There is an obviousness in this films creative journey. Thanks to CARRIE and THE FURY, girls with secret telekenetic powers, were in vogue. But whats makes INITIATION OF SARAH so different is easy to glean. Hammer Films alumnus Robert Day (SHE) directs, Tom Holland (FRIGHT NIGHT) co writes. Shelley Winters and Morgan Fairchild star. What more could you want?

Adopted misfit and general nice girl Sarah Goodwin (Kay Lenz), has the ability to use her mind to do terrible things. College might not be the best place for her to head off to. Hormones and hairstyles are bound to set anyone off. Her popular sister, Patty (Morgan Brittany), is also going to be an issue. She is nice and all but when she joins the most prestigious sorority on campus, shits gonna get real. Well the set up is golden and mirrors about every teen campus drama you could imagine. Throw in president, Jennifer Lawrence (Morgan Fairchild), who is claws out and ready for the eyes to be taken out. Separated from her sister, Sarah is taken in by a rival, unpopular sorority that has no real winners but does have a dubious house mother, Mrs. Hunter (Shelley Winters). She has a meancing dog, a lesbian lust vibe and a room that is locked which she has the key for. WELCOME TO HELL WEEK! is the cry and just maybe it will bring with it the domains of the red man and his evil but nubile, vixans… Well we know it will and if you have been under a rock, you still can guage where this is going.

INITIATION OF SARAH is making its Blu-Ray debut and I was honestly torn. Its not a masterpiece by any stretch but it is a well direct TV film, at a time when, like say 5 years ago, TV was in the ascension. The all-new restoration by Arrow Films, taken from the original camera negative, has some issues. The main being the light levels and stock used. We know this would happen and yes it has never looked better because there are no good quality versions available. The bonus bits are actually where the value is. The film being average, the extra bits like TV Movie expert Amanda Reyes excellent extrapolation of the TV movie industry, where DUEL is mentioned, is excellent. Alexandra Heller-Nicholas as always is brilliant but her take on the Second Wave Feminism is a must see, outside of this film because it is as much about New Hollywood, TV films and how they challenged gender roles. The place to start though is Samantha McLaren. This is a firm setting stone for the film, what its place is in the realms of the movie world and just as essentially, why the film matters in the space of its better known films. CARRIE obviously.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

• Brand new 2K restoration from the original camera negative by Arrow Films
• High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
• Original lossless mono audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Brand new audio commentary by TV Movie expert Amanda Reyes
• Welcome to Hell Week: A Pledge’s Guide to the Initiation of Sarah, a brand new appreciation by film critic Stacie Ponder and Queer Horror programmer Anthony Hudson, co-hosts of the Gaylords of Darkness podcast, celebrating the film through a queer feminist lens
• Cracks in the Sisterhood: Second Wave Feminism and The Initiation of Sarah, a brand new visual essay by film critic and historian Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
• The Intimations of Sarah, a brand new interview with film critic Samantha McLaren looking at witchcraft, empowerment, TV movies, and telekinetic shy girls post Carrie
• The Initiation of Tom, a brand new interview with Tom Holland on this his first film writing credit
• Image gallery
• Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Luke Insect

FIRST PRESSING ONLY fully illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Lindsay Hallam and Alexandra West