SWEDISH BOARDING SCHOOL GIRLS (1979) (Full Moon Blu-ray Review)

SWEDISH BOARDING SCHOOL GIRLS (1979) 

aka Six Swedish Girls in a Boarding School

aka Sechs Schwedinnen im Pensionat

aka Untamed Sex 

 aka 6 Swedes on Campus 

Label: Full Moon Features

Region Code: Region-Free 

Rating: Unrated 

Duration: 90 Minutes 48 Seconds 

Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0 (No Subtitles)

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1) 

Director: Erwin C. Dietrich

Cast: Brigitte Lahaie, France Lomay, Nadine Pascal, Danie Troger, Kathleen Kane, Elsa Maroussia, Anne Libert, Erik Falk

Swedish Boarding School Girls (1979) comes to us from director Erwin C. Dietrich (The Young Seducers), it's a kinky bit of school-girl naughtiness set at the titular all-girl school where free-spirited lass, Inga (Nadine Pascal, The Sadist of Notre Dame), Greta (Brigitte Lahaie, Two Orphan Vampires), Kerstin (France Lomay, Caged Women), Lil (Danille Troger), Astrid (Kathleen Kane, Shock 'Em Dead) and Selma (Elsa Maroussia, High Test Girls) are making the most out of their school year, involved in myriad ribald adventures under the tutelage of lusty teacher Fräulein Klein (Anne Libert, Dracula, Prisoner of Frankenstein).

They lust after their gym teacher Martin (Mike Montana, Secrets of a French Maid), get one over on a dirty peeper (Roman Huber, Jack the Ripper), and sex up the local fellas by way of fisherman Karl (Erik Falk, Mad Foxes) and a beefy woodsman (Edgar Del Ponte). This kinky slice of sexploitation is super breezy and fun, the girls playing pranks on different characters, and even loving each other up occasionally; so you know it's loaded-up with plenty of nudity and sex, but never straying into the realm of real hardcore, which keeps things nice and cheeky. Dietrich's flicks always looked pretty solid and this one has some nice cinematography that  accentuates the playful, the nude girls look terrific, scenery is pleasing it looks like they had a hoot making this one. I also loved the secret surprise that Kerstin is working on in her workshop, a specialty bike with a custom-seat that is sure to sends the girls into a fit! 

The story is more a series vignettes as the girl explore their sexuality and get it on with each other and local guys, and that's about it, and that's all we need.  If you like erotic cinema but are looking for something that's more of a playful softcore-comedy than anything resembling hardcore porn with six stunning women, more often nude than not, just having a sexy good time in the countryside, sounds like a wonderful slice of lighthearted smut, no? 

Audio/Video: Swedish Boarding School Girls arrives on Blu-ray from Full Moon for the first time in North America, in a totally uncut and sourced from Irwin C. Dietrich's own  35mm negative, presented in 1080p HD framed in 1.85:1 widescreen. The source is in solid shape and grain is mostly well-managed, with good color saturation and contrast. Audio comes by way of lossy English 2.0 Dolby Digital, there are no subtitle options. The track is clean and well-balanced, dialogue sounds fine and music cues and dialogue fare well. 

The only extras is a Trailer for the film, the single-disc release arrives in a standard keepcase with a single-sided sleeve of artwork, plus we get a Slipcover with inquire artwork. Interestingly the wrap and slip declare this release to be part of  The Brigitte Lahaie Collection, and I do hope Full Moon continue with more of this series as this is the first and only one that I am aware of from them. 

Special Features: 

- Original Swedish Boarding School Girls Trailer (1:06) 

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Larry Fessenden's BLACKOUT Coming to Blu-ray from Dark Sky Selects

LARRY FESSENDEN PRESENTS

BLACKOUT

Limited Edition Blu-ray Disc

AVAILABLE ON SEPTEMBER 24TH

Dark Sky Selects is proud to announce the Blu-ray Disc release of BLACKOUT, the Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh film from independent horror master Larry Fessenden. With only 1,000 available as a site exclusive on DarkSkySelects.com, the Blu-ray Disc features commentary with Larry, a 76-minute behind-the-scenes featurette and more. The thriller centers around a fine arts painter convinced that he is a werewolf wreaking havoc on a small American town. BLACKOUT marks the reunion of Dark Sky Films and Glass Eye Pix, two iconic companies that have brought fans some of the greatest genre films of our time.

Dark Sky Selects is proud to present BLACKOUT from horror auteur Larry Fessenden to Blu-ray Disc featuring a Limited Edition O-Card with exclusive artwork and 12-page booklet with introduction by Fangoria's Phil Nobile Jr.

