Scorpion Releasing and a few notes on Synapse Films for 2013

Scorpion Releasing (owned and ran by Walter Olsen, brother of William Olsen of Code Red) has made a name for itself over the last couple of years by releasing titles that have never seen the light of day on Region 1 DVD, re-releasing others with new widescreen and HD transfers (and added bonus features), and giving us some that were originally slated for his brother's company. Some of the more notable ones for this year were Mortuary, The Carpenter, Humongous, and The Day After Halloween, but their catalog isn’t just limited to horror and sci-fi.

Much like my big applause post for Scream Factory, I wanted to compile a list of Scorpion titles that are anticipated to hit in the remaining months of 2012 and thru 2013. Of course, not all of the artwork has been determined, so movie posters/VHS artwork has been provided for your viewing pleasure.

Death Ship (1980)
-out now on DVD, Blu-Ray available Dec 18th

Georgia, Georgia (1972)
-out now, Diana Sands and Dirk Benedict

Baby Sister (1983)
-out now, a made-for-TV movie with Phoebe Cates

Fantasist (1986)
-out Nov 19th, Moira Harris and Timothy Bottoms

Grizzly (1976) Blu-Ray
-March 2013

Day of the Animals (1977) Blu-Ray
-slated for May 2013

Human Experiments (1979)
-Linda Haynes and Geoffrey Lewis

Ed and His Dead Mother (1993)
-Steve Buscemi

The Power (1984)

Celia: Child of Terror (1989)

Alley Cat (1984)

Angels Brigade (1989)

Monster Club (1980)

Tower of Evil (1972) aka Beyond the Fog aka Horror on Snape Island

The Return (1980)
-Cybill Shepherd

The Farmer (1977)

Again, I’ll update this as I hear new things, but feel free to join their fan-ran Facebook page (no official one has been opened yet), which provides new release info and a chance to discuss your favorites and future wants.

And, since I can't deny my love for Synapse Films and the great things they bring, they recently mentioned 2013 Blu-Ray plans for Hands of the Ripper (1971), Countess Dracula (1971), The Violent Shit Collection (Andreas Schnaas 1989-2010), McBain (1991), The Odd Angry Shot (1979), Slaughter of the Innocents (1993), and Thundercrack (1975).

Tis another great year for independent film companies, so thankfully I don't have to clog up my brain with more over-produced, over-CGIed superhero movies!!

And, for tid-bits to tide you over in between posts, check out the Sideshow Facebook page.

Scream Factory Release Round-Up 2012-13

I previously posted this comment on the Sideshow Review Facebook page, but think it ties in well with this post:

It's kind of sad that Intervision Pictures, Severin Films, Blue Underground, and Mondo Macabro (which all used to be leaders in releasing cult titles and forgotten gems) have all been pretty quiet this year and aren't releasing any new stuff, while Scream Factory, Scorpion Releasing, Synapse Films, and even Code Red continue to churn out quality films monthly. And, with Mya Communications and One 7 Pictures offerings being few and far between too, CAV Distributing Corp. (which already distributes Troma, Cult Epics, One 7, Synapse, and others), will start releasing some of New Horizons old catalog and more Roger Corman films next year.

But, for this post, I'd like to highlight Scream Factory’s releases (Shout Factory’s horror movie branch), which includes some long, sought after titles, several making their debut on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Scream Factory has been announcing new titles every Friday on their Facebook page, and while I am a follower, I thought it would be convenient to compile a list, as old posts will eventually drop off, and I don’t want us to miss out on any of them.

Already released Collector’s Editions:

Halloween 2&3

Funhouse (1981) and Terror Train (1980)

Nov 6th:

They Live (1988)

December 11th:

The Island (1980) and Death Valley (1982)

January 22nd, 2013:
**Update: The Nest has been updated to February 19, 2013**

Deadly Blessing (1981) and The Nest (1988)

February 2013:

TerrorVision (1986)/Video Dead (1987) Double-Feature

Prison (1988)

March 2013:

From Beyond (1986)

Phantasm 2 (1988)

More 2013:

Evictors (1979)
Town that Dreaded Sundown (1976)
X-Ray aka Hospital Massacre (1980)
Schizoid (1980)
Godsend (1980)
Vampire Lovers (1970)
Incredible Melting Man (1977)
Scanners II: The New Order (1991)
Scanners III: The Takeover (1992)
Horror Show (1989)
Vagrant (1992)
Fog (1980)
Burning (1981)
Howling (1981)
Lifeforce (1985)
Night of the Comet (1984)
Day of the Dead (1985) Collector's Edition

I think this is a complete list to date, and as more are announced, I’ll update it. Funhouse has already gotten hi-def treatment through Arrow Films, but unless you were lucky enough to snag one from the first batch, which were region-free, you’ll need the right equipment to view, as it’s now locked Region B. Second Sight Films UK has also announced a Blu-Ray release of From Beyond for next year, along with Re-Animator (already released by Image Entertainment), Bride of Re-Animator, and Society, and chances are, at least one may get Steelbook treatment.

Olive Films, which has been releasing some of Paramount’s titles (The Boogens), could get a shot at The Keep, and Synapse Films has rights to The Kindred, while Twilight Time has already mentioned Christine on Blu-Ray for Spring 2013.

With all these great titles getting released, you can finally replace your old worn out VHS and revisit them in remastered/hi-def versions, or experience them for the first time (as many I will be). So, what titles would you like to see on DVD/Blu-Ray that have yet to be put out or are now out-of-print (horror themed or not)?

My buddy, Jeff aka J3, formerly of The Rootdown and now No Sleep Till Wolflin fame, mentioned the BMX movie RAD from 1986.

The new "angry" version of SF's logo:

Seducers aka Top Sensation (1969)

Frequently, I track down films for friends, trying to get the best quality for the best price. Too often, these films haven't been released on disc, so VHS to DVD rips are bought from trusted sellers. While I like it when they come with artwork, it isn't a must, as picture and sound quality are more important. Some may feel this is a bad (and illegal) way to get movies, but I view it as providing a service to extreme cinephiles like myself. If there were official releases available at reasonable prices, I'd get those, but often times, only a tape was released, which may have never even made it stateside, or the DVD is out-of-print and going for gouging rates.

My recent task was to find a copy of The Seducers aka Top Sensation (1969). Already having seen or owned other Edwige Fenech films, I decided to watch it before passing it on. While the eye catcher should have been Miss Fenech, the tighter body award goes to the lesser endowed Rosalba Neri, better known for her roles in Amuck, 99 Women, Lady Frankenstein, French Sex Murders, and Girl in Room 2A (recently released by Mondo Macabro).

Rosalba (left) and Edwige (right) in full seduction mode
The basic premise of the movie is, of course, seduction, the rich using their money to control/seduce others, and murder. There’s a bit of incest too, but other than the constant sex set-ups (sex-ups?), which do get boring, Rosalba playing a shoot 'em up cowgirl, and a borderline beastiality scene where Edwige lets a goat explore her nakedness, there’s not much to talk about here. Sadly, it just falls in the pile with the other mildly erotic Euro movies of that era.

The captain's cap must have been the bait and switch
According to IMDb, Edwige had 7 other film roles that year, with the only recognizable one being Madame Bovary aka Sins of Madame Bovary, which was released by One 7 Pictures last year. Sure, I enjoy gratuitous nudity as much (maybe even a tad more) than the next man, but I’ve never really thought she was gorgeous, and if I remember right, Madame Bovary was a snoozer. After seeing this and a more recent picture of her on IMDb, I would argue that she has gotten more attractive over the years. Plus, her and Rosalba both had a certain ugliness throughout the film that even the T&A couldn’t mask.

If you’re a hardcore Fenech (or Neri) fan, maybe it's worth tracking down a bootleg as I did, but there’s still a chance One 7 or Mya Communications could pick this up for release, as it would fit nicely with the rest of their catalog.

Digibooks, Mediabooks, and Steelbooks that's what's up!

As of late, I’ve started buying some of the less mainstream/more collectible packagings of movies, and even mentioned a few of the new and upcoming Steelbooks from the UK (Jaws, E.T., and others) in an earlier post. Although several of these are formatted Region B, thus requiring a multi-region player, they’re still must-haves for any movie collector. As I continue to search for great releases worldwide, I stumbled upon some more Blu-Ray Steelbooks that will be releasing in November, these will be region-free mind you.

With Ghostbusters 3 somewhat getting the green light recently, but at this point minus Bill Murray, we get a Ghostbusters Steelbook. (Sorry for all the white in the photos, but these are the best I could find and I don't have Photoshop to edit them)

And, with two remakes coming out (although one has now been legally stopped), and already having been released on many, many formats, many, many different times (where most of us have double, triple, or even quadruple dipped), Evil Dead will get "The Steel" treatment too.

Horror or not, it’s also worth noting that Hellboy will get an individual Steelbook release, having been already released in the UK in a Steelbook boxset with HB 2.

So, what’s the difference between Digibooks, Mediabooks, and Steelbooks, and why all the rave?

This website Blu-Ray Digibooks.com probably explains it best, but in short, the major difference in a Digibook and Mediabook (other than just regional terminology) is that a Mediabook is usually larger and contains multiple discs, whereas a Digibooks may only have one or two discs. Digibooks typically have a book-style binding, but Mediabooks may use an array of fold out trays. I’m sure there are examples where this is not the case, but from my experience, there’s clearly a visual difference between the two. As for a Steelbook, well, it’s just that, it has a metal casing around the contents and the artwork is usually printed directly on the metal. (See my last post showing the Basketcase Trilogy.)

So, which one is better? Most of the preference really lies in the eyes/hearts of the collector, but any of these are better than just a standard Amaray case release. I have some of them all, and the more collectible and obscure something is, the greater value it holds, not only to the owner, but for resale as well. If it’s numbered or limited, that’s even more enticing, and trying to get the first, last, or at least lowest number printed is the goal. Sure, they all have the same content no matter what number it is, but one feels far more superior having number 1354 than 4531 in a limited printing of 5000. I know it's laughable, and I’m not usually concerned what number I get, as long as I get a copy, but if it just so happens to be the first or last one printed, then bragging rights are inevitable.

Here are some pics of the Mediabooks I picked up from Germany (Again, sorry, the lighting sucked and I'm too lazy to re-take them):

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (not numbered)

Last House on the Left (40th Anniversary Edition) (417 of 5000)

and Mark of the Devil (1699 of 5000)

Most of these were available at Diabolik DVD at one time, but I either piddle-dicked around or second-guessed the purchase, so I missed out, and as my obsession grew to own these, I had to find another source. Even though I already have the U.S. releases of TCM and LHOTL, these are far superior, if nothing else in look alone, as I have yet to watch either. I was very disappointed that Fox/MGM used the new giallo-style artwork for the LHOTL Blu-Ray (rather than the original DVD artwork),

and I hoped another version would be released that did it more justice, which the German edition does by leaps and bounds. And, as of right now, Blue Underground has no plans on releasing Mark of the Devil in high def, so this version was a great find. Plus, you can never have too many versions of Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Anyway, I'll keep on the look out for international finds, and if you have any suggestions, please let me know. I'm still searching for a reasonably priced copy of the Dellamorte Dellamore Mediabook from ‘84 Entertainment, so if you know someone that has one, please let me know and we can play Let's Make a Deal. Thanks for stopping by!

Pre-Halloween Blu-Ray titles guaranteed to make your wallet scream

Starting in August through Halloween, there are several anticipated Blu-Rays (and a few DVDs) that are hoping to make your pocketbook a little lighter. Since there are so many, I thought it was worth compiling a list to help you prepare, whether it be finding the best deal, telling your landlord you'll be a little short these months, or looking for a second job. This is obviously not everything being released, and I'm sure more will squeak their way in, but I'm really looking forward to these, and hope you are too.

August 7th:
The Boogens

August 14th:
Jaws
Dexter Season 6
Life and Death of a Porno Gang

August 21st:
Halloween 4&5
King of the B Movies (Documentary about indie filmmaker Bill Zebub)

August 28th:
Walking Dead Season 2
Screaming in High Heels DVD (Documentary about Scream Queens Brinke Stevens, Linnea Quigley, and Michelle Bauer)

September 4th:
Arachnophobia
Mad Monster Party
Sleepwalkers
Mother’s Day (1980)
Re-Animator

September 11:
Hammer House of Horror Complete Collection DVD
Jeepers Creepers
Killer Klowns from Outer Space
Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2

September 18th:
Halloween 2&3
Monster Squad TV Series DVD
Puppet Master 2&3

September 25th:
American Horror Story

October 2nd:
Classic Monsters Boxset (Dracula, Frankenstein, Wolfman, and Creature from the Black Lagoon)
Pet Sematary

