GUEST REVIEW: THE WOMAN & OFFSRING [4K UHD Limited Edition]

-------------Review by contributing writer Scott Baker------------------

THE WOMAN

Directed by Lucky McKee

OFFSPRING

Directed by Andrew van den Houten

 When you think about big names in horror fiction, certain names flash into mind: Stephen King, Ramsey Campbell, Clive Barker, H.P. Lovecraft, etc.  But you would be remiss if you did not include Jack Ketchum in that list.  Ketchum wrote some of the most horrific and terrifying novels ever published, and he was a true master of the genre (he passed away in 2018).

 

  Ketchum coordinated with a couple of directors to turn two of his books into movies:  OFFSPRING and THE WOMAN.  (Technically, THE WOMAN was published after the movie was released, but from what I understand Ketchum already had the idea when OFFSPRING was originally published).  Both movies deal with cannibalism and torture, and both have merits…but I must confess I liked THE WOMAN a lot better than OFFSPRING.

 

If you are unfamiliar with either movie, here is the plot synopsis of this set courtesy of Arrow Video:

 Almost a decade after Lucky McKee burst upon the indie horror scene and became a 'Master of Horror' in the making thanks to his directorial debut May, he teamed up with legendary cult author Jack Ketchum for his most shocking and brutal film to date: The Woman, an instant cause célèbre on its Sundance premiere.

The Woman (Pollyanna McIntosh, The Walking Dead) is the last surviving member of a deadly clan of feral cannibals that has roamed the American wilderness for decades. When successful country lawyer Chris Cleek (Sean Bridgers, Room) stumbles upon her whilst hunting in the woods, he decides to capture and "civilize" her with the help of his seemingly perfect all-American family, including his wife Belle (Angela Bettis, May) and daughter Peggy (Lauren Ashley Carter, Darling). The Cleeks will soon learn, however, that hell hath no fury like The Woman scorned...

 Experience McKee and Ketchum's uncompromisingly twisted vision of the dark side of the American family in a definitive edition, including a 4K remaster, a slew of bonus features, and a bonus disc featuring a restoration of its gut-churning 2009 predecessor Offspring, also starring McIntosh.

 

 OFFSPRING is a movie based on his book of the same name.  The book is a follow-up to his controversial debut Off Season, which many critics and reviewers deemed “violent pornography”.  Even so, I am curious as to why the filmmakers decided to make a movie based on the sequel when there was no adaptation for the first one at the time.  I would love to see Off Season translated to the screen.

 

OFFSPRING is a decent film, but it’s a bit confusing to start off (probably because it’s actually a sequel).  The opening scenes use newspaper headlines to sorta build the foundation of the story, which again does help a little bit, but it is still not enough to make a solid start.  The story itself is intriguing enough to warrant attention, and it unfolds at a nice pace within its 79 minute runtime.  Still, I would have liked more clarity as to what was happening and why.

 

 The 4K transfer looks excellent compared to previous versions, and if you don’t believe me there’s a comparison video in the Special Features.  This video runs clips from the movie in both resolutions side-by-side so you can see the difference.  And wow, is there a difference!  The 4K transfer is much more colorful and takes the graininess out of the low-light scenes. 

 

 THE WOMAN is a direct sequel to OFFSPRING and pretty much picks up where its predecessor ends.  This film is much better in my opinion.  It ratchets up the intensity and makes better use of Pollyanna McIntosh’s acting skills.  McIntosh does a superb job of portraying the feral Woman once again, and it’s easy to see why she was selected for the role. 

 

 Like OFFSPRING, the 4K transfer for this film looks great as well.  I had a Blu-ray copy of this film years ago, but I don’t remember what the picture quality was like…it would be interesting to see a side-by-side of it compared with this.

 

 Ketchum set a high standard bar for horror, and both films aim to reach it.  THE WOMAN gets closer to that goal than OFFSPRING, but both films are fun to watch and definitely worth owning.  This Arrow set is a fine addition to any horror fan’s collection, and I feel it would make Jack Ketchum proud.  

THE WOMAN & OFFSRING Box Set is available now and contains the following Special Features:

4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• 4K restorations of The Woman and Offspring, supervised and approved by Lucky McKee and Andrew van den Houten
• Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork for both films by Vanessa McKee
• Illustrated collector's booklet featuring writing by Michael Blyth, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Kevin Kovelant

DISC ONE - THE WOMAN (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY)

• 4K restoration supervised and approved by Lucky McKee
• 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Audio commentary with director Lucky McKee, editor Zach Passero, sound designer Andrew Smetek and composer Sean Spillane
• Audio commentary with star Pollyanna McIntosh
• Audio commentary with critic Scott Weinberg
• Archive commentary with director Lucky McKee
• Dad on the Wall, a 75-minute fly-on-the-wall behind-the-scenes documentary filmed by the director's father Mike McKee
• Being Peggy Cleek, an interview with star Lauren Ashley Carter
• Malam Domesticam, an archive making-of featurette
• Meet the Makers, a short featurette on the making of the film
• Deleted scenes
• ¡Mi Burro!, a short film by editor Zach Passero
• "Distracted" music video by Sean Spillane
• Frightfest Total Film Panel Discussion, a 2011 onstage chat about the future of American indie horror at the popular horror film festival, featuring Lucky McKee, Andrew van den Houten, Larry Fessenden, Adam Green, Joe Lynch and Ti West
• Theatrical trailers
• Image galleries

DISC TWO - OFFSPRING (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY)

• 4K restoration supervised and approved by Andrew van den Houten
• 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Audio commentary with director/producer Andrew van den Houten and digital colorist Matt McClain
• Archive commentary with writer Jack Ketchum, director/producer Andrew van den Houten and producer/cinematographer William M. Miller
• Interview with Pollyanna McIntosh and Andrew van den Houten
• Fly on the Wall, a behind-the-scenes documentary
• Extended interview with Jack Ketchum
• Restoration comparison
• Audition comparison
• Progeny: The Birth of Offspring, an archive behind-the-scenes featurette including interviews with cast and crew
• First Stolen's Bailout, an archive behind-the-scenes featurette
• Webisodes, short featurettes used to promote the film online
• Archive Easter Eggs
• Theatrical trailer
• Image gallery

CLICK HERE to purchase the 4K Ultra HD limited edition set

Blu-ray Review: ANTHROPOPHAGOUS (1980)

ANTHROPOPHAGOUS
Directed by  Joe D'Amato
Distributed by CAV Distribution / Severin Films

 I remember watching this film over 18 years ago back when I was in college.   I remember browsing the video shelves and my eyes landing on the cover featuring a man eating his own intestines.  Obviously, that was a movie I had to check out!   I honestly don't remember anything about that film, other than that iconic scene.  

 I was very excited when I saw Severin Films was releasing this film on Blu-ray!   This was one I definitely needed to re-visit and I'm so glad I got the opportunity!  Here is the basic plot courtesy of the film's imdb page:

A group of tourists become stranded on an uninhabited island where they are stalked by an insane, violent, and grotesque killer that slaughtered the town's former residents.

  If you couldn't tell from the cover photo, this film's main goal is shock factor.  It goes for the throat (literally) and never lets go.   The film starts out with a brutal hatchet to the head killing, which actually looked pretty realistic.  The film never gives up and the gore factor only gets worse from there.   The plot is really simple, and the film can actually be a little slow at times, but it makes up for it with the awesome gore effects and creepiness factor.   The killer on the island is one of the creepiest killers I have ever seen in film.  He makes my skin crawl just thinking about him.  He never talks throughout the film, and only makes grunting and moaning sounds.  I am not sure who or what he is, as the movie never really explains it, but he is almost zombie like in his movements and mannerisms.

 If you want great acting, great character development, and a thought provoking story, this might not be the film for you.  If you are looking for an extremely fun film with tons of gore, then this is a must see!   ANTHROPOPHAGOUS is available now on DVD and Blu-ray from Severin Films.  Special Features include:

*  Don’t Fear The Man-Eater: Interview with Writer/Star Luigi Montefiori a.k.a. George Eastman
*  The Man Who Killed The Anthropophagus: Interview with Actor Saverio Vallone
*  Cannibal Frenzy: Interview with FX Artist Pietro Tenoglio
*  Brother And Sister In Editing: Interview With Editor Bruno Micheli
*  Inside Zora’s Mouth: Interview with Actress Zora Kerova
*  Trailers
*  Reversible Wrap


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

Blu-ray Review: EMANUELLE AND THE LAST CANNIBALS (1977)

EMANUELLE AND THE LAST CANNIBALS
Written & Directed by Joe D'Amato
Distributed by CAV Distribution / Severin Films

  There are so many great sub-genres of horror, but one of my all time favorites is the cannibal film.   The cannibal films were huge back in the 70's and early 80's, with such classics as CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, CANNIBAL APOCALYPSE, and CANNIBAL FEROX just to name a few.  In 1977 the EMANUELLE series of films joined the group with EMANUELLE AND THE LAST CANNIBALS.   Here is the basic synopsis courtesy of the Severin Films website:

  In 1977, infamous filth auteur Joe D’Amato (BEYOND THE DARKNESS, ANTHROPOPHAGUS) combined the insane extremes of eroticism and cannibalism for the most groin-grinding, gut-munching, gore-spewing EuroSleaze saga of them all: When journalist Emanuelle (the ever-luscious Laura Gemser of BLACK EMANUELLE fame) discovers evidence of an extinct cannibal tribe in a Manhattan mental hospital, her investigation will take her to the Amazon jungle for an orgy of carnage that SexGoreMutants calls “…feral, demented and nasty. And in exploitation terms, that’s entertainment!” Gabriele Tinti (EMANUELLE IN AMERICA), Monica Zanchi (SISTER EMANUELLE) and Donald O’Brien (DOCTOR BUTCHER, M.D.) co-star in “the flesh & fear masterpiece from the late great splatter genius” (DVD Beaver) released to ‘80s grindhouses as TRAP THEM AND KILL THEM and now scanned in 2k from original vault elements.

  Once again we are treated to the lovely Laura Gemser as Emanuelle.   This time she is playing a reporter going deep into the Amazon forest to track down one of the last known surviving cannibal tribes.  Needless to say she finds it and all hell breaks loose!   Cannibal films are known for their gore, and this one does not disappoint.   There is tons of blood and lots of intestines being chomped on by the cannibal tribe.  There are some cool booby traps and torture devices as well.  Oh, and speaking of boobies, there are plenty of those on display as well.  That is to be expected, of course, with this being an entry in the Emanuelle series of films. 

 If you are a fan of the EMANUELLE films and/or cannibal films of the 1970's, you will definitely want to check out EMANUELLE AND THE LAST CANNIBALS.   The film is available now on DVD and BD from Severin Films  Special Features include the following:

*  The World Of Nico Fidenco: An Interview With Composer Nico Fidenco
*  A Nun Among The Cannibals: An Interview With Actress Annamaria Clementi
*  O’Brien MD: An Interview With Actor Donal O’Brien
*  From Switzerland To Mato Grosso: An Interview With Actress Monika Zanchi
*  I Am Your Black Queen: Laura Gemser Archive Audio Interview
*  Theatrical Trailer

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

Blu-ray Review: EATEN ALIVE (1980)

EATEN ALIVE
Written & Directed by Umberto Lenzi
Distributed by CAV Distribution / Severin Films

   If you are a fan of 80's cannibal films, you will definitely want to check out Umberto Lenzi's 1980 classic, EATEN ALIVE!    I love cannibal films, and have seen quite a few, but somehow this is one I had never seen.   Here is the basic plot from the CAV press release:

  Eight years after he first unleashed the Italian cannibal craze, spaghetti splatter master Umberto Lenzi (NIGHTMARE CITY, CANNIBAL FEROX) returned to the jungle for this "graphic" (Monster Hunter), "sordid" (Geek Legacy) and "extreme" (Horror News) gut-muncher that still packs the power to knock you over. EuroSleaze hall-of-famers Robert Kerman (CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST), Janet Agren (CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD), Ivan Rassimov (THE MAN FROM DEEP RIVER) and Me Me Lai (JUNGLE HOLOCAUST) - along with Hollywood legend Mel Ferrer (WAR AND PEACE) - star in this insane assemblage of flesh-ripping mayhem, depraved sexual brutality, and even the Jonestown massacre. EATEN ALIVE! is now presented uncut, uncensored and fully remastered in HD for the first time ever, with all-new Special Features that slit open the legacy of this definitive cannibal classic.

