Cyclops: Visual Vengeance Collector’s Edition Blu-ray

Cyclops: Visual Vengeance Collector’s Edition Blu-ray by Matt Boisel

If you’re looking for some obscure Japanese horror crawling out of a corner of the V-Cinema underground, CYCLOPS is a nasty little find that makes physical media worth collecting. Originally released in 1987 and directed by Joji “George” Aida in his feature film debut, Cyclops It’s a lean, mean, 52-minute blast of Japanese body horror that throws mad science, human experimentation, mutant flesh, slime mutations and some seriously practical effects into one compact package.

The setup is brilliantly twisted. Scientists are experimenting with implanting embryos into human hosts in an attempt to create new forms of life. When one of their subjects dies before giving birth, they go hunting for another victim – with a horribly deformed, one-eyed mutant acting as their muscle. From there, things get progressively more confusing.

The film begins relatively methodically, building its atmosphere and slowly introducing the nightmare lurking beneath medical experiments. But once Cyclops It decides it’s time to let loose, good lord! The practical effects start to go haywire, the transformations get thinner, the bodies get more grotesque, and eventually you’re watching a full-blown mutant/body-horror freak that feels like someone took Cronenberg, dropped him into the Japanese direct-to-video underground, and he completely loses the movie for about 52 minutes. It’s not Hollywood horror polish, and it’s not even trying. It’s raw, weird, experimental Japanese V-cinema, and there’s something incredibly satisfying about seeing a filmmaker throw everything he has into such an outlandish concept. This is the kind of film where the limitations of the production become part of the experience rather than something you have to overlook.

And visually? Visual Revenge knocks this one completely out of the park. We’re talking about a brand new 2K transfer from the original 16mm film elements, and unlike some SOV titles where you’re working with battered video sources, Cyclops Actually has some beautiful film design to work with. The result is a presentation that retains the gritty, underground character of the original while giving the film the upgrade it deserves. But the movie is only half the reason to grab this release — check out all the extras that come with this beast: You’ve Got Commentary with The Important Cinema Club’s Justin DeCloux and author Patrick Macias. Tokyoscope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion. There’s a brand new interview with director Joji “George” Iida, a video essay on Iida’s films, another video essay covering the Japanese DTV market of the mid-80s, an image gallery, a Koji Yamamura sketch gallery and Visual Vengeance trailers, and then he goes all physical.

The Collector’s Edition includes a folded mini-poster featuring the original pressbook artwork, a reversible sleeve featuring the original Japanese VHS artwork, VHS stickers, a 16-pg. Creation of Cyclops Liner-notes booklet, 8-page A (short) horror trip booklet, and a limited edition slipcase designed by The Dude. Many such physical goodies are first pressings, so if you’re a collector, don’t sleep on this one. The other thing that makes this release particularly cool? This is the first time Cyclops Available in any form in North America. Think about it. A weird 1987 Japanese splatter film disappears into obscurity for decades, and then Visual Vengeance digs it out of the grave with a brand new 2K transfer, a loaded special-features package, and a collector’s edition that looks like it belongs in a 1980s video store. That is physical media preservation.

is Cyclops Perfect? No. It’s extremely small, incredibly awkward, and its deliberately austere low-budget aesthetic isn’t going to work for everyone. The pacing is patient at first, and it’s definitely more about satirical imagery and atmosphere than traditional scares. But when the practical effects start, this thing delivers. If you are involved The Fly, Videodrome, Tetsuo: The Iron Man, Society, from beyond, The guinea pig, Evil Dead Trap, Tokyo Gore PoliceOr you just generally enjoy discovering some totally wild international horror you’ve probably never heard of, get this. The film gets 4/5 from me The transfer gets 4½/5, while the extras and physical package get 5/5. But more importantly, Cyclops This is the kind of release I want to see from labels like Visual Vengeance. They never gave us another Blu-ray. They found a piece of forgotten Japanese underground horror history, restored it from the original film elements, loaded it with archival and new material, and gave collectors a package that actually felt like an event. Cyclops is not handsome. Cyclops is not uncommon. Cyclops is not for everyone. But if your idea of ​​a good time is watching a 1987 Japanese mad-science splatter film that turns out to be a slimy mutant nightmare, it’s branded for you.

Special features include:

• A new 2K transfer from the original 16mm film elements

• Commentary with Justin DeCloux of Major Cinema Club and Patrick Machias, author of Tokyoscope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion

• No Conformity: A New Interview with Director Joji “George” Aida

• Not the Way You Expect: The Films of Joji “George” Aida – Video Essay

• All the Monsters Are Here: The Mid-80s Japanese DTV Market – Video Essay

• Image gallery

• Koji Yamamura Sketch Gallery

• Visual Vengeance Trailers

• Folded mini-poster featuring original pressbook art

• Reversible sleeve featuring original Japanese VHS art

• Optional English subtitles

• Japanese language or English sub-options

• ‘Paste Your Own’ VHS Stickers (First Press Only)

• The Creation of Cyclops – 16-Page Liner Notes Booklet (First Pressing Only)

• A (Short) Horror Trip – 8-Page Liner Notes Booklet (First Pressing Only)

• Limited edition slipcase art by The Dude (first pressing only)