DVD and Blu-ray Releases: December 1, 2015
Sean Brickley
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Well, folks, it’s apparent that the Christmas season is upon us. Family-friendly programming has invaded what was, for months at least, a gory landscape on TV and in our favorite local stores. Where the homage to Michael Myers once stood now sits the Elf on a Shelf, inspiring you to behave yourselves as though that actually leads to more presents.
All of that being said, for the most part this December is going to be a bit slow although the 15th looks to be promising with close to 20 releases so keep checking back.
We only have 8 releases to speak of this week, and here we go…
Our classics this week consist of Vincent Price’s 1963 release Twice-Told Tales and 1966’s Queen of Blood. That is basically it, but you really can’t go wrong with Vincent Price, right?
Additionally, there are some pretty decent modern releases this week worth checking out. Personally, I was a fan of the first season of “Fear the Walking Dead” although I definitely (and unfortunately) saw some overly critical “reviews” (social media) regarding the tempo and pace of that show. Call me old-fashioned, but I have always preferred at least a modicum of back story with my gore, flashing lights, and explosions.
This year’s Cooties and Goodnight Mommy will also be seeing their DVD and Blu-ray releases this week, at least one of which will end up on my shelf.
Pleasant viewing, friends.
MOVIES
Cooties (2015)
Starring:
Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill, Jack McBrayer, Leigh Whannell
Synopsis:
From the twisted minds of Leigh Whannell (co-creator of Saw and Insidious) and Ian Brennan (co-creator of “Glee”), Cooties is a horror comedy with unexpected laughs and unapologetic thrills. When a cafeteria food virus turns elementary school children into killer zombies, a group of misfit teachers must band together to escape the playground carnage. The film stars Elijah Wood (The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings), Rainn Wilson (“The Office”), and Alison Pill (“The Newsroom”) as teachers who fight to survive the mayhem while hilariously bickering in an uncomfortable love triangle on the worst Monday of their lives.
Purchase:
L.A. Slasher (2015)
Starring:
Andy Dick, Mischa Barton, Dave Bautista, Eric Roberts, Danny Trejo
Synopsis:
Incensed by the tabloid culture which celebrates it, the L.A. Slasher publicly abducts a series of reality TV stars, while the media and general public in turn begin to question if society is better off without them. A biting, social satire about reality TV and the glorification of people who are famous for simply being famous, L.A. Slasher explores why it has become acceptable and even admirable for people to become influential and wealthy based on no merit or talent – purely through notoriety achieved through shameful behavior.
Purchase:
Queen Of Blood (1966) (Blu-ray)
Starring:
John Saxon, Basil Rathbone, Dennis Hopper, Judi Meredith
Synopsis:
Cult icons John Saxon, Dennis Hopper and the legendary Basil Rathbone star in this sci-fi cult classic! In the distant future, scientists receive a distress call from an alien spaceship that has crash-landed on Mars. Dr. Farraday (Rathbone, Tales of Terror) decides to send a team of astronauts, including Allan Brenner (Saxon, Enter the Dragon) and Paul Grant (Hopper, Easy Rider), on a rescue mission. On the planet, they discover a sole survivor: a green-skinned female alien (Florence Marly, Dr. Death Seeker Of Souls). The seductive alien is brought aboard their ship, but soon the horror begins after one man is attacked and dies, drained of his blood. The Queen of Blood is thirsty for more human victims, and as the astronauts try to find their way back to Earth and safety, the Queen s bloodlust has just begun.
Purchase:
Shark Lake (2015)
Starring:
Dolph Lundgren, Sara Malakul Lane, Lance Nicholas
Synopsis:
Action legend Dolph Lundgren goes head-to-head with a blood thirsty shark that has a resort town under siege. As bodies wash up on the lake’s shore an ex-con (Lundgren) must take matters in to his own hands to protect his daughter.
Purchase:
Twice-Told Tales (1963)
Starring:
Vincent Price, Sebastian Cabot, Brett Halsey, Joyce Taylor, Beverly Garland
Synopsis:
A Terrifying Trilogy of Passion, Poison and Possession! It’s spine-tingling terror in triplicate virtuoso of horror. Vincent Price (Tales of Terror, Madhouse) dials up the depravity in this spellbinding trilogy of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s (The Scarlet Letter) chilling classics! Dripping with demented genius, poisonous plants, oozing blood and a corpse in a wedding gown, Twice Told Tales spins three gripping, diabolical nightmares of madness, mayhem and murder most foul. Price stars in all three stories, including “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment”, about a scientist who finds the fountain of youth… and lives to regret it; “Rappaccini’s Daughter”, the twisted tale of a demented father whose love for his daughter turns poisonous; and “The House of the Seven Gables”, the ghostly legend of an ancient cursed family who lived for power… and died for greed. The stellar cast includes Sebastian Cabot (The Time Machine), Brett Halsey (Return of the Fly), Beverly Garland (D.O.A.) and Joyce Taylor (13 Frightened Girls!).
Purchase:
Yakuza Apocalypse (2015)
Starring:
Hayato Ichihara, Mio Yûki, Yayan Ruhian
Synopsis:
In the ruthless underground world of the yakuza, Kamiura is the legendary boss of the underlings. He is rumored to be invincible, but in truth is a vampire with superhuman powers. Kamiura’s most loyal underling, Kageyama, is seen as weak by the rest of the gang due to his sensitive skin that can’t be tattooed. When assassins aware of boss Kamiura’s secret arrive from abroad, he is given an ultimatum: return to the international syndicate he left years ago or die. Refusing, an assassination attempt is made against Kamiura and he bites Kageyama, passing on his vampire powers to the unsuspecting yakuza.
Purchase:
TELEVISION
“Fear the Walking Dead” Season 1
Starring:
Kim Dickens, Cliff Curtis, Frank Dillane, Alycia Debnam Carey
Synopsis:
Living in the same universe as “The Walking Dead”, “Fear the Walking Dead” is a gritty drama that explores the onset of the undead apocalypse through the lens of a fractured family. Set in a city where people come to escape, shield secrets, and bury their pasts, a mysterious outbreak threatens to disrupt what little stability high school guidance counselor Madison Clark and English teacher Travis Manawa have managed to assemble. The everyday pressure of blending two families while dealing with resentful, escapist, and strung out children takes a back seat when society begins to break down. A forced evolution, a necessary survival of the fittest takes hold, and our dysfunctional family must either reinvent themselves or embrace their darker histories.
Special Features: A Look At the Series, Inside the Characters of “Fear The Walking Dead”
Purchase:
Categorized:News
