Favorite Catalog Releases From 2021

This has been an unbelievable year for catalog releases and this list could very easily go into the dozens so here's a list of a just few of my favorites.

I remember paying $20.00 for multi-gen bootleg VHS with burned in Greek subs or such for some of this back in the dark ages of cult film collecting. 

 SATAN'S BLOOD 1978 Vinegar Syndrome Blu

Director & writer Carlos Puerto's sex & gore-filled Satanic romp has had a couple of DVD releases in the past but with a new 4K scan of the 35mm negative Vinegar Syndrome's Blu-ray brings all the skin & Satanic goings-on out in gorgeous clarity. One of the first post-Franco regime Spanish horror films that took advantage of the relaxing censorship standards, there's also was some help here production-wise from Juan Piquer Simón (PIECES) and Vinegar adds a great bunch of extras including a 45-minute Spanish documentary on the film, still gallery and best of all a commentary track by Samm Deighan and Kat Ellinger.

Along with the exploitive elements on full display, it's also a beautiful looking film filled with a moody gothic atmosphere some very creepy set design (including an unsettlingly macabre doll), and a climax that'll stick in your brain for quite a while afterward. 

AN ANGEL FOR SATAN 1966 Severin Films Blu

One of last of Barbara's B&W Italian Gothics to receive a quality release, Severin's Blu-ray of this perverse (and sometimes still shocking) gem will have you thankfully tossing all those ropey bootlegs and quasi-legit DVDs in the waste bin.  

Directed by Camillo Mastrocinque this one hits all the marks - beautiful B&W cinematography by Giuseppe Aquaris, a haunting soundtrack by Francesco De Masi and the breathtaking presence of Barbara Steele. Although there is the expected witches curse, this is not exactly a horror film as its more of an unsettlingly Gothic melodrama with some obvious underpinnings of S&M and sexual perversion. 

Severin's release contains a very nice commentary from Barbara and David Del Valle in which she touches on her entire career in Italy and in addition there is a second more scholarly one from Kat Ellinger. A nice extra is the 1967 short BARBARA AND HER FURS (which is a must-see experience) 

THE HUNTER WILL GET YOU (L'ALPAGUEUR) 1976 Kino Lorber Blu

Although he started out his career as one of the faces of French New Wave cinema Jean-Paul Belmondo in the 70's and 80's was the star of a great string of police/thriller action films among them this 1976 release directed by Philippe Labro.

A twisting turning tale has Belmondo playing a mercenary hiring out as a type of rogue policeman who works for various agencies as he has carte blanche to do what he needs to do to get his man. After busting a drug smuggling ring, he goes after “L’Épervier” (“The Hawk" played by Bruno Cremer from SORCERER), a ruthless thief who employs petty criminals to help him rob banks and then murders them.

 Featuring of course the usual jaw dropping stunts (performed by Belmondo himself) this is one of a group of great Belmondo action films that Kino has brought out. Now please can we get PEUR SUR LA VILLE (THE NIGHT CALLER) with Belmondo chasing a serial killer in Paris. 

Kino's Blu features an audio Commentary by Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson and an interview with director/writer Philippe Labro.

DOCTOR X 1932 Warner Archive Blu 

Featuring a stunning restoration from a recent 4K scan of the last surviving Technicolor nitrate print this Michael Curtiz directed & wonderfully lurid pre-code shocker joins last year's release of its companion film MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM.

Fast-talking newspaperman (Lee Tracy - who specialized in playing fast-talking guys) is on the trail of "The Moon Killer" which leads him to the clinic run by Dr. Xavier (Lionel Atwill) along with Atwill's daughter (Fay Wray) and a whole host of potential red herrings with the clinic's staff of doctors (all of whom have some unique habit or psychoses).

A great pre-code horror with thinly veiled allusions to prostitution, double entendre wisecracks, along open talk of cannibalism. The "synthetic flesh" sequence still packs a jolt, and nobody can chew up scenery like Atwill.  

Warner Archive has included a nice batch of extras including two commentaries, a documentary on Curtiz and the alternate B&W version of the film. 

