Blogcritics

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

New Horror DVD Release List: May 29, 2007

Dread Central — Sat, 2 Jun 2007 15:13:23 EDT

by Johnny ButaneCall of Cthulhu (2005) Directed by Andrew H. Leman This highly-praised, ingeniously executed adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s most famous story does what so many Lovecraft tales before it could never manage to -- make the master’s stories real. Using stop-motion animation, filmed in black and white and fully silent aside from a haunting score, the DVD includes almost a half hour of making-of footage, deleted scenes, a slide show and a lot more. This is a must-own DVD for anyone who calls themselves a Lovecraft fan. Carnival of Blood (1970)/Undertaker and His Pals (1966) Directed by Leondard Kirtman/T.L.P. Swicegood Oh, how nice -- a grindhouse double feature with a very familiar looking cover. Wonder why it took companies this long to finally start calling things “grindhouse” again? Me too. Carnival of Blood is about a maniac who uses a carousel ride at Coney Island to capture his victims, whom he then dismembers. It’s up to a local DA vacationing with his fiancée to stop the madness. Undertaker tells of three friends who drum up business for the local undertaker by randomly murdering about town. Defenceless (2006) Directed by Mark Savage Previously released as part of the Savage Sinema From Down Under box set, this latest entry from ballsy Aussie filmmaker Mark Savage is the very sad tale of a woman who has everything taken away from her many times over, all because she won’t sign off on a land deal to develop condos on an isolated stretch of beach. Eventually she gets to return from the dead for revenge, so that’s all right. Notable because Savage decided to make it a silent movie, aka no dialogue, which makes this the first week in the history of the DVD list that we’ve had two silent movies coming out at once! Drive Thru (2006) Directed by Brendan Cowles It sure sounds like a good idea on paper; a food chain restaurant’s mascot, Horny the Clown (sure, that’d work) goes on a killing spree surrounding young Mackenzie Carpenter, who’s just about to turn 18. Unfortunately, according to The Foywonder’s review of Drive Thru, no one involved with the film had a clue what they were doing. Which is even worse when you take into consideration the fact that this is one of the coolest covers Liosngate’s come up with in a while. The Final Patient (2005) Directed by Jerry Mainardi No one wants to grow old, that’s just a fact of life. The medications, the pain, the colostomy bags; it’s just a bad scene all around. So when a county doctor discovers the fountain of youth, quite accidentally, he chooses to keep the secrets it holds to himself. Two curious med students want to know just how the hell he stays so young, but discover the key to living forever is a lot more horrifying than simply growing old naturally... Hannibal Rising (2007) Directed by Peter Webber Personally, this whole series lost me after Hannibal, which I thought was a surprisingly good sequel to Silence of the Lambs, despite the inherent love story. So when they discussed doing a prequel, which I saw as more money in the pockets of now one-trick pony author Thomas Harris, I wrote it off altogether. Seriously, who cares where Hannibal came from and why do we have to suddenly feel sympathetic toward him? Ridiculous. Kill House (2006) Directed by Beth Dewey I don’t know about you, but finding out that there’s a serial killer out and about targeting only realtors would not surprise me in the least, especially out here in Massachusetts where it seems everyone is out to gouge you for every possible penny. I’m sure it’s no better in San Francisco, where Kill House takes place. The prime suspect in the deaths of a string of realtors is an ex-con hired by a property owner but when he’s captured and the killings just get worse, where do the police look next? Legacy of Blood (2007) Directed by Carl Monson Is it just me or is this about the fifth time this film has shown up on our DVD lists? Seems like I’ve written about this plot more times than should be natural, but here goes; the story of Legacy of Blood involves a group of greedy relatives who gather at a deceased family member's home to collect on their inheritance, but things go horribly wrong thanks to their bottomless greed. Or something along those lines. It does have John Carradine in it, so it can’t be all bad! The Prodigy (2006) Directed by William Kaufman A professional assassin decides he needs a successor to his deadly business and takes a sadistic new kid under his wing. If the kid refuses, he will be killed. Tough choice, that. Tons of action, guns, explosions, and violence ensue. I know, it doesn't really sound like a horror movie, per se, but we've been told it actually has a very Carpenter-esque feel to it. In fact, it's been called "a crime thriller that plays like a horror movie", hence it's inclusion on this list. Check it out! When Darkness Falls (2006) Directed by Andears Nilsson For some reason, even though it only has one title, this is actually two gay-themed horror stories on one DVD. What a deal, huh? In When Darkness Falls, Kevin invites his new boyfriend up to an isolated cabin for the weekend and said boyfriend goes along despite rumors of an evil cemetery nearby. Then, in Best of Care, Bill’s been taking care of Donny for a long time, longing for a life outside their home. When Bill gets a chance to do something different and perhaps change his lot one night, Donny won’t let it happen.

Dread Central is the premier website for breaking news, original content and active community in the world of horror, covering movies, DVDs, games, collectibles, live events and music. If it's got something to do with the dark and horrific, you'll find it on Dread Central.

New Horror DVD Release List: May 8, 2007

Dread Central — Sat, 12 May 2007 09:58:05 EDT

By Johnny Butane Arang (2006) Directed by Sang-hoon Ahn Another goddamn boring ghost story from the annals of Asia? Perhaps, but at least this one sounds like it’s got some good deaths in it. A young detective and her partner are investigating a bizarre series of deaths in which the victims seem to have had some kind of acid released into their systems. As they dig deeper, they learn that the deaths may have something to do with a murder that occurred years ago in a salt house, whatever that is. Said detective starts to be plagued by nightmares of the murder victim as the killings continue. Backslash (2007) Directed by Kevin Campbell If you’re anything like me, I bet you’ve always wondered "what does make for the ultimate Internet predator?" Well, now we get to find out thanks to a new film called Backslash, a title with the double meaning of the symbol on a keyboard used for Internet addresses and, as you can see by the cover, an actual back being slashed. Brilliant! Even better is the plot, which concerns two beautiful girls cast in a slasher movie and its website (?) who are pursued by a maniac that desires fame and fortune no matter the cost. Blood Rites (2007) Directed by Joshua Moyse A young and beautiful girl (is there anything better, I ask you?) moves with her father to the small New England town of White Cross. Even though she wants to kick back and enjoy the quiet life, the local crazies have other plans for her. She’s confronted at every turn by a new one: a blind priest who talks in riddles, young girls anxious to lose their virginity, a white figure who can pass through walls, and of course a lot of death. She has to discover the town’s secret before her death is next. Cadaverella (2007) Directed by Timothy Friend An interesting twist on the Cinderella story, at least in theory, the film is about a girl named Cinder (sounds pretty goth to me) whose fairy godmother is actually a voodoo god, her mom is a stripper and, to top it all off, she’s been killed. Now she only has until the stroke of midnight to get her revenge on, which I’m sure she does through all manner of sexy poses and the like. Brain Damage really needs to work on their covers, don’t you think? Maybe it’s just me, but man, some of their stuff really bugs me. Cope (2007) Directed by Ronald JerryNow see, this is what I’m talking about for their covers; this one's a lot more striking (ignoring the ugly-ass Brain Damage bar at the bottom of course) and sure as hell grabs the eye. The film is about a family in Kodiak, Alaska who wake up to discover that everyone else in their small town has vanished, leaving them behind to come face to face with their worst fears. Of course violence and gore come into play when said fears are stared at. The Fearmakers Collection Directed by John McCarty A ton of on-camera interviews and biographies of some of the men who made our genre great including Tod Browning, Jack Arnold, and William Castle. New directors are featured as well like Dario Argento, Joe Dante, John Carpenter, and more. Each segment clocks in at 30 minutes, if the information I found is accurate, giving a thorough look at the director’s work and his influence on the genre. A must-have for any genre fan who realizes that the best way to tackle the future is to understand the past. Graveyard Alive (2004) Directed by Elza Kephart Still, to this day, I don’t get the love for this movie. I saw its premiere at Fantasia a few years back, and it bored me to tears. Tears, I tell you. The film was shot in black and white on the cheap and was originally supposed to be a silent film, a gimmick that actually would have worked quite well for this movie considering its look and the poor quality of acting conveyed through ADR. The story is about a quiet, subdued nurse who becomes infected by a zombie and turns into a raging sex kitten for some reason. Sure, why not? Night of the Werewolf (1980) Directed by Jacinto Molina Naschy fans rejoice! A newly remastered version of one of the man’s classic films! The story follows a woman with a taste for the black arts who thinks it’d be a smashing idea to resurrect ol' Countess Elizabeth Bathory to help her rule the world. All goes according to plan until the Countess learns that her old nemesis, the werewolf, has been brought back from the dead as well and focuses all her evil energy on taking him the fuck out, and I don’t mean for dinner and a movie! Swamp Zombies (2005) Directed by Leonard Kabinski, Jr. Damn that federal government, always coming around at the worst possible time to muck up the secret experiments of mad scientists everywhere. Such is the case in Swamp Zombies when a doctor trying to create a serum to bring the dead back to life is inspected and has to get rid of his test subjects in a nearby swamp, not knowing if the drug will work or not. It sure does, and up come the living dead to feast on hapless victims! Vengeance of the Zombies (1972) Directed by Leon Kilmovsky Though there is a storyline somewhere in there, star and writer Paul Naschy himself has said he was under the influence of something when he wrote it, which is easy to see when you sit down with the actual film. Naschy plays both an Indian mystic concerned with tranquility and peace and his twin brother, a voodoo practitioner who uses his powers to bring hot naked girls back to life to enact revenge on those who wronged him. Hell, yes! The White Slave Collection Directed by Various Just what you’ve been waiting for, kiddies! A collection of movies about women being taken hostage by jungle predators to use as white slaves! Wow! Within are Naked Amazon, a mondo documentary, the exploitation classic White Slave (duh) and the independent horror feature Sacrifice of the White Goddess. Forget everything else that’s out this week; this collection is where it’s at! You realize I’m being sarcastic, right? No angry e-mails, damnit!

New Horror DVD Release List: May 1, 2007

Dread Central — Thu, 3 May 2007 21:09:21 EDT

By Johnny Butane Alice, Sweet Alice (1976) Directed by Alfred Sole Wow, now here’s a flick I’ve not thought of in a long while. Made most popular because it was one of the first roles to feature later sexy superstar Brooke Shields, Alice, Sweet Alice tells of a girl brutally murdered during her first communion. Because the suspects are limited in terms of who was actually there, her strange and quiet older sister becomes the main suspect. Suspicions begin to falter, however, as a short killer in a yellow slicker continues a reign of terror. Art of the Devil/Art of the Devil II (2004/2005) Directed by Tanit Jitnukul/Pasith Buranajan Media Blasters throw the two existing Art of the Devil movies together in a two-pack, which makes sense since most people have only ever heard of the second film. The first is about a girl who consults a black magic expert to do away with her lover and his family when she becomes pregnant. The sequel, in name only, is about a group of high school kids who reunite after one of their fathers commits suicide. Strange, fucked up things happen to them at nightfall and black magic is once again showing its face. Gangs of the Dead (2006) Directed by Duane Stinnett Originally called Last Rites before Universal had to go and give it an even worse title, Gangs of the Dead is about two rival gangs on the verge of a major arms deal. They meet in an abandoned warehouse in LA to make the exchange but soon find themselves surrounded by the living dead and having to work with one another in order to survive. Not a whole lot going on plot-wise, but Reggie Bannister’s in it so that alone may be reason for most of you to check it out. The Hitcher (2007) Directed by Dave Meyers Ah, then there’s The Hitcher. An unasked for remake of a classic tension-driven film from the '80s that, unfortunately, didn’t prompt a special edition of the original like these remakes usually do. What a bitch that is. This time instead of a lone guy driving across country and being terrorized by a hitchhiker, we have a beautiful couple on their way across country being terrorized by a hitchhiker (Sean Bean, the film’s only high point). More death, more mayhem, and the most inappropriate use of the Nine Inch Nails song "Closer" that you’ll ever witness. The Joys of Jezebel/My Tail is Hot (1970/1964) Directed by A.P. Stootsberry/Peter Perry In The Joys of Jezebel, a girl named Jezebel dies but is not allowed to enjoy the pleasures of hell until she gets revenge on the man who killed her topside. She makes a deal with the devil to switch bodies with innocent virgin Rachel to enact her revenge, but of course a lot of sex has to come first. My Tail is Hot is what happens when hell is so slow that the devil tries to tempt a man just voted "Most Faithful Husband" with a bevy of naked ladies. The man not only doesn’t buy it, he’s got his own surprises for Old Scratch. A Secret Handshake (2007) Directed by Harsha Wardhan How’s this for fucked up: Jacob is an ordinary guy with an ordinary life until one morning he wakes up to find himself in a hotel room being tortured by a mysterious woman. When he succumbs to his injuries, he passes out, only to awaken safe at home. He thinks it may have been a nightmare but then finds out that he’s been missing for days, and when he falls asleep, it happens all over again. Slowly his grip on what is real and what is not begins to falter before disappearing all together. Too bad the title is so lame; it sounds like a pretty interesting story just from what I was able to find out... Sex Machine (2005) Directed by Christopher Sharpe A re-imagining of Frankenstein with modern-day sensibilities, that’s what Sex Machine sounds like it’s trying to be. A man named Frank (good start) wakes up to find his head wrapped in bandages, one arm sporting a tattoo that says "sex machine" and the other arm completely black. He can’t remember why any of this happened so he tries to get help from his girlfriend, whom he thought was dead. Deadly assassins working for a mad scientist with a vendetta against Frank start to make his life even more miserable as he tries to stay alive long enough to figure out just what the hell happened to him. The Toybox (2005) Directed by Paolo Sedazzari Growing up, young Brian was so dependent on his sister Berenice that he had no idea how he would live without her were she to ever leave. Now it’s years later and Berenice shows up home again with her new boyfriend, leading Brian to thoughts of revenge and betrayal. Meanwhile, as the family tries to enjoy themselves for Christmas, a character resembling the mythical Jake the Mid-Folker is closing in on the house, though I honestly have no idea if that’s a good or bad thing. The Mid-Folker isn’t really the most terrifying of names, is it?

New Horror DVD Release List: April 19, 2007

Dread Central — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 22:36:55 EDT

