HOWLING III, THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES, and SATURDAY THE 14TH All Come to Blu-ray on January 15th!

MARSUPIAL WEREWOLVES, HAMMER HORROR, AND A BIZARRE MONSTER MASH ALL HEAD TO BLU-RAY COURTESY OF SCREAM FACTORY!

Scream Factory's first quarter release slate is impressive to say the least! And though Scream Factory's prices have gone up noticeably (a point of contention with many fans & collectors) it'll be hard not to buy some of these new titles!

Next Tuesday be on the lookout for the totally absurd HOWLING III, which features Australian Marsupial Werewolves with Epilepsy, PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES, a classic Hammer Horror flick featuring black magic and the undead, and also SATURDAY THE 14TH, a low-budget 80s Horror spoof filled with rubber monsters! To learn more about this trio of new Scream Factory Blus, continue onward Vault Dwellers!

HOWLING III (1987)

Synopsis: The race is on as a colony of marsupial werewolves attempts to outwit and outlast their human counterparts in the offbeat horror film THE HOWLING III. Long ago, the now-extinct marsupial wolf (a.k.a. Tasmanian Tiger) roamed the Australian Outback.

Today, a werewolf colony that has descended from these marsupials has taken over the land. This race of human-like creatures roams the outback, preying on the unsuspecting to feed their growing numbers. The race for survival is on as the humans struggle to contain these out of control creatures.


Disc Specs:
Rated PG-13 | Color | 98 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (1.85:1)
Audio - ?

Extras:

• NEW! Digital Transfer Sponsored By The National Film And Sound Archive Of Australia!
• NEW! Audio Commentary With Writer/Director Philippe Mora, Moderated By Filmmaker Jamie Blanks!
• NEW! A Conversation With Philippe Mora – An Interview With The Writer/Director!
• Vintage Interviews From The Documentary Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! By Director Mark Hartley!
• Theatrical Trailer

This strange HOWLING sequel (that I lovingly refer to as the "TROLL 2 of the HOWLING franchise") will be available on Tuesday, January 15th and will cost approximately $24. Order a copy now from AMAZON, BULL MOOSE, DIABOLIK DVD, or directly from SHOUT! FACTORY.

THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES (1966)

Synopsis: In a remote 19th-century Cornish village, an evil presence lurks within the darkness of the witching hour. A mysterious plague relentlessly consumes lives at an unstoppable rate. Unable to find the cause, Dr. Peter Tompson enlists the help of his mentor, Sir James Forbes.

Desperate to find an antidote, they instead find inexplicable horror: empty coffins with the diseased corpses missing! Following a series of strange and frightening clues, they discover a deserted mine where they discover a world of black magic and a doomed legion of flesh-eating slaves ... the walking dead!

Disc Specs:
Not Rated | Color | 91 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (1.66:1)
Audio - ?

Extras:

• NEW! Audio Commentary With Filmmakers Constantine Nasr And Ted Newsom And Film Historian Steve Haberman!
• NEW! Audio Commentary with Author/Film Historian Troy Howarth!
• NEW! Restored Audio!
• World Of Hammer – Mummies, Werewolves & The Living Dead
• Raising The Dead: The Making Of The Plague Of The Zombies
• Restoration Comparison
• Theatrical Trailers
• Still Gallery

THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES also comes to Blu-ray on January 15th and costs $24! Order this Hammer Horror classic now from AMAZON, BULL MOOSE, DIABOLIK DVD, or directly from SHOUT! FACTORY.

SATURDAY THE 14TH (1981)

Synopsis: It's the second unluckiest day of the year. Pennsylvania is beginning to look a lot like Transylvania in the horror spoof SATURDAY THE 14TH! John (Richard Benjamin - LOVE AT FIRST BITE) and Mary (Paula Prentiss - THE STEPFORD WIVES) can't believe their good fortune when they inherit the vast estate of John's recently departed uncle.

