Now Available on Blu-ray: THE HELLBENDERS, KILL THEM ALL AND COME BACK ALONE, and THE SPECIALISTS!

KINO LORBER STUDIO CLASSICS RUSTLES UP A TRIO OF CLASSIC SPAGHETTI WESTERNS ON BLU-RAY!

I've been absolutely enamored with Spaghetti Westerns ever since I first laid eyes upon Sergio Leone's ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST so many years ago! It opened the floodgates, and soon after I watched Leone's MAN WITH NO NAME TRILOGY, the delightfully odd SABATA TRILOGY, the TRINITY films (starring Terrence Hill and Bud Spencer), DJANGO, and numerous others!

Truth be told, it has been some time since I delved into the Spaghetti Western sub-genre, but Kino Lorber's latest releases, which include THE HELLBENDERS and THE SPECIALISTS (both helmed by Sergio Corbucci, director of DJANGO and NAVAJO JOE) and KILL THEM ALL AND COME BACK ALONE (from THE LAST SHARK director Enzo G. Castellari) seem like a great way to jump back in! If you're as big a fan of "macaroni westerns" as I am, then continue reading to learn more about these Kino Lorber titles!

THE HELLBENDERS (AKA I CRUDELI, THE CRUEL ONES - 1967)

Synopsis: From Sergio Corbucci, the legendary director of DJANGO, NAVAJO JOE, THE GREAT SILENCE, and THE MERCENARY comes this classic spaghetti western starring screen icon Joseph Cotten (THE THIRD MAN, DUEL IN THE SUN, PORTRAIT OF JENNIE) as the fanatical patriarch of a family of ex-Confederate killers who, in order to finance an invasion of the North, massacres a Union Army convoy carrying a large shipment of money. But before the hell-bent clan can re-ignite the Civil War, they’ll have to smuggle a coffin crammed with the stolen loot across a frontier inflamed by lust, violence and extreme vengeance.

Norma Bengell (PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES), Aldo Sambrell (FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE) and Al Mulock (THE GOOD, THE BAD, & THE UGLY) co-star in this fully restored western shocker—also known as THE CRUEL ONES. Featuring a classic score by renowned composer Ennio Morricone (A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS, THE HATEFUL EIGHT) and beautiful photography by celebrated cinematographer Enzo Barboni (MAN OF THE EAST, NIGHTMARE CASTLE).

Disc Specs:
Not Rated | Color | 92 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (1.85:1)
Audio - English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono

Extras:

• NEW! 4K RESTORATION!
• NEW! Audio Commentary by Filmmaker Alex Cox!
• Theatrical Trailer

Kino Lorber's Special Edition Blu-ray of THE HELLBENDERS is readily available and should cost between $18 - $20! Order a copy now from AMAZON, BULL MOOSE, DIABOLIK DVD, or directly from KINO LORBER!

KILL THEM ALL AND COME BACK ALONE (1968)

Synopsis: From Enzo G. Castellari, the legendary director of STREET LAW, THE BIG RACKET, KEOMA, and THE INGLORIOUS BASTARDS comes this action-packed spaghetti western starring screen and television great Chuck Connors (THE BIG COUNTRY, TV’s The Rifleman and Branded).

In 1864, mercenary Clyde McKay (Connors) leads a squad of tough-as-nails cutthroats on a mission for the Confederate high command to infiltrate an enemy fortress and steal millions in gold from the Union Army. Unfortunately, the crew he has assembled to pull off the heist is even less trustworthy than he is—and they all end up double-crossing each other. Frank Wolff (THE GREAT SILENCE, ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST) and Franco Citti (ACCATTONE, THE DECAMERON) co-star in this fully restored, first-rate tale of betrayal and revenge.

Disc Specs:
Not Rated | Color | 100 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (2.35:1)
Audio - English & Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono

Extras:

• NEW! 4K RESTORATION!
• English and Italian Cuts of the film!
• NEW! Audio Commentary by Filmmaker Alex Cox!
• Theatrical Trailer

KILL THEM ALL AND COME BACK ALONE is available wherever Blu-ray discs are sold and should cost between $18 - $24! Get your copy now from AMAZON, BULL MOOSE, DIABOLIK DVD, or directly from KINO LORBER!

THE SPECIALISTS (AKA GLI SPECIALISTI - 1969)

Synopsis: From legendary director Sergio Corbucci, comes this thrilling spaghetti western starring French music and film great Johnny Hallyday (THE MAN ON THE TRAIN, DETECTIVE, VENGEANCE). Notorious gunfighter Hud Dixon (Hallyday) arrives in Blackstone, a town where his brother was wrongfully accused of robbing a bank and lynched for it.

