Umbrella Entertainment's March 2018 New Releases!

PULL OFF A HEIST, AWAKEN YOUR SEXUALITY, AND MAKE A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL WITH UMBRELLA'S NEWEST RELEASES!

I'm a bit late in posting this (everything mentioned below came out on March 7th!) but don't let that stop you from seeking out Umbrella's latest titles! This month, there's a little bit of everything, from Drama (THE CHANT OF JIMMIE BLACKSMITH, LUCKY), to Action & Adventure (JUNGLE), but what you really want to hear about are Umbrella's latest Ozploitation and Cult releases!

This month we get THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS, which sadly turned out to be Heath Ledger's final film. To complete the movie, Jude Law, Johnny Depp, and Colin Farrell all star as different "versions" of Ledger's heroic character. Umbrella also released the Ozploitation classic MONEY MOVERS, a "ultra-violent" heist film based upon actual events, EMMANUELLE, a legendary piece of softcore erotica that is still generating sequels, documentaries, and spin-offs to this day, and finally a supernatural Western called SILENT TONGUE! Scroll down to learn more about these new releases, and see the full roster of Umbrella's March titles!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• On April 4th, Umbrella is releasing Brian Yuzna's SOCIETY to DVD with a director's commentary and theatrical trailer as extras. Also look for their new trailer compilation disc, DRIVE-IN DELIRIUM: THE NEW BATCH, which boasts over 150 movie trailers, remastered in HD! 
• Umbrella has numerous "world first titles" planned in coming months, including a few more movies from the old Cannon Films catalog! Unfortunately I cannot say anything more on this subject, other than GET EXCITED!
• There is still no set release date for RAZORBACK, but hang in there, because this is going to be the definitive release of the film! Believe me, when I finally get the word from my contact at Umbrella!

EMMANUELLE (1974)

Synopsis: The most popular soft porn of all time and a breakout box-office hit around the world, EMMANUELLE stars Sylvia Kristel 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.

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 fulfillment in her pleasures, first with young girl Marie-Ange, then with new lover Mario.

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.

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 94 minutes | Region Free
Video - 480p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 2.0 DTS

Extras:

• None.

CLICK HERE to order Umbrella Entertainment's DVD of EMMANUELLE!

THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS (2009)

Synopsis: Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Plummer), the leader of a traveling show, has a dark secret. Thousands of years ago he traded the soul of his daughter, Valentina, to the devil, in exchange for immortality. Now the devil has come to collect his prize.

To save her, Parnassus must make a final wager: Whoever collects five souls first will win Valentina. Tony (Heath Ledger), a man saved from hanging by Parnassus' troupe, agrees to help collect them, with his eye on marrying Valentina.

Disc Specs:
Rated PG | Color | 122 minutes | Region Free
Video - 480p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio

Extras: 

• None.

CLICK HERE to order Umbrella Entertainment's DVD of THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS!

MONEY MOVERS (1979)

Synopsis: The counting house at "Darcey's Security Services" is a fortress. Security is intense and any would-be-robbers have little hope... unless they get "inside" help.

MONEY MOVERS is a fast-moving, ultra-violent telling of Australia's biggest and bloodiest armed robbery - the theft of $20 million from a payroll counting office.

Directed by acclaimed film maker Bruce Beresford (BREAKER MORANT, THE CLUB) and boasting a top-notch Aussie cast including Bryan Brown, Charles "Bud" Tingwell, Tony Bonner, Ed Devereaux, and Terrence Donovan, MONEY MOVERS "delivers an intriguing plot and hair-raising suspense with incredible pace and ferocity. A combination that thriller addicts cannot afford to miss!" (MOVIE NEWS).

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 92 minutes | Region Free
Video - 480p Widescreen (16:9)
Audio - 2.0 Mono

Extras:

• Count Your Toes - A making-of featurette with Writer/Director Bruce Beresford, and cast members Bryan Brown, Terence Donovan, Tony Bonner, and Candy Raymond!
• Theatrical trailer
• "Umbrella Propaganda"

CLICK HERE to order Umbrella Entertainment's DVD of MONEY MOVERS!

