McBASTARD'S MAUSOLEUM

Darren Lynn Bousman's MOTHER'S DAY Remake Coming to Blu-ray/DVD Combo May 8th!

2012-02-28T14:30:00.000-08:00

ANCHOR BAY FILMS PRESENTS

MOTHER’S DAY

The Highly Anticipated Remake of the Troma Cult Classic; Coming Home on Blu-ray™+DVD Combo and DVD May 8

There’s nothing more comforting than the love of a Mother for her children. But beware any Mother when her children are threatened! And for a certain diabolical Mother and her vicious progeny, she’ll send anyone who threatens her brood straight to Hell itself!

Anchor Bay Films presents the ultimate “Mother” with the May 8th release of Mother’s Day on Blu-ray™+DVD Combo Pack and on DVD. With an all-star cast including Rebecca DeMornay (The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, Wedding Crashers), Jamie King (Red Tails, My Bloody Valentine, Sin City), Brianna Evigan (S. Darko, Step Up 2: The Streets), Patrick John Flueger (Footloose, Brothers), Deborah Ann Woll (HBO’s “True Blood”), Lyriq Bent (Saw II-IV, Skinwalkers), Frank Grillo (The Grey, Minority Report) and Shawn Ashmore (the X-Men films, Frozen), Mother’s Day is the chilling and gorier remake of the 1980 Troma classic by the same name.

SRP is $26.98 for the DVD, and $29.99 for the Blu-ray™+DVD combo. Mother’s Day will also have an exclusive theatrical engagement in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago on May 4th in select theaters.

Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II, III and IV) with screen story and screenplay by Scott Milam based on the original Mother’s Day written by Charles Kaufman and Warren Leight, Mother’s Day is a graphic remake of the Troma horror classic. After a bank robbery gone wrong, three brothers go home to hideout…only to discover that their Mother (Rebecca De Mornay) lost their house in a foreclosure. The new owners and their party guests become the depraved brothers’ unwitting hostages. Their sadistic Mother soon arrives and brilliantly takes control of the situation, ratcheting up the terror. As the hostages struggle desperately to survive the harrowing torture, they realize that there is nothing a Mother won’t do to protect her children.

Ain’t It Cool News called Mother’s Day "I Spit On Your Grave mixed with Texas Chainsaw Massacre with heavy portions of Friday The 13th thrown in,” while Dread Central declared, “Mama's boys have once again made their Mother very proud.” The Mother’s Day Blu-ray™ and DVD feature an audio commentary with director Darren Lynn Bousman and actor Shawn Ashmore.

Specifications:
Duration: 112 mins
Rating: R
Video: .16:9 widescreen (2:40:1)
Audio: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (Blu-ray™) Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman

Cast: Shawn Ashmore, Lyriq Bent, Patrick John Flueger, Frank Grillo, Jaime King, Warren Kole, Lisa Marcos, Kandyse McClure, Rebecca De Mornay, Tony Nappo, Matt O'LearyWoll

Blu-ray Review: FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET (1971)

2012-02-27T18:51:00.081-08:00

FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET (1971)

Label: Shameless Screen Entertainment
Region Code: Region FREE
Rating: 18 Certificate
Duration: 99 minutes
Audio: English and Italian 2.1 DTS HD, Dolby 2.0
Video: 16:9 Widescreen (2.35:1) 1080p
Director: Dario Argento
Cast: Michael Brandon, Mimsy Farmer, Jean-Pierre Marielle, Bud Spencer, Francine Racette

Synopsis: Dario Argento's "lost masterpiece" FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET concerns rock musician Robert Tobias (Michael Brandon, LOVERS AND OTHER STRANGERS) whom one night confronts a man who's been following him for several days. Catching up to the voyeur in an abandoned theatre the man pulls a switchblade and in the ensuing struggle Robert accidentally stabs the man in the abdomen, he falls from the stage into the orchestra pit, dead. In a bizarre turn someone in the upper wings of the theatre wearing an unnerving mask shines a spotlight on the altercation and snaps several incriminating photographs of the tragic event. Robert flees the scene and tries to put the events behind him but in the following days he is overcome with paranoia and fear when the dead man's ID shows up in the mail, pictures of the crime appear and the voyeur enters his home taunting him, but to what end and why?

FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET (1971) is considered the last entry in what is known as Dario Argento's Animal Trilogy following the brilliant debut THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE (1970) and CAT O' NINE TAILS (1971). The trio of films feature music scores from the master of film music Ennio Morricone and feature protagonists drawn into a murder mystery. BIRD featured an American writer, CAT a blind puzzle maker and FLIES features a rock drummer, all familiar character types to Argento enthusiasts. Dario would again bring an American writer to Rome with TENEBRE and a musician who witnesses a brutal death with the masterful DEEP RED, with FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET the twist is that our protagonist is the defacto killer.

The film starts off with a sweetly edited title sequence set to the tune of a tasty 70's rock freak-out (by Morricone) as Robert (a drummer) and the band jam on a psychedelic art-rock tune. There's a nifty scenario played out as we see flashbacks to the sun glassed stranger tailing Robert and a mosquito Hell bent on distracting him from keeping the beat during the band rehearsal culminating in a sweet hi-hat execution eliminating the pest. It's after the band's rehearsal that Robert sees the man who's been following him, at his rope's end he gives chase to the man who leads him into an abandoned theatre and the altercation ends with the strangers unfortunate death and documentation by the masked voyeur.

Soon the ID and photos arrive at his home but no blackmail demands are made, Robert's at a loss for what the voyeur's motivations could possibly be. Why has the crime not been reported to the authorities? Later the voyeur escalates matters when he enters Robert's home only to assault and taunt him pushing him to his nerves ends. His wife Nina (Mimsy Farmer, BLACK CAT) tries to comfort him when he confides the murder and ensuing taunting but he's inconsolable. He enlists the help of an odd duo of vagrants whom live in a shack by the city's river, a man known as "God" (Bud Spencer, MY NAME IS TRINITY)) and "The Professor" (Oreste Lionello, THE CASE OF THE BLOODY IRIS). He also enlists the aide of an odd homosexual detective named Gianni Arrosio (Jen-Pierre Marielle, MICMACS).

The incident continues to haunt Robert nightly, his fear manifesting itself as creepy images of a beheading which take seed after hearing of a beheading incident from a friend whom describes how a stiletto knife is stabbed into the victim's neck to turn their body rigid and to upturn their head just as the swordsman's blade lobs it off. It's a nightmarish and vivid image and it's an effective fortuitous image that's seen several times throughout the film. Something also thrust upon us are flashbacks to what one would assume is the killer's troubled and abusive relationship with a father figure giving scarce clues to the motives behind the homicidal frenzy.

The night that Robert confesses the murder to Nina the admission is overheard by their maid whom hatches an ill-conceived scheme to blackmail the musician which leads to a well structured and pulse-pounding pursuit through a park at night as she attempts to evade the killer whom apparently doesn't want anyone intervening in their grand scheme of revenge. It's a wonderful scene even though I felt a bit cheated when the murder happens off screen, we hear only her death cries, our tormenting voyeur now a killer. Fear not though, there's a few key death scenes that while not quite gory are definitely brutal. When the voyeur sees fit to off an accomplices that's outlived their usefulness there's a particularly sweet repeated bashing of their skull sending the victim to the ground where a thick gauge wire is wrapped around his neck and slowly turned until death, just a really effective scene.

It's after this that we're introduced to Nina's cousin Dalia (Francine Racette, AU REVOIR LES ENFANTS), a real European nymphish beauty. We also meet the wonderfully gay detective Gianni Arrosio. I have an affection for Argento's colorful secondary gay characters whom populate many of his films, some of whom surely have been imbued with a bit too much flamboyance and not much substance or purpose but nonetheless were colorful additions to the films. Jean-Pierre Marielle as the oddball detective is one of my favorites, I really felt his death and enjoyed his tragically triumphant parting words.

Meanwhile Robert and Dalia have kindled a impromptu romance under the nose of Nina after some fun splashing around in the bathroom. Who bathes their cousin's husband, really? It's a fun and flirty trist that ends with both naked in the tub, Racette is a sight to behold, a real beauty but even her unnaturual impish looks cannot save her from the voyeur turned killer as she is stalked through Robert's home in a tense scene resulting in a PYSCHO-esque tumble down the stairs followed by a knife plunge into her soft, supple flesh. In perhaps a sweet sci-fi ode to HORROR EXPRESS a laser is used to read the last image imprinted upon her retina in death, what they discover is the titular series of four flies.

With the bodycount steadily rising and Robert's fear and paranoia at a fever pitch he resorts to awaiting and confronting the murderer in his home, it's a nice shocker ending and the culprit is truly bug nuts insane, a wonderfully over-the-top villain with a unique set of motivations stemming from a scarred childhood and an insatiable need for revenge. The finale is marked by two wonderfully stylish slow-motion shots involving a gunshot and a beautifully staged car-crash slash decapitation, it's a thing of beauty.

Blu-ray: Shameless Screen Entertainment's 40th Anniversary Edition of Argento's FOUR FLIES IN GREY VELVET presents the film in a sweet region-FREE Blu-ray. It was only just three years ago that Mya Communications released the film on DVD for the first time and that release was a revelation when compared to the fuzzy VHS copies floating around at the time. Shamless's Blu-ray is an improvement over the Mya DVD and is clearely the best the film has ever looked. It has been fully remastered in HD from the original film negative with improvement in fine detail and black levels which are deeper and less murkey. We're given the option of viewing the legendary "missing forty seconds" of inserts either through seamlessly branching or viewing them separately from the film. The standard definition footage is less than stellar but is presented in the correct aspect ratio at least.

Audio options include both English and Italian 2.1 DTS HD and Dolby Digital 2.0 with optional English subtitles for both the Italian language track and English SDH. The original English audio has been remastered exclusively for this release from the original magnetic soundtrack and while audio is not the most dynamic it is clear with few distortions, Morricone's score sounds great and the English soundtrack easily bests the Italian option.

Special features aren't in excess but enjoyable nonetheless. There are US and Italian theatrical trailers, the latter of which is a delightfully trippy and savage trailer, the UK trailers for Argento's films are usually far superior to the Englsih versions in my estimation. We also get a a poster and stills gallery, a short introduction from writer and assistant director Luigi Cozzi who also offers up a nearly 42 minute exclusive interview about the film and his involvement beginning with his introduction to Argento as a journalist following the release of The Bird with The Crystal Plumage leading to Dario asking him to collaborate on Four Flies with Grey Velvet, crafting the story around the elaborate death set-pieces and the many influences on the film from Sergio Leone to pulp writers like Cornell Woolrich (BLACK ALIBI) and Raymond Chandler (THE LITTLE SISTER). There's also a brief segment wherein Luigi Cozzi talks about the similiarties in Argento's film to his own earlier film THE STRANGE VICE OF MRS. WARDH which Cozzi vehemently rebukes as mere coincidence based on a similiar Woolrich literary influence, then denouncing Martino as an Argento immitator, fun stuff. For fans of Cozzi, Argento or Giallo this is a must-see, essential viewing that covers many facets of the film from casting, shooting, the effcets and even UK rockers DEEP PURPLE originally scoring the film. An interview with Dario Argento or a commentary would from Argento experts Kim Newman and Alan Jones would have been a nice addition to the extras but the Luigi Cozzi interview is pure gold.

Special Features:
- Reversible Artwork
- Introduction to the film by Luigi Cozzi.
- New, exclusive and extensive recent interview on the making of Four Flies On Grey Velvet with writer and assistant director Luigi Cozzi.(41:23) 16:9
- Original English audio remastered in HD exclusively for this Shameless release from the original magnetic soundtrack and available for the first time since the film’s original theatrical opening in the 1970s.
- Shameless re-build edit of the complete version of the film including four inserts of previously missing footage known amongst Argento fans as the legendary “missing forty seconds” (the inserts are in Standard-Definition quality). The Blu-ray will allow for seamless branching of the four inserts giving viewers two versions of the film: one all HD without the re-inserted scenes and one longer version including the inserts.
- Restoration of all individual damaged frames, most notably with respect to the removal of the black diagonal frame line (caused by the film jumping the high speed camera gate) in the final car crash sequence.
- Optional Italian audio version in HD with English subtitles.
- Italian Trailer (2:35) 16:9
- English Trailer (0:55) 16:9
- Alternate English opening and closing credits (5:00) 16:9
- Shameless Trailer Park (Blu-ray only) (11:26) 16:9
- Photo Gallery (5:43)

Verdict: Shameless Screen Entertainment's 40th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray easily demands an upgrade from Mya's previous DVD edition with a wonderful presentation and a sweet slew of bonus content that should make any Argento enthusiast pleased as punch. This wonderful edition receives high marks from me, a must-have and an underseen Argento classic. Now that Four Flies on Grey Velvet is no longer the rarity it once was I would very much like to see his maligned comedy THE FIVE DAYS OF MILAN (1973) find it's way to DVD/Blu-ray if only to say that I've finally seen it. 4 outta 5

Trailer for Abel Ferarra's apocalyptic 4:44 LAST DAY ON EARTH starring Willem Dafoe

2012-02-24T06:01:00.000-08:00

Check out the new official trailer for 4:44 LAST DAY ON EARTH - the new film about the end of the world from Abel Ferarra (BAD LIEUTENANT, MARY), starring Willem Dafoe!

4:44 LAST DAY ON EARTH will be released in select theaters and nationwide on demand on March 23rd.

OFFICIAL SELECTION - 2011 VENICE FILM FESTIVAL
OFFICIAL SELECTION - 2011 NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL

In a large apartment high above the city lives our couple. They’re in love. She’s a painter, he’s a successful actor. Just a normal afternoon - except that this isn’t a normal afternoon, for them or anyone else. Because tomorrow, at 4:44 am, give or take a few seconds, the world will come to an end far more rapidly than even the worst doomsayer could have imagined. The final meltdown will come not without warnings, but with no means of escape. There will be no survivors. As always, there are those who, as their last cigarette is being lit and the blindfold tightened, will still hope against hope for some kind of reprieve. For a miracle. Not our two lovers. They - like the majority of the Earth’s population - have accepted their fate: the world is going to end.

"The Story Of Rock 'n' Roll Comics" coming to DVD on April 24

2012-02-24T05:52:00.001-08:00

THE STORY OF ROCK 'N' ROLL COMICS (2005)

Release Date: April 24th 2012
Region Code: 0 NTSC
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 84 min.
Audio: Mono
Video: Full Frame (4:3)
Director: Ilko Davidov
Tagline: Enter A World Of Music, Comics And... Murder!

Join the revolution as documentary presents the 100% true-life drama AND shocking tale of comic book creator, Todd Loren

THE STORY OF ROCK 'N' ROLL COMICS will soon be available on DVD for the first-time!

This documentary tells the unbelievable story of Todd Loren, San Diego-based owner of Revolutionary Comics, famous for publishing the wildly popular "Rock 'N' Roll Comics" series.

The unauthorized and often controversial comics featured biographies of music groups such as KISS, the Sex Pistols and Metallica. Loved by some (Gene Simmons, Alice Cooper, Lemmy, Metallica) and threatened by others (Axl Rose, Skid Row, New Kids on the Block), over 300 issues of Rock 'N' Roll comics were printed, embracing all music genres: Rock, Alternative, Hip-Hop, Punk and Pop and they quickly became instant collector's items. In a strange twist, Loren is found murdered in his condo in 1992, making people speculate that he may have the first victim of 'serial' killer Andrew Cunanan, leading to an absorbing mystery that still remains, UNSOLVED today.

Special Features:
- 8 page liner notes insert
- Liner notes from "Rock 'N' Roll Comics" co-creator, Jay Allen Sanford
- Liner notes from rock critic Rob O'Connor (Rolling Stone, Spin, Yahoo)
- Vintage Musicade 60 second TV commericial
- Vintage 30 second Musicade commercial
- Cynthia Plaster Caster: Full uncut Interview
- Unauthorized Sports Comics featurette
- Mike Tyson Comic: TV News Story
- Unauthorized Conspiracy Comics: E! News Story
- KFMB CBS News report on Todd Loren's murder
- Deleted Scene: Interview with Rock 'N' Roll Comics artist Robert Conte
- Deleted Scene: Interview with artist/ collector Duane Dimock
- Original Rock 'N' Roll Comics Cover Galleries (Over 100 covers)
- Wild Eye Releasing Trailers

Official Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KTVoR31Fek

Directed by Ilko Davidov (producer of "William Burroughs: A Man Within"), "THE STORY OF ROCK 'N' ROLL COMICS" examines the short, controversial life of publisher Todd Loren, whose scandalous series of unauthorized comic book biographies of rock stars charmed some (Gene Simmons, Jerry Garcia, Nick Mason of Pink Floyd) and enraged others (Axl Rose, Bon Jovi, Skid Row, New Kids on the Block) who eventually sued him.

In a landmark ruling however, the California Supreme Court decided that "Rock 'N' Roll Comics' was protected by the First Amendment and that Loren could continue publishing. But in 1992, Loren is found dead in his condo and his murder opens up speculation that he might have been the first victim of serial killer Andrew Cunanan, murderer of fashion designer Gianni Versace

Mixing quirky animation, eerie home video of Todd Loren, investigative footage and interviews/commentaries from artists including Mojo Nixon, Alice Cooper, Gary Groth, Ian Shirley, Cynthia Plaster Caster and more, "THE STORY OF ROCK 'N' ROLL COMICS" is an engaging expose about a man, whose love of music and comic books left a cultural impact and whose life, and mysterious death, is just as colorful as the comics he created. The documentary is a Bulletproof Film production and produced by Carmine Cervi (Axis of Evil: Perforated Praeter Naturam) Chris Swider (Children in Exile) and Ilko Davidov.

Official Website at:
http://www.wildeyereleasing.com/unauthorized.html

JOIN the COMIC BOOK REVOLUTION at our Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/325027860864158/

EXPLORE Wild Eye Releasing's catalog at:
http://www.wildeyereleasing.com/

MIMIC 3-Film Blu-ray Set Streets May 1st 2012

2012-02-24T05:31:00.000-08:00

MIMIC: 3-Film Set Blu-ray Disc

Audiences will experience thrills and chills from the franchise that brought the epic battle of man and nature to life as Lionsgate debuts the Mimic: 3-Film Set on Blu-ray Disc this May. Available for the first time as an HD collection, the set includes Mimic: The Director's Cut, along with Mimic 2 and Mimic 3: Sentinel - both on Blu-ray Disc for the first time and available exclusively in the set. Telling the complete story of one deadly genetic engineering experiment, each film includes a host of special features, certain to excite and terrify fans of the sci-fi series. A collection housing all three of the original film versions will be available on DVD at the same time, for the suggested retail price of $19.98.

MIMIC: The Director's Cut

Directed by Oscar® nominee Guillermo Del Toro (Best Writing, Original Screenplay, Pan's Labyrinth, 2006), this cut transforms Mimic into a film that Del Toro fans and newcomers alike will embrace as the definitive version. The film stars Academy Award® winner* Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite) and Academy Award® nominee* Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men) along with Jeremy Northam (Showtime's "The Tudors"). The disc includes a video prologue and audio commentary with Guillermo Del Toro, numerous featurettes, deleted scenes, storyboard animatics and a gag reel.

The screenplay and screen story are written by Matthew Robbins and Guillermo Del Toro, based on the short story by Matthew A. Wollheim.

A disease carried by common cockroaches is killing children in Manhattan. In an effort to stop the epidemic, entomologist Susan Tyler (Sorvino) creates a mutant breed of insect that secretes a fluid to kill the roaches. This mutant breed was engineered to die after one generation, but three years later Susan finds out that the species has survived and evolved into a large, gruesome monster that can mimic human form.

MIMIC 2

Four years ago, a group of scientists successfully stopped a plague that threatened to overrun the population of New York City. Though all of the "Judas" bugs were thought to be dead, those that survived have undergone another terrible transformation and are once again threatening human life. The disc includes a couple of featurettes and deleted scenes.

The film is directed by Jean de Segonzac and written by Joel Soisson, based on characters created by Matthew Robbins and Guillermo Del Toro.

