Scorpion Releasing stows away with SPACE RAIDERS (review)

In this Roger Corman-produced eighties sci-fi flick, a young boy stows away on a hijacked supply ship and finds himself millions of miles away from home with a team of space pirates, kidnappers, deadly aliens, and a remote combat ship on their trail.  Vince Edwards, David Mendenhall, Patsy Pease, Drew Synder, Thom Christopher, and Luca Bercovici also star.

REVIEW LINK: Scorpion Releasing (US) Region 0 NTSC DVD (DVD Drive-in)

SPACE RAIDERS DVD specs:

• 16:9 anamorphic 1.78:1 widescreen
• English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono
• Interview with actor David Mendenhall
• Interview with producer Roger Corman
• Interview with post-production supervisor Clark Henderson
• Theatrical Trailer
• Scorpion Releasing Trailers

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Scorpion Releasing casts a spell with SORCERESS (review)

Playboy Playmate twins Leigh and Lynette Harris are a pair of barbarian babes who learn their true destiny (as well as the difference between males and females) on a journey of vengeance against the evil wizard who murdered their mother and their adoptive family.  From producer Roger Corman, director Jack Hill, and special effects wiz John Carl Buechler.  Never before available on DVD or Blu-ray.

REVIEW LINK: Scorpion Releasing (US) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVD Drive-in)

SORCERESS Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.78:1 widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono
• Interview with producer Roger Corman
• Interview with effects artist John Carl Buechler
• Interview with writer Jim Wynorski
• Interview with post production supervisor Clark Henderson
• Theatrical Trailer
• Scorpion Releasing Trailers

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Scorpion Releasing resurrects ED AND HIS DEAD MOTHER (review)

Steve Buscemi stars in this nineties comedy as Ed, a mama's boy who can't get over her death.  When a mysterious salesman (John Glover) offers his services to bring his mother back from the dead, Ed is overjoyed until he realizes that his undead mommy has a new taste for human flesh.  Ned Beatty, Jonathan Gries, and Rance Howard also star.

REVIEW LINK: Scorpion Releasing (US) Region 1 NTSC DVD (DVD Drive-in)

ED AND HIS DEAD MOTHER DVD specs:

• 16:9 anamorphic 1.78:1 widescreen
• English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo
• Isolated Music and Effects Track
• Theatrical Trailer
• Scorpion Releasing Trailers

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Scream Factory takes on PUMPKINHEAD (review)

Creature effects legend Stan Winston made his directorial debut in the eighties classic PUMPKINHEAD.  When city kids accidentally kill his son in a dirtbike accident, Ed Harley calls upon a witch to conjure the backwoods demon of vengeance to exact retribution on the unsuspecting kids.  Only too late does he realize that his vengeance comes at a terrible price.  Lance Henriksen stars.

REVIEW LINK: Scream Factory/Shout! Factory (US) Region A Blu-ray (DVD Drive-in)

PUMPKINHEAD Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 stereo
• Optional English SDH subtitles
• Audio Commentary with co-screenwriter Gary Gerani and creature and FX creators Tom Woodruff and Alec Gillis, moderated by filmmaker Scott Spiegel 
• "Pumpkinhead Unearthed" (64 minutes)
• Behind the Scenes
• "Demonic Toys"
• "Remembering the Monster Kid: A Tribute to Stan Winston"
• "Night of the Demon" with producer Richard Weinman
• "The Redemption of Joel" with actor John D'Aquino
• "The Boy with the Glasses" with actor Matthew Hurley
• Stills Gallery
• Theatrical Trailer
• Scream Factory Trailers

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Scorpion Releasing tells a A SUMMER STORY (review)

James Wilby (MAURICE), Imogen Stubbs (SENSE AND SENSIBILITY), and Susannah York (THE AWAKENING) star in this classic love story about a young man fresh out of college hiking on the moors who falls in love with a farm girl, but social conventions may tear them apart.  Directed by Piers Haggard (BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW) with music by Georges Delerue (CONTEMPT).

REVIEW LINK: Scorpion Releasing (US) Region 1 NTSC DVD (DVD Drive-in)

A SUMMER STORY DVD specs:

• 16:9 anamorphic 1.78:1 widescreen
• English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo
• Scorpion Releasing Trailers

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Scorpion Releasing warns CAREFUL, HE MIGHT HEAR YOU (review)

Wendy Hughes and John Hargreaves star in this moving and multi-award winning Australian autobiographical drama from the novel by Sumner Locke Elliot.  Young PS has lived with his aunt Lila and uncle George since his mother died in childbirth.  When glamorous aunt Vanessa comes back to Sydney from England with plans to civilize him, the boy finds himself caught not only in an ugly custody battle but also a strange and devastating battle of wills with his unstable aunt.

