The Jar

American horror film

April 16, 1984 (1984-04-16) (United States)

Running time

85 minutes^[3]CountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBudget$200,000 (estimated)^[4]

The Jar is a 1984 American horror film directed by Bruce Toscano.^[1]^[5]

Plot

A guy named Paul gets in an auto accident with an old man. After bringing the old man to his apartment to heal him, Paul finds that the man has disappeared, leaving behind a bottle in a paper bag. Within the bottle is a demon who possesses Paul and induces hallucinations including vignettes of being crucified and fighting as a soldier. Paul murders his neighbor and passes on his demonic possession to his boss.

Please note - Magnum Entertainment issued the movie on a terrible VHS version. Then the VHS was converted to an even worse DVD.

TerrorVision got the original film from director Bruce Toscano and restored the movie to the original aspect ratio. On the VHS, half of the movie is missing. In the restored version, Bruce Toscano and George Bradley's original vision is now visible. On the VHS, the color is muddy. On the restored version, the color pops. The sound looping is improved.

This movie is not for everyone. It's not a linear movie. However, if you go for the ride, it's actually quite good.

Do not watch the VHS. Get your hands on the restored Blu-ray and you might be pleasantly surprised.

Gary Wallace Paul in The Jar

Cast

Gary Wallace as Paul
Karin Sjöberg as Crystal
Dean Schoepter as Young Man
Les Miller as Old Man
Robert Gerald Witt as Jack
Don Donovan as Jester

Legacy

In 2015, the film was featured on an episode of Red Letter Media's Best of the Worst, together with Future War and White Fire. The film was rated by the hosts as one of the worst ever featured on the show, and the end of the episode has the hosts melting their copy of The Jar in a jar filled with acetone.^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b Albright, Brian (19 October 2012). Regional Horror Films, 1958-1990: A State-by-State Guide with Interviews. Google Books: McFarland. ISBN 9781476600420.
^ Teddy Blanks (17 October 2008). "The Jar". NotComing.com. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
^ "The Jar (1984)". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
^ "Film Review: The Jar (1984)". HorrorNews.net. 26 May 2012. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
^ "Worst Horror Movies Ever Made: "The Jar" (1984)". Slasher Studios. 29 June 2012. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
^ "Best of the Worst: Future War, The Jar, and White Fire". Red Letter Media. 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2018-08-16.