MIMIC 3: SENTINEL

When residents of an apartment complex begin to disappear, the unthinkable happens - the mutant Judas bugs are again stalking their prey. Left nearly helpless, a man enclosed in a plastic bubble, his sister and their best friend have no choice but to exterminate their insect enemies. The disc includes audio commentary with the writer/director, a behind-the-scenes featurette and cat auditions.

Written and Directed by J.T. Petty, based on the short story "Mimic" by Donald A. Wollheim.

FIX: THE MINISTRY MOVIE arrives on DVD April 10th 2012

2012-02-24T05:17:00.000-08:00

FIX: THE MINISTRY MOVIE (2011)
2-Disc: DVD / Music CD Combo

Label: Blairwood Entertainment
Region: 0 NTSC
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 93 Minutes, English
Video: Full Screen 1.33:1
Audio: Stereo
Director: Douglas Freel
Cast: Al Jourgensen - Ministry, Trent Reznor - NIN, Maynard Keenan - Tool, A Perfect Circle, Jonathan Davis - Korn, Dave Navarrro - Jane's Addiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jello Biafra - Dead Kennedys, Lemmy Kilmister - Motorhead, Buzzo - the Melvins, Nivek Ogre - Skinny Puppy, and Timothy Leary.

Fix: The Ministry Movie shoves your ass way, way backstage with the scariest band EVER.

"F..K THE MAINSTREAM" might as well have been written by Al Jourgensen, founder of MINISTRY. Love him or hate him, Al and how he makes music changed all the rules. Al and all the guys he played with, paid the price and took no prisoners along the way, but they MATTERED.

No Ministry = No NIN, or Korn, or Jane's Addiction if you don't believe it? Hear it directly from Trent Reznor, Jonathan Davis, Dave Navarro and many more.

Special Features:
- Dope Fiends, Stalkers and Aliens
- Music CD with 11 new tracks by Paul Barker featuring Taylor Momsen, Nivek Ogre, Chris Connelly, Alexis S.F. Marshall, USSA and Jeffrey Kinart

Blu-ray Review: BABA YAGA (1973)

2012-02-20T17:39:00.003-08:00

BABA YAGA (1973)

Release Date: February 28, 2012

Label: Blue Underground

Region Code: ALL

Duration: 83 Mins

Rating: Not Rated

Video:16:9 Widescreen (1.85:1)

Audio: English, Italian DTS-HD Mono

Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish, English for Italian version.

Director: Corrado Farina

Stars: Carroll Baker, George Eastman, Isabelle De Funes

Synopsis: Legendary sex symbol Carroll Baker (BABY DOLL, THE WATCHER IN THE WOODS) stars as a mysterious sorceress with an undying hunger for sensual ecstasy and unspeakable torture. But when she casts a spell over a beautiful young fashion photographer (the gorgeous Isabelle De Funes), Milan's most luscious models are sucked into a nightmare world of lesbian seduction and shocking sadism. Are these carnal crimes the result of one woman's forbidden fantasies or is this the depraved curse of the devil witch known as BABA YAGA?

Comic book adaptations have been a regular feature in the multiplex's this past decade, everything from Terry Zwigoff's adaptation of Daniel Clowes' edgy indie GHOST WORLD to the Marvel's juggernaut X-MEN franchise has been plastered on the silver screen but comic-to-film translations aren't exactly a new idea, nearly forty years ago director Corrado Farina's adapted the revolutionary comic strip VALENTINA by Guido Crepax into the surreal supernatural fantasy BABA YAGA (1973).

In this surreal tale of witchery and soul possession Valentina (Isabelle De Funes) is an erotic-fashion photographer whose chance encounter with a mysterious, older woman by the rather bizarre name of Baba Yaga (Carrroll Baker) thrusts her into a strange journey that threatens to claim her very soul. The witchy Baba Yaga takes an unnatural interest in the nymphish fashion photographer and it's not long before Valentina falls under her lesbian-tinged thrall, plagued by trippy nightmares involving Nazis, sadomasochism and a eerie bottomless pit.

It's a quirky film for sure and there's no shortage of weird shit transpiring on screen as Valentina slowly loses her mind as her strange dreams begin to bleed into her waking life. Things really start to turn towards the bizarre when Baba Yaga curses her camera which results in the bizarre death of anyone Valentina photographs and it gets even a bit odder yet when Baba Yaga gifts Valentina with a weird leather-clad porcelain doll which acts as Yaga's super-hot ginger-haired assassin but not in a Puppet Master sorta way, the doll transforms into an actual woman played by super-vixen Ely Galleani, it's wacky stuff.

On the plus side the film is dripping with early-70's atmosphere helped along by a creepy piano score which occasionally veers off into groovy jazz freakouts but it's also hamstrung in my opinion by a barely coherent plot that at times gives into a bizarre dream-logic that some might find hard to swallow epsecially when administered with such a deliberate pace, it's a definite slow burn and I'm not sure it makes for the most appreciative narrative for the uninnitiated.

Threadbare plot aside there's no arguing this is a gorgeously shot arthouse film which at times brought to mind the opulent eroticism of classy soft-core porn director Radley Metzger (SCORE, THE IMAGE). Farina utilizes Fumenti style over-exposed film frames to capture the film's comic origins which at times is striking but also a bit distracting.

The performances not unlike it's narrative are not exactly a strength of the feature. Isabelle De Funes is serviceable as the gorgeous, wide-eyed photographer but there's little depth to her character or anyone else's for that matter, it's all surface. Carroll Baker, still quite a beauty here, is cold and detached, probably owing more to Farina's direction than anything else. George Eastmen as Valentina's love interest just feels tacked-on in a thankless role and everyone else just sort of drifts through the picture.

The film might be a hard sell to the horror crowd with it's near lack of bloodshed or gore, it creeps along on atmosphere and eroticism but not much in the ways of actual chills.

Blu-ray: Blue Underground's transfer of BABA YAGA (1973) is derived from pristine vault elements and looks pretty great all around with a wonderfully crisp image with plenty of fine detail and nice deep, inky blacks. This being my first viewing of the film I can't tell you how superior it is to either of the Blue Underground or Shameless Screen Entertainment's DVD editions but this is a pretty spectacular HD image.

Audio options include both English and Italian DTS-HD Mono options, both sound quite good if not overly dynamic and both suffer from minor hiss throughout with the Italian fairing slightly worse. There's also a selection of subtitles including French, Spanish, English SDH and a separate English subtitle for the Italian version.

Blue Underground have supplied fans with typically generous amount of bonus content beginning with a 21 minute interview with director Corrado Farina whom talks about his love of Crepax's VALENTINA comic strip, the difficulties translating the revolutionary comic into the cinematic format, trouble casting the feature, the film's censorship and subsequent failure at the box office. It's a fairly comprehensive interview and will surely be a treat for fans and newbies like myself. We also get a mini-doc about Guido Crepax's work beginning with a brief history of the comic strip format in Italy featuring many vintage comic panels, great stuff and a great introduction to Crepax's work for someone like myself whom knew very little before diving into this film. The deleted and censored scenes features a few extended scenes of Valentin's nightmare sequences as well as full-frontal nudity from both Carroll Baker and Isabelle De Funès which was censored upon the film's release, these scenes are sourced from lesser quality sources than the feature but are nonetheless intriguing. The remaining features are rounded out by a theatrical trailer, comic-to-film comparison reel and a poster and stills gallery. Overall a very well-rounded package that with the exception of a commentary leaves little to be desired.

Special Features:

- Farina and Valentina - Interview with Director Corrado Farina (21:40) 16:0

- Freud in Color - Guido Crepax Documentary (12:06) 4:3

- Deleted and Censored Scenes (10:01) 16:9

- Theatrical Trailer (3:33) 16:9

- Poster and Still Gallery

- Comic Book-to-Film Comparison

Verdict: As a witchy thriller BABA YAGA is less than successful but as a a slice of lesbian-tinged arthouse Eurotrash erotica it manages to weave a spell that's hard to shake even though it's not quite eerie enough to illicit a scare and not nearly erotic enough elicit a, err, you know what I mean. Either way it's a interesting watch that's well worth a rental or perhaps even a buy for the euro-cult enthusiast, weird stuff. 3 outta 5

DVD Review: JESSICKA RABID (2010)

2012-02-08T18:20:00.000-08:00

JESSICKA RABID (2010)

Label: Troma Entertainment
Region Code: ALL NTSC
Duration: 82 mins
Video: 16:9 Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio: English Dolby Digital Stereo
Director: Mathew Reel
Cast: Elske McCain, Trent Haaga, Ciciany Oliver, Jeff Sisson

JESSICKA RABID is the latest slice of cinema trash from Troma Entertainment directed by Mathew Reel and starring Trenta Haaga and Elske McCain filmed right here in Tucson, AZ.

The film stars Tucson local Elske McCain as the mentally challenged titular character Jessicka who is kept like an animal by her fucked-up incestuous cousins Marley (Trent Haaga), Brad (Jeff Sisson) and Abby Hoffman (Ciciany Oliver). She's a feral woman who's kept in a dog cage out in the garage, she's fed from a bowl, hosed down once in a while and shits and pisses in the backyard while being walked on a leash. That's pretty fucked-up as it is but the film also goes the incest route as she's trained to give BJ's to Brad who also loans her out to z-grade porno shoots, she's Marley's regular fuck doll and even Abby, whom at first seems one of the film's more sympathetic characters, also gets in on the incest action training her to shampoo the carpet with the liberal application of peanut butter to her lady bits, a very nice touch.

So, it's a pretty sweet deal for the cousins but not so much for the mentally challenged cum-dumpster Jessicka. It's while being kept in the filthy dog cage that Jessicka is bit by a vicious dog and wouldn't you know that the beast is rabid and infects the feral woman with a fearsome rage which she in turn directs towards her captors. The ensuing massacre features some nice blood letting and a fun decapitation scene but the movie isn't a splatterfest by any means, it's definitely disturbing but revels more in the deranged acts of fucked-up degradation perpetrated upon the mentally challenged woman by her white trash captor's more so than on-screen gore but it's fucked-up shit no doubt. So, while the subject matter is disturbing and reprehensible the death scenes aren't particularly well executed but fun in a no-budget schlocky sorta way, particularly a decapitation scene towards the end o' the film when we get a nice HIGH TENSION-esque gettin' head scene, fun stuff.

The film is super low-budget and the filmmakers have wisely chosen to embrace their limited means and go the route of an early 70's looking drive-in production approximating a fuzzy, scratched 8mm print that looks like it's been through the wringer a few too many time, very washed out. It's gives the film a authentic grimy grindhouse patina complete with choppy editing and bad sound, it's a gritty production and it quite suits the film's gritty subject matter.

The film's plot is pretty bare with some bad scripting and poor dialogue that doesn't do the film any favors. The acting is also a bit spotty at times with a few nice exceptions. Trent Haaga as the quasi leader of the incestuous family is pretty great as usual and Elske McCain as the titular Jessicka has some nice animalistic moments that convey basic emotions but I wouldn't say it's well-acted either but overall I think the film is a pretty damned entertaining watch, uneven and poorly paced but entertaining nonetheless.

By Troma standards the DVD comes with a pretty great array of extras , including a fun group audio commentary, trailer Lloyd Kaufman outtakes filmed at the awesome Loft Cinema here in Tucson, a digital Jessicka Rabid comic and two slide shows plus the usual array of Tromatic extras, a very fine set of special features.

Special Features:
- Behind the Scenes Featurette(10:53) 16:9
- The Lloyd Kaufman Outtakes (1:46) 16:9
- Digital Jessicka Rabid Comic
- Trailer (3:01) 16:9
_-Behind the Scenes Slideshow (0:50) 16:9
- Exclusive Super Hot Elske McCain Slideshow
- Audio Commentary
- Tromatic Extras

Verdict: What's not to love? Forced incest, sexual slavery, exploitation of the mentally ill, depraved violence against women (and men), rabid revenge and debauchery, a smorgasbord of low-budget offensiveness that really channels the 70's grindhouse for all it's worth. I wanted to see more gore and for it to go just a little further than it treaded but maybe I'm just weird that way, if you're gonna go for it I say go all the way. Not a film for everyone, just the fucked-up freaks who enjoy nasty no-budget exploitation films. 3/5

IMPULSE PICTURES PRESENTS TWO NEW THRILLERS IN THE NIKKATSU EROTIC FILMS COLLECTION! TRUE STORY OF A WOMAN IN JAIL: SEX HELL and DEBAUCHERY on April 10th

2012-02-06T06:01:00.000-08:00

IMPULSE PICTURES PRESENTS

TWO NEW THRILLERS IN THE NIKKATSU EROTIC FILMS COLLECTION!

TRUE STORY OF A WOMAN IN JAIL: SEX HELL and DEBAUCHERY

JAPANESE EROTIC DELIGHTS — WITH AN EDGE!

A Wham! Bam! Thank you, ma'am! double-whammy sexy slammer double feature from the masterminds of Nikkatsu!

Due to their juvenile crimes, a group of fresh young girls is thrown into a horrid, squalid jail. They soon wish they were back on the outside, as a gang of inmates subjects this “fresh meat” to the horrors of being locked up. Mayumi, a new inmate with a mysterious past, stands up for herself and fights back! NO ONE is going to push her around, and she hatches an escape plan to seek revenge on the person who had her incarcerated.

TRUE STORY OF A WOMAN IN JAIL: SEX HELL is a sleazy, sexually graphic and surprisingly violent entry in the “women in prison” genre. The opening uniform changing, nude medical examination sessions, communal scrubbings in the bathhouse, nimble-fingered lesbians and vicious catfights are all here… and more!

In DEBAUCHERY the sexy Ryôko Watanabe stars as Ami, a jaded housewife who pitches herself, body and soul, into the Tokyo decadence of the decade in an attempt to pep up her marriage. She secretly joins the elite “Madame Machiko Society Club” to experiment with discrete sex games and the thrill of making love to anonymous men. The sexual perversion and sick depravity she is subjected to, by her clients, is much more than she bargained for. Bondage, beads and whips are only the beginning! Can she escape this secret life she has chosen, or will it destroy her forever? Impulse Films proudly presents two historic stunners from the heyday of the violent sex film. Nikkatsu always delivers. DEBAUCHERY features an original theatrical trailer and both discs include liner notes from Japanese film scholar Jasper Sharp.

Celebrating 100 years of NIKKATSU PRODUCTIONS, Impulse Pictures is proud to present THE NIKKATSU EROTIC FILMS COLLECTION, a continuing series of critically acclaimed, classic “eroductions” designed to shock and titillate fans of erotic cinema.

TRUE STORY OF A WOMAN IN JAIL: SEX HELL (1975)

Release Date: April 10, 2012
Region Code: Region 1
Director: Kôyû Ohara
Cast: Kozue Hitomi, Seri Kaori, Hiromi Maya
Duration: 72 mins
Audio: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Video: 16:9 Widescreen (2.35:1)
Price: $24.95

Our series of films from NIKKATSU PRODUCTIONS continues with one of the most unusual and controversial “women in prison” films of all-time!

A group of young women is thrown into a horrible juvenile hall, due to their illegal acts. They soon wish they were back on the outside, as a gang of inmates subjects this “fresh meat” to the horrors of being locked up. Mayumi, a new inmate with a mysterious past, stands up for herself and fights back! NO ONE is going to push her around, and she hatches an escape plan to seek revenge on the person who had her incarcerated.

TRUE STORY OF A WOMAN IN JAIL: SEX HELL is a sleazy, sexually graphic and surprisingly violent entry in the “women in prison” genre. The opening uniform changing, nude medical examination sessions, communal scrubbings in the bathhouse, nimble-fingered lesbians and vicious catfights are all here… and more!

Special Features
•Newly Translated, Removable English Subtitles
•Liner Notes from Japanese Film Expert, Jasper Sharp

DEBAUCHERY (1983)

Release Date: April 10, 2012
Region Code: 1 NTSC
Duration: 70 minsAudio: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Video: 16:9 Widescreen (1.85:1)
Region: Region 1
Director: Hidehiro Ito
Cast: Ryoko Watanabe, Serina Nishikawa, Mizuho Nakagawa
Price: $24.95

The sexy Ryôko Watanabe stars as Ami, a jaded housewife who pitches herself, body and soul, into the Tokyo decadence of the decade in an attempt to pep up her marriage. She secretly joins the elite “Madame Machiko Society Club” to experiment with discrete sex games and the thrill of making love to anonymous men. The sexual perversion and sick depravity she is subjected to, by her clients, is much more than she bargained for. Bondage, beads and whips are only the beginning! Can she escape this secret life she has chosen, or will it destroy her forever?

Features
•Newly Translated, Removable English Subtitles
•Original Theatrical Trailer
•Liner Notes by Japanese Film Expert, Jasper Sharp

Indie-Slasher MY PURE JOY DVD Release Date and Artwork Revealed.

2012-02-02T06:25:00.000-08:00

Director James Cullen Bressack's indie-slasher MY PURE JOY (2011) is being released on Media Blasters’ FRESH MEAT Shriek Show label on March 13th after being pushed back a month, that's a bummer for fans but good things to those who wait, right? Read my review of the film HERE and check out the artwork and the Amazon pre-order link below...

Press Release:

MY PURE JOY (2011)

Label: Shriek Show
Release Date: March 13th 2012
Region Code: 1 NTSC
Duration: 100 mins
Video: 16:9 Widescreen
Audio: Dolby Digital
Director: James Cullen Bressack
Cast: Alexie Ryan, Cory Jacob, Lisa Frantz, JD Fairman, Christopher ChandlerJust when you thought the day was right around the corner, it gets pushed back a month!

Over 3,000 fans of the highly anticipated indie horror flick MY PURE JOY have gathered in Facebook, anxiously awaiting the release of critically acclaimed 19-year-old filmmaker, then 18, James Cullen Bressack’s first feature film, which is being released on Media Blasters’ FRESH MEAT Shriek Show label. Release is now slated for March 13th Original release date was February 14th 2012.

Pre-orders have been selling well on Amazon for the past two months, fueled by consistently rave reviews on horror websites. The movie is set for large-scale American release in leading retailers nationwide, including Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Fry’s among many others. While Japanese fans can expect to be treated to a release in theaters in their country later this year.

MY PURE JOY tells the story of a deranged teenage serial killer whose unhealthy obsession with horror movies leads him on a killing spree of neighbors, friends, and family. James Cullen Bressack, who has been labeled “Horror’s New Hope”, draws special inspiration from Asian directors Takashi Miike and Chan-wook Park.

So although this Valentine’s day may not be a bloody one for fans and their girlfriends, every cloud does have its silver lining: Media Blasters has released the artwork for the MY PURE JOY’s disc and DVD cover.

Here is a trailer to keep you tided over until the release:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rzBPRDU_vo

Here is the IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1909807/

Facebook Fan page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/MY-PURE-JOY/160325763992864

DVD Review: THE DEAD (2010)

2012-02-01T16:59:00.000-08:00

THE DEAD (2010) DVD

Label: Anchor Bay Entertainment

Release Date: February 14th 2012
Region Code: 1 NTSC
Rating: R

Duration: 105 mins

Video: 16:9 Widescreen (1.78:1)

Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1

Director: Jonathan Ford, Howard J. Ford

Cast: Prince David Oseia, Rob Freeman

The Ford Brothers low-budget zombie flick THE DEAD (2010) starts off with a kick by throwing us right into the action alongside an American Air Force flight engineer named Lt. Brian Murphy (Rob Freeman) on board a cargo plane that's just evacuated the last white folk from an infected area of war-torn Africa. The already tense atmosphere on the plane escalates when a wounded passenger expires and returns undead and hungry for flesh causing a frenzy in the cargo hold, the ensuing commotion and the planes hasty take-off ends with the Cessna making an abrupt night time water landing just off the coast. Lt. Murphy is the lone survivor and finds himself washed-up on the coast surrounded by dozens of the shambling undead only just making it off the beach with his life. Inland he commandeers a beat-up pick-up truck making his way through the blistering savanna which is peppered with the undead. He soon encounters an African soldier named Daniel Dembee (Prince David Oseia) whose on his own journey having just returned to his village to find his wife has been devoured by the undead. His son having apparently escaped during an evacuation to a military base in the North. The two join forces seeming as two stand a better chance of fighting off the hordes of undead, Daniel in search of his missing son and Murphy looking to find a way off the continent.

