Here’s the Blu-rays Zac’s blowing his money on today:
The Return of the Vampire
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B07KBQMHF1/arrowinthehea-20
Special Features include:
*NEW Audio Commentary With Film Historian Troy Howarth
*NEW Audio Commentary With Author/Film Historian Gary Don Rhodes
*NEW Audio Commentary With Film Historian Lee Gambin
*Silent 8mm Presentation
*Theatrical Trailer
*Still Gallery
I haven’t seen this film, but I’ve seen plenty other works from Lugosi to know that this one is worth watching. The cover art is beautiful. I don’t always love what Scream! Factory does, but I really, really appreciate how they use the original posters for their Blu-ray releases of classic films. Plus, for a film this old to receive not only one, but THREE new commentary tracks? That’s incredible. If this is the way that Scream! Factory is moving, well, then they might just win me back. This is a must grab for any fan of classic vampire films and as someone who hasn’t seen it, if you’re on the edge of grabbing it, just go ahead and do it. I highly, highly doubt you’ll regret it.
Color Me Blood Red
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B07K138YQS/arrowinthehea-20
Special Features include:
*High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
*English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
*Bonus Feature! 1967’s Something Weird
*Introductions to the films by H.G. Lewis
*Audio commentary on Color Me Blood Red with H.G. Lewis and David Friedman
*Audio commentary on Something Weird with H.G. Lewis and David Friedman
*The Art of Madness – a video essay on the recurring motif of mad artists as killers in horror films
*Weirdsville – film scholar Jeffrey Sconce on Something Weird
*H.G. Lewis on Jimmy, The Boy Wonder
*A Hot Night at the Go Go Lounge! – 1966 dance short
*Color Me Blood Red Outtakes
*Color Me Blood Red Trailer
*Something Weird Trailer
*Jimmy, The Boy Wonder Trailer
*Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly-commissioned artwork by The Twins of Evil
The only real experience I have with H.G. Lewis is when Wizard of Gore popped up in Juno, but I was immediately interested in a way that doesn’t happen very often for me. I was not only surprised to see something embrace itself so fully (I’d not yet learned of Troma), but to do so in such a colorful and loud fashion. What’s more is that I couldn’t believe it had garnered enough attention to end up (not just mentioned, mind you, but actually shown) in an indie drama with Michael Cera. I watched it and liked it. I’m not a huge slasher fan, but splatter flicks were right up my alley. They still are. So, needless to say, I WILL be grabbing this. It doesn’t need anything more than the Lewis name stamp and its title to get me, but damn, look at those extras.
Overlord
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/631757880X/arrowinthehea-20
Special Features include:
*The Horrors of War
o Creation
o Death Above
o Death on the Ground
o Death Below
o Death No More
o Brothers in Arms
I saw Overlord in theaters with a few buddies and enough beer to get “surprise drunk” for the viewing. I also hadn’t known at the time that we’d bought tickets for the IMAX showing. I stumbled behind my friends to the seats that they’d picked (not bad), sat my ass down, and didn’t leave that theater for weeks after seeing the credits roll. This film is somehow exactly what I’d expected and not at all what I was prepared for. The film is, for the grander part of the runtime, a purely war based film. It rivals the greats of Saving Private Ryan and Full Metal Jacket at times. It isnt until the last quarter of the film that the horror completely kicks in. If someone had told me that before going in, I’d have curbed my enthusiasm and possibly even have liked it less. Although I’ve already said it, I cannot stress enough that this is the wrong approach to this film . The genre elements in this film bleed out of it in a nearly seamless way, and minus some odd backtracking later into the film, it never fails in anything it tries to do. It’s a shame then that they’re giving it such a lackluster Blu-ray release.
Skinner
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B07ML4QXGM/arrowinthehea-20
Special Features include:
*A Touch of Scandal: Interview with Director Ivan Nagy
*Under His Skin: Interview with Star Ted Raimi
*Bargain Bin VHS For A Buck: Interview with Screenwriter Paul Hart-Wilden
*Cutting Skinner: Interview with Editor Jeremy Kasten *Flaying Sequence Out-takes & Extended Takes
*Trailer
I have very, very little information about this film, but it made it to this list for three very good reasons:
1. It was mentioned favorably by friend of the site Matt
2. It’s from Severin, who’s generally always worth watching
3. It stars Ted Raimi
I don’t care about anything else. That’s enough for me. I’ll be grabbing this soon. For what it’s worth, here’s the plot synopsis:
A decent-looking lad called Dennis Skinner rents an apartment in a couple’s house, Kerry and Geoff. At night he roams the streets with a goodie-bag filled with knives looking for victims to skin, constantly followed by the hobbling, wobbling junkie Heidi who was mutilated by him and is now looking for revenge. Dennis is attracted to Kerry and wants to show her the real him.
-via IMDb
These links help support the upcoming horror Blu-rays page at joblo.com
I am in no way affiliated with them, but I’ve used them so many times throughout the years (and still do). Check ’em out.
-Zac
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