Tagline: “Humans Are Such Easy Prey”.

I have an original From Beyond 1 sheet and you won’t believe what I did to it. I collaged over it like a fool; what the hell was I thinking? My Vestron Video of this 80’s favorite still works pretty good in all its cropped fullframe glory and for a long time was the only way to see this one. But that has at long last changed as it is now on MGM DVD in a Directors Cut with the previous clipped footage [about a minutes worth] back in place. We are of course talking about Stuart Gordon’s 2nd film that’s runs a very close second as his best film. Here again based on H. P. Lovecraft’s short story of the same title.

Yes fans the “Re-Animator” team [Stuart Gordon, Brian Yuzna, Barbara Crampton, Jeffery Combs, Carolyn Purdy-Gordon] returned for another go at all things gross & gory, sexual, outlandish, darkly funny, and slimy. Ted Sorel, the deviant Dr. Edward Pretorius and assistant Jeffrey Combs as Dr. Crawford Tillinghast are doing radical experiments with a machine called the resonator. They discover that the pineal gland can unlock another dimension or the sixth sense creating a higher level of perverse pleasure. That’s when “IT” came and ate Edwards head off; leaving Combs with a crazy story, looking guilty of the crime, so he is placed in an asylum.

Enter, lovely---to say the least---psychiatric doctor Barbara Crampton who is out to proof Combs bizarre story of said deeds is true. Released into Crampton’s custody with chaperone Ken Foree, the 3 head back to the Pretorius house to recreate the experiment. I try to avoid spoilers so let’s just say things spiral out of control rather rapidly into a deliriously disgusting thrill ride covered with oodles of slimy creature gore under lurid psychedelic Mario Bava meets “Creepshow” comic book lighting. If you haven’t…you really need to see Combs as a brain-sucking madman with a pineal worm sticking out of his forehead.

Here in the Director’s Cut, the full Uncut version has all the little snips including the juicy scene where Combs sucks the eyeball & brains out of Carolyn Purdy-Gordon’s eye socket have been reinstated. A whole crew of people that included the KNB guys did a bang up job doing the f/x with a plethora of grue, crazy slimy creatures and gore. As it all resonates one hellva fun ride that’s a 80’s ‘Creature Feature’ classic without a doubt. Would you believe it was produced by Charles---Fullmoon---Band? The only thing along with Subspieces 1 – 3 that he’s done that’s worth a toss in my opinion.

Notable Dialogue: “I’ve got a dead man with his twisted off cover in some shit the pathologist can’t even identify”.---And---“He used to bring beautiful women here. To eat fine meals, drink fine wine, listen to music. But it always ended with screaming”.

MGM DVD boasts very strong print with bold colors in the correct 1.85:1 widescreen with Dolby Surround Sound.
Sadly the Xtras are slim:
Director and Cast Commentary,
Composer Interview,
The Director’s Perspective featurette: Interesting 8 minute interview with director Stuart Gordon talks about the film
The Editing Room Lost and Found featurette: Gordon briefly talks finding the Trims and the restoration in a 4 minute interview
Photo Montage,
and Storyboard Comparisons
My From Beyond 1 sheet as you can see the tagline at the top.

Doh!!