Wednesday, January 31, 2018

STOCK YOUR VAULT: New DVDs & Blu-rays for 01/30/2018!


Vault Master's Pick of the Week!

Welcome to the last STOCK YOUR VAULT post of January 2018! This has been a relatively good month for Cult, Horror, and Exploitation releases overall, though sadly (or perhaps thankfully) there isn't much to to look forward to this week.

Lionsgate's Vestron Video Collector's Series adds CLASS OF 1999 and GOTHIC to their impressive catalog, Scream Factory's awesome new Blu-ray of THE PROJECTED MAN is now available, and Arrow Video's Special Edition of THE HILLS HAVE EYES has dropped. If you're a fan of that particular film, you have no choice but to upgrade immediately!

Also out today are a regular edition of HACK-O-LANTERN from Massacre Video, BOO 2! A MADEA HALLOWEEN (for you Tyler Perry fans), plus a bunch of classic (i.e. mostly public domain) Cult, Horror, and Sci-Fi titles on DVD from Frolic Pictures.

To see the full listing of this week's sparse offerings on DVD & Blu-ray, scroll on down!


NEW TO DVD & BLU-RAY
Boo 2! A Madea Halloween
Legend of the Naga Pearls
Rendel: Dark Vengeance


NEW TO BLU-RAY
Class of 1999 (Vestron Video Collector's Series)
Gothic (Vestron Video Collector's Series)
Hack-O-Lantern
The Hills Have Eyes (Special Edition)
The Projected Man
Red / Red 2 (Double Feature)
The Witches (1967 - Arrow Academy)


NEW TO DVD
Bad Blood: The Movie
Blair Witch Project / Blair Witch (2-Movie Collection)
The Hunger Games (4-Movie Collection)
It Takes From Within
Project ARMS: The Complete Series
Re-Animator (Special Edition)
Savage Attraction (aka Hostage)
Scream 1-4 Collection
Super Sentai - Seijuu Sentai Gingaman: The Complete Series
Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel
Telefon
Turner's Island


FROLIC PICTURES SINGLE & DOUBLE FEATURE DVDS
Atom Age Vampire / Murder on Flight 202
Attack from Space / The Fast and the Furious
Black Cobra Woman
Blood Tide / The Legend of Boggy Creek
Calamity of Snakes
Centipede Horror
Cold Sweat / The Street Fighter
Dementia 13 / Plan 9 From Outer Space
Devil Times Five / The Undertaker and His Pals
The Doomsday Machine / End of the World
Dracula / Freaks
Dr. Sex / Lady Frankenstein
Eternal Evil / Sister of Death
Hearse Life
I Drink Your Blood / Keep My Grave Open
Magdalena: The Devil Inside the Female
McClintock / The Magic Sword
Monstroid / Moon of the Wolf
Naked Massacre / Horror Express
Night of Bloody Horror
Night of the Living Dead / How Awful About Alan
The Pleasure Girl Gang
Prisoners of the Lost Universe / The Beach Girls and the Monster
Ratman
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians / Silent Night, Bloody Night
Slashed Dreams / The Disappearance of Flight 412
Two Crippled Heroes


Tuesday, January 30, 2018

WANTED ON BLU-RAY: BLOOD BEACH (1981)



WANTED ON BLU-RAY: 
BLOOD BEACH (1981)

Rated R | Color | 92 minutes

Greetings Vault Dwellers, and welcome to the inaugural post for the News Vault's newest column! The WANTED ON BLU-RAY series will focus entirely on films that are currently out of print (in North America). It will also focus on films that have only been released on VHS or DVD in the past, but have yet to make the leap to high-definition!

And I could think of no better film to kick things off, than the "lost" 1981 creature feature, BLOOD BEACH!

Synopsis: "Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water.... you can't get to it!" So says legendary veteran actor John Saxon in BLOOD BEACH!

Something strange is afoot (or rather underfoot) at both Santa Monica and Venice Beach. People disappear, sunbathers are mauled, and one unlucky attempted rapist loses his manhood! What is lurking beneath the popular sandy tourist destination, and can it be stopped?!

Jeffrey Bloom's slow-burn fright flick preceded TREMORS by nearly a full decade, and gave us a subterranean terror that sucks its victims down into the sand. BLOOD BEACH features a solid cast, with Saxon as an overtaxed police captain, and Burt Young (Paulie from the ROCKY films) as a cynical smart-mouthed cop, formerly from Chicago.

The film may not be for all tastes as it has a slow pace and a rather anti-climactic ending, plus you barely get to see the film's resident monster. That being said, the movie does rise above its shortcomings with its creepy atmosphere, eerie soundtrack, and awesome supporting characters!

Burt Young as Sgt. Royko.

