This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, December 30th, 2014

Here are this week's horror related DVDs and Blu-rays that came out today, 12/30:
(Click on a title to watch the trailer)

*  THE BIBLE BELT SLASHER
*  GROUPIE / DETENTION double feature    [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  PHOBIC  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  RIKI-OH:  THE STORY OF RICKY  [Blu-ray]
*  TUSK   [DVD & Blu-ray]

DVD Review: THE CEMETERY (2013)

THE CEMETERY
Written & Directed by  Adam Ahlbrandt
Distributed by Massacre Video / CAV Distributing

  I have been seeing a lot of talk lately about filmmaker Adam Ahlbrandt and a couple of his latest films, CROSSBEARER and THE CEMETERY.  I am seen folks in the horror DVD facebook groups raving about these films.   I was glad I finally got the chance to check one out for myself, and I have to say that the people talking about Adam and THE CEMETERY where 100% correct.   This guy is the future of the horror genre in my opinion.  Before I go any further, here is the plot synopsis of THE CEMETERY from the CAV website:

 Deep in the Pennsylvania hills, a cemetery for those who died during exorcism remains a dark secret for the church. In 1671, hundreds of men, women, and children suffered in bloody, torturous rituals at the hands of priests unable to contain the evil of the possessed. Were these possessions real, or is the story a hoax to cover up the sins of the deranged priests thirsty for human blood? Bill and his team of cynical paranormal investigators plan to find out the truth…..will they leave the cemetery alive?

  This is by fare one of the most enjoyable horror films I have seen in a long time.  This is what independent filmmaking should look like.   The story is simple and easy to follow, and the acting is decent overall.  I was a little worried about the acting at first when the film started with the character set ups and such, but the acting got much better as the movie progressed. 

  THE CEMETERY has some amazing gore all throughout the film, and from what I can tell it was done with 100% practical effects.   Another thing I loved about this film was the extremely creepy imagery throughout the film.

  This film was obviously made by a fan of the horror genre that was tired of the recent films and wanted to make a "real" horror film like we haven't seen in some time.    This movie had everything you look for in a horror film. 

  I can't say enough good things about THE CEMETERY.    Do yourself a favor and check this one out asap!   THE CEMETERY is available on a 2-disc Special Edition DVD or a limited 4-disc Blu-ray!   Special features include:

*  Director/Cast Audo Commentary
*  2 Hour Making of Documentary
*  Behind the Scenes Stills Gallery
*  Trailaers
*  "M is for Memoirs" Short Film


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD
CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray

 

This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, December 23rd, 2014

Here are this week's horror related DVDs and Blu-rays that come out tomorrow, 12/23:
(Click on a title to watch the trailer)


*  BACKWOODS
*  DOMINION:  SEASON 1  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  INTRUDERS:  SEASON 1  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  SANATORIUM

Check out the awesome limited edition release of MR. RAPE'S FIRST DATE!

  With a name like that, it's gotta be good!  Right?  MR. RAPE'S FIRST DATE is available now on a limited edition Blu-ray from Video Trash Productions.   And when I say limited edition, I mean it.  This is not one of those "limited editions" where there are thousands of copies made.  No, with this release there aren't even hundreds.  In fact, this limited release is limited to 15 Blu-rays!   That's right, only 15 of these have been made and each one will come numbered.  This is an awesome opportunity to get an extremely limited release that I am sure will become quite the collectors item!  

  The film is from Director Nik Box and this is the very first release from Video Trash Productions!  As of this post, only 7 Blu-rays remain, so get yours soon before they are gone!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to order the limited edition Blu-ray

DVD Review: COLLAR (2014)

COLLAR
Written & Directed by  Ryan Nicholson
Distributed by MVD Visual & Unearthed Films

  I have been a big fan of director Ryan Nicholson ever since 2006's LIVE FEED.  After that came the wonderful GUTTERBALLS, and then other great films.  I was super excited to get the chance to review Nicholson's latest feature, COLLAR.  Here is the basic plot from the MVD website:

A rookie cop starts her shift like any other but soon it will all change for the worse. A derelict with a reputation of satanic violence, attacks the officer and collars her with a dog leash which is just the start of his abusive ritual.

  I was super excited going into this film, I was expecting another instant classic like the last few films from this director.  Unfortunately, I viewed what is in my opinion his worst film to date.  If you were to look at all his films and compare, I would have said that COLLAR was one of his earliest films, if not his very first one.  The production quality was horrible, making the film look very cheaply made.  The acting was pretty bad overall, especially from the one of the characters that film the "Bumfight" type videos.  The only really good acting was from star Nick Principe  who played the main character named "Massive".  Nick did a great job as always and gave the film some credibility in the acting category.

 The only real saving grace for me for this film was the gore.  As you would expect from a Ryan Nicholson film, COLLAR has some great gore, but even that is not enough to save the film overall.  I am hoping for better things to come from Mr. Nicholson in the future.  Every film can't be a "home run".  Every director is entitled to a few misses.  Nicholson's next film is the sequel to GUTTERBALLS which I expect to be back on par with his other films. 

