Umbrella Entertainment's September 2019 New Releases!

MODERN ODYSSEYS, WARRING IMMORTALS, SADISTIC SERIAL KILLERS, & MORE AWAIT YOU IN UMBRELLA'S LATEST TITLES!

It's been a long time since I've posted about new Umbrella releases - far too long. So let me make up for lost time by introducing you to their latest DVD & Blu-ray releases!

Follow Matt Dillon's evolution as a serial murderer in the (fully uncut) THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT, and discover that yes, Eric Roberts will star in anything when you watch IMMORTAL WARS: RESURGENCE! Also enjoy a fun double feature of LAST ACTION HERO with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and HUDSON HAWK featuring Bruce Willis back when he could still crack a smile. Watch a modern retelling of a Greek epic in ULYSSES: A DARK ODYSSEY, see what's lurking UNDER THE SILVER LAKE, and travel across the Outback with WILLS AND BURKE, which features a young Nicole Kidman!

ANNOUNCEMENTS: 
* On October 2nd, Umbrella Entertainment is releasing two fun-looking Horror titles to DVD! Rolfe Kanefsky (THERE'S NOTHING OUT THERE) directs ART OF THE DEAD, which features seven evil paintings representing the seven deadly sins! Will a half-blind priest save an art-collecting couple from a demonic fate? Also coming to DVD is the FIELD GUIDE TO EVIL, an anthology flick from the creators of THE ABC'S OF DEATH featuring 8 international folktales of terror!

* Also due out on October 2nd is the new sci-fi thriller THE WHEEL, in which a paraplegic prison inmate volunteers for an experimental procedure that may allow him to walk again. However, this bargain does come with a few strings attached. Stars Jackson Gallagher, David Arquette, and Kendal Rae!

THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT (2018)

Synopsis: USA in the 1970s. We follow the highly intelligent Jack (Matt Dillon - CRASH) over a span of 12 years and are introduced to the murders that define Jack's development as a serial killer. We experience the story from Jack's point of view, while he postulates each murder is an artwork in itself. As the inevitable police intervention is drawing nearer, he is taking greater and greater risks in his attempt to create the ultimate artwork.

Along the way we experience Jack's descriptions of his personal condition, problems and thoughts through a recurring conversation with the unknown Verge (Bruno Ganz - DOWNFALL) - a grotesque mixture of sophistry mixed with an almost childlike self-pity and psychopathic explanations. THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT is a dark and sinister story, yet presented through a philosophical and occasional humorous tale. (Note: This is the complete Director's Cut of the film!)

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 153 minutes | Region B
Video - 1080p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio

Extras:

• None.

ORDER "THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT" ON BLU-RAY FROM AMAZON.COM OR UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT!

THE IMMORTAL WARS: RESURGENCE (2019)

Synopsis: In this sequel to THE IMMORTAL WARS, the war for freedom has just begun. Trikalypse joins forces with rebel leader Kalera and her team of freedom fighters. They must now fight back to bring Dominion (Eric Roberts - THE DARK KNIGHT, THE EXPENDABLES, CHILLERAMA) down and expose him to the world!

Disc Specs:
Rated M | Color | 113 minutes | Region Free
Video - 480p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - Dolby Digital 2.0

Extras:

• None.

ORDER "THE IMMORTAL WARS: RESURGENCE" ON DVD FROM AMAZON.COM OR UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT!

LAST ACTION HERO (1993) / HUDSON HAWK (1991)

Synopses: In LAST ACTION HERO, young Danny Madigan (Austin O'Brien - THE LAWNMOWER MAN) is a big fan of larger-than-life action hero, Jack Slater (Arnold Schwarzenegger - COMMANDO, PREDATOR, THE RUNNING MAN). When his best friend, Nick (Robert Prosky - DEAD MAN WALKING), the projectionist, gives him a magic ticket to the new Jack Slater movie, Danny is transported into Slater's world, where the good guys always win.

One of Slater's enemies, Benedict the hitman (Charles Dance - THE GOLDEN CHILD, PATRICK), gets hold of the ticket and ends up in Danny's world, where he realizes that if he can kill him, Slater will be no more. Slater and Danny must travel back and stop him.

In HUDSON HAWK, Bruce Willis (the DIE HARD series) is Eddie "The Hawk" Hawkins, the world's most famous cat burglar. After 10 years in prison, he's ready to go straight. But it's not going to be easy for The Hawk...The mob and the CIA have conspired to blackmail Eddie and his partner, Tommy Five-Tone (Danny Aiello - LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL), into stealing three DaVinci masterpieces from the most heavily-guarded museums in the world. Sounds simple, right? WRONG!

While trying to steal the goods Hawk falls in love with a beautiful nun (Andi McDowell - FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, MULTIPLICITY) and is relentlessly pursued by the greedy and powerful Minerva and Darwin Mayflower, who want the artworks as part of their twisted plot to ruin the world's economy. It's wall-to-wall action as the wise-cracking Hawk saves the world, wins the girl and gets the last laugh.

Disc Specs:
Rated M | Color | 131 minutes & 100 minutes | Region B
Video - 1080p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - ?

Extras:

• None.

ORDER "LAST ACTION HERO / HUDSON HAWK" ON BLU-RAY FROM AMAZON.COM OR UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT!

ULYSSES: A DARK ODYSSEY (2018)

Synopsis: A military man returns from Middle‐East carrying the signs of war both on his body and in his soul. He tries to forget seeking refuge in the use of drugs. After being imprisoned for seven years in a remote place, he escapes and returns back home, where he discovers that his wife Penelope is being kept by Mr. Ocean, the underworld boss of Taurus City. Supported by Niko, they start a journey of discovery within a single night.

