Released by:Cinedigm Release Date: June 25, 2013 Production Year: 2013 Region Code: A Running Time: 1:26:49 Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 / English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Video: 1080p (1.85:1 Aspect Ratio) Subtitles: English
THE FILM:
Teenage siblings Hansel & Gretel (Molly Quinn, Castle, and Michael Welch, Twilight) are shaken out of suburbia when an intense new marijuana strain named “Black Forest” takes Los Angeles by storm. When Gretel’s stoner boyfriend mysteriously disappears while on a run to buy more drugs, the siblings follow his breadcrumbs to the house of a little old lady (Lara Flynn Boyle, Men in Black II) who has a very green thumb. When the seemingly sweet woman turns out to be a drug-dealing, drug-growing evil witch who cooks and eats her wasted patrons for their youth, it’s bake or get baked for Hansel and Gretel. The siblings must save their friend – and each other – from a gruesome death, or they will surely face the last high of their lives.
"Hansel & Gretel Get Baked" is a silly twist on the old story. It should get some credit for at least trying to be different. The title has a bit of a double meaning which at first glance would lead you to believe, ah, stoners. But this a horror-comedy so the title has a literal meaning also. It's not a great film or something I would consider very good, but it has its funny moments and some entertaining death scenes. Plus I was able to get it cheap, so that made it an easy decision.
AUDIO:
There are two English audio options on the Blu-ray, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. Both of the included tracks sound very good but the 5.1 track makes some good use of the surround speakers. Dialogue, sound effects and the score have a nice balance throughout.
VIDEO:
"Hansel & Gretel Get Baked" arrives on Blu-ray in a cloud of smoke thanks to Cinedigm. The film is presented in 1080p with a 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio. The video quality of this release is excellent. Colors look strong with good saturation. Skin tones have a very natural appearance. Black levels look great and there is plenty of fine detail present. I did not notice any negative issues such as banding or edge enhancement during the film. Some of the CGI shots are not very good, but I can't fault the disc for that.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Unfortunately there are no extras on this Blu-ray. It does at least have a Chapter Selection Screen and English Subtitles.
IN CONCLUSION:
A so-so, yet entertaining film that arrived on Blu-ray with great audio and video quality. The film is definitely not for everyone and you will probably want to watch this on VOD before buying. Although there is a trailer below so be sure to check that out since that might tell you if this movie is for you or not. Despite the lack of special features, Cinedigm still did a nice job with this release.
Released by:Arrow Video Release Date: May 20, 2013 Production Year: 1980 Region Code: B Running Time: 1:41:22 Audio: English LPCM 2.0 Video: 1080p (1.85:1 Aspect Ratio) Subtitles: English SDH
THE FILM: “It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent fritters!” cackle the brother-and-sister team behind the finest smoked meats in the county. They also run the friendly Motel Hello (the ‘o’ in the neon sign sometimes goes on the blink), and no matter how many times you’ve seen Psycho or The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, you can be sure that everything will be perfectly above board here as Vincent’s brother Bruce is the local sheriff. Western veteran Rory Calhoun gives a lipsmackingly demented performance as Farmer Vincent, whose twinkling bonhomie conceals a deeply depraved secret. Directed by Kevin Connor (maker of much-loved British genre classics The Land That Time Forgot and Warlords of Atlantis) and with legendary DJ Wolfman Jack as a fire-and-brimstone TV preacher, this is a gleefully twisted horror-comedy that climaxes with a showstopping chainsaw duel. "Motel Hell" to me is sort of like a tame version of "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)" in respect to the tone of the film. Here Vincent and Ida seem to be a bit more methodical yet very easy going. This film does not necessarily have the scares or very intense moments either. But it's antagonists do have an odd charm about them and the film is a bit comical in nature as well. I've always enjoyed the movie for it being a bit of an off-beat and kooky film, especially being from 1980 when most horror films were either more serious fare or were starting to hop on the slasher craze bandwagon. Fans of the film "Porky's" should recognize Nancy Parsons (Balbricker) here playing Ida. Both she and Rory Calhoun are terrific in this film.
AUDIO:
The lone audio option for this release is an English LPCM 2.0 track. It does a fine job reproducing Ida's evil cackling along with the hisses of, well, you'll find out later. There is a good balance of the dialogue, sound effects and score with no real issues of note. Considering the budget and age of the film and also its elements, the audio is in surprisingly good condition.
VIDEO:
"Motel Hell" saws its way on to this Blu-ray thanks to UK distributor, Arrow Films. The film is presented in 1080p with a 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio. Colors are strong but not overly bright, giving the film a more 'cool' look. Skin tones are very natural in appearance. Black levels look fine. There is a nice looking, thin layer of grain present and while it does get heavier in darker scenes as most would expect, I do not feel that it impairs the look of the film. Viewers should be happy with the amount of fine detail present in the movie. Clothing textures look terrific in close up shots. The film looks really great and easily the best it has ever looked before.
SPECIAL FEATURES: Along with the following extras, a Chapter Selection Screen and English SDH Subtitles are also included in this release. There is also a Region 2 DVD copy of the film included in this combo pack.
Audio Commentary - Director Kevin Connor is joined by moderator Calum Waddell on this commentary track. The pair discuss a variety of topics having to do with the process of making this film. They do a very fine job of keeping the commentary lively with plenty of information on the cast, filming location, the practical effects and more. Fans will definitely want to listen to this because it is entertaining.
Another Head on the Chopping Block (14:50) - Actor Paul Linke (who plays Bruce) is interviewed. Mr. Linke starts by saying he believes the part of Bruce was written for him. He says what appealed to him was that his role initially appeared to be more comedic in nature, but as the film went on it became more serious as they reduced the comedic aspect of the part. Paul talks about cast members including what it was like working with Rory Calhoun and Nancy Parsons. An interesting note is that Mr. Linke said the chainsaw fight scene took five 12 hour days to film. From Glamour to Gore (11:26) - Actress Rosanne Katon (who played Suzi) is interviewed where she talks about how she got started in acting and being a Playboy Playmate. She also discussed working with other cast members including Nancy Parsons, Rory Calhoun and Monique St. Pierre (Debbie) who was a Playboy Playmate of the Year. Ida, Be Thy Name (18:07) - Shelagh M. Rowan-Legg (critic for Twitch Film), Scream Queens Chantelle Albers and Elissa Dowling and Staci Layne Wilson (author and critic) discuss what makes Ida a good villain. They also talk about other actresses and female villains in film. Back to the Backwoods (10:09) - Director Dave Parker (The Hills Run Red) discusses the importance of "Motel Hell." He talks about bizarre aspects of the film including the black humor, relationship between Vincent and Ida and more. Mr. Parker also briefly mentions the talk of remaking the film. Trailer
Reversible sleeve - Featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jeff Zornow.
Collector’s booklet - Featuring new writing on the film by Kim Newman, illustrated with original archive stills and posters.
IN CONCLUSION:
Arrow Films has put out a great product. The film looks better than ever before. Fans of the film will not be disappointed and should upgrade right away from their DVD or VHS copies if they have not already done so. If you a horror fan, especially an 80's horror fan, I would imagine that you would like this film. As usual, if you are not familiar with the film then you may want to watch a trailer, rent it or maybe you could watch it at a friends house before deciding whether the movie is for you or not. Besides the excellent job Arrow Films has done in regards to audio and video, they have included a nice assortment of special features as well. I first saw this film on VHS many years ago when I was a teenager and I am so glad I bought this release.
Released by:Image Entertainment Release Date: July 22, 2014 Production Year: 2013 Region Code: A Running Time: 1:29:33 Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Video: 1080p (2.35:1 Aspect Ratio) Subtitles: English SDH
THE FILM:
Teenage outsider Maddy (Caitlin Stasey "I, Frankenstein") is keeping some dark secrets and holding a serious grudge against the captain of the Blackfoot High football team. When Maddy joins the school's elite and powerful cheerleading squad, she convinces her new friends to help inflict her revenge. After a late-night party goes awry, their plans take an unexpected turn for the worst and all of the girls die. A sinister, supernatural power intervenes and the girls mysteriously appear at school the next day with a killer new look… and some unusual new appetites.
