Cleopatra Films excavates BLOOD AND SNOW (review)

There's something in the ice... again in this Canadian low-budget horror film about an arctic drilling expedition that unearths something ancient and alien that wants to spread using their warm bodies.

REVIEW LINK: Cleopatra Entertainment (US) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

BLOOD AND SNOW Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-2 2.40:1 Widescreen
• English Dolby Digital 5.1 and LPCM 2.0 Stereo
• Optional English SDH Subtitltes
• Slideshow
• Trailer
  

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Synapse Films hunts a CROCODILE (review)

When a gigantic killer crocodile starts attacking villages and consuming hundreds of innocent victims, two doctors and a fisherman set out to destroy the beast themselves in this Thai/Korean co-production.

REVIEW LINK: Synapse Films (US) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

CROCODILE Blu-ray specs: 

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 Widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
• Optional English SDH Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by writer and film historian Lee Gambin 
• Interview with original CROCODILE FANGS director Won-se Lee 
• Deleted and Alternate Scenes 
• U.S. Theatrical Trailer 

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Arrow Video gives voice to a MUTE WITNESS in 4K (review)

Working on a low-budget horror film in Moscow, mute make-up effects artist Billie Hughes gets locked into the studio overnight and discovers a snuff film being shot.  As she tries to prove that she knows the difference between reality and illusion, the killers are attempting to silence her for good.

REVIEW LINK: Arrow Video (US/UK) Region ALL 4K UltraHD (DVDCompare)

MUTE WITNESS 4K UltraHD specs:

• 2160p24 HEVC 2.33:1 Widescreen
• English LPCM 2.0 Stereo
• Optional English SDH Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by writer/director Anthony Waller 
• Audio Commentary by production designer Matthias Kammermeier and composer Wilbert Hirsch, moderated by critic Lee Gambin 
• "The Silent Death: Snuff Films and MUTE WITNESS" visual essay by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas 
• "The Wizard Behind the Curtain: Films Within Films and MUTE WITNESS" visual essay by author and critic Chris Alexander 
• "Snuff Movie: Presentation Video" circa 1992 presentation produced to generate interest from investors and distributors, featuring interviews with Anthony Waller and members of the creative team 
• Original Boston Location Scouting Footage 
• "Alec Guinness footage" filmed a decade prior to the rest of MUTE WITNESS 
• Teaser Trailer 
• Theatrical Trailer 
• Image Gallery 
• Comes with a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Adam Rabalais. 
• The first pressing includes a double-sided foldout poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Adam Rabalais, and a 20-page liner notes booklet "Seen But Not Heard: A Brief Exploration of Mute Women in Film" by Michelle Kisner. Also has information on the cast, crew, the transfer and acknowledgements.
  

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Also available on Blu-ray!

88 Films fights FEARLESS HYENA II (review)

When Jackie Chan walked out on his contract with Lo Wei, the producer/director had to complete an unfinished Chan film FEARLESS HYENA II in the dodgiest ways with recycled footage, unused footage, and even body doubles and fighting doubles in a car crash of an action film.

REVIEW LINK: 88 Films (UK) Region B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

FEARLESS HYENA II Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 Widescreen
• Cantonese, English, and alternate English dubs in DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 
• Optional English Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by film historians Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto 
• "Fake Shemps: How FEARLESS HYENA II was Completed Without Jackie Chan" interview with film historian Steven Lawson 
• Export Opening Credits 
• Japanese End Credits 
• Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer 
• Japanese Theatrical Trailer 
• Stills Gallery 
• The first pressing includes a slipcase with new artwork by Kung Fu Bob O'Brien and booklet notes by David West.
   

88 Films learns with Jackie Chan how TO KILL WITH INTRIGUE (review)

Jackie Chan plays a young man whose family is wiped out be a powerful gang.  His quest for revenge sidetracks him into a series of other intrigues involving stolen gold, killer gangs, and an insidious plot.

REVIEW LINK: 88 Films (UK) Region ALL 4K UltraHD/Region B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

TO KILL WITH INTRIGUE 4K UltraHD/Blu-ray Combo specs:

• Disc One (4K UltraHD):
• 2160p24 HEVC 2.35:1 Widescreen (Dolby Vision) 
• Mandarin (Hong Kong theatrical) LPCM 2.0 Mono, Mandarin (Japanese theatrical) LPCM 2.0 Mono, Cantonese LPCM 2.0 Stereo, and English LPCM 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English Subtitles for Mandarin, Japanese Theatrical Mandarin, and Cantonese audio tracks 
• Audio Commentary by Hong Kong film expert Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto
• Disc Two (Blu-ray):
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 Widescreen 
• Mandarin (Hong Kong theatrical) LPCM 2.0 Mono, Mandarin (Japanese theatrical) LPCM 2.0 Mono, Cantonese LPCM 2.0 Stereo, and English LPCM 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English Subtitles for Mandarin, Japanese Theatrical Mandarin, and Cantonese audio tracks 
• Audio Commentary by Hong Kong film expert Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto 
• "From the Lo Wei Vaults" Alternate Korean Footage from THE KILLER METEORS and SNAKE AND CRANE ARTS OF SHAOLIN 
• "Intriguingly Jackie" interview with Hong Kong cinema expert Rick Baker 
• Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer 
• Japanese Theatrical Trailer 
• Japanese Teaser 
• Japanese TV Spot 
• Japanese Credit Sequence 
• Lobby Card Gallery 
• Behind the Scenes Stills Gallery
• Comes with a reversible sleeve featuring new artwork by Robert "Kung Fu Bob" O'Brien & original the poster. 
• The first pressing includes a double-walled slipcover with artwork by Robert "Kung Fu Bob" O'Brien, an A3 foldout poster, and a 32-page booklet with new writing on the film by David West.
  

88 Films carves out PUMPKINHEAD II: BLOOD WINGS (review)

From Jeff Burr, the director of LEATHERFACE: TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE III, comes the nineties sequel to Stan Winston's PUMPKINHEAD.  When teenagers mess with the occult and resurrect the dead, a vengeful witch puts a curse on them.  Soon, Pumpkinhead is out and about terrorizing the residents of Ferren Woods but he has his own score to settle before getting to the increasingly terrified teens.  Andrew Robinson (HELLRAISER), Ami Dolenz (WITCHBOARD 2), J. Trevor Edmond (RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD 3), Soleil Moon Frye (PUNKY BREWSTER), Gloria Hendry (BLACK CAESAR), Kane Hodder (FRIDAY THE 13TH), Joe Unger (A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET), R.A. Mihailoff (LEATHERFACE), and Linnea Quigley (NIGHT OF THE DEMONS) star.

REVIEW LINK: 88 Films (UK) Region B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

PUMPKINHEAD II: BLOOD WINGS Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen
• English LPCM 2.0 Stereo
• Optional English HoH Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by film journalists Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain 
• Audio Commentary by director Jeff Burr 
• "Monster Mash" interview with creature actor Mark McCracken 
• "The Creature Wore Tennis Shoes - Creating PUMPKINHEAD II" featurette 
• Behind the Scenes Footage 
• Theatrical Trailer 
• Still Gallery 
• The first pressing includes a gloss O-ring slipcover.
   

Second Sight investigates GONJIAM: HAUNTED ASYLUM (review)

After it appears on CNN's list of the seven "freakiest places" on Earth, a group of ambitious YouTubers decide to carry out a livestream paranormal investigation into the haunted hospital and discover that it is more than an urban legend in South Korea's first "found footage" horror movie.

REVIEW LINK: Second Sight (UK) Region B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

GONJIAM: HAUNTED ASYLUM Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen
• Korean DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
• Optional English Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by film historians Mary Beth McAndrews and Terry Mesnard 
• "Fear the Unknown: Zoë Rose Smith on GONJIAM: HAUNTED ASYLUM" 
• Archive Featuerettes: 
• "The Beginning of the Rumours" 
• "The New Faces" 
• "The Sanctum of Horror" 
• "The Truth of the Ghostlore" 
• "The Live Recording" 
• "The Press Conference" 
• Trailers 
• Comes in a rigid slipcase with new artwork by Luke Headland with a 70-page book featuring new essays by Sarah Appleton James Marsh, Meagan Navarro and Amber T, as well as six collectors' art cards.
   

Radiance Films wields a sword in SHINOBI (review)

In the SHINOBI films, Raizô Ichikawa plays a ninja-in-training who goes on a mission of vengeance against warlords who have massacred his family and his clan.

REVIEW LINK: Radiance Films (US/UK) Region A/B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

SHINOBI Blu-ray specs:

• Disc One:
• Band of Assassins:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.43:1 Widescreen 
• Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English Subtitles
• Vengeance:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.43:1 Widescreen 
• Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English Subtitles
• Interview with Shozo Ichiyama, artistic director of the Tokyo International Film
• Disc Two:
• Resurrection:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.43:1 Widescreen 
• Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English Subtitles 
• "A Brief History of Ninja Films" visual essay by film scholar Mance Thompson 
• Interview with film critic Toshiaki Sato on star Raizo Ichikawa 
• Trailers: 
• "Band of Assassins" .
• "Revenge" 
• "Resurrection" 
• Limited edition of 3,000 copies, presented in a rigid box with two full-height Scanavo cases and removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings. Includes six postcards of promotional material from the films, reversible sleeves featuring artwork based on original promotional materials, and a booklet featuring new writing by Jonathan Clements on the "Shinobi no mono" series and Diane Wei Lewis on writer Tomoyoshi Murayama.

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Film Masters avenges THE CRIPPLED MASTERS (review)

When two members of a gang are punished by having their limbs mutilated by their ruthless boss, an aged martial arts master helps them train to use their disabilities to their advantage and avenge themselves in THE CRIPPLED MASTERS.

REVIEW LINK: Film Masters (US) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

THE CRIPPLED MASTERS Blu-ray specs:

• Restored Version:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.38:1 Widescreen 
• English DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono 
• Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by The Important Cinema Club
• Raw Scan Version:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.38:1 Widescreen 
• English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono 
• "Kings of Kung Fu: Releasing the Legends" documentary 
• Kung Fu Film Trailer Compilation from Something Weird 
• Before/After Restoration 
• Theatrical Trailer 
• 2024 Re-cut Trailer 
• Comes with a 14-page liner notes booklet by Lawrence Carter-Long.
  

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Acorn Media animates terror in STOPMOTION (review)

Living under the thumb of her stop motion filmmaker mother, Ella feels like little more than a puppet.  When her mother falls into a coma, Ella starts work on her own project but starts to feel like someone or something else is still pulling the strings.

REVIEW LINK: Acorn Media (UK) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

STOPMOTION Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.39:1 Widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
• English Descriptive Audio DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Stereo
• Interview with actress Aisling Franciosi
• Interview with director Robert Morgan
• Behind the Scenes
   

Unearthed Films is hot for teacher in HOMEWORK (review)

"Every young man needs a teacher" and who better than desperate housewife Joan Collins in the eighties sex comedy HOMEWORK.  Seventeen-year-old Tommy's grades are slipping and he's seeing a shrink because he believes he's the only virgin left in school.  His girlfriend is so obsessed with making the swim team that Tommy often ends up spending more time with her mother (Collins); which doesn't seem to be out of the norm since pal Ralphie and exchange student Gilles both have their eyes on flighty new French teacher Ms. Jackson.  When Tommy and his friends hit upon the idea to form a rock band, they find their big chance at frame threatened by the consequences of their own sexual urges.  Carrie Snodgrass (THE FURY), Lee Purcell (NECROMANCY), and Wings Hauser (THE WIND) also star.

REVIEW LINK: Unearthed Films (US) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

HOMEWORK Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen
• English LPCM 2.0 Mono and Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
• Optional English and English SDH Subtitles
• Interview with producer Max Rosenberg
• Promotional Gallery
• Theatrical Trailer
• Trailers
• First pressing slipcover
  

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88 Films brings the curtain up on THE FLESH AND BLOOD SHOW - THE HORROR FILMS OF PETE WALKER (review)

After dabbling in sex films - above and below the counter - and crimes films, independent producer/director Pete Walker found his footing in seventies British horror at a time when he had few other contemporaries.  

