Baron Blood - UK BD Review

Mario Bava’s “Baron Blood” is out on a dual-edition Blu-Ray and DVD combo pack in the UK this Monday (Apr 29), having been given the deluxe treatment by genre specialists “Arrow films” who (as always) were kind enough to send me a review disc to take a look at.

Set in Austria, an American tourist, Peter Kleist (Antonio Cantafora – “Demons 2”), has arrived to visit an old castle where one of his ancestors, the notorious Baron Otto Von Kleist, once lived.

Von Kleist was infamous for torturing and killing hapless locals just for fun, which earned him the nickname Baron Blood and eventually saw him being executed for.

But when Peter gets his hands on an old parchment containing various black magic incantations on, which claims can resurrect the old Baron, curiosity gets the better of him and so he, with the help of a local historian Eva (Elke Sommer, who also starred in Bava’s “Lisa and the Devil”) decides to try it out to see of it works...

It goes without saying that such things are never wise to try out in a horror film, and fairly soon the castles old torture chamber is being pressed back into service as the Baron duly reappears and horribly mutilated bodies start piling up all over the place.

Also starring Joseph Cotton, who had previously starred in such classics as “Citizen Kane” and “The Third Man”, but had since taken to horror B movies to make ends meet, “Baron Blood” was essentially an early slasher movie, but done in Bava’s own inimitable style of gothic horror, throwing elements of witchcraft and the supernatural into the mix.

As per the usual, Arrow have included a bumper selection of extras to go with this release. These include…

- 3x different audio options. Watch the film in either the dubbed English European version, the original Italian language version with optional English subs, or the alternate US English dubbed version, which uses a different musical score (the Italian option also displays the Italian version of the opening and end credits).
- Audio commentary track with Bava biographer Tim Lucas
- Special Introduction by author and horror expert Alan Jones

- Delerium Italian Style feature. Interview with fellow director Ruggerro Deodato about the golden age of Italian cinema, how Bava influenced him and his collaborations with Bava’s son Lamberto.

- 2x theatrical trailers

- Radio spots

- Bava at Work gallery, which is essentially a photo gallery of behind the scenes stills of Mario Bava on various films.

The release also comes with a booklet on the film, which can be found inside the case, and reversible sleeve artwork.

Now this review was for the Blu-Ray disc, but the DVD included in the pack, apparently has the same extras on (so I’m told).

Definitely a must have for Bava fans, the discs are available to buy from Monday 29^th April.

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

 

"The Fog" special edition soundtrack release and launch party screening (London, UK)

To celebrate Death Waltz Recording Company’s limited edition double LP release of the soundtrack for John Carpenter’s horror classic, "THE FOG", with exclusive artwork by leading British artist Dinos Chapman. Cigarette Burns Cinema and Dealth Waltz are proud to present an exclusive screening of the film on Friday 7th June in London.

 

For one night only Cigarette Burns and Death Waltz will take over the Nave, an old deconsecrated church in Islington which is now a licensed arts and performance space, and transform it into a hall of cinematic worship, providing a suitably atmospheric backdrop for a unique film presentation of John Carpenter’s 1980 chiller, screening from a rare original 16mm full scope print, with full exclusive trailer programme support and the evening’s music soundtrack provided by KAB radio.

 

After the screening Death Waltz will unveil Dinos Chapman’s original artwork for the album cover; his own interpretation of the film. Attendees will be the first people to see this specially commissioned work and will have the chance to purchase the limited edition double LP set before it goes on general sale the following week.

 

THE FOG screens on Friday 7th June, Doors open 7pm, screening starts 7:45pm at the Nave, 1 St Paul’s Road, London N1 2QN.

Tickets available through We Got Tickets, £12, on sale from 9am, Monday 15th April.http://www.wegottickets.com/event/218190

 

THE FOG Death Waltz Limited edition double vinyl album with all new and exclusive artwork by Dinos Chapman is a strictly limited edition of only 700 copies. Each 180gm record will be on coloured vinyl (blue/clear & green/clear) and housed in a old style heavy casebound sleeve sealed inside an oversized silkscreened plastic overbag with a print of the Chapman cover image. RRP £25.00

RIPD - theatrical trailer

Checkout the trailer for "RIPD" starring Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds as a couple of undead cops.



