Cineventures' Best of 2020 Blu-ray and DVD List

With over two hundred reviews this year and even more worthy product, it was hard to narrow down my favorites to just ten. The two top ten releases consist of films making their Blu-ray debut while worthy upgrades are listed among the honorable mentions.

TOP TEN EXPLOITATION:

• TIE: DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS, Blue Underground (US) Region ALL 4K Blu-ray/Region ALL Blu-ray/CD Soundtrack and HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY, Blue Underground (US) Region ALL Blu-ray/CD Soundtrack
• Daughters of Darkness available from Amazon 
• House by the Cemetery available from Amazon (also as Blu-ray 4K reissue)
• DAWN OF THE DEAD, Second Sight (UK) Region B Blu-ray, available from Amazon (also as Blu-ray 4K edition).
• SEVEN WOMEN FOR SATAN, Mondo Macabro (US) Region ALL Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• SHIVERS, Vestron Video/Lionsgate (US) Region A Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• THE SIN OF NORA MORAN, The Film Detective (US) Region ALL Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• THE COMPLETE LENZI/BAKER GIALLO COLLECTION, Severin Films (US) Region A Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• MACABRE, 88 Films (UK) Region ALL Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• THE BEAST AND THE MAGIC SWORD, Mondo Macabro (US) Region ALL Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• FORGOTTEN GIALLI: VOLUME 1, Vinegar Syndrome (US) Region ALL Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• MY BLOODY VALENTINE, Scream Factory/Shout! Factory (US) Region A Blu-ray, available from Amazon

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

• DEADLY MANOR, Arrow Video USA (US) Region ALL Blu-ray, available from Amazon. 
• MALABIMBA, Vinegar Syndrome (US) Region ALL Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• DREAM DEMON, Arrow Video USA (US) Region ALL Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• ASSIGNMENT TERROR, Scorpion Releasing (US) Region ALL Blu-ray, available from Ronin Flix.
• SWEENEY!/SWEENEY 2, Kino Lorber (US) Region A Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• TIE: NIGHT OF OPEN SEX, Severin Films (US) Region ALL Blu-ray + CRIES OF PLEASURE, Severin Films (US) Region ALL Blu-ray
• Night of Open Sex available from Amazon.
• Cries of Pleasure available from Amazon.
• ARMOUR OF GOD II: OPERATION CONDOR, 88 Films (UK) Region B Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• P.O. BOX TINTO BRASS, Cult Epics (US) Region A Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• SHINING SEX, Severin Films (US) Region ALL Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• CECILIA, Blue Underground (US) Region ALL Blu-ray, available from Amazon.

TOP TEN ARTHOUSE/MAINSTREAM: 

• TENDERNESS, Second Run (UK) Region ALL Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• GOODBYE, DRAGON INN, Second Run (UK) Region ALL Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• MADE IN HONG KONG, Eureka (UK) Region B Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• SÉRIE NOIRE, Film Movement, Region A Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• RAINING IN THE MOUNTAIN, Eureka (UK) Region B Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• BLACK RAINBOW, Arrow Video USA (US) Region ALL Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• CLAUDE SAUTET & ROMY SCHNEIDER DUO: CÉSARE ET ROSALIE/LES CHOSES DE LA VIE, Film Movement (US) Region A Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• ZU: WARRIORS FROM THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN, Eureka (UK) Region B Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• TIE: BUSTER KEATON: THREE FILMS - VOLUME TWO, 1924-1926, Eureka (UK) Region B Blu-ray + BUSTER KEATON: THREE FILMS - VOLUME THREE, 1923-1927, Eureka (UK) Region B Blu-ray.
• Buster Keaton: Three Films - Volume Two, 1924-1926 available from Amazon.
• Buster Keaton: Three Films - Volume Three, 1923-1927 available from Amazon.
• HOUSE BY THE RIVER, Kino Lorber (US) Region A Blu-ray, available from Amazon. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS: 

• VALERIE AND HER WEEK OF WONDERS, Second Run (UK) Region ALL Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• THE WOMAN IN BLACK, Network (UK) Region B Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• UNDER THE SHADOW, Second Sight (UK) Region ALL Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• ALASTAIR SIM'S SCHOOL FOR LAUGHTER, Film Movement (US) Region A Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• THIS GUN FOR HIRE, Eureka (UK) Region B Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• THE CHICKEN CHRONICLES, Kino Lorber (US) Region A Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• WALKABOUT, Second Sight (UK) Region B Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• CRISS CROSS, Eureka (UK) Region B Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• THREE EDGAR ALLAN POE ADAPTATIONS STARRING BELA LUGOSI, Eureka (UK) Region B Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
• THE THOUSAND EYES OF DR. MABUSE, Eureka (UK) Region B Blu-ray, available from Amazon.
  

Lionsgate and Vestron are invaded by SHIVERS (review)

Horror comes from within in David Cronenberg's feature debut SHIVERS in which an upscale apartment building is a Petri dish for invasion and infection by parasites which violently inflame the libidos of their hosts.

