Death Walks Twice (Arrow Video, 2016)

Arrow Video is really making us Giallo fans happy!  These somewhat forgotten Italian films from the 70's featuring a mysterious killer (usually disguised in some manner), lots of nekkid women and enough blood to fill a swimming pool really deserve another chance.  And luckily we have Arrow to come to the rescue.  I had seen both of the films in this collection - Death Walks on High Heels and Death Walks at Midnight - several years ago and they both stuck out as shining examples of the genre.  The director Luciano Ercoli is a favorite of mine, directing the brilliant giallo Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion and the Polizioteschi Killer Cop (aka La polizia ha le mani legati).

Death Walks on High Heels (1971) stars Italian screen great Frank Wolff (Once Upon a Time in the West, The Great Silence) as a doctor who is obsessed with a stripper named Nicole (Susan Scott aka Nieves Navarro - Ercoli's wife).  After being attacked by a masked man, Nicole accepts the doctor's proposal to run away to England.  Her boyfriend (Simon Andreu) isn't pleased and tries to find her, while the masked man does too.

Death Walks at Midnight (1972) also stars Susan Scott as Valentina, a model who witnesses a murder while under a hallucinogenic drug given to her in a clinical study.  Though initially laughed at, it soon turns out that a murder recently happened the same way as what she had seen and she finds herself being chased by the same man who she saw in her hallucination.  She must save herself while trying to figure out who is trying to kill her and why.

These two classics are a must have for any giallo fan.  They have all of the familiar aspects of the genre and excel at every one.  Nieves Navarro is one of the most beautiful women to grace the screen and the supporting cast is great too.  Of the two, Death Walks on High Heels is the more "classic" example of the genre, while Death Walks at Midnight stretches the familiar trappings and is more original.  I can't say which I prefer more as they both had so many good qualities.  Arrow's release here is nothing short of amazing, featuring everything you could expect and more.  In this limited edition set, we get different versions of the films, commentaries, interviews, a booklet and a beautiful new artwork (and the original artwork as well).  Full list of extras below:


LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

·         Limited Edition boxed-set (3000 copies) containing Death Walks on High Heels and Death Walks at Midnight

·         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 (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-rays)

·         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 from authors Danny Shipka (Perverse Titillation: The Exploitation Cinema of Italy, Spain and France), Troy Howarth (So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of Italian Giallo Films) and writer Leonard Jacobs, illustrated with original archive stills and posters

DEATH WALKS ON HIGH HEELS

·         Audio commentary by film critic Tim Lucas

·         Introduction to the film by screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi

·         Newly-edited archive interview with director Luciano Ercoli and actress Nieves Navarro

·         Master of Giallo – brand new interview in which Gastaldi discusses Death Walks on High Heels and offers up his thoughts as to what constitutes a good giallo

·         An interview with composer Stelvio Cipriani

·         Original Italian trailer

·         Original English trailer

·         Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx

DEATH WALKS AT MIDNIGHT

·         Audio commentary by film critic Tim Lucas

·         Introduction to the film by screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi

·         Extended TV version of the feature [105 mins]

·         Crime Does Pay – brand new interview in which Gastaldi discusses Death Walks at Midnight and a career script-writing crime films

·         Desperately Seeking Susan – a visual essay by Michael Mackenzie exploring the distinctive giallo collaborations between director Luciano Ercoli and star Nieves Navarro

·         Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx

Purchase this film directly from MVD HERE

Dillinger (1973, John Milius)

I LOOOVE gangster films.  From classics like Scarface to The Untouchables to old Black and White Noir films like The Public Enemy, Kiss of Death and White Heat, I can't get enough Gangster films.   Though the story of Dillinger has been told before (and since), John Milius' Dillinger (recently released from Arrow Video) is one of the best, bloodiest and most realistic.

