Magic, Myth & Mutilation: The Micro-Budget Cinema of Michael J. Murphy, 1967–2015

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In this final segment of Murphy's Lore, several individuals pay tribute to Murphy's work and reveal how they first discovered it (usually through the double-bill of Invitation to Hell and The Last Night) and how it influenced them. Curiously, at least on the review disc version, none of them are identified with name captions, although there is a roll call of participants in the closing credits, and I instantly recognised the voice of Johnny Walker, who provided the second commentary on Invitation to Hell. Standard Definition presentations, newly digitised from Murphy’s tape masters, of Qualen (1983), Tristan aka Legend of the Hero (1986), Death Run (1987), Avalon (1988), Second Sight (1992), The Rite of Spring (version one, 1995), The Rite of Spring (version two, 1995), Tristan (version two, 1999), Roxi (2004), and Skare (2008) The original opening scene, main title and closing credits from Skare before Murphy finished fine-tuning the film in 2009, which was the version released on DVD by Sarchophilus Films. The Making of ‘ZK3’ (2012): retrospective documentary featuring interviews with Murphy, Holding and Lyndon

screens (well, 22 if you don't count the title cards) of stills, video covers and posters from Roxi and both versions of Skare. That may be a little misleading, as while Skare is well served, especially the remake, all Roxi gets is a single DVD cover. But, contrary to the initial announcement, the original versions of The Rite of Spring and Tristan (1999) are sourced from 16mm - it's only the re-edited DVD versions that are SD-only (of necessity, since they were assembled on SD in the first place, with new electronic titles and sometimes VFX that were easier to create digitally). Murphy also added digital VFX to the DVD version of Invitation to Hell, enhancing four shots with glowing demonic eyes, but since this is the only difference between the 16mm print and the DVD (aside from the latter's horrendous cropping and stretching to get the original 1.37:1 picture to fit a 16:9 frame, which there was no reason to preserve for posterity), we decided that the best option was to add the same glowing eyes to the 1080p master and give the viewer the upfront option to watch the film with or without them.Hiding the fact that you're working on a microscopic budget is a little easier to disguise when you're shooting on location, but once you start constructing sets with whatever you have to hand, it really shows. This, coupled with a theatrical acting style, does sometimes give Atlantis the feel of a stage play written and performed by an amateur theatre group that they have elected to make into a film using all their original costumes and sets. But if you can deal with all that – and by this point in this collection it should be no barrier – then Atlantis definitely has its pleasures. It's a fanciful take on the Atlantis myth concocted by Murphy himself and bearing precious little resemblance to Plato's original or even the variations on the tale that have appeared since. The reliance on gladiatorial swordfights to bring a bit of action to the drama is a weakness, as while the first fight is energetically performed, some of the others hampered by some too-clear attempts to avoid landing heavily on the hard concrete floor or bumping into the wobbly walls. The final, inevitable destruction of the city is a no-budget gem, all small-scale model work, overlaid fire and lightweight debris thrown at the actors, with split screen and matting used to place the performers in the midst of it all. Imagine the destruction of Pompei filmed on the special effects budget of an episode of Blake's Seven and you'll get the idea. Far and away my favourite character is Philip Lyndon's The Master, whose head and body makeup is impressively grotesque, and who late in the film reveals that his genitalia consists of an eye-melting explosion of light. The only surviving seven minutes of an ambitious-looking apocalyptic drama, in which a couple whose friend dies of a mysterious disease (at least that's what I'm guessing from what remains), so they bury the body and flee into town, where they discover that he was not the only one affected. Murphy's developing skills as cinematographer deliver a couple of neat and expressive shots here, my favourite being the wide pan of the couple running down the quay that ends on a closeup of a dead girl slumped over a table. This has been sourced from Murphy's own tape copy and has no sync sound, and instead has an unsettling violin score. All-new 2K restorations by Powerhouse Films of The Rite of Spring (1995) and Tristan (1999), using 16mm film elements from the Murphy archives The Making of ‘Skare’ (2009): retrospective documentary featuring interviews with Murphy and Holding Another blue-screen introduction from Murphy gives way to intercut interviews with cast members Phil Lyndon, June Bunday and Judith Holding, who share their memories of working on the film. Well, sort of – Holding tells a story of wearing inappropriate underwear for a rescheduled scene, Lyndon describes the film as a like a panto and laughs at scenes he now thinks look silly, and although she then smilingly corrects herself, Bunday's initial advice to budding actors who might fancy working with Murphy is "Don't ever get involved with that bastard."

