Thursday, October 17, 2024

Synapse Films Announces Infinite Santa 8000 on Blu-ray!

Synapse Films Offers an Entirely Unique Christmas Tale
with the Animated Cult Classic

Infinite Santa 8000  
on Blu-ray  
11/12/24

"If you're looking for a demented ultra-violent Christmas movie this year that's a bit off the beaten-path and just might traumatize the kids, I say give the INFINITE SANTA 8000 movie a watch..."
     — McBastard's Mausoleum

On November 12th, Synapse Films brings the post-apocalyptic animated classic Infinite Santa 8000 to Blu-ray in its all-new Director’s Cut version, with bonus content that includes the original 13-part web series.  

The year is 8000. Humanity has been wiped out, leaving only the vilest creatures roaming the Earth. Even Santa must kill to survive the wasteland that is left. When Martha (aka Mrs. Santa) is kidnapped, jolly old St. Nick and his robotic reindeers brave the hellish landscape to save her. Santa must contend with all matter of villains, from robots to mutated animals and even the Easter bunny, to save Mrs. Claus, all in the name of the Spirit of Christmas.  

An outrageously gory and off-beat take on the holidays, accompanied by a heavy metal soundtrack, Infinite Santa 8000 is the perfect gift for the horror-movie-lover on your list this year! 

The special features include feature audio commentary with creators Greg Ansin and Michael Neel, the complete original 13-part web series (including optional audio commentary), multiple interview featurettes with cast and crew, original promotional trailers, and two music videos. 

Special Features: 
- Feature audio commentary with creators Greg Ansin & Michael Neel
- The complete original 13-part web series (including optional audio commentary)
- Multiple interview featurettes with cast and crew
- Original promotional trailers
- Two music videos

  
Pre-order from Amazon here:

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment Announces Watchmen Chapter II


WATCHMEN CHAPTER II (2024) 

Chapter II of the Two-Part Animated Movie Event Brings DC Comics' Acclaimed Series to Life

Available exclusively on Digital on November 26th

4K UHD and Blu-ray arriving on December 3rd

Based on DC’s acclaimed graphic novel co-created and illustrated by Dave Gibbons, Watchmen Chapter II, the second part of the all-new animated two-part feature film from Warner Bros. Animation and Paramount, will be released on Digital on November 26th and on 4K UHD and Blu-ray on December 3rd.

The animated feature concludes the faithful adaptation of the groundbreaking graphic novel series by writer Alan Moore and illustrator Dave Gibbons, which redefined the superhero genre when it debuted in the mid-1980s.

Watchmen Chapter I and Watchmen Chapter II delve into the gritty and complex world of masked vigilantes in an alternate version of America during the Cold War era. The “Watchmen” saga remains a cornerstone of comic book literature, having garnered numerous awards and accolades over the decades.

The adaptation captures the spirit and style of Moore and Gibbons’ original, groundbreaking vision with stunning animation that pays homage to the comic book’s iconic visual style. The film features a stellar voice cast that includes Matthew Rhys (TV’s “Brothers & Sisters,” “The Americans,” “Perry Mason”) Katee Sackhoff (TV’s “Battlestar Galactica,” “Longmire,” “The Mandalorian”) and Titus Welliver (TV’s “Lost,” “Deadwood,” “Sons of Anarchy”).

The film is produced and directed by Brandon Vietti from an adaptation by J. Michael Straczynski.  Jim Krieg and Cindy Rago serve as producers and Dave Gibbons serves as consulting producer.  Sam Register, Larry Gordon and Lloyd Levin are executive producers. 

Fans will also be able to enjoy a range of bonus features including interviews with the filmmakers including Dave Gibbons, J. Michael Straczynski, and more.

Watchmen Chapter II features all all-star voice cast including Matthew Rhys (Dan Dreiberg, Nite Owl), Katee Sackhoff (Laurie Juspeczyk, Silk Spectre) and Titus Welliver (Rorschach, Walter Kovacs), along with Troy Baker (Adrian Veidt, Ozymandias), Adrienne Barbeau (Sally Jupiter, Silk Spectre), Michael Cerveris (Jonathan Osterman, Dr. Manhattan), Zehra Fazal (Hira Manish, Newscaster), Phil Fondacaro (Tom Ryan, Big Figure), Grey Griffin (Female Citizen #1, Advisor #1) John Marshall Jones (Hooded Justice), Max Koch (Bernard, President Nixon, Lawrence Andrews), Phil LaMarr (Comic Book Narrator, Bernie, Male Citizen #1), Yuri Lowenthal (Seymour, Knot Top #2, Bully #1), Long Nguyen (Attendant #1), Geoff Pierson (Hollis Mason, Prison Guard #1), Jason Spisak (Doug Roth, Bully #2, Hector Godfrey), Kari Wahlgren (Sylvia Kovacs, Female Knot Top), and Rick D. Wasserman (Edward Blake, The Comedian).

Watchmen Chapter II will be available on November 26th to purchase digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Fandango at Home and more. On December 3rd the film will be available to purchase on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Discs online and in-store at major retailers. Pre-order your copy now.

Watchmen Chapter I and Watchmen Chapter II will also be available November 26 for purchase together from digital retailers.

Watchmen Chapter I is currently available to own on Digital, 4K UHD and Blu-ray.

Chapter II: Outlawed superheroes grapple with their personal lives and each other while racing the clock to solve a deepening mystery connected to an impending nuclear war between the United States and Russia.

SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE:
- The Art of Adaptation: Building   to the Final Act
- Dave Gibbons and Watchmen: Chapters 7-12
- Designing Watchmen
 
FILM INFORMATION
4K UHD & Blu-ray Languages: English, Spanish
4K UHD & Blu-ray Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Running Time: 89 min 17 sec
Rated: R
*Digital version not available in Canada




SCALA!!!, an Audacious 3-Disc BD Set Featuring the Acclaimed Doc on London's Legendary Repertory Cinema, is Available Now from Severin Films

O-CARD

“The Scala had magic, it was like joining a club, a very secret club, like a biker gang or something. It’s like they were a country club for
criminals and lunatics and people that were high. Which is a good way to see movies.”
-- John Waters

“If any British movie theatre deserved three exclamation marks it’s the Scala.”
-- The Guardian

“ Take a trip to one of the cultiest corners of cinemaand embrace the weirdness.”
-- Time Out

SEVERIN FILMS PRESENTS ACCLAIMED DOCUMENTARY
ON LONDON’S LEGENDARY REPERTORY CINEMA
IN AN AUDACIOUS 3-DISC SET FEATURING 13+ HOURS
OF CONTENT

Pre-order at the Severin Webstore for North American Disc Premiere,

Plus Standalone Releases of Scala Favorites From Ray Dennis Steckler
& Al Adamson

OFFICIAL TRAILER

The floors were sticky. The patrons were dodgy. Its legacy is extraordinary: Severin Films today announced the North American Disc Premiere of the award-winning documentary SCALA!!! OR, THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE RISE AND FALL OF THE WORLD’S WILDEST CINEMA AND HOW IT INFLUENCED A MIXED-UP GENERATION OF WEIRDOS AND MISFITS in an unprecedented 3-disc collection with hours of Special Features curated exclusively for this release.



Between the politically volatile years of 1978 to 1993, London’s most infamous repertory movie theater/pleasure dome screened over 4000 mind-warping films that influenced a generation of remarkable writers, musicians, filmmakers, actors, artists and activists. Co-directors Jane Giles and Ali Catterall now reveal the incredible true story of The Scala Cinema featuring rare archival footage, dozens of film clips from Scala favorites and interviews with former Scala audience members, guests and staff that include John Waters, Ben Wheatley, Jah Wobble, Cathi Unsworth, Mary Harron, Kim Newman, Nick Kent, Isaac Julien, Matt Johnson and more. Two additional discs include the new documentary SPLATTERFEST EXHUMED directed by Jasper Sharp (THE CREEPING GARDEN) about the notorious 1990 all-night horror festival featuring interviews with attendees John McNaughton, Brian Yuzna, Scott Spiegel and more, plus 12 specially curated Scala-screened short films, hours of additional material that include audio commentaries, an archive of Scala schedules, extended interviews, outtakes and animation, plus a replica Scala membership card and much more.

In addition, Severin will be releasing first-time-ever standalone Blu-ray discs of two Scala-screened favorites: Ray Dennis Steckler’s immortal 1964 monster musical THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES WHO STOPPED LIVING AND BECAME MIXED-UP ZOMBIES and the classic Al Adamson biker double-feature of SATAN’S SADISTS and ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN.

All three collections are now available for pre-order at The Severin Webstore with wide release scheduled for 12/3/2024.

Special Features for SCALA!!!:
Disc 1
- Audio Commentary With Co-Directors Jane Giles And Ali Catterall
- Introduction From The UK Premiere At The 2023 BFI London Film Festival
- Introduction To SCALA By Director Michael Clifford
- SCALA (Michael Clifford, 1990)
- SCALA CINEMA (Ali Peck/Victor de Jesus, 1992)
- Director Commentary For SCALA CINEMA
- Scala Programs 1978–1993
- Cabinet Of Curiosities – Inside The Scala Archive
- Extended Interviews
- Mary Harron Outtakes
- Nick Kent Outtakes
- Thurston Moore Outtakes
- John Waters Outtakes
- Cartoons By Davey Jones
- Osbert Parker's SCALA!!! Animation Experiments And Outtakes
- Primatarium Animation
- Scala Programs Animation
- Tentacles Animation
- Trailer

Disc 2:
Short Films
- DIVIDE AND RULE – NEVER! (Newsreel Collective, 1978)
- DEAD CAT (David Lewis, 1989)
David Lewis Remembers DEAD CAT
- THE MARK OF LILITH (Bruna Fionda/Polly Gladwin/Zachary Nataf, 1986)
- RELAX (Chris Newby, 1991)
- BOOBS A LOT (Aggy Read, 1968)
- KAMA SUTRA RIDES AGAIN (Bob Godfrey, 1971)
- COPING WITH CUPID (Viv Albertine, 1991)
- ON GUARD (Susan Lambert, 1984)

Disc 3:

Documentaries
- THE ART OF THE CALENDAR (Kier-La Janisse, 2024)
- SPLATTERFEST EXHUMED (Jasper Sharp, 2024)
Short Films
- MANIAC 2: MR. ROBBIE (Buddy Giovinazzo, 1986)
- Audio Commentary For MANIAC 2: MR. ROBBIE With Buddy Giovinazzo
- HORRORSHOW (Paul Hart-Wilden, 1990)
- Audio Commentary For HORRORSHOW With Director Paul Hart-Wilden
- CLEVELAND SMITH: BOUNTY HUNTER (Josh Becker, 1982) – Original Cut
- CLEVELAND SMITH: BOUNTY HUNTER (Josh Becker, 1982) – Producer's Cut
- Audio Commentary For The Producer's Cut Of CLEVELAND SMITH:
- BOUNTY HUNTER With Producer Scott Spiegel
- MONGOLITOS (Stéphane Ambiel, 1988)
- Audio Commentary For MONGOLITOS With Director Stéphane Ambiel
- The Legendary H.G. Lewis Speaks: 1989 Scala Appearance By The Godfather Of Gore

