Blood Rage 1987
Twins Todd and Terry seem like sweet boys – that is, until one of them takes an axe to face of a fellow patron at the local drive-in. Todd is blamed for the bloody crime and institutionalized, whilst twin brother Terry goes free. Ten years later and, as the family gathers around the table for a Thanksgiving meal, the news comes in that Todd has escaped. But has the real killer in fact been in their midst all along? One thing’s for sure, there will be blood and rage!

Blood Rage is a true '80s slasher film with all the right ingredients that really delivers the way a classic Friday the 13th film would. Featuring buckets of gore, some pretty inventive kills, a retro-synth soundtrack, bad acting, gracious nudity, and a few jump scares that turn out to be false alarms. Arrow brings us this incredible 3-disc edition with three versions of the film, exclusive extras, and collectible packaging that is a great way to dive in and enjoy this once lost cult film.

Director: John Grissmer
Cast: Louise Lasser, Mark Soper, Julie Gordon, Ed French
Country: USA
Genre: Horror

Made in 1983 but not given a widespread cinema release in the US until 1987, Blood Rage has been known under a number of titles. (It is also sometimes confused with the Joseph Zito directed 1981 slasher film Bloodrage, to add to the confusion.) The original title seems to have been Slasher, which is the title that the main presentation of the picture on this Blu-ray release contains. In 1987, the film was released to cinemas in America under the title Nightmare at Shadow Woods, in reference to the apartment complex (Shadow Woods Apartments) which forms the locus of the narrative.

Arrow's new Blu-ray release of the film contains both the Nightmare at Shadow Woods and Blood Rage edits (with the latter bearing the onscreen title Slasher), and also includes a composite edit which includes the exclusive footage from both edits of the picture. Blood Rage (or 'Slasher') has been restored in 2k from the original negative; the presentation of Nightmare at Shadow Woods is essentially a ‘rebuild’ of that cut of the picture: it’s based on the same source as the Blood Rage version, but trims the violence as per the original Nightmare at Shadow Woods edit and restores the footage exclusive to that edit of the picture from a 35mm print source. Consequently, there's a notable difference in quality between that footage and the surrounding source, with the inserts from the Nightmare at Shadow Woods edit (ie, the poolside sequence) displaying noticeable print damage and more striking contrast. The third edit of the film that's included in this release is a composite of both cuts of the film, which retains the violence of the Blood Rage edit and also incorporates the narrative footage exclusive to the Nightmare at Shadow Woods cut.

2 x BD50 + DVD9 | 1080p AVC, NTSC | 01:22:13 + 01:19:27 + 01:25:08 | 78.5 Gb + 3% rec
Language: English
Subtitles: English

Extras:

DISC ONE (Blu-ray) & DISC THREE (DVD)

*** The Film (uncut video release version, carrying the title 'Slasher') (82:13)

Audio Commentary - in this exclusive new audio commentary, director John Grissmer offers plenty of information about the film's production history, and specifically where and how various sequences were shot, the scouting/preparation process in Jacksonville, key points of the film's plot, etc.

VHS Opening Titles - in English, not subtitled. (5 min).

Return to Shadow Woods - in this featurette, author and film historian Ed Tucker revisits some of the original locations in Jacksonville, Florida, where parts of Blood Rage were shot. In English, not subtitled. (6 min).

Behind the Scenes Gallery - presented here is a collection of behind the scenes stills, a few of which are rather graphic. With music. (5 min).

Three Minutes with Ted - in this new video interview, actor Ted Raimi (the condom salesman in the movie theater) recalls how he became involved with Blood Rage. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

Both Sides of the Camera - in this new video interview, producer/actress Marianne Kanter explains how she managed to secure funds for Blood Rage and produce it (at the time apparently she was the only female producer), and discusses some of the challenges she faced during the shooting of the film in Jacksonville, her interactions with the actors, her short appearance in the film, etc. In English, not subtitled. (10 min).

Man Behind the Mayhem - in this new video interview, special make-up effects creator Ed French explains how he entered the film business and how some of the more graphic sequences from Blood Rage were shot. In English, not subtitled. (13 min).

Jeez, Louise! - in this new video interview, actress Louise Lasser (Maddy) discusses her acting career and her contribution to Blood Rage. Apparently, it was quite difficult for her to play her character, Maddy, and get used to the graphic footage. In English, not subtitled. (11 min).

Double Jeopardy - in this new video interview, actor Mark Soper (Todd/Terry) explains how became interested in acting and how he prepared to play the two characters in Blood Rage, and discusses the shooting process, his interactions with producer/actress Marianne Kanter, some of the more memorable lines from the film, the film's cult status, etc. In English, not subtitled. (11 min).

DISC TWO (Blu-ray)

*** The Film ('Nightmare at Shadow Woods', US theatrical release version) (79:26)

*** The Film (new composite edit) (85:07)

Outtakes - without sound. A long series of raw outtakes. (27 min).