In 1982, director Wes Craven gave audiences Swamp Thing, a superhero horror film based on the DC Comics character of the same name. The film tells the story of a brilliant scientist, Dr. Alec Holland, and government agent Alice Cable, who have developed a secret formula that could end world hunger and change civilization forever. However, their arch-nemesis, Arcane, is plotting to steal the serum for his own selfish schemes. When Arcane douses Holland with the chemicals and leaves him for dead in the swamp, Holland becomes “Swamp Thing,” a half-human/half-plant superhero who will stop at nothing to rescue Cable and defeat the evil Arcane, even if it costs him his life.
Swamp Thing became a cult hit upon its release on home video in the 1980s and its countless airings on cable television in the 80s and 90s. With a supporting cast that includes Adrienne Barbeau, Louis Jourdan, and Ray Wise, the film has become a classic in the horror genre. Critic Roger Ebert loved the film, giving it three out of four stars, saying, “Swamp Thing had already won my heart before its moment of greatness, but when that moment came, I knew I’d discovered another one of those movies that fall somewhere between buried treasures and guilty pleasures.”
Now, the MVD Rewind Collection is releasing a two-disc Collector’s Edition of Swamp Thing on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray. The collection features a 2023 4K restoration of both the US Theatrical PG Version and Unrated International Version of the film presented in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio in Dolby Vision/HDR, along with audio commentary from Wes Craven and makeup effects artist William Munns. The collection also includes archival supplemental material, such as interviews with actors Adrienne Barbeau and Reggie Batts, comic book writer/editor Len Wein, and documentaries.
MVD’s Director of Acquisitions Eric D. Wilkinson oversaw the project and expressed his excitement for the release, saying, “With a new Swamp Thing movie on the horizon from DC Studios from Executive Producer James Gunn and writer James Mangold, our timing couldn’t be better to reintroduce fans to this classic film with a definitive version on both Blu-ray and Ultra HD formats.”