Availability: This film is currently out of print! BLOOD BEACH had two brief theatrical releases in 1981 and 1982 before quietly making its way to VHS through a now defunct company called Media Home Entertainment. It was a staple of the Horror section in most video rental shops, but as DVD began to take over, BLOOD BEACH never made the leap to the new format here in North America. It did however get released on DVD in other countries, including Germany (Region 2) and Japan (Region Free). BLOOD BEACH has also found new life (and fans) via the bootleg circuit at various conventions.

Current Rights Holder: Get ready to follow me down the rabbit hole Vault Dwellers! From what I've gathered from several sources, the reason we don't have BLOOD BEACH in any modern format here in The States, is due to the uncertainty of who actually owns the distribution rights. General consensus is that the film is in some sort of legal limbo, though others have theorized that director Jeffrey Bloom has regained the rights to the film and is looking to release it on his own at some point. (Note: This is just hearsay and I do not have any confirmation on that!) And still others say that the real issue is that there aren't any decent prints left to strike a new transfer from. (Anyone think of trying the Library of Congress?)

Tracking its history, BLOOD BEACH was released theatrically in 1981 by the "Jerry Gross Organization," and then in 1982 by Compass International Pictures, who also released John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN, TOURIST TRAP, ROLLER BOOGIE, FADE TO BLACK, HELL NIGHT, and other cult favorites. On the home video front, Media Home Entertainment (view logo HERE) gave BLOOD BEACH its VHS release, along with other genre fare, including HALLOWEEN, I COME IN PEACE, several entries in the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET series, and various Cannon Films titles.

Only Media was ballsy enough to release a movie like this.

Now this is where things get interesting: In 1993, Media Home Entertainment quit operations after years of downsizing, and sold off their film library. Among the companies that snapped up their titles were 20th Century Fox (under their FOX Video label), Image Entertainment (who released various Media titles on Laserdisc), and a little budget label called Video Treasures. (I knew them best as the company that released various Godzilla titles to VHS with some pretty snazzy cover art.)

Now personally, I don't think Fox or Image has the rights to BLOOD BEACH gang, but I do feel very strongly that Video Treasures might. Why's that? Because that little company eventually morphed into Anchor Bay Entertainment, a label many of us Horror fans came to love back in the late 90s. And seeing as how they released a bunch of Compass International titles to DVD, it stands to reason that they may have retained the rights to BLOOD BEACH.

If that is somehow true, that means that the current rights for Jeffrey Bloom's creature feature, currently reside with Lionsgate! Yeah, you read that right: Lionsgate bought out Anchor Bay/Starz in December of 2016! So the purveyors of the popular Vestron Video Collector's Series may actually (unknowingly?) have the distribution rights to BLOOD BEACH! Yes, I know it's a long shot, but dammit, I want to believe!

I need the clarity of Blu-ray to find out WHAT THE HELL THIS IS!

Blu-ray Wishlist
If the rights issues surrounding BLOOD BEACH are finally resolved, and it actually comes to the Blu-ray format, here is what I'd love to see:
  • A 4K (but I'd totally settle for 2K) restoration of the film from the best print available. (A tall order, I know.)
  • Audio commentary with Director Jeffrey Bloom.
  • Interviews with Cast & Crew, including John Saxon, Burt Young, Marianna Hill, et al.
  • Original theatrical trailer.
  • Behind-the-scenes footage, especially of the film's monster!
  • Poster, behind-the-scenes photos, and/or stills galleries!
  • Location visits to where the film was shot in Santa Monica.

For the time being, it looks like we'll have to rely on 35mm screenings of battered prints, bootlegs, and YouTube to enjoy BLOOD BEACH. But if anything changes, you can guarantee that I will let you all know! In the meantime, stay tuned for more WANTED ON BLU-RAY entries, along with your daily dose of genre movie and Blu-ray news!



Monday, January 29, 2018

LEATHERFACE: THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE III Finally Comes to Blu-ray on February 13th!


REJOICE, FOR WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION IS BRINGING THE UNRATED CUT OF JEFF BURR'S "TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE" SEQUEL TO 
BLU-RAY!

Over the years I've found myself growing fonder of Tobe Hooper's original TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE and its tonally different followup, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE PART 2! But prior to my change of heart, I had always been a fan of Jeff Burr's third entry into the franchise. And now the day I've been waiting for is almost here, as Warner Archive Collection is finally unleashing TCM III on Blu-ray, uncut, in HD, with cool special features!

Synopsis: Two college students driving coast to coast (Kate Hodge - RAPID FIRE, THE HIDDEN II and William Butler - GHOULIES II, FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VII: THE NEW BLOOD) are lured off the main highway and onto a deserted Texas road. Here they are stalked by the menacing Leatherface (R.A. Mihailoff - PUMPKINHEAD II: BLOOD WINGS, HATCHET II) and his demented family… a bizarre cannibalistic clan with blood on their hands and a feast on their minds.

The students’ only chance for escape is a survivalist (Ken Foree - DAWN OF THE DEAD, THE DEVIL'S REJECTS) with enough firepower to blast Leatherface and the rest of the grisly predators to hell. A depraved shocker of intense terror from the gruesome beginning to the bloody finish.