Feature Specs for SCALA!!!:
Run Time: 96 mins
Audio: English 5.1, English Stereo
Closed Captions: English SDH
Region: Disc 1 & Disc 2: A, Disc 3: A/B/C
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES WHO STOPPED LIVING AND BECAME MIXED-UP ZOMBIES

In what The New York Times hails as “his cinematic tour-de-force,” American exploitation auteur Ray Dennis Steckler (WILD GUITAR, RAT PFINK A BOO BOO) created ‘The First Monster Musical,’ filmed in ‘Hallucinogenic Hypno-Vision’ and ‘Terrorama.’ More than half a century later, it still exists within a seminal celluloid universe all its own: Producer/director Steckler stars – under the name ‘Cash Flagg’ – as a man who falls for a carnival stripper, only to be turned into a zombie by her evil gypsy sister. Singing, dancing and homicidal mayhem ensue. Carolyn Brandt (THE THRILL KILLERS) co-stars in “the demented offering that launched one of the oddest Hollywood careers ever” (CineSavant), now scanned in 2K from the original 16mm AB rolls for the ultimate in Incredibly Strange viewing.

Special Features for THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES…:
- Introduction By Joe Bob Briggs
Audio Commentary With Director Ray Dennis Steckler
- Audio Commentary With Joe Bob Briggs
- Archival Interview With Ray Dennis Steckler
Archival Interview With Carolyn Brandt
- Deleted Scenes
- VHS Trailer
- Trailer
- TEENAGE PSYCHO MEETS BLOODY MARY Re-Release Trailer
- TEENAGE PSYCHO MEETS BLOODY MARY Radio Spot

Feature Specs for THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES…:
Run Time: 82 mins
Audio: English Mono
Closed Captions: English SDH
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 1.75:1

SATAN’S SADISTS/ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN

“If LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT was a biker movie,” says Cool Ass Cinema, “it would look a lot like SATAN'S SADISTS.” Scott Brady, Gary Kent, Greydon Clark, John ‘Bud’ Cardos, Regina ‘The Freak Out Girl’ Carrol and Oscar® nominee Russ Tamblyn star in Independent-International’s ‘Rebellion of Human Garbage!’ directed by Al Adamson, produced by Samuel M. Sherman and filmed at Spahn Ranch – ‘Where the Tate Suspects Lived Their Wild Experiences!’ As a Bonus, Ross Hagen, Kent Taylor and Regina Carrol star in Adamson and Sherman’s hot, hard and mean follow-up, ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN. Both films are now restored in 2K from original vault elements with 3 combined hours of Wild Beyond Belief! special features.

Special Features for SATAN’S SADISTS / ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN:

SATAN'S SADISTS
- Archival Audio Commentary with Producer / Distributor Samuel M. Sherman
- Outtakes
- Trailers
- TV Spots
- Radio Spot

ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN
- Archival Audio Commentary with Producer / Distributor Samuel M. Sherman
- Trailer
- TV Spot
- Radio Spot

Feature Specs for SATAN’S SADISTS / ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN
Run Time: SATAN’S SADIST 87 mins / ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN 85 mins
Audio: English Mono
Closed Captions: English SDH
Region: A
Aspect Ratio: SATAN’S SADISTS 1.33:1 / ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN 1.85:1

 

Severin Films is the foremost independent studio dedicated to rescuing, restoring and releasing the works of Oscar nominees and cult icons alike for Blu-ray, 4K UHD and digital platforms. Founded in 2006, their distribution catalogue includes projects by iconic filmmakers Russ Meyer, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Dario Argento, Paul Morrissey, Mike Leigh, Lucio Fulci, Peter Greenaway, Penelope Spheeris, Just Jaeckin, Roman Polanski, Alex de la Iglesia and UK comedy legends The Comic Strip; classics of Blaxploitation, Ozploitation, Sharksploitation and Nunsploitation; groundbreaking Filipino, Indonesian, Spanish and Soviet horror; American drive-in indies, controversial documentaries, renowned UK comedies and the industry’s most formidable collection of Italian gialli, cannibal, zombie, erotic thrillers and ‘80s action hits. Along the way, Severin has elevated the oeuvres of such fringe auteurs as Bruno Mattei, Al Adamson, Andy Milligan, Joe D’Amato, Claudio Fragrasso, Umberto Lenzi, Ray Dennis Steckler and Goya-Award winner – and Severin patron saint – Jess Franco. Severin has also produced the award-winning documentaries BLOOD & FLESH: THE REAL LIFE & GHASTLY DEATH OF AL ADAMSON; LOST SOUL: THE DOOMED JOURNEY OF RICHARD STANLEY’S ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU; WOODLANDS DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED: A HISTORY OF FOLK HORROR; TALES OF THE UNCANNY; ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE, which premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival; MANCUNIAN MAN: THE LEGENDARY LIFE OF CLIFF TWEMLOW; SUZZANNA: THE QUEEN OF BLACK MAGIC and EXORCISMO: THE TRANSGRESSIVE LEGACY OF CLASIFICADA “S”.


Wednesday, October 16, 2024

New in October from Severin Films – HARD WOOD: The Adult Features of Ed Wood!

