BLOOD TIDE

RELEASED OUT NOW! 1982 | 15 | Blu-ray Director Richard Jefferies Cast James Earl Jones, Deborah Shelton, Martin Kove, José Ferrer

If a honeymoon sets the tone for a marriage, newlyweds Neil (Martin Kove) and Sherry (Mary Louise Weller) need to talk to a divorce solicitor ASAP. The idyllic Greek island they’ve picked for their romantic getaway is populated by unwelcoming locals, mysterious nuns and an ancient sea monster. Really, they should’ve headed home the moment stroppy treasure hunter Frye (James Earl Jones) put a knife to Neil’s throat and punched a watermelon into pulp, but curiosity keeps them hostage until it’s too late…

There’s a lot going on in this movie: the script probably needed at least two main characters and a subplot trimming from it, and first-time director Richard Jefferies clearly wasn’t in control of his cast (though it’s fun to see Jones in full scenery-gnawing mode). A promising bit of monster mythology goes largely ignored in favour of filming the sun-bronzed cast frolicking in swimwear – though considering how beautiful the filming locations are and how unimpressive the monster turns out to be, maybe that’s for the best. Not quite a lost classic, then, but Arrow Video’s perfectly crisp restoration does at least show off Blood Tide’s stunning cinematography.

Extras A director’s commentary; a new 29-minute interview with producer Nico Mastorakis; original and new trailers; booklet.