STOCK YOUR VAULT: New DVDs & Blu-rays for 04/30/2019!

 

Vault Master's Pick of the Week!

April is over with but I'm still playing catch-up from last month Vault Dwellers! (Sorry!) This past week had a relatively small release slate, but as is typically the case, there are definitely some great new releases worth adding to your collections!

Vinegar Syndrome debuted SKIN FLICKS and GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE on Blu-ray, Criterion gave Jackie Chan's POLICE STORY & POLICE STORY 2 a pretty fantastic release, and Kino Lorber Studio Classics just unveiled a great Blu-ray set featuring all three FANTOMAS movies!

Severin Films surprises exploitation fans with a trio of new titles on Blu-ray and DVD, including DEATH WARMED UP, EMMANUELLE AND FRANCOISE, and ESCAPE FROM WOMEN'S PRISON, and Eureeka Classics dropped a gorgeous (Region B-locked) Limited Edition Blu of CUJO!

But the two Blu-ray discs that I was most excited for this past Tuesday were Scream Factory's THE BRAIN and TARANTULA! The former boasts a new 4K transfer and loads of new special features, while the latter has a new 2K transfer and audio commentary!

There's not much else worth bragging about this week, but if you're curious to see what else was released on DVD or Blu-ray, continue onward to scope out the full roster!


NEW TO DVD & BLU-RAY
Arctic
Death Warmed Up (Severin Films)
Emmanuelle and Francoise (Severin Films)
Escape from Women's Prison (Severin Films)
Even Lambs Have Teeth
Level 16
Police Story / Police Story 2 (Criterion Collection)
The Tutor


NEW TO BLU-RAY
Absolute Duo: The Complete Series
The Brain (Scream Factory)
City of the Vampires
Cujo (Limited Edition - Eureeka Classics! - Region B)
Deadly Crush
Gatchaman (Collector's Edition)
Grandmother's House (Vinegar Syndrome)
Hakyu Hoshin Engi: The Complete Series
Hannibal (Blu-ray & 4K UHD)
High School DxD Hero: Season Four
Kuffs (Shout Select)
Lupin the 3rd Part IV: The Italian Adventure
The Rolling Girls: The Complete Series
Skin Flicks (Vinegar Syndrome)
Tarantula (Scream Factory)
Unlisted Owner


NEW TO DVD
Appleseed: The Original OVA Series
The Best of Tobor the 8-Man: Volume 2
The Grim Reaper (1980 - Rogue Video)
The Hole in the Ground
Scream Bloody Murder (1974 - Rogue Video)


NEW MULTI-FILM COLLECTIONS ON BLU-RAY
Fantomas: Three-Film Collection (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)
Contains: Fantomas, Fantomas Unleashed, and Fantomas vs. Scotland Yard.

X-Men Trilogy: Volume 1 (Limited Edition Steelbook)
Contains: X-Men, X2: X-Men United, and X3: The Last Stand.

X-Men Trilogy: Volume 2 (Limited Edition Steelbook)
Contains: X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and X-Men: Apocalypse.

THE BRAIN and TARANTULA Now Available on Blu-ray from Scream Factory!

EVIL FLESH-EATING SPACE BRAINS AND ONE ASTOUNDINGLY GIGANTIC SPIDER THREATEN HUMANITY IN SCREAM FACTORY'S LATEST BLU-RAY RELEASES!

While I'm not ecstatic over Scream Factory's price increases or steelbook double-dips, I do applaud them for their continued efforts in bringing classic sci-fi & Horror fare, as well as obscure 80's cult and exploitation titles, to Blu-ray! Along with their Hammer Horror offerings and IFC Midnight releases, Scream has truly cornered the market on the types of films that I love, and for that reason I continue to support them when I can. Speaking of which, I can't wait to add both THE BRAIN and TARANTULA to my Blu-ray collection!

