Tuesday 30 September 2014

Have you got your tickets for "Grimmfest" yet?


"Grimmfest", Manchester. 4 nights of films across 2 venues. The Odeon Cinema at the Printworks and The Gorilla and Dancehouse. 2-5 October.
 
Screenings include Dario Argentos cut of "Dawn of the Dead", "The Herd", "Let us Prey", "Zombeavers", "Open Grave" "Wolfcop", "Dead Snow 2" and many more.
 
Special guests to include Claudio Simonetti's Goblins. Liam Cunningham (Dog Soldiers), Hannah Stanbridge (Let us prey), Charlotte Hunter and Sarah Jane Honeywell (The Herd), Steve Oram (Sightseers, Worlds End) and others.
 
For the full schedule and info on how to obtain tickets, visit the Grimmfest website

"Shivers" comes to special edition UK DVD and BD from Arrow

Arrow Video is thrilled to announce the release of David Cronenberg’s debut 1975 feature Shivers, one of the most controversial and ground-breaking horror films ever to escape from the wilds of Canada.
 
The film follows the chilling story of a modern apartment complex overrun by a sexually transmitted parasite that insidiously spreads throughout the building’s population, turning the tenants into sex-obsessed zombie-like killers.
 
Starliner Island is an idyllic community. Cut off from the rest of the world, the luxury apartment block affords its occupants the chance to escape from the hustle and bustle of the big city. But this isolation is to prove fatal when a new breed of parasite – a combination of aphrodisiac and venereal disease which arouses sexual aggression in its hosts – is let loose in the building, resulting in an orgy terror and mayhem.
 
Initially reviled in its native land (some critics took exception to the fact the film was largely funded by the Canadian taxpayer), Shivers is an intensely claustrophobic, subversive masterpiece and an essential entry in the oeuvre of one of the horror genre’s most gifted auteurs. Some 40 years after its release, it still retains its power to shock.
 
Drawing influences from works as diverse as Night of the Living Dead (1968), J.G. Ballard’s novel High-Rise (1975) and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), Shivers will be available on Blu-ray & DVD and as an exclusive Blu-ray Steelbook from 13th October.

Special Features
-New High Definition Digital Transfer supervised and approved by writer-director David Cronenberg
-High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation
-Original mono audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray)
-Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
-Parasite Memories: The Making of Shivers – A brand new documentary featuring interviews with stars Barbara Steele, Allan Kolman and Lynn Lowry, special effects genius Joe Blasco and film critic Kier-La Janisse
-On Screen! – An episode of the Canadian television programme which documents the release history of Shivers, featuring interviews with Cronenberg, co-producer Don Carmody, as well as other cast and crew
-From Stereo to Video – A specially-commissioned video essay by Caelum Vatnsdal, author of They Came from Within: A History of Canadian Horror Cinema, charting Cronenberg’s career from his experimental beginnings through to Videodrome, his first major studio picture
-Original Theatrical Trailer
-Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nat Marsh
-Collector’s Booklet featuring new writing on the film by Paul Corupe, creator of the -Canuxploitation website, reprinted excerpts of Cronenberg on Cronenberg and more, illustrated with original archive stills and posters.


Buy the UK DVD/BD from Amazon.co.uk

Buy the UK BD Steelbook from Amazon.co.uk


"The Ones Below" - starring David Morrisey and Clemence Posey begins filming

Principal photography has commenced on THE ONES BELOW, a psychological thriller exposing the private terrors of two affluent modern couples living above and below each other.
 
THE ONES BELOW is the debut feature from writer/director David Farr (screenwriter of Hanna) starring the ensemble cast of Clemence Poesy (The Tunnel, Harry Potter), David Morrissey (The Walking Dead, Welcome to the Punch) Stephen Campbell Moore (History Boys, Ashes to Ashes), and Laura Birn (Purge, Walk Among the Tombstones).
 
THE ONES BELOW follows two couples as their lives cross and become fatally interlinked.  The couple above, Kate (Clemence Poesy) and Justin (Stephen Campbell Moore) are expecting their first baby.  They are thirty-something, successful and affluent.  All appears well on the surface but Kate harbours deeply rooted fears about her fitness to be a mother and her ability to love the child within.  One day another couple, Jon (David Morrissey) and Teresa (Laura Birn) move in to the apartment below.  They become ‘The Ones Below’ and are also expecting a baby. In contrast to Kate, Teresa is full of joy at the prospect of imminent motherhood. Pregnancy brings the women together in shared confidences, as Kate becomes entranced by Teresa’s unquestioning celebration of her family-to-be.  Until one night a joint dinner begins to reveal all is not as it seems with ‘The Ones Below’ and a single tragic accident throws the couples into a nightmare of psychological terror.
 
Writer/director David Farr says: “I want to make a thriller in the European tradition of psychological suspense.  I feel that the film really yearns to Hitchcock and natural predecessors such as Roman Polanski’s Repulsion and Michael Haneke’s Hidden.  I was surprised by how few British films have been made in this tradition which I find so compelling.  This way of seeing the world is absolutely instinctive to me.”
 