Murphy and Daniel are men of few words with little conversation between them, the lack of dialogue may prove to be problematic from some alongside an odd pace, but while I can see it being a chore for some I rather enjoyed the film's languid pace, full of dread and atmosphere, this film oozes atmosphere. Don't get me wrong, while there's some sweet action set-pieces the film is a definitely a slow burn with a pretty threadbare plot, there's just not a lot of twist and turns here and that's fine. I would have liked to seen more interaction between the two soldiers but the film manages to convey an understanding between the two without resorting to dramatics with a communication short-hand. Both turn in solid performances but I felt that Freeman was a bit stiff at times, perhaps that was his character's military demeanor or post-traumatic shock but he just felt aloof and disconnected. The film does offer some commentary on black/white relations in Africa but it's not drilled-in, there's definitely potential for this have been an unnecessarily political film but the directors have wisely chosen to focus on what all great zombie films have done previously, zero in on the character's struggles in face of a zombie apocalypse.

Honestly, the film rarely offers anything new in the way of zombie tropes but the familiar elements seem fresh when juxtaposed against the harsh African enviorment, it's a great setting and makes for a visual feast; rugged mountainous areas, blistering sandy dunes, and sweltering grassy savannas all crawling with hordes of the undead. It's hard to believe it hasn't been done before, it's an inspired setting that's gorgeously shot with slow takes that revel in the scenery which never devolve into eye-shredding fast-editing.

The slow moving, shambling dead are in abundance here and I must say that I find them so much creepier than their fast-moving counterparts. The idea of a creeping, deliberate horde of hideous, flesh-chewing undead just disturbs me, no matter where you go they are constant and just nearly upon you. These are the zombies of George A. Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and Lucio Fulci's ZOMBIE, a wounded, wandering legion of dead-eyed ghouls. The effects are rendered quite effectively, there's some very nice make-up effects here both practical and CXGI. There's no shortage of gut-munching and skin-tearing carnage, it's great stuff. A particularly effective shambler at the top of the film is seen limping painfully, the bone protruding from it's knee in a compound fracture with a nerve shredding sound of broken bones grinding against each other as it walks, that one gave me the willies.

There's not much I didn't enjoy about THE DEAD, this is a solid piece of zombie entertainment deserving of a wide audience. The unique setting, familiar yet welcome tropes and nasty bits of gore all come together to make for an entertaining watch, definitely one of the most solid zombie flicks I've seen in a few years.

Special features on the disc include a deleted scene, a brief behind-the-scenes featurette and audio commentary with the filmmakers who provide some pretty entertaining insights about the film which I'm only listening to just now while typing this, it's fun stuff.

Special Features:
- Audio Commentary with Writer/Producer/Director Howard J Ford and Writer/Director of Photography/Co-Director Jon Ford

- Deleted Scene (1:42) 16:9

- Unearthing THE DEAD: Behind The Scenes (5:12) 16:9

Verdict: After months of avoiding clips, press and trailers for THE DEAD it was a genuine treat to watch it, finally. This ones a winner, a grim, Romero-esque zombie chiller with tons of glorious gutmunching and claustrophobic thrills set in the rugged but gorgeous African terrain, a very high recommend. 4 outta 5

JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER Director Jon Knautz' film THE SHRINE gets a UK DVD/Blu-ray on February 27th

2012-01-28T12:46:00.000-08:00

Writer/Director Jon Knautz's horror-comedy JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER was a fucking awesome great watch with cool creatures rendered with practical effects a few years back and while I've been rather impatiently awaiting the much rumored sequel it doesn't look to be forthcoming anytime soon. So while Jack Brooks may be on the back burner Knautz's Lovecraftian chiller THE SHRINE is in the bag and getting a UK release from Arrow Video on February 27th.

THE SHRINE

DVD & Blu-ray

Label: Arrow Films From award-winning filmmaker Jon Knautz, writer-director of the cult hit horror-comedy “ Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer”, comes The Shrine, “a wonderfully eerie slice of Lovecraftian horror” (BeyondHollywood.com) that sets itself up as a traditional genre entry before brilliantly and unexpectedly pulling the rug from beneath the viewer with a killer twist.

Release Date: 27th February 2012
Rating: Certificate 18
Duration: 82 minutes
Director: Jon Knautz
Cast: Aaron Ashmore, Cindy Sampson, Meghan Heffern

Starring Aaron Ashmore (Smallville; Veronica Mars), Cindy Sampson (Supernatural; Reaper) and Meghan Heffern (The Fog; Chloe), The Shrine has been hailed as “true-blue horror all the way… uncompromising and aggressively nasty” (FearNet.com) and gained plaudits for its “great story arc, solid writing and acting, and a last act that’ll blow you away” (AnythingHorror.com).

When a young American goes missing in Poland while backpacking around Europe, ambitious journalist Carmen (Sampson) links his disappearance to a number of similar events that have occurred over the years in and around the remote rural village of Alvaina. With the US and Polish authorities showing little interest in the case, Carmen decides to investigate the story herself, hoping for a scoop that will forward her career as a writer.

She convinces her photographer boyfriend, Marcus (Ashmore), and her young intern at the newspaper, Sara (Heffern), to join her in trying to uncover the truth and the trio travels to Alvaina to make some initial enquiries. On arrival at the village they immediately attract the unwelcome attention of the hostile locals who order them to leave the area. Fearing for their safety Marcus is ready to give up and go home, but Carmen and Sara become intrigued by and drawn to a mysterious fog hanging over the nearby woods. On entering the mist, they come across what appears to be an ancient statue – a discovery that leads them on the path to a revelation far more terrifying than anything they could possibly imagine.

A solid supernatural chiller that recalls elements of “The Exorcist”, “Jacob’s Ladder” and “The Evil Dead”, The Shrine is an unexpected gem of a horror film and boasts a Grammy nominated (for Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media) score by award-winning composer Ryan Shore (Stan Helsing; Numb; The Girl Next Door).

The Shrine (cert. 15) will be released on DVD and Blu-ray by Arrow Films on February 27th 2012 in the UK

WHERE THE DEAD GO TO DIE on DVD and Blu-ray February 21

2012-01-25T18:10:00.000-08:00

WHERE THE DEAD GO TO DIE on DVD and Blu-ray February 21

"Jimmy ScreamerClauz has one bloody-ass freaking imagination that you'd expect from a drug induced psychotic who just lost his mind. The damn film is inventive as hell and for that alone it deserves a place in the cinematic anals of movie making mind f*cks." - HorrorNews.net

WHERE THE DEAD GO TO DIE revolves around a troubled group of children living on the same block. They are haunted by a talking dog named Labby who brings them on surreal hell-rides between different dimensions and time periods. On the night of a lunar eclipse he informs Tommy about the devil fetus living inside his mother. The same night he attempts to help Ralph court the girl across the street, who is an unwilling participant in her father's child porn tape trading ring. Add in a memory stealing junkie living inside an abandoned church and you have 93 minutes of pure mind melting insanity!

Director: Jimmy ScreamerClauz
Cast: Ruby LaRocca, Brandon Slagle, Joey Smack, Victor Bonacore, Joshua Michael Greene, Linnea Quigley, and more

Tech Specs:
Video: (1:85:1) 1080p High Definition Widescreen 16:9 Transfer
Audio: 5.1 Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 2.0

Extras:
- Commentary Track with Jimmy ScreamerClauz
- Deleted Footage Montage
- Recording Liquid Memories
- Kinect Motion Capture Madness
- TNI Tour Promo Cartoon
- Ice Cream Sunday Short Film w/ Commentary

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6-aCCqCc_0

Screenshots:

First pics from horror thriller THE CULLING emerge

2012-01-23T15:27:00.000-08:00

Press Release:

The Culling to Reveal True Haunted Terror in 2012!

THE CULLING has recently completed production and this action thriller blends mystery and the supernatural to tragic effect. Produced by Safady Entertainment (MACHINE GUN PREACHER) and Silver Lining Media group, The Culling introduces a young girl who beckons a group of college students to a supernatural trap. In her eerie home a mysterious man, her father, and her mother (Virginia Williams) await them with cruel intentions. As well, this thriller was helmed by actor and director Rustam Branaman (PROJECT SOLITUDE) in what is sure to be one of the best horror films of 2012!

The tension continues when this group of friends including Elizabeth Di Prinzio (The Devil Within), as Emily, Tyler (Jeremy Sumpter, Peter Pan), Sean (Brett Davern, MTV’s “Awkward”), Hank (Chris Coy, Hostel: Part III) and Amanda (Linsey Godfrey) find Lucy alone and lost in a parking lot. They all agree to drive her home and find her parents. But what they do not realize is that Lucy’s parents have something in store for this small group. Method actor Schaech knows how to terrify the characters with just a look, a grimace or a shout and when characters begin to disappear, the true terror begins! This is a fear inducing thriller with an excellent cast that will lure audiences in to something unforgettable.

Elizabeth Di Prinzio also gives a hint of director Rustam Branaman’s directing style: “the great thing that Rustam did with this film is staying clear of the slasher and gore part of a ‘horror’ genre film and he shifted towards a feeling of uncomfortability and fear.” Di Prinzio also provides film trivia buffs something to savour: ”the house we shot at was the same house that The Last Exorcism was filmed at.” This is a scary real life abode that strangely draws horror films to it like a moth to a flame.

The Culling comes from a long line of supernatural thrillers that use a haunted location to bring an eerie vibe to audiences. Films like Spider Baby (1968), The Amityville Horror (1979), and Poltergeist (1982) defined the modern era of the haunted house style of film with surreal aspects of filmmaking and mystery. Meanwhile, the Paranormal Activity series of films continue to redefine what is truly terrifying when you are trapped with a spirit in a small and confining space. The Culling will further shape this sub-genre by both building tension through what is not seen and removing characters not deemed worthy by a strange family. After all, the viewer’s imagination knows few limits and The Culling will test viewers’ limits and ability to withstand horror with a terrifying release scheduled for late 2012.

Director: Rustam Branaman.
Cast: Jeremy Sumpter, Elizabeth Di Prinzio, Brett Davern, Chris Coy, Linsey Godfrey, Virginia Williams, Johnathon Schaech, and Harley Graham.

Anchor Bay Conducts THE TERROR EXPERIMENT on DVD/Blu-ray April 10th

2012-01-23T11:11:00.000-08:00

Anchor Bay Press Release:

They caused it. Now they must kill it...

ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT CONDUCTS THE TERROR EXPERIMENT

There Is No Control

April 10th on Blu-ray™ and DVD

Reaching into the heavens, the Federal Building is the ultimate symbol of government authority, power and security. But for some, it’s the perfect target to expose our nation’s vulnerability to attack – as well as expose potentially deadly secrets kept from its citizens. It’s only a matter of time...

Anchor Bay Entertainment begins The Terror Experiment April 10th on Blu-ray™ and DVD. Featuring an all-star cast including Jason London (Out Cold, Dazed and Confused), C. Thomas Howell (E.T. The Extraterrestrial, The Hitcher, The Outsiders, Camel Spiders), Alicia Leigh Willis (“7th Heaven”, “The L Word”, “General Hospital”), Lochlyn Munro (Freddy Vs. Jason, White Chicks, Scary Movie), Alexander Mendeluk (Twilight and Twilight: New Moon), with Robert Carradine (“Lizzie McGuire,” Revenge of the Nerds franchise), and Judd Nelson (The Breakfast Club, St. Elmo’s Fire, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back), The Terror Experiment will take viewers on a pulse-pounding journey through a towering hell above Earth and into an inferno of unstoppable thrills! SRP is $19.98 for the DVD and $24.99 for the Blu-ray™.

A terrorist sets off an explosion that rocks the Federal Building and unleashes a toxic gas throughout the ventilation system. His purpose: to expose the Government's secret biological warfare weapon, a deadly virus that instantly attacks a person's adrenal system, causing them to become inhumanly aggressive, with an uncontrollable urge to kill each other.

THE TERROR EXPERIMENT Blu-ray™
Street Date: April 10, 2012
Run Time: 82 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
SRP: $24.99
Format: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Bonus Features: Filmmakers’ audio commentary

THE TERROR EXPERIMENT DVD
Street Date: April 10, 2012
Run Time: 82 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
SRP: $19.98
Format: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Bonus Features: Filmmakers’ audio commentary

Anchor Bay Films Finalizes Deal With Slash’s New Company SLASHER FILMS

2012-01-23T10:52:00.000-08:00

ANCHOR BAY FILMS HAS NOTHING TO FEAR WITH SLASHER FILMS

ABF Finalizes Deal With Slash’s New Company

Heading Into Sundance Film Festival 2012

Anchor Bay Films announced today the pick up of Slasher Films’ Nothing to Fear. Slasher Films is the new horror label conceived by legendary guitar hero Slash and the producing team of Rob Eric and Academy Award™ winning producer Michael Williams (Session 9, Transsiberian, The Fog of War). NOTHING TO FEAR is the first film to be produced in the Slasher Films slate and is based on an actual town in Kansas, which, according to legend, is one of the seven gateways to Hell. The film will be directed by Anthony Leonardi III. Leonardi has been the lead creature artist and storyboard artist for such films as CONSTATINE, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 3, RANGO and the upcoming 47 RONIN. His vision and tenacity have made him one of the most talked about new directors. Slash will be co-producing the score of the movie.

“Anchor Bay is thrilled to be working with the Slasher Films team,” commented Kevin Kasha, Executive Vice President, Acquisitions and Co-Productions for Anchor Bay Films. “We knew we wanted to work with Slash when he announced the formation of the label back in September at Toronto and after having read this script, we are even more excited. Anchor Bay Films is the PERFECT home for Nothing to Fear.”

“The team that we’ve put together for NOTHING TO FEAR is nothing short of excellent,” added Slash. “Anthony Leonardi’s vision of this story is exceptionally unnerving and dark. It will keep you totally engaged from the first second of the film to the last. It’s guaranteed to scare the hell out of you.”

“Slash is one of the biggest music icons in the world,” remarked Josh Thomashow, Director of Acquisitions for Anchor Bay Films. “Anchor Bay is so proud to be a part of the brand that makes him an icon in the horror world as well.”

Nothing to Fear is about a family whose journey towards a better life in a small town is savagely derailed by a charismatic but emotionally conflicted man of the cloth.

Stemming from folklore surrounding the actual town of Stull, Kansas, generations of residents and outsiders alike have proclaimed Stull to be one of the seven known gateways to Hell, where once a year, the Devil will rise from the town’s modest graveyard to walk the Earth. For decades, television, music, movies, and more have cautiously addressed the town; its horror is so infamous, even Pope John Paul II refused to fly over its grounds. Nothing to Fear finally pulls the folklore to the forefront and reveals the unsettling fact and fiction rumbling beneath the surface.

The deal was negotiated by Josh Thomashow on behalf of Anchor Bay and by Executive Producers Shaun Redick and Ray Mansfield of Movie Package Co., and Jackie Eckhouse of Sloss Eckhouse LawCo on behalf of Slasher Films. Content Media Corp. is currently handling international sales for the picture.

About Slasher Films
Slasher Films is the horror shingle conceived by legendary guitar hero Slash and the producing team of Rob Eric and Academy Award winning producer Michael Williams. The company intends to create edgy, contemporary, high-brow horror/thrillers for theatrical release with an emphasis on strong characters.

Slasher Films has the advantage of having one of the most respected musicians in the world at its helm, Slash. The former Guns ‘n Roses guitarist has gone on to become a living legend in the music world. In 2009, Time magazine named Slash the #2 Best Electric Guitarist of All Time. After selling over 100 million records worldwide with his former band, Slash continued to storm the music world with his own solo projects including the band he co-founded, Velvet Revolver, and contributed to soundtracks and scoring several films including The Wrestler and Jackie Brown. In 2010, Slash toured the world playing a sold out solo tour and massive outdoor festivals from Japan to Germany. On April 14, 2012, Slash along with his former band Guns ‘n Roses will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

About Anchor Bay Films
Anchor Bay Films is unique in that it offers the creative community a fully integrated distribution capability on all platforms and an international solution extending beyond the U.S. Anchor Bay Films is a division of Anchor Bay Entertainment and is on the ground providing quality distribution with operations in the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, as well as distribution capabilities in other key territories. The company focuses on a platform release strategy for its films with an eye toward maximizing their potential across all ancillary distribution platforms. Films in its library include the critically-acclaimed comedy City Island starring Andy Garcia and Solitary Man starring Michael Douglas as well as the 2011 releases of Kill the Irishman starring Ray Stevenson, Vincent D’Onofrio, Val Kilmer and Christopher Walken, Toronto Film Festival award-winner Beautiful Boy with Maria Bello and Michael Sheen and Cannes 2011 premiere Corman’s World. Anchor Bay Entertainment is a subsidiary of Starz Media, LLC (www.starzmedia.com) which is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation.

Blu-ray Review: FRANKENHOOKER (1990)

2012-01-22T19:35:00.000-08:00

FRANKENHOOKER (1990)

Label: Arrow Video
Region Code: Region FREE
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 84 mins
Video: 16:9 Widescreen (1.78:1) 1080p
Audio: DTS-HD MA Mono with Optional English Subtitles
Director: Frank Henenlotter
Cast: James Lorinz, Patty Mullen, Louise Lasser, Joseph Gonzalez, Joanne Ritchie, J.J. Clark
Tagline: Some Assembly Required

Jeffrey Franken (James Lorinz, THE SWEET LIFE) is a medical school drop-out and aspiring mad scientist who at the start of the film gives life to an aquatic brain with a cyclopian eyeball that he keeps in a fish tank. When his fiance Elizabeth (Penthouse Pet Patty Mullen) is massacred by a remote-controlled lawnmower of his own design he sets out resurrect her using only the most quality body parts sourced from NYC's finest prostitutes. He comes to the conclusion that the cities crack epidemic is already killing the prostitutes so he creates an even deadlier form of "super-crack" that will get the job done just a little bit quicker.

When he encounters the musclebound pimp Zorro (Joseph Gonzalez) Jeffrey reserves his finest selection of whores and sets about choosing the perfect woman with the perfect parts in a fun montage of measuring breasts, arms and legs to decide which street walker has the finest ass-sets. However, when the whores prematurely discover his stash of super-crack it has the unfortunate side effect of causing the ecstatic ladies to literally explode, not in a guts flying everywhere sorta way but in a hilarious mannequins filled with firecrackers kinda way, awesome. Making the most of the unfortunate event Jeffery picks the best parts off the floor (each conveniently marked with an "X") and takes them back to his converted car garage slash laboratory where he puts his dubious medical knowledge to the test, resurrecting his beloved Elizabeth in true Mary Shelly's Frankenstein style during an especially intense lightning storm, more awesomeness.

Once resurrected however things don't quite go as planned and it becomes clear that Elizabeth has picked-up many of the lusty personality traits of the whores that comprise her voluptuous franken-body, including the stock phrases "wanna date.. got any money?". When Jeffrey tells her he has no money she knocks him out cold and makes her way to, where else, 42nd Street to turn tricks. Her first john is a horny pear-shaped sleaze (David Lipman, THE EXTERMINATOR) who gets a deadly dose of the Frankenhooker's high-voltage discharge.

What's so great about Henenlotter's campy retelling of Frankenstein is how wonderfully absurd it is, never taking itself seriously it revels in the ridiculous but Henenlotter somehow stops the film fropm careening outta control. James Lorinz is fantastic as the amateur mad scientist who occasionally performs trephination upon himself with a power drill. He looks quite a bit like Andrew McCarthy (PRETTY IN PINK) and his line deliveries are spot-on with witty dialogue and a great monologue acting opposite the always great Louise Lasser (HAPPINESS) as his well-meaning but clueless mother. Next to him it's Patty Mullen's (DOOM ASYLUM) adorable performance as the tit-ular character that drives this one home for me, so cute, even when decked out as the purple nippled trick turner.

The film's special effects are pretty great but may not be what you're expecting from the man behind BASKET CASE and BRAIN DEAD, they're totally campy, nearly bloodless and not played for realism. In the aforementioned exploding whores on super crack scene the bodies are obviously dressed-up mannequins as per Henenlotter's vision and it totally works. Patty Mullens's make-up effects are fantastic, she absolutely looks like the hottest whore comprised of body parts you'll ever see, great work from effects man Bartalos. The film's finale features the unused remnants of Zorro's whores recombining in odd configurations with effects that would not look out of place in Henenlotter's BASKET CASE sequels fun stuff.

