Lionsgate has been pretty steadily releasing remastered Blu-Ray collections of some of the 80s’ most fondly remembered and longed for horror classics, and the two disc Warlock Collection is another welcome addition to this fantastic line. The Vestron Video Collector’s Series continues with this set containing all three Warlock films, with a wealth of exciting featurettes and other bonus features, both vintage and brand new.
It’s a tale as old as time; a Warlock (Julian Sands/Bruce Payne) flees the 17th century for the 20th to release Satan unto an unsuspecting world, leaving havoc in his wake as he is chased through time by witch hunter Giles Redferne (Richard E. Grant).
While this isn’t my favorite of the Vestron series, it is still worth owning if you’re a fan of 80s horror. The original, while cheesy, has great performances by Sands, Grant, and Lori Singer who seem to embrace the over-the-top nature of the script making this an extremely fun ride. Warlock: The Armageddon and Warlock: The End of Innocence have diminishing returns to say the least, but the former still has a self-aware sense of humor about itself. Sands reprises his role in Armageddon, but is replaced by Payne in the third and final film.
This set is worth owning just for the bonus features if you’re a big fan of movie magic. The Vestron line is known for its supplementals, and this set continues that tradition with cast and crew commentaries, vintage and original behind-the-scenes featurettes, isolated score selections, vintage interviews, still galleries, and more. The making-of features give a fascinating look into film’s past, to how things were done in the days before CGI was king.
While not a must have like The Gate or The Unholy, the Warlock Collection is a great reminder of how fun horror movies can be.
The Warlock Collection is out today, July 25th, as a remastered two-disc Blu-Ray set in discerning stores everywhere.
