One of the benefits Blockbuster collapsing was that indie filmmakers no longer had to deal with the MPAA if they were going straight to video. The massive video chain made it a big deal about how they wouldn’t carry anything NC-17 or unrated. At the time, it was worth paying several thousand dollars to get an R-rating. There were nearly 6,000 Blockbuster stores in America. They buy a tape or two for each store, it’s a massive windfall for a low-budget horror film. But it also meant butchering away the violence and gore to appease Jack Valenti’s MPAA stooges. And if they still slapped an NC-17 on your film, you had to pay thousands more for an attorney to appeal the decision along with trim more off the film. In the end, it’s the horror fans who cheated out of seeing the filmmaker’s vision. Legion of the Dead played film festivals at the Turn of the Century, but had to censor to get an R-rating for home video. Director Olaf Ittenbach’s gory special effects were dialed back. The good news is the Legion of the Dead: Limited Collector’s Edition contains the original Festival Producer’s Cut Version and a Director’s Cut Version that’s even longer. The Producer’s Cut runs 92:27.
Men walking across the desert in what appears to be Biblical times stop at a massive slaughter. Things flash forward to a present day sleazy motel. Willie (Michael Carr, Erotic Confessions) and his buddy Luke (Russell Friedenberg, Among Ravens) are taking a trip through the scenic and rugged California desert. They want to see the sights and meet interesting people. Trouble is one of the people they meet is the Kern River Killer (Christopher Kriesa, Castaway) when he picks them up in his car. Strangely enough, this is not the worse guy they encounter on their trip. Turns out there’s two men who would normally be seen as serial killers. We first meet them as they torturing their latest victim using ceremonial knives. But then we see that they don’t merely kill their victims. They’re bring the people back from the beyond to take part in his Legion of the Dead. The four guys cross paths at a not so scummy bar where Geena (Kimberly Liebe, Sensitive Johnson) is the waitress. This gets extremely wild when a Tall Blond Man (Matthias Hues) arrives wanting Geena. You should recognize Matthias Hues from appearing in such classic films as I Come In Peace (he’s the alien that isn’t ESPN’s Jay Bilas), No Retreat, No Surrender 2, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Big Top Pee-Wee (as a lion tamer) and I Don’t Buy Kisses Anymore. Why does the Tall Blond Man want with Geena and why does the duo hope to conquer with their Legion of the Dead keeps this movie crazily captivating. I forgot to mention Willie and Luke have the hots for Geena so they really don’t want her to go with the Tall Blond Man.
Legion of the Dead is the kind of wildness you’d want to rent from a video store in the 2000s. While the movie is bloody and violent, there’s such a bizarre nature to everything that it doesn’t seem like gore. You’re more curious about where things are going than wondering whose liver is on the floor. It’s great to watch the version that Jack Valenti and his highly paid prude patrol wanted to hide from Blockbuster Customers.
The director’s cut was put together in 2007 by Olaf for the Austrian market in 2007. You can spot some of the differences since the actors begin to talk in German instead of English. The good news is these moments are subtitled in English so you’re not clueless if your German vocabulary only extends to words used on Hogan’s Heroes. There’s a bit more gore and sadistic glee in this cut. Seeing how it is 108:39, I recommend watching it first to get everything at once. It should also be noted that the version for Germany was trimmed down to 80 minutes. Kids, if your teacher asks what’s the difference between Germany and Austria, you can respond, “Nearly 29 minutes of Legion of the Dead!”
The Video is 1.85:1 anamorphic. The film has the proper gritty nature of the California desert. The Audio is DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround and LPCM 2.0 Stereo. You’ll hear a lot of gun fire in all channels. The film is subtitled in English.
Audio commentary with director Olaf Ittenbach has him talk about what he and his crew did to make the film. How did a bunch of Germans end up in the California desert?
Making of Legion of the Dead (21:43) shows how this genre bending flick came about. Olaf talks of the three stories that collide. Lots of behind the scenes footage and interviews.
Deleted Scenes (9:16) has a bunch of clipped moments. A few ended back in the director’s cut.
Outtakes (15:37) include Matthias Hues not caring that a gun is pointed at him.
Festival Premieres (9:17) include a trip to Brussels for Film Fantastiques, Luxembourg and Rome. They appear at Cannes when the trailer plays on a giant outdoor screen.
Photo Gallery (6:01) has lots of behind the scenes photos from the sets and press photos.
Trailers include Original Trailer (2:14), Alternate Trailer (2:27) that has less shooting up front and US Trailer (1:09) that received a red band when Artisan released it.
Unearthed Classics present Legion of the Dead: Limited Collector’s Edition. Directed by Olaf Ittenbach. Screenplay by Olaf Ittenbach. Starring Kimberly Liebe, Matthias Hues, Michael Carr and Russell Friedenberg. Boxset Contents: 2 movies on 2 Blu-ray discs. Rating: Unrated. Release Date: July 14, 2026.