SILENT TONGUE (1993)

Synopsis: Talbot Roe (River Phoenix), despite the pleas of his father Prescott (Richard Harris), insists on guarding the body of his wife Awbonnie who has died in childbirth. Afraid his son will lose his mind, Prescott goes in search of Eamon MacCre (Alan Bates), the showman who had traded his half-Indian daughter for horses. He intends to buy Eamon's second daughter in the belief that only she can save Talbot from his terrible grief.

When Eamon's son Reeves (Dermot Mulroney) objects, Prescott kidnaps the girl. But before he can get back to the tree a powerful and terrible presence rises from Awbonnie's body demanding that Talbot let it be devoured by animals and, in doing so, allow her spirit to rise and forever rest in peace.

Disc Specs:
Rated PG | Color | 102 minutes | Region Free
Video - 480p Fullscreen (4:3)
Audio - Dolby Digital 2.0

Extras:

• None.

CLICK HERE to order Umbrella Entertainment's DVD of SILENT TONGUE!

These DVD & Blu-rays are also currently available from Umbrella Entertainment:

• THE CHANT OF JIMMY BLACKSMITH (BLU-RAY)
• COSI (DVD)
• JUNGLE (DVD)
• JUNGLE (BLU-RAY)
• LUCKY (DVD)

As always, all of the titles listed above are REGION FREE and exclusively available from Umbrella Entertainment's website!

Help Fund the Restoration, and Blu-ray Release, of William Fruet's BLUE MONKEY!

CODE RED DVD TURNS TO HORROR FANS TO HELP RAISE FUNDS FOR A FULL RESTORATION OF WILLIAM FRUET'S LONG OUT OF PRINT CREATURE FEATURE!

UPDATE (03/20/2018): Having been unable to reach Bill Olsen via e-mail or social media, I had to take matters into my own hands and get a refund directly from GoFundMe. For the details of what happened with this abruptly cancelled crowdfunding campaign, and learn how you can get your money back, CLICK HERE.

UPDATE (03/13/2018): Apparently the crowdfunding campaign was canceled by Bill. I've reached out to him on social media to inquire about the status of the restoration, and to see if refunds are going to be issued to the people that donated! Stay tuned for updates!

Our bi-weekly WANTED ON BLU-RAY column has been doing quite well Vault Dwellers, and there are plenty of titles on the short list that I can't wait to shine a spotlight on. Imagine my utter surprise when one of those titles, BLUE MONKEY, suddenly popped up in my Facebook news feed just the other day.

It seems that Bill Olsen, the owner and operator of Code Red DVD, aims to bring this obscure creature feature to Blu-ray. But unlike his previous efforts in releasing Cult, Horror, and Exploitation classics, this time Bill is looking to crowdfund a high-def restoration of BLUE MONKEY! Just what is this mysterious "azure ape" film I keep mentioning?

Synopsis: A handyman working in an eccentric old woman's greenhouse comes into contact with a strange plant and ends up going to a nearby hospital after pricking his finger on the thornless flower. (We later learn it was more likely an insect bite.) Once he arrives in the ICU, he vomits up a rather large larvae, and begins to succumb to an illness that is liquefying his body from the inside out! Soon the disease is spreading throughout the hospital, leading to a government quarantine of the facility.

Trapped and desperately seeking a cure, the hospital staff fails to keep tabs on a group of precocious kids from the pediatric ward. The children find the insect that was birthed from the unfortunate handyman, and end up pouring a substance onto it (later found to be a growth hormone) that causes it to grow to gigantic proportions.

"HA! Your cans of RAID are now useless puny humans!"

Soon, the giant insect makes itself a nest in the utility tunnels beneath the hospital, and begins laying eggs. It's up to Dr. Rachel Carson (Gwynyth Walsh), Detective Jim Bishop (Steve Railsback), and an entomologist named Elliot Jacobs (Don Lake) to stop the creature, and find an antidote for the growing epidemic!

