Halloween Moviethon - Twice Dead + Popcorn

Today I took in a double feature today with a very specific theme. Horror films starring raspy voiced actresses named Jill who were born in 1963 and made their film debuts in 1981. Starting with Twice Dead starring Jill Whitlow, followed by Popcorn starring Jill Schoelen.

In Twice Dead the Cates family inherits the house of their dead lunatic uncle Tyler Walker. The Cates; Harry, Silvia, and their teenage children Scott and Robin (who kinda act like they're dating) arrive to discover that a local street gang has made their new home their hangout. Some of these gang members remind me a lot of the ones from The Lost Boys, only these guys aren't vampires. They're just assholes. If a gang of assholes isn't bad enough, the house turns out to be a bit haunted as well.

The family has to deal with constant harassment and at least one attempted daughter rape in an apparently uninhabited Los Angeles neighborhood while the cops do nothing. Eventually the parents have to leave town for two or three weeks to take care of some business so they won't be "ruined". I don't own any kids, but if I did I don't think I'd leave them home alone for several weeks with a gang of violent criminals constantly showing up at the house. Especially if the perviest member of the gang has a major fixation on my pretty daughter. 

For some reason the kids think it might be a good idea to scare the shit out of the gang by drugging them one at a time and staging elaborate gruesome murder scenes using props Scott borrowed from film school. As you can imagine, this just pisses the gang off even more. They show up later and shit gets real. And the murders. Those also get real.

I liked this one. I'm usually not a big fan of "home invasion" scenarios, but it worked for me here. Maybe because it wasn't as "rapey" as a lot of these movies usually are. This one is cool because you get to see the bad guys get offed twice. I haven't really mentioned the haunted house part of the movie because there's really not much to them, mostly a ghost in a mirror and a bit of light possession towards the end. Overall, not a classic but certainly worth a look for 80s horror fans.

Things to look for:

• A cat named Meow
• Hearse car chase
• Extreme stop sign running
• New from Cadillac - The casket launching hearse
• The world's strongest dirt bike
• Jill Whitlow, who plays Robin/Myrna. She was always really likable in stuff like this, Night of the Creeps and Weird Science, kind of a shame her career never really took off - she doesn't even have a headshot on her IMDB page. 

Up next was Jill Schoelen's Popcorn from 1991, shot entirely in Jamaica for no apparent reason. Popcorn is a pretty solid film, in my opinion the one thing holding this one back from being more fondly remembered is that the movie's maniac is just too over the top. Once he's fully revealed himself and his motive he goes into full spazz mode. He's got a cocaine-era Robin Williams level of energy. He's jumping around, shouting, doing voices - can someone calm this guy the hell down? The director should've reeled him in, at least a bit. The makeup is actually pretty gruesome, this dude could've been legitimately frightening if he didn't spend his final 20 minutes running around like Rip Taylor.

Synapse's Blu-ray is pretty great, I'm definitely glad I just waited for the standard release though instead of paying $24 more for a highly damageable steelbook case. Steelbooks look pretty cool, but I'm not really up for dropping more money for them. Maybe a few dollars difference, not $24. With the money I saved there I got Universal's 8-film Hammer Horror set.

Things to look for:

• Dee Wallace in a very rare horror film appearance
• Why would a bathroom stall have a key lock on the outside of the door? When would someone ever need to lock another person into a stall?
• Death by giant mosquito prop. Twice!
• Half price perms for white guys
• Not to nerd out too much here but they put "Rated R" on the marquee, but the movies they play at the Horror-thon - Mosquito, The Attack of the Amazing Electrified Man and The Stench were shlocky sci-fi films from the 50s and 60s. Those would not have been Rated R. 

Synapse To Release Creature From Black Lake

Independent U.S. distributors Synapse Films confirmed today that they will bring to Blu-ray Jim McCullough's Creature from Black Lake (1978), starring Jack Elam, Dub Taylor, and Dennis Fimple. The release is expected to arrive on the U.S. market in 2015 after restoration work is completed.

Some fishermen are attacked in the Louisiana swamps. When the word gets out of a mysterious Bigfoot-type creature, two researchers come to a small town to study and hopefully discover what the beast is. Their research from some farmers help the two men to learn that the creature may be a very angry and murderous missing link.

This is a very exciting out-of-nowhere announcement from Synapse. I have the DVD from Hollywood Entertainment (whatever that is) that I got for $2 but I've put off watching it for a long time 0because the picture quality is so poor. Glad I waited.

Prom Night From Synapse - The Press Release

It's getting closer and closer to Synapse's Prom Night Blu-ray and DVD and I've just gotten the details for the September 9th release. Incidentally, this is another release that fans have already found a random thing to bitch about. The background on the cover is a bit lighter than on the original poster. New 2K transfer from 35mm Camera Negative and Never-Before-Seen outtakes? But the cover is a bit too blue. Fuck that.