Blu-ray: For the second time this year Frank Henenlotter's cult classic gets a sweet region-FREE Blu-ray release, the first came from US distributor Synapse Films and now a new edition from the UK's Arrow Video. The film is presented in 16:9 widescreen (1.78:1) in 1080p HD. The transfer looks mighty sharp, too and on par with Synapse's presentation. There's a fair amount of fine detail, the natural grain is intact, the black levels are decent and the neon colors are vivid, the neon nearly pops of the screen at times. There are the occasional small scratches and specks here and there but nothing to freak out about, it's sourced from a very fine print. The lone audio option is English language DTS-HD MA mono which sounds pretty good with crisp dialogue, score and effects. The Synapse disc offered up a DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround mix which was nice but honestly FREANKENHOOKERS not a film that necessarily cries out for 5.1 honestly.

The Synapse BD offered an pretty great audio commentary with director Frank Henelotter and make-up effects creator Gabe Bartalos and Arrow Video have matched that and some with a commentary from Henenlotter and star James Lorinz, it's a great listen from two guys with a great chemistry, it's good stuff. If you already own the Synapse BD you should know that Arrow, with the exception of the Henelotter/Bartalos commentary, have ported over all the special features from that release plus thrown in a few exclusives of their own courtesy of High Rising Productions. We'll begin with the carry overs which includes three very cool interview featurettes; A Salad That Was Once Named Elizabeth (8:43) with actress and former Penthouse Pet Patty Mullen who's still a knockout, what a sweetheart too, reflecting on her favorite and least favorite scenes, driving home in the full Frankenhooker make-up, working with Lorinz and her crush on special effects advisor Gabe Bartalos. A Stitch in Time: The Make-Up Effects Of Frankenhooker (21:00) has SF/X man Gabe Bartalos introducing some cool behind-the-scenes footage of not just FRANKENHOOKER but also BRAIN DAMAGE and he really heaps the praise on Patty Mullen. Turning Tricks: Jennifer Delora Remembers Frankenhooker (19:32) features the ginger-haired wild woman Delora, she oozes insanity and it makes for a fun interview as she speaks of going from an '87 beauty queen to working on BAD GIRLS DORMITORY and then dishing some dirt from the set of FRANKENHOOKER, disparaging James Lorinz and telling of strong arming difficult strippers on the set of the film. Definitely a fun woman but not one you wanna piss off, know what I mean? Delora's Frankenhooker Scrapbook featuring behind-the-scenes pics round out the carry-over features found on the Synapse disc.

Now onto the UK-exclusive features from Arrow co-conspirators High Rising Productions who've created several tasty treats for this release, we start of with an introduction by star James Lorinz and director Frank Henenlotter, it's typically short and sweet. Next up is a Tour of the Gabe Bartalos effects lab in Los Angeles, California (19:26) hosted by Bartalos who takes on a fun trip through his effects lab, it's wall to wall movie history as he takes us through several projects he's worked on including the "Surgeon General" from his own film SKINNED DEEP, the zombie horse from CREMASTER 3, "Belial" from BASKET CASE 2, the mask he created for FRIDAY THE 13th PT. 6, some effects work from Kevin Tenney's BRAIN DEAD and an actual mummified cat which was just creepy, and I almost forgot the best part, a decapitated mold of Robert Loggia's head! Your Date’s on a Plate: The Making of Frankenhooker (39:22) is an exclusive 'making of' documentary featuring director Frank Henenlotter, star James Lorinz and special effects artist Gabe Bartalos whom talk about pretty much everything you will ever wanna know about this film. Henelotter talks about his terrible experience making the film which was not helped by hostility with the director of photography, pitching the film to producer James Glickenhaus while Lorinz spins a tale of porn stars vs. centerfolds on set and Bartalos talks creating the Patty Mullen effects and the exploding hookers, it's a great watch with video clips, behind-the-scenes pics and interviews.

Unfortunately my screener didn't come with a sleeve or booklet so I cant comment but the menus did feature Graham Humphries awesome artwork, very sweet and appropriately neon. It's a fantastic set of features that compliment an already stellar audio-video presentation that surpasses even the very fine Synapse Blu-ray, not just mirroring the features but bringing with it an hour more of newly created content.

Special Features:
- Reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphries
- Double-sided fold-out artwork poster
- Exclusive collector’s booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by Calum Waddell
- UK exclusive audio commentary with director Frank Henenlotter and star James Lorinz
- UK exclusive introduction to the film by actor James Lorinz and Frank Henloter (1080p)
- Your Date’s on a Plate: The Making of Frankenhooker: UK exclusive 'making of' documentary featuring director Frank Henenlotter, star James Lorinz and special effects artist Gabe Bartalos (39:22) 16:9 (1080p)
- A personal UK exclusive tour of the Gabe Bartalos effects lab in Los Angeles, California (19:12) 16:9
- A Salad That Was Once Named Elizabeth: Patty Mullen Remembers
Frankenhooker (8:43) 4:3
- A Stitch In Time: The Make-Up Effects Of Frankenhooker (21:00) 4:3
- Turning Tricks: Jennifer Delora Remembers Frankenhooker (19:32) 4:3
- Original theatrical trailer (1:26) 4:3

Verdict: FRANKENHOOKER is a wonderfully absurd cult-comedy and one of the funniest takes on Mary Shelly's Frankenstein since Mel Brooks YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, it reeks of the 80's with an irreverent sense of humor and neon-glow. It's just a blast, if you love camp, sleaze and naked ladies you must own FRANKENHOOKER! 4 outta 5

Blu-ray Review: NIGHT TRAIN MURDERS (1975)

2012-01-19T10:40:00.000-08:00

NIGHT TRAIN MURDERS (1975)

Label: Blue Underground
Region Code: ALL (ABC)Rating: Unrated
Duration: 94 Mins
Audio: DTS-HD Mono 1.0 with
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Video: 16:9 Widescreen 1.85:1 (16x9)
Director: Aldo Lado
Cast: Flavio Bucci, Macha Meril, Marina Berti, Irene Miracle
Tagline: You Can Tell Yourself It's Only A Movie... BUT IT WON'T HELP!

Whew, now this is what I call a revolting film! If you're in short supply of sick kicks and find yourself in need of an Italian rape-revenge exploitation fix I think I have what you're looking for right here. I've known of this film for some time and usually hear of it in the same breath as Wes Craven's seminal '72 shocker THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT and not without good reason either. The Blu-ray cover sports the quote "More reprehensible than LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT" and while that's a serious accusation to drop on a film it's no mere hyperbole and I am inclined to agree, it's worth mentioning that it riffs heavily on Craven's film like few before or since but the Italians have never been known for subtlety when cashing-in on American properties now have they?

Margaret (Irene Miracle, INFERNO) and her cousin Lisa (Laura D’Angelo) board a train from enroute to Munich, Germany to stay with Lisa's parents in Italy for Christmas break. On board they meet two street punks, the not-without-charm Blackie (Flavio Bucci, SUSPIRIA) and the just plain creepy Curly (Gianfranco De Grassi) who themselves board the train illicitly after beating the snot out of a man dressed as Santa. The girls unaware of this are charmed by the duo and hide the scoundrels in the restroom to avoid the train's ticket taker but are quickly turned off when Blackie follows an upper-class blonde woman into the ladies room where he attempts to rape her but she being not-quite what she seems turns the tables on the libidinous punk, seducing him instead.

Later when the train makes a stop at a depot in Austria and searched by authorities investigating a bomb threat the girls switch trains in an attempt to distance themselves from the punks. The two settle into a compartment on an empty car and are soon unnerved by the sounds of Curly's familiar and eerie harmonica playing. Attempting to flee to a more occupied train car they are coerced to stay when Blackie, Curly and the blonde woman, now calling the shots, enter the compartment. The film thus far started off slow but by this point had already been permeated with an twisted uneasiness, here it quickly becomes much darker as the young women are humiliated, raped and worse not just at the hands of the desperate street punks but under the direction of the blonde woman who takes a perverse delight in orchestrating the fiendish acts. In yet another layer of sleaziness a middle-aged man wanders onto the train car and observes a rape in progress but does nothing to stop it, in fact taking delight in the events until he is coerced into participating in the vile crimes, and even when he slips away unnoticed he does little to report the incident to the authorities.

While the film is seriously riffing on Wes Craven's LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFTI must say I enjoyed this quite a bit more, it transcends it's origins by quite a margin. Craven's film is a shocking in-your-face experience, artless in it's rough cinema verite style but here we have some great atmospheric shot composition and cinematography from Gabor Pogany, it's an attractive film which is not something I think anyone would level at Craven's film. There's a sense of dread about this film that really settles over you, you know from the start that these girls are doomed, true to it's American inspiration, leading up to the perpetrators chance encounter with Lisa's mother and father, a doctor natch, whom takes uncharacteristically violent revenge upon his daughters murderers with one perverse twist. Throughout the film there's numerous mentions of the Dr.'s benevolent, non-violent tendencies and the ills of society, that stuff was laid on a bit thick for my tastes. I've never enjoyed the bizarre keystone cops kookiness of Craven's film, and director Lado maintains a somber mood throughout making the film resonate more soundly in my opinion.

Flavio Bucci despite a valiant attempt can't quite muster the demented menace of David Hess's "Krug" but few can. Gianfranco De Grassi as the black tar junkie Curly is more the imminent threat, a vile and sadistic presence for sure. As the unnamed blonde woman Mecha Meril is delightfully twisted,a would-be victim turned perverse ring leader, a lot of the truly disturbing acts in the final third are at her direction, grotesque stuff. Laura D’Angelo and Irene Miracle as our doomed victims are breathtaking women but the sexualized violence perpetrated against them is too ghastly to allow us to enjoy it, they offer solid performances and our sympathies for them never waiver.

Blu-ray: Blue Underground offer a brand-new high definition transfer of the film from the original negative in it's original 16:9 enhanced aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen and it's a thing of beauty. The image is phenomenal for a forty-year old film with vibrant colors and decent black levels with a fine layer of film grain quite intact, a wonderful image from a pristine print, very impressive and nicely detailed. The English-dubbed DTS-HD Master Audio Mono 1.0 comes off clean and strong if not overly dynamic, dialogue, effects and Ennio Morricone's haunting harmonica score sounds great, there's a reason he's the master of the filmscore.

Special features are sorta slim when compared to the recent Blue Underground ZOMBIE Blu-ray but we do get 2 trailers, 2 radio spots, a poster and stills gallery with the main attraction being a 15 minute on-camera interview with director Aldo Lado who openly discusses the film's origins, the genesis of the production, casting, Ennio Morricone's score, early screenings of the film and it's censorship as a Video Nasty in the UK. It's only 15 minutes but there's some tasty tidbits for fans of the film to chew on.

Special Features:- Riding the Night Train: Interview with Director Aldo Lado (15:57 ) 16:9
- U.S. Trailer (2:33) 16:9
- International Trailer (3:49) 16:9
- Radio Spot #1 (0:28)
- Radio Spot #2 (0:28)
- Poster and Still Gallery

Verdict: A dark, disturbing and effecting film, as Italian rape-revenge films go this is a top drawer title and I would put it right up there with Ruggero Deodato's HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE PARK and throw in that it transcends it's American inspiration in dread, style and composition. It's an uneasy watch and not one soon forgotten, a squirm inducing slice of Italian exploitation presented in eye-popping 1080p, another fine presentation from Blue Underground and a high recommend. 4 outta 5

http://blue-underground.com/

TROMA ENTERTAINMENT ACQUIRES WORLD-WIDE RIGHTS FOR THE TAINT

2012-01-17T20:02:00.000-08:00

"...a film experience I will never forget...one of the most inanely funny films I've seen this year." - Aint It Cool News

"...horror flicks are a dime a dozen, but The Taint seems to examine the genre with a postmodern wink." - The Onion A.V Club

"...approaches a kind of brilliance in suggesting that a society which glorifies violence against women is doomed to one big bummer of a sausage party." - Fangoria

Greetings from Tromaville! Troma Entertainment is proud to announce the recent acquisition of the world wide rights for Drew Bolduc and Dan Nelson's The Taint.

Like all Troma films, The Taint touches on searing sociopolitical themes, in this case misogyny, which is ingrained in American society. The evils of our Viagra and pharmaceutical fueled male population are lambasted and satirized in The Taint.

The water is tainted. THE TAINT poisons the minds of men. It turns them into raging misogynists. When society is transformed into a land of sadistic violence and horrible brutality, it is up to Phil OʼGinny and his female friend, Misandra, to combat the horrible evil that is THE TAINT.

President of Troma Entertainment and Creator of The Toxic Avenger, Lloyd Kaufman, when asked to describe The Taint, replied: "I cannot exactly describe what happened in The Taint because it would not be appropriate for a normal publication or television review. However, I can tell you that it will be a long time before I even consider placing a penis in my mouth again."

Troma has birthed many mainstream talents, such as James Gunn, Matt Stone, Trey Parker, and Eli Roth. There is no question Drew Bolduc and Dan Nelson will follow in the footsteps of these visionary entertainers.

The Taint is a brilliant film that, 20 years from now, will be imitated in the same way The Toxic Avenger is imitated, but only Troma has the courage to embrace it now.

The Taint will begin screening in select theatres this spring.

THEATER OF DERANGE PRESS RELEASE

2012-01-17T19:56:00.000-08:00

From Executive Producers James Cullen Bressack and Jarret Cohen at Psykik Junky Pictures comes the newest horror anthology starring horror film icon Shawn C. Phillips and adult-film sensations Sophie Dee and Veronica Ricci: THEATRE OF THE DERANGED! (Theater of Derange)

Join Andy the Arsonist as he shares five of his favorite short horror films in all their demented glory. The collection features never-before seen films by popular indie horror writer/directors James Cullen Bressack, Shawn C. Phillips, Liz Gilbert, Brian Dorton, and Creep Creepersin.

The Film was Just Picked up for WORLD WIDE distribution by the company WORLD WIDE MULTI MEDIA and comes out on DVD in 2012.

Here is a little teaser trailer to keep you tided over until the release:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7sQMEuOBp0

Here is the IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2064980/

TREASURE CHEST OF HORRORS DVD Art Unearthed!

2012-01-17T19:50:00.000-08:00

Another gold nugget of info about the no-budget horror anthology TREASURE CHEST OF HORRORS from directors Shawn C. Phillips and Doug Waugh has emerged by way of the DVD art, check it out...

DVD Cover art has been released for the upcoming TREASURE CHEST OF HORRORS anthology!

This NO BUDGET ANTHOLOGY, from Executive Producers James Cullen Bressack and Jarret Cohen at Psykik Junky Pictures and directors Doug Waugh and Shawn C. Phillips, will soon be available for pre-orders on Amazon and other leading retailers nationwide.

Join us on this wild horror anthology filled with zombies, vampires, serial killers, killer mannequins and pirates - starring cult film legend Lloyd Kaufman (Toxic Avenger) and Shawn C. Phillips (Don and Murph)!

Here is a little teaser trailer to keep you tided over until the release:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRcnlWgKwC0

Here is the IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2084984/

Sought-After ’70s Classic ZAAT (1974) Never Before Available on Video is Newly Restored and Remastered in HD

2012-01-17T19:32:00.000-08:00

Film Chest who've previously brought us restored HD versions of THE TERROR, CARNIVAL MAGIC and the delightfully demented and sleazy POOR PRETTY EDDIE are unearthing another grindhouse cult classic from the dustbin of obscurity and presenting it on a DVD/Blu-ray combo on February 21st. All the schlocky details can be found below...

ZAAT (1971)

Taking Cult to a Whole New Level … You Can’t Keep a Bad Monster Down!

Sought-After ’70s Classic Never Before Available on Video is Newly Restored and Remastered in HD

DVD/Blu-Ray Combo Pack Out Feb. 21st

Is the monster man, fish or devil? Everyone’s dying to know (literally) in ZAAT – restored and in HD for the first time ever – available in a special DVD/Blu-ray combo pack Feb. 21 from Film Chest on the CULTRA and HD Cinema Classics labels.

Find out why ZAAT is an underground cult favorite, amassing an ever-growing legion of loyal followers over the past 40 years. See why scores of fans have refused to let this funky classic from the ’70s die in obscurity!

In ZAAT (also known as The Blood Waters of Dr. Z), an obsessed scientist, Dr. Kurt Leopold (Marshall Grauer) – who has been scorned by his peers – is convinced he can transform humans into fish. In his isolated backwoods laboratory, he proves his hypothesis by turning himself into a horrible, vengeful creature (played by Wade Popwell) that is part man, part walking catfish!

Armed with his mutagenic chemical compound, ZAAT, the monster is bent on revenge, determined to turn the tables on humanity by making his fishy friends the dominant species on Earth. All that stands in his way are a small town sheriff (Paul Galloway), a dedicated young biologist (Gerald Cruse) and a couple of swinging agents (Sanna Ringhaver, Dave Dickerson) from the Inter-Nations Phenomenon Investigations Team (INPIT). Also starring Archie Valliere and Nancy Lien.

It’s a southern fried fight to the finish (Florida style!) with the ecological state of the entire planet at stake!

Available on video for the first time in its original glory, digitally restored in HD and transferred from original 35mm elements, this DVD/Blu-ray combo pack contains a whole tackle box full of extras, including: feature-length audio commentary by cast and crew; original 35mm trailer; television spots; outtakes; radio interview; before-and-after restoration demo; and an original movie art postcard.

Produced and directed by Don Barton and written by Ron Kivett and Lee Larew. Zaat is presented in widescreen with an aspect ratio of 16x9 and Standard Dolby Audio. Includes Spanish subtitles.

About Film Chest:
Founded in 2001, Film Chest offers high-quality content for a wide variety of production and distribution needs, boasting one of the world’s largest libraries (10,000+ hours) of classic feature films, television, foreign imports, documentaries, special interest and audio—much of it restored and digitized in HD. Headquartered in Bridgeport, Conn., with offices in New York City, the company also produces collector’s DVD sets, released on three labels. HD Cinema Classics are films painstakingly restored in HD – utilizing state-of-the art digital technology – from original film assets. American Pop Classics features classic American film and TV shows from the ’30-70s. CULTRA showcases the best (and worst) of cult cinema, a cinematic cesspool of films that are surreal, eccentric, controversial, comical and scary but ultimately engaging and entertaining. With directors who were both visionaries and crackpots, these films were originally misunderstood and rarely a box office success, achieving status by word-of-mouth and underground distribution. Film Chest releases theatrically, on DVD and digitally on iTunes, Netflix, Amazon, Verizon FIOS and more. Visit us online at www.FilmChest.com

ZAAT (2 Discs)
Film Chest
Genre: Science Fiction/Horror
Original Release: 1971 (Color)
Rating: Not Rated
Format: DVD/Blu-ray Combo Pack
Duration: 100 Minutes
Suggested Retail Price: $19.99
Pre-Order Date: January 13, 2012

Street Date: February 21, 2012

STAR KNIGHT and THE TEACHER on the way from CHEEZY FLICKS!

2012-01-17T19:15:00.000-08:00

This month CHEEZY FLICKS are bringing their out of print title THE TEACHER (1974) starring the hotness that is Angel Tompkins back into circulation with new cover art as well as the sci-fi fantasty film STAR KNIGHT (1985) starring Harvey Keitel and the madman that is Klaus Kinski on DVDR with updated cover art as well. Here's the details....

STAR KNIGHT (1985)

Duration: 90 mins
Format: DVDR
Video: Fullscreen 1.33:1
Rating: PG
Director: Fernando Colomo
Cast: Fernando Rey, Klaus Kinski, Harvey Keitel

In a time of wizards and dragons, a mystic quest brings a distant traveler to a place called Earth!

It is the dark ages. Knights patrol the countryside, Kings make the rules, and princesses go silently about their royal duties. Princesses, that is, who aren't Princess Alba (Maria Lamor). When Princess Alba is apparently abducted by a dragon, it's up to Klever (Harvey Keitel) to save her. What Klever finds, however, is not a dragon at all - but a strange beast-like craft from the stars - a craft with an occupant, a humanoid alien from another planet. Things heat up when, during Princess Alba's rescue, Klever gets closer to the alien than he ever expected - and learns that Alba isn't being held against her will after all - she is in love with the strange, futuristic traveler.

