Prophecy [Blu-ray]

Director: John Frankenheimer John Frankenheimer

Overview

In this environmentally conscientious horror film, a young EPA agent and his pregnant young wife are sent to Maine to mediate a fight between the local Indians and a notoriously polluting paper mill. Once there, they find the deep forests inhabited by a terrifying menagerie of monstrous, mutant creatures.

Product Details

Release Date:	11/26/2019
UPC:	0826663203936
Original Release:	1979
Rating:	PG
Source:	Shout Factory
Region Code:	A
Language:	English
Time:	1:42:00
Sales rank:	18,908

Special Features

New interviews with actors Talia Shire and Robert Foxworth, Writer David Seltzer, Special Effects artists Tom Burman and Allan Apone and Mime artist Tom McLoughlin; Theatrical Trailer; Photo Gallery

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Talia Shire	Maggie
Robert Foxworth	Rob
Armand Assante	John Hawks
Richard Dysart	Isely
Victoria Racimo	Ramona
George Clutesi	M'Rai
Tom McFadden	Pilot
Evans Evans	Cellist
Burke Byrnes	Father
Mia Bendixsen	Girl
Johnny Timko	Boy
Everett Creach	Kelso
Charles H. Gray	Sheriff
Lyvingston Holms	Black Woman
Graham Jarvis	Shusette
Jim Burk	Rescuer
Bob Terhune	Rescuer
Lon Katzman	Rescuer
Steve Shemayne	Indian,Indian
Jaye Durkus	Sheriff's Deputy
Renato Moore	Tenement Boy

Technical Credits

Tom Burman	Special Effects
Robert Dawson	Special Effects
John Frankenheimer	Director
Robert L. Rosen	Producer

Editorial Reviews

The summer of 1979 saw a glut of horror films at the American box office -- and sadly, Prophecy lies somewhere near the bottom of the barrel. The first problem is the script by David Seltzer: it has none of the forward momentum or gripping setpieces of his better-known work on The Omen. Those elements are replaced here with an endless barrage of heavy-handed messages about ecology, the mistreatment of American Indians, the evils of corporations, etc. and a lot of relationship-based drama between Talia Shire and Robert Foxworth that goes nowhere. The aforementioned leads struggle with the material but can't breathe life into their stale characterizations. The same goes for Armand Assante, who suffers the added indignity of being hilariously miscast as an American Indian. John Frankenheimer's direction doesn't help things: he is clearly out of his comfort zone here, doing competent but impersonal work with the dramatic scenes and treating the handful of monster-mash setpieces as if he was doing a parody of the genre (look out for an absurd scene where the monster attacks a camper who tries to hop away in a sleeping bag). It all culminates in an ineptly-staged battle royale that would make even the most patient Godzilla fans wince and a particularly ludicrous shock coda. In short, Prophecy is a self-important, totally misjudged dud that is for monster movie completists only.