HEADS UP, THUNDERBIRDS FANS!

Due for release soon is this trio of classic Gerry Anderson TV show boxed sets in Hi-Def and loads of extras.

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Space Precinct 2040 30th Anniversary Blu-Ray Collector's Edition Box Set

Suggested retail price: $99.95

Step into the future of alien adventures and celebrate the past with our collector’s edition of Space Precinct. This fantastic 8-disc Blu-Ray set marks 30 years of Gerry Anderson’s beloved series, the definitive sci-fi police drama!

Presented in breathtaking HD for the first time, this edition is packed with every episode, every adventure and a galaxy of new, exclusive content. Highlights include a brand-new two-hour documentary by Gerry Anderson expert Chris Dale uncovering the creation and legacy of the show, and a delightful short film following everyone’s favourite robotic deputy, Slomo, in a thrilling new adventure.

Also included is an exclusive booklet written by Space Precinct cast member Richard James, offering behind-the-scenes insights to Demeter City. Plus a Space Cruiser Cutaway poster and Demeter City Money replica props, meticulously recreated for this anniversary edition.

This is the definitive collection every fan has been waiting for – a celebration ofSpace Precinct’s rich storytelling, imaginative design and enduring legacy. Whether you’re reliving the adventures or discovering them for the first time, this set captures the magic of Altor’s finest law enforcers in unprecedented detail.

Disc Special Features

• I Love This Job – 120 min new documentary
• Lost Little Robot – new Slomo mini-episode
• Series 2 test footage – never before released test of the unmade second series
• Exclusive episode commentaries
• Music and effects audio tracks for The Witness and Smelter Skelter
• Space Police: Star Laws – HD upscaled pilot
• Space Police: Cutting Copy – HD upscaled materials
• Space Police: Rushes – HD upscaled rushes
• The Fire Within and Deathwatch – HD upscaled feature length compilation versions
• The Making of Space Precinct – HD upscaled documentary
• Space Precinct: Creature Tests – HD upscaled
• Deleted scenes – HD upscaled
• Space Precinct TV segments – HD upscaled promotional clips
• Space Precinct trailer – HD upscaled promotional elements
• Assorted textless elements
• And much more!

More Extras

• Welcome to Demeter City – new booklet written by cast member Richard James
• Cruiser Cutaway poster – by artist Graham Bleathman
• Demeter City money – as seen in the series
• Collectors slipcase box - designed by Marcus Stamps
• Classification: 12
• Number of Discs: 8
• Picture: 1.33:1 / Colour / HD
• Subtitles: English
• Region: ABC

Space: 1999 The Complete Series Blu-Ray Collector's Box Set with Extras

Suggested retail price: $99.95

Attention All Sections Alpha: Prepare For Transmission! From Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, the legendary masterminds behind Thunderbirds, comes the epic sci-fi series, Space: 1999! September 1999: A nuclear waste dump on the lunar surface unexpectedly detonates, blasting the Moon out of Earth's orbit and taking the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha on an unbelievable voyage of discovery and adventure. Under the command of John Koenig (Martin Landau), the Alphans hurtle through the stars, encountering fantastic worlds and beings in a universe where peril awaits at every turn. Together, Koenig and the Alphans face the ultimate challenge in the farthest reaches of space: survive ... and find home. Also starring Barbara Bain as Dr. Helena Russell, Barry Morse as Victor Bergman, and Catherine Schell as Maya, Space: 1999 is a true classic of science fiction television, presented here in a deluxe box set with a galaxy's worth of special features that fans and newcomers alike will treasure. Strap yourselves in — the journey of a lifetime is about to begin!

A NOTE ON EPISODE ORDER Viewing Space: 1999 can sometimes be tricky for those looking to establish a clear, definitive timeline from episode to episode. This is due to a number of factors, including the nature of episodic television and its production at that time as compared to now, and the variance in airing dates from station to station and nation to nation. Ultimately, there are moments of character or storyline continuity that might seem out of place. While some fans have made excellent suggestions regarding a viewing order that makes the most sense, it is generally accepted that there is no single "correct" viewing order — only possibilities. With this in mind, we have presented Space: 1999 here in production order, as it is the most commonly accepted viewing order.

Space: 1999 features two DTS-HD Master Audio tracks, a 2.0 mono rendering presenting the show with its original broadcast audio presentation, and a 5.1 surround repurposing. The surround version is intermittently immersive, springing to life when there are sound effects (often in terms of spaceships or things like incoming missiles, etc.), but which doesn't really offer a consistent surround experience. Amplitude struck me as rather anemic on the surround track. The mono versions of the soundtracks actually suffice remarkably well for this series, with typically well done prioritization keeping dialogue mixed decently above sometimes cacophonous sounds of explosions and the like. The series' almost discofied score sounds fine and full bodied as well on the mono track.

UFO TV Series 1970 The Complete S.H.A.D.O. Files Blu-Ray

Suggested retail price: $153.99

Danger from the unknown… Menace from Outer Space… Fantastic new developments since man’s conquest of the moon… Unidentified Flying Objects have become established and are believed to be a threat to the safety of Earth.

Who are they? Where do they come from? Who are the occupants and what do they want? S.H.A.D.O. has come into being not only to protect Earth from danger from outer space, but to protect the public from realising that such a danger exists.

UFO became Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s first live-action series – the ‘supermarionation’ strings were gone but the incredible special effects-model work and exciting, intelligent storylines remained, with Ed Bishop leading a talented ensemble cast including George Sewell, Michael Billington, Gabrielle Drake and Wanda Ventham. This 8-disc Blu-ray collection brings together all 26 episodes and the 1980 film compilation version, restored in high-definition from the original film elements with an out-of-this-world assembly of brand NEW and archival Special Features. It’s no surprise UFO was lauded at the time as being “the greatest ever space series!”

8-DISC BLU-RAY SET + 120-page collectable booklet in Limited Edition Hardbox packaging.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• 1080p high-definition presentation of all 26 episodes, restored from the original film elements with original LPCM 2.0 Mono audio and optional DTS-HD 5.1 Surround, in the original 1.33:1 aspect ratio
• NEW! Grading work and updates have been applied to select episodes, correcting specific flaws in the original restoration
• Invasion: UFO – the 1980 feature-film version restored in high-definition from the original film elements, presented in a newly created 1.78:1 aspect ratio + original 1980 videotape version in 1.33:1
• Audio Commentary on Identified by producer/writer/director Gerry Anderson (2002)
• NEW! Audio Commentary on Survival by “Fanderson” members Ian Fryer and Chris Drake (2024)
• Audio Commentary on E.S.P. by actor George Sewell (2007)
• Audio Commentary on Kill Straker! by director Alan Perry and actor Michael Billington (2003)
• Audio Commentary on Sub-Smash by actor Ed Bishop (2002)
• NEW! Audio Commentary on The Cat With Ten Lives by “Fanderson” members Ian Fryer and Chris Drake (2024)
• Audio Commentary by guest artist Deborah Grant and Jonathan Wood (2007)
• Audio Commentary by co-creator/co-producer Sylvia Anderson and actress Wanda Ventham (2003)
• NEW! Audio Commentary on Invasion: UFO feature-film version by ITC historians Jonathan Wood and Rick Davy (2024)
• From Earth to the Moon – feature-length documentary on the making of the series including interviews with Gerry Anderson, Ed Bishop, Wanda Ventham, Ayshea Brough, Georgina Moon, Jane Merrow, Deborah Grant, Susan Jameson, Matt Zimmerman, Jeremy Wilkin, Shane Rimmer, Michael Jayston, Alan Shubrook and David Collings (2016)
• The UFO Documentary – “Fanderson” produced documentary on the making of the series, narrated by Shane Rimmer, including interviews with Gerry Anderson, Bob Bell, Ed Bishop, Delores Mantez, Derek Meddings, Christopher Penfold, Alan Perry, George Sewell and Vladek Sheybal (1993)
• The Women of UFO – documentary charting the female characters in the series including interviews with Wanda Ventham, Ayshea Brough, Georgina Moon, Jane Merrow, Deborah Grant and Gabrielle Drake (2016)
• Identified: S.H.A.D.O. New Recruits Briefing – featurette (2016)
• Meeting Commander Straker – interview with actor Ed Bishop
• NEW! Reality Sets In – interview with guest artist Jane Merrow (2024)
• NEW! The Man Who Came Back Again – interview with guest artist Derren Nesbitt (2024)
• Ken Turner: ISOSHADO interview with the actor
• The Doppelcars – featurette on the UFO vehicles, narrated by Ed Bishop
• 21st Century Craft Design – featurette on special effects designer Mike Trim, introduced by Ed Bishop
• Tomorrow Today: episode of the science magazine series featuring Sylvia Anderson discussing UFO fashions (1970)
• Rare Collectibles / Memorabilia Photo Gallery

Series Archival Vault Material:

• Identified: Original opening sequence and alternative ending / S.I.D. Voice Sessions
• Exposed: Extended scenes
• The Square Triangle: Clean closing credits
• Kill Straker!: Original raw studio takes (audio)
• Timelash: Day for night grading example / clapperboard sequence
• The Long Sleep: Unused footage
• Invasion: UFO – Full frame opening titles / closing credits & textless end credits
• Invasion: UFO Trailer
• Textless series end titles and textless episodic material/stock footage
• Original TV Spots for the series
• Italian Trailers
• Extensive Photo Galleries
• Plus a 120-page booklet featuring the extensive Pressbook information for the series + Story Information, all taken from the original studio files

REVISITING A (NEARLY) FORGOTTEN LOVECRAFT FILM

Much has been bandied about and critically discussed over the last couple decades or so regarding the difficulty in filming the works of H.P. Lovecraft. That hasn't seemed to stop any number of filmmakers from having a go at it. The result? Most of them have failed miserably. I said most -- not all. A small number are good, a few more are kinda good, and one -- in my opinion -- stands firmly atop Devil Reef.

Of the few that I deem worthy in my humble opinion, I feel that Daniel Haller's THE DUNWICH HORROR (1972) belongs on the list. Panned mightily by many and, despite its modern setting, I think it captures the feel of foreboding and other-worldliness of Lovecraft's style and the final scene is one of the best to capture the cosmic horror so difficult to visually attain. Roger Corman's THE HAUNTED PALACE (1963) fairly drips in atmosphere, and even though its a bit far afield from any Lovecraft story, it still creates a mood that is not unlike that found in some of his stories. I also think Stuart Gordon's RE-ANIMATOR (1985) is an excellent example of Lovecraft unbound in a contemporary setting. Mention should also be given to the Season 2/Episode 12 NIGHT GALLERY version of "Cool Air" that encapsulates one of Lovecraft's most memorable tales of outright horror in just a few short minutes.

But its the weekend and micro-budget filmmakers that have best caught Lovecraft's lightning-in-a-bottle with their 16mm cameras and black and white film stock. In particular, Andrew Leman's THE COLOR OUT OF SPACE is -- once again, in my opinion -- the best adaptation of HPL's work yet. I had the pleasure of watching this on the big screen while attending the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival in Portland, Oregon back in 2005. It's a silent film, so there is no dialogue or sound effects, just the soundtrack of an orchestra to compel the viewer to concentrate on the images for its short, but effective running time of 47 minutes. As a result, I highly recommend the DVD which is still available from a number of sellers, including the two I suggest listed at the end of this blog roll.

This article from Collider.com I think frames the idea of "Lovecraft the Unfilmable" and the power of Leman's THE CALL OF CTHULHU quite well. It's a good time to revisit this film, as it is an essential and valuable addition to Lovecraftiana that deserves attention.

This H.P. Lovecraft Story Was “Unfilmable” Until This Low-Budget Version Nailed It

By Ron Evangelista | August 24, 2024 | Collider.com

When one thinks of H.P. Lovecraft, his iconic short story "The Call of Cthulhu" immediately comes to mind. Much like his body of work, this tale has been considered a challenge to adapt to the silver screen, owing to the famed author's style that heavily relies on atmosphere, suspense, and cosmic and supernatural terrors that anchor on the unknown. However, in 2005, a low-budget silent film shattered the idea of the immortal story as “unfilmable,” providing one of the most faithful adaptations of his works, to the delight of horror aficionados, Lovecraft fans, and the movie-seeing public as a whole. Directed by Andrew Leman who also co-produced it with Sean Branney, and distributed by the H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society, The Call of Cthulhu masterfully brings Lovecraft's writing to life through the conventions of an F.W. Murnau/Robert Wiene-esque monochromatic silent feature.

What Is Lovecraft's 'The Call of Cthulhu' All About?

Much like its beloved short story, the film faithfully follows the events of Francis Wayland Thurston as he uncovers something intriguing in the wake of the investigation of his great-uncle, Professor George Angell, and his subsequent mysterious death. Upon examination of his great-uncle's belongings, he discovers a chest full of testimonies about a so-called "Cthulhu cult." The documents outline several stories, which include the lucid dreams of Henry Anthony Wilcox, who produces a bas-relief of the images he has seen, and the events of a cult ritual gathering narrated by Inspector John Raymond Legrasse corroborated by Professor William Channing Webb. Thurston feels his dread increase with every bit of information he absorbs, and retreats to his own research.

He chances upon a newspaper clipping about the story of Gustaf Johansen, who discovers a mystery derelict in the sea. The vagueness of the article piques Thurston's curiosity and he travels around the world searching for Johansen. His journey is for naught, as Johansen's wife informs Thurston of her husband's death. Johansen's widow gives Thurston her late husband's journal, which narrates in terrifying detail how they chanced upon Cthulhu itself in the middle of the ocean, and how he was able to barely escape the crutches of an ancient evil. The film ends with an older Thurston instructing his psychiatrist to burn all the documents related to this impending doom, which now lays dormant in the wide seas, biding its time, waiting for the perfect moment to awaken once again.

