Blu-ray Review: STOPMOTION (2023)

STOPMOTION

Directed by:  Robert Morgan

Distributed by:  Acorn Media International /AMC

  I remember seeing the trailer for this film a while back, and thinking how bizarre it looked with it's mixture of stopmotion animation and live action. I also remember the stopmotion puppets looking so disturbing.  It really piqued my interest.   I got the chance to watch it finally, and my initial thoughts were correct.  This film is both bizarre and disturbing.   

  Here is a brief synopsis of the film from the film's official press release:

  Following the death of her overbearing mother, stop-motion animator Ella Blake (Aisling Franciosi – The Fall, Game of Thrones, God's Creatures), is struggling to control her demons. She embarks on a new film project; in the hope it will channel her creativity and help her escape her problems… but it soon becomes the battleground for her sanity. As Ella’s fragile mind starts to fracture, the characters in her movie take on a life of their own and things spiral into an unimaginable nightmarish hellscape.

  Franciosi gives another outstanding turn as a talented stop-motion artist who becomes completely consumed by the grotesque world of her horrifying creations – with deadly results.

  I have always loved stopmotion films, and I admire the creativity and the strict discipline it takes to create one.  This film has some of the best and most fluid stopmotion animation I have ever seen.   Looking at Director Robert Morgan's IMDb page, it looks as though he is a long time professional solely dealing in the stopmotion form of filmmaking.  This comes as no surprise to me, as I could tell whoever did this animation was a vet of the genre.   The movements of the characters is beautiful, even though the characters themselves are the exact opposite.  

  This isn't just another scary horror film as you may think, it is actually quite complex and is more of a psychological horror.   There are many things going on and at times, it's hard to tell what is real and what is only happing in Ella's twisted mind.  In fact, some of the things you think are real near the beginning of the film, turn out to have not been real at all.   I would love to go into more detail about this, but I don't want to spoil anything.   I'll let you watch and be as surprised as I was hopefully. 

  The film starts off a little slow at first, and almost seems like a weird arthouse/horror mix at the beginning.  This changes abruptly for the last half of the film and turns into a disgusting nightmare of gore.   There are a lot of creepy visuals and images in this film.  As I alluded to earlier, the stopmotion puppets are pretty gross and disgusting to look at.    Mix that in with a few nice jump scares and some unsettling sound effects and music, and you have a good recipe for some disturbing horror!   

STOPMOTION is available now on DVD and Blu-ray and includes the following Special Features:

*Interview with star Aisling Franciosi

*Interview with director Robert Morgan

*Behind-the-scenes of Stopmotion

*Subtitles

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray

Movie Reveiw: KILL (2023)

KILL

Written by:  Nikhil Nagesh Bhat & Ayesha Syed

Directed by:  Nikhil Nagesh Bhat

  I know what you're thinking...this is a horror blog, why are you reviewing an action film?  Well, first off, it's my blog and I can review what I want!  Ha!  The real reason, though, is because this is one of the goriest and bloodiest action films I have ever witnessed.   I say "witnessed" instead of just watched, because this was an event, and one that made you feel you were right there in the thick of the action and riding along with them on this crazy train ride!   Before I go on any further, here is a brief synopsis from the film's press release:

  Star-crossed lovers Tulika (Tanya Maniktala) and Amrit (Lakshya) find their clandestine relationship jeopardized after Tulika’s family whisks her aboard the Rajdhani Express bound for both New Delhi and an arranged marriage. But commandos Amrit and his friend are far from willing to let fate dictate their story. They embark on a “rescue” mission that turns into a gory adventure. Just when the stakes couldn’t get any higher, the train hurtles into chaos as a gang of 40 blade-wielding bandits storms in. Amrit and his friend employ their combat skills to protect the passengers. The train’s confines transform into a claustrophobic battleground, where martial arts meet mayhem. 

  Drawing inspiration from the real-life “dacoits” who once wreaked havoc on Indian trains, KILL takes this high-concept premise that blurs the lines between duty and emotion. In a world where every twist of the track could mean life or death, KILL paints a portrait of how far a man can go in love to rewrite his destiny.

