What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Buboven

Been looking for Scorpions region free Blu ray release but cant find anywhere to buy it

It's recently gone out of print - most of Scorpion's titles that were released previous to their collaboration with Kino have/will be going out of print.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

It's recently gone out of print - most of Scorpion's titles that were released previous to their collaboration with Kino have/will be going out of print.

Is there still a list of what's going / gone out of print?

I'm sure i recall seeing it on here.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Is there still a list of what's going / gone out of print?

I'm sure i recall seeing it on here.

Found it.

AMERICAN NIGHTMARE
ANGEL'S BRIGADE
ANNA TO THE INFINITE POWER
THE BABYSISTER
BEACH GIRLS Blu
BODY MELT
THE CARPENTER
CELIA
CHEERLEADER'S WILD WEEKEND
DARK SIDE OF GENIUS
DEVIL WITHIN HER
DOCTOR DEATH SEEKER OF SOULS
DOGPOUND SHUFFLE
DOUBLE EXPOSURE
THE DREAMING/THE INITIATION
ED AND HIS DEAD MOTHER
FLAVIA THE HERETIC (this made the disastrous sale of POM POM GIRLS Blu look like a gold certificate record)!
FOLLOW ME
GEORGIA GEORGIA
GIRL IN BLUE
GIRL ON THE ROAD
GOODBYE GEMINI
GREASER'S PALACE
HARLEQUIN Blu
THE HEARSE/BLOOD ON DRACULAS CASTLE
HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW Blu (as just like TOMBOY, the DVD will remain in print, as the DVD sold much, much better. For a supposedly popular slasher, the Blu sold barely 1,200 units. It’s amazing how many people requested that I upgrade this title as a Blu, and you can now see, there were less than 1,200 folks who actually wanted it going through retail route. And me only getting, if lucky, 1/4 of the retail price, this title would have been better served as a limited edition of 1,200 units via direct sales, which is why I will make all future genre Blu titles limited editions.)
IMPROPER CONDUCT
THE INCUBUS
INTERNECINE PROJECT
LA MY HOME
LAST GRENADE
LEGACY
MAFU CAGE
MALIBU HIGH/HUSTLER SQUAD
MY TUTOR Blu
NOTHING BUT THE NIGHT
OLD ENOUGH
POINT OF TERROR
POM POM GIRLS BLU
THE POWER (can't believe how horribly this sold! Less than a typical Crown Title! And I priced it low!)
QUEST FOR LOVE
RENTADICK
RUNNING HOT/HOT TARGET
SILVER DREAM RACER
SUPERSPOOK
TAINTED LOVE/SHADES OF GREY
THAT'S THE WAY OF THE WORLD Blu (could be the worst selling Blu in history, less than 200!)
TOMBOY Blu (DVD will still stay in print)
VOYAGER
WOMBLING FREE
ZOMBIE NIGHTMARE

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Is there still a list of what's going / gone out of print?

I'm sure i recall seeing it on here.

That was mainly for a lot if the older DVD titles (the Katarina stuff etc.) - I think it's in the Scorpion thread somewhere.

This is a slightly more recent spate of oop titles. There's no official list, but anything released via Scorpion's old 'Alternative Distribution Alliance' distributor is affected (basically anything up to and including Screamers). However, the later titles still have a lot of stock in circulation so it's only the older titles really that are potentially an issue. Walter could decide to repress more, but if he did he'd have to sell via Screen Archives Entertainment or his own store front (the latter of which doesn't ship abroad). They may end up on places like Diabolik though.

[fuzzymctiger]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

That was mainly for a lot if the older DVD titles (the Katarina stuff etc.) - I think it's in the Scorpion thread somewhere.

This is a slightly more recent spate of oop titles. There's no official list, but anything released via Scorpion's old 'Alternative Distribution Alliance' distributor is affected (basically anything up to and including Screamers). However, the later titles still have a lot of stock in circulation so it's only the older titles really that are potentially an issue. Walter could decide to repress more, but if he did he'd have to sell via Screen Archives Entertainment or his own store front (the latter of which doesn't ship abroad). They may end up on places like Diabolik though.

I put off the Scorpion titles I wanted for way too long due to pricing and other things I wanted, and now regret it. I ordered Day of the Animals off some website but paid through Paypal without making an account, so I have no idea if it'll ship or not.

That being said, if anyone has blu ray copies of Harlequin, The Unseen, or Flavia the Heretic they'd like to sell or trade, let me know

[Inspector Abberline]

Silent Partner.1978.Daryl Duke.Based on the novel Think Of A Number by Anders Bodelsen a seemingly underrated crime film,which has'nt had a UK DVD release yet and sparodically shown on terrestrial TV back in 80s,Its that beast of a film which puts its hero played by the great Elliot Gould thru the ringer while being stalked by a very wicked Christopher Plummer who plays a very brutal villain with a fetish for head crushing and murder by fish tank.The plot is original and compelling and tight and would make a great double freature with the wonderful Long Goodbye.

The Hot Rock.1972 Peter Yates.The director of Bullit gives us a more sedate crime film with Robert Redford and George Segal as a pair of jewel thiefs.A superior crime caper movie with lots of plot twists as the gang bungle there way from one disaster to another.Redford and Segal are so cool and make a fun double act (maybe Paul Newman was busy that week)and are really likeable characters.Watch out for the initial robbery where they try to get into a glass case,its excruiating frustrating as they lose there grip on glass surface.