Sure, it's a fixer-upper. But there's nothing that can't be taken care of with a fresh coat of paint, a little dusting ... and maybe an exorcist! It turns out that they've just moved into the most eerie house in Erie, PA — and one that some loathsome looky-loos are simply dying to take off their hands! Monsters, mayhem, and mirth descend upon the house — and only a mysterious book can save this everyday normal family from Saturday's paranormal activity.

Disc Specs:
Rated PG | Color | 75 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (1.85:1)
Audio - ?

Extras:

• NEW! 2K Scan Of The Original Film Elements!
• NEW! Interview With Producer Julie Corman!
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spot
• Photo Gallery

SATURDAY THE 14TH can be yours on January 15th for the cost of $23! To secure yourself a copy, order it now from AMAZON, BULL MOOSE, DIABOLIK DVD, or directly from SHOUT! FACTORY.

See Sonny Chiba as a crimefighting lycanthrope in WOLF GUY! Available on Special Edition Blu-ray on May 23rd!

ON MAY 23RD, SONNY CHIBA UNLEASHES HIS LYCANTHROPE RAGE IN STUNNING HD, COURTESY OF ARROW VIDEO!

I have known about the existence of WOLF GUY for some time now, but have been unable to procure a decent copy of it.... until now! Thanks to those magnificent folks at Arrow Video, WOLF GUY will finally be making its international debut! As a devout lover of all things Sonny Chiba, I simply must add this film to my personal collection!

Synopsis: Shinichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba is a martial arts ‘manimal’ in the ultra-70’s, 100% bizarre mixture of horror, action and sci-fi that is WOLF G UY, one of the rarest and most sought-after cult films produced by Japan’s Toei Studio. Based on a manga by Kazumasa Hirai (creator of 8 MAN), and never before released outside of Japan, it’s a genre film classic waiting to be discovered and a completely unclassifiable trip into phantasmagoric funk.

Chiba stars as Akira Inugami, the only survivor of a clan of ancient werewolves who relies on his supernatural powers to solve mysterious crimes. After a series of bloody killings perpetrated by an unseen force, Inugami uncovers a conspiracy involving a murdered cabaret singer, corrupt politicians, and a plot by the J-CIA to harvest his blood in order to steal his lycanthropic powers! At the same time, Inugami also discovers the truth behind his family heritage, and that he may not be the last of his kind.

Directed by B-movie genius Kazuhiko Yamaguchi (SISTER STREETFIGHTER, WANDERING GINZA BUTTERFLY, KARATE BEAR FIGHTER), WOLF GUY truly is one-of-a-kind, with Chiba in full effect as the part-man, part-wolf, all-karate action hero and a collection of familiar 1970’s Toei actors in support. Violence, action, nudity, real surgical footage, and a psychedelic musical score all work together to create an unforgettable trip to the heights of Japanese cinematic weirdness.

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 86 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (1.85:1)
Audio - Japanese (and English?) LPCM Mono

Extras:

• Original uncompressed mono audio and new optional English subtitle translation!
• NEW! Video interview with actor Shinichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba!
• NEW! Video interview with director Kazuhiko Yamaguchi!
• NEW! Vdeo interview with producer Tatsu Yoshida!
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Wes Benscoter!
• FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Patrick Macias and a history of Japanese monster movie mashups by Jasper Sharp!

Initially planned for release on April 25th, WOLF GUY will now be available on Tuesday, May 23rd! Order your copy of this never-before-seen (outside of Japan) Action/Horror mash-up featuring the legendary Sonny Chiba now, from AMAZON, BULLMOOSE, DIABOLIK DVD, or directly from ARROW VIDEO!

BAD MOON rises on Blu-ray this July with lots of great extras!

ON JULY 16TH, SCREAM FACTORY GIVES ERIC RED'S "BAD MOON" A HOWLING GOOD BLU-RAY!

The terrible transformation scene aside, BAD MOON is one of the better entries in werewolf cinema. It's a different kind of lycanthrope flick with a cool were-monster design, and a canine protagonist! I can't wait for this disc!