  As I mentioned above, I have seen a lot of the cannibal films including CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, CANNIBAL FEROX, CANNIBAL APOCOLYPSE, MAN FROM DEEP RIVER, etc.   I love all these films, and EATEN ALIVE is a wonderful addition to this list and sits right at the top of these films.  

  If you've seen those other cannibal films I mentioned, you kinda know what to expect here.  One thing these films seem to have a lot of is animal cruelty, which is the one thing about these films I don't like.  I guess these scenes are for shock factor and to make you feel uneasy, which they definitely accomplish.   While the killing of people on the screen is obviously fake, some of the animal scenes are definitely real.  These can be very hard to watch at times, and this film has quite a few of those scenes, so be warned if you can't handle those types of scenes. 

  The gore effects in this film are done extremely well, and are pretty disgusting  (which is a compliment, of course)!   One aspect of this film I really liked was the cult aspect of the film, and the creepy cult leader.   This was a very unique subplot that separates this film from the other cannibal films.

  If you saw Eli Roth's cannibal movie GREEN INFERNO that came out a few years ago, you will definitely note some nods to this film, especially with the ending.   That's all I'll say about that, though, to avoid any spoilers.

  One last thing I want to point out is the feature length documentary called "Me Me Lai Bites Back" which is a special feature on this new release.  I normally don't pay much attention to special features, but this doc was a great feature about actress Me Me Lai who appeared in three cannibal films in the 70's and 80's.  It was very interesting to hear stories directly from Me Me about her time filming these movies.   I thought this doc was worth buying to DVD/BD for alone! 

EATEN ALIVE is available now from Severin Films on both DVD and Blu-ray.  Special Features include:

*  Welcome To the Jungle - Interview With Director Umberto Lenzi
*  Me Me Lai Bites Back - Feature Documentary on "The Queen Of Cannibal Movies"
*  The Sect of the Purification - Interview with Production Designer Antonello Geleng
*  Archive Interviews With Actors Ivan Rassimov and Robert Kerman
*  2013 Q&A With Umberto Lenzi from the "Festival of Fantastic Films, UK"



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

 

Check out GRINDHOUSE GUTMUNCHERS, available now on DVD!

 
  If you are a follower of this blog, you might recognize the name Scarlet Fry.  I have reviewed a few films of his in the past, 2 of which are now being re-released in a cool double feature DVD set!   The new DVD is called GRINDHOUSE GUTMUNCHERS and it includes the films SCREAM MACHINE  (read my original review HERE) and SCARLET FRY'S JUNKFOOD HORRORFEST  (read my original review HERE).    

  Here is a bit more about the new DVD set from the film's official press release:

 Gutmunchers don't have to be Zombies They can be anything that will get under your skin and eat away at your flesh and your soul! Gutmunchers is two discs worth of horror, gore and more that will have you crying home to your momma. Demented Nurses, Freaky Perverts, Satanic Slashers, Zombies, Vampires & more Grindhouse Gutmunchers is full of Gutmunching Madness, so dive in and get your awesome gore fix on! Scarlet Fry's Junkfood Horrorfest: 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! This Blood Drenched Deluxe Horrorfest isn't for the weak of heart. A drug dealer has made his last deal after he decides to hand a junkie serial killer some bad junk. Scream Machine: As a gift to Dr. Fry from his long lost friend Lloyd Kaufman, comes 5 twisted tales guaranteed to make you faint, puke and quite possibly soil your pants! Not even the Plague can survive the Scream Machine and only a few have made it through to the end of these six twisted tales of Gore Stew!

  I was a big fan of these films.  I love the 80's VHS throwback feel and the practical gore effects were a lot of fun!   If you haven't seen these films, I highly suggest you check them out!

  Scarlet Fry's GRINDHOUSE GUTMUNCHERS is available now on DVD from World Wide Multi Media...it's a 2 Disc buffet of gore!! 

