Sunday 10 March 2013

09/03/13 Nightbreed (1990)

Many years ago my brother came home with a copy of a book called The Nightbreed Chronicles. The book's a companion piece to the film, Nightbreed. The book was a beautifully shot, photo heavy, behind the scenes look at the film and, even better, had biographies of many of the fabulous creatures/monsters that feature in it. I was gagging to see the film after repeatedly reading the book.

The story (based on Clive Barker's excellent novella, Cabal) is about a chap called Boone who is something of a troubled misfit, he has reoccurring dreams that beckon him to a semi-mythical place called Midian where The Nightbreed live, left alone by the outside world and away from those who would do them harm. The 'Breed are a large collection of monsters, freaks and the unwanted. The Tribes of The Moon as they poetically call themselves.

Unfortunately, Boone's shrink is a rather dubious fella named Decker who's hobbies include psychiatry, tennis and murdering families. Although I'm not sure about the tennis bit.
Decker decides to frame Boone for the muder-y stuff, making poor Booney believe he is the one responsible for the slaughtering of families and he is blacking out the vile deeds from his memory. This prompts Boone to go on the run and seek out the refuge of Midian. He finds it, but is told he doesn't belong and is an 'innocent'. He discovers Deckers true nature, as Decker himself learns of Midian's existence which leads up to a confrontation at the gates of Midian between the creatures and the humans.

When this was released it suffered from heavy cuts to Barker's intended film, was promoted as something entirely different to what it actually is and received a heavy, grossly unfair critical bollocking.

Still, as I've always said, fuck professional critics. I find too many of them to be gutless careerists afraid to champion genuine creativity in favour of maintaining the status-quo, spoon-feeding us beige opinion on films created only for profit. Why have art when you can have money, eh?

Nightbreed is a brilliant, twisted film. The overt, obvious metaphor is the common one of man being the greatest 'monster' of all (Decker) and that we, humans, will always fear and eventually destroy those that are different to us, even when they mean us no harm.

Excitingly, lots of extra footage, long thought lost, was recently rediscovered and has been shaped into 'The Cabal Cut' which is much closer to Barker's intended film and has spent the last year or two being played at film festivals and one-off screenings around the world. The intention is to snowball enough interest to get this fuller version released onto disc. I flippin' hope it succeeds as I'm gagging to see it. There's a petition you can sign, as well as lots of Cabal Cut back story at the website http://www.occupymidian.com/ You should be a good egg and go and sign the petition. Ta.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100260/
9/10

That's the title, in case you'd forgotten from just now.


Not exactly a children's film. Unless they're really odd kids.


"The first rule of Tie Club is: We don't talk about Tie Club."
"The second rule of Tie Club is: wear a tie."


Whilst napping in the straw, Boone had his 'Riverdance dream' again.


This is Peloquin. He's in the film. He's fucking ace!


Singles night in Croydon: Disappointing.


Would. In that 'sexy hedgehog' kinda way.


Looks like a VW pendant. Probable Beastie Boys fan.


Anal suprise! #Viz, Up The Arse Corner#


"I love this wallpaper!" *points*


"Fries? Aah, go on then."


Baphomet. He's, like, boss of the Nightbreed. I bet they all have nicknames for him behind his back. Like "Jazz Hands" and "Glowstick".


This is how most babies look to me.


Croydon, yesterday.



Perkin.


















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