Dillinger avoids any real back story about the legendary character before we see him and his gang start blowing people away.  Warren Oates stars as the man himself, who goes on a bank robbing rampage in the 1930's with his gang of criminals including, Homer Van Meter (Harry Dean Stanton) and Harry Pierpoint (Geoffrey Lewis).  They eventually meet up with Pretty Boy Floyd (Steve Kanaly) and Baby Face Nelson (Richard Dreyfuss) while being pursued by FBI Agent or "G-man" (short for Government man) Melvin Purvis (Ben Johnson) who will stop at nothing to end Dillinger's reign of terror.  During his travels, Dillinger also shacks up with Billie Frechette (Michelle Phillips).

Dillinger gets my vote for being one of the most realistic crime films I've ever seen.  The fights, falls, and the bullet wounds look so brutal and realistic and given Milius' almost news footage-like film making, it just adds to the verisimilitude.  The cast is a dream come true for 70s cult film fans.  Oates, Stanton, Lewis, Dreyfuss and The Mamas and the Papas' Michelle Phillips (who in my opinion is one of the most beautiful creatures I've ever set eyes on).  Stuffed with some nice extras, Arrow's release is a must see for 70s cult and action film fans.

Full list of extras:

-Brand new 2K restoration of the film from original film elements
-High Definition (1080p) Blu Ray and Standard Definition DVD presentations of the film
-Original mono soundtrack (Uncompressed PCM on the Blu-Ray)
-Optional English Subtitles for the dead and hard of hearing
-Audio commentary by Stephen Prince, author of Savage Cinema and Screening Violence
-Newly-filmed interview with producer Lawrence Gordon
-Newly-filmed interview with director of photography Jules Brenner
-Newly-filmed interview with composer Barry De Vorzon
-Stills Gallery
-Theatrical Trailer
-Reversible Sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sean Phillips
-Collector's booklet containing new writing by Kim Newman on fictional portrayals of John Dillinger, plus an on-set report containing interviews with writer-director John Milius and others, illustrated with original production stills

Purchase this film directly from MVD HERE

Cult Cinema: An Arrow Video Companion (Arrow Video, 2016)

Coming April 4th from Arrow Video is the book Cult Cinema: An Arrow Video Companion, which serves as a nice literary piece to compliment the wonderful Cult films they've been releasing over the past year in the US and past several years in the UK.  The wonderful thing about Arrow's discs are that they include booklets - something most companies (the ones who actually still release physical media) have stopped long ago.  Arrow also manages to get the most knowledgeable writers on the subject to write these booklets, so this book (which includes reproductions of some of their booklets along with brand new essays) is perfect for cult film fans.

Starting with an introduction by filmmaker Ben Wheatley (Kill List, A Field in England), Cult Cinema brings us on a journey through the world of fringe cinema,.  Broken into five sections, the book leaves few stones unturned when it comes to all things Cult.  The first section focuses on Cult Films, including everything from Roger Corman's gothic classic The House of Usher, Dario Argento's giallo masterpiece Deep Red to Joe Dante's horror comedy The 'burbs.  We also get some Fulci, De Palma and Battle Royale.  Next sections focus on the directors and actors, including everyone from Cronenberg, Craven, Kaufman (Lloyd that is), to Romero and Karloff, Price, Meiko Kaji and Pam Grier.  Lastly, we have Cult sub-genres (Giallo, Spaghetti Westerns, Food Horror, Canuxploitation, etc.) and Distribution (Super 8, Video Nasties to the Asian DVD Explosion).

If you don't see your favorite director/actor/sub genre listed above, don't fret.  It's probably included somewhere because this massive book has a little bit of everything.  Reading about the different sub genres (Pornochanchada!) was really interesting and brought to light many facts I was unaware of.  Even the works about directors I have read so much about all had interesting tidbits of information I had never read before.  My favorite parts of the book were probably the Video Nasties (which still fascinates and horrifies me and I'm not even in the UK!) and the Christmas Horror sections.  This book sold out very quickly over in the UK and probably won't be around much longer in the US, so I suggest you pick up a copy very soon.  You won't regret it.