A Silent Movie Was the Best Choice to Adapt Lovecraft's Work into a Movie

Lovecraft's infamous penchant for lengthy descriptions brings immense difficulty to deriving cinematic projects from his works. In fact, the opening lines of the short story — "The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents" — act as a manifesto for his sometimes esoteric prose. Despite this seemingly insurmountable roadblock, Branney and Leman traverse his words through a spectacular creative choice: making a silent film. Utilizing a defunct manner of filmmaking, partnered with Mythoscope, unleashes the full power of Lovecraft's story. The grainy, old-school feel of silent movies perfectly blends with the eerie, almost uncanny valley, aspect of the tale. Partnered with the quote cards, Lovecraft's dialogue waxes poetic on its own instead of having a character speak them like in a traditional contemporary film. The Call of Cthulhu, after all, describes the monster and the conversation leading to its reveal in such a verbose manner that thrives in the medium of literature but would instinctively fall flat if done in the way the modern world makes movies. The monochromatic, museum-like quality of old silent films then provides a layer of protection against the bastardization of such an esteemed author's work.

The German Expressionist aesthetic provides an avenue for the formalist tendencies of The Call of Cthulhu to shine in every moment of the short film. For instance, the dream sequences of Henry Anthony Wilcox are presented in such a breadth of fantastic images, ranging from the oblique and obtuse angles of the walls to the sheer horror on his face when he wakes up from them. Most important is the reveal of the monster itself, whose very sight is enough to drive those in the vicinity bonkers. The reveal is done in such an artistic fashion as well. The intertwining images of a determined Johansen and his dying sea mate are as alarming as they are strangely seductive, evoking in the viewer a smorgasbord of scared and complicated emotions. The minimalist approach to showing Cthulhu is simply the icing on the cake, leaving spectators to revel in awe and curiosity about what they have just seen, and yearning for what they have not. Such is the power of the unknown, and what strange horrors it carries.

'The Call of Cthulhu' Proves That Lovecraft's Works Aren't Unfilmable

In a way, The Call of Cthulhu is of great significance to the cinematic world. Not only is it merely a blast from the past, it completely shatters the idea that Lovecraft's stories are impossible to film. While it is hardly the first film adaptation of Lovecraft's work, it certainly is the most successful, artistically speaking. It rings true to the spirit of the short story while providing cinematic aspects that enhance the writing of such a beloved literary figure. It stands as a testament that the term "unfilmable" is merely an obstacle that the medium of film will always face and, with the right approach, overcome.

Ideally, the success of this film should encourage filmmakers to dive deep into the tales of horror that Lovecraft painstakingly crafted, given that the breadth of work is such a great pool of material to work on. While garnering a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes is not written gospel on whether something is a masterpiece, this film truly is deserving of the perfect score. The picture has that timeless quality, thanks to the filmmakers' intricate weaving of the non-linear stories and testimonies provided by the tale's characters. More than anything, The Call of Cthulhu is a wonderful addition to the ever-growing "Cthulhu mythos," and a testament to the power of cinema, literature, Lovecraft himself, and art as a whole.

CALL OF CTHULHU Official Trailer:

THE CALL OF CTHULHU DVD is available from The H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society HERE,

or CREEPY CLASSICS HERE.

NEW DVDS COMING OUR WAY

It seems like the only thing left to do with classic horror films that have made it through numerous VHS, DVD and Blu-ray editions is to upgrade to 2K or 4K versions and re-package them. Walmart will be doing just that with their exclusive releases of Universal's DRACULA and FRANKENSTEIN steelbooks.

I don't know about you, but how clearly do we need to see an old black and white horror film? How many times have we gotten excited about the special features only to see that they've been recycled over and over again? For me, I'm quite satisfied with my Universal Blu-ray collection and other classics on just plain 'ol DVD. Personally, I don't mind a little grain to the film stock, but I'm just a traditionalist in that respect, I guess.

 

With the 4th of July behind us, for horror fans, that means it's time to get ready for the spooky fall season. This includes shopping for new Halloween decor, costumes, and movies. When it comes to this blood-sucking genre, you can’t get any more classic than the Universal Monster movies from the 30s and 40s. The original cinematic universe that started with 1931’s Dracula and Frankenstein is closing in on the century mark. Now, to honor modern horror’s gothic origins, the first two Universal Monsters are getting new 4K steelbooks.

These Walmart exclusive 4K/Blu-ray/Digital Code combo pack steelbooks are for Tod Browning’s Dracula and James Whale’s Frankenstein. Both releases feature stunning artwork depicting an iconic scene for each respected film. Dracula sees Bela Lugosi’s title Count rushing up his castle’s stairs with Helen Chandler’s Mina, while Frankenstein has Boris Karloff’s Monster with Dr. Frankenstein’s bride-to-be, Mae Clarke’s Elizabeth. The man-made creation is pinned between the angry villagers and the burning windmill. These steelbooks will have the same special features as their original box set and 4K slipcover editions.

[SOURCE: Collider.com.]

Now, on to some more interesting releases coming up this Halloween season. I've particularly got my eye on the new Haxan edition. It is a fascinating silent film (you can read my article on the full background of this film in CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN). I, VAMPIRI and PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES sound interesting as well.

Radiance Films Announces October Releases

Radiance Films has announced its October batch of Blu-ray releases. They are: Daiei Gothic: Japanese Ghost Stories (1959-1968), Dogra Magra (1988), Häxan (1922), and Lust of the Vampire (1957).

Daiei Gothic: Japanese Ghost Stories

Description: A collection of three of Japan's most famous ghost stories that have haunted people for centuries. Kenji Misumi (Lone Wolf and Cub) directs The Ghost of Yotsuya, in which a woman returns from the grave as a horribly disfigured phantom to torment her husband and his new bride. In The Snow Woman, directed by Tokuzo Tanaka (Zatoichi), a woodcutter must keep his oath to a vengeful female spirit or pay the ultimate price. The Bride from Hades by Satsuo Yamamoto (Shinobi) sees a handsome samurai so enchanted by a courtesan's beauty that he fails to realise she is a ghost. These three film versions from the Daiei studio form a pinnacle of atmospheric Japanese horror. Their elegant visuals and ominous shadows rival the best of Terence Fisher or Mario Bava, while their iconic female ghosts would greatly influence Asian genre cinema, from Hong Kong fantasy spectacles such as A Chinese Ghost Story to J-horror.

LIMITED EDITION BOX SET SPECIAL FEATURES

• New 4K restorations of The Bride from Hades and The Snow Woman
• High-Definition digital transfer of The Ghost of Yotsuya
• Uncompressed mono PCM audio for each film
• Optional English subtitles for all films
• Newly designed box and booklet artwork by Time Tomorrow
• Six postcards featuring original archive imagery from the films
• Limited edition 80-page perfect bound book featuring new writing by authors Tom Mes and Zack Davisson, newly translated archival reviews and ghost stories by Lafcadio Hearn

THE GHOST OF YOTSUYA

• New interview with filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa
• A visual essay on the history and adaptations of the classic Ghost of Yotsuya story by author Kyoko Hirano
• Trailer
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Filippo Di Battista

THE BRIDE FROM HADES

• Audio commentary by author Jasper Sharp
• New interview with filmmaker Hiroshi Takahashi
• Trailer
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Filippo Di Battista

THE SNOW WOMAN

• New interview with filmmaker Masayuki Ochiai
• A visual essay on writer Lafcadio Hearn
• Trailer
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Filippo Di Battista

U.S. AND CANADA STREET DATE: OCTOBER 29.

UK STREET DATE: OCTOBER 28.

