Nazi Zombie Battlefield Death Tales?

In a move that makes little sense, to me at least, UK distributor Safecracker Pictures has retitled the forthcoming Battlefield Death Tales (sequel to indie anthology Bordello Death Tales), to Nazi Zombie Death Tales. There's no doubt that Nazis and zombies are in the public eye at the moment with Iron Sky and The Walking Dead respectively keeping both unsavoury group's profiles high, but this has the air of cheap sensationalism about it. Apparently this move is for the UK market only, so if the film is sold to other territories it has a better chance of retaining its original moniker. Take a look at the recently released poster above that bears the original title. It's striking yet austere, without having to resort to cheap shots like Nazis and zombies to sell the concept. Then take a look at the proposed DVD artwork that makes it look like cheap, straight to DVD rubbish. It is cheap, this is low-budget British filmmaking, it is straight to DVD because cinema audiences want rom-coms and superheroes, but I'm confident it won't be rubbish.

Don't get me wrong, I've no aversion to cheap exploitative movies, but knowing how well-crafted Bordello Death Tales is makes me more than a little sad that Battlefield Death Tales has received this treatment. Enough grumbling from me, Battlefield... sorry, Nazi Zombie Death Tales will be released August 13th 2012 so if you want to pre-order a copy you can do so through the following link at Amazon UK. Silly title or not, it will rock I'm sure.

Links: Death Tales Website | Death Tales Facebook

Night of the Living Dead 3D

“Night of the Living Dead 3D: Re-Animation is an icy morgue blast in the face! All this movie needed was Smell-O-Rama and the near death experience would have been complete! The 3D will have you squirming like a maggot in your seat. Andrew Divoff is stone cold perfect and relishes his role like a zombie mortician lapping brains off an autopsy room floor. Jeffrey Combs reanimates his iconic career and Robin Sydney has a sexy romp on a corpse that should put this movie at the top of every necro’s wish list. Two severed thumbs up... in 3D!”

“WALKING DEAD” Complete Second Season disc details, art, trailer

Some of the most shocking moments on TV this year came courtesy of the second season of AMC’s hit series THE WALKING DEAD, and you’ll be able to relive (or redie) them later this summer on disc. Read on for the info, cover art and a trailer.
Anchor Bay Entertainment has announced that THE WALKING DEAD: The Complete Second Season will arrive on DVD and Blu-ray August 28 in four-disc sets, plus a special limited-edition zombie-head case for Blu-ray only, created and designed by McFarlane Toys. The 13 episodes based on Robert Kirkman’s comics, following the survivors led by police officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) as they take refuge from the zombie plague on a remote farm, only to face threats both living and undead, will be presented in anamorphic 1.78:1 widescreen, with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound on the DVDs and Dolby TrueHD 7.1 sound on the Blu-rays. Special features will include audio commentaries, featurettes and behind-the-scenes footage (full details to come). Retail prices are $59.98 for the DVD pack, $69.99 for the Blu-rays and $99.99 for the zombie-head case.

Quatermass 2 on laserdisc

Quatermass 2 was released in the United States on high quality laserdiscs as part of the Hammer Collection. Once again American film producer William Lustig oversaw the project, which was something of a labour of love. During production, a 35mm fine grain print, borrowed from the archives of the British Film Institute, was digitally restored in a painstaking, frame-by-frame process. The result is of superb quality.

The NTSC format disc, accompanied by a reproduction of the original British press book, went on sale in the United States in early August. It features two additional audio tracks of special interest to fans of the film: an interview with film director Val Guest, conducted by Lustig, and Quatermass creator Nigel Kneale in conversation with Marcus Hearn.

Farewell to Eva Bartok

Hungarian actress Eva Bartok died on Saturday 1 August 1998, aged 69. There was plenty of publicity surrounding her funeral which was remarkable given that so few of her films are remembered today. With the exception of The Crimson Pirate (1952), an excellent genre spoof in which she co-starred with Burt Lancaster, her work is largely forgotten. The majority of Hammer enthusiasts are unlikely to recognise Bartok's name despite her co-star billing in Exclusive's Spaceways (1953) and Break in the Circle (1955).

Born Eva Szoke, she married in her teens to Alexander Paal, who later produced a number of Hammer films including Cloudburst (1952), The Four-Sided Triangle (1953) and Countess Dracula (1971). Bartok's second marriage was to German film star Curt Jurgens.

It is her 1956 affair with Frank Sinatra, however, that is the most probable cause of the recent media interest. Bartok always insisted that her daughter, Deana, was the result of a brief fling with Sinatra. The singer himself gave no credance to the claim.

During her mother's funeral on 11 August, Deana refuted newspaper allegations that Eva died homeless, penniless and alone: "I'm here to translate that for you," she said. "Homeless - because she never really appreciated the domestic trappings in life. Penniless - because she didn't really care about money. Alone - she was not, God was with her. I was with her in spirit, and so were many other people."

