British distributors Arrow Video have officially announced and detailed their upcoming Blu-ray release of Philip Kaufman's Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), starring Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, and Jeff Goldblum. The release will be available for purchase in the United Kingdom on November 18th.
British distributors Arrow Video have officially announced and detailed their upcoming Blu-ray release of director John Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China (1986), starring Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, James Hong, and Victor Wong. The release will be available for purchase on December 16th.
The super-deluxe package, which is available both as a standard Blu-ray and as a limited edition Blu-ray SteelBook, is full of special features and bonus materials.
Special Features:
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the film from a digital transfer prepared by Twentieth Century Fox Optional 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and uncompressed Stereo 2.0 Audio Isolated 5.1 DTS-HD Isolated Score Soundtrack Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Audio Commentary with director John Carpenter and star Kurt Russell Return to Little China – A brand new interview with John Carpenter Being Jack Burton – A brand new interview with Kurt Russell Carpenter and I – A brand new interview with cinematographer Dean Cundey Producing Big Trouble – A new interview with producer Larry Franco Staging Little Trouble – A new interview with stuntman Jeff Imada Interview with visual effects producer Richard Edlund Vintage Making-of featurette featuring cast and crew Extended Ending Deleted Scenes Music Video Gallery of behind-the-scenes images 3 original trailers TV Spots Booklet featuring new writing on the film by John Kenneth Muir, author of The Films of John Carpenter, as well as a re-print of an interview with production designer John Lloyd and make-up effects artist Steve Johnson on the design and effects of the film, illustrated with archive stills and posters The standard release is available with a reversible Sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jay Shaw and the Limited Edition SteelBook is presented with the original iconic Drew Struzan artwork
I would be willing to invest in a region-free player just for some of the impressive Arrow releases, like Black Sunday and Black Sabbath. They really have generous extras and both versions of the films. Of course if they WOULD release these discs region-FREE...
British distributors Arrow Video have officially announced and detailed their upcoming Blu-ray releases of William A. Levey's Hellgate (1989), starring Ron Palillo, Abigail Wolcott, and Carel Trichardt, and Donald G. Jackson, andR.J. Kizer's Hell Comes to Frogtown (1988), starring Julius LeFlore, RCB, and Roddy Piper. The two releases will be available for purchase on January 27th.
Hellgate
Legends abound of 'The Hellgate Hitchhiker'. So the story goes, a beautiful young woman was once brutally defiled and murdered by a biker gang. Now, returned from the dead, she wanders the roadside luring unsuspecting motorists to their doom…
Refusing to heed the warnings of locals, a group of college friends set out on a cross-country road trip looking for fun and frolics. But they get much more than they bargained for when they wind up in the abandoned mining town of Hellgate and hemmed in by hordes of the undead!
Providing gore and gags in equal measure, Hellgate recalls the good old days of early 90s fright flicks and challenges other gleefully twisted flicks such as Re-animator and Return of the Living Dead for sheer grisly delirium!
Special Features: •Limited Edition Blu-ray (1000 copies) •High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation of the main feature •Road to Perdition, B-Movie Style: An extensive interview with Hellgate director William A. Levey •Alien Invasion, Blaxploitation and Ghost-Busting Mayhem: Scholar, Filmmaker and fan Howard S. Berger reflects on the intriguing film career of William A. Levey •Video Nasty: Kenneth Hall, writer of the Puppet Master series, speaks about the direct-to-video horror boom that allowed Hellgate to become a classic of the cassette rental era •Reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys •Collector's booklet featuring writing on the film by Lee Gambin, illustrated with original artwork and stills Hell Comes to Frogtown
With the 20th Century drawing to a close, nuclear war has wiped out civilization as we know it. The embattled human race's last remaining hope lies with one man and his loaded weapon.
Sam Hell may be an ex-con, but he also happens to be one of the last surviving fertile men on the planet. Now, under the custody of a group of feisty female fighters, Sam finds himself enlisted on a mission to impregnate a harem of beauties. Sounds cushy enough, but the ladies in question are prisoners of Frogtown – home to a gang of mutant (and ill-mannered) amphibians
Starring wrestler-turned-actor Rowdy Roddy Piper, known to John Carpenter enthusiasts for his body-slamming and bubblegum-chewing antics in They Live, Hell Comes to Frogtown is unashamedly a B-movie through and through with more guns and girls than you can shake a frog's leg at.
Special Features: •Limited Edition Blu-ray (1000) copies •High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation •Grappling with Green Gargantuans: Wrestling icon "Rowdy" Roddy Piper speaks about his leading man turn in Hell Comes to Frogtown •Amphibian Armageddon: Actor Brian Frank remembers his role as Commander Toty •Creature Feature Creator: Effects wizard Steve Wang reveals the secrets behind Hell Comes to Frogtown's mutant manifestations •Extended Scene •Reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Jeff Zornow •Original Trailer •Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by author and critic Calum Waddell
Included with the Lifeforce steelbook was a still of "The Burbs" so I presume it will be one of their upcoming releases! I also read somewhere they were going to do Lenzi's Nightmare City, a guilty pleasure if there ever was one.
