CBB Presents The Bear Cave of Terror - Ep. 27 - Nightbreed (1990)

After a quick mid-season break, the Bear Cave of Terror is back with another episode that has two guest hosts, Comic Book Bears' Caleb Alexander-McKinzie and wig, makeup, and costuming expert, Jason Estrada (who also happens to be Steve's husband)! The three of us tackle one of our collective favorite horror films, Clive Barker's 1990 film, Nightbreed. The film, originally released in theaters with a studio-led cut that ignored Barker's direction, was eventually re-released in a few different director's cut versions, and the fan-forward Cabal Cut that presents it as closely to the original intention as possible. Different endings and viewpoints aside, this hybrid fantasy and horror film is known for the incredible practical makeup designs that defined the Nightbreed creatures and characters, as well as cleverly presenting Barker's political vision of a community of diverse deviants besieged by the real monsters, the people of "normal' society. With fellow director David Cronenberg also appearing as a psychiatrist with a vicious and bloody secret, the main plot of outsider Boone seeking out the haven of Midian, and his loyal girlfriend following to save and/or join him, only to see the bastion of safety destroyed by marauding townspeople, is one that speaks to a growing cult audience. But even more, the creativity and freedom that went into bringing the Nightbreed to life is a vision rarely realized, especially in the pre-CGI era.

Additional Resources for the episode:

Tribes of the Moon:Making Nightbreed (2014) produced by Shout! Factory

Men, Makeup, and Monsters: Hollywood's Masters of Illusion and FX by Anthony Timpone, 1996, St Martin's Griffin, New York, NY, pp 163-181

Clive Barker's Nightbreed, Vol 1 (1990-93) by Alan Grant, Jim Wagner, Jim Baikie, et al, published by Epic Comics.

Nightbreed (2014-15) by Clive Barker and Mark Andreyko, art by Piotr Kowalski et al, published by Boom! Studios