Hammer classics to dvd

Previously unavailable in the UK on any format, classic 1960s Hammer Horrors The Brides of Dracula and The Evil of Frankenstein are being released on R2 dvd on 15th October by Showbox Home Entertainment.
The Brides of Dracula (1960) is the superb sequel to the original Hammer Dracula, and brought together many of the key personnel from the first film including director Terence Fisher, screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, producer Anthony Hinds and star Peter Cushing. Also in the cast are David Peel, Martita Hunt, Yvonne Monlaur, Freda Jackson and Marie Devereux.
This classic dose of Hammer horror sees Van Helsing (Cushing) investigating the Badstein Girl's Academy in Transylvania and the charismatic Baron Meinster (David Peel) amidst rumours of the spread of vampirism. Can Van Helsing rid the townsfolk of the sinister curse?....

Full Moon to release classic Wizard Video compilations to DVD! 10/27/11

It seems that Charles Band is finally ready to gain from the VHS phenomena. Full Moon will be releasing 10 films/compilations from the infamous Wizard Video and Force Video catalogs! I know I always say this, but once again I am stunned by what's being released to DVD these days. Not that these movies are unwatchable, but that I really didn't think that there was any money in re-releasing some of these, esspecially the compilations. Some of these titles will include an introduction by Band himself and a "Grindhouse" featurette. I can only imagine that many of these are transfered from the original VHS and in fact they warn us of this in the description of the Promo video on YouTube:

MONSTER BASH SUMMER 2011 DVD Here!

MONSTER BASH SUMMER 2011 DVD Here!

The Henson Press comes through for a great document of the events of this past June's historical MONSTER BASH CONFERENCE:
Interviews with Ed Nelson, Caroline Munro, Veronica Carlson, Yvonne Monlaur, Dawn Wells....Richard Gordon and Norma Eberhardt's last public appearances. Plus, the fun and excitement of the Classic Monster Convention with a spotlight on vampires. See Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde in person, a "Teenage Vampire" rise to scare again, the vampire crypt in the lobby of all the silver screen classic vampires! Caroline Munro, Veronica Carlson and Yvotte Monlaur perform live theatre of "Dracula's Guest" staged by Zach Zito. ....and so much more! Best Bash Ever!
Get it now in our New DVD Department at Creepy Classics!

DVD Buyer's Guide

And the hits just keep on coming. If you’d like to watch Kate Beckinsale slowly undress from a bulky parka to a sports bra, then WHITEOUT (review) is right up your alley. If you like good movies, then WHITEOUT is nowhere near your alley. In fact, it’s so bad that the promise of a very, very briefly and PG-13 sexualized Beckinsale is not in any way worth the price of admission.

Next up is BLOOD CREEK, previously known as TOWN CREEK, which is a movie you’d be excused for not knowing exists. I’ve actually heard pretty decent things about this Joel Schumacher directed flick, which Lionsgate quietly (and briefly) dropped into dollar theaters in 2009, so it’s probably worth a rental.

From there things shape up even more in the form of PANDORUM, a flick I kind of regret missing in theaters after it get decent, almost apologetic word of mouth. Don’t really care for any of the cast beyond Ben Foster – and Paul W.S. Anderson’s name isn’t very encouraging – but set a horror movie on a spaceship and I’m automatically in.

BASEMENT, THE 5-FILM RETRO ‘80s HORROR COLLECTION (3 DVD + VHS SET)

BASEMENT, THE 5-FILM RETRO ‘80s HORROR COLLECTION (3 DVD + VHS SET)

Directed By: Tim O’Rawe, Gary Cohen, Jon McBride
Starring: Dennis Driscoll, Kathleen Heidinger, David Webber, Scott Corizzi, Traci Mann, Pamela Kramer, John Fedele

Studio: Camp Motion Pictures
Release Date: September 13, 2011

The Ultimate Gift to Fans of 1980’s DIY Horror Cinema!  VHS / DVD 5-Film Collection in an Exclusive VHS Collector’s Package that Includes Classic Early 1980’s Home Video VHS “Big Box” Packaging!  Also Includes the Never-Before-Released 8mm feature, The Basement, on DVD…and VHS!

Available for the first time on VHS and DVD, The Basement is the lost 1989 Super 8 anthology feature film directed by Timothy O’Rawe (Ghoul School). Restored by director of photography Michael Raso in 2010, The Basement is a shining example of 80’s DIY cinema inspired by Amicus Films’ Tales from the Crypt and featuring elaborate special make-up and creature effects by Scott Hart.

DVD Buyer's Guide

     

Fuck me, 2010 is not getting off to a good start. First we get the new worst entry in a series where death is the invisible ghost of Rube Goldberg and now we get the new worst movie made by Rob Zombie, which is a feat unto itself. I think I may finally get around to reviewing HALLOWEEN II. Should be a nice refresher vocabulary course, as I’ll need to look up new ways to say “It’s a piece of shit.”

Other titles of the week include something called DARK RAGE and a DVD four pack that includes GOTHIKA, QUEEN OF THE DAMNED, DREAMCATCHER , and GHOST SHIP. Note, the product description does not clarify whether said four pack also comes with smelling salts to wake you from the stuppor watching said four pack will put you in.

On a sci-fi note, do yourself a favor and blind buy Duncan Jones’ MOON.

