Gary Sherman’s cult classic cannibal horror film Raw Meat comes to 4K UHD with a flawless restoration from Blue Underground.
The Film
I’m always surprised by any film directed by Gary Sherman. Raw Meat/Death Line is no exception. This cannibal film is the kind of delightfully strange but effective horror that pairs up nicely with Dead & Buried, Sherman’s coastal Lovecraftian haunted horror film. Though each is very different, the style and execution feel the same. Raw Meat with its underground proto-humans is as much about things that go bump in the night as it is about the ineffectiveness of the London police department in the form of cockney Inspector Calhoun, played by the deranged and bent Donald Pleasence.
In fact, it’s the constables and the upper echelons of society that are more of a menace than the humanoids that stalk the London underground. Either by their ineffectual nature or their skeevy behavior, they all have contributed in one manner or another, it seems, in allowing this situation to thrive unnoticed since the very end of WW2. Adding to the horror is how the couple, Alex and Patricia (David Ladd and Sharon Gurney), are treated like suspects more than victims or witnesses. Even after the third act is over, the police seem more put out by the amount of work that has to be done in the wake of the rampage and discovery of an entire society than by shock and awe.
Sherman’s film plays out like some dark comedy rather than a horror film, with a couple arguing over the validity of being helpful to a drunken man in the middle of the night, or subway janitorial staff being put off by power outages, only to be attacked. The way that people react to these events isn’t with scared shrieks but deflated frustration.
It helps in this dark comedy of manners that Donald Pleasance is Sherman’s primary star. As Calhoun, the actor plays a drunken buffoon to end all drunken buffoons. The man doddles around and about and back again, belaboring the point of nonsense and tomfoolery… anything but what people are trying to tell him are real issues. It’s all hilarious and magnificent to watch as it makes no sense, but all of the sense when you realize that Pleasance isn’t playing a man as much as he’s playing bureaucracy personified. The only time he isn’t incoherent is when Christopher Lee’s Stratton-Villiers of MI5 shows up to shake the foundations. Their scene is filled with the kind of banter that Lee is known for, but rarely this comedic.
Raw Meat is greater than the sum of its parts. If one looks too closely, one may find the whole enterprise to burst at the seams. As long as one continues to prattle along like Sherman’s film and Pleasance’s Callhoun, one will find a delightfully weird horror film.
The Transfer
The all-new restoration, scanned in 4K 16-bit from the original uncensored camera negative, with Dolby Vision HDR, is nothing short of perfection. Blue Underground continues to amaze with their truly revelatory work on any film they touch. Raw Meat is no exception to that statement. The transfer is free of any blemishes, dirt, or scratches. The image is sharp with a beautiful patina of film active film grain, adding accurate color reproduction, giving it the look of a 35mm production shot in the 1970s (which obviously it was). The Dolby Vision adds a layer of luminosity and detail to the black levels, giving further clarity to the picture. Blue Underground continues to prove why they are one of the best boutique labels when it comes to restoration and image quality.
The Extras
They include the following;
- Audio Commentary #1 with Co-Writer/Director Gary Sherman, Producer Paul Maslansky, and Assistant Director Lewis More O’Ferrall
- NEW! Audio Commentary #2 with Film Historians Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth
- Tales From The Tube – Interview with Co-Writer/Director Gary Sherman and Executive Producers Jay Kanter & Alan Ladd Jr.
- From The Depths – Interview with Star David Ladd and Producer Paul Maslansky
- Mind The Doors – Interview with Star Hugh Armstrong
- Trailers
- TV Spots
- Radio Spots
- Poster & Still Gallery
The first of two Audio Commentaries is an archival track with Co-Writer/Director Gary Sherman, Producer Paul Maslansky, and Assistant Director Lewis More O’Ferrall. The trio opens with their introductions, as well as David Greggory (from Severin Films), who moderates the commentary track. Some of the details include how the script was given to Jonathan Demme (yes, that Jonathan Demme) and started the film getting produced; how the film got its two titles, Raw Meat (from API, who cut the film) and Death Line (the original film from EMI in the UK); how they were able to shoot inside the actual London subway train; how Gary Sherman came to be in London and started working as a commercial director; the trio discussing working with Donald Pleasance on this and various other projects – including some great anecdotes about the acting legend and his time fighting in WW2; the shooting schedule – and how they accomplished completing the filming on such a tight timeframe; discussion of the various amazing technical/below the line crew that helped accomplished in the film; the historical facts that Sherman based the film off of; ; a larger discussion of the various actors that appear in the film; a larger discussion of the various locations they used in the UK; and much more.