THE ONES BELOW is produced by Nikki Parrott (The Market, 37 Uses For a Dead Sheep) for Cuba Pictures in association with Tigerlily Films.  Executive producers are Dixie Linderwith Nick Marston and Ben Hall of Cuba Pictures, Christine Langan and Joe Oppenheimer for BBC Films with Lizzie Francke as the lead executive for the BFI.  The film is backed by BBC Films and the BFI Film Fund with Protagonist Pictures handling international sales and Icon Film Distribution releasing in the UK.  


Monday 29 September 2014

"Treehouse" - UK DVD review.

“Treehouse” is the new film from Michael Bartlett, who previously gave us “The Zombie Diaries”. Now I wasn’t a particular fan of that film, so was somewhat apprehensive when I was approached to review this. But, I was pleased to say though, that as the film got going it won me over and was quite impressed.
 
The film stars J Michael Trautmen and Clint James as brothers Killian and Crawford. Killian is something of a recluse and spends most of his time hiding behind his protective older brother.
 
Following a news report that a young brother and sister from their school have gone missing under very mysterious circumstances, the sheriff places the entire town under curfew. Notwithstanding, the 2 brothers decide to sneak out of the house after dark and go let off some fireworks in the woods.
 
Discovering a treehouse, they decide to look inside and find the missing girl from the news reports, Elizabeth (Dana Melanie) who informs them that her family have been killed by a strange group of people.
 
Unfortunately, when they try and go for help, they encounter the mysterious folk Elizabeths spoke of. Crawford makes a break for it, but doesn’t return. Unsure of who, or what, they are up against, Killian and Elizabeth are forced into a deadly cat and mouse game as they try to elude whoever it is stalking them.
 
Kind of a cross between Blair Witch (without the camcorder) and Assault on Precinct 13.  The movie is more of a suspense thriller, then perhaps an action movie or slasher pic. It does take a bit of time to get going though and was a bit slow in places, but the director makes a good job of stoking up the tension, as you’re never quite sure whats going on.
 
I perhaps was a little unsure about the ending (which I won’t spoil for you), but overall I quite enjoyed this and would recommend it.
 
The film is released to UK DVD October 20th, in time for Halloween.
 
No extras are included on the disc.
 
Buy the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk
 
 
 

 

"The Visitor" comes to UK DVD/BD Oct 6th from Arrow

Arrow Video is thrilled to announce the release of the 1979 B-movie sci-fi/horror mash-up The Visitor, available on Blu-ray & DVD from 6th October.
 
A bizarre blend of  The Exorcist, The Omen and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Visitor was criticised and humorously dubbed ‘a turkey made of cement’, yet it has recently gone on to become something of a cult classic in its own right.
 
You may think you’ve seen it all, but NOTHING can prepare you for The Visitor! The ultimate excursion into B-movie madness, this 1979 cinematic oddity from schlock producer extraordinaire Ovidio G. Assonitis, director of such deliciously guilty pleasures as Beyond the Door and Tentacles, brings together an extraordinary ensemble cast in a mind-bending tale of a girl and her pet hawk.
 
At first glance, Katy Collins is just like any other normal 8-year-old girl – but appearances can dangerously deceptive. As it turns out, Katy is the Earthly incarnation of an ancient evil by the name of Sateen – an intergalactic supernatural entity who was vanquished many light years ago. Katy possesses tremendous powers making her capable of great destruction – powers which some are keen to eradicate, and some to harness…
 
A veritable cult phenomenon thanks to its recent re-discovery, The Visitor combines stunning imagery, incredible set-pieces alongside a truly jaw-dropping cast list which includes Lance Henricksen, John Huston, Mel Ferrer, Shelley Winters and Franco Nero appearing as Jesus!
 
In the words of one astute reviewer, The Visitor is “the most fun you can have in a movie theatre without risking permanent brain damage”!

Special Features
-High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation of the feature, transferred from original film elements
-Original Mono audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray)
-Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
-Interview with Star Lance Henriksen
-Interview with Screenwriter Lou Comici
-Interview with Cinematographer Ennio Guarnieri
-Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Erik Buckman
-Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film and more!


Buy the UK BD/DVD release at Amazon.co.uk


"Texas Chainsaw Massacre" 40th Anniversery edition - full specs released.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre not only changed the face of horror in 1974 but still remains one of the most shocking, powerful and terrifying films ever made. Now to celebrate its 40th Anniversary, a brand new restored version comes to Blu-ray courtesy of Second Sight.

Widely banned on release, its notoriety has not diminished and this harrowing tale of a depraved Texan clan and its chain-saw-wielding icon of horror Leatherface continues to stun and disturb audiences like no other film.

Supervised by director Tobe Hooper, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has received a stunning 4K restoration and 7.1 audio mix, looking and sounding like never before.  The film will be released as a two-disc limited edition Steelbook blu-ray with brand new artwork created by Doaly and stacked with brand new bonus features, a standard two-disc Blu-ray, with reversible sleeve featuring the new artwork and the original U.S. poster artwork will also be available, on 17 November 2014.