THE SAW IS FAMILY.

Disc Specs:
Unrated | Color | 85 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio - DTS HD-Master Audio 5.1

Extras:
  • Audio Commentary with Director Jeff Burr.
  • The Saw is Family - Making of featurette.
  • We Know What To Do With Them Parts (Deleted Scenes)
  • Alternate Ending
  • Original Theatrical Trailer (HD)
  • TV Spots

LEATHERFACE: THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE III makes its triumphant Blu-ray debut on Tuesday, February 13th! You can order yourself a copy (or buy it for that special someone for Valentine's Day) now at AMAZON, BULLMOOSE, DIABOLIK DVD, or directly from THE WB SHOP.



A New Book from The Horror & Sci-Fi Prop Preservation Association is due out in May!


RECENTLY CROWDFUNDED ON KICKSTARTER, THE HSPPA'S "PLANET OF THE PROPS" BOOK FEATURES MORE HIGH-RES IMAGES OF SCREEN-USED FILM PROPS!

I have to admit Vault Dwellers that until today, I had no idea the Horror & Sci-Fi Prop Preservation Society was a thing. But it truly warms my heart, knowing that that James Azrael and various others are actively preserving film props, and showcasing them around the country! For those of us that don't have the expendable income to visit a convention to see the HSPPA's impressive collection of screen-used props, this book (and the previous volume) are a good way to temporarily fill that void!

About The HSPPA:
The Horror & SciFi Prop Preservation Association (HSPPA) is a nonprofit organization that aims to preserve filmic history by bringing screen-used props and wardrobe from genre movies to public settings for fans to see up close and in person.

While tens of thousands of patrons have seen HSPPA's impressive collection on display at conventions and theaters around the country, not everyone has had the opportunity to experience the exhibition. The upcoming book The HSPPA: Volume Two - Planet of the Props will bring the exhibition to you!

For more info, scope out this video that features an interview with curator James Azrael, and highlights many of the props that make up a small portion of his immense collection!



About the Book:
The 150-page, full-color paperback, signed by author/curator James Azrael, was funded via a successful Kickarter campaign, and the book is already well into production. The book contains high-resolution images of props from the HSPPA collection and featured exhibitors, along with anecdotes about the items.

HALLOWEEN H20, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 4: THE DREAM MASTER, JASON GOES TO HELL: THE FINAL FRIDAY, JASON X, SILENT HILL, PUNISHER: WAR ZONE, SPAWN, and BATMAN RETURNS are just some of the films from which rare items are on display in the book!

Special guests Christopher Durand (Michael Myers in HALLOWEN H20), Nicholas Vince (Chatterer in HELLRAISER), Nick Benson (special effects artist on A NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST. 4), and Daniel Emery Taylor (actor in THE RETURN OF SWAMP THING) are among those who share props from their collections - and the personal stories that accompany them.

Planet of the Props is set for a May release - stay tuned for the finalized street date if you are interested in procuring a copy of this upcoming book!


Friday, January 26, 2018

The Vestron Video Collector's Series Adds GOTHIC AND CLASS OF 1999 to its Catalog on January 30th!


MARY SHELLEY GETS HIGH, AND KILLER CYBORGS MASQUERADE AS TEACHERS IN LIONSGATE'S NEWEST VESTRON TITLES!

I've been really happy with the Vestron Video Blu-ray label since they kicked things off with BLOOD DINER and CHOPPING MALL. Their latest additions are definitely making me nostalgic: I've never seen GOTHIC, but its cover sure brings back some memories of my neighborhood's old mom & pop video store.

However, I have seen CLASS OF 1999 several times. This bizarre followup to CLASS OF 1984 is cheesy in all the right ways and has an awesome end credits song (Come the Day by Midge Ure)! Though the price of these releases typically scares me away, I do look forward to adding these titles to my growing collection.

GOTHIC Synopsis: 1816. A sprawling villa in Switzerland is the setting for the night of the “Haunted Summer,” when five famous friends gather around an ancient skull to conjure up their darkest fears. Poets Lord Byron and Percy Shelley; Shelley’s fiancée, Mary Godwin; Mary’s stepsister, Claire Clairmont; and Byron’s friend, Dr. John Polidori, spend a hallucinogenic evening confronting their fears in an orgiastic frenzy of shock lunacy that later inspired Mary Shelley to write the classic FRANKENSTEIN and Dr. Polidori to pen THE VAMPYRE, which became the basis for the creation of DRACULA. One fateful evening, two legends were born, in Ken Russell’s GOTHIC.

Not Doctor Who, but an incredible simulation.