THE DESIGNATED VICTIM 1971 Mondo Macabro Blu

Mondo Macabro continues to surprise us with great underseen gems including this Italian riff on Patricia Highsmith's STRANGERS ON A TRAIN. Directed by Maurizio Lucidi and a script co-written by Aldo Lado (WHO SAW HER DIE?) it features the wonderful Tomas Milian along with Pierre Clémenti, Katia Christine, and Marisa Bartoli. Clementi and Milian are wonderful playing off each other and there's some great use of Venice locations (which I'm always a sucker for).

Plus, Mondo Macabro brought out a much-needed beautiful upgrade release of Piero Schivazappa's FEMINA RIDENS (THE LAUGHING WOMAN) on Blu along with a passel of other great releases including ITS NOTHING MAMA, JUST A GAME, and the very bizarre & interesting HUMAN ANIMALS.

BURY ME AN ANGEL 1972 Shout Factory Blu 

Blessed with one of the greatest taglines in the history of film "A howling hellcat humping a hot steel hog on a roaring rampage of revenge" this has been long missing on home video and is now out as part of the Shout Select line. Originally announced by Shout as part of The Angel Collection DVD set that was to also include ANGELS HARD AS THEY COME (which was also released by Shout on Blu in 2021) and ANGELS DIE HARD this package along with a Nurses/Students and a Filipino action set fell off the radar as Shout began winding down their New World releases about a decade ago. 

Directed by Barbara Peeters (SUMMER SCHOOL TEACHERS & most of HUMUNOIDS FROM THE DEEP) it's the rare biker film that is told from a female point of view - both as far as the film's director and its lead character.

The film mixes a road movie with the biker genre as 6 Ft. Dixie Peabody (playing "Dag") sets out on a journey to avenge her brother's death. Like a lot of biker films, it consists of long takes of bikes cruising along desert highways with the appropriate fuzz guitar soundtrack and along the way there's some bloody violence, a bit of nudity and a jarring twist in the ending. Dan Haggerty (GRIZZLY ADAMS) who pops up in a few biker films shows up here as a hippie artist.    

Nothing earth-shattering plot-wise but it's always great to get another classic biker film in HD and its companion release ANGELS HARD AS THEY COME (written by Jonathan Demme) is an interesting biker version of RASHOMON. 

Here's hoping we can get some more New World titles and these Shout Select releases are limited, so once they're gone they're gone. 

WEIRD WISCONSIN: THE BILL REBANE COLLECTION Arrow Blu

Along with last year's William Grefe collection, this is another fascinating journey into the world of low-budget regional filmmaking. Featuring haunted pianos, alien invaders and a talking monster truck among other wonders, Rebane's films while never to be considered great are fascinating pieces of movie history and exude a certain grungy low-budget charm.

Missing from the box is his magnum opus THE GIANT SPIDER INVASION (released on Blu by Code Red), BLOOD HARVEST (available from Vinegar Syndrome), and two of his later efforts THE CAPTURE OF BIGFOOT and RANA: THE LEGEND OF SHADOW LAKE (both held by Troma) but there's still much to love here including my personal favorite THE DEMONS OF LUDLOW and a highly informative documentary on Bill and his career.

ALL THE HAUNTS BE OURS: A COMPENDIUM OF FOLK HORROR Severin Blu

Consisting of 12 Blu-rays, 3 CDs and featuring 20 films along with hours of special features, short subjects, interviews, commentaries etc. this is one of the top releases of the year for me.

Kicking off with Kier-La Janisse's epic 194 min. documentary WOODLANDS DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED it then takes a world-wide tour of the genre including (with many making their HD debut) EYES OF FIRE (USA 1983), WITCHHAMMER (Czechoslovakia 1970), VIY (Soviet Union 1967), LAKE OF THE DEAD (Norway 1958, ROBIN REDBREAST (UK 1970) and IL DEMONIO (Italy 1963) among others.

There's also a hefty book, a CD soundtrack with music from the documentary and actress Linda Hayden (THE BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW) reading Arthur Machen's The White People. 

All in all, a beautiful (and thankfully compact) package that is perfect for a winter,s night viewing (or listening).