SOME WILL BE CROWNED.
OTHERS WILL LOSE THEIR HEADS.

PROM NIGHT
SLASHING YOUR WAY ON BLU-RAY AND DVD SEPTEMBER 9!

GET YOUR TUXEDOS ON!

Jamie Lee Curtis (HALLOWEEN, THE FOG) and Leslie Nielsen (THE NAKED GUN, AIRPLANE, FORBIDDEN PLANET) star in this celebrated slasher classic.

Four Hamilton High seniors are hiding a terrible secret. What happened to Robin Hammond six years ago was a game that turned into a horrible tragedy, and someone saw what they did… someone waiting for gruesome revenge! Wearing a black hood and wielding an axe, a killer brutally slaughters the teenagers one by one at their high school prom.  As the spotlight falls on the newly crowned prom king and queen, the psychopath will show everyone his new favorite game to play…

Are you ready for a bloody night of
“Disco Madness”? Synapse Films is proud to present PROM NIGHT in a beautiful new version, remastered and restored in 2K from the original 35mm camera negative with an all-new 5.1 surround mix.

Special Features:

• Brand-New 2K High-Definition Transfer from the Original 35mm Camera Negative
• New 5.1 Surround Remix Specifically Created for this Release (Original 2.0 Mono Included)
• Audio Commentary with Director Paul Lynch and Screenwriter William Gray
• THE HORRORS OF HAMILTON HIGH: The Making of "Prom Night" – Featurette
• Collection of Additional Scenes Added for Television Broadcast
• Never-Before-Seen Outtakes from “Prom Night” *Exclusive to Blu-ray
• Motion Still Gallery *Exclusive to Blu-ray
• Original Theatrical Trailer & Television Spots
• English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Disc Info:

Directed by:  Paul Lynch
Starring:  Jamie Lee Curtis, Leslie Nielsen, Eddie Benton
Run Time:  92 minutes
Release Date:  September 9, 2014
Language:  English
Aspect Ratio:  Widescreen Anamorphic 1.78:1
Formats:  Blu-ray and DVD
Blu-ray Region:  A
DVD Region:  1
Blu-ray UPC: 654930316597
DVD UPC:  654930316696
Blu-ray SRP:  $24.95
DVD SRP:  $19.95

Synapse Films

Curtains From Synapse July 8th!

Great news, Curtains is coming soon. Like really soon. Synapse has set July 8th as the date for their Blu-ray and DVD release. I was a bit worried they might go the Demons Steelbook route with this release, but I'm so glad they're putting this out as a proper release. Check the press release below:

SOMEONE IS WAITING, SOMEONE IS WATCHING...

CURTAINS
AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY AND DVD JULY 8!

AND THE CURTAINS PART!

John Vernon (CHAINED HEAT, National Lampoon’s ANIMAL HOUSE) and Samantha Eggar (THE BROOD, THE EXTERMINATOR) star in this horror classic from the golden age of the slasher genre.

A group of women gather for a weekend casting call at the secluded mansion of director Jonathan Stryker (Vernon). He’s searching for the perfect woman to play the role of the crazed character “Audra”, and these women are just dying for the chance to play her! Stryker’s last star, Samantha Sherwood (Eggar), is so determined to get the part, she committed herself to an asylum to prepare for the role. Unfortunately for all, a crazed killer in a disgusting “hag” mask is viciously murdering everyone one by one. Who will survive the final curtain call?

Lovingly re-mastered in 2K resolution from original vault materials virtually untouched for over 30 years, CURTAINS makes its high-definition world premiere from Synapse Films. 

Special Features:

• The Ultimate Nightmare:
    The Making of CURTAINS                               Retrospective
• Audio Commentary with Stars
    Lesleh Donaldson and Lynne Griffin
• Audio Interviews with Producer                     Peter R. Simpson and Star
    Samantha Eggar
• Theatrical Trailer
• New 5.1 Surround Remix

Disc Info:

Directed by:  Jonathan Stryker
Starring:  John Vernon, Samantha Eggar, Lesleh Donaldson, Lynne Griffin
Run Time:  90 minutes
Release Date:  July 8, 2014
Language:  English
Aspect Ratio:  Widescreen Anamorphic 1.78:1
Formats:  Blu-ray and DVD
Blu-ray Region:  A
DVD Region:  1
Blu-ray UPC:  654930316290
DVD UPC:  654930316399
Blu-ray SRP:  $24.95
DVD SRP:  $19.95

Synapse Films

Countess Dracula Coming From Synapse May 6th

Synapse just announced May 6th as the release date for their Blu-ray release of Countess Dracula. I guess this makes the old MGM Vampire Lovers/Countess Dracula disc pretty obsolete, doesn't it?

 

 

Fangoria.com:

One of the sexiest bloodlusters in screen history is getting a hi-def upgrade as Synapse Films continues its Hammer Horror Collection with a Blu-ray/DVD combo release of COUNTESS DRACULA. We’ve got the scoop on the specs and the cover art to share.

