The Sorcerers: Tigon Collection – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: UK, 1967
Director: Michael Reeves
Writers: Michael Reeves, Tom Baker
Cast: Boris Karloff, Ian Ogilvy, Victor Henry, Catherine Lacey, Susan George

Release Date: August 12th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 85 Minutes 33 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK)

"When aging medical hypnotist Dr. Marcus Monserrat and his wife Estelle decide they want to live beyond their years by mentally controlling the body of a younger specimen, they embroil twenty-something Mike Roscoe into their plans. But things start to go array when Estelle’s ‘experiments’ take on a more murderous tone." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation in original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio."

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

Disc Size: 32.1 GB

Feature: 23.5 GB

This is another solid encode from Fidelity in Motion that takes an existing HD master, resulting in noticeable improvements. The source looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds excellent, the dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a stills gallery (64 images - stills/posters/other promotional materials/home video art), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with Editor David Woodward titled Controlling the Cuts (13 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with assistant cameraman Don Lord titled Black Magic Camera (8 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Ian Ogilvy titled Can’t Get You Out of My Head (23 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio Commentary with film journalists William Fowler and Vic Pratt, an audio Commentary with film critics Kim Newman and Sean Hogan, reversible cover art, a glossy O-ring (limited to the first pressing) and a 36-page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with an essay titled ‘You Enjoyed it, Didn’t You?’ A Glimpse of The Sorcerers written by Johnny Mains, an interview with Tom Baker titled In Conversation with Tom Baker Screenwriter of The Sorcerers and Witchfinder General conducted by Johnny Mains, and publicity stills.

Summary:

Michael Reeves directed The Sorcerers; he died tragically from a drug overdose at the age of 25. In his all-too-brief career, Michael Reeves would also direct Revenge of the Blood Beast (The She Beast) and Witchfinder General.

A man who agrees to be part of an aging hypnotist experiment that allows the user to control the mind of another person becomes a pawn in a dangerous game when the hypnotist's wife abuses this new power.

Michael Reeves only directed three films, and though they all have horror elements, the result is three distinctly different films. And nowhere is this more evident than when it comes to Michael Reeves' growth as director. That said, how far he advanced as a filmmaker from Revenge of the Blood Beast (The She Beast) to Witchfinder General is substantial. And though Witchfinder General is widely regarded as his masterpiece, The Sorcerers is a very good film in its own right that gets lost in the shuffle between his two other films.

The Sorcerers has a very interesting premise that is full of possibilities, which Michael Reeves fully exploits for all its worth. Having two elderly people, limited in their mobility, greatly aids the story unfolding. Though the aging hypnotist had good intentions with his inventions, in the wrong hands it is dangerous. That said, what starts off as an experiment turns deadly when the aging hypnotist’s wife becomes addicted to the thrill that comes from the experiment.

Throughout his five-decade career, Boris Karloff (Frankenstein, 1931) always kept busy as an actor. And though near the end he was not in the best of health, he always remained the consummate professional who never phoned in a performance. He delivers another solid performance that actually evokes a lot of sympathy. That said, when it comes to the rest of the performances, they are best described as serviceable. Another cast member of note is Susan George (Straw Dogs), who portrays the protagonist's ex-girlfriend.

From a production standpoint, The Sorcerers is a film in which everything falls into place. The well-executed narrative does an excellent job building and maintaining tension, and the finale provides a perfect coda. Though there is some onscreen carnage, for the most part it is mild. Also, composer Paul Ferris (Witchfinder General) delivers a very effective score that does a phenomenal job reinforcing the mood. Ultimately, The Sorcerers is a well-made horror film that's overflowing with atmosphere that works as well as it does because of Boris Karloff’s performance.

The Sorcerers gets an excellent release from 88 Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer