The Survivor (1981)
Company: Severin-Films
Starring: Robert Powell, Jenny Agutter, Joseph Cotten,
Angela Punch McGregor, Peter Sumner, Lorna Lesley
My Review and Thoughts:
This is an odd unique forgotten horror thriller from the
land down under. This Austrian supernatural flick is surprising a little gem.
This is my first time seeing it and I was thoroughly entertained.
I think the
movie stands out and is memorable with it’s very in-depth and haunting cerebral
style filmmaking.
Something that stands out is the very haunting cinematography
by the one and only John Seale who is a total legend. Winning an Academy Award
for the amazing 1996 The English Patient and nominated for so many others
including Rain Man and Cold Mountain just to mention a few. Seale adds a very intense reality to his
many pictures and The Survivor is a prime example of creating something that
stands out in the cinematography department. He has worked on so many of my
favorite films, 1983’s BMX Bandits, 1986’s The Hitcher, 1988’s Gorillas in the
Mist, 1992’s Lorenzo’s Oil, 1999’s The Talented Mr. Ripley, 2015’s Mad Max Fury
Road. The Survivor is truly something that stands out as being one of the very memorable
forgotten films of the 80’s, that now thankfully can be experienced in a whole
new light, a flawless beautiful Blu-ray special edition being brought out by
Severin Films.
This is a wonderful Blu-ray. A tight refreshed picture.
Vibrant in color and dark all the same with the style of film that it is.
Severin Films has done a fantastic job in bringing this old gem to new light. A
wonderful array of special features. Audio and Video is spot on. That is
something that always stands out with these Blu-ray’s that Severin Films
produces, you are getting top quality. A high definition perfection.
This is based on the novel by James Herbert. Herbert was an amazing author. He was one of my
favorite horror authors out there growing up. Sadly, he is no longer with us, but he left a
wonderful array of novels to experience his haunting prose. From 1974’s The
Rats, to 1975’s The Fog, to the one I am writing about The Survivor. He not only
wrote horror, but that is what many remember him for. He also wrote the sweet
dog book which also became a movie, the book 1977’s Fluke, which became the movie in 1995, Fluke.
Something that is really cool about Herbert’s writing is many of his stories
has become movies. His Rats book was adapted in the horror film 1982 Deadly
Eyes. His book Haunted also became a
movie production in 1995. Most recently in 2012 BBC One did a wonderful
production a 3-part miniseries of The Secret of Crickley Hall, which I
absolutely loved. Herbert was a unique and brilliant writer that could twist
and turn and alter realities, and made you believe them and the story of The
Survivor is no different.
A plane crashes. All 300 passengers have died during the
wreck, accept one has survived. One has walked out unscathed. Keller, the
pilot. Strange and odd realities take place as the truth is slowly revealed.
This stars the amazing Robert Powell. Powell was in one of
the greatest productions of all time Franco Zeffirelli 1977’s masterpiece, Jesus
of Nazareth playing the main lead and possibly the best performance as the
character of Jesus ever filmed. No matter if your religious or not one cannot
deny the amazing acting by Powell in Jesus of Nazareth. Now besides the Jesus
role I personally know him from his many works on documentaries as the voice narrator.
He has such an amazing voice. I am a huge World War 2 buff and many of the
great documentaries out there has Robert Powell narrating. Including two of
my favorites The Story of the Third Reich and World War 2 HD in Color. He plays
the character of Keller in The Survivor movie to a perfect clarity.
This was directed by an all-around guru of entertainment.
Not only an actor but producer and director. David Hemmings was a unique one of
kind soul that left many wonderful examples of his uniqueness, from his acting
performances in 1966’s Blowup, 1968’s Barbarella, 1974’s Juggernaut. I have to
pause here and say he starred in one of my favorite films of all time the one
and only 1975’s Dario Argento’s Deep Red. He died way to soon. 62 years was not
fair. He had so much more to give. He acted all the way up until his death.
Starring in so many greats like 2000’s Gladiator and 2002’s Gangs of New York.
Audio/Video:
Looks and sounds amazing. High quality. Perfect picture.
Vibrant colors. Wonderful Sound.
English 2.0
Resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Extras:
Extended Final Scene with a running time of a little over 3
minutes and 30 seconds.
Not Quite Hollywood: Extended Interviews with Producer
Anthony I. Ginnane and Cinematographer John Seale. This has a running of a
little over 22 minutes.
The Legacy of James Herbert. A running time of a little over
9 minutes. This is a wonderful little program, a retrospect of the author.
Robert Powell on James Herbert. A running time of a little
over 3 minutes.
Archive TV Special on Location Featuring Interviews with Stars
Joseph Cotton and Peter Sumner. A running time of close to 30 minutes.
Archive TV Interview with David Hemmings. Running time of
close to 16 minutes.
Antony I. Ginnane Trailer Reel. Running time of a little
over 32 minutes.
TV Spot. Less than a minute spot.
Overall:
Another wonderful forgotten about little horror thriller. Severin-Films did another flawless job in crafting excellence. A spot-on transfer. Wonderful audio. A unique trip back into the 80's. A high quality, highly recommended Blu-ray.
Make sure you head over to https://severin-films.com/ to buy
all the wonderful DVD's and Blu-rays. The main page that gives you these
beautiful releases on top quality DVD's and Special Editions Blu-ray's.