This news has been making the rounds for a few days now, but it's definitely news worth sharing. In case you missed it – Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced that they will be giving horror icon Robert Englund's 1988 feature directorial debut 976-EVIL a special edition Blu-ray release on October 3rd.
Scripted by Rhet Topham and Brian Helgeland, who also worked on A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 4: THE DREAM MASTER the same year and would go on to win an Academy Award for writing L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, 976-EVIL stars FRIGHT NIGHT's Stephen Geoffreys, Lezlie Deane of FREDDY'S DEAD, Patrick O'Bryan, Jim Metzler, and Oscar winner Sandy Dennis.
Described as a "gothic tale of high-tech horror", the film has the following synopsis:
High school underdog Hoax Wilmoth (Geoffreys) fills up the idle hours in his seedy little hometown fending off the local leather-jacketed thugs, avoiding his overbearing mother (Dennis) and dreaming of a date with trailer park temptress Suzie (Deane). But, his quietly desperate life takes a terrifying turn when his cousin introduces him to an unusual new hobby – phoning in for his Horrorscope. Hoax is hooked-up with a compellingly hideous demonic force that slowly begins to overtake his entire life and now there’s more than just a phone bill to pay for anyone who ever dared cross “the neighborhood nerd”.
Special features on the Blu-ray will include:
– All-new commentary track for the film by Robert Englund, along with his wife, Nancy Booth Englund, who was the set decorator on the film
– Alternate home video version of the film with 12 extra minutes of footage
Englund managed to capture a very odd atmosphere with this film. It's a strange movie that I've never been able to fully get into, but still feel compelled to revisit from time to time. I'm very interested in hearing what Englund will have to say about it on his commentary track.
If you would like to pre-order a copy of the 976-EVIL Blu, you can do so on Amazon.