuring interviews with Warren, actors Stephanie Beacham, David Baxt and Barry Houghton, and others
• Alien Encounter (2019, 6 mins): actor Trevor Thomas recalls playing the part of Mitch
• Electronic Approach (2004, 13 mins): archival interview with composer John Scott
• Original theatrical trailers
• Horror Planet teaser trailer
• TV spot
• Image gallery: promotional and publicity material
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• World premiere on Blu-ray
  
  

BLOODY NEW YEAR

• 2K restoration, newly supervised and approved by director Norman J Warren
• Original mono audio
• Audio commentary with Warren and film historian Jo Botting (2019)
• Norman’s Wisdom (2019, 29 mins): Warren discusses some of the lesser-known areas of his career, including his work in television and documentaries
• New Blood (2019, 16 mins): actor Catherine Roman warmly remembers her first film role
• The Art of Blood (2019, 15 mins): screenwriter and set dresser Frazer Pearce relates the production history of Bloody New Year
• Fights, Camera, Action! (2019, 11 mins): actor and stuntman Steve Emerson recalls his work with Warren on Terrorand Bloody New Year
• Working with Warren (2019, 10 mins): interview with filmmaker and Warren collaborator Yixi Sun
• Turn Off Your Bloody Phone: Norman J Warren and the Ghost (2013, 1 min): short produced for FrightFest, starring Warren, Sun, and David McGillivray
• Original trailer
• Image gallery: promotional and publicity material
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• UK premiere on Blu-ray

Review by Dave from discs kindly supplied by Powerhouse Films.

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