Scream Factory has CHOSEN to Unleash HOLOCAUST 2000 on Blu-ray Disc!

ALBERTO DE MARTINO'S 1977 OCCULT THRILLER ARRIVES ON BLU-RAY FOR THE FIRST TIME!

I have never seen THE CHOSEN, but seeing as it has been compared to THE OMEN I'll most likely give it a look! It seems to mix the fears of nuclear disaster with supernatural shocks, which makes it rather  unique when compared to various other films involving world-ending scenarios and antichrists! If that sounds like your cup of tea, then read on to learn more about this movie and it's new Blu-ray release!

Synopsis: Kirk Douglas (THE FURY) stars as industrialist Robert Caine, who with his son Angel (Simon Ward - SUPERGIRL) is finally about to realize his biggest dream: a massive nuclear power plant in the Holy Land. But soon, Caine's dream becomes a horrific nightmare as person after person associated with the project meets a violent, gruesome death. When clues to this inexplicable turn of events point to the devil, Caine comes to the terrible realization that he might be linked to the Antichrist ... perhaps even through his unborn child.

Also known as HOLOCAUST 2000 and RAIN OF FIRE, this riveting thriller in the vein of THE OMEN "is probably the best made and best budgeted of the Italian occult films of the 1970s" (The Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Film Review) and was directed by cult filmmaker Alberto De Martino (THE ANTICHRIST, BLOOD LINK, and SHADOWS IN AN EMPTY ROOM).

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 102 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (2.35:1)
Audio - ?

Extras:

• Original International Cut Of The Film, Known As Holocaust 2000 (HD)!
• Rare U.S. Cut Of The Film With Alternate Ending, Known As The Chosen (HD)!
• Theatrical Trailers

I definitely have a keen interest in this new Scream Factory title Vault Dwellers, especially since there are TWO cuts of the film on this disc! THE CHOSEN is currently available wherever Blu-ray discs are sold and should cost between $20 - $24! Get yourself a copy now from AMAZON, BULL MOOSE, DIABOLIK DVD, or directly from SHOUT! FACTORY.

STOCK YOUR VAULT: New DVDs & Blu-rays for 05/07/2019!

 

Vault Master's Pick of the Week!

Greetings fellow collectors and welcome to another edition of the News Vault's STOCK YOUR VAULT column! We are FINALLY caught up after weeks of playing catch-up, and go figure... it's one of the poorest release slates we've seen in quite a while!

HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY makes the leap to 4K UHD, director Jordan Downey's THE HEAD HUNTER makes its DVD debut, and Kino Lorber Studio Classics showers up with three new titles, namely THE MAN WHO HAUNTED HIMSELF, THE NIGHTCOMERS, and RHINOCEROS!

Along with a few anime releases and some direct-to-DVD offerings, there are some Region B releases that may interest those of you with Region Free players! Umbrella Entertainment brings the fantastic STEAMBOY to Blu-ray on Friday (May 10th), 101 Films gives CLASS OF 1984 a new standard Blu-ray release, Screenbound Pictures brings THE DEADLY BEES to Blu, and IRON SKY: THE COMING RACE finally arrives on physical media!

This week's headliner though has to be Arrow Video's Special Edition of THE GRAND DUEL! Along with a new 2K transfer, this release has an incredible number of new extras ranging from cast & crew interviews, a brand new audio commentary, and various featurettes! Fans of spaghetti westerns won't want to miss out on this one!

There's not much else to highlight so scroll on down to see the full roster of this week's new DVDs & Blu-rays!


NEW TO DVD & BLU-RAY
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
The Man Who Haunted Himself (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)
My Hero Academia: Season 3 - Part 1
The Nightcomers (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)
The Prodigy
Rhinoceros (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)
Sex Madness Revealed
St. Agatha


NEW TO BLU-RAY
Class of 1984 (101 Films - Region B)
The Deadly Bees (Screenbound Pictures)
The Grand Duel (Special Edition - Arrow Video)
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (4K UHD)
In the Aftermath (Arrow Video - Region B)
Iron Sky: The Coming Race (Region B)
Iron Sky & Iron Sky: The Coming Race (Double Feature - Region B)
Jorgamund & Jorgamund: Perfect Order - The Complete Series
Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits - Part 1
Kamisama Kikss: Season Two
Steamboy (Umbrella Entertainment - 5/10)


NEW TO DVD
Alternate Universe: A Rescue Mission
Amityville: Mt. Misery Road
Bundy and the Green River Killer
Death on Scenic Drive
Death Trench (Region 2)
The Head Hunter
Music Box
The Night Watchmen
Room For Rent
Ryde
The Toys That Made Us: Seasons 1 & 2
Viking Blood

Lee Van Cleef's Guns Are Blazing in Arrow Video's Special Edition of THE GRAND DUEL!

ARROW GIVES GIANCARLO SANTI'S BIG 

WILD WEST SHOWDOWN 

A NEW 2K TRANSFER AND LOADS OF NEW EXTRAS!

Along with Clint Eastwood, William Berger, and Franco Nero, Lee Van Cleef is one of my favorite stars of Spaghetti Western cinema! Having seen him as the hero in films like SABATA and FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE (and as the memorable villain in THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY), I'm disappointed in myself for having never watched THE GRAND DUEL, which is now available on Special Edition Blu-ray thanks to the fine folks at Arrow Video!

Synopsis: THE GRAND DUEL is an archetypal spaghetti western which boasts many of the genre's classic hallmarks including action-packed gunfights, wild stunts and an impressive climactic showdown...