SEVERIN CELEBRATES ANGORA-LOVING AUTEUR WITH THREE-DISC BLU-RAY COLLECTION

HARD WOOD: THE ADULT FEATURES OF ED WOOD

Includes 3 Films Written/Directed by Wood, A Wood-Scripted Bonus Movie,

Plus 7+ Hours of Bonus Materials Featuring Bobcat Goldthwait, Dana Gould, Jonathan Ross & More

In celebration of his centennial, Severin Films honors iconic filmmaker Edward D. Wood, Jr. – “the man who defined the term ‘Outsider Artist’ before it was even coined” (Daily Grindhouse) – with HARD WOOD: THE ADULT FEATURES OF ED WOOD, a loaded 3-disc Blu-ray set featuring a trio of his lurid ‘70s adult features now restored uncut from the ultimate source elements for the first time ever.

Near the end of his career, the angora-loving auteur behind PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE and GLEN OR GLENDA earned his booze funds by writing and directing explicit adult films, and this eye-popping set delivers three of the most memorable: NECROMANIA – in both hard and soft versions – stars Rene Bond and The Amazing Criswell’s coffin in a tale of weird love shot in two days by Ed while wearing a pink babydoll outfit. Uschi Digard stars in THE ONLY HOUSE IN TOWN, a softcore saga of nonsensical dialog and orgiastic depravity. Wood’s bizarre final film, the thought lost THE YOUNG MARRIEDS, is presented in hard and its never-before-seen soft versions.

As a Bonus, J. Pat O’Malley and William Schallert star in the Wood-penned hicksploitation rarity SHOTGUN WEDDING, plus over 7 hours of Special Features that include three separate audio commentaries, a conversation with Bobcat Goldthwait and Dana Gould produced exclusively for this collection, the North American disc debut of The Incredibly Strange Film Show – Ed Wood Jr., plus 9 vintage sex loops and much more.


What better way to honor Ed’s 100th Birthday than The Angora Raincoat Bundle? You get the HARD WOOD Collection, the Ed Wood-penned The Only House paperback from our friends at Encyclopocalypse Publications, and our exclusive Ed Wood pin – Severin Hall of Fame #31 – from Pixel Elixer, all for only $47! This bundle is limited to 200 units, so pre-order now!

HARD WOOD Special Features:
Disc 1: "NECROMANIA" A TALE OF WEIRD LOVE! / THE ONLY HOUSE IN TOWN Blu-ray

NECROMANIA
- Softcore Version (51 mins)
- Audio Commentary With Ed Wood Summit Host Greg Javer And Author Paul Apel (Softcore Version Only)

THE ONLY HOUSE IN TOWN
- Audio Commentary With Ed Wood Summit Host Greg Javer And Spicy Goldman Of Capri Show World
- Trailer

Feature Specs for "NECROMANIA" A TALE OF WEIRD LOVE! / THE ONLY HOUSE IN TOWN:
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audio: English Mono
English Subtitles
Region: A/B/C


Disc 2: THE YOUNG MARRIEDS Blu-ray
- Audio Commentary With Ed Wood Summit Host Greg Javer And Porn Archeologist/Collector Dimitri Otis
Softcore Version (59 mins)
- Sex Loops With Subtitles By Ed Wood: 15" Commercial, Devil Cult, Doc's House Call, Girl On A Bike, Notorious Landlady, The Two Faces Of Kim, Virgin Next Door – Part One, Virgin Next Door – Part Two, Western Lust

Feature Specs for THE YOUNG MARRIEDS:
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audio: English Mono
English Subtitles
Region: A/B/C

Disc 3: SHOTGUN WEDDING Blu-ray
- The Incredibly Strange Film Show Season 2, Episode 4: Ed Wood Jr.
Dana Gould And Bobcat Goldthwait Talk Ed Wood's Twilight Era
The Mad Genius Of Ed Wood – Interview With Author Carl Abrahamsson, Author Of Inbetween The Lines – Essays On Occulture, Magic, And Seductive Zombie Strippers
- A Brief Encounter With Ed – Interview With Filmmaker Fred Olen Ray On His Ill-Fated Wood Collaboration, BEACH BLANKET BLOODBATH

Feature Specs for SHOTGUN WEDDING:
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: English Mono
Closed Captions: English SDH
Region: A/B/C


Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Bring The Freakos Home with Delightfully Chaotic Feature "Frankie Freako"-- On Digital Oct 25 and Blu-ray Nov. 5th from Shout! Studios


RAVEN BANNER ENTERTAINMENT, HANGAR 18 MEDIA and SHOUT! STUDIOS presents


"a charming little flick about the inner freakiness hiding inside everyone who's brave enough to look for it." - Christian Zilko, Indiewire

“wildly entertaining”
- Matthew Jackson, Paste

“shows a genuine love and familiarity with the tropes and hallmarks of these films, while not talking down or trying to come off as some kind of ironic, meta deconstruction.” 
- Dan Tabor, Cinapse

From Steven Kostanski, Director of PG: Psycho Goreman


Bring The Freakos Home on Digital and On-Demand October 25th and on Blu-ray November 5th

Are you ready to get Freako? Mischief, puppets and absurdist humor come together in Frankie Freako, a new monster-driven horror comedy by cult-favorite director Steven Kostanski (PG: Psycho Goreman, The Void). Loaded with ‘80s nostalgia, this delightfully chaotic misfit adventure arrives on digital and on-demand this October 25th and is available on Blu-ray November 5th from Shout! Studios. Frankie Freako had its international premiere at the 2024 Fantasia Film Festival and premiered in the U.S. at the 2024 Fantastic Film Fest, where the sold-out screenings enjoyed a positive reception from both critics and fans.