THE BRAIN (1988)

Synopsis: Imagine a pulsating mass of gray matter, expanding in size and strength as it takes control of human minds and devours human bodies. It could never happen, right? Just watch Independent Thinking, starring Dr. Anthony Blakely (David Gale - RE-ANIMATOR, THE GUYVER, SYNGENOR), a hot new TV program. But as the show's ratings continue to soar, so does the suicide and murder rate among its viewers. What they don't know is that Dr. Blakely has teamed with an alien brain and plans to gain control of all humanity.

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 94 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (1.85:1)
Audio - DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0

Extras:

• NEW! 4K Scan Of The Original Negative!
• NEW! Audio Commentary With Director Ed Hunt!
• NEW! Audio Commentary With Composer Paul Zaza!
• NEW! Audio Commentary With Actor Tom Bresnahan!
• NEW! Canada On The Mind – An Interview With Actress Cynthia Preston!
• NEW! From Monster Kid To Monster Man – An Interview With Actor George Buza!
• NEW! Brain Art – An Interview With Assistant Art Director Michael Borthwick!
• NEW! Food For Thought: A Love Letter To The Brain!
• Still Gallery

What? No trailer?! (Just kidding!) WOW is all I have to say about this release Vault Dwellers! For decades I've watched a bootleg DVD-R of this film when the mood hit but now we've got a Blu-ray release that this Canadian Horror oddity can truly be proud of! A new 4K transfer, three audio commentaries, and cast & crew interviews made this one a must-own for yours truly, and I can't wait to watch my copy when it arrives in the mail! Get yours now from AMAZON, BULL MOOSE, DIABOLIK DVD, or directly from SHOUT! FACTORY.

TARANTULA (1955)

Synopsis: Biochemist Gerald Deemer (Leo G. Carroll, who's over a barrel - NORTH BY NORTHWEST) has a plan to feed the world by using a growth formula on plants and animals. Instead he creates terror beyond imagining when his work spawns a spider of mammoth proportions!

Feeding on cattle and humans, this towering tarantula has the people of Desert Rock, Arizona running for their lives. Can this horrifying creature be stopped or will the world succumb to its giant claws? This classic sci-fi film from director Jack Arnold (CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE) stars John Agar (THE MOLE PEOPLE, ATTACK OF THE PUPPET PEOPLE) and Mara Corday (THE BLACK SCORPION, THE GIANT CLAW), and features a cameo by Clint Eastwood as a jet squadron leader!

Disc Specs:
Not Rated | Black & White | 81 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (1.85:1)
Audio - 2.0 Mono (?)

Extras:

• NEW! 2K Scan Of The Original Film Elements!
• NEW! Audio Commentary With Film Historians Tom Weaver, Dr. Robert J. Kiss, And David Schecter!
• Theatrical Trailer
• Still Gallery

Though rather light on extras, Scream Factory still gave this classic creature feature more love than Universal ever did! Get TARANTULA on Blu-ray today from AMAZON, BULL MOOSE, DIABOLIK DVD, or directly from SHOUT! FACTORY.

Umbrella Entertainment's August 2018 Releases!

GIANT BOARS AND TARANTULAS POPULATE UMBRELLA'S AUGUST OFFERINGS!

After two really solid months of genre releases from Umbrella Entertainment, it seems as though they've reigned themselves in at the close of the Summer! While there are multiple new titles from this fantastic company, only two of them really fit into the Vault's wheelhouse this.

First up is the looooooooong-awaited Blu-ray of RAZORBACK, which has been released as part of Umbrella's Beyond Genres label. Boasting a new 4K transfer, a second cut of the film, and loads of extra features, this one is a definite must-own! Also worth mentioning is Umbrella's new DVD release of Jack Arnold's classic atom-age creature feature, TARANTULA, which features a cameo by a very young Clint Eastwood as a fighter pilot!

For further details on these two new Umbrella titles (and to see what else they've released this month) please continue reading Vault Dwellers!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
* Umbrella's September slate is looking mighty fine! Here's what's coming on 09/05: CARGO, HEATHERS, THE IMMORTAL WARS, SPIRIT OF THE AIR - GREMLINS OF THE CLOUDS, and TO CATCH A KILLER!

* Umbrella delivers thrills new and old on October 3rd (just in time for Halloween!) with the highly-anticipated release of the long out of print Ozploitation classic, NEXT OF KIN, QUIJA HOUSE, and Region Free Blu-rays of HELLRAISER, HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II, and HELLRAISER III!

BEYOND GENRES VOLUME 4: RAZORBACK (1984)

Synopsis: Somewhere deep in the Australian outback there's a marauding, indestructible creature that can rip a man in half and destroy a homestead in seconds.

This giant freak of nature is nine hundred pounds of tusk and muscle - and it is hell bent on terrorizing the small isolated community of "Gamulla" - a town as violent and primitive as the beast that threatens it.

The astonishing feature film debut of music video maestro Russell Mulcahy (HIGHLANDER), RAZORBACK is a ferociously entertaining, adrenaline-pumping thriller that proudly counts Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino among its self-confessed fans!

Presented in a new high definition transfer, boasting stunning cinematography from Oscar winner Dean Semler (DANCES WITH WOLVES), a taut script by horror veteran Everett DeRoche (PATRICK), atmospheric music by Iva Davies (Icehouse) and a fearsome creature from effects master Bob McCarron (TURKEY SHOOT, THE ROAD WARRIOR, THE MATRIX), RAZORBACK is an Ozploitation classic, bloodcurdling to the last squeal.

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 91minutes | Region B
Video - 1080p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio

Extras:

• Audio commentary with director Russell Mulcahy and Shayne Armstrong!
• Audio interview with actor Gregory Harrison!
• JAWS ON TROTTERS: Featuring interviews with director Russell Mulcahy, producer Hal McElroy, Razorback creator Bob McCarron, composer Iva Davies, and cast Judy Morris and Chris Haywood.
• Extended interviews with cast and crew from Mark Hartley's NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD!
• Grisly deleted scenes with new optional audio commentary!
• RAZORBACK: THE VHS CUT - the original uncut 4:3 Australian home video version
• Theatrical trailer
• VHS trailer
• A CERTAIN PIGGISH NATURE: Looking Back at Razorback
• Image gallery

ORDER RAZORBACK ON BLU-RAY TODAY FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT OR AMAZON.COM!

TARANTULA (1955)

Synopsis: A Jack Arnold (IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE, CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON) atomic monster classic, TARANTULA is a cult extravaganza, featuring an inspired 1950s style of wild and imaginative science fiction horror.

Ambitious Professor Gerald Deemer (Leo G. Carroll - NORTH BY NORTHWEST) has developed an astonishing new project: A special growth formula! Testing the formula on his innocent lab tarantula in Arizona he expects nothing more than it to double in size. But when it somehow escapes into the desert , it grows to gargantuan size and threatens to destroy everything and everyone in its path.

Also featuring John Agar (STAR IN THE DUST, THE MOLE PEOPLE) and Mara Corday (MAN WITHOUT A STAR) TARANTULA is a cracking example of 50s sci-fi horror paranoia in the glorious tradition of THE BLOB and THEM!

Disc Specs:
Rated PG | Black & White | 88 minutes | Region 4
Video - 480p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 2.0 Mono

Extras:

• None.

ORDER TARANTULA ON DVD FROM UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT OR AMAZON.COM!

Also available this month from UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT:

• 40 GUNS TO APACHE PASS (SIX-SHOOTER COLLECTION - DVD)
• THE ADVENTURES OF SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON: THE COMPLETE SERIES (DVD)
• CAMILLE CLAUDEL (WORLD CLASSICS COLLECTION - DVD)
• THE HIGHEST HONOR / THE LAST BASTION (CLASSIC AUSTRALIAN STORIES - DVD)
• LBJ (DVD)
• RODIN (DVD)
• TENDER MERCIES (BLU-RAY)
• TENDER MERCIES (DVD)

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