Genre stalwart Lee Van Cleef (THE BIG COMBO, DAY OF ANGER) stars as a gnarled ex-sheriff called Clayton who comes to the aid of young Philipp Wermeer (Alberto Dentice), a fugitive framed for the murder of a powerful figure called The Patriarch. Clayton helps Philipp fend off attacks from bounty hunters in a series of thrilling shootouts before the two make their way to Jefferson to confront three villains known as the Saxon brothers, and reveal who really killed The Patriarch.

A complex tale of revenge penned by prolific giallo writer Ernesto Gastaldi (TORSO, THE CASE OF THE SCORPION'S TAIL), THE GRAND DUEL benefits from a beguiling central performance from Lee Van Cleef and assured helmsmanship from Giancarlo Santi (assistant director to Sergio Leone on THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY and ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST). Add to this brew a memorable and tuneful score by composer Luis Bacalov (DJANGO, MILANO CALIBRO 9) and the stage is set for one of the grandest of all the Italian westerns!

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 94 minutes | Region A
Video - 1080p Widescreen (2.35:1)
Audio - Uncompressed Mono 1.0 LPC

Extras:

• NEW! 2K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative!
• Original English and Italian soundtracks, titles and credits!
• NEW! Freshly translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack!
• NEW! Audio commentary by film critic, historian and theorist Stephen Prince!
• NEW! An Unconventional Western - An interview with director Giancarlo Santi!
• NEW! The Last of the Great Westerns - An interview with screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi!
• NEW! Out of the Box - An interview with producer Ettore Rosboch!
• NEW! The Day of the Big Showdown - An interview with assistant director Harald Buggenig!
• NEW! Saxon City Showdown - A video appreciation by the academic Austin Fisher!
• NEW! Two Different Duels - A comparison between the original cut and the longer German cut of the film! 
• NEW! Game Over - An obscure sci-fi short film from 1984 directed by Bernard Villiot and starring The Grand Duel's Marc Mazza! 
• NEW! Marc Mazza: Who was the Rider on the Rain? - A video essay about the elusive actor Marc Mazza by tough-guy film expert Mike Malloy.
• Original Italian and international theatrical trailers
• Extensive image gallery featuring stills, posters, lobby cards and home video sleeves, drawn from the Mike Siegel Archive and other collections!
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin!
• First pressing only: Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Kevin Grant and original reviews!

Arrow really went all out on this Special Edition release! Between the new transfer, new audio commentary, and plethora of interviews and featurettes, this Blu-ray disc is definitely a must-own for Spaghetti Western enthusiasts! THE GRAND DUEL costs between $24 - $28, and is currently available from AMAZON, BULL MOOSE, DIABOLIK DVD, and ARROW VIDEO!

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.

STOCK YOUR VAULT: New DVDs & Blu-rays for 04/23/2019!

Vault Master's Pick of the Week!

My dear Vault Dwellers, please allow me to apologize for posting this super late - it's been a crazy busy week for yours truly! Speaking of this week... it is pretty light on new genre releases (Scream Factory took a week off it would seem), but as always there's a few titles of interest!

For you Marvel fans with 4K TVs and players, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER and CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR have been released to that format, as has THE WITCH and Ridley Scott's ALIEN (in a new 40th Anniversary Edition)!

Meir Zarchi's I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE: DEJA VU is now available on DVD & Blu-ray, as is Doppelganger Releasing's HAGAZUSSA and the surprise Horror hit of 2019, ESCAPE ROOM!

Arrow Video dropped a brand-spanking new Special Edition release of SCARED STIFF, which features a new 2K transfer, uncompressed audio, and loads of new extras (including a collectible booklet available only during its first run)! But it is truly Kino Lorber who has won this week with new Blu-ray releases of THE HOUSE OF SEVEN GABLES, THE LAND UNKNOWN, SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN (Special Edition!), and THE STRANGE DOOR!

There are a few dozen other new titles out on various formats this week - to see them all, be sure to scroll on down!


NEW TO DVD & BLU-RAY
1st Summoning
Doll Murder Spree
Escape Room
Hagazussa (Doppelganger Releasing)
I Spit on Your Grave: Deja Vu
Rottentail
Scream and Scream Again (Special Edition - Kino Lorber Studio Classics)
Strawberry Estates


NEW TO BLU-RAY
Alien (40th Anniversary Edition - 4K UHD)
Backyard Epics: Movies From the Underground
Captain America: Civil War (4K UHD)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (4K UHD)
Doreiku
Glass (Darkside Releasing)
The House of the Seven Gables (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)
Howard the Duck (Limited Edition - 101 Films - Region B)
The Land Unknown (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)
The Lightest Darkness
Maria the Virgin Witch: The Complete Series
Mikagura School Suite: The Complete Series
Noir Archive: 9-Movie Collection
Paradise Alley (Shout Select)
Pazucas: Island of Vomit and Despair
Please Teacher!: The Complete Collection
Reversed (Darkside Releasing)
Sankara: The Complete Series
Scared Stiff (Arrow Video)
Soviet Zombie Invasion
The Strange Door (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)
The Witch (4K UHD)
Yesterday (Darkside Releasing)


NEW TO DVD
Book of the Dead
Dark Sister
Death is a Number
Deep Blood
Growing Up With I Spit On Your Grave (Documentary)
I Spit on Your Grave (1978)
Living Dark: The Story of Ted the Caver
Robot Ninja
Strangers at the Door
Yamasong