DVD and Blu-ray Releases: December 12, 2017
Sean Brickley
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As promised, there’s a ton of great movies coming out this week, my friends. You may have already seen The Premonition and Malatesta’s Carnival of Blood on the 5th, but if not, grab them now.
I’ve always found the House series kind of funny. This week, both House and House II: The Second Story are getting the Special Edition Blu-ray treatment from Arrow Video, so I will most definitely be picking them up.
There’s a limited edition Donnie Darko Steelbook dropping this week. “How does one suck a f*ck? …I’m all ears.” Of all of the questions left unanswered by this brilliant movie, I’d have to say this is my favorite.
In terms of recent movies, True Love Ways, One of Us, K-Shop and Poltergeist Encounters are all heading our way this week. Additionally, there’s another Christmas-themed movie for you festive folks: Once Upon a Time at Christmas.
There are plenty of other stocking stuffers listed below, so be sure to check them out. As always, pleasant viewing.
MOVIES
Beware the Lake (2017)
Starring:
Jonathan Lipnicki, Audrey Walters, Anja Knebl, Jadon Valdez
Synopsis:
Tabitha is the new girl at school who catches the eye of the local football hero. This gets her on the bad side of the high school cheerleading captain, and she is lured to a secluded lake for drinks and a late night swim. There Tabitha is drugged, stranded, and eventually murdered. But something brings Tabitha back to life so she can take revenge on those who sent her to a watery grave.
Blood Will Have Blood (2017)
Starring:
Carr Cavender, Molly Beucher, Connor Sullivan, Karl Backus, Joshua Alan Jones
Synopsis:
Down-on-his-luck actor James has a small role in a funky little theatre’s production of Macbeth. He strikes up a steamy affair with Jen, who plays Lady Macbeth and is also the young trophy wife of the rich, pompous lead actor. Together the pair hatch a plan to murder her husband and claim his fortune. Soon their lives begin to parallel the story of Macbeth, and try as they might, they can’t seem to break out of a story that’s hurtling towards an inevitable, tragic conclusion…
Bloodlust (1961)
Starring:
Robert Reed, Wilton Graff, June Kenney, Walter Brooke
Synopsis:
A group of unsupervised teenagers vacationing in the tropics take a boat out to a seemingly uncharted deserted island. They soon find, however, that the island is inhabited by a wealthy recluse and his staff. While their host is initially hospitable, he quickly reveals his true purpose: to slowly hunt down and kill each of his visitors, as the bloodthirsty madman has done with everyone unlucky enough to set foot on his private island.
Brackenmore (2016)
Starring:
Sophia Hopkins, Elaine Kennedy, Joe Kennard, Bertie Bronsan, Margaret O’Sullivan
Synopsis:
The close-knit community of Brackenmore is harboring a secret. After the untimely death of an uncle she never knew she had, Kate (Sophie Hopkins) is forced to return to her ancestral home, a tiny rural village in the South of Ireland. Soon after her arrival she meets Tom (D.J. McGrath), a mysterious young local who helps her to rediscover her long-neglected roots and forget about the anxieties of her life in London. The longer Kate stays in Brackenmore, the more she begins to realize that the eccentricities of its self-protective residents, suspicious of any newcomers, may be more ominous than she first thought. A story of festering family history and enigmatic traditions, Brackenmore is a suspenseful thriller that weaves together the exploration of occult ritual with complex human relationships.
Donnie Darko (2001) (Limited Edition Steelbook)
Starring:
Jake Gyllenhaal, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Patrick Swayze, Jena Malone
Synopsis:
I WANT YOU TO WATCH THE MOVIE SCREEN. THERE’S SOMETHING I WANT TO SHOW YOU.
Fifteen years before “Stranger Things” combined science-fiction, Spielberg-ian touches, and 80s nostalgia to much acclaim, Richard Kelly set the template – and the high-water mark – with his debut feature, Donnie Darko. Initially beset with distribution problems, it would slowly find its audience and emerge as arguably the first cult classic of the new millennium.