BRAND NEW BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE:
- New audio commentary with Director Tobe Hooper
- New audio commentary with Cinematographer Daniel Pearl, Sound Recordist Ted Nicolaou and Editor J. Larry Carroll
-‘Cutting Chain Saw’ with Editor J. Larry Carroll
- ‘Grandpa’s Tales’ with actor John Dugan
- Horror’s Hallowed Grounds
- New deleted scenes/outtakes
 
OTHER BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE
- Audio Commentary with director Tobe Hooper, actor Gunnar Hansen and cinematographer Daniel Pearl
- Audio Commentary with actors Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger, Paul Partain and production designer Robert Burns.
- The Shocking Truth documentary, plus outtakes
- Flesh Wounds - Seven Stories of the Saw featurette
- Off the Hook with Terry McMinn
- The Buisiness of the Chainsaw with production manager Ron Bozman
- Tour of the TCM house with Gunnar Hansen
- Tobe Hooper interview
- Kim Henkell interview
- Deleted scenes, outtakes, trailers and TV spots.
 
Buy the UK BD Steelbook at Amazon.co.uk
 
Buy UK BD at Amazon.co.uk
 
 

Saturday 27 September 2014

"Open Grave" - UK DVD review

What would you do if you awoke to find yourself in a pit full of dead bodies, with no memory of who you are, where you are, or how you even got there? That’s the predicament one chap finds himself in, in Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego’s “Open Grave”, which comes to UK DVD this October.
 
Having got over the initial shock of waking up amongst a pile of corpses, he manages to free himself from the pit and stumbles across a remote woodland cabin. There he finds a group of people who seem to be suffering a similar problem with their memories.
 
Finding a stack of driving licenses, they discover their names, but are none the wiser as to how they should know each other and a search of the surrounding woodlands turns up more questions than answers. A mysterious building with corpses chained up, a secured shelter with a child inside, who seems to know who they are, but wont answer any of their questions and strange screams can be heard from the other side of the forest.
 
As the house is full of guns, they feel relatively secure, but when a couple of them discover a group of people in the forest, who appear to be suffering from some sort of disease, things suddenly takes a much darker turn…
 
Must say, I was extremely impressed with this one. The director makes a good job of piling on the tension and keeping the viewer in the dark as to whats going on, and for the most part, is an extremely effective suspense thriller. But then towards the end, the film suddenly takes on a slight zombie twist and whilst whats happening to the group suddenly becomes clearer, their problems are simultaneously compounded.
 
If you like suspenseful horror films, this ones definitely for you. It also benefits from a decent cast, which includes Sharlto Copley (District 9), Thomas Kretschmann (Valkyrie), Josie Ho (Contagion) and Joseph Morgan (TVs Vampire Diaries).
 
The film is released to UK DVD October 13th from signature entertainment. Sadly, there are no extras on the disc, but is still very much worth watching.

Buy the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk


Friday 26 September 2014

EC Comics and Fright-Rags team up for limited edition shirts

EC Comics were responsible for many of the best horror, sci-fi and crime comic books of the '40s and '50s, including "Tales from the Crypt", "The Vault of Horror", "The Haunt of Fear", "Weird Science" and "Crime Suspense Stories". Now celebrating its 70th anniversary, the influential company is teaming with Fright-Rags for a line of limited edition apparel.
 
 

Fright-Rags has created shirts out of three classic EC cover artworks: Jack Davis' Tales from the Crypt #37, Al Feldstein's Tales from the Crypt #24 and Johnny Craig's Crime Suspense Stories #22. Each full-color design is limited to 250 and available on T-shirts, girls shirts and zip-up hoodies.
 
For the serious fan, Fright-Rags offers a limited edition box set. It collects all three shirts, along with an exclusive EC Comics logo baseball tee, a fan-addict patch and a fan-addict certificate, all packaged in a collector's box. Only 200 box sets are available.
 
These items are up for pre-order from Fright-Rags.com. Due to the limited nature of the products, they may sell out during the pre-order period. Orders are expected to ship in early November.
 
The EC designs follow Fright-Rags' recent Tales from the Crypt apparel, which is in stock while supplies last. The company also released new shirts inspired by Twin Peaks, Salem's Lot, Witchboard and many more.
 
These designs are available for pre-order now from the Fright-Rags website.




"Bad Milo" comes to UK DVD this October.

Embrace your inner Demon this October, with the release of "Bad Milo" to UK DVD.
 
Duncan's (Ken Marino - Wonderlust) life is a real pain in the ass. Tormented by a manipulative, crooked boss (Patrick Warburton), a nagging mother (Mary Kay Place), a deadbeat new age dad (Root), and a sweet, yet pressuring, wife (Gillian Jacobs), his mounting stress starts to trigger an insufferable gastrointestinal reaction.
 
Out of ideas and at the end of his rope, Duncan seeks the help of a hypnotherapist (Peter Stormare), who helps him discover the root of his unusual stomach pain: a pintsized demon living in his intestine that, triggered by excessive anxiety, forces its way out and slaughters the people who have angered him.
 
Out of fear that his intestinal gremlin may target its wrath on the wrong person, Duncan attempts to befriend it, naming it Milo and indulging it to keep its seemingly insatiable appetite at bay.
 