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

Blu-ray Review: DOCTOR BUTCHER M.D. (1980)

DOCTOR BUTCHER M.D.
Directed by  Marino Girolami (as Frank Martin)
Distributed by CAV Distribution / Severin Films

  If you are a fan of Italian zombie films, then you will love DOCTOR BUTCHER M.D.   If you are a fan of Italian cannibal films, then you will love DOCTOR BUTCHER M.D.  If you are a fan of mad doctor movies, you will also love DOCTOR BUTCHER M.D.!   Ha!   This is one horror film that you truly can't categorize into a sub-genre.  It's part zombie film, part cannibal film, and party mad scientist/doctor film.   It's almost as if the filmmakers couldn't figure out what type of horror film they wanted to make, so they just put a little bit of everything into it!  That is fine with me, because it gives us one of the most entertaining horror films I have seen in quite some time!  Here is some basic info and plot synopsis courtesy of the CAV website:

  It sparked riots on 42nd Street, spawned a generation of gorehounds on VHS, and forever set an insane standard for Italian mad doctor/zombie/cannibal carnage worldwide: Ian McCulloch (ZOMBIE), Alexandra Delli Colli (THE NEW YORK RIPPER), Sherry Buchanan (TENTACLES) and Donald O'Brien (EMANUELLE AND THE LAST CANNIBALS) star in this blood orgy of gut-munching, eyeball-gouging and face-chopping originally known as ZOMBIE HOLOCAUST, which a notorious American distributor would then re-edit, re-title and re-release as a certified grindhouse masterpiece.
  Severin Films now presents both films fully restored for the first time ever from original vault elements discovered in Manhattan and Rome, and loaded with all-new Bonus Features that finally reveal the unbelievable truth behind its bizarre history, infamous marketing and still-deviant legacy.

  As I stated above, this is a highly entertaining film, and contains a little bit of everything for every horror fan.  I love Italian zombie films...there is something about their zombies that are just so much better than the ones in our films.  These zombies all look very decayed and dirty, which is how I would think they should look.  It reminded me a lot of Fulci's zombies or the zombies from the 1981 film, BURIAL GROUND.  The gore in this film is pretty amazing, with some very realistic looking throat slits and some guttings.   This film has tons of blood and gore which should satisfy all you gore lovers out there! 

  Included in this awesome set is both cuts of the film, the American cut called DOCTOR BUTCHER M.D. and the original Italian cut called ZOMBIE HOLOCAUST, presented here for the first time ever uncut in HD!    This is the definitive version of this film to have, so I highly suggest pre-ordering this one now!   The film is set for release on July 26th, but can be preordered now from the Severin Films website.  The Blu-ray and DVD will contain the following special features:


DISC 1 DOCTOR BUTCHER MD
*  Featurette: Butchery & Ballyhoo: Interview with Aquarius Releasing's Terry Levine
*  Featurette: Down On The Deuce: Nostalgic Tour Of 42nd Street With Temple Of Shock's Chris Poggiali and Filmmaker Roy Frumkes
*  Roy Frumkes' Segment Of Unfinished Anthology Film 'Tales That Will Tear Your Heart Out'
*  Featurette: The Butcher Mobile: Interview with Gore Gazette Editor & Butcher Mobile Barker Rick Sullivan
*  Featurette: Cutting Doctor Butcher: Interview with Editor Jim Markovic
*  Illustrated Essay: Experiments With A Male Caucasian Brain (...and other memories of 42nd Street) by Gary Hertz
*  Theatrical Trailer
*  Video Release Trailer 1
*  Video Release Trailer 2

DISC 2 ZOMBIE HOLOCAUST
*  Featurette: Voodoo Man: Interview With Star Ian McCulloch
*  Featurette: Blood Of The Zombies: Interview With FX Master Rosario Prestopino
*  Featurette: Filmmaker Enzo Castellari Remembers His Father Director Marino Girolami
*  Featurette: Sherry Holocaust: Interview With Actress Sherryl Buchanan
*  Featurette: Neurosurgery Italian Style -Interview With FX Artist Maurizio Trani
*  Featurette: New York Filming Locations Then Vs. Now. A look at the Big Apple locales as they are today
*  Audio Bonus: Ian McCulloch Sings Down By The River
*  International Trailer
*  German Trailer