By Johnny ButaneAlien Invasion Arizona (2007)Directed by Dustin RikertWhy is it all these cheap, low-budget Sci-Fi Channel original-esque movies always have to have a group of soldiers fighting something? I mean really, doesn’t our military have anything better to do? Don’t answer that. The film is about a group of Marines sent to investigate a crash landing in Arizona of something unidentified, while at the same time some prisoners ambush their prison bus and escape. Now the two groups have to fight off an alien. Thrills ensue.Blur (2007)Directed by Nick BriscoeThose damn artists and their deep, dark minds. Adrian, for example, goes very deep into the recesses of his brain in preparation for the biggest gallery opening of his life. While there he begins to experience terrifying premonitions about the death of his girlfriend and begins to suspect his neighbor is a phantom who means them both harm. Worsening the situation even more, there’s a masquerade ball to celebrate the opening that will allow guests to walk around unnoticed. Is it just paranoia, or does he have a painful death to prevent? Deadlands: The Rising (2007)Directed by Gary UgarekThis title has been bothering me for a while now. Deadlands, you may know, is the title of a novel by our own Scott Johnson. The Rising is the title of a novel by Brian Keene. Keene’s is based out of Baltimore (briefly), as is this movie. Though I guess it doesn’t matter where the title comes from if it’s a good zombie movie which, according to the 2006 Fright Night Film Festival, it apparently is since they voted it Best Zombie Film. Justice be Damned (2007)Directed by Kevin KirnbaumIn 1860 a U.S. Marshall is transporting his prisoner to criminal trial, but they get off course and find themselves in a town overrun by the supernatural. The Marshall begins to be tormented by the spirits of all the criminals he’s killed before, forcing him to kill them all over again. Meanwhile the prisoner is accosted by the form of all the women he’s raped over the years. But when the Greek goddess Nemesis shows up in the form of a giant serpent, things get really messed up. Kraken: Tentacles of the Deep (2006)Directed by Tibor TakacsFor all you deep sea expedition makers reading this, a word of advice: Don’t bring along someone who’s been searching for a giant octopus his entire life. Such is the case with Ray Reiter, who saw his parents die at the hands of a giant octopus 30 years previous and has been looking for revenge all this time. He definitely gets his chance, but first they have to fight their way through a crime lord who wants the treasure the beast is protecting for himself. The Marsh (2006)Directed by Jordan BakerBefore he won an Oscar, Forest Whitaker starred in this Canadian thriller, playing an investigator who’s helping a woman unravel the mystery of her terrifying dreams. The mystery behind her dreams is somehow linked to a local girl and boy who disappeared and an abandoned house. Wondering why a movie made with Forest Whitaker only gets an unpublicized direct-to-DVD release? Masters of Horror: Family (2006)Directed by John LandisLandis returned to the second season of Masters of Horror with this entry written by Frailty scribe Brent Hanley. The story is about a yuppie couple who moves in next door to a seemingly harmless man, played by George Wendt, who in fact is a ruthless psycho who dissolves bodies in acid and builds his own family of skeletons. Of course he’s not all there so even his made-up family has issues. Rival (2006)Directed by Douglas JacksonNot too sure what the movie is about, but apparently it has to do with a woman named Alice who lost her child when she’s shot during a robbery. So I can only guess she sets out to get revenge on the bank robbers who shot her, though if the cover's any indication, she doesn’t do so well. Or perhaps it’s just another example of Lionsgate putting covers on their movies that have nothing to do with the film inside. Sombre (1998)Directed by Philippe GrandrieuxSorry, but I can’t for the life of me figure out what this is about. Apparently it has something to do with the warped mind of a serial killer who encounters two sisters while following the Tour de France and decides to fuck them up in various unsavory ways. Go ahead and read its entry on the IMDb and tell me if it makes any damn sense at all. If nothing else we know what the mood of the movie is by the title, right? Turistas (2006)Directed by John StockwellFox Atomic’s debut theatrical release was less than thrilling, but it sure looked pretty. And the bus thing at the beginning was pretty cool, right? Can’t really complain about Melissa George in a bikini for 90 minutes either. Well, I can’t. She could use a hamburger or two, though. The DVD has commentary, some deleted scenes and a featurette on the special effects (?). Wilderness Survival for Girls (2004)Directed by Eli B. Despres & Kim RobertsIn an interesting twist on the survival horror genre, three high school girls on a weekend getaway decide impulsively to take a big bad guy on their land captive. They’re then fueled by alcohol and desperation for a very long night with him and aim to make his life very uncomfortable. So why does the cover feature two girls being held captive in the woods if it’s actually a guy in ropes? Maybe because the image of girls tied up is hotter. Not that I’m a sicko or anything. Zoo (2006)Directed by VariousA collection of five stories, four live action and one animated, all adapted from the stories of an author named Otsuichi. The stories involve a mother of twins who loves one and tortures the other, a brother and sister trapped in one of seven rooms in which everyone will be massacred on the seventh day, a tale about life and death in a decimated world, a story about a family who all believe each other to be dead, and a man who kills a woman in a zoo and takes a picture of her every day.

New Horror DVD Release List: April 10, 2007

Dread Central — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 03:26:35 EDT

