Blu-ray Review: THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON

THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON
Distributed by:  Anchor Bay Entertainment

  There is really not much I have to say about THE WALKING DEAD SEASON 4.  If you are a fan of the show, you have seen the episodes by now.   But, even if you've seen all the episodes of Season 4, you will want to pick up the DVD/Blu-ray release of THE WALKING DEAD Season 4 from Anchor Bay for sure!

 First off, this is one of the greatest TV shows ever made.  I truly believe that.  Watching this show is like watching one of the best zombie movies you will ever see every Sunday night.  You will want to have these on DVD or Blu-ray so you can revisit this show someday when it is eventually off the air.   This is one show you will want to show your kids someday. 

  Second off, you will want to get this box set for all the great special features!  Anchor Bay always does a great job with THE WALKING DEAD season releases, and Season 4 is no exception.   This set is packed with Featurettes including:

*  Inside The Walking Dead
*  The Making of  THE WALKING DEAD
*  Drawing Inspiration
*  Hershel
*  The Governor Is Back
*  Society, Science, & Survival
*  Inside KNB EFX
*  A Journey Back To Brutality

Also included are Audio Commentaries on Episodes 1, 5, 9, 12, &14 and Extended Episodes for episodes 9, 14, & 16 as well as Deleted Scenes!

  New episodes of THE WALKING DEAD start Sunday night, October 12th at 9/8 Central.


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

Happy Valentine's Day from Hayes Hudson's House of Horror!

 I hope you and your loved one have a great Valentine's Day!  And all you single folks out there, stay home and watch some fun horror movies!  Everybody wins!!

 Looking for a card to send to your sweet someone?  Why not send them an awesome Zombie E-Card from THE WALKING DEAD!!  You can download the free app from the Apple App Store or from the Google Play Android store.  Here are just a few of the fun designs you can send:

CLICK HERE for more details

It's another Sunday without THE WALKING DEAD....

  I always look forward to Sunday nights when THE WALKING DEAD is on...it seems like forever since the mid season finale when we saw some major changes for the group.  Mainly Herschel is gone and the prison has been destroyed.  

 Well, to tide you over until THE WALKING DEAD returns on February 9th, watch this short teaser trailer that AMC posted to show you some highlights of things to come.  It looks like this show is just going to get better and better.  

CLICK HERE to watch the teaser trailer

Board Game Review: MONOPOLY: THE WALKING DEAD Survival Edition

 MONOPOLY:  THE WALKING DEAD Survival Edition

 I'm sure most everyone is familiar with the classic board game, MONOPOLY.  Most everyone knows how to play and has played some form of this game at some point in their lives.   The classic board game was fun, but I really like all the themed versions of the game that have come out over the years.  I, myself, was the proud owner of THE SIMPSONS Monopoly game.  That has been a lot of fun visiting all the familiar spots around Springfield.  Well, I thought I would never need another Monopoly game, but then this came out.  It is THE WALKING DEAD themed Monopoly!!  I shall never need to play THE SIMPSONS Monopoly again!

  This game is based more on the comic books than the TV show, but obviously most of the characters and locations are the same.  So, if you are a fan of the TV show but have never read the comics, you will still love this version of the game.  The rules are exactly the same as the original Monopoly, except all the property spaces are properties and locations from The Walking Dead comic/TV show.  For instance, you could land on "Downtown Atlanta", "Rick's Neighborhood", "Prison Courtyard", "Greene Family Farmhouse", or many different "Woodbury" locations, just to name a few.  The main properties in this game  (replacing "Boardwalk" and "Parkplace")  are "The Hilltop Colony" and "Alexandria Safe-Zone".  Readers of the comics will most certainly be familiar with these two locations! 

  Another change to this version of the game, are that Homes and Hotels are now replaced with Walls and Guard Towers!  Also replaced are the pieces each player uses to move.  Instead of the classic Top hat, Iron, dog, shoe, etc., you now can be Rick's hat, the RV, Michonne's katana sword, or a bucket of body parts, just to name a few!

This is a very fun game, fun for the whole family in fact.  There is nothing graphic or disturbing about the game, so while the box says the game is for ages 13 to adult, even younger kids can have fun surviving the zombie apocalypse!  Here is a picture of me and my twin 7 year old boys (and my wife, who took the photo), having an awesome family game night playing the new THE WALKING DEAD Monopoly game!

 













  If you have some extra Christmas money to spend, I highly recommend picking this game up.  This will provide years of fun for the entire family.

  You can find THE WALKING DEAD MONOPOLY game at your nearest comic book store.
To find out where the nearest comic book store is to you, check out this site:

www.comicshoplocator.com

Check out the awesome new Monopoly game...THE WALKING DEAD edition!

