MovieChat Forums > Messiah of Evil (1974) Discussion > is there a version that looks good?

is there a version that looks good?

posted 18 years ago by crunkyshines
14 replies | jump to latest

Is there a good uncut transfer of this movie? This movie has a certain appeal with the washed out tranfers that are out there, but I would love to see this movie at least one time looking sharp and uncut.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] tabbycat 17 years ago

Sadly, I think there was only one transfer ever done.

I have two VHS editions and one Asian import DVD (the one with some Erica Blanc devil flick). There is some difference in the sound quality, but they all appear to be the same transfer from a scratchy roadshow print. I believe this dates to 1985, the year of the original Video Gems big-box release.

[–] JoeLoebner 17 years ago

Ahh yes. I love those old school Video Gems
vhs tapes.

[–] Capricrn-1 17 years ago

I have this movie on a compilation DVD I bought at Best Buy called "The Living Dead" which comes with 9 movies on 3 DVD's. And the best part of it, it was only $7.99.

[–] cyborg264 16 years ago

I guess you people are living under a rock. Try the Diamond Entertainment version. It's also crappy transfer but it's obviously not the only transfer done.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] s_twcramer 16 years ago

I agree, the St. Clair transfer is probably the best you're gonna find. I have the "Ultimate Horror collection: sleepless nights" boxed set that contains 20 movies on 6 DVDs. I believe its newer than the "living dead" box because all of those films are also on here.

[–] hook-12 16 years ago

Are there any release's of this that keep the films original aspect ratio?

[–] Squonkamatic 16 years ago

The person who states there's probably only one transfer is correct, all those nickel and dime schwag DVD companies just keep ripping each other's ROMs off. The transfer means literally transferring the film to a small screen format, which by the evidence of the six or so versions of this film I have was done in the early 1980s by Video Gems using a cut print, I'd say a 16mm reduction that had been censored for TV broadcast.

At some point in the late 1990s one of the original DVD schwag/public domain companies snagged a Video Gems tape and did a DVD capture. That ROM has now been ripped, re-burned, re-captured and recycled by Diamond, Alpha, Platinum Disc, St. Clair, Brentwood, Mill Creek, and probably a couple others I haven't been able to find copies of yet to compare. But I will wager that ALL of the North American DVD releases show the same cut fullframe transfer.

So if you want to find an "uncut" print of the film and one that is hopefully framed widescreen you have to look for overseas sources. I've seen copies of home video releases from Greece and Japan sell on eBay for gobs of money but have never gotten to see either for myself. But as of January 2008 there is no home video release of MESSIAH that has been described of as widescreen.

[–] jbernhard 16 years ago

I have the Greek release which while far from perfect is a huge improvement.
It crops the 2.35 image off at the sides to approx. 1.85, and the print has been around the block a few times.
I don't think the cruddy US releases are cut / censored either, the Greek tape contains no additional footage.

[–] offramp_tavanipupu 16 years ago

That is a great and comprehensive answer. Thanks.

[–] joshg_123 15 years ago

News!

Code Red DVD will be releasing a 2.35:1 widescreen, cleaned up DVD for Messiah of Evil, due out next summer, of 2009. Here are the caps:

http://codereddvdblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/here-are-some-screenshots-f rom-our.html

I review horror films at: http://www.oh-the-horror.com/
300 with pics!

[–] tabbycat 15 years ago

The Video Gems transfer, awful as it is, is actually uncut.
It is identical to the R-rated theatrical release I saw several times in 1975.

I own a bootleg transfer from some import which has a slightly wider aspect ratio, but there is not a single frame difference between the two.

The only "alternate" version I've ever seen was at a drive-in in the fall of 1976, where it played on a double bill with God Told Me To. The only difference: the Raun McKinnon song was noticeably absent. Director Willard Huyck has posted on the Code Red website that his upcoming director's cut release is also missing the song, which he never wanted on the soundtrack.

You might be thinking it's edited because of the jarring cuts in Anitra Ford's disembowling at Ralph's. This cutting reminds me of similar scenes in many horror movies in which extreme gore was removed to preserve an R-rating (often at the last minute, from existing prints). Only a few frames remain, while we hear her screams over shots of eerily lit grocery aisles. Style or suppression? We'll see what Mr. Huyck has to say.

[–] Leeccdoo 8 years ago

LOOK up the Code Red's DVD/Blu-ray remastered re-releasing of it.
http://www.amazon.com/Messiah-Evil-The-Second-Coming/dp/B002HJMDDY

http://codereddvd.bigcartel.com/product/messiah-of-evil-blu-ray

It's a little pricy, but overall, It's worth getting.