In DIE SCREAMING, MARIANNE, Susan George is a young heiress on the run from her corrupt judge father and mad half-sister and surrounded by people she cannot trust.  In THE FLESH AND BLOOD SHOW, several young actors are hired to put on a new, provocative show in a disused theater at the end of a pier and start dropping dead one-by-one.  In HOUSE OF WHIPCORD, a young French model finds herself trapped in the private prison of a blind judge, his mad wife, and their twisted son.  

In FRIGHTMARE, a young woman tries to contain the murderous and cannibalistic urges of her stepmother, not knowing that she has been claiming victims behind her back.  In THE HOUSE OF MORTAL SIN, a young woman becomes the target of a twisted priest obsessed with saving her from sin to the extent of killing everyone around her.  

In SCHIZO, an ice skater believes that her mother's murderer is stalking her.  Everyone else believes it is all in her head, but then they start dropping dead.  Finally, in THE COMEBACK, an American singer retreats the the English country house to work on his comeback album but the things that go bump in the night driving him towards a nervous breakdown start claiming lives.

REVIEW LINK: 88 Films (UK) Region B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

THE FLESH AND BLOOD SHOW - THE HORROR FILMS OF PETE WALKER Blu-ray specs: 

• Disc One - Die Screaming, Marianne:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.66:1 Widescreen 
• English LPCM 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by film critic Samm Deighan 
• Audio Commentary by director/producer Pete Walker, moderated by "English Gothic" author Jonathan Rigby 
• "Tales of Terror" interview with director Pete Walker 
• "Norman Langley on DIE SCREAMING, MARIANNE" cinematographer interview 
• Theatrical Trailer
• Disc Two - The Flesh and Blood Show:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.66:1 Widescreen (2D or 3D climax viewing options) 
• English LPCM 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by author Jonathan Rigby and critic Kevin Lyons 
• "The Flesh Show" interview with actor Stewart Bevin 
• "The Blood Show" interview with 3rd assistant director Terry Madden 
• Theatrical Trailer 
• Radio Spot
• Disc Three - House of Whipcord:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.66:1 Widescreen 
• English LPCM 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by screenwriter David McGillivray, moderated by film critics Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw 
• Audio Commentary by director/producer/co-writer Pete Walker and director of photography Peter Jessop, moderated by biographer Professor Steven Chibnall 
• "Courting Controversy - An Insider's View of the Films of Pete Walker" 2023 version of 2005 documentary 
• "House of Walker" interview with director Pete Walker 
• "Return to the HOUSE OF WHIPCORD" location visit with owner Andy Jones 
• "Sheila Keith - A Nice Old Lady?" 2023 version of 2004 featurette 
• Theatrical Trailer
• Disc Four - Frightmare:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.66:1 Widescreen 
• English LPCM 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by screenwriter David McGillivray, moderated by film critics Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw 
• Audio Commentary by British horror experts Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth 
• Audio Commentary by director/producer/co-writer Pete Walker and director of photography Peter Jessop, moderated by biographer Professor Steven Chibnall 
• "Editor Robert Dearberg on FRIGHTMARE" interview 
• Theatrical Trailer
• Disc Five - House of Mortal Sin:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.66:1 Widescreen 
• English LPCM 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by screenwriter David McGillivray, moderated by film critics Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw 
• Audio Commentary by film critic Samm Deighan 
• Audio Commentary by director Pete Walker, moderated by film historian Jonathan Rigby 
• "Symphony of Horror" interview with director Pete Walker 
• "Actor Confessionals" interview with actors Norman Eshley and Stewart Bevan
• Disc Six - Schizo:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen 
• English LPCM 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by screenwriter David McGillivray, moderated by film critics Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw 
• "Ask Mr Walker" interview with director Pete Walker
• Disc Seven - The Comeback:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen 
• English LPCM 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by screenwriter David McGillivray, moderated by film critics Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw 
• Audio Commentary by director/producer Pete Walker, moderated by "English Gothic" author Jonathan Rigby 
• "Walker's Women" interview with director Pete Walker 
• "The Making of THE COMEBACK" 
• Theatrical Trailer
• Seven keep cases - each with reversible cover art - housed in a rigid slipcase with artwork by Sean Longmore with a 56-page perfectbound book featuring essays by Simon Sheridan, Barry Forshaw and Jon Towlson, as well as eight collectible original artwork postcards, and two pairs of anaglyph 3D glasses.

Blue Underground is damned in AMSTERDAMNED (review)

A knife-wielding maniac is stalking victims along the famous canals of Amsterdam in Dick Maas' ambitious follow-up to THE LIFT.  Huub Stapel stars as the investigating police detective and Monique Van Voren is the comely diver/tour guide.  Featuring a show-stopping speedboat chase that rivals the one from PUPPET ON A STRING.

REVIEW LINK: Blue Underground (US) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

AMSTERDAMNED Blu-ray specs: 

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 widescreen 
• Dutch DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 Stereo, English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Stereo, and French Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo 
• Optional English (for Dutch audio), English SDH (for English audio), and Spanish subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by director Dick Maas and editor Hans van Dongen, and moderated by David Gregory .
• "The Making of Amsterdamned" vintage featurette 
• "Tales from the Canal" interview with actor Huub Stapel 
• "Damned Stuntwork" interview with stunt coordinator Dickey Beer 
• Loïs Lane "Amsterdamned" music video 
• Still gallery of poster and video art and lobby cards 
• Dutch and American Trailers 

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88 Films targets a MAN OF VIOLENCE for THE BIG SWITCH (review)

Before Pete Walker became known for gritty British horror films, he transitioned from sex comedies to "sex and violence" crime films.  In MAN OF VIOLENCE, a private detective gets caught between two dodgy business partners and a cache of gold.  In THE BIG SWITCH, an advertising executive is framed for murder and forced to work for gangsters.