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 87 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (1.85:1)
Audio - DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0

Extras:
  • Audio Commentary with Lisi Russell, in conversation with Film Historian Matthew Melia!
  • Isolated Score Selections and Audio Interview with Composer Thomas Dolby!
  • Interviews with Actor Julian Sands, Screenwriter Stephen Volk, and Director of Photography Mike Southon!
  • Theatrical trailer
  • TV Spot
  • Still Gallery
GOTHIC comes to Blu-ray on January 30th as the 13th title in the Vestron Video Collector's Series and will run you about $25 - $30! Order yourself a copy now at AMAZON, BULLMOOSE, or DIABOLIK DVD!




CLASS OF 1999 Synopsis: The time is the future, and youth gang violence is so high that the areas around some schools have become “free fire zones” into which not even the police will venture.

When Miles Langford (Malcolm McDowell), the principal of Kennedy High School, decides to take his school back from the gangs, robotics specialist Dr. Robert Forrest (Stacy Keach) provides “tactical education units.”

These human-like androids have been programmed to teach and are supplied with weapons to handle discipline problems. These kids will get a lesson in staying alive!

Disc Specs:
Not Rated | Color | 99 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (1.85:1)
Audio - DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0

I'm super glad that Stacy Keach didn't make like a banana and split during production!

Extras: 
  • Audio Commentary with Producer/Director Mark L. Lester!
  • Interviews with Director/Producer Mark L. Lester and Co-Producer Eugene Mazzola!
  • Interview with Screenwriter C. Courtney Joyner!
  • Interviews with Special Effects Creators Eric Allard and Rick Stratton!
  • Interview with Director of Photography Mark Irwin!
  • Trailer
  • TV Spot
  • Still Gallery
  • Video Promo
CLASS OF 1999 is also due out on Tuesday, January 30th and costs anywhere from $25 - $28! Treat yourself and order a copy from AMAZON, BULLMOOSE, or DIABOLIK DVD!



On February 6th, Add CULT EPICS: COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO CULT CINEMA To Your Home Library!


CULT EPICS CELEBRATES ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A BEAUTIFUL HARDCOVER GUIDE TO CULT CINEMA! 

Limited to 1,000 copies, this first edition hardcover from Cult Epics looks, well.... EPIC! Featuring 256 pages filled with 500 color images, this beast of a book shines a spotlight on the obscure, unknown, and little shown. Arthouse films, Horror, and Erotica all have their own place in this gorgeous tome that is dedicated to cult cinema!

Synopsis: For 25 years, Cult Epics has distributed the most sought-after, obscure, provocative and previously unknown films to the home video market. To commemorate this anniversary we have produced a book on all the films they've released, and their directors. This commemorative hardcover book covers essential releases from filmmakers such as Tinto Brass, Fernando Arrabal, Radley Metzger, Walerian Borowcyzk, Jean Genet, Abel Ferrara, George Barry, Rene Daalder, Agusti Villaronga, Jorg Buttgereit, Gerald Kargl, Nico B, Irving Klaw, and pinup legend Bettie Page.

This guide also includes in-depth reviews of films, interviews, and essays on directors by film critics Nathaniel Thompson, Mark R. Hasan, Michael den Boer, Ian Jane, Stephen Thrower, Marcus Stiglegger, Heather Drain and others – fully illustrated in color with rare photos, poster art, and memorabilia!

Book Signing and Events:
  • There will be a book release & signing at Wacko Soup Plant/La Luz de Jesus Gallery on February 3rd from 7PM - 10PM. The address for the venue is 4633 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90027. 
  • Stay tuned for screening dates and Cult Epics Marathon film nights in Los Angeles and other cities across the US, in collaboration with AGFA and Drafthouse Cinema film distributors.
Once again, CULT EPICS: COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO CULT CINEMA will be available on Tuesday, February 6th! You can pre-order it now at AMAZON (as well as AMAZON.CA and AMAZON.UK)! Scope out the video below to get a closer look at this beautiful book!



Thursday, January 25, 2018

Scream Factory Beams THE PROJECTED MAN into Your Blu-ray Player on January 30th!


THIS CLASSIC TALE OF A SCIENCE EXPERIMENT GONE HORRIBLY WRONG COMES TO BLU-RAY WITH A NEW 2K TRANSFER AND EXTRAS!

The only time I ever watched this British sci-fi/horror tale was when it was being riffed in an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Though the film lends itself well to the comedic comments of Mike Nelson and his cohorts, I do recall actually enjoying the movie on its own merits. And now that Scream Factory has released it on Blu-ray, I feel compelled to add it to my movie collection, especially since it has been given so much TLC!

Synopsis: "A million volts of death in each of his hands!" Dr. Paul Steiner (Bryant Halliday - TOWER OF EVIL, DEVIL DOLL) and Dr. Christopher Mitchell (Ronald Allen - A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, Doctor Who) have created a projection device that can transmit any object within a few miles of their new device. The device works well on inanimate objects, but using it on a living device causes death. When Steiner is accidentally projected, he becomes a disfigured monster who has the ability to kill by electrification!

Disc Specs:
Not Rated | Color | 86 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (2.35:1)
Audio - ?

