After his incredibly successful feature film debut with RE-ANIMATOR the previous year, director Stuart Gordon returned to the dark and foreboding literary works of H.P. Lovecraft for his loose adaptation of FROM BEYOND. After so much praise for his first film, expectations were high for his follow-up. Would this turn out to be a Sophomore Slump for Gordon? Hardly. FROM BEYOND emerges as a lurid shocker, brimming with monsters and gore, while tackling sexual repression, addiction, and the nature of human desire. But, it’s certainly not for the squeamish, especially in this newly-restored Unrated Director’s Cut which contains footage originally excised as requested by the MPAA in order for the film to be released with an “R” rating. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable romp, and MGM has rewarded fans with a fantastic DVD release featuring a near-perfect video and audio presentation, along with a bevy of entertaining and insightful special features.

Dr. Edward Pretorious (Ted Sorel) and his assistant, Dr. Crawford Tillinghast (Jeffrey Combs), are conducting experiments with resonant vibrations in order to stimulate the pineal gland, which Pretorious believes is a dormant sensory organ. The experiments apparently succeed, but at a very high cost. During the film’s tense, pre-credits opening sequence, Dr. Pretorious’ decapitated body is found in his lab, and the now mentally-unstable Dr. Tillinghast is charged with his murder. Enter the alluring Dr. Katherine McMichaels (Barbara Crampton), a psychiatrist brought in to evaluate Tillinghast and determine if he’s mentally fit to stand trial. After a CAT scan revels Tillinghast’s enlarged pineal gland, Dr. McMichaels requests to continue with the experiments herself, in order to find out what exactly happened to Pretorious. What follows can best be described as a visceral onslaught of monster mayhem and mad scientist recklessness, with just the right amount of humor peppered throughout the proceedings to help keep things light and fun.

Much of the same cast and crew that Gordon assembled for RE-ANIMATOR return with him for FROM BEYOND. Both films were produced by Brian Yuzna (WARLOCK, NECRONOMICON), and it’s clearly evident from these first two collaborations with Gordon that a very special relationship had developed, with a love for colorful special effects at the core. The plentiful effects in FROM BEYOND are marvelous, especially the other-dimensional creatures, which are often realized as an orgy of gooey slime and pulsating latex. They’re over-the-top in a wonderful way, and a pleasant reminder of how excessive horror movies from the 1980s so often were -- at their very best when packed with wonderfully-crafted practical effects.

The video and audio presentation is nothing short of stunning. The 1.85:1 anamorphic image is razor-sharp, fresh and immediate, with tons of detail. The colors are dazzling, with all of the purples, violets, reds and oranges looking vibrant and assured, despite the difficult lighting conditions that are often employed. Without giving too much away, let’s just say that the reinserted footage, while fairly brief, is bloody good fun, and definitely enhances the overall enjoyment of the film. The Dolby Digital 4.0 Stereo Surround track garners equal praise, with some nice directional effects, and overall reflects the same amount of care given to the video transfer. A dubbed French mono track is also available, and the DVD includes optional subtitles in English and Spanish.

MGM has blessed fans with a plethora of special features for this release. The feature length audio commentary track finds Stuart Gordon, Brian Yuzna, Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton fondly reminiscing about the production. It’s an essential listen since it’s equally as entertaining as it is informative. “Reflections With Stuart Gordon: A Director’s Perspective” is an aptly titled nine-minute featurette that finds Gordon discussing various aspects around the production of FROM BEYOND. “The Editing Room: Lost And Found” runs just under five minutes, and addresses the fascinating events that led to the locating and reinserting of the aforementioned trimmed footage. The score from prolific Richard Band (GHOULIES, TROLL) is the centerpiece of the brief “Interview With The Composer” featurette. “Photo Montage” features color as well as black and white stills from the film. And finally, “Storyboard To Film Comparisons” is an interesting featurette that allows you to use the Angle button on your remote to switch between the scene comparison and storyboard illustrations. This featurette is separated into five parts, with an initial introduction by Stuart Gordon, followed by four effects-heavy scenes from the film. From the introduction, we learn that Gordon personally storyboarded his first three films, and he discusses how instrumental that is when making films with a lower budget and numerous special effects.