Top Blu-ray Releases of 2022:1.
BOILING POINT (Phillip Barantini, 2021) Region B UK Second Sight
(REVIEW)2.
SISTER, SISTER (Bill Condon, 1988) Region ALL USA Vinegar Syndrome
(REVIEW)3.
DRAGON'S RETURN (Eduard Grecner, 1968) Region ALL Second Run
(REVIEW)4.
LOVE (Karoly Makk, 1971) Region ALL Second Run
(REVIEW)5.
THE PARTY AND THE GUESTS (Jan Nemec, 1966) Region ALL Second Run
(REVIEW)6.
EXECUTION IN AUTUMN (Hsing Lee, 1972) Region B Eureka
(REVIEW)7.
TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD (Amando de Ossorio, 1971) Region ALL Synapse Films
8.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MIRROR (Jess Franco, 1973) Region ALL Mondo Macabro
9.
TO SLEEP SO AS TO DREAM (Kaizo Hayashi, 1986) Region A/B Arrow Video
(REVIEW)10.
COACH TO VIENNA (Karel Kachyna, 1966) Region ALL Second Run
(REVIEW)Top 4K UHD Releases of 2022:1.
QUIET DAYS IN CLICHY (Jens Jørgen Thorsen, 1970) Region ALL UHD/Blu-ray Blue Underground
(REVIEW)2.
DOG SOLDIERS (Neil Marshall, 2002) Region ALL UHD/Region B Blu-ray Second Sight
3.
SCHIZOID/X-RAY (David Paulsen, 1980/Boaz Davidson, 1981) Region ALL UHD/Region A Blu-ray Vinegar Syndrome
(REVIEW)4.
MADMAN (Joe Giannone, 1981) Region ALL UHD/Blu-ray Vinegar Syndrome
(REVIEW)5.
THE WEREWOLF VS THE VAMPIRE WOMAN (Leon Klimovsky, 1970) Region ALL UHD/Blu-ray Vinegar Syndrome
6.
DEATH WISH II (Michael Winner, 1982) Region ALL UHD/Region A Blu-ray Vinegar Syndrome
(REVIEW)7.
FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET (Dario Argento, 1971) Region ALL UHD/Blu-ray Severin Films
8.
THE COMPANY OF WOLVES (Neil Jordan, 1984) Region ALL UHD/Region A Blu-ray Scream Factory/Shout! Factory
9.
THE FOG (John Carpenter, 1980) Region ALL UHD/Region A Blu-ray Scream Factory/Shout! Factory
10.
PHENOMENA (Dario Argento, 1984) Region ALL UHD Synapse Films
Top Boxsets of 2022:1.
TWISTING THE KNIFE (Claude Chabrol, 1997-2003) Region A/B Blu-ray Arrow Video
(REVIEW)2.
THE WAR TRILOGY (Andrzej Wajda, 1955-1958) Region ALL Blu-ray Second Run
3.
LIES AND DECEIT (Claude Chabrol, 1984-1994) Region A/B Blu-ray Arrow Video
(REVIEW)4.
SYLVIA KRISTEL 1970s COLLECTION (Alain Robbe-Grillet, 1975/Wim Verstappen, 1978/Paul de Lussanet, 1978/Sigi Rothemund, 1974) Region ALL Blu-ray Cult Epics
(REVIEW)5.
GOTHIC FANTASTICO: FOUR ITALIAN TALES OF TERROR (Massimo Pupillo, 1965/Alberto de Martino, 1963/Mino Guerrini, 1966/Damiano Damiani, 1966) Region ALL Blu-ray Arrow Video
(REVIEW)Honorable Mentions:
While Severin Films made fans ecstatic with their UHD debuts of the first legitimate English-friendly release of Dario Argento's lesser-seen
FIVE DAYS OF MILAN and the first fully uncut version of
FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET that did not depend on sub-par 16mm or standard definition video inserts, what may have fallen under the radar for many are their other halfway to Black Friday and Black Friday releases including
THE DEVIL'S GAME - which not only includes the first legitimate release anywhere of Mario Bava's final film "The Venus of Ille" (co-directed with his son Lamberto Bava) but also otehr Italian telefilm adaptations of other pieces of fantastic nineteenth century literature including one from
DEATH LAID AN EGG's Giulio Questi - as well as the little-seen South African psychosexual slasher
THE SHADOWED MIND - truly a rescue operation since no film materials were available when the film was last announced as a DVD release by another label half a decade ago - the rare giallo
LIBIDO (with heretofore unavailable English dub), and Jess Franco's
MACUMBA SEXUAL,
MANSION OF THE LIVING DEAD, and
SEX IS CRAZY.
Besides the aforementioned Blu-ray debut of Franco's arthouse stunner
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MIRROR that made our top ten, Mondo Macabro also gave us in that same bundle
LOVE BRIDES OF THE BLOOD MUMMY - heretofore only available as a Spanish-language copy of the domestic nudity-free version or a British 8mm reduction that was also lighter on sex than violence - and
THE HORRIBLE SEXY VAMPIRE, neither of which are truly good films but are atmospheric timewasters nicely-curated with audio commentaries, footage from alternate versios in the case of MUMMY and much-needed context about the true crime "Vamprire of the Highway" case for HORRIBLE.
Arrow Video's announcement of Region A editions of three Shaw Brothers Blu-ray releases of titles already available in the UK from the likes of Eureka Video and 88 Films with a nice set of extras was initially not that thrilling, but they put their own spin on things for the better.
COME DRINK WITH ME had a new commentary track from the esteemed Tony Rayns and a host of interviews from the archvies of Frédéric Ambroisine,
THE ONE ARMED BOXER ported over the UK commentary but added an exclusive interview, and
THE EIGHT POLE DIAGRAM FIGHTER not only featured a healthy stack of extras but also addressed the issue of lost frames at every splice point that has dogged other masters of Shaw Brothers material including the previous Blu-ray editions.
