News

Courtesy of StudioCanal

by James Cameron-wilson

I have always been aware of the 1969 British film A Touch of Love, but I knew relatively little about it other than it starred Sandy Dennis and Ian McKellen. The title is misleading, to say the least, and the author of its screenplay, Margaret Drabble, was not happy with it either – the title, that is. Neither was she wild about the American moniker, Thank You All Very Much. Neither really sums up the content or the tone of the film, which was adapted by Dame Margaret from her own 1965 novel The Millstone, the name of which the producers, horror tycoons Max Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky, were none too happy with, either. Being a restored title as part of StudioCanal’s Vintage Classics Collection, it does though offer considerable historical merit and had a significant impact on changing the attitude and practices of the NHS.

Following its very successful crowdfunding campaign, Amicus Productions was resurrected, with plans to develop a brand new horror anthology film, the first from Amicus since 1974's Beyond the Grave. In the tradition of films like Tales From the Crypt and Asylum, In the Grip of Terror has been in production, and we have first-look photos from the film's The One-Way Ward segment, starring Jane Merrow, Megan Tremethick, Jonathan Hansler, and Chris Capaldi:

"Amicus Productions, the iconic British horror brand synonymous with classic anthology films, proudly announces the participation of legendary screen actress and Golden Globe nominee Jane Merrow (The Lion in Winter, The System) in its highly anticipated return to the genre. Merrow stars as Matron Margaret, a commanding figure in the chilling hospital-set segment The One-Way Ward, inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s horror short story Cool Air.

Joining Jane Merrow is Megan Tremethick (Ghost Crew, The Slave and...

In 1992, New Line Cinema thought they had a surefire hit on their hands in the form of Stephen King's The Lawnmower Man. Having served as the author for countless bestsellers and the inspiration for numerous movie adaptations that became massive box office success stories, New Line couldn't have been happier to be in the Stephen King business. Then, everything went horrifyingly wrong.

When the final cut of The Lawnmower Man hit theaters, it bore such little resemblance to Stephen King's initial story that the master of horror was absolutely fuming. He was so angry that he decided to take action. King gathered together a collection of high-priced lawyers, sued New Line Cinema, and won. Little did King know that his association with The Lawnmower Man wasn't over yet.

Related Stephen King Called This 21-Year-Old Adaptation a Train Wreck (& He's Right)

Dreamcatcher is one of Stephen King's best literary works,...

I'm sure you all know the famous, then-shocking twist of Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho." Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) is set up as the film's protagonist; the opening scene is an intimate moment between her and lover Sam Loomis (John Gavin), who can't commit until he pays his debts. So, she impulsively steals $40,000 from her boss' client. Surely the movie will be about her on the run.

Well, it is for a while, but then she makes it to the Bates Motel. She chats up polite young innkeeper Norman (Anthony Perkins), but his elderly mother sure seems creepy. With an hour to go, Marion is murdered by a knife-wielding assailant in the motel shower (a scene so scary it left Leigh scared of showers). The film's second half becomes a new story about Sam and Marion's sister Lila (Vera Miles) investigating her disappearance. They stumble onto the truth -- that Marion was killed by Norman,...

New month, new horror recommendations from Deep Cuts Rising. This installment features selections reflecting the month of April 2024.

Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.

This month’s offerings include telepathic plants, ecological horrors, and a lot of killer cats.

The Uncanny (1977)

Pictured: The Uncanny (1977)

Directed by Denis Héroux.

The Uncanny is a two-for kind of deal: it works for both National Pet Day (April 11) and Tell a Story Day (April 27). Here we have Peter Cushing‘s character talking at length about the evils of cats, with his three examples fleshing out this singular anthology. And while this film is often mistaken for an Amicus production, it was, in fact, made by The Rank Organisation. However, Amicus co-founder Milton Subotsky was also a co-producer.

The Uncanny has a tendency to be one-note in...

Quick Links The Creation of Doctor Who and the Daleks on the BBC How Dr. Who and the Daleks Starring Peter Cushing Came to Be Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. Doesn't Feature Dr. Who In the Title The Legacy of the Peter Cushing Dr. Who Films

After the series debut in 1963 on the BBC, Doctor Who wasn't an instant sensation until the second serial introduced the Daleks. At the time, the producers and BBC executives responsible for the show couldn't have imagined it would still be going strong 60 years later. While movies often made the transition to television, it was practically unheard of for a TV show to become a feature film. However, because of the popularity of the Doctor and the Daleks, a pair of Doctor Who films starring Peter Cushing were commissioned. There was no telling in the early days how long Doctor Who would go on. In fact,...

The episode of The Test of Time covering Motel Hell was Written by Andrew Hatfield, Narrated by Niki Minter, Edited by Mike Conway, Produced by John Fallon and Tyler Nichols, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

Copycat movies have been a thing forever. You can look at the broader scope and consider that most slasher movies became copycat in one way or another. A supernatural killer, excessive gore and nudity, and even the high body counts. That style of horror movies could become a dime a dozen. Twin films are similar, but they are made at roughly the same time and actually trying to release first to beat the other to market so as to not be seen as an attempted clone of the other studios idea. Boiling it down even further, some copycats go beyond just the themes and even try to take direct elements from the previous movie that made money.

Amicus Relaunch Bid Smashes Crowdfunding Goal in Less Than 24 Hours: "An ambitious campaign to revive the iconic British horror studio has reached its £60K funding goal in just 11 hours as fans from around the world rally around the project.

Thanks to this hugely successful funding drive, Amicus is now set to return with its first film for decades, ‘In the Grip of Terror’, a portmanteau feature harking back to the company's best-loved titles such as 'Dr. Terror's House of Horrors' (1965), 'Tales from the Crypt' (1972), and 'Asylum' (1972).

Since the announcement last month of the rebirth of Amicus, the team behind the project has received an incredible outpouring of support from the horror community, culminating in the launch of their record-breaking Kickstarter campaign. The team is seeking funds to produce 'In the Grip of Terror', and in return offering various perks, from Collector's Edition physical copies to exclusive merchandise,...

After decades in the shadows, the legendary Amicus Productions is set for a grand revival thanks to the team at Hex Studios. Their upcoming film, ‘In the Grip of Terror’, seeks to honor the classic studio’s legacy while forging a new chapter in British horror.

Drawing inspiration from iconic films like ‘Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors’ (1965), ‘Tales from the Crypt’ (1972), and ‘Asylum’ (1972), the new portmanteau feature will spotlight four tales rooted in the works of revered authors such as H.P. Lovecraft, Ambrose Bierce, and E.F Benson. With a central theme of medical macabre, the film promises to be a chilling experience. While the full cast list is under wraps, it will feature UK horror stalwarts like Laurence R. Harvey (Human Centipede II) and emerging stars Megan Tremethick (Ghost Crew) Jonathan Hansler (The Devil’s Machine) and Michael Daviot (Revenge of Innsmouth).

Guiding the ambitious resurrection is the new president of Amicus Productions,...

A legendary British film company, known for classics including Tales from the Crypt and The Vault of Horror, as well as Scream and Scream Again, The House That Dripped Blood, Madhouse, and The Beast Must Die, Amicus Productions largely operated between 1962 and 1977, and we’ve learned this week that a fresh revival of the company is on the way.

The press release informs us, “After decades in the shadows, the legendary Amicus Productions is set for a grand revival thanks to the team at Hex Studios.

“Their upcoming film, In the Grip of Terror, seeks to honor the classic studio’s legacy while forging a new chapter in British horror.”

Drawing inspiration from iconic films like Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1965), Tales from the Crypt (1972), and Asylum (1972), the new portmanteau feature will spotlight four tales rooted in the works of revered authors such as H.P. Lovecraft, Ambrose Bierce, and E.F Benson.

Horror fans of all ages have wonderful memories of Amicus Productions, who made their name with classic anthology horror films like Tales from the Crypt, The Vault of Horror, Asylum, and many more! In an exciting bit of news that just came our way, Lawrie Brewster announced that he and Sarah Daly have resurrected Amicus (in collaboration with the family of Amicus founder Milton Subotsky), and will be moving forward with their first project, titled In the Grip of Terror:

After decades in the shadows, the legendary Amicus Productions is set for a grand revival thanks to the team at Hex Studios. Their upcoming film, 'In the Grip of Terror', seeks to honor the classic studio's legacy while forging a new chapter in British horror.

Drawing inspiration from iconic films like 'Dr. Terror's House of Horrors' (1965), 'Tales from the Crypt' (1972), and 'Asylum' (1972), the new portmanteau feature...

Though they were only around for a short time the legacy of the British horror house, Amicus Productions, has resonated throughout the global horror community since its fifteen years run between 1962 and 1977. Amicus, founded by American producers and screenwriters Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg, is best remembered for its series of seven portmanteau horror anthologies. Their films starred horror icons the likes of Peter Cushing, and Christopher Lee and up-and-coming genre stars like Donald Sutherland and Tom Baker. Well, good news for fans of the Amicus brand, they’re back, baby. Filmmaker Lawrie Brewster and his business partner Sarah Daly have been working together with the Subotsky family to resurrect the brand. They announced the first title with the relaunch, In the...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Iconic British horror label Amicus Productions is resurrecting with anthology film “In the Grip of Terror.”

Based at Shepperton Studios, Amicus was founded by American producers and screenwriters Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg and was active between 1962 and 1977. The outfit was mainly known for their portmanteau or anthology films featuring four or five horror shorts each, including “Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors” (1965), “Torture Garden” (1967), “The House That Dripped Blood” (1971), “Tales from the Crypt” (1972), “Asylum” (1972), “Vault of Horror” (1973) and “From Beyond the Grave” (1974). A galaxy of stars including Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Joan Collins, Donald Sutherland, Herbert Lom and Patrick Magee starred in the films.

With a central theme of medical macabre, “In the Grip of Terror” will draw inspiration from “Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors,” “Tales from the Crypt” and “Asylum” and will spotlight four tales rooted in the works of revered authors such as H.P. Lovecraft, Ambrose Bierce and E.F Benson.

A few months ago, while covering Hex Studios’ fantasy film throwback The Slave and the Sorcerer, we also mentioned that Hex was also working to “build a new British horror and fantasy studio that’s inspired by the likes of Cannon, Hammer, and Aip”. Now their endeavor has taken a mind-blowing leap forward: Hex Studios has announced they’re working with the family of late producer Milton Subotsky to resurrect Amicus Productions! Hex co-founder Lawrie Brewster is set to be the president of the revived Amicus… and their first project will be exactly the sort of movie Amicus is best remembered for: a horror portmanteau (or anthology) film called In the Grip of Terror!

Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg founded Amicus Productions in the early ’60s, and from 1962 to 1977 they produced nearly thirty films, including Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors, Dr. Who and the Daleks, The Skull, The Psychopath,...

The episode of The Test of Time covering Tales from the Hood was Written by Andrew Hatfield, Narrated by Niki Minter, Edited by Mike Conway, Produced by John Fallon and Tyler Nichols, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

For the most part on this show, we are looking at certified classics to see if they still hold up. For the most part, anyway. Looking at you C.H.U.D. We try to look at everything from the cinematography and direction to the acting and special effects. Sometimes though the story ends up being the most important aspect of the movie. Every now and then a movie needs a reappraisal even when it wasn’t a hit at the time or seen as a classic. Look at what happened to The Thing. From box office dud (even though that has been blown out of proportion) and critical hatred to topping...

Halloween is over, but we keep the horror movie recommendations coming your way all year long with our Best Horror Movie You Never Saw video series. Today’s new episode takes a look back at the 1972 film Tales from the Crypt (watch it Here), which was inspired by the same EC Comics series that also inspired the popular HBO series. You can find out all about it by checking out the video embedded above!

Directed by Freddie Francis from a screenplay written by Milton Subotsky, Tales from the Crypt has the following synopsis:

When people in a tourist group get lost within ancient catacombs, they meet the sinister Crypt Keeper, who tells them each their fate. The creepy figure’s macabre stories involve Joanne Clayton, a wife dabbling in murder, and Grymsdyke, a retired sanitation worker targeted by his suspicious neighbors. Among the other characters is adulterer Carl Maitland, who...

Filmed in glorious Technicolor, these imaginative 1960s instalments focused on the much-loved baddies, with Peter Cushing’s Doctor in Edwardian-inventor mode

Some Whovian retro thrills are on offer here with the re-release of the two quasi-canonical Doctor Who feature films of the 1960s: Dr Who and the Daleks from 1965, and Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 Ad the following year. These were Technicolor adventures brought to the British public by the American writer-producer Milton Subotsky under his Amicus Productions banner, known more for horror. They were adapted from existing TV plotlines and capitalised on the runaway popularity of the sinister Daleks, with their hysterically enraged metallic voices and their strange arm-pieces: all Daleks were issued with the weapon arm to zap people, but for the second, some had a claw-type grabber and others had the sink-plunger thing whose purpose is not shown here.

Peter Cushing is the Doctor, very much in the William Hartnell mode: an elegant,...

I've worked remotely for more than 15 years, so the transition to pandemic life wasn't as jarring as it was for some, but even I wasn't mentally prepared for will likely be 2+ years of us being in lockdown. It's been a real struggle to watch anything that's super serious (I'm still waiting to see Relic!), and I've turned to some of my favorites as horror movie comfort food, including... The Monster Club!

Those who have listened to our Corpse Club podcast over the years know that this has been a favorite of mine for quite some time now. It's easily the movie I've watched the most in the last ten years and no other movie comes close, but it isn't nostalgia driving my interest in re-watching this. I didn't see the movie until maybe 10-15 years ago, but thanks to the Code Red Blu-ray release, it's been a regular watch ever since.

They Came From Beyond Space, the Amicus Productions’ 60s sci-fi horror from the legendary director Freddie Francis is available to buy on Blu-ray for the first time and on DVD and digital formats from 8th March 2021. To mark the release we’ve been given 2 copies to give away on Blu-ray.

Starring Robert Hutton, Jennifer Jayne, Zia Mohyeddin and Bernard Kay They Came From Beyond Space was written by Milton Subotsky, the acclaimed screenwriter of Dr Who and the Daleks and Tales from the Crypt, adapted from the book ‘The Gods Hate Kansas’ by Joseph Millard. An enjoyably camp B-movie, the Amicus producers followed in the tradition of 50s classics such as Invasion of the Bodysnatchers adding some 60s kitsch-styling and ingenious low-budget special effects to this British retro treat.

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Open to UK residents only...

It’s Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing together in a horror picture, a formula no shock feature fan can resist. Most of us remember staring at the beautiful full-color photo of Chris Lee in monster makeup in Denis Gifford’s picture book about horror movies. Yet this has remained one of the pair’s most obscure items, at least as a quality presentation. Powerhouse Indicator’s expert added value items put all the rumors to rest, including the question that’s been repeated through the years — where’s the legendary 3-D version? Or perhaps more to the point, was there really a 3-D version? And then there’s the other question — is the movie any good?

I, Monster

Region B Blu-ray

Powerhouse Indicator

1971 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 75, 81 min. / Street Date September 28, 2020 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £15.99

Starring: Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Mike Raven, Richard Hurndall, George Merritt, Kenneth J. Warren.

Cinematography:...

Dr. Who and the Daleks/Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.

Blu ray

Kino Lorber

1965, 1966 / 82, 84 min.

Starring Peter Cushing, Bernard Cribbens

Cinematography by John Wilcox

Directed by Gordon Flemyng

The story of Doctor Who turns on a distinctly British conceit; our hero, a grandfatherly type usually found puttering in the garden, is in fact an alien in human form who does his puttering in a time-traveling laboratory disguised as a police box—a notion Roald Dahl might have dreamed up during one of his rare good moods.

It premiered on BBC One, November 23, 1963, the day after the Kennedy assassination (the start of the show was delayed by news updating the tragedy). British character actor William Hartnell portrayed the first Doctor to man the controls of the cosmic phone booth, followed by Patrick Troughton in 1966 and Jon Pertwee in 1970 and on and on—Jodie Whittaker currently carries the mantle and made history...

Welcome my friends, to the stories that always end…usually in a tidy 15 or 20 minutes to be precise. Yes, we’re back in anthology land with a title that became Amicus’ modus operandi (and money makers) for the next decade, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1965). While this isn’t my favorite Amicus omnibus (it’s still good!), it is their first and credit shall be paid.

Released Stateside in late February by Paramount, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors did very well with audiences, giving Amicus a reliable hook for their future releases; while they didn’t focus solely on portmanteaus (they released The Skull the same year), those did become what they were known for.

And rightly so; Dr. Terror sets up a formula that works: well known horror actors in short bursts of terror and humor, easy to digest. This one starts us off on a British passenger train...

Full disclosure: I’m not a cat guy. Sorry! Nothing against them, but I’ve always preferred the company of dogs. However, I’ve always admired a cat’s sense of self, and their stubborn refusal to do anything at all unless it’s on their own terms. According to The Uncanny (1977), that would also include murder, as these kitties claw and bite their way to vengeance, and leave it to Severin Films to give them a brand spanking new Blu-ray litter box to play in.

A co-production between Canada’s Cinévidéo and the UK’s The Rank Organisation, The Uncanny was shot in Quebec and England for less than a million dollars. One may presume that a solid portion of the film was spent on acquiring Donald Pleasence, Peter Cushing, Ray Milland, John Vernon, and Samantha Eggar for the wraparound and the three individual segments. It certainly wasn’t...

Before we say goodbye to the month of May, we have one final day of Blu-ray and DVD releases ahead of us, and it’s an eclectic bunch of titles, to say the least. If you missed them in theaters earlier this year, Gaspar Noé’s Climax as well as Neil Jordan’s Greta hit both formats this Tuesday, and for you David Lynch lovers out there, Criterion is showing Blue Velvet some much-deserved love with their brand-new release of the cult classic as well.

Scream Factory is doing the dark lord’s work with their new Blus for both When A Stranger Calls Back and The Alligator People, and Severin Films is bringing home The Uncanny in HD for the first time ever this week.

Other home media releases for May 28th include Double Impact, Near Extinction, Splatter Farm, and a Shark Attack 3-Pack.

The Alligator People

Terror in the Bayou!

Looking to add some scares to your viewing slate this summer? Severin Films has you covered (in blood) with their upcoming May Blu-ray releases that include The Uncanny, the wrestling horror movie Masked Mutilator, and Saint Bernard from writer, director, and makeup effects master Gabe Bartalos:

"This May, Severin Films is unleashing three visionary films that only the strongest viewers will be able to witness without losing their sanity. May 28th brings the long- awaited disc debut of the classic anthology horror The Uncanny, starring Peter Cushing & Ray Milland. May 14th sees the arrival of two brand-new, very different, outsider visions: FX guru Gabe Bartalos’ unhinged St. Bernard breaks down the barriers of good taste and Masked Mutilator splatters the blood of the wrestling ring all over Severin’s sub-label Intervision Picture Corp.

The Uncanny:

In 1977, legendary Amicus co-founder Milton Subotsky teamed with Canadian producer Claude Héroux for the anthology shocker CelluloidDiaries.

Amicus tries for class-act science fiction: lifelong coma sleeper Terence Stamp is revived as an ‘adult baby’ and must be educated in a medical psychology lab. But hey, Doctors Nigel Davenport and Robert Vaughn differ on how to raise children! The bouncing baby Cockney is soon an infantile Clockwork Orange, defying his minders and running away to see the world for himself. No, you can’t explain youth rebellion that easily…

The Mind of Mr. Soames

Blu-ray

Powerhouse Indicator

1970 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 98 min. / Street Date September 24, 2018 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £14.99

Starring: Terence Stamp, Robert Vaughn, Nigel Davenport, Christian Roberts, Donal Donnelly, Dan Jackson, Vickery Turner, Judy Parfitt, Pamela Moiseiweisch.

Cinematography: Billy Williams

Film Editor: Bill Blunden

Original Music: Michael Dress

Written by John Hale, Edward Simpson, from a book by Charles Eric Maine

Produced by Max Rosenberg & Milton Subotsky

Directed by Alan Cooke

I’m not sure that the...

When it comes to anthologies, no one scratches my omnibus itch better than Amicus. From Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1965) to (my personal favorite) Tales from the Crypt (1972) through From Beyond the Grave (’74), time and again they served up slivers of ghoulish goodness, succinct and delectable. Asylum (1972) is no different; as a matter of fact, to its advantage it probably has the best wraparound of any horror anthology, which helps set it apart.

Released in the U.K. in July with a rollout stateside by Cinerama Releasing Corporation in November, Asylum did well in its homeland, but fared less with the critics; Roger Ebert’s bizarre (yet humorous) two star review focuses completely on producer (and Amicus co-founder) Max J. Rosenberg’s obsession with coleslaw. Splayed cabbage aside, Asylum holds up as a witty multistory film with a wicked denouement and (as usual) solid work from legendary writer Robert Bloch...

The frights of Horror Hotel are back in an improved presentation in this 2018 Limited Edition. Set in New England but filmed in Old England, this creepy shocker is a favorite not just for the presence of Christopher Lee, but also the wonderfully mortiferous Patricia Jessel and the cadaverous Valentine Dyall.

The City of the Dead

Remastered Limited Edition Blu-ray

Vci

1960 / B&W /1:66 widescreen / 78 min. / Horror Hotel / Street Date March 27, 2018 / 12.89

Starring: Venetia Stevenson, Patricia Jessel, Christopher Lee, Betta St. John, Valentine Dyall, Dennis Lotis, Tom Naylor, Ann Beach, Norman Macowan.

Cinematography: Desmond Dickinson

Production Designer: John Blezard

Film Editor: John Pomeroy

Original Music: Douglas Gamley, Kenneth V. Jones

Written by George Baxt from a story by Milton Subotsky

Produced by Max Rosenberg, Milton Subotsky, Donald Taylor

Directed by John Moxey

Vci has released an improved Blu-ray of The City of the Dead, hereby designated their Remastered 2018 Limited Edition. Having been...

Robert Bloch and Milton Subotsky may have helped to codify the Giallo in this murder thriller but the results are not up to even the shaky standards of Amicus. That said, horror fans are going to flock to get their hands on a big color & ‘scope release that’s gone missing for decades. It’s a significant ‘save’ by Kino Lorber.

The Psychopath

Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1966 / Color / 2:35 widescreen Techniscope / 82 min. / Street Date April 10, 2018 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95

Starring: Patrick Wymark, Margaret Johnston, John Standing, Alexander Knox, Judy Huxtable, Don Borisenko, Thorley Walters, Robert Crewdson, Harold Lang, Gina Gianelli, Greta Farrer, John Harvey.

Cinematography: John Wilcox

Film Editor: Oswald Hafenrichter

Art Direction: Bill Constable

Original Music: Elisabeth Lutyens

Written by Robert Bloch

Produced by Max Rosenberg, Milton Subotsky

Directed by Freddie Francis

A look at the cast and crew of The Psychopath raises one’s hopes. Good actors Patrick...

The Amicus Collection

Blu-ray

Severin

1972, ’73, ’74/ 1:85 / 88 Min., 91 Min., 93 Min. / January 16, 2018

Starring Peter Cushing, Herbert Lom, Patrick Magee, Calvin Lockhart

Cinematography by Denys Coop, Jack Hildyard

Written by Robert Bloch

Music by Douglas Gamley,

Produced by Milton Subotsky, Max Rosenberg

Directed by Roy Ward Baker, Paul Annett

Released in 1956, Rock, Rock, Rock was a bantamweight jukebox musical bolstered by the presence of three indelible signifiers of 50’s pop culture, rabble-rousing DJ Alan Freed, Hollywood’s perennial Lolita Tuesday Weld and guitar slinging provocateur Chuck Berry. Produced by Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg, the movie’s success inspired the New York-born duo to pack up shop and move to England where they founded Amicus Productions.

Hedging their bets, the fledgling company followed in the footsteps of both Aip and Hammer, putting one foot in teensploitation and the other into a line of shockers with a supernatural bent. To their credit their initial...

Welcome back for another week of horror and sci-fi home entertainment releases, readers! January 16th features plenty of intriguing offerings, from cult classics to sequels of cult classics to even a few recent films as well. If you happened to miss Blade Runner 2049, Happy Death Day, or The Snowman in theaters, all three are making their way home this Tuesday. Severin Films has put together The Amicus Collection (which features Asylum, And Now The Screaming Starts and The Beast Must Die), and Scream Factory is giving Eye of the Cat the Blu-ray treatment as well.

Beyond Skyline is also coming to Blu on January 16th, and for all you Joe Dante fans out there, Shout Select has put together a Collector’s Edition release of Matinee that looks like it’s a must-have.

The Amicus Collection (Severin Films, Blu-ray)

Known as The Studio That Dripped Blood, the British film...

With Christmas now only a week away, there’s a big day of genre-related home entertainment releases to look forward to in the meantime, just in case you were in need of some last-minute gift ideas (or if you were looking to spoil yourself, which is totally cool). Easily my most anticipated Blu-ray release for all of 2017, Synapse Films' stunning 4K restoration of Suspiria gets the royal treatment via an incredible three-disc limited edition Steelbook set this Tuesday, and Severin Films is also keeping busy with their HD upgrade of The Amicus Collection, which includes Asylum, And Now The Screaming Starts, and The Beast Must Die.

Other notable Blu-ray and DVD releases for December 19th include American Gothic, Leatherface, mother!, and the limited edition Steelbook for Donnie Darko.

American Gothic (Scream Factory, Blu-ray)

A new tale of terror from the director of The Legend of Hell House and The Incubus.

I’ve always had a great appreciation and fondness for horror anthologies, and I devoured horror comics as a kid; whether it was House of Mystery or Creepy magazine, they never failed to fire my imagination in short, sharp bursts. When the Romero/King collaboration Creepshow (1982) came out, my dream of seeing these kinds of stories translated to film was nothing but revelatory. I soon discovered it was not the first of its ilk, and began a journey through dusty video store shelves looking for its long-lost relatives. One of my first (and favorite) finds was Vault of Horror (1973), a five-fingered punch to my nascent, pubescent, omnibus-loving heart.

Released by Cinerama Releasing stateside in March and produced by Amicus (the fine folks behind its predecessor, Tales from the Crypt), Vault of Horror (aka The Vault of Horror, for the easily confused, I guess) was not as well received by critics as Tales,...

Severin Films will bring horror to the holidays this December with their box set of three 1970s movies from Amicus Productions, aka "The Studio That Dripped Blood."

Slated for a December 5th release, Severin Films' The Amicus Collection includes Blu-rays of Asylum, And Now the Screaming Starts, The Beast Must Die, and a bonus disc of interviews, trailers, and more.

Each remastered Blu-ray is packed with new special features that offer insights into the making of the movies and the creative minds behind each effort.

The Amicus Collection box set is priced at $54.99, and it's also available in a special bundle that includes a T-shirt, enamel pins, book, and artwork (for an overall price of $129.00). You can also pick up And Now the Screaming Starst and Asylum as individual Blu-rays for $24.99 apiece).

For more information about The Amicus Collection, we have the full release details, cover art images, and...

Before producers Max J. Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky hit upon their popular series of Amicus horror films they made a number of mainstream programmers through their own Vanguard Productions. This was the first. This minimalist excuse for a bunch of hot rock acts to do their stuff was Tuesday Weld’s film debut. Some say she spoofed this role in Lord Love a Duck, especially in the notorious department store scene.

An adaptation (that took things in a very different direction) of Stephen King's short story of the same name, The Lawnmower Man is coming out on a Collector's Edition Blu-ray from Scream Factory this June, and the movie's 4K makeover will be accompanied by plenty of special features, including new footage and interviews.

Press Release: A world where the normal course of events could suddenly turn inside out — the imaginary becomes real, and reality is all in your mind. Loyal fans of visionary filmmaker Brett Leonard (Virtuosity, Hideaway) know well the enthralling sci-fi action horror from his 1992 cult classic The Lawnmower Man, starring Jeff Fahey (Machete) and Pierce Brosnan (The Son). Directed by Brett Leonard (Virtuosity, Hideaway), the film also stars Jenny Wright (Near Dark) and Geoffrey Lewis (The Devil’s Rejects). On June 20, 2017, Scream Factory™ Home Entertainment is proud to present The Lawnmower Man Collector’s Edition. Available...

By Darren Allison

City of the Dead (Aka Horror Hotel) 1960 Directed by John Llewellyn Moxey, Starring Christopher Lee, Patricia Jessel, Venetia Stevenson, Betta St. John and Dennis Lotis. Arrow 2 disc Blu-ray and DVD released: 24th April 2017

When filming began on The City of the Dead, Christopher Lee was already established as a leading horror star. Hammer was paving the way with a new brand of horror and Lee had played a huge part in their success playing the Frankenstein monster, Dracula and the Mummy. The City of the Dead provided the perfect opportunity for Lee to spread his wings further within the genre by moving into the realms of witchcraft, the occult and American gothic.

Set in a small New England village (and hardly a city as the title suggests), Lee plays Professor Driscoll, an authority on the occult who persuades one of his students Nan Barlow (Venetia Stevenson) to research his hometown of Whitewood,...

Peter Cushing! Christopher Lee! Each is at the top of his game, playing competing collectors of occult incunabula — the kind that comes with a satanic curse, when the purloined item in question is the Skull Of The infamous, despicable and sharp-toothed Marquis De Sade! Freddie Francis directs up a storm in this amicable Amicus chiller: the mysterious skull-duggery is beautifully shot and edited, giving the horror scenes real Bite.

The Skull

Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1965 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 83 min. / Street Date March 14, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95

Starring: Peter Cushing, Patrick Wymark, Nigel Green, Jill Bennett, Michael Gough, Ceorge Couloris, Christopher Lee.

Cinematography: John Wilcox

Art Direction: Bill Constable

Film Editor: Oswald Hafenrichter

Original Music: Elisabeth Lutyens

Written by Milton Subotsky from a story by Robert Bloch

Produced by Milton Subotsky, Max J. Rosenberg

Directed by Freddie Francis

Nine years ago Legend Films brought us a DVD of this 1965 horror item,...