Yeah he's ugly, but at least he's not a Brundlefly.
Extras:
  • NEW! 2K Scan Of The Original Film Elements!
  • NEW! Interview With Director Ian Curteis!
  • NEW! Interview With Actress Mary Peach!
  • NEW! Interview With Art Director Peter Mullins!
  • NEW! Interview With Sound Editor Brian Blamey!
  • NEW! Interview With Composer Kenneth V. Jones!
  • Original UK Opening (In Standard Definition)
  • Deleted Scenes (In Standard Definition)
  • Radio Spot
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Still Gallery
THE PROJECTED MAN arrives at retailers on Tuesday, January 30th, and will cost in the neighborhood of $20 - $25! You can order yourself a copy at AMAZON, BULLMOOSE, DIABOLIK DVD, or directly from SHOUT! FACTORY if you want it sooner!



A Nun Battles for Her Soul in the Satanic Short, SULPHUR FOR LEVIATHAN!


"SULPHUR FOR LEVIATHAN" IS GEARING UP FOR ITS DEBUT ON THE FILM FESTIVAL CIRCUIT!

James Quinn's latest arthouse Horror short is intended as a companion piece for THE TEMPLE OF LILITH. Filmed in both color and black & white, this surreal horror tale clocks in around thirteen minutes, and is currently being prepped to make its rounds at various film festivals this year!

Synopsis: SULPHUR FOR LEVIATHAN revolves around a nun, who suddenly finds herself progressively fantasizing about things that shouldn't be in her head. Increasingly having to face her own doings of blasphemy, everything leads up to something demonically dark and sinister.

Portrayed in a surreal manner both in color and black and white, with a heavy focus on elegant cinematography, the film tells a satanic tale of unfulfilled desires, lust, blasphemy and existential dread, packed in a controversial and disturbing, but calm and poetic experience that is heavily inspired by Andrei Tarkovsky.

SULPHUR FOR LEVIATHAN stars Susan M. Martin as "The Nun," known for PLANK FACE and SPACE BABES FROM OUTER SPACE, as well as Jerry Larew as Lucifer, widely known for his portrayal of Alfie in the SHE WAS SO PRETTY films. Other roles include Craig Long as Satan, and Joseph Knapik, head of the Columbus Zombie Walk, as a demon priest.

Stills & Trailer:
(Click on images to enlarge them.)







Wednesday, January 24, 2018

On January 30th, Get Reacquainted with Wes Craven's Classic THE HILLS HAVE EYES!


FOR THOSE OF YOU LOOKING FOR A CHEAPER ALTERNATIVE TO ARROW'S PREVIOUS RELEASE OF "THE HILLS HAVE EYES," YOUR WAIT IS OVER!

Arrow Video has previously released a Limited Edition Blu-ray of THE HILLS HAVE EYES, which comes with six postcards, a reversible fold-out poster, and a collectible booklet about the film. While this Special Edition lacks those bells and whistles, it still has everything else that makes this a very worthwhile purchase.

Synopsis: THE LUCKY ONES DIED FIRST... Horror master Wes Craven achieved critical and commercial success with the likes of SCREAM and A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, but for many genre fans, the director s seminal 1977 effort THE HILLS HAVE EYES remains his masterpiece.

Taking a detour whilst on route to Los Angeles, the Carter family run into trouble when their campervan breaks down in the middle of the desert. Stranded, the family find themselves at the mercy of a group of monstrous cannibals lurking in the surrounding hills. With their lives under threat, the Carters are forced to fight back by any means necessary.

As grueling a viewing experience today as it was upon initial release, THE HILLS HAVE EYES stands alongside the likes of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD as one of the defining moments in American horror cinema.


Disc Specs:
Not Rated | Color | 90 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio - LPCM Mono

Extras:
  • NEW! 4K restoration of the film, supervised by producer Peter Locke and viewable with both original and alternate endings!
  • Audio commentary with actors Michael Berryman, Janus Blythe, Susan Lanier, and Martin Speer!
  • Audio commentary by academic Mikel J. Kove!
  • Audio commentary with Wes Craven and Peter Locke!
  • Looking Back on The Hills Have Eyes - A making-of documentary featuring interviews with Wes Craven, Peter Locke, actors Michael Berryman, Janus Blythe, Robert Houston, Susan Lanier, Dee Wallace, and director of photography Eric Saarinen!
  • Family Business - A brand new interview with actor Martin Speer!
  • The Desert Sessions - A brand new interview with composer Don Peake!
  • Never-before-seen outtakes
  • Alternate Ending, presented in HD for the first time!
  • Trailers and TV Spots
  • Image Gallery
  • Original Screenplay (BD-ROM Content)
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper!
Arrow's Special Edition of THE HILLS HAVE EYES will be available everywhere on Tuesday, January 30th and should cost between $22 and $25! You can order your copy right now from AMAZON, BULLMOOSE, or DIABOLIK DVD!



