TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD on the way to Blu-Ray!

News broke today over at the Rue Morgue website that Synapse will be bringing out the Spanish horror classic TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD later this year! Some details of the extras were part of the announcement including that the disc will sport three commentary tracks - one by film historian Troy Howarth; another with one of the film's stars Lone Fleming (!) and a third by myself and Troy Guinn! We are thrilled to have been able to be a part of this release which looks to be one of the most impressive packages Synapse has ever put together. Click on over to the Rue Morgue page for more information and add this disc to your 'must buy' list! 

Live NaschyCast at Black Raven Emporium!

In a strange but wonderful turn of events (and I do mean Events) your humble Podcasters are going to be conducting a public Naschy related gig! The proprietors of Nashville's coolest lounge and hippest theater - Logue's Black Raven Emporium - have asked Troy and I to host two nights of screenings in their Cult Fiction Underground film series. Friday January 25th we will introduce HORROR RISES FROM THE TOMB to a stunned Southern crowd and on Saturday the 26th we will do the honors for NIGHT OF THE WEREWOLF. We couldn't be more excited to be bringing these two Spanish Horror classics to unsuspecting Nashville film fans and we hope to sell the place out. We plan to present a little information about the movies each night and maybe even take questions after the screenings to encourage the curious to explore this corner of Euro-Trash a bit more.

If you live in the Middle Tennessee area or can get to Nashville on one of these nights we'd be glad to have you join us for either film. Black Raven serves beer so we promise it will be interesting to be hanging out with the hosts of the NaschyCast while admiring one of Paul Naschy's best movies. A good time should be had by all! 

PUNISHER short film

I don't like the CGI blood but otherwise I love this and wish it would spur a new film.

HALLOWEEN 3 coming to Blu-Ray?

I read a rumor today that my beloved HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH (1982) will be released on Blu-Ray disc this Fall by Shout! Factory! I can only hope this is true. Of course, the fact that this rumor was reported at the same time that it was stated that the same company would be releasing a Special Edition of HALLOWEEN 2 (1981) on Blu as well casts doubt on the whole thing. I mean- I would love a good, packed to the gills hi-def edition of HALLOWEEN 2 but Universal just released that film to Blu-Ray last year so I can't imagine them undercutting their own product with a sub-license to let another company put out a (potentially) better version. I can dream of a Blu-Ray of H2 that includes the entire TV version of the film as an extra as well as interviews with the cast & crew but I just don't see that coming down the pike this soon after Universal screwed the pooch by simply adding TERROR IN THE AISLES to their disc.

Still- a Blu-Ray of HALLOWEEN III would be great.

Hammer Horror Blu-Rays!

Like millions of other fans of Hammer films I'm thrilled by the announcement that several of the studio's classic movies will be coming soon to Blu-Ray disc in special editions. That these releases promise not just fancy extras but the reinstating of snippets of film cut at the time of their initial theatrical runs is news of the most stunning kind. If this turns out to be true it might well be the best thing to happen to horror fans since the dawn of the digital disc age. For decades rumors of longer, more violent versions of HORROR OF DRACULA and others have kept drooling Hammer Heads seeking foreign prints for extra bits but this is the first time we've been promised anything new. They plan to start with DRACULA, PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1966) and then push forward with THE DEVIL RIDES OUT, THE MUMMY' SHROUD, THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES and more. For me, the best news was in the final paragraph--

"Also lined up for future release are The Legend Of The 7 Golden Vampires, Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter, Frankenstein And The Monster From Hell, Frankenstein Created Woman, The Witches, The Lost Continent, Slave Girls, The Viking Queen and The Vengeance Of She."

THE LOST CONTINENT in Hi-Definition? Where do I send the money?


LINK

DANGER 5 - coming soon!

I have no idea if this direct to YouTube film project will be as fun as the trailer promises it will be but I have my fingers crossed. The first episode premieres on November 21st so tune and let's get our Euro-Spy groove on!



DANGER 5 website

Trailers for movies I can't wait to see!

Steven Soderbergh has two films slated for release later this year and I can't decide which I'm more excited to see. Why is this guy planning to retire from directing cinema? I mean DAMN! Check these out!