 

  Thanks to my buddy Caleb for letting me know there is a new THE WALKING DEAD Monopoly game out now!  The classic game of Monopoly can now be played with a cool THE WALKING DEAD theme thanks to the great folks at Hasbro! All the properties are familiar locations from the show.   Very cool.  Looks like it is time to get rid of my SIMPSONS Monopoly game and trade up for this must-have version!
 
CLICK HERE to purchase the game

 

Check out the NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD documentary film, BIRTH OF THE LIVING DEAD!

  One of my all time favorite horror movies is George A. Romero's 1968 film, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD.   It is the film that is considered the first real zombie film, and we have it to thank for every zombie film that has come since.  We would not have THE WALKING DEAD if it weren't for NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD!  The movie is a true classic and still holds up today, over 40 years since it was made!  There is a new documentary about this legendary film coming out called BIRTH OF THE LIVING DEAD.  Here is the basic synopsis of this new documentary:

  In 1968 a young college drop-out named George A. Romero directed “Night of the Living Dead,” a low budget horror film that shocked the world, became an icon of the counterculture, and spawned a zombie industry worth billions of dollars that continues to this day.

  “Birth of the Living Dead,” a new documentary, shows how Romero gathered an unlikely team of Pittsburghers — policemen, iron workers, teachers, ad-men, housewives and a roller-rink owner — to shoot, with a revolutionary guerrilla, run-and-gun style, his seminal film. During that process Romero and his team created an entirely new and horribly chilling monster – one that was undead and feasted upon human flesh.

  This new documentary also immerses audiences into the singular time in which “Night” was shot.  Archival footage of the horrors of Vietnam and racial violence at home combined with iconic music from the 60s invites viewers to experience how Romero’s tumultuous film reflected this period in American history.  “Birth of the Living Dead” shows us how this young filmmaker created a world-renowned horror film that was also a profound insight into how our society really works.

BIRTH OF THE DEAD is screening now at select locations, and the film is scheduled to be released on DVD January 7, 2014.


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to visit the official website

Blu-ray Review: THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON

  

THE WALKING DEAD:  THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON
Distributed by:  Anchor Bay Entertainment

 I assume if you are a reader of this blog, then you are watching one of the best shows that
have ever been on TV, THE WALKING DEAD.  If you are a fan of horror, and are not watching this show, something is wrong, and we'll need to talk.  But, for those that are watching the show, THE WALKING DEAD:  THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON is available now on DVD and Blu-ray.  If you are like me, you have seen every episode thus far, but this is a series that you will definitely want to revisit on video someday.  This is one I will let my kids experience someday when they are old enough to watch it and the show has long been off the air.

  But, you don't need to wait that long to enjoy this release, as it is packed full of extras and special features.  Even if you don't need to go back and watch the episodes any time soon, there is still tons of time you can spend in the world of THE WALKING DEAD.  Here are just some of the great special features included on this release:

FEATURETTES:
* Rising Son  * Evil Eye  * Gone But Not Forgotten  * Heart Of A Warrior  * Michonne vs. The Governor  8 Safety Behind Bars  * Making The Dead  * Guts And Glory 

AUDIO COMMENTARIES on Episodes 4,5,8,9, and 15

DELETED SCENES:  * Walk With Me  * Say The Word  * Hounded  * Home  * I Ain't No Judas  * Clear


This 3rd season had some great moments in it, including the introduction of Michonne and the return of Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker)!

  Get your copy of THE WALKING DEAD:  THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON today!  This would be a great way to revisit season three before the newest season of THE WALKING DEAD starts on October 13th!


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

Watch the awesome trailer for THE WALKING DEAD Season 4!

 

  AMC has released the trailer for the upcoming season of THE WALKING DEAD, and it looks incredible!  The trailer has been popping up all over facebook and the web, so you have probably already seen this, but just in case you haven't, check it out now! 
  Season 4 of AMC's THE WALKING DEAD premieres October 13th at 9/8 Central!
Watch the trailer and comment below to let me know what you think!

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

Tonight while watching THE WALKING DEAD, I will be enjoying a nice cup of coffee from the actual Woodbury Coffee House!!

 How cool is this!   The city of Woodbury, featured in THE WALKING DEAD, is an actual town in Georgia, not a set.  Woodbury is not the real name, though.  The actual name of the town is Senoia, GA.  But, when TWD is filming, Senoia turns into Woodbury, and even when they are not filming, signs of Woodbury (literally) are still all around! 
 Well, my wife was recently in Georgia on a business trip, and decided one day to take a side trip to some of TWD filming locations!!   One of these locations was Senoia, GA, so she got to walk the actual streets of Woodbury!!  Very Cool. She visited the "Woodbury Coffee House" (actually the Senoia Coffee & Cafe) and bought me my own bag of THE WALKING DEAD Coffee!  So, during tonight's episode, I will be enjoying a hot cup of their famous "Zombie Dark" blend!

