Review Detail

9.0 1 10
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Extended Edition February 21, 2016 5843
Overall rating
 
9.0
Audio/Video Quality
 
9.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
8.0
Enjoyment
 
8.0
Overreaching Clive Barker production suffers a boatload of known problems. Targets include an uncharismatic lead who stumbles every single scene he is in, a ridiculous plot that lacks cohesion as well as intelligence, not to mention an overlong, unsatisfying ending.

Nevertheless, this is a guilty pleasure for many and an outstanding example of Barker’s outré visions. Hellraiser and Illusions are tighter, more accessible, in the case of Illusions, slicker. This one is overloaded, by comparison.

Dr Saperstein, instead of trimming the excess, incorporates an additional 13 minutes of material, resulting in the most extensive version of Midian I have seen so far.

Video - 1280p X 720p MPEG4. Plenty of blacks and reds in this film - solid throughout.

Audio - Two streams. A kicking 5.1 DTS that is really powerful, and a 2 Channel AAC that works better for headphones. No subs.

Narrative - There’s the question. Does the additional material help? No. The relationship between psychiatrist Dekker and patient Boone remains a puzzle. Apparently, that was the boring first act stuff cut by studio heads. There are numerous leaps in the film that still make no sense. Are the cops good guys or bad guys? Note - They are supposed to be a brew of police state and vigilantes.

Enjoyment - I really wanted to like this. A lot. This film has always confused me. Nevertheless, this is a flawed masterpiece. I’ve read about the three hour Cabal cut, but have never been lucky enough to catch a showing. This is not that version. Barker’s own website has many updates prints, some over 145“. Later how Warners sent a treasure trove of cut scenes. Of course, not all outtakes are useful, let alone watchable. Fans of this film are always hoping, though.

This is better than my other copies ... and is the one now holding the fort. The good Dr Saperstein mentions that he awaits the cut by Swedish Cinemasochist. Solid advice.

Final comment. Saperstein’s edits are often huge filesizes, beyond the capacity of my aging setup. Thank you for crafting this in a more modest size.

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