Synapse releases COUNTESS DRACULA May 6, with the double-disc set retailing for $29.95. Directed by Peter Sasdy, the film stars Ingrid Pitt as Hungarian countess Elisabeth Nádasdy, who believes she can stop the ravages of aging by bathing in the blood of young women. Presented in 1.66:1 anamorphic widescreen (1080p on the Blu-ray), COUNTESS DRACULA will be accompanied by:

• Audio commentary by Pitt, Sasdy, screenwriter Jeremy Paul and author Jonathan Sothcott
• “Immortal Countess: The Cinematic Life of Ingrid Pitt” featurette
• Archival audio interview with Pitt
• Still gallery
• Theatrical trailer
• Reversible cover artwork

New This Week 2.11.14 - French Vampires & Japanese Sex Nurses

Kino has bundled 4 Jean Rollin vampire films into one 4-disc box set:

As the constraints of censorship began to see in the late 1960's and early '70's, visionary French filmmaker Jean Rollin created a series of mesmerizing thrillers that injected the Gothic vampire film with a more contemporary strain of eroticism. Fluctuating between visual poetry and shocking violence, Rollin's deeply personal films have come to be recognized as classics of the horror genre, and are presented here in deluxe editions, mastered in HD from the original 35mm negatives, and accompanied by printed essays by Tim Lucas (Video Watchdog).

This box set contains:
THE RAPE OF THE VAMPIRE
THE NUDE VAMPIRE
THE SHIVER OF THE VAMPIRES
REQUIEM FOR A VAMPIRE

Buy it

Scorpion was able to wrangle this title away from Code Red

From the director and producer of the greatest martial art film of all time ENTER THE DRAGON comes FORCE: FIVE! A martial-art expert leads his team of fellow martial artists to rescue a senator's daughter from an island ruled by the evil leader of a religious cult in this action packed film, starring some of the greatest martial art stars ever assembled! JOE LEWIS (Jaguar Lives!), BENNY THE JET URIQUIDEZ (undefeated 27 year Kickboxing champion) , RICHARD NORTON (The Octagon), SONNY BARNES (Black Belt jones) takes on MASTER BON SOO HAN (Kentucky Friend Movie) in a fight to the death! Now see this martial art classic in glorious widescreen from a brand new HD master! 

Support Scorpion, grab this one today.

The zombie comedy schtick has been done to death at this point, but I know Synapse wouldn't waste their time releasing a movie that sucks, so I trust Reel Zombies will be worth a look. 

Independent underground filmmakers Mike Masters and David J. Francis (playing themselves) are eager to complete the third film in their ZOMBIE NIGHT film trilogy, a series of rather unsuccessful low-budget, shot-on-video gore fests. The problem, however, is a recent zombie apocalypse has taken over the world since their series began. The dead are rising from their graves and eating the living... for real this time! Masters and Francis embark on the production of their newest masterpiece anyway, only to discover shooting in a post-apocalyptic world offers many unforeseen challenges. Instead of giving up, they decide to capitalize on the cannibalistic catastrophe. No need for latex and fake blood when there's an entire world of flesh eating undead to add realism to their film, and help save money on special effects costs! Touching upon the real-life headaches of low-budget filmmaking, with numerous nods to the zombie film genre, REEL ZOMBIES is a satirical mockumentary feature that dives head-first into self-parody and an improbable but inspiring lesson in film craft proving that passion and dedication can overcome all obstacles even the ones that want to chomp your brain out! (Simon Laperrière, Fantasia Film Festival)

Special Features:

• Over 40 Minutes Of Deleted Scenes
• Trailer
• Audio Commentary

 Amazon

Abigail Breslin (Ender s Game, Zombieland) stars in HAUNTER, a unique take on the traditional haunted house story from director Vincenzo Natali (Splice, Cube). In 1986, teenager Lisa (Breslin) and her family died in their home under sinister circumstances. Unable to move on, their spirits continued to roam the house during the intervening years. Now, over a period of six days , Lisa must reach out from beyond the grave to help her living counterpart Olivia avoid the same fate that Lisa and her family suffered long ago. Uniquely unsettling and shocking, HAUNTER is a one-of-a-kind reverse ghost story that chills long after the final frame. 

Haunter is currently available on Amazon at the suspiciously low release date price of $10. 

Vinegar Syndrome is continuing their new Peek-A-Rama line with this double feature of Deep Roots and Starlet Nights:

DEEP ROOTS (1978): an American Indian journeys from his reservation to the lust capital of Hollywood where he finds himself surrounded by his wildest fantasies! Featuring Andy Warhol superstar, Liz Renay! STARLET NIGHTS (1978): this sexy retelling of Snow White stars Leslie Bovee as a beautiful, but wicked, stepmother trying to ruin the virginal reputation of her stunning stepdaughter, Snow. Vinegar Syndrome presents both films freshly transferred and restored in 2K from 35mm original elements!