Fearing the disappearance of his wife is related with underworld characters, Ulysses and Niko set out to find her. They meet surreal and disturbing figures: the violent and bloody kebab store owner Pòpov, the drug dealer Aeo, “God of the winds”, the enigmatic and beautiful transsexual Hermes, the charming mistress Cici, the Seer who knows Ulysses’ story and tells him he has a son, the seductive Kaly and finally Alcyde whom, having heard to his story, decides to help him.

Will Ulysses find Penelope and feel whole again?

Disc Specs:
Rated MA | Color | 116 minutes | Region Free
Video - 480p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio -  Dolby Digital 5.1

Extras:

• None.

ORDER "ULYSSES: A DARK ODYSSEY" ON DVD FROM AMAZON.COM OR UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT!

UNDER THE SILVER LAKE (2018)

Synopsis: From the dazzling imagination that brought you IT FOLLOWS and THE MYTH OF THE AMERICAN SLEEPOVER, comes a delirious neo-noir thriller about one man’s search for the truth behind the mysterious crimes, murders, and disappearances in his East L.A. neighborhood.

Sam (Andrew Garfield) is a disenchanted 33 year old who discovers a mysterious woman, Sarah (Riley Keough), frolicking in his apartment’s swimming pool. When she vanishes, Sam embarks on a surreal quest across Los Angeles to decode the secret behind her disappearance, leading him into the murkiest depths of mystery, scandal, and conspiracy in the City of Angels.

From writer-director David Robert Mitchell comes a sprawling and unexpected detective thriller about the Dream Factory and its denizens—dog killers, aspiring actors, glitter-pop groups, nightlife personalities, It girls, memorabilia hoarders, masked seductresses, homeless gurus, reclusive songwriters, sex workers, wealthy socialites, topless neighbors, and the shadowy billionaires floating above (and underneath) it all.

Mining a noir tradition extending from KISS ME DEADLY and THE LONG GOODBYE
to CHINATOWN and MULHOLLAND DRIVE, Mitchell uses the topography of Los Angeles as a backdrop for a deeper exploration into the hidden meaning and secret codes buried within the things we love.

Disc Specs:
Rated MA | Color | 139 minutes | Region 4
Video - 480p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - Dolby Digital 5.1

Extras:

• None.

ORDER "UNDER THE SILVER LAKE" ON DVD FROM AMAZON.COM OR UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT!

WILLS AND BURKE: THE UNTOLD STORY (1985)

Synopsis: A parody of the two 19th-century Australian explorers who embarked on an ill-fated expedition across the Australian continent. In December 1860 William John Wills (Kim Gyngell - BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS) and Robert O'Hara Burke (Garry McDonald - GINGER MEGGS), tragically tried to cross the Australian continent from the south to the north, a distance of 3,250 km.

Disc Specs:
Rated PG | Color | 98 minutes | Region Free
Video - 480p Fullscreen (4:3)
Audio - Dolby Digital 2.0

Extras:

• None.

ORDER "WILLS AND BURKE" ON DVD FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT!

Also available this month from UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT:

• BABY SITTERS CLUB: THE MOVIE (DVD)
• THE DESPERADOES (1943 - SIX SHOOTER CLASSICS - DVD)
• KID VENGEANCE (SIX SHOOTER CLASSICS - DVD)
• MY LITTLE CHICKADEE (DVD)
• TO HELL AND BACK (BLU-RAY)

As usual, all of the DVDs and mentioned in this post can be ordered directly from UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT!

Umbrella Entertainment's April 2019 New Releases!

BUSH RANGERS, MAD SCIENTISTS, & MEDIEVAL QUESTS AWAIT YOU IN UMBRELLA'S LATEST BATCH OF BLU-RAYS! 

After a slow February and a decent March, Umbrella Entertainment is bringing the thunder from Down Under with a decent batch of new DVDs & Blu-rays that you'll want to add to your collections this month! As of April 3rd, you can watch Dennis Hopper terrorize South-Eastern Australia as MAD DOG MORGAN, witness a deranged killer wreak vengeance upon the man who experimented on him in DEATH WARMED UP, or go on a cinematic journey to save a village from the ravages of The Black Death in NAVIGATOR: A MEDIEVAL ODYSSEY!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
* On May 1st, Umbrella is bringing KRULL to Blu-ray with new cover art, cast & crew audio commentary, making-of featurette, and more! And as an added bonus, this is THE first time KRULL has been featured in its original theatrical aspect ratio!

* Also due out on May 1st is SIDECAR RACERS which is part of Umbrella's Ozploitation Classics line. Also be on the lookout for the fantastic anime adventure STEAMBOY, which is packed with special features!

* With Rob Zombie's 3 FROM HELL coming to theaters later this year, Umbrella is putting out TWO FROM HELL: HOUSE OF 1,000 CORPSES & THE DEVIL'S REJECTS! This title has new cover art and a ton of extras, including audio commentaries, cast & crew interviews, making-of featurettes, trailers, and more!

* Brian Trenchard-Smith's DAY OF THE PANTHER and its sequel STRIKE OF THE PANTHER are coming to Blu-ray in a cool double feature on June 5th!

DEATH WARMED UP (1984)

Synopsis: BEFORE DEATHGASM...BEFORE BRAINDEAD... BEFORE BAD TASTE... THERE WAS DEATH WARMED UP!

Locked away in a psychiatic hospital for the murder of his parents, no one believed Michael Tucker when he told them he was programmed by a genetic surgeon. Released into the world, he wants revenge.

Dr Archer Howell has been experimenting on humans at Trans Cranial Applications, drilling the skulls of his patients and injecting drugs into their brain to create psychotic killing-machines. Isolated on an island and left to his own devices, Dr Howell is about to have a deadly visitor...

Shot in Auckland and Waiheke Island, New Zealand at the end of 1983, DEATH WARMED UP was reviled by conservatives but adored by fans around the world, becoming a cult hit in the home video era. Directed by David Blyth (ANGEL MINE) and written by Michael Heath (NEXT OF KIN), DEATH WARMED is a relentless assault of bold and startling images, unimaginable horror and driving soundtrack.

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 80 minutes | Region Free
Video - 1080p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - Dolby Digital 5.1 & 2.0 Surround Sound

Extras:

• Audio commentary with Director David Blyth and Writer Michael Heath.
• I'LL GET YOU ALL: Interview with actor David Letch.
• Deleted/Missing scenes with optional audio commentary.
• Original New Zealand 4:3 VHS cut
• Interview featurette with David Blyth and Michael Heath
• Theatrical trailer
• VHS Trailers
• TV Spot
• Image gallery

 ORDER "DEATH WARMED UP" FROM AMAZON.COM OR UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT (DVD | BLU-RAY)!

FREEDOM (1982)

Synopsis: From the award-winning director of Shine, Scott Hicks, comes this seminal Australian road movie tracing one man's search for speed..and freedom. Ron (Jon Blake - ANZACS, THE LIGHTHORSEMEN) is an angry young man with few work prospects having been sacked from his latest factory job. Rebelling against a society that offers him little hope, he lapses into fantasies of driving the highway in a sports car with a beautiful girl and decides finally to steal the Porsche of his dreams.

Ron escapes onto the open road and along the way meets the errant Sally (Jad Capelja - PUBERTY BLUES), who wants to retrieve her baby sent to live with foster parents. Chased by the law and their own demons, both risk all in a last attempt to fulfil their dreams. This retro Australian film classic features an all-star cast including Charles Bud Tingwell (INNOCENCE), Chris Haywood (JINDABYNE) and Candy Raymond (DON'S PARTY), while the fast-paced soundtrack was composed by Cold Chisel's Don Walker.

Disc Specs:
Not Rated | Color | 98 minutes | Region Free
Video - 480p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 2.0 Dolby Digital

Extras:

• Theatrical trailer.
• Umbrella trailers.

ORDER "FREEDOM" ON DVD FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT! 

MAD DOG MORGAN (1976)

Synopsis: Set in gold rush-era Victoria, and based on a true story, this violent, rollicking portrayal of infamous Irish outlaw Dan Morgan, a bravura performance from an intense Dennis Hopper (EASY RIDER, APOCALYPSE NOW) is a classic of Australia's '70s cinema renaissance. A prospector who turns to crime and opium after failing at gold mining, Dan Morgan spends six brutal years in prison before terrorizing country Victoria with a young Aboriginal, David Gulpilil (WALKABOUT, THE TRACKER).

Having escaped into NSW, the bush ranger and his accomplice easily dodge the police and mercilessly intimidate the wealthy land owners but wracked by madness and a lust to avenge an earlier attack from an irate squatter, the notorious Mad Dog makes a perilous journey back into Victoria. Combining an all-star Australian cast, including Jack Thompson, Bill Hunter and John Hargreaves, with a brilliant Dennis Hopper who called the role one of his great life experiences - director Philippe Mora (COMMUNION, HOWLING III) creates one of the great period action dramas.

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 98 minutes | Region Free
Video - 1080p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio

Extras:

• All-new audio commentary with Director Philippe Mora and Jake Wilson, author of Australian Screen Classics: MAD DOG MORGAN!
• Alternate audio commentary with Director Philippe Mora.
• TO SHOOT A MAD DOG: Making MAD DOG MORGAN.
• HOPPING MAD: Looking Back on Mad Dog Morgan.
• Extended interviews from NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD: Philippe Mora, producer Jeremy Thomas, camera operator John Seale and cast members Jack Thompson, Roger Ward and Graeme Blundell.
• MAD COUNTRY: SHOOTING LOCATIONS REVISITED with optional commentary.
• Interview with Dennis Hopper by Philippe Mora.
• Radio interview with Philippe Mora.
• Trailer
• Image gallery

ORDER "MAD DOG MORGAN" ON BLU-RAY NOW FROM AMAZON.COM OR UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT!

NAVIGATOR: A MEDIEVAL ODYSSEY (1988)

Synopsis: A visionary boy, Griffin (Hamish Gough - AN ANGEL AT MY TABLE) leads five men from the 14th Century into a 20th Century city. Their quest: to save their village before sunrise. It is Cumbria 1348, the year of the Black Death. A medieval mining village lives in fear of the advancing plague. Griffin's older brother, Connor (Bruce Lyons) returns from the outside world in a state of despair, until Griffin tells of his dream – and reveals the only hope of survival. Make a tribute to God. Place a spire on a distant cathedral. Do it before dawn or the village is lost.

Disc Specs:
Rated PG | Color | 91 minutes | Region Free
Video - 1080p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 2.0 Dolby Digital

Extras:

• Audio commentary with actor Paul Livingston and Production Designer Sally Campbell!
• PATH OF THE NAVIGATOR: VINCENT'S ODYSSEY (40-minute interview featurette with Director, Vincent Ward).
• Trailer
• Image Gallery

ORDER "THE NAVIGATOR: A MEDIEVAL ODYSSEY" ON BLU-RAY FROM AMAZON.COM OR UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT!

Also available this month from UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT:

• ALICE IN WONDERLAND (1933 - DVD)
• BACKTRACK BOYS (DVD)
• LOST OLVIDADOS (WORLD CLASSICS COLLECTION - DVD)
• SANTA FE TRAIL (SIX SHOOTER CLASSICS - DVD)

As usual, all of the DVDs and mentioned in this post can be ordered directly from UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT, and are often Region Free!

Umbrella Entertinament's February & March 2019 New Releases!

UMBRELLA'S FEBRUARY SLATE IS PRETTY SPARSE, BUT MARCH IS CHOCK FULL OF WEREWOLVES! 

