In this suspense-drenched followup to cult-favorite The Savage Bees, National Bee Center honcho David Martin is horrified to discover that a bloodthirsty swarm has infiltrated the research facility. Knowing that these downright deadly drones will attack relentlessly and unpredictably, he recruits his assistant Jeannie Devereux and her jealous boyfriend to help annihilate the killer bees before they descend upon Smalltown, U.S.A. The stinging menace strikes again in Terror Out of the Sky, a.k.a. The Revenge of the Savage Bees. Leading the counterattack against the invasion are Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (TV’s 77 Sunset Strip), Dan Haggerty (TV’s The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams), Tovah Feldshuh (TV’s Scream, Pretty Peggy), Lonny Chapman (TV’s The Screaming Woman), Ike Eisenmann (Escape to Witch Mountain), Charles Hallahan (Silkwood), Richard Herd (Wolf Lake), Steve Franken (Avalanche) and Philip Baker Hall (Cradle will Rock). Directed by TV and Film veteran Lee H. Katzin (Le Mans).
For thoughts on Terror Out Of The Sky, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Terror Out Of The Sky comes to Blu-Ray with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in the original 1.33:1 aspect ratio derived from a new 2K master that is sure to thrill fans. Once again, Kino Classics has excavated a classic television film and given it a dazzling new presentation. Overall clarity and detail is very strong with subtle features such as perspiration easily noticeable in closeup. Skin tones appear to be natural and colors are well saturated even with the earthy hues limiting the potential to “wow.” This print is in great shape and instances of print damage have been cleaned up immensely with no obvious blemishes. The transfer maintains the natural film grain of the source without any hints of digital tinkering to smooth over the details. The grain resolves well without becoming chunky or swarmy which allows for greater nuance to the image. Black levels are deep and hold up well with crush not serving as an issue, and highlights do not veer into blooming. Kino Classics has done a standout job with this release.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that does everything it needs to do without fail. Dialogue always comes through clearly without being trounced upon by any competing elements. The environmental sounds of the buzzing bees are rendered well alongside everything else. This track handles the score well throughout the duration of the film with no obvious distortion or fluctuations in fidelity. There does not seem to be any memorable instances of age-related wear and tear. Kino Classics should be commended for doing right by this release. There are optional English subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film Historian David Del Valle and Filmmaker David DeCoteau provide an entertaining and informative commentary track in which they discuss the rarity of a TV movie sequel, the careers of the talent involved, the ways in which this film differed from the first installment, personal connections they have with the talent involved, how this compared to other “bee” movies, the expectations of television in the era in which this was produced and more. These two certainly know their stuff and they have a really easy back and forth which is a lot of fun to experience
- Trailers: There are trailers provided for Ritual Of Evil and Chosen Survivors.
Final Thoughts
Terror Out Of The Sky is a sequel to a previous story, but, as someone who has not caught the original, I can confidently say this story plays just as well without that background knowledge. Much of this is to do with the incredible performance from Tovah Feldshuh, who draws you into this heightened story of nightmarish insects. The special effects are really well done and keep you on edge as our characters try to stay safe while saving the day. For those who enjoy eco-horror films, they should have a blast here. Kino Classics has provided this one with a new Blu-Ray featuring an excellent A/V presentation and a fun new commentary track. Out of the trio of insect-based horror films being released on the same day, bees might be the ones that are used to the greatest effect. Recommended
Terror Out Of The Sky 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: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.