Arrow Films' Arrow Academy label has officially announced and detailed its upcoming Blu-ray release of director Don Siegel's The Killers (1964), starring Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, John Cassavetes, Clu Gulager, Claude Akins, Norman Fell, and Ronald Reagan. The release will be available for purchase online and in shops across the country on February 24th.
This feature-packed disc will be released as a deluxe Blu-ray featuring original and newly commissioned artwork, an archive interview with director Don Siegel, new and exclusive interviews with Dwayne Epstein, author of 'Lee Marvin: Point Blank' and Marc Eliot, author of 'Ronald Reagan: The Hollywood Years', alongside an exclusive collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Mike Sutton, extracts from Don Siegel's autobiography and contemporary reviews.
Here for the first time on Blu-ray, Arrow Academy is proud to release the film in both the alternate widescreen framing (1.85:1) and the more commonly seen 1.33:1/4:3 version. The Killers was originally commissioned as the first American TV movie, though it was intended from the outset to be released in European cinemas. However, following the JFK assassination, NBC became nervous about the film's subject matter, and the film debuted in American cinemas instead. But because of the original plans, previous video releases have treated The Killers as a TV movie and framed it at the then-universal TV shape of 1.33:1/4:3.
Loosely inspired by the Ernest Hemingway story, and directed by Don Siegel (whose many other taut, efficient thrillers include Dirty Harry and the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers), The Killers was commissioned as the very first 'TV movie', but was given a cinema release because of its violence - although a cast like that really belonged on the big screen in the first place.
Special Features: •High Definition digital transfer of the film by Universal Pictures, presented in alternative "television" and "cinema" aspect ratios •Original uncompressed 2.0 mono PCM audio •Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired •Reagan Kills: interview with New York Times bestselling writer Marc Eliot, author of 'Ronald Reagan: The Hollywood Years' •Screen Killer: interview with Dwayne Epstein, author of 'Lee Marvin: Point Blank' •Archive interview with Don Siegel (1984) from the French television series 'Cinéma Cinémas' •Gallery of rare behind-the-scenes images •Reversible sleeve featuring the original poster and newly commissioned artwork by Nathanael Marsh •Booklet featuring new writing on the film by Mike Sutton, extracts from Don Siegel's autobiography and contemporary reviews, illustrated with original lobby cards
Titled from a Hopi Indian word meaning "life out of balance," this unusual, lyrical film suggests that humanity is an ugly blight on the face of this beautiful planet. An awesome epic undersold by an adjective like "powerful." Coming in early 2014.
I had wanted to buy "Koyaanisqatsi" when it was first released on Blu-ray, but at the time it was only available with the other movies in that series, and I already had "Koyaanisqatsi" and "Powaqqatsi" on DVD and didn't want to have to buy all of them on Blu-ray just to get "Koyaanisqatsi." It looks like we can now buy it by itself. Great. But I did notice when I followed the above link that this IS a Region B disc, which won't play on most U.S. Blu-ray players.
British distributors Arrow Video have revealed that they are planning to add a number of very exciting releases to their growing Blu-ray catalog. Amongst them are Elio Petri's directorial debut The Assassin (1961), Philippe Mora's The Beast Within (1982), Joe Dante's The 'Burbs (1989), and Brian De Palma's Sisters (1989).
The Assassin
Arrow Academy is proud to present L'Assassino, the debut feature of the late Italian director Elio Petri, a man whose films have often been unjustly overlooked in favour of other more heralded filmmakers.
L'Assassino tells the story of 30-something antiques dealer Alfredo Martelli (Marcello Mastroianni) who, at the film's outset, finds himself under suspicion for murdering his wealthy older lover. As the investigation presses on, a series of flashbacks gives us an insight into Alfredo's character and the nature of his relationship with his now deceased lover Adalgisa (Micheline Presle).
With its Kafkaesque mood and distincly political bent, Petri's first film bears many of the hallmarks of his later work. In the director's own words, "L'Assassino reflected the changes wrought by the early 60s. [What it was about] was a new generation of upstarts who lacked any kind of moral scruple."
Special Features: •New 2K digital restoration from the Cineteca di Bologna •Newly created exclusive content •Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork •Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more! •More to be announced closer to the release date
STREET DATE: MAY 19TH.