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to pre-order the 2-Disc Blu-ray
CLICK HERE to pre-order the 2-Disc DVD

 
 

Blu-ray Review: THE GREEN INFERNO (2013)

THE GREEN INFERNO
Directed by:   Eli Roth
Distributed by:  Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

  If you are a horror movie fan, then you have surely heard about Eli Roth's latest film, THE GREEN INFERNO.   It was made a few years ago, but then was in distribution limbo for quite sometime.  Luckily the great folks at Universal Pictures took a chance on the film and it was given a wide theatrical release back in September of last year.   If you failed to catch this film at the theater, it is available now on DVD and Blu-ray, so get your hands on a copy asap.    Here is the basic plot synopsis from the Universal website:

  The mastermind behind the Hostel franchise and Cabin Fever, horror auteur Eli Roth, serves up a feast of gut-wrenching terror in the gruesome fear-fest The Green Inferno. Determined to protect the Amazon rainforest, a group of student activists fly to Peru only to crash-land deep in the jungle. Captured by a pack of bloodthirsty cannibals, the survivors suffer unspeakable acts of butchery at the hands of the very tribe they were trying to save. A non-stop barrage of carnage and chills, The Green Inferno is an unhinged blast!

  One of my favorite sub-genres of horror is the Cannibal film.   There is something extremely disturbing with the thought of humans that hunt, kill, and eat other humans.    We were given many cannibal films back in the 70's and early 80's, most notable were CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST and CANNIBAL FEROX.     I love these films and assumed this sub-genre was dead.  I assumed no filmmaker wanted to tackle such a taboo subject matter such as cannibalism.   Thank goodness my assumption was wrong and what better filmmaker to bring us as a new cannibal film than master of horror, Eli Roth!

  Mr. Roth brings back true horror with this latest project.   If you are tired of all the PG-13 horror films coming out lately, you will be glad to finally see a true, rated R horror film.   The film definitely earns it's R rating.   There is some extremely graphic gore in this film, as you would expect with a cannibal film.   The story line is good as well, with a nice little twist at the end.   The acting was great throughout the film, and the camera work was excellent.    

  If I had to find a flaw with this film, it was the bit of comic relief Roth threw in concerning some pot and the cannibals getting high.  That part just seemed silly to me and sort of ruined the flow of the dark subject matter the rest of the film has.    But that is just one little gripe.  Overall I loved this movie and really welcome the cannibal sub-genre back thanks to Eli Roth.  I hope other filmmakers take note and we can see some other cannibal films in the near future!

  THE GREEN INFERNO is available now on DVD and Blu-ray and contains the following special features:

*  Photo Gallery
*  Feature Commentary with Co-Writer/Director/Producer Eli Roth, Producer Nicolas Lopez, and Stars Lorenza Izzo, Aaron Burns, Kirby Bliss Blanton, and Daryl Sabara.


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

Congratulations to the winner of my latest Blu-ray Giveaway!!

 Congratulations to the winner of my latest Blu-ray giveaway courtesy of Universal Home Entertainment and ThinkJam Distributing!!   Up for grabs was a Blu-ray copy of THE GREEN INFERNO from director Eli Roth.    The results are in, and the random number generator picked comment/entry # 16 which is Alfred Guy!

  Congratulations Alfred!!  I'll be in touch to get your mailing address, and your Blu-ray will be sent to you directly from ThinkJam. 

  Congrats, and don't worry if you didn't win this time.  Check back in a few days when my next giveaway will go live...up next will be the chance to win a blu-ray copy of SINISTER 2!

 Thanks to all those that entered!

Speaking of Christmas.....how would you like some free Blu-rays?!!!! Blu-ray giveaway #1

 Merry Christmas!  Just when you thought Christmas was over, here comes the 4H blog and the fine folks at Universal Home Entertainment and ThinkJam Distributing giving you the chance to win some FREE Blu-rays of Universal's hottest new upcoming horror Releases!!

 In all, we will be giving away 3 Blu-rays over the next few weeks.  The titles will include M. Night Shyamalan's latest film, THE VISIT.   The frightening sequel SINISTER 2, and Eli Roth's latest film, the terrifying Cannibal film, THE GREEN INFERNO!  