Keep an eye on this blog, because coming soon will be a guest blog post by my wife, detailing her on-location travels and sharing some very cool pics with you all! 

If THE WALKING DEAD was a 1980's sitcom, I think it would look something like this......

    

 
Yes, if our favorite zombie show had come out back in the 80's,  I think the opening
of the show would go a little like this.   I am not sure who created this, but it is hilarious!

Thanks to frequent contributor Caleb Schoeppe for letting me know about this!

Check out this cool Visual Effects Featurette from THE WALKING DEAD Season 2

  

  
My buddy Caleb is always finding great stuff for me that he thinks my blog readers might enjoy, and this time he notified me about something really cool.  My favorite show on TV right now  (and probably a favorite of a lot of you as well) is THE WALKING DEAD.   Here is a cool 2 minutes featurette showing some of the visual effects of the film and how they are done.    I especially like how they mix practical effects with the CG to make some really great visuals.   Check this out for sure!

CLICK HERE to watch THE WALKING DEAD Visual Effects Featurette

Blu-ray Review: THE WALKIND DEAD (3-Disc Special Edition)

A while back I reviewed the Blu-ray set of  THE WALKING DEAD:  THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON.  You can see that review here.  That was a great Blu-ray set with tons of special features, but now the great folks at Anchor Bay have released this 3-Disc Special Edition of THE WALKING DEAD!  This is by far one of the greatest shows ever shown on TV in my opinion.  Each week it is like watching a short film rather than a TV show.  The production value is so much better than most shows and the acting and story lines are excellent. 

If you are not familiar with this show, this would be a great way to get introduced to it.  Pick up the 3 Disc Special Edition and watch all the episodes back to back, commercial free!   While the show itself is the main draw here, the best part about this set is the awesome special features.  Brand new bonus features on this set include the following:


* Pilot Episode:  The Black & White Version
* Audio Commentaries On All 6 Episodes
* We Are THE WALKING DEAD
* Bring Out The Dead:  KNB And The Art Of Making Zombies
* Digital Decay:  The VFX Of THE WALKING DEAD
* No More Room In Hell:  The Walking Dead Phenomenon
* Adapting The Dead
* Killer Conversations:  Frank Darabont & Greg Nicotero

These special features take you further into the show and are a lot of fun.  I especially enjoyed the "Bring Out The Dead" feature.  I love zombie make up and this show has some of the best ever put on film or TV.   The effects are very well done and it is a lot of fun to see how the make up artist bring these zombies to life...er, so to speak.

I also loved the "We Are The Walking Dead" which chronicles the daily shooting of the show and includes some great behind the scenes stuff and some wonderful zombie audition footage...it is funny seeing an entire room of people there to audition try to walk around like zombies in order to land a role on the show.    This is stuff you normally don't get to see with shows and it is really fun to watch. 

All the special features from the first DVD and Blu-ray release are on this new set as well as the new ones mentioned above.   I would do yourself a favor and pick up this new set, even if you have the older DVD set.  These new special features are worth the prince of the set alone! 


CLICK HERE to watch a trailer for the show
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD
CLICK HERE to purchase the 3 Disc Special Edition Blu-ray
CLICK HERE to purchase the 3 Disc Special Edition DVD
CLICK HERE to visit the show's official AMC website

Blu-Ray review: THE WALKING DEAD -THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (TV, 2010)

THE WALKING DEAD

Created by Frank Darabont

For those that don't know, THE WALKING DEAD is a direct adaptation of the ongoing comic book series of the same name by Robert Kirkman.   I was never a reader of this comic, but knew about it, and was super excited to hear that it was being made into a TV show.  There haven't been many zombie themed TV shows, and being a huge fan of zombies, I couldn't wait once I heard this show was being made. It seems like we had to wait a long time from the first announcement of the show until the actual night of the series debut, but when the show finally debuted last Halloween night, we all knew that the wait was well worth it and we were treated to one of the best hours on TV that I can ever remember.  The show turned out to be extremely popular and immediately became the most watched drama series in cable's history among Adults 18-49 with 3.5 million viewers!  If you haven't seen this show yet, check out the awesome DVD and Blu-ray of the first season which is being released this Tuesday, March 8th by Anchor Bay Entertainment.  You will see what Entertainment Weekly described as "The Best New Show on TV", and that says a lot, coming from a magazine that has never been too big on the horror genre.  Before I go any further, let me give you the show's basic plot synopsis from the Anchor Bay website:

After waking from a coma in an abandoned hospital, police officer Rick Grimes finds the world he knew gone - ravaged by a zombie epidemic of apocalyptic proportions. Nearby, on the outskirts of Atlanta, a small encampment struggles to survive as 'the dead' stalk them at every turn. Can Rick and the others hold onto their humanity as they fight to live in this terrifying new world? And, amidst dire conditions and personal rivalries, will they ultimately survive one another?

The series was created by Frank Darabont, the director of such great drama films such as THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION and THE GREEN MILE.  So right from the start you know you are getting a quality product.   Each episode is much bigger than a regular TV show....the production value makes each episode feel like an hour long film rather than a TV episode. 

The show grabs a hold of you the first first episode and never lets go.  I was hooked right from the start.  The scene of Sheriff Grimes walking through the abandoned hospital and coming across a gory, half composed yet still alive body, I knew we were in for a huge treat. Episode 1 hooks you in and introduces you to the main, base characters, yet new characters pop up all throughout the season which keeps things fresh and opens the door for many new future story lines.
 

One of my favorite scenes occurs early in the series, in episode 2.  Rick and Glen need to get to another building, but a horde of zombies blocks their way. They figure out that if they act (and smell) like one of the dead, or undead, then the zombies won't be attracted to them.  They find a zombie, attack him, and begin hacking him up with an axe.  Rick and Glen then put on rubber gloves and rain jackets, and cover their jackets in the corpse's putrid blood and guts.  The pair is then able to walk through the crowd of zombies unnoticed, yet when everything seems to be going fine, it starts to rain, washing off the blood and guts and leaving Rick and Glen in a vulnerable situation.

 

Along with the obvious horror aspect, every episode is also packed full of action and drama.  One moment I found to be very moving, yet disturbing, is when a man and his son are barricaded in their home.  The wife/mother has been turned and keeps coming back to the house, out of instinct or just out of habit.  The scene where the father has to decide what to do with the woman is very touching, as he has such deep love for her still, he battles within himself, knowing he should pull the trigger and put her out of this lifetime sentence of walking the earth in an undead state.  But then having to actually pull the trigger on someone you love is not that easy, obviously. 

 

The acting in this show is excellent, but the main thing that I love about this show is the zombie makeup and effects.  These are some of the best zombies you will see, better than most zombie movies.  What is also great about this show is even those that aren't big fans of zombies and horror in general will like this show.  My wife does not like blood and gore, or much horror at all, but she got hooked just as bad as I did with this show.  The show is much more than horror. It is a horror based drama, with great character development and some character story lines that don't revolve directly around the zombies.  There is something in this show for everyone to enjoy. 

 

The DVD and Blu-ray being released this coming Tuesday, March 8th by Anchor Bay.  This is one show you will definitely want to add to your DVD collection.

DVD and Blu-ray extras include:

* Making of THE WALKING DEAD Featurette
* Indside THE WAKING DEAD: Epidodes 1-6 Featurette
* A Sneak Peak With Robert Kirkman
* Behind the Scenes Zombie Make-up Tips
* Convention Panel with Producers
* THE WALKING DEAD Trailer
* Extra Footage including deleted scenes and On Set Footage with Robert Kirkman and starts Andrew Lincoln and Steven Yeun

CLICK HERE to watch a trailer for the show

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray

CLICK HERE to visit the show's official AMC website

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Anchor Bay Entertainment

Check out THE WALKING DEAD on the cover of this week's Entertainment Weekly Magazine!!

It is not often that Entertainment Weekly gives much love to the Horror genre, but it is a real treat when they do. I just got the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly and was thrilled when I saw Sheriff Grimes from THE WALKING DEAD staring up at me from the cover, along with a group of rotting zombies! EW even exclaims that THE WALKING DEAD is "The Best New Show On TV"! I can't disagree with that by any means. TWD has been one of the best genre shows I have ever seen on TV.

Check out the December 3, 2010 issue (#1131) on sale at bookstores and newsstands now!!!

Way to go EW!!

New 4 minute clip from AMC's THE WALKING DEAD

Most everyone in the Horror community is in eager anticipation for the premiere of THE WALKING DEAD tomorrow night on AMC! Most everyone has seen the amazing trailer that was posted earlier, but now we get sneak peak of tomorrow night's episode with a cool 4 minute clip. From the looks of this clip, this will be one of, if not THE goriest show ever shown on cable TV! THE WALKING DEAD premiers Halloween night at 10/9pm Central.

CLICK HERE to watch the clip!