The Pit and the Pendulum
A horse-drawn carriage pulls up on a deserted beach. A sombre figure dismounts and gazes up towards his destination – a foreboding cliff-top castle perched high above the crashing waves. Thus the perfect Gothic scene is set for Pit and the Pendulum, the second of Roger Corman's celebrated Poe adaptations once again starring the ever-reliable Vincent Price (The Fall of the House of Usher, Theatre of Blood) alongside the bewitching Barbara Steele (Black Sunday).
Having learned of the sudden death of his sister Elizabeth (Steele), Francis Barnard (John Kerr) sets out to the castle of his brother-in-law, Nicholas Medina, to uncover the cause of her untimely demise. A distraught, grief-stricken Nicholas (Price) can offer only the vaguest explanations as to Elizabeth's death – at first citing "something in her blood", but later asserting that she quite literally "died of fright". What sort of unspeakable horrors are buried within the walls of this castle that could cause one's heart to stop so? With Francis determined to get to the bottom of this mystery, the terrible truth will not stay buried for long.
Right from its brooding kaleidoscopic opening titles, Pit and Pendulum draws you into its world of cobwebs, secret passageways and dusty suits of armour. All the necessary elements are present and correct and, along with one of Vincent Price's most tortured performances, make Pit and the Pendulum every inch the Gothic melodrama.
Special Features: •Limited Edition SteelBook packaging •High Definition digital transfer •Newly created exclusive content •Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more. •More to be announced closer to the release date
STREET DATE: MAY 12TH.
Milano Calibro 9
Perhaps the one true film noir to emerge from Italy, Milano Calibro 9 is a gritty, ultra-violent masterpiece and an essential entry in the cannon of Italian crime cinema. Centering on the character of ex-con Ugo Piazza (played with stone-cold precision by Gastone Moschin) the film also benefits from the presence of giallo regular Barbara Bouchet and her considerable charms.
Released after a three-year term in prison for a bungled robbery, Ugo Piazza plans to lead the straight life for a while. But no sooner is he back on the street than he's picked up by a bunch of hoodlums under the employ of his former boss, the 'Americano' – among them, the psychopathic Rocco – who are convinced that Ugo stole $300,000 before his incarceration. The gang forces Ugo to resume working for them in the hope that he'll eventually lead them to their missing cash.
The first part in director Fernando Di Leo's Milieu Trilogy, Milano Calibro 9 is an early example of the poliziotteschi – Italian crime films –which proliferated in the 1970s. Di Leo eschews the sleazy, more exploitative approach of some his contemporary filmmakers for a more serious take on his subject matter – although he's not averse to show-stopping gun fights and long, lingering shots of the lovely Barbara Bouchet.
Special Features: •High Definition digital transfer •Newly created exclusive content •Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork •Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more •More to be announced closer to the release date
STREET DATE: JUNE 16TH.
The Complete Dr Phibes
Horror legend Vincent Price (The Fall of the House of Usher, Theatre of Blood) is Dr. Phibes, former musician, current murderer. Seeking revenge from the medical staff that left his wife for dead, he sets about knocking them off one-by-one in a series of elaborate murders based upon a Ten Plagues of Egypt. Death by bats, by boils, by blood and more await the nurse and surgeons who failed to save the life of the beloved Victoria Regina Phibes!
A camp classic, The Abominable Dr. Phibes sets itself apart from the seventies horror crowd with its knowing humour and art deco sets, and also prefigures the Saw movies with its increasingly fiendish set of murder devices.
Pairing the original film with sequel Dr. Phibes Rises Again, The Complete Dr. Phibes provides viewers with a double diabolical dose of macabre thrills and black comedy.
Special Features: •High Definition digital transfers of both films •Newly created exclusive content •Deluxe Edition collector's Box featuring original artwork •100-Page Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more •More to be announced closer to the release date
STREET DATE: JUNE 9TH.
The 'Burbs
The films of director Joe Dante have taken us to some strange places – a mysterious Chinatown antique store in Gremlins; a secluded resort populated by werewolves in The Howling; even deep inside the human body in Innerspace. But now he takes us to the strangest place of all – surburbia!
Family man Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) is looking forward to a week of putting his feet up at home in the quiet, leafy cul-de-sac of Mayfield Place. But his plans are scuppered by the arrival of new next-door neighbours, The Klopeks, whose behaviour and habits are more than just a little kooky. But things go from kooky to downright sinister when local old boy Walter disappears, leading Ray and his buddies to suspect their new neighbours of killing and eating him! Sure, the Klopeks are a strange bunch what with their digging up the backyard in the middle of the night – but they're not devil-worshipping cannibal killers… are they?
If you're looking for a knowing slice of tongue-in-cheek terror then look no further than The 'Burbs. A standout horror comedy from a director who has given us more than his fair share of fun frighteners, The 'Burbs assembles a superb cast including Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher and Corey Feldman in a tall tale of small-town terror. You'll never look at those eccentric neighbours in the same way again!