As Hud seeks revenge, he starts to discover the truth behind the stolen loot, and has to contend with an idealistic sheriff, a beautiful and seductive female banker, a corrupt businessman and a one-armed Mexican bandit, who was once his friend. Gastone Moschin (THE CONFORMIST, CALIBER 9) and Françoise Fabian (BELLE DE JOUR, MY NIGHT AT MAUD'S) co-star in this fully restored adventure-yarn gorgeously shot by Dario Di Palma (THE SEDUCTION OF MIMI, THE OLDEST PROFESSION).

Disc Specs:
Not Rated | Color | 104 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (2.35:1)
Audio - French & Italian Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Extras:

• NEW! 4K RESTORATION!
• NEW! Audio Commentary by Filmmaker Alex Cox!
• Includes Both French and Italian Audio with Optional English Subtitles!
• Theatrical Trailer

Kino's Blu-ray release of Sergio Corbucci's THE SPECIALISTS is now available and should cost between $18 - $24! Get yourself a copy today from AMAZON, BULL MOOSE, DIABOLIK DVD, or directly from KINO LORBER!

WANTED ON BLU-RAY: THE LAST SHARK (1981)

WANTED ON BLU-RAY:

THE LAST SHARK (1981)

Rated PG | Color | 88 minutes

UPDATE (09/06/2019): Rumors of a possible Blu-ray release of this title from Severin Films were the result of a miscommunication in a recent Shock Waves podcast.

Also just learned today that Universal Pictures owns the rights to THE LAST SHARK lock, stock, & barrel. And so, the wait for a legit release continues....

THE LAST SHARK (aka GREAT WHITE, aka L'ULTIMO SQUALO) never got a chance to be fully embraced here in the U.S. Released briefly in the Summer of 1982, THE LAST SHARK was quickly pulled from theatrical distribution after turning a profit being deemed too derivative of JAWS.

And as we get closer to its 40th anniversary, I strongly feel that the time is right to lift Universal's ban on THE LAST SHARK so that it can finally find an audience! And what better way to reintroduce this lost film to a new generation than to give it a Blu-ray release that features a new HD restoration and oodles of extras about the making of the film, its infamous legal battle with Universal Pictures, and the growing cult following THE LAST SHARK has generated since then!

Synopsis: A Great White Shark stakes a claim off the coast of Port Harbor, and threatens the annual regatta and the reelection of Mayor William Wells. After maiming and devouring several victims, author Peter Benchley err... Benton (James Franciscus - THE VALLEY OF GWANGI) and shark hunter Ron Hamer (Vic Morrow - HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP) go after the finned fiend, leading to an explosive climax!

Plus a guest appearance by The Marlboro Man.

Availability: For a film that's been banned, it is remarkably easy to see THE LAST SHARK these days. You can watch it on YouTube or Amazon Instant Video (with Rifftrax Commentary even!), and there are several cheap DVDs floating around the web (like THIS ONE and THIS ONE) though their legitimacy is questionable. The only (allegedly) legit DVD release was back in 2015 from now defunct label called RetroVision Entertainment who put out a limited run of 500 copies. They announced that they were going to bring THE LAST SHARK to Blu-ray about a year later, but it never materialized.

Current Rights Holder: THE LAST SHARK was distributed by Edward L. Montoro's Film Ventures International (henceforth FVI), a company that produced and released multiple cult and exploitation favorites like GRIZZLY, THE DARK, PIECES, VIGILANTE, HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW, MUTANT, and others. The lawsuit with Universal unfortunately helped sink FVI and during the bankruptcy proceedings that followed, Montoro took a million bucks and vanished. But who has the rights now? The short answer: Damned if I know!

In 1984 FVI was purchased by the INI Entertainment Group which is no longer an active corporate entity. However, former INI President Irv Holender started a new company called Multicom Entertainment Group Inc. in 2010, which has a large library of films including the vast majority of FVI's titles. Though THE LAST SHARK isn't listed on their website, there's a slight possibility that Mr. Holender could retain some sort of say in distribution if the film's banned status were to change?

And if I was a betting man, I'd say Code Red DVD, Scorpion Releasing, Kino Lorber, or possibly even  Grindhouse Releasing would have dibs on the film if it got a legit North American Blu-ray release!

Which would truly be "JAW-SOME!"

UPDATE: Universal owns THE LAST SHARK. This was told to me by Hudson Horror Show's Chris Alo a while, but officially confirmed today by David Gregory from Severin Films. If you want this to get a Region A Blu-ray release here in North America, then you best start hammering Universal on social media with polite requests, pleas, and/or demands!

Blu-ray Wishlist:

• New 4K or 2K restoration from best source available!
• Two audio tracks: Original Italian with English subs & English dubbed!
• Audio Commentary and/or interview with Director Enzo G. Castellari!
• Interviews with surviving cast members: Micaela Pignatelli, Joshua Sinclair, Stefania Goodwin, etc.
• Interview with composers Guido and Maurizio De Angelis!
• Interview with special effects artist Antonio Corridori!
• Deleted scenes (If they exist.)
• Poster & still gallery.
• Trailers

Though I own RetroVision's out of print DVD, and have even seen a 35mm print of THE LAST SHARK (thanks to Exhumed Films!), it would be supremely awesome to own this lost piece of cinematic history on Blu-ray disc! While I don't have high hopes, Scream Factory's recent Blu-ray releases of SCREAM FOR HELP and PROPHECY have proven that we should never say never!

Arrow Video Brings KEOMA to Blu-ray on April 16th With An All New 2K Restoration & Hours of Extras!

ONE OF THE GREATEST SPAGHETTI WESTERNS OF ALL TIME GETS A STELLAR BLU-RAY RELEASE!

I was never a big fan of Westerns growing up (quite frankly I found them boring), but then I stumbled across Sergio Leone's ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, and my life changed forever. After that I watched his "Man With No Name Trilogy," the SABATA films, DJANGO, the TRINITY series, and numerous others. And yet I've somehow missed out on KEOMA, which apparently is one of the best in the entire sub-genre. I think it's high time I check it out, now that Arrow Video has taken the trouble to release this amazing Special Edition Blu-ray of Enzo G. Castellari's highly-praised film!

Synopsis: A strikingly original spaghetti western with a unique elegiac tone, Keoma truly is a one-of-a-kind classic of its genre…

The legendary Franco Nero (DJANGO, THE FIFTH CORD) stars in the titular role as a half-breed gunfighter who returns from the killing fields of the civil war to find his hometown riddled with the plague, its inhabitants terrorized (with the help of Keoma’s own estranged half-brothers) by tyrannical gang leader Caldwell (Donald O'Brien - ZOMBIE HOLOCAUST).

Keoma’s father (Willian Berger - SABATA, SARTANA IN THE VALLEY OF DEATH) welcomes his prodigal son’s return, but when Keoma saves a vulnerable pregnant woman (Olga Karlatos - ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS) from Caldwell's thugs, the stage is set for a violent confrontation. With the help of his father and his friend, the freed slave George (Woody Strode - SPARTACUS), Keoma prepares to take a savage revenge on Caldwell and his gang.

Directed with immense flair and virtuosity by veteran Enzo G. Castellari (who channels Sam Peckinpah and Sergio Leone in equal measure), KEOMA is an epic film of Shakespearean and biblical proportions, which boasts compelling performances and thrilling violent action. Truly epic in scope, KEOMA is considered by many to be one of the greatest spaghetti westerns.


Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 101 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (2.35:1)
Audio - Uncompressed 1.0 LPCM Mono (English & Italian)

Extras:

• NEW! 2K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative!
• NEW! Audio commentary by spaghetti western experts C. Courtney Joyner and Henry C. Parke!
• NEW! The Ballad of Keoma - An interview with the legendary star Franco Nero!
• NEW! Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust - An interview with director Enzo G. Castellari!
• NEW! Writing Keoma - An interview with actor and writer Luigi Montefiori (AKA George Eastman)!
• NEW! Parallel Actions - An interview with editor Gianfranco Amicucci!
• NEW! The Flying Thug - An interview with actor Massimo Vanni!
• NEW! Play as an Actor - An interview with actor Volfango Soldati!
• NEW! Keoma and the Twilight of the Spaghetti Western - A video appreciation by the academic Austin Fisher!
• An Introduction to Keoma by Alex Cox, an archival featurette with the acclaimed director
• Original Italian and international theatrical trailers
• Gallery of original promotional images from the Mike Siegel Archive!
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sean Phillips!
• Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Simon Abrams and Howard Hughes!

Arrow Video's fully-loaded Special Edition of KEOMA is currently available wherever Blu-ray discs are sold, and should cost between $24 - $28! Fill that empty spot in your high-def spaghetti western collection now by ordering a copy from AMAZON, BULL MOOSE, DIABOLIK DVD, or directly from ARROW VIDEO!