This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, July 28th, 2015

  Here are this week's horror related DVDs and Blu-rays that come out tomorrow, 7/28:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  THE EROTIC RITES OF FRANKENSTEIN  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  GHOST TOWN  [Blu-ray]
*  MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000:  XXXIII  
*  STRANGLER OF THE TOWER / MONSTER OF LONDON CITY Double Feature

Check out the visual stunning trailer for ATTACK ON TITAN

 
  I recently found a very cool horror website called  "theblood-shed.com".    While browsing this site recently, I ran across a trailer for a movie called ATTACK ON TITAN.   The trailer blew me away with it's visuals.   Here is the official synopsis taken from theblood-shed.com website:

  The sudden arrival of the Titans—mysterious, gigantic humanoid creatures who devour human beings one after the other—brings mankind to the brink of extinction. Fast-forward to more than 100 years later. What remains of the human population now live in relative peace behind massive walls that were erected to defend against the Titans. Yet, once again, that peace is shattered when a Titan measuring over 5o meters tall smashes through the wall, allowing a horde of other Titans to enter.
  The Protagonist, Eren, had been resigned to life confined behind these walls. “Nothing I do would make a difference,” he thought. But when he joins the “Outer Wall Restoration Team” set up to fight against the Titans, he is reunited with Mikasa, a childhood friend and someone he long rued not being able to save. The new recruits embark on a mission to obtain explosives, which have become rare and precious, before getting past the waves of Titans to plug the gaping hole in the wall, with humanity’s survival on the line. Will there be a future for Eren and Mikasa… and for mankind itself?

  I knew nothing about this title, but upon further research found that is based on off of a anime comic and TV series of the same name.   This film looks remarkable.  It's being released August 1st in Japan.  Hopefully we will get a chance to see this one here in the states very soon!  Check out the trailer and let me know what you think!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
 

Blu-ray Review: SPIDER BABY (1967)

SPIDER BABY 
a.k.a. THE MADDEST STORY EVER TOLD
Written & Directed by Jack Hill
Distributed by Arrow Films / MVD Entertainment

  Wow!  How did I go this long without seeing this film?!   SPIDER BABY is one of those weird cult classics that I had always heard about, but had never seen.  In fact, I've had an earlier DVD release of this film in my collection for years, but had yet to watch it.   Well, that DVD is obsolete now thanks to the great folks over at Arrow Films.  Arrow continues to put out some of the nicest Blu-ray releases I have ever seen, and this one is no different.   Here is the synopsis of the film from the MVD website:

  The credits dub this "the maddest story ever told", a promise that's well on the way to being fulfilled in the opening scene alone, when Virginia traps and kills a hapless deliveryman in her makeshift web. She's one of three siblings who suffer from a unique genetic disorder that causes them to regress back to childhood, while retaining the physical strength and sexual maturity of adults. Lon Chaney Jr gave one of his most memorable late performances as Bruno, their guardian and protector, who has managed to cover up their crimes until two distant relatives lay claim to their house. When they insist on moving in, Bruno has to cross his fingers and hope that the 'children' behave towards their new guests... This was the first solo feature by Jack Hill, whom Quentin Tarantino dubbed "the Howard Hawks of exploitation filmmaking", and it remains one of his wildest and weirdest.

 This is definitely one of the weirdest and wildest films I have seen, and that is saying a lot!  I can't imagine how audiences reacted to this film back in the late 60's when it was originally released.  I am sure they had never seen anything like this before!
 
  While I sometimes shy away from older, black & white, horror films, I almost always end up really enjoying them.   The black & white is so nostalgic and it's a lot of fun coming across an old classic like this that I haven't seen before.   The picture quality looks amazing on this blu-ray.  Arrow always does a remarkable job with their blu-ray transfers, and this one is no different.