Double click for the full image.

NetFlix Streaming

One of the most amazing developments in the past couple of years for movie nuts has been the slowly expanding list of movies available to be legally streamed directly to your home screen over the internet. While Amazon and other services have offered this convenience NetFlix has been the leader in this bold new world. Recently they jumped ahead of everyone else by virtue of a series of deals in which they have gotten access to a huge number of films that are not yet available on DVD in any form. This is very exciting for me primarily because of my interest in the stranger side of the world of cinema. Happily there are dozens of extraordinary and obscure movies that can now see at the click of a button that have been difficult or impossible to find for decades. My first discovery was a few weeks ago when I came across the horrendous CAPE CANAVERAL MONSTERS. It is a terrible movie but I am thrilled to have been able to see it, if for no other reason than to bemoan its soul crushing dullness. Luckily not all the Streaming films on offer are as bad- although some are close. I also caught up with the film CONTAMINATION .7 (a.k.a. THE CRAWLERS) which is one of the most god-awful things you will ever see. Made by the same folks that brought you the now legendary alternative classic TROLL 2 this film features a similar mix of the terrible and the miserably bad. It is indeed so bad it must be seen by fans of Bad Cinema. If I were teaching a course on the worst films ever made CONTAMINATION .7 would be featured as part of the required viewing.

I am of two minds about these being presented for streaming instead of as DVDs or even Burn On Demand DVD-Rs. I realize that most of these would just never be released for fear of losing money on such unknown and generally hard to sell titles so this at least gets them out there to be seen. But I would like the option of getting them on a disc to be able to make them part of my collection and to be able to loan them to unsuspecting friends. Who knows- that may be the next step in this fascinating and evolving world of movie access.

A couple of online buddies have compiled a list of some of the obscure Cult movies available through NetFlix and I’ll reproduce their work below. We live in interesting times.

Devil's Angels (WS)
Cult of the Damned [Angel, Angel, Down We Go] (WS)
Angels from Hell (WS)
Invasion of the Star Creatures (82-min UNCUT theatrical version)
Queen of Blood (Gorgeous color/WS print)
Diary of a High School Bride
Burn, Witch, Burn (WS)
Curse of the Crimson Altar [The Crimson Cult] (WS)
Blood and Lace (WS)
Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs (WS)
The Hard Ride (WS)
High School Hellcats (OM)
Born Wild [The Young Animals] (WS)
Beyond the Time Barrier (some motion artifacting noticeable)
Blood Bath (60-min theatrical version, some motion artifacting)
Sugar Hill (WS)
Master of the World (WS)
It's a Bikini World (WS)
The Glory Stompers (WS)
Maryjane (WS)
Hot Rod Gang (OM)
The Amazing Transparent Man
The Fast and the Furious (OM)
The Incredible Melting Man (WS)
The Cape Canaveral Monsters (OM)
The Man without a Body
The Girls on the Beach (OM)
The Swinger (OM)
Beach Ball
Juvenile Jungle (FF)
Strange Awakening [Female Fiends]
For Those Who Think Young (WS)
The Delinquents (WS)
Young and Dangerous (FF)
The Black Sleep (OM)
Gog (Beautiful COLOR print)
The Explosive Generation
The Party Crashers
The Maze
The Hot Angel
Cry Tough
Edge of Fury (1958)
Return of the Ape Man
Young and Wild (FF)
The Manster (Official MGM/UA edition, crisp and clean but missing final "tag" scene as seen on TCM prints, dammit)
Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (full frame, looks to be the same transfer used for OOP VHS)
Pussycat, Pussycat, I Love You
Ski Party
Five Golden Dragons
Maroc 7
Black Belt Jones
Revolution
Danger Route
Money Talks
Act of Vengeance (aka Rape Squad)
Alakazam the Great
Black Sabbath (AIP version with English dub and stories in different order)
Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw
The Day the Earth Froze
The Devil Within Her (aka I Don't Want to Be Born)
Diary of a Bachelor
The Evictors
Fearless Frank
The Great Scout and Cathouse Thursday
The Magic Voyage of Sinbad
Tam Lin (aka The Devil's Widow)
Android
Are You in the House Alone?
The Awakening
Beauty and the Beast (1962--Edward L. Cahn)
Blood and Roses
The Catman of Paris
Creature with the Blue Hand
Cul-de-Sac
Demented
Face of Marble
Full Moon High
Hands of the Ripper
Hey, Let's Twist
House of Shadows
The Initiation of Sarah
Intruder
Jaws of Satan
The Living Ghost
The Man Without a Body
The Monitors
Monster Dog
Mr. Rock and Roll
Mystery of the 13th Guest
The Neanderthal Man
New Year's Evil
Open House
The Search for Bridey Murphy
The Space Children
The Spirit is Willing
Tales that Witness Madness
Twins of Evil
The Video Dead

American Raspberry (A "sketch" comedy film (ala Kentucky Fried Movie, Groove Tube) starring Kinky Friedman, George Furth & Harry Shearer.)

Joe Dancer: The Monkey Mission - Starring Robert Blake and John Fiedler

Cracking Up (Another "Sketch" film featuring the comedy troupes the Credibility Gap and Ace Trucking Company. Also features a soundtrack by The Tubes early on in their career (vocalist Fee Waybill also does a cameo)Also starring Michael Mislove, Fred Willard, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, David L. Lander)

TerrorVision - Starring Mary Woronov & Chad AllenNational Lampoon: Lemmings(National Lampoon: Lemmings: Dead in Concert 1973. Satire of Woodstock starring pre-SNL Chevy Chase, Christopher Guest and John Belushi (John even plays bass guitar during a song!)

Gunn - An Italian (?) print from director Blake Edwards, the big-screen adaptation of the classic television show about PI Peter Gunn (Craig Stevens)

Don't Worry, We'll Think of a Title- Starring Morey Amsterdam,Rose Marie & Richard Deacon

Harry in Your Pocket - James Coburn teaches a couple of young pickpockets. Produced by Bruce Geller who created Mission: Impossible and a FANTASTIC soundtrack from Lalo Schifrin!

Mad Ron's Prevues from Hell - Great horror movie trailers!

The Bed Sitting Room- VERY surreal post-apocalyptic comedy starring Spike Milligan, Peter Cook & Dudley Moore

Census Taker - Dark Comedy starring SNL's Garret Morris & soundtrack by The Residents

DOC SAVAGE (1975) comes to DVD

Some of you will be interested to know that Warner Bros. has set up a shop online selling a bunch of DVDs of previously unreleased movies. Among the eclectic list are some damned good titles and even more I really want to see but have never had the chance. The one that I'm most happy to see is the sadly flawed DOC SAVAGE: MAN OF BRONZE (1975) even if the price tag is far too high for a disc with no extras of any type listed. I'm just not willing to lay out $20 for many movies these days.

Here's a list of everything WB is offering this way-

Abdication, The
Abe Lincoln in Illinois
Actress, The
Adventures of Huck Finn, The (1939)
Adventures of Mark Twain, The
Ah, Wilderness!
Al Capone
All Fall Down
Along the Great Divide
Angel Baby
Baby Maker, The
Bamboo Blonde, The
Barricade
Beast of the City, The
Beggar's Opera, The
Betrayed
Bhowani Junction
Big Circus
Big House, The
Brainstorm (1965)
Cain And Mabel
Canyon River
Captain Nemo and the Underwater City
Captain Sinbad
Carbine Williams
Cattletown
Chained
Church Mouse, The
Citadel, The
Close To My Heart
Command, The
Condor El
Convicts Four
Countdown
Crescendo
Crime & Punishment
Crisis (1950)
Crowded Sky, The
D.I., The
Dance, Fools, Dance
Darby's Rangers
Defector, The
Devil is a Sissy, The
Distant Trumpet, A
Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze
Dream Lover
Dream of Kings, A
Dream Wife
Drums of Africa
Dude Goes West, The
Dusty And Sweets Mcgee
Edison the Man
Emma
Enemy of the People, An
Exit Smiling
Forsaking All Others
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The (1962)
George Raft Story, The
Goodbye, My Fancy
Grasshopper, The
H.M. Pulham, Esquire
Heart Beat
Homecoming
Honky Tonk
I Was A Communist For FBI (I really want to see this one!)
I Was an American Spy
Ice Follies of 1939
Idiot's Delight
Interrupted Melody
Invitation, The
John Loves Mary
Just The Way You Are
Kaleidoscope
Kidnapped
King Of The Roaring 20s
Kiss, The
Laughing Sinners
Lepke
Lion In the Streets, A
Little Drummer Girl, The
Lost Boundaries
Love (1927)
Love on the Run
Made In Paris
Magnificent Yankee, The
Malaya
Man From Galveston
Man From God'S Country
Man Who Loved Cat Dancing, The
Mannequin (1937)
Mating Game, The
Men in White
Money Trap, The
Moonlighters, The
Mr. Lucky (1943)
Mrs. Parkington
My Blood Runs Cold
Oklahoman, The
On Borrowed Time
Once upon a Honeymoon
One on One
One Trick Pony
Orphans
Outlaw Blues
Oxford Blues
Painting the Clouds with Sunshine
Payment on Demand
Possessed (1931)
Private Lives
Promises in the Dark
Purple Hearts
Quentin Durward (1955)
Rage
Rain People, The
Rasputin and the Empress
Red Lily, The
Red Mill, The
Room For One More
Scaramouche (1923)
Scaramouche
Sergeant, The
Shining Hour, The
Shopworn Angel, The
Single Standard, The
Sins of Rachel Cade
Smart Set, The
So This Is Love
Somewhere I'll Find You
Souls For Sale
Spring Fever
Strange Interlude
Sunrise at Campobello
Sweet November (1968)
Temptress, The
They Only Kill Their Masters
This Woman Is Dangerous
Three Comrades
Three Sailors & a Girl
Toast of New York, The
Too Hot to Handle (1938)
Trail of '98, The
Voices
We Were Dancing
Westbound (1959)
When Ladies Meet
Wichita
Wild Orchids
Wisdom
Yes, Giorgio
Young Tom Edison


Here's a link straight to the DOC DVD.

If anyone bites on this I'd love to hear if the DVD is worth it and if there might be any bonus material the site just doesn't let us know about. At least it's supposed to be enhanced for widescreen TVs.

Tarzan may not survive this...

If there is one thing I can think of that would depress me more than Stephen Sommers making another film- of any type- it would be that he get another shot at a film icon. After failing repeatedly to make a movie even passably good in THE MUMMY, THE MUMMY RETURNS and VAN HELSING (for which he should have been beaten) word now is that he will next crap all over Edgar Rice Burroughs' most famous creation TARZAN. This is the kind of thing that makes me dry heave. Sommers has proven time and again that he cannot make a good film. That enough people have been fooled into seeing his movies to make them profitable does not change the fact that he registers high on the 'Incompetent Hollywood Hacks' list along with Micheal Bay, Joel Schumacher and Roland Emmerich.

This project needs to be stopped. And we must find a way. Tarzan can survive almost anything but Sommers must be kept away from this. If he does his usual moronic job we may not see another good Tarzan film for 50 years or more.

Invisible MASTERS

I was looking through the local newspaper checking the TV listings today when I spotted something interesting. There was an Associated Press story with the headline ’ Showtime grabs attention with original programming’. It’s a short piece about the smaller than HBO premium cable channels attempts to create edgy high quality shows to lure new viewers. The shows WEEDS, DEXTER and THE ‘L’ WORD are described briefly to point out what is different or fresh about them in relation to shows on broadcast TV. But I expected there to be a mention of the only reason I’ve been curious about the channel for the last year or so- the MASTERS OF HORROR series. There is nothing like it anywhere else on the dial and even if there is a high miss-to-hit ratio to the episodes this year it is certainly an edgy show. But there isn’t a single mention of MOH. Not one. I mean- is there another anthology horror series out there right now? One that tries to attract the best of directors in the field and puts nearly no creative controls on them? How odd, I thought.

Why would an article on this subject NOT include at least a note about such a unique show? Is it that there is still (and will always be) a prejudice against the genre? I know the show is a hit at least on a certain level as it has brought them viewers that would never have subscribed otherwise. And sales of the DVDs are solid too.

Hell! I’m probably reading too much into this. But it is odd.