DVD and Blu-ray Releases: November 14, 2017
Sean Brickley
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Welcome back, my friends. The frigid temperatures are finally starting to overtake us in the Northeast, so I am typing this with numb fingers and a red nose. No, not really.
We have a couple of discrepancies this week. Both the Hellraiser Steelbook and J.D.’s Revenge may possibly have already dropped back on Halloween, but they popped up again for this week on other sites, so I’ve included them here again for you.
If you missed your chance to see Amityville: The Awakening while it was in theaters, this week you can pick it up DVD. If you’re not sure about it, here is our review.
Grindhouse fans might be interested in Homicycle. This title from 2015 will be hitting DVD this week. Check it out.
With regard to classics, this week has a couple of different collections, namely the Psycho: Complete 4-Movie Collection. You can check out a discussion regarding the original movie here. Don’t forget the George A. Romero Between Night and Dawn collection. This week also brings us the Paul Naschy Collection II as well as the long-lost Channel 13.
There are plenty of other titles to check out so keep reading below and we will see you next week. Stay warm and as always, pleasant viewing.
MOVIES
Amityville: The Awakening (2017)
Starring:
Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bella Thorne, Cameron Monaghan, Thomas Mann, Jennifer Morrison
Synopsis:
In Amityville: The Awakening, Belle (Bella Thorne) and her family move into a new house, but when strange phenomena begin to occur in the house, Belle begins to suspect her mother (Jennifer Jason Leigh) isn’t telling her everything. She soon realizes they just moved into the infamous Amityville house.
Attack of the Puppet People (1958)
Starring:
John Agar, John Hoyt, June Kenney
Synopsis:
“She’s a living doll!”, changes from a flattering expression to a terrifying reality when a certifiably deranged maniac creates a shocking device that shrinks people to foot-high figurines!
Mr. Franz is a kindly, old, silver-haired doll-maker … who turns people into living puppets! He then forces his human re-inventions to put on parties and sing to him! But one day, tired of being toyed with, the puppets launch an attack, and suddenly Mr. Franz finds he’d better stop playing (and start praying) because the miniature moppets are hell-bent on revenge!
Directed by cult filmmaker Bert I. Gordon (Empire of the Ants, The Amazing Colossal Man), the film features an all-star cult movie cast including John Agar (Nightbreed, The Mole People, The Brain from Planet Arous), John Hoyt (When Worlds Collide) and Susan Gordon (Picture Mommy Dead).
Channel 13 (1987) (Limited Edition, Just 225 Sold)
Starring:
Mark Polonia
Synopsis:
Channel 13 is a horror anthology film harken back to the mid 70’s and 80’s, inspired by Amicus productions and Creepshow. This Polonia Bros. film was shot in 1987 and was never finished, lost for nearly 30 years. Painstakingly reconstructed from the original elements, it is available now in all it’s SOV glory. Witness 3 tales, told by a hooded monk on the titular Channel 13. A video game geek returns from some arcade fun to watch movies on tv and can only get reception on 13. He views tales of decadence and horror, containing killer scarecrows, monster birds, and cannibal spaghetti farm owners! This slice of SOV history has to be seen to be believed. Watch if you dare!
Hellraiser (1987) (Limited Edition Steelbook)
Starring:
Andrew Robinson, Claire Higgins, Ashley Laurence
Synopsis:
Stephen King was once famously quoted as saying, ”I have seen the future of horror…his name is Clive Barker.” That future was realized in 1987 with the release of Barker’s directorial debut Hellraiser. Based on his own novella The Hellbound Heart, Barker’s Hellraiser sees Larry (Andrew Robinson) and his wife Julia (Clare Higgins) move into their new home, unaware that something evil lurks beneath the floorboards of the dilapidated house – something that wants human blood… Introducing the world to the iconic Pinhead and his sadistic band of Cenobites, Hellraiser became an instant genre classic upon release and remains one of the most frighteningly original visions in horror.