Get it direct from Vinegar Syndrome.

Impulse continues their wildly popular Nikkatsu Collection with the absurdly titled Nurse Girl Dorm: Sticky Fingers from director Yoshihiro Kawasaki.

There's a new group of young ladies working at St. Elizabeth Hospital and they're all looking for love. These nurses are watched over by a fairly strict dorm supervisor, but with the help of the mysterious Yuki, they are able to sneak in their boyfriends at night. Yuki is a terrible influence on the girls, but she sure knows how to have fun! When a bandaged man walks into the hospital looking for Yuki, her past is revealed. His name is Tadao and he was secretly married to Yuki. He wants to rekindle their failed relationship, but she has other ideas. On one strange night, the boyfriends, Tadao and many others all converge at the hospital for the evening. NURSE GIRL DORM: STICKY FINGERS mixes madcap comedy and jaw-dropping scenes that only Nikkatsu studios could unleash.
Special Features:

• Newly Translated Removable English Subtitles
• Original Trailer
• Liner Notes

 Buy it!

Also from Impulse is the less ridiculously (though still ridiculous) titled Sex Hunter: 1980 from Toshiharu Ikeda:

Miki, a young and talented ballet dancer is accepted into an exclusive and very private academy run by a mysterious woman named Kaibara Akiko. Miki wants to further her dance education and rekindle her relationship with her boyfriend, but soon discovers all the horrible things forced upon the academy students. She is subjected to constant torture and realizes there may be no escape! With similar tones to Italian horror maestro Dario Argento's masterwork SUSPIRIA, SEX HUNTER: 1980 is one of the more controversial entries in the Nikkatsu Erotic Films Collection.
Special Features:

• Newly Translated Removable English Subtitles
• Original Trailer
• Liner Notes 

Buy it!

And finally, from Anchor Bay comes this comedic slasher film from directing duo Chris Freeman & Justin Jones

An isolated town full of sexy college girls. A tough big-city cop investigating a series of unsolved disappearances. A psychotic killer with a taste for terror, torture and sorority sister torment. But when this party gets started, will all of them receive an advanced degree in extreme horror? Tom Downey, Kevin Sorbo(Hercules: The Legendary Journeys), Ed O'Ross (Six Feet Under), Leslie Easterbrook (THE DEVIL'S REJECTS), Richard Moll (HOUSE), adult film legend Ron Jeremy and new Scream Queens Marissa Skell, Eve Mauro and Yvette Yates co-star in this twisted shocker that Screen Spotlight raves, delivers red hot naked women and gruesome murders... SORORITY PARTY MASSACRE is a surefire winner! 

Like Haunter, this one is also currently only $10 on Amazon

Popcorn To Be Released By Synapse Films

This is actually a bit of old news at this point, but in case you somehow missed it, Popcorn, coming to Blu-ray from Synapse!

 

 

Buy A Bag, Go Home In A Box!

Popcorn, the 1991 cult classic starring Jill Schoelen (The Stepfather, Cutting Class), Malcolm Danare (Christine, Heaven Help Us), Dee Wallace (E.T. the Extra-terrestrial, The Frighteners, The Lords of Salem) and Tom Villard (One Crazy Summer, My Girl) is coming to Special Edition Blu-ray and DVD from Synapse Films, Inc in 2014!

This release will give fans a brand-new 2K restoration of the film, taken directly from original vault materials. Supplementary materials from Michael Felsher’s Red Shirt Pictures will round out the exciting package. While the line-up of bonus materials has not yet been finalized, it will feature a retrospective documentary on the making of and legacy of Popcorn along with more extra features currently in the planning stages.

“We are thrilled to be working closely with Kristy Jett and Red Shirt Pictures to bring Popcorn out properly. We now have some amazing materials, including the original camera negative and 35mm Interpositive materials to go through, to make sure this release is the best it can be. We just got a palette of amazing stuff we have to sort through for extras, including never before seen behind-the-scenes photos, documents, vintage interview tapes and even an alternate, never used original movie poster design that I found in the bottom of a random box,” says Donald May, Jr., President of Synapse Films.

Getting Popcorn to this point started very simply with a dedicated fan, Kristy Jett of HorrorHound Magazine, launching a Facebook page with the sole purpose of gaining momentum to encourage a distributor to re-release Popcorn. A year in, she gained the support and guidance of Michael Felsher and within the next year she had secured advocacy from Don May, Jr. and Jerry Chandler of Synapse Films. In late 2013, Synapse Films was able to finally secure the rights to the film, to bring it out properly for the fans.