Cheezy Flicks Entertainment Presents Star Knight Starring: KLAUS KINSKI, HARVEY KEITEL, FERNANDO REY and MARIA LAMOR. Original Music by JOSE NIETO. Production Manager CARLOS ORENGO. Cinematography by JOSE LUIS ALCAINE. Edited by MIGUEL ¡NGEL SANTAMARIA. Production Manager CARLOS ORENGO. Screenplay by FERNANDO COLOMO & ANDREU MARTIN. Produced and Directed by FERNANDO COLOMO

THE TEACHER (1974)

Format: DVD
Duration: 97 min
Rating: R
Video: 4:3 Fullscreen
Region Code: 1 NTSC
Cast: Angel Tompkins, Jay North, Anthony James, Marlene Schmidt
Director: Hikmet Avedis

After school... her lessons began with sex and ended in violence.

A beautiful and seductive small-town high school teacher (Angel Tompkins) seduces her star pupil (Jay North). Deranged desire leads to murder and mayhem when their careless, uncontrolled passion provokes the raging jealousy of a town misfit who has just been released from the mental hospital.

In a review for the film quite awhile back I said "The entire films kinda feels like a fleshed out softcore porn, I ain't complaining, just saying. Who hasn't fantasized about a teacher, and rarely are they as hot as Angel Tompkins, yowza. A crazy, fun exploitation flick that hits a few dark notes along the way." - it's a bunch of fun for sure so check it out.

B-Movie Master Roger Corman Brings the Horror of CAMEL SPIDERS to DVD/Blu-ray March 27th

2012-01-17T18:56:00.000-08:00

"In the annals of giant face-eating insectoid carnage, no one has ever done it better." -Joe Bob Briggs

ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS CAMEL SPIDERS FROM ROGER CORMAN

Crawling Near You March 27th

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – To science, they are known as “solifugae.” They can grow up to one foot in length. Stories about these seemingly mythic creatures started surfacing when U.S. soldiers encountered them in the first Gulf War. Google™ “camel spiders” and for anyone with even a hint of arachnophobia, you’ll find videos and pictures of an eight-legged, true life nightmare. Thank goodness they’re thousands of miles away...or are they?

From master creature feature maker Roger Corman comes a spine-chilling tale about the ultimate skin-crawlers: Camel Spiders! Starring Brian Krause (Cyrus: Mind of a Serial Killer, “Charmed,” Sleepwalkers), GiGi Ernata (Risen, Crossed) and C. Thomas Howell, (The Outsiders, The Hitcher, The Amazing Spider-Man), Camel Spiders crawls its way onto DVD andBlu-ray™ March 27, 2012. SRP is $19.98 for the DVD, and $24.99 for the Blu-ray™, with a pre-book date of February 29th.

During a routine desert patrol, an U.S. Military unit head by Captain Sturges (Krause) is ambushed by insurgents. Just when they seemed to be outgunned, the attack suddenly stops...and their would-be assassins are dragged off by what a native liaison calls “the devils of the sand.” Wounded in the battle, Sturges earns a ticket back home to the more hospitable deserts of the Southwestern United States.

Bringing back one of his fallen comrades, Sturges doesn’t realize that a couple of camel spiders stowed away and now have access to an environment where they can breed at an exponential rate, freely hunting for prey and unafraid of any predator - including man. No place is safe, no one is beyond their paralyzing sting. In the end, a small band of hearty fighters are forced to make one last stand against the creatures.

CAMEL SPIDERS Blu-ray™ DVD

Street Date: March 27, 2012
Run Time: 85 minutes
Rating: Unrated
SRP: $24.99 $19.98
Video: 16:9 Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio: Dolby TrueHD (Blu-ray) 5.1Dolby Digital 5.1 (DVD)
Subtitles: English, SpanishEnglish, Spanish

Blu-ray Review: APOLLO 18 (2011)

2012-01-10T19:24:00.000-08:00

APOLLO 18 (2011)

Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy

Label: Anchor Bay Entertainment
Region Code: Blu-ray A, DVD 1
Rating: PG-13
Duration: 87mins
Video: 1080p 16:9 Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD MA, English Dolby Digital 5.1
Director: Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego
Cast: Warren Christie, Lloyd Owen, Ryan Robbins
Tagline: There's a reason we've never gone back to the moon.

Synopsis: Officially, Apollo 17, launched December 7, 1972, was the last manned mission to the moon. But two years later, in December of 1974, two American astronauts were sent on a secret mission to the moon funded by the U.S. Department of Defense. What you are about to see is the actual footage which the astronauts captured on that mission. While NASA denies its authenticity, others say it’s the real reason we’ve never gone back to the moon.

So, in this potentially intriguing spin on the found footage format we go where all half-decent ideas/franchises go to officially jump the shark - outer space! The film is said to be lost Department of Defense footage captured during the previously thought scrapped Apollo 18 mission depicting the supposedly real events during a covert mission. Set in 1974 following the cancellation of NASA's Apollo 18 mission the crew has just been informed that the mission is still a go but the parameters have changed. Now under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense Commander Nathan Walker (Lloyd Owen), Lieutenant Colonel John Grey (Ryan Robbins) and Captain Benjamin Anderson (Warren Christie) are to go to the Moon and place some snazzy early warning detectors on the surface of the moon that will alert the United States of incoming missile launches should we come under attack from our then Cold War nemesis the USSR.

Once orbiting the moon Grey remains in orbit aboard the Freedom Command/Service module while Walker and Anderson land on the moon in the lunar module Liberty. They plant one of the detectors and proceed to collect samples of moon rocks and return to lunar module. That night while sleeping they begin to hear odd noise emanating from outside and their radio frequencies start picking up strange interference. The two men become increasingly paranoid by the eerie events, even more so when they discover footprints on the surface of the moon which lead them to the corpse of a dead cosmonaut in a crater, plus a Soviet lander located not too far away from their own. Very strange considering the Soviets have supposedly never step foot on the moon.

Weirdness aside the men complete their mission but as they prepare to exit from the surface of the Moon the Liberty suffers a system failure upon launch. A panicked inspection reveals exterior damage to Liberty and non-human tracks which leads the men to consider the existence of an extraterrestrial threat. Sure enough there are some sneaky aliens on the moon, rock like crustaceans that look every bit like moon rocks and whom don't seem to appreciate the astronauts presence there.

That's pretty much it, it's pretty simplistic stuff and I really enjoyed the concept and execution of the film, especially since I was a NASA nut as a kid, it really appealed to my sense childhood awe of the space program and I really appreciated how authentic the film appeared simulating retro film stock to varying degrees of success, the set design and attention to detail really quite impressive but the smash cuts and editing took me out of the film from time to time. The landscape scenes of the surface of the moon are equally impressive, capturing the isolation and coldness of space, the desolation of the surface of the moon, it's all here on screen and rather well done.

The acting is pretty decent, our three main protagonists are rock steady and while I think some of the decisions and motivations are laughable that really goes back to the script and is not a true reflection on the talent, they're really selling what they've been given and the paranoia and growing desperation really comes across in their performances.

The DVD and Blu-ray feature a selection of special features including a director/editor commentary that's a very good listen, alternate endings and deleted scenes plus a digital copy of the film.

Special Features:
- Feature Commentary With Director Gonzalo López-Gallego and Editor Patrick Lussier
- Deleted And Alternate Scenes
- Alternate Endings
- DVD + Digital Copy

Verdict: Overall the film is a super-slow burn wrought with some nice paranoiac elements and while I found the retro-space, Cold War and distrust of government themes quite entertaining overall I felt pretty lukewarm about the film. It's an interesting idea, it's decently executed but it just didn't win me over though it kept me decently entertained even if I wasn't particularly thrilled. I give APOLLO 18 a medium recommend, this is a fun renter for sure, Netflix or Redbox it. 3 outta 5

Official one-sheet for Joshua Marston's THE FORGIVENESS OF BLOOD!

2012-01-08T11:17:00.000-08:00

Joshua Marston's THE FORGIVENESS OF BLOOD will be released on February 24th and here's a look at the official one-sheet!

Winner of the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at the Berlin Film Festival, the powerful second feature from Joshua Marston (MARIA FULL OF GRACE) tells the story of an Albanian family caught up in a blood feud. Nik (Tristan Halilaj) is a carefree teenager in a small town with a crush on the school beauty and ambitions to start hisown small internet business. His world is suddenly up-ended when his father becomes entangled in a dispute that leaves a fellow villager murdered. According to a centuries-old code of law known as the Kanun, Nik’s family owes a life in return. Nik finds himself the prime target and becomes confined to home while his younger sister Rudina (Sindi Laçej) is forced to leave school and take over their father’s business. Marston transports us into a world rarely seen on screen, where tradition and modernity clash putting young lives in the balance.

Trailer for The Asylum's air-disaster flick AIR COLLISION lands on the net

2012-01-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

AIR COLLISION Delivers Terror in the Skies in this First Trailer.

The first trailer for The Asylum’s AIR COLLISION has been released. In the clip, characters struggle to stay alive as electronics fail on both Air Force One and a civilian airliner. A solar flare has tripped up their circuit boards and now the planes will intersect on a collision course. Can the president be saved?

AIR COLLISION continues The Asylum’s long list of disaster films. From 2012: Ice Age to Meteor Apocalypse, The Asylum has been bringing terror to home video formats for twenty plus years now. Air Collision is an original production from The Global Asylum and this film continues a pattern of bringing disaster to cinema.

In the first trailer for Air Collision, Reginald VelJohnson (DIE HARD) plays an aircraft controller in a worst-case scenario. Jordan Ladd (CABIN FEVER) is an optimistic stewardess, while Dave Vescio stars as Eli a man hell bent on destroying the passenger’s confidence. Eli sees their death at 30,000 feet: “we are all going to die!” Meanwhile, the President of the United States (Andy Clemence) will have to decide if others can be sacrificed to keep Air Force One flying. Gerald Webb (ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE) and Kevin Yarbrough also star.

Have a look at the first trailer for AIR COLLISION here courtesy of distributors Video Service Corp. Then, keep your eyes to the sky as the film gets set to sweep in on DVD store shelves March 27th. Future television airing dates will be announced soon.

TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0EFVClciSw
DIRECTOR: Liz Adams
PRODUCERS: David Michael Latt, David Rimawi, and Paul Bales.
CAST: Reginald VelJohnson, Jordan Ladd, Gerald Webb, Darin Cooper, Darren Anthony Thomas, Kevin Yarbrough and Dave Vescio.

Michael Biehn's THE VICTIM gets distribution through Anchor Bay Films

2012-01-08T10:58:00.000-08:00

There's news that actor Michael Biehn's directorial debut THE VICTIM (2011) has been picked up for distribution through Anchor Bat Films here in North America. The star of TERMINATOR and ALIENS also stars in this psychologival thriller, read all about it below and check out the trailer...

Anchor Bay Films Press Release:

ANCHOR BAY FILMS LOCKS IN NORTH AMERICAN RIGHTS FOR THE VICTIM

Written and Directed by Award-Winning Actor Michael Biehn

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Anchor Bay Films has locked in North American rights to the suspense thriller, THE VICTIM, starring Michael Biehn (Terminator, Aliens), Jennifer Blanc (Badass, Dark Angel), Ryan Honey (Men of Honor, Hallowed Ground), Denny Kirkwood (Never Been Kissed), Tanya Newbould (Red Dragon, Rush Hour 2) and Danielle Harris (Halloween series). The deal was made with Preferred Content.  The Victim was written by Michael Biehn and is his directorial debut. Bill Clark, President of Anchor Bay Entertainment, made today’s announcement.

“This is a great grindhouse film and audiences won’t be disappointed,” commented Kevin Kasha, Executive Vice President, Acquisitions and Co-Productions for Anchor Bay Films.

“From the first day of shooting, I had hoped that Anchor Bay would be interested in THE VICTIM. I’m very happy they will be working with us to distribute it,” added Michael Biehn. “I loved making such a down and dirty film – true grindhouse.”

Good time girls Annie (Jennifer Blanc) and Mary (Danielle Harris) find themselves in a life and death situation. Annie’s life is put in jeopardy when she is witness to a violent act at the hands of two Sheriff’s Deputies. Fleeing from attackers (Ryan Honey, Denny Kirkwood), she stumbles across Kyle (Michael Biehn), a recluse living in the middle of the woods. The ruggedly handsome loner stays far from civilization – that is – until a single knock on his door throws his solitary life into chaos. Two worlds collide in this psychological thriller that will make you question your trust in mankind. Who is the victim?

THE VICTIM was executive produced by Brock Morse, Morgan Johnson and Ryan Honey of The Mud Show and produced by Jennifer Blanc-Biehn, Lorna Paul and Travis Romero of Blanc/Biehn Productions in association with Pegasus Productions. Stevan Mena and Vincent Butta of Crimson Films will be handling the theatrical release. This is the third project between Crimson Films and Anchor Bay Films. Additionally, Hogan Entertainment and Pegasus Productions will be handling the college tour of the film.

The deal was brokered by Kevin Kasha on behalf of Anchor Bay Films with Preferred Content working on behalf of the filmmakers.

To discover more about THE VICTIM, visit www.grindhousethevictim.com.

DVD Review: DON'T LET HIM IN (2011)

2012-01-02T15:52:00.000-08:00

DON'T LET HIM IN (2011)

Label: Image Entertainment
Release Date: January 3rd 2012
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 79mins
Video: 6:9 Widescreen (1.85:1)
Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0, English Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Director: Kelly Smith
Cast: Sophie Linfield, Sam Hazeldine, Gordon Alexander

Synopsis: What if you invited a serial killer on holiday? Heading off for a weekend in the country, Paige and Calvin reluctantly allow Calvin's brash younger sister to bring along Tristan, an arrogant city trader she's picked up in a one-night stand; but when the group learn a brutal serial killer is plaguing the area, Paige must confront the disturbing truth about Tristan.

I must say that the past few years have been robust with quality indie genre films outta the United Kingdom. A few of my favorites include the Faustian fantasy film HEARTLESS (2009), the paranoid thriller SALVAGE (2009) and the quietly intense portrait of serial killer TONY (2010). The latest export from the UK to screen on my LCD is the nasty slice o' indie-horror by the title of DON'T LET HIM IN (2011) from first time feature film director Kelly Smith. The director doesn't really stray too far from established formulas we've seen so often but he manages to throws in a few tasty surprises that might just make this worth a rental, so let's have a look.

A nurse named Paige and her boyfriend Calvin are a young Brit couple on their way to a countryside retreat when they stop off to pick-up his super-slutty sister Mandy who rather rudely schleps along a wealthy young man she's only just met the night before at the club against her brother's better judgment. He's an arrogant sort of prick with an unattractive sense of entitlement by the name of Tristan. After an uncomfortable car ride the foursome arrive at their rural destination only to be informed by a local policeman Sgt. Utley that a serial killer known as the Tree Surgeon has been stalking the area and that it would be best if they keep their doors locked and not wander about the area after dark. The killer's known as the tree surgeon for hanging the dismembered remains of his victims from trees in the area.

No sooner is it dark than does a bloodied stranger named Shawn arrive on the doorstep of the cottage, barely conscious and sporting a nasty gash to the gut, the shocking arrival scares the bejeezus outta Paige whose home alone at the time but luckily for the stranger she's able to quickly tend to his mostly superficial wound. The next day during breakfast there's some nastiness between Tristan and pretty much everyone else in the group about what a bad idea it is to let the stranger remain in the house when there's a psychotic killer in the area, but Tristan is no innocent himself and may actually pose more of a danger to the group than the killer at large.

The characters are pretty one-dimensional with both Paige and Calvin just being pretty swell people the kind you'd want for pals. The sister Mandy is just a straight-up trollop, the most annoying insecure cum-sucker you could ever hope to meet at a bar and Tristan as mentioned previously is just an arrogant prick with potentially murderous tendencies. The stranger Shawn turns out to be a hitchhiker with a heart of gold or so it seems, a few of the characters get some decent twists thrown their way but overall it felt just a bit too contrived.

The finale is pretty twisted in it's own way I guess with some decent low-budget gore effects but like I say it just felt a bit too contrived with a double-downer ending that should've left me chilled but really just kinda left me wondering, really? Don't get me wrong, this is not a terrible film, it's a decent first film with a few nice moments of suspense and twists but it's by the numbers and I found even the twists were expected.

On the plus side the acting is pretty top notch even if most of the actors don't get much to to chew on aside from the final girl and the killer, even though I found his motivations a bit too weird and nonsensical. There's some decent kills and a fair bodycount considering the small cast, it moves along briskly at only 79 minutes and the droning score is chillingly effective. While it lacks originality it's still an entertaining watch but on the downside I didn't particularly care for the look of the film, it's particularly cold looking and a bit ugly, workman like in it's composition. A lot of character's decisions/actions were laughably poor without any logic, for instance a scene wherein an art class sketching trees makes a gruesome discovery made me laugh out loud, it is ridiculously bad.

DVD Special Features:
- Audio Commentary featuring Co-Writer/Producer/Director Kelly Smith, Co-Writer Chris Andrews and Co=Producer Mike Mindell
- Behind the Scenes Featurette (41:22) 16:9
- The Making of the Visual Effects (1:16) 16:9
- Trailer (1:58) 16:9

Verdict: It's not too original but neither is it a piss poor film, just a middle of the road spin on the cabin in the woods genre with a few inspired moments from a first time film director. I'm definitely not writing Kelly Smith outta the game, there's definitely potential for this young talent to really shine, it's just not here. Definitely worth a rental or checking out if it's streaming on Netflix, but only a medium recommend.
2.5 outta 5

Blu-ray Review: FRIGHT NIGHT (1985)

2011-12-31T18:57:00.000-08:00

FRIGHT NIGHT (1985) Blu-ray

Label: Twilight Time
Region Code: Region FREE
Rating: R
Duration: 106mins
Video: 1080p 16:9 Widescereen (2.35:1)
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD MA
Director: Tom Holland
Cast: Chris Sarandon, William Ragsdale, Amanda Bearse, Stephen Geoffreys, Roddy McDowell

I was all of twelve years old when I caught director Tom Holland's FRIGHT NIGHT in the cinema in 1985, some might think this young but I think twelve was a very appropriate age for one to properly enjoy this awesome 80's vampyric tale of young sexuality. At that age I definitely had an interest in girls but I also still had one foot firmly planted in adolescence. For example, at that age I would still sprint home after school to catch the latest episode of the THUNDERCATS, even though I was pretty rapt by the sci-fi action adventures of Lion-O an his battles on Third Earth against the ultimate evil of Mumm-Ra I would also run to window for a sneaky-peak of a pretty neighbor girl by the name of Heidi O'Claire when I would hear her voice outside. This was just the beginning of what would become many unrequited teen crushes and these cursory pangs of sexual curiosity put me in nearly the right frame of mind to understand the character of Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale, TV's HERMAN'S HEAD), a pretty average teenager with a love of Hammer-esque Gothic horror films which he views during the late-night showings of the TV program Fright Night hosted by washed-up b-movie actor Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowell, THE PLANET OF THE APES). It's up in his room with Fright Night on in the background that Charley's making out with girlfriend Amy (Amanda Bearse, TV's MARRIED WITH CHILDREN) who's right on the verge of giving into Charley's demands for sex that he becomes distacted by the arrival of his new nextdoor neighbor Jerry Dandrige (Chris Sarandon, THE PRINCESS BRIDE) and his live-in carpenter Billy Cole (Jonathan Stark, HOUSE II) who seem to be moving a coffin into the basement. This bit of oddness proves too much for young Charley to ignore and he forgoes losing his virginity to spy on the neighbors instead, WTF? Sure, Amanda Bearse may not the most stunning beauty the 80's had to offer but what the fuck is he thinking? Apparently Amy doesn't think much of this deflowering snub either as she storms outta his room and the next day at school smashes a burger into his face, and rightfully so, much to the delight of Charley's pal Evil Ed (Stephen Geoffrey's, 976-EVIL) who cracks one of his classic catch phrases, "You're so cool Brewster, I can't stand it!". Geoffrey's plays the awkward, social misfit looking for acceptance so well here, it's definitely a stand-out performance from a young man who would soon go onto to takes lead roles in gay porno like GUYS WHO CRAVE BIG COCK ...I wonder what that one's about?

