Blu-ray Review: RE-ANIMATOR (1985)

RE-ANIMATOR
Directed by Stuart Gordon
Distributed by Arrow Films / MVD Entertainment Group

  I love when I get a movie to review that just so happens to be one of my favorite horror films of all time!  It gives me a good excuse to go back and visit it again.   Tonight's review is one of those films.   I first saw RE-ANIMATOR when I was in the 6th grade and I fell in love with it.  I still love it to this day.  It is one of the few films I can watch over and over and never get bored with it.  
Here is the plot synopsis from the MVD press release:

  One of the most wildly popular horror movies of all-time, Stuart Gordon's enduring splatter-comedy classic Re-Animator returns to Blu-ray in a stunning restoration packed with special features!
  When medical student Dean Cain advertises for a roommate, he soon finds one in the form of Dr. Herbert West. Initially a little eccentric, it some becomes clear that West entertains some seriously outlandish theories - specifically, the possibility of re-animating the dead. It's not long before Dean finds himself under West's influence, and embroiled in a serious of ghoulish experiments which threaten to go wildly out of control...
  Based on H.P. Lovecraft's classic terror tale Herbert West - Reanimator and featuring a standout performance from Jeffrey Combs as the deliciously deranged West, Re-Animator remains the ground-zero of '80s splatter mayhem and one of the genre's finest hours.

  I had the chance to watch this film years ago at a Horror Convention in Little Rock, AR with Jeffrey Combs and Stuart Gordon in attendance.   It was fun to see this film on the big screen, especially with the director sitting 2 rows in front of me!   It was just as fun watching it at home though, especially with this great new release from Arrow Video.  This film is crazy with some great over the top gore effects, and like most films from this time period, all are practical effects.   The film is also full of dark humor throughout.  Jeffrey Combs was the perfect actor to play Dr. West, and the beautiful Barbara Crampton is great as always.

  I can't recommend RE-ANIMATOR enough.  If you have never seen it, please do so asap!  If you have seen it, revisit it and especially check out this new release.

  I was so happy when I heard Arrow Video was releasing this film.  As you know, Arrow is one of the top DVD/BD companies out there, always putting tons of effort into their releases.   RE-ANIMATOR is available now and contains the following special features:

2 DISC LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:  

- 4K restorations of the Unrated and Integral versions 

- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation

- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing 

- Exclusive digipak packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork by Justin Erickson 

- Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by journalist Michael Gingold 

- Re-Animator comic book 

- 4 x postcard-sized lobby card reproductions

DISC 1 - UNRATED VERSION

- Unrated version [86 mins] 

- Mono, Stereo and 5.1 DTS-HD MA Surround Audio Options

- Isolated Score

- Brand new audio commentary with director Stuart Gordon and actors Graham Skipper and Jesse Merlin of Re-Animator: The Musical

- Audio commentary with Stuart Gordon

- Audio commentary with producer Brian Yuzna, actors Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, Bruce Abbott and Robert Sampson

- Re-Animator: Resurrectus - feature-length documentary on the making of the film, featuring extensive interviews with cast and crew

- Interviews with director Stuart Gordon and producer Brian Yuzna, writer Dennis Paoli, composer Richard Band and former Fangoria editor Tony Timpone

- Music discussion with composer Richard Band

- Barbara Crampton in Conversation - the Re-Animator star sits down with journalist Alan Jones for this career-spanning 2015 interview

- The Catastrophe of Success: Stuart Gordon and The Organic Theater - director Stuart Gordon discusses his early theater roots and his continued commitment to the stage

- Theater of Blood - Re-Animator: The Musical lyricist Mark Nutter on adapting the cult classic for musical theater

- Extended Scenes

- Deleted Scene

- Trailer & TV Spots

- Still Gallery

- Screenplay (BD-ROM Content)
 

DISC 2 - INTEGRAL VERSION - LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE

- Integral Version, available in the US for the first time! [105 mins] 

- 5.1 DTS-HD MA Surround Audio

- A Guide to Lovecraftian Cinema - Chris Lackey, host of the H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast, provides a comprehensive look at the many cinematic incarnations of Lovecraft's work

- Doug Bradley's Spinechillers: Herbert West-Reanimator - actor Jeffrey Combs reads H.P. Lovecraft's original classic short story
 

'RE-ANIMATOR® ' THE COMIC - LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE

- 92-page perfect-bound booklet containing Re-Animator, the original 1991 comic book adaptation of the movie, reprinted in its entirety

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

Blu-ray Review: BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR (1989)

BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR
Directed by:  Brian Yuzna
Distributed by: Arrow Video / MVD Distribution

  Have I told you that Arrow Video is becoming my favorite DVD/BD company?  They are constantly putting out amazing releases of some classic horror.   One of their latest releases is of Director Brian Yuzna's classic, BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR!   This is a sequel to the classic film, RE-ANIMATOR, which just so happens to be one of my Top 5 favorite horror films of all time! 
While nothing can compare to the original classic, BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR comes about as close as you can get.  This is an amazing film that re-creates the tone and fun of the first film.  I'll go ahead and toss out the plot synopsis courtesy of the Arrow Films website, although I have a feeling most true horror fans are already well aware of this one:

  The success of Stuart Gordon’s hit horror-comedy Re-animator meant that a sequel was all but inevitable. The resulting follow-up, Bride of Re-animator – this time helmed by director Brian Yuzna (Society, Return of the Living Dead 3) – would prove that there was a good deal more life left in the story of Dr. Herbert West and his ghoulish exploits.
  It is 8 years since the Miskatonic massacre. Unperturbed by the disastrous outcome of his previous meddling with the dead, Dr. West (again played by Jeffrey Combs) continues his research into the phenomenon of re-animation; only this time, he plans to create life – starting with the heart of his young protégé Dan’s dearly deceased, Meg Halsey. Surely nothing could go wrong?
  With special effects master Screaming Mad George (the man behind the infamous “shunting” sequence in Society) on hand to contribute a host of characteristically weird and wonderful creations – including zombified bats and a one-eyed finger spider – Bride of re-animator is a more than worthy successor to Gordon’s original cult classic.