REVIEW LINK: 88 Films (UK) Region B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

MAN OF VIOLENCE/THE BIG SWITCH Blu-ray specs:

• Disc One - Man of Violence (1970):
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.37:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen 
• English LPCM 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English HoH Subtitles 
• "Sex and Violence - Pete Walker's Austerity Films" interview with director Pete Walker 
• "Noir in Colour" interview with director of photography Norman Langley 
• "Man of Violence" title sequence
• Theatrical Trailer
• Disc Two - The Big Switch (1968):
• British Version (69 minutes): 
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.37:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen 
• English LPCM 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English HoH Subtitles 
• Export Version (77 minutes): 
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.37:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen 
• English LPCM 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English HoH Subtitles 
• Theatrical Trailer
• Outer double walled slipcase featuring new artwork by Ben Turner.
  

Eureka Classics pays A QUEEN'S RANSOM (review)

Offscreen enemies George Lazenby and Jimmy Wang Yu reunited for this oddball international heist/terrorism film involving Queen Elizabeth's visit to Hong Kong also starring Angela Mao.

REVIEW LINK: Eureka Video (US/UK) Region A/B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

A QUEEN'S RANSOM Blu-ray specs:

• Hong Kong Version (98 minutes):
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 Widescreen 
• Mandarin and English LPCM 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by East Asian film expert Frank Djeng, NY Asian Film Festival
• English Export Version (92 minutes):
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 Widescreen 
• Mandarin and English LPCM 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema 
• "Fighting George: Training with Michael Worth" interview with martial artist and actor Michael Worth 
• Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer 
• Comes with a reversible sleeve featuring original poster artwork. 
• The first pressing of 2,000 copies includes a limited edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling and a collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by James Oliver. 

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Eureka and Masters of Cinema celebrate THE VALIANT ONES in 4K (review)

Japanese ronin and Chinese bandits ravage the coasts of China during the 16th century.  The emperor sends a new governor to the province who ruffles feathers when he employs a skilled strategist and his unconventional team to lure the pirates into a trap in King Hu's lesser-seen THE VALIANT ONES.

REVIEW LINK: Eureka Video (US/UK) Region ALL 4K UltraHD (DVDCompare)

THE VALIANT ONES 4K UltraHD specs:

• 2160p24 HEVC 2.35:1 Widescreen (Dolby Vision)
• Mandarin LPCM 1.0 Mono
• Optional English Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) 
• "Tony Rayns on THE VALIANT ONES" 
• "Tsar of All Wuxia" video essay by film historian David Cairns 
• "The Life of a Lucky Stuntman" interview with stuntman Billy Chan 
• "My Father and I" interview with actor Ng Ming-choi 
• "Memories of Hu" interview with Roger Garcia (Hong Kong International Film Festival Society) by Frédéric Ambroisine 
• Interview with actress Hsu Feng by Frédéric Ambroisine 
• Interview with actor Ng Ming-choi by Frédéric Ambroisine 
• First pressing of 2000 copies also includes a slipcase featuring new artwork by Grégory Sacré (Gokaiju) and a collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Jonathan Clements.

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88 Films takes on the ABSURD Italian slasher (review)

Joe D'Amato and George Eastman take on the slasher genre an ABSURD rip-off of HALLOWEEN in which a small town is terrorized by a mad killer whose path of carnage eventually settles on a house in the countryside where a nurse, a babysitter, a bratty little boy, and a paraplegic girl have been left alone for the night.  George Eastman, Annie Belle, and Edmund Purdom star.

REVIEW LINK: 88 Films (UK) Region ALL 4K UltraHD/Blu-ray Combo (DVDCompare)

ABSURD 4K UltraHD/Blu-ray Combo specs:

• Disc One (4K UltraHD):
• English Version (94 minutes): 
• 2160p24 HEVC 1.85:1 Widescreen (HDR10) 
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by film historians Eugenio Ercolani and Nanni Cobretti 
• Audio Commentary by The Hysteria Continues 
  
• Italian Version (88 minutes): 
• 2160p24 HEVC 1.85:1 Widescreen (HDR10) 
• Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English Subtitles 
• "Absurd" Export Trailer
• Disc Two (Blu-ray):
• English Version (94 minutes): 
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen 
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by film historians Eugenio Ercolani and Nanni Cobretti 
• Audio Commentary by The Hysteria Continues 
• Italian Version (88 minutes): 
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen 
• Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English Subtitles 
• "When Luigi Met George" interview with actor/screenwriter Luigi Montefiori 
• "The Absurd Factor" interview with actor/screenwriter Luigi Montefiori 
• "The Sound of Filmirage" interview with composer Carlo Maria Cordio 
• "An Uncredited Biker" interview with filmmaker Michele Soavi 
• "How ABSURD: An Italian Slasher" visual essay by film historian Mike Foster 
• "Absurd" Export Trailer
• Comes with a reversible sleeve featuring new art by Graham Humphreys and original Italian poster. 

88 Films website exclusive edition includes a rigid slipcase with original VHS artwork, doublesided A3 poster, and a 40-page perfectbound book featuring: - "Absurd - Joe D'amato and the Outer Limits of Bad Taste" by David Flint; - "Rosso Sangue" by Johnny Mains; - "No Saints Day - Absurd, the Italian Halloween" by Jon Dear; - "Slasher Italian Films …and No Sex Please" by Pier Maria Bocchi; - and "Absurdly Awesome" by Mia Boffey.

88 Films takes a bite out of ANTHROPOPHAGUS (review)

It's not the fear that tears you apart, it's ANTHROPOPHAGOUS.  ZOMBIE's Tisa Farrow accompanies a group of friends to a Greek island only to discover that it has been deserted and the only other living thing is a beast that craves human flesh.  George Eastman also stars.