“Make no mistake, this would not have happened without the support and efforts of Don May, Jr. and Jerry Chandler of Synapse. Other companies inquired over the years but Don and Jerry fought alongside me for the past two years. Without them or Michael Felsher, we would not be here.” –Kristy Jett

More details will be released in the coming months, including the release date (estimated date is Halloween 2014, but this is not confirmed). In the meantime, keep up to date on developments at Popcorn’s Facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/popcornmovie

Sex Hunter:1980 & Nurse Girl Dorm: Sticky Fingers - More Nikkatsu From Impulse

IMPULSE PICTURES PRESENTS

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TWO NIKKATSU CLASSICS!

SEX HUNTER: 1980
AND
NURSE GIRL DORM:
STICKY FINGERS

THIS VALENTINE'S DAY, WARM YOURSELF UP WITH NIKKATSU!

------------------------------------------------

Impulse Pictures continues its assault on your sensations with two new Nikkatsu releases!

Miki, a young and talented ballet dancer, is accepted into an exclusive, and very private, academy run by a mysterious woman.  Miki wants to further her dance education and rekindle her relationship with her boyfriend, but soon discovers all the horrible perversions forced upon the academy students. She is subjected to constant violent sexual acts and torture and realizes there may be no escape!  With similar tones to Italian horror maestro Dario Argento’s masterwork SUSPIRIA, SEX HUNTER: 1980 is one of the more controversial entries in the Nikkatsu Erotic Films Collection.  The depictions of disturbing sexual violence so concerned Nikkatsu studios, they actually warned director Toshiharu Ikeda to tone things down for his next film!

In  NURSE GIRL DORM: STICKY FINGERS, there’s a new group of horny young ladies working at St. Elizabeth Hospital and they’re all looking for love.  These nurses are watched over by a fairly strict dorm supervisor, but with the help of the mysterious Yuki, they are able to sneak in their boyfriends for nightly sex.  Yuki is a terrible influence on the girls, but she sure knows how to have fun!  When a bandaged man walks into the hospital looking for Yuki, her past is revealed.  His name is Tadao and he was secretly married to Yuki.  He wants to rekindle their failed relationship, but she has other ideas.  On one strange night, the boyfriends, Tadao and many others all converge at the hospital for a night of hot sex, mistaken identity, crazy disguises, S&M and… vaginal cramps!  NURSE GIRL DORM: STICKY FINGERS mixes nudity with madcap comedy and jaw-dropping scenes of steamy sex that only Nikkatsu studios could unleash.

SEX HUNTER: 1980

Disc Info:

Director: Toshiharu Ikeda
Starring: Erina Miyai, Ayako Oota, Teruo Matsuyama
Run Time: 68 minutes
Release Date: Feb. 11., 2014
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: Newly Translated English Subtitles
Extras: Original Trailer, Liner Notes
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen Anamorphic 2.35:1
Format: DVD
Region: Region 1
Price: $19.95
UPC Code: 654930104798

NURSE GIRL DORM: STICKY FINGERS

Disc Info:

Director: Yoshihiro Kawasaki
Starring: Jun Izumi, Chiaki Kitahara, Yukari Takeshita
Run Time: 63 minutes
Release Date: Feb. 11., 2014
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: Newly Translated English Subtitles
Extras: Original Trailer, Liner Notes
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen Anamorphic 1.85:1
Format: DVD
Region: Region 1
Price: $19.95
UPC Code:654930104897

Synapse Films

Reel Zombies Coming February 11th, 2014 From Synapse

---

CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THE WALKING DEAD?

REEL ZOMBIES

CHOMP THEIR WAY TO DVD FEB. 11, 2014!

Independent underground filmmakers Mike Masters and David J. Francis (playing themselves) are eager to complete the third film in their ZOMBIE NIGHT film trilogy, a series of rather unsuccessful low-budget, shot-on-video gorefests. The problem, however, is a recent zombie apocalypse has taken over the world since their series began.  The dead are rising from their graves and eating the living… for real this time! Masters and Francis embark on the production of their newest masterpiece anyway, only to discover shooting in a post-apocalyptic world offers many unforeseen challenges.  Instead of giving up, they decide to capitalize on the cannibalistic catastrophe. No need for latex and fake blood when there’s an entire world of flesh eating undead to add realism to their film, and help save money on special effects costs!

Touching upon the real-life headaches of low-budget filmmaking, with numerous nods to the zombie film genre, REEL ZOMBIES is a satirical mockumentary feature that dives head-first into self-parody and “an improbable but inspiring lesson in filmcraft proving that passion and dedication can overcome all obstacles—even the ones that want to chomp your brain out!” (Simon Laperrière, Fantasia Film Festival)

Directors: Michael Masters and David J. Francis
Starring: Michael Masters, David J. Francis, Stephen Papadimitriou,
     Sam Hall
Run Time:  89 minutes
Release Date: February 11, 2014
Language: English
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 1.78:1
Extras: Over 40 minutes of Deleted Scenes, Trailer, Audio Commentary
Format: DVD
Region: 0
UPC: 654930315996

Synapse Licenses Suspiria For 2014-15 Blu-Ray Release

"SYNAPSE FILMS, INC. LICENSES “SUSPIRIA”, ONE OF THE MOST ACCLAIMED HORROR FILMS OF ALL TIME, FOR DVD, BLU-RAY AND FUTURE OPTICAL MEDIA.

