Blu-ray Review: COCAINE WEREWOLF (2024)

 

COCAINE WEREWOLF

Directed by:  Mark Polonia

Distributed by:  Cleopatra Entertainment / MVD

  If you don't know the name Mark Polonia, then you probably aren't a fan of campy B-movies.   His first directing credit is from 1985 and he shows 88 directing credits to date.  If my math is right, that is over 2 movies a year!  How is that even possible?   Well, take a look at any of his films and you will see how it is possible!   He makes super cheap B (or let's be honest, even C) films on a shoestring budget, and most films look like they could have been made in a matter of days, with minimal sets and very little production value.   Also, he obviously isn't wasting time interviewing and finding the best actors in the area!   Mr. Polonia has brought us such "classics" as SPLATTER FARM, PETER ROTTENTAIL, EMPIRE OF THE APES, SHARKENSTEIN, SHARK ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, SHARKULA, and my personal favorite title, NOAH'S SHARK!    This is just to name a few, check out his IMDb page to see the full list of these amazingly titled films!  

 Now don't get me wrong, it sounds like I might be bashing this man, but he is obviously one of the hardest working people in the horror industry and people must like his movies or he wouldn't keep making them.  While they are not Oscar worthy by any means,  some of them are very fun and entertaining, which is mostly what all of us ask of our horror films. 

  COCAINE WEREWOLF is no different, it was not a "good" movie by any sense of the word, but it kept me entertained and I had fun watching it.   Here is the basic plot synopsis from the MVD website:

In COCAINE WEREWOLF, cocaine, cash and a crew filming a low-budget horror movie in the eerie woods of northern Pennsylvania clash when an unexpected visit from a blood-thirsty werewolf literally enters the picture! A Gothic Industrial Rock soundtrack especially created for the film (courtesy of Cleopatra Records) perfectly sets the mood for one wild and crazy 'howling at the moon' bloody affair!

Cocaine, cash and a crew filming a low-budget horror movie in the eerie woods of northern Pennsylvania clash when an unexpected visit from a blood-thirsty werewolf literally enters the picture

  One thing I would highly suggest, is that you watch this with a group of friends that also like campy horror films.  I watched it by myself, but I feel this would have been a lot of fun watching with some buddies and making jokes along the way.    Having a few drinks of your choice would probably also help as well!  

  If you are looking for something that is actually scary, you'll definitely want to look somewhere else.  This movie does not take itself seriously at all, and there is actually quite a bit of a comedic element to it.  Most of the comedy is intentional for sure, but I'm sure some was not!  I loved the opening scene and appreciated getting to see the Werewolf within the first few minutes and already getting a great kill scene.   The Werewolf swipes at a guys head and of course, his head goes flying off his body.  Who knew it was so easy to loose one's head!  

  The Werewolf costume was pretty cheesy, and looked like something you'd buy at your nearest Spirit Halloween store, but it did it's job for this film.   My main complaint was the amount of CG blood and gore.  Practical effects are so much better, but I guess CG blood is cheaper and requires no mess and clean up.  

  So, COCAINE WEREWOLF wasn't the greatest Werewolf film ever made, but it was fun.  Would I watch it again?  Probably not, but I'm not mad I watched it!  Also, some people love these types of films, and Mr. Polonia has quite a fan following, so this will be right up their alley!  

 COCAINE WEREWOLF is available now on DVD and Blu-ray and contains the following special features:

*  Trailer

*  Slideshow

*  Director's Commentary

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray

Blu-Ray Review: QUADRANT (2024)

 

QUADRANT

Directed by:  Charles Band

Distributed by:  Full Moon Features

 If you are like me, you grew up on Full Moon movies.  I grew up in the 80's and 90's which was the hayday for Full Moon.    I have a special place in my heart for films such as Puppet Master, Demonic Toys, Subspecies, Arcade, etc.  All those films had a feel good charm to them.   They were scary as a kid, but not too scary.  The effects were fun and the stories were interesting.   I have to admit, I have felt recently that Full Moon had lost that charm.  The movies coming out lately seemed rushed and cheap and there were too many Giantess movies and those awful Barbie & Kendra movies  (sorry Charles!).   For this reason, I wasn't expecting too much from QUADRANT, but man was I wrong!   In fact, when I first saw the cover, I assumed this was an older Full Moon film I had just never heard of somehow that was getting a Blu-ray upgrade.  Come to find out, this is a brand new Full Moon movie and I am happy to report that this has all the charm of those Full Moon films from the 80's and 90's!   