REVIEW LINK: 88 Films (UK) Region ALL 4K UltraHD/Blu-ray Combo (DVDCompare)

ANTHROPOPHAGUS 4K UltraHD/Blu-ray Combo specs:

• Disc One (4K UltraHD):
• 2160p24 HEVC 1.66:1 Widescreen (HDR10) 
• English or Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles (for English audio) and English Subtitles (for Italian audio) 
• Audio Commentary by film historians Eugenio Ercolani and Nanni Cobretti 
• Italian Theatrical Trailer
• Disc Two (Blu-ray):
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.66:1 Widescreen 
• English or Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles (for English audio) and English Subtitles (for Italian audio) 
• Audio Commentary by film historians Eugenio Ercolani and Nanni Cobretti 
• "Resurrecting the Monster" interview with filmmaker Dario Germani 
• "The Sacrificial Lamb" interview with actress Zora Kerowa 
• "The Grim Reaper" interview with actor Luigi Montefiori 
• "Joe, The Monster and Me" archival interview with actor Luigi Montefiori 
• Deleted Scene with introduction by film historian Eugenio Ercolani 
• "The Guts of It All" visual essay by film historian Eugenio Ercolani 
• Italian Theatrical Trailer 
• English Export Trailer 
• U.K. Video Trailer 
• U.S. VHS Trailer
• Comes with a reversible sleeve featuring new art by Graham Humphreys and original Italian poster.
• 88 Films Website Exclusives include a rigid slipcase with original VHS artwork, doublesided A3 poster, and a 40-page perfectbound book featuring:
  - "Islands Of Death: Horrors Of The Greek Archipelago" by John Llewellyn Probert;
  - "Devouring the Innocent: Women and Children as Cannibalistic Prey in <i>Anthropophagous</i>" by Zoë Rose Smith;
  - "So Horrific It Must Be Real: The Trials and Tribulations of <i>Anthropophagous the Beast</i>" by David Flint;
  - and "The Savage Island" by Daniel Burnett.
   

Celluloid Dreams investigates THE CASE OF THE BLOODY IRIS (review)

Jennifer and fellow model Marilyn move into a modern apartment building into the unit where the previous tenant was murdered.  It turns out that is not the only murder that has plagued the building, and Jennifer soon wonders if it is her violent ex, her new lover, or one of her neighbors that is stalking her through the corridors in this giallo starring George Hilton and Edwige Fenech.

REVIEW LINK: Celluloid Dreams (US) Region ALL 4K UltraHD/Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

THE CASE OF THE BLOODY IRIS 4K UltraHD/Blu-ray Combo specs:

• Disc One (4K UltraHD):
• 2160p24 HEVC 2.39:1 Widescreen (HDR10) 
• English and Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 
• Optional English SDH and English Subtitles 
• English or Italian Opening Credits via Seamless Branching
• Audio Commentary by film historian Guido Henkel 
  
• Disc Two (Blu-ray):
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.39:1 Widescreen 
• English and Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 
• Optional English SDH and English Subtitles 
• English or Italian Opening Credits via Seamless Branching 
• Audio Commentary by film historian Guido Henkel 
• "Drops of Giallo" interview with screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi and director Giuliano Carnimeo 
• "Flowers of Blood" interview with actor George Hilton 
• "Marilyn" interview with actress Paola Quattrini 
• International Trailer 
• Italian Theatrical Trailer 
• Image Gallery 
• Outtakes Reel
• Comes with a slipcover and insert with credits, information about the restoration, and a promotion for the next release.

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Second Run returns home with HEIMAT (review)

Edgar Reitz's epic German television saga chronicles the changes to a German village from 1919-1982 as seen through the eyes of the Simon family torn apart and brought together by war, compassion, greed, love, and lust.

REVIEW: Second Sight (UK) Region B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

HEIMAT Blu-ray specs:

• 1080i50 MPEG-4 AVC 1.66:1 widescreen
• German LPCM 2.0 mono
• Optional English subtitles
• Eleven episodes on five Blu-ray discs
• Bonus Blu-ray disc featuring:
• "HEIMAT - The Hunsrück Villages: Stories From The Film Locations" Edgar Reitz's 2-hour documentary 'prologue' to HEIMAT
• Interview with Edgar Reitz
• "Maria's Story: Marita Breuer on Heimat" featurette
• "Christian Reitz: Restoring HEIMAT" featurette
• "Showing Not Talking: Jan Harlan on HEIMAT" featurette
• Visual Essay by Daniel Bird

Fun City Editions hits the road with RADIO ON (review)

When a radio DJ discovers his brother has mysteriously died, he takes to the road from London to Bristol to find out way and encounters a number of odd personalities along the way in this British/German "road movie" with music by David Bowie, Kraftwerk, Devo, and more.

REVIEW LINK: Fun City Editions (US) Region A Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

RADIO ON Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
• Optional English SDH Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by film historian Kier-La Janisse 
• "Before the Explosion of the Image Bank" interview with director Chris Petit 
• "A Little Bit Kitsch, But Ice Cold: Retro-futurism in Focus" audio discussion with Vic Pratt and director Chris Petit 
• Interview with Chris Petit & Keith Griffiths 
• "Radio On (Remix)" video essay 
• Image Gallery 
• Theatrical Trailer 
• Reversible cover 

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Wild Eye Releasing and Visual Vengeance give voice to SCREAM QUEEN (review)

When scream queen Malicia Tombs (Linnea Quigley) perishes in a car explosion, the crew of her latest film - and the suspects in her death - are invited to a remote mansion to finish her film by a mysterious host and a killer stalking the halls.  From the director of CAMP BLOOD.

REVIEW LINK: Wild Eye Releasing (US) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

SCREAM QUEEN Blu-ray specs: 

• Director's Cut (74 minutes):
• 1080i60 MPEG-4 AVC 1.33:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen 
• English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by writer/director Brad Sykes
• Producer's Cut (79 minutes):
• 1080i60 MPEG-4 AVC 1.33:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen 
• English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono 
• "Once Upon a Time in Horrorwood" interview with writer/director Brad Sykes 
• Interviews: 
• actress Linnea Quigley 
• editor Mark Polonia 
• Behind the Scenes Image Gallery 
• Linnea Quigley Image Gallery 
• Original Script Excerpts 
• Original Trailer 
• Visual Vengeance Trailer 
• Comes with a slipcover, reversible cover, video rental store card, sheet of twelve stickers, and foldout poster.

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Wild Eye Releasing and Visual Vengeance knock on THE WRONG DOOR (review)

When a radio mystery drama student and part-time singing telegram knock on THE WRONG DOOR, he becomes entangled in a murder and may just be the next victim in this Super 8-lensed regional thriller.

