Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Death Magic Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 22, 2023

It’s not every day when one encounters a tale of black magic mixed with post-Civil War antagonisms. 1992’s “Death Magic” looks to blend wartime madness with astral curiosity, giving co-writer/director Paul Clinco a semi-interesting start to his shot-on-video endeavor, showing a little more ambition than the average backyard production. It’s a no-budget offering of exploitation, with some gore and emphasis on nudity, but Clinco doesn’t lean into the trashier aspects of the movie. Instead of summoning madness, the material becomes caught up in the ways of the occult and bland relationships, moving away from the central menace of a dead military monster pulled from beyond to exact revenge on his enemies.

In 1875, Major Parker (Jack Dunlap) has been hanged for war crimes after going insane while on duty, slaughtering innocent Native Americans and those who oppose him. In the 1990s, Powell (Keith DeGreen) is a historian with an interest in black magic, joining his friends in a secret ceremony to reach into the astral plane and connect with the beyond. What the cultists actually find is Major Parker, who returns to slaughter the descendants of his original accusers, putting Powell in a panic, turning to Donald (Norman Stone), an expert on the subject of necromancy, for help.

“Death Magic” spends time examining the saga of Major Parker, a sadistic man hoping to clear his way through a peaceful Native American population. However, the bulk of the story belongs to Powell, a young man with a dream to reach forbidden places through dark magic, finally making a discovery that permits his necromancy vision to become real. There are a few ceremonies in “Death Magic,” which never go well for the characters, and they manage to bring Major Parker back to power, giving the story a slasher-like sense of danger. Major Parker is after those who previously killed him, paving the way for passable mayhem as the (really) old timer finds and slices relatives with his sword.

Major Parker seems undefeatable, emerging as a ghost with rage issues, delighted to kill all who once condemned him, gleefully tearing through bodies, including a newly married couple enjoying a moment of wedded bliss in bed. Powell is meant to be the protagonist of the feature, but he’s just as destructive, putting friends in the line of fire with his experimentation, which results in the death of two cult members. Powell is overwhelmed by his powers, and promptly disposes of the bodies in an alley, with the rest of “Death Magic” exploring his rising levels of panic, facing the unreality of the situation and criticism from others, including Marisa (Anne Coffrey), who’s equally drawn to trouble. The screenplay soon focuses on her interests, looking to love Donald, who’s already huffy about the Major Parker situation, trying to correct the many mistakes Powell has made.

Those coming to “Death Magic” expecting a horror film are sure to be disappointed. There’s not much suspense in the feature, with only a few sequences devoted to graphic encounters involving questionable makeup effects. There’s sexploitation as well, with Clinco showing just as much interest in topless actresses as he does violence. However, it’s not enough to power up the production, which largely deals with dull dramatics involving Donald and Powell, with the latter treated to an extended sequence showcasing his quest to sneak into a library after hours. Again, Major Powell disappears from “Death Magic” for long periods of screentime, and when he does go nuts, there’s not enough of it to get the picture off the ground, with most of his story taking place in 1875, where he faces accusers and legal challenges. It’s not exactly the stuff nightmares are made of.

Death Magic Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation deals with a typical shot-on-video appearance. Fine detail isn't the goal here, but frame particulars are appreciable in their low-res state, exploring bodily harm and black magic events. Color does what it can, examining blue military and occult costumes and washes of red horror, including bloodshed. Skin tones are within the realm of natural. Source is in decent condition.

Death Magic Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix offers clear dialogue exchanges, with heated exchanges remaining free of distortive extremes. Scoring retains a defined synth sound, supporting moods with appreciable instrumentation. Sound effects are blunt.

Death Magic Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Paul Clinco.

• Podcast Excerpt (17:08) is an audio-only clip about "Death Magic" from Genre Grinder.

• Rough Cut Ending (9:47, SD) presents the conclusion of "Death Magic" with extended violence.

• Video Source Comparison (5:07, SD) presents "Death Magic" clips, offering a look at the Commercial VHS, D2 Master, and SVHS Rough Cut versions of the film.

• Image Gallery #1 (7:11) collects synopses, reviews, and publicity pages for "Death Magic."

• Image Gallery #2 (3:49) collects BTS snaps and publicity shots.

• A Trailer is not included on this release.

Death Magic Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Clinco hopes to create a sense of authenticity to the astral events in "Death Magic," throwing around terms and symbols, which hint at danger not always fully understood. Perhaps there's some realism in play as the characters look to the stars for guidance, but such an education doesn't transfer to viewers, who are left with a labored screenplay and limited excitement. Police eventually enter the story, but, again, they're not here to apply pressure on the characters, simply here to be skeptics and eventually play into Clinco's rough idea of an ending. There's potential in the strange world of "Death Magic," but the helmer doesn't have a game plan for the project, burying it in jargon and throttling pace. It immediately appears the wrath of Major Parker is the way to go with this type of production, merging strangeness with SOV limitations, but the movie doesn't take the hint, refusing to become a bizarre slasher, looking to the ways of basement sorcery and prairie justice to captivate viewers.