Donnie is a troubled high school student: in therapy, prone to sleepwalking, and in possession of an imaginary friend, a six-foot rabbit named Frank, who tells him the world is going to end in 28 days 06 hours 42 minutes and 12 seconds. During that time he will navigate teenage life, narrowly avoid death in the form of a falling jet engine, follow Frank’s maladjusted instructions, and try to maintain the space-time continuum. Described by its director as ”The Catcher in the Rye as told by Philip K. Dick,’, Donnie Darko combines an eye-catching, eclectic cast – pre-stardom Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal, heartthrob Patrick Swayze, former child star Drew Barrymore, Oscar nominees Mary McDonnell and Katherine Ross, and television favorite Noah Wyle – and an evocative soundtrack of 80s classics by Echo and the Bunnymen, Tears for Fears, and Duran Duran. This brand-new 4K restoration, carried out exclusively for this release by Arrow Films, allows a modern classic to finally receive the home video treatment it deserves.
Hollow Creek (2016)
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Starring:
Burt Reynolds, Guisela Moro, Steve Daron
Synopsis:
Trying to find inspiration for his next horror novel, Blake retreats to the Appalachian Mountains with his mistress, Angelica. Upon arrival they learn about the case of several boys missing in the area. When Angelica follows a lead to one of the missing boys and disappears, Blake becomes a prime suspect. Hollow Creek co-stars Academy Award nominee Burt Reynolds (Boogie Nights, Deliverance).
House (1985) (Special Edition)
Starring:
William Katt, Kay Lenz, George Wendt, Richard Moll, Steven Williams
Synopsis:
ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Step into the House of horror! From the team that brought you Friday the 13th comes one of the all-time 80s horror greats, at long-last upgraded in hair-raising HD!
William Katt (Carrie) stars as Roger Cobb, a divorced horror novelist coming to terms with the disappearance of his young son. When he inherits his late aunt’s old mansion, Roger decides that he’s found the ideal place in which to pen his next bestseller. Unfortunately, the house s malevolent supernatural residents have other ideas…
Directed by Steve Miner, the man behind such horror hits as Friday the 13th Part II and III, Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, and Lake Placid, House remains one of the defining fright flicks of its era.
House II: The Second Story (1987) (Special Edition)
Starring:
Arye Gross, Jonathan Stark, Royal Dano, Bill Maher, John Ratzenberger
Synopsis:
FRIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE!
Another House, another horror! Following on from the original 1986 horror classic, House II: The Second Story relocates the terror to a sprawling mansion where multiple dimensions converge all of them terrifying!
This first House sequel sees young Jesse (Arye Gross) moving into an old family property where his parents were mysteriously murdered years before. Joined by pal Charlie (Jonathan Stark), the pair soon find themselves with some unexpected guests in the form of Jesse’s mummified great-great grandfather, a mystical crystal skull, and the zombie cowboy who’ll stop at nothing to lay his hands on it!
Newly restored for this deluxe Blu-ray edition, House II: The Second Story is the horror sequel that offers up even more thrills and chills than its predecessor.
K-Shop (2016)
Starring:
Lucinda Rhodes Thakrar, Reece Noi, Ziad Abaza, Scot Williams
Synopsis:
After his father is killed in an altercation with drunken thugs, Salah’s world is plunged into darkness. Forced into running the family kebab shop alone, Salah struggles to manage the increasingly rowdy nightlife. When a fight with an angry customer goes fatally wrong, he finds himself with a dead body on his hands. Having no faith in the authorities, Salah disposes of the body in the one place he knows best: the kebabs. As the shop’s gullible customers devour the new recipe, Salah develops a taste for the kill and seizes the opportunity to turn vigilante, seeking vengeance for the abusive drunkards plaguing the streets.
The Lost Tree (2017)
Starring:
Thomas Ian Nicholas, Michael Madsen, Lacey Chabert, Scott Grimes, Clare Kramer
Synopsis:
The Lost Tree is centered around Noah (Nicholas), who is guilt-ridden for the death of his wife. He travels to an isolated cabin in search of peace and isolation. But he soon learns of the dangerous surroundings of the area.
Malatesta’s Carnival of Blood (1973)
Starring:
Janine Carazo, Jerome Dempsey, Daniel Dietrich
Synopsis:
YOU’LL SHRIEK WITH HORROR!
Roll up, roll up! Step right up for Malatesta’s Carnival of Blood, the grisliest, freakiest show in town! Virtually impossible to find until its revival on DVD in the early 2000s, this 1973 cult oddity, from late director Christopher Speeth, is a cinematic experience like no other.
Arriving at a creepy, dilapidated fairground under the premise of looking for work, the Norris family are hoping to track down their missing son, who, they believe, is somewhere in the park. But it’s not long before they find themselves at the mercy of the fairground’s fiendish proprietors and the cannibalistic ghouls lurking in the caverns below.
Filmed at the Willow Grove amusement park in Pennsylvania, Malatesta’s Carnival of Blood is a mind-melting phantasmagoria of carnie craziness which blends elements of Night of the Living Dead and Carnival of Souls, adding an (un)healthy dose of Herschell Gordon Lewis-style gore for good measure.
Once Upon a Time at Christmas (2017)
Starring:
Simon Phillips, Jeff Ellenberger
Synopsis:
Meet Santa and Mrs. Claus: He’s a one-eyed lunatic, and she’s a curvy, bat-swinging blonde. This serial-killer couple is splattering the holidays in a small town in upstate New York, staging one bloody rampage per night. Though the victims seem random, a mall Santa, a smooching couple, a quiet family, high-schooler Jennifer and clever cop Sam begin to unravel the sinister pattern behind the slayings. Can they stop the murders before Christmas comes and there’s no one left to celebrate?
One of Us (2017)
Starring:
Derek Smith
Synopsis:
She wanted to uncover the truth; now she’s dying to get out.
Investigative journalist Melanie Roberts has just infiltrated a cult in the mountains of Idyllwild, California, hoping to expose the charismatic leader Brent and save the girls kept under his thrall. But the deeper Melanie digs, the less certain she becomes that she’s still in control. Soon she finds her health, sanity, and life in grave danger.
Pick-Up (1975) Limited Edition
Starring:
Gini Eastwood, Jill Senter, Alan Long
Synopsis:
Vinegar Syndrome proudly presents Pick-Up, the second release in our new Limited Edition Sexploitation Signature Series. This Blu-ray/DVD combo is strictly limited to 2,000 units.
Carol and Maureen have just been picked up by Chuck, a young man driving a giant mobile home through the Florida Everglades. After getting caught in a rainstorm and finding themselves stranded in the wilderness, their senses of reality begin to diminish as the trio of travelers find themselves engulfed in a dreamlike world of sensual delights, with an ever-increasing threat of violence…
Director/cinematographer Bernard Hirschenson’s ode to mysticism is a surreal and erotic trip which stars Gini Eastwood, Jill Senter, and Alan Long. Originally titled Pazuzu, Vinegar Syndrome brings this under-seen visual feast to Blu-ray, newly restored to its original cut. Also included is the home video premier of Hirschenson and Jerald Intrator’s long lost groundbreaking sexploitation film The Orgy at Lil’s Place, restored from vault elements discovered at The American Genre Film Archive.
Poltergeist Encounters (2016)
Starring:
Andre Guantanamo, Rachél Hopkins, Matt Bandura, John Migliore, Deborah Jayne, Reilly Smith
Synopsis:
An unethical and skeptical group of online paranormal investigators receive an offer they can’t refuse: stay overnight in a real haunted house for a large sum of money. After pranking each other during the night, they soon realize that they are not alone in the house and that something not of this world wants to play a game with them.
The Premonition (1976) (Special Edition)
Starring:
Sharon Farrell, Edward Bell, Danielle Brisebois
Synopsis:
BEYOND THE POWER OF AN EXORCIST…
The mid-1970s saw the rise in popularity of films centering on the subject of parapsychology, led by Carrie, Brian De Palma’s classic tale of telekinetic terror. Precognition, or future sight, would be the topic under exploration in Robert Allen Schnitzer’s contribution to the psychic craze: the chilling and much-overlooked The Premonition.
Mother Sheri Bennett (Sharon Farrell; Night of the Comet, Sweet Sixteen) is assailed by terrifying visions in which a strange woman attempts to steal away her five-year-old daughter, Janie. Are these bizarre occurrences the result of some sort of mental disturbance, or is something much more sinister afoot?
Featuring a haunting score from accomplished classical composer Henry Mollicone, The Premonition has remained unjustly obscure over the years but is heralded as a true classic of 70s US horror moviemaking by genre aficionados.
The Rift: Dark Side of the Moon (2017)
Starring:
Ken Foree, Katarina Cas, Monte Markham
Synopsis:
Liz Waid is a sleeper CIA agent in Belgrade, Serbia. She is mourning the loss of her son and, she’s completely without any reason to live. When an American military satellite crash lands somewhere in Serbia and a team of US and Serbian agents is dispatched to secure the remains of the satellite, Liz Waid is one of them. It all looks like a routine assignment, but when they locate the crash site, all is not as it seems. The satellite has vanished and the only clue is a trail leading to an abandoned silk factory nestled on the outskirts of forest line.