REVIEW LINK: Wild Eye Releasing (US) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

THE WRONG DOOR Blu-ray specs: 

• Original Cut (74 minutes):
  
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.37:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen
• English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
• Optional English SDH Subtitles
• Audio Commentary on the original cut by co-directors Bill Weiss and Shawn Kerby 
• Audio Commentary on the original cut by co-director James Groetsch and producer John Schonebaum
  
• Director's Cut (67 minutes):
• 1080i60 MPEG-4 AVC 1.37:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen
• English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
• "Men Make Movie, If Not Million$: The Making of THE WRONG DOOR" documentary 
• Interviews with co-directors James Groetsch, Shawn Korby, and Bill Weiss, and actor Matt Felmlee 
• "Distributing THE WRONG DOOR" interview with "Film Threat" magazine writer Chris Gore 
• Super 8 Short Films: 
• "Raiders of the Lost Bark" (1983) 
• "The Pizza Man" (1988) 
• "The Gale Whitman Show" TV episode 
• Original MUTHER Video VHS Intro 
• Image Gallery 
• Original Storyboards Gallery 
• Film Threat Review 
• "Now Hiring" Trailer 
• Visual Vengeance Trailer 
• Comes in a slipcover with a reversible sleeve, "The Wrong Door" door tag, foldout poster, and a sheet of twelve stickers.

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Severin Films rebirths BAD BIOLOGY (review)

What happens when a woman with a mutant sex drive meets a man whose genitals have a life of their own... death, disaster, and multiple orgasms in the comeback film of BASKET CASE's Frank Henenlotter BAD BIOLOGY.

REVIEW LINK: Severin Films (UK) Region ALL 4K UltraHD/Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

BAD BIOLOGY 4K UltraHD/Blu-ray specs: 

• Disc One (4K UltraHD):
• 2160p24 HEVC 1.78:1 Widescreen (HDR10) 
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 Stereo 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by director Frank Henenlotter, director of photography Nick Deeg and actor Anthony Sneed 
• Audio Commentary by director Frank Henenlotter and producer R.A. Thorburn
• Disc Two (Blu-ray):
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.78:1 Widescreen 
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 Stereo 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by director Frank Henenlotter, director of photography Nick Deeg and actor Anthony Sneed 
• Audio Commentary by director Frank Henenlotter and producer R.A. Thorburn 
• "Spook House" documentary
• "In the Basement with Charlee Danielson"
• "Deeg and Sneed" conversation with director of photography Nick Deeg and actor Anthony Sneed
• "Swollen Agenda" interview with makeup effects artist Gabe Bartalos
• "Beyond Bad" documentary
• "F**k Face: The Man Behind the Lens"
• "Suck" short film by Anthony Sneed
• "Legendary Loser" music video by R.A. The Rugged Man 
• Thorburn Image Gallery
  

MVD bares it all with the Skinmax Double Feature of FORBIDDEN PASSIONS and LURID TALES: THE CASTLE QUEEN (review)

Virtual reality gets sexy with this Skinmax double feature.  In FORBIDDEN PASSIONS, software designer Mara dies in a fire while hooked up to her VR program and is given the chance to help her users with their sexual problems on the virtual plane.  In LURID TALES: THE CASTLE QUEEN, a stressed out college student tries a VR rig and wakes up in medieval England as the guest of a sexy widow and her sisters who use their charms to fend off enemies who try to steal their land.

REVIEW LINK: MVD Visual (US) Region 0 NTSC DVD (DVDCompare)

FORBIDDEN PASSIONS/LURID TALES: THE CASTLE QUEEN DVD specs:

• 16:9 Anamorphic 1.33:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen
• English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
• Optional English SDH Subtitles
• Video Trailers

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Acorn Media solves whodunits with HARRY WILD: SERIES 1 AND 2 (review)

Jane Seymour is retired literature professor Harry Wild who takes a troubled teen under her wing as she turns into an amateur detective investigating crimes under the nose of her detective son in this AcornTV original series.

REVIEW LINK: Acorn Media (UK) Region 0 PAL DVD (DVDCompare)

HARRY WILD - SERIES 1 AND 2 DVD specs:

• Twelve episodes on four dual-layer DVDs
• 16:9 anamorphic 2.00:1 widescreen
• English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
• Behind the Scenes featurettes
• Picture Gallery
  

88 Films salutes YES, MADAM! (review)

Michelle Yeoh is a Hong Kong cop who teams up with an American copy played by Cynthia Rothrock to track down the killer of their mentor with the unwelcome help of a trio of bumbling thieves.

REVIEW LINK: 88 Films (US) Region A Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

YES, MADAM! Blu-ray specs:

• Hong Kong Version:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen 
• Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (theatrical mix), Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (home video mix), and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (home video mix)
• Optional English Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by Hong Kong film expert Frank Djeng
• Export Version:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen 
• English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (classic dub) 
• Select Scene Commentary by actress Cynthia Rothrock and Frank Djeng on the Airport Scene 
• Select Scene Commentary by actress Cynthia Rothrock and Frank Djeng on the Final Fight Scene 
• Introduction by actress Cynthia Rothrock 
• "Battling Babes" featurette 
• Interview with actress Michelle Yeoh 
• "Ladies First" interview with actor Mang Hoi 
• "A Team Player" interview with actress Cynthia Rothrock 
• Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer
  

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88 Films goes on duty with ROYAL WARRIORS (review)

A Japanese cop bent on avenging his slain partner teams up with a Hong Kong female police officer in pursuit of a pair of deadly Japanese thieves in this early example of the "Girls with Guns" genre starring Michelle Yeoh.

REVIEW LINK: 88 Films (US) Region A Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

ROYAL WARRIORS Blu-ray specs: 

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen
• Cantonese/Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (theatrical mix), Cantonese/Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (alternate mix), English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (new dub), and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (classic dub) 
• Optional English Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng 
• English "In the Line of Duty" Title Sequence 
• Missing Airplane Scene Inserts 
• Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer 
• English Theatrical Trailer

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Acorn Media investigates WHITSTABLE PEARL: SERIES 1 AND 2 (review)

Having given up her dream of being a police officer in London when she got pregnant, Pearl Nolan has been running a restaurant in her home village of Whitstable for the last twenty years with her mother.  With her son about to go off to college, Pearl decides her second act will be as a private detective but she becomes the chief suspect when her seafood supplier is found dead and tangled in his nets.  Over two series of twelve episodes, Pearl butts heads with "down from London" police detective Mike McGuire in a battle of professionally-honed instincts versus insider knowledge.