STOCK YOUR VAULT: New DVDs & Blu-rays for 01/23/2018!


Vault Master's Pick of the Week!

Greetings Vault Dwellers, and welcome to yet another edition of the News Vault's weekly STOCK YOUR VAULT report! I hope you've been saving your loose change because you're going to need it this week!

MVD Rewind Collection keeps their streak of strong cult releases going with their impressive 2-Disc Special Edition off ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES! Scream Factory brings DANCE MACABRE to Blu-ray for the first time, sister label Shout Select gives SHAKEDOWN its Blu-ray debut, and parent company Shout! Factory has gifted(?) us with a new Blu-ray of RAPPIN', featuring Mario van Peebles!

The AGFA rescued the insane Turkish THE SWORD AND THE CLAW and gave it a deluxe Special Edition Blu-ray, Scorpion Releasing brings Argento's OPERA to HD, VCI gives us a Blu of the post-apocalyptic "classic," THE AFTERMATH, and both CLOVERFIELD films make their way to 4K!

Also out today on Blu-ray for folks looking for newer fare: GEOSTORM (Gerard Butler vs. man-made storms), JIGSAW (the 8th film in the SAW franchise), and THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER!

For the full list of this week's new DVDs & Blu-rays, please scroll down!


NEW TO DVD & BLU-RAY
Chasing the Dragon
Geostorm
Infinity Chamber
Jigsaw
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
Red Krokodil: Director's Cut
Residue
Stasis


NEW TO BLU-RAY
10 Cloverfield Lane (4K UHD)
The Aftermath
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (2-Disc Special Edition)
Cloverfield (4K UHD)
Dance Macabre
Dario Argento's Opera
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency: Season Two
Rappin'
Shakedown
The Sword and the Claw (Special Edition)
Teen Titans: The Complete First Season
TerraFormars: Set 1


NEW TO DVD
The Devil's Well
Hot Tub Party Massacre
Invasion of the Star Creatures
Judgment Night (Warner Archive Collection)
Let Sleeping Corpses Lie
The Lost Tree
Pete Winning and the Pirates: The Motion Picture
Phantom from Space / Frozen Alive (Double Feature)
Planet Dead
Punk Fu Zombie


Monday, January 22, 2018

Death Meets His Match in BUTCHER THE BAKERS, Now Available on All Video on Demand Platforms!


TWO SLACKERS ARE HIRED TO KILL A RECENTLY UNEMPLOYED GRIM REAPER IN THIS NEW INDIE HORROR COMEDY!

I'm a big sucker for Horror-Comedies (including ones that are done on the cheap), so BUTCHER THE BAKERS appears to be right up my alley. The Grim Reaper looks kind of like The Undertaker, and apparently there will be other undead creatures battling the film's completely unprepared protagonists as well. Should be a good time!

Synopsis: Recently fired, a grim reaper terrorizes a small town, killing and collecting souls for a purpose only he knows. Sam and Martin, slackers who work at the local bakery, are hired by a mysterious stranger to stop him from killing again. Ryan Matthew Ziegler, Sean Walsh, Mike Behrens and Lisa Wojcik star in writer/director Tyler Amm’s frighteningly funny film!

Executive produced by VOLUMES OF BLOOD’s P.J Starks, BUTCHER THE BAKERS is a fantastically splatastic new indie jaunt that gives both the lungs and funnybone a workout!

Stills & Trailer:
(Click on images to enlarge them.)







BUTCHER THE BAKERS is currently available to stream on Vudu, iTunes, Google Play, Microsoft Xbox, Vubiquity, Dish, and Tivo! It is also currently available to watch on Amazon Instant Video!


Tibor Takacs' GATE II Comes to Blu-ray in February!


SCREAM FACTORY REOPENS THE GATE, WITH THEIR DEFINITIVE RELEASE OF THIS LONG OUT OF PRINT SEQUEL!

I absolutely love Tibor Takacs' THE GATE. It was one of the first Horror films I saw growing up, and I'm happy to say that it still holds up remarkably well after all these years! And the Vestron Collector's Series Blu-ray release for it is a must-have!

I haven't seen GATE II in a very long time, but if memory serves, I wasn't a huge fan of it. However, time sometimes changes one's perspective, so I'll have to pick this Scream Factory release up at some point and revisit it!

Synopsis: Not all minions are cute and cuddly … This supercharged sequel to the horror classic THE GATE comes alive with unearthly creatures, heart-stopping action, and incredible special effects.

GATE II picks up again with Terry (Louis Tripp), the teenage sorcerer who summons beings from the other side whose powers can be used to grant any wish. Unfortunately, before the Gate closes again, a "minion" – a tiny disciple of Satan himself – manages to slip through to our dimension. When the creature is kidnapped – all hell breaks loose!

Directed by Tibor Takacs (THE GATE, I, MADMAN, Sabrina the Teenage Witch), GATE II is based on characters created by Michael Nankin (Battlestar Galactica, Hell on Wheels), and stars Louis Tripp (THE GATE) and Pamela Segall (King of the Hill, Californication).

This all could have been avoided if Terry had watched Mazes and Monsters!

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 93 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (1.85:1)
Audio - ?

Extras:
  • NEW! 2K Scan Of The Interpositive!
  • NEW! Return To The Nightmare – A Look Back At Gate II – Featuring Interviews With Director Tibor Takacs, Screenwriter Michael Nankin, and Special Visual Effects Creator Randall William Cook!
  • NEW! From The Depths – An Interview With Make-up Effects Artist Craig Reardon!
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Video Promo And Video Store Contest Promo
  • Still Gallery
Scream Factory apparently went all out for this release, so fans of THE GATE flicks will definitely want to add this Blu-ray to their collections! GATE II's street date is February 27th, and should cost between $20 and $25! You can order your copy now from AMAZON, BULLMOOSE, DIABOLIK DVD, or directly from SHOUT! FACTORY to get it two weeks early!




You Best Hope That You Aren't Found DEFECTIVE On February 13th!


KILLER DRONES AND FUTURISTIC COPS PATROL AN EXPERIMENTAL POLICE STATE IN REESE EVENESHEN'S "DEFECTIVE!"

UPDATE (05/08/2018): DEFECTIVE is now available on DVD and Blu-ray!

I have to admit that this new release from Uncork'd Entertainment has got me curious. It definitely seems to have had some inspiration from JUDGE DREDD (the police are authorized to be "judge, jury, and executioner") and ROBOCOP (privatized police and city ruled by an authoritarian corporation), so I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for it next month when it hits various Video on Demand platforms!

Synopsis: From writer-director Reese Eveneshen, director of DEAD GENESIS, and genre specialist Uncork’d Entertainment comes the highly-anticipated DEFECTIVE! In the near future, the corporation S.E.A., has implemented North America’s first and only police state. Uniformed, anonymous Preservers of Peace investigate, judge, and sentence people for even the smallest of crimes. The punishment? Instant public execution. Rhett Murphy ("... it's you!") and his sister Jean must escape certain execution after witnessing the dark secrets of the nefarious corporation.

Stills & Trailer:
(Click on images to enlarge them.)










DEFECTIVE will be available on various Video On Demand services on February 13th!


Friday, January 19, 2018

HITLER LIVES in New Indie Exploitation Film! Now Available to Stream or Download on VOD!


LEARN THE "TRUE" STORY OF WHAT HAPPENED TO DER FUHRER AFTER WORLD WAR II, IN STUART ROWSELL'S SURREAL FILM!

This movie looks absolutely bonkers Vault Dwellers! It has a zombie Hitler who is slowly going mad in an underground bunker, plus a roster of recognizable German war criminals being portrayed by marionettes! Oh, and there's also burlesque dancers too!

But let's face it - You were immediately sold when you read "zombie Hitler!" Everything else in this film is probably just icing on the cake for you guys and gals! It sure was for me!

Synopsis: After WWII comes to an end, Hitler has a heart attack on board a sub that is heading to Antarctica. To save his life, Dr. Mengele sees the opportunity to begin Operation Vril. Hitler is secured within a Deep Underground Military Bunker (D.U.M.B.) in Adelaide (Australia), and is administered an Alien-based drug of immortality, promising the eventual rise of a New World Order!

Decades later, Hitler remains abandoned and forgotten in his bunker, suffering from dementia and  hallucinating marionette versions of his henchmen. Meanwhile Dr. Mengele, from his laboratory in Argentina, has other plans for their longevity. And with an ever increasing mental collapse the two despots must fight it out for intellectual domination ...

Trailer:


For more information about this film, visit the Official Site for character bios, a longer synopsis, and dozens of stills! If you're as curious about this movie as I am, you can stream or download it now through most video on demand services, including AMAZON, ITUNES, VUDU, GOOGLE PLAY, and XBOX LIVE. HITLER LIVES! will also eventually be available on PLAYSTATION NETWORK and HULU at a later date!


Thursday, January 18, 2018

Scream Factory Brings Greydon Clark's DANCE MACABRE to Blu-ray on January 23rd!


MICHELLE ZEITLIN JOINS ROBERT ENGLUND'S KILLER BALLET STUDIO IN "DANCE MACABRE!"

You know, sometimes it is hard to fathom that Robert Englund was in films other than the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET franchise! Which brings us to DANCE MACABRE, a film that was originally intended as a sequel to 1989's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (which starred Englund as the titular character).

I've never seen this movie before, but it seems like it takes some inspiration from SUSPIRIA? I guess I'll found out soon enough once it is out on Blu-ray!

Synopsis: Horror icon Robert Englund is back in another chilling tale of horror! Michelle Zeitlin stars as Jessica, an American ballerina who reluctantly enrolls in a Russian dance academy, where she meets the charismatic choreographer Anthony (Englund). A dead ringer for his long dead lover, Jessica becomes Anthony's favorite student – and his personal obsession. But what should be the chance of a lifetime for Jessica becomes a living nightmare, as each of her fellow dances is brutally murdered.