"Bad Milo" is released to UK DVD from Sony Home Pictures October 20th. 
-Outtakes
-Extended 'dinner with the family’ scene.
- Deleted ‘Veterinarian’ scene
-‘Alternate Takes - Milo and Ralph Puppeteers feature
-‘Alternate Takes - Milo Raw Take feature

Buy the UK DVD at Amazon.co.uk



Thursday 25 September 2014

"Reaper" - UK DVD review

I often get asked to review forthcoming titles, many of which boast the odd cult movie actor to try and boost their appeal. But most, ultimately, prove instantly forgettable. So, when I started to watch Wen-Han Shih's “Reaper”, which comes to UK DVD October 6th, I was pleased to find it actually exceeded my expectations.
 
The film stars Shayla Beesley as Natalie, a young girl who’s trying to hitch-hike back home to see her seriously ill mother. Most of the people she’s met on the road turn out to be creeps, so when she’s picked up by Jack (played by genre veteran Danny Trejo) she’s relieved to find that he appears to be one of the nicer guys.
 
But as the night draws on, they are forced to stop at a seedy, last-stop hotel. Whilst it seems that Jack isn’t at all interested in taking advantage of her, she finds that he isn’t quite the nice guy she originally thought he was either. It turns out he’s actually there to make a drug deal, and to make matters worse, the person he’s supposed to be selling his gear to, Brad (James Jurdi) is someone she ripped off the day before.
 
Deciding its time to make a sharp exit, she then finds herself embroiled in a bitter drug fued as Brad’s boss (played by former footballer, turned screen villain Vinnie Jones) has sent in his hitmen to take them all out and finds herself having to team up with Jack and Brad in order to survive.
 
But the hitmen aren’t their only problem. Seems there’s also a killer in the hotel, who’ll kill anyone who happens to stay the night there. So even when the police turn up, they find their nightmare is far from over.
 
Also starring Jake Busey (Starship Troopers) as a seedy travelling salesman, and Stargate’s Christopher Judge as the Sheriff, I actually quite enjoyed this one. Its quite different in that no one in the film can actually be classed as a “good guy”.  Everyone has a dark side, Jake Busey is a drunken letch, The seemingly gentile Danny Trejo is a drug dealer, even Natalie proves to be far from innocent, ripping off the more sleazy folk who try and take advantage of her, whilst the pious hotel owner seems to be hiding a very dark secret and finally there’s the sheriff, who just seems to be a thoroughly unpleasant character.
 
Only thing was there seemed to be a supernatural angle to the killer in the hotel, which didn’t quite make sense to me, which looked like they borrowed a few ideas from “Shocker”. But overall, I found the film to be thoroughly entertaining.
 
The film is released to UK DVD October 6th from Signature entertainment on a bare bones disc, without any extras (a trailer would have been nice). But anyway, I’d recommend giving it a go.
 
Buy the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk
 

The Remaining - in UK cinemas November!

Apocalyptic events and wedding vows collide in supernatural thriller THE REMAINING, which hits UK cinemas this November.
 
 
 
Based on biblical accounts of the end of the world, THE REMAINING explores faith and redemption during apocalyptic chaos, with horrific circumstances.
 
Written and directed by Casey La Scala (Donnie Darko), THE REMAINING features an incredible up and coming cast of fresh, young talent including, Johnny Pacar (Wild Child, Playback), Alex Penavega (Sin City: A Dame to Kill For), Shaun Sipos (Texas Chainsaw 3D, The Vampire Diaries) and Italia Ricci (Don John).
 
A group of close-knit friends come together to celebrate the marriage of Skylar (Vega) and Dan (Dechart), when tragedy strikes. The wedding party is besieged by a series of catastrophic events which turn the celebration into a life-and-death struggle.
 
The young group desperately scramble for refuge and self-preservation while an enemy they never knew existed unleashes its wrath against those remaining alive. They must understand what is happening around them and find a way to survive together in a new world of death and destruction.

THE REMAINING debuts in UK cinemas on Friday November 7th.

View the trailer on YouTube




Arrow films to release Nordic chiller "Hour of the Lynx"

Arrow Films are pleased to announce the DVD release of "The Hour of the Lynx" available on demand & digital from 22nd September and on DVD from 6th October 2014.
 
Reuniting Sofie GrÃ¥bøl and Soren Malling from "The Killing", "The Hour of the Lynx" is an-all new feature-length classic Nordic Noir tale. 
 
45-year-old priest Helen is approached by scientist Lisbeth in a desperate plea for help. When a young man, who has been sent to a high security psychiatric ward after having killed an old couple, has attempted suicide while rambling about God.
 
Having been part of an experiment attempting to humanize inmates by assigning those pets, the young man has suddenly gone ballistic. Fearing that he will attempt suicide again priest and scientist must now confront their mutual animosities while trying to grasp the truth. In a race against time the two women begin a shocking journey deeper and deeper into the sick mind of a young man’s soul. What they are about to realize will change them forever.


 
Buy the UK DVD at Amazon.co.uk
 
 
 

Tuesday 23 September 2014

"Don't Blink" - a review

"Don't Blink" is being released in the US on various platforms this month, and I was given the chance to get a sneak-peak at it (thankyou Zack), so here's my two-penneth... 
 
A group of young adults, which includes former American Pie actress Mena Suvari (also of the not so epic “Day of the Dead” remake infamy) along with former Beverly Hills 90210 actor Brian Austin Green (who horror fans will remember from “Laid to Rest 2”), head up to a remote mountain retreat for a weekend away with some of their other friends.
 