  If you have seen COLLAR, let me know what you thought of this film.  I have seen plenty of good reviews for it, so maybe I just missed something with this one.  As with any film review I do, I suggest you take my opinion for what it's worth, and watch the film and see what you think of it.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, December 16th, 2014

Here are this week's horror related DVDs and Blu-rays that come out tomorrow, 12/16:
(Click on a title to watch the trailer)


*  AT THE DEVIL'S DOOR  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  BODIES
*  CAM2CAM
*  COYOTE
*  DARK MOUNTAIN
*  THE DEVIL'S HAND
*  THE DEVICE
*  HI-8
*  LORD OF ILLUSIONS [Blu-ray]
*  STONEHEARST ASYLUM  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  WAX

DVD Review: APP (2013)

APP
Directed by Bobby Boermans
Distributed by  RAM Releasing

  I had not heard anything about this film going into it.  I honestly wasn't expecting much, but I was blown away by this one.  I'm really surprised there is not more buzz about this film.   Here is the plot of the film from the Ram Releasing website:

Anna, a student at the University of Amsterdam, lives with her best friend Sophie and balances psychology classes with supporting her brother and his recovery following a traumatic motorcycle accident. She’s never far from her cellphone, and after a night of partying in the dorms, Anna wakes up groggy and hungover only to find that a new app has been inexplicably added to it. Initially helpful and clever, IRIS soon begins behaving mysteriously, answering personal questions it shouldn’t know the answers to, and sending inappropriate images to her contacts. When it becomes clear she can’t simply delete the unwanted evil app, Anna’s efforts to confront it will set in motion a fearful series of events that will put her life, and that of her roommate and her fragile brother, in fatal danger.

  What's really unnerving about this film is that something similar to this could actually happen.  Now I'm not saying a killer app could download to our phones, but I do have to wonder about that camera and microphone on our smartphones.  Someone could probably create a virus or some kind of bug that could turn your microphone and camera on without you knowing.   This concept makes up the creepiest part of this film for me, as the phone takes over and records Anna without her knowing.
  
  APP was enjoyable on many levels.  I thought the acting was excellent and the concept was unique and was carried out perfectly.   One of the best things about this movie was that you can actually download the same app from the film onto your smartphone for a unique two screen experience.  In fact, the movie claims to be the "first second screen film".   It must be, because I have never seen this concept before.  What I assumed was going to be just a dumb gimmick turned out to be a very interesting and fun part of this film.    The app you put on your phone syncs up with the film through sound cues in the movie.   At certain times in the film, your phone will show you something that pertains to that particular scene.   This was really neat and I was impressed as the filmmakers had to film extra footage just for the extra scenes in the app.   I can see this concept being put to use by many more films in the future.  While APP did a good job with it, I can see the potential for other films to use this concept in a much broader way.

  APP will be coming to DVD and Blu-ray on December 30th.  The DVD contains the following bonus features:

*  Director's Commentary
*  Special Effects Bonus Featurette
*  APP Theatrical Trailer and Bonus Ram Trailers

  You can download the IRIS app by texting the word IRIS to 97-000, or search for the IRIS app in your phone's app store.


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to watch on Amazon Prime
CLICK HERE to pre-order the DVD
CLICK HERE to pre-order the Blu-ray

DVD Review: IN THE LAND OF THE CANNIBALS (2004)

IN THE LAND OF THE CANNIBALS
Directed by Bruno Mattei (as Martin Miller)
Distributed by Intervision Pictures/Severin Films

 Released along with Bruno Mattei's MONDO CANNIBAL, IN THE LAND OF THE CANNIBALS is another great horror film in the cannibal sub-genre.  Ok, I say great in very loose terms.  In fact, I probably shouldn't have used the word great at all!  Ok, this is just a "good" film at best, but regardless I still thoroughly enjoyed it and was entertained the entire running time.  Here is the basic plot of the film from the film's Amazon.com page:

The late Italian sleaze maestro Bruno Mattei, infamous director of HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD, CAGED WOMEN, RATS: NIGHT OF TERROR and SS EXTERMINATION LOVE CAMP, here under the name Martin Miller brazenly combines CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST and PREDATOR for a whole new level of green inferno perversion: When a team of hard-ass commandos venture deep into the Amazon jungle to rescue a senator's hot daughter, they'll trigger a bloodbath of flesh-stripping, gut-ripping, limb-hacking, stock footage and sexual brutality. Cindy Matic and Claudio Morales (MONDO CANNIBAL) star in this mind-boggling hybrid also known as LAND OF DEATH and released in Japan as CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST 3: CANNIBAL VS. COMMANDO now presented uncut and uncensored for the first time ever in America!