REVIEW LINK: Scorpion Releasing (US) Region 0 NTSC DVD (DVD Drive-in)

CAREFUL, HE MIGHT HEAR YOU DVD specs:

• 16:9 anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen
• English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo
• Feature-length retrospective featurette with producer Jill Robb, actors Wendy Hughes and Nicholas Gledhill (74 minutes)
• Interview with writer Sumner Locke Elliot (35 minutes)
• Photo Gallery
• Scorpion Releasing Trailers

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Scream Factory dives deep with LEVIATHAN (review)

In this eighties underwater sea creature classic, Peter Weller heads an mining team extracting precious minerals from the bottom of the sea.  When they come across the wreck of a Russian ship, they inadvertently unleash a deadly mutant creature that is intent on killing and absorbing each and every one of them.  Amanda Pays, Daniel Stern, Hector Elizondo, Ernie Hudson, and Meg Foster also star.

REVIEW LINK: Scream Factory/Shout! Factory (US) Region A Blu-ray (DVD Drive-in)

LEVIATHAN Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 stereo
• LEVIATHAN: Monster Melting Pot (40 minute documentary)
• Interviews with Ernie Hudson and Hector Elizondo
• Theatrical Trailer
• Scream Factory Trailers

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Scorpion Releasing in the jaws of GRIZZLY (review)

Christopher George, Andrew Prine, and Richard Jaecek star in this ferocious tale of an eighteen foot tall grizzly bear on the rampage in a national park.  From the makers of ABBY, DAY OF THE ANIMALS, and THE MANITOU.  Also starring Joan McCall and Joe Dorsey.

REVIEW LINK: Scorpion Releasing (US) Region 0 NTSC DVD (DVD Drive-in)

GRIZZLY DVD specs:

• 16:9 anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen
• English Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 mono
• Fun Facts and Trivia featurette with Katarina Leigh Waters
• "JAWS with Claws" 40 minute featurette
• New Beverly Q and A with Andrew Prine and writer David Sheldon
• Two Theatrical Trailers
• Scorpion Releasing Trailers

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Random Media takes a trip AROUND THE BLOCK (review)

In this inspiring story, Christina Ricci plays an English teacher starting a new life with her fiance in Australia.  She gets a job at a high school in Redfern with a heavy Aboriginal and immigrant population.  She decides on a production of Hamlet for the year 11 play and finds her lead in Liam, an Aboriginal youth with a troubled home life.  As Liam gains confidence during rehearsals, his resolve to not end up like his imprisoned father is tested when his brother wants him to help kill the man responsible for their uncle's death.

REVIEW LINK: Random Media/Cinedigm (US) Region 1 NTSC DVD (DVDBeaver)

AROUND THE BLOCK DVD specs:

• 16:9 anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen
• English Dolby Digital 5.1
•  Audio Commentary by writer/director Sarah Spillane and production designer Michael Fitzgerald
• Behind the Scenes
• Deleted Scenes
• "Broken Wings" Music Video
• Theatrical Trailer

Strand Releasing goes BICYCLING WITH MOLIÈRE (review)

In this sophisticated French comedy, TV drama star Gauthier (Lambert Wilson) yearns to make an impression as a serious stage actor and seeks out reclusive former actor Serge (Fabrice Luchini) to offer him a supporting role in a production of Molière's "The Misanthrope" a play whose interpretation of the lead role Serge has been perfecting for years.  Serge naturally wants the lead so Gauthier suggests alternating performances, and Serge while deciding whether to agree or not takes Gauthier through an exasperating and enlightening series of rehearsals that benefit both men spiritually until a sexy yet misanthropic divorcee comes between them.

REVIEW LINK: Strand Releasing (US) Region 1 NTSC DVD (DVDBeaver)

BICYCLING WITH MOLIERE DVD specs:

• 16:9 anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen
• French Dolby Digital 5.1
• Optional English Subtitles
• Theatrical Trailer
• Strand Releasing Trailers

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Second Run DVD declares INDEPENDENCIA (review)

In this film from Raya Martin, a mother and son flee from the city to the jungle against the threat of American invasion. Adapting to life in the jungle in the ways of their ancestors, the dependent relationship between mother and son is tested by the son's own curiosity about what lies at the other end of the forest and the discovery of a beautiful young woman.