Film Synopsis: Full, crescent, quarter... each is a Bad Moon for Ted Harrison (Michael Pare). By day, he's a photojournalist visiting family in the Pacific Northwest. By night, he transfigures into a horrific half-human – a werewolf.

Dead men tell no tales, so Ted's sure he alone knows about his vile double life. The secret, however, may be out. The family dog Thor, devoted to defending the household, has his suspicions.

Writer/director Eric Red (COHEN AND TATE, BODY PARTS) delivers a new infusion of thrills with this red blooded shocker. Michael Paré (STREETS OF FIRE) portrays Ted, hiding his accursed condition from his sister (Mariel Hemmingway - LIPSTICK, STAR 80) and nephew (Mason Gamble - DENNIS THE MENACE). What better way to hide it than to create suspicion that the local killings are the work of another – especially if that other is the family's all-too-wise German shepherd!

Disc Specs:
Color | Rated R | 79 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (2.40:1)
Audio - DTS HD Master Audio 5.1(?)

Extras:

• High-definition Theatrical Cut Of The Film Plus A NEW Director’s Version Supervised And Approved By Eric Red!
• NEW Nature of the Beast: Making Bad Moon - Featuring Interviews With Writer/Director Eric Red, Actors Michael Paré And Mason Gamble, Special Effects Make-up Artist Steve Johnson And Stunt Coordinator Ken Kirzinger.
• NEW Audio Commentary With Writer/Director Eric Red (Director’s Version Only).
• Audio Commentary With Writer/Director Eric Red And Actor Michael Paré (Theatrical Cut).
• Unrated Opening Scene From The Director’s First Cut (Sourced from VHS).
• 3 Storyboard Sequences 
• Original Theatrical Trailer

BAD MOON arrives on Blu-ray on July 16th, and is easily a must-own, if only because there's two versions of the film on this release! You can order this title directly from SHOUT! FACTORY, or from AMAZON.COM right now! Damn, I can't wait to get my paws on this disc!

Trailer Round Up: HOWL, FREAKS OF NATURE, and STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS!

This has been a really solid year for the Horror genre, at least on the indie side of things. While studios continue to foist remakes and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY sequels upon us, the smaller guys are delivering the goods! THE FINAL GIRLS was great! TALES OF HALLOWEEN was fun, though had its share of flaws; the same goes for A CHRISTMAS HORROR STORY! I've been hearing nothing but great things about DEATHGASM, and Eli Roth's THE GREEN INFERNO has quickly garnered a cult following of its own!

With that said, here's a few new genre flicks to keep an eye out for. Oh and.... STAR WARS!!!

TRAILER #1: HOWL
Good werewolf flicks are few and far between, especially these days. In the 80s we had THE HOWLING, SILVER BULLET, TEEN WOLF, and AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON. In the 90s we had BAD MOON, WOLF, and ahm... PROJECT METALBEAST?

Then in the 2000's there was a resurgence of lycanthrope cinema with the UNDERWORLD films, the GINGER SNAPS trilogy, Wes Craven's terrifically awful CURSED, and Neil Marshall's action-packed DOG SOLDIERS.

And now we have HOWL, a tale about a train stuck in the middle of nowhere, and under attack from werewolves! I'm not sure I'm sold on the werewolf designs yet (I call them "Rawhead Rex-Wolves"), but it looks like it could be a gory good time! It's been released in the UK with a stateside DVD/Blu-ray release likely sometime in 2016! I can't wait to sink my teeth into this one!



TRAILER #2: FREAKS OF NATURE
Sony's latest is due out in time for Halloween (in select theaters and Video On Demand October 30th), and it looks like it could be a lot of fun. When aliens invade the town of Dillford, Ohio, the citizens must pull together to fight them off. This proves problematic because the town's population is made up of humans, zombies, and vampires! Watch humanity and the undead pull together to fight a common foe in this new Horror-Comedy!



TRAILER #3: STAR WARS - THE FORCE AWAKENS
December cannot get here fast enough! STAR WARS characters new and old unite for the seventh film in the franchise! Though the Galactic Empire is defeated, a new power has risen from its ashes! Who is Kylo Ren? Who is in charge of the new stormtrooper legions?! And who are the heroes that will rise up to challenge the new villains?!