Straight Time.1978 ULU Grosbard.Dustin Hoffman seemingly could do no wrong during the late 60s, 70s and early 80s with Midnight Cowboy,Little Big Man,Straw Dogs,Marathon Man and this the story of a newly released criminal based on the Eddie Bunker book No Beast So Fierce.Hoffman's character on the outside seems laid back and laconic but bubbling under the surface he's volatile man, which his sweaty and sleazy parole officer played by M Emmet Walsh soon finds out when he's de-bagged and handcuffed to a central reservation of a free-way.Featuring a slew of great american character actors such as Harry Dean Statton,Theresa Russell,Gary Busey and an unrecognisable Kathy Bates.

Across 110th Street.1972 Barry Shear.Made famous by Mr Tarantino for using the theme song in his film Jackie Brown,to be honest I hadn't watched it or in fact had been aware of it until I had seen JB,so thank you Mr QT for that at least.Compared to alot of the Blackploitation movies that followed this is a very volatile and hateful filled film.Neither the police headed by Anthony Quinn (who was also the executive producer) and Yaphet Kotto are portrayed in a good light and the rather nasty and violent Mafia boss played by Anthony (Tenrbrae)Franciosa is like almost every mafia caricature rolled into one.In fact the only real characters that gain any sympathy are the gang pull of a heist of Mafia money in Harlem,who find themselves being hunted by both sides.The stereotypical portrayals on all sides whether there black or Italian are cranked up to 11,and if your at all PC you could be easily offended by its lazy stereotyping,but putting that to one side its a violent crazy film.

Marathon Man.1976.John Schlesinger.Marathon Man is one of those dark twist thrillers that could only of come out of the 70's.Based on the William Goldman novel we see Laurence Olivier play nazi fugitive Szell a kind of dentist from hell.The film is made famous for its" Is it safe" scene between Olivier and Dustin Hoffman but I think its Roy Scheider as a diamond courier and Wiliam Devane as a corrupt agent who really steal the film from under the noses of its main stars.Scheider has a terrific fight scene with an assassin and its his character you really engage with rather than Hoffmans.And Devane is his usual suave but slightly untrustworthy self.But Olivier Nazi dentist is still formidable villain and he gives a really nice quiet but chilling portrayal.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

It's been far too long since I last saw Marathon Man, which is crying out for another viewing. After reading your review, I had a look on the Internet for the story about when Sir Laurence Olivier reportedly told an exhausted Dustin Hoffman, who had stayed awake to appear extremely tired, to 'Try acting – it easier'. Apparently, the story isn't a case of an old school stage actor issuing a playful rebuke to his 'Method acting' co-star, but something very different.

Of course, the film's most famous legend has Hoffman, in an earnest attempt to inhabit his character, coming onto the set one morning, weak and bleary-eyed from staying out all night. Olivier, so the story goes, took one look at him and uttered the immortal line, "Why doesn't he just try acting?" The anecdote has been told and retold in so many different versions that it's become impossible to pin down now. Everyone from Bob Evans to Conrad Hall to Hawk Koch would claim to have been there when it was said, and each of their accounts were different. John [Schlesinger] himself would tell the story in a variety of ways, sometimes insisting Olivier made the remark to him in the cutting room, other times that he spoke it directly to Dustin. Hoffman, for his part, says Olivier uttered the line as a laugh between the two of them, when Dustin staggered onto the set after a night of partying, weakly joking to "his lordship" that it had been his way of preparing for the part.

- Edge of Midnight: The Life of John Schlesinger

[keirarts]

moon of the wolf.jpg

Moon of the wolf

Another TV movie of the week. This one stars David Janssen (T.V's The Fugitive) as a local sheriff investigating a murder. At first it seems to be an animal attack until the local doctor points to a blow to the head that indicates murder. Soon more killings begin to occur, again with baffling signs of animal attack until its revealed the killer might be a werewolf.

Basically a whodunnit werewolf flick, this ones great fun marred by the fact that Elstree's DVD is appalling. The picture and sound are so bad its almost off putting. A shame as the films pretty good.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Not Forgotten (2009)

Set near the US-Mexico border in Texas, Not Forgotten tells the story of a family who's child is kidnapped and her father's (Simon Baker) attempt to find her, as his own dark past slowly comes to the fore.

Not Forgotten is an intriguing film. Anyone with a passing interest in the occult and in particular the ritualistic cult of Santa Muerta (Saint Death) - a female personification of death and the journey to the afterlife - should find this quite enjoyable. It's not all about mystical cults though. The film takes in the aforementioned kidnapping, sex offenders, police procedure, drugs and the Mexican mob, in a heady cocktail of mystery and suspense.

Although paced quite sedately, it's still involving and this allows the atmosphere to build making the infrequent scenes of violence come over all the more shocking, including a gruesome, sadistic scene where Baker slashes a suspect repeatedly with a broken bottle in order to extract information regarding his daughters whereabouts.

The film is well acted from Baker, Paz Vega as his wife and Chloe Moretz as the kidnapped girl, as well as all the oddball characters that come and go throughout. The story certainly doesn't unfold as you think and the outcome isn't one you can predict after twenty minutes.

Pretty good.

[Demoncrat]

Apart from reshows of The Visitor & Nightmare At Noon

Cemetery Man (1994, Michele Soavi) Shameless UK dvd.
What can I say about this zomedy that hasn't been said? A hoot from beginning to end, it's got a flying head in it ahem...need I say mair???

Godzilla:Final Wars (2004, Ryuhei Kitamura)
This being the Sony PG13 cut, I will have to rummage for my other copy to compare. Still, it pisses aw over the Emmerich film imo.

Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter (1974, Brian Clemens)
Twas on THC, which made a change fae their endless stream of cacky toture porn and awful TVMs, cough. Still a hoot, must get this on disc!! Same goes for...

Horror Of Frankenstein (1970, Jimmy Sangster)
Ralph Bates and his hair have fun bumping off all & sundry in his quest for...you guessed it, a reanimated corpse!!