The film hits UK cinemas this August.

TV NEWS (UK): HORROR CHANNEL DOES THE DEVIL’S BUSINESS IN MAY

Horror fans can sink their teeth into all things dark and dangerous as the menacing month of May ushers in three exciting UK TV premieres - Sean Hogan’s haunting THE DEVIL’S BUSINESS Colin Theys’ apocalyptic zombie thriller REMAINS and Keith Wright’s touching horror comedy HAROLD’S GOING STIFF.

 

Details of the line-up:

 

22:55. Sat May 4 – HAROLD’S GOING STIFF (2011)

Keith Wright's very funny and surprisingly touching tale investigates a mystery illness turning men in the north of England into something resembling bloodthirsty ghouls. One such victim is Harold (Stan Rowe), an old man whose transformation into something sub-human might just be arrested by the love of Penny (Sarah Spencer), a dedicated home care nurse. But a group of vigilantes have other ideas.

22:55, Sat May 11 – THE DEVIL’S BUSINESS (2011)

Two hit men, Pinner (Billy Clarke), a cynical veteran and the inexperienced Cully (Jack Gordon), are sent to murder an old associate of their underworld boss. But things are not all what they seem in their quarry’s house and the duo descends into the shadowy darkness of their own tortured souls. Exuding a palpable atmosphere of claustrophobic dread, this is an eerily effective gem from director Sean Hogan.

22:55, Sat May 18 – REMAINS (2011)

A vacant casino in Nevada becomes a hellish battleground as a group of human survivors fight a hard-core Zombie apocalypse, in which the infected grow smarter and stronger every day.  Based on a graphic novel by Steven Nile, Award-winning Director Colin Theys’ graphic feature stars Miko Hughes, who fans may recognise as the little boy from the original ‘Pet Sematary’.

 

TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138
http://www.horrorchannel.co.uk | http://www.twitter.com/horror_channel | http://www.facebook.com/horrorchannel

BYZANTIUM - New UK Poster artwork.

Studiocanal have just released the new poster for their upcoming Vampire film "Byzantium", from Neil Jordan (Interview with the Vampire) and starring Gemma Arterton (Hansel and Gretal/Casino Royale) and Saoirse Ronan (Hanna).

 

Not sure if the quotes on the poster saying "Best vampire film since Let the Right One In" and "Twilight for Grown Ups" is such a ringing endorsement though.

 

Anyway, the film is out at UK cinemas May 31.

View the trailer on YouTube.

Lords of Salem at the Prince Charles Cinema TONIGHT (Friday 19/04/13)

 

 

Attention horror fans, if you're interested in seeing Rob Zombie's new film "Lords of Salem", there's a special screening TONIGHT (Friday 19/04/13).

 

Heidi (Sherri Moon Zombie) DJs at the local radio station, and together with the two Hermans (Whitey and Munster - played by Jeff Daniel Philips and Ken Foree) they form part of the ‘Big H Radio Team’.

 

A mysterious wooden box containing a vinyl record arrives saying "a gift from the Lords". She assumes it's a rock band on a mission to spread their word. But as Heidi and Whitey play the record, it triggers flashbacks to their towns violent past, but the tune is a massive hit with listeners.

 

The arrival of another wooden box from the Lords presents the Big H team with free tickets, posters and records to host a gig in Salem. Soon Heidi and her cohorts find that the gig is far from the rock spectacle they’re expecting; the original Lords of Salem are returning, and they’re out for blood.

 

For more info on screening times, visit the Prince Charles Cinema Website

Kill for Me on UK DVD

Katie Cassidy (TV’s “Arrow”) and Tracy Spiridakos, (TVs “Revolution”), lead a hot, young cast in this suspenseful tale of two young women who bond over their struggles with bad men and realise how far they would need to go to protect each other.

