From the mid-1970s Messiah Of Evil is a seriously uneasy, at times downright chilling costal set mystery/ horror blend.  It regards a twenty-something woman looking for her artist father in a small California town, after receiving disturbing letters from him. Largely it’s set either at nighttime, or in grey murky daylight, and this breeds a very keen sense of both disquiet and mystery from the off. Here from Radiance is a well-deserved new Blu-ray release of the picture-taking in a classy new 4k scan of the film, commentary track, a new documentary about the film, and a few other things.

Released in the year 1974 Messiah Of Evil (aka Messiah of the Evil Dead, Blood Busters, Revenge of the Screaming Dead) was co-directed/ written by Willard Huyck & Gloria Katz.  Huyck had four features to his name going from romantic comedy French Postcards (1979), comedy action film featuring Dudley Moore & Eddie Murphy Best Défense (1984), and early Marvel turkey Howard The Duck (1986).  This was Gloria Katz's one & only feature film directing credit- though she had thirteen writing credits, which went from the classic coming-of-age comedy American Graffiti (1973) onto the video game Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues (2009).

After a stumbling stranger gets their throat slashed in the pre-credits, and dreamlike/ hazed corridor post-credits. We see Arletty (Marianna Hill) travelling through the night to the coastal town of Point Dune- where her father is living, she's made her way there after getting a series of troubling letters from him.  She first stops off at the town's petrol station where the attendant seems to be shooting at something off in the darkness, and an albino African American man turns with laid-out dead bodies in the back of his pick-up.

She then makes her way to her father’s just off the beach house with the nighttime sea lapping against the shore- inside the house she finds a selection of wonderful odd/ screwing with your perspective wall art. There is no sign of her father, and after reading troubling entries in his diary from some days back she knows he’s missing. The next morning, she enquires with the town's blind art seller- who says there were a group of people asking about her father's work- who are staying at the local motel.

She makes her way to the motel- where she meets Thom (Michael Greer) a well-dressed/ rather strange wealthy man who is travelling with two lovers, Toni (Joy Bang) and Laura (Anitra Ford). And really that’s about all I can tell you plot-wise, as there isn’t a complex story here/ and anything else will ruin the impact of the film.

It runs at a spot on the hour-and-a-half mark, and from the off the viewer is pulled into a deep sense of uneasy & chilling disquiet. The main cast is all well picked & well placed in their roles- Hill playing connivingly the daughter worried about her father, and getting more & more out of her depth. Greer portrays well the smartly dressed & mysterious Thom. 

We get a few moments of bloody violence- though these are not the main focuses here- that is the keen & chilling atmosphere which nods towards Lovecraft & low-key zombie law- though in no way is this a conventional living dead film.

I first saw Messiah Of Evil on one of those cheap & unmastered DVD horror film collections- and even in its very ropy print it was most impactful/ memorable- so it’s now wonderful to see the film getting a new 4k print. This is so crisp, clean & well defined- making the whole thing even more haunting & uneasy.

Moving onto the extras side of things- and first off let us talk about the new stuff. We get a commentary track from critics and horror experts Kim Newman and Stephen Thrower. They begin by discussing the different titles the film had- before and after its releases- like The Second Coming, The Blood Moon, Dead People, and Return Of The Living Dead- which landed up writ from George A. Romero, so this was dropped. We get brief bios of bit part actors as they appear, and they discuss how much of the film’s atmosphere is created by the use of camera and lighting.  They talk about the use of artwork on the walls of one of the film's main house- and how this does play with one perception. They chat about how Lovecraft was one of the main influences put forward by the filmmakers, and how the film might have played without the voice-over element. Later on, they discuss the key cinema scene- talking about the film, and its troubled history. We find out that Messiah Of Evil never played in UK cinemas, and how the film has a similar cold tone to David Cronenberg's Shivers. And of course, much more- a most interesting track.

Next, we have What the Blood Moon Brings: Messiah of Evil, A New American Nightmare (56.55) this new doc covers the filmmaking & those behind it. Discussions about its themes & how it ties into European Art House films. Similar films from the period, and more. A most worthy doc. There’s American Gothic and Female Hysteria (21.35) a visual essay from Kat Ellinger- she talks about the origins of American gothic, its tropes, and how it ties into the film again- as always with an extra from Ms Ellinger this is well researched, well put together, and most fascinating.

Finally, on the archive side we have an interview with co-writer-director Willard Huyck by Mike White from the Projection Booth Podcast (37.34) this is audio only affair. The finished release comes with a twenty-two-page inlay booklet- which takes in a new essay about the film, credits, and stills. With the release taking in a reversible sleeve.

Radiance Films have done a stellar job with this reissue- with a wonderful 4k scan, and an excellent selection of extras. If you enjoy uneasy 70’s horror/ mystery blends Messiah of Evil is a must, as is this new release!.