Chris Jordan gives an in-depth analysis
of Clive Barker's excellent, underrated dark-fantasy cult classic.
Much like the monsters of its title,
Clive Barker's Nightbreed is
a misunderstood creature that is far more substantial and soulful
than it initially appears. The victim of a deeply-troubled
post-production fraught with studio meddling, re-shoots, and re-cuts,
it emerged in 1990 in an artistically and intellectually mangled
state that was savaged by critics and doomed to failure at the box
office. It was an extreme case of a studio and a filmmaker
disagreeing about what a movie should be: Morgan Creek completely
failed to understand Barker's intentions, tone, and themes, and very
nearly killed the film in their attempts to reshape it into something
it wasn't.
It nonetheless became a minor cult classic thanks to the bits of unique brilliance that still shone through, but even its most vocal fans were well aware how compromised the film had become. Then, also like its supernatural protagonists, Nightbreed experienced a long-overdue resurrection and transformation: in 2014, Scream Factory worked with Clive Barker's Seraphim Films to painstakingly restore Barker's director's cut. The result is in many ways a totally new movie: with 45 minutes of footage added and 20 minutes of studio-mandated reshoots removed, this new Nightbreed focuses in on the social commentary at its core, and tells its story with a substantially different tone and attitude towards genre. The director's cut reveals this to be Barker's most ambitious film, as well as his most allegorical, in a way that feels extremely personal. It is every bit as strong a movie as his better-known directorial efforts Hellraiser and Lord of Illusions, and even improves on a few of Hellraiser's weaker qualities. Its reputation as a cult classic has certainly increased since the release of this new cut, and hopefully it will continue to grow: the Breed definitely deserve to stand alongside the Cenobytes as some of Barker's greatest creations.
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It nonetheless became a minor cult classic thanks to the bits of unique brilliance that still shone through, but even its most vocal fans were well aware how compromised the film had become. Then, also like its supernatural protagonists, Nightbreed experienced a long-overdue resurrection and transformation: in 2014, Scream Factory worked with Clive Barker's Seraphim Films to painstakingly restore Barker's director's cut. The result is in many ways a totally new movie: with 45 minutes of footage added and 20 minutes of studio-mandated reshoots removed, this new Nightbreed focuses in on the social commentary at its core, and tells its story with a substantially different tone and attitude towards genre. The director's cut reveals this to be Barker's most ambitious film, as well as his most allegorical, in a way that feels extremely personal. It is every bit as strong a movie as his better-known directorial efforts Hellraiser and Lord of Illusions, and even improves on a few of Hellraiser's weaker qualities. Its reputation as a cult classic has certainly increased since the release of this new cut, and hopefully it will continue to grow: the Breed definitely deserve to stand alongside the Cenobytes as some of Barker's greatest creations.
Nightbreed
is, in essence, a monster movie in reverse: one where the creatures
are the heroes, and it is the humans who commit monstrous acts. The
film, based on Barker's novella Cabal,
tells the story of Midian: an underground city where the last of the
world's monsters have formed a safe haven, to take refuge from the
humans who have pushed them to the brink of extinction. It is a place
where the outcast and dispossessed can come to seek asylum...
provided they're willing to leave their humanity at the door and join
the Nightbreed. But humanity is notoriously bad at living and letting
live, and any compromise of Midian's secrecy brings with it the
threat of violence from the world above. Despite the film's
marketing, and despite the reputation that Clive Barker built for
himself with Hellraiser,
this premise should make clear that Nightbreed
is not a horror film, but a dark fantasy. It feels very much like a
precursor to the work of Neil Gaiman and Guillermo Del Toro, with
Midian occupying a similar narrative space as Gaiman's London Below
from Neverwhere, or
Del Toro's Goblin Market from Hellboy II.
This shift away from horror and towards fantasy will be no surprise
to fans of Barker's books, as the author had by the late-1980s moved
substantially in this direction, into the modern fantasy niche which
would characterize most of his literary career. To those who know him
mostly from his films, however, Nightbreed
will present a very different, and potentially surprising, side of
the auteur. The studio was certainly surprised for exactly this
reason: they wanted and expected another horror film like Hellraiser,
and when they instead got a dark fantasy with its outlandish
creatures as the protagonists, they had no idea what to do with it,
except recut it into a more conventional genre flick. Perhaps the
real problem is that Nightbreed was
ahead of its time, a few years before the pop-cultural landscape was
ready for it.
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| "Clive Barker? Yeah, he's pretty good. His stuff could use some more body-horror, though." |
Coming
in a cinematic age of slasher flicks and creature features where the
villains were uncomplicated in their grotesque evilness and the
heroes were attractive young (human) people, Nightbreed
was like no other movie of the time. Here we have a story where it is
the monsters who are charming, intelligent, and attractive (though
still plenty grotesque), and where the villains are the
outwardly-respectable police chief (Charles Haid) and doctor
(filmmaker David Cronenberg, in a rare acting role). The people
aren't all bad: the film still centers around two human protagonists,
a young couple played by Craig Sheffer and Anne Bobby, whose personal
journeys into Midian provide the emotional focus as well as the
catalyst for Barker's philosophical parable. But it is understandably
the monsters who really steal the show, as a larger-than-life
ensemble whose wild appearances are matched by their eclectic
personalities. Dozens of different creatures appear in the film, and
Barker has convincingly created an entire society for them to
inhabit. We see their culture, their laws, and their social
structure, meeting everyone from reserved political leaders (Doug
Bradley as the philosopher-monk Lylesberg) to the anarchic
troublemakers living on Midian's fringe (the rock-and-roller wild-man
Narcisse and the animalistic loose cannon Peloquin). Using far more
visual storytelling than spoken exposition, Barker gives us a
fascinating window into a fully-formed world that could have been
explored in a whole series of movies without ever running out of
material. In fact, it leaves us wanting more: I know that the movie
had a story to tell, and a pace to maintain, but I can't help but
wish that it slowed down to explore the nuances of Midian just a bit
more, because it's all so unique.
At the
end of the day, though, indulging in the stylistic coolness of the
most monster-packed monster movie of them all is simply not why Clive
Barker is here. Viewers come to Nightbreed
for the insane funhouse of creatures, but stay for the multiple
layers of themes that the plot explores. Firstly, Barker's story is
concerned with the ways in which power structures can corrode
morality and discourage critical thought. Both of the film's main
villains, the sociopathic doctor and the violently macho police
chief, are traditional figures of authority and public trust, who
know that they can abuse their power without repercussions. Rather
than questioning their ethics or motives, the people around them
simply fall in line and do as ordered, because their positions place
them above suspicion or doubt. A villain with the right credentials
is easily assumed to be a hero by those who don't think critically
enough. In a way, the opposite is true in Midian: Doug Bradley's
benevolent Lylesberg leads the Nightbreed with a noble philosophy of
strict pacifism towards the world above, and his authority is
followed unquestioningly... even when his nonviolent approach leaves
them sitting ducks against the brutality of their enemies. He is a
voice of the status quo, which is not always the same as a voice of
reason; even a good leader and a good philosophy can become harmful
when followed dogmatically and without question. A better school of
thought is symbolized by our heroes Boone and Lori: they are torn
between the worlds of humanity and the Breed, and thus struggle to
find a balance between the humans' violence and Lylesberg's religious
law. Their journey, then, takes them to a place of
personally-negotiated ethics, rather than the comfortable following
of leadership or dogma.
The other major thematic arc of Nightbreed is as an allegory about the struggles of LGBT people in a heteronormative world. Strip away the fantasy trappings and this is basically the story of a misunderstood minority trying to build a support system against the bigotry and persecution of mainstream society. The Breed aren't monsters, despite their looks; they are just judged as such by people who meet them with heavy preconceived notions. In essence, they are hated and feared for not fitting into a socially-prescribed normal. This metaphor of Midian as a tight-knit queer community is made more explicit by the fact that several of the Breed are clearly played as gay or bisexual, openly without fear of social stigma. This is in stark contrast to a subplot involving a priest who is bullied and abused by the police chief because he is gay, and thus in the chief's eyes deserving of punishment for violating their conservative town's heterosexual norms. The victim of the chief's homophobia being a priest is an ironic tie-in to the first theme; a jab at those who use religion as a justification for their bigotry without stopping to realize how badly that misses the point of the whole “love thy neighbor” message. While both sides of Nightbreed's thematic arc tie in with Clive Barker's recurring philosophies, the story's queer themes seem especially personal. As a gay man who at that point in his career still did not feel comfortable being out of the closet in his public persona, the story of Midian's safe-haven being at odds with the bigotry of society at large almost certainly drew from his personal experiences, in a way that he could only write about at the time behind layers of fantasy.
The other major thematic arc of Nightbreed is as an allegory about the struggles of LGBT people in a heteronormative world. Strip away the fantasy trappings and this is basically the story of a misunderstood minority trying to build a support system against the bigotry and persecution of mainstream society. The Breed aren't monsters, despite their looks; they are just judged as such by people who meet them with heavy preconceived notions. In essence, they are hated and feared for not fitting into a socially-prescribed normal. This metaphor of Midian as a tight-knit queer community is made more explicit by the fact that several of the Breed are clearly played as gay or bisexual, openly without fear of social stigma. This is in stark contrast to a subplot involving a priest who is bullied and abused by the police chief because he is gay, and thus in the chief's eyes deserving of punishment for violating their conservative town's heterosexual norms. The victim of the chief's homophobia being a priest is an ironic tie-in to the first theme; a jab at those who use religion as a justification for their bigotry without stopping to realize how badly that misses the point of the whole “love thy neighbor” message. While both sides of Nightbreed's thematic arc tie in with Clive Barker's recurring philosophies, the story's queer themes seem especially personal. As a gay man who at that point in his career still did not feel comfortable being out of the closet in his public persona, the story of Midian's safe-haven being at odds with the bigotry of society at large almost certainly drew from his personal experiences, in a way that he could only write about at the time behind layers of fantasy.
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| "Awesome! Totally awesome!" |
These
levels of thematic depth are the key to Nightbreed's
success; the things that allow the film to resonate as a very human
story, and be more than just a good fantasy/horror movie. But on top
of that, it also is a very good fantasy/horror movie – and that is
what makes it so much fun, in addition to being interesting. As a
visceral thriller, the film excels: Hellraiser
and Lord of Illusions
earned Clive Barker the reputation of being a visually stunning
director who knows when to let loose the unrestrained madness, and we
get more of that here too. While the Breed are not by nature monsters
in the conventional sense, when they need to get out their teeth and
claws and be monstrous, they can certainly deal some damage; and at
least a couple of Midian's more anarchic inhabitants really enjoy it.
This film deliberately does not have the same level of gore as
Barker's other two, but the clashes between the Nightbreed and humans
really pack a punch, both in terms of thrills and in terms of the
brilliant special effects used to realize them. It cannot be
overstated how awesome the creature effects in this film are. As a
showcase of practical monster makeup alone, it's a dream come true
for fans of that ghoulish art form. Seemingly every creature is very
different, right down to some insane creations who are basically just
walk-on extras. The star monsters are all fantastic, but great love
and care was also put into characters who only appear for seconds,
because that is what makes all the difference in making the world of
Midian feel real. Fans of creature effects will be reaching for the
pause button to admire the artistry, and will devour the makeup
effects featurette on the blu-ray. The set design is similarly
spectacular: the sprawling, multi-level Midian set is worthy of an
Indiana Jones movie, and the fact that it and the monsters were all
created on a ten-million-dollar budget is pretty unbelievable.
Then there's the matter of David Cronenberg, whose presence as an actor has surely lured as many cult film buffs to Nightbreed as the monsters. He is great, giving easily the strongest performance that doesn't come from one of the Breed. For someone known for such insane films, he gives a remarkably restrained performance; plenty of actors would have chewed the scenery like crazy as the villainous Dr. Decker, but Cronenberg instead takes a less-is-more approach, to the extreme. He is all soft-spoken menace, with threats hidden just behind a calm and sophisticated exterior; truly chilling. Between him and the more intense members of the Nightbreed, stars Craig Sheffer and Anne Bobby very nearly have the movie stolen out from under them, though both are solid enough leads. Sheffer's brooding Boone seems uncannily like a predecessor to David Boreanaz as Angel, though he sometimes is about as wooden as Boreanaz could be in Buffy's early seasons. Bobby gets to show a good deal more range in a role that even gets a musical number; her character, Lori, sings in a band. The rest of the (non-Nightbreed) cast is fairly uneven: some deliver pretty good performances, while others are either on the wooden side, or are way too over-the-top. A couple of the police officers in particular almost border on outright parody, which feels very out of place in a story with such thematic ambitions.
Then there's the matter of David Cronenberg, whose presence as an actor has surely lured as many cult film buffs to Nightbreed as the monsters. He is great, giving easily the strongest performance that doesn't come from one of the Breed. For someone known for such insane films, he gives a remarkably restrained performance; plenty of actors would have chewed the scenery like crazy as the villainous Dr. Decker, but Cronenberg instead takes a less-is-more approach, to the extreme. He is all soft-spoken menace, with threats hidden just behind a calm and sophisticated exterior; truly chilling. Between him and the more intense members of the Nightbreed, stars Craig Sheffer and Anne Bobby very nearly have the movie stolen out from under them, though both are solid enough leads. Sheffer's brooding Boone seems uncannily like a predecessor to David Boreanaz as Angel, though he sometimes is about as wooden as Boreanaz could be in Buffy's early seasons. Bobby gets to show a good deal more range in a role that even gets a musical number; her character, Lori, sings in a band. The rest of the (non-Nightbreed) cast is fairly uneven: some deliver pretty good performances, while others are either on the wooden side, or are way too over-the-top. A couple of the police officers in particular almost border on outright parody, which feels very out of place in a story with such thematic ambitions.
As
this unevenness in the cast shows, Nightbreed
is by no means a perfect movie, despite its strengths. The weak
points in its cast are its most visible flaws, but are not the only
ones. The story has some pacing issues, occasionally accelerating
through plot points that could use a bit more room to breathe. The
director's cut runs a full two hours, but even so, it would have
benefited from another ten minutes to even out the pacing.
Ultimately, though, this flaw is the result of Clive Barker's
ambitiousness with the story, as there is so much he is trying to do
and say that he doesn't have any time to waste. In the end, this is
pretty easily forgivable given the strengths on display, though I
continue to wish that the film could have slowed down and taken more
time to explore Midian.
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| "Hi there- you ever drink Bailey's out of a shoe?" |
Nightbreed is
a very good film, both as a fantasy/horror tale and as social
commentary. After the iconic but uneven Hellraiser,
this is the film that sees Clive Barker find his stride as a
director, with a more consistently strong end result. Of Barker's
three films, this is easily the most ambitious, both narratively and
thematically, as he works to build a massive, fully-formed world
unlike any other. It is such a shame that we had to wait almost 25
years to see the film as he intended it. If Nightbreed
had come out as his director's cut in 1990, maybe it would have been
a hit, and maybe we'd now have several sequels further exploring the
Breed's fascinating world. But alas, it was not to be. We will have
to be content knowing that we can at last see the real film, not just
the shadow of its former self that was previously available. Already
since this new version was released it has grown from an underdog
favorite with a small but passionate following to a full-fledged cult
classic, and hopefully this growth will continue. The Nightbreed
deserve to be just as iconic as Barker's Cenobytes; a light to their
dark side in the balance of the horror auteur's great monsters.
Score:
- Christopher S. Jordan