Director – Gary Marcum
Starring – Tamara Hext (Dallas, Frequent Flyer), Tom Campitelli (Brutal Fury, Dark Angel), and Randy Strickland
Release Date – 1988
Rating – 3.5/5
Blu Release – 4.5/5
Vinegar Syndrome has won my heart on many occasions. The one that I always think about is when they released a childhood favorite of mine on blu when they released Demon Wind. I know that is a polarizing film for most genre fans but I can’t help but love it. It’s one that I watched several times as a kid but a lot of friends of mine had never heard of it before. Now when Vin Syn releases a title I had never heard of I always go into it with hopes that they snagged another wild mid to late 80s horror title with a similar tone.
When Vin Syn announced the release of 1988’s Through the Fire I found myself almost obsessed with the film’s artwork. The image they used for the blu really sold me on the film and I couldn’t wait to check it out. I quickly pre-ordered it, like I did with the rest of their releases, and as soon as I could check it out I quickly tossed it in. It looked like it would be so much fun with the same charm that made Demon Wind so enjoyable.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a woman whose sister is missing. She seeks out a police officer to help her find her in his down time. Soon they find an old amulet that she used to wear when it is conveniently dropped off to them as they were investigating her apartment. The amulet is what a cult needs to control a demon that they wish to resurrect. Soon they pair finds themselves hunted by cult members and demons alike. **Spoiler Alert**
I noticed a few of my friends within the horror community did not like Through the Fire. I can see why some of them didn’t like the film but I had a lot of fun with it. It was goofy, the characters were a little flat, and the story was predictable but it was a fun late night watch.
The acting in this one is not the worst I had seen but it was evident that a lot of the cast had very little experience. Their performances were a little underwhelming at times but it didn’t really take away from the overall film. The characters are very forgettable but no one really delivers a bad performance. Their inexperience, mixed with the lack of character development, creates the perfect storm for the cast.
The story for this one is pretty predictable but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it. The demon aspect mixed with a little mystery and the occult is a lot of fun to me. The film has some great pacing and the story development mixed with the more action heavy scenes were a lot of fun. I enjoyed this story but I don’t think I could revisit it anytime soon.
Finally, the film has some bloody moments but it’s not as gory as I was hoping for. The practical effects for the kills work but they are nothing we haven’t seen before. The demon as the end is funny looking. I feel bad for laughing because a lot of time went into the effects for this creature but at the end of the day it looked like a hairless nutsack with a face. The design is definitely lacking. Overall, Through the Fire is not an 80s horror staple like Killer Klowns from Outer Space or any other horror film you think of when you think about 80s horror but it has it’s moments. I really enjoyed it and the blu release from Vin Syn is a fantastic addition to my collection. I highly recommend checking it out.
Special Features:
Region Free Blu-ray
Newly scanned & restored in 2k from its 35mm internegative
Commentary track with co-writer/director Gary Marcum for THROUGH THE FIRE
“Lighting the Spark” – an interview with co-writer/director Gary Marcum and co-writer/associate producer Brad Potter
“A Labor of Love” – an interview with special makeup effect artist Gregor Punchatz
Alternate feature-length version THE GATES OF HELL PART II: DEAD AWAKENING (sourced from video)
Commentary track with co-writer/director Gary Marcum, co-writer/associate producer Brad Potter and editor Jay Helton (moderated by Zack Carlson) for THE GATES OF HELL PART II
Behind-the-scenes special effects video footage
Reversible cover artwork
English SDH subtitles