Get ready to party by pre-ordering the Frankie Freako Blu-ray on ShoutFactory.com . Fans can party hardy with even more freako shenanigans with Blu-ray bonus features including audio commentary from writer and director Steven Kostanski, a “Fasten Your Freakbelts” behind the scenes featurette and much more!

After calling a late-night party hotline that promises out-of-this-world fun, uptight yuppie Conor Sweeney must battle the pint-sized forces of evil unleashed through his phone line, led by the maniacal rock n’ roll goblin Frankie Freako.

Frankie Freako Blu-ray Bonus Features: 
- Audio Commentary With Writer/Director Steven Kostanski, Actor Conor Sweeney and Cinematographer Pierce Derks
- “Fasten Your Freakbelts” – Behind The Scenes Of Frankie Freako
- “Conor & Frankie: A Conversation Between Actors”
- Frankie Freako’s Funtime Phone Commercial
- Antique Connoisseurs Segments
- Trailer

Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround & 2.0 Stereo
Not Rated / RT: 85 min

Alfred Hitchcock All-New 4K UHD Limited Edition Collection arrives 11/26


BRING HOME TIMELESS CLASSICS FROM THE ‘MASTER OF SUSPENSE’
IN ALL-NEW LIMITED-EDITION COLLECTION

TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME ON 4K ULTRA HD DISC AND DIGITAL
ALFRED HITCHCOCK: THE 
ICONIC FILM COLLECTION

FEATURING SIX UNFORGETTABLE ALFRED HITCHCOCK FILMS 
AVAILABLE ON NOVEMBER 26, 2024 AND PACKED WITH OVER 15 HOURS OF BONUS FEATURES 

From one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema comes the all-new ALFRED HITCHCOCK: THE ICONIC FILM COLLECTION, releasing on 4K Ultra HD disc and Digital on November 26, 2024 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. This must-own collection consists of some of the most unforgettable and groundbreaking films of all time including Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, Vertigo, North By Northwest, Psycho, and The Birds.

In partnership with Warner Bros. and Paramount Home Entertainment, the collection features the newly released 4K Ultra HD remasters of North by Northwest and To Catch a Thief. It’s the very first time you can own all six films together on 4K Ultra HD disc and includes digital codes of each film. 

The premium book style-packaging consists of rare photos, bios, trivia, and original cover art by renowned artist Tristan Eaton. It features over 15 hours of revealing bonus features including Psycho Uncut (the extended version of the movie originally seen in theaters), audio interviews with Alfred Hitchcock, behind-the-scenes featurettes, rare production photographs, creative storyboards, insightful feature commentaries, and so much more! It is limited-edition item and will be available to purchase at participating retailers including Amazon and GRUV. Starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, Rear Window is Alfred Hitchcock’s voyeuristic masterpiece about a photographer who develops an obsession after thinking he witnessed a neighbor’s murder. To Catch a Thief, courtesy of Paramount Pictures, stars Cary Grant along with Grace Kelly and centers on a reformed jewel thief in the French Riviera. Considered one of Hitchcock’s greatest cinematic achievements, Vertigo stars James Stewart and Kim Novak in a dizzying web of mistaken identity, passion and murder. North by Northwest, courtesy of Warner Bros., stars Cary Grant alongside Eva Marie Saint as a man on the run who is abducted and framed for murder, and it's considered one of Hitchcock’s most visually stunning films. Perhaps regarded as Hitchcock’s most well-known film, Psycho stars Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins as a mild-mannered motel manager who turns out to be not what he seems. Finally, Hitchcock’s one true “monster” movie, The Birds, stars Tippi Hedren as she fights to survive an unexplainable attack by birds in a quiet seaside town.

ALFRED HITCHCOCK FILMS INCLUDE:
- Rear Window
- To Catch A Thief (NEW TO 4K ULTRA HD)
- Vertigo
- North By Northwest (NEW TO 4K ULTRA HD)
- Psycho (including Psycho Uncut) 
- The Birds

BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE:
REAR WINDOW (1954):
- Rear Window Ethics: An Original Documentary
- A Conversation with Screenwriter John Michael Hayes
- Pure Cinema: Through the Eyes of the Master
- Breaking Barriers: The Sound of Hitchcock
- Hitchcock/Truffaut
- Masters of Cinema
- Production Photographs
- Theatrical Trailer
- Re-release Trailer Narrated by James Stewart
- Feature Commentary with John Fawell, Author of Hitchcock's Rear Window: the Well Made Film

TO CATCH A THIEF (1955):
- Filmmaker Focus: Leonard Maltin on To Catch a Thief 
- Behind the Gates: Cary Grant and Grace Kelly (2009)
- Commentary by Dr. Drew Casper, Hitchcock Film Historian, and more! 

