Eternal Evil - Das ewige Böse

A Canadian production brought to us by the man who previously gave us the '80s slasher favorite "My Bloody Valentine". As a director, George Mihalka is an interesting fellow, especially when you take a look at his choice of projects during the '80s. He really caught my interest some years ago after having seen his offbeat & eerie hostage thriller/drama "Hostile Takeover" aka "Office Party" (1988). "Eternal Evil" - which may not be the best of aka-titles possible to slap on this production, although "The Blue Man" just sounds too silly - is yet again an interested effort not at all lacking a sense of originality. It deals with a burned-out TV-director who, after having met the mysterious dancer Janus (Karen Black), learns to control the powers of astral projection. 'To control' might be a bit overstating things, as events turn for the worse and people from his circle of acquaintances start dying unnatural deaths. A detective starts puzzling the pieces together. Granted, the film has a hard time to keep the viewer excited, as the pace is a little slow and it's not exactly a spectacular thrill ride. But the story does try to provide a bit of mystery, and that's basically what keeps the viewer going. The film's decently made and Mihalka has some impressive camera-tricks up his sleeve (especially during the astral projection sequences). And the story does have some original elements and a satisfying conclusion (don't expect a terrifying climax, though). So it receives a whole extra point for that. If you want to see another horror film revolving around the concept of astral projection, you might want to check out Brian Trenchard-Smith's "Out Of The Body" (1989). It's also half-way decent.

This is a good plot concept, so why-o-why is it such a poor film. The acting is terrible and every shock is signposted so far in advance that it is almost laughable by the time it reaches you. Spend your time and money elsewhere, this is not worth watching.

Paul Sharpe (Winston Rekert) believes that he can use astral projection to leave his body while he sleeps. Coincidentally, Paul's friends and relatives start dropping like flies. Somehow, their hearts are exploding in their chest cavities.

Meanwhile, Detective Kauffman (John Novak) tries to make sense of it all. He's led to a strange woman named Janus (Karen Black), who harbors a deadly secret.

ETERNAL EVIL (aka: THE BLUE MAN) holds up well for its vintage, in spite of the silly 1980's fashions. There's some actual suspense and the paranormal instances are effective...

I don't know if astral projection is actually possible - I like to keep an open mind about such things - but I love the idea of it, and it's perfect for the horror genre, as evidenced in entertaining films such as Psychic Killer (1975) and Out of the Body (1989).

Canadian horror Eternal Evil (AKA The Blue Man) also explores the supernatural world of soul wandering, but the result is far less enjoyable than the aforementioned movies thanks to muddled storytelling from director George Mihalka (the man who gave us the excellent slasher classic My Bloody Valentine) and the fact that his protagonist isn't a very likeable character from the start.

Paul Sharpe (Winston Rekert) is an ex-film-maker turned director of commercials who learns the art of astral projection from the enigmatic Janus (Karen Black, in one of her stock-in-trade eccentric roles). When those around Paul start to turn up dead, their internal organs having haemorrhaged, a curious cop (John Novak) starts to investigate...

Despite a very promising premise, this film doesn't do anything very interesting with it (obvious budgetary limitations means no special effects and no gore) - stuff happens, but nothing to prevent the viewer from slowly drifting off. Hey, maybe I'll watch this film again to help me reach the meditative hypnagogic state necessary for my soul to leave my body and travel to the astral plane - gotta be worth a try.

3.5/10, rounded up to 4 for IMDb.

A television commercial director is loosing his 'artistic juice' as he calls it. He's also discontent with his wife and complains of her cooking, and with his son who seems to have insomnia. Seems a good prospect for giving his life over to Astral Projection! The main character's been experimenting as of late with astral projection and is finding the time he spends developing this new hobby of his is starting to be much more fulfilling than his actual creative life and career.

Within the first few minutes of the film we see the first of one of his projections. We fly around with him from his perspective and view people and places. There is a sense of foreboding to these travels we witness as we begin to think that he may be able to transcend the physical as he follows people who run, terrified, from something unseen but they can sense.

And then there are some slight horrific moments. Where some of the people in his projections are harmed, well, let's just say there is a subplot of sorts where an investigator is trying to find the reason behind many killings of late where the victims implode or die without any evidence of assailants. When he awakes...he wonders if he was dreaming instead. Or perhaps the projection is not his? As I'm watching the film, though, I am trying to figure out just what I'm supposed to be thinking about. Some films are for simple enjoyment, some have something to say, but this one is just kinda...bland. Ah, then I look and notice it was a made for TV movie, which explains a lot. As the film winds down I still don't know anything more about the subject of astral projection apart from Professor Xavier doing it in comic books and everyone can see a ghost-like form of him, or it being something usually associated as 'hippie' or new age and something about meditating and traveling and all that. Here there is something about taking over another's body in a sort of spiritual vampirism. Is THAT what projection is? Not sure, I don't think it is, but they're trying to sell this as a horror movie and there really is not much horror related in it...more thriller or psychological mystery.

The music is a bit distracting and seems out of place in mood quite a lot. I guess the pan flute and tabla is of course what comes to mind with new age things such as astral projection, huh? It's a little pandering. The acting isn't bad, it's just a bit soap opera quality in it's delivery. Karen Black is here and she always seems to get into her roles, as the spiritual guide who's teaching our main character the art of projection. Yet, in her teachings, nothing is conveyed to us the viewer to have any idea of what exactly it is except closing ones eyes and floating around POV style. The rest of the cast are not as recognizable, except for seeing Lois Maxwell, James Bond's "Ms. Moneypenny" ('62-'85) for a minute.

The title on the DVD I got, which came in a huge 50 pack collection of similar grade films from Mill Creek Entertainment, is "Eternal Evil," but that's the Australian title, for some reason. In Canada, where the film was made, it is aptly titled, "The Blue Man." Ah, yes, you see when the main character is floating around...he IS somehow seen by others as a 'blue man.' We, the lucky viewers, don't get that wonderful opportunity. That would cost more for special effects. But, as the film ends, and with a slight twist in a few spots, you will see that "Eternal Evil" is a bit fitting.