Homicycle (2015)
Starring:
Candice Lidstone, Ian Quick, Peter Whittaker
Synopsis:
A blood-soaked, tongue-in-cheek tribute to grindhouse classics like The Punisher and Nail Gun Massacre! In a city riddled with corruption, drugs and gangs, a veteran cop is murdered by a vicious king pin, sparking a brutal crime wave. Only one man can stop the bloodshed a ruthless, motorcycle riding vigilante bent on bloody revenge called Homicycle, who is now picking off the killers one by one. Armed with an arsenal from Hell, he’s cleaning the streets by decapitation, nail gun and motorcycle madness! Is he a gun-toting savior on a path of righteous redemption, or is he literally Hell on Wheels?
J.D.’s Revenge (1976) (2-Disc Special Edition)
Starring:
Louis Gossett, Jr, Glynn Turman, Joan Pringle
Synopsis:
It wasn’t long before the Blaxploitation boom moved into the horror market, bringing the world Blacula, Blackenstein, Abby (Blaxploitation s The Exorcist) and cult favourite J.D.’s Revenge. Law student Ike is enjoying a night on the town with his friends when his life changes dramatically. Taking part in a nightclub hypnosis act, he becomes possessed with the spirit of a violent gangster murdered in the 1940s. Believing himself to be the reincarnation of murderous J.D., Ike launches a revenge campaign against those who had done ‘him’ wrong all those years ago… Directed by Arthur Marks (Bucktown, Friday Foster) and starring Glynn Turman (Cooley High) and Academy Award-winner Louis Gossett, Jr. (An Officer and a Gentleman), J.D.’s Revenge is a alternately tough and terrifying a Blaxploitation gem waiting to be rediscovered!
Nightkill (1980)
Starring:
Jaclyn Smith, Robert Mitchum, Mike Connors, James Franciscus, Sybil Danning
Synopsis:
Newly mastered in HD! A bored rich industrialist’s wife plots to kill her husband and have her lover assume the dead man’s identity. The marriage between wealthy and cold-hearted tycoon Wendell Atwell (Mike Connors, Mannix) and his adulterous wife Katherine (Jaclyn Smith, Charlie’s Angels) has soured and there seems to be no way out except divorce, which Wendell has refused. Katherine and her lover (James Franciscus, The Cat o’ Nine Tails) deviously hatch up a plot to murder her millionaire husband. She hires a world-weary private eye (Robert Mitchum, The Ambassador) to find her missing husband, but fails to inform the investigator that she knows full well the whereabouts of her husband. Difficulties arise when the investigator ends up being much better at his job than she originally expected and he may or may not have some ulterior motives of his own. Hollywood veteran Ted Post (Magnum Force, Hang Em High) directed this top-notch cat-and-mouse thriller filled with fear, intrigue, mystery and panic. The strong supporting cast includes Sybil Danning (They’re Playing with Fire), Fritz Weaver (Marathon Man) and Michael Anderson Jr. (The Sons of Katie Elder).
The Thingy: Confessions of a Teenage Placenta (2013)
Starring:
Pascal Paul Maetens, Andreas Perschewski, Karel Vingerhoetz, Celine Verbeeck, Sofie Hoflack
Synopsis:
In a twisted world, Marianne gives birth to a rather unusual child. While the child is born dead, life finds its way through the afterbirth. Marianne decides to raise her placenta as a normal human being; as a young man named Luke. Behind his monstrous facade, there reveals a person of intelligence, faith and sensitivity. Luke struggles for his place in a world of drunks, junkies, whores and bodybuilders. An insane world that treats him as a freak. As this hostile society pushes him towards the edge, Luke has to choose between holding on to his gentle ideals or becoming the merciless soldier his mother always wanted him to be.
Unlisted Owner (2013)
Starring:
Jed Brian, Tyler Landers, Gavin Groves, Andrea Potts, Griffin Groves
Synopsis:
The Owner house has been vacant for several years because of its very dark history but a recent series of murders has taken the property to a whole other level of notoriety. A family who just moved in has been murdered, piquing the curiosity of a group of friends. Armed with handheld video cameras, the group decides to break in and investigate, leading to the worst decision of their otherwise fun-filled night. The resulting footage has been edited into the suspenseful “Unlisted Owner.” We dare you to watch alone!
COLLECTIONS
18 Movie Haunting Collection
Starring:
Michael Caine, John Savage, Ray Liotta, Jack Nicholson
Evil Spirits: 5 Movies
Starring:
Richard Crane, Spencer Carlisle, Arron Kinser, Marissa Pistone, Giacomo Rossi-Stuart
Synopsis:
For those terror fans who are partial to the paranormal, frightening possession is thematic in this five-movie horror collection in which spirits are evilly conjured up or rise enraged of their own volition.
