Arrow Video - Sleepless

[Almar@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by eiren

I totally agree, Almar. One of the biggest memories that sticks in my mind from being a kid at the start of the 80s... is going into video shops pre video nasty scandal, and seeing all those horrific looking painted VHS covers in the horror section. Turns out most of those covers were actually better than a lot of the films!

I love all the original painted Giallo posters from the original era, as nicely illustrated on this site:

http://giallolocandine.blogspot.com/

Stunning work on most of them.

And this is the thing about the Arrow covers - there is some serious artistic license in use here but that to me is a huge part of the joy of old school exploitation selling - the artwork was everything and often better than the films. The touch of respect is to give people the option with original artwork but the excitement is offering a whole new artistic take on a film.

That's a great site - and indeed they've helped out Shameless in the past along with the ever-wonderful LoveLockandLoad guys.

[Almar@Cult Labs]

Hot on the heels of the news that Arrow Video are mounting a big screen outing for The House by the Cemetery with Cine Excess III

http://www.cult-labs.com/forums/show...?t=1188&page=5

they are also delighted to announce that to celebrate the 29th June DVD releases of Sleepless and Macabre will receive rare big screen outings in association with the Sci-Fi-London festival as part of their Italian Horror All-Nighter on Saturday night 2nd May (technically 12am Sunday 3rd May) at the luxurious Apollo Piccadilly in Regent Street London.

http://www.sci-fi-london.com/festiva...ian-horror.php

Tickets include a goodie bag, ice cream and most importantly - Red Bull!

[Almar@Cult Labs]

Sleepless is also going to have an all-new mini-doc. Rather than reveal the details here and keep hoarding all the info - for a change I'm going to link to our good friends at LoveLock&Load who were all very supportive back when Shameless was just a pipe dream! Rock on over to find out what's planned!

http://www.lovelockandload.net/forum...45878#msg45878

[Almar@Cult Labs]

If you've not already found out from LoveLock&Load (worth checking out their t-shirts if you're looking for summer attired!) here's the all-new mini doc that will be going on the Sleepless DVD:

Murder Madness and Mutilation:
Sleepless and The Modern Italian Giallo

This will feature contributions from Sergio Stivaletti, Tony Timpone and Joe Dante.

Special Thanks for putting it all together go to Joe Dante, Alan Jones, Sergio Stivaletti, Tony Timpone and Paolo Zelati.

[Sam]

Love the sound of that documentary, I'll definitely be investing in this one. Any idea of the running time of the docs yet Almar?

[smileysmile18]

What are the audio options going to be? I'm always torn when I watch it, because I like hearing Max Von Sydows real voice in the English version, but most of the other characters have the usual ludicrous dubbing job. i remember seeing this on the big screen at Dead by Dawn in Edinburgh years back, and people were rolling in the aisles at some of the dubbing. Watching in Italian seemed to make it a much more serious film. Preferably this disc will come with both options.

[Almar@Cult Labs]

It will be English only and that's because the Italian licensor refused to allow the Italian track to be used.

I have to say years back when I had the MIA set I ordered the Italian Medusa release so I could try it in Italian - after 10 minutes I switched back to English - I thought the Italian was even more out of sync.

[Beyond72]

I like the cover, but tbh I'm not sure about the use of the graffiti "Sleepless" on the train...but the image above is spot on!!

[Almar@Cult Labs]

So folks here is the proper PR release announcement for Sleepless

THE MASTER OF NIGHTMARES IS BACK!

True horror fans prepare to rejoice! The undead spirit of the "video nasty" and some of the best examples of Italian exploitation cinema are about to be raised from the grave and reborn on DVD courtesy of Arrow Video's forthcoming Masters of Giallo imprint.

The first bloody batch, hitting the shelves on 29th June 2009, gives a much-welcomed new lease of life to three of the genre's most revered classics – Lucio Fulci's THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY, Lamberto Bava's MACABRE and Dario Argento's SLEEPLESS. Released completely uncut on DVD for the first time in the UK, each film comes with an unholy host of brand new extras, along with two-sided sleeve inserts featuring all-new, specially commissioned exploitation artwork plus the film's original release artwork. Finally paying these movies their due respects after far too long, these releases are everything an insatiably hungry horror fan could ask for. As a special bonus, each release also comes complete with a poster featuring the brand new art.

In Dario Argento's SLEEPLESS insomniac detective Moretti (Max von Sydow) is called upon to investigate a series of murders which bear a remarkable resemblance to those committed 17 years earlier and attributed to a killer nicknamed "The Dwarf". Is the new spate of crimes being committed by the same culprit or a copycat killer? Aided by Giacomo, the son of one of the original murderer's victims, Moretti sets out to solve the mystery.

Opening with a thrilling 20-minute sequence that reminds the viewer just why Argento is regarded as a true master of horror, SLEEPLESS sees the director on top form and his full of his trademarks, from the murderer's black glove and glinting knives to the beautiful women in peril, an abundance of red linen, unrelenting violence and, of course, glorious cinematic set-pieces, the best of which is an incredible, slow tracking shot of a carpet which leads to a truly gruesome pay-off.

SLEEPLESS (cert. 18) will be released on DVD (£15.99, tbc) by Arrow Video on 29th June 2009. Special Features include: Murder Madness and Mutilation: Sleepless and the Modern Italian Giallo; The Making of Sleepless; trailer; photo gallery; press kit.

Poster Artwork:

[Pete]

Why wouldn't they allow the Italian track to be used?