  Let me start by saying this is one of the best action movies I have ever seen.  It is brilliantly acted and shot, and like I mentioned before, it really puts you in the middle of the action.  I felt at times like I was one of the passengers on the train dodging fists and knives left and right!  

  While a lot of movies are slow with character development and don't get into the action until the last half or third of the film, KILL proves it is not like any other action film you may have seen.   You get about a 15 minute setup, and then the action starts and never lets up.  This films is beyond tense, with many scenes that made me audibly gasp, or physically react by tensing up or cringing in shock.   This film had me physically and literally on the edge of my seat by the end.  

  KILL is like JOHN WICK on an adrenaline overdose, and makes the JOHN WICK movies look like made for TV,  PG-13 films.   

  To go with the action, there was also a surprising amount of emotion in this film, including one of the most beautiful endings to an action film I think I have ever seen.   This film is breathtaking, and is a new modern classic that future films will be judged against. This is one film you will not want to miss! 

  KILL is one hell of a thrill ride, and one I will be revisiting in theaters for sure!  

 

KILL will be released in theaters here in the U.S. starting July 4th!   

CLICK HERE to watch the Green Band Trailer

CLICK HERE to watch the Red Band Trailer

Movie Review: TIGER STRIPES (2023)

TIGER STRIPES 
Written & Directed by:   Amanda Nell Eu

  After seeing the trailer for TIGER STRIPES, I was very intrigued.   It didn't really look like a horror film, but IMDb list it as Horror/Body Horror.  I decided to give it a try, and I'm glad I did.   Here is a brief synopsis from the film's press release:

The first amongst her friends to hit puberty, Zaffan, 12, discovers a terrifying secret about her body. Ostracised by her community, Zaffan fights back, learning that to be free she must embrace the body she feared, emerging as a proud, strong woman.

  The first thing I thought of while watching this film, was that is it reminded me of a Malaysian version of CARRIE.   The focus of the film is on Zaffan and her changing body as she is the first among her friends to go through puberty.   While Carrie went through changes and lashed out with her telekinetic powers, Zaffan lashes out in a more primal, animalistic way.   While the changes are subtle at first, they begin to slowly increase and cause visible physical changes, ranging from scars all over her body to whiskers and even a tail!   To be honest, the transformation is not the focus of the film like you might expect from a Horror film.   I feel like the focus is more on the social dynamics with her friends and family, and the changes her relationships with them go through.  That is the real transformation of TIGER STRIPES. 

 Although listed as a Horror film, it is not true horror like you might be used to reading about on the 4H blog.   This is more of a dark drama with Horror elements throughout.    There is little to no gore, except for one scene where the Doctor that is trying to heal Zaffan makes her mad, and finds out the hard way what she is capable of when she is angry.    Please note, there is a bit of animal mutilation and death in this film, which I know some people are sensitive to.   It's not done in a explotive way, though, and is obviously fake/special effects. 

  The acting in this film is superb, especially from young star Zafreen Zairizal who plays Zaffan.  The film is shot very well also, with a beautiful backdrop courtesy of the Malaysian terrain. 

  TIGER STRIPES was the 2023 Cannes Film Festival Critic's Week Grand Prize Winner and is in select theaters now, and will be streaming VOD on July 9th!

CEMETERY MAN (aka DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE) (1994)

CEMETERY MAN

Directed by: Michele Soavi
Distributed by: Severin Films

After talking with other Horror fans, I am amazed at how few know about the film CEMETERY MAN. The film is directed by Italian director Michele Soavi and is known by the alternative/original Italian name of DELLAMORTE DELLAMORTE. The film was made in 1994 and remains to this day one of my top 5 Zombie films of all time. The film stars Rupert Everett as Francesco Dellamorte, the caretaker of a cemetery. For some reason, every body buried in this cemetery rises from the grave after the 7th day of being buried. Francesco is fine with killing the "returners" as he calls them, until a woman he falls in love with is killed and is buried in the cemetery. Here is a more detailed description from the Severin Films press release:

Two-time BAFTA and Golden Globe nominee Rupert Everett (ANOTHER COUNTRY, MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING) stars as cemetery watchman Francesco Dellamorte, tasked with dispatching the recently deceased when they rise from their graves. But when he falls in love with a beautiful young widow (Anna Falchi), will his resurrected lust for life become greater than his bond with death? François Hadji-Lazaro (THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN) co-stars in the finest erotic romantic existential black comedy zombie gorefest of our time, featuring a Soavi-approved 4K scan from the Cinecittà negative and over 3 hours of Special Features – including new interviews with Soavi and Everett.!