I'm nervous (who wouldn't be after the disastrous prequels?) but also excited. I think J.J. Abrams was the right man for the job, and I hope that he breathes new life into the franchise. I want more quality STAR WARS movies dammit!

Scope out that newest official trailer below, and let the feelings of nostalgia wash over you!


That's it for now! Check back again soon for more news, trailers, and more!

Scream Factory's HOWLING II: Final Blu-ray specs & extras!

Your Sister is a Werewolf.

SCREAM FACTORY BRINGS THE CULT HIT "HOWLING II" TO BLU-RAY ON JULY 14TH!

Update: This Scream Factory Blu-ray disc is now out of print! However, HOWLING II: YOUR SISTER IS A WEREWOLF is available on 4K UHD from Vinegar Syndrome as of October 29th, 2024! Along with incredible picture quality, this release contains tons of bonus features, including all of those included on the Scream Factory release!

 

1985's HOWLING II is one of the strangest sequels I've ever seen in my life. Where else can you see Reb Brown and Christopher Lee battle werewolves that can only be killed by Titanium? But that isn't even what most of us guys remember this film for. 

The majority of us that saw this movie back in the 80s recall HOWLING II fondly because of the bizarre end credits/music video that features a constant loop of lead actress Sybil Danning tearing off her top to the tune of Babel's theme song for the film. (Something that took the actress by surprise when she attended its theatrical premiere apparently. Haha!)

No, this isn't a fever dream or hallucination, this is a real thing. Watch it HERE if you don't believe me! Thankfully the fine folks at Scream Factory have wisely added this movie to their impressive catalog, and it's looking to be yet another must-own title!

 

Synopsis: After countless millennia of watching, waiting and stalking, the unholy creatures known as werewolves are poised to inherit the earth. Legendary horror icon Christopher Lee (THE LORD OF THE RINGS, Hammer's Dracula series) faces off against sexy cult favorite Sybil Danning (BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS, CHAINED HEAT, GRINDHOUSE) in this terrifying descent into a world of nightmares that turns out to be all too real!

After newscaster Karen White's shocking on-screen transformation and violent death (in the original THE Howling), her brother Ben (Reb Brown, YOR, THE HUNTER FROM THE FUTURE) is approached by Stefan Crosscoe (Lee), a mysterious man who claims that Karen has, in fact, become a werewolf. But this is the least of their worries. To save mankind, Stefan and Ben must travel to Transylvania to battle and destroy Stirba (Danning), the immortal queen of all werewolves, before she is restored to her full powers!

Also starring Annie McEnroe (THE HAND) and Marsha A. Hunt (DRACULA A.D. 1972), directed by Philippe Mora (HOWLING III: THE MARSUPIALS, COMMUNION, THE BEAST WITHIN), and driven by a pulsing punk-y soundtrack, this film is a no-holds-barred horror-fest that’ll rip your heart out… and you’ll like it.


Disc Specs:
Color | 91 minutes | Rated R | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (1.85:1)
Audio - DTS-HD Master Audio Mono



Extras:

• Audio Commentary with Director Philippe Mora!
• Audio Commentary with Composer Steve Parsons and Editor Charles Bornstein!  
  
• Leading Man – An Interview with Actor Reb Brow!
• Queen of the Werewolves – An Interview with Actress Sybil Danning!
  
• A Monkey Phase – Interviews with Special Make-Up Effects Artists Steve Johnson and Scott Wheeler!
• Behind the Scenes Footage (in HD - from Philippe Mora’s archive) 
• Alternate Opening and Alternate Ending (in HD – from Philippe Mora’s archive)
• Theatrical Trailer
• Still Gallery

Once again, HOWLING II will be released on July 14th, and is currently available for pre-order at AMAZON.COM and DIABOLIK DVD! You can also order it directly from SCREAM FACTORY and receive your disc two weeks early!