NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Radiance Films Blu-ray (September 2023): Radiance Films have also transferred Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz's Messiah of Evil to Blu-ray. Their transfer is cited as being from a "New 2023 restoration from a 4K scan of the best-surviving elements of the film from the Academy Film Archive". It's quite a bump over the 2014 Code Red 1080P. Even without addressing the 75% higher bitrate (on a dual-layered disc) and that the damage marks and cue blips are removed - the image is brighter, more detailed, more consistent textures and has more layered contrast. Radiance Films has done a real service to fans of Messiah of Evil - a gem of a 70's horror.   

NOTE: We have added 84 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Radiance use a linear PCM dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. I can't tell much difference from the strong Code Red audio transfer that features the electronic music of Phillan Bishop (The Severed Arm, Kiss of the Tarantula) and a fair amount of screaming gals. Unlike the Code Red, Radiance Films offers optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

Radiance include many supplements starting with a new audio commentary by, two of our favorites, critics and horror experts Kim Newman (Classic Monsters Unleashed) and Stephen Thrower (author of NIGHTMARE USA: The Untold Story of the Exploitation Independents.) There is a lot to talk about Messiah of Evil including connections to George Lucas, exploitation films of the 70's and beyond, Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz, the film's "neglected" and "surreal" horror film status, its labeling in the "the American Nightmare" genre, memorable culty cast plus so much more. There is a 37-minute archival (October 2019) audio-only interview with co-writer-director Willard Huyck by Mike White from the Projection Booth Podcast. Willard discusses his start in filmmaking and other projects. It was conduced over the phone so the sound quality is at the weaker end but highly interesting. What the Blood Moon Brings: Messiah of Evil, A New American Nightmare is an almost-hour long documentary feature which explores Messiah of Evil in the context of American independent cinema of the 70s, as well as examining the film's allegiance to several subgenres of horror. It was directed by Kat Ellinger and Dima Ballin, written and produced by Kat and has video content from Guy Adams, Dr. Alexandra Heller-Nicholas (1000 Women In Horror, 1895-2018), Dr. David Huckvale, Mikel J Koven, and Maitland McDonagh - parts were narrated by Jean-Paul Ouellette. It explores Messiah of Evil in the context of American Independent cinema of the 70s, as well as examining the film's allegiance to several subgenres of horror films through its underlying themes. Lastly is another excellent visual essay by critic Kat Ellinger. It runs 22-minutes and looks at American Gothic and female hysteria. The package has a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by 'Time Tomorrow' and a limited edition booklet featuring new and archival writing.

I love Messiah of Evil. Before the opening credits, we get a young Walter Hill (director of Hard Times, The Driver, Streets of Fire etc.) running for his life and killed - then the title appears. Let's look at the model-like 70s gals involved; Marianna Hill (Medium Cool), Joy Bang (Night of the Cobra Woman), and Anitra Ford (Invasion of the Bee Girls) plus two of the classic era guys; Royal Dano (Moby Dick) and Elisha Cook Jr. (The Maltese Falcon, The Killing, Don't Bother to Knock etc. etc.) There are ghoulish, flesh-eating, zombies that evolve into undead preying hordes. They identify themselves when they start bleeding from the eyes. Messiah of Evil doesn't rely too much on the plot which is secondary to all the amazing horror scenes in delightful Techniscope. The grocery store sequence, hinting to consumerism, is worth the price alone. The Radiance Blu-ray has the package the film has always deserved with excellent restored a/v and brilliant extras. Top shelf. Early 70's horror GOLD. Buy or turn into a zombie.

Gary Tooze

***

ADDITION: Code Red Blu-ray (January 2021): Code Red have transferred Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz's Messiah of Evil to Blu-ray. So much about this particular film that I love. The 1080P image perks up the colors, detail, contrast - pretty much every visual area improves. The DVD has elongated the image (thinner faces) and is no contest for the Blu-ray in terms of film presentation. Juts like the DVD there are a few frame-specific and visible cue-blips reel-change markers (see below.)    

NOTE: We have added 80 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Code Red use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. It is another advancement in the film's audio and score featuring the electronic music of Phillan Bishop (The Severed Arm, Kiss of the Tarantula). Like their DVD, Code Red offer no subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Code Red Blu-ray offers the same commentary found on the 2009 DVD with Director Willard Huyck and co-writer Gloria Katz (see Eric's comments below.) Also included is the 22-m,inute documentary with input from director Huyck, co-writer Gloria Katz, editors Morgan Fischer and Billy Weber, mural painter Joan Mocine, and cinematographer Stephan Katz plus the two short films; The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Suitors and Down These Mean Streets. Together they run 22-minutes. So no 'new' supplements but the commentary, documentary and shorts add value to the Blu-ray package. 

Gary Tooze

ON THE DVD (2009): After years of bad pan-scan videos and a compromised 1.85:1 Greek-sourced version, MESSIAH OF EVIL is finally available in its correct Techniscope (2.35:1) aspect ratio and is hellishly beautiful. Anamorphic, progressive, and dual-layer, the transfer retains natural grain and sometimes-intense colors. Seen in widescreen, the compositions are consistently interesting (particularly when live characters are posed against the mural backgrounds of the studio).

 - Eric Cotenas