Hugely successful horror author Nathan Prince (Philip Lyndon) reluctantly agrees to give an interview to respected and persistent journalist Amanda Blake (Judith Holding) at his

Michael J Murphy Presents (2015, 19 mins): career-spanning tribute made shortly after the director’s death Trailers for Invitation to Hell, The Last Night, Bloodstream, Legend of a Hero, Death Run, Avalon, Moonchild, Torment, Atlantis, Road to Nowhere, The Rite of Spring, Tristan, Roxi, Skare, ZK3, Nekros: Isle of Death and The Return of Alan Strange Michael J Murphy on Chris Jupp’s ‘Beast’ (2010, 5 mins): the filmmaker discusses the other 2009 remake of his original story

The Making of ‘Skare’(2009): retrospective documentary featuring interviews with Murphy and Holding 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 Murphy here talks about the origins of the project and the original version – which was scuppered when most of the footage was lost in the post – and the changes that were made for this second take on the story, and Judith Holding comments on what a joy her character was to play. Quite a few outtakes have been included, all of which and more can be viewed in the collection detailed below. The Making of ‘Atlantis’ (2009, 7 mins): alternative retrospective documentary, prepared for a planned, but unrealised DVD release A well assembled but spoiler-littered trailer for a film that it's best to go into knowing as little about how things play out as possible. Avoid until after the film itself.screens of production stills, posters, video and DVD covers, and even competition programme clippings for the films included on this disc. An archive DV interview with Murphy in which he talks about how, after the footage from the original Skare was lost, he gave his blessing to first-time filmmaker Chris Jupp to make his own version of the story as Beast. Although he was not so happy with a key change made by Jupp for his alternative take, he admits to enjoying the film, despite some technical shortcomings, and notes that, "It's a laugh, sometimes for the wrong reasons." Includes brief clips from Beast and footage of its making. Two presentations of Tristan: the original 109-minute cut; and Murphy’s 88-minute Legend of a Hero re-edit Michael J Murphy on ‘Beast’ (2010): interview with the filmmaker about Chris Jupp’s remake of his lost version of Skare A promotional trailer for Bloodstream created by Sarcophilous Films in 2008 for a planned DVD release that never materialised due to the company folding. Violent and gory, it seems to be marketing the film as the sort of video nasty it was sending up, though it does end on a note that vocally winks at the audience.

The Horror-on-Sea Interview with Michael J Murphy (2013): the prolific filmmaker in conversation with Bunday and Lyndon, recorded for the British horror festivalThe Making of ‘Skare’ (2009): retrospective documentary featuring interviews with Murphy and Holding Surviving fragments from six lost Murphy films: Atlantis: City of Sin (1967), Boadicea (1968), Gods and Heroes (1971), two versions of Seventh Day (1976/77), and Insight(1978) A solid enough trailer that captures the essence of the film rather well, but given the subject matter, I'd question the use of a modern sans serif font for the graphics. Man, you can tell what I do for a living. Standard Definition presentation of Second Sight (1991), newly digitised from Michael J Murphy’s tape master All-new 2K restorations by Powerhouse Films, using film elements from the Murphy archives, of Tristan and Iseult (1970), Happy Ever After (1974), Secrets (1977), Almost a Movie (1979), The Cell (1980), Stay (1980), Death in the Family (1981), Invitation to Hell (1983), The Last Night (1983), Bloodstream (1985), Moonchild (1989), Torment (1990), Atlantis (1991), Road to Nowhere (1993), Tristan (version one, 1999), ZK3 (2012), Nekros: Isle of the Dead (2014), and The Return of Alan Strange (2015)