The Abomination: Collector's Edition – Visual Vengeance (Blu-ray)

Release Date: USA, 1986
Director: Bret McCormick
Writer: Bret McCormick
Cast: Scott Davis, Jude Johnson, Blue Thompson, Brad McCormick, Suzy Meyer, Rex Morton, Victoria Chaney, Gaye Bottoms, Van Connery, Bubba Moore

Release Date: September 26th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 90 Minutes 15 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Deep in the heart of rural Texas, a TV evangelist exorcises a tumor from the body of a loyal worshipper, who soon coughs up the growth. Unknown to her, the cancer is actually a carnivorous life form that slithers its way into her son Cody while he sleeps, growing inside him until he is completely under its control. Now Cody must feed the beast fresh victims to keep them both alive, as the monster grows out larger and larger, threatening to feast on everyone in its path." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 2.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "New producer-supervised SD master from original tape source".

The Abomination comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 38.5 GB

Feature: 15.1 GB

Shot on Super 8, the source used for this transfer of a SD master from a tape source has its limitations. Image clarity and colors are inconsistent, black levels are never convincing, and any compression-related issues are minor. That said, it is hard to imagine that The Abomination will ever look better than this transfer does.

Audio: 3/5

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital stereo mix in English with removable English SDH. Though the audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced, range-wise, things are limited.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a Visual Vengeance for The Abomination (1 minute 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Bret McCormick original super 8 films (5 minutes 55 seconds, no sound), an image gallery with music from The Abomination playing in the background, a text based interview with “The Abomination”, behind the scenes “The Stairway” (1 minute 21 seconds, no sound), behind the scenes “Tumor Test” (1 minute 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo with music from The Abomination playing in the background), super 8 outtakes and raw footage - reel 1 (28 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), super 8 outtakes and raw footage - reel 2 (17 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette titled The Abomination - Filming Locations Tour (13 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with audio commentary by director Bret McCormick), an interview by producer Matt Devlen, The Abomination's original VHS distributor (14 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Victoria Chaney (5 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Blue Thompson (6 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Bret McCormick titled Monster Kid Movie Maverick (73 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Bret McCormick, Rob Hauschild and Matt Desiderio of Visual Vengeance, an audio commentary with Tony Strauss of Weng’s Chop Magazine, Bret McCormick trailer archive: Ozone: The Attack of the Redneck Mutants, Repligator, Highway to Hell, Reanimator Academy, Children of Dracula, Bio-Tech Warrior, and Time Tracers, reversible cover art featuring original VHS art, 'Stick Your Own' VHS Sticker Set, a folded mini-poster, a six-page booklet with an essay titled The Tumor That Came to Fort Worth: Apocalypse on a Budget written by Tony Strauss, 12-page mini comic book (first pressing only), and a slipcover (first pressing only).

Other extras include trailers for Vampires and Other Stereotypes, Splatter Farm, and Violent New Breed.

Summary:

Directed by Bret McCormick, who made eleven low-budget films over the course of twelve years. And as of this writing, Repligator is the last narrative feature film that he has directed. His only other directing credit is a documentary titled I See World Peace.

The narrative revolves around a deranged man who goes on a killing spree to feed a tumor he calls ‘The Abomination’.

You know you're in for a long, dragged-out narrative when a film begins with a montage of repetitive gore shots, which also happen to be the best moments. Also, it is these moments of gore that are The Abomination’s only saving grace. And though there is an attempt early on to provide some backstory about the protagonist, it does not make the story that unfolds any easier to enjoy.

From a production standpoint, everything about The Abomination screams ultra-low-budget film. Shot on Super 8, and most likely without live sound, since the soundtrack sounds like it was created in post-production. And though there have been many examples of films made under similar circumstances that are actually enjoyable, The Abomination is a hard film to enjoy.

That said, The Abomination is definitely a film that you have to be in the right mind to appreciate, preferably under the influence. If one approaches The Abomination as a film that is so bad it's bad, then it is easier to embrace the absurdity that unfolds.

The Abomination is another solid release from Visual Vengeance that comes with a wealth of extras and presents the film in its best possible audio/video presentation.

 Written by Michael Den Boer