Severin Films crosses the path of THE BLACK CAT (review)

Before MOTHER OF TEARS, Dario Argento protege Luigi Cozzi attempted to conclude The Three Mothers trilogy with this reflexive take about a horror director making a film about a mythical witch whose influence causes his actress wife to behave strangely and even murderously.  Urbano Barberini, Florence Guerin, Caroline Munro, and Brett Halsey star.

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

THE BLACK CAT Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.66:1 Widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
• Optional English SDH Subtitles
• "Cat on the Brain" interviews with director Luigi Cozzi and actress Caroline Munro
• U.S. Theatrical Trailer

Severin Films resurrects PATRICK STILL LIVES (review)

The comatose telepathic killer returns in the Italian ripoff PATRICK STILL LIVES to take revenge on the patients of an upscale resort. Ultra gory and ultra sleazy from the dirctor of GIALLO IN VENICE.

REVIEW LINK: Severin Films (US) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVD Drive-in)

PATRICK STILL LIVES Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.66:1 Widescreen
• Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
• Optional English Subtitles
• "C'est la Vie" interview with actor Gianni Dei
• Theatrical Trailer
• Reversible Cover

 

Severin Films recommends SHOCK TREATMENT (review)

Alain Delon and Annie Girardot bare all for art in Alain Jessua's SHOCK TREATMENT in which an upscale rejuvination clinic has some very dark secrets to their special treatment.

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

SHOCK TREATMENT Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.66:1 Widescreen
• English and French DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
• Optional English (for French) and English SDH (for English) subtitles
• "Alain Jessua: The Lone Deranger" interview with Bernard Payen, Curator at The Cinémathèque Française
• "Koering's Scoring" interview with composer René Koering
• "Director's Disorder" archival interview with director Alain Jessua
• "Drumrunning" René Koering Selected Scenes Commentary on Three Sequences
• French Theatrical Trailer

 

Flicker Alley swelters in SPRING NIGHT, SUMMER NIGHT (Review)

A forbidden affair ruptures relationships in an Appalachian town in the long-lost regional art film SPRING NIGHT SUMMER NIGHT that once played on the grindhouse circuit with X-rated inserts as MISS JESSICA IS PREGNANT.

REVIEW LINK: Flicker Alley (US) Region ALL Blu-ray/Region 0 NTSC DVD (DVDCompare)

SPRING NIGHT, SUMMER NIGHT Blu-ray/DVD Combo specs:

• Disc One (Blu-ray):
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.66:1 Widescreen
• English LPCM 1.0 Mono
  
• Disc Two (DVD):
• 16:9 anamorphic 1.66:1 Widescreen
• English Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono
  
• Optional English SDH Subtitles
• "Spring Night Summer Night: 50 Years Later" retrospective
• "I'm Goin' to Straitsville" locations revisit
• "In the Middle of the Nights: From Arthouse to Grindhouse and Back Again" featurette about the film's distribution history
• Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque Q&A: 17 April 2016
• Behind-the-Scenes footage with optional commentary by writer Franklin Miller and Peter Conheim
• Joseph Anderson Short Films:
• "Football as it is Played Today" (1961)
• "How Swived" (1962)
• "Cheers" (1963)
• Image Gallery
• Booklet with a new essay by Ian Mantgani, Glenn Litton’s memories of director Joseph Anderson, Peter Conheim on the film’s restoration, a look at the career of distributor Joseph L Brenner, an overview of critical responses, and film credits.

 

Eureka Classics retells the ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA TRILOGY (review)

The 4K restorations of Tsui Hark's epic series on Chinese folk hero Wong Fei Hung from Eureka Video's limited edition ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA TRILOGY are back on Blu-ray in an economically-priced standard edition.  Jet Li plays the traditional doctor and martial artist whose code of honor is tested by foreign powers, violent isolationalist sects, corrupt officials, and true love in the series first three films and the Sammo Hung-directed sixth entry (Li having sat out the fourth and fifth entries).  Rosalind Kwan also stars.

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

ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA TRILOGY Blu-ray specs:

• Once Upon a Time in China (1991):
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 widescreen
• Cantonese LPCM 1.0 mono and 2.0 Stereo, Mandarin LPCM 2.0 Stereo, and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
• Optional English subtitels
• Audio Commentery by martial-arts cinema authority Mike Leeder and filmmaker Arne Venema
• The Legend of Wong Fei-hung Part 1
• Interview with Yen Shi-Kwan
• Interview with Jet Li
• Theatrical Trailer
• Once Upon a Time in China II (1992):
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 widescreen
• Cantonse LPCM 1.0 mono and 2.0 Stereo, Mandarin LPCM 2.0 Stereo, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
• Optional English Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by martial-arts cinema authority Mike Leeder and filmmaker Arne Venema
• Mike Miller: Memories of Once Upon A Time in China 2
• The Legend of Wong Fei-hung Part 2
• An Audience with Jet Li
• Interview with Donnie Yen
• Theatrical Trailer
• Once Upon a Time in China III (1993):
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 widescreen
• Cantonese LPCM 1.0 mono, Mandarin LPCM 2.0 Stereo, and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
• Optional English subtitles
• Audio Commentary by martial-arts cinema authority Mike Leeder and filmmaker Arne Venema
• John Wakefield: Memories of Once Upon A Time in China 3
• The Legend of Wong Fei-hung Part 3
• Interview with Tsui Hark
• Interview with John Wakefield
• Behind-the-Scenes Montage
• Theatrical Trailer
• Once Upon a Time in China and America (1997):
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 widescreen
• Cantonese LPCM 1.0 mono, Mandarin LPCM 2.0 Stereo, and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
• Optional English subtitles tracks for both the Cantonese track and Mandarin tracks
• The Making of Once Upon a Time in China and America
• Two Theatrical Trailers
• Four Blu-ray discs housed in a single case, with slim cardboard packaging featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling.
  

Vinegar Syndrome grooves with OLD DRACULA (review)

Dracula discovers "black is beautiful" when his old bride has a new change of color in the British comedy OLD DRACULA aka VAMPIRA starring David Niven, Teresa Graves, Nicky Henson, and Jennie Linden.

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

OLD DRACULA Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 Mono and Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
• Optional English SDH Subtitles
• "A Shot in the Dark" interview with cinematographer Anthony Richmond
• Image Gallery
• Reversible Cover
• The first 2,500 copies ordered directly from Vinegar Syndrome include a limited edition slipcover designed by Earl Kessler Jr.

 

Scorpion Releasing surfs on CALIFORNIA DREAMING (Review)

Chicago nerd Dennis Christopher hits the California beach in search of a new surfing lifestyle in the comic drama CALIFORNIA DREAMING.

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

CALIFORNIA DREAMING 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 John Hancock
• Interview with actor Dennis Christopher
• Theatrical Trailer
• Bonus Trailers 

Available directly from Ronin Flix.