Dogra Magra

Description: A man wakes in an asylum with no memory. Dr Wakabayashi helps him to recall his past in which he killed his bride on their wedding day. Part of his memory becomes linked to another doctor, Dr Masaki, and a manuscript, Dogra Magra. As the two doctors treat him, reality and fantasy become blurred and the patient becomes unsure of his identity or his doctors' experiments. The final feature film by Toshio Matsumoto (Funeral Parade of Roses) is an adaptation of the celebrated novel by Kyusaku Yumeno, a period set gothic tale with a sense of dreamy dread that recalls Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Cure and the locked room mystery of Shutter Island. A stunningly shot phantasmagoria by Tatsuo Suzuki (Pastoral: To Die in the Country), Dogra Magra is presented on Blu-ray for the first time outside of Japan.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• High-Definition digital transfer supervised by director of photography Tatsuo Suzuki and producer Shuji Shibata
• Audio commentary by director Toshio Matsumoto (2003)
• Interview with Toshio Matsumoto (2003, 21 mins)
• A visual essay by programmer and curator Julian Ross (2024)
• Instructions on Ahodara Sutra (a popular Japanese chant delivered by Dr. Masaki in the film) by legendary street performer Hiroshi Sakano (16 mins)
• Trailer
• New and improved English subtitles
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
• Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Hirofumi Sakamoto, president of the Postwar Japan Moving Image Archive and author Jasper Sharp on screenwriter Atsushi Yamatoya plus an interview with producer Shuji Shibata and Matsumoto's director's statement
• Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

U.S. AND CANADA STREET DATE: OCTOBER 29.

UK STREET DATE: OCTOBER 28.

Häxan

Description: A series of eerie vignettes depict images of sorcery and evil on screen, from representations of occultism and religious hypocrisy to a chilling witch hunt in the Middle Ages. Directed by and starring Benjamin Christensen as the Devil, Häxan mixes documentary and fiction forms to create an unsettling brew that prefigures everything from Gothic horror to the found footage film. This legendary horror film was released in numerous edits and this edition collects four such versions of the film for the first time in the UK, including a 2K restoration by the original production company Svensk Filmindustri.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• 2K restoration by Svensk Filmindustri, presented with three optional scores, by Matti Bye (2006), Bronnt Industries Kapital (2007), and Geoff Smith (2007)
• Witchcraft through the Ages - an alternate cut of the film featuring narration by William S. Boroughs and soundtrack by Jean-Luc Ponty (1968, 77 mins)
• Häxan - The Esoteric Cut - an alternate cut of the film featuring English intertitles and soundtrack by Lawrence Leherissey (Date unknown, 84 mins)
• Witchcraft through the Ages - a French version of the film featuring narration by Jean-Pierre Kalfon (1990, 82 mins)
• Introduction by director Benjamin Christensen (1941, 8 mins)
• Outtakes (1922, 12 mins)
• Recently discovered costume screen test (1922, 2 mins)
• Visual essay by Vito A. Rowlands, author of the forthcoming BFI Film Classics edition of Häxan (2024)
• Audio commentary by Guy Adams and A.K. Benedict (2024)
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
• Six postcards of original promotional stills
• Limited edition 80-page book featuring new writing by Pamela Hutchinson, Daniel Bird, Kat Ellinger, Brad Stevens plus archival writing and extracts from the press book
• Limited edition of 6000 copies, presented in rigid box and full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

UK STREET DATE: OCTOBER 28.

Planet of the Vampires Standard Edition

Description: In the outer reaches of deep space, the spaceship Galliott answers a distress signal from Aura, an unexplored planet. As the ship attempts to land, members of the crew inexplicably begin to attack one another. This is the start of a terrifying expedition into the unknown, one plagued by paranoia, possession and violent mayhem wrought upon the unsuspecting explorers by the planet's mysterious inhabitants. A sci-fi horror hybrid from genre master Mario Bava (Blood and Black Lace), Planet of the Vampires is widely regarded as one of the most influential genre films ever made, with a clear influence on films such as Alien and Pitch Black. With a uniquely chilly atmosphere and fantastic production design that belies its low budget origins, Planet of the Vampires is a true genre classic.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• 4K scan of the film from the original negative under the supervision of Lamberto Bava and carried out at Fotocinema in Rome in collaboration with CSC Cineteca Nazionale
• High-Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the Italian (89 mins) and English (88 mins) versions of the film
• Alternate Kendall Schmidt score
• Uncompressed mono audio
• Archival audio commentary by Tim Lucas, author of Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark (2014)
• Transmissions from a Haunted World - A new documentary which explores Planet of the Vampires, Mario Bava and the connection between gothic and science fiction. Co-directed by Dima Ballin and Kat Ellinger; featuring interviews with Guy Adams, Xavier Aldana Reyes, Alexandra Benedict, Johnny Mains and John Llewellyn Probert (2024, 41mins)
• Archival interview with Lamberto Bava (2022, 13 mins)
• Super 8 Version - a reconstruction of the cut-down version distributed as Planet der Vampire (17 mins)
• Joe Dante and Josh Olsen trailer commentaries - the filmmakers provide a short overview of the film (2013/14, 4 mins and 2 mins)
• Trailer
• Press and image gallery from the Tim Lucas / Alan Y. Upchurch collection
• Optional English subtitles for Italian audio and English SDH for English audio
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
• Limited edition 20-page booklet featuring a new translation of Renato Pestriniero's original short story
• Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

UK STREET DATE: OCTOBER 28.

Lust of the Vampire (I, VAMPIRI)

Description: A mad scientist captures young women in Paris and drains them of their blood in service of an evil Duchess. Also known as Lust of the Vampire, Riccardo Freda's I vampiri mixes the Bathory and Frankenstein stories to create its gothic tale, Italy's first horror film. Made as a challenge by Freda at breakneck speed, cinematographer Mario Bava would complete direction and post-production of the film, adding his signature in the process. With its baroque imagery and stunning visuals, I vampiri forged the path for Italian horror and remains a landmark of Italian cinema history.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• 2K restoration of the film presented with Italian and English audio
• Audio commentary by Tim Lucas (2023)
• Thirst of Blood - a featurette on the making of the film with Fabio Melelli, Mario Bava and Dario Michaelis
• Interview with Lamberto Bava
• Interview with Leon Hunt, author of Mario Bava: The Artisan as Italian Horror Auteur (2024)
• Trailers
• Reversible sleeve featuring artwork based on original posters
• Booklet featuring new writing by Roberto Curti, author of Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1957-1969
• Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

UK STREET DATE: OCTOBER 28.

Visit the Radiance Films UK website HERE.

NEW 4K UNIVERSAL MONSTERS COLLECTION

Halloween is coming and that means lots of companies will be trotting out their products, including Universal Studios, who are once more re-releasing more of their classic monster line. This time in 4k, Volume 2 of the Universal Classic Monsters Collection will include THE MUMMY, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON. The first volume contained DRACULA, FRANKENSTEIN, THE WOLFMAN and THE INVISIBLE MAN with a price tag of 80 bucks. The new volume will be released in October and is expected to cost about the same.

From comicbook.com:

Boris Karloff's The Mummy and more icons of horror will be available for the first time ever on 4K Ultra HD in the second volume of the Universal Classic Monsters: Icons of Horror Collection. Last October, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment collected Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), The Invisible Man (1933), and The Wolfman (1941) for the first time in 4K in Volume 1 of the Icons of Horror Collection. More classic Universal monsters — including Claude Rains' Phantom of the Opera and Elsa Lanchester's Bride of Frankenstein — are coming to life in the premium format on October 11. 

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment collects The Mummy (1932), The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Phantom of the Opera (1943), and Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) in the Universal Classic Monsters: Icons of Horror Collection Volume 2.  

The set comes complete with Blu-ray discs and digital copies and is packed with hours of classic bonus features, including theatrical trailers, feature commentaries, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and featurettes about the legacies of the studio's iconic monsters. See the official description and set details below.

From Universal Pictures, home of the monsters since the era of silent movies, comes a second volume of Universal Classic Monsters: Icons of Horror Collection with collectible packaging, showcasing four more of the most iconic monsters in motion picture history: The Mummy, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, The Bride of Frankenstein, Phantom of the Opera, and Creature from the Black Lagoon. Starring Boris Karloff, Elsa Lanchester and Claude Rains in the roles they made famous, these iconic films set new standards for horror with groundbreaking makeup, cinematography and special effects that have withstood the test of time.

FILMS INCLUDED:

• The Mummy (1932)
• The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
• Phantom of the Opera (1943)
• Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

BONUS FEATURES ON THE MUMMY 4K ULTRA HD:

• Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed
• He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce
• Unraveling the Legacy of THE MUMMY
• THE MUMMY Archives
• 100 Years of Universal: The Carl Laemmle Era (Int'l Version)
• Trailer Gallery
• The Mummy's Hand (1940)
• The Mummy's Tomb (1942)
• The Mummy's Ghost (1944)
• The Mummy's Curse (1944)
• Feature Commentary with Film Historian Paul M. Jensen
• Feature Commentary with Rick Baker, Scott Essman, Steve Haberman, Bob Burns, and Brent Armstrong

BONUS FEATURES ON THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN 4K ULTRA HD:

• 100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics (International Version)
• Frankenstein (1931)
• The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
• The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)
• House of Frankenstein (1944)
• Feature Commentary with Scott MacQueen

BONUS FEATURES ON PHANTOM OF THE OPERA 4K ULTRA HD:

• 100 Years of Universal: The Lot (Int'l version)
• Theatrical Trailer
• Feature Commentary with Film Historian Scott MacQueen

BONUS FEATURES ON CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON 4K ULTRA HD:

• Creature from the Black Lagoon (3D Version) (Blu-ray only)
• Back to the Black Lagoon
• Production Photographs
• 100 Years of Universal: The Lot
• Revenge of the Creature (1955)
• The Creature Walks Among Us (1956)

MASSIVE FOLK HORROR BLU-RAY COLLECTION DUE FROM SEVERIN

Film restoration and distribution company, Severin Films is going all out on a huge Blu-ray box set of international folk horror films. The ambitious, 12-disc compilation collects folk horror films from around the globe. Commonly known films in the genre such as WITCHFINDER GENERAL and THE WICKER MAN are not found here. Instead, the set includes obscure and lesser-known films such as WITCHHAMMER from Czechoslovakia, IL DEMONIO from Italy and PENDA'S FEN from the UK. This is sure to be the must-have collection for anyone interested in the dark world of folk horror.

Click HERE for previous posts about Folk Horror.

ALL THE HAUNTS BE OURS: A COMPENDIUM OF FOLK HORROR [BLU-RAY BOX SET] (PRE-ORDER 12/7)

$170.00

Due to the painstaking work that went into putting this massive set together, we have updated our policies to cater specifically to the roll out of our brand new Folk Horror-themed box set, All the Haunts Be Ours, and the accompanying bundle, The Witches’ Bundle. Both the box set and the bundle will have their own uniquely themed, custom shipping boxes (as well as tube for the Woodlands poster in the bundle) and will begin shipping shortly after our upcoming Black Friday Sale (the official street date is December 7th). Because of this, we need to implement the following policy changes:

The Folk Horror Box Set and Bundle will be INELIGIBLE for Free Shipping. The Box set will have a shipping cost of $15 for Domestic customers (and $30 for International customers). The Bundle will have a shipping cost of $25 for Domestic customers and will be UNAVAILABLE* to International customers. We apologize for this inconvenience. These prices will ensure Priority Shipping for all Domestic customers and Protected Shipping for all International customers. *PLEASE NOTE: For International customers, the bundle contains multiple fragile and weighty items that would put the total weight over 5lbs, which can only be shipped via PRIORITY INTERNATIONAL. This comes with a $100 price tag. If you are willing to pay this hefty shipping fee for the bundle, then you need to reach out to us at orders@severin-films.com for invoicing, otherwise, the Bundle remains available only to U.S. customers.

The Box Set and Bundle can ONLY be purchased by themselves. You also CANNOT add your Folk Horror Box Set or Bundle to another existing order of yours. This includes a Black Friday order should you take part in that sale. You can buy multiple copies of the Box Set and Bundle but they will have to be purchased separately and still be charged for shipping. A reminder of this information will be featured in our eventual launch of our Black Friday Sale Policies.

Customers CANNOT cancel their Folk Horror pre-order once it has been placed. This is a standard policy with all of our pre-order items, but we wanted to make sure and bring this point up again, especially if a customer contests this policy with paypal or their bank, which will result in permanent expulsion from our website.

PRE-ORDER STREET DATE: 12/7/2021

The most comprehensive collection of its kind begins with the definitive genre documentary of our time, Kier-La Janisse’s award-winning WOODLANDS DARK & DAYS BEWITCHED. From there, experience 19 of the best-known, least-known, rarely-seen and thought-lost classics of folk horror from around the world, all restored from the best available vault elements with Special Features that include short films, audio commentaries and exclusive featurettes. The ultimate genre exploration continues with the original WOODLANDS soundtrack by Jim Williams and a reading of the classic short story ‘The White People’ by actress Linda Hayden, as well as a 126-page illustrated book curated by Janisse and designed by Luke Insect featuring all-new writings by renowned film scholars, authors and historians.

DISC 1:

WOODLANDS DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED

Kier-La Janisse, USA, 2021

192 mins | 1.85 | Color | Region Free

English and Portuguese with English subtitles

Stereo

HD Digital Master 

WOODLANDS DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED explores the folk horror phenomenon and its culturally specific manifestations in international horror, from its first wave in the 1970s to today.

Special Features:

Video Introduction By Writer/Director/Producer Kier-La Janisse (9 mins)

Animating Folk Horror — A Conversation with Ashley Thorpe (12 mins)

Animator Ashley Thorpe discusses his processes and inspirations for the animated sequences he created for the film. 

Outtake: What is Folk Horror? (2 mins)

Expanded definitions of folk horror cut from the film’s introductory sequence.

Outtake: Harvest Hymns — The Sounds and Signals of Folk Horror (22 mins)

Historians and Composers—including Marc Wilkinson, John Cameron, Jim Williams, Pentagram Home Video and more—weigh in on the sounds of folk horror from trad to electronica. 

Outtake: Terra Assombrada — Expressions of Folk Horror in Brazil (7 mins)

Filmmaker Dennison Ramalho and Scholars Carlos Primati and Laura Loguercio Cánepa discuss the impact of Brazilian folk literature and songs on folk horror. 

Folk Poetry (5 mins)

WITCHFINDER GENERAL star Ian Ogilvy and BLOOD ON SATAN’S CLAW’s Linda Hayden recite classic folk poems set to Super 8 footage. 

Trailer

DISC 2:

EYES OF FIRE

Avery Crounse, USA, 1983

86 mins | 1.85:1 | Color | Region Free

English Mono | Closed Captions

4K restoration from the original negative

The seminal American folk horror film, unavailable on home video for decades, now debuts in a new 4K restoration. A rogue 18th century preacher and his followers make their way downriver to establish a new settlement beyond the western frontier and encounter a forest enchanted by strange spirits that will bring an apocalyptic madness upon them.

Special Features: 

Audio Commentary With Colin Dickey, Author of “Ghostland: An American History In Haunted Places”

The Secret Is In The Trees — “Nightmare USA” Author Stephen Thrower Interviews Avery Crounse (29 mins)

Crying Blue Sky

Alternate Longer Cut restored in 2K from Director’s personal 35mm answer print

Plus Bonus Short Films:

The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow (Sam Weiss, USA 1972) (13 mins)

Genre icon John Carradine narrates this atmospheric animated adaptation of Washington Irving’s classic story, newly scanned from 16mm for this release by educational film archive AV Geeks. Courtesy of Pyramid Films.

Transformations (Barbara Hirschfeld, USA 1972) (8.5 mins)

A fascinating feminist experimental film shot on location in Vermont about a group of witches performing white magic. Courtesy of the Vermont Archive Movie Project (VAMP). vamp.vtiff.org

Backwoods (Ryan Mackfall, UK 2018) (15 mins)

A scholar drifts from his path and finds himself in a house he takes for deserted. Based on H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Picture In The House.” Courtesy of Myskatonic Films.

DISC 3:

LEPTIRICA

Djordje Kadijevic, Serbia, 1973

65 mins | 1.33:1 | Color | Region Free

Serbian mono with optional English subtitles

HD master from Public Service Media Radio Television of Serbia

Based loosely on by Milovan Glišić’s classic 1880 Serbian vampire story After Ninety Years – which preceded Bram Stoker’s Dracula by nearly two decades – Djordje Kadijevic’s adaptation is a subversive, darkly erotic take on Glišić’s pastoral tale of a group of rural villagers beset upon by the infamous vampire Sava Savanovic, who has taken up residence in their local flour mill. 

Special Features:

Radical Fairy Tales — Interview With Director Djordje Kadijevic 

Plus bonus short films newly remastered in HD from archival film elements at Public Service Media Radio Television of Serbia:

Štićenik (Djordje Kadijevic,1973) (45 mins)

A terrified young man is being pursued by a mysterious man in black. He hides out in nearby mental hospital, but can he escape his fate?

Diary Of An Inmate (10 mins)

An interview with Štićenik actor Milan Mihailovic

Devičanska Svirka (Djordje Kadijevic,1973) (60 mins)

A man travelling through the countryside is drawn to a strange castle, which is reputed by the locals to be haunted. There he meets a beguiling young woman who ensnares him in her world of secrets.

Prisoner Of Song

An interview with Devičanska Svirka actor Goran Sultanovic

DISC 4:

WITCHHAMMER

Otakar Vávra, Czechoslovakia, 1970

107 mins | 2:35:1 | Color | Region Free

Czech mono with optional English subtitles

HD restored master supplied by the Czech Film Center

Otakar Vávra’s film about 17th century witch hunter Jindřich František Boblig and the horrors he visited on the small village of Velké Losiny has been called an Eastern European counterpart to Michael Reeves’ WITCHFINDER GENERAL and Michael Armstrong’s MARK OF THE DEVIL. 

Special Features: 

Audio Commentary With Czech Film Historian And Curator Irena Kovarova

The Womb Of Woman Is The Gateway To Hell (22.5 mins)

A filmed appreciation by essayist and critic Kat Ellinger and film historian Michael Brooke. Courtesy of Second Run Films.

The Projection Booth Podcast (62 mins)

The renowned film podcast’s episode on WITCHHAMMER, with host Mike White and guest critics Samm Deighan and Rahne Alexander.

VIY

Konstantin Ershov, Georgiy Kropachyov, Soviet Union, 1967

76 mins | 1.33:1 | Color | Region Free

Russian mono with optional English subtitles / English mono

HD restored master supplied by Mosfilm

Based on the classic novella by Nikolai Gogol, VIY remains the height of Soviet fantasy cinema. In 19th century Russia, a seminary student is forced to spend three nights with the corpse of a beautiful young witch. But when she rises from the dead to test his faith, it will summon a nightmare of fear, desire and the ultimate demonic mayhem. 

Special Features:

From The Woods To The Cosmos — John Leman Riley On The History Of Soviet Fantasy And Sci-Fi Film (34 mins)

Trailer

Plus Bonus Silent Short Films: Satan Exultant (1917, 20 mins), The Queen of Spades (1916, 16 mins) and The Portrait (1915, 8 mins).

DISC 5:

LAKE OF THE DEAD

Kåre Bergstrøm, Norway, 1958

77 mins | 2.40:1 | B/W | Region Free

Norwegian mono with optional English subtitles

Restored in 2K from the original negative

Considered a classic of Norwegian cinema, a group of colleagues venture to a remote cabin to look for a missing friend and are spooked by an old legend: that the cabin had belonged to a man who killed his sister and her lover and then drowned himself in the lake. Since then, it is said that anyone who stays in the cabin will be driven to the same fate.

Special Features:

Audio Commentary With Film Historians Jonathan Rigby And Kevin Lyons

TILBURY

Viðar Víkingsson, Iceland, 1987

57 mins | 1.33:1 | Color | Region Free

Icelandic mono with optional English subtitles

Restored in 2K from the original negative at the Film Museum of Iceland

This made-for-TV film shares the Icelandic lore of the Tilbury, a creature who could be summoned by women in times of financial hardship and starvation. But the gifts of the Tilbury come with their own brand of destruction. Set in 1940, during the British occupation, a country boy discovers his childhood sweetheart is having an affair with a British soldier, but suspects it could be one of the evil creatures.

Special Features:

Audio Commentary With Director Viðar Víkingsson And Screenwriter Þórarinn Eldjárn, Moderated By Film Scholar Gudrun D. Whitehead

With Enough Tilbury Butter, Anything Is Good — Interview With Karl Ágúst Úlfsson 

A Boy From The Country — Interview With Kristján Franklin Magnúss 

White Spot In The Back Of The Head (Viðar Víkingsson, 1979) (33 mins)

This early student film from the director of TILBURY transposes the ghostly Icelandic legend of The Deacon of Dark River to 1970s France.

“The Moon Fades, Death Rides”

Viðar Víkingsson discusses the folkloric origins of White Spot In The Back Of The Head.

