Michael Mann's The Keep is not exactly highly-regarded, but the acclaimed filmmaker's strange 1983 adaptation of F. Paul Wilson's novel is still well worth a look - even if it's just for its eerie, foreboding atmosphere and Tangerine Dream's superb score.
The film was notoriously torn to shreds by the studio in the edit, to the point that the entire final act is a barely comprehensible hodgepodge of scenes. Even so, The Keep has gained a cult following over the years, and is now available on 4K UHD/Blu-ray for the first time with a new Limited Edition Slipcase set from Vinegar Syndrome.
The Keep tells the story of a group of Nazis who unwittingly unleash an evil entity known as Radu Molasar when they take over an ancient stronghold in Romania in 1941. Molasar then tricks an ailing Jewish historian named Theodore Cuza into helping him escape the confines of his prison, but these events awaken a mysterious stranger with great powers of his own, who sets out to confront his demonic nemesis.
Check out a new trailer below.
Nazi-occupied Romania, 1941: In a small and gloomy village hidden deep in the mountains, German troops have arrived to lay siege. Although warned by the townspeople to stay out of a mysterious and ornately carved structure known only as “The Keep,” two arrogant soldiers ignore their orders and break into the obelisk, hoping to find stowed treasure, but instead unleash an ancient evil force which, with each new victim, grows stronger and more powerful. After suffering large casualties at its hands, Captain Klaus Woermann is informed that the only person who might be capable of defeating this monstrous and demonic entity is an elderly Jewish historian named Dr. Theodore Cuza, who is being held captive with his daughter in a concentration camp...
The legendary horror spectacle from director Michael Mann (Heat, Miami Vice), adapted from genre writer F. Paul Wilson’s New York Times best-selling novel, THE KEEP is a mesmerizing visual feast of supernatural terror enhanced by a remarkable original score by Tangerine Dream (Sorcerer) along with jaw-dropping special effects by Nick Maley (Superman, Lifeforce).
Starring Scott Glenn (The Hunt for Red October), Jürgen Prochnow (David Lynch’s Dune, Das Boot), Alberta Watson (Hackers), and two-time Oscar nominee Ian McKellen (The Lord of the Rings film franchise), Vinegar Syndrome is thrilled to at last offer the 4K UHD and Blu-ray debut of this highly sought-after and long unavailable cult film classic, newly restored for this release from its original camera negative and featuring exclusive new interviews with cast and crew revealing the fascinating production history of this one-of-a-kind cinematic experience.