 

While trying to move on from an abusive ex-boyfriend, Amanda (Cassidy) looks for a roommate to help pay the rent. Hailey (Spiridakos) just moved to college to get away from her own abusive past. Now roommates, both girls find comfort in their friendship and make a pact to help each other overcome their pasts… no matter what the cost.

 

When Amanda’s abusive ex-boyfriend catches up with her, a riveting roller coaster of suspense and twists is set in motion. In order to survive, the two girls face their harrowing past together. But as Hailey’s past becomes more transparent, it’s difficult to decipher who is the victim and who is the cold-blooded killer.

 

Directed by Michael Greenspan (Wrecked), and co-starring Ryan Robbins (TV's "Falling Skies”) and Donal Logue (Shark Night 3D), the DVD will include a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film, featuring interviews with the cast and crew

 

The film is released to UK DVD May 20th from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

 

Buy the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk

Knightriders - A UK BD/DVD review.

Another day, another disc to review. Arrow video very kindly sent me a copy of their forthcoming release of George Romero’s “Knightriders” to take a look at on Blu-Ray (as I now have a BD drive for my laptop, there was no need to trouble my friend for the use of his), and not wanting to disappoint, here are my thoughts and musings.

 

Filmed after Dawn of the Dead, “Knightriders” is one of George Romero’s few non-horror films and is notably different in style to his usual features, being a classic tale of ‘In days of old when knights were bold’… well, sort of.  By days of old, I mean 1981, and these particular knights ride on motorcycles, instead of horses.

 

Now, the story centres around a medieval re-enactment troupe, led by a chap named Billy, played by a very young Ed Harris in one of his first leading roles. Together they tour the country, putting on special medieval themed jousting tournaments with their motorbikes at various country fairs.

 

For Billy, or King William as he likes to be known, their renaissance style fairs are a way of life for him, and his touring troupe is his way living out his fantasy of being a real knight. Which increasingly puts him at loggerheads with the others, who see what they do as just another way of earning a living.

 

As the film progresses, Billy becomes increasingly unstable as he seems unable to separate his fantasy life from reality, which threatens to split the group as many of them are tempted by the lure of corporate sponsorship and more lucrative entertainment deals.

 

Not strictly an action film, this was kind of bizarre cross between “Easy Rider” and one of the many adaptations of the legend of King Arthur and as such, is not an easy film to categorise. Though that does not make it any less entertaining. My only minor criticism would be that at 2hrs 27mins it was perhaps a little bit on the long side, but it boasts some excellent motorcycle stunts which helps keep things moving.

 

Apart from Ed Harris, fans of Romero’s other films will also notice a few familiar faces amongst the cast, including Tom Savini, “Dawn of the Dead’s” Ken Foree and Scott Reineger, “Martin the Vampires” John Amplas and a very young Patrica Tallman of “Babylon 5” fame, who also went on to star in Savini’s remake of “Night of the Living Dead” (sharper eyed viewers will also notice a certain famous horror author, making a brief appearance as a drunken redneck).

 

Arrow have, as per usual, pushed the boat out with the supplemental material. Which includes…

 

-Feature length commentary track with George Romero, Tom Savini, John Amplas and Christine Romero.

-Genesis of the Legend : An interview with Ed Harris, who discusses his role in the film and his early acting career

-A Date with Destiny : An interview with Tom Savini, who provides some of the more memorable anecdotes on the film.

-Medieval Maiden : An interview with Patricia Tallman, in which she discusses working with Romero and her later work with Savini.

-US theatrical trailer 

-TV spots.

 

The case also includes a special collectors booklet with Linear notes on the film by critic Brad Stevens  and text interviews with George Romero and composer Don Rubenstein, illustrated throughout with archive stills and poster artwork.

 

A great selection of extras, but then I would expect no less from Arrow who’ve always excelled themselves with their releases.

 

Please note that “Knightriders” has NOTHING to do with talking cars or David Hasselhoff, just in case any smart arsed gits were thinking of posting comments asking “isn’t KITT in this?” NO.

