338 Equinox

[Matt]

Equinox

[img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/1106/338_box_348x490_w128.jpg[/img]

Before he took you to a galaxy far, far away, before he brought you face-to-face with living, breathing prehistoric beasts, Dennis Muren, the future nine-time Oscar-winning visual-effects artist (Star Wars, Jurassic Park), joined forces with a group of talented young filmmakers to create an homage to the creature features of yore in the eerie monster mash Equinox. Deep within the woods and canyons of California, four teenagers happen upon an ancient book containing the secrets of a strange, malevolent world that coexists with that of mankind. This $6,500-budget wonder (originally called The Equinox . . . A Journey into the Supernatural) was picked up for distribution by producer Jack H. Harris (The Blob), who shot new footage for the film with writer-director Jack Woods and released it in 1970 as Equinox. Since then, the film has gained a passionate cult following and inspired succeeding generations of horror/fantasy filmmakers

SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET:

-New, restored high-definition digital transfer of the 1970 theatrical release
-For the first time on DVD, the original 1967 version of the film, The Equinox . . . A Journey into the Supernatural
-Two audio commentaries: One by writer-director Jack Woods and producer Jack H. Harris, on the 1970 release. And one by effects photographer, producer, and director Dennis Muren; writer-codirector Mark McGee; and matte artist, cel animator, and ­effects technician Jim Danforth, on the 1967 version
-Video introduction by Forrest J Ackerman
-Interviews with Muren and actors Frank Bonner, Barbara Hewitt, and James Duron
-Deleted scenes and outtakes from the 1967 version
-Archival stop-motion test footage
-The Magic Treasure, a rare animated fairy tale by Equinox effects master David Allen
-Acclaimed “Kong” Volkswagen commercial by Allen, including test footage
-Zorgon: The H-Bomb Beast from Hell (1972), a short film featuring Equinox crew
-Extensive gallery featuring rare stills, promotional material, and more
-Trailer and radio spots for the 1970 theatrical release
-English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired
-PLUS: A booklet featuring tributes from George Lucas and Ray Harryhausen and a new essay by Brock DeShane

Criterionforum.org user rating averages

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[justeleblanc]

This has to be a joke. I think someone hacked into Criterion. What time did the artwork go up... if it's after 7:00 est I'm guessing it's a hacker.

But you think they would have put up the Cary Grant naked picture again. (By the way, can someone re-post that, my girlfriend doesn't believe it exists.)

[FilmFanSea]

I'm hoping it's just an April Fool's joke. Otherwise I might just cry--what a waste of a spine number! Shouldn't this film be saved for the Eclipse imprint?

For those interested in Criterion trivia, the current IMDb rating for Equinox is 4.6, which will make it the lowest rated title in the collection (besting Flesh for Frankenstein's previous low of 5.3).

[leo goldsmith]

(besting Flesh for Frankenstein's previous low of 5.3).

Peasants.

[pzman84]

It's not listed on Image's website either (as of post)

[justeleblanc]

Does no one have the picture?

http://www.frankfurtlounge.de/Kaminthumb.jpg

That's a painting, but I swear there was a real photograph of it as well.

I figure this is as good of a place as any to post this since I don't think Equinox is real.

[Theodore R. Stockton]

From our own forthcoming list:

EQUINOX (1970, Jack Woods & Dennis Muren) - mentioned in an HTF chat in 2001, and again by Mulvaney in March 2003 as "upcoming"

[justeleblanc]

From our own forthcoming list:

EQUINOX (1970, Jack Woods & Dennis Muren) - mentioned in an HTF chat in 2001, and again by Mulvaney in March 2003 as "upcoming"

[Taketori Washizu]

Looking at the title of this thread I assumed this was the 1992 Alan Rudolph film with Matthew Modine and let out a groan. After reading through, I check the 1970 Equinox on IMDb. This is a joke, right? Just like Princess of the Moon? I consider it a cause for alarm otherwise.

[solaris72]

This is a joke, right? Just like Princess of the Moon? I consider it a cause for alarm otherwise.

Did you read this thread? We've known this was coming for a long time.

[pauling]

Here's a review/synopsis of Equinox from tvguide.com:


Four teenagers go to a state forest to look for a missing scientist (played by Fritz Leiber, a noted sci-fi author), where they find a strange book of ancient Persian incantations. Forest ranger Asmodeus (Jack Woods), actually King of the Demons, threatens them with a series of giant monsters (a horned, winged demon, then a blue-faced giant) in an attempt to recover the book. People disappear, castles appear, and a dimensional barrier sucks them in. Told in a disjointed form and frequently confusing, EQUINOX does contain some fine moments. Genuinely weird--more because of circumstance than design--this was an amateur film shot on 16mm in 1967, after which Jack H. Harris saw it and bought the distribution rights in 1968. Keeping the impressive special effects by Jim Danforth and David Allen intact, Harris then added new scenes, which comprise more than half of the final footage. This bizarre little film has gathered quite a cult following over the years, mainly because of extensive coverage in Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine and the fact that the magazine's editor, Forrest J. Ackerman, supplies the voice heard on a tape recording. On videotape as THE BEAST.