  I knew I was going to like this film from the opening credits, and the opening scene cemented this for me.  In the opening scene we see young Virginia lure a delivery man up to her house and to the window.  Little does the man know he is the 'bug' to Virginia's 'spider' in her sick and twisted game.   Once the 'spider' catches the 'bug', it's all over for poor Mr. delivery man.  Virginia, Elizabeth, and Ralph  (played by Sid Haig of THE DEVIL'S REJECTS) make up the trio of kids who do some awful things.  They are all mentally unstable and no one is safe when they are around! 

  This was such a fun, weird, creepy film.   This is one I will definitely be watching again in the near future.  I highly recommend this one.  If you have never seen SPIDER BABY, do yourself a favor and pick up this new Blu-ray release asap!

 SPIDER BABY is available now on blu-ray from Arrow Films.  It is being distributed here in the U.S. by MVD Entertainment.  Arrow films always contain tons of special features/extras, and this release is no different.  Special Features on SPIDER BABY include:

*  High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation of the main feature, available in the UK for the first time
*  Original 2.0 Mono Audio (Uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray)
*  High Definition transfer of the feature supervised and approved by director Jack Hill
*  English SDH subtitles for deaf and hearing impaired
*  Audio commentary featuring Jack Hill and star Sid Haig
*  Panel discussion from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences FILM-TO-FILM Festival, recorded September 2012, featuring Jack Hill and stars Quinn K. Redeker and Beverly Washburn
*  The Hatching of Spider Baby - Interviews with Jack Hill, Sid Haig, star Mary Mitchel, fan Joe Dante and more on the making of the film
*  Spider Stravinsky: The Cinema Sounds of Ronald Stein - The composer of 'The Terror' and 'Attack of the 50 Foot Woman' among others is remembered by Harlene Stein, Jack Hill, American Cinematheque's Chris D. and others
*  The Merrye House Revisited - Jack Hill revisits the original house that was used as the main location in the film
*  Alternate opening title sequence
*  Extended scene
*  Original Trailer
*  Gallery of behind-the-scenes images
*  The Host (1960) - Jack Hill's early short film featuring Sid Haig in his first starring role [30 mins]
*  Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys
*  Collector's booklet featuring writing on the film by artist and writer Stephen R. Bissette, and an extensive article re-printed from FilmFax: The Magazine of Unusual Film and Television featuring interviews with the cast and crew, illustrated with origin


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the blu-ray

 

 

This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, July 21st, 2015

Here are this week's horror related DVDs and Blu-rays that come out tomorrow, 7/21:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)


*  AMERICAN GUINEA PIG: BOUQUET OF GUTS AND GORE
*  HAUNTED HOLLYWOOD
*  HOUSE ON THE HILL
*  I, MADMAN  [Blu-ray]
*  THE MEAT PUPPET
*  THE ORPHANAGE
*  REMINISCENCE:  THE BEGINNING  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  VAMPIRE JOURNALS  [Blu-ray]

Blu-ray Review: GOD TOLD ME TO (1976)

GOD TOLD ME TO
Written & Directed by  Larry Cohen
Distributed by Blue Underground

 I remember seeing this movie years ago, but I really didn't remember too much about it.  I do remember the picture was so grainy, it was hard to watch.   I am happy to report that the great folks over at Blue Underground have released a beautiful version of this film.   GOD TOLD ME TO is now on Blu ray and it looks amazing.   Here is the basic plot from the Blu Underground website:

A rooftop sniper guns down 14 pedestrians on the streets of New York City. A mild-mannered dad takes a shotgun and blows away his wife and children. A cop goes on a sudden shooting spree at the St. Patrick's Day Parade. And each of these unlikely killers makes the same dying confession: "God told me to." Now a repressed Catholic NYPD detective (Tony Lo Bianco of THE HONEYMOON KILLERS and THE FRENCH CONNECTION) must uncover a netherworld of deranged faith, alien insemination and his own unholy connection to a homicidal messiah with a perverse plan for the soul of mankind.

  This is by far one of the strangest films I have ever seen.  I guess being written and directed by Larry Cohen, this shouldn't have come as a surprise to me.   The film feels like two different movies stuck together.  The first half you have what I was expecting, a film about people going crazy and killing other people for what seems to be no real reason whatsoever.  This is one of the scariest films I have seen in a while, not in a ghost, zombie, vampire, or monster sort of way, but scary in the sense that this could happen at any time, and as we've seen as recently as a few weeks ago in Charleston, SC, things like this do happen all the time.   This film was somber reminder that we are never really safe and are never guaranteed another day here on earth.  Our life can be taken at any time at any place by any psycho with a gun.   Ok, this review is getting too deep and depressing, lets now look at the second half of the film.
 
  The second part of this film is like a different film entirely.  The second half now centers on an alien abduction and insemination, virgin births, and our main character seeing a God like vision.  I'll be honest, the second half of the movie downright strange.  It's a good strange, though, one that will definitely keep you entertained.   

   GOD TOLD ME TO is a must see in my opinion.   The film is available now on a beautiful Blu-ray release from Blue Underground and contains the following special features:

*  Audio Commentary with Writer/Producer/Director Larry Cohen
*  Heaven & Hell On Earth - Interview with Star Tony Lo Bianco
*  Bloody Good Times - Interview with Special Effects Artist Steve Neill
*  God Told Me To Bone - New Beverly Q&A with Larry Cohen
*  Lincoln Center Q&A with Larry Cohen
*  Theatrical Trailers
*  TV Spots
*  Poster & Still Gallery


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

This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, July 14th, 2015

Here are this week's horror related DVDs and Blu-rays that come out tomorrow, 7/14:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN  [Blu-ray]
*  CELLER DWELLER / CATACOMBS Double Feature  [Blu-ray]
*  EX MACHINA  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  THE HOWLING II  [Blu-ray]
*  IT FOLLOWS  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  THE OUTING / THE GODSEND Double Feature  [Blu-ray]

Have you seen the ASH VS. THE EVIL DEAD comic con trailer?

  If you haven't, stop what you are doing right now and watch it!   I have to admit, I was nervous going into it.  I was scared that it wouldn't live up to what I hoped it would look like.   Well, I am more than happy to report that the trailer lived up to my hopes and expectations and then some!    This show looks like it will be so much fun!  

  ASH VS. THE EVIL DEAD will premier Halloween night, October 31st of this year on the STARZ Network.


CLICK HERE to read the full article on Bloody-Disgusting.com
and watch the trailer!

 

Check out the trailer for the new killer wasp film, STUNG

  I love killer insect films.  From the classic ANTS and THE SWARM to the more recent BIG ASS SPIDER.  These films are a lot of fun.  This new killer wasp film looks like it will be a great time, as well!   The film is called STUNG and is available now on VOD.   Here is the basic plot from the film's imdb page:

Mrs. Perch, an elderly, wealthy lady from rural America, is throwing a fancy garden party at her remote country villa. Same procedure as every year - except this time her illegally imported plant fertilizer seeps into the ground. Subsequently, a local species of killer wasps that usually lay their eggs into other insects mutates into 7 ft tall predators. And the celebrating upper class company provides just the right kind of prey. It's up to Paul and Julia, the two catering staffers, to stop the creatures, fight for their lives, and incidentally getting their stumbling romance in order

  I can't wait to check this film out.  If you have seen it, leave a comment and let me know what you thought of it.


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, July 7th, 2015

Here are this week's horror related DVDs and Blu-rays that come out tomorrow, 7/7:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)


*  ALIEN OUTPOST  [DVD &  Blu-ray]
*  BITTEN:  THE COMPLETE 2ND SEASON
*  THE CELL  [Blu-ray]
*  DARK SUMMER  [DVD &  Blu-ray]
*  FIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
*  MAGGIE  [DVD &  Blu-ray]
*  ROBOT JOX  [Blu-ray]