 

Anyway, the film is released to UK stores in a Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack Monday the 22^nd April.

 

Buy the UK DVD/BD combo pack at Amazon.co.uk

 

Bait 3D comes to the UK

Aussie shark horror, "Bait" is released to 3D Blu-Ray and 2D DVD in the UK April 29th.

 

A tsunami devastates a small Gold Coast town and leaves twelve people trapped in a flooded supermarket. Amidst the horror the group slowly realises that they may not be alone. Trapped with a hungry Great White shark, how many of them will have to die and will rescue ever come?

Featuring a stellar ensemble cast including Xavier Samuel (The Twilight Saga; Eclipse), Julian McMahon (Nip/Tuck) Sharni Vinson (Step Up 3D), Phoebe Tonkin (Tomorrow When the War Began), Dan Wyllie (Animal Kingdom) Alex Russell (Wasted on the Young), Martin Sacks (Underbelly), Cariba Heine (The Pacific), Damien Garvey (Daybreakers) and high profile Singaporean stars Adrian Pang and Qi Yuwu.

BAIT 3D is the first ever Australian 3D production and co-production between Australia and Singapore.

 

Both discs contain a making of feature and trailer as extras.

 

View the trailer on YouTube.

 

Buy the 3D BD on Amazon.co.uk

 

Buy the 2D DVD on Amazon.co.uk

Evil Dead remake No1 in the US!!!

Yes it's official, "The Evil Dead" is the number one film at the US Box Office. Produced by Sam Rami and Robert Tapert, with Uruguayan director Fede Alvarez (Panic Attack) handling directing duties this time, the film pulled in an estimated $26million on its opening weekend, over 10x times what the original pulled in during its entire US theatrical run. 

 

The film is due to be released to UK cinemas April 18th

 

From the press release...

 

Evil lives again in 2013! From the producers of the original cult horror classic comes a terrifying new vision set to carve out its place as one of the must-see horror films of the year for both newcomers and genre aficionados alike. Five twenty-something friends become holed up in a remote cabin. When they discover a Book of the Dead, they unwittingly summon up dormant demons living in the nearby woods, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left intact to fight for survival.

 

Checkout the making-of feature on YouTube.

 

Visit the official UK Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/EvilDeadUK

 

 

Black Sabbath and Baron Blood - Available on UK DVD and BD for the first time.

 

Arrow Video are pleased to announce two exciting and never-before-seen Blu-ray & DVD premieres from the one and only godfather of Italian horror, MARIO BAVA.

Set for release on Monday April 29th, the Bava classics BLACK SABBATH and BARON BLOOD have both been given the ‘Arrow treatment’. The forthcoming dual format Blu-ray & DVD deluxe editions include brand new versions of each film, a wealth of special features and bonus material (cast, director and expert interviews, introductions, deleted scenes, trailers, audio commentaries, photo galleries, collector’s booklets). If that wasn’t enough, both releases will also include an exclusive reversible sleeve, featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys.

 

Mario Bava's “Black Sunday” was such a huge hit that a follow-up was swiftly demanded. So, he duly devised BLACK SABBATH – a three-part horror anthology, blending modern and period stories. 

 In the giallo-style ‘The Telephone’, a woman is terrorised by her former pimp after his escape from prison, and tries to escape him with the help of her lesbian lover, who has a dark secret of her own.  In the Victorian-era ‘The Drop of Water’, a nurse steals a ring from the corpse of a dead spiritualist, which naturally tries to get it back.  But it’s the 19th-century Russian story ‘The Wurdalak’ that comes closest to Bava’s earlier classic, with the great Boris Karloff as a much-loved paterfamilias who might not be entirely what he seems.