Well, I hope you guys have been saving your pennies, because there are a lot of great horror and sci-fi titles coming home on March 14th. Scream Factory is giving Firestarter the Collector’s Edition treatment this week, and both Drive-In Massacre and The Skull are being resurrected in HD as well.

If you missed them during their theatrical runs late last year, both The Love Witch and Paul Verhoeven’s award-winning thriller Elle are getting Blu-ray / DVD releases this Tuesday, and Demon Seed is making its way to Blu-ray as well (which I highly recommend watching if you haven't).

Other notable home entertainment titles for March 14th include Passengers, Z Nation Season 3, Johnny Frank Garrett’s Last Word, Stray Bullets, and The Man Who Could Cheat Death.

Drive-In Massacre (Severin Films, Blu-ray & DVD)

It was one of the few true slasher movies to pre-date Halloween and Friday The 13th,...

Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, two of the horror genre's greatest and classiest titans, star in The Skull, and Kino Lorber has revealed the special features and cover art for their upcoming Blu-ray and DVD release of the 1965 film.

From Kino Lorber Studio Classics: "Coming March 14th on DVD and Blu-ray!

The Skull (1965) with optional English subtitles

• Audio Commentary by Film Historian Tim Lucas

• Jonathan Rigby on The Skull" featurette (24:14)

• Kim Newman on The Skull" featurette (27:18)

• "Trailers From Hell" with Joe Dante

• Reversible Blu-ray Art

• Trailers"

Synopsis: "The skull of the Marquis de Sade has been taken from its grave, bringing terror to those who own it. Demonologist Christopher Maitland (Peter Cushing) is eager to add the piece to his occult collection. Despite the warnings of a friend (Christopher Lee), he's got to have it. And does he ever get it.

"The Skull (1965) Starring Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee,...

Kino Lorber has announced a new Blu-ray and DVD release of 1965's The Skull, starring two of the horror genre's greatest and classiest titans: Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.

While the Blu-ray / DVD cover art and special features for The Skull have not yet been revealed, we'll be sure to keep Daily Dead readers updated on further details. In the meantime, we have a look at Kino Lorber's official announcement below, as well as the film's poster and trailer. Will you be adding The Skull to your home media collection?

From Kino Lorber: "Coming Soon on DVD and Blu-ray! Bonus Features to be Announced Soon!

The Skull (1965) Starring Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Patrick Wymark, Jill Bennett, Nigel Green, Patrick Magee, Michael Gough, George Coulouris and Peter Woodthorpe - Based on story "The Skull of the Marquis de Sade" by Robert Bloch - Screenplay by Milton Subotsky - Directed...

From the mid sixties to the mid seventies, omnibus (or anthology, or portmanteau if you’re really fancy) horror films were big business. And Amicus Productions ruled the roost. Between ’65 and ’74 they released seven such films, starting with Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (not to be confused with Dr. Tongue’s Evil House of Pancakes) and culminating with From Beyond the Grave. Today’s film lands in the middle, The House that Dripped Blood (1971) showcasing a company just starting to hit their stride with anthologies.

Popularity of the omnibus format has ebbed and flowed throughout the last 50 years; after Amicus stopped making them, George Romero and Stephen King collaborated on one of the finest, Creepshow (1982), which didn’t so much kick start a revival as have everyone afraid to compete. Throughout the late ‘80s and ‘90s there were pockets of inspiration, Tales from the Hood (1995) and of course HBO...

This horror almost-classic has Christopher Lee and great atmosphere. Keep a sharp lookout for All Them Witches: they're not easy to spot... if you're as unobservant as Venetia Stevenson's sexy grad student. Were she studying sharks, this girl would wrap herself in fresh meat and jump into the middle of a mess of 'em. The City of the Dead Blu-ray Vci 1960 / B&W /1:78 widescreen / 78 min. / Horror Hotel / Street Date March 29, 2016 / 24.99 Starring Patricia Jessel, Dennis Lotis, Christopher Lee, Tom Naylor, Betta St. John, Venetia Stevenson, Valentine Dyall, Ann Beach, Norman Macowan. Cinematography Desmond Dickinson Production Designer John Blezard Film Editor John Pomeroy Original Music Douglas Gamley, Kenneth V. Jones Written by George Baxt from a story by Milton Subotsky Produced by Max Rosenberg, Milton Subotsky, Donald Taylor Directed by John Moxey

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

Interest has been high for Vci's new The City of the Dead, a movie...

or, Savant picks The Most Impressive Discs of 2015

This is the actual view from Savant Central, looking due North.

What a year! I was able to take one very nice trip back East too see Washington D.C. for the first time, or at least as much as two days' walking in the hot sun and then cool rain would allow. Back home in Los Angeles, we've had a year of extreme drought -- my lawn is looking patriotically ratty -- and we're expecting something called El Niño, that's supposed to be just shy of Old-Testament build-me-an-ark intensity. We withstood heat waves like those in Day the Earth Caught Fire, and now we'll get the storms part. This has been a wild year for DVD Savant, which is still a little unsettled. DVDtalk has been very patient and generous, and so have Stuart Galbraith & Joe Dante; so far everything...

Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing costar in a worthwhile horror attraction -- and for once even share some scenes. Amicus gives us five tales of the uncanny, each with a clever twist or sting in its tail. Creepy mountebank Cushing deals the Tarot cards that spell out the grim fates in store; Chris Lee is a pompous art critic wih a handy problem. Also with Michael Gough and introducing a young Donald Sutherland. Dr. Terror's House of Horrors Blu-ray Olive Films 1965 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 98 min. / Street Date October 27, 2015 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98 <Starring Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Michael Gough, Donald Sutherland, Alan Freeman, Max Adrian, Roy Castle, Ursula Howells, Neil McCallum, Bernard Lee, Jennifer Jayne, Jeremy Kemp, Harold Lang, Katy Wild, Isla Blair, Al Mulock. Cinematography Alan Hume Film Editor Thelma Cornell Original Music Elizabeth Lutyens Written by Milton Subotsky Produced by Max Rosenberg, Milton Subotsky Directed by...

Horror comics and magazines filled my shelves as a kid, titles such as Creepy, Eerie, House of Secrets and The Witching Hour weakening my eyes and troubling my sleep. I simply could not get enough of them. However, when I discovered that there were films made in the same multistory, blood soaked spirit, well, I forgot about sleep altogether. My first stop was Creepshow (1982), and delighted with that, I made my way back through earlier (and gentler) excursions of terror. Step right up ladies and gentlemen! Enter the Torture Garden (1967), a carnival exhibit where the evils of man are laid before you…for a price.

Released by Columbia Pictures November ’67 in the U.K. and July ’68 in North America, Torture Garden was the second film of Amicus Productions (Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (’65) being the first) that followed the omnibus format. Amicus, started by producers Max Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky,...

Vincent Price's diabolical surgeon produces a new breed of supermen, except that his latest 'composite' creation is also a serial-killing vampire. While the mayhem keeps the cops busy,  the conspiracy spreads to a foreign dictatorship, where another composite is consolidating power through high-level murders. British agent Christopher Lee is ferreting out the conspiracy-- or is he part of it? Scream and Scream Again Blu-ray Twilight Time Limited Edition 1969 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 95 min. / Ship Date October 13, 2015 / available through Twilight Time Movies / 29.95 Starring Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Alfred Marks, Christopher Matthews, Judy Huxtable, Yutte Stensgaard, Anthony Newlands, Michael Gothard Cinematography John Coquillon Production Design Bill Constable Film Editor Peter Elliott Original Music David Whitaker Written by Christopher Wicking from a novel by Peter Saxon Produced by Louis M. Heyward, Max Rosenberg, Milton Subotsky Directed by Gordon Hessler

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

Scream and Scream Again hangs in there as a genre curiosity,...

Stars: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Patrick Wymark, Jill Bennett, Nigel Green, Patrick Magee, Peter Woodthorpe, Michael Gough, George Coulouris | Written by Milton Subotsky | Directed by Freddie Francis

For fans of Hammer Horror films, Amicus was another studio that felt comfortably close to its style, yet just different enough to bring more diversity to your horror taste. With The Skull, Amicus brought together horror icons Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in yet another story of the dangers of the darker side of life…

The Skull sees Cushing star as Dr. Maitland a collector of strange and unusual artefacts. When he buys a skull said to be that of the Marquis De Sade, he ignores the warnings from fellow collector Sir Matthew Phillips (Christopher Lee) of the dangers of owning it. As the skull soon begins to take control of his mind, he soon realises the danger he has put himself and his wife in,...

Popular in the 1960s and early 1970s with more rare appearances in the 1980s, 1990s and the 2000s, the anthology-style horror film has made a solid resurgence in recent years with such portmanteau releases as The ABCs of Death films and the V/H/S series.

With Mexico Barbaro, Fear Paris and other projects in various stages of completion, the anthology horror film looks to continue to be an important part of the horror cinema landscape.

Some anthology films employ a framing or wraparound sequence in an attempt to connect the segments that make up the film while others dispense with this classic Amicus-style approach entirely and simply present a collection of short films connected by genre.

Either way, a horror anthology film is ultimately about the quality of its individual segments and this article will take you on a tour of the greatest horror anthology segments of all time.

Here's another installment featuring Joe Dante's reviews from his stint as a critic for Film Bulletin circa 1969-1974. Our thanks to Video Watchdog and Tim Lucas for his editorial embellishments!

Which one is the werewolf? Finding the answer makes a neat gimmick, smart promotion of which should make this otherwise tame British import a strong contender in ballyhoo markets. Rating: PG.

This British horror mystery has a good audience‑participation gimmick going for it: a "Werewolf Break," during which the story stops to allow viewers to shout out the name of whichever suspicious character they think is the werewolf that's been wiping out other cast members. Reminiscent of the sort of surefire gimmickry that William Castle specialized in during the early '60s, this bit is being shrewdly promoted by the always showmanship‑minded Cinerama Releasing, and should boost The Beast Must Die to good grosses in fast saturation playoff.