Here is the plot synopsis from the Full Moon Features website:

Developed by scientists Harry and Meg, the "Quadrant" helmet allows your mind to transport you into a world where all your phobias and nightmares are real, while also granting you the strength to defeat them, liberating you from their control forever.

But the Quadrant experiment is about to go horribly wrong. When Erin, a young girl who’s obsessed with Jack the Ripper uses the device to actually BECOME the Ripper, she unleashes a reign of terror, first in her mind in an AI version of old London created by the Quadrant, and then in reality, where she now stalks the contemporary city streets, seeking out victims for her blade.

The only way to stop this savage new Ripper is for an even more vicious killer to enter the artificial Quadrant-verse and bring her down. What ensues is a brutal, bloody battle, murderer against murderer, both in this world and the surreal, dangerous, synthetic world of Quadrant!

  This is the most I have enjoyed a Full Moon film in a long time to be honest.   As I mentioned before, I love the old stuff Full Moon put out, but I haven't been the biggest fan of the newer stuff.  Well, I am happy to say that Full Moon is back to it's original glory!   

  QUADRANT was so enjoyable! It truly felt like one of Full Moon's films from the 80's or 90's, although with much better effects than those films had, of course!   This film was shot in a really cool way, with the scenes that you see while the characters are wearing the AI headset being very dreamlike, and sometimes nightmarish.  Erin's view inside the helmet is in Black & White, except for the blood which is a popping crimson read in contrast to the B&W.   My first thought was that it was like seeing a live action graphic novel.   It reminded me of Sin City in the basic look of it. 

  

  It was interesting to see Erin's progression as she uses the AI helmet to get into the mind of Jack the Ripper, eventually transforming herself into the 19th century killer.  

  This film has everything you've come to expect from a Full Moon film.  I honestly can't recommend this one enough!  

  QUADRANT is the first entry into Full Moon's new sub-label, PULP NOIR.   These films are to be a bit edgier, darker, and scarier than the rest of the Full Moon library.   I, for one, am very excited about this!   The Pulp Noir collection will consists of 10 new films and there is a Patreon you can subscribe to in order to help support and fund these films.  There are some awesome perks like signed copies of each shooting script, exclusive videos from the set, and even a chance to come hang out on set!  Click the link below to check out the Full Moon/Pulp Noir Patreon. 

QUADRANT is available now on VHS, DVD and BD and contains the following special features:

* Videozone:  Behind the Scenes of Quadrant

* Quadrant Table Read with Actors

* Pulp Noir Announcement Video

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the VHS, DVD, or BD

CLICK HERE to view the Patreon

CIRCUS OF THE DEAD 2 Indigogo campaign is LIVE!!!

 

 The long anticipated CIRCUS OF THE DEAD 2 Indigogo campaign is LIVE!!   In fact, it just went live today at 08:00 CST, and it reached it's $10K goal in a matter of hours!!  The campaign was updated with a new stretch goal of $30K, and as of this post, it is already over $28K!   Obviously there is a LOT of excitement for this new chapter of Papa Corn and his circus freaks!   Here is a message from Writer/Director Billy "Bloody Bill"Pon about the film. 

 

 CLICK HERE to back this project!!!

CIRCUS OF THE DEAD 2 Indigogo campaign launching tomorrow, Friday the 13th!!

 If you are a fan of  CIRCUS OF THE DEAD, then you are in for a treat!  The circus is back in town!!

 Director Billy "Bloody Bill" Pon brought us one of the best independent horror features  I have ever seen back in 2014 with the original CIRCUS OF THE DEAD.   10 years later, he is back to bring you part 2, but he needs your help!!  

