New This Week 8.5 - Predator Predecessors and Haunted Mirrors

Pretty slow release week, but there are a few titles worth checking out this week, starting with Brian De Palma's wonderfully entertaining horror-rock-opera-musical Phantom of the Paradise:

Phantom Of The Paradise is a ground-breaking cult film favorite from acclaimed writer/director Brian De Palma (Carrie, Dressed To Kill).

Paul Williams wrote the acclaimed score for this musical horror classic, and stars as an evil record tycoon haunted and taunted by the disfigured composer Winslow Leach (William Finley, Sisters) he once wronged. Cheered by the Los Angeles Times as a “delightful, outrageous…visual triumph,” and also starring Jessica Harper (Suspiria, Shock Treatment) and Gerrit Graham (Chud II, Terrorvision), this hilarious send-up of the glam rock era is pure entertainment from beginning to end.”

Scream has really outdone themselves with the bonus features on this one:

DISC ONE (BLU-RAY):
• NEW Audio Commentary with Jessica Harper, Gerrit Graham and the Juicy Fruits (Archie Hahn, Jeffrey Comanor and Harold Oblong aka Peter Eibling)
• NEW Audio Commentary with Production Designer Jack Fisk
• NEW Interview with director Brian DePalma (36 minutes)
• NEW Interview with Paul Williams talking about the music of PHANTOM (30 minutes)
• NEW Interview with Make-up Effects wizard Tom Burman discussing the Phantom Helmet

DISC TWO (DVD):
• Paradise Regained – documentary on the making of the film featuring director Brian DePalma, Producer Edward R. Pressman, William Finley, Paul Williams, Jessica Harper, Gerrit Graham and more… (50 minutes)
• Interview with Paul Williams moderated by Guillermo Del Toro (72 minutes)
• Interview with costume designer Rosanna Norton (10 minutes)
• NEW Interview with producer Edward R. Pressman (15 minutes)
• NEW Interview with drummer Gary Mallaber (15 minutes)
• NEW Alvin’s Art and Technique – a look at the neon poster (15 minutes)
• NEW Phantom of the Paradise Biography by Gerrit Graham - 1974 Publicity Sheet written by and read by Graham (8 minutes)
• Alternate Takes (40 minutes)
• Swan Song Outtake Footage (10 minutes)
• Radio Spots
• TV Spots
• Theatrical Trailer
• Still Gallery

From director Greydon Clark (who has directed not one, but two films that have appeared on MST3K) comes Without Warning. It's a lot like Predator with an alien that hunts humans for sport. Only, unlike Predator, Without Warning is not awesome. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Without Warning for what it is, but it is a bit too slow moving at times. But the alien is quite spooky in far off shots (not so much in the ultra bright Glam Rock shot on the back of the Blu-ray cover though) and we do get some solid acting from veterans Palance and Landau, which does help the film out quite a bit. Landau is especially convincing as spooked conspiracy theorist Sarge. I've known a few guys like Sarge, and Landau's performance is pretty believable. The second I saw his character I thought "Hey, they made a movie character based on Dale!"

The most interesting thing for me is that the alien is played by Kevin Peter Hall who actually went on be The Predator in Predator and that The Predator is also Harry from Harry and the Hendersons and Monster from Monster in the Closet.

"A group of teenagers head out to the lake for a relaxing camping trip in the mountains. They ignore the warnings of the local truck stop owner and head to their destination. Things go terribly wrong when they run into an extraterrestrial who throws deadly discs that suck the blood of their victims. The group heads back to the truck stop for help from the eclectic group of residents: a crazy war veteran (Martin Landau, Ed Wood) and a determined hunter (Jack Palance, Batman).

Also starring David Caruso (NYPD Blue, CSI Miami), Neville Brand (Eaten Alive), Cameron Mitchell (Blood And Black Lace) and Kevin Peter Hall (Predator) as the alien, and directed by Graydon Clark (Joysticks, Satan’s Cheerleaders), this ’thematic predecessor to Predator’ (FilmFanatic.org) is a non-stop ride into extra-terror-strial mayhem!"