Writer-director Larry Fessenden has created some of the most original and memorable independent horror films of the last 25 years, from Habit and Wendigo to The Last Winter, Skin and Bones, Beneath and Depraved. His latest, BLACKOUT, ranks among his most chilling and thought-provoking works with a cast that includes: Alex Hurt, Addison Timlin, Motell Gyn Foster, Joseph Castillo-Midyett, Ella Rae Peck, Rigo Garay, John Speredakos, Michael Buscemi, Jeremy Holm, Joe Swanberg, James Le Gros, Kevin Corrigan, Marshall Bell and Barbara Crampton.

Earning rave reviews on the festival circuit, BLACKOUT marks the long-awaited reunion of Dark Sky Films and Larry Fessenden's Glass Eye Pix, two iconic horror companies that brought us contemporary classics such as Ti West's The House of The Devil and The Innkeepers, Jim Mickle’s Stake Land and Adrian Garcia Bogliano's Late Phases.

The collectible BLACKOUT Blu-ray Disc will also include:
- Commentary with Writer/Director/Editor/Producer Larry Fessenden
- BLACKOUT Behind the Scenes (76 minutes)
- Larry Fessenden's Monsterverse
- Monster Mash Photoshoot Timelapse by Beck Underwood
- BLACKOUT Audio Drama
- Teaser Trailer

BLACKOUT is the second of many iconic Dark Sky titles that will be available this year. Additional limited-edition releases of fan favorite films and merch will be announced throughout the year, which will only be available direct to consumer at DarkSkySelects.com.

ABOUT DARK SKY SELECTS
Dark Sky Selects is committed to delivering a meticulously curated selection of high-quality, limited edition film releases and exclusive merchandise to the collector's market. As an extension of MPI Media Group and Dark Sky Films, Dark Sky Selects hails from nearly five decades of experience in genre films, as a specialty label dedicated to preserving the legacy of iconic titles like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, and modern classics like The House of the Devil. Our mission is to provide premium, collector-focused products that honor our cinematic heritage and ensure its preservation for future generations.

On October 29th DRAG ME TO HELL COLLECTOR’S EDITION 4K UHD arrives from Scream Factory

DRAG ME TO HELL COLLECTOR’S EDITION 4K UHD

AVAILABLE WITH NEW BONUS FEATURES OCTOBER 29TH FROM SCREAM FACTORY

On October 29th, bring home dark spirits with the release of Drag Me to Hell Collector’s Edition 4K UHD from Scream Factory. Directed by the acclaimed horror master Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead Trilogy, Darkman) and starring Alison Lohman and Justin Long, this terrifying film is showcased with a new scan from the original camera negative and looks better than ever.

As life seems too good to be true for Christine Brown (Alison Lohman), she makes a tough decision at work that leaves an elderly lady without a home and Christine with an evil curse. Now she has only three days to dissuade a dark spirit from stealing her soul before she is dragged to hell for an eternity of unthinkable torment.

Housed in a spectacular 3-Disc set, Drag Me to Hell Collector’s Edition 4K UHD includes a variety of bonus features, including extensive behind-the-scenes documentary featuring NEW and archival interviews with cast and crew members, production video diaries with director Sam Raimi and actors Alison Lohman and Justin Long, and more. Fans can per-order their copies now by visiting ShoutStudios.com.

Also available, exclusively on Shoutfactory.com, is a Drag Me To Hell [Collector's Edition] release that includes 2 exclusive posters and an exclusive slipcover featuring never-before-seen art by the late Famous Monsters of Filmland artist, Basil Gogos!

DISC ONE (4K UHD) - Unrated And Theatrical Version
· NEW! 4K Scan From The Original DI Film Negative Approved By Director Sam Raimi And Editor Bob Murawski
· Presented In Dolby Vision

DISC TWO (Blu-ray) - Unrated Version
· NEW! 4K Scan From The Original DI Film Negative Approved By Director Sam Raimi And Editor Bob Murawski
· NEW! "Pardon My Curse: Making Drag Me To Hell" -- Extensive Behind-The-Scenes Documentary Featuring New And Archival Interviews With Co-Writer/Producer Ivan Raimi, Actors Alison Lohman, Dileep Rao And Lorna Raver, Director Of Photography Peter Deming, Production Designer Steve Saklad, Artist Christian Cordella, Make-Up Effects Designer Greg Nicotero, Editor Bob Murawski, Composer Christopher Young, And More!