ROMULUS, MI – Synapse Films, Inc. has acquired the North American home-video rights to the 1977 classic horror film SUSPIRIA, directed by Italian horror master Dario Argento. Described as “one of the scariest films of all time” by Entertainment Weekly, SUSPIRIA stars the beautiful Jessica Harper as a young girl caught up in a coven of witches controlling a German dance academy.

“I’ve been involved in the restoration and release of many films in my career, but SUSPIRIA has always eluded me, until now,” says Donald May, Jr., President of Synapse Films. “It’s one of my favorite horror films and I’m ecstatic that my business partner, Jerry Chandler, was able to negotiate with the rights holders to release this film. This is going to be an amazing project for us.”

Synapse Films, Inc. will work closely with Technicolor Rome and Technicolor Los Angeles to create an all-new high-definition 2K scan from the original negative for a possible 2014-15 video release. “It’s important to spend as much time as possible to create the definitive high-definition home video version for the fans,” May explains. “We’re going to take our time with this one.”

Synapse Films, Inc. is currently planning the extensive work on SUSPIRIA in conjunction with Technicolor, utilizing both their Rome and Hollywood facilities. The film scanning will be coordinated and supervised by Technicolor Hollywood’s Director of Restoration Services, Tom Burton, whose film restoration credits include Ridley Scott’s BLADE RUNNER, Georges Méliès’ A TRIP TO THE MOON and BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S.

Final specifications, retail pricing, and extras for the Synapse Films release of SUSPIRIA will be announced closer to the as yet to be determined release date."

Fantastic news of course, but fingers crossed they don't pull a Demons on us and only put out a $45 steelbook version. I know Suspiria is a much bigger film, and a limited edition is highly unlikely, I'm just still a little bitter about the non-poor people friendly release of Demons (which was possibly my most anticipated release of the year until I found out it was nearly $50).

Curtains and Prom Night Coming Soon From Synapse

This piece of news broke around the time my house was on fire, so it's a couple days old now, but here we go anyway. Synapse is beginning work on 2K scans for one of my absolute favorite lesser known slashers (Curtains) and one of my least favorite of the well know slashers (Prom Night). I've been waiting for even a mediocre proper DVD release of Curtains for years, but a Synapse Blu-ray release? Get out of here. Buying this one the second I can.

Now, I've never been a fan of Prom Night - though I really love Prom Night 2. Prom Night 3 is also a lot of fun. If we get Blu-ray releases of 2 or 3 I'll shit. Prom Night 1 though, never really did much for me. I am however very happy that fans of the film will be getting to see a Blu-ray release from one of the best companies in the business though. I haven't seen a cover for this one yet, but I'll post when it shows up online.

While I'm here, Synapse has posted a couple of 35mm Interpositives from Curtains. You can already tell this is going to look great, I might as well throw out my Echo Bridge Bloody Slashers set with Curtains, Hoboken Hollow, Secrets of the Clown, and Room 33 - whatever the hell those other three movies are.

The Odd Angry Shot From Synapse August 13th

SYNAPSE FILMS PRESENTS

---

TOM JEFFREY'S AUSTRALIAN CLASSIC!

THE ODD ANGRY SHOT

Firing your way on Blu-ray and DVD, August 13, 2013!

Another powerhouse from the mighty continent of Australia! Tom Jeffrey's 1979 action/adventure classic, THE ODD ANGRY SHOT!

Tom Jeffrey’s THE ODD ANGRY SHOT is set in the late 1960s during the brutal war Australians shared with the United States: the struggle for Vietnam.

Harry (Graham Kennedy), a hard-edged Special Air Service Corporal, meets a new company of soldiers during his second tour in Vietnam.  There’s the naïve Bill (John Jarratt), the easygoing Bung (John Hargreaves), the blunt Rogers (Bryan Brown), the pragmatic Dawson (Graeme Blundell), and the youthful and innocent Scott (Ian Gilmour). Because of their training as professional soldiers from Australia’s toughest Army unit, these men believe they can deal with any situation.  They pass the time playing practical jokes, getting into drunken brawls and humoring themselves to keep their minds off the war.  But, when the first “odd angry shot” rings out, and an enemy mortar barrage hits their camp causing many casualties, the men realize their protective shield of humor is no defense at all against the harsh realities of armed combat.

Special Features:

• Audio Commentary featuring Producer/Director Tom Jeffrey, Producer Sue Milliken, and Actor Graeme Blundell
• "Stunts Down Under" with Buddy Joe Hooker 

• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Reversible alternate cover

Disc Info:

Directed by:  Tom Jeffrey

Starring:  Bryan Brown, John Hargreaves, Graham Kennedy, Graeme Blundell
Run Time:  92 minutes
Release Date:  August 13, 2013
Language:  English
Aspect Ratio:  New High-Definition 1080 p [1.78:1] transfer from vault materials
Formats:  Blu-ray and DVD
Blu-Ray Region:  ABC
DVD Region: All-Region

Blu-ray UPC:  654930315590
SRP:  $24.95

DVD UPC: 654930315491
SRP:  $19.95

Synapse Films

Nurse Diary: Wicked Finger & Horny Working Girl From Impulse Pictures July 9th

The two latest Impulse Pictures Nikkatsu releases have been announced and are set to be released July 9th. I've actually never seen any of these things, but dammit do I get a kick out of the titles. Nympho Diver: G-String Festival, Zoom In: Sex Apartments, Zoom Up: The Beaver Book Girl, who was naming these movies? Whoever it was, I applaud them because they are amazing.

IMPULSE PICTURES PRESENTS

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TWO NEW THRILLERS IN THE NIKKATSU EROTIC FILMS COLLECTION!

NURSE DIARY: WICKED FINGER and HORNY WORKING GIRL

JAPANESE EROTIC DELIGHTS — WITH AN EDGE!

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NURSE DIARY: WICKED FINGER points the way to desire!

Ryoko (Etsuko Hara) leaves the chaos of her dorm for the peace and quiet of her own place because she wants to keep her relationship with a doctor at Murata Hospital a secret. Unfortunately, that privacy is short-lived as she discovers a “peeping tom” next-door neighbor that spies on her all the time. When the doctor’s wife learns of the affair, poor Ryoko gets caught in a web of jilted lovers, frisky lesbians, slapstick sexual assault and embarrassing incidents with household appliances. The first film in Nikkatsu’s three picture “Nurse Diary” series, NURSE DIARY: WICKED FINGER is a strange mix of comedy, nudity and sex with an oh-so-crazy plot that will have you shaking your head in disbelief!

HORNY WORKING GIRL: FROM 5 TO 9 will have you working overtime!

A woman named Chieko Kuwano (the beautiful Junko Asahina) is hired as an assistant manager at a large corporate office in Japan. She’s smart, sexy, and willing to do almost anything for her sex-starved new boss but, since he’s married, his deviant behavior makes her uncomfortable. Fed up with the boss and his perverted ways, the ladies in the building band together to plot their own special kind of revenge… but only after they have a lesbian three-way slumber party, of course! HORNY WORKING GIRL: FROM 5 TO 9 will have your libido working overtime!





Both films contain:

• Newly Translated Removable English Subtitles
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Liner Notes from Japanese Film Scholar Jasper Sharp

 NURSE DIARY: WICKED FINGER (1979)

Disc Info:

Director: Shinichi Shiratori
Starring: Etsuko Hara, Asami Ogawa, Hiroshi Unayama
Run Time: 68 minutes
Release Date: July 9, 2013
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen Anamorphic 2.35:1
Format: DVD
Region: Region 1
Price: $19.95
UPC Code: 654930104194

HORNY WORKING GIRL: FROM 5 TO 9 (1982)

Disc Info:

Director: Katsuhiko Fujii
Starring: Junko Asahina, Nami Misaki, Yuki Yoshizawa
Run Time: 66 minutes
Release Date: July 9, 2013
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 1.78:1
Format: DVD
Region: Region 1
Price: $19.95
UPC Code: 654930104095

Synapse Films

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Synapse Film's Limited Time “Super Spring Sale”

Head over to Synapse-Films and enjoy 50% Off everything excluding a few preorders (Street Trash, Hands of the Ripper, Demons, Demons 2). More details for the sale:

"Hi Folks,
It’s springtime, and Jerry and I want to give something back to fans and friends by having a 50% sale on our website!  Using the coupon code “synapsesale” at checkout (minus the double quotes, of course), you can pick up almost all our catalog for a great discount until Sunday morning.  We’ll probably shut off the sale some time before noon Eastern Time on Sunday, June 2nd.

Everything except a few preorder items are eligible for the coupon code sale.  Even though it says so on the website, we must state that, because of current license agreements, we are NOT allowed to ship outside of North America.

Shipping within the continental U.S. is free, but Canadian orders have a shipping charge added at checkout.
Enjoy!"

Speaking of sales, Deep Discount's Bi-Annual 25% Off Sale is also currently going and runs through 6/14. Use the code: SUMMER13. Deep Discount's 25% Off sales are nowhere near as exciting as they used to be, but I usually manage to find a couple of things worth a purchase. Although, if I'm being honest I'm not seeing anything so far, if anyone finds any great horror deals feel free to leave a comment.

