Product Description

Set in the canadian wilderness, a search is on for a serial killer and an ancient tribe of monsters called the night-breed.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6340 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-06-01
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 101 minutes

Amazon.com
Troubled twentysomething Craig Sheffer is haunted by violent dreams of serial killings and nocturnal invitations by misshapen creatures who live in a misty, mysterious land called Midia. Adapted and directed by Clive Barker (Hellraiser) from his novel Cabal, this tribute to the magical creatures of the night plays like a Jungian reinterpretation of classic myths with a modern twist. Nightbreed are the dead reborn as monsters of legend, fantasies, and nightmares who form their own outcast society in an underground city beneath an Alberta graveyard. Visionary horror director David Cronenberg steps in front of the camera to play Sheffer's unscrupulous psychiatrist, an eerie, unsettling character whose dark side is hidden under a soft-spoken manner and an eerily calm and controlled voice.

Barker has a rather unsubtle approach to this fantastical Holocaust metaphor: every human is a victim, a hick, or a bloodthirsty monster, and the climactic witch-hunt is all gore and spectacle. By contrast the bestial society of outcasts has a kind of natural, innocent savagery that turns protective when the tribe is threatened. Cool-looking beings of bright colors, latex masks, and outrageous bodysuits, they band together like some extreme mutant superhero team with anger-management issues. Barker could use more attention to details (what happened to the so-called mystic properties of his shape-shifting monster heroes when the guns were drawn?), but there's an undeniable charge to his modern take on myth and magic. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews

Where The Wild Things Are...
After finding out just what this film went through, I'm surprised it was released at all. It appears that about half the movie was cut out by the "experts" who decide what we, the audience, will pay to see. Alas, much of the story, character develoment, and monster fx have been excised in order to squeeze NIGHTBREED into it's truncated 101 minute form. Why? Because we apparently are too stupid and easily bored to possibly make it through a longer, more complete version. At least that seems to be the reason. I liked NIGHTBREED, and found it's mythology to be both original and entertaining. Most of the monsters look cool. My favorite is the porcupine babe! I love her quills! Dr. Dekker (David Cronenberg) is chillingly calm and lethal. Charles Haid (Altered States) comes through loud and clear as a brutal hick w/ way too much authority in his cop role. In fact, there's much to admire in NIGHTBREED. I just wish I could see the uncut, non-mutilated version for myself! I'm tired of hearing about how great it could / would / should have been! I hate it when movies are shredded for purely economic reasons. Unfortunately, that's the reality. Hopefully, a restored director's cut is forthcoming...

I think it's good, you might like it.
Not a strong recomendation, true. I know a lot of people who don't like this film, or any films of Clive Barker's work. However, I love it. It's like a fairy tale from Clive Barker's deranged mind.

Good Danny Elfman sound track, pretty locations, and nice acting for a low-budget horror movie. If you like Hellraiser, or like Clive Barker's books, you'll like this.

Nightbreed
This is DEFINITELY an underated classic. I know it wasn't as popular as Hellraiser but heck theres some damn good ideas here! If anyone wants to watch some thing out of this world literally... watch this! I like the idea of who's the real the monsters or the monsters or humans? Look out for Creepy Director David Cronenberg in here in an awesome role.