I find Lucky McKee and Chris Sivertson's "All Cheerleaders Die" to be a fun film. It has an interesting story and some likable characters. This film is a remake of the directors film of the same name that they made after they finished film school.
AUDIO:
The only audio option included on the Blu-ray disc is an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. Quality of the audio is great. The 5.1 track features a nice balance of the musical score and sound effects without drowning out the dialogue. There are no negative issues to report except that at times you don't quite feel as immersed in the sound as you might be expecting.
VIDEO:
"All Cheerleaders Die" climbs its way to Blu-ray courtesy of Image Entertainment. The film is presented in 1080p with a 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio. Colors look lively and bright. Contrast is little high at times with things on screen appearing a little darker than they necessarily need to be. Black levels look nice for the most part. Skin tones look natural. The film has an excellent amount of fine detail throughout the feature. I did not really notice any digital noise or similar problems. The overall picture quality is great.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Along with the featurette listed below, the Blu-ray also has a Chapter Selection Screen and English SDH Subtitles.
Behind the Scenes (23:45) - This featurette includes a lot of information in short snippets. Producer Andrew Van Den Houten and several cast members give viewers a glimpse into the process of making the film. They cover topics such as auditioning for the film, their roles and what it was like working with the directors. Mixed in among the interviews are clips of behind the scenes footage showing how some of the scenes were filmed.
IN CONCLUSION:
I find "All Cheerleaders Die" to be a fun and entertaining horror-comedy. You should watch the trailer first and see if this looks like something you may enjoy. The audio and video quality is great. I'd suggest most people rent it first, although if the trailer really appeals to you, throw caution to the wind and buy it.
Released by:Code Red DVD Release Date: April 2014 Production Year: 1984 Region Code: All Running Time: 1:32:47 Audio: English DTS-HD MA Mono / English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Video: 1080p (1.78:1 Aspect Ratio) Subtitles: None
THE FILM:
Linda Blair is Brenda, vivacious leader of the "Satins", a fun-loving group of pretty high school girls. The Satins are in for trouble from the first moment they play a harmless trick on the "Scars", a vicious gang who runs loose on the Hollywood streets. The Scars and their malevolent leader, Jake, take revenge seriously... first with Brenda's deaf-mute sister (Linnea Quigley, "Return of the Living Dead") and then with her soon-to-be-married best friend. Caught up in her rivalry with the cheerleaders, Brenda is at first unaware of the Scars' involvement, but is soon shocked with the full truth. Shock.. hatred.. in a skintight black suit ensues, as Brenda searches out the gang members one by one to take out her deadly vengeance. "Savage Streets" is a good revenge film. Despite at least one scene that some viewers may find rather unpleasant, the film does have some light and fun moments as well. "Savage Streets" does a good job at making you really detest the villains, which makes it all the more satisfying when Brenda decides to dole out some revenge.
AUDIO:
This Blu-ray release features two English audio options, DTS-HD Master Audio Mono and a brand new DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. Both audio tracks sound fine with dialogue, sound effects and the score all being well balanced. The audio is in good shape with no noticeable issues.
VIDEO:
"Savage Streets" makes its Blu-ray debut thanks to Code Red DVD via a brand new high definition master. The film is presented in 1080p with a 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio. Those familiar with previous DVD releases will be pleased to find a noticeable uptick in video quality. Code Red DVD did a nice job with the video for this Blu-ray. There is a nice thin layer of grain present in the brighter scenes of the film. The grain does get heavier in the darker scenes as one might expect. Colors look vivid with reds looking terrific. Contrast looks fine and black levels have a nice appearance, especially in the clothing of some characters. There is a fair amount of fine detail present in the well lit scenes of the film. I did notice some blemishes throughout, in the form of specks, spots and scratches. But they were never to the point of being distracting or overwhelming. It would probably require a pricey restoration to clear most of them up.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Isolated Music Only Track - This can be selected and played from the Main Menu. Original Trailer (3:23)
IN CONCLUSION:
If you enjoy revenge style films, you will probably like this one. This release sports pretty nice video quality and lossless audio. Fans of the film may want to upgrade their DVD's but should keep the previous, special feature loaded releases, due to this Blu-ray not carrying over those extras. If you are on the fence about purchasing, I would pull the trigger. Despite a lack of extras, the film itself and the nice job that Code Red DVD did in terms of audio and video quality, make it worth buying.