  Needless to say, Christmas is not over yet!   What better time to start this giveaway than right now!!

Up first is M. Night Shyamalan's THE VISIT.  Here is the basic synopsis from the Universal Home Entertainment website:

  When Becca and Tyler are sent to their grandparents' secluded Pennsylvania farm for a weeklong stay, they quickly discover something is not right with the elderly couple. Faced with strange rules and increasingly frightening behavior, the children soon realize it will take all their wits to make it home alive. Critics rave, the latest heart-pounding thriller from the director of The Sixth Sense and Signs and the producer of Paranormal Activity and The Purge is a “deliciously creepy triumph.”** **Scott Mendelson, Forbes.com

  If you didn't get a chance to check out THE VISIT in theaters, now is the time to do so with the upcoming Blu-ray release.  THE VISIT will be released on Blu-ray and DVD January 5th, 2016.  

CLICK HERE for more info and to watch the trailer

  In order to win, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post below, and tell me what your favorite M. Night Shyamalan film is.   Include your email so I can contact you.  If you would rather not leave your email address, then just comment and then shoot me an email (zombiehayes@hotmail.com) so I will be able to get in touch with you if you are the winner.  The contest will run from now through Saturday, January 2nd at Winner will be chosen at random on Sunday, January 3rd.   I will send an email to the winner to collect their mailing address, and then the Blur-ray will be sent directly to the winner from ThinkJam right after the film's release date.   Only 1 comment/entry per person please.

 

  

 
 

 

 

Check out the newest trailer for Fli Roth's GREEN INFERNO

  As most of you know by now, Eli Roth's newest film, THE GREEN INFERNO, finally got picked up for distribution and has a new theatrical release date of September 25th.   Hopefully it will be a wide release so we will all have a chance to see it.  I haven't been this excited for a horror film in a long time! 
  A new trailer was recently released, check it out and then let me know what you think of it.  Do you plan on seeing THE GREEN INFERNO in the theater?


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

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

DVD Review: MONDO CANNIBAL

MONDO CANNIBAL
Directed by Bruno Mattei (as Vincent Dawn)
Distributed by Intervision Pictures/Severin Films

  Intervision Picture Group has become my favorite DVD label this year by far!  They are putting out some of the greatest retro releases lately.   The last round of DVD's was some good Nazisploitation flicks, and now they have released some great Cannibal films!!   First up is Bruno Mattei's MONDO CANNIBAL.   This is also known as CANNIBAL WOLRD and CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST:  THE BEGINNING.   Here is the basic plot synopsis of the film from the Severin Films website:

You may think you’ve witnessed the most extreme examples of the Italian cannibal genre, but leave it to late Italian sleaze master Bruno Mattei – notorious director of HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD, RATS: NIGHT OF TERROR, SS GIRLS and CALIGULA’S PERVERSIONS – to lower the bar to depraved new heights. In this shameless rip-off of CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, Mattei (under the name ‘Vincent Dawn’) unleashes the sleazy saga of a ratings-hungry American TV crew whose Amazon jungle report becomes a nightmare of gut munching, brain-scarfing, sexual atrocities, insane moralizing and much more. Claudio Morales and Cindy Matic (IN THE LAND OF THE CANNIBALS) star in this jaw-dropper – also known as CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST: THE BEGINNING – now presented uncut and uncensored for the first time ever in America!

  Like most of the Italian Cannibal movies, we witness a group of American journalists who go to the Amazon jungle to do a report on the locals.  Here we witness all the carnage of the Amazon tribes, including sacrifices, beheadings, etc.   Some of the gore in this film is extremely well done, and looks very realistic, while other times it is pretty fake looking.   Either way, though, it is very enjoyable and there was definitely more good gore than bad. 

  What sets this cannibal film apart from others, is that in this film it's not the Amazon tribes that are the "bad" people doing all the killings.   This film presents a interesting twist where the American film crew actually attacks a village and kills some of the villagers, to make it look like a neighboring tribe did it, all in the name of getting good ratings for their TV network.   This film shows you that "normal" Americans can be the true savages.

  I have to admit this film was slow at times, and some of the dialog is just laughable, but overall this was a very enjoyable cannibal film, for those of you into these films.    The DVD is available now.


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