As the team begins to investigate, they quickly discover that something else came back from space, something not of this world. The agents are being attacked by old villagers. The people from the village think that the entity that came from space is actually a son of God and that it has been sent there to announce The Second Coming. Some of the agents get killed, but soon they start returning to life. Liz discovers that a young boy that is stalking them is actually a living corpse that has been buried for years. She calls headquarters to make a quarantine zone.
As their time runs out, the team must battle evil forces to unlock the terrifying truth behind the ill-fated mission. Liz finds out that all of this is happening because some kind of a rift has opened in time and space between Moon 1976 and Serbia now. She thinks that it can also help her resurrect her son. The fight between Liz and the last surviving agent will lead to a suspenseful battle for their lives while the rift may open again.
The Snake Woman (1961)
Starring:
John Mccarthy, Susan Travers, Geoffrey Denton, Elsie Wagstaff
Synopsis:
In 1890 England a crazed doctor, in order to cure his wife’s sick mind, injects her with snake venom. She later gives birth to a beautiful daughter the villagers begin to call The Devil’s Baby. They soon terrorize and burn the family’s house down. Years later a Scotland Yard detective is sent to the village to investigate a rash of deaths that are caused by snakebite…. large snakebites!
The Spearhead Effect (2017)
Starring:
Alex McArthur, Darlene Vogel, Caleb Smith, Jamie Gallagher
Synopsis:
Reeling from the brutal murder of his mother, Jake uses his massive online presence to highlight nationwide police corruption and general apathy. His viral videos initially lead to a nationwide increase in the number of law enforcement internal investigations, but soon the videos inspire a vigilante movement known as The Pioneers. Disturbed by the level of brutality the group inflicts on their captive criminals, Jake speaks out against The Pioneers and suddenly finds himself their prime target.
True Love Ways (2014)
Starring:
Anna Hausburg, David C. Bunners
Synopsis:
Séverine becomes the victim of a twisted plot when, in an attempt to win her back, her boyfriend Tom makes a deal with a mysterious man. The man constructs a plot to kidnap Séverine, giving Tom the chance to play the hero. When the situation gets out of control and Séverine faces her sadistic kidnappers, it turns into a bloody battle for survival.
TELEVISION
“The Strain” Complete Series
Starring:
David Bradley, Jonathan Hyde, Kevin Durand, Corey Stoll, Richard Sammel
Synopsis:
The complete TV series “The Strain.”
“The Strain” Season 4
Starring:
David Bradley, Jonathan Hyde, Kevin Durand, Corey Stoll, Richard Sammel
Synopsis:
“The Strain” Season 4.
COLLECTIONS
10 Movie Horror Collection: Vol 15
Starring:
Gary Douglas Kohn, Woody Harrelson, Elissabeth Moss, Robert Picardo, George Mather
Synopsis:
Haunting legends, deadly secrets, disturbed ghosts, wicked witches, relentless zombies, and unsuspected killers! Prepare to be scared with this 10-Movie Horror Collection as it takes eager fans of the genre on a roller-coaster ride of heart-stopping, mind-boggling terror.
Movies Include:
Awaken the Dead Bay Coven
Midnight’s Child
Sensored
Ring of Terror
The Legend of Sorrow Creek
7 Nights of Darkness
Empty Rooms
Descendant
976-Evil II
Night of the Living Dead (Includes 5 Bonus Films)
Starring:
Judith O’Dea, Duane Jones, Bela Lugosi, Madge Bellamy, Suzanne Kaaren
Synopsis:
In the George A. Romero horror classic Night of the Living Dead, Barbra and her brother travel to a remote town in Pennsylvania to visit the gravesite of their deceased father, but the trip turns into a terrifying nightmare when flesh-eating zombies attack.
Bonus Movies:
The Devil Bat
White Zombie
The Bat
The Last Man on Earth
House on Haunted Hill
Paranormal Collection: 13 Features
Starring:
Michael Caine, Dennis Hopper, Ray Liotta, Jack Nicholson, Joseph Fiennes
Synopsis:
Creepy stories of twisted desires and treacherous schemes, mysterious alien visitors and fearless investigators, in a 13-Feature Paranormal Collection that is certain to hold horror fans’ undivided attention.
Movies Include:
Forever Mine
The Little Shop of Horrors
Jekyll & Hyde
Memory
Chronicles of the Paranormal: PSI
Factor
The Veil
Phantom of Space
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