I have been a fan of this film for years, and was super excited to be able to check this film out again, this time on 4K UHD. This is quite the upgrade from my old DVD copy that I have had for years and have watched many times. This is not your typical zombie film. I have always described it as an "Art House" style zombie film. The zombies are really more of a side story, as the love story is the real focus here. The film is shot beautifully and has an amazing soundtrack. It truly is a beautful film, which you can't really say about most zombie movies.

Check this movie out if you haven't seen it already...it might be one of your new faves you didn't even know was out there! CEMETERY MAN is available now on Blu-Ray or 4K UHD and contains the following Special Features:

*  Audio Commentary by Director Michele Soavi and Screenwriter Gianni Romoli

*  At the Graves - Interview with Michele Soavi

*  Of Love and Death  -Interview with actor Rupert Everett

*  She - Interview with actress Anna Falchi

*  Italian Trailer (only available on the UHD release)

*  English Trailer  (only available on the UHD release)

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-Ray

CLICK HERE to purchase the 4K UHD

DVD Review: THE COFFEE TABLE (2022)

THE COFFE TABLE
Directed by:  Caye Casas

Distributed by:  Second Sight Films

I have seen a lot of horror films in my life.  I've always assumed I was kind of desensitized to horror movies since none really seem to scare or bother me anymore.   I was proven wrong after watching Caye Casas' newest film, THE COFFE TABLE.    Here is a brief synopsis of the film from the official press release:

David Pareja (Amigo) and Estefanía de los Santos (Jaulas) give gobsmackingly brilliant performances as Jesus and María, a couple going through a tough time in their relationship following the recent arrival of their newborn son. The fiery pair are struggling with the pressures that a new baby brings and their bickering only amplifies on a shopping trip to buy furniture that’s about to change their lives forever.

 

 What begins as a simple disagreement over which coffee table to buy quickly descends into a shocking and tragic event that will rip their lives apart.

 

 The film, co-starring Josep Maria Riera, Claudia Riera and Eduardo Antuña promises an excruciatingly uncomfortable and harrowing experience, with a darker-than-dark sense of humour.

 

Sit down with The Coffee Table for a fantastically horrifying feature that you’ll never forget.

  I had never heard of this film going into it, so I honestly wasn't expecting much.  I was pleasantly shocked when it started with some very humorous banter and looked like a bigger budget film than I expected.   The first 20 minutes are fun, but right at that 20 minute mark, the film goes in a completely different direction and blindsides you with an event so traumatic, that you never get that fun feeling back like you had before.  The acting was superb in this film and it was very well paced.  I wish I could describe more of this film, but I don't want to give anything away.  This is one you must see to believe! 

  As stated above, not much bothers me anymore.   This film bothered me.   I haven't felt that kind of dread from watching a movie in a long time!   I will put out this one warning....new parents might want to steer clear of this one for quite some time.   This is a brutal film, and one I will be thinking about for a while.   It's not an easy watch for sure, but I can't recommend this one enough.   

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

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Check out THE SCARLET FRY COLLECTION on Blu-Ray! Available now from SRS Cinema!

