Here are some of the horror DVD/Blu-Ray releases for February 8th!
Witness the beginning of Evil. Raccoon City, which was once a booming home of pharmaceutical giant Umbrella Corporation, is now a dying Midwestern town. The company’s exodus left the city a wasteland…with great evil brewing below the surface. When that evil is unleashed, a group of survivors must work together to uncover the truth behind Umbrella and make it through the night.
In an idyllic, sun-dappled forest, the pure-hearted Jack (Tom Cruise) takes his true love Princess Lili (Mia Sara) to see a pair of unicorns frolicking at the forest’s edge. Little do they know, however, that the Lord of Darkness (Tim Curry, in a remarkable make-up designed by The Thing’s Rob Bottin) has dispatched his minions to capture the unicorns and sever their horns so that he may plunge the world into everlasting night. After Lili and the unicorns are taken prisoner, Jack must team with a group of forest creatures and descend into Darkness’ subterranean lair to face off against the devilish creature before it is too late.
It’s The Exorcist, Italian style, in this Satanic shocker from director Alberto De Martino (Shadows in an Empty Room). In Rome, a beautiful young woman (Carla Gravina, Alfredo, Alfredo) is left paralyzed by the trauma of a horrific childhood accident. But when placed under hypnosis, she is seized by visions of her past life as a heretic and becomes a foul-mouthed seductress with a taste for perversion that leads to her defilement by Satan himself. Now, mankind’s only hope for salvation is a harrowing exorcism that will either cast out the Devil forever or open the door for the unspeakable birth of the Antichrist! Mel Ferrer (Nightmare City), Arthur Kennedy (Killer Cop), George Coulouris (Citizen Kane), Alida Valli (Suspiria), Umberto Orsini (Violent City) and Anita Strindberg (Almost Human) round out the cast of this puke-spewing cult classic, with cinematography by Eurosleaze king Joe D’Amato (Beyond the Darkness) and music by maestros Ennio Morricone (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) and Bruno Nicolai (A Full Day’s Work). Experience The Antichrist, also known as The Tempter, in all its uncut—and unholy—glory!
More than 40 years ago, it ignited a firestorm of outrage in America and DPP 39 condemnation in the UK. Now one of the grisliest gems of the ’80s can be seen uncut and fully remastered like never before: A shy incinerator worker (an unnerving performance by Dan Grimaldi of THE SOPRANOS) scarred by memories of his mother’s abuse begins luring women to his childhood home for incendiary torment, including ”one of the most shocking, notorious scenes in sleaze-horror history” (Mondo Digital). Director/co-writer Joseph Ellison delivers ”an underrated classic on the same level as MANIAC” (Ninja Dixon), now featuring a new 2K scan from the original negative – plus the alternate TV Version and The Extended Cut combining scenes from both – with 2+ hours of exclusive Special Features.
There’s much talk these days of “folk horror”. This film is the real deal, based on a gruesome and ancient story, much retold by people who live in the Alps, the huge mountain range that spans six European countries. In the summer the three herdsmen, two adults and a young apprentice took their cattle high up on the mountains where the pastures are richer. At night, holed up in their cabin there was little for them to do. Inevitably, their thoughts turned to sex. But as they were three men… what could they do? The more reckless of the men tried it on with the young boy, but was soon put in his place by the group’s leader, who was himself combating lustful thoughts through prayer.
Revenge is a hearty meal for phantoms of the prairie! On a dark and haunting night, all that is visible by the campfire light is the breath of vicious lawmen. The local preacher and townspeople gather on a lonesome prairie as the lawless career of desperado Frank Clements is about to end. Just as the hangman’s noose tightens around his neck, the most feared outlaw of 1888 shouts a curse of revenge on the town preacher – a curse which will haunt the preacher’s family through generations. One hundred years later, unsuspecting of the events in 1888, the town is prospering. Frank Clements and his gang return from hell to seek revenge against the preacher’s grandson and his family. The fight against the phantoms from the past proves futile, and they become unwilling victims of bloodthirsty outlaws. Weapons are defenseless against the phantom cowboys – you can’t kill what’s already dead!
In Santa Mira, There’s a dark past causing a law against clowns. But now, after years of peace, a murder reveals a new threat. The only one who can stop it is the brave sheriff. The Sheriff is forced to protect the town and his twins, Joy and Lisa, from the terror that is the Klown King and his cult, The Klowns.
Horror Hospital is a British horror-comedy film starring Robin Askwith, Michael Gough, Dennis Price and Skip Martin. When attempts to break into the entertainment business leave him with nothing but a bloody nose, songwriter Jason Jones (Robin Askwith), decides to take a break with ‘Hairy Holidays’, an outfit run by shifty travel agent Pollock (Dennis Price). After failing to impress Jason, Pollock sends him to a pseudo-health farm, Brittlehurst Manor. On the train journey, Jason meets Judy (Venessa Shaw) who is travelling to the same destination to meet her long-lost aunt. Both are unaware that the health farm, i.e., Horror Hospital is a front for Dr. Storm (Michael Gough) and his lobotomy experiments that turn wayward hippies into mindless zombie slaves.The wheelchair-bound doctor surrounds himself with an entourage which includes Judy’s aunt, brothel madam Olga (Ellen Pollock), height-challenged Frederick (Skip Martin) and numerous zombie biker thugs. Dr. Storm also has a Rolls Royce car, fitted with a giant blade which decapitates escapees and interfering parties. Abraham (Kurt Christian) arrives at the Horror Hospital looking for his girlfriend, and is promptly hit around the head by the motorcycle zombies. Frederick, fed up at literally being Storm’s whipping boy, helps the kids escape – paving the way for the ‘70’s youth to put the final nail into the works of Dr. Storm’s scheme.This is a bizarre combination of horror and comedy and on the last night of filming, cake was served which was laced with drugs. In his autobiography, Askwith said ‘I don’t know what was put in the cake, but I ended up with a 280-pound electrician sitting on my lap and telling me he was in love with me’. Only producer Richard Gordon managed to avoid eating the cake. How’s that for a true ending to a really weird movie?
A group of friends retreat to a spa get away in the mountains as a school reunion. Once there, they play a mysterious game of BLOODY MARY. Now, they must figure out a way to survive the night before their lives are taken one by one.