Umbrella's February titles are now available (as of 02/06), but sadly there really weren't any new Cult, Horror, or Ozploitation films released. However, that doesn't mean that there's nothing worth mentioning! IN LIKE FLYNN has future movie star Errol Flynn (Thomas Cocquerel) on a quest for gold in Papau, New Guinea while WALKABOUT has two orphaned kids being rescued by a young Aborigine boy.

March is much more promising with the release of the completely bonkers HOWLING III: THE MARSUPIALS (which was recently released here in the States by Scream Factory) along with the HOWLING COLLECTION on DVD (which contains HOWLING III, IV, V, and VI: THE FREAKS)!

Also coming to DVD & Blu-ray in March are two family classics: STORM BOY, the enchanting story of a kid and his pet pelican, and WATERSHIP DOWN, which is a (not so) cute tale of warring bunnies! To learn more about these Umbrella titles, and two see the full list of all their new February and March releases, please continue reading! 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
* On April 3rd, Umbrella is bringing THE NAVIGATOR: A MEDIEVAL ODYSSEY to Blu-ray with an audio commentary, an interview featurette with director Vincent Ward, trailer, and still gallery! This film will also be available on a bare bones DVD release.

* Also due out on April 3rd is DEATH WARMED OVER! This forgotten cult revenge flick comes to Blu-ray with a smattering of cool extras, including: Director's commentary, cast & crew interviews, the original New Zealand VHS cut, trailers, and more! This title will also be available on (bare bones) DVD.

* MAD DOG MORGAN joins Umbrella's Ozploitation Classics line on April 3rd, and gets the royal treatment on Blu-ray! Two audio commentaries, a making-of featurette, interviews, trailers, and more! 

FEBRUARY 6, 2019 

IN LIKE FLYNN (2018)

Synopsis: In 1930, before Errol Flynn (Thomas Cocquerel) became one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood, a young Errol, braving cannibals and crocodiles, searched the jungles of Papua New Guinea for his Eldorado. While serving as a guide for a Hollywood producer, Errol discovers a map on a dead prospector that he believes will lead to a fortune in gold.

Back on the streets of Depression-era Sydney, Flynn rounds up a ragtag crew to help him find the gold, including Rx, a Canadian ex-bootlegger, Dook, an English gentleman handy with a pistol and Charlie, a grizzled old salt. After stealing the Sirocco, a yacht belonging to Chinese Opium smugglers, Flynn and crew set sail.

They quickly learn just how perilous a voyage up the Australian east coast can be, running afoul of drunken cowboys, corrupt cops and local thugs before being intercepted by the Chinese smugglers, who are hell-bent on retrieving their Sirocco and the several pounds of opium stashed in the hold.

As Flynn and crew make a final dash for New Guinea they encounter their greatest foe yet, nature itself and sail straight into a treacherous reef. IN LIKE FLYNN is a mythical and satirical coming-of-age story about four men on a journey to find hope, adventure and fortune in an age when the world was spiralling into despair.

Disc Specs:
Rated MA | Color | 98 minutes | Region 4
Video - 480p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 5.1 Dolby Digital

Extras: 

• None.

ORDER "IN LIKE FLYNN" ON DVD NOW FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT OR AMAZON.COM!

WALKABOUT (1971)

Synopsis: Under the pretence of having a picnic, a geologist (John Meillon - CROCODILE DUNDEE) takes his teenage daughter (Jenny Agutter - The Avengers) and 6-year-old son (Lucien John - WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN) into the Australian outback and attempts to shoot them.

When he fails, he turns the gun on himself, and the two city-bred children must contend with harsh wilderness alone. They are saved by a chance encounter with an Aborigine boy (David Gulpilil - STORM BOY) who helps them survive, and in the process underscores the disharmony between nature and modern life.

Disc Specs:
Rated M | Color | 101 minutes | Region B
Video - 1080p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio

Extras:

• Audio commentary.

ORDER "WALKABOUT" FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT ON DVD OR BLU-RAY!

Also available this month from UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT:

• AN ANGEL AT MY TABLE (BLU-RAY)
• AN ANGEL AT MY TABLE (DVD)
• BALLAD OF NARAYAMA (WORLD CLASSICS COLLECTION - DVD)
• CRY FREEDOM (BLU-RAY)
• CRY FREEDOM (DVD)
• THE SHOOTIST (SIX SHOOTER CLASSICS - DVD)
• THEORUM (WORLD CLASSICS COLLECTION - DVD)

MARCH 6TH, 2019

HOWLING III: THE MARSUPIALS (1987)

Synopsis: A strange race of human-like marsupials appears suddenly in Australia and begins to create havoc. A sociologist who studies these strange creatures falls in love with a beautiful woman who happens to be marsupial.

Could this be a combination far too dangerous for the world to see? The "Howling" terror continues...

Disc Specs:
Rated M | Color | 98 minutes | Region Free
Video - 1080p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio

Extras:

• Audio Commentaries with Director Philippe Mora.
• COLONIAL LYCANTHROPY: A Conversation with Philippe Mora.
• Extended NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD interviews with Director Philippe Mora and Special Effects Artist Bob McCarron.
• Trailers
• TV Spot
• Image gallery

ORDER HOWLING III: THE MARSUPIALS ON BLU-RAY NOW FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT!

THE HOWLING COLLECTION (1987, 1988, 1989, 1991)

Synopses: This four-disc set contains the remainder of the original HOWLING franchise!

HOWLING III: THE MARSUPIALS - A strange race of human-like marsupials appear suddenly in Australia, and a sociologist who studies these creatures falls in love with a female one. Is this a dangerous combination?

HOWLING IV: THE ORIGINAL NIGHTMARE - A successful author moves to a new town after suffering a mental breakdown and is tormented by demons and werewolves.      

HOWLING V: THE REBIRTH - A group of strangers visit an ancient Hungarian castle and bring along a werewolf.  

HOWLING VI: THE FREAKS - A villainous carnival owner traps a young werewolf to include in his growing menagerie of inhuman exhibits.

Disc Specs:
Rated M | Color | 390 minutes (total run-time) | Region Free
Video - 480p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - ?

Extras:

• None.

GET "THE HOWLING COLLECTION" ON DVD FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT!

STORM BOY (1976)

Synopsis: Storm Boy (Greg Rowe - BLUE FIN) lives with his recluse father, Tom (Peter Cummins - RETURN TO SNOWY RIVER) on South Australia's lonely and beautiful coast. Here his free spirit roams with his pet pelican, Mr. Percival, and his secret Aboriginal friend, Fingerbone Bill (David Gulpilil - CARGO).

He knows no other world. Suddenly there are intruders, the local school teacher who wants him to take lessons, a resentful wild-life ranger, duck shooters...

STORM BOY, growing up is forced to choose between a life of continued isolation and the challenges of the outside world.

Disc Specs:
Rated G | Color | 88 minutes | Region Free
Video - 1080p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio

Extras:

• STORM BOY theatrical trailer
• STORM BOY VHS trailer.
• Story Makers: Colin Thiele - 1988 documentary on the authour of Storm Boy.
• BLUE FIN (1978) Bonus Feature Film!
• Wild Reel: Hardy Kruger & Greg Rowe
• Hardy Kruger Profile
• BLUE FIN theatrical trailer

ORDER "STORM BOY" FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT (DVD | BLU-RAY) OR AMAZON.COM (BLU-RAY)! 

WATERSHIP DOWN (1978)

Synopsis: The timeless animation classic based on the best-selling novel by Richard Adams. Nestled among the peaceful meadows of country England lives an idyllic community of rabbits but when warned that their warren will be destroyed, a small group escapes into the unknown countryside in search of a new home.

Led by the visionary Fiver, the courageous Bigwig, the clever Blackberry, and the honourable Hazel, the rabbits face daunting challenges as they struggle to pursue their dream, battling the vicious General Woundwort, the cruel leader of another warren, but also making an unlikely friend - a batty seagull named Kehaar.

Director Martin Rosen brilliantly frames the tale from the rabbits' point of view, while the affecting, painterly animation style further allows the viewer to identify with each character's engrossing journey. Over 40 years since its initial release, WATERSHIP DOWN remains a compelling tale of courage, loyalty and thrilling adventure.

Disc Specs:
Rated PG | Color | 92 minutes | Region B
Video - 1080p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio -  2.0 Mono DTS-HD Master Audio

Extras:

• None.

ORDER "WATERSHIP DOWN" FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT ON DVD OR BLU-RAY! 

Also available in March from UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT:

• THE DUNERA BOYS (CLASSIC AUSTRALIAN STORIES - DVD)
• THE HARP IN THE SOUTH & POOR MAN'S ORANGE (DVD)
• THE LAST DAYS OF FRANK & JESSE JAMES (SIX SHOOTER CLASSICS - DVD)
• IN A RELATIONSHIP (DVD)
• ISABELLE EBERHARDT (DVD)
• WEST OF SUNSHINE (DVD)

As usual, all of the DVDs and mentioned in this post can be ordered directly from UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT, and are typically Region Free (unless otherwise noted)!

Umbrella Entertainment's January 2019 New Releases!

RETIRED NAZIS, RAMPAGING ALIENS, AND EROTIC OZPLOITATION CLASSICS ARE ON UMBRELLA'S DOCKET THIS MONTH!

As I type up this post about Umbrella's latest titles, it occurred to me that I somehow totally missed sharing December 2018's new releases! So before we even get into the handful of new Aussie Blus and DVDs that are out this month, let me just quickly list last month's titles.

These discs were released on December 5th, 2018:
* CELIA / THE TALE OF RUBY ROSE (DVD DOUBLE FEATURE)
* DR. KNOCK (DVD)
* FROG DREAMING (BLU-RAY)
* FROG DREAMING (DVD)
* THE MERGER (BLU-RAY)
* THE MERGER (DVD)
* ONE LESS GOD (DVD)
* THE PRINCESS AND THE DRAGON (DVD)
* TRAVELING NORTH / THE MANGO TREE (CLASSIC AUSTRALIAN STORIES - DVD)
* YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE (BLU-RAY)
* YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE (DVD)

Now that we're back on track, let's take a gander at Umbrella's January titles! A teenager discovers that his neighbor is a wanted Nazi war criminal in APT PUPIL, which is based upon Stephen King's novella of the same name. In FELICITY, a young girl liberates herself sexually, while in CENTRESPREAD, a naive young girl has to decide between fame or love. In the slapstick sex-comedy PLUGG, a private detective is hired to dig up dirt on an escort agency that the mayor of Perth wants to shut down. Finally, 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH features Ray Harryhausen's Ymir, a rather tragic Venusian beast that is stranded on Earth! For more info on this titles (and Umbrella's full January roster) please continue onward!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
* February is a rather sparse month with next to no Horror, Cult, or Exploitation titles. The only release of interest for you Vault Dwellers will probably be WALKABOUT, a tale about two orphaned children struggling to survive in the Australian outback.

20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH (1957)

Synopsis: Special effects master Ray Harryhausen (CLASH OF THE TITANS, ONE MILLION YEARS B.C.) brings you one of his earliest groundbreaking films.

On its way home from Venus, a U.S. Army rocket ship crashes into the sea of Sicily leaving Colonel Calder (William Hopper - REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE) the sole survivor ...or so it seems. A sealed container is also recovered from the wreck and when a zoologist (Frank Puglia - GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS!) and his granddaughter (Joan Taylor - EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS) open it, the gelatinous mass inside escapes.

Overnight, it grows into a horrific monster that has doubled in size. In desperation, Calder calls in the Army to help fight the monster, which has taken refuge atop the Coliseum in Rome. But it will take more than man's weapons to fight the evil forces of the unknown and save the world from destruction.

Disc Specs:
Rated PG | Black & White| 83 minutes | Region 4
Video - 480p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 5.1 Dolby Digital

Extras:

• None.

ORDER "20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH ON BLU-RAY FROM AMAZON.COM OR DIRECTLY FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT!

APT PUPIL (1998)

Synopsis: From the novella by acclaimed Horror Master, Stephen King, APT PUPIL is the story of Todd Bowden (Brad Renfro - SLEEPERS), a brilliant young student who discovers that an old man living in his hometown is actually a wanted Nazi war criminal.

To satisfy Todd's curiosity and earn his silence, Kurt Dussander (Ian McKellen - THE X-MEN SERIES) reveals his secret past... but all too soon it becomes clear that Todd is not the one in control of this twisted psychological game and that if he lives through it, he will learn a very dangerous lesson.

Disc Specs:
Rated MA | Color | 111 minutes | Region Free
Video - 1080p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio

Extras:

• Behind the Scenes Footage
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spots

ORDER "APT PUPIL" FROM AMAZON.COM (DVD / BLU-RAY) OR DIRECTLY FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT (DVD / BLU-RAY).

FELICITY (1978) / CENTRESPREAD (1981)

FELICITY Synopsis: Felicity (the gorgeous Glory Annen) is a sheltered teen who surrenders her blossoming body to a world of bold sexual adventure in this homegrown erotic sin-sation from sexy Ozploitation auteur John D. Lamond.

From taboo-breaking pleasures at an all-girl Catholic school to wanton delights in the exotic underground of Hong Kong, come join Felicity as she finally liberates her libido in the Far East with the help of Penthouse pet and Bond girl Joni Flynn (OCTOPUSSY).

Hailed as Australia's most erotic screen odyssey and celebrated in the documentary NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD, FELICITY captures the sensual and sumptuous flavour of BILITIS, EMMANUELLE, and STORY OF O in its classic tale of burgeoning sexuality and the ultimate search for forbidden ecstasy.

CENTRESPREAD Synopsis: In a world at the brink of the 21st century, where strict social stratification is rigidly enforced, where spending power is related to social utility rather than to productivity, and the only manifestation of violence is in magazine pages, a photographer whose special talent is mixing violence and sex, is told to find a new girl whose freshness will rejuvenate the pages of the magazine.

Gerard (Paul Trahair) not only fulfils his task but also rediscovers innocence and a world left behind by advancing technology when he uncovers Niki (Kylie Foster - QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER). But love is not in the Editor's plans and he offers Niki a choice - stardom or the love of a redundant photographer....

The directorial debut of Tony Peterson (veteran Ozploitation editor behind MAD MAX, FANTASM COMES AGAIN, and THE SURVIVOR), CENTRESPREAD depicts an ominous new society where old-fashioned love battles against sexual availability in a world invaded by rules, regulations and computer control.

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 176 minutes (total) | Region Free
Video - 1080p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio

FELICITY Extras:

• Audio commentary with Director John D. Lamond and star Glory Annen.
• Confessions of an R-Rated Movie Maker - Extended interviews from Not Quite Hollywood with John Lamond, Glory Annen and Gary Wapshott!
• Image gallery
• Theatrical trailer

CENTRESPREAD Extras:

• Behind The Centrespread - Interview with producer Greg Lynch!
• Theatrical Trailer A
• Theatrical Trailer B
• Alternate UK cut
• Image Gallery

ORDER "FELICITY / CENTRESPREAD" NOW FROM AMAZON.COM OR DIRECTLY FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT.

PLUGG (1975)

Synopsis: PLUGG is a slapstick comedy in which a blonde from the Pussycat Escort Agency is stalked and ogled by a comic private detective named Plugg (Peter Thompson - MAD DOG MORGAN).

Private detective, Horatio Plugg, has been commissioned by Mayor Claude Marshall-Enright (Edgar Metcalfe - A CRY IN THE DARK) to get a complete dossier on the Perth-based agency so it can be shut down. The owner of the agency (Alan Cassell, BREAKER MORANT) wants to keep practicing his golf so gets Plugg on the case...

The inept Plugg thinks the arrival of horny farmer (Phil Cleary) who wants to get off with Kelli Kelly (Cheryl Rixon - Homicide) is the perfect chance to nail the Escort Agency. But as he's perving on Kelli Kelly, he's also being pursued by a disaster-prone policeman, Inspector Closer (Norman Yemm) and his constable side-kick (Reg Gorman). All parties meet in the climactic court case following a series of chases.

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 86 minutes | Region Free
Video - 480p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - Mono

Extras:

• Trailer (accessible at the end of the Feature)

ORDER "PLUGG" ON DVD NOW FROM AMAZON.COM OR DIRECTLY FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT.

Also available this month from UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT:

• 7TH CAVALRY (SIX SHOOTER CLASSICS - DVD)
• THE BATTLERS (CLASSIC AUSTRALIAN STORIES - DVD)
• CENTRESPREAD (OZPLOITATION CLASSICS - DVD)
• WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE (CLASSIC AUSTRALIAN STORIES - DVD)
• WHEELY (DVD)

As usual, all of the DVDs and mentioned in this post can be ordered directly from UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT, and are often Region Free!

Umbrella Entertainment's November 2018 New Releases!

INTELLIGENT ZOMBIES, GOVERNMENT CONSPIRACIES, AND LUNATIC LOVERS AWAIT YOU IN UMBRELLA'S NEW RELEASES!

Just when you thought it was safe to stop spending money, Umbrella Entertainment unleashes a flood of new titles to DVD & Blu-ray! Enjoy the heart-pumping car chases in THE CHAIN REACTION, cheer for "Bub" the zombie in DAY OF THE DEAD (ULTIMATE EDITION), or discover the joys of love and lust in LUNATICS: A LOVE STORY, HEAVEN'S BURNING, or Umbrella's EMMANUELLE 1 & 2 double feature!

For more information on the titles I've just mentioned, (as well as all of the other November releases from Umbrella) scroll on down!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
* Umbrella's Ozploitation Classics line adds the classic children's adventure film FROG DREAMING (aka THE QUEST) to its roster on December 5th, with new extras! Also due out on that date: YOU WERE NEVER HERE and THE LORD OF THE FLIES.

* APT PUPIL, based upon the Stephen King novella, is coming to DVD & Blu-ray on January 2, 2019, as does Umbrella's "Oz-Erotica" double feature of FELICITY and CENTRESPREAD!

THE CHAIN REACTION (1980)

Synopsis: For mechanic Larry Stilson (Steve Bisley - THE GREAT GATSBY, MAD MAX) and his wife Carmel (Arna-Maria Winchester - CODA), a weekend in paradise turns into their most horrifying nightmare. At their retreat in an isolated mountain valley, they are confronted by Heinrich (Ross Thompson - BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS), the victim of a deadly nuclear spill who is in the throes of a horrifying radiation death.

A top-secret government security team moves in with an army of vicious decontamination workers to seal off the valley, forcing Larry and Carmel to attempt a daring high-speed escape! But, the question growing more urgent by the minute is - can the radioactive waste be contained?

Boasting high-octane car chases and spectacular stunts staged by George Miller, the director of Mad Max, and appearances from the stars of that film (Steve Bisley, Hugh Keays-Byrne and Mel Gibson), THE CHAIN REACTION is a slick, futuristic action thriller that hurls you into the nightmarish world of terror and nuclear holocaust.

Disc Specs:
Rated M | Color | 92 minutes | Region Free
Video - 1080p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio

Extras:

• Extended NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD interviews with Steve Bisley, Arna-Marie Winchester, Director Ian Barry, and Associate Producer Ross Matthews. (1:04:04)
• THRILLS & NUCLEAR SPILLS Featurette (31:37)
• THE SPARKS OBITUARY Featurette (24:50)
• DELETED AND EXTENDED SCENES (08:14)
• THE MAN AT THE EDGE OF THE FREEWAY: Early cut
• THEATRICAL TRAILER
• TV SPOT
• VHS TRAILER
• IMAGE GALLERY

ORDER THE CHAIN REACTION FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT (DVD | BLU-RAY | BLU-RAY W/SOUNDTRACK ON VINYL) OR AMAZON.COM (BLU-RAY).

DAY OF THE DEAD (1985 - ULTIMATE EDITION)

Synopsis: DAY OF THE DEAD displays plenty of guts, as FX Maestro Tom Savini really comes of age with an amazing splatter platter of sliding guts, faceless zombie freaks, and provocative new makeups delivered with a chunk-blowing gusto deserving of the highest praise." - Chas Balun, Beyond Horror Holocaust

In horror maestro, George A Romero's gruesome follow-up to the acclaimed DAWN OF THE DEAD, the flesh-eating undead have wiped out every last vestige of the civilized world and now outnumber the living 40,000-to-one! Hidden deep within a fortified underground missile silo an isolated and increasingly unstable ragtag group of scientists and soldiers continue to work to find a cure for this unstoppable plague.

Tensions soon escalate between a maniacal bloodthirsty military leader and a borderline mad scientist, sparking a climactic assault on the bunker by thousands of zombies... one final battle for humanity's survival. Named by Romero as his favorite "dead" movie, DAY OF THE DEAD showcases his tight, taut direction and unleashes a cavalcade of non-stop zombie carnage courtesy of gore wizard, Tom Savini.

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 101 minutes | Region Free
Video - 1080p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0

Extras:

• AUDIO COMMENTARY WITH GEORGE A. ROMERO, TOM SAVINI, CLETUS ANDERSON, AND LORI CARDILLE.
• AUDIO COMMENTARY WITH GREG NICOTERO, HOWARD BERGER, EVERETT BURRELL AND MIKE DEAK.
• WORLD’S END: THE LEGACY OF DAY OF THE DEAD
• BEHIND THE SCENES: ON-SET
• BEHIND THE SCENES: TOM SAVINI
• INTERVIEW WITH GEORGE A. ROMERO AT MIFF 200
• THEATRICAL TRAILERS
• TV SPOTS
• GATEWAY COMMERCE CENTRE PROMO VIDEO
• THE MANY DAYS OF THE DEAD
• JOE OF THE DEAD
• REFLECTIONS ON THE LIVING DEAD
• TRAVELOGUE OF THE DEAD
• REVERSIBLE COVER ART

ORDER DAY OF THE DEAD (ULTIMATE EDITION) FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT (DVD | BLU-RAY), AMAZON.COM (BLU-RAY), 

OR DIABOLIK DVD (BLU-RAY)!

DEVIL'S GATE (2017)

Synopsis: Maria Pritchard (Bridget Regan - JOHN WICK) and her son are missing. Maria’s husband, Jackson (Milo Ventimiglia - This Is Us), a taciturn man with a troubled past, is not returning calls.

An FBI Agent and Police Deputy sent to investigate find more than they bargained for when they arrive at the family’s remote farm outside Devil’s Gate, North Dakota.

As night falls and they become trapped in that desolate location, the law enforcement officers must either join forces with an unstable man they suspect of misdeeds or fall victim to the same demons that beset him.

Disc Specs:
Rated MA | Color | 94 minutes | Region Free
Video - 480p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - Dolby Digital 5.1

Extras:

• None.

ORDER DEVIL'S GATE FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT (DVD), AMAZON (BLU-RAY), OR BULLMOOSE (BLU-RAY)!

EMMANUELLE (1974) & EMMANUELLE 2 (1975)

EMMANUELLE Synopsis: The most popular soft porn film of all time and a breakout box-office hit around the world, Emmanuelle stars Sylvia Kristel (Mata Hari) as the eponymous heroine who is sexually awakened through a series of erotic adventures. Newly married, young, beautiful and naive Emmanuelle travels to Bangkok to join her older diplomatic husband Jean (Daniel Sarky).

On the plane, which takes off from Paris, she gets a taste of the erotic joys waiting for her in Asia. In Bangkok, the capital of the senses, with the encouragement of her husband, Emmanuelle abandons sentimental love to find fulfilment in her pleasures, first with young girl Marie-Ange (Christine Boisson, THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE), then with new lover Mario (Alain Cuny, LA DOLCE VITA) . Emmanuelle revels in this new-found pleasure so much so that excess becomes the word of the hour, especially when Jean goes away on a business trip and leaves Emmanuelle alone in the hands of Mario.

Adapted from Emmanuelle Arsan's famous novel, sensitively directed by Just Jaekin (THE STORY OF O), and lushly photographed on location in Thailand Emmanuelle is an erotic tale for men and women alike to enjoy.

EMMANUELLE 2 Synopsis: Emmanuelle lives out her fantasies in the arms of both her husband and her lover, Christopher. She goes on to initiate the young Anna-Maria into the pleasures and subtleties of carnal love.

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 182 minutes | Region Free
Video - 1080p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 2.0 Dual Mono

Extras:

• None.

ORDER EMMANUELLE & EMMANUELLE 2 ON BLU-RAY FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT!

HEAVEN'S BURNING (1997)

Synopsis: In Sydney, the newly married Midori (Yuki Kudo - MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA) is honeymooning with her husband, Yukio (Kenji Isomura). She does not love him and fakes her own kidnapping to escape the marriage. Her lover is supposed to meet her, but fails to appear, so she goes to a bank to get some cash.

Soon Midori becomes a hostage in an unfolding bank heist, until the getaway driver, Colin (Russell Crowe - GLADIATOR, THE NICE GUYS), rescues her from his cohorts. They hit the road together, with the cops, Midori's husband, and the bank robbers in hot pursuit!

Disc Specs:
Rated MA | Color | 99 minutes | Region Free
Video - 1080p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio -  Dolby Digital 2.0

Extras:

• AUDIO COMMENTARY with writer Louis Nowra and Producer Helen Leake!
• CAST & CREW INTERVIEWS with Russell Crowe, Yuki Kudoh, Craig Lahiff, Al Clark and Helen Leake!
• DELETED SCENES w/ OPTIONAL COMMENTARY from director Craig Lahiff.
• SCRIPT TO SCREEN STORYBOARDS w/ OPTIONAL COMMENTARY from director Craig Lahiff.
• BEHIND THE SCENES
• THEATRICAL TRAILER
• CRAIG LAHIFF SHORTS & TRAILERS: LABRYNTH (1979), THE JOGGER (1980), CODA (Trailer, 1987), FEVER (Trailer, 1988), BLACK & WHITE (Trailer, 2002), SWERVE (Trailer, 2011)

ORDER HEAVEN'S BURNING FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT (DVD | BLU-RAY) OR AMAZON.COM!

LUNATICS: A LOVE STORY (1991)

Synopsis: In the seedy part of Los Angeles, poet Hank Stone (Ted Raimi - Ash Vs The Evil Dead) has spent six months without leaving his apartment because of his paranoid delusions involving sadistic doctors, rappers, and spiders.

A woman who seems to jinx things by wanting to help is dumped by her boyfriend and finds herself penniless on the streets, and soon runs afoul of a local gang. Due to a telephone glitch, the man calls her at a phone booth trying to dial a "talk line" and invites her to his place. There they must help each other to overcome their respective problems.

Disc Specs:
Rated M | Color | 83 minutes | Region Free
Video - 480p Fullscreen (4:3)
Audio - Dolby Digital 2.0

Extras:

• None.

ORDER LUNATICS: A LOVE STORY ON DVD FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT OR AMAZON.COM!

SINGLE WHITE FEMALE (1992)

Synopsis: "SWF seeks female to share apt in West 70s. Non-smoker, professional preferred." An innocent ad opens the door to murderous, unrelenting terror. Allie Jones (Bridget Fonda - LAKE PLACID) finds herself trapped in a terrifying nightmare when her new roommate, Hedra (Jennifer Jason Leigh - LBJ) moves in and takes over more than just the spare bedroom.

First, she takes her clothes, then her boyfriend... and now she wants her life! From Oscar-nominated director Barbet Schroeder (REVERSAL OF FORTUNE), this critically acclaimed thriller features electrifying performances and knife-edge suspense.

Disc Specs:
Rated M | Color | 110 minutes | Region Free
Video - 1080p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio

Extras:

• None.

ORDER SINGLE WHITE FEMALE ON BLU-RAY FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT (DVD | BLU-RAY), AMAZON.COM (BLU-RAY), BULLMOOSE (BLU-RAY), OR DIABOLIK DVD (BLU-RAY)!

Also available this month from UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT:

• A BOY NAMED CHARLIE BROWN / SNOOPY COME HOME (DVD)
• EL CID (BLU-RAY)
• EL CID (DVD)
• EMMANUELLE 2 (WORLD CLASSICS COLLECTION - DVD)
• GUN FURY (SIX SHOOTER CLASSICS - DVD)
• HANGMAN'S KNOT (SIX SHOOTER CLASSICS - DVD)
• PETER PAN: QUEST FOR THE NEVER BOOK (DVD)
•  SEE YOU UP THERE (DVD) 

As usual, all of the DVDs and mentioned in this post can be ordered directly from UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT, and are typically Region Free (unless otherwise noted)!