October 9th:
Little Shop of Horrors
Dead Ringer

October 16th:
Funhouse
Terror Train

October 22nd:
Basket Case Steelbook Trilogy (UK Import)

October 29th:
**Thanks to Freddy In Space for bringing this to my attention via his Facebook Page** The artwork alone is worth the money!
Castle Freak (UK Import)

October 30th:
Rosemary's Baby (Criterion)
House of Dark Shadows
Night of Dark Shadows

Also, Scorpion Releasing, which has brought many classic cult, horror, and sci-fi titles to DVD, is finally getting into Blu-Ray, with Day of the Animals and Death Ship to start it off, although no date has been set.

And, over the next few months, Kino/Redemption continue to roll out their libraries on Blu-Ray with Black Magic Rites, Two Orphan Vampires, and Living Dead Girl, to name a few.

Feel free to let me know what titles you anticipate the most, and if there's one I've missed that needs to be shared, leave a comment or contact me. I will try to update this as I find out more.

Zombies vs. Strippers (2012) (Full Moon Pictures)

Where Zombie Strippers, Cabin Fever 2, and Zombies! Zombies! Zombies! Strippers vs. Zombies left off, Full Moon Pictures picks up with Zombies vs. Strippers. I know, it gets confusing when there's very little variation to these titles, but when zombies and strippers are used in the same sentence, it's pretty obvious who the intended audiences is (pervs like me), no matter what order they're put in. If you’ve seen a FMP film, you pretty much know what to expect, boobs, blood, stretched humor, and mediocre, sometimes just laughable special FX. Well, ZvS doesn’t deviate from that formula, nor does it add anything new.

The Tough Titty (obviously taking inspiration from From Dusk Till Dawn’s Titty Twister) has fallen on hard times, and with no asses in the seats, that means no asses in your face. But, as the zombie hordes start to take over, it draws a few people in, including a musician with a wad of cash, a high-rolling business man, and some bikers.

What follows is pretty much what we’ve seen time and time again, zombies attack, people die, zombies die, people turn into the undead, and you know the rest. But, this is a stripper movie too, and while 3 out of 4 ladies aren’t afraid to take it off, it's still less than impressive, as we get Bambi’s B-cups (that may be too generous), Jasmine’s fake balloons, and Vanilla’s brown sugar goodness. Bambi has the looks (just no boobs), Jasmine's the airheaded bleach blonde, Vanilla is like a 70's Pam Grier, and Sugar Hills, played by Eve Mauro, is the mouthy, tough chick who must have had a no-nudity clause in her contract, as she's the one that doesn't bare em.

Overall, this film is pretty boring, and while Zombie Strippers (2008) offered a notable cue ball scene, ZvS really only adds a new zombie killing weapon, a high heel…on a stick! (Said in my best Jeff Dunham voice, of course). There are two scenes that may bring a giggle, when the stripper gets her face ripped off while getting boned, and the zombie Michael Jackson, but overall, it offered very little to put in my long-term memory, nor a want to revisit.

But, that’s not to discount Full Moon, which has helped the careers of many people, including scream queens Linnea Quigley and Brinke Stevens. In a time when most independent studios are folding or already have, Full Moon continues to churn out low budget horror and sci-fi, as there is still a market for it, and you can’t deny Charles Band his rightful place alongside Roger Corman.

Whether you liked them or not, who hasn’t seen a Puppet Master, Subspecies, Trancers, Killjoy, or Demonic Toys movie? Heck, I picked up the Blu-Rays of the first Puppet Master and Subspecies last year, and Mr. Band has plans to release others in high def, while re-releasing titles (for a mere 10 bucks a piece) that were previously only available in box sets. But, I'll probably wait, as I always look forward to their Half-off plus free shipping sales, so I feel like less of an ass if I pick up a crapper. I also proudly wear my Subspecies and Blade (from Puppet Master) t-shirts, in hopes that someone will know what they are and comment, allowing the opportunity to strike up a conversation of pure Nerdom.

ZvS probably won’t give you a chub, nor satisfy your zombie appetite (that’s what The Walking Dead and classic Romero movies are for), but I can see it destined for late night TV, along with Emmanuelle in Space and Lord of the G-Strings. And, while it isn't low budget erotica, it seems to have a place here.

