Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		2.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		2.0

Nightbeast Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 5, 2021

1982’s “Nightbeast” was intended to be writer/director Don Dohler’s return to sci-fi/horror after achieving some success with 1978’s “The Alien Factor.” Production challenges were plentiful, but Dohler managed to squeeze out another E.T.-on-the-loose adventure, this time focusing on action and sexploitation to keep audiences interested. As with “The Alien Factor,” the appeal of “Nightbeast” isn’t found with filmmaking polish, but general low- budget craziness, finding Dohler in an angrier mood this time around, ready to make something R-rated and ridiculous, offering scoring duties to a teenage J.J. Abrams, who comes armed with a synthesizer and a handful of genre ideas.

For additional information and screencap comparison, please read the 2019 Vinegar Syndrome release review.

Nightbeast Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Nightbeast" was originally issued on Blu-ray by Vinegar Syndrome in 2019, and true to form for the company, they found a way to make an ugly movie look wonderful, preserving its low-budget look while refreshing the feature for HD enjoyment. Now it's Troma Entertainment's turn to handle "Nightbeast" on Blu, and the results are a clear downgrade from Vinegar Syndrome's offering. The AVC encoded image presentation provides a 1.78:1 aspect ratio (the other disc was 1.33:1), which manages to cut off frame information on the top and bottom, quite severely at times (the first screencap is perhaps the most egregious example in the movie). Detail is softer, with chunkier, blockier grain. Colors are acceptable, but not as vivid as the Vinegar Syndrome disc, offering a basic appreciation for primaries and greenery. Delineation is acceptable. Source has some speckling and scratches.

Nightbeast Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This being a Don Dohler production, sound quality isn't exactly a priority. The 2.0 Dolby Digital mix isn't troublesome, pushing clear dialogue exchanges that detail performance choices. Alien grunting is inherently muddled, but it remains appreciable. Scoring cues support with a comfortable synth presence.

Nightbeast Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Intro (2:07, HD) features Troma Entertainment honcho Lloyd Kaufman wandering through bushes, exploiting the J.J. Abrams connection to "Nightbeast" and celebrating Don Dohler's filmography. Kaufman also shares puzzling non-information about the movie's "revolutionary political content" and welcomes viewers to the "lovingly recreated, digitally remastered director's cut" of "Nightbeast."

• Original DVD Intro (2:18, SD) takes viewers into Troma headquarters, where Lloyd Kaufman and actress Debbie Rochon have fun with a dubbing joke as they share information about the Don Dohler actioner. And Kaufman welcomes viewers to the "lovingly recreated, digitally remastered director's cut" of "Nightbeast."

• 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.

• "Crashing the Set" (14:30, 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" (18:54, 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 

Weirdly, Troma Entertainment is putting "Nightbeast" back into the marketplace when it's still easy to pick up the Vinegar Syndrome version, which features a terrific visual presentation for such a grungy movie, and offers an additional interview on the line-up of extras. The Troma offering is certainly easier on the wallet, but framing issues and the absence of a true restoration effort eliminates the appeal of the release.