  I love these cannibal films, I always have.  While Mattei's films can not begin to compete with the classics from the 70's and 80's such as THE MAN FROM DEEP RIVER, CANNIBAL FEROX, and the classic CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST,  Mattei's films still entertain and are fun films to watch.  The cannibal movie just isn't as popular as it used to be, so it was nice that as late as 2003-04 Mattei was putting out these cannibal films.

  This film is very similar to Mattei's MONDO CANNIBAL and I'm pretty sure they were filmed together at the same time.  Both films were filmed in the Philippines in the same year and both films share some of the same main actors.   Both films share the cuts of stock footage into the film, and both films share the sometimes ridiculous dialog and voice overs.   This is what adds to the character of these films to me, though, so that is not necessarily a knock on the film.  I just point that out because some people could be put off by the dialog/dubbing.
  While there are some negatives to the film, there are also major positives, including all the great gore you would expect from a cannibal film.  Mattei does not disappoint in the gore department!

  If you are a fan of the cannibal sub-genre of horror films, you will definitely want to check out IN THE LAND OF THE CANNIBALS!  The film is available now on DVD from Intervision Picture Group.  I love Intervision's DVD releases...the white cases and retro cover art really makes for a sharp looking DVD that you will definitely want to add to your collection!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to visit the Severin Films store and purchase the DVD
If the Severin Films site is down, CLICK HERE to purchase from Amazon.com

This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, December 9th, 2014

Here are this week's horror related DVDs and Blu-rays that came out today, 12/9:
(Click on a title to watch the trailer)

*  DAY OF THE MUMMY
*  DEAD SNOW 2   [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  EXTANT:  SEASON 1 [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  SLAUGHTER HOTEL  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  THE STRANGE COLOR OF YOUR BODY'S TEARS  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  STRIPPED TO KILL
*  UNDER THE DOME:  SEASON 2  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  YOU CAN'T KILL STEPHEN KING

Support the Indiegogo.com campain to help fund director Ryan Nicholson's GUTTERBALLS 2!

If you were a fan of director Ryan Nicholson's crazy film GUTTERBALLS, you will most definitely want to help support his latest venture, the sequel to GUTTERBALLS called GUTTERBALLS 2:  BALLS DEEP!  

 The film is in development now and has launched Indiegogo campaign to help raise the funds to film and release what is sure to be one of the craziest sequels in the history of cinema!  Nicholson has stated that GUTTERBALLS 2 will have twice the body count of the first film, and will again amaze audiences with it's original death scenes!   Help the Bowling Bag Killer reek havoc among the bowling lanes one more time by donating to the GUTTERBALLS 2 Indiegogo campaign!

  You can donate anywhere from $5 to $100, and each different amount you donate will get you some awesome perks, including digital downloads, DVDs, Blu-rays, etc!  Click the link below to contribute today!


CLICK HERE to contribute now!!

DVD Review: THANATOMORPHOSE

THANATOMORPHOSE
Written & Directed by Éric Falardeau
Distributed by Black Lava Entertainment

  I thought I had seen some disgusting films before, but THANATOMORPHOSE was like
nothing I have seen in a long time.  This movie is truly disgusting, and I mean that in the best way possible!    Here is the basic plot of the film from the BlackLava Entertainment website:

  Laura is a starving Artist troubled by inner emptiness, lack of creativity and destructive relationships. she cannot get out of. She contracts a strange Virus and is not worried at first, as she thinks that it will resolve itself. Little does she know that this Virus is unlike anything she has ever experienced before. It causes her Body to decompose and rot and she starts to lose more extremities every day. Laura slowly realizes that there is no cure for her and no way to escape her ghastly fate.

  As gross as that description sounds, it's much grosser actually seeing it, and believe me, you see it all.  What starts off as just a fingernail falling off and just having a few bruises snowballs out of control until the woman literally just rots away. I have to give huge kudos to the make up and special effects team on this film.  Everything looked brutally realistic, especially the deep bruises the woman wakes up with daily.  

  If you are queasy or squeamish at the site of blood, puss, vomit, or other bodily fluids, you might want to be careful going into this one.  If that stuff doesn't bother you, then you will definitely want to check out this film.   It's a shock film for sure, made mainly to shock and disgust the viewer, and I think this film succeeds in that for sure!

  THANATOMORPHOSE is available now on DVD and contains the following special features:

*  Teaser Trailer
*  Making Of Documentary
*  Audio Commentary
*  Short Film:  La Petite Mort
*  Short Film:  Purgatory
*  Short Film:  Crepuscule


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, December 2nd, 2014

Here are this week's horror related DVDs and Blu-rays that came out today, 12/2:
(Click on a title to watch the trailer)


*  AS ABOVE, SO BELOW   [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  KITE  [DVD/Blu-ray combo]
*  THE QUARTERMASS XPERIMENT  [Blu-ray]
*  SPEAK NO EVIL
*  THE STRAIN:  SEASON 1   [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  TALES FROM THE CRYPT / VAULT OF HORROR  [Blu-ray]
*  THE VORTEX