Nightbreed was Barker's second film as a writer and director. His first was Hellraiser (1987). Based on Barker's novella, Cabal, Nightbreed tells the story of Boone, a young man who dreams of a hellish underworld and finds himself the prime suspect in a string of serial murders.
After his psychiatrist (played with icy calculation by filmmaker David Cronenberg) gives him an hallucinogen, Boone finds himself in a drug-addled haze. He's hit by a truck and while in the hospital encounters a man who believes Boone is a messenger from 'Midian' sent to test him.
Boone learns from the man that Midian is a "city" located beneath a cemetery. Realizing this is the strange netherworld that haunts his dreams, Boone seeks it out. Once he finds it, Boone learns Midian is home to the Nightbreed, a nightmarish clan of monsters that populate the hellscape.
As human-led forces bear down on Midian, Boone must join forces with the Nightbreed. Together, they must decide whether to stand and fight… or risk extinction.
By all reasonable standards, Nightbreed was a critical and commercial failure.
Made for a reasonable $11 million (reasonable for a horror movie made in the late 80s), Nightbreed didn't even earn back its budget, grossing a meager $8.8 million at the domestic box office. Dismissed by critics and ignored by audiences, Nightbreed made its way quickly to video store shelves.
It's not surprising to learn that much of Nightbreed's failure stems from the way it was marketed and edited by its distributor, 20th Century Fox. Barker's original vision was a two-and-a-half hour long epic, but the studio wanted an hour removed from the final cut. This unreasonable request resulted in the film's editor, Richard Marden, quitting in protest. And due in no small part to the studio's interference, Nightbreed suffers from confusing character motivations and, at times, an incoherent plot.
Despite the film's obvious flaws, monster movie fans have to appreciate the grotesque beauty and wonder of Barker's perverse vision. He's a storyteller who works in the Lovecraftian tradition of balancing genuine horror with a sense of awe. This sensibility is lost on many modern filmmakers, who too often fail to capture the majesty of the macabre as well as its more bloody elements.
Of course, what makes Nightbreed a must see for fans of special effects are the monsters. These beasts live and breathe. The makeup work is stunning and helps prove why the practical aesthetic, when done well, will always be more effective than the too clean, plastic, artificiality of computer-generated creature effects.
It won't be easy, but if you can find a copy, watch this forgotten creature feature and share your thoughts in the comments.
Where you can find it: Currently available on YouTube!
In essence, Nightbreed was a work of genius, just buried under a confusing piece of editing that never quite achieved what it was intended to do. For me, I could see something under the surface, below all of the mistakes might have been the greatest fantasy/horror film ever made. But, we'll never know for sure. Will we?
I love the way you put that Jules! I'm a fan of many flawed masterpieces. And while I think Nightbreed is far from a masterpiece, it has redeeming factors. I also agree we'll never know what might have been. Although, if Barker's "Cabal" cut is ever released, perhaps we'll get a bit closer to his fully realized vision.
Peter, It would be interesting to see the Cabal cut wouldn't it? I'm not sure if we'll ever get a legit version though. Too often the rights to a property are tangled up and it prevents the release. If the "lost" footage is available, I imagine a fan has put together a version already. Of course, it would be better to get to see a full cut that came with Barker's blessing. If you find out anything, please post it here. Thanks!
"The Cabal Cut" indeed HAS Mr. Barker's blessing and it is being screened around the world. But when and if it'll get a proper release… well, only time will tell.
Hey, how's this for good news??
That's fantastic news Peter! Thanks for the heads up!