Strangely, there’s no one at the front desk to greet them, their friends are nowhere to be seen, despite their cars being parked out front, and there doesn’t appear to be any other guests.
 
From the looks of the place, it looked like everyone left in a hurry, as the kitchen cooker was left on and there’s half eaten food in the dining area. But as their cars are all still there, where could they have gone to?
 
The mystery deepens when members of the group themselves start to vanish, quite literally into thin air. And it always seems to happen when you look away just for a second. Unable to leave due to car problems, the dwindling members in the group find themselves having to keep constant watch over each other in the hopes that they can all hold out until help arrives, not daring to even blink through fear that one of them may vanish next.
 
An interesting concept, which seems to borrow a few ideas from Dr Who (think, Weeping Angels, but without the weeping angels). Overall I quite enjoyed this, but I felt the build up was way too slow. It was like 40 odd minutes into the film before things started to get going and we realise something is very wrong. Up till that point we were forced to sit through the couples bickering and wandering around aimlessly trying to work out where the others have gone.
 
That being said, this isn’t a bad movie, its just a little on the slow side to begin with. Warehouse 13s Joanne Kelly also stars, along with Zack Ward (Resident Evil : Apocalypse). Was also pleasantly surprised to see Robert Picardo, who played the Holographic Doctor in “Star Trek Voyager” turn up in a minor role as a police detective.
 
The film is out now on various VOD services in the US and is being shown at selected cinemas across the country.
 
The film will be released to US DVD October 14th.
 
No news on when a UK release is forthcoming.

Buy the US DVD from Amazon.com



"Fear Clinic" to premiere at Screamfest (US)

"Fear Clinic", Directed by Robert Green Hall, is to receive its world premiere at the Screamfest annual film festival, in Hollywood this October.
 
Starring Robert Englund, Fiona, Dourif, Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Thomas Dekker. Five desperate patients return to the "Fear Clinic" when their trauma induced phobias that were caused by the same tragic shooting massacre inexplicably stricken them again.
 
Desperate for answers, Sara (FIONA DOURIF) seeks out Dr. Andover to treat them again with his Fear Chamber -- a radical form of exposure therapy that manifests and controls their worst fears in the form of scary hallucinations. But what they encounter is something much more terrifying than their worst fears combined.
 
The Screamfest runs from 14 - 23 October at TCL Chinese 6 Theatres, 6925 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028. Fear Clinic is due to premiere there on the 22nd Oct.
 
For more information about this and other films in the festival, visit the Screamfest Website
 
View the Fear Clinic trailer on YouTube.

"The Walking Dead": Complete Fourth Series - Out on UK disc next week!

The fourth series of "The Walking Dead" hits UK DVD and BD next Monday, 29th Sept.


Special features on the discs include
 
-Over an hour of Audio Commentaries
-Deleted Scenes
-Featurettes
-Extended episodes

Series 5 is almost upon us, so this is an excellent opportunity to catch up on what happened before. Checkout this clip below.





Buy the UK DVD box set from Amazon.co.uk
 
Buy the UK BD box set from Amazon.co.uk
 
Buy the UK BD "Tree Walker" exclusive box set from Amazon.co.uk

"From Dusk till Dawn" : Series 1 - OUT NOW!!!

"From Dusk Till Dawn" Series One is out on UK DVD now! And to celebrate we have a brand new clip for you to sink your teeth into.
 

Ever wondered how the bank robbery went down in the 1996 film and how they came to kidnap the poor bank teller?

The TV series expands on the story of the film, and with this clip, you'll get a glimpse of the Gecko's in action!
 
 
 
 
Buy the UK DVD at Amazon.co.uk
 
 

 

Saturday 20 September 2014

"Night of the Comet" - UK BD/DVD review.

Arrow films were nice enough to furnish me with a BD of their forthcoming release of “Night of the Comet”, which is being released in a BD/DVD combo pack this month.
 
Borrowing a few ideas from the sci-fi films of the 1950s, “Night of the Comet” stars prolific 80s comedy actress Catherine Mary Stewart (“Weekend at Bernies”, “Last Starfighter” and “Adventures in Babysitting” to name but a few) as 18 year old Regina, who’s stuck in her dead end job, working at the local cinema, whilst the rest of the world is out waiting for the spectacular light show from a passing comet.
 
Falling asleep in the projection booth with her boyfriend, they wake up at the end of the screening to find everyone has already left, the comet has passed and there’s nothing outside but piles of dust everywhere…
 
Yes it seems that radiation from the comet has had an adverse effect on earths population, turning most of them into dust and the others into blood thirsty ghouls, as her boyfriend finds out when he steps outside to see whats happening. Only a handful of “ordinary” folk still remain, who were shielded from the comets rays somehow.
 
Fortunately, Regi’s sister Samantha (Kelli Maroney – "Chopping Mall") happens to be one of them, and together with fellow survivor Hector (played by a pre-Star Trek Robert Beltran) the group try to look for other survivors, whilst dodging the zombies and groups of villainous government soldiers, who are looking to capture fellow survivors for their own nefarious ends…
 
Filmed back in 1984, the film was, I believe, inspired by the arrival of Halley’s Comet, which was due to pass by the earth in 1986 and is very much one for lovers of campy sci-fi, b-movie comedies, being a campy homage to the sci-fi disaster films of the 50s.
 