Movies:
The Devil’s Partner (1961)
Cruel Will (2013)
Kill Baby…Kill! (1966)
19 Doors (2011)
Dominique is Dead (1979)
George A. Romero Between Night and Dawn (6-Disc Limited Edition) (Blu-ray + DVD)
Starring:
Raymond Laine, Judith Ridley, Jan White, Ann Muffy, Lane Carroll
Synopsis:
George Romero’s name may be synonymous with the living dead subgenre, but his filmography is far richer and more varied than his reputation as ”the zombie guy” would suggest. Following the breakout success of his debut feature Night of the Living Dead, the director would embark upon a series of projects which, whilst firmly rooted in the horror genre for the most part, demonstrate a master filmmaker with more than mere gut-munching on his mind.
In There’s Always Vanilla, Romero’s sophomore 1971 directorial effort, young drifter Chris and beautiful model Lynn embark upon a tumultuous relationship which seems doomed from the outset. 1972’s Season of the Witch (originally filmed as Jack’s Wife but released to theaters under the title of Hungry Wives) follows the exploits of Joan Mitchell a housewife whose dissatisfaction with her humdrum life leads to an unhealthy interest in the occult. Lastly, 1973’s The Crazies, which sees Romero returning to more ”straight” horror territory, has a small rural town finding itself in the grip of an infection which send its hosts into a violent, homicidal frenzy.
Taken together, these three early works, made in the period between Romero’s celebrated living dead outings Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, serve to display the broader thematic concerns and auteurist leanings of a skilled craftsman too often pigeonholed within the genre.
Killjoy & Puppet Master: Complete Collections
Starring:
Gordon Currie, Chandra West, Nicholas Guest, Jason-Shane Scott, Debbie Rochon
Synopsis:
Killer clowns and murderous puppets come together in this complete collection of Killjoy and Puppet Master favorites. Featuring every installment in each franchise, these twelve films are packed with blood, gore and pure evil-straight from the creative mind of horror legend Charles Band.
Night of the Living Dead Collection
Starring:
Duane Jones, Judith O’Dea, Karl Hardman, Russell Streiner, Keith Wayne, Judith Ridley, Marilyn Eastman,
Kyra Schon
Synopsis:
The nation is overcome with panic as all of the dead suddenly come back to life, searching for human flesh to devour. A group of individuals searching for safety are followed on their journey to an abandoned farmhouse in attempts to remain protected, but their attempt begin to dissipate as zombies find their way inside.
The Paul Naschy Collection II
Starring:
Paul Naschy
Synopsis:
Paul Naschy (born Jacinto Molina Álvarez) was Spain’s answer to Lon Chaney. He has portrayed many classic monsters: the Wolfman, Frankenstein’s monster, Count Dracula, the Mummy and more. He was not only a terrific actor, but an accomplished writer, producer and director. This Blu-ray box set includes five stellar films from his long and distinguished career.
Movies:
Hunchback Of The Morgue (El Jorobado De La Morgue)
The Devil’s Possessed (El Mariscal Del Infierno)
The Werewolf And The Yeti (La Maldición De La Bestia)
Exorcism (Exorcismo)
A Dragonfly For Each Corpse (Una Libélula Para Cada Muerto)
Also included in this five-film collection is an immersive 24-page booklet by author Mirek Lipinski.
Psycho: Complete 4-Movie Collection
Starring:
Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Meg Tilly, Diana Scarwid, Henry Thomas
Synopsis:
Check into the motel where guests never check out in the Psycho: Complete 4-Movie Collection, featuring all four thrillers starring Anthony Perkins as the notorious Norman Bates – including the iconic original directed by the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock.
In Psycho, a secretary (Janet Leigh) checks into the remote Bates Motel run by a shy young man (Perkins) with what appears to be a domineering mother.
In Psycho II, Norman returns to his family home after 22 years only to be haunted by his past.
Old habits die hard when Norman falls for a former nun and angers his jealous mother in Psycho III.
Finally, in Psycho IV: The Beginning, Norman calls in to a late-night radio show and shares disturbing memories of his childhood with Mother.
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