As for the film's misleading title, I've heard two reasons behind it: The first is that the movie was originally going to have a primate-like creature on the loose. The second is that the title (which was originally GREEN MONKEY, but changed because no one wanted people to equate this film with deadly AIDS-carrying monkeys) sort of refers to a creature that one of the kids in the film has nightmares about. Regardless, this movie has absolutely no monkeys in it at all!

The lack of colorful apes aside, if this Canuxploitation flick sounds enticing to you at all, then please consider pledging $30 ($25 for the Blu-ray + $5 for shipping) towards Bill Olsen's GoFundMe campaign for BLUE MONKEY's restoration! Let's work together to give this long-requested film a Blu-ray release worth owning Vault Dwellers! And if you're not too keen on donating any money, please share the crowdfunding page on Facebook and Twitter to help spread the word!

Over the Top Action-Comedy COMMANDO NINJA Coming Later This Year!

Eric Carlesi the Commando Ninja!

BENJAMIN COMBES' HILARIOUS TRIBUTE TO THE ACTION FILMS OF THE 1980S HAS REACHED ITS CROWDFUNDING GOAL!

COMMANDO NINJA is an ultra-violent action-comedy in the same vein as 2015's Kickstarter-funded indie hit KUNG FURY. Featuring time travel, a muscle-bound hero that waves of machine gun-toting foes cannot seem to hit, and lots of over-the-top action and practical effects, COMMANDO NINJA has rapidly become one of my most anticipated films of 2018!

Synopsis: A Vietnam Green Beret Vet that is "Half Commando, and Half Ninja," (Eric Carlesi, who bears a striking resemblance to actor Karl Urban) goes on a quest to rescue his daughter, who has been abducted by a secret Ninja Organization, led by a Central-American dictator, who wants to create a new-world order... through time...

COMMANDO NINJA's crowdfunding goal has recently been met, and (as of my posting this) has fifteen more days left to reach its stretch goals which include: Stickers, an animated scene, action figures, a release of the film's soundtrack, and even a COMMANDO NINJA video game! If any of that sounds enticing, or if you just want to secure an official poster, t-shirt, and/or Blu-ray (once the film is completed), CLICK HERE to make a pledge!

What's that? OH! Yeah, you're not quite sold on the film right? Well I suppose the only way to win you over is for you to witness COMMANDO NINJA in all its glory! Scope out the (what is essentially a proof of concept) trailer below, and prepare to be dazzled!


Apparently the majority of COMMANDO NINJA is completed, so we shouldn't have to wait too long to see this ode to COMMANDO, PREDATOR, RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II, and various other 80s Action classics! Currently, the digital download of the film is anticipated for a June release, while the Region Free Blu-ray is expected in November!

To keep up to date on the status of the film, be sure to like its Official Facebook Page. For more information about COMMANDO NINJA's director, visit his website, and scope out his YouTube Channel!

STOCK YOUR VAULT: New DVDs & Blu-rays for 03/06/2018!

Vault Master's Pick of the Week!

March has certainly come in like a lion Vault Dwellers, at least in regards to the weather. On the DVD & Blu-ray front, this month is starting off rather quietly, with a bunch of re-releases from various labels.

Scream Factory delivers a worthy Collector's Edition of THE STRANGERS (just in time for the theatrical premiere of its sequel) and the Blu-ray debut of FANGS OF THE LIVING DEAD, Arrow Video gives us a single-disc Special Edition of DONNIE DARKO and 2-Disc Limited Edition of CAT O' NINE TAILS, and Kino Lorber drops a cool double feature of HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE PARK & LAST HOUSE ON MASSACRE STREET.

Paramount released a slew of new steelbooks for a bunch of sci-fi and action flicks from their catalog, Mill Creek gifts us classic horror fans with two more Hammer Horror Double Features, Frolic Pictures released more cult movie double features, and Disney/Marvel caps things off with THOR: RAGNAROK (Blu-ray and 4K UHD)!

Scroll down see all of this week's new DVDs and Blu-rays, and put those tax returns to good use!