REVIEW LINK: Second Run DVD (UK) Region 0 PAL DVD (DVDBeaver)

INDEPENDENCIA DVD specs:

• 4:3 non-anamorphic 1.33:1 fullscreen
• Tagalog Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo
• Optional English subtitles
• Excerpt from "Independencia 86: The Lost Film of Arturo Madlangbayan" re-edited by Miko Revereza and Raya Martin
• Behind the Scenes
• Short film "Track Projections"
• Theatrical Trailer
• DVD-ROM:
• Original Screenplay (.pdf)
• "Independencia Theme" by Lutgardo Labad (.mp3)
• Essay booklet by critic Antoine Thirion

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Vinegar Syndrome gets PURELY PHYSICAL with CATHOUSE FEVER (review)

In this Peekarama double bill from lesser-known porn director Billy Thornberg, a college student takes a job as a night clerk at a motel where the clients are perpetually horny in PURELY PHYSICAL.  In CATHOUSE FEVER, a young secretary quits her job and heads to Vegas to work in a cathouse to satisfy her desires.  Lisa Lazare, Rhonda Jo Petty, Juliet Anderson, Joey Silvera, and Herschel Savage star.

REVIEW LINK: Vinegar Syndrome (US) Region 0 NTSC DVD (DVD Drive-in)

PURELY PHYSICAL/CATHOUSE FEVER DVD specs:

• 16:9 anamorphic1.78:1 widescreen
• English Dolby Digital 1.0 mono
• 2K scans of the original 35mm camera negatives
• Theatrical Trailers for both films

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Vinegar Syndrome goes IN SEARCH OF BIGFOOT to CRY WILDERNESS (review)

Vinegar Syndrome's latest Drive-in Collection double bill features a pair of bigfoot films.  IN SEARCH OF BIGFOOT is a real documentary about sasquatch expert Bob Morgan's expedition into the wilds of Washington state with a team of scientists and trackers to find evidence of the creature.  CRY WILDERNESS - from the makers of NIGHT TRAIN TO TERROR - is about a boy who befriends the beast and is must protect it from a big game hunter hired by the local mayor.

REVIEW LINK: Vinegar Syndrome (US) Region 0 NTSC DVD (DVD Drive-in)

IN SEARCH OF BIGFOOT/CRY WILDERNESS DVD specs:

• In Search of Bigfoot:
• 4:3 non-anamorphic 1.33:1
• English Dolby Digital 1.0 mono
• 2K scan of the 16mm camera negative
• Cry Wilderness:
• 16:9 anamorphic 1.78:1 widescreen
• English Dolby Digital 1.0 mono
• 2K scan of the original 35mm camera negative

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Arrow Films calls UNIT ONE: SERIES 4 (review)

In series four of UNIT ONE, the elite mobile crime unit of the Danish National Police faces off against human trafficking organizations, scheming murderers, crimes of passion, and Denmark's first serial killer who has targeted a member of their team.  They also have to contend with their intertwined personal lives and government maneuvering and backstabbing.

REVIEW LINK: Arrow Films (UK) Region 2 PAL DVD (DVDBeaver)

UNIT ONE: SERIES FOUR DVD specs:

• 16:9 anamorphic 1.73:1 widescreen
• Danish Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo
• Optional English subtitles
• Eight episodes on three discs

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Vinegar Syndrome and I AM ALWAYS READY for ULTIMATE PLEASURE (review)

In yet another oddball pairing of XXX films from Carlos Tobalina, an unhappily married couple suddenly find themselves with the funds to realize THE ULTIMATE PLEASURE, and a wealthy heiress decides to put her inheritance into producing a spectacular pornographic film in I AM ALWAYS READY.  John Holmes, Paul Thomas, Kristine Heller, and Annette Haven star.

REVIEW LINK: Vinegar Syndrome (US) Region 0 NTSC DVD (DVD Drive-in)

ULTIMATE PLEASURE/I AM ALWAYS READY DVD specs:

• 16:9 anamorphic 1.78:1 widescreen
• English Dolby Digital 1.0 mono
• 2K scans of the original 35mm camera negatives
• Theatrical Trailers for both films

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