The deluxe Blu-ray & DVD edition of BLACK SABBATH includes the following special features:
 
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation of two versions of the film; ‘I tre volti della paura’ – the European version with score by Roberto Nicolosi and ‘Black Sabbath’ – the re-edited and re-dubbed AIP version with Les Baxter score, on home video for the first time.
- English SDH subtitles for English Audio and a new subtitle translation of the Italian audio.
- Audio Commentary with Bava biographer and expert Tim Lucas.
- Introduction to the film by author and critic Alan Jones.
- “A Life In Film” – An Interview with star Mark Damon.
- “Twice the Fear” – A new featurette examining the differences between the two versions of the film.
- International Trailer.
- US Trailer.
- Italian Trailer.
- TV and Radio Spots.
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys.
- Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic David Cairns, a comparison of the versions of the film by Tim Lucas, and a substantial interview with AIP Producer Samuel Z. Arkoff on his experiences of working with Bava, illustrated with original stills and posters.

 

BARON BLOOD returns to the all-stops-out Gothic atmosphere, and the central theme of a witch’s curse, that fuelled his breakthrough film “Black Sunday” twelve years earlier.

This time, the curse was placed on Baron Otto von Kleist, Austria’s legendarily murderous ‘Baron Blood’, whose corpse is inadvertently revived when an ancient incantation is read out as a joke by a descendant and his girlfriend.  Naturally, the Baron decides to carry on where he originally left off, with the help of an entire vault of elaborate torture devices.

 

The deluxe Blu-ray & DVD edition of BARON BLOOD includes the following special features:

 

- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation of three versions of the film: Bava’s original version Gli orrori del castello di Norimberga with Italian audio, The European Export Version of Baron Bloodwith English audio, and, on home video for the first time, the re-edited and re-dubbed AIP Version of Baron Blood with alternate score by Les Baxter.
- Three audio versions: Optional Italian, European English and AIP English re-dub and re-score.
- English SDH subtitles for both English versions and a new English subtitle translation of the Italian audio.
- Audio Commentary with Bava biographer and expert Tim Lucas.
- Introduction to Baron Blood by author and critic Alan Jones.
- “Delirium Italian-style” – Ruggero Deodato on Mario Bava and the golden age of Italian genre films.
- “Mario Bava at work” – a photo gallery of Bava behind the scenes on his films.
- Trailers and Radio Spots.
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys.
- Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic James Oliver, illustrated with original archive stills and posters.

 

Pre-order the Black Sabbath DVD/BD combo pack at Amazon.co.uk

 

Pre-order the Baron Blood DVD/BD combo pack at Amazon.co.uk

 

 

Richard Brooker - RIP

We are extremely sad to report that Richard Brooker, who played machete wielding killer Jason Voorhees in "Friday the 13th Part 3", passed away this week at the relatively young age of 59, from an undisclosed illness.

 

Originally trained as a circus trapeeze artist, fate intervened in 1982 when he answered an advert in a trade magazine looking for a large actor to play a role in an untitled film. The film turned out to be "Friday the 13th Part 3" and the part was that of killer Jason Voorhees.

 

Richard was the first of the actors in the series to don the now infamous Ice Hockey mask, which became synonymous with the character in subsequent movies.

 

Richard starred in 2 other films, "Deathstalker" and "Deep Sea Conspiracy", before going on to work in other areas of film and television, including directing and producing various TV shows for the US networks.

 

Ironically, the day he passed away, April 8th, was also fellow "Friday the 13th" veteran Kane Hodder's 58th birthday, who went on to play the role of Jason in the later sequels.

 

RIP Richard, you will be sadly missed by Friday the 13th fans the world over.

 



Dead End Drive in UK DVD review.

Arrow video are releasing the cult 1986 movie "Dead End Drive In" to DVD this month, and they were kind enough to send me a screener copy to take a look at ahead of it's release.

 

Set in Australia in the not too distant future, society appears to be in a semi-dysotopian state, following the wake of a series of ecological disasters, financial meltdowns and civil uprisings. Unemployment is high, crime is rife and gangs of punks known as "Cowboys" cruise around in beat up cars looking to scavenge parts from traffic accidents.

 

Young 'Crabs' (played by "Prisoner : Cell Block H" star Ned Manning) is one of the few people lucky enough to have a job, but when he takes his girlfriend Carmen (Nathalie McCurry) to a Drive-In theatre, he tells the desk clerk they're unemployed so he can get in cheaper. Something he will later come to regret.

 

Whilst him and his girlfriend are indulging in a bit of hanky panky in the back seat, somebody swipes the wheels off his car, meaning they're stuck there the night. It's only the following morning when the other cars have left, he realises somethings not right. Seems there's quite a few other cars that have been immobilised and it looks like many of them have been there a while.

 

Yes, it turns out that the place is actually an elaborate trap, designed to ensnare the unemployed and undesirable types to keep them off the street, and now they're effectively prisoners. Stuck inside the theatre with gangs of various punks and low-lifes, Crabsie is of course not too happy about this and wants out. But being stuck in the middle of nowhere and with no serviceable transport, thats going to be no easy task. Particularly when the other people stuck there seem to rather like getting free movies and free junk food.

 

But he's not going to let that stop him, so when the government start bussing in more homeless people, he seizes his chance, steals a tow truck and one of the most outrageous police chases and shoot-outs ever seen, quickly ensues.

 

The film is rather ridiculous, but thoroughly enjoyable at the same time. Interesting to note that the film was shot at an actual disused Drive-In theatre in Matraville, Sydney, which had been derilict for some time. So needed very little set dressing to give it the run down look seen on film, and was actually pulled down shortly after filming had finished.

 

Directed by cult filmaker Brian Trenchard-Smith, it seems to have been heavily influenced by the first Mad Max movie, except this seems to be more of a campy comedy than a straight action film. But then that is to be expected from the director who gave us "Turkey Shoot" and "Leprechaun 3 & 4" (the former title can even be seen rather cheekily playing on the Drive-In screen in one scene).

 

I believe I'm correct in saying this is the first time the film has been available on disc in the UK. Extras are limited to a theatrical trailer, which is a pity as I would really love to have heard a directors commentary on this, or at least an interview or something. But aside from that, if you enjoyed Brian Trenchard-Smith's other films, or you enjoyed other 'Ozploitation' classics like "The Cars that Ate Paris" then you'll undoubtedly want to pick this up and you really can't go wrong with the Arrow disc here.

The film is available on UK DVD from Monday 8th April.

Buy the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk

WWZ new poster artwork.

Paramount Pictures have just released the new poster artwork for WWZ, which hits UK cinemas in June.

 

View the trailer on YouTube.

Zomblogalypse the Movie

OK, I'm sure many of you will be familiar with the British web series "Zomblogalypse", well the people behind it have just begun pre-production on a movie version and are seeking help with the funding of this feature.

 

From the press release...

 

5 years ago, three survivors of a zombie apocalypse in York began video blogging to relieve the tedium of bean-based survivalism and briskly walking away from slowly shuffling threats, until they locked themselves out of their flat anyway.

 

This is the world of Zomblogalypse, a cult British web series from MilesTone Productions now set for a big screen adaptation and currently crowd funding pre-production on the IndieGoGo platform.

 

Creatively led by the original trio of Hannah Bungard, Tony Hipwell and Miles Watts (fresh from micro-budget features Crimefighters and Whoops! that have been highlighted by reviewers at Empire, Time Out and Sight & Sound), the team have partnered with producer Steve Piper at award-winning British indie mainstay Coffee Films to greatly expand on the scale and universe of the web series, promising the results will be “blasé about the end of the world on a whole new level”.

 

After a year of script development to break down the episodic format and realise a true feature length story arc, the project has already picked up distribution interest and turned to crowd funding to complete packaging and pre-production of the screenplay.

 

With hundreds of thousands of online views and fans including effects guru Tom Savini, Walking Dead comics artists Charlie Adlard, SFX Magazine and zombie film directors Marc Price (Colin) and Dominic Brunt (Before Dawn) it promises to be well worth looking out for.

 

The Zomblogalypse crowd funding campaign runs through April looking to raise £10,000 to meet pre-production costs, and has already pulled 15% of that within a few days of launch. Check it out yourself to reserve a DVD or fulfill a dream to be a screen zombie at http://www.igg.me/at/zomblogalypse.

 

For more news and to catch episodes of the original Zomblogalypse web series, checkout http://www.zomblogalypse.com/

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones - UK theatrical trailer.

Checkout the trailer for "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones", which hits UK cinemas this August.

Visit the official UK Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/TheMortalInstrumentsUK

Night of the Trailers - Prince Charles Cinema London.

Night Of The Trailers 35MM Edition bring madness, mayhem and cinematic nostalgia back to the big screen at London’s home of cult films, The Prince Charles Cinema, this month.

 

Presented by Alex Kidd, this 40-minute compilation of 35MM vintage trailers and rarely-seen adverts from the 70s and 80s includes GET CRAZY (1983), a chaotic music comedy, unlike anything else you’ve ever seen before.

 

Alex Kidd said today: “As Night Of the Trailers, I’ve been bringing London the best in obscure film trailers over the last few years, including providing trailer mayhem at Film4 FrightFest, and my own trailer events at venues throughout London. But nothing can prepare you for this event!”.

 

Night of the Trailers takes place at at The Prince Charles Cinema, London, 9pm, Wed 10th April, 2013.

 

View the promo trailer on YouTube.

 

Tickets £6.50 / Members £4 - available from The Prince Charles Cinema box office and via http://www.princecharlescinema.com.

 

http://www.facebook.com/nightofthetrailers | http://www.twitter.com/nightoftrailers

Hudson Horror Show 7 (US) - Line Up Announced!

One for my American site visitors, in the New York State area. Listen up you primitive screw heads! The greatest horror and exploitation film festival in the Hudson Valley, Hudson Horror Show, returns to the famed Silver Cinemas South Hills 8 in Poughkeepsie, New York on Saturday, June 8th, 2013! This show is lucky number seven and it will feature five full length classic genre films along with shorts and drive in style trailers, all of rare 35mm film prints!

 

Advance Tickets are on sale now and are only $26.00 via PayPal.Advance ticket holders save money and will be admitted first. If any tickets remain they will be available at the door on the day of the show for $30.00, cash only.

 

As the saying goes, either you are in, or you are in the way! Well, Pope Benedict is out and in his honor we are proud to present the Hudson Valley Premiere screening of GONE WITH THE POPE! Duke Mitchell, who directed and starred in the legendary Massacre Mafia Style, also stars and directs this similarly themed but seldom screened exploitation flick. The film was thought to be lost as it was made in the 70's, but not released until 2010! The discovered film was put together by the great folks at Grindhouse Releasing (including Academy Award winner Bob Murawski) and garnered rave reviews. This screening will be the first time Gone With The Pope has ever played in the Hudson Valley.

 

Reaction to the trailer at our last show was so over whelming, we had to find the full length feature of the monster movie classic, INFRA-MAN! Starring Danny Lee from John Woo's The Killer and featuring a pack of Asian monsters that specialize in Kung Fu, INFRA-MAN (also known as Super Infra-Man) is a 70's drive in schlocktacular from the legendary Shaw Brothers. OK, maybe it's not a classic, but I guarantee you that you will be entertained by the sheer insanity of it all!

 

Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D recently made the rounds in all its modern glory, so in its wake, Hudson Horror is proud to present the very best of the TCM sequels, TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE PART 2! Starring Hollywood icon Dennis Hopper and cult film legend Bill Moseley as "Chop Top", TCM2 is by far the most beloved of the Chainsaw sequels and reinventions. Who would want to miss the chainsaw duel between Dennis Hopper and Leatherface? Be sure to be at Hudson Horror 7 to view a rare screening of this unrated 35mm print.

 

Speaking of reboots, the Evil Dead remake is almost upon us. While this new Evil Dead doesn't feature an "Ash", we can revel in the insanity of Bruce Campbell's biggest battle against the Deadites in ARMY OF DARKNESS! I'm sure many Hudson Horror devotees didn't catch the final entry in the original Evil Dead trilogy theatrically in 1993 and as such we are overjoyed to present this 20th Anniversary screening of Sam Raimi's ARMY OF DARKNESS.

 

In addition to the films above, we'll have a fifth "MYSTERY MOVIE". What could it be? An 80's slasher? A slice of 70's sleaze? How about a Hammer flick? Be there and find out!

 

Besides the five movies, we'll be showing vintage drive in trailers, we'll have vendors selling horror merchandise, and there will be door prizes, trivia contests and so much more. If you are interested in selling or promoting your wares, or if you just have questions regarding our show, send us an email to info@hudsonhorror.com.

 

Buy your tickets now and watch our website and Facebook pages for more announcements. We'll see you on June 8, 2013 for Hudson Horror Show 7!

 

For more info visit the official website at http://www.hudsonhorror.com

 

Also checkout their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/HudsonHorrorShow 

Street Trash "Meltdown" Edition comes to US Blu-Ray

James Muro's underground classic "Street Trash" is coming to Blu-Ray in the US in a special "Meltdown" edition from SYNAPSE. The film is already available on DVD, but this will be the first time all the vomit and toilet waste will be available in glorious high-def  on Blu-ray!

 

In the sleazy, foreboding world of winos, derelicts and drifters in lower Manhattan, two young runaways—eighteen-year-old Fred (Mike Lackey) and his younger brother, Kevin (Mark Sferrazza)—live in a tire hut in the back of an auto wrecking yard.  Life is hard, but the most lethal threat to the boys is the mysterious case of Tenafly Viper wine in Ed’s liquor store window.  The stuff is forty years old… and it’s gone bad.  REAL bad!  Anyone who drinks it melts in seconds—and it’s only a dollar a bottle!

 

The subversive cult classic/horror comedy STREET TRASH rode the last wave of super-gore films in the late '80s before cinema entered the era of safe R-rated horror and unoriginal remakes.  Beautifully re-mastered in high-definition, STREET TRASH will melt your eyes and ears with stunning picture and sound. Open up a bottle, and drink!

 
Special Features:
• High-Definition Transfer from the Original Camera Negative
• 5.1 Surround Remix Created Specifically for Home Theatre Environments
• Two Audio Commentaries Featuring Producer Roy Frumkes and Director James Muro
• THE MELTDOWN MEMOIRS –  Feature Length Making-of Documentary
• The Original STREET TRASH 16mm Short Film That Inspired the Movie
• The Original STREET TRASH Promotional Teaser
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• ALL-NEW BLU-RAY EXCLUSIVES: Jane Arakawa Video Interview and Deleted Scenes
• Create Your Own Bottle of “Tenafly Viper” Wine with the Enclosed Label Sticker!

The film is released on REGION FREE Blu-Ray in the US on June 11th from SYNAPSE films.

Buy the US BD from Amazon.com

Director "Jess Franco" dies!

It has been widely reported all over the web that prolific Spanish exploitation movie Director Jesus "Jess" Franco has died today, April 2nd, aged 82.

 

Franco directed some 200 films, as well as writing and working on many others, during the course of his career, which spanned some 40 years. Pretty much all of which had the distinction of being, to put not too finer point on it, "not very good".

 

Many of his films still managed to garner cult status though, most notably "The Awful Dr Orloff", "Vampyros Lesbos", "Virgin Among the Living Dead" and "The Bloody Judge". The latter title probably owing its success due to its inclusion of horror veteran Christopher Lee.

His titles "Bloody Moon" and "The Devil Hunter" also gained infamy in the UK for being listed as Video Nasties during the early 80s, though both were re-released fully uncut in the UK years later.

 

Franco himself managed to gain status as a cult director, mainly due to the sheer volume of his output over the years, and his films lurid mix of sex and violence. Despite many of his productions seeming to be extremely inept. A trait which deeply divided genre fans, some seemingly loved the cheesy tackiness of his films, whilst others hated the seemingly shoddy acting, dubbing and direction.

 

Love him or hate him though, he certainly made his mark on the exploitation film genre.

 

RIP Jess.