MILL OF THE STONE WOMEN 1960 Arrow Blu

Directed by Giorgio Ferroni and one of the first Euro-horror films to be produced in color this has had several notable home video releases before, however this new release from Arrow is the definitive one by far.

Containing four(!!) unique cuts of the film we also get a packed set of extras including a commentary from Tim Lucas, visual essay by Kat Ellinger, archival interviews, alternate opening credits, poster gallery and more.

One of the most ravishing looking horror films (with all apologies to Mario Bava) from the golden age of Euro Gothic horror this is eye candy of the highest degree and has never looked better. 

BEYOND TERROR 1980 Cauldron Films Blu

 A long-lost Spanish oddity that throws together juvenile delinquency mayhem, gothic horror and some Blind Dead inspired attacks this sleazy and gore/nudity packed shocker one on the more surprising releases of the year (especially considering its long unavailable status on home video). 

Directed by Tomás Aznar, this may initially seem to be a weird viewing experience with seemingly three separate stories grafted together (with the horror element not kicking in until the climax) but there's a  nightmarish flow to the film that draws you in. Probably not the best film for Euro-horror newbies to dip their toe into, it's definitely worth a look for those into the more "out-there" examples of the genre.

Another one of those that I initially owned via a bootleg from a murky European PAL video tape release this has been given a 4K scan from the original negative that brings out the earthy and hazy intended color palette of the film (and now you can actually see what's going on).

Some other favorites from 2021:

Vinegar Syndrome's Camille Keaton in Italy collection

Synapse beautiful work on THE LIVING DEAD AT THE MANCHESTER MORGUE

88 Films EROTIC GHOST STORY

Arrow Films massive Shaw Brothers box

Vinegar Syndrome's rescue of the lost NEW YORK NINJA

Kino Lorber's NIGHT GALLERY Season 1 box

Impluse STAR OF DAVID: BEAUTIFUL GIRL HUNTER

Criterion's Melvin Van Peebles box

Imprint LET'S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH

and many more....

Things I'm looking forward to in 2022...

AGFA has teased the release of a HUGE Doris Wishman Blu-ray collection (maybe two separate boxes) which will include the recent 4K restorations, which going by the recent sample of films put up on the Criterion Channel, is going to look gorgeous. 

Severin has dropped some hints concerning a Black Emanuelle/Laura Gemser box. Laura in HD! Sign me up!

Synapse films in their usual methodical way (with the results sure to be worth the wait) have been working on a new restoration of TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD which has been shown at some recent festivals. Along with three(!!) different cuts of the film I'm sure Synapse will have a great batch of extras. 

Shout Factory has announced a couple of long-missing video titles from the Group One catalog with ALLIGATOR and THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER.

Vinegar Syndrome is going to release a new 4K(!!) restoration of the Swedish exploitation classic THRILLER (aka THEY CALL HER ONE EYE) starring the great Christina Lindberg along with Forgotten Gialli: Volume Four (containing  Stelvio Massi's ARABELLA BLACK ANGEL)

Cauldron is releasing Lucio Fulci's great poliziotteschi COUNTERBAND with Fabio Testi.

88 Films release of THE BLACK CAT 

THE WITCHES aka THE DEVIL'S OWN 1966

Hosted by Cinematic Catharsis & Realweegiemidget Reviews

     THE WITCHES is often one of those Hammer films that fall through the cracks and although it doesn't stack up to that studio's other forays into witchcraft & folk horror such as THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES (1966) and THE DEVIL RIDES OUT (1968), it does feature a keep you guessing script by Nigel Kneale (QUATERMASS AND THE PIT and THE STONE TAPE) and an earnest and serious performance by Joan Fontaine. It also shares the injection of African/voodoo religions injected into the British countryside that was explored in the same years THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES. Filmed in Buckinghamshire it has beautiful Technicolor English countryside and although some interiors were filmed on some familiar Bray it does have a look, unlike most other Hammer productions, in addition, being a contemporary horror setting rather than a period one.
    The film could be looked upon as Fontaine's entry in the "hag horror" genre that was flourishing at the time as studios looked to golden age Hollywood actresses for Gothic and horror/thriller box office - with Joan's sister Olivia De Havilland in HUSH...HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE, and LADY IN A CAGE from 1964. This was Joan's last movie role and her last acting until she started showing up on TV in the mid-'70s. She's credited as a co-producer on THE WITCHES and owned the rights to Norah Loft's source novel THE DEVIL'S OWN (which was the U.S. title as distributed by 20th Century Fox).

    Fontaine plays Gwen Mayfield a teacher who just returned from Africa wherein a prologue sequence her school was attacked by a fearsome mask-wearing witchdoctor during a tribal rebellion. Back in England, she meets up with Alan Bax (Alec McCowan FRENZY) a vicar who along with his sister Stephanie (Kay Walsh (DR. SYN) who runs a school in the small village of Heddaby she takes a job as a teacher. Arriving in the village she discovers that Bax really isn't a vicar ("I wanted to enter the church, but I failed") and the rectory is in ruins.
    As school begins the only other teacher Sally Benson (Ann Bell DR. TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS) is mysteriously late in arriving and a burgeoning romance between two of the young students Ronnie (Martin Stephens VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED and THE INNOCENTS) and Linda (Ingrid Bolting) is frowned upon by both the parents and the villagers. Kneale's script (which Robin Hardy's THE WICKER MAN resembles) is wonderful in showing how slightly odd the village is and the slowly encroaching way in which Gwen begins to realize something is not right. Kneale was always good at showing the effects that paranormal or occult beliefs could have on modern society and how non-believers would slowly come to the realization that logic can't explain them away. The film also touches on the "sins of colonialism" that other horror films such as THE OBLONG BOX (1969) would explore.

    The feeling of dread is beautifully maintained through the first part of the film with such things a headless doll in the crock of a tree and oddly enough a sheep stampede and the opening Africa sequence is pretty terrifying. The plot comes apart a bit toward the end of the movie with interpretive dancing and a bizarre climax that will have you re-watching it just for Kay Walsh's off the rails performance one of the more out-there devil-worshipping sequences ever committed to film. Walsh (who at one time was married to David Lean) almost walks away with film with a performance that grows more bizarre by the minute, although Fontaine is quite good and carries an air of old Hollywood glamour about her even while recoiling and screaming in the face of occult puppets.
   With Arthur Grant's cinematography, it's a beautiful looking film and the bright sunshiny exteriors contrasting with the dark goings-on in the village.  Although Hammer's bare breast and blood era were still a few years ahead even for 1966 THE WITCHES seems a bit chaste as we get a fully clothed orgy.  Director Cyril Frankel also directed the powerful NEVER TAKE SWEETS FROM A STRANGER in 1960 for Hammer and THE WITCHES is filled with a host of familiar English faces including Duncan Lamont from QUATERMASS AND THE PIT ("are you insured..?, it's good to be insured...) as a grinning almost maniacal butcher who gleefully skins rabbits and Leonard Rossiter (DEADLIER THAN THE MALE 1967) as the village doctor.

BURN, WITCH, BURN 1962

aka NIGHT OF THE EAGLE

"Do the undead demons of hell still arise to terrify the world ??"

     One of the highlights (and one of the scariest) of early 1960's British horror cinema BURN, WITCH, BURN shares some some plot points with Jacques Tourneur's masterful NIGHT OF THE DEMON from 1957 as they both show how the forces of ancient evil intrude on a modern academic setting. Although dealing more with voodoo BURN, WITCH, BURN does fit neatly in with the British "folk horror" genre of the period. Originally titled NIGHT OF THE EAGLE in England (which as a title is actually more in the tune with the proceedings then the American re-titling), it was based upon the 1943 Fritz Leiber novel Conjure Wife which had previously been adapted by Universal as WEIRD WOMAN (starring Lon Chaney Jr. as one of the Inner Sanctum movies) in 1944.
    Scripted by the one-two punch of Richard Matheson and Charles Beaumont this was co-produced by A.I.P. who for U.S. audiences added a hyperbole filled opening narration by Paul Frees who intoned a spell to protect audience members against evil. During the initial theatrical run lucky patrons were given a printed copy of the spell to say along with Frees, in addition a special packet of salt was handed out to help ward off the evil spirits (how cool is that.. !)