Later that night Charley hears a blood curdling scream come from next door after witnessing a memorably gorgeous woman enter the home and the next day when he catches a news report about a murdered prostitute he realizes its the same woman. It's the following evening while peeping the neighbors REAR WINDOWN style that Charley actually witness's Jerry about to exsanguinate a woman with his fangs and eerily long fingers on full display. Alarmed at the prospect that a vampire is living next door Charlie attempts to tell his mother who attributes the incident to an overactive imagination spurred by too many horror films and a lack of sleep. When he tells Amy she thinks it's a ploy to win her back, which flatters her and when he goes to Evil Ed the misfit thinks he's surely flipped his wig but is only too happy to offer some vampyric folklore in exchange for a few dollars. At his ropes end Charley resorts to calling the authorities to report that Dandrige may be behind the recent spate of prostitute murders. However, when he accompanies Det. Lennox (Art Evans, DIE HARD 2) to confront Jerry he loses all credibility once he mentions the "sleep of the undead" and the embarrassed officer can't leave the premises soon enough.

A bad situation gets even worse when Charley shockingly discovers that his own mother has invited Jerry over for drinks despite his warnings, and we all know that a vampire can't enter your house without permission. With that layer of protection now gone the already nervous teen breaks into a flop sweat and really starts to lose it. His worst fears are realized when Jerry pays him a visit later that night threatening the teen to forget about what he' seen but Charley outright refuses and drives a wooden pencil into the vamps hand, the injury reveals Dandrige's true hideous self and he flees but swears vengeance upon the meddling teen.

With no where else to go Charley contacts the local horror-host Peter Vincent played with perfection by Roddy McDowell who summons equal parts Peter Cushing and the the theatrics of Vincent Price, it's a brilliant portrayal and a loving nod to horror-hosts and Hammer films, it's really is a large part of why I'm so enamoured with this film. Like those before him Vincent sends the boy away, believing that he'sa rather unfortunate nut case. When Evil Ed and Amy discover Charley plans to murder his neighbor it's they whom finally convince the actor to help if only to appease their delusional friend. Eventually all four end up on the doorsteps of the vamp's home which is drenched in a creepy fog, with Charlie the only one not knowing this is a staged event Jerry only too willingly drinks the "Holy Water" and though he passes this ultimate test Charley still refuses to believe, he protests but is told to leave before he further embarrasses himself or any further harm comes to his friends, but when Peter Vincent takes out a cigarette case for a smoke he sees in it's mirror that Dandrige casts no reflection. He quickly makes for the front door trying not to attract attention but is obviously quite shaken, which does not go unnoticed by Charley or Dandrige. Once outside Charley demands to know what he saw and Vincent begrudgingly confesses just before speeding off.

Walking home that night the trio of friends discuss the incident amongst themselves, Ed, still a non-believer, chooses to take a shortcut through an alley alone, all the while mocking Charley's fears, but he finds himself cornered by Dandridge and succumbs to the vampire willingly when offered the life without ridicule he so craves. With Ed now among the vampire's acolytes Dandridge turns his attention to Amy, chasing the two teens into an 80's discotheque where he abducts Amy after glammering her. Jerry Dandridge is truly one of the most suave 80's vampires ever, the guy is just super-smooth, great hair, a great dancer, rocks a sweater and is an apple snackin' maniac which just tickles me for some reason. It's set-up early on that Amy bares a striking resemblance to one of Jerry's former lovers and he plans to turn her into a blood-sucker and deflower the young virgin, much to the chagrin of Charley who I have to say had his chance earlier.

Desperate and without an alternative Charlie once again enlists the help of the frightened Peter Vincent in an attempt to rescue Amy from the vampire Dandrige. It's here that we get one of my favorite scenes in the entire film with Peter Vincent facing off against Evil Ed now a shape-shifting vampire who takes the form of a wolf which leaps towards the horror-host just as Vincent thrusts a stake through his chest, the dying beast crawls under a stairwell and gruesomely transforms from a snarling beast into a pathetic looking creature then into the innocent looking Ed, all the while emitting an unnatural and unnerving wail as a sympathetics Peter Vincent looks on with tears tears streaming from his eyes, pained by the tragic death of a young person.

Pretty typical of my favorite 80's films the special effects are mostly in-camera and practical done by a couple of guys who know a thing or two about cool special effects; Richard Edlund (GHOSTBUSTERS) and Randall Cook (LORD OF THE RINGS). Their work here is something wonderful and even under the scrutiny of 1080p still look pretty awesome. The final battle with Dandridge does reveal some cheesy effects work in my opinion but on the whole it's a pretty top notch production.

Blu-ray: Twillight Time's transfer of the film is very nice, presented in 16:9 enhanced widescreen (2.35:1) aspect ratio with an English 5.1 DTS-HD MA audio track with optional English (SDH) subtitles. The image comes from a near pristine print and is quite pleasing to the eye easily offering better contrast, deeper black levels, and way more fine detail than the standard definition DVD, it's pretty sharp and is surely the best presentation the film is likely ever to see. The 5.1 DTS-HD MA audio option is very impressive with Brad Fiedel's score getting some sweet surround sound action, it's a very nice audio presentation.

Special features are few but appreciated beginning with an isolated score track featuring the film's excellent score from Brad Friedel, two theatrical trailers and an eight-page booklet with an essay on the film by Julie Kirgo which is a pretty great read on it's own. In lieu of commentary it's noted in the booklet that you can download commentaries for the film by Robert Galluzo and Tim Sullivan at http://www.iconsoffright.com/

Special Features:
- Isolated Score Track
- Original Theatrical Trailers (2:48)
- 8 Page Booklet with essay by Julie Kirgo

Verdict: FRIGHT NIGHT remains not just one of the best vampire films of the 80's but one of the best horror films that decade had to offer, a film that attains it's humor smartly without resorting to lame-brained boner jokes and is just horrific enough to keep he horror fans rapt with some impressive effects work. It's great to see the film make the jump to Blu-ray even in such a limited quantity, it's hard to believe that Columbia Pictures haven't thought to give the film a wider Blu-ray release, there's surely demand for this title so I give it up to Twilight Time for their great taste and superior attention to detail. 4.5 outta 5

Note: Sadly, by the time I was able to review this wonderful release the very limited edition run of 3,000 had sold out completely and is currently available, though at super inflated prices, through Amazon and on Ebay. I was quite impressed with the quality of the presentation and I encourage you check out Twilight Time's other titles which includes a Blu-ray of the Ray Harryhausen film THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (1961) which is also available in a limited run of 3,000 editions so grab it quick, available exclusively through http://www.screenarchives.com/

www.facebook.com/twilighttimemovies

DVD Review: TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL (2010)

2011-12-28T20:05:00.000-08:00

TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL (2010) DVD

LABEL: Magnet Releasing
REGION: 1 NTSC
RATING: R
DURATION: 88 mins
VIDEO: 16:9 Widescreen (2.35:1)
AUDIO: English 5.1 Dolby Digital
DIRECTOR: Eli Craig
CAST: Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, Katrina Bowden
TAGLINE: Evil just messed with the wrong hillbillies!

SYNOPSIS: Tucker and Dale are two best friends on vacation at their dilapidated mountain house, who are mistaken for murderous backwoods hillbillies by a group of obnoxious, preppy college kids. When one of the students gets separated from her friends, the boys try to lend a hand, but as the misunderstanding grows, so does the body count.

TUCKER AND DALE VS EVIL flips the switch on the backwoods horror cliches we've seen in films such as WRONG TURN, DISMAL and Adam Green's HATCHET films wherein scary hillbillies take a cleaver to the city folk who happen upon their swampland killing grounds, it's a cliche we've seen many times over since the Tobe Hooper's THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE and its going strong with a few new entries every year since. First-time Director Eli Craig's TUCKER AND DALE turns the idea on it's head and it's the scary city folk who terrorize our friendly West Virginian duo of Tucker (Alan Tudyk, SERENITY) and Dale (Tyler Labine, TV's REAPER), two landscapers on their way to their newly acquired fixer-upper cabin in the woods for some rest, relaxation and unbeknownst to them - crazed preppy killers.

It's while stopping off at the local store for supplies that they first encounter a group of college preps on spring break, frat guys and frat-boy fuck dolls; the two most central to the story are the attractive but nice blonde Allison (Katrina Bowden) and Chad (Jesse Moss) who's right up there with cinema's geatest 80's assholes plus seven others. The uppity city kids assume the worst when they meet the "scary" looking hillbillies which leads to an awkward encounter when the usually shy Dale musters up enough courage to introduce himself to Aliison while unfortunately holding a scythe in hand and laughing manically, the preps speed off believing they've just barely escaped certain death at the hands of a rural psychopath.

As it turns out the college kids are heading to the very same part of the woods as Tucker and Dale. The group set-up camp near the lake, and while gathered around the campfire Chad tells the story of the Memorial Day Massacre which took place twenty years prior, a horrific event in which hillbillies slaughtered a group of city kids much like themselves. Their fear of rural people comes into play later that evening when Allison slips on a rock and falls unconscious into the lake just out of sight of her friends. Luckily, Tucker and Dale just happen to be fishing nearby and pull her from the water but when the preps see what's happening it appears to them that the hillbillies have kidnapped Allison and that the events that happened two decades earlier are happening all over again.

This misunderstanding sets off a string of comically, unfortunate events with the preps being egged on by the progressively nuttier and homicidal Chad to launch a violent assault on the cabin in an ill conceived rescue mission. During the attack the irrational preps die off through their own misguided and violent actions; my favorite involves one ending up launching himself head first in a wood chipper while another brutally impales himself on a tree branch thinking he's being chased by a chainsaw wielding Tucker who himself is only running from an angry hive of bees. They continue to mount additional attacks on the cabin all the while the befuddled Tucker and Dale believing Allison's friends have flipped their lids, not understanding why they're under attack.

It's not really a gore-fest but the kills are pretty great nonetheless, they're intense with some nice low-budget gore effects that should satisfy most horror enthusiasts, particularly the wood chipper torso. The film delivers with a winning sense of humor that feels natural and not too forced, it's well-written and delivered pitch perfectly by the duo of Labine and Tudyk who have such great chemistry together onscreen. I would definitely like to see these two paired up again, perhaps in a sequel.

The disc features a nice selection of bonus features including a fun commentary with the director and stars, outtakes, storyboards, a making of mini doc, a fun featurette with clips from the film from the POV of the college students which puts a more traditional spin on the film, an HDNET featurette, a theatrical trailer plus a collection of Magnolia trailers.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Making of Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (12:34) 16:9
- Tucker and Dale ARE EVIL: The College Kids Point of View (16:48) 16:9
- Outtakes (7:53) 16:9
- Storyboards
- Commentary with Director Eli Craig, Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk
- HDNET: A Look at Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (4:34) 16:9
- Theatrical Trailer (2:23) 16:9
- Magnolia Trailers (9:29) 16:9

VERDICT: Definitely a fun send-up of backwoods horror that puts the genre up on it's ear, seriously funny stuff. I'm here to tell you that you need not even be a fan of horror to enjoy the comedy elements, the wife was in stitches from start to finish, at least when she wasn't horrified by the carnage onscreen, she's definitely not a fan of horror by any stretch of the imagination but she really enjoyed this one. An inspired debut film and one of the best horror-comedies of 2011, do not miss this one. 4 outta 5

Preview of ARROW VIDEO's 2012 Releases

2011-12-28T10:57:00.000-08:00

It's been a pretty killer year for the UK's ARROW VIDEO and their new cult imprint ARROWDROME. We've seen Blu-rays for Dario Argento's CAT O' NINE TAILS, TENEBRE, Tobe Hooper's THE FUNHOUSE, Brian De Palma's OBSESSION plus Lucio Fulci's gore-classic THE BEYOND. DVD's of MIDNIGHT, Wes Craven's DEADLY BLESSING and SAVAGE STREETS - there can be no doubt what a great year 2011 has been for the genre film distributor. Their newly launched cult and exploitation imprint ARROWDROME started of phenomenally as well with releases of James Glickenhaus's absurd actioner MCBAINE, the Spanish chiller THE DEVIL'S KISS and carrying the torch for a slew of out of print Arrow Video DVD titles. Arrow wrapped up the 2011 with well-stocked Blu-ray editions of Frank Henlotter's cult classic FRANKENHOOKER and the sleazy revenger THE EXTERMINATOR and 2012 is really shaping up to be yet another brilliant year for the distributor that's sure to please. So start setting aside your hard earned cash, Arrow are definitely on par with Synapse and Severin Films when it comes to producing exciting DVD and Blu-ray with wonderful transfers and essential supplemental material. C'mon, let's have a look at what we can expect from Arrow Video and ArrowDrome in 2012 beginning with director Joseph Zito's actioner RED SCORPION (1988) starring Dolph Lundgren. Never seen it myself but what I do know is Zito directed two brutal horror films; THE PROWLER (1981) and FRIDAY THE 13th: THE FINAL CHAPTER (1984) and then dropped out of the horror game for action films. Definitely wanna check this one out...

RED SCORPION (1988) Blu-ray

Label: Arrow Video
Relese Date: February 6th 2012
Region Code: Region FREE
Rating: 15 Certificate
Duration: 106 mins
Audio: Original Uncompressed LPCM Stereo Audio
Video: 16:9 Widescreen (1.78:1) Aspect Ratio 1080p
Director: Joseph Zito
Cast: Dolph Lundgren, M. Emmet Walsh, Al White, T.P.McKenna, Brion James
Tagline: Taught to Stalk. trained to Kill. Programmed to Destroy.

Dolph Lundgren is Nikolai - a killing machine - a deadly, highly skilled agent for the Russian army whose brutal efficiency and single minded determination to serve the motherland leaves behind a trail of battered bodies and bloodied enemies.

Now Nikolai must infiltrate an African rebel army who seek to defy their new communist rulers and take out their leader, but as he gets to know his enemies and the dignified Bushmen he encounters, he begins to slowly realize that all he has been taught was a lie. This Cold War rebel is ready to turn the tables on his Soviet masters and kick all kinds of ass!

With a body count that leaves jaws firmly on the floor and a healthy disregard for troublesome logic, Red Scorpion is a classic 80s action spectacular that doesn’t let up for a second…

This Edition Contains:

- Reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork

- Double-sided fold-out artwork poster

- Collector’s booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by author Calum Waddell

- Brand New High Definition Transfer of the film (1080p)

Special Features:

- Introduction to the film from star Dolph Lundgren
- UK exclusive audio commentary with director Joseph Zito, moderated by filmmaker and genre scholar Howard S. Berger

- ALL OUT OF BULLETS: Dolph Lundgren remembers RED SCORPION

- MUSIC WITH MUSCLES: Composer Jay Chattaway on the soundtrack of RED SCORPION

- Original Trailer

- Original Art by The Dude Designs

THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY (1981) Blu-ray

Label: Arrow Video

Relese Date: April 7th 2012

Region Code: Region FREE

Rating: 18 Certificate

Duration: 86 mins

Audio: Original Uncompressed LPCM Stereo Audio

Video: 16:9 Widescreen (2.35:1) Aspect Ratio 1080p

Director: Lucio Fulci

Cast: Silvia Collatina, Catriona MacColl

Tagline: You may have just mortgaged your life!

Shock gore master Lucio Fulci’s The House by the Cemetery is one of the finest typically single-minded exercises in zombie terror. Its just a shame no-one told the Boyle family who move into a gothic style house (by a cemetery) with a bloody past and a guts spraying future, what is yet to come! You’d think they’d twig given the basement door is nailed shut that they should get the hell out. Instead they stay long enough to discover their zombified non rent-paying lodger, the cellar-dwelling, flesh-hungry Dr Freudstein and boy is he pissed!

This Edition Contains:

- Reversible sleeve with 3 original poster artworks and newly commissioned artwork cover

- Double-sided fold-out artwork poster

- Collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by author Calum Waddell

- Brand new High Definition restoration from the original negative presented totally uncut

- Optional English subtitles for both the English and Italian audio tracks

Special Features:

- Audio commentary with star Catriona MacColl, moderated by Calum Waddell

- Audio commentary with co-star Silvia Collatina, moderated by Mike Baronas of Paura Productions

- Introduction to the film by star Giovanni Frezza

- Back to the Cellar: Interview with star Giovanni Frezza

- Cemetery Woman: Interview with star Catriona MacColl

- Freudstein's Follies: Interview with special effects artist Giannetto De Rossi

- Women of Italian Horror: Featuring Silvia Collatina (The House by the Cemetery), Stefania Casini (Suspiria/ Bloodstained Shadow) and Barbara Magnolfi (Suspiria/ The Sister Of Ursula)

- House by the Cemetery Onstage Q&A Cast Reunion: Live from the Horrorhound convention, Indianapolis, March 2011: Featuring Catriona MacColl, Giovanni Frezza, Silvia Collatina, Carlo DeMejo and Dagmar Lassander.

- From the Vault: Italian Gore Classics - a collection of reminisces on key spaghetti splatter shockers from the vaults of High Rising Productions: featuring Sergio Martino, Luigi Cozzi, Sergio Stivaletti and more.

- Trailers of Terror: Twenty Cult Trailers - including several rare previews from the resume of the late, great Lucio Fulci

- The Italian Master of Splatter Featurette

- Deleted scene

- Trailers

- TV Spot

- Easter eggs

DEMONS (1985) Blu-ray and Limited Edition DVD

Label: Arrow Video

Release Date: April 2nd 2012
Region Code: Region FREE ABC

Rating: 18 Certificate
Duration: 91 mins

Audio: DTS HD MA

Video: 16:9 Widescreen (1.66:1)

Director: Lamberto Bava

Cast: Urbano Barberini, Natasha Hovey, Karl Zinny
Tagline: Live and direct, straight from HELL!

Lamberto Bava and Dario Argento bring you THE Gonzo Horror movie of the 1980s with Demons, a frenzied slice of gore heavy shock cinema that gives up on logic and instead assaults the screen with a riot of X-Rated violence, face chewing Zombies and pounding Heavy Metal.

In a mysterious cinema, an audience are watching a brutal horror flick when the horror rips out of the screen, unleashing a swarm of slathering Demons who are intent on spreading their evil plague across the globe.

Time to tool up and take no prisoners… The Demons are coming!

This Edition Includes:

- Four option reversible sleeve with original poster and video artwork with additional fifth artwork panel featuring all-new Jeff Zornow artwork

- Double-sided fold-out poster

- Collector’s Booklet featuring brand new writing on Demons by Calum Wadell

- Collector’s Comic: ‘Demons 3’ Part 1 of 2! Not ‘The Ogre’. Not ‘The Church’. Not even ‘Black Demons’! For the first time ever, Arrow Video presents an original sequel to the cult classics.

- Remastered from a brand new HD restoration of the film

- Optional English and Italian audio

- Optional English subtitles for Italian and English (SDH) audio

Special Faetures:

- The audio recollections of director Lamberto Bava, Special Make-Up Creations Artist Sergio Stivaletti and Journalist Loris Curci

- The audio recollections of the cast and crew, a brand new commentary

- Dario’s Demon Days: Producer Dario Argento discusses the inception of Demons

- Defining an Era in Music: Composer Claudio Simonetti on the Demons Soundtrack

- Luigi Cozzi’s Top Italian Terrors: Cozzi discusses the highpoints of Spaghetti Splatter

- Original trailer

- Restored from the original camera negative by Cineteca di Bologna

DEMONS 2 (1986) Blu-ray and Limited Edition DVD

Label: Arrow Video

Release Date: April 9th 2012

Region Code: Region FREE ABC

Rating: 18 Certificate

Duration: 91 mins

Audio: DTS HD MA

Video: 16:9 Widescreen (1.66:1)

Director: Lamberto Bava

Cast: Asia Argento, David Edwin Knight, Nancy BrilliTagline: Panic on the streets! The Demons are back!

The Demons are back! Unleashed through the TV and bringing Hell direct to your Living Room. Out of the dark Forbidden Zone, the world’s ugliest zombies are causing carnage in an apartment block, eating the residents and spreading their deadly plague.

Watch as a teenage birthday girl ruins the party by eating her guests, see bodybuilders torn to shreds and tremble in terror as possessed children run amok. Will anyone survive or will the Demons rise once more and destroy us all?

