The holiday season is fast approaching. If you’re like me and are carefully plotting your hi-def stocking stuffer purchases, this latest round-up of horror Blu-ray news could help you out. First we’ll report some films announced to hit Blu-ray for the first time, then we’ll tackle art and specs for two of next month’s biggest releases.
Scream Factory took to Facebook recently to announce they would be bringing SCANNERS to home video for the first time since the VHS era. Wait, what’s that? Oh, sorry, I meant SCANNERS II & III, the direct-to-video sequels. Still, it’s not a bad consolation prize in the slightest:
Sadly, we don’t have the rights to the original SCANNERS… but we were able to get them for its sequels. SCANNERS II: THE NEW ORDER (1991) and SCANNERS III: THE TAKEOVER (1992) will finally make their debuts on DVD in 2013…and possibly Blu-ray too.
Full Moon has also announced a pair of its back catalogue titles will be getting the hi-def treatment– BLOODSTONE: SUBSPECIES II and BLOODLUST: SUBSPECIES III. Full Moon’s similar PUPPET MASTER 2 & 3 Blu-rays released in October got strong reviews, so hopefully these will live up to fan expectations. Radu fans should take a gander at the promo art:
Next, we have promo art and specs for some of the holiday season’s biggest horror releases. RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION is getting released on DVD, Blu-ray, and Blu-ray 3-D Combo pack December 21st. THE COMPLETE SERIES: RESIDENT EVIL 1-5 will also be avalable. Here are RETRIBUTION’S specs and art:
Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack Includes:
Disc 1:
Blu-ray 3D feature film
– Deleted & Extended Scenes and Outtakes
in 3D
Disc 2:
– Six featurettes:
– Maestro of Evil: Directing Resident
Evil: Retribution
– Evolving Alice
– Resident Evil: Reunion
– Design & Build: The World of Resident
Evil: Retribution
– Resident Stuntman
– Code: Mika
– Project Alice: The Interactive
Database
– All of the Special Features on the DVD
Blu-ray Includes:
Blu-ray feature film
– Deleted & Extended Scenes
– Six featurettes:
– Maestro of Evil: Directing Resident
Evil: Retribution
– Evolving Alice
– Resident Evil: Reunion
– Design & Build: The World of Resident
Evil: Retribution
– Resident Stuntman
– Code: Mika
– Project Alice: The Interactive
Database
– All of the Special Features on the DVD
DVD Includes:
2D DVD feature film
– Director and Cast Commentary
– Director and Producer Commentary
– Drop (Un)Dead: The Creatures of
Retribution
– Outtakes
Last, but certainly not least, the UK-based Arrow Video is putting out a new edition of Lucio Fulci’s ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS (better known to us yanks as just ZOMBIE) onto Blu-ray, DVD, and limited edition steelbook on December 3rd. This edition will contain a restored transfer taken from the original negative. Unfortunately, the release is Region 2 only (unlike many Arrow releases), so North American Schmoes without a Region free player might want to hold onto their Blue Underground editions for the time being. You can find specs and artwork below.
Zombie Flesh Easter release is as follows:
– A brand new high definition restoration of the original negative with optional English and Italian opening titles
– Optional English SDH subtitles for English audio / a new English subtitles translation for Italian audio
– Optional original, restored Italian and English Mono 2.0 audio
– Audio commentary with screenwriter Elisa Briganti, moderated by Calum Waddell
– Audio commentary with Fulci biographer Stephen Thrower and horror expert Alan Jones
– UK exclusive introduction to the film from Ian McCulloch
– “ALIENS, CANNIBALS AND ZOMBIES: A TRILOGY OF ITALIAN TERROR” – Actor Ian McCulloch remembers his three classics of Latin horror lunacy – ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS, CONTAMINATION and ZOMBI HOLOCAUST
– “FROM ROMERO TO ROME: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE ITALIAN ZOMBIE FILM” – Veteran Fulci screenwriters Dardano Sacchetti (THE BEYOND) and Antonio Tentori (CAT IN THE BRAIN), celebrated UK critic Kim Newman and filmmakers Luigi Cozzi (CONTAMINATION), Ruggero Deodato (CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST), Russ Streiner (NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD) plus many more share memories of the genesis of corpse -crunching cinema – from Romero’s early templates to the gory glory days of Fulci and his many successors.
– “THE MEAT MUNCHING MOVIES OF GINO DE ROSSI” – The special effects magician behind many Italian splatter classics talks about his most famous gore-drenched greats – and shows props from many plasma-packed masterworks – including ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS, CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD, THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY, CANNIBAL FEROX, BURIAL GROUND and PIRANHA II.
– “ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS – FROM SCRIPT TO SCREEN” – Dardano Sacchetti shows key pages from his original ISLAND OF THE LIVING DEAD screenplay.
– Trailers and TV spots
– Collector’s booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by Fulci biographer Stephen Thrower, a new interview with star Olga Karlatos by Calum Waddell, a history of Zombie Flesh Eaters and the BBFC by Craig Lapper , one of the board’s senior examiners, and extracts of the original ‘Nightmare Island’ 1978 script including unfilmed, alternate, and more gory sequences as well as a Lucio Fulci CV compiled by Jay Slater.