Run Time: 1 hour 30 minutes 15 seconds
Region Code: FREE
Region Code: FREE
Disc Count: 1
Picture: 1080i (1.33:1 aspect ratio)
Sound: English Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles: English
Slipcover: Yes
Digital Copy: No
Starring: Scott Davis, Jude Johnson, Blue Thompson, Brad McCormick, Suzy Meyer, Rex Morton
Written by Bret McCormack
Directed by Bret McCormack
Rating: Not Rated (strong graphic violence and gore)
Picture: 1080i (1.33:1 aspect ratio)
Sound: English Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles: English
Slipcover: Yes
Digital Copy: No
Starring: Scott Davis, Jude Johnson, Blue Thompson, Brad McCormick, Suzy Meyer, Rex Morton
Written by Bret McCormack
Directed by Bret McCormack
Rating: Not Rated (strong graphic violence and gore)
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Poster
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What's It About?
Deep in the heart of rural Texas, a TV evangelist exorcises a tumor from the body of a loyal worshipper, who soon coughs up the growth. Unknown to her, the cancer is actually a carnivorous life form that slithers its way into her son Cody while he sleeps, growing inside him until he is completely under its control. Now Cody must feed the beast fresh victims to keep them both alive, as the monster grows larger and larger, threatening to feast on everyone in its path.
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Video/Audio
THE ABOMINATION was shot on Super 8 film stock but is only available from an SD source. I would say that the original footage has been lost over time. The back of the box and the title card before the film's menu plays tell us that the footage was taken from "the best source materials available, which includes SD master tapes" so we have to take everything with this in mind. To put it bluntly: the picture isn't all that great. The picture is soft with very little in the way of definition. It looks like a copy of a copy. Anyone who grew up in the 80s and 90s knows exactly what that looks like. I don't have a problem with this at all because of the film's origin and whatnot. When it comes to films like THE ABOMINATION, KILLING SPREE, and KILLER WORKOUT you have to be very understanding. Many times, the filmmakers have either lost the original film footage or didn't keep said footage in the best of conditions and it withered away. Had this been done by a studio then we would have had a problem but this was done by a small label so we understand.
The audio is fine. It sounds a bit better than the film looks. I had no problem with the audio but some might as it is not lossless.
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Extras/Packaging
Commentary with director Bret McCormick, Rob Hauschild, and Matt Desiderio of Visual Vengeance
Commentary with Tony Strauss of Weng's Chop Magazine
"Monster Kid Movie Maverick" - Bret McCormick Interview (1h 13m, HD, 1.78:1) Bret McCormick goes through his entire life and career from the first horror film he saw (From Hell It Came) to the present day. He worked on The Crater Lake Monster as an assistant camera operator where he got paid $100 a week. He tried to get work on other films but could not find a good paying one so he started his own production company and made his first film, Tabloid. He then continues by telling us stories about each of the films he made including the troubles of getting distribution to his friendship with Fred Olen Ray.
Actress Blue Thompson Interview (6m 30s, HD, 1.78:1) Says she got the role in The Abomination because she was sleeping with the director (her words). She has many fond memories of making the film including working on the effects and being eaten by the Abomination.
Actress Victoria Chaney Interview (5m 11s, HD, 1.78:1) She starts the interview by talking about an affair she had with a co-star. She then talks about the effects saying the film should have been nominated for an Oscar for effects.
Interview with Original VHS Distributor Michael Joel Shoel (Donna Michelle Productions) (14m 47s, HD, 1.78:1) The First film he released was Cannibal Campout and he wanted to release more horror films. He then goes on to talk about the various films he has released over the years.
The Abomination - Original Locations Tour (13m 10s, HD, 1.78:1) Bret McCormick gives us a tour of the Poolville Texas locations for both The Abomination and Ozone: Attack of the Redneck Mutants.
Outtakes and Raw Footage - Reel 1 (28m 34s, SD, 1.33:1)
Outtakes and Raw Footage - Reel 2 (17m 47s, SD, 1.33:1)
Behind the Scenes "The Stairway" (1m 21s, SD, 1.33:1)
Behind the Scenes "Tumor Test" 1m 37s, SD, 1.33:1)
Image Gallery (2m 53s, HD) auto plays with music from the film's score.
Interview with "The Abomination" This is a 6-screen text "interview" with the Abomination. It's humorous for about two seconds.
Bret McCormick - Original Super 8 Films (5m 55s, SD, 1.33:1) The first 3 minutes are behind the scenes of a monster movie while the rest is an animated thing.
Visual Vengeance Trailer (1m 5s, SD, 1.33:1)
Bret McCormick Trailers
- Ozone: Attack of the Redneck Mutants (1m 17s, SD, 1.33:1)
- Repligator (1m 10s, SD, 1.33:1)
- Highway to Hell (1m 5s, SD, 1.33:1)
- Reanimator Academy (1m 11s, SD, 1.33:1)
- Children of Dracula (1m 4s, SD, 1.33:1)
- Bio-Tech Warrior (1m 17s, SD, 1.33:1)
- Time Tracers (1m 18s, SD, 1.33:1)
Visual Vengeance goes above and beyond for this blu-ray release of THE ABOMINATION. We get a slipcover featuring new artwork that actually fits the film rather well. The clear blu-ray case features reversible artwork featuring some new artwork on one side and the film's original poster art on the other. Inside the case, we get a a booklet that unfolds and features a new essay from Tony Strauss along with some behind the scenes photos. Next up is the official comic book adaptation of THE ABOMINATION with black and white artwork. A folded poster featuring the new artwork from the blu-ray case along with a sticker sheet of the kind of stickers mom and pop video stores would put on their video boxes to let you know what genre the movie was in.
The disc is REGION FREE
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Overall
I have taken in my fair share of no-budget 80s horror films and I have to say that THE ABOMINATION is one of the most unique I have ever seen. It is clear the filmmakers had way more ambition than they had money but that's ok because this made the film much more interesting. The film is filled with really impressive gore that blew my mind at times and the film's score is so good. I liked the film a lot more than I thought I would and I recommend it to those who like these kinds of things.
This is my first Visual Vengeance blu-ray and I will say that I will be buying more of their releases. They have given THE ABOMINATION the royal treatment. The picture and sound are the best they can ever be but it is the special features that take the cake. We get two commentary tracks (one of which is good while the other isn't), a career spanning interview with director Bret McCormick, a very interesting interview with the guy who released the film on home video (I love stories from distributors from the 80s and 90s), a bunch of raw footage, and a bunch of trailers for the other films Bret McCormick made (which look like a lot of fun). We also get a lot of swag in this release. I truly had a lot of fun going through this release.
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Extras/Menus
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Film
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Packaging
 Blu-ray Review + Screenshots + Packaging Shots){kind=link}
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