THE SCARLET FRY COLLECTION

 If you have followed my blog over the years, you have probably seen quite a few reviews for the films of Scarlet Fry.   He has put out quite a few low budget horror films, and now they are being released all together on a collector's edition Blu-Ray!   Here is a bit of info about the collection from the SRS Cinema website:

Scarlet Fry takes you on the thrill of your life with Blood Thirsty Cannibals, Satanic Zombies, Demented Nurses, Junkie Serial Killers, Freaky Perverts and More in this collection of his finest cinematic efforts! This Blood Drenched Deluxe thrill ride is definitely not for the weak at heart. Go on a roller ride with the anthology horror of “Junkfood Horrorfest”; return to analog horrors in “Death by VHS”; venture into the shadows of terror with “Nightmare Alley”; experience his earliest terrors in the cult classic “Horrorama”; and experience the apocalypse in “Scream Machine”.

This release included 5 feature length motion pictures over 2-3 discs (will update once authoring is done) on one epic release!

EXTRAS (tentative):
-Re-mastered movie files
-Commentary tracks
-Trailers
-SRS Trailers
-and more!

 

  If you have never seen one of these films, do yourself a favor and check out this collection!  His films might not be for everyone, but if you appreciate low budget horror at it's finest, this one is for you!   Fun over the top gore makes these films a must own in my opinion!   This collection is limited to only 100 copies, so hurry up and get your hands on a copy asap!!

Check out my past reviews for the films featured in this new collection:

JUNKFOOD HORRORFEST

DEATH BY VHS

NIGHTMARE ALLEY

HORRORAMA

SCREAM MACHINE

Check out a quick trailer for this new collection below:

CLICK HERE to purchase your copy of  The Scarlet Fry Collection

Blu-ray Review & Giveaway: THE TANK (2023)

THE TANK

Written & Directed by:  Scott Walker

Distributed by:   Well Go USA Entertainment

  It's been a while since I have done a movie review, so to reward you patience, not only am I giving you a review of this new film, I'm giving you a chance to win your own brand new copy!    

  THE TANK is the latest film from Writer/Director Scott Walker.   It's a fun creature feature type film that I feel we don't see enough of these days.   Here is the synopsis from the film's Press Release:

  After unexpectedly inheriting a mysteriously abandoned coastal property, Ben packs up his family and travels to explore the place, bewildered about why his mother had never mentioned its existence. However, her reason for secrecy soon becomes clear when the family accidentally frees the ancient, long-dormant creature that had terrorized the entire region for generations—including Ben’s own parents.

 It's been a while since I have seen a good new creature feature.   I was excited going into this film and it did not disappoint.  The film is set mainly in the house and the tank, of course, and has a relatively small cast.   While there are a few slow parts throughout the film, over all it is paced well and sets a pretty creepy tone.   The scenes inside the Tank and connected tunnels really help set the eerie mood with it's sense of claustrophobia.    I would have liked to have seen a bit more blood/gore in this type of film, but that's just me.  I honestly probably say that about every film I see!  I have to mention that the effects seem to be all practical, which is rare nowadays, but it really makes a difference.   The creatures look much more real than they would have had the filmmakers gone with CG.  

  If you are a fan of creature features, I highly recommend you checking out THE TANK.  You can purchase a copy from the links below.   Or, if you are feeling lucky, try your hand at winning your very own Blu-ray copy from Hayes Hudson's House of Horror and the good people at Well Go USA!!

  All you have to do to win is leave me a comment below telling me what your favorite creature feature film of all time is!  That's all there is to it!! Well, there is a little more to it....be sure to check out the contest rules below!  The contest ends on Wednesday, 8/9! 

CLICK HERE to order the DVD 

CLICK HERE to order the Blu-ray 

CONTEST RULES:

1. If you are not already, become a FOLLOWER of this blog! (Click the FOLLOW button under the "Followers" section of the blog on the right hand side).  Ok, you don't HAVE to do this step, but I sure would appreciate it! 
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2. Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite creature feature.  Be sure to include your NAME and EMAIL ADDRESS so I can contact you for your shipping info if you are the winner (if valid email address is not given, I will post the winners name on the site and winner will have one week to contact me with their shipping info. If prize is not claimed within one week, prize will be forfeited).
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3. Only one comment per person. Multiple comments will result in removal of all your comments therefore removing your chances of winning!
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4. Contest is scheduled to end on Wednesday, August 9th, 2023. Comments must be left by NOON Central time on 8/09/23 in order to count towards the contest.
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5. Contest winner will be chosen by random.org and must agree to let me post their name in a separate post and on the 4H Blog's social media accounts stating who won the prize.
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6. Due to shipping costs, contest is open to U.S. Residents only. Thank you for your understanding.