  The CIRCUS OF THE DEAD 2 crowdfunding campaign on Indigogo will go live tomorrow, Friday the 13th! Billy needs as many people as possible to donate on that first day to help trigger the algorithm to make it a trending campaign, and get more eyes on it.   Please help Billy out, and help all us horror movie lovers out, by donating on 9/13!    I don't know what the perks will be, but knowing Billy, I'm sure there will be some interesting ones in addition to the normal DVDs, Blu-Rays, etc. 

  If you have never seen CIRCUS OF THE DEAD, do yourself a favor and watch it asap!   It is disturbing, gory, demented, and just plain fun!   It's available to stream on multiple platforms including Tubi, Prime, Pluto, Freevee, Vudu, and more.   Once you see this film, you'll realize why I am so excited that part 2 is in the works!

CLICK HERE to go to Indigogo.com and search for the CIRCUS OF THE DEAD 2 campaign

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for the original CIRCUS OF THE DEAD so you can get a taste of what you will be in for with this new film

4K UHD Review: DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW DOUBLE FEATURE

 

DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW 

Directed by:  Frank De Felitta

DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW 2

Directed by:  J.D. Feigelson

Distributed by:    VCI Entertainment / MVD

  I have always considered the original DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW one of the best made for TV horror moves ever made.   I still stand by that today.  I have seen it multiple times and it never gets old to me.  It is a true classic.   Somehow, I completely missed that a part 2 was ever made!   I was so glad to find this awesome double feature that contains both the original and part 2!  

 

  A review of the original DNOTS was actually published on my blog years ago by contributing writer, Scott Baker  (see that review HERE).   So for the purpose of this review, I will mainly be focusing on part 2.   If you are not familiar with these films, here is the plot synopsis for each one courtesy of the VCI Entertainment website:

Dark Night of the Scarecrow (Orig): When young Marylee Williams (Tonya Crowe) is found viciously mauled, all hell breaks loose in her small rural town. Officious postmaster Otis P. Hazelrigg (Charles Durning) leads a gang of bigots in pursuit of the suspect: her mentally challenged friend Bubba Ritter (Larry Drake). Finding him hiding inside a scarecrow, they exact brutal mob ‘justice’…only to discover a tragic mistake! Now a strange apparition stalks the land seeking each of them out, as the legend of the Scarecrow begins.

Dark Night of the Scarecrow #2: A dark terror lies just below the surface of the small-town Chris Rhymer (Amber Wedding) and her young son Jeremy (Aiden Shurr) have settled in. One day while looking for Jeremy, she comes upon a weathered old scarecrow, and realizing that is only an inert effigy, she tells it her secret for being there. Now, suddenly after forty years, a dark terror stalks the cornfields. Is it on a mission of revenge or is it protecting Chris from outside threats? The legend of the Scarecrow continues. 

  Again, I never knew a sequel to DNOTS existed, so this was quite a treat for me to be discovering this film for this first time!    While I admit it started off a bit slow, it definitely got better as the movie went on.   The film looks kind of cheaply made, and I assume it was, but it actually worked well for this film because it truly felt like a made for TV movie like the original.   I remember thinking as I watched the sequel that whoever made this film must have been a huge fan of the original.   They really got the look of the scarecrow to match the original, and there were many throwbacks to the first film that were a lot of fun.   Well, come to find out the director of part 2 was actually the writer on the original film!  

  Unlike the original film, we actually see some of the kills in this film.   The original's kills were all offscreen, which is not surprising since it was made for TV.   I was glad to see a little more gore in part 2, although it was still light on gore compared to other films this days.  I really liked the look of the scarecrow in part 2.  It as very similar to the look of the original, except this time it had glowing eyes in some scenes which made it extra creepy.  I also really liked the way the scarecrow moved...it was almost in a jerky manor, not fluid at all.  It almost remined me of stop motion in the way the scarecrow's head moved. 

