Prophecy

The film which touted in its ad campaign back in 1979 that it was "The Monster Movie" sees its debut on Blu-ray finally, 40 years after it initially premiered. My parents took me to see "Prophecy" when I was a kid and the sight of a monstrous bear scared me to pieces. Now, of course, I laughed at the sheer lunacy of a monster created out of chemicals polluting a local river.

"Prophecy" at least tries to be earnest in its approach, and there's some much-needed drama, too. Talia Shire ("Rocky") and Robert Foxworth ("Damien: Omen II") play a husband and wife who get sent to rural Maine to investigate claims of a polluted river. What they discover are mutant fish, scared locals, and a Momma bear bent on killing humans.

Part nature warning and part killer animal on the loose film, "Prophecy" wants it both ways and fails miserably in the horror department. A pre-CGI mutant bear is hilariously underdeveloped, and gives the film a kitschy feeling. Because "Prophecy" is meant to be taken seriously, the sight of an obvious actor in a bear suit elicits howls of laughter.

Shire isn't really a scream queen, but does her best to emote in scenes that call for her character to be sad and/or frightened. She, along with co-star Foxworth, sits down for separate interviews in the "Extras" department on Scream Factory's Blu-ray. "All of Our Sins" and "Bearing Up" are brief but insightful enough.

The titles of the other bonus features are just as funny as "Prophecy" the film. "Bear and Grin It," "Hard to Bear," and "Beneath the Bear" features interviews with writer David Selzter, mime artist Tom McLoughlin, and make-up effects designer Tom Burman.

"Prophecy"
Blu-ray
$29.99
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