Directed by Lamberto Bava (Demons, Macabre) and produced by Dario Argento (Sleepless, Inferno), this Italian splatter classic will leave you in fear of turning on the Television…

This Edition Contains:

- Four option reversible sleeve with original poster and video artwork with

additional fifth artwork panel featuring all-new Jeff Zornow artwork

- Double-sided fold-out poster

- Collector’s Booklet featuring brand new writing on Demons by Calum Wadell

- Collector’s Comic: ‘Demons 3’ Part 2 of 2! Not ‘The Ogre’. Not ‘The Church’. Not even ‘Black Demons’! For the first time ever, Arrow Video presents an original sequel to the cult classics.

- Remastered from a brand new HD restoration of the film

- Optional English and Italian audio

- Optional English subtitles for Italian and English (SDH) audio

Special Features:

- The audio recollections of director Lamberto Bava, Mechanical Creations and Transformation Artist Sergio Stivaletti and Journalist Loris Curci

- Creating Creature Carnage: Extensive Interview with makeup man Sergio Stivaletti

- Bava to Bava: Luigi Cozzi tracks the history of the Italian horror film; from Riccardo Freda and Mario Bava to the end of the golden age with Michele Soavi and Lamberto Bava as well as considering recent Italian horror films.

- Original trailer

- Restored from the original camera negative by Cineteca di Bologna

THE DEADLY SPAWN (1983) DVD

Label: Arrow Video

Release Date: March 19th 2012

Region Code: 0 NTSC

Rating: 15 Certificate

Duration: 81 mins

Video: 1.33:1 Full Frame Aspect Ratio

Audio: Original Audio

Director: Douglas McKeown

Cast: Michael Robert Coleman, Charles George Hildebrandt, James Brewster

Tagline: They Crawl, They Breed, THEY EAT!

Something awful is coming, hurtling through the void in a meteor that’s on a collision course with Earth. What terrifying entry in the annals of horror will be unleashed when the sinister intergalactic payload smashes into our planet? Answer? THE DEADLY SPAWN!

Two foolish campers witness the crash and investigate. They become the first eviscerated victims of the alien menace. Soon, a small, heartland American town will be under siege as the carnivores from outer space multiply and feast on the locals.

Can a gang of plucky kids stand up to these invaders from another world? Will the planet be overwhelmed? Find out in THE DEADLY SPAWN, A classic serving of low budget schlock from the golden era of independent American horror.

Special Features:

- Digitally remastered windowboxed transfer in the original full frame aspect ratio

- Reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Craig Kraaken

- Double-sided fold-out artwork poster

- Collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by Calum Waddell and Tim Sullivan (2001 Maniacs) and an interview between Tim Sullivan and Special Effects Director John Dods.

- Two Audio commentaries with writer and producer Ted A. Bohus and editor Marc Harwood.

- A Comic-style prequel with its own musical score

- Alternate opening sequence with new effects and credits

- In the Workshop of S/FX Director John Dods

- A selection of archive TV interviews featuring the filmmakers

- Stills gallery featuring behind-the-scenes images, pages from the script, artwork and more!

- Outtake Reel

- Audition Tapes

- Original Theatrical Trailer

CAT O' NINE TAILS (1971) DVD)

Label: Arrow Video

Release Date: February 12th 2012
Region Code: Region 0 PAL
Rating: 15 Certificate
Duration: 107 mins
Audio: English Audio with English subtitles
Video: 16:9 Widescreen (2.35:1)
Director: Dario Argento
Cast: James Franciscus, Karl Malden, Catherine Spaak
Tagline: Caught between the truth and a murderer’s hand!

A break in at a genetics lab leads to a spiralling vortex of bloody murder in Cat O’ Nine Tails, Dario Argento’s 70s Giallo classic. Strange circumstances surrounding the crime pique the interest of a journalist and a blind crossword compiler whose sharp ears have overheard talk of blackmail. However, all the would be investigators leads soon regret the help they gave as scientists die in front of speeding trains and photographers are viciously slain while others fall to their screaming deaths down elevator shafts in this surreal and nightmarish thriller from one of the acknowledged masters of Italian horror.As the body count increases, will no one escape the sting of The Cat O’ Nine Tails?

Special Features:

- Reversible Sleeve of Original Artwork
-Interview with Dario Argento
- Original Trailer
- Collector's Booklet by Argento Biographer Alan Jones

PENITENTIARY (1979) DVD

Label: ArrowDrome

Release Date: February 13th 2012

Region Code: 0 NTSC
Rating: 18 Certificate

Duration: 99 mins
Audio: English language

Video: N/A

Director: Jamaa Fanaka

Cast: Wilbur 'Hi-Fi' White, Leon Isaac Kennedy and Thommy Pollard

Tagline: There's only one way out, and 100 fools stand in the way!

Too Sweet likes three things… Candy bars, makin’ love and fighting. Arrested while defending a beautiful hooker in a roadside diner brawl, he finds himself unjustly incarcerated in a violent prison hellhole where life is cheap and punks get owned by predatory lifers. There’s only one way out… Victory in the ring!

Now Too Sweet has to fight for his freedom in series of boxing battles, all the while watching his back in the prison corridors, waiting for the cold sting of the shiv that might end his life.

Experience Jamaa Fanaka’s extraordinary grindhouse classic – Which is arguably the last great Blaxploitation flick – and pray to God you never end up somebody’s bitch in the PENITENTIARY!

Special Features:

- A Reversible Sleeve of Original Artwork

- Collector's Booklet by Author Calum Waddell

- Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Jamaa Fanaka

- Trailers

- Feature Length Sequel

CALIGULA (1979) Unlimited Edition Blu-Ray and DVD

Label: Arrow Video
Release Date: February 20th 2012
Region Code: TBA
Rating: 18
Duration: 156 minutes
Video: 16:9 Widescreen
Audio: Optional DTS HD Master Audio and 2.0 Stereo

Cast: Malcolm McDowell, Peter O'Toole, Helen Mirren, John Gielgud

Director: Tinto Brass, Giancarlo Lui, Bob Guccione

Arrow Video is pleased to announce a new model of Blu-rays. Soon Unlimited Editions of Arrow Video Blu-rays will be released in new versions; featuring the same artwork and disc contents, these new editions will sport 2 of the previous 4 artwork panels and will be packaged inside an amaray case without the windowed slipbox and poster. These Unlimited Editions will be released after the initial print run of the Edition collector’s know and love, which will now attain Limited Edition status as stocks become capped.

Future Unlimited Editions will be scheduled to appear shortly before Limited Editions sell out so there is not a gap in availability of any release.A Roman orgy of sex, violence and depravity!

In the dying days of Empire, Ancient Rome falls under the rule of Caligula, the most evil and perverse emperor ever to wield power over men. Director and softcore legend Tinto Brass and Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione team up to craft the most expensive, excessive erotic production ever filmed

Emperor Caligula is an incestuous, psychopathic despot, hell bent on bloodshed and sodomy in this orgiastic fever dream that plays like a Fellini movie with money shots.

Watch with ever increasing shock and awe as Caligula, the twisted dictator brings an empire, and the women of Rome, to their knees, in an explosion of lust, lesbianism, torture and bloodshed.

This Edition Contains:
Reversible sleeve featuring new artwork and alternate original poster artwork
Collector’s booklet featuring a rare interview with Malcolm McDowell
Uncut Version in glorious and explicit High Definition
Optional DTS HD Master Audio and 2.0 Stereo

Blu-ray Special Features:
Deleted and Alternate Scenes
Theatrical Trailers
North American Bonus Footage
Behind the Scenes

Disc 2 DVD Contains:
Making of Caligula Documentary and Featurette
My Roman Holiday with John Steiner
Caligula Pet: A Conversation with Lori Wagner
Tinto Brass: The Orgy of Power
Caligula Stills Galleries
DVD-ROM ContentThe first of the Arrow Video Unlimited Editions will be Caligula, which like all Arrow Video Unlimited Editions will have a much lower SRP of £19.99.

WHO DARES WINS (1982) Blu-ray

Label: Arrow Video

Relese Date: March 5th 2012

Rating: 15 Certificate
Video: 16:9 Widescreen (1.77:1)
Audio: Uncompressed PCM Mono Audio with Optional English SDH subtitles
Director: Ian Sharp

Cast: Lewis Collins, Judy Davis, Edward Woodward, Richard Widmark

Tagline: The 60 second War Begins Now!

Paranoia, black ops and espionage combine in Who Dares Wins, a violent and edgy anti-terror classic starring Lewis Collins (The Professionals) and Edward Woodward (The Equalizer).

The anti-nuclear movement is plotting a bloody outrage on British soil and, having already fatally lost their undercover operative at a violent protest, the secret services call on the aid of the SAS. Captain Peter Skellen (Collins) risks his career, his family and his life to infiltrate the terrorist group before they can unleash an attack that will devastate the country.

Relive a classic cold war thrill ride which remains relevant to this day… Who Dares Wins, a violent lesson in how to deal with the enemy within.

This Edition Contains:

- Reversible sleeve with 3 original poster artworks and newly commissioned

artwork cover by Graham Humphries

- Double-sided fold-out artwork poster

- Collector’s booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by Ali Catterall, author of British Cult Movies Since the Sixties

Special Features:

- Audio commentary with producer Euan Lloyd and director Ian Sharp

- The Making of Who Dares Wins, featuring Euan Lloyd, Ian Sharp, Lewis Collins, Judy Davis and more!

- The Last of the Gentleman Producers: A Documentary on the life of the legendary producer Euan Lloyd, featuring Sir Roger Moore, Ingrid Pitt, Kenneth Griffith and more!

- Two Original Trailers

- Plus more special features to be announced!

THE WILD GEESE (1978) Blu-ray

Label: Arrow Video

Release Date: March 3rd 2012
Video: 16:9 Widescreen (1.85:1)
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo with Optional English SDH subtitles
Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
Cast: Richard Burton, Roger Moore, Richard Harris, Hardy Krüger and Stewart Granger
Tagline: One Last Pay Day… One More Chance To Die!

Legendary hell-raisers Richard Burton and Richard Harris, along with a coolly detached Roger Moore are aging mercenaries with a taste for fine liquor, drawn together for a late but extremely lucrative pay day in The Wild Geese, an African adventure soaked in booze, gunfire and bloodshed.

Colonel Allen Faulkner (Burton) is secretly back in London to accept the task of reinstating an African leader deposed in a violent military coup, but without the combat skills of his two old friends, there isn’t going to be a mission. With his two reliable loose cannons in place, Faulkner and the team enact a text book rescue operation but disaster is close at hand when the cynical multinational who set up the whole deal turns the tables, striking a new deal with the local despot which sees The Wild Geese trying to escape with their lives intact.

The Wild Geese are ready for one last mission so finish your drinks and relive this classic old school British action adventure today.

This Edition Contains:
- Reversible sleeve with 3 original poster artworks and newly commissioned
artwork cover by Graham Humphreys
- Double-sided fold-out artwork poster
- Collector’s booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by Ali Catterall, author of British Cult Movies Since the Sixties

Special Features:
- High Definition Presentation of the film
- Audio commentary with Roger Moore, producer Euan Lloyd and second unit director John Glen
- World Premiere Newsreel Footage
- Original Trailer
- Plus more special features to be announced!

DON'T GO IN THE HOUSE (1980) DVD

Label: ArrowDrome
Release Date: March 26th 2012
Region Code: 2 PAL
Rating: 18 Certificate
Duration: 88 mins
Director: Joseph Ellison
Cast: Dan Grimaldi, Robert Osth, Ruth Dardick
Tagline: In A Steel Room Built for Revenge They Die Burning... In Chains

TOTALLY UNCUT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE UK!

Most horror killers like to slash and slice their victims but little Donny prefers setting them alight in Don’t Go In The House, a sleazy reminder of just how shocking horror movies could get in the video nasty era.

Donny is a disturbed kid… A mother’s boy if you will. That is until mother expires and Donny’s world crumbles in on itself. Now, lonely, adrift and enslaved to dark voices in his head, Donny seeks female companionship but drinks and dancing are the last thing on his mind. Mother’s telling him he’s a bad boy and the voices won’t let him rest. Maybe if he just gets a girl home and into his steel lined burning chamber, the chatter might quiet down…

Now see Don’t Go In The House – complete and uncut – and revel in the surreal sleaze, low rent Hitchcock melodrama, off Broadway acting and extreme, heat-seared violence of an independent horror classic that still retains its ability drop jaws, rattle cages and offend sensibilities over 30 years later.

Special Features:
- Reversible Sleeve of Original Artwork
- Collector's Booklet by horror expert Anthony Timpone
- Trailer
- ArrowDrome Horror Trailers

FORBIDDEN ZONE (1982) Limited Edition Blu-ray

Label: ArrowDromeArtwork by Jeff ZornowStep into The Forbidden Zone, a bizarro world of frog butlers, topless princesses, machine-gun toting teachers, eccentric dwarves, their demonic wives, and the Devil himself (Danny Elfman). You’ve never seen anything like it…!

Release Date: May 7th 2012
Region Code: Region FREE ABC
Rating: 18 Certificate
Duration: 70/71 mins
Video:16:9 Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio / LPCM Uncompressed Mono Audio

Director: Joseph Ellison
Cast: Dan Grimaldi, Robert Osth, Ruth Dardick

Check your basement. Is there door to the 6th Dimension there? If so, you’re going on a wild ride into excess as you join Frenchy and Rene in a land of musical madness, despotic queens and strange frog man-servants.

If you’ve tired of Rocky Horror and had enough of Hedwig, it’s time discover The Forbidden Zone, a demented tribute to the hot jazz and dark glamour of a lost age, featuring new wave pop music and Cab Calloway-style insanity, filtered through the mind of a maniac!

This Edition Contains:
- Reversible sleeve with 3 original poster artworks and newly commissioned artwork cover
- Double-sided fold-out artwork poster
- Collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by critic David Hayles
- Brand new High Definition restoration of the Black and White and Colour versions of the film
- Optional 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio / LPCM Uncompressed Mono Audio
- Optional English SDH subtitles

Special Features:
- Audio commentary with director Richard Elfman and writer-actor Matthew Bright
- A Look into Forbidden Zone – extensive behind the scenes documentary featuring interviews and archive footage, including scenes from Elfman’s lost film The Hercules Family
- Two complete scenes from The Hercules Family
- Outtakes
- Deleted Scenes
- Oingo Boingo Music Video Private Life
- Original Theatrical Trailer

THE KING OF NEW YORK (1990) Limited Edition Blu-ray

Label: Arrow Video
Release Date: June 4th 2012
Region Code: TBA
Duration: NA
Rating: 18 Certrificate
Audio: Optional 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio / 2.0 Stereo Audio

Video: 16:9 Widescreen (1.78:1) Original Aspect Ratio
Director: Abel Ferrara
Cast: Christopher Walken

White returns to his old patch to find it in disarray as the parasites that moved in to capture his business don’t share in the same Robin Hood spirit. Soon he’s violently taking out the competition, stealing their stashes and turning a healthy profit on the gear, putting it towards building a new South Bronx hospital.

But you can’t make an omelette without breaking some heads. As the street killings rise and the corrupt cops close in, White’s crazed mix of criminal psychosis and heartfelt charity threatens to tear apart everything he’s fought so hard to build…

This Edition Contains:

- Reversible sleeve with 3 original poster artworks and newly commissioned artwork cover
- Double-sided fold-out artwork poster
- Collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by Brad Stevens, author of Abel Ferrara: The Moral Vision

Special Features:
- High Definition Presentation of the film
- Optional 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio / 2.0 Stereo Audio
- Audio commentary with director Abel Ferrara
- Audio commentary with composer Joe Delia, producer Mary Kane, casting director Randy Sabusawa and editor Anthony Redman
- Interview with producer Augusto Caminito
- Abel Ferrara: Not Guilty: Documentary on Abel Ferrara from the French TV show Cinéastes de Notre Temps
+ More special features to be announced!

THE KING OF NEW YORK (1990) Limited Edition SteelBook Blu-ray

Label: Arrow Video
Release Date: June 4th 2012
Region Code: TBA
Duration: NA
Rating: 18 Certrificate
Audio: Optional 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio / 2.0 Stereo AudioSpecial Features:

Video: 16:9 Widescreen (1.78:1) Original Aspect Ratio
Director: Abel Ferara
Cast: Christopher Walken

Christopher Walken is out of prison and back on the dirty streets of New York as convicted drug lord Frank White in a pitch black 90s crime classic from the magnificently disreputable Abel Ferrara (Driller Killer, Ms.45).

- Limited Edition collectable SteelBook packaging
- Collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by Brad Stevens, author of Abel Ferrara: The Moral Vision
- High Definition Presentation of the film
- Optional 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio / 2.0 Stereo Audio
- Audio commentary with director Abel Ferrara
- Audio commentary with composer Joe Delia, producer Mary Kane, casting director Randy Sabusawa
and editor Anthony Redman
- Interview with producer Augusto Caminito
- Abel Ferrara: Not Guilty: Documentary on Abel Ferrara from the French TV show Cinéastes de Notre Temps
+ More special features to be announced!

From our exclusive feed with Cult Labs” linking back to the Cult Labs website - http://www.cult-labs.com

German VHS Gore-fest THE BURNING MOON bleeds onto DVD February 14th!

2011-12-28T08:30:00.000-08:00

Intervision are doing what they do best once again, unearthing an ultra-rare shot-on-video masterpiece and bringing it to the unwashed massed on DVD for the first time ever. Intervision, purveyors of all things filth, previously brought us the slow-mo slasher insanity of SLEDGEHAMMER and the Canuxploitation oddity THINGS and now they've really dug down into the pit of the SOV abyss and pulled up the German gore masterpiece THE BURNING MOON (1997). Haven't seen it but check out the bug-nuts trailer and gruesome screenshots below and you will know what I do - this is a MUST OWN slice of VHS violence!

THE BURNING MOON (1997)

LABEL: Intervision Picture Corp
RELEASE DATE: February 14th 2012
DURATION: 90 mins
VIDEO: Fullscreen (1.33:1)
AUDIO: Dolby Digital
DIRECTOR: Olaf Ittenbach
CAST: Andrea Arbter, Ellen Fischer, Ronald Fuhrmann
TAGLINE: Uncut. Uncensored, Unconscionable.
SRP: $19.98

“UNSPEAKABLE CARNAGE... This is the most medically accurate depiction of gore and human violence in all of cinema.” - Vice Magazine

Intervision Picture Corp is pleased to announce the Special Edition DVD release of Olaf Ittenbach’s shocking gore-fest THE BURNING MOON. Described by Vice Magazine as “Unspeakable Carnage,” the last word in splatter-soaked, German nihilism was shot on glorious VHS in the 90s and will be packaged for the first time with a rare, recently unearthed, 45 minute bonus making-of documentary.
“When the Germans make a horror movie,” says Mr. Beaks of Ain’t It Cool News, “THEY MAKE A F%*#ING HORROR MOVIE!” In 1992, writer/director/special effects master Olaf Ittenbach changed the face of video horror, force-fed its ripped-out eyeballs to screaming audiences, then used a drill, machete and shotgun on its still-twitching torso: Ittenbach himself stars as a degenerate junkie who babysits his young sister with two bedtime stories of the damned. First, an escaped serial killer turns date night into a graphic family massacre. Then a country priest on a rape and murder spree leads to a disturbingly explicit descent into Hell. It became the VHS that shocked America. It has been banned in its Motherland for nearly 20 years. And it remains perhaps the most violent and depraved shot-on-video saga in history. This is THE BURNING MOON.

Intervision Picture Corp was formed in 2010 to bring a perverse underbelly of cinema from a universe of its own to DVD. So far releases have included bizarre shot-on-VHS SLEDGEHAMMER and THINGS, the grim true crime expose DAHMER, Jess Franco’s latest PAULA-PAULA and Ozsploitation oddities AUSTRALIA AFTER DARK and THE ABCs OF LOVE AND SEX. Intervision releases are produced by Severin Films and distributed by CAV.

Italian exploitation film THE HOUSE OF FLESH MANNEQUINS hits DVD February 21st

2011-12-27T16:56:00.000-08:00

Elite Entertainment Press Release:

The House of Flesh Mannequins DVD hits shelves Feb 21, 2012.

