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Satan's Blade - Blu-ray Review

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3 stars

While never a cult classic, Satan’s Blade is the textbook definition of a cult film.  L. Scott Castillo Jr.’s movie reads, bleeds, and leads with its shoestring budget, amateur acting, and familiarity and, yet, there’s something very, very intriguing about it all.  Originally filmed in 1982, this slasher flick always seemed destined for discovery on VHS or Beta.  While Castillo - in spite of his spoken intentions to revisit the blade - has never made another film, his one movie simply refuses to die.

Every five years or so, I seem to have a conversation with someone about Satan’s Blade.  This Friday the 13th rip-off has a couple of things going for it: demonic possession and a change in environment.  Surrounded by snow, the cabin-based killings – centered upon a supernatural knife that has been invisibly flung into a tree trunk - aren’t for the squeamish.  For me, the uniqueness of Satan’s Blade begins when Ruth (Meg Greene) and Trish (Mary Seamen) open the movie with a $50,000 bank robbery.  After hiding the money in an air vent, the two women are mysteriously murdered by a stranger holding this eerie knife.

The next day, a group of five women, Marlene (Marti Neal), Sue (Ramona Andrada), Stephanie (Stephanie Leigh Steel), Mary (Susan Bennet), and Rita (Diane Taylor) make their way to the cabins for a much-needed vacation.  Tony (Tom Bongiorno), his girlfriend Lisa (Elisa R. Malinovitz), Lil (Janeen Lowe), and her boyfriend Al (Thomas Cue) arrive, too.  Everyone, once gathered together by Duncan (Richard Taecker), the lodge keeper, are startled by his crazy mother (Carrol Cotion) as she tells them all about the murders.

They decide – after reassurances from two local sheriffs, Ben (Fred Armond) and Ski (Ski Mark Ford) – to remain at the cabins.  While the women and men, all very likable (a first for a horror film?), remain jovial and try to laugh off the previous day’s tragedy, tensions soon build as Tony’s girlfriend accuses him of “having eyes” for one of the young women.  And then, when the legend of the giant man who used to roam the mountains becomes unshakable, the unexpected takes over and their vacation becomes a nature trail to Hell. 

Castillo never gives us any answers to the possession that is behind the murders.  It is a wise move that, while frustrating, gives us a reason to remember (and forgive) the rather weaker elements of his movie.  When the murderer is revealed it is a surprise that is as unexpected as it is brutal, giving Satan’s Blade a rather sharp sticking point that – even in a modern viewing – is delightfully wicked.  As poorly scripted as the film is, Castillo does manage to give one of the girls the classy line of “Fuck me walking”, which upon a closer analysis, is an interesting proposition for any character in a slasher movie to consider.

Also of note is the synth-heavy music from Martin Jaquish.  I don’t know a damn thing about this dude but, with music cues this striking, it’s hard to imagine Jaquish didn’t continue to create immersive experiences for motion pictures.  While reminiscent of the work of Goblin did on their soundtracks for Dario Argento, Jaquish’s riffing on the synthesizer and piano make for some strong atmospheric elements that haunts almost ever scene in this picture.  When there is no music, the picture drags a bit. 

And then there’s the poster.  This is a classic of the genre.  So much so, that it was used again for another movie even though Castillo, who is a bit bitter after getting chewed, used, and spit-out by Hollywood, thought he had paid for its exclusive use.  While the demonic figure that is front and center on the movie poster never appears in the film, the image is a haunting one that the movie subconsciously suggests is responsible for orchestrating the events of the movie.

Finally available on blu-ray by Olive Films, with remastering by Slasher // Video from a 2K scan using the original 35mm print, Satan’s Blade is their first of many (as promised) collaborations.  The film may not be the greatest of slasher flicks but it a hell of a lot of fun in its own special way. 

Satan’s Blade is made sharp again.

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[tab title="Film Details"]

Satana's Blade - Blu-ray Review

MPAA Rating: Unrated
Runtime:
90 mins
Director
: L. Scott Castillo Jr.
Writer:
Thomas Cue
Cast:
Tom Bongiorno, Stephanie Leigh Steel, Thomas Cue
Genre
: Horror
Tagline:
Satan's Blade
Memorable Movie Quote: "I hope your first case goes better than mine did."
Distributor:
No theatrical release
Official Site:
Release Date:
September 1988 germany
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
May 12, 2015
Synopsis: At a mountain resort, a local resident is possessed by the evil spirit of an ancient mountain man, and terrorizes a ski lodge.

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[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]

Satan's Blade - Blu-ray Review

Blu-ray

Blu-ray Details:

Available on Blu-ray - May 12, 2015
Screen Formats: 1.35:1
Subtitles
: None
Audio:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Discs: 25GB Blu-ray Disc; Single disc (1 BD)
Region Encoding: A

Olive Films, bringing forgotten films into HD, continues to deliver a sharp product.  Satan’s Blade was never a pretty picture but the remastered print from Slasher // Video is pretty strong.  Some people might be turned away by its presentation, however.  Shot in 1.33:1, the film continues to utilize the 4×3 aspect ratio with a smaller screen in the center and black bars to the side.  Colors are a bit muted but black levels are strong.  The film has aged a bit but the cleaning has removed some of the more obvious defects.  The 1080p transfer is complimented by a DTS-HD Stereo English upgrade.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • None

Special Features:

Olive and Slasher // Video offer a healthy selection of supplemental items that are, at times, more intriguing than the film itself.  There are a series of point-and-shoot interviews with Castillo from various people, a couple of home video scenes, an instrumental version of the soundtrack, and a couple of other bonus items.  This, along with the very retro packaging of the blu-ray makes it a win-win should you purchase.

  • Director’s Narrative (16 min)
  • Remembering Satan’s Blade (32 min)
  • Instrumental I
  • Instrumental II
  • Photo Gallery
  • Dutch Home Video Scene
  • Japanese Home Video Scene
  • Satan’s Blade Trailer
  • Satan’s Blade Scrapbook

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