VERTIGO (1958): 
- Obsessed with Vertigo: New Life of Hitchcock's Masterpiece
- Partners in Crime: Hitchcock's Collaborators
- Foreign Censorship Ending
- Hitchcock/Truffaut
- Feature Commentary with Film Director William Friedkin
-Theatrical Trailer
- Restoration Theatrical Trailer 
- 100 Years of Universal: The Lew Wasserman Era

NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)
- North by Northwest: Cinematography, Score, and the Art of the Edit
- Destination Hitchcock: The Making of North by Northwest
- The Master’s Touch: Hitchcock’s Signature Style
- North by Northwest: One for the Ages
- A Guided Tour with Alfred Hitchcock
- Commentary by Screenwriter Ernest Lehman

PSYCHO (1960): 
- Psycho Uncut: The extended version of the movie as seen in theaters in 1960 is exactly as intended by Alfred Hitchcock.
- The Making of Psycho
- Psycho Sound
- In The Master's Shadow: Hitchcock's Legacy
- Hitchcock/Truffaut
- Newsreel Footage: The Release of Psycho
- The Shower Scene: With and Without Music
- The Shower Sequence: Storyboards by Saul Bass
- The Psycho Archives
- Posters and Psycho Ads
- Lobby Cards
- Behind-the-Scenes Photographs
-  Production Photographs
- Psycho Theatrical Trailers
- Psycho Re-release Trailers
- Feature Commentary with Stephen Rebello, author of "Alfred Hitchcock and The Making of Psycho"

THE BIRDS (1963):
- The Birds: Hitchcock's Monster Movie
- All About The Birds
- Tippi Hedren's Screen Test
- Deleted Scenes
- The Original Ending
- Hitchcock/Truffaut
- The Birds Is Coming (Universal International Newsreel)
- Suspense Story: National Press Club Hears Hitchcock (Universal International Newsreel)
- Theatrical Trailer
- 100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics
- 100 Years of Universal: The Lot
For more information on ALFRED HITCHCOCK: THE ICONIC FILM COLLECTION, please visit:


REAR WINDOW (1954) FILMMAKERS:
Cast: James Stewart (L.B. 'Jeff' Jeffries), Grace Kelly (Lisa Carol Fremont), Raymond Burr (Lars Thorwald), Wendell 
Corey (Det. Lt. Thomas J. Doyle), Thelma Ritter (Stella) 
Director: Alfred Hitchcock 
Producer: Alfred Hitchcock
Screenplay: John Michael Hayes 
Based on the Work(s) of: Cornell Woolrich
Director of Photography: Robert Burks

TO CATCH A THIEF (1955) FILMMAKERS:
Cast: Cary Grant (John Robie), Grace Kelly (Frances Stevens), Jessie Royce Landis (Jessie Stevens)
Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock
Screenplay By: John Michael Hayes
Based on the Novel By: David Dodge
VERTIGO (1958) FILMMAKERS:
Cast: James Stewart (Det. John 'Scottie' Ferguson), Kim Novak (Madeleine Elster / Judy Barton), Barbara Bel 
Geddes (Marjorie 'Midge' Wood), Tom Helmore (Gavin Elster) 
Director: Alfred Hitchcock 
Producer: Alfred Hitchcock 
Screenplay: Alec Coppel, Samuel Taylor 
Music: Bernard Herrmann 
Based on the Work(s) of: Pierre Boileau, Thomas Narcejac 
Art Direction: Hal Pereira, Henry Bumstead, Sam Comer, Frank McKelvy

NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959) FILMMAKERS:
Cast: Cary Grant (Roger O. Thornhill), Eva Marie Saint (Eve Kendall), James Mason (Phillip Vandamn), Jessie 
Royce Landis (Clara Thornhill)
Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock
Written By: Ernest Lehman
PSYCHO (1960) FILMMAKERS:
Cast: Anthony Perkins (Norman Bates), Janet Leigh (Marion Crane), Vera Miles (Lila Crane), John Gavin (Sam Loomis), Martin Balsam (Milton Arbogast), John McIntire (Dep. Sheriff Al Chambers) 
Director: Alfred Hitchcock 
Producer: Alfred Hitchcock 
Screenplay: Joseph Stefano 
Music: Bernard Herrmann 
Based on the Work(s) of: Robert Bloch 
Director of Photography: John L. Russell 
Art Direction: Joseph Hurley, Robert Clatworthy, George Milo

THE BIRDS (1963) FILMMAKERS:
Cast: Tippi Hedren (Melanie Daniels), Rod Taylor (Mitch Brenner), Jessica Tandy (Lydia Brenner), Suzanne Pleshette (Annie Hayworth), Veronica Cartwright (Cathy Brenner), Malcolm Atterbury (Deputy Al Malone) 
Director: Alfred Hitchcock 
Producer: Alfred Hitchcock 
Screenplay: Evan Hunter 
Visual Effects: Ub Iwerks

TECHNICAL INFORMATION: 
REAR WINDOW (1954):
Layers: BD 100
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 1.66:1 Widescreen
Rating: PG 
Subtitles: English SDH, French Canadian, and Latin Spanish
o Languages/Sound: English (DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0), French European (DTS Digital Surround 
2.0 Mono), Latin Spanish (DTS Digital Surround 2.0 Mono)
Run Time: 01:55:00

TO CATCH A THIEF (1955)
Layers: BD 66
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 1.85:1 Widescreen
Rating: PG 
Subtitles: English SDH, English, and French 
Languages/Sound: English (Dolby TrueHD 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) 
Run Time: 01:46:00

VERTIGO (1958): 
Layers: BD 100
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 1.85:1 Widescreen
Rating: PG 
Subtitles: English SDH, French Canadian, and Latin Spanish 
Languages/Sound: English (DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0), English (DTS: X Master Audio), French 
European (DTS Digital Surround 2.0 Mono), Latin Spanish (DTS Digital Surround 2.0 Mono)
Run Time: 02:09:00

NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959): 
Layers: BD 66
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 1.78:1 Widescreen
Rating: Not Rated
Subtitles: English SDH, Parisian French, and Latin Spanish
Languages/Sound: English (Dolby Atmos TrueHD), English (2.0 DTS-HDMA), Parisian French, 
Latin Spanish
Run Time: 02:16:00