Special Features: •High Definition digital transfer •Newly created exclusive content •Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys •Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more •More to be announced closer to the release date
STREET DATE: JUNE 23RD.
Camera Obscura: The Walerian Borowczyk Collection
This groundbreaking collection brings together Walerian Borowczyk's key films from a twenty-five-year period stretching from 1959 through to 1984.
This unique release includes five of Borowczyk's provocative feature films: Theatre de M et Mme Kabal, Goto, l'ile d'amour, Blanche, Contes Immoraux and La Bete as well as his groundbreaking short films from this period.
Not only are many of these films available on Blu-ray and DVD for the first time, but also in new digital high definition restorations approved by the director's widow, Ligia Branice.
In addition to exclusive documentaries featuring cast and crew, an hour long portrait of Borowczyk is to be included, featuring the director's musings on painting, animation and sex.
Accompanying this seminal release is a book edited by Borowczyk experts Daniel Bird and Michael Brooke featuring newly commissioned essays on Borowczyk's films and art, as well as an account of the meticulous restoration process involved.
To round off the release is, for the first time, an English translation of Borowczyk's 1992 collection of short stories, Anatomy of the Devil, translated by the director's assistant, Michael Levy.
Arrow Academy's Walerian Borowczyk Collection is a vital addition to anyone interested in either world cinema, animation or experimental film.
Limited Edition collection featuring five feature films:
- Theatre of Mr & Mrs Kabal (1967) - Goto, Isle of Love (1968) - Blanche (1971) - Immoral Tales (1974) - The Beast (1975) - And the short films: - The Astronauts (1959) - The Concert (1962) - Grandmother's Encyclopaedia (1963) - Renaissance (1963) - Angels' Games (1964) - Joachim's Dictionary (1965) - Rosalie (1966) - Gavotte (1967) - Diptych (1967) - The Phonograph (1969) - A Private Collection (1973) - Venus on the Half-Shell (1975) - The Greatest Love of All Time (1978) - Scherzo Infernal (1984)
Special Features: •Brand new 2K restorations of Borowczyk's films •Newly created exclusive content •Extensive collector's booklet featuring limited edition exclusive content, new writing on the film, archive content and more! •More to be announced closer to the release date
RELEASE DATE: JUNE 30TH
Porky's
Long before American Pie and Superbad came the original and best sex comedy. A firm favourite of teen movie fans, Porky's introduced audiences to Kim Cattrall (Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China) and made an absolute killing at the box-office.
It's 1954 and the sex-obsessed boys of Angel Beach High School are looking to get laid. Porky's is their destination, local nightclub and whorehouse. Only its redneck owner has other plans, as does his sheriff brother. Will Meat, Mickey, Tommy and the other guys in the gang get their own back? And will the barely-endowed Pee Wee finally lose his virginity?
Having established his credentials as one of Canada's top horror filmmakers with the likes of Black Christmas and Dead of Night, Bob Clark took an unexpected turn into the world of the teenage sex comedy and inadvertently made the most successful Canadian motion picture of all time, an honour it still holds today.
Special Features: •Limited edition SteelBook packaging •High Definition digital transfer •Newly created exclusive content •Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more •More to be announced closer to the release date
STREET DATE: MAY 26TH.
The Beast Within
Late one full moon-lit night, a woman stands alone on the roadside waiting for her husband to return to their broken-down car. Suddenly she's pounced upon, dragged into the dark woods and savaged by a barely-glimpsed assailant – something barely human. But this is only the beginning of the terrors in The Beast Within…
Seventeen years on, and the devoted parents of teenager Michael are at their wits end. Their son lies in a hospital bed, his body wracked by a mysterious illness. With doctors unable to offer any diagnosis, Michael's desperate parents are forced to seek out the answer themselves – by digging up traumatic past events and confronting the true nature of their son's conception.
The Beast Within stands apart from other creature features due to its decidedly grim tone – the scenes in which the monster violates his victims have proven too strong for some critics – and standout transformation sequence courtesy of makeup artist Tom Hoerber (My Bloody Valentine). Add to these the strong lead performances from Paul Clemens and Ronny Cox (Deliverance, The Car, RoboCop), alongside a stunning score by the late, great Les Baxter, and you have yourself one absolute beast of a movie!
Special Features: •High Definition digital transfer •Newly created exclusive content •Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Marc Schoenbach of Sadist Art Designs •Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more •More to be announced closer to the release date
STREET DATE: MAY 5TH.
Theatre of Blood
It's never been tougher to be a critic than in THEATRE OF BLOOD, one of the greatest horror comedies of all time. Vincent Price gives a career best performance as Edward Lionhart, a veteran Shakespearean actor who, when passed over for the coveted Critic's Circle award for Best Actor takes deadly revenge on the critics who snubbed him.
