Happy 35th anniversary, beautiful. ❤️
Read my original review <B><A HREF="https://boxd.it/2PuQBN">here</A></b>.
Nightbreed
A new reason to fear the night.
Rating
5.0 (1)
Release Date
2/16/1990Runtime
121 minsOverview
A troubled young man is drawn to a mythical place called Midian where a variety of friendly monsters are hiding from humanity. Meanwhile, a sadistic serial killer is looking for a patsy.
Status
ReleasedOriginal Language
EnglishBudget
$11,000,000Revenue
$8,862,354Homepage
-
How It Feels
Read from this film's synopsis, keywords and credits, and used to work out what it sits beside.
A darkly baroque fantasy about misfits and monsters finding sanctuary in an underground realm, subverting horror tropes by making the hunted sympathetic and society itself monstrous. It's visually ornate and genuinely strange, with genuine pathos beneath the genre excess.
Mood
UnsettlingDefiantWistful
Themes
IdentitySurvivalComing apart
Tone
Earnest
Pacing
Propulsive
Look
Stylized genrePainterlyHigh-contrast
Structure
Linear
Heads up
Graphic violence
Recent Reviews
The X-Men of horror films. Clive Barker's <I>Nightbreed</i>, based on his book "Cabal", is a horror masterpiece that showcases a society of beautiful monsters with incredible powers who are pitted against humans who are hellbent on destroying them. In addition, there's a serial killer (played by the always-brilliant David Cronenberg. Yes, <B>THAT</B> David Cronenberg) thrown into the mix with a vengeance of his own. The characters, special FX, and storyline are perfectly pieced together in this horror/fantasy film.
(<A HREF="https://boxd.it/4S3Dp9">Originally published on LG OLED's Letterboxd</A>)
[Listen to me talk about <I>Nightbreed</i> on <B>The Letterboxd Show</b> Podcast <B><A HREF="https://pod.link/letterboxd/episode/39964f85ef60d3a99e8c6f084f37c941">here</A></b>]
Over thirty years ago, I was introduced to Clive Barker's <I>Nightbreed</I> on opening day at a small movie theater on Long Island. Because I was too young to go alone (and I needed a ride), my mother accompanied me, resulting in us being the only two people there. When you go into a theater, you expect to be taken away to a magical place for a short period of time, which is exactly what this film did.
I had already been exposed to a large number of horror films featuring serial killers, possessed homes, and aliens. None of them affected me quite like this film.
To this very day, <I>Nightbreed</i> still ranks #1 on my list.
Every horror film that I had seen prior to <I>Nightbreed</I> featured monsters that were evil and committed unspeakable acts on people of all ages. In <I>Nightbreed</I>, the roles are reversed. While we were introduced to hideous monsters with unbelievable capabilities, it turns out that humans are the real monsters.
<blockquote><I>To be able to fly, to be smoke, or a wolf? To know the night and live in it forever? That's not so bad. You call us 'monsters,' but when you dream, you dream of flying, and changing, and living without death.</I></blockquote>
The film blesses us with strong performances from both Craig Sheffer and David Cronenberg (yes, <B>that</B> David Cronenberg), the latter whose character, Dr. Philip K. Decker, is a vicious, human monster who is hellbent on destroying what he will never be. Throw in a love story, a brief history about Midian and how it came to be, and a to-the-death match in an underground world, this film is <B>everything</B>. While I'm a fan of the original theatrical cut, <B>The Cabal Cut</B> does offer a more in-depth look into the film's full vision (cut), including additional scenes and deaths, so I do suggest checking that version as well.In addition, <I>Nightbreed</I> is a superhero film. It's, as I read somewhere, the "X-Men of Monsters".
Overall, if you're either looking for a horror film that features a stellar performance from David Cronenberg or a film where you root for the monsters, <I>Nightbreed</I> is for you.
Happy 32nd Birthday, Beautiful! 🖤
@morgancreek
@joshruben
Popular Reviews
Happy 35th anniversary, beautiful. ❤️
Read my original review <B><A HREF="https://boxd.it/2PuQBN">here</A></b>.
The X-Men of horror films. Clive Barker's <I>Nightbreed</i>, based on his book "Cabal", is a horror masterpiece that showcases a society of beautiful monsters with incredible powers who are pitted against humans who are hellbent on destroying them. In addition, there's a serial killer (played by the always-brilliant David Cronenberg. Yes, <B>THAT</B> David Cronenberg) thrown into the mix with a vengeance of his own. The characters, special FX, and storyline are perfectly pieced together in this horror/fantasy film.
(<A HREF="https://boxd.it/4S3Dp9">Originally published on LG OLED's Letterboxd</A>)
[Listen to me talk about <I>Nightbreed</i> on <B>The Letterboxd Show</b> Podcast <B><A HREF="https://pod.link/letterboxd/episode/39964f85ef60d3a99e8c6f084f37c941">here</A></b>]
Over thirty years ago, I was introduced to Clive Barker's <I>Nightbreed</I> on opening day at a small movie theater on Long Island. Because I was too young to go alone (and I needed a ride), my mother accompanied me, resulting in us being the only two people there. When you go into a theater, you expect to be taken away to a magical place for a short period of time, which is exactly what this film did.
I had already been exposed to a large number of horror films featuring serial killers, possessed homes, and aliens. None of them affected me quite like this film.
To this very day, <I>Nightbreed</i> still ranks #1 on my list.
Every horror film that I had seen prior to <I>Nightbreed</I> featured monsters that were evil and committed unspeakable acts on people of all ages. In <I>Nightbreed</I>, the roles are reversed. While we were introduced to hideous monsters with unbelievable capabilities, it turns out that humans are the real monsters.
<blockquote><I>To be able to fly, to be smoke, or a wolf? To know the night and live in it forever? That's not so bad. You call us 'monsters,' but when you dream, you dream of flying, and changing, and living without death.</I></blockquote>
The film blesses us with strong performances from both Craig Sheffer and David Cronenberg (yes, <B>that</B> David Cronenberg), the latter whose character, Dr. Philip K. Decker, is a vicious, human monster who is hellbent on destroying what he will never be. Throw in a love story, a brief history about Midian and how it came to be, and a to-the-death match in an underground world, this film is <B>everything</B>. While I'm a fan of the original theatrical cut, <B>The Cabal Cut</B> does offer a more in-depth look into the film's full vision (cut), including additional scenes and deaths, so I do suggest checking that version as well.In addition, <I>Nightbreed</I> is a superhero film. It's, as I read somewhere, the "X-Men of Monsters".
Overall, if you're either looking for a horror film that features a stellar performance from David Cronenberg or a film where you root for the monsters, <I>Nightbreed</I> is for you.
Happy 32nd Birthday, Beautiful! 🖤
@morgancreek
@joshruben
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