     Norman Taylor (Peter Wyngarde - Quint in 1961's THE INNOCENTS) plays Norman Taylor a psychology professor who teaches at suitably Gothic looking English college. Prof. Taylor is currently lecturing on superstitions which he expounds to class by dramatically writing on the blackboard "I Do Not Believe !" (which will figure in the film's nail biting climax). Seemingly having a perfect life (pretty wife, pending promotion, handsome English country home and a cottage by the sea) Taylor also seems oblivious to various back-stabbing and gossip which permeates the college - mostly dealing with the proposed promotion that he's in line for. His highly strung wife Tansey (American born TV favorite Janet Blair) believes that various forces are conspiring against him and that the only way to protect him is by her use of voodoo and witchcraft which she had previously discovered on a Jamaica vacation.
    One night Norman discovers her collection of witchey accouterments including graveyard dirt, petrified spiders, roots and various creepy little bric-a-brac. He summarily burns them in a fireplace (in one the films creepier moments a spider scuttles out of the fire unnoticed while at the same time Tansey upstairs in bed brushes an unseen object off her neck) and is highly disturbed that she had possessed them.

     Almost immediately things began to go wrong for Taylor as a flirtatious student accuses him of rape, her boyfriend threatens physical violence and in a truly scary sequence late one night during a thunderstorm someone (or something...) attempts to break into their home. Later Tansy goes into a trance and attempts to stab her husband with a tell tale limp suddenly afflicting her which helps point Norman toward his nemesis.
    The films basic plot concerning a man of reason & learning coming against unknown and evil forces while all the time trying to explain them away has been used before (such as in NIGHT OF THE DEMON), but BURN WITCH BURN does present the skeptical leading man in more sympathetic terms. Taylor's character is shown as something more then just condescending & bull headed (such as Dana Andrews was in NIGHT OF THE DEMON) and there comes across some genuine affection between Norman and Tansey. They're quite good together and one of more believable married couples I've come across in a genre film and there's quite a touching moment when Tansey offers her life instead of Norman's during one of her ceremonies.

     The film while not a "jump scare" experience is filled with creepy little asides & sounds, unseen things in shadowy corners and close-ups of the unnerving little witchcraft totems used by the film's protagonists - all of which makes it a movie best experienced at night with lights off (and hopefully rain pattering against the window). Beautifully shot in atmospheric B&W by Reginald H. Wyer (ISLAND OF TERROR) this was directed by Sidney Hayers, who though somewhat forgotten today also directed the wonderfully lurid & bloody CIRCUS OF HORRORS (1960) and the underrated thriller INN OF FRIGHTENED PEOPLE (aka REVENGE) from 1971.

      Along with excellent work by the two leads the film features a nice compact cast of British character actors including Anthony Nicholls (THE OMEN 1976), Colin Gordon (THE PSYCHOPATH 1966), Reginald Beckwith (THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE 1961) and Kathleen Byron who was unforgettable as a mentally unbalanced nun in Michael Powell's BLACK NARCISSUS from 1946. Best of all however is Margaret Johnson who plays a teacher and rival of Taylor's. With her permanently leering and/or crooked face she makes full use of Matheson's and Beaumont's richly written dialogue as she adds a touch of bile to even her most off-handed remarks and in the process almost steals the entire film from its leads (and you'll never forgot those unnerving close-ups).
      Peter Cushing was originally cast for lead but bowed out to do CAPTAIN CLEGG with Peter Finch next lined up before he too bailed out. As wonderful as Cushing would have been here, there's really nothing to fault in Wyngarde's performance and the plot seems to work better with the two leads being closer in age then Cushing would have been to Janet Blair.
      Previously available on a MOD DVD from MGM, this was recently acquired by Kino for release on blu-ray which features a luminous transfer of the U.S. version and happily ports over Matheson's commentary from the laser disc (that was missing on the DVD- which makes for another laser I can retire) and for a bonus adds a nice little interview with Wyngarde.

All Above Screen Grabs Are From The Kino Lorber Blu-Ray