DISC 6:

THE DREAMING

Mario Andreacchio, Australia, 1988

90 mins | 1.85:1 | Color | Region Free

English mono | Closed Captions

Restored in 2K from best surviving 35mm positive print 

When a group of Indigenous activists attempt to repatriate ancestral artifacts found in a cave on Australia’s Kangaroo Island, one of them is shot evading police and taken to a local hospital. When the patient dies in her care, the doctor attending to her experiences strange visions relating to violent events from the past. 

Special Features:

Audio Commentary With Director Mario Andreacchio, Moderated By Film Historian Jarret Gahan

Trailer

KADAICHA

James Bogle, Australia 1988

88 mins | 1.85:1 | Color | Region Free

English mono | Closed Captions

Mastered from only surviving broadcast quality video master

Though conceived as a commercial horror film, this tale of teens being condemned to death in their dreams by an Aboriginal magician as recompense for a housing development having been built on a sacred burial ground also serves as an admission of national guilt.

Special Features:

Audio Commentary With Director James Bogle, Moderated By Veteran Film Journalist Michael Helms (Fatal Visions)

The Final Girl Of KADAICHA (13 mins)

An audio interview with actress Zoe Carides, conducted by film historian Jarret Gahan.

Composing KADAICHA (17.5 mins)

An audio interview with composer Peter Westheimer, conducted by film historian Jarret Gahan.

Behind The Scenes Of KADAICHA (7 mins)

Recently-unearthed footage of director James Bogle and the cast and crew in a typical day on set.

Trailer

DISC 7:

CELIA

Ann Turner, Australia, 1989

103 mins | 1.85:1 | Color | Region Free

English mono | Closed Captions

Restored in 2K from 35mm original negative

In 1950s Australia, after 9-year-old Celia hears the disturbing fairy tale of “The Hobyahs” in school, it colors her interpretation of real life conflicts such as her parents’ struggling relationship, the threat of communism and the country’s plague of rabbits. Ann Turner’s award-winning film paints a disquieting picture of innocence trying to make sense of the harsh and complex world around her through escape into dark fantasy.

Special Features: 

CELIA And Me (40 mins)

A new interview with director Ann Turner

From Crawfords To CELIA (17 mins)

An interview with veteran editor Ken Sallows  

The Rabbit In Australia (24 mins)

This short documentary produced by Australia’s national science agency CSIRO in 1979 traces the introduction of the European rabbit to Australia and subsequent attempts to control its population, which includes the rabbit cull of the 1950s that serves as the backdrop for Ann Turner’s CELIA.

ALISON’S BIRTHDAY

Ian Coughlan, Australia, 1981

97 mins | 1.85:1 | Color | Region Free

English mono | Closed Captions

Restored in 2K from 16mm CRI

Getting its first official release since the VHS era, this Australian paranormal cult is unearthed! During a Ouija board session with her teenaged friends, 16-year-old Alison gets a message from beyond the grave not to go home for her 19th birthday. Fast forward three years later to the week of her 19th: she gets a call from her mother that they’re having a party to celebrate and they want her there… alone. 

Special Features: 

Extended Interviews From NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD With Producer David Hannay And Cast Members Joanne Samuel And Belinda Giblin

The Devil Down Under — Satanic Panic In Australia From Rosaleen Norton To ALISON’S BIRTHDAY

A new video essay narrated by film scholar Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, based on her chapter of the same name from the book “Satanic Panic: Pop-Cultural Paranoia in the 1980s.”

DISC 8:

WILCZYCA

Marek Piestrak, Poland, 1983

103 mins | 1.33:1 | Color | Region Free

Polish mono with optional English subtitles

Restored in HD from original negative by WFDIF in Warsaw

A domestic hit in Poland on first release, Marek Piestrak’s stunning wintry werewolf film is a sexually-charged folktale that pits a 19th century Polish patriot against the ghost of his unfaithful wife, who haunts him from beyond the grave as a she-wolf.

Special Features:

Unleashing The She-Wolf — An Interview With Director Marek Piestrak 

LOKIS: A MANUSCRIPT OF PROFESSOR WITTEMBACH

Janusz Majewski, Poland, 1970

100 mins | 1:66:1 | Color | Region Free

Polish mono with optional English subtitles

Restored in HD from original negative by WFDIF in Warsaw

A pastor and ethnographer visits a remote corner of 19th century Lithuania where folk customs associated with the area’s pagan past still have a hold on the population. There he finds himself the guest of a strange old family consisting of a sadistic Count and his mad mother, who—legend has it—was raped by a bear on her wedding night; the Count himself reputed to be the product of this bestial assault.

Special Features:

Wild Country Of The Were-Bear — An Interview With Director Janusz Majewski.

DISC 9:

CLEARCUT

Ryszard Bugajski, Canada, 1991

98 mins | 2.35:1 | Color | Region Free

English 5.1 / English 2.0 | Closed Captions

Restored in 4K from 35mm answer print

A white lawyer arrives to a remote area in Northern Ontario to defend Indigenous activists who are blocking a logging company’s clearcut of old growth on their land. A pacifist by nature, and perceiving himself as sympathetic to Indigenous concerns, he finds his values shaken when he is paired with an angry, rogue Indigenous activist named Arthur (Graham Greene) who insists on kidnapping the head of the logging company to take him deep into the forest—where he hopes to teach him the price of his destruction. 

Special Features: 

Archival Video Introduction By Director Ryszard Bugajski

Courtesy of Maria Mamona

Audio Commentary With Scholar And Anthropologist Shaawano Chad Uran (White Earth Anishinaabe)

Plus Bonus Short films:

The Ballad Of Crowfoot (Willie Dunn, 1968) (10 mins)

Often referred to as Canada’s first music video, Mi’kmaq/Scottish folk singer and activist Willie Dunn’s The Ballad Of Crowfoot is a powerful look at colonial betrayals, told through a striking montage of archival images and a ballad composed by Dunn himself about the legendary 19th-century Siksika (Blackfoot) chief who negotiated Treaty 7 on behalf of the Blackfoot Confederacy. 

Audio Commentary For The Ballad of Crowfoot With Kevin Howes And Lawrence Dunn, Co-Producers Of Creation Never Sleeps, Creation Never Dies: The Willie Dunn Anthology

You Are On Indian Land (Michael Kanentakeron Mitchell, 1969) (32 mins)

A landmark film that documents a 1969 protest by the Kanien’kéhaka (Mohawk) of Akwesasne, a territory that straddles the Canada–U.S. border. You Are On Indian Land screened extensively across the continent, helping to mobilize a new wave of Indigenous activism. It notably was shown at the 1970 occupation of Alcatraz.

Consume (Mike Peterson, 2017) (20 mins)

Inspired by true events, residential school survivor Jacob Wematim (Julian Black Antelope) struggles to hang onto his land and Indigenous identity as his personal demons resurface and manifest in the form of the Wendigo spirit. 

DISC 10:

IL DEMONIO

Brunello Rondi, Italy, 1963

98 mins | 1.85:1 | B/W | Region Free

Italian mono with optional English subtitles

Restored from the original negative at RAI TV in Rome

A stunning story of obsessive love, set in a rural Southern Italian village where Christianity has integrated many of the old superstitious beliefs. Daliah Lavi (THE WHIP AND THE BODY) plays Purif, who is distraught when her lover is betrothed to another. Her erratic behavior is interpreted as demonic possession—leading the villagers to turn against her with physical and sexual violence. 

Special Features: 

Audio Commentary By Film Historian Kat Ellinger

“The Kid From A Kibbutz” — Daliah Lavi And The Road To IL DEMONIO (27.5 mins)

A newly-commissioned video essay written and narrated by film historian Tim Lucas and edited by filmmaker and programmer Chris O’Neill

Once Upon A Time In Basilicata

Brunello Rondi biographer Alberto Pezzotta looks at IL DEMONIO and the themes that dominated the director’s eclectic career.

DARK WATERS

Mariano Baino, Russia/UK/Ukraine/Italy, 1993

89 minutes | 1.85:1 | Color | Region Free

Italian stereo with optional English subtitles

Mastered in HD from the original negative

In Mariano Baino’s groundbreaking debut, a young Englishwoman drawn to an island in the Black Sea in an attempt to discover her mysterious connection to a remote convent—a crumbling edifice that has been constructed over a labyrinth of Lovecraftian horrors. 

Special Features:

Audio Commentary With Writer/Director Mariano Baino 

Deep Into The DARK WATERS (50 mins)

The cast and crew recall the making of DARK WATERS in this archival documentary featurette.

DISC 11:

A FIELD IN ENGLAND

Ben Wheatley, UK, 2012

90 mins | 2.35:1 | B/W | Region A

English 5.1 / English 2.0 | Closed Captions

HD Digital Master

During the Civil War in 17th-Century England, a small group of deserters flee from a raging battle and are captured by an alchemist who forces them to help him find a hidden treasure. Crossing a vast mushroom circle, which provides their first meal, the group succumbs to the terrifying energies trapped inside the field. 

Special Features:

Audio Commentary With Director Ben Wheatley, Producer Andy Starke And Sound Editor Martin Pavey

Letterboxd Magic Hour Episode One: Kier-La Janisse X Ben Wheatley (45 mins)

Ben Wheatley talks folk horror with WOODLANDS DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED director Kier-La Janisse in this special online interview conducted for the release of Wheatley’s IN THE EARTH.

Please Hear Me — The Music of A FIELD IN ENGLAND (6 mins)

Composer Jim Williams and Ben Wheatley discuss the sounds and musical influences of A FIELD IN ENGLAND.

Ben Wheatley In Conversation With Pete Tombs (23 mins)

A fascinating discussion between Wheatley and film historian/author (“Immoral Tales,” “Mondo Macabro”) Pete Tombs that gets deep into the DNA of A FIELD IN ENGLAND.

Camera Tests (10.5 mins)

Trailer

ANCHORESS

Chris Newby, UK, 1993

108 mins | 1.66:1 | B/W | Region A

Closed Captions

Mastered in HD by the British Film Institute

Based on the true story of Christine Carpenter, a 14th-century peasant who becomes transfixed by a statue of the Virgin Mary, and petitions to be walled into a cell attached to the church as a religious hermit. Alone in her cell she receives dark and sensual visions, while in the outside world, her defiant mother (played by musician Toyah Wilcox) is accused of witchcraft.

Special Features:

Lockdown 1329 (13.5 mins)

A new video essay by ANCHORESS director Chris Newby that explores parallels between COVID lockdown in the UK and Christine Carpenter’s experience as an anchoress, featuring outtakes from the film.

A Short Trip To Shere (2.5 mins)

ANCHORESS director Chris Newby documents the location of the real Christine Carpenter’s anchoress cell at St. James’ Church in Shere, England.

DISC 12:

PENDA’S FEN

Alan Clarke, UK, 1974

90 mins | 1:33:1 | Color | Region A

English mono | Closed Captions

Mastered in HD by the British Film Institute

Alan Clark (Scum) directs David Rudkin’s epic tale of myth and identity whereby a sanctimonious Vicar’s son has a spiritual and sexual awakening after being visited by a series of angels, gargoyles, and the ghosts of Edward Elgar and a long-dead Pagan King. Penda’s Fen is the most magical of ALL British Folk Horror films, what Scholar Sukhdev Sandhu called “A lasting vision of heresy and pastoral horror.”

Special Features:

Audio Commentary by James Machin and Matthew Hale, Editors of the book “Of Mud & Flame: The Penda’s Fen Sourcebook”

The Landscape of Feelings: The Road to Penda’s Fen (16 mins)                                                                                                                                                     A Documentary on the making of Rudkin and Clarke’s groundbreaking Drama, featuring interviews with Writer David Rudkin and Producer David Rose as well as contributions from Clarke collaborators such as Writer David Yallop, Actor Sean Chapman and Playwright David Leland. Courtesy of The British Film Institute.

Plus Bonus Short Film:

The Pledge (Digby Rumsey, 1982) (22 mins)                                                                                                                                                                                      Based on the short story by early 20th Century Fantasy Writer Lord Dunsany, The Pledge concerns a group of Highwaymen who make a pact to save the should of their  hanged partner. A dark, luscious film co-edited by an uncredited Peter Greenaway and featuring music by Michael Nyman. Courtesy of The British Film Institute.

ROBIN REDBREAST

James MacTaggart, UK, 1970

76 mins| 1:33:1 | B/W | Region A

English mono | Closed Captions

Mastered from BBC protection tape master, the only surviving element

Veteran British chiller writer John Bowen penned this legendarily terrifying BBC teleplay, now considered a precursor to THE WICKER MAN. Nora Palmer moves to a quiet village in England after a break-up. The locals are warm enough at first, but their sinister intentions are gradually revealed. Is Nora paranoid or is she the center of a wicked pagan plot of indescribable horror?

Special Features:

Audio Commentary With William Fowler And Vic Pratt, Curators And Authors Of “The Bodies Beneath: The Flipside of British Film & Television”

Interview With John Bowen (12 mins)

The celebrated writer discusses his career and the origins of ROBIN REDBREAST. Courtesy of the British Film Institute.

Plus bonus short film:

The Sermon (Dean Puckett, 2018) (12 mins) In an isolated church community in the English countryside, a powerful hate preacher prepares to deliver a sermon to his flock, but his daughter has a secret that could destroy them all.

BONUS CDs:

WOODLANDS DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED

ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK

Composed by Jim Williams 

THE WHITE PEOPLE

By Arthur Machen

Read by Linda Hayden

Music by Timothy Fife and Missionary Work

Arthur Machen’s hugely influential short story, first published in 1904, in which a discussion between two men on the nature of evil leads to the revelation of a mysterious Green Book—the diary of a young girl, in which she describes her initiation into a secret world of folklore and magic. Here the story is brought vividly to life with an incredible reading by Linda Hayden (BLOOD ON SATAN’S CLAW) and a remarkable original score.

ALL THE HAUNTS BE OURS — 126+ Page Book

Curated by Kier-La Janisse, this beautifully-illustrated book designed by Luke Insect features new writing by Andy Paciorek, Stephen Volk, Mitch Horowitz, Dawn Keetley, Sarah Chavez, Stephen R. Bissette and Dejan Ognjanović alongside a selection of illuminating archival pieces and a breakdown of all the films in the set.