  While part 2 isn't nearly as enjoyable as the original, it was highly entertaining and a very nice homage to the first film.   If you already own DNOTS on DVD or BD, you'll want to get this new edition not only for part 2, but the 4K release is an amazing upgrade from the previous releases.   The picture is crystal clear, which I expected for the sequel, but even the original film is so clean and like I have never seen before.  After seeing how good part 2 looked, I had to check out the original on 4K as well and I was in awe of how good it looked for a film that is over 40 years old.   

The DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROWS DOUBLE FEATURE is available now from VCI Entertainment and contains the following Special Features:

*New 2023 DNOTS Triple Fan Commentary Track Hosted by Heath Holland (Cereal Midnight Podcaster) and featuring Robert Kelly noted film historian and artist, and super-fan Amanda Reyes, expert extraordinaire on TV movies, author, podcaster! 
*Original DNOTS Commentary Track with Writer J.D. Feigelson and Director Frank DeFelitta *New 2023 DNOTS2 Commentary by J.D. Feigelson 
*Video Feature - “Bubba Didn’t Do It: 30 Years of the Scarecrow” by Daniel Griffith 
*Video Feature – DNOTS Cast Reunion Q&A Recorded at the 2011 Frightfest Film Festival *1981 CBS World Premiere Broadcast Promo 
*1985 CBS Network Re-Broadcast Promo 
*Photo Gallery – Behind the Scenes

CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-Ray
CLICK HERE to purchase the 4K Ultra HD

Blu-Ray Review: THE CRIPPLED MASTERS (1979)

 

THE CRIPPLED MASTERS

Directed by:  Chi Lo  (as Joe Law)

Distributed by:  Film Masters / MVD 

  If you are a fan of Kung Fu movies, and weird Grindhouse flicks, do I have a film for you!   This is Kung Fu like you have never seen before!   Frankie Shum and Jackie Conn star in this bizarre film about two Kung Fu masters that have mastered the martial art despite their disabilities (one born without arms, and one born with underdeveloped legs).  Together they form one master of Kung Fu in THE CRIPPLED MASTERS!

 Here is the official synopsis from the official press release:

Directed by Chi Lo aka Joe Law (Magic Swords, Hong men xiong di, Hei lung), the film tells the story of two martial arts artists, one who has lost both arms and the other who has lost both legs, as they seek revenge against the villainous master who disabled them. Portrayed by Sung-Chuan Shen aka Jackie Conn and Chao-Ming Kang aka Frankie Shum—who in real-life are martial arts artists with disabilities—they endure rigorous training, forming a deep bond as they rely on resourcefulness and determination to master their unique fighting styles … and to avoid challenges from other martial artists and the master’s henchman. Also starring Li Chung Keng, Chen Mu Chuan and Ho Chiu.

  I haven't seen too many Kung Fu movies, but I have seen a handful and have enjoyed what I have seen.  One of my favorites is the 1976 film, MASTER OF THE FLYING GUILLOTINE.  I like that one so much due to it's nice mixture of Kung Fu and Horror, it is not your typical Kung Fu film.   I put THE CRIPPLED MASTERS up there in that same category as well.  Kung Fu purists might night like this one, but I found it highly enjoyable.  It's just goofy, weird, and fun.   

  While the two main actors were born with their disabilities, in the film we see one of them get their arms cut off and the other get his legs crippled due to being tortured with acid.   The characters don't let this stop them, and they train with a Kung Fu master to become skilled martial artists.   The novelty of them coming together to create one unstoppable Kung Fu master is pretty unique.   

  I know DVD versions of this film have been around for years, but you'll definitely want to check out this newly restored version.  In fact, one of the special features is a side by side comparison of the film's original print and the new restored version.   The clean up Film Masters did on this print is pretty amazing!    For fans of crazy cinema, this one is a must see!

  THE CRIPPLED MASTERS is available now for on Newly Restored DVD and Blu-ray from Film Masters, and contains the following Special Features:

*  A new documentary, from Ballyhoo Motion Pictures, Kings of Kung Fu: Releasing the Legends, narrated by author/researcher Chris Poggiali

*  Original raw scan of the film (SD)

*  Before/after examples of restoration

*  Liner notes provided by disability advocate Lawrence Carter-Long

*  Commentary by Will Sloan and Justin Decloux of The Important Cinema Club

*  Compilation of Kung Fu trailers (SD) from Something Weird Video

*  A recut of the original theatrical trailer from restored elements

*  An original raw theatrical trailer

*  Mandarin-language track.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-Ray

4K Ultra HD Review: NIGHT OF THE BLOOD MONSTER (1970)

 

NIGHT OF THE BLOOD MONSTER (aka THE BLOODY JUDGE)

Directed by:  Jess Franco

Distributed by:  Blue Underground / MVD

  If you like films about witches and period war films, you've come to the right place! The infamous Jess Franco brings you, NIGHT OF THE BLOOD MONSTER, or THE BLOODY JUDGE, which is actually the title I prefer, as there is no monster in this film!   Christopher Lee stars at the Judge that is sentencing innocent women to acts of torture and even death due to them being charged as practicing witchcraft.  There are also some very realistic battle scenes, and like most Jess Franco movies, it doesn't all makes sense!  Here is a brief synopsis from the Blue Underground website:

Christopher Lee (THE WICKER MAN) gives one of his most unforgettable performances as Judge Jeffreys, the infamous 17th Century witchfinder whose unholy obsession with a luscious wench (Maria Rohm of EUGENIE) fuels a jaw-dropping spree of torture, brutality and flesh-ripping perversion. Howard Vernon (SUCCUBUS), Margaret Lee (FIVE GOLDEN DRAGONS), Maria Schell (99 WOMEN) and Oscar® nominee Leo Genn (QUO VADIS) co-star in this landmark epic of sexual violence and sadism, complete with a superb score by Bruno Nicolai (COUNT DRACULA) and directed with spectacularly deviant glee by the one and only Jess Franco (VENUS IN FURS).

 I'm not going to pretend that this is some masterpiece by any means, although for a Jess Franco film, it is actually very impressive and I would assume one of his bigger budget films in his filmography.  It looks like much more of a mainstream film that I am used to seeing from his films.   The plot is a bit hard to follow, at least it was for me.  The mix of politics and war into the Salem witch trail type plot was hard to get around.   The torture scenes were dispersed in strange places in my opinion, but they did keep the film entertaining, as they were the best parts of the film to me.   The torture scenes are actually pretty tame compared to more recent movies, but there was one scene in particular that was very disturbing and realistic which was a scene of a woman's hand getting chopped off in a guillotine.  This scene happens very quickly and really catches you off guard....just don't rewind it like I did and pause right before she gets her hand cut off, as you will see a laughable fake hand that is a completely different color than her real hand.  Maybe this wasn't as noticeable on older releases, but it was hard to miss in 4K! 

 Speaking of 4K, this new release from Blue Underground is a beautiful 4K Ultra HD edition.   If you didn't know this film was from 1970, you would never guess by the look of this transfer.  It looks as if it could have been shot recently with such picture clarity and vibrant colors.   Even if you have the old BLOODY JUDGE dvd, you will want to make the upgrade to this new release.  Also, for us lover of physical media, it comes with a beautiful slip cover featuring some great new cover art!

Also, check out all these amazing special features that are included on the discs:

Disc 1 (4K UHD Blu-ray) Feature Film + Extras:

• Audio Commentary #1 with Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson
• Audio Commentary #2 with Film Historians Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw
• Audio Commentary #3 with Film Historians David Flint and Adrian Smith

Disc 2 (Blu-ray) Feature Film + Extras:

• Audio Commentary #1 with Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson
• Audio Commentary #2 with Film Historians Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw
• Audio Commentary #3 with Film Historians David Flint and Adrian Smith
• Bloody Jess – Interviews with Director Jess Franco and Star Christopher Lee
• Judgement Day – Interview with Stephen Thrower, Author of “Murderous Passions: The Delirious Cinema of Jesus Franco”
• In The Shadows – Interviews with Filmmaker Alan Birkinshaw and Author Stephen Thrower on Harry Alan Towers
• Deleted and Alternate Scenes
• Trailers and TV Spot
• Still Galleries

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the 4K Ultra HD / BD combo 

Blu-ray Review: CONFESSIONS OF A SERIAL KILLER (1985)

 

CONFESSIONS OF A SERIAL KILLER

Directed by:  Mark Blair

Distributed by:  Unearthed Films / MVD

  For as long as I've been a fan of horror, and as many horror movies I have seen, I'm always amazed at how many great films have slipped past me over the years.   CONFESSIONS OF A SERIAL KILLER is a film that I can recall seeing the cover for way back when I was a kid.  This film came out in 1985, when I was 9 years old.  Later on when I was a teenager, I remember always seeing the VHS cover for this film on the shelves of my local Mom & Pop video rental store.   I remember looking at it, and always passing it up for some reason.  I don't know why I never decided to give it a chance, but I have a suspicion that the cover made me think it was going to be too scary, even for me.  

  Well, here we are almost 40 years later, and I am finally able to give it the chance I should have so many years ago, thanks to the beautiful new Blu-ray release from Unearthed Films.   Unearthed Films recently started a "Unearthed Classics" line, where they bring hard to find older films to DVD and Blu-ray.  This film is a wonderful addition to the Unearthed Classics line, and truly is a classic in my opinion.   I think I'm glad I waited all these years to watch this one, as it might have been a little much for me as a kid!  

  Here is brief synopsis of the film from the film's IMDb page:

  After being arrested, a Texas man begins confessing to the brutal murder of over 200 women. He recounts his random selection of victims and his traveling companions, his friend and friend's sister. But the police can't be sure whether to believe him or not until he locates a body and shows them some polaroids. Based on the true story of Henry Lee Lucas.

 The first thing I noticed about this film is how much actor Robert A. Burns resembles the real serial killer that this film is based on, Henry Lee Lucas.  The resemblance is uncanny, which really made this film feel more realistic.  The film consists of Burn's character, named Daniel Ray Hawkins, in a police interrogation room after being arrested, and recounting all the crimes he has committed.  We then see reenactments of these crimes that he committed, or at least what he says he committed.   I like that the film alluded to the fact that, like the real Henry Lee Lucas, the cops suspected that Hawkins might be confessing to crimes he didn't commit.    Henry Lee Lucas was notorious for confessing to murders and helping the police with their investigations in return for some special treatment in jail.  The problem was, Lucas was already locked up and had nothing to lose, so he just confessed to crimes he had nothing to do with in order to get the special treatment.  In fact, he confessed to approximately 600 murders in total. This earned Lucas the famed nickname,  "The Confession Killer". 

 I can't say enough about how much I love CONFESSIONS OF A SERIAL KILLER.   It is a gritty, grimy, and just dirty film which a movie like this  should be.   Even though it came out in 1985, it has the look and feel of a 1970's horror film, which was the best decade of horror in my opinion.   The acting in the film is great, and reenactments are very well done with some very brutal kills.  This film just made me feel dirty after watching it, and with a movie like this, that is a good thing!   In 1986, another film came out about Henry Lee Lucas called, HENRY:  PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER.  I feel like that film get more notoriety for some reason than this one.   I honestly think this is the better of the two films.   If you are a fan of serial killer films and true crime, this is a must see! 

CONFESSIONS OF A SERIAL KILLER is available now on Blu-ray and DVD from Unearthed Films and includes the following Special Features:

• *  Commentary with director John 'Mark Blair' Dwyer, director of photography Layton Blaylock and actor Sidney Brammer
• *  The Henry Lee Lucas Story by author and TV news correspondent James Moore
• *  'Rondo and Bob' Full length documentary on Robert A. Burns and actor Rondo Hatton
• *  Polaroid Gallery
• *  Promotional Gallery
• *  Trailer

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

Blu-ray Review: DEATHDREAM a.k.a. DEAD OF NIGHT (1974)

 