DISC THREE (Blu-ray) - Theatrical Version
· NEW! 4K Scan From The Original DI Film Negative Approved By Director Sam Raimi And Editor Bob Murawski
· “To Hell And Back” - Interview With Actress Alison Lohman
· “Curses” - Interview With Actress Lorna Raver
· “Hitting All The Right Notes” - Interview With Composer Christopher Young
· Production Video Diaries Featuring Behind-The-Scenes Footage And Interviews With Sam Raimi, Actors Alison Lohman And Justin Long, And More
· Vintage Interviews
· Theatrical Trailer
· TV Spots
· Image Gallery

THE PEOPLE'S JOKER (2022) (Altered Innocence Blu-ray Review)

THE PEOPLE'S JOKER (2022) 

Label: Altered Innocence

Region Code: Region-Free 

Rating: Unrated 

Duration: 92 Minutes 28 Seconds 

Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2:39:1) 

Director: Vera Drew 

Cast: Vera Drew, Lynn Downey, Kane Distler, Nathan Faustyn, David Liebe Hart, Phil Braun, Griffin Kramer, Christian Calloway

Vera Drew's The People's Joker (2022) is a DIY queer coming-of-age story that filter's her own personal journey as a transwoman filtered through an edgy parody of DC comics, utilizing live-action on greenscreen, action-figures, and both traditional 2D and digital animation. Vera Drew plays Joker the Harlequin a closeted transgirl who grows up in Smallville, with her disapproving Mother (Lynn Downey), who unable to cope with her daughter's transition sends her to Arkham Asylum to see Dr. Crane (Christian Calloway) who prescribes her the anti-depressant inhalant Smilex. Later she moves to Gotham where she auditions for the UCB Live sketch-comedy show, but is rejected by show creator Lorne Michaels (Maria Banmford), she then starts an anti-comedy club with fellow comedian The Penguin (Nathan Faustyn), a safe space to celebrate bad-comedy. There she meets toxic love-interest Mr. J (Kane Distler) aka Jason Todd, a transman, who turns out to be toxic, and has his own twisted story after having been groomed by the pedopgile caped crusader Batman (Phil Braun). 

You can also look forward to seeing versions interesting takes on Poison Ivy, Ra's al Ghul, Mr. Mxyzptlk, Mr. Freeze, The Riddler, and the film pulling elements of The Dark Knight Returns as well as various DC film properties and films, and we even get The Daily Planet's editor-in-chief Perry White re-imagined as an vile Alex Jones-esque commentator. 

This artful bit of experimentation is quite unlike anything I have ever seen, the DC-ified version of director Vera Drew's own story is a a wild and wonderful watch, feeling handmade at every turn, made by a community of trans and queer artists, and I love the fair use aspect of the Batman/DC properties being subverted to convey a personal coming-of-age story that is not only visually aces but deeply personal and engaging. For all it's wild visual style and subversive use of IP this still had a heart to it, a deeply personal story of a transwoman's coming-of-age, but filtered through the colorful and weird world of DC characters, it pretty genius, and more emotionally impactful than most superhero flicks of the modern age.

Audio/Video: The People's Joker (2022) arrives on Blu-ray from Altered Innocence in 1080p HD framed in 2.39:1 widescreen.  The artful images are vibrant and look terrific, brought to life with greenscreen and 2D and digital animation, the abundance of comic book inspired colors impresses throughout. Audio comes by way of English DTS-HD MA 5.1 with optional English subtitles. The track is clean and well-balanced, music and dialogue is well-balanced. 

Extras include an Audio Commentary Track with Director Vera Drew; a second Audio Commentary Track with Director Vera Drew and Actor Nathan Faustyn; and a third Audio Commentary Track with Assorted Cast & Crew. We also get the 47-min A Discussion with Director Vera Drew and 'Corpses, Fools, and Monsters' authors Willow Catelyn Maclay and Caden Mark Gardner; 1 5-min Behind-the-Scenes Gallery; a 10-min Anatomy of a Scene Featurette; the 26-min Queesbo TV with Suicide Cop Pilot & Serve the Date; plus the 2-min Original Theatrical Trailer and a selection of Altered Innocence Trailers. 

The single-disc release arrives in a clear keepcase with a 2-sided, non reversible sleeve of artwork. Inside there's a 24-Page Comic Zine with an essay by director Vera Drew. 

Special Features: 

- 24-page Comic 'Zine

- Audio Commentary Track with Director Vera Drew

- Audio Commentary Track with Director Vera Drew and Actor Nathan Faustyn

- Audio Commentary Track with Assorted Cast & Crew

- A Discussion with Director Vera Drew and 'Corpses, Fools, and Monsters' authors Willow Catelyn Maclay and Caden Mark Gardner (46:57) 

- Behind-the-Scenes Gallery (4:45) 

- Anatomy of a Scene Featurette (10:43) 

- Queesbo: Suicide Cop Pilot (29:59) & Serve the Date (5:30) 

- Original Theatrical Trailer (1:34) 

- Altered Innocence Trailers: The Wild Boys, She is Conann, A Dim Valley, Dressed In Blue 

Screenshots from the Altered Innocence Blu-ray: 

Buy it!