REVIEW LINK: Lionsgate (US) Region A Blu-ray (DVD Drive-in)

SHIVERS Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.78:1 Widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
• Optional English, English SDH, and Spanish subtitles
• Audio Commentary by director David Cronenberg
• Audio Commentary by co-producer Don Carmody
• "Mind Over Matter" interview with director David Cronenberg
• "Good Night Nurse" interview with actress Lynn Lowry
• "Outside and Within" interview with special make-up effects creator Joe Blasco
• "Celebrating Cinepix: The Legacy of John Dunning" interview with producer's son Greg Dunning
• 1998 archival video interview with director David Cronenberg
• Image Gallery with audio intervie with producer John Dunning
  
• Canadian and U.S. Theatrical Trailers
• TV Spot
• Radio Spots
• Collector's Slipcover

 

Vestron Video attends SLAUGHTER HIGH (review)

"Marty majored in cutting classmates" at SLAUGHTER HIGH.  When a prank on the dork of Doddsville High goes wrong and he gets a face full of acid, mad Marty invites his classmates back for a ten year reunion and an April Fool's Day they will never forget.

REVIEW LINK: Vestron Video/LionsGate (US) Region A Blu-ray (DVD Drive-in)

SLAUGHTER HIGH 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 co-writers/co-directors George Dugdale and Peter Litten
• Audio Interview with composer Henry Manfredini featuring isolated music and effects selections
• Interview with co-writer/co-director Mark Ezra
• Interview with actress Caroline Munro
• Photo and Still Gallery
• Theatrical Trailer
• Radio Spots

Vestron Video and LionsGate grow up with PARENTS (Review)

The eighties cult horror comedy PARENTS hits Blu-ray.  Randy Quaid, Mary Beth Hurt, and Sandy Dennis star in this tale of cannibalism in 1950s midwestern suburbia from actor/director Bob Balaban.

REVIEW LINK: Vestron Video/LionsGate (US) Region A Blu-ray (DVD Drive-in)

PARENTS Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo
• Optional English SDH subtitles
• Audio Commentary by director Bob Balaban
• Audio Interview with composer Jonathan Elias with isolated score selections
• "Leftovers to Be" interview with screenwriter Christopher Hawkins
• "Mother's Day" interview with actress Mary Beth Hurt
• "Inside Out" interview with cinematographer Robin Vidgeon
• "Vintage Tastes" interview with decorative consultant Yolanda Cuomo
• Stills Gallery
• Theatrical Trailer
• Radio Spots

LionsGate and Vestron Video enter THE LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM (review)

Ken Russell's witty and psychedelic take on the Bram Stoker novel THE LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM hits Blu-ray.  Amanda Donohoe, Hugh Grant, Catherine Oxenberg, Sammi Davis, and Peter Capaldi star in this eighties cult classic.

REVIEW LINK: Vestron Video/LionsGate (US) Region A Blu-ray (DVD Drive-in)

THE LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo
• Optional English SDH subtitles
• Audio Commentary by director Ken Russell
• Audio Commentary by Lisi Russell
• "Worm Food: The Effects of THE LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM"
• "Cutting for Ken" interview with editor Peter Davies
• "Mary Mary" interview with actress Sammi Davis
• Theatrical Trailer
• "Trailers from Hell" with producer Dan Ireland
• Stills Gallery

Vestron Video and LionsGate dig up RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD 3 (review)

Romeo and Juliet gets a flesheating twist in the third film in the RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD series.  Curt and his girlfriend Julie discover that his father is involved in mysterious experiments involving Trioxin and the reanimation of the dead into bio-weapons.  When Julie is killed in a motorcycle accident, Curt resurrects her with the Trioxin and inadvertently unleashes a zombie epidemic on the city.  Melinda Clarke (THE O.C.), J. Trevor Edmond (PUMPKINHEAD 2), Kent McCord (ADAM-12), and Sarah Douglas (SUPERMAN) star.

REVIEW LINK: LionsGate/Vestron Video (US) Region A Blu-ray (DVD Drive-in)

RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD 3 Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo
• Optional English SDH subtitles
• Audio Commentary by director Brian Yuzna
• Audio Commentary by actress Melinda Clarke and visual effects supervisor Thomas C. Rainone
• Interview with actress Melinda Clarke
• Interview with actor J. Trevor Edmond
• Conversation between director Brian Yuzna and writer John Penney
• Interview with production executive David Tripet and editor Christopher Roth
• Interview with effects artists Steve Johnson and Chris Nelson, and filmmaker Anthony Hickox
• Storyboard and Stills Galleries
• Two Trailers

Lionsgate resurrects Vestron Video and C.H.U.D. II: BUD THE CHUD (review)

The CHUDs are loose again in this eighties teen comedy sequel to the original cult classic.  When prankster Steve and nerd Kevin lose a corpse meant for their biology class lecture, they rope best friend Katie into helping them steal a replacement body from the town's disease control center.  What they do not realize is that the corpse is a test subject for the CHUD enzyme to create super soldiers which has the unfortunate side effect of spreading communicable cannibalism.

REVIEW LINK: Vestron Video Collector's Series/LionsGate (US) Region A Blu-ray (DVD Drive-in)

C.H.U.D. II: BUD THE CHUD Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.78:1 widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono
• Optional English SDH subtitles
• Audio Commentary by director David Irving
• Interview with actor Gerit Graham
• Interview with actress Tricia Leigh Fisher
• Interview with effects artist Allan Apone
• Stills Gallery
• Video Trailer