With one of the greatest ensemble casts ever assembled for a horror film including Diana Rigg, Harry Andrews, Jack Hawkins and Arthur Lowe, THEATRE OF BLOOD is an dementedly funny and deliciously macarbe cult classic.
Special Features: •High Definition digital transfer •Newly created exclusive content •Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork •Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more •More to be announced closer to the release date
STREET DATE: APRIL 28TH.
The Delta Force
Cannon Films are known for producing some of the most enjoyable and eccentric action flicks of the '80s – but The Delta Force, which boasts scenes of Chuck Norris flying through the air on a missile-mounted motorbike, surely stands as one of their most entertaining efforts.
American Travel Ways Flight 282 has been hijacked by a group of terrorists claiming to represent the New World Revolutionary Organisation. The Delta Force, under the leadership of Captain Scott McCoy (Chuck Norris), is called in to handle the situation. Still smarting from an ill-fated hostage rescue mission several years prior, this elite squad of special forces are determined to succeed in their mission this time – and assert the might of the American military once and for all.
Drawing on a number of true-life terrorist incidents for inspiration, most notably the 1985 hijacking of TWA Flight 847, The Delta Force is a non-stop thrill ride which culminates in one of the most explosive action flick finales of all time. With Chuck Norris on hand to provide the muscle and gravelly-voiced Lee Marvin (The Killers) in his last ever screen role, The Delta Force is one mission you can't afford not to accept.
Special Features: •High Definition digital transfer •Newly created exclusive content •Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys •Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more •More to be announced closer to the release date
STREET DATE: APRIL 28TH.
Koyaanisqatsi / Powaqqatsi
Told without dialogue, narration, cast or characters, Koyaanisqatsi and Powaqqatsi are dizzying, hypnotic examples of cinema set to extraordinary scores by Philip Glass. The first instalment concentrates on the United States, contrasting its natural beauty with a population ever more dependent on modern technology. The second switches to the Southern hemisphere and focuses on cultures and traditions that are slowly eroding away as the modern world takes over.
Special Features: •New, restored digital transfers of both films, approved by director Godfrey Reggio •5.1 DTS-HD Master audio •Newly created exclusive content •Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more •More to be announced closer to the release date
STREET DATE: APRIL 21.
Sisters
Before 1973, Brian De Palma was impossible to pigeonhole: he made comedies, political satires and openly experimental pieces. But with Sisters (originally released as Blood Sisters in the UK) he turned to the suspense thriller and discovered his natural home - and a style that would lead directly to later masterpieces like Carrie, Dressed to Kill and Blow Out.
When Danielle (Margot Kidder) meets potential boyfriend Philip (Lisle Wilson) after appearing on the TV show Peeping Toms (a nod to the Michael Powell shocker), she invites him home, only to attract the ire of her twin sister Dominique. From across the courtyard, Rear Window style, reporter Grace (Jennifer Salt) witnesses Philip being murdered by one of the twins - but the police find no body or any physical evidence. Naturally, Grace takes things into her own hands, and discovers more about the sisters' relationship than she bargained for…
Strongly influenced by Alfred Hitchcock and Roman Polanski, and with a score by the great Bernard Herrmann (Citizen Kane, Psycho), Sisters was the first true "Brian De Palma" film.
Special Features: •High Definition digital transfer •Newly created exclusive content •Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys •Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film, archive content and more •More to be announced closer to the release date
Oh yes! I didn't get the Scream Vincent Price box as I'm not multi-region, so it's the Dr. Phibes set & my favourite Corman/Poe film, The Pit And The Pendulum. So many great titles coming from small companies & hardly any from the big studios.
British distributors Arrow Video have sent us an exclusive video for their upcoming Blu-ray release of Jack Hill's recently restored Pit Stop (1969). The video contains comments from Arrow's Head of Technical and Restoration James White.
Following the release of blaxploitation classic Foxy Brown and the truly one-of-a-kind Spider Baby, Pit Stop has been treated to an all-new restoration (overseen by technical supervisor James White, previously responsible for Arrow Video's acclaimed Blu-rays of Zombie Flesh Eaters, Time Bandits, and The Fury) that hopes to bring fresh interest to one of Hill's lesser-known but arguably greatest works.
Reuniting Hill with the stars of Spider Baby, Sid Haig and Beverly Washburn, Pit Stop also features Oscar-nominee Brian Donlevy in his final big screen appearance, Ellen Burstyn in only her third film role and Richard 'Dick' Davalos, future cover star for The Smiths (he graces their final LP, Strangeways Here We Come) and former co-star to James Dean (East of Eden) and Paul Newman (Cool Hand Luke).
Complementing this dual-format Blu-ray and DVD edition are a host of all-new extras, including an audio commentary with Hill, interviews with Hill, Haig and producer Roger Corman, and a demonstration of the extensive restoration work by James White. The accompanying collector's booklet includes new essays by US critic Glenn Kenny and the musicologist Gray Newell, who relates the history of forgotten Seattle psych band The Daily Flash and their soundtrack to Pit Stop.
Synopsis: Richard Davalos stars as Rick Bowman, a street punk who winds up in jail after a street race goes wrong. Bailed out by race promoter Grant Willard, Davalos is put in the deadly track where he comes up against Haig's maniacal winner Hawk Sidney.
Filmed on a real figure-8 track, Hill and his crew were able to capture gripping real-life car wreck scenes lending the film a brilliant sense of realism. You've never seen a motion picture like this before – can you take it?
Special Features: •New High Definition digital transfer supervised and approved by director Jack Hill •High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation •Original mono 1.0 audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray) •New audio commentary with Jack Hill moderated by his biographer Calum Waddell •Crash and Burn! – Jack Hill on the making of Pit Stop •Drive Hard – actor Sid Haig speaks about his experience of acting in Pit Stop •Life in the Fast Lane – producer Roger Corman on the genesis of Pit Stop •Restoring Pit Stop – restoration demonstration by Technical Supervisor James White •Theatrical trailer •Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jay Shaw •Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic Glenn Kenny and musicologist and writer Gray Newell on the film's soundtrack, illustrated with original stills and artwork.
Arrow Video has confirmed that it will bring to Blu-ray director William Sachs' The Incredible Melting Man (1977), starring Alex Rebar, Burr DeBenning, and Myron Healey. The release has not yet received a preliminary release date.
Arrow Video has officially announced and detailed its upcoming Blu-ray release of Brian De Palma's Sisters (1973), starring Margot Kidder, Jennifer Salt, and Charles Durning. The release will be available for purchase on April 28th.
Before 1973, Brian De Palma was impossible to pigeonhole: he made comedies, political satires and openly experimental pieces. But with Sisters (originally released as Blood Sisters in the UK) he turned to the suspense thriller and discovered his natural home - and a style that would lead directly to later masterpieces like Carrie, Dressed to Kill and Blow Out.
When Danielle (Margot Kidder) meets potential boyfriend Philip (Lisle Wilson) after appearing on the TV show Peeping Toms (a nod to the Michael Powell shocker), she invites him home, only to attract the ire of her twin sister Dominique. From across the courtyard, Rear Window style, reporter Grace (Jennifer Salt) witnesses Philip being murdered by one of the twins - but the police find no body or any physical evidence. Naturally, Grace takes things into her own hands, and discovers more about the sisters' relationship than she bargained for…
Strongly influenced by Alfred Hitchcock and Roman Polanski, and with a score by the great Bernard Herrmann (Citizen Kane, Psycho), Sisters was the first true "Brian De Palma" film.
Special Features: High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation Original Mono audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray) What the Devil Hath Joined Together: Brian De Palma's Sisters – A visual essay by author Justin Humphreys (47 mins) All new interviews with co-writer Louisa Rose, actress Jennifer Salt, editor Paul Hirsch and unit manager Jeffrey Hayes The De Palma Digest – a film-by-film guide to the director's career by critic Mike Sutton Archive audio interview with star William Finley (excerpt) Gallery of Sisters promotional material from around the world Theatrical trailer Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by author Kier-La Janisse (House of Psychotic Women), Brian De Palma's original 1973 Village Voice essay on working with composer Bernard Herrmann as well as a contemporary interview with De Palma on making Sisters, and the 1966 Life magazine article that inspired the film.
British distributors Arrow Video have officially announced and detailed their upcoming Blu-ray release of Douglas Hickox's Theatre of Blood (1973), starring Vincent Price, Diana Rigg, Ian Hendry, Harry Andrews, and Coral Browne. Street date is May 5th.
In addition to the standard Blu-ray release, Arrow Video will also have available for sale a Limited SteelBook Edition of Theatre of Blood.
Synopsis: It's never been tougher to be a critic than in Theatre of Blood, one of the greatest horror comedies of all time. Vincent Price gives a career best performance as Edward Lionhart, a veteran Shakespearean actor who, when passed over for the coveted Critic's Circle award for Best Actor takes deadly revenge on the critics who snubbed him.
With one of the greatest ensemble casts ever assembled for a horror film including Diana Rigg, Harry Andrews, Jack Hawkins and Arthur Lowe, Theatre of Blood is a dementedly funny and deliciously macabre cult classic.