Demons + Demons 2 Limited Steelbook Blu-ray From Synapse

News swiped from Synapse-Films.com

"Hello All,

We wanted to keep everyone updated on DEMONS and DEMONS 2 and we’re pleased to announce a little surprise with these two titles.  Synapse Films has been approached by Scanavo, the makers of the Steelbook cases for Blu-ray and DVD, and we have decided to do something a little special for the fans.

As many of you know, for the past few years, Synapse has done “Limited Edition” versions of some of our titles near the holidays.  We did the limited edition BLU of INTRUDER with the workprint (sold out in 3 weeks) and, last year, we did the limited edition BLU of THE DEFINITIVE DOCUMENT OF THE DEAD (only a couple hundred left).

This year, we’ve decided to do Limited Edition Steelbooks for both DEMONS and DEMONS 2, with exclusive new cover art by the amazing Wes Benscoter.  While the street date is expected to be around November, anyone who orders the Limited Editions will be getting theirs shipped as soon as they are done and available (we’ll ship them as soon as they come in to our offices, regardless of street date).  These LE Steelbooks will NOT be available in stores and 3000 units will be available direct from our website right here at www.synapse-films.com.  Once the units are sold out, they will no longer be available.  These are ONE PRESSING ONLY items.  Once the Steelbooks are gone, they are gone forever and will NOT be repressed. At this time, we have no plans to release these two films in standard packaging.

The price for the Steelbooks will be $39.95 + $6.00 shipping, for a total price of $45.95 each.  We will ship on a first-come, first-served basis (we’ll ship the orders in the order in which they are received).

While the discs are not yet 100% finalized, this is what we can tell you:

DEMONS – Limited Edition Steelbook
- Limited Edition Steelbook Featuring All-New Artwork from Wes Benscoter
- Each Steelbook is Blu-ray packaging sized, and will be a “Combo Pack” containing both a Blu-ray (BD-50) and a DVD (DVD-9) of the feature and extras.
- Unlike previous releases, we have the original Italian Language Stereo mix, the “International” stereo alternate dub mix and the original U.S. mono soundtrack!
- Audio Commentary Track with Cast & Crew Featuring Recollections from Director Lamberto Bava, Make-up Effects Artist Sergio Stivaletti, Musician Claudio Simonetti and actress Geretta Geretta.
- Removable English Subtitles for both the U.S. Language Dub Version, as well as the Original Italian Version.
- Collectible Reproduction of the Original Metropol Theatre Ticket seen in the Film.
- The transfer is from a new HD scan of the original 35mm negative, in 1080p/23.98fps 1.66:1 aspect ratio [not the same muted colors and weak black levels as previous released versions].
- All audio tracks will be encoded in DTS-HD MA.
-Featurettes (from Calum Waddell’s HIGH RISING PRODUCTIONS Company) include:
PROFONDO JONES – THE CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE – Interview with Alan Jones
CARNAGE AT THE CINEMA – LAMBERTO BAVA AND HIS SPLATTER MASTERPIECE – 30 Minute Interview with Director Lamberto Bava
MONSTROUS MEMORIES WITH LUIGI COZZI – 30 Minute Interview
SPLATTER STUNT ROCK – Interview with Stunt Man Ottaviano Dell’Acqua
DARIO AND HIS DEMONS – PRODUCING MONSTER MAYHEM – All-New Exclusive Interview with Producer Dario Argento.

DEMONS 2 – Limited Edition Steelbook
[Extras/Transfer are still in the early stages of completion.  What we list below is what we currently have.  Other extras may still be added.]
- Limited Edition Steelbook Featuring All-New Artwork from Wes Benscoter
- Each Steelbook is Blu-ray packaging sized, and will be a “Combo Pack” containing both a Blu-ray (BD-50) and a DVD (DVD-9) of the feature and extras.
- Contains the Original Italian Language Mix and the Original English Soundtrack.
- Removable English Subtitles for both the English and Italian Versions.
- The transfer is from a new HD scan of the original 35mm negative, in 1080p/23.98fps 1.66:1 aspect ratio [not the same muted colors and weak black levels as previous released versions].
- All audio tracks will be encoded in DTS-HD MA.
-Featurettes (from Calum Waddell’s HIGH RISING PRODUCTIONS Company) include:
SCREAMING FOR A SEQUEL – THE DELIRIOUS LEGACY OF DEMONS 2 – Interview with Lamberto Bava
THE DEMONS GENERATION – ROY BAVA DISCUSSES A LEGACY IN LACERATIONS – Assistant Director Roy Bava Speaks About His Experiences on DEMONS and DEMONS 2
A SOUNDTRACK FOR SPLATTER – Composer Simon Boswell Discusses His Genre Music Making Career.
DEMONIC INFLUENCES – FEDERICO ZAMPAGLIONE SPEAKS – Interview Segment

We will be adding the two titles to our site within the next week for IMMEDIATE preorder.  Once the items go “live” to order in our database, we will post the availability to order on our Facebook page and Twitter feed."