By Johnny Butane (of Dread Central)Beneath Still Waters (2005)Directed by Brian Yuzna Years ago, two boys vowed to go to their doomed town one more time before it is buried under the sea. They walk through the deserted town full of empty buildings, only to realize too late that in fact they’re not alone. The wall of water crashes down. Now the ocean that took the town is hungry and pulling in new victims. That’s what the movie is about. Blood Flood Directed by Various So the chick on the cover who is very inappropriately Photoshopped is Morella, and she’s the host in this All-Night Spooktacular Dusk-to-Dawn Horror-thon, as the back cover describes it. Who is she? What the hell does she have to do with these movies? And why does she look so scared on that cover? Anyway, the movies in here are Grave of the Vampire, House of Evil, and Guru the Mad Monk. But you know you’re going to buy it because of the well-endowed Morella, right? Cinderella (2006) Directed by Man-dae Bong Though the title doesn’t make a lot of sense (I seriously doubt even the dark fable that was the original Cinderella had anything to do with plastic surgery), the film itself is actually pretty good. Not your typical Asian horror movie, though it's nothing groundbreaking either. The story is about a girl whose mother is a well-renowned plastic surgeon. Suddenly her friends who have had work done by the mother start dying around her, and she’s forced to get to the bottom of a terrible family secret. Dead & Deader (2006) Directed by Patrick Dinhut A former Superman one of the living dead? Only on the Sci Fi Channel, friends. Dean Cain starts in this bizarre movie about a beetle who carries a zombie virus (that’s a new one on us). He bites Cain, who’s so damn tough that he only becomes half zombie instead of full-on ghoul. Now he’s back in the U.S. and fighting all his former fellow soldiers, none of whom were tough enough to fight the infection the way he did and are now cannibalistic madmen. Phantasm (1979) Directed by Don Coscarelli Now this is what I’m talking about, yo. Anchor Bay continues its new Collection line-up with a feature-packed DVD release. For those of you who live in a cave and have never seen it, Phantasm is about a boy, his brother, the local ice cream man, and what happens when they realize the new local morgue is actually a portal to another dimension where humans are being used as slaves. Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994) Directed by Don Coscarelli If I remember correctly, this is the first sequel that really didn’t try and make a lot of sense. Mike and Reggie continue to travel through the wasted landscape of small town America, following the Tall Man’s path of destruction in an attempt to finally put an end to his reign of terror. Anchor Bay has also stacked this disc with features, including new commentary by stars Angus Scrimm and Mike Baldwin, deleted scenes, and more! Skin Crawl (2003) Directed by Justin Wingenfeld In the 17th Century a coven of witches is terrorized by a corrupt public official, which I thought was more or less standard practice back in those days. Anyway, they don’t like it so they put a curse on the man’s bloodline to face horrible retribution if one of them should fuck with the witches after their sister is killed. Now it's 300 years later and the curse is still going strong, working its way into the life of a woman in an unhappy marriage who is plotted against by her husband. Slaughter Night (2006) Directed by Frank van Geloven A group of friends in the Netherlands get stuck inside an abandoned mine while going on a tour of it. They have a Ouija board with them, of course, so they decide to kill some of their time with it. Unfortunately for them, the very same mines were where convicts used to be sent to detect gas leaks back in the 1800’s. No one ever survived, so there are a lot of pissed-off spirits just waiting for a reason to come back and fuck shit up. One of them, in fact, starts hoping from body to body to make sure shit is thoroughly fucked up, and a slaughter night ensues. Stinger (2005) Directed by Martin Munthe It’s never a good sign when a submarine disappears from the middle of the sea, especially when it contains a top secret military project in its hull. When it’s finally found off the coast of California, a salvage team is sent in to retrieve the dangerous cargo and discover why it was lost at sea, not understanding what actually lurks inside the submarine. Just in case the title didn’t give it away, it’s a giant CG scorpion. Video Violence/Video Violence 2 (1987) Directed by Gary Cohen Now this is a good business plan; in the first Video Violence a husband and wife open a video store in a small town where the locals are obsessed with horror and porn movies only. Seizing the opportunity put in front of them, they start making their own snuff videos to sell to the locals. Brilliant! In the second film they take it one step further and actually host their own TV show, broadcast secretly from their basement. Of course they get a huge viewership in their local area; hell, I’d watch it!