Scream Factory says their upcoming "Office Space" meets vampires horror/comedy titled, "Bloodsucking Bastards" will hit select theaters and On Demand, September 4, 2015.
The film boasts an all-star cast including Fran Kranz (Cabin in the Woods), Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones), Emma Fitzpatrick (Significant Mother, The Collection), Yvette Yates (Inherent Vice) with Joel Murray (Mad Men) and Joey Kern (Cabin Fever, Super Troopers).
SYNOPSIS: An Office Space meets Shaun of the Dead action-packed horror comedy, BLOODSUCKING BASTARDS stars Fran Kranz as Evan Sanders, a low-level, dutiful employee stuck in a boring job at a soul-killing every corporation. Evan’s the kind of guy who does all the work and gets none of the credit, but at least he gets to spend his days with his beautiful co-worker/girlfriend Amanda and his slacker best friend Tim, so he soldiers on in the hope of one day getting his coveted sales director position.
Unfortunately, it all falls apart in one fell swoop when Amanda breaks up with him and Evan’s boss Ted hands his promotion to his college nemesis Max . And it isn’t just their sordid past Evan has to deal with. After his fellow officemates start going through disturbing changes (which, paradoxically, make them better employees) and bodies begin to pile up, Evan learns the horrible truth: Max is a vampire. And even worse… a vamp with a plan.
BLOODSUCKING BASTARDS takes audiences on a hilarious, blood-spattered roller coaster ride in the most terrifying locale of all: the American workplace. Evan must find a way to stop the evil brewing amidst the cubicles, expose Max as the bloodsucking bastard that he is, win back Amanda, and save his pals before his life and career go from dead-end… to just dead. For more details, check out the main website and "Like" the Facebook page!
Released by:Scream Factory Release Date: May 13, 2014 Production Year: 1981 Region Code: A Running Time: 1:29:50 Audio: English DTS-HD MA Mono Video: 1080p (1.78:1 Aspect Ratio) Subtitles: English
THE FILM:
At Lanier College, the semester is almost over. Exam week is coming to a close when some upperclassmen play a prank by staging a phony terrorist attack. But the next moment of excitement at the school won't be a prank. And it's something a lot more final than an exam. Students are falling prey to a knife-wielding maniac stalking the school, bent on making sure that for some, school is out... forever!
"Final Exam" is light on blood and slow to get to the kills, but if you give it a chance, it is entertaining in its own way and features several fun, oddball characters. I was not much of a fan the first couple times I watched the film. But with the third viewing, it finally resonated with me in some way and I now enjoy it. Once I stopped focusing on the slow first half and the kill meter not going up fast enough, the film became more enjoyable. Once things get going, the kills do start the stack up.
AUDIO:
The Blu-ray includes one audio option, besides the commentary, an English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track. It does an adequate job overall. The score and sound effects fared better than dialogue which I found to be a bit tinny in enclosed or indoor scenes. Sound levels are well balanced throughout the film.
VIDEO:
"Final Exam" comes to the Blu-ray thanks to Scream Factory in cooperation with Code Red DVD via a new high definition transfer from the original camera negative. The film is presented in 1080p with a 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio. For the most part, the video quality is wonderful. There are some minor specks here and there during the film and an instance of a small blue spot that appeared for a second. The first 35 seconds or so of the film look the worst as far as spots and scratches and then it clears up and looks great for the remainder of the feature. For a lower budget film that is over 30 years old, it really does look excellent. Colors look pleasant and bright with good saturation. Skin tones look natural. Black levels appear strong. There is a thin layer of grain that looks good throughout. Viewers will be pleased to find that the film sports a generous amount of detail and the image looks quite sharp.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Along with the extras listed below, this Blu-ray also has a Chapter Selection Screen and English Subtitles.
Audio Commentary - Cast members Joel Rice, Cecile Bagdadi and Sherry Willis-Burch are joined by Moderator, Julia Marchese of the New Beverly Cinema and Deron Miller of the band CKY. With five participants, things can get a bit confusing as to who is talking at times. However, Mr. Miller did not do much of the talking. Julia Marchese did a good job asking questions throughout the film and the actors were great, providing a fun and spirited commentary. When they are not discussing what is going on in the film at the time, they are sharing tales from the set. I really enjoyed this track and feel that fans of the film will like it as well.
Interviews With Cast Members:
Joel S. Rice "Radish" (6:47) - Mr. Rice recounts how he learned about the film and the audition process for his role. He talks about the film being shot over the course of six weeks, the shooting location, his career and other topics.
Cecile Bagdadi "Courtney" (3:43) - Miss Bagdadi discusses auditioning for the film, her experiences on the set, her career and what she is doing now.
Sherry Willis-Burch "Janet" (4:58) - She also talks about her role in the film. Miss Willis-Burch discusses the toughest scene that she had to do in the film, her career including the film "Killer Party" and her life afterward.
Theatrical Trailer (1:31)
IN CONCLUSION:
"Final Exam" can be an entertaining film if given the chance. Fans will definitely want to upgrade to the Blu-ray, which looks excellent. If you have never seen the film before, you should at least give it a chance. The Blu-ray features a good commentary track and a trio of interviews. It is usually available online for a reasonable price. Slasher fans, I'd say buy it. You can view a trailer below which may help you decide if the film is right for you.
Synapse Films released Director Raffaele Picchio's shocker, Morituris: Legions of the Dead on Blu-ray and DVD on September 8, 2015.
Two lovely Romanian girls take a trip with three Italian men to a rumored midnight rave in the middle of a dark forest. As the gang proceeds on foot to their final destination, a mysterious graveyard is discovered, a shockingly vile plot twist is revealed and bloodthirsty undead Roman gladiators rise from the dead to torture and mutilate their victims! For the two women, an already terrifying night is about to get much, much worse, as the zombified warriors hunt down the group to tear their heads off! Will anyone survive the night? An interesting mix of old school 1980s Italian horror, with a touch of the brutality of Wes Craven’s THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, MORITURIS is an unflinching, strong, cruel and extremely violent film featuring gruesome effects from Italian SPFX maestro, Sergio Stivaletti (DEMONS, DEMONS 2, DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE, Dario Argento’s OPERA).
Director: Raffaele Picchio Starring: Valentina D'Andrea, Andrea De Bruyn, Desiree Giorgetti, Francesco Malcom Runtime: 86 minutes Release Date: September 8, 2015 Language: Italian Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 1080p (1.85:1) Presentation Region: All Regions Features:
Newly Translated Removable English Subtitles Original Theatrical Trailer Reversible Cover Art
Scream Factory has announced their final list of extras for their upcoming Blu-ray release of The Sentinel.
As per their press release:
We are extremely excited today to reveal details about our upcoming blu-ray release of The Sentinel -- the 1977 shockfest from Director Michael Winner that was often considered by some as too outrageous for its time but has since gone on to achieve a rather large cult following.
Lots of great stuff on the disc came together through a lot of hard work with many involved behind-the-scenes. We truly hope that you enjoy the following supplements as much as we do:
• NEW 2015 High Definition transfer of the film from interpositive! (We can now confess that this is why we delayed the release a month. Thank you for understanding when we moved it.) • NEW Audio Commentary by actress Cristina Raines (FYI – She admits that this is the first time she has ever watched the film!) • NEW Audio Commentary with writer/producer Jeffrey Konvitz • NEW interview with assistant director Ralph S. Singleton • Audio Commentary with director Michael Winner • Theatrical Trailer & TV Spots • Still Galleries – movie stills, press photos, posters and lobby cards
For those of you who haven’t seen the film, do yourself a favor and Check. It. Out! The action surrounds a fashion model, a blind priest, the gates of hell, bloody special effects (courtesy of the legendary Dick Smith) and sports a crazy list of stars – arguably the biggest in horror film history – that includes Chris Sarandon, Cristina Raines, Christopher Walken, Ava Gardner, Arthur Kennedy, Jeff Goldblum, Jerry Orbach, Beverly D’ Angelo, Burgess Meredith, Eli Wallach, Martin Balsam, Deborah Raffin, Tom Berenger, Jose Ferrer, John Carradine and Nana Visitor.