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RICHARD PRYOR: LIVE ON THE SUNSET STRIP (1982) (SPHE 4K UHD Review)

RICHARD PRYOR: LIVE ON THE SUNSET STRIP (1982)

4K Ultra HD + Digital 

Label: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment 
Region Code: Region-Free 

Rating: R

Duration: 81 Minutes 13 Seconds 

Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Dual-Mono with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: 2160p Ultra HD Widescreen (1.85:1)  

Director: Joe Layton 

Cast: Richard Pryor

Wow, I was pretty shocked when this was announced for 4K UHD release from Sony, Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip recorded live in West Hollywood in 1981. While there might be a couple of modern day comedy specials on 4K UHD that I am not aware, I know for certain that this is the first vintage stand-up comedy classic shot on film to get a the 4K treatment. This was not exactly Pryor at the top of his game, it was a bit of comeback after a career dip following him setting himself on fire while freebasing cocaine. He's not immediately the cocksure king of comedy from earlier comedy album and specials, he's older, more introspective, and vulnerable, and while he starts off slow by the end of the show he has the audience in the palm of his hand, a master storyteller able to to take moments from his own life and craft them into hilarious tales that are often poignant. This time out Pryor speaks about his life-changing trip to Africa and how that made him never want to use the n-word again, the importance of fucking, navigating married life, and a particularly fun story about an encounter with Italian mobsters when he was 19 years old, offering his spot-on Italian gangster impersonation in the process, even taking a request from the audience to resurrect his wino-philosopher character "Mudbone", and absolutely killing it. Pryor was and still is one of the titans of stand-up comedy, this concert film is testament to his mastery of comedic truths, 

Audio/Video: Richard Pryor - Live on the Sunset Strip (1982) arrives on 4K Ultra HD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment in 2160 Ultra HD with Dolby Vision, scanned in HD from the original camera negative, framed in 1.85:1 widescreen. It looks terrific, grain looks natural throughout, it's blemish free, and colors look wonderful. The red of Pryor's matching slacks and jacket, his gold shoes, the plum color of the curtain behind him, it all looks quite wonderful and nicely suffused. The 4K resolution showing detail and textures never before noticeable on VHS or DVD, revealing the nooks and crannies of his skin pores and hair. The shots when the camera pans the  audience to capture them responding to his comedy also look great, lots of attractive people in the crowd that night! Audio comes by way of English DTS-HD MA 2.0 dual-mono with optional English subtitles, not surprisingly no Atmos upgrade but the uncompressed DTS track is absolutely rock solid.

The only disc-extra is the 2-min Theatrical Trailer for the film. The single-disc release arrives in a black keepcase with a single-sided sleeve of artwork, plus a Slipcover with the same artwork and a redemption code for a Digital Copy of the film

Special Features: 

- Theatrical Trailer

- Slipcover 

- Digital Copy 

Live on the Sunset Strip is not my favorite of Pryor's stand-up performances, that would be Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979), and I don't know if that was shot on film or video, but if it was shot on film I hope it's also gets a 4K upgrade at some point. Sop, while not my favorite Pryor, Live on the Sunset Strip is still a masterful stand-up performance from one of the true masters of the form, and to have it preserved on 4K UHD is not something I thought we would ever see. Now that  we have it I would also love to see Eddie Murphy's Delirious (1983) and Raw (1987) get the 4K bump, make it happen somebody. 

Buy it: 

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Moviezyng - use code: MOVIEDEAL at checkout to get 5% off your entire order! 

Physical Media Land - use code: MOVIEDEAL at checkout to get 5% off your entire order! 

THE WALKING DEAD: THE ONES WHO LIVE (2024) (Acorn Media International Blu-ray Review)

THE WALKING DEAD: 

THE ONES WHO LIVE (2024) 

Label: Acorn Media International 

Region Code: Region-Free 

Rating: Cert. 15 

Duration: 360 Minutes 

Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles  

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.00:1) 

Directors: Bert & Bertie, Michael Slovis, Michael E. Satrazemis

Cast: Andrew Lincoln, Danai Gurira, Pollyanna McIntosh, Terry O'Quinn, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Craig Tate 

Oh boy, being a fan of The Walking Dead (2010-2022)has at times been a struggle, the main series lost focus and characters we love as the years went on, but I dutifully watched it right up until the end, but we were left with the question of what happened to Rick and Michonne? I even watched Fear the Walking Dead (2015-2023), which I actually thought got better as the series went on before petering out, but it never recaptured the excitement that I had for TWD seasons 1-3. When both of those shows came to and end we were given The Walking Dead: World Beyond (2020-2021), an attempt at cracking the YA zombie pop-culture code, which was only alright despite having some decent world-building; and even still after that we got the spin-off mini-series The Walking Dead: Dead City (2023) following the continuing adventures of Negan and Maggie in NYC, and The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (2023) which followed the exploits of the show's ever-popular character Daryl in France. Oops, there are so many I almost forgot the anthology series Tales of the Walking Dead (2022) which I did enjoy the episodic nature of, because trying to keep up with the timelines and story arcs is a chore and half, figuring out where all the series may or may not interconnect and all, so I quite liked the one-episode story arcs of these six episodes. 

That brings us current to the latest, and arguably greatest of the post TWD spin-offs, the six-episode The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, which brings back series favorites Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln, Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities) and the sword slinging badass Michonne (Danai Gurira, Black Panther), a series that tracks their long-awaited reunion after many years apart. The show picks-up five years after being taken by the Civic Republic Military, we discover that Rick had been desperately been trying to escape to find his love, and failed repeatedly, even losing his hand in during his last attempt, and outfitted with a metal hand that's interchangeable with a deadly-spike! After that he sort of lost hope and joined the ranks of the CRM, unaware that his lost-love Michonne, has for years been travelling the apocalyptic zombie wastelands to be reunited with her soulmate, even leaving their daughter and son behind to do so.

Reunited after Michonne and new friends launch homemade rockets at a CRM helicopter in response to the mustard gas death of other friends, she is surprised to find Rick among the survivors of the attack. Rick takes her back tot he CRM with a cover-story, realizing that if it's discovered who she is in relation to him she would be killed by the powers that be. The powers that here include the commander of Civic Republic Military Major General Johnathan Beale (Terry O'Quinn, The Stepfather) and a familiar face to TWD fans, Anne aka Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh, The Woman) a warrant officer in the CRM. Leadership also comes by way of Lieutenant Colonel Donald Okafor (Craig Tate, 12 Years a Slave), a senior officer in the Civic Republic Military who recruited both Rick Pear Thorne (Lesley-Ann Brandt, Spartacus: Blood and Sand), Rick's friend who becomes integral to the story as well. 

The story arc here is basically Rick and Michonne reunited, but Rick has sort of lost himself along the way while being promoted through the ranks of the CRM, and her trying to remind him of what he left behind and who he both was and still is, while he tries to fight it, and to protect her and their loved ones, while also trying to reform the CRM who are a rather fascist organization when you get down to it. 

I loved the expanded world we get with this mini-series, you can tell they pumped some serious money into the production, lots of zombie hordes, ruined cityscapes, explosions, exploding helicopters, and it just looks polished and well-made. We get all the zombie-gore you would expect from TWD, and the benefit of some nice world building that fleshes out the larger picture, the sort of stuff that was only hinted at  previously is all right here on the screen. Of all the spin-offs so far this was easily my favorite, no doubt because I live the characters of Rick and Michonne, and seeing them reunited and teamed-up, even if fractured, brought a big ol' smile to my face.  

I also enjoyed the story structure of the mini-series, one episode following Rick, another telling the saga of what happened to Michonne while looking for Rick, surviving a mustard gas attack from the CRM but losing friends along the way, and we even get these flashbacks to annual secret reunions between Jadis and Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam, Starship Troopers) that flesh and her character quite nicely. 

Audio/Video: The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (2023) arrives on 2-disc Blu-ray from Acorn Media International in 100p HD framed in 2.00:1 widescreen, with three episodes per disc. The digital shot series looks stellar with nicely suffuse colors, deep blacks and crisp detail and textures throughout. Audio comes by way of English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround with optional English subtitles. Like most of TWD series it's got great sound design and that shows through here, dialogue and undead groans are rendered precisely, the acoustic environments sound appropriate, and moments of carnage and action are nicely aggressive.   

Extras include a 2-min The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Preview, and a pretty terrific making of doc by way f the 42-min Show Me More: The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live with loads of behind-the-scene and making of footage, as well as interviews with the cast and producers. The 2-disc release arrives in a keep case with a flipper tray, with a single-sided sleeve of artwork. 

Special Features:
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Preview (2:04) 
- Show Me More: The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (42:24) 

Screenshots from the Acorn Media Blu-ray: 

Extras: