Holy shit.
Yesterday I ran a Steady Leak piece about the arrivial of Blu-Ray as the frontrunner of the next generation, one which more than a few people didn’t realize was not 100% serious. Today I run proof that DVD has finally arrived. Not HD-DVD or Blu-Ray, but old fashioned, meat and potatoes DVD.
Sure, it arrived a bunch of years ago but in one fell swoop on one glorious day two of the titles which kept the format from realizing its full potential are coming and for that I declare March 6th a national holiday.
The film that started the ‘pimple turns out to be Indian’ subgenre.
The Manitou: William Girdler may have eventually become a voice in horror but a freak helicopter accident took him out of the circulation of living humans at the super-young age of 30. As a result, his legacy is comprised of ‘Animal Attack’ classics of the 70’s and this; the adaptation of Graham Masterton’s seminal tale of a woman who develops a pimple that grows and grows until it’s obviously not a pimple but the re-incarnation of the evil Indian medicine man, Misquamicus. There are several books in the Manitou series now, all of which proud members of my personal library, but this feature somehow didn’t catch on, a testimony that 1970’s audiences were not sophisticated to latch onto films in which women give neckbirth to shamans. It was before Cronenberg took ‘Body Horror’ to the top. It was before Dances With Wolves reminded audiences that Indians are great, even if they come from pussies and not pimples. It was before The Country Bears did other stuff. A crying shame, for here is a photo I took five minutes ago downstairs in my office:
I’m proud to fly that poster in my office like the American Flag. I support the troops somewhat, but I damn sure support The Manitou. Now that it’s being released on DVD it’s apparent that The Manitou supports me as well.
Catherine Mary Stewart probably did not approve this cover art.
Night of the Comet: Finally on DVD so I can banish my nostalgic love for this film once and for all. Ahhh, it can join Strange Invaders, The Boogens, Galaxy of Terror, and Maniac Cop as films I championed ad nauseum from my youth only to realize what little chunks of asshole they really were.
No screw that, it won’t happen with Night of the Comet. It can’t. Sure, a better "Night of the C" film came out two years later, but this one holds good memories and it’s pointless to cave in and accept it as something less than great now that it’s finally on DVD. Valley girls versus zombies before zombies got run into the ground (seriously, if you’re working on a zombie film right now, go punch yourself) can NEVER be bad.
So, next year on March 6th, I want you to pop open a Guinness for Manitou+1 Day. Three years after that, enjoy a nice glass of Red Zin for Night of the Comet +4 Day.
I feel alive for the very first time.
Order The Manitou from us.
Order Night of the Comet from us.