[toiletduck!]

Here's a review/synopsis of Equinox from tvguide.com:


Four teenagers go to a state forest to look for a missing scientist (played by Fritz Leiber, a noted sci-fi author), where they find a strange book of ancient Persian incantations. Forest ranger Asmodeus (Jack Woods), actually King of the Demons, threatens them with a series of giant monsters (a horned, winged demon, then a blue-faced giant) in an attempt to recover the book. etc.

You had me at "blue-faced giant." Actually, "King of the Demons." Aw, hell, "ancient Persian incantations" does it every time.

Paint me excited!

-Toilet Dcuk

[the dancing kid]

Thank god they're finally releasing this. I've had a cruddy DVDr of both versions that is damn near unwatchable because of the compression.

I for one welcome our giant demon ape overlords.

[denti alligator]

Having never seen or heard of this, I'm excited by the description. I think there needs to be more of this fare in the collection. Hell, I'd blind-buy it just for the cover.

[jguitar]

This film was a bit of a holy grail for me when I was a kid, basically because I saw it once only, and it is, as they say, "genuinely weird." That said, I saw it a few years ago on AMC, and while it's entertaining as far as it goes, it doesn't go very far. I had a momentary frisson from seeing something remembered only as a child, like a time capsule. Same with Dungeon of Harrow, which I recently got on DVD.

However, I'd rather see Equinox come out on Alpha Video and have Criterion release some . . . oh, I don't know . . . Naruse? More Ozu?

[skuhn8]

This film was a bit of a holy grail for me when I was a kid, basically because I saw it once only, and it is, as they say, "genuinely weird." That said, I saw it a few years ago on AMC, and while it's entertaining as far as it goes, it doesn't go very far. I had a momentary frisson from seeing something remembered only as a child, like a time capsule. Same with Dungeon of Harrow, which I recently got on DVD.

However, I'd rather see Equinox come out on Alpha Video and have Criterion release some . . . oh, I don't know . . . Naruse? More Ozu?

That describes my experience with Damnation Alley. Maybe CC would consider that winner! Actually Equinox looks pretty cool, and yes, the cover kind of has me intrigued. May just buy and not watch, imagining what bizarre wonders lie in wait instead.

[Lemdog]

Having never seen or heard of this, I'm excited by the description. I think there needs to be more of this fare in the collection. Hell, I'd blind-buy it just for the cover.

I'm in the same boat as you. A pure blind buy, but one I'm very excitied about.

[Donald Trampoline]

I watched this movie with interest and discovered it was a piece of crap with no redeeming qualities. It's just not a good movie. Stupid, pedestrian, slightly interesting special effects, terrible plot, terrible acting. Just an incredibly stupid piece of crap that already had more attention than it deserves and now will have even more attention than it could ever deserve. The fact that Dennis Muren was involved does not change the fact that the film has no redeeming artistic qualities. It's not even fun, like a so bad it's good thing, and it doesn't have that true camp value of an old stop-motion film because it's a knock-off/homage to those originals, too self-aware of the inherent possibility of camp. If it was a "true original" of the genre and not some knock-off made by fawning special-effects toadies it might at least have that odd allure of the strange and unusual. But no. It's totally useless. (And yes, as mentioned it is real, and we knew it was coming all along per the Criterion Forthcoming List/No Speculation thread.)

[The Invunche]

That describes my experience with Damnation Alley. Maybe CC would consider that winner!

Anchor Bay is releasing that one in 2006.....hopefully.

[rwaits]

Are both versions being released??

[Dylan]

Yes, both are. The 1967 Muren version (which is 70 minutes), and the 1971 Woods version (for which Woods cut out half of Muren's version, including a lot of stop-motion, and filmed a lot of additional scenes that make it pretty bad). I've seen both. Muren's is a charming student horror film with a lot of stop-motion animation (a lot of the people who worked on this film went right from "Equinox" to "Flesh Gordon" then to "Star Wars"). Woods ruined it by cutting so much out and adding a lot of bad camp scenes (also taking any sense out the story), but his version has more 'b-movie' value, and stock music by Dominic Frontiere from the "Outer Limits" (Muren's version had a percussion-based score). I talked more about this on the Random Speculation thread a year ago (I used to know people who worked on it), it's still on there, though I'm not sure what page.

Jim Danforth and Dennis Muren, from what I heard, recorded the commentary a few years ago, so I don't know why the wait has been so long.

I agree it's strange Criterion is putting this on their label. But it's an interesting little bit of low budget horror/monster movie history, and for "Evil Dead" fans it's certainly worth a look. I look forward to the reactions, actually.

[godardslave]

339: Howard the Duck.

[shirobamba]

CC is really working hard to promote MoC.

[Anonymous]

this isn't real, is it?

[Steven H]

I look forward to the reactions, actually.

My reaction is "I'm not going to buy it."