‘High Desert Kill’ Blu-Ray Review – Made-For-TV Sci-Fi Thriller Is Ready-Made To Be A Cult Favorite

Marc Singer (The Beastmaster), Anthony Geary (UHF) and Micah Grant (Waxwork) star as three hunters who become the hunted in this riveting sci-fi/horror adventure set in the Badlands of New Mexico. Three friends embark on a hunting expedition and meet a grizzled mountain man (the great Chuck Connors, TV’s The Rifleman and Branded) who tells them that something has scared away all the animals in the region. As they find themselves reverting to primitive and bizarre behavior, the men soon discover they are being manipulated in cruel experiments for a bloodthirsty alien force. Their only hope for survival is to unite against the extraterrestrial in this haunting made-for-cable chiller.

For thoughts on High Desert Kill, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic: 

[youtube https://youtu.be/_DvS2p115oI?t=3913]

Video Quality

High Desert Kill makes its Blu-Ray debut courtesy of Scorpion Releasing and Kino Classics with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in both the 1.78:1 Theatrical Ratio and 1.33:1 TV Ratio. This new release has been given a fetching 2K scan which makes for an excellent viewing experience regardless of which version you pick. Print damage such as nicks and scratches have been cleaned up quite a bit, even if more than a few blemishes remain. Overall clarity and detail is excellent, especially when it comes to the landscapes. The presentation is enjoyable throughout most of the runtime with image stability and delineation being fairly sharp. 

This transfer maintains the natural film grain of the presentation with only minor instances of seeming a bit loose or where it spikes. The picture maintains a nice depth to the land, and the natural color palette is well saturated. Skin tones are natural and consistent with subtle facial features easily noticeable in closeup. Black levels hold up well with very little in the way of crush. This presentation is a really strong effort that should please those who never expected this to receive a physical release. 

Audio Quality

This new Blu-Ray comes with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix that features all of the sounds of the film without issue. This is a film that utilizes its mysterious score effectively to create a tense atmosphere. This and all of the other sounds are presented with great clarity and a pleasing fidelity as they come through the room. The dialogue holds up wonderfully, coming through clearly without being stepped on by the music or subtle sound effects. The environmental effects are delineated nicely including the wind cutting through the desert. The track avoids most instances of age related wear and tear or distortion. This is a track that represents the film in an impressive manner. Optional English subtitles are provided on this disc.

Special Features

• Trailers: There are trailers provided for Eye Of The Tiger, Trackdown, The Time Guardian, King Of The Mountain, Highway To Hell, Defcon-4, Retroactive, and Death Before Dishonor. 

Final Thoughts

High Desert Kill is a really solid made-for-television movie which has a good mixture of legitimate thrills mixed with some bizarre beats that make up the best cult films. The acting is a bit over the top, but it is what you expect from this type of genre fare. The special effects hold up fairly well and the narrative does not always play out in the most obvious ways, which is appreciated by those familiar with the conventions of the genre. Scorpion Releasing and Kino Classics have released a new Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation but not much in the way of special features. If you typically enjoy cheesy made-for-television films, this is one of the better efforts I have seen. Recommended 

High Desert Kill is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Scorpion Releasing and Kino Classics have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.