The worst horror movie ever created is likely one that even the most diehard horror fans have never heard of, let alone settled in to view. The boring and predictable listicles always have Cabin Fever, One Missed Call, and Jaws: The Revenge on their lists, truly terrible entries but still ones produced and distributed by well-known companies and recognized by mainstream audiences. Truly the worst horror film ever produced was 1984’s The Jar, an obscure title that just got a brilliant re-release on Blu-ray.

A Good Samaritan

The Jar opens with a schoolteacher named Paul (Gary Wallace) who is driving home on a winding road late one evening. When he sees an old man (Les Miller) on the roadside who appears to be injured, Paul pulls over and helps the traveler into his car.

Not knowing where to take the poor guy, Paul drives his wounded passenger back to his apartment.

The Imprisoned Demon

The old man is carrying a paper bag with him and warns Paul that he will not be able to leave its contents with him. Paul is confused but chalks up his guest’s puzzling words and behaviors to the man’s injuries.

When Paul leaves the room for a moment, he re-enters to find that the old man has disappeared without a trace and has left behind the bag and its contents.

The bag contains a large jar whose contents cannot be readily seen through the glass.

Paul opens the lid of the jar and peers inside, only to be greeted by the haunting eyes of the small demon. As The Jar develops, Paul begins to have terrifying visions that eventually tear him apart from reality.

Delusions

The Jar sees Paul’s neighbor Crystal (Karin Sjoberg) trying to ground his mind back into lucidity, but the visions Paul is experiencing are becoming full-blown delusions. As the movie progresses, audiences will question whether or not Crystal has the ability to succeed or if Paul’s twisted new sense of reality will destroy them both.

For a movie that many outlets have deemed the worst horror entry in cinematic history, The Jar certainly has elements to it that are worthy of praise.

Yes, the acting is far from perfect, the absence of any professional on screen being very apparent. The storyline will barely hold a person’s attention and the way the film jumps from Paul’s reality to his visions/hallucinations is anything but smooth.

Great Camera Work

But The Jar has notable camera and lighting effects. Though the story itself is more likely to bore you than shiver, the hues used in certain scenes cause a level of unsettling that keeps the film from being a total loss.

The shifts from Paul’s reality to the alternate world that is playing out in his brain are more worthy of a college art film than they are of a horror movie.

Though some of his visions are indeed disturbing (blood spurting out of his drain, his crucifixion, etc.), many are more subdued and peaceful, such as when he is struck with an image of a girl in a park letting go of a balloon.

These images don’t seem to connect in any reasonable way, making the movie more of a confusing mess than anything else.

The Jar Isn’t Streaming Anywhere

While The Jar cannot be found streaming or On Demand anywhere, Savannah, Georgia-based Terror Vision has recently issued a beautifully remastered edition on Blu-ray. The disc is filled with tons of extras, including commentary by Gary Wallace, a making of documentary, additional commentary by screenwriter George Bradley, and multiple interviews.

Terror Vision’s efforts, like those of other distributors devoted to the genre, show dedication to keeping older, independent horror films from being thrown away and forgotten, no matter how good (or terrible) they might be.

It truly is the worst horror film ever produced, but one that fans of the genre need to see at least once.