I remember reviewing the previous UK DVD release of this by Studio Canal back in 2010 and was very disappointed to find it was completely devoid of extras. So I was delighted to see that Arrow had done their usual sterling job of providing plenty of special features for this release.
 
The case includes both Blu Ray and DVD releases of the film, both of which contain the following extras…
 
3x Audio commentary tracks. The first with writer/director Thom Eberhardt. The second with stars Kelli Maroney and Catherine Mary Stewart and the third with production designer John Muto
 
4x Interview features. Valley Girls at the End of the World, with Kelli Maroney and Catherine Mary Stewart.  The Last Man on Earth,  with actor Robert Beltran. End of the World Blues with co-star Star Mary Woronov and Curse of the Comet, with special make-up effects creator David B. Miller
 
Also included is the Original Theatrical Trailer and the case contains a Collector’s booklet, featuring new writing on the film by James Oliver illustrated with original archive stills and posters and the sleeve has reversible artwork, containing the original theatrical poster art and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin.
 
The film is released in the UK September 22nd
 
Buy the UK BD/DVD combo pack from Amazon.co.uk



Friday 19 September 2014

"From Dusk till Dawn - The Series" - Best Kills

"From Dusk till Dawn" the TV series is coming to UK DVD Sept 22nd, courtesy of Entertainment One, and if you're wondering what to expect, a collection of the best kill scenes from the series have been beautifully compiled to wet your appetites, check them out below...  
 


Buy the UK DVD at Amazon.co.uk



Wednesday 17 September 2014

"Mark of the Devil" - Full specs released

Arrow Video is thrilled to announce the UK Blu-ray and DVD release of Mark of the Devil, once proclaimed as “positively the most horrifying film ever made”, Mark of the Devil finally arrives uncut in the UK on 29th September 2014 with both English and German audio tracks.
 
A bloody and brutal critique of religious corruption, Mark of the Devil sees horror icon Udo Kier (Flesh for Frankenstein, Suspiria) play a witchfinder’s apprentice whose faith in his master (Herbert Lom) becomes severely tested when they settle in an Austrian village. Presided over by the sadistic albino (a memorably nasty turn from Reggie Nalder), the film presents its morality not so much in shades of grey as shades of black.
 
Written and directed by Michael Armstrong, who would later pen Eskimo Nell, The Black Panther and House of the Long Shadows, the film was originally heavily cut by the BBFC, but has lost none of its power over the years – especially now that British audiences can finally see it in one piece.

Special Features
· High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation of the feature, transferred from original film elements – available uncut in the UK for the first time!
· Optional English and German audio
· Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
· Newly translated English subtitles for the German audio
· Audio commentary by Michael Armstrong, moderated by Calum Waddell
· Mark of the Times – exclusive feature-length documentary from High Rising Productions on the emergence of the ‘new wave’ of British horror directors that surfaced during the sixties and seventies, featuring contributions from Michael Armstrong, Norman J. Warren (Terror), David McGillivray (Frightmare), Professor Peter Hutchings (author of Hammer and Beyond) and famed film critic Kim Newman
· Hallmark of the Devil – author and critic Michael Gingold looks back at Hallmark Releasing, the controversial and confrontational distributor that introduced Mark of the Devil to American cinemas
· Interviews with composer Michael Holm and actors Udo Kier, Herbert Fux, Gaby Fuchs, Ingeborg Schöner and Herbert Lom
· Mark of the Devil: Now and Then – a look at the film’s locations and how they appear today
· Outtakes
· Gallery
· Reversible Sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys
·Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Adrian Smith and Anthony Nield, plus an interview with Reggie Nalder by David Del Valle, all illustrated with original stills and artwork

Buy the UK BD/DVD set from Amazon.co.uk






"Don't Blink" on US DVD, VOD and selected cinemas THIS week.

Zack Ward got in touch to tell us about his new horror film "Don't Blink", in which he stars alongside Mena Suvari and Brian Austin Green, which is being released to various platforms in the US this week.
 
From the Press release...
 
In this gripping suspense-thriller, 10 friends head to a remote mountain resort for a quiet weekend getaway. But upon their arrival, the rustic lodge is more than just sleepy … it’s deserted.

Food is served, baths are drawn and signs of guests are everywhere but the forest and cabin are eerily silent, devoid of all life. With no gas, cell service or phones to be found, the anxious group is left wondering what to do next.

Suddenly, one of their own vanishes – right in front of their eyes!  Terror grips the friends. Miles from the nearest town, tensions run high and loyalties falter as others abruptly, and inexplicably, cease to exist!.

Savaged by fear the desperate survivors realize, Don’t Blink or you will be next!
 
The film stars Mena Suvari (American Pie, Day of the Dead - Remake), Brian Austin Green (Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), Zack Ward (Transformers, Resident Evil: Apocalypse) and Joanne Kelly (Warehouse 13, Diamonds).

The film is available on US VOD from Thu Sept 18 and will also be shown at selected cinemas in the US on Fri 19th.

