Review of From Beyond (1986) by The G — 11 Nov 2007

Finally FINALLY....I have this movie on DVD. From Beyond the 1986 classic from Stuart Gordon and featuring much of the same cast from Gordon's first Lovecraft flick "Re-Animator" re team for another Lovecraft story of death and sex by way of stimulation of the pineal gland.

Lovecraft's 7 page short story "From Beyond" is actually covered in the beginning of the film, where Dr. Pretorius is killed when turning on the Resonator. The Resonator stimulates the pineal gland which stimulates sexual desire but in this twist opens a door to another plain of pleasure and pain through the pineal. When Pretorius refuses to turn off the Resonator Crawford Tillinghast (played by Jeffrey Combs) has to escape the disaster as Pretorius is "taken" back with the creatures "From Beyond"!

Barbara Crampton's character who believes Tillinghast wants to go and see the Resonator and if it works. The bring along genre favourite "Ken Foree" as Bubba Brown, a police officer sent to escort Crampton and Comb's character back to the house.

This film is a wonderful treat in the horror genre in that it has a great mix of science (provided heavily by Lovecraft himself) and horror, which combines into a really smart but horrifying thrill ride. The effects on the Pretorius monster look great even by today's standards and the other creatures brought out by the Resonator look fantastic too. The gory effects are highlighted by our characters who desire to learn and expand their feelings beyond that of their ordinary pineal gland, which leads them to keep sending themselves into danger. When the resonator is turned on the lighting is great too, the pinkish lighting almost seems like a character in and of itself.

Another highlight from the film is Crampton's character in the bondage/fetish clothing. She looks really really sexy in the outfit and Gordon comments on the DVD that it's the most popular image from the film. Crampton actually tells a story on the DVD commentary about bringing home some people she'd been drinking (alot) with and them requesting to see that scene. It definitely is a highlight of the film...for us guys anyways :).

Anyways, can't say enough good things about Stuart Gordon's "From Beyond" his follow up to Re-Animator which would itself be followed up by the "okay-good" movie Dolls, which used alot of the same sets.