New Horror DVD Release List: April 3, 2007

Dread Central — Wed, 4 Apr 2007 16:28:45 EDT

by Johnnny Butane Basketweave (2007) Directed by Christopher Forbes I know the amount of original titles are lacking these days, what with every indie horror director trying to find something that will really stand out, but Basketweave? Seariously? That does not invoke any sense of horror whatsoever, so I hope it makes more sense when you actually see the movie. It’s about a young girl who’s spent a decade in an insane asylum after her parents are killed by the titular maniac. She’s been taking a lot of experimental drugs, 'cause that’s just what goes down in an insane asylum, and is loosing her grip on reality more and more each day. Black Christmas (2007) Directed by Glen Morgan Bob Clark’s original Black Christmas is sited by many as being the first American slasher film, a movie that would go on to influence hundreds of filmmakers over the years which still holds up on viewing to this day. Glen Morgan’s Black Christmas is a run-of-the mill slasher movie without a single ounce of brains or originality to speak of. But hey, the DVD is stacked so that’s all right, yeah? Bottom Feeder (2007) Directed by Randy Daudlin I’ve learned to fear any movie that has "Tom Sizemore in" above the title, though there’s a good chance this is the only one to date. So I guess I fear this movie then, eh? Sizemore stars as a maintenance worker who, along with his crew, are hunted down one-by-one by a giant mutated creature. Godzilla Raids Again (1959) Directed by Motoyshi Oda Big man-in-suit action coming atcha again! While out searching for schools of fish, two young pilots discover Godzilla and the spiny-backed Anguirus fighting it out on a tiny Japanese island. For some reason they then find their way to Tokyo and get to smashing buildings as usual. Genius continue their badass feature-packed Godzilla releases with both the Japanese original and heavily cut & dubbed American release, retitled Gigantis. Kidnapped (1998) Directed by Mario Bava The infamous "lost" film from master Mario Bava, the story of a gang of thieves hijacks a man’s car after a botched robbery. To make matters worse they take a woman prisoner and make a man drive them to safety who's got his own set of issues, including a sick child he’s caring for. The film was so shocking it was impounded by an Italian court when it was released under it’s original title Rabid Dogs. Mario Bava Collection Directed by Mario Bava Anchor Bay ups the ante with a very badass collection of Bava classics. Brand-new transfers and a set of featurettes for each film make up the box set, which includes Black Sunday, about a vengeful witch; Black Sabbath, an anthology of horror tales; The Girl Who Knew Too Much, a gothic masterpiece; Kill, Baby, Kill, another story about a vengeful witch; and Knives of the Avenger, an epic Viking adventure. A must-have! Mothra Vs. Godzilla (1964) Directed by Ishiro Honda Note to all the land developers out there; don’t ever, ever decide you need to build condos in Tokyo in an area that requires you to suck the ocean dry. You’re only asking for trouble. Such is the story behind Mothra Vs. Godzilla, but the only reason he gets trouble is because he disturbs Godzilla’s sleep, who goes on another Tokyo-destroying rampage. It’s up to the ancient Mothra and his offspring to stop the radioactive lizard. Supercroc (2007) Directed by Scott Harper All right, another Asylum offering, this time ripping off Primeaval (as far as we can tell), which is probably not the best route to take when you’re producing low-budget offerings that mirror theatrical releases. The story is about an elite military unit that is out to stop a giant, mutated crocodile (a supercroc, as it were) from terrorizing the denizens of Los Angeles. C’mon, don’t you think if anyone could deal with such a threat it’d be the people of LA? Twin Peaks: The Second Season Directed by Various David Lynch fans rejoice! The long awaited second season of the mind-bending TV show finally comes to DVD. The second season finally solves the mystery of who killer Laura Palmer, but that doesn’t mean the show is over by any means. Unfortunately the ratings were very low for Season 2 so the show was cancelled, but there was still a lot of freaky stuff going down in the quiet town of Twin Peaks. Zombies Gone Wild! (2007) Directed by ? No, no, no. When you’re an upstart company who wants to sell DVDs to horror fans you do not, I repeat do not come up with shitty covers like this. First of all the film is called Zombies Gone Wild, so where the hell are the zombies? All I see is a chick with a big sword. The story is of some morons looking to score during Spring Break who instead come face-to-face with a zombie outbreak. Humor and horror mix, but I get the feeling only a lot of boobs will save this movie.

New Horror DVD Release List: March 27, 2007

Dread Central — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 14:39:48 EDT

by Johnny ButaneAfter Dark HorrorfestDirected by VariousIn lieu of listing all seven movies coming out as part of the After Dark Horrorfest set, I thought it’d just make more sense to point out the entire box set. In case you weren't a huge fan of all the films, it’s good that they’re being released separately as well. Included in this box are Unrest, Wicked Little Things, The Gravedancers, Reincarnation, The Hamiltons, Dark Ride and Penny Dreadful. Albert Fish (2006)Directed by John BorowskiHere’s a serial killer who, to this point, had not yet had a movie made about him, though something tells me that’s going to change now that there’s one out. From the same guy who did the intriguing film H. H. Holmes: America's First Serial Killer comes the tale of Albert Fish, a Depression-era killer who lured children to their deaths utilizing torture a sadomasochism. If it’s anything like H. H. Holmes, then it’s got more style than most, so be sure to check it out! Cinema of DeathDirected by VariousA compilation of some of the more extreme films in the last few years, or so says Cult Epics, the company releasing this set. Inside are five films from various directors exploring the extreme sides of human nature, be it murder or betrayal, with a mixture of themes and ideas. To be honest, some of the film descriptions sound interesting, but something tells me it might be a lot more indie than it comes across. Find out for yourself, and then let us know! The Eden Formula (2006)Directed by John Carl BuechlerMy God, folks, Jeff Fahey is back! And he’s fighting freakin’ dinosaurs! He plays a doctor who develops a technology that can reproduce any type of organism, and unbeknownst to him, someone has used it to make a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Now if that doesn’t sound like a plotline directly out of straight-to-video titles from the 80’s, I don’t know what does. And if nothing else it’s got Jeff fucking Fahey in it! And Dee Wallace Stone! Pervert (2006)Directed by Jonathan YudisYou know when you really just want some time away from your regular life, to go somewhere you can concentrate and get things in perspective? James is lucky enough to have a place like that, the desert ranch of his father. Unfortunately for his down time, though, James soon realizes that his father is a psychotic madman. Sounds pretty straightforward, but I really think it’s anything but. Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes (2006)Directed by Jake WestAlmost 20 years after Stan Winston made his directorial debut with the first (and best) Pumpkinhead film, Evil Aliens director Jake West brings the revenge demon back, creating a direct sequel to the first film. Early reports from its debut on the Sci Fi Channel weren’t exactly favorable, but hopefully the DVD will put some edited material back in that will make it a little better. One can dream, right? Roman (2006)Directed by Angela BettisSome of us have been waiting a long time for this one, the directorial debut of May star Angela Bettis, who swapped with actor Lucky McKee for this companion piece, as the duo have stated previously. The story is of a man (McKee) who has the misfortune of having a terrible life that gets even worse when a chance encounter with the object of his obsession goes horribly wrong. Turistas (2006)Directed by John StockwellYeah, this one didn’t really turn out as well as we all may have hoped, but at least it’s got Melissa George in a bikini for most of its running time. It’s also unrated which, sadly, doesn’t necessarily mean there will be more organ harvesting than in the theatrical version. But it could mean more swimming, and that’s never a bad thing, right? Wrong.Ultimate Versus (2000)Directed by Ryuhei KitamuraFor some reason that even I don’t get, Kitamura decided a few years back to go out and shoot 10 minutes worth of new stuff for his classic gangster/zombie/time travel film Versus, arguably the film that most horror fans know him for. Finally we get to see the results of it in the U.S. thanks to the folks at Media Blasters. The new footage, new songs and loads of new features have been included, filling up two full discs and making this a must-own for any Versus fan!