PSYCHO (1960): 
Layers: BD 100
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 1.85:1 Widescreen
Rating: R
Subtitles: English SDH, French Canadian, and Latin Spanish
Languages/Sound: English (DTS:X Master Audio), English (DTS Digital Surround 2.0 Mono), 
French Canadian (DTS Digital Surround 2.0 Mono), Latin Spanish (DTS Digital Surround 2.0 
Mono)
Run Time: 01:49:00

THE BIRDS (1963):
Layers: BD 100
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 1.85:1 Widescreen
Rating: PG-13
Subtitles: English SDH, Brazilian Portuguese, French Canadian, Japanese and Latin Spanish
Languages/Sound: English (DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0), Brazilian Portuguese (DTS Digital 
Surround 2.0 Mono), French European (DTS Digital Surround 2.0 Mono), Japanese (DTS Digital 
Surround 2.0 Mono), Latin Spanish (DTS Digital Surround 2.0 Mono)
Run Time: 02:00:00

Monday, October 14, 2024

LAND OF THE DEAD (2005) (Scream Factory 4K UHD/BD Collector’s Edition Review) 

LAND OF THE DEAD (2005)
3-Disc 4K UHD/BD Collector’s Edition

Label: Scream Factory
Region Code: Region-Free (UHD), A (BD) 
Rating: Unrated 
Duration: 95 Minutes 57 Seconds (Unrated) 
Audo: English Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo, DTS HD-MA 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles 
Video: Dolby Vision HDR10 1080p HD Widescreen (2.39:1) 
Director: George A. Romero 
Cast: Simon Baker, Dennis Hopper, Asia Argento, Robert Joy, John Leguizamo

After decades away from the undead sub-genre he helped modernized with Night of the Living Dead George Romero’s (Dawn of the Dead) returned with his fourth entry in his iconic zombie franchise, Land of the Dead (2005), arriving a full 20 years after Day of the Dead (1985). I remember in the lead up to catching a sneak peak screening of this how excited I was for Romero to be returning to his ...of the Dead franchise. It seemed that after years of dormancy, the undead sub-genre was re-animated once more after the box office  success of Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later (2002) and Zach Snyder's remake of Romero's Dawn of the Dead remake, though AMC's adaptation of the zombie comic The Walking Dead was still five years away zombies were back in pop culture and Romero finally was able to finance a new undead flick through Universal, working with his largest budget yet at 19 million dollars. 

It's been a few rough years since the initial outbreak of undead, America is a wasteland dotted by small outcroppings of protected areas, and once such place is Fiddler's Green, a luxury high-rise apartment located on a small plot of land in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a peninsula bordered on two sides by a river which offers a naturally protected area, where a guy named Kaufman (Dennis Hopper, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2) has established a community, where the wealthy can pay a premium to love in a luxury apartment, while the poor who are left to scavenge for themselves within the protracted area outside the high-rise, it's not a lot different from some Mad Mad type apocalypse scenarios. 

Kaufman has a small army of hired mercenaries comprised of lower class folks that venture into the wasteland to procure supplies, using a heavily-armored personnel vehicle dubbed 'Dead Reckoning' to lay waste to the undead hordes the living call "stenches" outside the protective barriers.  The ragtag group of soldiers is lead by Riley (Simon Baker, Red Planet), but we get from the start of the film that he's about to retire his position commanding Dead Reckoning, and move on, having saved up enough money to buy a working vehicle to leave Fiddler's Green and look for some desolate place in the wasteland up north in Canada to live out his days alone, sort of, he also plans on taking his somewhat slow witted pal Charlie (Robert Joy, The Dark Half), whose face is badly burned, and while he ain't much to look at he is a hell of crack shot with a gun, which comes in handy. When Riley moves on the plan is to hand over the reigns of Dead Reckoning to Cholo (John Leguizamo, Spawn).

Things don't quite go as planned, Riley's vehicle comes up missing, and Cholo turns against Kaufman when he is denied a place at the luxury apartments, having been deemed too unsavory and low-class for the high-life, he ends up stealing Dead Reckoning and threatens to blow-up Fiddler's Green unless he gets a sizable ransom. Kaufman, refusing to deal with a terrorist, recruits Riley to lead a team comprised of his trusty sidekick Charlie and a prostitute named Slack (Asia Argento, The Stendhal Syndrome), whom he saved from a zombie cage-match earlier, as well as three hired mercs in Kaufman's employ, Manolete (Sasha Roiz, The Day After Tomorrow), Motown (Krista Bridges, Heroes Reborn), and Pillsbury (Pedro Miguel Arce, Step Brothers), to recover Dead Reckoning in exchange for a new set of wheels. 

All parties however are unaware of a larger looming threat moving into the area, a horde of undead are massing and headed towards Fiddler's Green, lead by 'Big Daddy' (Eugene Clark, Knight Rider 2000), a zombie who along with other undead in his horde, have started to show signs of emerging intelligence, the sort of stuff hinted at by 'Bub' in Day of the Dead, now capable of handling bladed weapons and firing machine guns, and staging a somewhat thought out  

When I saw this at the theater during a sneak preview I was bowled over by it, I was primed for it, I had re-watched the original trilogy and went in hot, and I loved it, I still quite enjoy it, and I re-watch it every couple of years. It's not quite held up to the standard set by the previous three films, but that's a tall order, even for Romero himself. When I think about what it is that puts me off it somewhat it really boils down to the reliance on digital CGI gore and effects, and the lack of character development. We don't spend enough time with the main characters to get to know them, we get archetypes, and that sort of cinematic shorthand works well enough to establish the bullet points of the characters, but not enough to get under their skin and in their minds, it's very shallow in that way. Also, while there's a lot of practical effects on display it lacks the visceral gut-ripping intensity of Dawn or Day, and the CGI stuff sticks out like a sore thumb. I grew up seeing Romero's undead hordes tear people apart, using old school practical effects, and the digital grue just doesn't satisfy the way old school rubber and latex with tubes spurting blood, it just doesn't. 