REVIEW LINK: Acorn Media (UK) Region 0 PAL DVD (DVDCompare)

WHITSTABLE PEARL SERIES 1 AND 2 DVD specs:

• Twelve episodes on four dual-layer DVDs
• 16:9 Anamorphic 2.00:1 Widescreen
• English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
• Optional English HoH Subtitles
• Behind the Scenes for both series
• Image Galleries
  

Fun City Editions aims a handgun DEEP IN THE HEART of Texas (review)

Kathleen moves from Boston to Dallas to teach high school where she is introduced to Larry, a handsome attorney whose love of guns is more than a hobby.  When he rapes her at gunpoint, Kathleen decides to take revenge on her own terms in this atypical deconstruction of the rape-revenge film and satire of American gun culture.

REVIEW LINK: Fun City Editions (US) Region A Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

HANDGUN Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
• Optional English SDH Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by film historians Erica Shultz and Chris O'Neill 
• Archival interview with producer/writer/director Tony Garnett 
• Image Gallery 
• Theatrical Trailer 
• Comes with a booklet featuring a new essay by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas. 
• The first pressing includes and a limited edition slipcover with newly-commissioned front and back artwork by Tom Ralston.

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Film Movement and Rainer Werner Fassbinder crack the case of KAMIKAZE 89 (review)

Filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder had his first film lead and final acting role in 1982's KAMIKAZE '89.  Loosely based on Per Wahlöö's "Murder on the 31st Floor", the film finds Fassbinder as alcoholic police lieutenant Jansen investigating a bomb threat against The Combine, the monolithic company that controls all arts, news, and entertainment for The Federal Republic of Germany.  He's got "ninety six hours to crack his last case... his time's already up."

REVIEW LINK: Film Movement/Vinegar Syndrome (US) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

KAMIKAZE 89 Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.66:1 widescreen
• German LPCM 2.0 mono
• Optional English subtitles
• Audio Commentary by producer Regina Ziegler
• Hour documentary "Rainer Werner Fassbinder: The Last year"
• Theatrical Trailer
• John Cassavetes' Radio Spots for KAMIKAZE 89
• Previews
• Booklet by Nick Pinkerton and Samuel B. Prime

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Full Moon swelters in Jess Franco's DOWNTOWN HEAT (review)

When two cops and a jazz musician who has lost his wife to drugs discover corruption within the force, they pair up with an American federal agent to take on gangsters in Jess Franco's eighties action film starring Mike Connors and Craig Hill.

REVIEW LINK: Full Moon Features (US) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

DOWNTOWN HEAT Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.66:1 Widescreen
• English Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 Stereo
• Full Moon Trailers
  

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88 Films gets snatched by THE BODY STEALERS (review)

When paratroopers vanish right out the sky, man of action Bob Megan suspects a conspiracy but everything else points to an alien invasion in Tigon's Bond-ian sci-fi thriller.

REVIEW LINK: 88 Films (UK) Region B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

THE BODY STEALERS Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen
• English LPCM 2.0 Mono
• Optional English HoH Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by film critics David Flint and Allan Bryce 
• Audio Commentary by actor Patrick Allen, moderated author John Hamilton 
• "The Making of THE BODY STEALERS" 
• "Invasion of THE BODY STEALERS" introduction by film historian Jon Dear 
• "A Career Man - Will Fowler on George Sanders and THE BODY STEALERS" 
• Theatrical Trailer 
• The first pressing includes a limited edition glossy O-ring slipcover and booklet notes by John Hamilton.
   

For Dark Force Entertainment's ALL THE YOUNG WIVES, MY PLEASURE IS MY BUSINESS (review)

In this grindhouse double feature, a young wife with a cheating older husband falls for a studly horse trainer in ALL THE YOUNG WIVES while "The Happy Hooker" herself Xavier Hollander shows horny moral hypocrites that MY PLEASURE IS MY BUSINESS.

REVIEW LINK: Dark Force Entertainment (US) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

ALL THE YOUNG WIVES/MY PLEASURE IS MY BUSINESS Blu-ray specs:

• All The Young Wives:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen 
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
• My Pleasure is My Business:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.66:1 Widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
• "Drive-in Theater" Playback Mode 

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Second Run gets dizzy in MERRY-GO-ROUND (review)

A farm girl in love with a field worker is promised to an older landowner by her father without her consent, and her love for another man will lead her to challenge his authority and her village's entire way of life in this Hungarian masterwork from Zoltan Fabri.

REVIEW LINK: Second Run (UK) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

MERRY-GO-ROUND Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 AVC MPEG-4 1.37:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen 
• Hungarian LPCM 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English Subtitles
• "We're Flying, Mari" interview with filmmaker István Szabó 
• Screen Tests 
• Restoration Demo 
• Theatrical Trailer 
• Comes with a 20-page booklet with an essay by Hungarian cinema specialist John Cunningham.
   

88 Films spreads its (bat)wings with COUNT DRACULA in 4K (review)

Spanish provocateur director Jess Franco, cunning producer Harry Alan Towers, and Hammer horror great Christopher Lee set out to produce the most faithful adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel with COUNT DRACULA, and the results were... interesting.

REVIEW LINK: 88 Films (UK) Region ALL 4K UltraHD/Blu-ray Combo (DVDCompare)

COUNT DRACULA 4K UltraHD Blu-ray specs:

• Disc One (4K UltraHD):
• 2160p24 HEVC 1.37:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen 
• English and Spanish LPCM 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by film critics Kim Newman and Sean Hogan 
• Audio Commentary by film experts Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thomson 
• Audio Commentary by actress Maria Rohm, moderated by David Del Valle Theatrical Trailer
• Disc Two (Blu-ray):
• 1080p24 AVC MPEG-4 1.37:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen 
• English and Spanish LPCM 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by film critics Kim Newman and Sean Hogan 
• Audio Commentary by film experts Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thomson 
• Audio Commentary by actress Maria Rohm, moderated by David Del Valle 
• "Bloodsucker - David Pirie on COUNT DRACULA" 
• "The State of Dracula" 1973 illustrated Christopher Lee audio interview with filmmaker Donald Glut 
• "Dracula in the South" interview with film historian Troy Howarth 
• "Beloved Count" interview with director Jess Franco and producer Harry Alan Towers 
• "Handsome Harker: Actor Fred Williams Interviewed" 
• "A Conversation with Jack Taylor" 
• "Stake Holders" appreciation by French director Christophe Gans
  
• "Jess Franco's Bram Stoker's COUNT DRACULA" interview with Franco biographer Stephen Thrower
• "In the Land of Franco" bonus sequence with film historians Alain Petit and Stephen Thrower 
• Alternate French, German, Italian, and Spanish Title Sequences 
• Theatrical Trailer
• The first pressing includes a limited edition slipcase with artwork by Graham Humphreys and booklet notes with new writing on the film by Barry Forshaw.
   

Severin Films puts the magnifying glass on SHERLOCK HOLMES (review)

After Hammer's THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, Peter Cushing returned to the role of SHERLOCK HOLMES for BBC's second series - replacing Douglas Wilmer - with Nigel Stock as his Watson for series of eleven cases comprising twelve episodes including the two-part "The Hound of the Baskervilles."  Unfortunatley, only six episodes survive and are presented here along with remaining lost segments recovered from foreign television archives with commentaries and a rare Cushing interview.

REVIEW LINK: Severin Films (US) Region A Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

SHERLOCK HOLMES Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.24:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH Subtitles 
• Six surviving episodes on two Blu-ray discs including optional opening countdowns 
• Audio Commentary on "A Study in Scarlet" and "The Sign of Four" by film and television historians Kim Newman and David Stuart Davies 
• Audio Commentary on both parts of "The Hound of the Baskervilles" by film and television historians Barry Forshaw and David Stuart Davies 
• Audio Commentary on "The Boscombe Valley Mystery" and "The Blue Carbuncle" by film and television historians Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw 
• "Looking for Holmes: Author David Stuart Davies Interviews Peter Cushing on 29th August 1974 at Pinewood Studios, During the Filming of LEGEND OF THE WEREWOLF" 
• Lost Segments with optional audio commentary by film and television historians Jonathan Rigby and Kevin Lyons

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Unearthed Films rescues THE ABANDONED (review)

Marie comes to Russia in search of her past which has been shrouded in legal bureaucracy and learns that she has inherited a family farm that has been uninhabited for forty years since the murder of her mother.  When she arrives at the old farm, she discovers that ghosts of the past are very much still active and planning a deadly homecoming in the feature debut of Nacho Cerda.

REVIEW LINK: Unearthed Films (US) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

THE ABANDONED Blu-ray specs: 

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 Widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 Stereo
• Optional English SDH Subtitles
• "Circling Back" interviews with co-writer/director Nacho Cerdà, co-writer Karim Hussein, and co-writer Richard Stanley 
• "The Making of THE ABANDONED" 
• "In the THE ABANDONED's Den" interview with co-writer/director Nacho Cerdà 
• "Nacho Cerdà: Facing Death" 
• "The Little Secrets of Nacho Cerdà" 
• "When Buck Meets Cerdà: A Dialogue Between Friends" 
• Alternate Cuts 
• Alternate Endings 
• Deleted and Extended Scenes 
• Outtakes 
• Photo Gallery 
• Storyboards 
• Trailers 
• Bonus Trailers 
• BD-ROM: Storyboard Collection

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Second Run seeks a HAPPY END (review)

"Oldřich Lipský's one-of-a-kind Czech black comedy employs an ingenious twist - telling the life story of a condemned murderer entirely in reverse: from his 'birth' at the guillotine, to his departure as an infant. Utilising the techniques of silent cinema, the film plays with the flow of cinematic time to audacious effect."

REVIEW LINK: Second Run (UK) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

HAPPY END Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.37:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen
• Czech LPCM 2.0 Mono
• Optional English Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by the Projection Booth film historians Mike White, Kat Ellinger and Ben Buckingham 
• Video essay by film critic and Program Director of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival Cerise Howard 
• Comes with a booklet featuring a substantial new essay by writer and commentator Jonathan Owen.

Blue Underground resurrects DEATHDREAM in 4K (review)

Future A CHRISTMAS STORY and PORKY'S director Bob Clark and writer Alan Ormsby followed up CHILDREN SHOULDN'T PLAY THINGS with this supernatural take on the effects of the Vietnam War as a soldier supposedly killed in action shows up on his family's doorstep with a very special kind of craving.

REVIEW LINK: Blue Underground (US) Region ALL 4K UltraHD/Blu-ray Combo (DVDCompare)

DEATHDREAM 4K UltraHD/Blu-ray Combo Specs:

• Disc One - 4K UltraHD:
• 2160p24 HEVC 1.85:1 Widescreen (Dolby Vision) 
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH, French, and Spanish Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by director Bob Clark, moderated by David Gregory 
• Audio Commentary by screenwriter Alan Ormsby, moderated by David Gregory 
• Audio Commentary by film historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson 
• DEAD OF NIGHT Theatrical Trailer
• Disc Two - Blu-ray:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen 
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 Mono 
• Optional English SDH, French, and Spanish Subtitles 
• Audio Commentary by director Bob Clark, moderated by David Gregory 
• Audio Commentary by screenwriter Alan Ormsby, moderated by David Gregory 
• Audio Commentary by film historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson 
• "The First Andy" interview with actor Gary Swanson 
• "Notes for a Homecoming" interview with composer Carl Zittrer 
• A Recollection with star Anya Liffey and writer/make-up artist Alan Orsmby 
• "Flying Down to Brooksville" interview with production manager John Bud Cardos 
• Tom Savini: The Early Years 
• "Deathdreaming" interview with star Richard Backus 
• Gary Swanson Screen Test 
• "3:45" Alan Ormsby Student Film 
• Still Galleries 
• DEATHDREAM Alternate Opening Titles 
• DEAD OF NIGHT Theatrical Trailer
• Comes with a reversible cover.
• The first pressing includes a slipcover.
  

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