Special Features:
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the feature, transferred from original film elements by MGM Original uncompressed mono PCM audio Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Audio commentary with The League of Gentlemen, Jeremy Dyson, Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith A Priceless Pot-boiler – Victoria Price discusses Theatre of Blood A Fearful Thespian – author and film historian David Del Valle discusses Vincent Price in Theatre of Blood Staged Reaction – Star Madeline Smith remembers Theatre of Blood A Harmony for Horror – Composer Michael J. Lewis remembers Theatre of Blood Original Trailer Reversible Sleeve featuring new writing on the film by critic Cleaver Patterson and a reproduction of the original press book material, illustrated with original archive stills
British distributors Arrow Video have officially announced and detailed their upcoming Blu-ray release of Menahem Golan's The Delta Force (1986), starring Chuck Norris, Lee Marvin, Martin Balsam, George Kennedy, Martin Balsam, and Hanna Schygulla. The release will be available for purchase on May 5th.
Cannon Films are known for having produced some of the most enjoyable and eccentric action flicks of the '80s – but The Delta Force, which boasts scenes of Chuck Norris flying through the air on a motorbike mounted with missiles, surely stands as one of their most entertaining efforts.
American Travel Ways Flight 282 has been hijacked by a group of terrorists claiming to represent the New World Revolutionary Organisation. The Delta Force, under the leadership of Major Scott McCoy (Chuck Norris), is called in to handle the situation. Still smarting from an ill-fated hostage rescue mission several years prior, this elite squad of special forces is determined to succeed in its mission this time – and assert the might of the American military once and for all.
Drawing on a number of true-life terrorist incidents for inspiration, most notably the 1985 hijacking of TWA Flight 847, The Delta Force is a non-stop thrill ride which culminates in one of the most explosive action flick finales of all time. With Chuck Norris on hand to provide the obligatory muscle and gravelly-voiced Lee Marvin in his last ever screen role, The Delta Force is one mission well worth accepting.
Special Features:
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the feature, transferred from original film elements by MGM Original uncompressed 2.0 PCM stereo Audio Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Genre Hijackers: Mark Hartley on Cannon Films - The filmmaker discusses the explosive legacy of Cannon Films and legendary producers Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus Chuck Norris Scribe: An interview with James Bruner, the writer behind numerous Cannon blockbusters including The Delta Force and Invasion U.S.A. May The Delta Force Be With You! - An interview with Commandant Christian Prouteau, founder of the French GIGN and instructor of the first Delta Force Original Theatrical Trailer Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by author John Kenneth Muir and a contemporary article on Cannon Films, illustrated with original archive stills and posters.
Director John L. Sullivan (Joel McCrea) is one of Hollywood’s hottest talents, with an uncanny gift for getting audiences rolling in the aisles. But he’s dissatisfied: he wants to abandon comedy for Serious Statements, and buys the rights to celebrated social-realist novel ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’
To make his masterpiece as realistic as possible, Sullivan naturally has to understand how the book’s downtrodden characters must have felt, so he takes to the road as a hobo, is taken under the wing of a failed actress (Veronica Lake), and learns several valuable home truths about the importance of not patronising his audience.
Writer-director Preston Sturges had an inspired run in the 1940s, turning out some of the funniest American comedies ever made (The Lady Eve, The Palm Beach Story, The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek). Sullivan’s Travels is one of his best: not just hilarious but also truly wise.
Special Features
- New high definition digital transfer of the film by Universal Pictures - Uncompressed Mono 2.0 PCM Audio - Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing - Audio commentary by filmmaker and Python Terry Jones - Preston Sturges: The Rise and Fall of an American Dreamer – Kenneth Bowser’s acclaimed feature-length documentary portrait from the American Masters series - Kevin Jackson on Sullivan’s Travels: an appreciation by the writer and broadcaster - The Preston Sturges Stock Company: a celebration of Sturges’ regular character actors and bit-part players - Safeguarding Military Information: a Sturges-scripted propaganda short released in the same month as Sullivan’s Travels - Theatrical Trailer - Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jay Shaw - Booklet featuring new writing on the film by screwball comedy expert Peter Swaab, plus archive pieces by Geoff Brown and Preston Sturges, illustrated with original stills and poster designs.
Independent British distributors Arrow Video have detailed their upcoming Blu-ray release of director Philippe Mora's The Beast Within (1982), starring Ronny Cox, Bibi Besch, Paul Clemens, Don Gordon, and Luke Askew. The release will be available for purchase on May 12th.
Late one full moonlit night, a woman stands alone on the roadside waiting for her husband to return to their broken-down car. All of a sudden she's pounced upon, dragged into the dark woods and savaged by a barely-glimpsed assailant. But this is only the beginning of the terror in The Beast Within…
Seventeen years on, and the devoted parents of teenager Michael are at their wits' end. Their son lies in a hospital bed, his body wracked by a mysterious illness. With doctors unable to offer any diagnosis, Michael's desperate parents are forced to seek out the answer themselves – by digging up traumatic past events and confronting the true nature of their son's conception.