NEW TO DVD & BLU-RAY
Donnie Darko (Special Edition)
Fairy Tale: Dragon Cry
Gintama
Immortal Demon Slayer
Mind and Machine
Mobile Suit Gundam UC Unicorn Collection
My Friend Dahmer (Special Edition)
Scorched Earth
Thor: Ragnarok


NEW TO BLU-RAY
Big
Cat O' Nine Tails (2-Disc Limited Edition)
The Dark Crystal (Anniversary Edition)
Fangs of the Living Dead
A Fistful of Dynamite (aka Duck, You Sucker)
Hammer Horror Double Features Vol. 3: Maniac & Die! Die! My Darling!
Hammer Horror Double Features Vol. 4: Never Take Candy From a Stranger & Scream of Fear
House on the Edge of the Park / Last House on Massacre Street (aka The Bride)
The Orchard End Murder (Redemption Films)
the strangers (Collector's Edition)


NEW TO DVD
Aliens Ate My Homework
Angel Gets Even
Anne
Beyond the Woods
The Crossbreed
Curse of the Mayans
Disposable
Ditch Party
Flashburn
Fractional
Hacked
Incontrol
Iron Wolf
Knights of the Damned
Orange Man
Raised By Wolves
The Revenge of Robert
The Sandman
Showdown in Manila
Something Creeping in the Dark
The Very Best of Transylvania Television: Season 1


NEW MULTI-FILM COLLECTIONS ON BLU-RAY
Asian Extreme 3-Pack
Contains: R100, The World of Kanako, and Why Don't You Play in Hell?

9 Lives: 9 Movie Collection
Contains: S.W.A.T., Stealth, Vertical Limit, Universal Soldier: The Return, Last Action Hero, Blind Fury, Silent Rage, White Line Fever, and Into the Sun.


PARAMOUNT STEELBOOKS (BLU-RAY/DVD/DIGITAL)
Aeon Flux
Arrival
Barbarella
Death Wish
Ghost in the Shell (2017)
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Lara Croft: Tome Raider - The Cradle of Life
Terminator: Genisys
World War Z


FROLIC DOUBLE FEATURE DVDS
A Bucket of Blood / House on Haunted Hill
Count Dracula's Great Love / Jane Eyre
Funeral for an Assassin / Day of the Triffids
Gone With the West / Apache Blood
It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time / Wake Me Up When the War is Over
Mooch Goes to Hollywood / Eagle in a Cage
Project Kill / Fighting Mad
Wild Women of Wongo / Virgin Sacrifice

Regular Updates Will Resume Soon - Please Stand By!

Image borrowed from GremlinsOnline.com

Sorry for the inconvenience Vault Dwellers! Due to severe Winter weather this past Friday, the power was knocked out at Vault HQ for nearly the entire weekend! That was (almost) three days of no lights, no running water, no ability to spread heat through the house, and naturally, no internet. As another storm prepares to roll into the area, we're hoping that our power company is up to the task of keeping the electricity on, or at least getting the grid back online sooner so we're not cast back into the Dark Ages again.

That being said, regular updates at The News Vault will resume tonight! Expect a new STOCK YOUR VAULT entry, updates to the UPCOMING BLU-RAYS page, and maybe even something new at the main site!

Also, if you haven't already done so, The Vault is still in the running for BEST BLOG/WEBSITE OF 2017 in the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards! If you're enjoying our steady stream of content (and Facebook posts), then please consider casting a vote for The B-Movie Film Vault!

Go to the following link for voting rules, and to see the list of this year's nominees: https://rondoaward.com/rondoaward.com/blog/

Many thanks everyone - stay tuned for new content!
- The Vault Master

WANTED ON BLU-RAY: THE WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME (1989)

WANTED ON BLU-RAY:
THE WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME (1989)

Rated PG | Color | 95 minutes

As was very much the case with the previous entries in this column (i.e. BLOOD BEACH and MY DEMON LOVER), THE WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME was another film I discovered on VHS back in the '90s. I pulled it out of a heap of used rental tapes (going for the astoundingly low price of 5 for $20!), and threw it in with my other video treasures. That was at least twenty years ago, and it saddens me to realize that I no longer own a physical copy of animator Mike Jittlov's magnum opus.

