Arrow Video's Blu-ray Presentation Of Writer/Director Edwin Brown’s The Prey Debuts On Sept. 17

From the lost and now found department comes news this week that Arrow Video, with domestic sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has unearthed writer/director Edwin Brown’s 1980 slasher treasure, The Prey, for release — for the first time since its VHS launch by Throne EMI Video in 1988 — on Blu-ray on Sept. 17 as a double-disc special edition.

WOW!!!   Filmed in 1978, completed in 1980, released theatrically by New World on a limited basis in 1984, The Prey then made its way to VHS in 1988 … and was never seen again, until now that is!!!

Victim pool, creature in the woods (foreshadowed with the murder of a couple out camping) and a twist ending make The Prey one of those rare films in the genre that could have spawned a entire film franchise, but circumstances — budget, distribution issues, rights, etc. — relegated it to the “disappeared” pile, that is, until now.

With the exception of bootlegs from the original VHS and some trashy YouTube transfer the film is virtually unseen.   Arrow Video has two, no, make that three different viewing options (cuts of the film) … the first is the New World theatrical cut, the second is a restoration of the “International Cut” … and the third, which they are calling “the ultimate The Prey fan experience!” is a combined cut of the two release versions.  

The female leads, Nancy (Debbie Thureson), Gail (Gayle Gannes — The Junkman, Hot Moves) and Bobbie (Lori Lethin — Return to Horror High, Bloody Birthday), are actually being stalked by some hideous creature, which we get a sort-of “backstory” about its origins from a local forest ranger (played by Jackie Coogan), but the three of these beauties don’t know that.   As the plot develops, they just think that they and their respective boyfriends (fellow campers) are being slaughtered for no particular reason.  

Of note, “the monster” is played by Carel Struycken, who would go on to star as Lurch in both The Addams Family (1991) and Addams Family Values (1993), plus as “Mr. Homn” in Star Trek: The Next Generation and as a regular David Lynch’s two Twin Peaks series.

As to bonus materials, producer and co-writer, Summer Brown provides one of the two commentary tracks, with film historian Amanda Reyes and documentary producer Ewan Cant teaming for the second commentary.

There are also four newly-prepared video sessions with Debbie Thureso (Nancy), Lori Lethin (Gail), Carel Struycken (the monster) and Jackson Bostwick (as Ranger Mark), a vintage interview session with writer/director Edwin Scott Brown, outtakes, the Q&A session from the Texas Frightmare Weekend (2019) featuring Lori Lethin, Carel Struycken and Jackson Bostwick and the newly-prepared featurette titled “In Search of The Prey” (Debbie Thureso joins Ewan Cant in scouting out the original locations in Idyllwild, California).