Purchase this book directly from MVD HERE

American Horror Project: Volume 1 (2016, Arrow Video)

Arrow Video, the Gods of Cult film, have just released their first collection in hopefully a long line of little known American Horror films - The American Horror Project: Volume 1. Focusing on the mid-70's, this collection of three rarely seen, fairly low budget treats will surely pique the interest of those who think they've seen everything. I would consider myself one of these people and I had only heard of one of the films in this collection before reading about it.
The first film, Malatesta's Carnival of Blood (1973), is definitely the lowest budget (and most inept) film in the collection. The story makes little sense so I'll keep it brief. Family gets swindled into buying a carnival which is inhabited by cannibalistic ghouls. One sentence. Wow, I'm good. Featuring the unmistakable Herve Villechaize just one year before starring in the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun, this film had no one else I had ever heard of...or so I thought. Reading through the cast after watching this film I was dumbfounded when I realized that Lenny Baker, the star of the brilliant Next Stop, Greenwich Village was in it (in Gypsy drag). Also, as Malatesta himself, we have Daniel Dietrich whose other two film credits just happen to be two of my favorite films (Dawn of the Dead and Andy Milligan's Fleshpot on 42nd Street). Hmm. Maybe I didn't give this film a fair shake. Calling this film low budget is actually an understatement. The cast seem like inpatients putting on a show at the mental ward, where the first take is always used. That being said, I get a real hard on over bad, regional, 70's horror films. And though there were parts that made paint drying seem fast paced, following the characters through an old abandoned amusement park was actually eye candy to me (I get a hard on over abandoned amusement parks. Hell, I get hard ons over a lot of things). I think by now you get the gist of whether this film will work for you. It's really bad, but bad enough to be entertaining.
The next film, The Premonition (1976), was the one I was most interested in before watching, based solely on the second billing of one of my favorite character actors, Richard Lynch. Lynch has played everything from a sword wielding villain (The Barbarians...oh and Sword and the Sorcerer...oh and Deathsport), a biker (Ninth Configuration), an inmate who tries to rape Al Pacino (Scarecrows), a Russian terrorist (Invasion USA), a hermaphroditic alien (God Told Me To)...Christ this guy has done everything! Well, in this film he plays a circus performer who, along with his crazy girlfriend, try to kidnap her daughter from the child's adopted parents. Oh and a few of the characters have metaphysical powers, which make weird stuff happen. Though the film takes a while to really get going (first half hour), the rest is an interesting take on the supernatural and though hardly a real horror film, its very watchable and original.
Lastly, we have what I would call the best of the bunch - The Witch Who Came from the Sea (1976). Starring Millie Perkins (The Diary of Anne Frank) as a loving aunt who tells her nephews fantastic stories about their grandfather, a brave sea captain. What we soon find out is that Millie's stories aren't what they seem and after being abused as a child, she has been left with a damaged psyche (and a drinking problem). Fantasies start becoming reality and soon the police are on the hunt for someone killing men in sick and perverted ways. Perkins is fantastic as the batshit crazy Aunt Molly and the film itself is also quite original. I'd say its a horror film in the way that Taxi Driver and Driller Killer were, more than Halloween or Nightmare on Elm Street. My only complaint about this film is that it was marketed to be something very different than it is (which made this the film I was initially the least interested in), but it turned out to be excellent.
Though these films may not all particularly be classics in their own right, they make for a very interesting collection. For those who think they've seen it all, this will show a very different side of underground US horror film making that many aren't familiar with. What really makes this collection interesting is how varied the films are - from a low budget, gore filled romp to a rather straight forward, supernatural film to a shocking, psychological character study. Of course since this is coming from Arrow, the set features an unbelievable amount of extra features and quality all around. I really can't wait to see what Volume 2 brings.
Bonus Features include:
-Brand new 2K restorations of the three features
-High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard DVD presentations
-English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
-Reversible sleeves for each film featuring original and newly-commissioned artwork by the Twins of Evil
-American Horror Project Journal Volume I - Limited Edition 60-page booklet featuring new articles on the films from Kim Newman (Nightmare Movies), Kier-La Janisse (House of Psychotic Women) and Brian Albright (Regional Horror Films, 1958-1990)
-Brand new interview with director Christopher Speeth
-Brand new interview with writer Werner Liepolt
-Draft Script (BD/DVD-ROM content)
-Production stills gallery
-Audio commentary with director Matt Cimber, actress Millie Perkins and director of photography Dean Cundey
-Brand new interview with director Matt Cimber
-Brand new interview with Dean Cundey
-Brand new interview with actor John Goff
-Audio commentary with director-producer Robert Allen Schnitzer
-Brand new interview with composer Henry Mollicone
-Interview with actor Richard Lynch
-Three Robert Allen Schnitzer short films: 'Vernal Equinox', 'Terminal Point' and 'A Rumbling in the Land'
-4 'Peace Spots'
-Trailers and TV Spots
Purchase this set directly from MVD HERE

Pray for Death (1985, Gordon Hessler)

Anyone who knows anything about Ninja cinema, knows Sho Kosugi. The martial artist/actor who came to prominence in the 80s with Cannon films' Ninja trilogy (Enter the Ninja, Revenge of the Ninja and Ninja III: The Domination) was untouchable when it came to over the top, violent, gory martial arts films. Arrow Video's new release of the 1985 classic Pray for Death is no exception.
In this film, Kosugi plays Akira Saito, a Japanese businessman who, unbeknownst to his wife and two sons (played by his real life sons Kane and Shane), also happens to be a ninja. Saito's wife talks him into moving to the USA, where he opens up a Japanese restaurant. Unfortunately, some mobsters also happen to use the restaurant's back room as a place to deal drugs and stolen jewelry. After a crooked cop steals the mob's goods, Saito is blamed and is thrust into a one man war that requires his secret skills.
Pray for Death is as gory, sleazy and fun as any 80's Ninja film you're going to find. Kosugi kicks major ass and spills blood at every chance. The film is filled with colorful characters, including good cop Lt. Anderson (Norman Burton), kind old timer Sam Green (Parley Baer), crime boss Mr. Newman (Michael Constantine) and James Booth as what is probably the greatest villain name ever in the history of the world - Limehouse Willie. Willie is a nasty bastard who gets his jollies from killing and Booth's portrayal is hilariously sadistic. Though the story is fairly simple and predictable, the stunt work is top notch and the action doesn't let up. This film fits well with the many martial arts films of the time and Arrow's release is another small miracle. Featuring the rarely seen uncut version (as well as the original R rated version), this disc is really special. Also including some great extras featuring Sho Kosugi and a nice booklet that makes Arrow's discs stand out from the rest. My only one gripe is that the scenes originally cut from the R rated version look a little washed out and dark compared to the rest of the beautiful transfer, but I'd much rather they were here than not and praise Arrow for including them.
Bonus Features include:
-High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation from a transfer of original elements by MGM
-R-rated and Unrated Versions
-Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
-Brand new interview with star Sho Kosugi
-Archive interview and Ninjutsu demonstration with Kosugi from the film's New York premiere
-Original Theatrical Trailer
-Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matthew Griffin
Purchase this film directly from MVD HERE

The Mutilator (1984, Buddy Cooper)

