It's a SWAMP THING...You Wouldn't Understand

Starring Louis Jordon, Heather Locklear, Sarah Douglas, Dick Durock, ace Mask, Monique Gabrielle, Joey Seal, Daniel Taylor, RonReaco Lee. Directed by Jim Wynorski. (1989/88 min). 

AVAILABLE OF BLU-RAY FROM 

MVD REWIND COLLECTION

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

The appeal of The Return of Swamp Thing will be lost on anyone who wasn't kicking around in the 80s, even those who've developed an appreciation for finely aged movie cheese. Sorry, kids...for this one, you just had to be there.

But if you've read this far, chances are you once had big hair, a Member's Only jacket and a membership card to a local video store. You ventured there every weekend and came out with a stack of more VHS movies than you could possibly watch in a night, all stored in plastic snap cases with 'be kind rewind' stickers on them (though some douchebags didn't always comply).

And chances are you came across The Return of Swamp Thing in the horror section, perhaps chuckling as you recalled the original Wes Craven-directed Swamp Thing  hardly qualified as a 'horror' film. Still, it was campy fun, boasted considerably by Adrienne Barbeau's visual assets. So you took this sequel home in hopes of another goofy good time.

"That ain't a cucumber, lady...I'm just happy to see you."

And chances are you immediately noticed this one's considerably-reduced budget and even bigger emphasis on goofy heroics, bad puns and cartoon humor. It was seldom laugh-out-loud funny (intentionally, anyway). In fact, the cleverest moment was a throw-away gag where Louis Jordon refers to his parrot as 'Gigi.'

And chances are you noticed that only Ace Mask (what a name!) and poster princess Heather Locklear seemed to be aware of the story's inherent camp value, playing their respective roles to the hilt. You played along, as well, howling during the gloriously-goofy, soft-focus "love" scene between Abby (Locklear) and Swamp Thing (Dick Durock).

And chances are you found the whole thing affably charming, anyway. Director Jim Wynorsky (he of Chopping Mall fame) favored a brisk pace, comic book sensibilities and congenial tone over complex storytelling or convincing performances. Swamp Thing himself looked like a guy in a rubber suit, but really, would you have wanted him any other way?

And if you're still reading, chances are this is the Blu-Ray you've been waiting for. Revisiting the film is like cracking open a time capsule. From Locklear's costumes to the ultra-80s synth score, The Return of Swamp Thing harkens back to the good ol' days of VCRs, wine coolers and the Whitesnake cassette that was permanently lodged in the tape deck of your car. This is low-budget, 80's-era filmmaking at its most amusing and a fitting addition to the MVD Rewind Collection. The disc is also loaded with new interviews and various other bells & whistles with considerable nostalgic appeal.

And if you weren't around back then, just ask your mom or dad. Chances are they'll understand. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

INTERVIEWS - All new individual interviews with composer Chuck Cirino, editor Leslie Rosenthal, executive producer Arnie Holland and director Jim Wynorski (Wynorsky himself interviews the other three).

AUDIO COMMENTARIES - A new one by Wynorksi, Cirino & Rosenthal, another from 2003 by Wynorski alone.

2 PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS - In conjunction with Greenpeace (they are hilarious...and real). 
6 PROMOTIONAL TV CLIPS
2 TV SPOTS
PROMO REEL
SLIDESHOW 
TRAILERS - Other releases in the MVD Rewind series, including Return of Swamp Thing

DVD COPY

COLLECTABLE POSTER

KITTY CONSENSUS:

PURR-R-R. LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS