Tuesday 31 May 2016

Jamie Bernadette takes an "All Girls Weekend" this July.

Writer-director Lou Simon’s anticipated follow-up to Hazmat hits US VOD this July from Uncork'd entertainment.

Genre icon Jamie Bernadette (I Spit on Your Grave: Deja Vu, Axeman, The Bunnyman Massacre) heads up an amazing cast in a film that grabs your attention right from the start and it keeps you glued to the screen the entire time.

Childhood friends try to rekindle their friendship during a weekend in the mountains. Soon the women get lost and now, alone and hungry, they must battle the elements, each other, and an unforeseen force that is determined to stop them from leaving.

From the visionary Lou Simon, director, comes All Girls Weekend starring Jamie Bernadette, Katie Carpenter, Gema Calero, Karishma Lakhani and Sharron Calvin.

All Girls Weekend available from US VOD outlets July 12.

View the trailer on YouTube

 

Monday 30 May 2016

KILLER DAMES - BD/DVD box-set review.

Director Emilio P. Miraglia may not be the most well known Italian director, but during the early 70s, he did produce 2 very popular cult titles. “The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave” and “The Red Queen Kills 7 Times”. Which Arrow films have packaged together, with a wealth of supplemental features, for their KILLER DAMES limited edition Blu-Ray and DVD box set, which is out this month.

The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave (1971)

The first film in the set stars Italian actor Anthony Steffen (Django the Bastard), as wealthy English Lord Alan Cunningham. Recently released from a psychiatric institute, he goes around luring redheads back to his country estate, before murdering them in his S&M Dungeon.

Seems he has a thing for women that remind him of his ex-wife Evelyn, of which he had something of an acrimonious relationship with. But when he meets the lovely Gladys (Marina Malfatti) at a party, he's immediately smitten and marries her straight away.

This initially seems to have a calming effect on him. But it isn't too long before they both start experiencing strange visions of his late wife and his urge to kill starts to rise once more.

Will his doctor re-commit him before he kills again, or is there something a bit more sinister behind these visions that are causing him to crack up again?

Set in England, though (obviously) filmed in Italy. The plot is rather intricate with tons of red herrings, including a séance with a psychic medium, a groundskeeper who happens to be his ex-wifes brother, who's also having a secret relationship with Alan’s aunt. And there's a brother who may, or may not, be after Alan’s fortune.

Not overly gory, the film was almost like an Italian take on an Agatha Christie story and remained relatively compelling throughout. Though it is a bit of a slowie and as such is really one I would only recommend to lovers of Italian Giallos.

Extras on the disc include…

Optional English or Italian audio with English subs, which is viewable with either the Italian or English credits.
Audio commentary by Troy Howarth (Author of “So Deadly, So Peverse – 50 Years of Italian Giallo)
Optional introduction by Erika Blanc (Susan)
Remembering Evelyn feature (15mins) - critic Stephen Thrower discusses the making of the film.
The Night Erika Came out of the Grave feature (10mins) – Brand new interview with Erika Blanc, who plays Susan in the film.
The Whip and the Body feature (20mins) - 2005 interview with Erika Blanc (Susan), originally filmed for the US DVD from No Shame (Italian with English subs).
Still Rising from the Grave (23mins) - 2005 interview with production designer Lorenzo Baraldi, originally filmed for the US DVD from No Shame (Italian with English subs).
The disc also contains both the English and Italian theatrical trailers and you have reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx

Red Queen Kills Seven Times

Another Evelyn comes back from the grave in the second film in the set. This follow up of sorts concerns a group of sisters, Kitty (Barbara Bouchet – Don’t Torture a Duckling) and Evelyn, who are twins. Plus a third sister, Franziska (Marina Malfatti), who’s not introduced until later.

Growing up in their Grandfather’s castle, Evelyn makes the life of her twin Kitty miserable. Until one day, when the girls are in their teens and Kitty accidentally kills her during a fight, which the family attempts to cover up.

A few years later, their grandfather is killed under mysterious circumstances, which is followed by a string of murders of people connected to the family. All committed by a perpetrator baring a striking resemblance to the late Evelyn.

Tales of a family curse persist, in which every hundred years the family produces Twin sisters, one of which dies, only to come back and kill 7 victims, one of which being her sibling. But is it the curse, or just someone trying to get their hands on the family fortunes now the Grandfather has died?

Sharper eyed viewers will recognise Mariana Malfatti from the directors previous film, along with cult B-movie actress Sybil Danning (Battle Beyond the Stars) who also has a supporting role, along with Marino Mase (Contamination) who turns up as a police detective with a decidedly dodgy moustache.

As with the director’s previous film, there are plenty of twists and turns and red herrings, so you really need to pay attention to what’s going on. But the film is an interesting gothic horror which fans of Italian Giallos will love.

Extras on the disc include.

Optional English or Italian audio with English subs, which is viewable with either the Italian or English credits. 
Audio commentary with critics Alan Jones and Kim Newman
Optional introduction by production designer Lorenzo Baraldi
The Red Reign feature (13mins) – critic Stephen Thrower discusses the making of the film
Life of Lulu (20mins) – actress Sybil Danning discusses her role in the film and her career in horror.
Alternate opening – Alternate pre-credits sequence used for some foreign releases of the film.
Dead  a Porter feature (13 mins) - 2005 interview with production designer Lorenzo Baraldi, originally filmed for the US DVD from No Shame (Italian with English subs).
Round up the Usual Suspects feature (18mins) – 2005 interview with Italian actor Marino Mase (Italian with English subs).
If I met Emilio Miraglia today (4mins) – brief feature in which Marino Mase, Erika Blanc and Lorenzo Baraldi share their thoughts about the director (made up of out takes from other interviews on the discs)
My Favourite Films (1min) a VERY brief interview with Barbara Bouchet filmed at New Yorks Chiller fest in 2005.
Lastly there’s the Italian and English theatrical trailers and the sleeve has reversible artwork, featuring the original and a newly commissioned design by Gilles Vranckx

Both films boast new 2K HD scans from the original camera negatives and come with both Blu-Ray and DVD versions of the films and a 60-page booklet containing new writing by James Blackford, Kat Ellinger, Leonard Jacobs and Rachael Nisbet.

This box set is strictly limited to 3000 copies and is out now from Arrow films. So grab it whilst you can!

Pre-order the BD/DVD box set at Amazon.co.uk  

Thursday 26 May 2016

Cannibal romantic horror TEAR ME APART gets VOD release

A post-apocalyptic dish of murder, meat and mysticism is served up in Alex Lightman’s brightly fused British debut feature TEAR ME APART, which is released online on June 17, following its UK theatrical premiere at The Genesis, Whitechapel, on June 16.


 Living in a cave in a barren part of the Cornish landscape, two brothers turn to cannibalism to survive. Although the eldest (played by Frazer Alexander) clings to the notion that their father will reappear, bringing with him the return of the ‘old world’, the younger brother (Alfie Stewart) has no such moral compass and relishes the meat he can get from the bodies of nomadic wanderers who stray into his sights. 

Then one day, a different kind of prey appears, in the form of a beautiful teenager (played by Jennie Eggleton). She is possibly the last girl alive and her powerful presence ignites a sexual maelstrom. A dangerous game is about to be played. Animalism versus humanity.  Love versus survival. Love. Kill. Eat. 

Director Alex Lightman reveals: “When the idea of a post-apocalyptic world devoid of women emerged, we were adamant that the film should not explain what happened. It is essentially about three young people trying to figure out not just how to survive, but if survival is what matters most to them.” 

TEAR ME APART is directed by Alex Lightman, written by Tom Kerevan and produced by Alex Lightman, Tom Kerevan & Ern Herrmann, It stars Alfie Stewart, Jennie Eggleton and Frazer Alexander. all making their lead feature film debuts. Receiving its World Premiere at Austin Film Festival 2016, the film is the first project from Cannibal Films, who are already in development with their second feature, a psychological thriller, which they intend to shoot  next year.

The film will be available to download exclusively from http://www.tearmeapartmovie.com 

View the trailer on YouTube 


First pics from forthcoming CYNTHIA released

Horror/dark comedy CYNTHIA, has just started production and the producers have just released the first on-set stills from the shoot.





The film stars Scout Taylor-Compton (Rob Zombie's Halloween), Robert LaSardo (Human Centipede 3, Death Race), Lynn Lowry (The Crazies, Shivers), James Karen (Return of the Living Dead), Sid Haig (Devils Rejects, Hatchet 3) and Bill Moseley (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Devils Rejects).

More details about this film when they become available.


Birmingham Zombie Walk, in aid of The Birmingham Children's Hospital, June

The annual Birmingham Zombie Walk, in aid of The Birmingham Children's Hospital Charity, will be taking place this year on Saturday 18/06/16.

Now in its eighth year, the event has grown massively each and every year. Last year’s Zombie Walk raised over £10,000 for the wonderful Birmingham Children’s Hospital, with your help we can make this year even better for the children treated there every day.

Over two thousand people are once again expected to don Zombie make-up and attire before taking to the streets in “search of brains”. Armed with a target to raise over £10,000 for the hospital this year, the increasingly popular event is the brainchild of Jamie Chapman from Sutton Coldfield.

In its life on the city’s events calendar, the Walk has grown to showcase highlights including a zombie games, best dressed zombie competition, a huge costume and make-up party; and has consistently been supported by local organisations and businesses.

The event generates a great deal of buzz in the city of Birmingham, featuring in major publications, events guides and being heavily promoted on websites and social media. It is also formally supported by a number of well-known city businesses wanting to reach out to the diverse crowd which the Zombie Walk attracts

If you are interested in taking part, tickets cost just £5. 

For more information and to buy tickets, visit the official website at... http://www.birminghamzombies.com

Wednesday 25 May 2016

Fright-Rags Release New "Maniac Motors" Collection

Last summer, Fright-Rags released the Maniac Motors collection, which parodied Ed Roth’s Rat Fink designs using horror icons. The apparel company is revving its engine with a second line of Maniac Motors.

Artist Brent Engstrom pays tribute to Halloween ("Boogeyman Buggy"), Hellraiser ("Cenobite Coup"), and Phantasm ("Funeral 4Wheeler"). All three designs are available on both unisex and girls shirts.


Fright-Rags has a busy release schedule ahead, teasing brand new merchandise from The Evil Dead, Aliens, Rob Zombie, and more coming this summer.

Maniac Motors II collection is in stock and ready to ship now at Fright-Rags.com.

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies - Artwork and Special Features revealed

Lionsgate have just revealed the artwork for their forthcoming release of "Pride Prejudice and Zombies" to UK BD and DVD announced what special features will be included on the discs.

A fresh twist on Jane Austen's widely celebrated novel, when a mysterious plague falls upon 19th century England, the land is overrun with the undead, but our feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James) is a master of martial arts and weaponry.

Casting aside personal and social prejudices, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley) must unite on the blood-soaked battlefield to rid the country of the zombie menace and discover their true love for one another.

Based on the book by Seth Grahame-Smith (and Jane Austen, of course), it’s one of greatest premises in movie history: Will Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy still find love? Or will be too busy chopping down an army of the undead for romance?

Starring Lily James (Wrath of the Titans), Sam Riley (Maleficent), Suki Waterhouse (Insurgent), Lena Headey (TV’s Game of Thrones, Dredd) Charles Dance (TV’s Game of Thrones, Underworld : Awakening), Matt Smith (TV’s Doctor Who, Terminator Genisys) Douglas Booth (Jupiter Ascending), Sally Phillips (Bridget Jones’s Diary) and Jack Huston (Ben-Hur, American Hustle). "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" is the literary-monster mash-up you’ve been waiting to feast on!

Special Features:

-Gag Reel
-Deleted Scenes
-Creating the Unmentionables - a look at how the design team created the look of the 19th century zombies.
-From Austen to Zombies: Adapting a Classic - a piece on the adaptation of the classic Jane Austen novel and the Seth Graehme Smith Zombie twist.
-Mr. Collins Line-O-Rama - mash up of his funniest lines and moments from Matt Smith.
-The Bad Ass Bennet Sisters - a look at the training process and the exciting stunts that make Pride and Prejudice and Zombies an edge-of-your seat experience.
-Courtship, Class and Carnage: Meet The Cast - profile of the cast and their excitement about taking on these iconic roles.

The film is available on UK Digital from 20th June and on UK DVD and BD from 27th June.

Pre-order the UK BD from Amazon.co.uk 

Pre-order the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk


 

90s horror LURKING FEAR comes to US Blu-ray this June

C.Courtney Joyner’s classic horror Lurking Fear comes to Blu-ray June 15 from Full Moon Features.

Featuring genre favorite Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator), the “playful mash up of Night of the Living Dead-style ghoul-siege” arrives on US Blu-ray for the first time ever, remastered in 16x9 widescreen & 5.1 Surround, digitally restored from the original 35mm camera negative.

Based on the writings of HP Lovecraft, and starring John Finch (Kingdom of Heaven), Blake Adams (Head of the Family), Ashley Laurence (Hellraiser) and the legendary Jeffrey Combs,  Lurking Fear is regarded a “little gem” by the horror community.

The town of Leffert's Corners has been plagued by unearthly beings for decades, and now there is only a few people left, including the local priest and a woman traumatised by the death of her sister. But when John Martense turns up to claim his illicit family fortune, with bad guys in pursuit, the last stand had become a lot more complicated...

What everyone is not aware of are the humanoid creatures lurking underneath the holy grounds.

Available for the first time on Blu-ray in the US with exclusive special features, "Lurking Fear" will available from Full Moon Direct and Amazon.com shortly.

View the trailer on YouTube

Monday 23 May 2016

BEACON POINT to premiere at Dances with Films festival, June.

News for my US readers, particularly those in and around Burbank, California.

The prestigious Dances with Films film festival announced today that Beacon Point, the highly-anticipated science-fiction thriller from rising newcomer Eric Blue, has won a plum Friday night slot on the festival’s exciting showcase of upcoming independent gems. 

The Georgia-produced chiller, produced by Blue Lantern Films, will play at the Chinese Theatre on June 10.

Official Synopsis : A group of hikers on the Appalachian Trail become lost and stumble across an ancient secret that threatens their survival in this suspenseful, surprising journey into fear. You’ll never want to go camping again after sitting through Beacon Point’s unnerving 85 minutes.

Rae Olivier, Jon Briddell, Eric Goins, Jason Burkey, and RJ Shearer star in an Eric Blue film, written by Blue and Traci Carroll.

Beacon Point at Dances With Films : Chinese Theatre, June 10, 11:45 PM. Tickets here : https://danceswithfilms.com/beacon-point/ 

View the trailer on YouTube.

 

Sunday 22 May 2016

"Baskin" - Heads to UK VOD June

Turkish indie horror film "Baskin", from director Can Evrenol, has been playing the festival circuit to much acclaim these last few months and will be coming to UK VOD outlets this June.

A five-man unit of cops on night patrol get more than they bargain for when they arrive at a creepy backwater town in the middle of nowhere after a call comes over the radio for backup. 

Entering a derelict building, the seasoned tough guys and their rookie junior, do the one thing you should never do in this kind of movie: they split up. They soon realize they’ve stumbled into a monstrous charnel house and descend into an ever-more nightmarish netherworld where grotesque, mind-wrenching horrors await them at every turn. 

This is one Baskin  (that’s “police raid” to you non-Turkish speakers) that isn’t going to end well. But wait! Things aren’t what they seem in this truly disturbing, outrageously gory, and increasingly surreal film whose unpredictable narrative pulls the carpet from under your feet and keeps you guessing right up to the final moment. 

One of the most shocking and jaw-dropping horrors for years, featuring a new icon of fear – The Father – and some of the craziest, most visceral horror ever seen, "Baskin" is an absolute must-see for all horror fans.

Baskin comes to UK VOD outets Friday 24th June from Vertigo films.

Visit the Official Website 

View the trailer on YouTube


HOLIDAYS, must-see anthology from Kevin Smith, Seth Green and more

With Hollywood and horror favourites, Kevin Smith, Nicholas McCarthy, Gary Shore and Seth Green on board, among many others, "Holidays" is a portmanteau horror which challenges our perception of annual festivities, subverting them and laying their darker side bare.

From a seriously bloody Valentine to an extremely gruesome Easter and a Christmas slay ride for good measure, Holidays is an anthology horror that puts a grisly twist on some of our most beloved seasonal events.

Writers & directors include Kevin Smith (Tusk, Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back), Scott Stewart (Priest), Adam Egypt Mortimer (Some Kind of Hate), Dennis Widmyer (Absence), Kevin Kolsch (Starry Eyes), Nicholas McCarthy (The Pact), Gary Shore (Dracula Untold) and Sarah Adina Smith (The Midnight Swim).

Holidays is released to UK DVD and Download July,, and will be available to pre-order shortly.

View the trailer on YouTube


 
 

Friday 20 May 2016

The Purge : Election Year - New UK trailer

Universal Pictures UK have just released a new trailer for THE PURGE : ELECTION YEAR. Which hits UK cinemas July 15th.


Visit the official Facebook page (UK)



 

Wednesday 18 May 2016

New poster for Nicolas Winding Refn’s THE NEON DEMON

Ahead of its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival 2016, Icon Film Distribution today unveils the teaser poster for Nicolas Winding Refn’s THE NEON DEMON. The film will be released nationwide in UK cinemas on July 8, 2016.


When aspiring model Jesse moves to Los Angeles, her youth and vitality are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will use any means necessary to get what she has.

Starring Elle Fanning (Malificent), Jena Malone (The Hunger Games), Abbey Lee (Mad Max: Fury Road), Bella Heathcote (Dark Shadows), Keanu Reeves (John Wick, The Matrix) and Christina Hendricks (Drive), The film is produced by Lene Børglum and co-written by Nicolas Winding Refn, Mary Laws and Polly Stenham.

View the trailer on YouTube

 

Tuesday 17 May 2016

Blood Bath - on Blu-ray and DVD, 30th May

Arrow Video is thrilled to announce the release of the complete "Blood Bath", released on Blu-ray and DVD on 30th May. This limited edition set has reconstructed and restored all four versions of the film - Operation Titian, Portrait in Terror, Blood Bath and Track of the Vampire - from the best surviving materials and comes with a feature-length visual essay companion by Video Watchdog's Tim Lucas.

The films of Roger Corman are often as well-known for their behind-the-scenes stories as they are the ones unfolding on the screen. He famously made Little Shop of Horrors in just two days using sets left over from A Bucket of Blood and shot The Terror over a long weekend because bad weather prevented him from playing tennis. But none of these tales is quite so complex, or quite so extraordinary, as the making of Blood Bath.

The saga began when Corman invested in a Yugoslavian Krimi-like picture entitled Operation Titian just prior to it going into production. Insisting it be filmed in English, he sent actors William Campbell and Patrick Magee, and uncredited story editor Francis Ford Coppola (all fresh from Dementia 13), to Dubrovnik to make a US-friendly movie but wasn’t satisfied with the end results. First it was re-cut and re-scored to create Portrait in Terror, a film more in line with drive-in tastes, then it was handed over to Jack Hill (Spider Baby), followed by Stephanie Rothman (Terminal Island), each undertaking reshoots that resulted in a vampire picture by the name of Blood Bath. One final twist was provided when a TV version was required, chopping scenes and adding others to create Track of the Vampire.

Special Features

-Limited Edition collection of the complete Blood Bath
-High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of four versions of the film: Operation Titian, Portrait in Terror, Blood Bath and Track of the Vampire
-Brand new 2K restorations of Portrait in Terror, Blood Bath and Track of the Vampire from original film materials
-Brand new reconstruction of Operation Titian using original film materials and standard definition inserts
-Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing on all four versions
-The Trouble with Titian Revisited – a brand new visual essay in which Tim Lucas returns to (and updates) his three-part Video Watchdog feature to examine the convoluted production history of Blood Bath and its multiple versions
-Bathing in Blood with Sid Haig – a new interview with the actor, recorded exclusively for this release
-Archive interview with producer-director Jack Hill
-Stills gallery
-Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artworks
-Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Dan Mumford
-Limited edition booklet containing new writing on the film and its cast by Anthony Nield, Vic Pratt, Cullen Gallagher and Peter Beckman

 Buy the UK BD/DVD combo pack from Amazon.co.uk


Saturday 14 May 2016

THE NEON DEMON - UK Trailer

Ahead of its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival 2016, Icon Film Distribution have unveiled the official UK trailer for Nicolas Winding Refn’s THE NEON DEMON.


When aspiring model Jesse moves to Los Angeles, her youth and vitality are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will use any means necessary to get what she has.
The film will be released nationwide in UK cinemas on July 8.




Thursday 12 May 2016

Green Room - A Film Review

GREEN ROOM, director Jeremy Saulnier's (Blue Ruin) disturbing tale of Punks vs Skinheads comes to UK and Irish cinemas on Friday the 13th and I was lucky enough to see an advance screening.

Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Terminator Salvation) is the guitarist for punk band The Aint Rights, whose tour of the US has been fraught with money problems. Having to syphon fuel from other vehicles just to get from gig to gig, they reluctantly accept an offer of playing at an offbeat roadhouse, frequented by right-wing neo-nazi skinheads, just so they can scrape enough money togethor to finish the tour.

Unfortunately, as they're getting ready to leave after the gig, one of them witnesses something backstage they shouldn't have done, and they end up having to barricade themselves in their dressing room, along with another witness (played by Imogen Poots - 28 Weeks Later), whilst the skinheads at the club are trying to figure out how best to silence them...

Patrick Stewart (Star Trek - Next Generation, X-Men) puts in an exceptionally chilling performance as the cold and calculating leader of the neo-nazi group (even though he was perhaps a little too "English" for a role one would normally assosiate with a Sourthern redneck) and the film features some quite disturbing scenes of gore and violence.

Definitely one of my favourite films of the year so far. I would strongly recommend going to see this one.

View the trailer on YouTube

For more info check out the official Facebook and Twitter pages

 

Killer Klowns from Outer Space land at Fright-Rags

In 1988, Killer Klowns from Outer Space invaded the earth. Today, Fright-Rags is unwrapping the Chiodo brothers' cult classic from its cotton candy cocoon for a collection of new goodies.

The Killer Klowns box set contains a T-shirt designed by Justin Osbourn, Killer Klowns microwave popcorn, and a sheet of cotton candy-scented scratch 'n sniff stickers, all packaged in a collector's box that looks like a bag of fresh popcorn. The set is limited to 500 units.


Although Osbourn's tee is exclusive to the box set, you can get the design on a baseball tee separately. Colorful and crazy shirts designed by Abrar Ajmal, Godmachine, Joshua Budich, and Scarecrowoven are available individually as well (pictures below).

The Killer Klowns collection also includes an 18x24 screen-printed poster with artwork by Andrew Swainson. The standard version is limited to 150, while the "popcorn" variant is limited to 50.

Drive your ice cream truck over to Fright-Rags.com now to secure your Killer Kowns from Outer Space gear. All items are in stock and ready to ship, but they may sell out early due to their limited nature.

That's not the only trick Fright-Rags has up its sleeve. This Friday, May 13th, the company will have a special "Midnight Madness" shirt available for only 24 hours.

Pre-order these designs at  Fright-Rags.com








Studiocanal UK acquires Noah Baumbach and Jake Paltrow's "DePalma"

STUDIOCANAL have announced the UK acquisition of Director-Producer's Noah Baumbach and Jake Paltrow's much anticipated documentary DE PALMA.

In this lively, illuminating and unexpectedly moving documentary, directors Noah Baumbach and Jake Paltrow engage in a personal and candid discussion with director Brian De Palma, exploring not only his life and work but also his singular approach to the craft of filmmaking and his remarkable experiences navigating the film business, from his early days as the bad boy of New Hollywood to his more recent years as a respected veteran of the field. 

In the end, what emerges is a funny, honest, and incisive portrait of a truly one-of-a-kind artist, and an exhilarating behind-the-scenes look at the last 50 years of the film industry through the eyes of someone who has truly seen it all.

Brian De Palma is One of the most talented, influential, and iconoclastic filmmakers of all time, Who's career started in the 60s and has included such acclaimed and diverse films as Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Blow Out, Scarface, The Untouchables, Carlito’s Way, and Mission: Impossible.

Following Premieres at The Venice and New York Film Festivals A24 opens in the USA June 10 with UK release announcements forthcoming

Watch the official trailer on YouTube

 ​

Wednesday 11 May 2016

CABIN FEVER in UK cinemas Friday 13th May - **30 SECOND TRAILER**

In UK cinemas this Friday the 13th. Eli Roth (Hostel) presents a new horror based on his own stomach-churning 2002 classic. Taken from the same script as the original, it follows a group of friends plagued by a deadly flesh-eating virus. With exciting young director Travis Zariwny (Intruder), a cast of up-and-coming talent, and stunning visuals, the flesh-crawling terror of Cabin Fever is back – bloodier, gorier, and more brutal than ever before! 



From Dusk Till Dawn: Series 2 - on UK DVD and Download June

The cult classic franchise from Robert Rodriguez returns! Series 2 of "From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series" explores the next chapter in the lives of the Gecko Brothers, the Fullers and the mysterious culebra underworld.

They all think Hell is done with them, but little do they know that it’s just warming up. Santanico and Richie are living like Bonnie and Clyde in Houston, murdering anyone who gets in their way, while Sheriff Gonzalez has retreated to protect his wife and child. Meanwhile, south of the border, Seth and Kate are barely surviving as small-time criminals. As they find themselves drawn back together again, this time facing off against an even bigger threat.

Whilst Series 1 brought us back into the twisted world of the Gecko Brothers, all bets are off for Series 2! This raucous new chapter of the much-loved supernatural crime saga expands the story from Mexico and takes us to the edgy, tricked out Texas of Robert Rodriguez. 

With a returning cast of great acting talent as well as fan-favourite Danny Trejo as new villain The Regulator, Season Two features more blood, more death and even more destruction! 

Special features include...  

Audio Commentary:
"Opening Night" Robert Rodriguez (EP & Director) D.J. Cotrona (Seth Gecko) Zane Holtz (Richie Gecko) Eiza González (Santánico Pandemonium) Madison Davenport (Kate Fuller) Brandon Soo Hoo (Scott Fuller) Wilmer Valderrama (Carlos Madrigal)

Audio Commentary:
"Santa Sangre" Robert Rodriguez (EP & Director) D.J. Cotrona (Seth Gecko) Zane Holtz (Richie Gecko) Eiza González (Santánico Pandemonium ) Madison Davenport (Kate Fuller) Brandon Soo Hoo (Scott Fuller) Wilmer Valderrama (Carlos Madrigal)

After Dusk: Inside the Episodes

13 Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes

2015 NYC Comic Con Panel Discussion

From Dusk Till Dawn Series 2 is available on UK DVD and Download from 27th June.

Pre-order the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk




Monday 9 May 2016

Q&A with Jeremy Saulnier, Director of Green Room

Director Jeremy Saulnier has followed up 2013’s hugely acclaimed revenge thriller Blue Ruin with Green Room, a tense, gruesome chiller starring Anton Yelchin and Imogen Poots, about a punk band who find themselves at the mercy of a gang of neo-Nazi skinheads led by Patrick Stewart.  


How did you get Patrick Stewart to play a neo-Nazi psychopath?

He’s up for an adventure – he was looking for something like this, something dark and unsettling. He really responded to the opportunity to step into a role that would require a downplayed, quiet authority, to be part of an ensemble, in contrast with this very young cast… just, I think, to take a break from studio franchises or TV shows and get his hands dirty on an independent film… it didn’t take much to convince him actually.

Did you have him in mind for the role?

I’m not that presumptuous… I certainly just wrote for authenticity for characters based on research or from my youth. A lot of the band is referring to real life friends I had growing up that were in the punk rock hardcore scene, but I definitely didn’t envision someone of Sir Patrick Stewart’s stature stooping so low as to be in our movie! So I was delighted and he had a really good time playing someone so nasty.

Was it all ‘Sir’ Patrick and bowing when he turned up?

He was like anyone else, he just showed up on set, did his work, came prepared, asked all the right questions. Very much on the same page. I vet all my cast by enthusiasm too – I just want to make sure that everyone on set wants to be there because that creates this wonderful energy, that’s just supportive. You know, we’re all very vulnerable making movies and oftentimes it’s just exhausting, so when you’re surrounded by people who actually want to be there you feed off that collective energy – it’s great. And Patrick Stewart was one of the ensemble, and also at the same time commanded so much respect it translated to his character, and all his skinhead underlings were really sort of impacted by his presence in a perfect way - which achieved the dynamic I was looking for.

After Blue Ruin’s tremendous critical acclaim did you have actors queuing up to be in your next film?

It certainly helped having Blue Ruin as a reference, as actors can see how much I care about performance, how much weight I put on their shoulders. Blue Ruin is very bare bones, it’s so much based on Macon Blair’s central performance. They say there is a certain amount of loving care that goes into the movies I make… and you can’t do that having a toxic relationship with an actor. I guess you can but I don’t want to do that. Blue Ruin also served a very important purpose for Green Room, which is a tonal reference – because if you read Green Room on the page and you don’t quite get what I’m going for, this could be discarded as a typical horror/slasher movie. But having Blue Ruin really helped actors understand what I was going for. They felt a lot safer going in.

What was the thinking making your heroes a punk band – it’s not a typical thing is it?

For me it is – I was in a hardcore band in my youth, I was around a lot of punk music, heavy metal… so these are the kids I knew growing up. The key was to not get too bogged down in punk ideology and what have you, but to pull from experiences. They’re scavengers, like kids out of a Mad Max movie – the busted van, trying to siphon gas from parking lots. It has nice on-the-road, almost Road Warrior feel to it, of course downscaled into the real world - but I thought aesthetically it would be perfect. And I wanted to archive the music, for me and my buddies growing up.

By the end of the film you feel like you’ve been put through the mill – but was it one of those films that it was great fun to make?

The cast and crew had a blast. I think it was exhausting for the cast because of the physical nature of the performances, but as soon as we called cut and wrapped our days it was a lot of fun. Everyone loved each other. Having to do twenty days of non stop crying and mayhem and action – but we all genuinely liked each other, which is very rare, from what I hear… we benefitted from having a tough shoot but with very like-minded, invested individuals who made it more an insulated comfort zone.

You’ve got Blue Ruin, Green Room… is this going to be your Three Colours trilogy?

It is not. I’ve got no more colours in me right now.

So what is next for you?

I’m waiting to hear on a project that will be an amazing step up for me, visually and tonally. It’s in the process of casting, which will trigger off the money. I’m flying to LA tomorrow to have a meeting about a studio movie, and eventually I’ll write something for myself. I think it’s good to keep writing because I need a insurance policy to have my own script that I control. Because for so many reasons films fall through at any step in the process.

Do you have any particular films you watch before you start a project to inspire you?

I certainly watch movies before I start writing movies… because it’s hard, I have three kids and a busy life and I’m always doing so many things, and it’s had to get back into that headspace where your brain and your creative juices are aligned and it’s quiet enough to actually write. I’ll definitely binge on a few movies, more to get excited about cinema, to remember why I make films, to get these feelings back circulating in my system. For Green Room I watched Straw Dogs and Robocop. I watched a bunch of cool Seventies and Eighties movies that had a lot of texture and grit to them. Some Coen brothers movies. For the next one I write, it might not start for two years, who knows… It’ll be more of an adventure movie I think.

Both your films seem very unique – often reviews just say ‘it’s this film meets this film meets this film’ – and with your films it’s not so easy to do that.

The intention is certainly not to just mash a bunch of films together. When I write there’s no intentional references – other than the atmosphere and feeling some of my favourite films create. It’s never trying to do this typical Hollywood pitch: X movie meets Y movie.

Have you got a favourite punk movie?

