Local sheriff Ranger Girard (LaRue) wants nothing more than to honor his friend but with the girls in the house, Girard has his work cut out for him. Without someone to keep the Toltecs evil forces at bay, their free to roam. However, these ancient sorcerers weren’t counting on a fearless lawman armed with a bullwhip!
While the Toltecs are cheap looking zombies, the film never takes itself seriously, resulting in a fun romp. La Rue is in excellent form, living up to his status as an aging iconic Western star of film and television. A quick draw gunfight is one thing, but to see someone outduel the enemy with a whip is unique. LaRue looks like he’s having a great time. His whip fight with one of the Toltec zombies is welcome craziness!
Kino Cult’s third entry comes to Blu-ray having been given a 4K restoration. Presented in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio, The Dark Power looks much better than ever before. I can only compare it to a VHS I rented years ago, but it’s obviously much cleaner and more detailed than ever before. Shot on 16mm, the grain is naturally heavy, but that’s part of the appeal of a no budget film like this. Colors are healthier looking here, though never particularly vivid. Black levels are good, simply because you can see what’s happening! I remember the VHS being so dark you could barely see the action. Kino Cult has delivered another strong transfer.
The film also contains a solid DTS-HD MA 2.0 audio track. While it isn’t particularly dynamic, it’s clear throughout. And La Rue’s whip has a nice crack sound. The score sounds a bit thin on occasion, but ambient sounds such as gunfire are clear. Dialogue is a bit front heavy, but remains clean, clear and concise. Pops and other flaws aren’t an issue.
English SDH subtitles are included.
The following extras are available:
- Audio Commentary with writer-director Phil Smoot
- Audio Commentary with Sherwood Jones, Dean Jones, John Wolfe, and Mary Dalton, etc.
- The Terror of the Tarheel State: Making The Dark Power (HD, 25:57)
- Interview with Editor Sherwood Jones (HD, 12:01)
- Image Gallery
