Magic, Myth & Mutilation: The Micro-Budget Cinema of Michael J. Murphy, 1967–2015 (UK Limited Edition, Region Free)

Release date: 30 January 2023
Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set (World Blu-ray premieres)

Amongst overlooked filmmakers, British director Michael J Murphy ranks as one of the most sorely neglected. Having cut his teeth on a variety of homemade 8mm shorts, he had completed three feature-length productions by the age of eighteen. Over the next five decades, Murphy would go on to make many more films across a variety of genres, dividing his production time between Greece, Portugal, and the UK, with family, friends, and local stage performers becoming his regular cast and crew in exchange for holidays in the sun.

Despite this prolific output – a total of more than thirty completed films over a half-century, of which twenty-six survive – Murphy’s work remains rarely seen and little championed. Fitfully available on videotape, and barely represented on DVD, this comprehensive and long-gestating ten-disc Blu-ray collection seeks to rectify that situation once and for all. Boasting all-new 2K restorations from archival 16mm and 8mm elements, as well as a number of new digital captures from Murphy’s personal tape masters, this extensive retrospective of the obsessive auteur’s work is bolstered by a wealth of bonus features, including surviving fragments from lost works, and a 120-page book, all of which provides the definitive account of the weird and wonderful worlds of Britain’s great unheralded DIY filmmaker.

INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION 10 x BLU-RAY BOX SET SPECIAL FEATURES

DISC ONE

• All-new 2K restorations by Powerhouse Films of Tristan & Iseult (1970), Happy Ever After (1974), Secrets (1977), and Almost a Movie! (1979)
• Original mono audio
• Murphy’s Lore, Part 1: Origin (2023, 22 mins): first instalment of a three-part documentary exploring Michael J Murphy’s career, featuring archival interviews with Murphy, and newly filmed interiews with actors Phil Lyndon, Judith Holding, Patrick Olliver, Steve Longhurst, and June Bunday
• Surviving fragments from lost Murphy works Atlantis: City of Sin (1967, 6 mins), Boadicea (1968, 5 mins), Gods and Heroes (1971, 2 mins), Seventh Day (first version, 1976, 7 mins), Insight (1978, 3 mins), and Seventh Day (second version, 1979, 5 mins)
• Seventh Day (second version) outtakes
• Image gallery: original promotional materials
• New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• World premieres on Blu-ray

DISC TWO

• All-new 2K restorations by Powerhouse Films of The Cell (1980), Stay (1980), Death in the Family (1981), Invitation to Hell (1982), and The Last Night (1982)
• Original mono audio
• Audio commentaries on Invitation to Hell and The Last Night with Murphy, Lyndon and Sally Duncan (2008)
• Audio commentary on Invitation to Hell with academic and writer Johnny Walker (2023)
• The Making of ‘Invitation to Hell’ & ‘The Last Night’ (2008, 15 mins)
• The Last Night alternative titles and credits
• Stay outtakes
• Original ‘Stay’ 7˝ single
• Trailers for Invitation to Hell and The Last Night
• Custom Video logo reel
• Image gallery: original promotional materials
• Invitation to Hell script gallery
• New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• World premieres on Blu-ray

DISC THREE

• Standard Definition presentation of Quälen (1983), newly digitised and compiled from rare surviving tape sources
• All-new 2K restoration by Powerhouse Films of Bloodstream (1985), using Super 8 film elements from the Michael J Murphy archives
• Alternative presentation of Quälen under the US distribution title, The Hereafter
• Early version of Bloodstream, featuring alternative dubbing for two of the characters, which was pirated and distributed against Murphy’s wishes
• Original mono audio
• Michael J Murphy Presents (2015, 19 mins): career-spanning tribute made shortly after the director’s death
• 16mm test footage (3 mins): material shot by Murphy in the early 1980s
• Bloodstream promo
• Image gallery: original promotional materials
• Quälen and Bloodstream script galleries
• New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• World premieres on Blu-ray

DISC FOUR

• Standard Definition presentation of Tristan (1986), newly digitised from Murphy’s original tape master
• Standard Definition presentation of Death Run (1987), newly digitised and compiled from rare surviving tape sources
• Two presentations of Tristan: the original 109-minute cut; and Murphy’s 88-minute Legend of a Hero re-edit
• Original mono audio
• Murlyn’s Cave (2023, 22 mins): footage of Murphy’s friends and collaborators salvaging rare promotional materials, production equipment, props and other materials from the director’s home shortly after his death in 2015
• Legend of a Hero and Death Run trailers
• Image gallery: original promotional materials
• Tristan and Death Run script galleries
• New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• World premieres on Blu-ray