THE HOUSE OF FLESH MANNEQUINS (2009)

Director: Domiziano Cristopharo.
Cast: Domiziano Arcangeli, Irene A. Hoffman, Giovanni Lombardo Radice, Jerred Berg and Dave Vescio.

The Italian exploitation thriller, The House of Flesh Mannequins, will receive a worldwide DVD release late February. Elite Entertainment will release this exotic film, which promises to take audiences to experience the strange images and moments of then to include their reflective feelings of now. This psychological drama by director Domiziano Cristopharo (The Museum of Wonders) will be sure to be deeply disturbing.

This film features Sebastian (Domziano Arcangeli, Box of Shadows), a loner, whose life is about to change. As an artist and photographer, he habitually explores the seedy side of life and human depravity. When a fellow apartment tenant, Sarah Roeg (Irena A. Hoffman, Moonlight Sonata) takes an interest in his work, where this film goes is a look into a very violent world that also includes snuff films.

“I honestly felt that something strange was happening in this apartment (where my scenes of the film were being shot at). Like were they really doing actual sex crimes for this film? And how far are they taking this? Killing people on set as well? I had no clue ,” reveals co-star Dave Vescio (Gemini Rising) while on the set of the film. “It was a dangerous freaky vibe when I first walked into this dark and disturbing apartment complex.”

Giovanni Lombardo Radice (Gangs of New York) Jerred Berg (Mysteries of the Garden of Eden) and Dave Vescio (Air Collision) also star in this film. It’s going to be both surrealistic and haunting. This product pays homage to three styles—surrealism as established by the artists of the 30’s, namely the cinematic works of Luis Buñuel and Salivador Dali; the terror as envisioned by the pioneers of Italian horror, Lucio Fulci and Dario Argento, and the body horror that auteur David Cronenberg is famous for.

This film premiered at the Santa Fe Film Festival and was also screened at A Night of Horror International Film Festival. It has also won a third place award as IndieHorror.it’s Best Indie Horror Film of the Year.

Director: Domiziano Cristopharo.
Cast: Domiziano Arcangeli, Irene A. Hoffman, Giovanni Lombardo Radice, Jerred Berg and Dave Vescio.

Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn_gZWJvQak

DVD Review: RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE (2010)

2011-12-25T14:42:00.000-08:00

RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE (2010)

LABEL: Icon Home Entertainment
REGION: 2 PAL Format
DURATION: 88 mins
VIDEO: 16:9 Widescreen (2.40:1)
AUDIO: Dolby Digital Finnish 5.1 with optional English Subtitles
DIRECTOR: Jalmari Helander
CAST: Per Christian Ellefsen, Peter Jakobi, Tommi Korpela, Jorma Tommila, Jonathan Hutchings, Onni Tommila, Risto Salmi, Rauno Juvonen
TAGLINE: This Christmas Everyone Will Believe in Santa

SYNOPSIS:
"In the depths of Lapland’s Korvatunturi Mountains, 486 metres deep, lies the closest guarded secret of Christmas. The time has come to dig it up.You better watch out, you better not cry, better not shout, I’m telling you why... Based on the award winning shorts of director Jalmari Helander that have already acquired a cult reputation in the internet, Santa Claus is coming to town in a never-before-seen Christmas fantasy thriller. He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake, he knows if you've been bad or good... This Christmas everyone will believe in Santa Claus."

Now this was a pleasant surprise and a nice diversion from the glut of macabre and horrific films I've been spreeing thru as of late, this was a film I could actually sit down and watch with my three young children which is pretty rare with the type of screeners that usually end up in my mailbox. I can't really screen IN A GLASS CAGE (1987) for 'em without surely inflicting lifelong damage upon their psyche now can I? I usually wait until they're asleep before I pop in whatever video nasty peaks my interest any day of the week so it was a rare treat indeed to gather the squirts around the tube just after school for some family fun.

RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE (2010) is a dark fantasy Christmas tale that takes place in the small rural Finnish village where an American mining company has secretly unearthed a mysterious "sacred grave" on the top of Korvatunturi Mountain overlooking the village. The excavation has been wrought with explosions which have caught the attention of a young imaginative boy named Pietari (Onni Tommila) in the shadow of the mountain with his strict, plain-spoken father Rauno (Jorma Tommila). Rauno, a butcher by trade, along with Piparinen (Rauno Juvonen) and Aimo (Tommy Korpela) are reindeer herders whose lively hood depends on the annual slaughtering of the deer and when the herd are killed off by what would appear to have been wolves Rauno and the others head for the Korvatuntari mining site to voice their grievances, blaming the explosions at the site for driving Russian wolves across the Russian border and into their territory. Once they arrive at the site it appears to have been abandoned with some haste by the miners leaving an ominous and cavernous hole in the ground, something rather large has been unearthed but little do they realize it's something that's been kept a secret for centuries and it's extrication could very well threaten Christmas as we know it.

Young Pietari mind is set afire by the possibilities of what could have been buried within the mountainside and when he also finds strange tracks in the snow outside his bedroom window he becomes obsessed with old legends of an evil Santa, a death-bringer more apt to boil children alive than stuff their stocking with presents. Becoming increasingly alarmed by the idea he sets a trap for Santa should he decide to come down the chimney, the deterrent nearly ends in his father's death. The relationship with his father is quietly difficult, it's pretty obvious the young boy craves his father's attention but for his father, a recent widow, the emotional struggles of raising his son alone ways heavy upon him and his grief often times emerges in short, terse interactions with the boy. The relationship isn't dwelt on a great deal but it's there plainly enough.

Soon enough things start to take a bizarre turn as creepy elderly men appear around the village, children go missing, potato sacks are stolen as are other heat producing appliances all leading up to a wonderfully odd finale that maybe wraps up a bit too quick. The story is whimsical and fantastical but also quite dark, more so than any American PG-13 would dare go with creepy, nude elderly men with a pedophiles sixth sense for sniffing out children, the cover-up of a murder, a near dismemberment, gun toting children and a child sacrificing himself in a heroic act, it's weird shit but awesome just the same.

At only eighty-eight minutes the film definitely takes some storytelling shortcuts more than it's fair share with stortytelling and character development, much of which I would have of liked to seen fleshed out, particularly the final coda of the film which is inspired lunacy but felt way too abbreviated for me. Something else that irked me was a lack of revelation, were taunted with a big ticket set piece but it never really comes to fruition and I was really dying for it but it just never emerged to the degree that I wanted to see it - the film maintained it's mystery a bit too much for me in that respect, not enough ruin the film but just enough to be bothersome.

The film's absurdly weird premise is brought to life with some attractive winter bound scenery that's pitch perfect for the story at hand, the gorgeous visuals are pretty fantastic from start to finish and really draw you in with candy colored cinematography. It's just a very sharp looking film that brought to mind the early 90's films of the French filmmakers Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro who wowed me with their own dark fairy tales, DELICATESSEN (1991) and CITY OF THE LOST CHILDREN (1995).

VERDICT: There are precious few Christmas tales that have made their way into my yearly rotation of Christmas classics in the past decade, the few that have earned their positions are BAD SANTA (2003), THE ICE HARVEST (2005) and SANTA'S SLAY (2005). I'm quite happy to have comes across this dark, Christmas fairy-tale, it's sure to be a Christmas cult classic for years to come. It's not perfect but it's pretty awesome and I give it a high recommend for fans of dark fantasy like MILLIONS (2004), CORALINE (2009) and CITY OF THE LOST CHILDREN (1995). 3.5 outta 5

Blu-ray Review: INTRUDER (1988)

2011-12-23T14:55:00.000-08:00

INTRUDER - DIRECTOR'S CUT (1988)

Blu-ray/DVD Combo

LABEL: Synapse Films
REGION: Region FREE
DURATION: 88 minutes
VIDEO: 16:9 Widescreen (1.78:1)
AUDIO: DTS-HD MA English 2.0 Mono, Dolby Digital English 2.0 Mono
DIRECTOR: Scott Spiegel
CAST: Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi, Bruce Campbell, Elizabeth Cox, Danny Hicks, Renée Estevez
TAGLINE: Tonight, This Supermarket is Having a Sale... ALL HEADS HALF-OFF!

SYNOPSIS: "It’s 10 pm and the employees of Michigan’s Walnut Lake Supermarket are in for a really bad night. The place is shutting its doors for good, and the night crew has a long shift ahead of them… longer than they think! The lovely check-out girl has a deranged ex-boyfriend, the store’s phone lines are cut, and the employees start dying in the most stomach-churning ways imaginable (courtesy of Academy Award®-winning KNB EFX Group). A deranged killer is on the loose in the grocery store! Can anyone stop this murderous intruder?"

Scott Spiegel's probably best know as the co-writer of Sam Raimi's EVIL DEAD 2 (1987) and the producer of the HOSTEL film series but some of you fiends out there may recall him as the director of the late 80's splatter classic INTRUDER (1988), a film that's probably best remembered for it's extreme gore courtesy of the pre-KNB EFX team of Howard Berger, Robert Kurtzman and Greg Nicotero who were willing to do the effects on the film for a song to help launch their new effects group and what a calling card it was, the gore effects are outstanding even two decades later and under the scrutiny of 1080p high-definition, they're ingenious, blood soaked and fucking awesome.

It's been a few years since I last watched the film and what struck me aside from the effects and how great the transfer is were the crazy amount of POV camerawork from director Spiegel, these are some of the nuttiest POV shots ever committed to film with odd views from a rotary phone, a milk crate, a wine bottle and a shopping cart, not once but twice. The inventive visual gags not just look great but create a quirky sense of atmosphere that's hard to peg down. The script is pretty witty and the film is nearly a comedy in some respects, perhaps even a send-up of the genre which by the late 80's had really run it's due course.

Looking at the characters I wouldn't say we get a lot of development but I've never been one to require much of it when I throw on a slasher either. What we do get is quite serviceable with appearances from EVIL DEAD alumni Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi and Danny Hicks with a cameo from Bruce Campbell. Without spoiling the killer's identity I'll just say that I really enjoyed how unwound and bat-shit crazy the culprit becomes, really unhinged stuff. At one point he's puppeteering a decapitated head and then beating down a victim with it in the next scene, that's just entertainment pure and simple. The film is definitely offbeat which I think might throw a few folks off but the humor is dark and demented just the way I crave it and really delivers the goods, so it worked for me.

I have to once again give it up to the KNB EFX Group who really shower the film with scene after scene of bloody death. There's just so much to choose from here, we get a head crushed in a cardboard compactor, machetes flying everywhere, a nice eye-skewering, a meat hook through the neck and what must surely be the centerpiece of the film; a head grotesquely sawn in half with a band saw sending brains, teeth and meat everywhere, it's a showstopper and sickening brutal.

Great slashers were slicing through the cinemas in the early to mid 80's but to find a really brutal, well done slasher in 1988 seems a rare feat indeed. Scott Spiegel deserves some major love for this late entry in the game particularly when you consider what was to come to the cinema post-SCREAM just a few years later. Unfortunately Spiegel didn't go onto direct a ton of films but I'm pretty amped to see him back in the director's chair with HOSTEL III after taking this in.

BLU-RAY: Synapse's brand-new 2K HD transfer of INTRUDER is presented in 16:9 widescreen (1.78:1) - this is the uncut director's version of the film with all the tasty extreme gore presented in all it's splatteriffic glory - the KNB FX shots are nasty effective, gore hounds are gonna be delighted. The transfer looks pretty sharp, colors are vibrant and the film's fine grain is nicely intact, no unnecessary DNR scrubbing here folks, par for Synapse the transfer is pretty phenomenal considering that this shoestring budget splatter classic was filmed using 35mm short ends. Audiowise we get a DTS-HD MA English 2.0 mono track on the Blu-ray that sounds very nice, dialogue, score and effects sound very good, the mono soundtrack doesn't offer much depth of separation but seems accurate and decently robust.

Special features are plentiful beginning with a feature length commentary from director Scott Spiegel and producer Lawrence Bender, it's a fun commentary with tons of great behind-the-scenes anecdotes from financing the film on through to the MPAA butchering of the films upon it's initial VHS release. There's also a great half hour featurette featuring interviews with most of the principal cast, director, producer and executive producer Charles Band with clips from the 8mm short film NIGHT CREW and actress Elizabeth Cox is kind enough to demonstrate her various screams as heard in the film providing commentary about the subtle variations, good stuff. On top of that we get over 10 minutes of extended murder scenes from the workprint, nearly seven minutes of outtakes from the NIGHT CREW short, a picture gallery, two trailers and a featurette wherein the director of A BETTER PLACE tells of his experience renting the VHS only to find the gory bits as seen in Fangoria were missing. It's a jam-packed Blu-ray and there's a DVD edition of the film included with all the same special features which is a always nice value add when considering a purchase, don't think too hard though, just buy it. Clearly Synapse have done right by this film and an upgrade is easily recommended if you own the previous DVD edition because this 1080p presentation is gonna blow you away when compared to that murky mess.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
- All-New 2K Digital Restoration of the Original Uncensored Director's Cut
- Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Scott Spiegel and Producer Lawrence Bender
- Slashing of Intruder (3:26)
- Slashed Prices - The Making of Intruder (38:22)
- Never-Before-Seen Extended "Murder" Sequences from the Original Workprint (10:25)
- Outtakes from the Now-Lost Short Film, NIGHT CREW (6:47)
- Original Cast Audition Footage (11:04)
-Behind-the-Scenes Still Gallery (4:20)
-Original Theatrical Trailer (1:19)
- NIGHT CREW Trailer (1:19)

VERDICT: INTRUDER is an entertaining, visually imaginative splatter-flick filled with nutty gore that's in need of some serious attention, a classic deserving of some shelf space for any serious gore fan. Sure, it's a bit silly and quirky but above all else it's a super-gory slasher that's finally been given a gorgeous release courtesy of Synapse Films, a must own. 3.5 outta 5

Dario Argento's FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET 40th Anniversary Blu-ray on the way from Shameless Screen Entertainment

2011-12-21T16:53:00.000-08:00

Brilliant news from the UK's Shameless Screen Entertainment today in the form of a press release announcing a 40th Anniversary Blu-ray Edition of Dario Argento's elusive third film FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET (1971) with a wealth of new bonus content....

FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET (1971)

LABEL: Shameless Screen Entertainment
RELEASE DATE: January 30th 2012
RATING:Certificate 15
DURATION: 99 minutes
DIRECTOR: Dario Argento
CAST: Michael Brandon, Mimsy Farmer, Jean-Pierre Marielle, Bud Spencer, Francine Racette

Forty years after its release and twenty years after the film disappeared from the public eye, Shameless Screen Entertainment is releasing the first ever worldwide Blu-ray of Dario Argento’s lost masterpiece, Four Flies On Grey Velvet and, also for the first time ever, in the original version in which it was made. This special 40th Anniversary Edition has been fully remastered in HD from the original negative and includes four inserts of previously missing footage known amongst Argento fans as the legendary “missing forty seconds”. Additionally, the original pristine English audio has been remastered exclusively for this Shameless release from the original magnetic soundtrack and is being made available for the first time since the film’s initial theatrical release in the 1970s.

Described by DVD Times as “essential viewing”, this final instalment in what is unofficially referred to as Argento’s Animal Trilogy (following “The Bird With The Crystal Plumage” and “The Cat O’ Nine Tails”) is a classic of the giallo genre, featuring music by Oscar-winning composer Ennio Morricone (The Untouchables; The Mission; The Good, The Bad And The Ugly) and starring Michael Brandon (Captain America: The First Avenger; Dempsey And Makepeace), Mimsy Farmer (The Black Cat; More), Jean-Pierre Marielle (Micmacs; The Da Vinci Code), Bud Spencer (They Call Me Trinity) and Francine Racette (Au Revoir Les Enfants; The Disappearance).

Going about his everyday life of band rehearsals and socialising with his wife, Nina (Farmer), and their hip friends, rock drummer Roberto Tobias (Brandon) notices he is constantly being followed by a strange man dressed in black. He decides to turn the tables on his stalker and follows him into an abandoned theatre, where a confrontation between the two ends with Roberto accidentally stabbing the man, who falls into the orchestra, apparently dead. Suddenly, a flash of light alerts Roberto to a figure in the upper wings of the theatre, where a mysterious person wearing a bizarre puppet mask and brandishing a camera has been taking photos of the fatal struggle. Roberto flees the scene, but the next day receives the dead man’s ID card in the post. Naturally assuming it has been sent by the unknown witness, he becomes immediately concerned by the lack of any blackmail demands and is haunted by the question of what it is the masked figure wants from him. Roberto’s fear and paranoia increase, and the mystery deepens, when his and Nina’s housemaid is found murdered in a local park and it becomes apparent that an intruder has had access to their apartment.

Four Flies On Grey Velvet (cert. 15) will be released on Blu-ray (£24.99) and DVD (£15.99) by Shameless Screen Entertainment on 30th January 2012.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Introduction to the film by Luigi Cozzi.
- New, exclusive and extensive recent interview on the making of Four Flies On Grey Velvet with writer and assistant director Luigi Cozzi.
- Original English audio remastered in HD exclusively for this Shameless release from the original magnetic soundtrack and available for the first time since the film’s original theatrical opening in the 1970s.
- Shameless re-build edit of the complete version of the film including four inserts of previously missing footage known amongst Argento fans as the legendary “missing forty seconds” (the inserts are in Standard-Definition quality). The Blu-ray will allow for seamless branching of the four inserts giving viewers two versions of the film: one all HD without the re-inserted scenes and one longer version including the inserts.
- Restoration of all individual damaged frames, most notably with respect to the removal of the black diagonal frame line (caused by the film jumping the high speed camera gate) in the final car crash sequence.
- Optional Italian audio version in HD with English subtitles.
- Italian and English trailers.
- Alternate English opening and closing credits.
- Shameless Trailer Park (Blu-ray only).

Exploitation Classic THOU SHALT NOT KILL... EXCEPT coming to Synapse Films DVD/Blu-ray Combo!

2011-12-21T16:30:00.000-08:00

SYNAPSE FILMS PRESENTS

JOSH BECKER'S EXPLOITATION CLASSIC

THOU SHALT NOT KILL... EXCEPT

STARRING ★SAM RAIMI★ AS A MANSON-LIKE HIPPIE CULT LEADER!

THOU SHALT NOT KILL... EXCEPT

[Blu-ray/DVD Combo]

RELEASE DATE: March 13, 2012

REGION CODE: All Regions

DURATION: 83 mins
DIRECTOR: Josh Becker
CAST: Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi, Scott Spiegel, Brian Schul
VIDEO: 16:9 Widescreen (1.66:1)
TAGLINE:When Violence Demands Revenge...

THE EXPLOITATION ACTION CLASSIC FROM THE PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT YOU THE EVIL DEAD AND EVIL DEAD 2!

Vietnam, 1969. War is Hell. For Marine Sergeant Jack Stryker (Brian Schulz), however, Hell is just the beginning. Trapped outside a Viet Cong village, Stryker takes two bullets to the leg. Sent home from the war, he discovers his ex-girlfriend (Cheryl Hausen) has been kidnapped by a religious cult with a vicious Manson-like leader (played by THE EVIL DEAD and SPIDER-MAN trilogy director, Sam Raimi). Stryker teams up with some marine friends to form an assassination squad and annihilate the gang of crazed killers.

Synapse Films is proud to present THOU SHALT NOT KILL… EXCEPT in an all-new 2K high-definition transfer from the original negative. Directed by Josh Becker, this “must-see” (Detroit Free Press) cult classic features many of the people responsible for THE EVIL DEAD, including co-writer Bruce Campbell, writer/producer Scott Spiegel, composer Joseph LoDuca, and actor Ted Raimi.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
• All-New High-Definition 2K Digital Restoration from the Original Negative
• The Original Super 8mm Short film, STRYKER’S WAR, starring Bruce Campbell!
• Made in Michigan: The Making of THOU SHALT NOT KILL… EXCEPT – Featurette
• Two Audio Commentaries featuring Director Josh Becker, Bruce Campbell, and Star Brian Schulz
• All-New Video Interview with Actor/Writer Bruce Campbell
• Deleted Scene with Optional Director's Commentary
• Alternate Title Sequence
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Reversible Alternate Cover Artwork

Reversible Artwork