apprentice to murder

Donald Sutherland has never been afraid to sully his reputation by appearing in genre films; perhaps because he rarely turns in a bad performance no matter what the context. And 1988's Apprentice to Murder is certainly nothing for him to be ashamed of. Based on a true story, Sutherland plays a "Pow Wow" doctor - or faith healer - whose skills fascinate a local teen (Chad Lowe) to the point where fantasy and reality become a bit confused for both of them. Director R. L. Thomas never event hints at the supernatural until mid-way through the movie, and then cloaks it under some choppy artistic ambiguity.

Set in 1920's Pennsylvania, but shot in Norway with a keen eye for landscapes by frequent Kubrick collaborator Kelvin Pike, the film is a well-produced psychological drama rather than a horror film. All the actors - including Mia Sara of Ferris Bueller fame - perform exceptionally well, although the dramatic stakes never rise particularly high. When Sutherland is onscreen, Apprentice to Murder feels mysteriously unpredictable; the rest of the time it comes across as a forgotten TV movie.

Arrow Video's new 2K restoration, however, helps in the appreciation department quite a bit. So does the audio commentary and featurette focusing on Religion in Horror Cinema, which illuminates some common themes and facts behind the case. There's also a pair of brief interviews with Pike and makeup supervisor Robin Grantham, plus a collector's booklet with new writing on the film.