Doctor Mordrid Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		2.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Doctor Mordrid Blu-ray Movie Review

Nothing -- and everything -- is "Strange" about this release.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 8, 2014

Doctor Mordrid is another fun little Full Moon classic that thrives on story and performances and squeezes every last little bit of movie magic at its disposal out of its rather meager budget. The film is straightforward but satisfying, compact but fulfilling of its basic requirements, somewhat novel but not mind-bendingly unique. In other words, it offers everything in just the right proportion, crafting a pleasing tale of good versus evil on a larger cosmic scope but within the confines of a smaller earthly (and budget-friendly) scale. Basic but effective special effects support a narrowly focused story that's far better than it deserves to be thanks to all of the little thing it gets right and largely thanks to a few excellent performances that flesh out a handful of main characters well beyond even the limits of a good but nevertheless somewhat limiting script.

Spaceman.

Anton Mordrid (Jeffrey Combs) may look like a simple researcher and landlord, but he's anything but. Sent to Earth by a being known as "The Monitor," he's been tasked with preventing a catastrophe at the hands of an evil wizard named Kabal (Brian Thompson) who would see humanity enslaved and open a deadly gate to another realm of pure evil. As Mordrid works to save mankind, he grows close to one of his tenants, the beautiful Samantha Hunt (Yvette Nipar). When Mordrid is charged with a murder he didn't commit, he's forced to use all of his powers at his disposal, and find a little help from Samantha, if he's to save humanity and defeat his powerful nemesis.

Doctor Mordrid hearkens back to a somewhat simpler time in Fantasy/Horror. It's a film that's almost entirely reliant on dialogue, drama, and characterization, with only a few scattered visual effects that almost always work well in supportive roles, that look good in context, and don't overwhelm the movie at any point or interfere with character dynamics, story details, or plot progression. In fact, the only time the visuals bog the movie down is at the end, when an out-of-left-field battle of magical powers proves fairly silly and dull, a lightly entertaining but nevertheless odd and unsatifying way to depict the final cash between good and evil. Otherwise, the film proves to be an excellent example of mind over matter -- in this case, somewhat literally -- and the pluses of story refinement, good character development, and small touches that together make a big impression even in the tiniest of movies. The film shares a lot in common with its fellow Full Mooner, Trancers, a picture that follows almost the exact same macro formula, emphasizing the things that matter most and supporting them, but not defining them, with a healthy bit of low-key visuals effects and quality art direction that contextually impress, even if they're rather paltry compared to something on a much larger scale.

Yet the film's best component is unquestionably its cast. All three primaries -- Combs, Nipar, and Thompson (the latter of whom channels the villain named "Fender" from Cyborg) -- are quite good, elevating beyond the generic and finding a center and sense of conflict or, in the case of Combs and Nipar, a growing bond. The characters enjoy a nice balance between simple construction, accessible conflict and growth, and a steady maneuver towards the endgame that, as noted above, is somewhat disappointing but still the beneficiary of a good hour-plus of movie in the lead-up. Combs is obviously the standout. Beloved in cult fandom by both Horror hounds and Trekkies -- he's the face of several Horror films and franchises, notably Re-Animator, and has played several memorable recurring characters in the Star Trek universe, including the Vorta Weyoun and the Andorian Shran on Enterprise -- he carries a certain sense of authority on the screen and brings to this part a deeper sense of self and the world in which he exists and the world from which he comes. Even when the script is a little flimsy or not quite satisfying in terms of really digging deeply into the character, Combs manages to pull every last bit of detail, nuance, and believability from the part, turning what could have been a rather corny hero in a corny good vs. evil battle into a well-defined figure worthy of the audience's cheer and support.

Doctor Mordrid Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Doctor Mordrid's 1080p transfer isn't the most gorgeous thing on the planet, but it looks very good all things considered. There's a little bit of evident wobble in places, some light compression issues and poor color transitions across bright skies, a few random spots and speckles, and occasionally troubled blacks, but these are relatively few in number of occurrences and generally give way to a good-looking catalogue image. Indeed, the picture enjoys a quality film-like appearance, holding on to a moderate and detail-enhancing grains tructure that tends to help bring out the best in faces, clothes, odds and ends around Mordrid's apartment, and even rough terrain in the early Rio de Janeiro sequence. Colors aren't vibrant and natural or even all that tight, but there's a good balance and presence throughout. Flesh tones mostly satisfy, but as noted black levels can sometimes favor a hint of crush. Overall, however, this is another good Blu-ray presentation from Full Moon.

Doctor Mordrid Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Unfortunately, Doctor Mordrid doesn't conjure up anything more than a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. It's a bit hit-or-miss but barely falls onto the positive side of the ledger in its total. Sonic clarity isn't great, but musical presence is satisfyingly wide across the front with just enough surround information to keep the back speakers at work. The track fails to find much ambience, but a few police station interiors offer a cursory bit of environmental envelopment to help better set the scene. Dialogue reproduction is center-focused and clear, delivered with adequate realism and intelligibility. The track's biggest weakness comes in the form of action effects. Gunshots are disappointingly puny with almost zero impact or stage presence. Shattering glass in the final action sequence likewise fails to find little more than a trace of sound. Still, the track gets the job done on the back of its music and dialogue delivery.

Doctor Mordrid Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Doctor Mordrid contains a quality array of supplemental content.

• Audio Commentary: Actor Jeffrey Combs and Director Charles Band discuss the film's influences (including Doctor Strange) and production background, the picture's style and photography, set pieces and art direction, budget and photography, working in the heyday of the 1990s, Band's and his father's co-direction, cast and performances, stories from the set, and much more. This is a solid, enjoyable commentary between two terrific participants. Fans will be thrilled.
• Videozone (480i, 8:41): A vintage Full Moon supplement that looks at the Band father/son director team, cast and performances, storyline details, film setting and shooting locales, visual effects, and more.
• Uncut Footage (480i, 1:32:42): A huge assortment of outtakes, interviews, on-set footage, behind-the-scenes material, and more from the world of Full Moon and Doctor Mordrid.
• Rare Interview (480i, 12:15): William Shatner hosts Stuart Gordon, Jeffrey Combs, and Barbara Crampton to discuss Castle Freak and other things.
• Trailers (1080p): Additional Full Moon titles, including Trophy Heads, Gingerdead Man vs. Evil Bong, Unlucky Charms, Ooga Booga, and Reel Evil.

Doctor Mordrid Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Doctor Mordrid isn't a perfect movie, but it's like the little engine that could. It squeezes every last bit of goodness out of its rather meager budget and premise that's presented in a straightforward manner, even if it's supposed to be much more complicated beneath the surface and beyond what the Bands have put up on the screen. The movie works on a number of different levels but is certainly first and foremost a product of a strong trio of leading cast that work nicely alongside good production values and quality supportive visual effects. Full Moon's Blu-ray release of Doctor Mordrid delivers high quality video, fair audio, and a solid little collection of supplements. Recommended.