DISC FIVE

• Standard Definition presentation of Avalon (1988), newly digitised from Michael J Murphy’s original tape master
• All-new 2K restoration by Powerhouse Films of Moonchild (1989), using 16mm film elements from the Murphy archives
• Original mono audio
• Murphy’s Lore, Part 2: Method (2023, 21 mins): second instalment of a three-part documentary about Murphy’s career, featuring archival interviews with the director, as well as regular Murphy actors Patrick Olliver and Phil Lyndon, in which they share insights and anecdotes about shooting the many films they have made together
• Avalon trailers
• Moonchild trailer
• Image gallery: original promotional materials
• Avalon script gallery
• New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• World premieres on Blu-ray

DISC SIX

• All-new 2K restorations by Powerhouse Films of Torment (1990) and Atlantis (1991), using 16mm film elements from the Murphy archives
• Original mono audio
• Audio commentary on Atlantis with Murphy and actors Lyndon, Judith Holding and June Bunday (2010)
• The Making of ‘Atlantis’ (c.2000, 7 mins): archival retrospective documentary
• The Making of ‘Atlantis’ (2009, 7 mins): alternative retrospective documentary, prepared for a planned, but unrealised DVD release
• Atlantis alternative titles and credits
• Bloopers reel (1987–91, 6 mins): mishaps and mistakes from Murphy film sets
• Torment trailer
• Atlantis trailers
• Image gallery: original promotional materials
• Atlantis script gallery
• New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• World premieres on Blu-ray

DISC SEVEN

• Standard Definition presentation of Second Sight (1991), newly digitised from Michael J Murphy’s tape master
• All-new 2K restoration by Powerhouse Films of Road to Nowhere (1993), using 16mm film elements from the Murphy archives
• Original mono audio
• Mike Gives Us a Tour of His Home and Studio (2014, 12 mins): the director hosts an intimate journey through his house and his career, revealing insights about some typically resourceful production techniques along the way
• Road to Nowhere alternative end credits
• Road to Nowhere trailer
• Image gallery: original promotional materials
• New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• World premieres on Blu-ray

DISC EIGHT

• All-new 2K restorations by Powerhouse Films of The Rite of Spring (1995) and Tristan (1999), using 16mm film elements from the Murphy archives
• Two presentations of The Rite of Spring: the original version (90 mins, High Definition); and the re-edited version (81 mins, Standard Definition)
• Two presentations of Tristan: the original version (108 mins, High Definition); and the re-edited version (102 mins, Standard Definition)
• Original mono audio
• Horror-on-Sea Interview with Michael J Murphy (2013, 65 mins): the prolific filmmaker in conversation with his regular acting collaborators, June Bunday and Phil Lyndon, recorded for the much-loved British horror festival
• ‘The Rite of Spring’: Behind the Scenes (1995, 41 mins)
• Tristan alternative titles and credits
• The Rite of Spring trailer
• Tristan trailer
• Image gallery: original promotional materials
• Tristan script gallery
• New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• World premieres on Blu-ray

DISC NINE

• Standard Definition presentations of Roxi (2004) and Skare (2009), newly remastered from Michael J Murphy’s digital archive
• Original stereo audio
• Audio commentary on Skare with Murphy and regular actor Judith Holding (2009)
• The Making of ‘Roxi’ (2004, 13 mins)
• Outtakes from Roxi and Skare
• The Making of ‘Skare’ (2009, 15 mins)
• Skare alternative opening and end credits
• Skare script readthrough (2004, 47 mins)
• Surviving extracts and rehearsal footage from the lost 2001 version of Skare (2001, 41 mins)
• Oliver Price audio commentary on selected rushes from the 2001 version of Skare (2023, 2 mins)
• Michael J Murphy on Chris Jupp’s ‘Beast’ (2010, 5 mins): the filmmaker discusses the other 2009 remake of his original story
• Trailers
• Image gallery: original promotional materials
• Script galleries
• ‘Another Man’s Poison’: Murphy’s short story, and the basis for Skare
• New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• World premieres on Blu-ray

DISC TEN

• Standard Definition presentation of ZK3 (2012), newly remastered from Murphy’s digital archive
• High Definition presentations of Nekros: Isle of the Dead (2014) and The Return of Alan Strange (2015), newly remastered from Murphy’s digital archive
• Original stereo audio
• Murphy’s Lore, Part 3: Legacy (2023, 25 mins): final instalment of a three-part documentary assessing Murphy’s career and legacy, featuring interviews with British filmmakers, cinema programmers, film historians, and writers
• The Making of ‘ZK3’ (2012, 11 mins)
• ‘ZK3’ Premiere (2012, 11 mins): mock awards ceremony
• ‘Nekros’: Behind the Scenes (2014, 17 mins and 54 mins): two presentations – one fully edited; the other, a rough assembly
• Wish You Were Here (2014, 3 mins): actor Phil Lyndon fronts a tongue in-cheek video
• The Return of Alan Strange production footage
• Trailers
• Image gallery
• ZK3 script gallery
• New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• World premieres on Blu-ray