 

Audio Commentary with Producer/Director Greydon Clark

New Interviews with:

- Cinematographer Dean Cundey

- Co-Writer/Co-Producer Daniel Grodnik

- Special Make-Up Effects Creator Greg Cannom

- Actors Christopher S. Nelson and Tarah Nutter

Original Theatrical Trailer

Still Gallery

 

Ten years ago, tragedy struck the Russell family, leaving the lives of teenage siblings Tim and Kaylie forever changed when Tim was convicted of the brutal murder of their parents. Now in his 20s, Tim is newly released from protective custody and only wants to move on with his life; but Kaylie, still haunted by that fateful night, is convinced her parents' deaths were caused by something else altogether: a malevolent supernatural force­­ unleashed through the Lasser Glass, an antique mirror in their childhood home. Determined to prove Tim's innocence, Kaylie tracks down the mirror, only to learn similar deaths have befallen previous owners over the past century. With the mysterious entity now back in their hands, Tim and Kaylie soon find their hold on reality shattered by terrifying hallucinations, and realize, too late, that their childhood nightmare is beginning again...

Special Features:

• Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy
• Inside The Mirror: Creating Oculus
• Original Oculus 33 Minute Short Film with Optional Commentary by Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy
• Commentary by Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy
• Theatrical Trailer

Framed for assassinating the Grandmaster, the Lost Ninja Clan must battle their way up an underground nuclear bunker filled with hordes of supernatural enemies, mutants and flesh-eating zombies. Trapped a thousand feet below the earth's crust, these ninjas will face hell! The Raid meets The Warriors in a picture that delivers a heart-pounding, adrenaline injected ride.  

 

 

 

Get A Look At Scream's Brand New Phantom of the Paradise Art

Scream Factory just posted their new art for their upcoming Phantom Of The Paradise release and I have to say I think this might be their best cover yet:

The blu-ray release is planned for August 5th and we'll have full details on extras to report to you in early Summer. Pre-order links on our site at http://www.shoutfactory.com/screamfactory should appear in May in which a limited edition 18" x 24" poster of the art will be available exclusively through us with purchase of the combo.

Arrow Video's Second Quarter Lineup Is Incredible

Arrow Video has just posted their 2nd quarter line-up on their Facebook page. There's so much good stuff due out from these guys in the next few months it's almost ridiculous:

WHAT THE DEVIL HATH JOINED TOGETHER LET NO MAN CUT ASUNDER!

Before 1973, Brian De Palma was impossible to pigeonhole: he made comedies, political satires and openly experimental pieces. But with Sisters (originally released as Blood Sisters in the UK) he turned to the suspense thriller and discovered his natural home - and a style that would lead directly to later masterpieces like Carrie, Dressed to Kill and Blow Out.

When Danielle (Margot Kidder) meets potential boyfriend Philip (Lisle Wilson) after appearing on the TV show Peeping Toms (a nod to the Michael Powell shocker), she invites him home, only to attract the ire of her twin sister Dominique. From across the courtyard, Rear Window style, reporter Grace (Jennifer Salt) witnesses Philip being murdered by one of the twins - but the police find no body or any physical evidence. Naturally, Grace takes things into her own hands, and discovers more about the sisters’ relationship than she bargained for…

Strongly influenced by Alfred Hitchcock and Roman Polanski, and with a score by the great Bernard Herrmann (Citizen Kane, Psycho), Sisters was the first true “Brian De Palma” film.

Special Edition Contents:
- High Definition digital transfer
- Newly created exclusive content
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys
- Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more!
- More to be announced closer to the release date

Release Date: 14 April 2014

Koyaanisqatsi+Powaqqatsi [2-Disc Blu-ray]

ko●yaa●nis●qatsi (from the Hopi language)

n., 1. crazy life 2. life in turmoil 3. life out of balance 4. life disintegrating 5. a state of life that calls for another way of living

po●waq●qa●tsi (from the Hopi language, powaq sorcerer + qatsi life)

n., an entity, a way of life, that consumes the life forces of other beings in order to further its own life

Told without dialogue, narration, cast or characters, Koyaanisqatsi and Powaqqatsi are dizzying, hypnotic examples of cinema set to extraordinary scores by Philip Glass. The first instalment concentrates on the United States, contrasting its natural beauty with a population ever more dependent on modern technology. The second switches to the Southern hemisphere and focuses on cultures and traditions that are slowly eroding away as the modern world takes over.

Special Edition Contents:
- New, restored digital transfers of both films, approved by director Godfrey Reggio
- 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio
- Newly created exclusive content
- Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more!
- More to be announced closer to the release date

Release Date: 21 April 2014

 
The Delta Force [Blu-ray]

THE HIJACK....THE ORDEAL....THE RESCUE...

Cannon Films are known for producing some of the most enjoyable and eccentric action flicks of the ’80s – but The Delta Force, which boasts scenes of Chuck Norris flying through the air on a missile-mounted motorbike, surely stands as one of their most entertaining efforts.