Even though zombie and zombie-stripper movies have pretty much ran their course, and little can be done to impress me, I know there's many more to come (maybe even another Romero stinker), and yes, I will watch them, and hate them, and blog about them, and help you save your time and money, as this is the pledge I've made to you.

Movie and t-shirt scores from other shores

Over the past several months, I’ve been looking outside of the U.S. for cool things to add to my collection, be it horror memorabilia, apparel, or movies. I’ve seen some pretty cool stuff, and a couple things I missed out on (a Dellamorte Dellamore limited Blu-Ray Mediabook by 84 Entertainment and possibly a Mark of the Devil Blu-Ray), as I quarreled with whether I really needed them (in reality, I don’t, and my girlfriend (Heather) will strongly attest to that), or did they seem worth the money?

But, I did pick up a few things, and here are my scores:

From an Australian company called It’s Only a T-Shirt, Patrick and Wolf Creek limited edition T-shirts in VHS collector boxes. Wolf Creek also came with a poster signed by the director (tube on the left).

From the U.K.

Demons 1&2 Blu-Ray (Region B)—I would have picked up Arrow’s steelbook, but I wanted the different artwork options, and seeing these side-by-side looks awesome.

Eraserhead Blu-Ray (Region B)—the U.S. DVD is out-of-print, and to see David Lynch’s classic in high def, I say, Hell yes!

Return of the Living Dead Blu-Ray Steelbook (Region B)—other than just being badass in look and steelbook form, this has the original soundtrack (not on the U.S. release) and the documentary, More Brains! A Return to the Living Dead, which was released separately in the States.

Nightmare on Elm Street Blu-Ray Boxset (Region-free)—this contains the original 7 movies (only the first 3 have been released in the U.S.), commentaries and interviews, and a couple of episodes of Freddy’s Nightmares. Plus, it's region-free, so this was a no-brainer.

Phenomena Blu-Ray (Region-free)—an older Arrow Films release, which isn’t Argento's best, but still decent, and since AF almost always does top-notch work, I felt compelled to add it to my collection, only ever having owned the cut version (Creepers) on DVD.

Outside of the early 2000s, it seems the U.S. almost always falls short on their releases, when other countries do it much better and seem to keep the consumers and collectors wants in mind. For example, the U.K. will get steelbooks of E.T. and Jaws (both Region B), while it’s only rumored that Best Buy may have a digibook of Jaws.

Why do major studios in America no longer want to put in the extra effort? Do they feel we've become so consumed with digital delivery and throw away media that collectible packaging is no longer important to the mass majority? You can guarantee quality releases from independent studios like Blue Underground and Synapse, and every once in a while Anchor Bay (who dominated horror releases in the early 2000s) will do something noteworthy, but flubbed on the recent release of Battle Royale, only issuing a limited number of the Mediabooks, but keeping the same SKU for the first run of the Amaray case, which made ordering a potluck. Wisely, Amazon now has two separate listings for these.

Speaking of Anchor Bay and anticipated releases, when are we going to get Blu-Rays of Cemetery Man aka Dellamorte Dellamore and Re-Animator**? I e-mailed them last week, but have yet to get a response. I don't use Twitter, but last year, Barbara Crampton tweeted that a Re-Animator Blu was getting the final touches and should be out in the next 6 months, which that time came and went with no other word. But, I did get an e-mail today from U.K.'s Second Sight Films (who did the ROTLD Steelbook above) that Re-Animator, From Beyond, Bride of Re-Animator, and Society are all getting special edition treatment this Fall/Winter, and a Basket Case Trilogy Blu-Ray Steelbook** (the first Basket Case is available on BR in the U.S.) will be released in October with new artwork by the original illustrator, Graham Humphreys. Again, it just goes to show that some companies have their shit together while others do not.

Although you may already have a Blu-Ray player, most of these discs are locked Region B and/or have supplements on PAL DVDs, so you’ll need to pick up a Region-free player, which can be found on E-bay and trusted sites like 220-Electronics. Just make sure it will read Blu-Ray Regions A-C and DVD Regions 0-8, then you won’t miss out on any of these sweet releases while U.S. companies sit on their asses pondering what their return on investments will be.

**Update: Image Entertainment will release the Re-Animator Blu-Ray on Sept. 4th, 2012, and Second Sight Films has confirmed that the Basket Case Trilogy will be Region-free.