DVD Buyer's Guide

       
Will today finally see me actually laying down money to own a SAW film? I think so. After all, SAW VI(review) was one of the most pleasant surprises horror had to offer last year. Can I imagine myself watching it over and over? Nah, but the Blu-ray will definitely find itself on my shelf eventually.

Beyond that, however, we’ve got a couple catalog titles (here’s looking at you original TOOLBOX MURDERS on Blu) and a couple scrappy-looking straight-to-video movies (Frank “BASKET CASE” Henenlotter’s BAD BIOLOGY streets, though Amazon doesn’t have a picture) to round out a rather meager month’s worth of horror movie offerings.

Oh, and though it’s been available for rental in America and purchase in Canada for months now, the fascinating experiment that is PONTYPOOL (review) should finally be stocked on your local shelves come this Tuesday.

DVD Buyer's Guide

         


There are only two standard definition titles of the week that I recognize. MUM & DAD is a British import that got some modest appreciation on the fest circuit. The other is a flick called THE 8TH PLAGUE, which has found its way in this DVD guide well over a year ago. I’ve seen neither. The best bet may beTHE 8TH PLAGUE, seeing as it now has a special edition.

Rounding out the straight to DVD titles of the week are ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES, SCARCE,HOUSE OF THE DEMON, UNCONCIOUS.

The real winners of the week are the hi-def titles. I’m not the biggest fan, but DOG SOLDIERS on Blu is definitely going to warrant a watch, if not a purchase at a cheaper price point. I can’t say the same forTWILIGHT, though. Vampires that sparkle like diamonds are only going to look sillier in 1080p, but the teen vamp phenom certainly has its fans. Why else would Amazon think they could get away with charging $80 for a collectors edition?

This leaves Season 2 of “DEXTER” as the winner for the week. Season 2 has been available on DVD for a while and if you already own that set, other than the bump in looks there isn’t much incentive to pick it up in Blu. If, however, you are looking to save the economy by needlessly spending money, at $39 the price is right for a great show in the best available format.

DVD Buyer's Guide

          
The last week of July is heaviest on the horror. Two ’70s cult films see the light of day, And Now the Screaming Starts and Asylum. The Camp Blood trilogy gets a collective release, so that’s…good? TheFinal Destination series gets its own box set, dubbed the Thrill-ogy, as well as a standalone copy of Final Destination 3, which I thought was a lousy entry.

Two Asian ghost stories hit American shelves as well. Korea’s Cello (which is boring, despite its promising cover) and Japan’s Unborn (again with an awesome cover. but haven’t seen this one yet).

The much anticipated horror documentary, Halloween: 25 Years of Terror, is finally made public as well. Any horror nut will be at least Netflix’ing this, so get it fast before it gets put on delay.

Tales from the Crypt, a favorite of mine, has its fourth (of seven) season popping out as well. I don’t know the whole series by heart, so I can’t vouch for how season 4 ranks in the grand scheme of the show, but hey, Tales from the Crypt is always a good watch for a horror night.

Rob Corddry’s paintball comedy, Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story, gets a DVD release after a limited theatrical run. I’ve heard good things, so any fan of Corddry (ie. anyone who watches the Daily Show) may want this as a blind buy.

Finally, in anticipation of the movie, no doubt, Miami Vice gets a two season double pack on the relative cheap. I haven’t watched a single episode of the show yet (though I am watching the pilot as soon as I finish this guide), but judging from the way my friend Beau absolutely raves about the show, I’ve no doubt that it is a masterpiece and am recommending it blind. Can’t wait for Michael Mann’s big screen turn – movie of the summer, no doubt.

DVD Buyer's Guide

     

The 4th may have been a complete bust, but the 11th isn’t a whole lot better. There are a handful of direct-to-DVD titles: After Sundown, Butcher and Damned, two of which I couldn’t even find pictures for, if that says anything of their quality. This Tuesday does see the release of Anchor Bay’s The Garden, which if you read my review, you’ll know I dug despite it’s later script shortcomings. If you’re a Lance Henriksen devotee, and I know you are, it is definitely worth supporting.

On the trashier side of things there is Basic Instinct 2. I liked Basic Instinct, but I was also 13 when I watched it and the motivation for liking it is clear. Basic Instinct 2, well, it’s pretty obvious how bad it will be. On the funnier side of things, there is a release of another ‘erotic’ flick on the 11th as well, but one that ironically probably isn’t even nearly as trashy as Basic Insinct 2…I’m not sure this has been done before or what, but I find it hilarious that there is an R rated version of "the most expensive" porn movie ever made, Pirates, which made the talking rounds on nerdy film blogs a while back.

There is a remastered, legit R1 release of Shogun Assassin being released as well. If you know whatShogun Assassin is, chances are you already own it, if you don’t, this is the copy to buy – I know I will be.

And finally we have season 1 of Weeds, which is a truly great comedy series from Showtime. Mary-Louise Parker is phenomenal in the show, as is the rest of the cast (especially Kevin Nealon). Combine that talent with the bittersweet comedy of it all and you have one fantastic show that rises well above pothead entertainment.