The second Audio Commentary is an all-new track with Film Historians Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth. The duo opens with their credentials before diving into the alternate titles and their love of Plesance’s performance in this film. Some of the details include the score by the composer Wil Malone, his work in rock music, the score itself, and how it was released only recently; the budget and production schedule, and the timeframe the production was filmed in London; a discussion of how the film predates Texas Chain Saw Massacre but how they deal with similar themes; a discussion of Plesance the actor and how he fits perfectly in this film tonally – including a great discussion of the actor’s work in other films; the work of cinematographer Alex Thompson both here and in other films; the distribution of this film and the lack of home video releases (e.g., cable, VHS, laserdisc, et. al.) in America even in its cut form as Raw Meat; how they both eventually saw the film and their first reactions; the films rise in esteem as it’s become more readily available everywhere; the role and performance of Christopher Lee – how the script was rewritten for Lee and why Lee wanted to be in the film and how they got him, and why the scene is shot the way it is shot; the work of Hugh Armstrong as the character of “the man” aka the cannibal and how he is able to get out so much pathos out of a wordless performance; the casting what-if of Marlon Brando as “the man” and what happened with that; the failure of the film in America but its success in Europe; the various big time offers Gary Sherman got to director horror films with Hammer and also The Omen but turning them down; a great discussion about the various supporting players that co-starred in various other films with both Donald Plesance and Christopher Lee; a larger discussion of the various actors that appear in the film; and much more.
Featurettes – the interviews can be accessed through a submenu.
- Tales From The Tube: Interview with Co-Writer/Director Gary Sherman and Executive Producers Jay Kanter & Alan Ladd Jr. (18:51) – the trio filmed together begins with the origins of the screenplay and how they all came together to make the film through Paul Maslansky. They go on to explain how the financing came together through British and American investors; the casting what-if of Marlon Brando because of his love of prosthetics, and why he didn’t end up doing the film; how the cast came together and got Christopher Lee, Donald Plesance, David Ladd, and the others; the various production locations they used, and some of the troubles and difficulties they had; the reactions to the film from various studios and people as they began to preview/sell it; and much more.
- From The Depths: Interview with Star David Ladd and Producer Paul Maslansky (12:41) – the duo, who were filmed together, discuss how David met Gary and was cast in the film. They go on to discuss the shortened schedule; how they got so many great cast and crew because of how good and layered the script was as written; working with Donald Plesance; the casting by Mary Selway; the work of Christopher Lee; a great story about Hugh Armstrong who played the cannibal; the locations in and around London and just how terrible they were to work in; and much more.
- Mind The Doors: Interview with Star Hugh Armstrong (15:35) – the actor opens with how he joined the army as a career choice, but realized quickly that it was not for him, and found his way to Acting via a grant and teaching, eventually joining the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. Armstrong goes on to discuss how he was cast; the history of the character that was based on the reality of the building of the underground; the amount of improvisation that the role offered; anecdotes from the production – including spending time with Donald Plesance, working with Sharon Gurney, working with director Gary Sherman; the makeup application; and much more.
Trailers – Submenu allows you to choose from the two different trailers.
- Raw Meat (2:07)
- Death Line (2:06)
TV Spots – Submenu allows you to choose from the three different TV spots or use the play all feature.
- TV Spot #1 (1:00)
- TV Spot #2 (0:30)
- TV Spot #3 (0:20)
Radio Spots – Submenu allows you to choose from the two Radio spots or use the play all feature. The post art appears when playing the radio spots.
- Radio Spot #1 (1:00)
- Radio Spot #1 (0:30)
Poster & Still Gallery – the single gallery consists of over 160+ pieces of Poster Art, Advertising Materials, US Pressbook, Lobby Cards, Production Stills, and Home Video Art
The Final Thought
Blue Underground proves a flawless 4K Restoration for Raw Meat. Highest recommendations!!