Some movies deserve to be rediscovered. Others deserve to be dissected, celebrated, and talked about at length by the people who love them. Death Machine is definitely one of those films.
And this time around, Horror-Fix gets to be part of the conversation. Literally.
Horror-Fix Joins the Death Machine Audio Commentary
We’re excited to share that Kino Lorber invited Horror-Fix’s Ash Hamilton and correspondent James G. Chandler to record an audio commentary for its special edition Blu-ray release of Death Machine.
While the release has been available for a little while, our own copy finally arrived today, and seeing Horror-Fix represented on an official home-video release is something worth celebrating.
Even better, Kino Lorber officially lists the commentary among the special features for the film’s 100-minute U.S. theatrical version, crediting Horror-Fix.com’s James G. Chandler and Ash Hamilton.
It’s one thing to spend years covering horror films, championing overlooked favorites, and talking about the movies that shaped us. It’s another thing entirely to contribute to the official release of one of those films.
For Horror-Fix, that’s a milestone we’re incredibly proud of.
Death Machine: A Cyberpunk Horror Classic Worth Revisiting
Before Stephen Norrington brought Marvel’s Blade to the big screen in 1998, he unleashed Death Machine, a gloriously excessive combination of cyberpunk science fiction, industrial horror, and mechanical mayhem.
Starring Brad Dourif as the wonderfully unhinged Jack Dante, the film follows a sinister weapons designer whose monstrous mechanical creation turns the headquarters of Chaank Industries into a nightmare of metal, machinery, and bloodshed.
The machine itself is a towering mechanical predator that tracks its victims through fear. Naturally, things get very messy.
With its practical creature effects, aggressive visual style, dark humor, and unmistakable 1990s attitude, Death Machine remains a fascinating entry in the decade’s genre landscape.
And Brad Dourif? Well, let’s just say subtlety isn’t exactly on the menu.
Three Versions of Death Machine and a Mountain of Special Features
Kino Lorber’s two-disc Blu-ray doesn’t simply bring the film back to physical media. It delivers a substantial collection of alternate cuts, commentaries, and behind-the-scenes material.
The set includes three versions of the film:
- The U.S. theatrical version (100 minutes), featuring the new Horror-Fix audio commentary with Ash Hamilton and James G. Chandler.
- The newly created director’s cut (106 minutes), featuring additional commentary tracks from Stephen Norrington.
- The international version (122 minutes), presented with a 2019 restoration.
Additional features include commentary from Norrington and film historian Michael Felsher, a technical commentary from Norrington, an audio conversation with creature creator Alec Gillis, and interviews with members of the production team.
There’s also archival promotional material, trailers, artwork galleries, behind-the-scenes photographs, and an isolated score track.
For fans of practical effects, creature design, and ambitious low-budget genre filmmaking, there’s plenty here to dig into.
Pick Up Death Machine from Kino Lorber
Whether you’re revisiting the film after years away or discovering Jack Dante’s mechanical monstrosity for the first time, this release is a terrific opportunity to experience a memorable piece of ’90s sci-fi horror.
And, of course, we’d love for you to give our commentary a listen.
Check the official product page for current availability.
A huge thank-you to Kino Lorber for inviting us to participate and for continuing to give cult genre films the home-video attention they deserve.
It’s a genuine thrill to see Horror-Fix included alongside the filmmakers and creative talent who brought this wonderfully insane movie to life.
Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got a killer robot to revisit.
Have you seen Death Machine? Is it an underrated ’90s horror classic or completely off the rails? Let us know in the comments!