That's not to say I don't enjoy it, I do, seeing Romero do his thing back in 2005 got this horror-fans blood pumping, and like I said, I re-watch every couple of years, its plenty entertaining, it has lot of that patented Romero cynicism and social commentary, it's just a bit shallower and not as grisly, but it's still a solid undead flick from Romero. 

Audio/Video: George A. Romero's Land of the Dead (2005) gets the 4K UHD treatment from Scream Factory, offering a 3-disc release that presents the uncut version on 4K UHD, with separate discs for both the theatrical cut and uncut version on Blu-ray. Both versions are framed in 2.39:1 widescreen, with the Uncut version presented in 2160p Ultra HD with the added benefit of the Dolby Vision HDR10 color space with a brand new 2024 4K restoration from the original camera negative, while the Blu-rays also sport a new 4K scan down sampled to 1080p minus the WCG color-grade. The image looks terrific, grain is fine and well-managed, the source is immaculate, and the 4K resolution offers a pleasing uptick in delineation of fine detail textures, and zombie make-ups. The color-grade is mostly restrained, but primaries to occasionally appear deeper and more saturated. This is a very dark movie, most of it taking place in darkness, so the biggest benefit to my eyes is the deeper more nuanced black levels with superior shadow detail. All in all a solid 4K upgrade of Romero's fourth Dead flick. 

On the audio front we get English Dolby Atmos (TrueHD 7.1), and DTS-HD MA 2.0 stereo and 5.1 surround on the 4K UHD, and only the DTS 2.0 and 5.1 on the Blu-rays, all with optional English subtitles. The Atmos track is terrific, the sounds of the undead hordes moaning, snaps of gunfire, explosions, the boom of "sky flowers", the sounds of humans screaming, and the industrial sound of the Dead Reckoning vehicle rolling along are delivered with some nice depth, and with plenty of active surround activity. It's got a nice sound design to it and the Atmos enhances that. The DTS tracks are also clean and robust. 

This 3-disc release is well-stocked with extras, though they all seem to be carry-overs from the 2017 Collector's Edition also from Scream Factory as listed below, all of the non-commentary extras appear on the Blu-rays discs. 

The 3-disc UHD/BD set arrives in a standard 4K keepcase with a flipper tray housing the discs, with a single-sided sleeve of artwork featuring the theatrical poster artwork, housed inside a slipcover with the same artwork. 

Special Features: 
Disc One (4K UHD, Unrated Version)
- NEW 2024 4K Restoration from The Original Camera Negative
- Presented In Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos
- Audio Commentary with Writer/Director George A. Romero, Producer Peter Grunwald, And Editor Michael Doherty
- Audio Commentary with Zombie Performers Matt Blazi, Glena Chao, Michael Felsher, And Rob Mayr
Disc Two (Blu-ray, Unrated Version)
- NEW 2024 4K Restoration from The Original Camera Negative
- Audio Commentary with Writer/Director George A. Romero, Producer Peter Grunwald, and Editor Michael Doherty
- Audio Commentary with Zombie Performers Matt Blazi, Glena Chao, Michael Felsher, and Rob Mayr
- Undead Again: The Making of Land of The Dead (12:56) 
- Bringing The Dead to Life (9:31) 
- Scenes Of Carnage (1:42) 
- Zombie Effects: From Green Screen to Finished Scene (3:18) 
- Scream Test – CGI Test (1:05) 
- Bringing The Storyboards to Life (7:54) 
- A Day with The Living Dead Hosted by John Leguizamo (7:34) 
- When Shaun Met George – Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright Visit the Set (12:50)  
Disc Three (Blu-ray, Theatrical Version)
- NEW 2024 4K Restoration from The Original Camera Negative
- Cholo’s Reckoning - An Interview with Actor John Leguizamo (15:37) 
- Charlie’s Story – An Interview with Actor Robert Joy (15:09)
- The Pillsbury Factor – An Interview with Actor Pedro Miguel Arce (17:30) 
- Four Of the Apocalypse – An Interview with Actors Eugene Clark, Jennifer Baxter, Boyd Banks, And Jasmin Geljo (18:49) 
- Dream Of the Dead: The Director’s Cut with Optional Commentary by Director Roy Frumkes (24:40) 
- Deleted Footage from Dream of The Dead (18:40)  
- Deleted Scenes (2:56) 
- Photo Gallery (9:12) 
- Theatrical Trailer (1:45) 

Land of the Dead comes in dead-last when put up against the other three films in Romero's Dead Quadrilogy, but last place among those classics isn't all that bad. It's an entertaining Romero flick, it's better than what came after with the found-footage Diary of the Dead and the Hatfield & McCoy's feuding of Survival of the Dead, in my opinion, your opinion might differ, and that's fine. Regardless of your opinion on the film I think this release from Scream Factory is pretty dang definitive, offering gorgeous new scans of the both versions of the film, plus a wealth of archival extras.

Buy It!
#ad