Please note: Due to an unforeseen issue with the only existing HD master of this film, there was a brief 10-second clip that had to be replaced with an upconverted SD source. We apologize for the abnormality, but in the interest of getting this cult classic out to the fans, we decided to release it with this fix and not cut this portion out of the film

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 97 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (1.85:1)
Audio - TBA

Extras:
  • NEW! Interview With Actor Robert Englund!
  • NEW! Audio commentary With Writer/Director Greydon Clark!
  • Theatrical Trailer
DANCE MACABRE will be released on Tuesday, January 23rd wherever Blu-ray discs are sold and should cost anywhere from $18 - $25! Order your copy now from AMAZON, BULLMOOSE, DIABOLIK DVD, or directly from SHOUT! FACTORY to get it early!




THE STRANGERS Return to Theaters in March to PREY AT NIGHT!


THE FOLLOWUP TO 2008'S "THE STRANGERS" COMES TO THEATERS NATIONWIDE ON MARCH 9TH!

I still have yet to see THE STRANGERS, but I have plenty of time to catch up before THE STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT comes to the big screen! I'm very much looking forward to this new Horror flick because my buddy Damian Maffei (whom I last saw in Jay Woelfel's CLOSED FOR THE SEASON) has a nice meaty role as the axe-wielding "Man in the Mask" (aka Sackface), and I gotta show my support!

Synopsis: A family's road trip takes a dangerous turn when they arrive at a secluded mobile home park to stay with some relatives and find it mysteriously deserted. Under the cover of darkness, three masked psychopaths pay them a visit to test the family's every limit as they struggle to survive. Johannes Roberts directs this horror film inspired by the 2008 smash hit THE STRANGERS, starring Christina Hendricks, Martin Henderson, Bailee Madison and Lewis Pullman.

Stills & Trailer:
(Click on images to enlarge them.)






STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT hits theaters on Friday, March 9th!  

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

STOCK YOUR VAULT: New DVDs & Blu-rays for 01/16/2018!


Vault Master's Pick of the Week!

January 2018 is halfway over, and as we inch closer to tax return season, all of our favorite labels are releasing LOTS of cool stuff! This week is no exception with a ton of awesome cult and big budget titles that you Vault Dwellers may want to add to your growing collections!

Scream Factory gives the ultra-obscure EYE OF THE CAT its Blu-ray debut, Shout Select gives us great new Blu-ray discs of Joe Dane's MATINEE and MACON COUNTY LINE, Mill Creek brings YOR, THE HUNTER FROM THE FUTURE to Blu-ray (just got my copy today!),  and Severin Films' THE AMICUS COLLECTION is finally available to purchase!

Also out today are BLADE RUNNER 2049, HAPPY DEATH DAY, THE SNOWMAN, BEYOND SKYLINE, and a slew of direct-to-DVD indie titles!

Scroll down to see the full list (which includes some titles I forgot to mention last week)!


NEW TO DVD & BLU-RAY
Beyond Skyline
Blade Runner 2049
The Cat Returns (Studio Ghibli)
Happy Death Day
Kills on Wheels
My Neighbors the Yamadas (Studio Ghibli)
The Snowman (2017)
The Taking of Beverly Hills (Kino Classics)
Whisper of the Heart (Studio Ghibli)


NEW TO BLU-RAY
The 13th Friday
The Amicus Collection
Eye of the Cat
The Flight of Dragons (Warner Archive Collection)
Macon County Line
Matinee (Collector's Edition)
Trouble Bound
Yor, The Hunter from the Future (35th Anniversary Edition)


NEW TO DVD
911: Officer Down
Alien: Reign of Man
Anti Human
Anti Matter
Bound for Revenge 3D
Carnivore: Werewolf of London
Cold Moon
Cottentail
Cute Little Buggers
HIM
My Little Sister
Planet of Storms
The Spiritualist
Street Sharks: The Complete Series
Sugarplum


TITLES WE MISSED LAST WEEK:

JANUARY 10TH (DVDS)
Bigfoot's Wild Weekend
Inhumanwich!
The Night Watchman
Start Again


JANUARY 11TH (DVDS)
Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things / Driller Killer (Double Feature)
Don't Go in the Basement / Snowbeast (Double Feature)
Eternal Evil / Sisters of Death (Double Feature)
Grave of the Vampire / Fury of the Wolf Man (Double Feature)
House on Bare Mountain / Eegah! (Double Feature)
Invasion of the Bee Girls / Deep Red (Double Feature)
Night Tide / Scum of the Earth (Double Feature)
Nude on the Moon / Diary of a Nudist (Double Feature)
Slashed Dreams / Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks (Double Feature)
Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel
Wild Gals of the Naked West / Teasarama (Double Feature)