The “name written in blood,” Eegah, returns to the spotlight for a special-edition release from The Film Detective (TFD), a leading classic media streaming network and film archive that restores classic films for today’s cord-cutters.
On Nov. 26, TFD will release a must-have collector’s set for any cult fan that includes a 4K restoration of Eegah (1962); the 1993 Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) version of the film; and exclusive interviews with star Arch Hall Jr., who portrayed the local teenage hero, and MST3K creator Joel Hodgson.
Originally designed as a vehicle for his son, filmmaker Arch Hall Sr. assumed the roles of writer, producer, director, and actor to bring the film to fruition,
utilizing pseudonyms like “Nicholas Merriwether” and “William Watters” to prevent his name from appearing multiple times in the credits.
Incorporating all of the rock ‘n’ roll, pop culture staples of the ‘60s, he added a rampaging, seven-foot-tall Neanderthal to create the thrilling comedy,
which follows Eegah (Richard Kiel), a prehistoric caveman who is nearly run over by Roxy Miller (Marilyn Manning) on her way to a party. Forming a romantic interest in the young beauty, Eegah holds Roxy and her father (Hall Sr.) captive in his lair. It’s up to local gas station attendant Tom Nelson (Hall Jr.) to rescue his sweetheart from the raving brute.
Matching the whimsical tone of the movie itself, Arch Sr. once said, “It was always sort of a subject of laughter that the darned thing did so well.”
Despite its campy prehistoric origins, the legacy of Eegah has stood the test of time. In 1993, the movie was picked up for an episode of MST3K (1988-1999), a comedy series that made playful commentary on entertainment’s most-notorious B- movies, recently revived on Netflix in 2017. The episode further immortalized the film’s most famous, satirical line, “Watch out for snakes,” a comment noticeably dubbed during post-production. Eegah embedded itself so deeply into the culture
of MST3K, that the show took to the road in 2017 for a live Watch Out for Snakes Tour.
MST3K is not the only organization with a longtime appreciation for the legacy of Eegah. Something Weird Video, an American film distributor dedicated to the preservation of exploitation films, has served as an integral part of Eegah’s preservation. Commented owner Lisa Petrucci, “Something Weird is pleased that Eegah is getting the deluxe Blu-ray video release that it deserves! This will be the best version of the film ever made available!”
EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL FEATURES: Joel Hodgson, creator of MST3K, gives his take on the Hall family and his evolving appreciation for the film following the 1993 episode; and the star himself, Arch Hall Jr., shares personal insights on his father’s spur-of-the-moment plot idea, reveals which of his family members appear in cameos throughout the film and offers behind-the-scenes details from production.
With a 4K restoration by Peter Conheim from the Cinema Preservation Alliance, Eegah is available for purchase from TFD Nov. 26 on limited-edition Blu-ray ($24.99) and on DVD ($19.99). By ordering through the Movie Zyng links below, viewers will receive a $1 discount off the suggested retail price. Eegah is presented in HD with an aspect ratio of 16×9 and original sound with English subtitles available.