DEATHDREAM  a.k.a. DEAD OF NIGHT (1974)

Directed by:  Bob Clark

Distributed by:  Blue Underground / MVD

  This is one of those movies I have always seen the cover for, but for whatever reason just never have watched.  I'm not sure why I have never watched it, but I was glad I finally got to with this new 4K release from Blue Underground.   Here is a brief plot synopsis from the Blue Underground website:

In this shattering variation on “The Monkey’s Paw,” grief-stricken suburban parents (Academy Award® nominees John Marley of THE GODFATHER and Lynn Carlin of FACES) refuse to accept the news that their son Andy (Richard Backus) has been killed in Vietnam. But when Andy returns home soon after, something may be horribly wrong: Andy is alive and well… or is he? Produced and directed by Bob Clark (BLACK CHRISTMAS) and written by Alan Ormsby (DERANGED), DEATHDREAM was one of the very first films to confront the domestic ravages of the Vietnam War and remains one of the most chilling horror films of all time. 

DEATHDREAM was released under several different titles, including DEAD OF NIGHT, THE NIGHT WALK and THE NIGHT ANDY CAME HOME, and marked the grisly debut of gore effects legend Tom Savini (DAWN OF THE DEAD). In honor of its 50th Anniversary, Blue Underground is proud to present this acclaimed shocker in a brand-new restoration, scanned in 4K 16-bit from the 35mm negative with Dolby Vision HDR, overflowing with exclusive new and archival Extras!

  I had no idea going into this that it was Tom Savini's first special effects credential.   That was fun to find out, as I am a huge Tom Savini fan.   There is a short documentary on the special features about Tom Savini and his early films.  Definitely check that out after you are done watching the film.   

  The film opens with war flashback scene showing the main character, Andy, getting shot and killed in Vietnam.    His Mom prays for Andy to come home that same night, and in a case of be careful of what you wish for, her prayer is answered and he shows up at their door in the middle of the night.

  Unfortunately for Andy's family, he is not the same when he returns.  He is very quiet and has no appetite...well, except for blood!!

  I have to admit the film is a slow burner, almost more like a family drama film at times instead of a horror movie.  Bob Clark knows his horror films, though, and I have to admit he got me good with one of the best jump scares I have seen in a while.  It was so predictable too....I can't believe that got me!  Ha!  I obviously won't tell you what it is, as I don't want to spoil it, but it's a classic that I should have seen coming!

  Andy's make up, especially toward the end of the film when he is literally rotting away, is very disturbing and very well done.   I guess we can thank Mr. Savini for that!    While slow at times, the creepy factor is very high throughout the entire film.  It definitely kept me entertained, and I can see myself giving this one a revisit somewhere down the line. 

 DEATHDREAM is available now in a 4K UHD/Blu Ray combo pack and is loaded with the following special features:

Disc 1 (4K UHD Blu-ray) Feature Film + Extras:

• Audio Commentary #1 with Co-Producer/Director Bob Clark
• Audio Commentary #2 with Writer/Make-Up Artist (Uncredited) Alan Ormsby
• NEW! Audio Commentary #3 with Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson
• Theatrical Trailer

Disc 2 (Blu-ray) Feature Film + Extras:

• Audio Commentary #1 with Co-Producer/Director Bob Clark
• Audio Commentary #2 with Writer/Make-Up Artist (Uncredited) Alan Ormsby
• NEW! Audio Commentary #3 with Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson
• A Recollection With Star Anya Liffey and Writer/Make-Up Artist Alan Ormsby
• Notes For A Homecoming – Interview with Composer Carl Zittrer
• Flying Down To Brooksville – Interview with Production Manager John ‘Bud’ Cardos
• Tom Savini: The Early Years
• Deathdreaming – Interview with Star Richard Backus
• NEW! The First Andy – Interview with Actor Gary Swanson
• Screen Test with Original Andy, Gary Swanson
• Alan Ormsby Student Film
• Alternate Opening Titles
• Theatrical Trailer
• Still Galleries

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the 4K UHD + Blu-ray