New Horror DVD Release List: March 20, 2007

Dread Central — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 17:04:08 EDT

By Johnny ButaneCheck out what you'll be purchasing come March 20th, 2007... First Born (2007) Directed by Isaac Webb Oh, Elizabeth Shue, what happened to you? How did you end up in a direct-to-DVD thriller? Was it Hollow Man that did this to you? Poor thing. First Born is about a woman who, when she conceives her first child, her life begins to go all sorts of wrong. Her husband has no time for her anymore, her mom is thousands of miles away and an eventual C-section makes her see things in a whole new light. Then a creepy babysitter enters the picture and she really loses it, trusting no one and aiming for her own destruction. Going to Pieces (2006) Directed by Jeff McQueen A documentary about the rise and fall of the slasher film? Yes, please. It helps that the director is a massive fan of the subgenre and understands its significance in both horror and the cinematic world in general. It's not as comprehensive as some would like, but the simple obscurity of some of the movies referenced and discussed within will help you forget about that. The Hunt (2006) Directed by Fritz Kiersch All right it’s about damn time we got a movie about deer taking their revenge on mankind for hunting them for so long. Or at least that’s what I’m theorizing The Hunt is about. It tells of a man who takes his son and a cameraman into the woods with him to make a deer hunting video, but in order for it to make any sense, they need to get a kill. They venture into a restricted area and end up turning from hunters to hunted. By deer? Damn, I hope so! Killing Machine (2000) Directed by Gee-Wong Nam Now this sounds like a badass slice of J-horror. Or in this case K-horror since the film is from Korea. The story is about a part-time prostitute who is murdered by her teacher and three brothers, then brought back as a killing machine thanks to modern technology. She can’t be stopped, she can’t be reasoned with and she’s so damn hot you won’t be able to resist her. This one’s been getting all sorts of reviews for years now; good to see it's finally coming to the States! Masters of Horror: Pro-Life (2006) Directed by John Carpenter The second of Season Two’s episodes was not exactly one that fans were terribly thrilled with. In fact most people said it was one of the worst, which is a shame because the premise, about a girl who is raped by a demon and gets held up in an abortion clinic while her militant father kills everyone he sees to get her out, is a cool one. Even more so when you factor in demon babies and fathers, but I guess it just didn’t work for fans. The Milpitas Monster (1975) Directed by Robert L. Burrill Lord of the landfill? God of the garbage? Doesn’t sound like the sort of thing you would want on a resume, but I guess you really do have to work with your strengths, right? The movie is about a small town that is terrorized by a monster created by them or, more specifically, their desire to fuck with the environment. The monster, having no other choices in life, goes around killing anyone who happens to cross its path. Mummy Theme Park (2000) Directed by Al Passeri Where the hell did this come from? Mummy Theme Park, are you kidding me? In the story a crazy Sheik decides to turn a newly unearthed City of the Dead in Egypt into a, you guessed it, Mummy Theme Park. Two Americans are sent to cover the event and run afoul of the newly-resurrected mummies, brought to a second life by the microchips in their heads. What a fucked up idea, and I have to ask again: Where did this come from? Murder Mansion (1972) Directed by Fransisco Lara Polop Man, why the hell would you want to take refuge in an abandoned mansion? I mean unless you’re looking for some creepy-ass shit to happen all around you, it just doesn’t make any sense. This young couple has to stay at a scary mansion owned by a beautiful woman who wants to scare them away by awakening legends of days gone by. Vampires and witches come out to make the couple’s life a living hell, but will they get out alive? Re-Animator (1985) Directed by Stuart Gordon Stuart Gordon’s classic splatter version of the H. P. Lovecraft story is out on DVD again, but this time it just might be the definitive version of the film and its contents. If you’ve never seen Re-Animator, I have to insist you stop reading this site right now and go watch it, then come back. How dare you. Features on this new DVD version include a brand-new 70-minute documentary about the film, commentary, and multiple interviews plus a ton more. Return of the Living Dead: Rave From the Grave (2006) Directed by Ellory Elkayem My God, why does this movie exist? For some reason the guy who did Eight Legged Freaks got the gig to direct two made-for-SciFi movies that were supposed to be sequels in the franchise, but were in fact insults to it. And what really gets me is that Tobe Hooper was originally attached to do these for the longest time before Elkayem got his paws on it. The results are just plain terrible; watch at your own risk! Tormented Triple Feature Directed by Various We all go a little crazy sometimes, right? This box set from newcomer Televista celebrates that fact with three movies guaranteed to drive you stark raving mad. Or at least entertain. Featured are Insanity, about a depressed director involved in the death of an actress; Crazed, about a mama’s boy who keeps his dead girlfriend; and, of course, Estate of Insanity, which concerns a lord returning to his manor to learn that everyone thinks he’s a murderer. Fun for the whole crazy family! What a Carve Up! (1961) Directed by Pat Jackson Nothing better to end a DVD list with than a wacky, old school British comedy, right? Right. This one involves a family being called together in a creepy mansion for the reading of a will. Of course creepy things happen left and right, but it’s all in good fun, at least until people start dying. But hey, even death can be funny, right? Hopefully or this would be very depressing...