Just when I thought there can't be any more 80's slasher films I haven't seen, a great company like Arrow surprises me. The Mutilator, (originally titled Fall Break) is one such title. An obscure, zero budget film whose cover art no doubt lured many video fans to check it out, hoping for something as good (and gory) as Friday the 13th, Halloween or The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I wish I could go back in time and see how this film would have stacked up back then to a young, virginal, horror lover. Now I definitely wouldn't call this film a classic like the other films mentioned, but it does have some things going for it.
The Mutilator tells the tale of young Bill, a boy who decides he'll make his dad happy by shining his shotgun for him. But whoops, he accidentally blows his mother away which causes his father to snap. Several years later, Bill gets a random call from his dad at a bar (did his dad know he frequented this bar?) to come and get his beach side house ready for the winter. So Bill's friends talk him into letting them come along for a road trip. Unfortunately, Bill's dad is still there...waiting.
First of all, I have to ask. Is Fall Break a thing? I've heard of Spring Break, Winter Break and Summer Break. But Fall Break? Is it like Thanksgiving break? I don't know why it even matters because nothing in this damn movie makes any sense. Why would a group of kids want to travel to a beach house in fall when it's too cold to go swimming? Oh wait, there is a random pool there with a heated bubble over it! That explains it. And why would Bill's dad lure his son to be slaughtered after years of being a highly functioning alcoholic who regularly hangs out with his drinking/hunting buddies? I can't answer these questions, but there is one question you are probably wondering that I can answer. Why should I watch this film? Well the answer is - GORE! For all of the film's nonsensical shortcomings, the gorey bits are expertly done by makeup maestro Mark Shostrom (Evil Dead 2, Nightmare on Elm St). Not to say that's ALL it has going for it. The characters are goofy and though I wouldn't call them loveable (or really even likeable), I didn't hate them. That's good, right? Above all though, this film is a perfect example of a first (and only) time film maker, getting some money together with a bunch of first (and only) time "actors" (or relatives as half of the people have the same last name as the director) and making a fun, silly horror movie. That's all it is, that's all it should be and if you take it seriously then you are missing the point.
Arrow's Blu Ray/DVD combo features pretty much everything you could ever want to know about The Mutilator. Interviews with pretty much everyone involved, commentaries, a neat booklet, great artwork...it's all here (and more). The picture quality is beyond amazing for such a low budget film and Arrow should be commended for doing this type of work on such a niche title. Full list of extras below:

Bonus Features include:

-Brand new 2K restoration of the unrated version from original vault materials
-High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
-Original mono 1.0 audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray
-Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
-Introduction to the film with writer-director Buddy Cooper and assistant special make-up effects artist/assistant editor Edmund Ferrell
-Audio Commentary with Cooper, Ferrell, co-director John Douglass and star Matt Mitler
-Audio Commentary with Buddy Cooper and star Ruth Martinez Tutterow
-Fall Breakers: The Story of The Mutilator – brand new feature-length documentary on the making of the splatter classic featuring interviews with Cooper, Douglass, Ferrell, Mitler, actors Bill Hitchcock, Jack Chatham and more
-Mutilator Memories – special make-up effects artist Mark Shostrom looks back at one of his earliest projects
-Tunes for the Dunes – composer Michael Minard reveals how The Mutilator’s unique score was created
-Behind-the-Scenes Reel
-Screen Tests
-Alternate Opening Titles
-Trailers and TV Spots
-‘Fall Break’ Theme Song (Original and Instrumental Versions)
-Opening Sequence Storyboards
-Motion Stills Gallery
-Original Fall Break Screenplay (BD/DVD-ROM content)
-Reversible sleeve featuring two original artworks

Purchase this film directly from MVD HERE

MEDOUSA - Coming Soon from Mondo Macabro!

OUT APRIL 12!

You can now pre-order MEDOUSA direct from Mondo Macabro! $15 plus shipping.

Copies will be mailed out as soon as stock arrives, likely ahead of the official street date.


http://mondomacabro.bigcartel.com/product/medousa


In this surreal retelling of the ancient myth of the Medusa, bizarre, clothed statues of men

are appearing all over Greece. Only Perseus, the leader of a gang of modern Athenian

thieves, holds the answer to the mystery. It has something to do with a beautiful, long-

haired women in black who is connected with his troubled childhood. One night his gang

breaks into a deserted house in the countryside looking for goods to steal. What they find

is entirely unexpected and leads Perseus on a dangerous journey into his past.

Medousa is one of the very few attempts to make a modern Greek horror film. Its

intriguing plot unfolds in a surprising and yet entirely logical way, creating a memorably

atmospheric thriller that reworks familiar myths into an original and highly personal

narrative.


Mondo Macabro are very proud to be presenting for the first time on US video this

overlooked gem of genre cinema. The film was screened at a number of international

festivals and won a prize at World-Fest Houston in 1998. It’s a film ripe for rediscovery

and this long overdue release announces the re-emergence of a unique film making talent.



SPECIAL DVD FEATURES


Interview with writer/director George Lazopoulos

Interview with lead actor Thanos Amorginos

Extensive background notes

Trailer

Newly created optional subtitles

Mondo Macabro previews

Newly commissioned cover art by Gilles Vranckx


Teaser Trailer:  https://vimeo.com/154745840