American Travel Ways Flight 282 has been hijacked by a group of terrorists claiming to represent the New World Revolutionary Organisation. The Delta Force, under the leadership of Captain Scott McCoy (Chuck Norris), is called in to handle the situation. Still smarting from an ill-fated hostage rescue mission several years prior, this elite squad of special forces are determined to succeed in their mission this time – and assert the might of the American military once and for all.

Drawing on a number of true-life terrorist incidents for inspiration, most notably the 1985 hijacking of TWA Flight 847, The Delta Force is a non-stop thrill ride which culminates in one of the most explosive action flick finales of all time. With Chuck Norris on hand to provide the muscle and gravelly-voiced Lee Marvin (The Killers) in his last ever screen role, The Delta Force is one mission you can’t afford not to accept.

Special Edition Contents:
- High Definition digital transfer
- Newly created exclusive content
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys
- Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more!
- More to be announced closer to the release date

Release Date: 28 April 2014

 
Theatre of Blood [Blu-ray]

VINCENT PRICE HAS RESERVED A SEAT FOR YOU IN THE “THEATRE OF BLOOD”

It's never been tougher to be a critic than in THEATRE OF BLOOD, one of the greatest horror comedies of all time. Vincent Price gives a career best performance as Edward Lionhart, a veteran Shakespearean actor who, when passed over for the coveted Critic's Circle award for Best Actor takes deadly revenge on the critics who snubbed him.

With one of the greatest ensemble casts ever assembled for a horror film including Diana Rigg, Harry Andrews, Jack Hawkins and Arthur Lowe, THEATRE OF BLOOD is an dementedly funny and deliciously macarbe cult classic.

Special Edition Contents:
- High Definition digital transfer
- Newly created exclusive content
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork
- Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more!
- More to be announced closer to the release date

Release Date: 28 April 2014

Also available in Steelbook form:

The Beast Within [Dual Format Blu-ray and DVD]

KILL ME, PLEASE KILL ME… BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE

Late one full moon-lit night, a woman stands alone on the roadside waiting for her husband to return to their broken-down car. Suddenly she’s pounced upon, dragged into the dark woods and savaged by a barely-glimpsed assailant – something barely human. But this is only the beginning of the terrors in The Beast Within…

Seventeen years on, and the devoted parents of teenager Michael are at their wits end. Their son lies in a hospital bed, his body wracked by a mysterious illness. With doctors unable to offer any diagnosis, Michael’s desperate parents are forced to seek out the answer themselves – by digging up traumatic past events and confronting the true nature of their son’s conception.

The Beast Within stands apart from other creature features due to its decidedly grim tone – the scenes in which the monster violates his victims have proven too strong for some critics – and standout transformation sequence courtesy of makeup artist Tom Hoerber (My Bloody Valentine). Add to these the strong lead performances from Paul Clemens and Ronny Cox (Deliverance, The Car, RoboCop), alongside a stunning score by the late, great Les Baxter, and you have yourself one absolute beast of a movie!

Special Edition Contents:
- High Definition digital transfer
- Newly created exclusive content
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Marc Schoenbach of Sadist Art Designs
- Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more!
- More to be announced closer to the release date

Release Date: 5th May 2014

Porky’s [Blu-ray]

YOU’LL BE GLAD YOU CAME!

Long before American Pie and Superbad came the original and best sex comedy. A firm favourite of teen movie fans, Porky’s introduced audiences to Kim Cattrall (Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China) and made an absolute killing at the box-office.

It’s 1954 and the sex-obsessed boys of Angel Beach High School are looking to get laid. Porky’s is their destination, local nightclub and whorehouse. Only its redneck owner has other plans, as does his sheriff brother. Will Meat, Mickey, Tommy and the other guys in the gang get their own back? And will the barely-endowed Pee Wee finally lose his virginity?

Having established his credentials as one of Canada’s top horror filmmakers with the likes of Black Christmas and Dead of Night, Bob Clark took an unexpected turn into the world of the teenage sex comedy and inadvertently made the most successful Canadian motion picture of all time, an honour it still holds today.

Special Edition Contents:
- High Definition digital transfer
- Newly created exclusive content
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork
- Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more!
- More to be announced closer to the release date

Release Date: 26 May 2014

Steelbook:

The Complete Dr Phibes [2-Disc Blu-ray]

“Nine killed her, nine shall die, nine eternities in doom!”

Horror legend Vincent Price (The Fall of the House of Usher, Theatre of Blood) is Dr. Phibes, former musician, current murderer. Seeking revenge from the medical staff that left his wife for dead, he sets about knocking them off one-by-one in a series of elaborate murders based upon a Ten Plagues of Egypt. Death by bats, by boils, by blood and more await the nurse and surgeons who failed to save the life of the beloved Victoria Regina Phibes!

A camp classic, The Abominable Dr. Phibes sets itself apart from the seventies horror crowd with its knowing humour and art deco sets, and also prefigures the Saw movies with its increasingly fiendish set of murder devices.

Pairing the original film with sequel Dr. Phibes Rises Again, The Complete Dr. Phibes provides viewers with a double diabolical dose of macabre thrills and black comedy.

Special Edition Contents:
- High Definition digital transfers of both films
- Newly created exclusive content
- Deluxe Edition collector’s Box featuring original artwork
- 100-Page Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more!
- More to be announced closer to the release date

Release Date: 9 June 2014

 
Milano Calibro 9 [Dual Format Blu-ray and DVD]

“You can’t backstab someone like Ugo Piazza! You’d better not even touch someone like Ugo Piazza!”

Perhaps the one true film noir to emerge from Italy, Milano Calibro 9 is a gritty, ultra-violent masterpiece and an essential entry in the cannon of Italian crime cinema. Centering on the character of ex-con Ugo Piazza (played with stone-cold precision by Gastone Moschin) the film also benefits from the presence of giallo regular Barbara Bouchet and her considerable charms.

Released after a three-year term in prison for a bungled robbery, Ugo Piazza plans to lead the straight life for a while. But no sooner is he back on the street than he’s picked up by a bunch of hoodlums under the employ of his former boss, the ‘Americano’ – among them, the psychopathic Rocco – who are convinced that Ugo stole $300,000 before his incarceration. The gang forces Ugo to resume working for them in the hope that he’ll eventually lead them to their missing cash.

The first part in director Fernando Di Leo’s Milieu Trilogy, Milano Calibro 9 is an early example of the poliziotteschi – Italian crime films –which proliferated in the 1970s. Di Leo eschews the sleazy, more exploitative approach of some his contemporary filmmakers for a more serious take on his subject matter – although he’s not averse to show-stopping gun fights and long, lingering shots of the lovely Barbara Bouchet.

Special Edition Contents:
- High Definition digital transfer
- Newly created exclusive content
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork
- Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more!
- More to be announced closer to the release date

Release Date: 16 June 2014

 HE’S A MAN OF PEACE IN A SAVAGE LAND… SUBURBIA.

The films of director Joe Dante have taken us to some strange places – a mysterious Chinatown antique store in Gremlins; a secluded resort populated by werewolves in The Howling; even deep inside the human body in Innerspace. But now he takes us to the strangest place of all – surburbia!

Family man Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) is looking forward to a week of putting his feet up at home in the quiet, leafy cul-de-sac of Mayfield Place. But his plans are scuppered by the arrival of new next-door neighbours, The Klopeks, whose behaviour and habits are more than just a little kooky. But things go from kooky to downright sinister when local old boy Walter disappears, leading Ray and his buddies to suspect their new neighbours of killing and eating him! Sure, the Klopeks are a strange bunch what with their digging up the backyard in the middle of the night – but they’re not devil-worshipping cannibal killers… are they?

If you’re looking for a knowing slice of tongue-in-cheek terror then look no further than The ’Burbs. A standout horror comedy from a director who has given us more than his fair share of fun frighteners, The ’Burbs assembles a superb cast including Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher and Corey Feldman in a tall tale of small-town terror. You’ll never look at those eccentric neighbours in the same way again!

Special Edition Contents:
- High Definition digital transfer
- Newly created exclusive content
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys
- Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more!
- More to be announced closer to the release date

Release Date: 23 June 2014

Steelbook!

Camera Obscura: The Walerian Borowczyk Collection

Synopsis:

This groundbreaking collection brings together Walerian Borowczyk’s key films from a twenty-five-year period stretching from 1959 through to 1984.

This unique release includes five of Borowczyk’s provocative feature films: Theatre de M et Mme Kabal, Goto, l’ile d’amour, Blanche, Contes Immoraux and La Bete as well as his groundbreaking short films from this period.

Not only are many of these films available on Blu-ray and DVD for the first time, but also in new digital high definition restorations approved by the director’s widow, Ligia Branice.

In addition to exclusive documentaries featuring cast and crew, an hour long portrait of Borowczyk is to be included, featuring the director’s musings on painting, animation and sex.

Accompanying this seminal release is a book edited by Borowczyk experts Daniel Bird and Michael Brooke featuring newly commissioned essays on Borowczyk’s films and art, as well as an account of the meticulous restoration process involved.

To round off the release is, for the first time, an English translation of Borowczyk’s 1992 collection of short stories, Anatomy of the Devil, translated by the director's assistant, Michael Levy.

Arrow Academy’s Walerian Borowczyk Collection is a vital addition to anyone interested in either world cinema, animation or experimental film.

Limited Edition collection featuring five feature films:
- Theatre of Mr & Mrs Kabal (1967)
- Goto, Isle of Love (1968)
- Blanche (1971)
- Immoral Tales (1974)
- The Beast (1975)
- And the short films:
- The Astronauts (1959)
- The Concert (1962)
- Grandmother's Encyclopaedia (1963)
- Renaissance (1963)
- Angels' Games (1964)
- Joachim's Dictionary (1965)
- Rosalie (1966)
- Gavotte (1967)
- Diptych (1967)
- The Phonograph (1969)
- A Private Collection (1973)
- Venus on the Half-Shell (1975)
- The Greatest Love of All Time (1978)
- Scherzo Infernal (1984)

Special Edition Contents:
- Brand new 2K restorations of Borowczyk’s films
- Newly created exclusive content
- Extensive collector’s booklet featuring limited edition exclusive content, new writing on the film, archive content and more!
- More to be announced closer to the release date

Release Date: 30 June 2014

 

 Pit and the Pendulum [Blu-ray]

THE GREATEST TERROR TALE EVER TOLD!

A horse-drawn carriage pulls up on a deserted beach. A sombre figure dismounts and gazes up towards his destination – a foreboding cliff-top castle perched high above the crashing waves. Thus the perfect Gothic scene is set for Pit and the Pendulum, the second of Roger Corman’s celebrated Poe adaptations once again starring the ever-reliable Vincent Price (The Fall of the House of Usher, Theatre of Blood) alongside the bewitching Barbara Steele (Black Sunday).

Having learned of the sudden death of his sister Elizabeth (Steele), Francis Barnard (John Kerr) sets out to the castle of his brother-in-law, Nicholas Medina, to uncover the cause of her untimely demise. A distraught, grief-stricken Nicholas (Price) can offer only the vaguest explanations as to Elizabeth’s death – at first citing “something in her blood”, but later asserting that she quite literally “died of fright”. What sort of unspeakable horrors are buried within the walls of this castle that could cause one’s heart to stop so? With Francis determined to get to the bottom of this mystery, the terrible truth will not stay buried for long.

Right from its brooding kaleidoscopic opening titles, Pit and Pendulum draws you into its world of cobwebs, secret passageways and dusty suits of armour. All the necessary elements are present and correct and, along with one of Vincent Price’s most tortured performances, make Pit and the Pendulum every inch the Gothic melodrama.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
- High Definition digital transfer
- Newly created exclusive content
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx
- Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more!
- More to be announced closer to the release date

Release Date: 12 May 2014

 

Steelbook:

 

L'ASSASSINO

Arrow Academy is proud to present L’Assassino, the debut feature of the late Italian director Elio Petri, a man whose films have often been unjustly overlooked in favour of other more heralded filmmakers.

L’Assassino tells the story of 30-something antiques dealer Alfredo Martelli (Marcello Mastroianni) who, at the film’s outset, finds himself under suspicion for murdering his wealthy older lover. As the investigation presses on, a series of flashbacks gives us an insight into Alfredo’s character and the nature of his relationship with his now deceased lover Adalgisa (Micheline Presle).

With its Kafkaesque mood and distincly political bent, Petri’s first film bears many of the hallmarks of his later work. In the director’s own words, “L’Assassino reflected the changes wrought by the early 60s. [What it was about] was a new generation of upstarts who lacked any kind of moral scruple.”

SPECIAL FEATURES:
- New 2K digital restoration from the Cineteca di Bologna
- Newly created exclusive content
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork
- Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more!
- More to be announced closer to the release date

Release Date: 19 May 2014

 

For licensing reasons all of these releases are Region B locked. You can preorder all of these titles directly from Arrow Video.

He Sold His Soul For Rock 'n' Roll - Scream Announces Phantom of the Paradise

Scream Factory has just announced that Brian De Palma's Phantom of the Paradise (starring Jessica Harper and Gerrit "Bud The Chud" Graham!) will be released as a Collector's Edition Blu-ray in 2014. No cover art or extra features have been announced yet, but I'll keep you posted.

From Facebook:
BREAKING: NEW TITLE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR 2014!

We're thrilled to report today that we are planning to release Brian DePalma's classic 1974 film PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE sometime in the later half of the Summer!

This marks the first time the film will be on blu-ray for the first time in the U.S. and Canada. Expect this to be in the "Collector's Edition" series with new extras but we have no other details to report at this time as our deal for this was literally just signed so stay tuned here in the Spring of next year for more info to emerge.

Japanese B2

20th Century Fox Lobby Cards

Click to make huge

Arrow's January/February Lineup Part I

Yep, Part I, there's so many I need to split the post in two. Read on...

Phantom of the Paradise

Released: 17 Feb 2014

Starring: Paul Williams, William Finley, Jessica Harper
Directed by: Brian De Palma

Overview: Brian De Palma’s inspired rock’n’roll fusion of Faust, The Phantom of the Opera and The Picture of Dorian Gray boasts an Oscar-nominated score by Paul Williams, who also stars as an evil record producer who not only steals the work of composer/performer Winslow Leach (William Finley) but gets him locked up in Sing Sing - and that’s not the worst that happens to him along the way.

Few revenge scenarios have ever been so amply justified, but the film is also constantly aware of the satirical possibilities offered by the 1970s music industry, exemplified by Gerrit Graham’s hilariously camp glam-rock star. Jessica Harper (Suspiria) appears in her first major role as the naïve but ambitious singer, on whom Winslow secretly dotes.

Prodigiously inventive both musically and visually, this is one of De Palma’s most entertaining romps, not least because it was so clearly a labour of love.

Special Features:
-New high definition digital transfer
-Newly commissioned artwork
-Collector’s booklet
More to be announced!

The Stuff

Starring: Michael Moriarty, Andrea Marcovicci, Garrett Morris
Directed by: Larry Cohen
Rating: 15

Overview: Are you eating it ...or is it eating you?

The Stuff is the new dessert taking supermarket shelves by storm. It’s delicious, low in calories and – better still – doesn’t stain the family carpet… What’s not to like?! Well, for a start it has a life of its own, and we’re not talking friendly live bacteria…

Young Jason seems to be the only one who doesn’t love The Stuff – in fact he won’t go anywhere near it, after having seen the pudding crawling around the fridge one night. What’s more, everyone who eats The Stuff has started acting really weird... Now, teaming up with wise-cracking industrial saboteur “Mo”, Jason must put a stop to The Stuff and the organisation behind it or face a gooey, gloopy demise.

Coming courtesy of horror auteur Larry Cohen (director of the It’s Alive series and scribe behind the Maniac Cop trilogy), The Stuff is a titillating treat for the taste-buds which blends elements of films such as Street Trash with the straight-up B-movie flavour of The Blob. So grab a spoon and dig on into The Stuff – the taste that delivers… much more than you bargained for!

Special Features:
-New high definition digital transfer
-Newly commissioned artwork
-Collector’s booklet
-More to be announced!

Hell Comes To Frogtown
Released: 27 Jan 2014

Starring: Julius LeFlore, RCB, Roddy Piper
Directed by: Donald G. Jackson, R.J. Kizer
Rating: 15

Overview: With the 20th Century drawing to a close, nuclear war has wiped out civilization as we know it. The embattled human race’s last remaining hope lies with one man and his loaded weapon.

Sam Hell may be an ex-con, but he also happens to be one of the last surviving fertile men on the planet. Now, under the custody of a group of feisty female fighters, Sam finds himself enlisted on a mission to impregnate a harem of beauties. Sounds cushy enough, but the ladies in question are prisoners of Frogtown – home to a gang of mutant (and ill-mannered) amphibians!

Starring wrestler-turned-actor Rowdy Roddy Piper, known to John Carpenter enthusiasts for his body-slamming and bubblegum-chewing antics in They Live, Hell Comes to Frogtown is unashamedly a B-movie through and through with more guns and girls than you can shake a frog’s leg at.

Special Features:
-High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation
-Grappling with Green Gargantuans: Wrestling icon "Rowdy" Roddy Piper speaks about his leading man turn in Hell Comes to Frogtown
-Amphibian Armageddon: Actor Brian Frank remembers his role as Commander Toty
-Creature Feature Creator: Effects wizard Steve Wang reveals the secrets behind Hell Comes to Frogtown's mutant manifestations
-Reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Jeff Zornow
-Original Trailer
-Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by author and critic Calum Waddell

Arrow Video Presents Brian De Palma's The Fury

I like The Fury (and love the red cover art) so news of this release is great, but the most exciting part of this news for me is that Arrow has Sisters and Phantom of the Paradise lined up for 2014. You can find the full press release for The Fury below.

Arrow Video is pleased to announce the UK Blu-ray debut of Brian De Palma’s supernatural thriller THE FURY on Monday 28th October.

One of De Palma’s best loved films, this new version of THE FURY has been painstakingly restored from the original camera negative, a process overseen by master technician James White (who also restored the massively acclaimed Arrow Video release of Zombie Flesh Eaters in 2012).

Marking the film’s UK Blu-ray premiere in style, Arrow’s team of restorers have breathed new life into this telekinetic masterpiece – it’s crystal clear, incredibly vibrant and has been newly graded, all the while keeping true to Richard H. Kline’s brilliant original cinematography. 2013 year marks THE FURY’s 35th birthday... it’s never looked better.

Restoration Supervisor James White says of the project – "It's been a great honour to restore THE FURY, a truly fantastic film by one of my favourite directors. Its combination of sci-fi, horror and post-Watergate paranoia thriller make it one of the key titles in Brian De Palma's filmography, although some fans may be less familiar with the film due to its poor treatment on home video until now. Thankfully, this new restoration, struck directly from the original camera negative and carefully restored to preserve the full colour palette and subtleties of Richard Kline's masterly cinematography, should reaffirm the film's reputation as one of De Palma's greatest works, as well as a key film in American 1970s cinema. Finally audiences can see THE FURY as it was meant to be seen."

 Click for full size. Warning, it's huge.

Arrow’s deluxe edition of THE FURY will come loaded with a never-before-seen selection of special features, bonus material and an in-depth collector’s booklet, many of which have been independently sourced and appear here for the very first time. A full breakdown of the special features is detailed below.

Starring living Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas alongside John Cassavetes (Rosemary’s Baby, The Dirty Dozen) and Carrie Snodgress (Diary of a Mad Housewife), THE FURY is an experience of both terror and suspense.

Following Obsession, Blow Out and Dressed to Kill, THE FURY is the fourth film in Arrow Video’s De Palma Collection; restored Blu-ray editions of Sisters and Phantom of the Paradise will follow in 2014. 
One of the greatest film directors of his generation, Brian De Palma’s inspirational career spans 40 years and includes commercial and critical successes in each decade since the 1970s. Alongside the likes of Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and William Friedkin, De Palma was part of the so-called "New Hollywood" movement which ruled Tinseltown throughout the '70s and ‘80s.

A full of the special features included on the deluxe edition of THE FURY is as follows:
- "Blood on the Lens": An interview with Cinematographer Richard H. Kline.
- "Spinning Tales": Fiona Lewis on starring in The Fury.
- "The Fury - A Location Journal": An interview with Sam Irvin, intern on The Fury, author of the film’s shooting diary and then correspondent for Cinefantastique magazine.
- Original archive interviews from the 1978 promotional tour, featuring Brian De Palma, producer Frank Yablans and stars Carrie Snodgress and Amy Irving.
- "Double Negative": A short film tribute to Brian De Palma by Sam Irvin, starring William Finley.
- Gallery of behind-the-scenes production images.
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jay Shaw.
- Booklet featuring new writing on the film by Chris Dumas, author of Un-American Psycho: Brian De Palma and the Political Invisible, as well as a re-print of a contemporary interview with Brian De Palma, and a brand new interview with screenwriter John Farris on the writing of the film, his and De Palma’s unrealised adaptation of Alfred Bester’s The Demolished Man and more, illustrated with original stills and posters.

Dressed To Kill From Arrow July 29th

Pre-order "Dressed To Kill" Blu-Ray from Arrow Films

 

Arrow Video is pleased to announce the UK Blu-ray debut of Brian De Palma’s erotic crime thriller DRESSED TO KILL on Monday 29th July.

One of De Palma’s best loved films, DRESSED TO KILL has been lovingly re-mastered by MGM studios, and will finally be available uncut and on blu-ray for the very first time in the UK. Arrow’s deluxe edition of the film will come loaded with an exclusive selection of special features and bonus material.

Starring legendary British actor Michael Caine (The Italian Job, Get Carter) alongside Nancy Allen (Carrie, Blow Out) and Angie Dickenson (Point Blank, The Killers), DRESSED TO KILL begins as sexually frustrated housewife Kate Miller (Dickenson) consults her psychiatrist about her husband’s lacklustre performance in the bedroom. Following the session with Dr Elliot (Caine), Kate silently seduces a stranger in a New York Art gallery, before going back to his place.

Upon leaving the man’s apartment, Kate is brutally murdered in the elevator; the only witness is high-end prostitute Liz Blake (Allen), who is in-turn accused of the murder.

One of De Palma's darkest and most controversial suspense thrillers, DRESSED TO KILL was as acclaimed for its stylish set-pieces and lush Pino Donaggio score as it was condemned for its sexual explicitness and extreme violence.

The glee with which De Palma turns this material inside out is completely infectious, as he delves deep inside the troubled psyches of his characters (critic Pauline Kael said that the film was "permeated with the distilled essence of impure thoughts") in order to undermine expectations at every turn.

Following Obsession and Blow Out, DRESSED TO KILL is the third film in Arrow Video’s De Palma Collection. Restored Blu-ray editions of Sisters, Phantom Of The Paradise and The Fury will follow in 2013/14.

One of the greatest film directors of his generation, Brian De Palma’s inspirational career spans 40 years and includes commercial and critical successes in each decade since the 1970s. Alongside the likes of Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and William Friedkin, De Palma was part of the so-called “New Hollywood” movement which ruled tinsel town throughout the '70s and ‘80s.

Best known for his psychological and often violent thrillers, De Palma’s use of split-screens, slow panning shots and Hitchcockian suspense have made his films instantly recognizable. Alongside DRESSED TO KILL, some of De Palma’s most revered works include Scarface, Carrie, Blow Out, The Untouchables and Mission: Impossible.

De Palma has proved hugely influential, inspiring many modern-day film makers to get behind the camera; Quentin Tarantino hails De Palma as the greatest living American director. Also known for discovering and nurturing new acting talent, De Palma is widely credited with fostering the early careers of Robert De Nero and John C. Reilly.

A complete list of the special features included on the deluxe blu-ray edition of DRESSED TO KILL is as follows:
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the feature.
- Optional original uncompressed Mono 2.0 Audio and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround Sound.
- Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.
- Symphony of Fear: Producer George Litto discusses his working relationship with Brian De Palma.
- Dressed in White: Star Angie Dickinson on her role in the film.
- Dressed in Purple: Star Nancy Allen discusses her role in the film.
- Lessons in Filmmaking: Actor Keith Gordon discusses Dressed to Kill.
- The Making of a Thriller – A documentary on the making of Dressed to Kill featuring writer-director Brian De Palma, George Litto, stars Angie Dickinson, Nancy Allen, Dennis Franz and more!
- Unrated, R-Rated, and TV-Rated Comparison Featurette.
- Slashing Dressed to Kill – Brian De Palma and stars Nancy Allen and Keith Gordon discuss the changes that had to be made to avoid an X-rating.
- Original Theatrical Trailer.
- Gallery of behind-the-scenes images.
- Reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Nathanael Marsh.
- Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic and author Maitland McDonagh, and a new interview with poster designer Stephen Sayadian by Daniel Bird, illustrated with original archive stills and promotional material.

Bernard Herrmann - Sisters

Here's Bernard Herrmann's music from the Brian De Palma film Sisters. I'm too tired to write my usual bunch of crap right now, so I will leave you with this little anecdote I found regarding the score: "To indicate the musical effects he wanted, Brian De Palma put together an edit of his film that was dubbed with music from the films of the composer he most wanted to hire, 'Bernard Herrmann' . While he was showing it to Herrmann, the composer stopped him with, "Young man, I cannot watch your film while I'm listening to Marnie (1964)."

1. Main Title (01:20)
2. The Dressing Room (01:13)
3. The Ferry; The Apartment; Breton (03:32)
4. The Scar; The Pills; Duo (02:49)
5. The Cake; The Car; The Candles (02:19)
6. Phillip's Murder; Window View (02:55)
7. Clean-up; Split-screen; The Search (02:49)
8. Plastic Bag; The Dress; Cake Box (02:15)
9. Apartment House; The Windows (02:30)
10. The Couch (01:05)
11. Siamese Twins (02:31)
12. The Solution; The Clinic; Hypnotic Trance (03:47)
13. The Dream; The Syringe (05:07)
14. Separation Nightmare; Breton's Murder; Dirge (04:56)
15. Aftermath; Finale (02:02)

Download