  Again, I wont go into much of the film, as it's over 25 years old, I'm sure most of you have seen it before.  You probably already own this on DVD.  What I want to bring you attention to here is this limited edition release that Arrow has put out.  They have awesome special features with most all of their releases, but this limited edition 3 disc set is truly an amazing release.   Buying this new set, even if you own an older released DVD is a no brainer.  Check out all these special features:

DIRECTOR-APPROVED 3-DISC LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
*  Brand new 2K restorations of the Unrated and R-rated versions of the film, approved by director Brian Yuzna
*  High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
*  Original Stereo 2.0 audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray)
*  Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
*  Newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin
*  Limited Edition Collector’s Booklet
*  Limited Edition Packaging

DISCS 1 & 2 – BLU-RAY/DVD – UNRATED VERSION
*  Brand new 2K restoration of the Unrated version
*  Brand new audio commentary with Brian Yuzna
*  Audio Commentary with Brian Yuzna, star Jeffrey Combs, visual effects supervisor Tom
*  Rainone and the effects team including John Buechler, Mike Deak, Bob Kurtzman, Howard Berger and Screaming Mad George
*  Audio Commentary with stars Jeffrey Combs and Bruce Abbott
*  Brian Yuzna Remembers Bride of Re-animator – brand new featurette in which the director looks back at the making of the first Re-animator sequel
*  Splatter Masters: The Special Effects Artists of Bride of Re-animator – Brand new FX featurette with a wealth of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with Robert Kurtzman of KNB, Screaming Mad George, Tony Doublin and John Buechler
*  Getting Ahead in Horror – archive making-of featurette
*  Deleted Scenes

DISC 3 – BLU-RAY – R-RATED VERSION
*  Brand new 2K restoration of the R-rated version


So there you have it....this set has hours of special features for you to enjoy!  This set was released just a few weeks ago, and is already out of print and is selling out fast!  Amazon.com still has a few copies, so get your hands on a copy asap before they are gone!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack

 

 

Blu-ray review: SOCIETY (1989)

SOCIETY
Directed by Brian Yuzna
Distributed by Arrow Films / MVD Entertainment Group

  Here is another example of a classic horror film that I have always heard about, but for some reason or another had never seen!  I remember seeing the VHS for SOCIETY back when I worked at a movie rental store, and always told myself I was going to rent it and watch it, but for some reason I never did. I really wished  I would have watched this sooner, because I have been missing out on a perfect 80's horror gem for years now! 
  For those unfamiliar with the film, here is the plot synopsis from the MVD press release:

  Teenager Bill Whitney (Billy Warlock) has always felt like the odd one out in his wealthy, upper-class Beverly Hills family. For some reason, he just doesn't seem to fit in. But his sense of alienation takes a sinister turn when he overhears a surreptitious audio recording of his sister's coming-out party, which seems to implicate his family and others in a bizarre, ritualistic orgy. And then there are the strange things he's been seeing - glimpses of people with their bodies contorted impossibly out of shape... Is Billy going mad or is there something seriously amiss in his neighborhood?

   Packing stomach-churning grue and thought-provoking social commentary in equal measure, Society is a biting horror satire which culminates in one of the most leftfield, gag-inducing "climaxes" in all of horror history - just don't eat beforehand!

  SOCIETY was directed by one of my favorite horror directors, Brian Yuzna. Mr. Yuzna directed some of my favorite horror sequels including BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR, BEYOND RE-ANIMATOR, and RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD III.  SOCIETY was actually Mr. Yuzna's directorial debut.    One thing I love about movies from the 80's is their goofiness and their awesome practical effects.  This film has both of those things and is a perfect example if you wanted to show someone what horror movies from the 80's looked like. 

  The movie is a little complicated and I'm still not sure I understand it completely, but that does not keep you from enjoying this film for sure.   The film is about a secret "society" of the rich that feeds on the poor, or at least on those they don't deem as good enough for their society.  When I say "feed on the poor, I mean that literally in this case! What's strange is that in this film, the "society" is pretty much made up of every single person in the town, except for the main character Bill, his best friend Milo, and just a couple of other people.   All of Bill's family is in the "society" and try to get him to join, but he refuses.

  This film has an amazing climax where the secret society comes together in a huge orgy/party that must be seen to be believed.   Here is where the practical effects are really showcased with some excellent gore and body contortions.

  SOCIETY is a must see for horror fans.  The Arrow USA Blu-ray/DVD combo pack will be available 6/9 and will contain the following special features:

*  High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation

*  Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

*  New Audio Commentary with Director Brian Yuzna

*  Governor Of Society with Brian Yuzna

*  The Masters Of The Hunt with stars Billy Warlock, Devin Devasquez, Ben Meyerson and Tim Bartell

*  The Champions Of The Shunt with FX Artists Screaming Mad George, David Grasso and Nick Benson

*  Screaming Mad George music video

*  Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork

*  Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film, illustrated with original archive stills and posters

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to buy the Arrow Blu-ray/DVD combo pack