Ahh man – Repo Man. Because it doesn’t try too hard to be punk. It’s just in there. It’s really cool and it’s bizarre and irreverent and lovely.

By the way, the bit with the box cutter in Green Room is one of the most horrible things I’ve ever seen, in a film.

[Laughs] Well, you’re welcome.

Interview conducted by David Hayles

Green Room is released in UK and Irish cinemas on Friday 13th May



Cannes trailer for sci-fi/horror hybrid TAKING EARTH

Empress Road Pictures has released the first trailer and poster for the District 9-esque horror/science-fiction hybrid, TAKING EARTH.


An unexplainable event that has thrust the world into chaos brings two survivors together as a portion of the world’s population presumably infected by a strange outbreak, hunt them. These Infected Ones (IO’s) seem motivated by an obsession to rein chaos with a need for tasting blood. The two survivors; David (Ronan Quarmby) and a teenager named Cameron (Marco Torlage) form a bond as they try to find their lost loved ones, but the young man has a secret about the outbreak – all is not as it seems. 

A race from another world are orchestrating this attack on Earth as they hide in the skies, searching for the one out of seven billion people… searching for Cameron. Controlling the IO’s who are gripped in a bicameral state, time is running out as the ‘Visitors’ patience is waning and a greater threat faces our world if the boy is not found. David must help Cameron find his mom, Ellen (Barbara Harrison) and do what they can to stop the alien attack. 

Grant Humphreys directs, with Grant Knight and Michael Harrison producing the 28 Days Later meets Independence Day crossbreed.

Thursday 5 May 2016

Arrow Video presents "Killer Dames" - 23rd May

Arrow Video are thrilled to announce the release of Emilio P. Miraglia’s Italian giallo classics The Red Queen Kills Seven Times and The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave which premiere on dual format Blu-ray and DVD in this beautifully restored, limited edition collection released on 23rd May 2016.

At the height of the Italian giallo boom in the early 1970s, scores of filmmakers turned their hand to crafting their own unique takes on these lurid murder-mystery thrillers. This limited edition double pack features two distinctive offerings by Emilio P. Miraglia, which meld twisty whodunit narratives with gothic chills.

In The Red Queen Kills Seven Times, an age-old family curse hits sisters Kitty (Barbara Bouchet - Milano Calibro 9) and Franziska (Marina Malfatti) following the death of their grandfather Tobias (Rudolf Schündler - The Exorcist, Suspiria). Every hundred years, so the legend goes, the bloodthirsty Red Queen returns and claims seven fresh victims. Was Tobias just the first... and are Kitty and Franziska next?

Meanwhile, in The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave, troubled aristocrat Alan Cunningham (Anthony Steffen - Django the B*stard), haunted by the death of his first wife Evelyn, tries to move on by marrying the seductive Gladys (Marina Malfatti - All the Colours of the Dark). Marital bliss is short-lived, however, as various relatives meet untimely and gruesome deaths, prompting speculation that a vengeful Evelyn has risen from the grave...

With both films making their worldwide Blu-ray debuts in stunning new 2K restorations, there has never been a better time to explore these little-seen giallo gems!

Special Features

Limited Edition box set (3000 copies) containing The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave and The Red Queen Kills Seven Times
Brand new 2K restorations of the films from the original camera negatives
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
Original Italian and English soundtracks in mono audio (lossless DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray Discs)
Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtracks
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtracks
Limited Edition 60-page booklet containing new writing by James Blackford, Kat Ellinger, Leonard Jacobs and Rachael Nisbet

THE NIGHT EVELYN CAME OUT OF THE GRAVE
 New audio commentary by Troy Howarth
Exclusive introduction by actress Erika Blanc
Writer Stephen Thrower on The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave
The Night Erika Came Out of the Grave - exclusive interview with Erika Blanc
The Whip and the Body - archival interview with Erika Blanc
Still Rising from the Grave - archival interview with production designer Lorenzo Baraldi
Original Italian theatrical trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx

THE RED QUEEN KILLS SEVEN TIMES
New audio commentary by Alan Jones and Kim Newman
Exclusive new interview with actress Sybil Danning
Writer Stephen Thrower on The Red Queen Kills Seven Times
Archival introduction by production/costume designer Lorenzo Baraldi
Dead à Porter - archival interview with Lorenzo Baraldi
Rounding Up the Usual Suspects - archival interview with actor Marino Masé
If I Met Emilio Miraglia Today - archival featurette with Erika Blanc, Lorenzo Baraldi and Marino Masé
My Favorite... Films - archival interview with actress Barbara Bouchet
Alternative opening
Original Italian theatrical trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx

Pre-order the BD/DVD box set at Amazon.co.uk