Incubus (1966) Blu-ray Review

When you say the name William Shatner most would think Captain Kirk. But before he would step onto the starship Enterprise and explore new civilizations, boldly going where no man has gone before, he would journey into The Twilight Zone and other classic tv shows and star in movies.

In 1966 William Shatner took a dark journey in the horror film Incubus. The film was thought to be lost. Well, not anymore. Now as this film is heading toward its 60th anniversary. Arrow Video has restored this film in 4k and released it on 4K and Blu-ray depending on which release you would prefer.

Synopsis: Wounded in battle, soldier Marc (William Shatner, just prior to being cast in Star Trek) ventures to the remote village of Nomen Tuum to find a well where the waters are said to be blessed with healing powers. Little does he suspect that the inhabitants of Nomen Tuum are demonic seductresses who entice interlopers and lead them to damnation, and one such succubus, Kia (Allyson Ames) has her sights on Marc. As an eclipse shrouds the sun and darkness falls over the village, Marc and Kia's relationship becomes more passionate... will his soul survive?

The film is beautifully shot and is a supernatural cinematic experience that is chilling and unforgettable. But the film is in Esperanto language, which makes for an extremely strange experience. Now Esperanto is a made-up language. Why this was decided upon is beyond me. Shatner is great to watch here as he is in everything he does. Thew rest of the cast is good, but no one hits the heights of Shatner.

Leslie Stevens does a great job directing this supernatural horror film. Leslie is probably best known for co-creating the sci-fi TV classic The Outer Limits. So, this film does have a very outer limits feel to it.

Arrow Video have restored this 60s horror film in 4K the last surviving 35mm print by Le Chat Qui Fume. It has been transferred to Blu-ray in 1080p and is presented in 1.87:1 aspect ratio. The audio track is the original lossless Esperanto mono audio with optional English subtitles. There is also the option for Esperanto subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.

The new 4K restoration of Incubus looks pretty impressive. For a film that was thought to be lost and to look this good in restored format is amazing. The black and white picture is sharp and clean. But a beautiful restoration is not all that is included here. Take a look at the bonus features Arrow Video added to this release.

* New audio commentary by writer and genre historian David J. Schow, author of The Outer Limits: The Official Companion
* Archive audio commentary by star William Shatner
* Archive audio commentary by producer Anthony Taylor, cinematographer Conrad L. Hall and camera operator William Fraker
* Alternate 1.37:1 presentation of the film
* Words and Worlds: Incubus and Esperanto in Cinema, a newly filmed interview with genre historian Stephen Bissette
* Internacia Lingvo: A History of Esperanto, a newly filmed interview with Esther Schor, author of Bridge of Words: Esperanto and the Dream of a Universal Language
* An Interview with the Makers of Incubus, an archive interview by Schow with Taylor, Hall and Fraker
* Video trailer
* Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Richard Wells
* Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Frank Collins and Jason Kruppa

Now as a huge fan of Shatner, whether it was in Star Trek, or appearances in The Twilight Zone or his campy horror films like Kingdom of the Spiders, seeing him in a film I have never seen before is a treat. I just wish this was an English language film, rather than a made-up language film.

If you love William Shatner or those strange and weird horror films from the 60s, Incubus is a film you may want to check out. Just realize you have to read the film as this is in Esperanto language. Head over to MVD Shop or Amazon and pick up your copy today!