The film will then be available on US DVD from October 14th.

View the trailer on YouTube

For more info visit the film on Twitter and Facebook








This Halloween, its Mummy's Day!!!!

Day of the Mummy starring Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon, Saw) rises onto UK DVD this October, in time for Halloween...
 
Egypt: the land of the Pharaohs, a place steeped in history and legend. But those who come in search of riches beware, something lurks among those tombs, something that cracks bones and spills blood, something that will stop at nothing to guard what belongs to them.

Jack Wells arrives in Egypt in search of famed diamond, The Codex Stone. His journey leads him to a team of archaeologists who are exploring the recently discovered tomb of the cursed King Neferu.
 
With his centuries old slumber disturbed by timeless human greed, the King rises from the dead with a blood‐lust that cannot be staunched and a raging fury that will shred flesh from bone, bringing terrible, tormented death to all who dare witness Day of the Mummy.
 
Day of the Mummy is released on 20 October from Image Entertainment.

View the trailer on YouTube.
 
Buy the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk
 
 

Jason Momoa gets "Debugged" this November

Get ready for the hard drive from hell as DEBUG comes to UK Blu-ray, DVD and digital platforms this November

Sent in to deep space as punishment for computer-based crimes, six young hackers are attempting to debug the computer systems of a massive derelict space freighter. While they struggle to clear out the viruses, the team fall prey to the ship's vengeful artificial intelligence, a programme that would literally kill to be human. As the fractious team is forced to match wits with this rogue programme, they discover that the ship holds a deadly secret – and a fate far worse than death.

Written and directed by the multi-talented David Hewlitt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Cube) and starring Game Of Thrones’ Jason Momoa, DEBUG is a nerve-shredding sci-fi horror that proves that, in space, it doesn’t matter if they can hear you scream...
 
"Debug" will be available from November 3rd, courtesy of Signature Entertainment.
 
Buy the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk
 
 Buy the UK BD from Amazon.co.uk
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday 16 September 2014

"Wolves of Savin Hill" - new trailer ahead of its festival screening

Writer/director John Beaton Hill's electrifying crime drama THE WOLVES OF SLAVIN HILL, which stars SUPERNATURAL's Kurt Fuller, RESCUE ME's Jack McGee, and MICHAEL MASSEE (Se7en, The Amazing Spider-Man 2) have just released a new trailer for the film, ahead of its showing at the San Diego Film Festival this month.
 
Childhood friends from the streets of Boston drift apart following a shocking discovery deep in the woods of Savin Hill. Years later a tragic murder brings them together again. But for one man, it’s no mistake. A trap has been set…

After serving time for a crime he didn’t commit, TOM GREYS (DAVID COOLEY) is released from prison with a score to settle: he is dead-set on tracking down the man who set him up…his childhood best friend and L.A. cop, SEAN O’BRIEN. (BRIAN SCANNELL, GONE BABY GONE)

Ravaged by his friend’s betrayal, Tom hunts Sean through the dark streets of Los Angeles and finds himself trapped in a web of lies only a devil could weave. Face to face at last, the two men are caught in a final and explosive showdown. After years of gut-wrenching deception, it can only end with one man standing.

THE WOLVES OF SAVIN HILL is a tale of betrayal, madness and revenge, where the line between good and evil is as thin as the thread that connects us all.
 
View the trailer on YouTube.
 
"The Wolves of Savin Hill" is being screened at the San Diego Film Festival, Reading Cinemas 701 5th Ave. San Diego, 92101 on Saturday, September 27.
 
Tickets available from www.sdfilmfest.com


Saturday 13 September 2014

Second Sight films unveil new "Texas Chainsaw" 40th Anniversary artwork.

Second Sight films are delighted to announce their specially commissioned new artwork for "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre". Created by Doaly for the 40th anniversary release of the stunning newly restored edition on UK Blu-ray.


 
The film not only changed the face of horror in 1974 but still remains one of the most shocking, powerful and terrifying films ever made.
 
It will be released as a two-disc limited edition Steelbook Blu-ray, stacked with brand new bonus features and a standard two-disc Blu-ray on 17 November 2014.
 
Full details to follow soon.
 
Pre-order the BD steelbook from Amazon.co.uk
 
 
 

Night of the Comet - comes to UK BD/DVD from Arrow

Arrow Video is excited to announce the UK Blu-ray and DVD release of "Night of the Comet", the 80s cult-classic which has gone on to amass a legion of loyal fans, with its hugely entertaining riff on the apocalyptic sub-genre of movies.
 
Life can be tough when you’re a Valley girl. First, there’s making sure you’re on time for pep squad practice. Then there’s having to live under the same roof as your bitchy stepmother who, you suspect, is making it with Chuck from across the road. And then, of course, there’s having to keep on the lookout for the occasional marauding zombie hungering after your flesh!

Eighteen year-old Reggie (Catherine Mary Stewart – Weekend at Bernie’s, The Last Starfighter) misses out on the event-of-a-lifetime when she ditches watching the comet in favour of copping off with the projectionist at the cinema where she works. But this turns out to be a wise move when, the next day, she discovers that the entire population has been reduced to piles of red dust – leaving only Reggie, her sister Sam (Kelli Maroney – Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Chopping Mall) and a handful of other survivors , including future sci-fi star Robert Beltran (Star Trek : Voyager), to fend off the roving gangs of glassy-eyed zombies.

