Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Nightbeast Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 25, 2019

A B-movie director who never seems to possess a budget that matches his visual ambition, Don Dohler found some success with 1976’s “The Alien Factor,” which managed to find its audience in the late-‘70s cable scramble for everything sci-fi. He went on to make “Fiend,” another chiller, but with 1982’s “Nightbeast,” Dohler returns to his first inspiration, basically remaking “The Alien Factor” with a slightly higher budget and slightly lower standards. Instead of trying to mount a semi-thoughtful understanding of human impatience when dealing with the unknown, Dohler kicks out the jams and launches “Nightbeast” with oodles of gore and nudity, also doing away with the concept of alien complications, making the monster here pure evil and in a mood to eliminate as many earthlings as possible. It’s a sleazy, violent adventure, also identifying the helmer’s newfound disregard for nuance, going full steam ahead into R-rated waters.

An alien has crash-landed in rural Maryland, and the monster has no interest in peace. Armed with weaponry and claws, the visitor elects to take on all comers, becoming a major headache for local law enforcement and politicians. The screenplay tries to expand this world with a plethora of characters, giving the aggressor a shooting gallery of humans to mow down or slice through during its periodic emergence from the dark. This being a Dohler Joint, depth isn’t prioritized and personalities are limited at best, finding most performances too amateurish to connect with any sort of rising concern the screenplay is aiming to explore. It’s a backyard production, and may familiar faces from “The Alien Factor” return to duty, only this time the conflict isn’t a mystery, it’s a bloodbath. To secure the marketplace appeal of “Nightbeast,” Dohler focuses on spilled guts and laser blasts, making the picture more direct with its bottom-shelf appeal. He makes time for sex as well, with a mid-movie love scene between the town sheriff and his deputy perhaps the silliest bedroom encounter ever put on film. It’s almost worth a purchase just to watch this scene over and over.

Nightbeast Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Newly scanned and restored from its 16mm camera negative," "Nightbeast" is offered perhaps previously unthinkable clarity during the AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation. Cinematographic limitations are found throughout (focus is an issue here, along with shifts into gauzy shooting, creating bloomy whites), but the frame is illuminated as far as it can go, securing action in limited lighting, while the characters retain detail in costuming and close-ups. The beast also enjoys definition, showcase its rubbery construction. Colors are defined, handling primaries with ease, while more pronounced hues, such as orange and red laser blasts, pop as needed. Skintones are natural. Grain is heavy but film-like. Source has some specking and scratches.

Nightbeast Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA mix retains the original simplicity of the "Nightbeast" aural experience, putting most attention on dialogue exchanges, which maintain reasonable clarity as the production fights to figure out sound needs. Scoring isn't overwhelming, but the synth mood is met, just not always powerfully as expected. Sound effects are satisfactory, with whizzing laser blasts and punchy gun fire.

Nightbeast Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Don Dohler and actor George Stover.

• "Nightbeast Returns" (25:09, SD) is the making-of for the film, with Dohler leading the discussion, joined by cast and crew members. Project origins are recounted, with "Nightbeast" actually entering production in 1980 under a different helmer. When problems ensued, the shoot was canceled, revived a year later with Dohler reluctantly taking control after making "Fiend." Trying to keep up with trends of the day, "Nightbeast" enjoyed a newfound interest in gore and nudity, making Dohler uncomfortable, as the female cast member targeted for disrobing was actually his aunt's hairdresser. With his first edit short, the director was tasked with creating filler to beef up the run time, and one interviewee is happy to share a few drinking stories from the set. The tale of J.J. Abrams's contribution to the score is presented, and Abrams actually pops up in the featurette, explaining what was going through his 15-year-old mind during the creative process.

• "An Electric Performance" (15:44, HD) sits down with Jamie Zemeral, with the actor sharing his early interest in the profession, managing to become part of the background action in the climax of "Grease." After meeting Dohler, Zemeral joined the "Nightbeast" shoot, offered an incredible learning experience at the time, including the ins and outs of fight choreography and motorcycle stunts. Zemeral closes with an honest assessment of his performance and the quality of the film.

• "Crashing the Set" (14:31, HD) is a talk with visual F/X artist John Ellis, who was hired to create the opening alien crash landing sequence. Ellis is a candid man, openly detailing not only the work required to pull off such an ambitious opener with little money, but his relationship with Dohler, which was contentious, leading to years where the men wouldn't speak to each other. Ellis shares a story about their last reunion, but such comfort is brief, going right back into the ways Dohler would brazenly try to avoid paying a fair price for hard work.

• "Shooting the Night Beast" (19:04, HD) spends time with cinematographer Richard Geiwitz, who recounts his early moviemaking interests and his eventual meeting with Dohler for "The Alien Factor." The interviewee discusses production achievements and visual efforts.

• Visual F/X Gallery (4:16) is a terrific collection of workshop photos, exploring how the initial crash sequence was created.

• Outtakes and Bloopers (6:40, SD) is a collection of mix-em-ups and downtime between shots.

• And a Trailer (1:57, HD) is included.

Nightbeast Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Nightbeast" isn't a better film than "The Alien Factor," but it's a more direct viewing experience. Bad acting, goofy effects, and limited excitement is never far from view, but there's a newfound intensity to Dohler's third directorial outing that holds attention.