In the eyes of true Horror fans, Amando de Ossorio is a name that is known and respected. A filmmaker with a rather unique style, he put Spain on the proverbial Horror cinema map back in the ‘70s; beginning with 1972’s Tombs of the Blind Dead. Following up with Return of the Evil Dead in ’73, The Ghost Galleon in ’74, and Night of the Seagulls in ’75, all these titles make up what is known as Blind Dead series. Beloved by fans of surreal, unique Horror films, Synapse Films even celebrated the original film, Tombs of the Blind Dead, with a special edition 4K Blu-ray release in 2023.
All this in mind, there is certainly a fanbase which truly appreciates the Blind Dead series, and Canada’s Chris Alexander is clearly part of it. One time a writer/editor for Fangoria Magazine, he is also the co-founder/editor of Delirium Magazine, but also a filmmaker. Known by those in the Horror world for his rather offbeat films, in 2021 he created his short film Scream of the Blind Dead. Inspired by his own personal impressions of the original Tombs of the Blind Dead film, he creates a 40-minute film that is overtly saturated and stumbling around a dreamlike state.
Originally premiering on Full Moon Features streaming site, as well as places like Amazon Prime on December 27, 2021, now in 2024, it makes its way to DVD for the first time. Set for release on February 6th, the DVD offers the film itself, commentary from Alexander, as well as several trailers from Alexander’s other works.
All this in mind, the question is… what does Scream of the Blind Dead offer? Well, that really depends on your frame of mind, your prior understanding of the Blind Dead series, and honestly, where the filmmaker is coming from. Truthfully, if you go into Scream of the Blind Dead with no perspective on what Alexander had in mind… you will be lost and find the film difficult to sit through. And this is even if you are versed on the Blind Dead series, Amando de Ossorio’s work, and find them enjoyable. This is because Alexander’s vision in Scream of the Blind Dead is quite personal to his own experience with the inspired content; therefore an outsider might find something lost in translation.
In enough words, the film is forty minutes long, features no dialogue, is completely non-linear, and many times, feels like a hallucination. Perhaps this is exactly what Alexander wanted to achieve, but again, it is not for everyone. Yes, there are some inclinations of influence from the original Tombs of the Blind Dead film, which include the Arthouse atmosphere, however, it feels like something is missing. Nonetheless, the film does have some merit; because for a very brief moment there is narration from original Tombs of the Blind Dead star Lone Fleming. All matters taken into consideration, Scream of the Blind Dead is certainly for a very niche audience, but the DVD release is well the purchase for such an audience. That is why Cryptic Rock splits the difference, giving the new release 2.5 out of 5 stars.
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