The Soultangler

I feel like I missed out on something by watching The Soultangler alone. This movie is the perfect schlock horror movie to share with as big an audience as possible. I still laughed at the hilariously incoherent plot and cheesy one-liners and got grossed out by the impressively bad gore effects. I know if I saw it on a movie night with friends or, better yet, in a theater, that this movie would be a big hit! 

The Soultangler’s plot is straightforward in the coherent parts. The film follows a disgraced mad scientist who invents a drug that allows his soul to jump into corpses (as long as they have eyes), reanimating them. The film shifts perspectives following our mad scientist’s minions kidnapping young women for his experiments, and the plucky local newspaper reporter who tries to expose his dastardly plans. 

The film is incredibly bad in the best possible ways. I love how much fun the actors are having, delivering lines bombastically while accidentally getting distracted by their scene partners’ ad-libs, which derails the movie for a moment. The end scene of the film, where the Doctor’s body jumps, is remarkably campy, featuring low-budget but impressive gore effects. The Soultangler is a bad movie that I would recommend everyone see for a fun movie night with friends, or if possible, a midnight screening at a local cinema. 

Vital Disc Stats: Blu-ray 
The Soultangler terrifies Blu-ray thanks to Bleeding Skull and OCN Distribution. This release is housed in a standard clear case, and included in the case is a reversible cover featuring two different cover arts to choose from. The film and supplements are on a single region-free Blu-ray disc.

This scan was preserved from the 1” tape master. Sadly the original 16mm elements are lost.  As is, the film looks pretty bad, but it’s expected from the low budget and tape source. The transfer is very good despite the source material, and it’s a miracle that this home video release exists. The schlocky aspects of the visuals are the entire charm of The Soultangler, the DIY feel of the gore and horror are incredibly entertaining, and while it’s not conventionally good-looking looking the presentation of the film is worth the buy. 

There are some aspects of a scan that can’t be fixed. There are several points in this film where the dialogue is completely inaudible, not because of the transfer itself, but because the film, as it exists on tape, has these issues. In addition to those problems, the film also has times where the ADR doesn’t match the actor’s lips in some truly egregious ways. That being said, all of those terrible audio issues add to the charm of The Soultangler and make the movie an incredibly camp and entertaining experience. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

This release is amazing and full of great bonus features. The behind-the-scenes footage, the Q&A, and the commentaries would be enough to make it great. The inclusion of the director’s cut as well as the never-before-released It’s a Haunted Happening, Bishows’ send-up of kitchy 60’s horror and girl groups, is a remarkably cute homage to 60’s nostalgia and just a great goofy time.

• Audio Commentary with director Pat Bishow
• Director's Cut (62 mins)
• Behind-the-scenes footage
• Q&A from 2018
• Photo gallery
• Original trailer
• Trailer: THE DEAD OF NIGHT TOWN (1984)
• Music video: "Wow" by Hypnolovewheel
• Bonus movie: IT'S A HAUNTED HAPPENIN' (2002, 74 mins), a previously unreleased film from Pat Bishow
• IT'S A HAUNTED HAPPENIN': Commentary with Bishow & co-writer Jon Sanborne.

This release of The Soultangler from Bleeding Skull and OCN/Vinegar Syndrome is a schlock horror fan’s dream. The AV is rough considering the remaining source elements, but in a way that adds to the enjoyment of the movie as a whole. The terrible acting and line deliveries will leave the audience in hysterics. The addition of It’s a Haunting Happening is well worth the buy as well. This movie is a must-see for fans of DIY schlock, even though the schlock in Haunted Happening is very deliberate.  These two features are perfect for a bad movie night or a midnight screening for as large an audience as possible. Recommended