Synopsis: A decade after having his 1979 short THE WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME showcased on an episode of The Magical World of Disney's Major Effects, Mike Jittlov ended up remaking it for a feature-length film bearing the same title. What's truly interesting about this movie is that it is more or less a biopic about the creation of Jittlov's original short, as well as his brief partnership with Disney, which obviously left him a little frustrated at a studio system that is fraught with red tape.

In THE WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME, Mike Jittlov plays himself: A talented, but eccentric animator and visual effects wiz who doesn't like to shake hands. As he attempts to show off his work and receive the recognition he desires, Mike becomes a pawn in a $25,000 wager between two Hollywood producers, portrayed by actual Producer Richard Kaye (THE TOMB, TURN OF THE BLADE) and actor Steve Brodie (THE GIANT SPIDER INVASION, FRANKENSTEIN ISLAND).

Despite some meddling from Kaye's Harvey Bookman, Mike's friends and family pull together to help him create a special effects masterpiece that will be broadcast nationwide on television! And as the film reaches its conclusion, we get to see Jittlov's brilliant work in the form of his new and improved THE WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME short!

He's powered by green energy!

This oft-forgotten movie is on the odd side, but it's full of heart, and every frame oozes Mike Jittlov's passion for telling stories and creating effects. It's a fun and (relatively) family friendly movie that never truly had a chance to find an audience (though it has certainly built up a cult following over the decades), and therefore deserves to be released on Blu-ray!

Availability: At this current time, THE WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME is out of print! If you simply must own a physical copy of the film, there are several VHS copies for sale on AMAZON and EBAY. For those that prefer digital, there's a really good copy of the film HERE on YouTube that was uploaded with Jittlov's permission.

Current Rights Holder: THE WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME (aka WOSAT) got a brief theatrical run in 1989 through Shapiro-Glickenhaus Entertainment (aka SGE), followed by a VHS release that same year. Image Entertainment handled the laserdisc release for Jittlov's film, which would end up getting a VHS re-release in 1992, courtesy of Starmaker Entertainment. But who currently owns the rights?

Option one: Synapse Films. I say this because Synapse has snapped up distribution for numerous SGE titles, including RED SCORPION, BASKET CASE 2, BASKET CASE 3: THE PROGENY, MANIAC COP, MCBAIN, and FRANKENHOOKER. Option two: Lionsgate. Starmaker Entertainment was engulfed by Anchor Bay decades ago, and as we all know, Lionsgate bought out Anchor Bay in late 2016.

 Option three.

As it turns out, neither Synapse or Lionsgate are involved here Vault Dwellers. Since the studio that distributed the film (SGE) disbanded in the mid-90s, the rights apparently reverted back to Mike Jittlov! This is one of those rare occasions where the creator has full control of their film! (Huzzah!)

Blu-ray Wishlist:

• A fully remastered 2K transfer of the film. (4K is probably asking for too much.)
• Original Mono audio and new 5.1 Surround Mix.
• Audio commentary with Writer/Producer/Director/Star Mike Jittlov.
• Interviews with Mike Jittlov, Producer/Star Richard Kaye, Actress Paige Moore, Composer John Massari (KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE, SNAKE EATER, et al.), and director Frank LaLoggia (LADY IN WHITE, FEAR NO EVIL) who had a bit part in the film.
• Original THE WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME short from 1979.
• Mike Jittlov's other animation efforts: Animato, Swing Shift, and Time Tripper.
• Gallery of posters & stills.
• Original theatrical trailer.

I'm a big fan of THE WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME, and I think the time is right for it to find a much larger audience. If you agree that this movie has enough cult appeal to warrant a Blu-ray release, sound off below! Also to sate my own personal curiosity, I have contacted Mike Jittlov via e-mail to see if the man behind THE WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME can offer up any information on whether or not a Blu-ray disc of WOSAT is a remote possibility! Stay tuned for updates Vault Dwellers!