New Horror DVD Release List: March 13, 2007

Dread Central — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 18:47:49 EDT

By Johnny ButaneAvailable to you on a bloody platter as of March 13, 2007... Blood Trails (2006) Directed by Robert Krause Ladies, pay attention. Even though a one-night stand might seem like a good idea at the time (what man doesn’t want to have meaningless, commitment-less sex?), it’s more than likely going to bite you in the ass. Such is the case with Anne, who proposes a romantic biking trip with her boyfriend after feeling so guilty for cheating on him. The fling shows up on their trail, however, kills the boyfriend, and begins a maniacal pursuit of Anne, who is more than likely not going to make it out alive. The first bike-themed slasher! Bloody Reunion (2006) Directed by Dae-wung Lim Originally released as To Sir With Love (a much creepier but less indicative title if you ask me), Bloody Reunion tells of a group of young people who reunite with their now decrepit former teacher to pay honor to her and try and relive some of their glory days. Hidden grudges and long-repressed emotions soon come to the surface, though, and the reunion eventually becomes a living nightmare for all those involved. See our exclusive clip from the movie! Ghoul School (1990) Directed by Timothy O'Rawe Oh dear God, why? Why would someone put a movie out in this day and age with such a horrendously bad cover? This is third in the Retro '80s Collection, a series that seems determined to release films no one’s ever heard of or seen but apparently came out in the '80s. Why the year of production on this is 1990 I don’t know. Anyway, the film is about a toxic chemical released in a school that causes all the students to turn into zombies. The only ones who can save them are nerds and a metal band. Hell yeah! Horror Business (2006) Directed by Christopher P. Garentano I can’t attest for the quality of the film, but that cover is enough by itself to make me want to nab this one. Horror Business is all about what it sounds like; the director took a camera and a microphone back in 2003, determined to find what makes indie filmmakers determined to keep making horror movies. During his travels he spoke with Dave (Zombie Honeymoon) Gebroe, Herschell (Blood Feast) Gordon Lewis, Joe Bob Briggs and many others. How could the end results not be a good watch?Night of the Werewolf (1980) Directed by Jacinto Molina Alvarez Probably better known to most Naschy fans as The Craving, this film starts off with Elizabeth Bathory burned at the stake until dead and one of her cohorts, accused of being a werewolf, buried in an iron mask with a silver stake keeping him down. When some grave-robbers remove the stake centuries later, killing begins all over again and this time no one is around to point out that the creature responsible is of supernatural origins. Ain’t that always the way?Sublime (2007) Directed by Tony Krantz The second in Warner Bros. series of direct-to-DVD horrors (following Rest Stop), Sublime taps into a very common fear in most humans; surgical errors. The story follows George, who goes in for a standard procedure and wakes up in a new room without any answers as to what happened to him. Someone fucked up when he went under, though, and now he’s fighting to find out just what went on and why there’s a whole section of the hospital that is abandoned but he can hear screams coming from nightly. Tales of Terror From Tokyo, Volume 3 Part 2 (1980) Directed by Various Volume 3 part 2? Are you fucking kidding me? Like this series isn’t confusing enough, I still have no idea how many of these are actually out, now they’re splitting up their volumes into parts as well? Ugh. Stories (from Tokyo and all over Japan, which is also squeezed onto the cover) in this set focus on ghosts in abandoned office buildings and in high school video projects, the other side trying to reach through and strangle the living world and other bits of unpleasantness. Vengeance of the Zombies (1975) Directed by Leon Klimovsky I really hope you guys enjoy these weekly DVD release lists because let me tell you, they ain’t easy. Especially with weeks like this when I know for a fact this movie is coming out on DVD but can’t find it anywhere, which is just annoying. The story in Vengeance of the Zombies is about an Indian mystic who raises women from the dead and uses them to do nasty things for him. Nice gig if you can get it. One of those rare Paul Naschy films in which he doesn’t play a werewolf, at least not that I could find!