Taking its cue from classic “doomsday” movies such as The Day of the Triffids and The Omega Man (and with a healthy dose of Dawn of the Dead thrown in for good measure), Night of the Comet is an irresistible slice of Reagan-era B-movie fare which features Cyndi Lauper dance-alongs as well as some truly gravity-defying bouffant hairstyles… Well, it was acceptable in the 80s!
 
Special Features
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation of the feature, transferred from original film elements by MGM
• Original 2.0 audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray)
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Audio commentary with writer/director Thom Eberhardt
• Audio commentary with stars Kelli Maroney and Catherine Mary Stewart
• Audio commentary with production designer John Muto
• Valley Girls at the End of the World – Interviews with Kelli Maroney and Catherine Mary Stewart
• The Last Man on Earth? – An interview with actor Robert Beltran
• End of the World Blues – A brand new interview with Star Mary Woronov
• Curse of the Comet – An Interview with special make-up effects creator David B. Miller
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin
• Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by James Oliver illustrated with original archive stills and posters.


The film is released to UK disc September 22nd.

Buy the UK BD/DVD from Amazon.co.uk

"Cold in July" in October!

Icon Film Distribution is pleased to announce the UK release of Jim Mickle’s gripping noir thriller COLD IN JULY – available on DVD, Blu-ray and On Demand from 20 October 2014.
 
Set in Texas in the late 1980s, COLD IN JULY features a distinguished cast including Don Johnson, Sam Shepard, and Michael C. Hall in his breakout film role.

How can a split-second decision change your life? While investigating noises in his house one balmy Texas night in 1989, Richard Dane puts a bullet in the brain of low-life burglar Freddy Russell. Although he’s hailed as a small-town hero, Dane soon finds himself fearing for his family’s safety when Freddy’s ex-con father, Ben, rolls into town, hell-bent on revenge.

Michael C. Hall brings a shell-shocked vulnerability to his portrayal of Dane that contrasts perfectly with the grizzled badasses portrayed by Sam Shepard and Don Johnson. Directed with an excellent eye for the visual poetry of noir, this pulpy, southern-fried mystery is a throwback to an older breed of action film, one where every punch and shotgun blast opens up both physical and spiritual wounds.

Twists and turns accelerate as the film reaches its inevitable destination: a gore-soaked dead end. COLD IN JULY is as muggy, oppressive, and hard to shake as an east Texas summer.
 
Extras on the discs include, 8 Deleted scenes and an Audio Commentary track with Writer/Director Jim Mickle, Star Michael C.Hall and Writer/Actor Nick Damici.
 
Pre-order the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk
 
Pre-order the UK BD from Amazon.co.uk

Tuesday 9 September 2014

Ghost Bride comes to US/CAN DVD & VOD

Yoson An, one of the stars of HBO Asia's new horror series "Grace”, stars in Ghost Bride out November 4!

Directed by New Zealand cult filmmaker David Blyth (Wound), Ghost Bride is a dark modern fairy tale intertwining modern cross cultural relationships and ancient Chinese superstition. Beautifully shot, the film is full of dreamlike metaphorical imagery

Ghost Bride will be available across the US & Canada on DVD and VOD starting November 4th, 2014.  DVD availability is set to include major rental and retail chains including Family Video, Amazon, and many more. 
 
On the digital side the film will be available on all major and minor Cable/Satellite VOD channels as well as major internet platforms including iTunes, Amazon Instant, Vudu, Google Play, Xbox Video and more.

View the trailer on YouTube
 
Buy the US DVD from Amazon.com
 
 

Signature Entertainment scares up a storm this Halloween

Horror comes home this Halloween as Signature Entertainment releases a triple treat of terror on DVD and digital platforms just in time for the scariest night of the year.
 

 
 
REAPER – October 6th
B-movie icons Danny Trejo (Machete Kills, TV’s Sons Of Anarchy) and Vinnie Jones (Escape Plan, TV’s Elementary) star in this inventive slasher that follows a death row inmate who survives execution and returns as a supernatural force known as Reaper. Descending on an isolated hotel which happens to be the meeting place of some very dangerous players, the Reaper’s thirst for blood is only matched by one wily girl’s thirst for survival.
 
TREEHOUSE – October 13th
From the director who brought you The Zombie Diaries comes Treehouse, another journey into the dark heart of horror. Local kids are going missing and animals are turning up mutilated. When Killian and Crawford short cut through the woods to get to a party, they begin to discover why and face a pitched battle for their lives into the bargain.
 
OPEN GRAVE – October 20th
With a weight of fan anticipation already behind it, Sharlto Copley, the breakout star of District 9 and Elysium, star in this taut chiller that centres around a man who wakes up in a mass grave. Rescued by a group of fellow survivors, he then has to establish if he, or one of his saviours, is responsible for the grave in the first place whilst also dealing with an even more deadly threat. Also starring Thomas Kretschmann (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Downfall).
 
Pre-order REAPER on UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk
 
Pre-order TREEHOUSE on UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk
 
Pre-order OPEN GRAVE on UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk