Thursday 31 March 2016

'Nordic Noir and Beyond' to release HEARTLESS

Nordic Noir and Beyond, the market leaders in releasing world class European TV shows to wider audiences, are thrilled to announce the release of the cult Vampire hit, Heartless, which arrives on UK DVD from 18th April.
 
A beautiful supernatural thriller set in an elite Danish boarding school. Twins Sofie and Sebastian (Sebastian Jessen and Julie Zangenberg, Borgen) are no ordinary students. They were born with a curse and carry a dark and fatal secret: in order to live, they need to suck the energy out of other people. 

However, if they don’t stop in time, their victims will burn to death. Sofie and Sebastian try to find a way to overcome their curse but their new life at the school does not make it easy for them, especially as they have to contend with other more normal teen emotions. However, the siblings are not the only ones with secrets – a mystery that dates back to the year 1666 emerges.

Buy the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk

 

Wednesday 30 March 2016

Horror Channel (UK) serves up seven premieres for April

The Horror Channel (UK) will be broadcasting seven premieres during April, including the Network premieres of Tom Shankland’s gripping film noir serial killer shocker WAZ, starring Stellan Skarsgard, Tom Hardy and Selma Blair, and David Keating’s deadly supernatural drama WAKE WOOD, with Timothy Spall. There is also a UK premiere for Eric England’s edge-of-your-seat chill ride ROADSIDE.

Other network premieres this month are: Neil McEnery-West’s terrifying panic-thriller CONTAINMENT and William Malone’s gory remake of HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, starring Geoffrey Rush, Famke Janssen and Ali Larter, Richard Marquand’s creepy supernatural love story THE LEGACY and Norman J. Warren’s torrid tale of home counties devil worship SATAN’S SLAVE, starring Michael Gough.

Sat 9 April @ 10.50pm – HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1999) *Network Premiere


Amusement park mogul Stephen Price (Geoffrey Rush) and his rather bitter wife Evelyn (Famke Janssen), invite a group of guests to stay in a vast creepy building that used to be an insane asylum. Stephen offers a million dollars to anyone who can stay the whole night. The guests eagerly agree, not knowing that Price has rigged the house with spooky contraptions. But when Stephen and Evelyn become trapped with their guests, they quickly realise that the house really is haunted and the spirits dwelling within are very angry …

Fri 15 April @ 9.00pm – CONTAINMENT (2015) * Network Premiere



Struggling artist Mark (Lee Ross) wakes up in his flat one morning in the Southampton tower block where he lives to discover the windows and doors have been sealed shut, locking him inside. The bad day just gets worse when he discovers his neighbours – some of whom come breaking through the walls with sledgehammers - are in the same boat, and people in hazmat suits are enforcing a quarantine by any means necessary. A tense, sharp Brit genre offering which also stars Sherlock’s Louise Brealey and Andrew Leung.

Sat 16 April @ 10.55pm – THE LEGACY (1978) *Network Premiere


A young American couple, Margaret (Katherine Ross) and Pete (Sam Elliott), holidaying in England, accept a guest invitation at the stately house of Jason (Ian Standing) - a geriatric satanist breathing his last in an oxygen tent. Jason is convinced that Margaret is the reincarnation of his own mother, who was burned as a witch, and his successor as the head of the sinister cult.  She must come face to face with the source of this evil power and discover her tragic 'legacy'. Also starring Roger Daltrey as a corrupt music promoter, this is the first feature film from Emmy winner director Richard Marquand (Return of the Jedi). 

Fri 22 April @ 10.05pm - WAZ (2007) *Network Premier


Tom (The Missing) Shankland’s well-received debut feature is based around a mathematical equation formulated by population geneticist George R. Price disproving altruism and selflessness exists. Trying to overturn his theory, a deranged serial killer constructs worst-case scenarios where victims are given the choice to die painfully or kill the ones they love. Stellan Skarsgard and Melissa George put in stunning turns as cops caught up in a sleazy rash of slaughter connecting to dark past secrets. Also featuring Tom Hardy and a haunting Selma Blair, this tense thriller, with its grisly horror twists will stay with you long after the poignant climax and the murderer’s identity is revealed.

Sat 23 April @ 10.45pm – SATAN’S SLAVE (1976) *Network Premiere


A cult favourite, this post-Hammer ‘Sin and Satanism’ chiller stars Candace Glendenning as Catherine Yorke, who gets caught up in strange goings-on at the country mansion of her uncle (Michael Gough), where she has to live following the tragic death of her parents.  What she doesn’t know is that her uncle and his son (Martin Potter) are necromancers intent on using her body to resurrect an ancestor burned as a witch. There’s plenty of twists and garish gore and Gough’s (literally) avuncular villain is enjoyably theatrical.

Fri 29 April @ 9.00pm – ROADSIDE (2013) *UK TV Premiere


This engaging thriller stars Ace Marrero and Katie Stegeman as Dan and Mindy Summers, a young married couple with a child on the way traveling through the mountains to see their families for Christmas. Things quickly turn into a nightmare as an unknown gunman sets his sights on the couple and holds them on the side of the road against their will. They must find a way to escape before the gunman shows them how far he is willing to go. Written and directed by Eric England of Madison County fame.

Sat 30 April @ 10.50pm – WAKE WOOD (2010) *Network Premiere


Still grieving the death of nine-year-old Alice - their only child - at the jaws of a crazed dog, vet Patrick (Aiden Gillen) and pharmacist Louise (Eve Birthistle) relocate to the remote town of Wake Wood where they learn of a pagan ritual that will allow them three more days with Alice. The couple find the idea disturbing and exciting in equal measure, but once they agree terms with Arthur (Timothy Spall), the village's leader, a far bigger question looms - what will they do when it's time for Alice to go back?

TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138 / Freeview 70



Tuesday 29 March 2016

"Dark Vale" - Film Review

Director Jason MJ Brown recently got in touch to tell us about his new film “Dark Vale”, which is currently being submitted to the  various festival circuits, and he very kindly offered me the chance to review it.

The film primarily revolves around a young couple, Tom and Leah, who are having a romantic weekend break away in the countryside, when they get an urgent phone call about Leah’s mother being taken into hospital.

Forced to cut their holiday short, things go awry when their sat-nav takes them through a little known short cut, known locally as the Vale, and they encounter a mysterious fog bank, at which point their car cuts out and find themselves stranded.

Wandering off in search of help, they subsequently find themselves trapped in some sort of ghostly netherworld (with remarkably well maintained roads and hedges) and pursued by some vengeful spirit called Lady Lucy. Taking shelter in a decrepit old mansion (which again, actually looks quite well maintained, with neatly trimmed bushes and freshly cut lawns), the two have to find a way back out of the vale whilst dodging ghostly apparitions.
 
Kind of similar to the directors last film, "A Date with Ghosts", which also featured a couple trapped in unfamiliar territory, being pursued by unfriendly spirits (you can read my review of that HERE). The film does its best with the resources available, being a low budget indie film. But lets just say, it isn’t exactly “Silent Hill”.

The director has clearly learned a lot since his previous movie and from a technical viewpoint is competently shot (though the mismatched sound between shots is somewhat distracting as it appears they used the on-set sound, rather than dub)
 
But the main problem is the films disjointed plot, which seems to leap forward, then keeps going into flashbacks and has a number of tenuously connected sub-plots, which don’t really have any bearing on the main story. Plus, the majority of the film is just showing the lead character traipsing round the countryside looking for a way out of the vale, which isn’t really all that interesting (think "Blair Witch", but its not a 'found footage' style film).

Anyway, the film is currently being submitted to various horror festivals, and has already been selected for showing at the LA cinefest. So if you get the chance, check it out and see what you make of it.


View the trailer on YouTube

Visit the director's Twitter Page 

Visit the film's Facebook Page

 

Victor Frankenstein - Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy interviews...

Victor Frankenstein is available now in the UK on Digital HD and comes to UK DVD and Blu-Ray from 11th April and we have a couple of interview clips with Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy for you to enjoy.

In these they discuss the films Victorian Aesthetic and how Victor and Igor were trying to change the world, and a second clip shows Daniel and James discussing what it was like working together.

Check them out below...




Pre-order the UK BD at Amazon.co.uk

Pre-order the UK DVD at Amazon.co.uk




Friday 25 March 2016

HE NEVER DIED comes to UK VOD

The delightfully, deadpan, darkly comical HE NEVER DIED from director Jason Krawczy FINALLY gets a UK release on VOD.

Former punk rocker Henry Rollins plays a socially awkward man, who rarely speaks and spends his time either sleeping in his flat, eating at the local diner or playing bingo with the old folk at the local church.

But when his estranged daughter gets embroiled in some dodgy dealings with some low-rent mobsters, it kick starts a chain of events that makes you question just who or what he is, as events between him and the mobsters escalate and they seem unable to take him down no matter how many times they try.

The humour is as dead-pan as it can get and Rollins is just excellent as the mysterious misfit, who seems more Terminator than Human.

This one has been playing the festical circuit to much acclaim and comes highly reccommended.

The film can be viewed online or downloaded for all good VOD outlets including Amazon.co.uk

Martian Comics - "Canals of Earth" Kickstarter


Martian Lit is proud to launch the Kickstarter for their newest sci-fi comic book, “The Canals of Earth!”

Watch as Mars looks to the sky and sees Earth, imagining her as a four-armed goddess with her own mythology!

Watch Martian science fiction blossom, as they envision four-armed, tall-headed people on all the solar system’s planets, crafting pulpy stories reflecting their own imagination!

Watch as Mars spies Earth through a telescope and lands probes here… before human history even began!

The 23-page color story appears in Martian Comics #5, but it’s totally self-contained and requires no knowledge of the overall series.

As part of the campaign, they’re offering the issue in print in a limited, signed-and-numbered edition. We’re also offering limited postcard prints and other goodies! Get ‘em while you can!
 
Visit the official Martian Comics page and see the series so far on ComiXology. You can also follow the series on Twitter and on Facebook. And if you sign up for the mailing list, you'll get a free PDF book!
For more info on how to get involved with the Kickstarter fund and benefits assosiated with the various levels of investment, visit the official Kickstarter page.



Fright-Rags release NIGHT OF THE CREEPS & MONSTER SQUAD Tees

Fright-Rags is honoring the legacy of filmmaker Fred Dekker with a Double Dekker collection of new apparel from two of his '80s cult classics, Night of the Creeps and The Monster Squad.

Abrar Ajmal's new artwork for Night of the Creeps is guaranteed to thrill fans of the zombie flick, while his take on The Monster Squad brings the whole gang back together

Both designs are available on guys shirts, girls shirts and zip-up hoodies. They're in stock now at Fright-Rags.com and ready to ship.

Other films to have recently received new merchandise from Fright-Rags include Pumpkinhead, The Lost Boys, Motel Hell and Pieces.



Order these designs now at Fright-Rags.com


 


Wednesday 23 March 2016

FrightFest Presents - New DVD Release Dates

Discover true terror from Icon Film Distribution and FrightFest this Spring as they unleash a selection of FrightFest Presents titles onto DVD. The movies that wowed and won critical acclaim at last year's festival will now be available on DVD format from the following dates:

Estranged - 11th April

Director: Adam Levins.
Cast: James Cosmo, Amy Manson, Nora-Jane Noone, James Lance, Craig Conway.

January is forced to return home after six wild years abroad. A road accident has left her wheelchair-bound with amnesia. Not only has she forgotten her family, but also her childhood and is surprised to discover her home is a stately country manor. Trying to settle in with boyfriend Callum at her attentive side, she becomes even more distant from her family, who just want their old daughter back. The trouble is she cannot remember who that person was, or why she fled in the first place. Now she must learn all over again how terrible relatives can be.

Pre-order from Amazon.co.uk

Emelie - 11th April

Director: Michael Thelin
Cast: Sarah Bolger, Chris Beetem, Sarah Poufar, Joshua Rush

The Thompsons, a loving family living in a peaceful suburb are the very definition of wholesome normalcy. But on the eve of their thirteenth wedding anniversary their usual babysitter has to cancel, leaving Dan and Joyce to call upon a new girl who seems like a dream come true to their three children: Christopher, Sally and Jacob. As the night creeps on, the kids slowly realize something is very wrong and this woman is not who she claims to be. Jacob, the eldest, must grow up quickly if he wants to save his siblings from the sinister intentions of Emelie, the disturbed woman masquerading as their babysitter.

Pre-order from Amazon.co.uk

After Death - 18th April

Directors: Gez Medinger, Robin Schmidt.
Cast: Miranda Raison, Sam Keeley, Daniella Kertesz, Elarica Gallacher, Lorna Nickson Brown.

Five young people wake up on a beach washed up by the tide. Where are they? What brought them there, and what are the strange creatures that surround them? 

All this and more will be revealed in this beautifully executed, award-winning first feature, chock full of exciting new acting talent, from Gez Medinger and Robin Schmidt – future genre names to keep a sharp eye out for.

Pre-order from Amazon.co.uk 

The Sand - 25th April

Director: Isaac Gabaeff.
Cast: Mitchel Musso, Dean Geyer, Nikki Leigh, Brooke Butler, Meagan Holder.

After an all-night graduation beach party, a group of hung-over students wake up under blazing sun to find their numbers somewhat depleted. An enormous alien creature has burrowed down deep and anyone foolish enough to make contact with the sand finds themselves at the mercy of a sea of flesh-eating tentacles.

Will they ever be able to escape its carnivorous clutches?

Pre-order from Amazon.co.uk 


Night of the Living Deb - 2nd May

Director: Kyle Rankin.
Cast: Maria Thayer, Michael Cassidy, Ray Wise, Chris Marquette, Julie Brister.

After a girls’ night out, endearingly awkward Deb wakes up in the apartment of the most attractive guy in Portland, Maine. She’s thrilled, but can’t remember how she got there. Pretty boy Ryan only knows it was a mistake and ushers her out the door... into a full-scale zombie apocalypse. 

Now, a walk of shame becomes a fight for survival as the mismatched pair discovers that the only thing scarier than trusting someone with your life... is trusting them with your heart. Great one-liners, a fabulous soundtrack and terrific performances – a touching rom-zom-com delight from the director of INFESTATION.

 Pre-order from Amazon.co.uk 


Some Kind of Hate - 9th May

Director: Adam Egypt Mortimer.
Cast: Ronen Rubinstein, Grace Phipps, Spencer Breslin, Maestro Harrell, Sierra McCormick.

What if your past came back for you as a fully formed, physical thing that was going to kill you? Tightly wound Lincoln is a favourite target for the local high school bullies. One day he violently snaps and is sent to the Mind’s Eye Academy, a remote desert reformatory. But the harassment doesn’t stop and in despair he accidentally summons the kindred spirit of Moira, a girl tormented to suicide in the same establishment, who is more than happy to take vengeance on his persecutors.

Pre-order from Amazon.co.uk 


DOWNHILL - new poster revealed

Director Patricio Valladares has revealed the new poster to his forthcoming horror film DOWNHILL, which will be hitting the festival circuit shortly.


Synopsis - After his best friend dies in a racing accident, biking star Joe agrees to get back on his wheels for an exhibition in Chile. On a test run with his girlfriend Stephanie, they stumble upon a badly injured man dying from a mysterious virus. This marks the start of a very bad day for them, as they become the target of a group of relentless killers,  ready to do anything to prevent their secret from getting out of the mountains.

Look out for the film playing festivals shortly. 


Tuesday 22 March 2016

Death Walks Twice - Ltd Edition box set review

Cult Italian director Luciano Ercoli’s violent thrillers “Death Walks on High Heels” and “Death Walks at Midnight” get the Arrow Video treatment this month, as they are released together in a special limited edition BD and DVD combo pack.

In the first film “Death Walks on High Heels”, a high class stripper, Nicole Rochard (Susan Scott) who’s working in Paris, is charmed by a middle aged Englishman (Frank Wolf) . But when she is attacked by a masked man with striking blue eyes, who speaks with a voice modulator, asking her about some diamonds her father stole, she suspects her drunken boyfriend Michel (Simon Andreu) may be behind it.

Fleeing to England with her new sugar daddy, she hopes to start a new life. But when her the ex-boyfriend comes to England looking for her, which coincides with a string of deaths and even an attempted murder on her new love, she realises her nightmare is far from over.

Bit of a strange one, featuring a Vicar with a similar voice modulator to the killer, a blind man who wears similar contact lenses to the killer, an interfering ex-wife, a peeping tom neighbour who likes watching Nicole undress at night, and a cross dressing manservant are all thrown into the mix to keep you guessing as to who the killer is.

The second film in the set “Death Walks at Midnight” is not a sequel as such, but borrows the title from its predecessor and features several cast members in different roles. Fashion model Valentina (Susan Scott) aggress to take an experimental drug as part of a scientific experiment being documented by her journalist boyfriend Gio Baldi (Simon Andreu).

Whilst under the influence, she claims to see a woman being murdered in the apartment opposite by a man with a spiked metal gauntlet. Despite the fact the apartment is empty.

As it turns out, a woman was murdered there several months previous in the very manner she described and now it seems the killer may be after her.

 Both films feature numerous twists and red herrings to the point it’s difficult to work out what’s going on, but both are hugely enjoyable and are a must for fans of Italian Giallo films.

This is a 4 disc box set, with both titles coming with both a BD and DVD copy of the film. Both films give you the option of watching them with the original Italian titles and audio with English subs, or the English dub with English titles. Both films also come stacked with a nice selection of extras as follows...

DEATH WALKS ON HIGH HEELS

•Audio commentary by film critic Tim Lucas
•Introduction to the film by screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi
•From Spain with Love - featurette comprising newly-edited archive footage of director Luciano Ercoli and actress Nieves Navarro (Susan Scott), interviewed at their home in Barcelona
•Master of Giallo - screenwriter Gastaldi on the film and how to write a successful giallo
•Death Walks to the Beat - career-spanning interview with composer Stelvio Cipriani
•Original Italian and English trailer

DEATH WALKS AT MIDNIGHT

•Audio commentary by film critic Tim Lucas
•Introduction to the film by screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi
•Extended TV version of the feature
•Crime Does Pay - screenwriter Gastaldi reflects on his career in the crime film-writing business, including a look at Death Walks at Midnight
•Desperately Seeking Susan - visual essay by Michael Mackenzie exploring the distinctive giallo collaborations between director Luciano Ercoli and star Nieves Navarro

The audio commentaries with Tim Lucas provide an interesting insight into the movies, as he dissects each scene as he goes along.

The TV version of Death Walks at Midnight is also an interesting addition, though it looks like it was sourced from a video master tape, which was in pretty poor shape and is in fullscreen. But is still a worthy feature.

Both films come in cases featuring reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx and are Brand new 2K restorations of the films from original film elements and undoubtedly look the best they ever have. Sadly, director Luciano Ercoli died last year, so this box set is a fitting tribute to his legacy.

The box set is strictly limited to 3000 copies and is released March 28.

Pre-order the UK BD/DVD box set from Amazon.co.uk

"High Rise - Bringing Ballard To The Big Screen" featurette

Studiocanal is pleased to unveil a new featurette for HIGH- RISE, the new film from acclaimed director Ben Wheatley. 

 "High Rise - Bringing Ballard To The Big Screen" is available to view on YouTube here


Adapted from J.G. Ballard’s visionary novel by screenwriter Amy Jump, HIGH - RISE stars Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans, Elisabeth Moss.

HIGH-RISE is in cinemas now.

 

DARK SIGNAL - Official UK Trailer!

Watch the brand new trailer for the terrifying and blood-curdling Dark Signal, from executive producer Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, The Descent).


It packs in so much that no genre fan will be left disappointed – from visceral, bone-crunching horror to flesh-creeping supernatural scares. All leading to a shock twist ending that you’ll never see coming. Get ready to become a believer with one of the year’s best British horrors.


"Dark Signal" comes to UK DVD and Download Monday 30th May

Pre-order the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk 


 

CABIN FEVER comes to UK cinemas Friday the 13th May.

In UK Cinemas & Premium Video on Demand & Digital outlets Friday 13th May, Travis Z's remake of Eli Roth's CABIN FEVER (2016), in which another group of teens come up against a flesh eating virus.

Checkout the trailer below...

 

The film will be released to UK DVD and Blu-ray June 27th

Cabin Fever (2016) is directed by Travis Z and written by Eli Roth. A remake of Roth's 2002 film of the same name, the film stars Samuel Davis, Gage Golightly, Matthew Daddario, Nadine Crocker, and Dustin Ingram.


THE HALLOW - out now on UK DVD

Out now on UK DVD, from the nightmarish imagination of first-time writer-director Corin Hardy, and starring a stellar cast of genre stars.....

When a London-based conservationist is sent to Ireland with his wife and infant child to survey an area of forest believed to be hallowed ground by superstitious locals, his actions unwittingly disturb a horde of demonic creatures that prey upon the lost.

Alone and deep within the darkness of the remote wilderness, he must now fight back to protect his family against the ancient forces' relentless attacks…

Despite being a regular entry on “best of the year” horror movie lists, The Hallow feels like the genre’s best-kept secret of 2015 – a dark and twisted walk into the woods that follows in the spirit of supernatural hits The Conjuring, The Descent and Mama.

It’s a thrilling feature debut from Corin Hardy, whose imagination in conjuring up a sinister fairy tale-like world is matched only by his talent for delivering stomach-churning shocks – both magical and disturbingly brilliant.

A terrifying hidden treasure, The Hallow puts an original, horrific spin on the classic fairy tale – packed with eerie suspense, blood-curdling demons, and genuinely nasty scares.

Don’t miss out on this must-see horror!

Buy the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk

 

VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN on UK Disc 11th April

James McAvoy (X-Men First Class, upcoming X-Men Apocalypse) and Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter films, Woman in Black) star in a dynamic and thrilling twist on a legendary tale. 

Radical scientist Victor Frankenstein (McAvoy) and his equally brilliant protégé Igor Strausman (Radcliffe) share a noble vision of aiding humanity through their groundbreaking research into immortality. 

But Victor’s experiments go too far, and his obsession has horrifying consequences. Only Igor can bring his friend back from the brink of madness and save him from his monstrous creation.

The film will be released to Digital outlets March 28, with a DVD and BD release following April 11.

Blu-ray and DVD Special Features

-Deleted Scenes
-The Making of Victor Frankenstein
-Galleries – Production Design, Production Photography and Behind-The-Scenes
-Theatrical trailer

Pre-order the UK BD at Amazon.co.uk

Pre-order the UK DVD at Amazon.co.uk




Monday 21 March 2016

Horror Channels runs Hammer-thon at Easter

Hammer film fans are in for a treat….Horror Channel is to screen an Easter Hammer-thon with back-to-back Hammer classics.


Some of Hammer’s most popular films, including THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE DEVIL RIDES OUT and THE BRIDES OF DRACULA will be broadcast across the weekend from 3pm – 10pm on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th March.

Plus, Horror Channel will be presenting ‘Hammer Thursdays’ from Thurs 7 April for six weeks. This will be a Hammer movie at 9pm followed by a double-bill of Hammer House Of Horror at 10.50pm. First movie up is COUNTESS DRACULA.

Full details in transmission order:

Sat 26 March @ 3.00pm – THE CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF (1961)

In Oliver Reed’s first film role, he excels as Leon Corledo, a young man raised in the home of Don Alfredo Corledo (Clifford Evans), his kind and loving adopted father. When he leaves to find work, Leon discovers that he has increasingly violent urges. Although these tendencies are calmed by Leon's love for the beautiful Christina (Catherine Feller), he ultimately cannot contain his curse and transforms into a werewolf, terrorising the Spanish countryside.

Sat 26 March @ 4.50pm – THE BRIDES OF DRACULA (1960)

Director Terence Fisher followed the excellent Horror of Dracula with this richly-coloured sequel. Though imprisoned in the family estate by his mother, Baron Meinster (David Peel) is released from his silver chains by an unsuspecting French teacher (Yvonne Monlaur), through which he gains access to a number of young women at a girls' school. Fortunately, master vampire killer Dr. Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) is on the case.

Sat 26 March @ 6.35pm - THE PLAGUE OF ZOMBIES (1966)

A spooky, atmospheric outing from Hammer Films, who diverged into the world of zombies, two years before Romero’s 1968 classic Night of the Living Dead. The plot, centres on a mad Cornish squire, who solves a labour crisis in his tin mines by turning local villagers into voodoo-controlled zombies. Dr. Thompson (Brook Williams) and his daughter Alice (Jacqueline Pearce) soon discover the unpleasant nocturnal habits of the shambling undead slaves…

Sun 27 March @ 3.00pm - THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1958)

The second in the Hammer Frankenstein series and considered Terence Fisher’s best.

He may be calling himself "Dr. Stein," but general practitioner (Peter Cushing) in the village of Carlsbruck is none other than our old friend, Victor Frankenstein. No one seems unduly concerned when the patients in a charity clinic begin losing their arms and legs during Dr. Stein's emergency operations -- no one except his young rival, Dr. Kleve (Kerwin Mathews).

Sun 27 March @ 4.50pm - THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN (1964)

Directed by Freddy Francis, this is the third in the Hammer Frankenstein series, Dr. Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) returns destitute to his home village to recommence his experimental research into the reanimation of dead tissue, and stumbles upon his old monster suspended in ice. Though he revives the creature, Frankenstein must seek the help of hypnotist Zoltan (Peter Woodthorpe) to repair its mind. Zoltan then assumes control of the monster, using him to wreak havoc.

Sun 27 March @ 6.35pm - THE DEVIL RIDES OUT (1968)

The Devil Rides Out is a satanic shocker in which Christopher Lee stars alongside Charles Gray as two men who discover their recently deceased friend's son is involved in the occult, and must battle the evil forces of darkness to save him. Made in 1968, it brings the classic Dennis Wheatley novel vividly to life with a strong cast led impeccably by Lee.

Checkout the preview on YouTube

TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138 / Freeview 70


 

William Kircher joins the cast of ROGUE WARRIOR

William Kircher (THE HOBBIT) has joined the cast of the science-fiction actioner ROGUE WARRIOR : ROBOT FIGHTER, which wraps this week under the director of Neil Johnson.

Kircher (Bifur the dwarf in Peter Jackson's HOBBIT films) plays Dr. Johnson Additionally, his voice can be heard throughout the movie as The Scourge.

Says director Neil Johnson, "For the first time in my career, I can truly say that the whole film is crammed with truly amazing actors, no one disappoints, but now  that we have William Kircher, he is the icing on a very large cake.

Tracey Birdsall and William Kircher light the screen up with an amazing chemistry.  I was so enthralled watching these two acting titans butt-heads on camera that I forgot we were shooting a movie and got dragged into the scene.

There is a scene at the end of the film where Tracey and William oppose each other and truly make for an amazing moment.  I am so looking forward to having these two work together again in the future.  I think the only reason we got a busy actor of William’s stature was that he really wanted to work opposite Tracey Birdsall, one of the few good looking actresses in Hollywood WHO CAN ACTUALLY ACT!!!!”

ROGUE WARRIOR : ROBOT FIGHTER will be released later this year.


Friday 18 March 2016

BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR SPECIAL EDITION - Full Specs released.

Arrow films have finally revealed the full details of their upcoming Bride of Re-Animator release. The packaging will be fully embossed, much like their Society limited edition set.

DATE. MATE. RE-ANIMATE.

The success of Stuart Gordon’s hit horror-comedy Re-Animator meant that a sequel was all but inevitable. The resulting follow-up, Bride of Re-Animator (AKA Re-Animator 2) – this time helmed by director Brian Yuzna (Society, Return of the Living Dead III) – would prove that there was a good deal more life (and death) left in the story of Dr Herbert West and his ghoulish exploits.

It has been eight months since the bloody massacre at Miskatonic Medical School. Unperturbed by the disastrous outcome of his previous meddling with the dead, Dr West (again played by Jeffrey Combs) continues his research into the phenomenon of re-animation; only this time, he plans to create life – starting with the heart of his young protégé Dan’s dearly deceased, Meg Halsey. Surely nothing could go wrong?

With special effects master Screaming Mad George (the man behind the infamous “shunting” sequence of Society) on hand to contribute a host of characteristically weird and wonderful creations, Bride of Re-Animator is a more than worthy successor to Stuart Gordon’s original cult classic.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED 3-DISC LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• Brand new 2K restorations of the Unrated and R-Rated versions of the film, approved by director Brian Yuzna
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
• Original Stereo 2.0 audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-rays)
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Digipak packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin
• Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by festival programmer Michael Blyth
• Re-Animator: Dawn of the Re-Animator – the official comic book prequel to the original Re-Animator

DISC 1 [BLU-RAY] & DISC 2 [DVD] – UNRATED VERSION

• Brand new 2K restoration of the Unrated version
• Brand new audio commentary with director Brian Yuzna
• Audio commentary with Brian Yuzna, star Jeffrey Combs, special effects co-ordinator Thomas Rainone and the effects team including John Buechler, Mike Deak, Robert Kurtzman, Howard Berger and Screaming Mad George
• Audio commentary with stars Jeffrey Combs and Bruce Abbott
• Brian Yuzna Remembers Bride of Re-Animator – brand new featurette in which the director looks back at the making of the first Re-Animator sequel
• Splatter Masters: The Special Effects Artists of Bride of Re-Animator – brand new FX featurette with a wealth of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with Robert Kurtzman of KNB, Screaming Mad George, Tony Doublin and John Buechler
• Getting Ahead in Horror – archive making-of featurette
• Meg is Re-Animated – deleted scene with behind-the-scenes footage
• Carnival Sequence – the cast and crew discuss this excised sequence

DISC 3 [BLU-RAY] – R-RATED VERSION – LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE

• Brand new 2K restoration of the R-Rated version
• Behind-the-Scenes Reel

‘RE-ANIMATOR: DAWN OF THE RE-ANIMATOR’ – LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE

• Perfect-bound booklet containing Re-Animator: Dawn of the Re-Animator, the 1992 comic prequel to Stuart Gordon’s original Re-Animator, reprinted in its entirety

This set is limited to 5,000 copies in the US and 5,000 copies in the UK - and has almost sold out in North America!

Pre-order the UK BD from Amazon.co.uk

Pre-order the US BD from Amazon.com 

TROUSER SNAKE Poster & Teaser Unleashed

A night of necking at Lovers’ Lane gets the shaft when a monster rears its ugly head in Trouser Snake. Grimbridge Productions is proud to unleash the official poster and teaser trailer for the short film.

The film will have its world premiere at the prestigious Boston Underground Film Festival on March 24 at 5:30pm at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, MA, USA. It will be playing as part a curated showcase of locally-produced shorts from up-and-coming filmmakers.

Trouser Snake is directed by Alex DiVincenzo, whose previous effort, The Horrors of AutoCorrect, was distributed by Eli Roth’s Crypt TV. DiVincenzo co-wrote the script with composer James Cilano.

Alexander Gauthier, Jamie Lyn Bagley, Michael Thurber, William DeCoff, Monica Saviolakis, Morgan Walsh and Jordan Pacheco star in this comedic send-up to ‘50s creature features.

Here's the teaser trailer....



The 18th annual Boston Underground Film Festival takes place March 23-27. Along with Trouser Snake, the line-up includes Chasing Banksy, The Lure, Kill Your Friends, Trash Fire, Antibirth, Curtain, a live performance of Stand By for Tape Back-up, and a 35mm screening of Wendigo presented by Larry Fessenden, among others. Visit their Website.

Trouser Snake will debut online in the spring. Visit Grimbridge Productions on Facebook for updates.

KILL COMMAND - UK trailer

Checkout the trailer for KILL COMMAND, which comes to UK cinemas May 13th from Vertigo films.

Thursday 17 March 2016

Independence Day - 20th Anniversary Edition

Experience the original OSCAR-Winning epic that launched a new era in blockbuster filmmaking as sci-fi classic "Independance Day" comes to UK BD and DVD in a brand new 20th Anniversary Edition this May.

Director Roland Emmerich, producer Dean Devlin and an all-star cast including Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman join forces to deliver the ultimate encounter between powerful aliens and the human race.

When massive spaceships appear in Earth’s skies and blast destructive beams of fire down on cities all over the planet, a determined band of survivors must unite for one last strike against the invaders before it’s the end of mankind.

"Independence Day - 20th Anniversary Edition" comes to UK BD and DVD May 30th from 20th Century Fox.

Special Features - Blu-Ray
-Newly Restored Extended and Original Theatrical Cuts
-All-new 30-Minute Documentary – Independence Day: A Legacy Surging Forward
-Includes Two Blu-ray discs and Digital HD

Special Features - DVD version
-Newly Restored Theatrical Cut
-Includes Digital HD 

Pre-order the UK BD from Amazon.co.uk

Pre-order the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk

Wednesday 16 March 2016

ANGER OF THE DEAD - US DVD review

I seem to recall, several years ago, there was an online petition, campaigning for notorious B-movie director Uwe Boll to stop making films. Clearly it was unsuccessful, as he’s back, albeit serving as producer, with another zombie clunker “Anger of the Dead”, which is out now on US DVD and VOD.

Set in some unspecified part of America (though probably somewhere in Europe, judging by the dodgy English accents), young mother Alice (Roberta Sparta) discovers that the recent outbreaks of civil unrest in the news are actually the beginnings of a zombie apocalypse. No sooner does she get a call from her husband, warning her to lock the door and wait till he gets home, there’s a zombie at the door, which proceeds to chow down on her daughter.

Escaping outside, she hooks up with a fellow escapee, Stephen (Marius Bizau), who's fleeing  the zombie pandemic, and together they head out into the country, hoping to survive on the road.

Flashing forward several months, a woman being held at a survivalist camp and repeatedly abused, manages to escape, much to the chagrin of the leader, Rooker (Aaron Stielstra), who sets out to bring her back.

The 2 stories eventually intersect and the female prisoner and Alice find themselves having to dodge Rooker and his militia-men, whilst fending off hoardes of zombies, as they try and make it to a place of safety.

Directed by Francesco Picone, making his feature film debut with this. The film is sadly a bit of a borefest and something of a disjointed mess, as the story constantly flashes back and forward as it tries to fill in some of the back story, throws the viewer off with a number of dream sequences and introduces a sudden sub-plot, about the prisoner at the survival compound, which doesn’t immediately bare any relation to anything that’s gone on before. 

To be fair, the acting isn’t bad for a low budget film of this sort, it’s just the messy plot and un-engaging script that prevent this from being entertaining.

Anyway, if you like low budget B-movies, you'll probably enjoy it. The film is out now in the US on both DVD and from VOD outlets.

Buy the US DVD from Amazon.com

 
 

RATTER - on UK Digital March and DVD April

Ashley Benson (“Pretty Little Liars”) and Matt McGorry (“How to Get Away with Murder”) star in the voyeuristic thriller RATTER, debuting on Digital HD March 21 and DVD April 4. 

We’re constantly connected through our phones, laptops and the Web every moment of every day. But while we look at our screens, who’s looking at us? Meet Emma (Benson), a beautiful young grad student who has just moved from the Midwest to New York, excited to be on her own in the big city. But when a stalker hacks into her devices, he destroys Emma’s illusions of privacy and she discovers just how fragile our sense of security can be.  

Shown from the stalker’s point of the view, the film harnesses the paranoia of today’s technology, serving as an uncomfortably relevant warning about a new breed of cyber stalking where at any moment someone could be watching your every move through the devices that keep us connected.  

An official selection at the 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival and the 2015 Slamdance Film Festival, as well as a nominee at the 2015 Film Independent Series Award, director Branden Kramer’s RATTER also stars Rebecca Naomi Jones (Lovesick).

Bonus Features Include:
Deleted Scenes featuring Ashley Benson

Pre-order the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk