Hitting Shelves 9.3

There's a lot of great stuff coming out today, too much for me to list them all in fact.  Here are some that I think are well worth a look:

From Scream comes the stateside Blu-ray and DVD release of Cockneys vs. Zombies. Cockneys is kind of like a less funny (though still funny) Shaun of the Dead mixed with the inept thuggery so frequently found in the work of Guy Ritchie - in fact it utilizes a few quick editing techniques found in Ritchie films like Snatch and Lock, Stock. I'm working on a review for it now, but to sum up it's a bit derivative but still a very entertaining zombie comedy for those of you out there who aren't sick of comedic zombies.

Thanks to Shout! Factory we also finally get one of my most eagerly awaited releases of the year, Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie . In my opinion The Movie is lesser MST (thanks to the studio interference and shortened running time) but it's still a lot of fun, and we finally, finally get a release with some proper extra features. I'm particularly excited to get a chance to see the deleted scenes after all these years.



Also out there today are a couple more Bava titles from Kino; Five Dolls For an August Moon & A Bay of Blood Both are fairly light on features, but each title does include a Tim Lucas commentary.

FIVE DOLLS FOR AN AUGUST MOON is Mario Bava's deliriously mod spin on an Agatha Christie style whodunit.

Bava was so closely associated with the horror genre that this twisting mystery was never released theatrically in the U.S., but it is deliciously entertaining all the same. A space age island retreat is visited by a group of friends and business associates, one of whom is a scientist who has invented a revolutionary chemical process, and is fending off various offers to buy it. Soon the vacationers start dying, and the survivors begin to wonder who has the most to gain from these murders most foul.

One of the most influential horror films of all time, Mario Bava's A BAY OF BLOOD (1971, aka Twitch of the Death Nerve) is the spurting artery from which all future slasher films would flow.

When crippled Countess Federica is murdered at her isolated mansion, a gruesome battle ensues to secure the rights to her valuable property around the bay. Everyone, from illegitimate children to shady real estate agents, stakes a claim, only to be killed in increasingly bizarre ways, from simple shootings to impalement by fishing spear. The makeup effects are by Carlo Rambaldi, who would later earn Oscars for his work in Alien (1979) and E.T. (1982).

Rodman Flender's stupidly hysterical satanic stoner possession comedy Idle Hands finally makes its Blu-ray debut from Image. I actually just saw this again for the first time in several years, and it's not as funny as it was to me when I was 18, but there are still plenty of great jokes and references to a ton of classic horror films, and even a quick nod to The French Connection. It's also worth a look for an early appearance by Jessica Alba who in my opinion never looked hotter than she does here. The Blu-ray looks and sounds great, but we get totally dicked in the extra features department. The old DVD has some pretty great bonus material, so if you have the DVD you'll want to hang on to it.

And finally, Twitter's favorite shark film Sharknado hits Blu-ray and DVD today. This one really blew up on the internet and I'm not sure why because SyFy has been making these kinds of dumbass CGI-tacular pieces of crap for a decade. Look it up, there's a hundred of these things. I caught this one on one of its many repeat showings, and it's not nearly terrible enough to have caused such an uproar online. It's a bad movie, sure, but while it's bad enough to be enjoyable, it's not bad enough to be hilarious, certainly not enough to have garnered as much attention as it did. Still, it's entertaining enough to be worth a look, though I don't see myself picking it up unless I can get it for $2 from a Hastings sale or something, especially since it'll probably air on SyFy many, many times. For the best in terribly awful CGI shark cinema, might I recommend Shark Attack 3: Megalodon.

Hitting Shelves 8.27

There's actually not a ton of stuff out there this week, but there's a few pretty great releases from Scream Factory and Arrow well worth adding to your collection.

Detective Jack Caine (Dolph Lundgren, Joshua Tree, The Expendables) thought he’d dealt with every kind of crime on earth. But now, someone is using human bodies to manufacture narcotics. Someone – or something – not of this world.
To the Alien that has arrived on earth, humans represent ideal drug factories because of our endorphins. To detective Caine, the Alien represents mankind’s worst threat. If the alien’s mission succeeds, our planet will be destroyed. Together with his straight-arrow FBI partner (Brian Benben, Private Practice) and his girlfriend, the city coroner (Betsy Brantley, Deep Impact), Caine is going to send this alien home in pieces!

I'd somehow actually never even heard of this one before, but it's one of my favorite new discoveries of the year. This one has it all; an alien drug dealer, throat slashings galore, brain spikings, so many explosions that I lost count and best of all, Dolph Lundgren really kicking a guy in the face. Any aspiring actors take note, if you miss your marks a huge Swedish dude will kick you in the face and knock you unconscious.

I can't recommend this one enough for those of you who enjoy early 90's action packed sci-fi films, it's just a great deal of fun. Pick it up now from Scream. Or Amazon if you prefer.

Its name is Quetzalcoatl, a dragon-like Aztec god that is summoned to modern-day Manhattan by a mysterious cult. But just call it “Q”…because that is all you’ll be able to say before it tears you apart! Roosting within the top of the Chrysler Building, this fearsome monster begins raining blood – from the bodies of window washers, construction workers and rooftop sunbathers alike – onto the streets of New York!
Director Larry Cohen (It’s Alive, Maniac Cop) “proves himself to be among the most creative, original and intelligent American horror film directors [with] this bizarre masterwork” (TV Guide), while the fantastic cast includes Michael Moriarty (Law & Order), who’s “fun to watch” (Roger Ebert) as a small-time thief who finds the nest of the creature, and Richard Roundtree (Shaft) and David Carradine (Kill Bill) as New York’s finest, hot on the serpentine tail of the bloodthirsty Q!

Larry Cohen's weirdo take on giant monsters hits Blu-ray for the first time with a brand new audio commentary from Cohen himself. Quetzacoatl is a pretty cool looking monster, but I'm not a big fan of the monster attack portions of the film - the stop motion stuff is just a bit too wonky for me. However Michael Moriarty is pretty great in this and he and David Carradine play off of each other amazingly well. Their back and forth is highly amusing and make Q The Winged Serpent well worth a watch.

Get it from Scream or Amazon.


For the Region B or Region Free readers out there Arrow Video has a couple of excellent classics out on Blu-ray this week; Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits, and Roger Corman's The Fall of the House of Usher. Both of which are packed with features and come in standard and steelbook cases. You can get Time Bandits and Usher can be picked up here.

THEY DIDN’T MAKE HISTORY, THEY STOLE IT!
The film that established Terry Gilliam as more than just Monty Python’s resident animator, this delightfully inventive children’s fantasy is about young Kevin (Craig Warnock) who finds himself travelling through holes in the space-time continuum in the company of half a dozen fractious dwarfs.

Along the way, he encounters Agamemnon (Sean Connery), Robin Hood (John Cleese), Napoleon (Ian Holm) and winds up as a passenger on the Titanic, although not necessarily in that order. But is this just random entertainment laid on for history fan Kevin’s benefit, or part of a wider struggle between the forces of good (Ralph Richardson) and evil (David Warner)?

At the time, this was a rare example of a small-budget British film successfully taking on American blockbusters. Now, it's a much-loved fantasy classic bursting with inspired images and ideas: Gilliam and co-writer Michael Palin (who also appears) are clearly enjoying themselves as much as their audience.

Special Features:
-Brand new 2k-resolution restoration of the film from the original camera negative, approved by director and co-writer Terry Gilliam
-Original uncompressed PCM Stereo 2.0 and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio options
-Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
-Chasing Time Bandits: A new interview with Terry Gilliam
-Writing the Film that Dares Not Speak its Name: A new interview in which Michael Palin discusses co-writing and acting in Time Bandits
-The Effects of Time Bandits: A new interview in which Kent Houston, founder of the Peerless Camera Company, discusses Time Bandits’ optical effects
-Playing Evil: A new featurette in which actor David Warner remembers producer George Harrison and playing Evil in Time Bandits
-The Costumes of Time Bandits: A new interview with costume designer James Acheson
-The Look of Time Bandits: A new interview with production designer Milly Burns
-From Script to Screen – A new animated featurette in which Milly Burns takes us through her production notebooks, locations photographs and storyboards revealing how twentieth century Morocco was transformed into Ancient Greece
-Original Trailer
-Restoration Demonstration
-Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic James Oliver

Region B

HE BURIED HER ALIVE… TO SAVE HIS SOUL!

When exploitation maestro Roger Corman decided to raise his game by hiring Vincent Price to star in an adaptation of a classic tale by Edgar Allan Poe, he set in train a series of Poe adaptations that would redefine American horror cinema.

When Philip Winthrop (Mark Damon) visits his fiancée Madeleine Usher (Myrna Fahey) in her crumbling family mansion, her brother Roderick (Price) tries to talk him out of the wedding, explaining that the Usher family is cursed and that extending its bloodline will only prolong the agony. Madeleine wants to elope with Philip, but neither of them can predict what ruthless lengths Roderick will go to in order to keep them apart.

Richard Matheson's intelligent, literate script is enhanced by Floyd Crosby's stylish widescreen cinematography, but it's Vincent Price's anguished conviction in one of his signature roles that makes the film so chillingly memorable over half a century on.

Special Features:
-High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the feature, transferred from original film elements by MGM
-Original uncompressed 2.0 Mono PCM Audio
-Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
-Audio commentary with director and producer Roger Corman
-Legend to Legend: An interview with director and former Corman apprentice Joe Dante
-Interview with author and Gothic horror expert Jonathan Rigby
-Fragments of the House of Usher: A Specially-commissioned video essay by critic and filmmaker David Cairns examining Corman’s film in relation to Poe’s story
-Archival interview with Vincent Price
-Original Trailer
-Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys
-Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by author and critic Tim Lucas and an extract from Vincent Price’s long out of print autobiography, illustrated with original archive stills and posters

Region B

Those of you without region free capabilities who are dying for a high def copy of Usher, it will be released next month in Scream's Vincent Price Collection set - though you will be missing out on the awesome steelbook case.

Hitting Shelves 8.20

Way too many great new releases today, here are some of the best that I recommend picking up.

From Scream comes their second double feature Blu-ray release (following their excellent Terrorvision/Video Dead set). This set features a couple of rarities lovingly rescued from Slasher obscurity; Boaz Davisdon's X-Ray and David Paulsen's Schizoid. Anyone else reminded of the opening murder scene in The Burning when they see that Schizoid artwork?

X-RAY, aka HOSPITAL MASSACRE (1982)

This movie will scare the life out of you! Susan Jeremy (Barbi Benton, Deathstalker) goes to a local hospital for a “routine examination.” Once inside, she discovers that someone doesn’t want her to check out…unless it’s in a body bag. A psychotic killer keeps her trapped inside the hospital, having fixed her x-rays to make it look like she has a terminal illness. Meanwhile, he brutally murders everyone she comes in contact with!

 SCHIZOID (1980)

In this “lurid shocker” (Leonard Maltin), a newspaper advice columnist (Marianna Hill, Blood Beach) starts receiving threats from a mysterious person. At the same time, the female members of her psychiatrist’s (Klaus Kinski, Crawlspace) therapy group are being murdered one by one…by a maniac wielding a large pair of scissors. Could these incidents be linked? Donna Wilkes (Angel, Jaws 2), Craig Wasson (Body Double), Flo Gerrish (Don’t Answer The Phone) and Christopher Lloyd (Back To The Future) also star.


I just had a chance to check both films out yesterday, so look for a review of that release soon. Fans of odd obscure slashers can grab this one from Shout Factory.

Vinegar Syndrome's long awaited Summer release of Marvin Chomsky's Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff also
hits today. I didn't get a screener copy of this one to, uh, screen, but the reviews have been very positive, and to sweeten the deal the release even features a bonus CD of the film's soundtrack. The bonus soundtrack is always a favorite bonus feature of mine, I wish more soundtracks were included in Blu-ray and DVD releases. Although I'd probably buy way more movies - I just dropped close to $20 on Blood Tracks because the inclusion of a bonus CD was too enticing to pass up. Now if the guy I bought it from would ship the thing...

Kino continues their Franco releases with a trio of titles that consists of 1962's The Awful Dr. Orlof, 1970's awkwardly titled Nightmares Come At Night and 1973's A Virgin Among the Living Dead (one of the 10 films Jess cranked out that year).

Generally considered the first horror film produced in Spain, THE AWFUL DR. ORLOF (L'horrible Docteur Orlof ) launched the career of cult cinema's most colorful figure: Jesus "Jess" Franco. Cloaking the story in the visual style of the British gothic film, Franco injected ORLOF with the kind of morbid eroticism that would quickly become his signature (and is presented here in the uncensored French release version).

Howard Vernon stars as a diabolical surgeon who, with the help of his blind minion Morpho (Ricardo Valle), lures beautiful women into the operating room of his stone castle, so they may provide the raw materials for a series of experimental face grafts for his disfigured daughter.
 

For years considered a lost Franco film (after having played at a single theatre in Belgium), NIGHTMARES COME AT NIGHT (Les cauchemars naissent la nuit) was rediscovered in 2004 and has been recognized as a key film in the evolution of Franco's cinema, which in 1970 was assuming a dreamlike logic, governed more by the director's libido than traditional horror movie structure.

Diana Lorys (The Awful Dr. Orlof ) stars as a sultry dancer who falls under the hypnotic control of the sinister blonde Cynthia (Colette Giacobine) and begins to suffer terrifying hallucinations, from which not even a gifted psychiatrist (Paul Muller) can save her. Meanwhile, a pair of jewel thieves (Soledad Miranda and Jack Taylor) hide out at a nearby house, biding their time until they can confront Cynthia for their share of a recent heist.

Redemption celebrates the life and career of Jess Franco (1930- 2013) with a deluxe edition of his mystifying erotic thriller: A VIRGIN AMONG THE LIVING DEAD (Une vierge chez les morts vivant ). Christina von Blanc stars as a woman who journeys to her ancestral home and finds herself surrounded by the restless spirits of her eccentric family, who may or may not be alive.

This disc includes two complete versions of the film: Franco's original cut (CHRISTINA, PRINCESS OF EROTICISM) and the re-release version (A VIRGIN AMONG THE LIVING DEAD), which was expanded to incorporate zombie scenes directed by French horror auteur Jean Rollin (The Living Dead Girl). Also included is the softcore footage shot to create a third version of the film.

You can pick up all three Francos on Blu-ray and DVD directly from Kino.

The Unseen - From Scorpion Releasing. The 2008 Code Red DVD release went out of print and quickly rose to pretty absurd prices on eBay. Scorpion has managed to get ahold of the title and they're presenting it on Blu-ray for the first time. If you haven't seen it, it's a pretty slow film, but it's better than its reputation would lead one to believe. Good atmosphere, weird monster, Barbara Bach, it's not bad. Anyone interested in picking this one up, Diabolik has the current lowest price I've seen.

A TV reporter (Barbara Bach) and two friends head to Solvang, California, to cover a Danish festival. When a mix-up at the hotel leaves them stranded without hotel rooms, the girls accept the invitation of a friendly museum owner to board at his farmhouse.But what the women don't know is that something is living in the basement of that farmhouse. Something unspeakable. And their stay soon becomes a horrific nightmare when they encounter the "unseen". From an original story by make up legends Stan Winston (PUMPKINHEAD) & Tom Burman, written by Kim Henkel of TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE fame. - See more at: http://www.diabolikdvd.com/category/Horror-%5Bsl%5D-Thriller/Unseen-(Scorpion-Releasing)-(Blu~Ray).html#sthash.Io6Vpz5k.dpuf

A TV reporter (Barbara Bach) and two friends head to Solvang, California, to cover a Danish festival. When a mix-up at the hotel leaves them stranded without hotel rooms, the girls accept the invitation of a friendly museum owner to board at his farmhouse.But what the women don't know is that something is living in the basement of that farmhouse. Something unspeakable. And their stay soon becomes a horrific nightmare when they encounter the "unseen". From an original story by make up legends Stan Winston (PUMPKINHEAD) & Tom Burman, written by Kim Henkel of TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE fame. - See more at: http://www.diabolikdvd.com/category/Horror-%5Bsl%5D-Thriller/Unseen-(Scorpion-Releasing)-(Blu~Ray).html#sthash.Io6Vpz5k.dpuf

A TV reporter (Barbara Bach) and two friends head to Solvang, California, to cover a Danish festival. When a mix-up at the hotel leaves them stranded without hotel rooms, the girls accept the invitation of a friendly museum owner to board at his farmhouse.But what the women don't know is that something is living in the basement of that farmhouse. Something unspeakable. And their stay soon becomes a horrific nightmare when they encounter the "unseen". From an original story by make up legends Stan Winston (PUMPKINHEAD) & Tom Burman, written by Kim Henkel of TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE fame. - See more at: http://www.diabolikdvd.com/category/Horror-%5Bsl%5D-Thriller/Unseen-(Scorpion-Releasing)-(Blu~Ray).html#sthash.Io6Vpz5k.dpuf

And finally, for those of you with Region Free capabilities (or who live somewhere where Region B is the actual region your Blu-ray player plays) is one of my most anticipated Arrow Video releases of the year, the Blu-ray/DVD Combo pack of Deranged: Confessions of a Necrophile. The film was directed by Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things stars Alan Ormsby and Jeff Gillen (who played Santa in A Christmas Story). It's a great mix of pitch black humor and gritty unsettling horror with a tremendous lead performance from Roberts Blossom (who you might also remember as the "evil" old man who saves Kevin's ass in Home Alone).

I haven't checked this Arrow release out yet, but holy hell is this thing packed with features:
Special Features:
-High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation of the unrated version, featuring the infamous ‘brain-scooping scene’, available uncut in the UK for the first time!
-Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
-Audio commentary with special effects artist Tom Savini
-Introduction to the film by Savini
-A Blossoming Brilliance: Scott Spiegel (Intruder, Evil Dead II) speaks about Deranged star Roberts Blossom and the lasting legacy of this gore-soaked gem
-Ed Gein: From Murder to Movies - Laurence R. Harvey (The Human Centipide II) discusses the lurid legacy of the Wisconsin serial killer and the secrets of portraying a cinematic psychopath
-The Wages of Sin – Making of featurette comprising newly transferred 16mm production footage plus an archive interview with director Jeff Gillen
-Original Trailer
-Stills gallery
-Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nat Marsh
-Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Stephen Thrower, author of Nightmare USA, and an archive interview with producer Bob Clark by Calum Waddell, illustrated with original archive stills and posters
Region B/2

Do yourselves a favor and pick this one up from Arrow, it kinda rules.

Hitting Shelves 8.6

Here are some of the finer things that will be hitting shelves today at your local...online retailer. At least, that's where I have to buy most of my movies. Some of you might be lucky enough to have a local source where you can buy Scorpion or even Scream Factory releases. Not me. The best movie source I've got anywhere near me is Best Buy, and Best Buy kind of sucks.

"World War IV has ravaged Earth, and its survivors must battle for food, shelter and companionship in a post-atomic  wasteland.  This classic sci-fi tale follows the exploits of a young man, Vic (Don Johnson), and his telepathic dog, Blood, as they struggle through the barren wilderness. In the midst of their meager existence, foraging for scraps of food and battling ruthless gangs, Vic and Blood encounter a young woman who lures them into a surreal city deep beneath the earth’s surface.

Based on the award-winning novella by acclaimed science-fiction author Harlan Ellison, A Boy and His Dog is a dark, twisted and sometimes comical trip through a post-apocalyptic reality in the not-too-distant future."

Grab it now from Shout! or Amazon.

Alex Winter's hilarious goofball take on Dr. Moreau has finally hit Blu-ray from Anchor Bay, who are kind of giving us a bit of a shaft job with this release, it seems to be lacking approximately 100% of the bonus features that appeared on the 2-disc DVD. So if you have the DVD you're gonna want to hang onto it.

"Alex Winter (of BILL & TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE) stars as Ricky Coogin, an arrogant former child star who becomes the celebrity spokesman for toxic fertilizer Zygrot-24. But when Ricky is taken prisoner by demented sideshow impresario Elijah C. Skuggs (Randy Quaid), he is transformed into a hideous mutant freak to join the likes of The Bearded Lady (Mr. T), Sockhead (Bobcat Goldthwait), a human worm, a giant nose, and their fearless leader, Ortiz The Dog Boy (an uncredited - and unforgettable - performance by Keanu Reeves). Can a hack actor-turned-genetic nightmare now survive an evil conspiracy of corporate sleazebags, desperate milkmen, Rastafarian eyeballs, canned cheese and most horrifying of all, Brooke Shields? It's time to get FREAKED!"

If you haven't seen it, it's kind of like Basket Case 3 meets The Island of Lost Souls. In other words, it's awesome. If you're like me and you think jokes about a guy with a nose so huge it enables him to "smell the future" are funny, this is definitely a movie you'll want in your collection. Grab it from Amazon.

Wes Craven's backwoods bad guy basher flick Swamp Thing hits Blu-ray today from Scream Factory. I think Swamp Thing is a decently fun time at the movies, but am I alone in finding it inferior to Jim Wynorski's much more entertaining Return of the Swamp Thing? I mean, from a technical standpoint Craven's gonna beat Wynorski every time, but in terms of entertainment I found Return way more rewarding than this original. I don't know, maybe that's just me. Either way, I actually didn't get a review copy of this one, but according to Gary at The Beav fans of the film should be pleased with this very nice package Scream has put together.

"Science Made Him A Monster!

Swamp Thing is the perfect blend of thrills, chills and "winsome humor" (Robert Ebert) from master of horror Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Last House on the Left, The Hills Have Eyes).

Deep in the Florida everglades, a brilliant scientist, Dr. Alec Holland (Ray Wise), and a sexy government agent, Alice Cable (Adrienne Barbeau, The Fog), have developed a secret formula that could end world hunger. Little do they know, however, that their arch nemesis, Arcane (Louis Jourdan, Octopussy), is plotting to steal the serum for his own selfish schemes. Looting the lab and kidnapping Cable, Arcane douses Holland with the chemicals and leaves him for dead. Mutated by his own formula, Holland becomes "Swamp Thing" - a half-human/half-plant superhero who will stop at nothing to rescue Cable and defeat Arcane...even if it costs him his life!"


Just a heads up, Shout was only able to release the PG rated "No Tits" version, so if you're desperate for a peek at Adrienne's Barbeaus you'll need to seek out that original recalled MGM DVD. You can grab the Blu-ray directly from Shout Factory.

Bill "Code Red" Olsen's less eccentric brother Walter's label Scorpion Releasing steps into the world of Blu-ray with Jim O'Connolly's 1972 film Tower of Evil.

"From horror producer Richard Gordon (Inseminoid, First Man into Space, Fiend Without a Face, Horror Hospital) comes one of the most brutal and mysterious stories ever to be released on BluRay. Tower of Evil is a haunting tale set in & around a deserted lighthouse on fog-shrouded Snape Island.

The terror begins when a nude, crazed woman slaughters a sailor who visits the island. When she is taken back to civilization and an ancient relic is discovered, an expedition is mounted to solve the mystery of the island which leads to a series of psycho-sexual murders. Starring Jill Haworth (It!), Bryant Haliday (Devil Doll), Dennis Price (Theather of Blood), George Coulouris (Blood from the Mummy's Tomb) and Candice Glendenning (Satan's Slave) now witness the horror from a brand new HD master"

Grab it now from Amazon.

Joining Tower of Evil in Scorpion's jump to Blu-ray is the 1985 comedy Tomboy. I've never seen Tomboy so I don't have much to say about the film, but high def Betsy Russell boobs have gotta be worth the price of admission, right?

Tomasina "Tommy" Boyd (Betsy Russell, PRIVATE SCHOOL, AVENGING ANGEL, the SAW films) has always been a tomboy. She'd rather tinker with cars and play baseball than dress up dolls. She tried to be the son her father always wanted. Now all grown up, Tommy works as a mechanic at Chester's garage. While working on racecars for racing entrepreneur Junior Leeds, she meets race car driver Randy Star. She is attracted to Randy and hopes for a romantic relationship when her race car driving skills are spotted by Junior and his partner. They offer Tommy a job racing against her new love, Randy. Who will win, and will the competition move this new romance across the finish line? Now see it from a brand new HD master on Blu Ray!

Includes a Brand New interview with Betsy Russell! And hosted by Katarina Leigh Waters. Get it from Amazon.

The Initiation - Arrow Video (Region 2 DVD)

Here's to being young... staying young... and dying young.

Like any blossoming all-American gal, Kelly is looking forward to her sorority initiation with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. And she s got every reason to be anxious considering the prank her sorority sisters have tasked her with a late-night break-in of her father s department store. At first, it seems pretty straightforward and everything goes to plan, but once inside the labyrinthian mall, Kelly and her fellow pledges finds themselves locked in, and they re not alone...

Who is the stranger stalking Kelly and her randy teen friends through the department s stores shadowy corridors? And how is this unseen assailant connected with Kelly's terrible recurring nightmares of a man burning in agony....?

ALSO INCLUDES A TRAILER + BOOKLET BY CRITIC CALUM WADDELL!

Those of you on Clu Gulager alert will be happy to know Clu does in fact appear in The Initiation. Grab it now from Arrow.

I actually have a screener copy of this one, so I will be reviewing it soon. We still haven't gotten a temporary house since the fire (which was 3 weeks ago now) so I'm still stuck in a room without a TV which makes reviewing movies difficult, I might have to watch this and my Scream August releases on my laptop if we don't have a house in the next couple of days.

Hitting Shelves 6.25.13

Here's a quick look at some titles releasing today that we here at the Morgue recommend checking out.

Dead Souls - Scream Factory

Produced for the Chiller network, Dead Souls is an atmospheric tale that finds 18-year old Johnny Petrie  inheriting a rundown old farmhouse with a terrible past. Look for my review for this one soon, just finishing it up. Purchase the Blu-ray directly from Scream Factory. Also available on DVD.


Todd & the Book of Pure Evil - The Complete 2nd Season 

Tragically canceled before a third season could be produced this Canadian High School comedy combines horror, metal and extreme gore in a very funny package.

Todd and the Gang return for more gore-a-fying adventures at Crowley High. Todd is torn between his horny needs and his dark destiny; Jenny discovers the reason behind her Dad s disappearance; Curtis ex-girlfriend returns to throw the Gang in turmoil; and Hannah discovers a secret so disturbing that it threatens her own identity. Meanwhile, Atticus is determined to unlock the Book s power for himself, and Jimmy is, well, doing Jimmy things.

Bonus Features: Blooper Reel, Deleted and Extended Scenes, Extended Musical Numbers, Special FX Bonus Material, Behind-the-Scenes Featurette, In Memoriam : A tribute to the fallen students of Crowley High, Three Audio Commentaries with Cast & Crew.

Don't be an Ass Taxi, grab it from Amazon. If you're interested in the show but are unfamiliar with it, both seasons are currently available to stream on Netflix, do check it out.


Also, possibly coming out today is Zombie Ass: Toilet of the Dead from director Noboru Iguchi. It's listed as releasing today on Amazon, but then it is coming from Tokyo Shock, so really, who the hell knows? If it does get released for sure expect a lot of Iguchi's patented mix of poop jokes and weirdo gore.

Wracked with guilt over the suicide of her sister, who was tormented by high school bullies, young karate student Megumi accompanies a group of friends on a trip into the woods. Attacked by a crowd of poop-covered undead who emerge from an outhouse toilet, the group seeks refuge in the home of the strange Dr. Tanaka, who conducts experiments on the zombies ... and who has another fate in mind for the five strangers. Can Megumi s karate help them escape, or will she have to rely on the liberating power of farts to save the day?

Foxy Brown (Region B, Arrow Video)

 From Arrow is the Blu-ray debut of one of Jack Hill's most popular films Foxy Brown, available in a standard edition, or the extra sexy Steelbook version.

When Foxy Brown s undercover-agent boyfriend is gunned down on the orders of evil drug kingpins, she stops at nothing to exact a thrillingly brutal revenge. This is one of the all-time great blaxploitation films, pulling out all the stops at a time long before anyone thought of inventing political correctness.

Pam Grier was given the role of a lifetime as the street-smart yet intensely sexy Foxy, modelling a stupendously varied range of Seventies threads while righteously kicking villainous white butt at every opportunity. She s also given sterling support from Antonio Huggy Bear Fargas as her no-good younger brother and a memorably funky soundtrack.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Limited Edition SteelBook packaging with exclusive artwork
• Restored High Definition Blu-ray presentation (1080p)
• Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Audio commentary with director Jack Hill
• From Black and White to Blaxploitation Actor Sid Haig speaks about his long and influential friendship with Jack Hill
• A Not So Minor Influence An Interview with Bob Minor, the first African-American member of the Stuntman s Association, and co-star of Foxy Brown­
• Back to Black Legendary actors Fred The Hammer Williamson (Black Caesar) and Austin Stoker (Sheba Baby, Assault on Precinct 13 ), alongside Rosanne Katon (Ebony, Ivory, and Jade) and film scholar Howard S. Berger speak about the enduring popularity of the Blaxploitation film
• Photo gallery of behind-the-scenes and publicity images
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Trailer Reel Trailers for all the major works by Jack Hill including Foxy Brown, Coffy and Switchblade Sisters
• Collector s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Josiah Howard, author of Blaxploitation Cinema: The Essential Reference Guide, a new interview with Pam Grier by Jack Hill biographer Calum Waddell, illustrated with original archive stills and posters

Get the Blu-ray from Amazon UK. Or why not splurge a little and grab the Steelbook.



I don't normally mention music releases here, I feel compelled to mention today's release of Deceiver of the Gods by one of my personal favorite bands Amon Amarth. I haven't heard the album yet, but they're one of the most consistent bands in all of metal, I buy all their albums the second the preorder goes up because I know Amon Amarth never disappoints. The Deluxe Edition CD+EP is only $12 right now, so buy it up.

Hitting Shelves 6.18.13

Here are a few titles releasing today that I recommend picking up.

American Mary - Brilliant but perpetually broke college student Mary Mason (Katharine Isabelle) performs underground body modification surgeries to pay for school. From Canada's own Soska Twins. The Blu-ray is currently only $13 on Amazon. Check out my review here. I reviewed a screener copy that included no bonus features, here are the specs and features of this release:

The Blu-ray release of American Mary features a 1080p video presentation and a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. Extras include:

• Commentary with the Soska Sisters, Katharine Isabelle and Tristan Risk
• Behind the Scenes Featurette

The Joe Dante wahrwilf classic that spawned dozens of sequels finally makes it's way to Blu-ray in the US from Scream Factory. The disc contains most of the previously released DVD bonus features, plus a wealth of newly produced features. Not a Blu-ray/DVD Combo like most Scream Factory Collector's Editions, but there is a separate DVD release for those of you with no Blu-ray capabilities. Check out my review here.

Tobe Hooper's cheese-tastic space vampire epic comes to Blu-ray from Scream Factory in a loaded Collector's Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack (with slipcover, for those of you who care about those). The Blu-ray disc contains both cuts of the film and two audio commentaries, plus several more features. Check my review here.