Why so much hype?

The first must-see film of the year.

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Nightbreed (1990) ** (out of 4)Aaron Boone (Craig Sheffer) is a troubled man whose doctor (David Cronenberg) has convinced him that he could be a masked serial killer. Soon Boone is shot dead due to the doctor's lying but his body and soul are then transferred to Midian, a place where monsters are the good guys.NIGHTBREED was the first movie I ever watched in a theater by myself. I still remember the experience quite well and I always remembered that I wasn't too fond of the picture. It was several years later before I learned that director Clive Barker had all sorts of issues with the studio and that the version released was cut beyond his control. I never bothered to revisit the movie until the Director's Cut was eventually released and that's what I will be reviewing here.Did the Director's Cut help things for me? Not really. I must say that I can honestly understand why people love this film but to me it just doesn't work for a number of reasons. For starters, even with the longer running time and the more detail to plot, I still can't really make heads or tails out of what's going on. Yes, this is a movie where the monsters are good guys and the humans are the bad guys. There are countless elements thrown together here and there's a mythological idea flowing throughout. I get all of that. I really do but do we really need two hours of this? I can understand what Barker was going for but I think his direction here just doesn't pull everything off.I say that and it's really disappointing because there's some great stuff here. The serial killer and his mask is downright creepy and there are some really effective scenes with him. I thought an entire movie based on this character would have been terrific but the problem is having Cronenberg play the doctor. He's okay in small parts but he certainly can't build anything major to this character and it's really too bad. I thought Sheffer was good enough for the part and the supporting players are good. The main thing here are the special effects. In particular the make-up effects, which are downright terrific. The various monster creations aren't as memorable as those seen in HELLRAISER but these are still very creative.NIGHTBREED isn't an awful film by any stretch of the imagination but there's no question that it's a disappointment. All of the elements are here for something special but I think the film, both versions in fact, fall a bit short.

A Fantasy cult horror film from 1990 from Clive Barker creator of 'Candyman' and 'Hellraiser' and tonight's movie is 'Nightbreed' A troubled young man is drawn to a mythical place called Midian where a variety of monsters are hiding from humanity.One of Clive's films I never really got the chance to see Nightbreed is a part slasher part supernatural part monster movie and it works on all ends its creepy and cool and very fun to watch. It kind of has a lovecraftian feel to it, and I really like it, The acting its pretty good along with the acting. The monster and gore effects are very will done and trademark of any Barker film and that and the really good music make this film work. that and the good camera work and lighting, the sets are also really good. No real negatives here.On the gore meter from one to ten One being something like 'The Corpse Grinders' and Ten being something like 'Braindead'. Nightbreed is a 5.5 nothing too extreme but there is more gore than I expected! Nightbreed is a classic and my new favorite Clive Barker film 5/5

Back before television became a breeding ground for fantasy knockoffs, NIGHTBREED seemed unique enough to warrant mention; nowadays, of course, it's almost quaint with its cast of motley monsters struggling to survive alongside The Human Race. The opening chase through the field (not unlike a similar scene in the anime classic VAMPIRE HUNTER D) is an attention-grabber right from the start, and many of the Monsters we encounter throughout the movie are truly memorable (my favorite being the wide-eyed child found outside the Underground entrance). Anyone who's seen shows like SUPERNATURAL or GRIMM will find themselves in familiar territory, but it was Clive Barker who got there first and NIGHTBREED's STILL a nifty little Monster movie.

I'm no stranger to looking past how certain movies have aged over the years. I can still enjoy a film from decades gone by and overlook their special effects and production values from the time. However, there are certain aspects I have a hard time ignoring. A lack of cohesive editing and scrambled arrangement is the downfall of "Nightbreed."There's always been a lot of talk about studio tampering when it comes to the theatrical version of "Nightbreed." Clive Barker's cut of the movie is a disjointed mess of scenes that jumps back and forth giving it a scattered and clumsy feel. It doesn't convey its creator's genius the way it should.If you look past all its negatives, "Nightbreed" does a great job showing Clive Barker's talent at manufacturing characters that are both sympathetic at a human level and unique in design. The creatures found in the movie each have their own characteristics and look, much the way Barker did for the Cenobites of "Hellraiser." You empathize with each one even if they do appear frightening on the outside. From a religious standpoint, most fundamentalist Christians are going to have serious issues with "Nightbreed." The title group worships Baphomet, which is an idol or deity most commonly associated today with the Church of Satan. Aside from that, it's referred to as a representation of the sum total of the universe – male and female, good and evil, etc. From what I understand, Barker is an atheist so it's safe to say he uses Baphomet as a symbol of the latter. Either way, its pagan in design which won't make Christians comfortable watching it."Nightbreed: The Director's Cut" is unrated but could easily hold an "R." There's some nudity and gore, but nothing that sends it into NC-17 territory. There's the usual amount of violence and gore found in horror films as well. It's said that Clive Barker was attempting to create a world of horror the likes of what "Star Wars" did for science fiction. As far as characters and settings go, he accomplished his goal. However, the breakdown for "Nightbreed" was in its lack of cohesion when it comes to narrative arrangement. Its unconventional editing and thrown-together feel hijacked any chances of conventional moviegoers catching on to it. I do believe it's ripe for a sequel in a day and age where older concepts and movies are being re-booted and given another chance.