The Sorcerers (Tigon Collection) (88 Films)

[cooey]

The Sorcerers (Tigon Collection)
Release date: 5th August
Pre-order: Amazon.co.uk & HMV

When aging medical hypnotist Dr. Marcus Monserrat and his wife Estelle decide they want to live beyond their years by mentally controlling the body of a younger specimen, they embroil twenty-something Mike Roscoe into their plans. But things start to go array when Estelle’s ‘experiments’ take on a more murderous tone.

Featuring horror legend Boris Karloff; and Ian Ogilvy (Witchfinder General), this second feature from critically acclaimed director Michael Reeves serves up a strange science fiction scare-fest, guaranteed to send creeps down the spine.


LIMITED EDITION FEATURES (3000)

LIMITED EDITION REVERSE-BOARD GLOSS O-RING
BOOKLET NOTES BY JOHNNY MAINS

SPECIAL FEATURES

- High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation in original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio
- Original Uncompressed Mono
- Optional English SDH
- Audio Commentary by Film Journalists William Fowler & Vic Pratt
- Audio Commentary by Film Critics Kim Newman & Sean Hogan
- Can’t Get You Out of My Head - Ian Ogilvy on The Sorcerers
- Black Magic Camera - Interview with Assistant Cameraman Don Lord
- Controlling the Cuts - Interview with Editor David Woodward
- Original Trailer
- Stills Gallery
- Reversible sleeve featuring new artwork by Sean Longmore & original poster

[Doomhunter]

Excellent artwork!

[drterror666]

Love this film and it's one of Tigon's best. I missed the Screenbound version, so will definitely be getting this one.

[RFK]

Reeves brings everyone down in this film just as he did in Witchfinder General.
Such a nihilistic and brilliant director who died way too early. Excellent film, day one.

[cgpublic]

I'm going to source this from OrbitDVD as soon as pre-order is up.

[the13thman]

I'm glad I never upgraded this, that artwork is lush, I'm a sucker for pinks and purples.

[grahams76]

I’ll upgrade if this has an improved transfer over the Screenbound.

[oddbox83]

Even if it's the same underlying scan, I'd buy again if it's graded properly this time. The Screenbound discs with Pinewood grades were horribly jaundiced.

88 Films, can you shed any light on if this latest batch of Tigon movies has had such work done?

[everygrainofsand]

I haven't seen this one, but on the basis of its director I'm real tempted to make a blind buy. Is it in the same league as Witchfinder General? I 'enjoyed' that hugely.

I also rather liked Tigon's Hannie Caulder and The Beast In The Cellar (both of which I've pre-ordered/bought). But I couldn't stomach The Body Stealers, which was very poor.

So is The Sorcerers a safe blind buy, do you reckon?

[grahams76]

Yeah, it's a good film that's way above average for its type. However, it isn't in the same class as Witchfinder General.

[RossyG]

Originally Posted by everygrainofsand

I haven't seen this one, but on the basis of its director I'm real tempted to make a blind buy. Is it in the same league as Witchfinder General? I 'enjoyed' that hugely.

I also rather liked Tigon's Hannie Caulder and The Beast In The Cellar (both of which I've pre-ordered/bought). But I couldn't stomach The Body Stealers, which was very poor.

So is The Sorcerers a safe blind buy, do you reckon?

If you like Beast in the Cellar, then yes, buy with confidence.

It’s very good, but as stated above, it’s not as good as Witchfinder.

I’d also recommend Michael Reeves’ Revenge of the Blood Beast, which is coming in July from Raro by way of Radiance:

https://www.radiancefilms.co.uk/prod...blood-beast-le

Amazing to think he was 23 when he made this, 24 when he made Sorcerers and 25 for Witchfinder. A sad misadventure with antidepressants robbed him of life and us of a chance to see what he could’ve made in the cynical Seventies, which could’ve been his perfect era. Not too hard to imagine him making films akin to Dog Day Afternoon, The Exorcist, Hills Have Eyes and the like.

[everygrainofsand]

Originally Posted by grahams76

Yeah, it's a good film that's way above average for its type. However, it isn't in the same class as Witchfinder General.

Originally Posted by RossyG

If you like Beast in the Cellar, then yes, buy with confidence.

It’s very good, but as stated above, it’s not as good as Witchfinder.

I’d also recommend Michael Reeves’ Revenge of the Blood Beast, which is coming in July from Raro by way of Radiance:

https://www.radiancefilms.co.uk/prod...blood-beast-le

Amazing to think he was 23 when he made this, 24 when he made Sorcerers and 25 for Witchfinder. A sad misadventure with antidepressants robbed him of life and us of a chance to see what he could’ve made in the cynical Seventies, which could’ve been his perfect era. Not too hard to imagine him making films akin to Dog Day Afternoon, The Exorcist, Hills Have Eyes and the like.

Thanks, guys. I appreciate the enthusiastic responses. And on that basis, I'm going to go ahead and pre-order

The Reeves story is indeed tragic. One can only imagine the caliber of work he'd be producing as he matured into the 70s and 80s. If only he'd managed to hang on I'm shortly going to check out Revenge of the Blood Beast - so thank you for the link.

[oddbox83]

In 3 movies, the development as a director he goes on is incredible to see. If he managed such growth in just 3 films, imagine what he could have achieved had he lived?

You can rate his movies in reverse order then in terms of how good they are. But yeah, The Sorcerers is not one of the best movies of all time, but as others have said it's top tier stuff in it's little subgenre.

[MegatronX]

This still really freaked me out as a kid, in the Denis Gifford Pictorial History of Horror Movies

[Show spoiler]

[Hammerlover]

Originally Posted by MegatronX

This still really freaked me out as a kid, in the Denis Gifford Pictorial History of Horror Movies

[Show spoiler]

Me too! That book was a bible to me growing up.

[MegatronX]

Originally Posted by Hammerlover

Me too! That book was a bible to me growing up.

Me too! It's a weird book in hindsight as it appears he wrote it in the early 60s and didn't really update it much by the time it was published - so no mention of Night of the Living Dead, for instance. And his snooty Leslie Haliwell comment about Hammer - "In quantity they are approaching Universal, in quality they have yet to reach Monogram" is rather odd, considering the book is loaded with Hammer stills.

[cooey]

Pre-order up at HMV for £13.59 with the discount

HMV

[JoelGoodsen]

Originally Posted by cooey

Pre-order up at HMV for £13.59 with the discount

HMV

Just saw this.....can you work your magic for me please pal via PM?

[Lord-Oakbeard]

Originally Posted by Hammerlover

Me too! That book was a bible to me growing up.

Me too. I still have the book and read through it every October.

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by MegatronX

This still really freaked me out as a kid, in the Denis Gifford Pictorial History of Horror Movies

[Show spoiler]

Had this book as a young lad, and still have it. An unforgettable still. And film. And book.