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GOOD LUCK!!

"THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE" (1974) is now out on 4K UHD!

 

THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1974)

Directed by:  Tobe Hooper

Distributed by:  Dark Sky Films

 

 For fans of Tobe Hooper's original classic, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, this is some awesome news!    Dark Sky Films has recently released this classic film in  deluxe 4K UHD and 4K UHD Steelbook edtions!

 Here is what you can expect from each 2 disc edition, according to the official press release:

Disc 1 holds the 4K UHD feature film and four commentary tracks: writer-producer-director Tobe Hooper, actor Gunnar Hansen and cinematographer Daniel Pearl; actors Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger and Paul A. Partain with production designer Robert Burns; Tobe Hooper solo; and Daniel Pearl, editor J. Larry Carroll and sound recordist Ted Nicolaou. 

Disc 2, a Blu-ray, contains the new, never-before-seen feature-length documentary The Legacy of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and several featurettes. These include “The Cinefamily Presents FRIEDKIN/HOOPER,” a conversation about the film between Tobe Hooper and The Exorcist director William Friedkin; “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth”; “Flesh Wounds: Seven Stories of the Saw”; a tour of the TCSM house with Gunnar Hansen; “Off the Hook with Teri McMinn”; and “The Business of Chain Saw: An Interview with Production Manager Ron Bozman.”Filling out the generous package are deleted scenes and outtakes, a blooper reel, trailers, vintage TV and radio spots, and much more to thrill fans old and new.

  I don't know about you, but THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE is by far my favorite horror film of all time!    As an avid physical DVD/BD collector, I am super excited to add these to my TCM collection.    A lot of DVDs and BDs have been released of this film, but never in UHD and these new releases bring us some amazing new special features.   The new feature length documentary THE LEGACY OF THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE alone is worth picking up this new release in my opinion.  Also, like most of you, I am a sucker for a cool new steelbook and new cover art!  Be sure to grab your copy today!!

CLICK HERE to purchase the standard edtion

CLICK HERE to purchase the steelbook edition

Did you know you can have a mystery horror box of Blu-Rays sent your home every month?

  

  This might not be news to some of you, but if you don't know about this service, listen up!   Horror Pack is a monthly subscription service that sends a random assortment of 4 horror movies to your home every month!!   The folks at Horror Pack sent me one a few months back, and it was fun getting such a cool variety of films!   One thing I was wondering was if I was going to get all movies I already owned.  Well, even with the thousands of DVDs and BDs I own, only 1 of the four was one I had already.    It looks like each box is a good mixture of sub-genres, and every box comes with a Horror Pack exclusive limited edition Blu-ray!    I had never even heard of 2 of the films I was sent, which is a great way to discover films you might never discover otherwise!

  Here were the Blu-rays in my box:

There are 4 different monthly plans you can choose from.  You can pick from a 1, 3, 6 or 12 month reoccurring subscription, with the cost of the subscription going down for the longer you sign up for.  

 This is a great deal that comes out to less than $8 per Blu-ray,  and like I mentioned, one of the Blu-rays each month is a limited edition Horror Pack Exclusive!  

  Keep physical media alive and join Horror Pack today!!

CLICK HERE to check out HORROR PACK!

DVD Review: SINPHONY: A CLUBHOUSE HORROR ANTHOLOGY (2022)

 

SINPHONY:  A CLUBHOUSE HORROR ANTHOLOGY 

Distributed by:   Dark Sky Films

  Welcome back to Hayes Hudson's House of Horror!    My blog has been dormant for a while, but like any good zombie, it's bound to come back to life eventually!    

  My first review for my newly resurrected site is a fun anthology film called SINPHONY.  

