The Devil Bear (1929) Blu-ray Announced by Gold Ninja Video
Gold Ninja Video has announced The Devil Bear Blu-ray, a limited release that brings a long-lost piece of Canadian cinema to the public for the first time. The 1929 silent film has been restored in a new 2K scan from The Library and Archives of Canada and includes a substantial lineup of special features.
Description
The Devil Bear begins with a mutiny at sea over a chest of gold. The ship crashes along the shores of Lake Superior, where a hulking creature escapes the wreckage and disappears into the wilderness. As terrified locals encounter the beast, it earns the name that follows it through legend: the Devil Bear.
Barely seen since its brief theatrical run in the 1930s and known only through a handful of surviving stills, the film has remained unavailable for nearly a century.
Special features
Gold Ninja Video includes a generous collection of newly produced material documenting the film’s history and its place in early gorilla suit cinema.
Two new Improvised Scores For THE DEVIL BEAR by Emily Milling and Andrew Shenkman
Commentary on THE DEVIL BEAR by Justin Decloux (The Important Cinema Club)
Everything’s Better With a Gorilla: A Discussion Between Stephen R. Bissette (Cryptid Cinema) and Justin Decloux about Early Gorilla Suit Cinema
Lakehead Gothic: A Video Essay about The Devil Bear by Stephen Broomer (Black Zero)
New Liner Notes by Dr. Michel S. Beaulieu, author of “The Best Picture Ever Made in Canada? Thunder Bay Films Limited and The Devil Bear.
BONUS FEATURE: Canadian Film, The Viking(1931), with introduction by Justin Decloux.
Availability and release date
The Devil Bear Blu-ray is limited to just 800 copies and will begin shipping in January 2026. It is currently available to order from goldninjavideo.com.
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