Blue Underground Tabs May 21 As The Street Date For The 50th Anniversary 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack Release Of Director Bob Clark's Deathdream

It is always a surprise, even amazing, that a “little” film from decades ago (five to be exact) bubbles to the top of film collector, film buff and genre fan stack for 4K Ultra HD treatment.

 Such is the case with the news this past week from Blue Underground, with sales and distribution support by MVD Entertainment Group.   This release news comes in the form of 50th anniversary 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack release of director Bob Clark’s 1974 horror gem, Deathdream (aka: Dead of Night), which will be available for genre fans to enjoy on May 21.

1974 was a big year for Bob Clark, who had teamed with Alan Ormsby for the cult favorite Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things — which started playing theatrically in June of 1972, but didn’t finish making the rounds (limited prints) until early 1973 (roughly nine months) — but it wasn’t Deathdream that made 1974 a big year.   

Rather, it was Clark’s direction and Ormsby writing for Black Christmas that ignited Clark’s filmmaking career (Porky’s, A Christmas Story, etc. would follow).

Instead, Deathdream followed the same theatrical release pattern as Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things.   Limited 35mm prints were “bicycled” around the country, often times with different distribution partners.   The film was reissued with different titles as late as 1976 in efforts to cash in on the success of Black Christmas.

Ultimately, it didn’t matter as Deathdream — with VHS, DVD and Blu-ray releases over the years — attracted the genre fan following that it so richly deserves.   On May 21 it arrives as the ultimate, a 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack edition!!

Bonus features include not one, not two, but three separate commentary options.   There are two vintage commentaries, one each with Clark (who, along with his son, were murdered by a drunk driver in 2007) and Ormsby, while the third is new and features film historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson.

There’s an alternate opening, a new featurette titled “The First Andy,” plus four archived featurettes  — “Deathdreaming,” “Tom Savini: The Early Years,” “Flying Down to Brooksville,” and “Notes for a Homecoming” —  video sessions with Anya Liffey (aka: Anya Ormsby) and writer/make-up artist Alan Ormsby and more.