 Here is some info on the film from the official press release:

OFFICIAL FILM SYNOPSIS:

 Conceived and curated entirely on the popular, audio-based social media platform Clubhouse and produced by Screen Anthology, SINPHONY: A Clubhouse Horror Anthology features a group of international filmmakers each exploring a character dealing with tragedy caused by a supernatural entity. 

 The directors contributing segments to the film include a new who’s who of horror: Haley Bishop, Jason Ragosta, Sebastien Bazile & Michael Galvan, Mark Pritchard, Kimberley Elizabeth, Jason Wilkinson, Nichole Carlson, Steven Keller and Wes Driver.

SINPHONY’s shocking stories include: an innkeeper’s growing concern about his secretive new guests; a contractor who inhales mold spores that lead to murder; a couple confronting the fact that one of them is a ghost; a witch protecting her child from a killer; a dance craze that has dire consequences, and much more

Segment Synopses & Credits:

THE KEEPER

Writer: Gregg Green - Dir. Wes Driver - USA 

A small-town innkeeper's growing concern over domestic abuse between his new guests takes a horrific turn as he stumbles upon their monstrous secret. 

EAR WORM

Writer/Dir. Steven Keller (Cherry) - USA

A young contractor hired to remove mold from a house, inhales strange spores, causing hallucinations and murder. 

 

TABITHA

Writer/Dir. Jason Wilkinson - (Killing Time) - USA

After a botched robbery, a young woman bleeds out in her car, while being terrorized by a ghostly figure. 

DO US PART

Writer/Dir. Kimberley Elizabeth (Nightmare on Film Street Podcast) - CANADA

A recently separated couple comes to terms with the fact that one of them is a ghost. 

MOTHER LOVE

Writer/Dir. Jason Ragosta - (ZTV, Boy In the Dark) - USA 

A witch must summon the power of her coven to defend her child from a crazed killer. 

LIMITED EDITION

Writer/Dir. Mark Pritchard (Ground Rules, Wake) - UK 

Intent on capturing an original moment in time, a woman faces a deadly battle when the moment fights back. 

FOREVER YOUNG

Writer/Dir. Haley Bishop - (Host) - UK 

In a desperate attempt to preserve her youth, a 30 year old woman engages in a social media dance craze that may have dire consequences. 

 

MATERNALLY DAMNED

Writer/Dir. Nichole Carlson - USA 

The anxiety of a woman unplanned pregnancy intensifies as her body goes through a series of unexplained changes. 

 

SYMPHONY OF HORROR

Writer: Sebastien Bazile - Dir. Michael Galvan/Sebastien Bazile (Breuckelen, By Dawn) 

A parasitic brain infection causes by a cursed song when heard, sends ordinary people into a killing frenzy. 

  I am a huge fan of anthology films.  For one, I have a very short attention span so focusing on one story for 1 and 1/2  to 2 hours can be hard for me, unless the story/film is just wildly entertaining.   With anthology films, if one story is not doing  it for you, just wait a few minutes and you're on to a completely different story!   This film was well paced and packed 9 different stories into the tight 88 min run time.  This kept the entries short and to the point, which I definitely appreciated! 

  While some stories were better than others, I found them all to be entertaining.  My personal favorites were MOTHER LOVE and EAR WORM.   One thing I found very interesting about this film was the use of a single song, used in all the entries, and each song made in a different genre of music to fit the narrative of that particular story.   This was a cool and unique concept. 

  If you are a fan of anthology films, I highly recommend checking out SINPHONY! 

Watch the unrated Trailer:

CLICK HERE  to purchase the DVD

Something is stirring.....

Shhhhhh........do you hear that?   What could it be?

This week's horror related DVD and Blu-ray releases, June 4th

Here are this week's horror related DVD/BD's that come out tomorrow, 6/4:

*  THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN  [Arrow BD]
*  CHILDREN OF THE CORN  [BD Steelbook]
*  THE HAUNTING OF SHARON TATE  [DVD & BD]
*  HELLSING ULTIMATE:  THE COMPLETE COLLECTION [BD]
*  KNIFE + HEART  [DVD & BD]
*  THE LAST WARNING [DVD/BD Combo]
*  TRAPPED ALIVE  [Arrow BD]