The Beast Within stands apart from other creature features due to its decidedly grim tone – the scenes in which the monster violates his victims proved too strong for some critics – and standout transformation sequence to rival the likes of An American Werewolf in London and The Howling. Add to that strong lead performances from Paul Clemens and Ronny Cox (Deliverance, RoboCop), alongside a stunning score by the late, great Les Baxter, and you have yourself one absolute beast of a monster movie.
Special Features:
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation of the feature, transferred from original film elements by MGM available uncut in the UK for the first time! Original stereo 2.0 audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray) Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing New audio commentary with director Philippe Mora moderated by author Calum Waddell I Was a Teenage Cicada: The Making of The Beast Within - An in-depth look back at Philippe Mora's creature feature classic featuring new interviews with writer Tom Holland, actors Paul Clemens, John Dennis Johnston, Katherine Moffat and effects wizard Garry Elmendorf Storyboarding The Beast – An all-new animated featurette in which Philippe Mora discusses the film's journey from storyboard to screen Image Gallery – Including rare production stills from the private collection of star Paul Clemens plus new photographs of various special effects props Original Trailer Reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Marc Schoenbach Collector's Booklet featuring new writing on the film by Lee Gambin, author of Massacred by Mother Nature: Exploring the Natural Horror Film plus a contemporary article on the film's production, all illustrated with original stills and artwork.
British distributors Arrow Video have confirmed that they are planning to release on Blu-ray two films starring Bob Hoskins: John Mackenzie's The Long Good Friday (1980) and Neil Jordan's Mona Lisa (1986). Preliminary street dates for these upcoming releases have not yet been revealed.
Arrow Video have detailed its upcoming Blu-ray release of The Pit and the Pendulum, the 1961 follow-up to The Fall of the House of Usher, once again directed by Roger Corman and starring Vincent Price alongside Barbara Steele and Luana Anders. The release will be available for purchase on May 19th.
In addition to the standard release, Arrow Video will also have available for sale a SteelBook Edition.
A horse-drawn carriage pulls up on a deserted beach. A sombre figure dismounts and gazes up towards his destination – a foreboding cliff-top castle perched high above the crashing waves. Thus the perfect Gothic scene is set for The Pit and the Pendulum, the second of Roger Corman's celebrated Edgar Allan Poe adaptations once again starring the ever-reliable Vincent Price (The Fall of the House of Usher, Theatre of Blood) alongside the bewitching Barbara Steele (Black Sunday).
Having learned of the sudden death of his sister Elizabeth (Steele), Francis Barnard (John Kerr) sets out to the castle of his brother-in-law, Nicholas Medina (Price), to uncover the cause of her untimely demise. A distraught, grief-stricken Nicholas can offer only the vaguest explanations as to Elizabeth's death – at first citing "something in her blood", but later asserting that she quite literally "died of fright". What sort of unspeakable horrors are buried within the walls of this castle that could cause one's heart to stop so? With Francis determined to get to the bottom of this mystery, the terrible truth will not stay buried for long.
Right from its brooding kaleidoscopic opening titles, The Pit and Pendulum draws you into its world of cobwebs, secret passageways and dusty suits of armour. All the necessary elements are present and correct and, along with one of Vincent Price's most tortured performances, make The Pit and the Pendulum every inch the Gothic masterpiece.
Special Features:
•Limited Edition SteelBook packaging featuring original artwork [SteelBook only] •High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the feature, transferred from original film elements by MGM •Original uncompressed Mono PCM Audio •Optional Isolated Music and Effects Track •Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing •Audio commentary with director and producer Roger Corman •Audio commentary by critic Tim Lucas •Behind the Swinging Blade – A new documentary on the making of The Pit and the Pendulum featuring Roger Corman, star Barbara Steele, Vincent Price's daughter Victoria Price and more! •Added TV Sequence – Shot in 1968 to pad out the film for the longer TV time slot, this scene features star Luana Anders •An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe with Vincent Price [52 mins] – Price reads a selection of Poe's classic stories before a live audience, including The Tell-Tale Heart, The Sphinx, The Cask of Amontillado and The Pit and the Pendulum (with optional English SDH) •Original Trailer •Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx [Amaray release only] •Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Gothic Horror author Jonathan Rigby, illustrated with original archive stills and posters
Yup, been waiting for The Pit & The Pendulum, I have a nice little original French poster of it on the wall (La Chambre Des Supplices). Amazon want too much money in their pre-order, so I'll wait & maybe buy it in HMV. I have The Haunted Palace & The Masque Of The Red Death from Germany, the only two left I'd like are The Raven & Tales Of Terror.
And John, get your finger out & send me that address.
