EQUINOX

Before he took you to a galaxy far, far away, before he brought you face-to-face with living, breathing prehistoric beasts, Dennis Muren, the future nine-time Oscar-winning visual-effects artist (_Star Wars, Jurassic Park_), joined forces with a group of talented young filmmakers to create an homage to the creature features of yore in the eerie monster mash _Equinox_. Deep within the woods and canyons of California, four teenagers happen upon an ancient book containing the secrets of a strange, malevolent world that coexists with that of mankind. This $6,500-budget wonder (originally called The Equinox . . . A Journey into the Supernatural) was picked up for distribution by producer Jack H. Harris (The Blob), who shot new footage for the film with writer-director Jack Woods and released it in 1970 as _Equinox_. Since then, the film has gained a passionate cult following and inspired succeeding generations of horror/fantasy filmmakers.