“Never bet against James Cameron” has been the conventional wisdom in the film industry, and the adjacent world of film criticism, for at least 25 years. It started roughly around 1997 when Titanic was delayed by six months and its budget ballooned to massive proportions. A vanity project from an auteur director with a runaway budget? It was immediately prophesied to become a box office catastrophe that could sink two major studios.
Instead it went on to become the biggest box office success of all time, a title it held for 12 years until it was defeated by… Avatar, another Cameron movie that was expected to tank and instead scaled to almost unparalleled financial heights. Titanic also won 11 Oscars, tying it for the most ever, including Best Picture and Best Director. From that point on, the idea that the man’s seemingly uncanny commercial and creative instincts, as well as his truly visionary approach to epic filmmaking,...
Instead it went on to become the biggest box office success of all time, a title it held for 12 years until it was defeated by… Avatar, another Cameron movie that was expected to tank and instead scaled to almost unparalleled financial heights. Titanic also won 11 Oscars, tying it for the most ever, including Best Picture and Best Director. From that point on, the idea that the man’s seemingly uncanny commercial and creative instincts, as well as his truly visionary approach to epic filmmaking,...
- 12/17/2022
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
40 years ago, James Cameron made his directorial debut with "Piranha II: The Spawning." Kind of. The then 28-year-old filmmaker found himself dealing with a hostile producer (Ovidio G. Assonitis) and an Italian crew that did not speak English. It's unclear how much of the film Cameron actually directed or edited (one version of the story holds that Assonitis fired him before the end of the shoot; another claims he was barred from the editing room), but lurking within this horrid sequel to Joe Dante's surprisingly nifty rip-off of "Jaws" is the germ of a theme Cameron would chew on for the rest of his career. The piranha in his film are winged mutations bred to be used as biological weapons. This, of course, backfires on the scientists, and wreaks havoc on humanity and ecology in general.
If Cameron's next eight films have taught us anything about his worldview, it's...
If Cameron's next eight films have taught us anything about his worldview, it's...
- 12/17/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Click here to read the full article.
Last year, it was just a lark.
For its 2021 event, Oldenburg Film Festival invited Somtow Sucharitkul, one of Thailand’s most acclaimed classical composers and conductors, to the world premiere of The Maestro, a Thai horror film starring Somtow as a murderous conductor. “Some would call it typecasting,” jokes Somtow, who also wrote the film’s script.
But instead of just coming for the red carpet, Somtow invited members of his youth orchestra, the Siam Sinfonietta — which performs in The Maestro — to join him. Together they wowed the crowds at the festival’s opening and closing ceremonies, performing music from the film, as well as a tribute to Oldenburg’s 2021 guest of honor, Italian genre master Ovidio Assonitis (Tentacles, Beyond the Door).
“The kids had never seen anything like it, coming to Oldenburg just opened the door to a whole other universe for them,...
Last year, it was just a lark.
For its 2021 event, Oldenburg Film Festival invited Somtow Sucharitkul, one of Thailand’s most acclaimed classical composers and conductors, to the world premiere of The Maestro, a Thai horror film starring Somtow as a murderous conductor. “Some would call it typecasting,” jokes Somtow, who also wrote the film’s script.
But instead of just coming for the red carpet, Somtow invited members of his youth orchestra, the Siam Sinfonietta — which performs in The Maestro — to join him. Together they wowed the crowds at the festival’s opening and closing ceremonies, performing music from the film, as well as a tribute to Oldenburg’s 2021 guest of honor, Italian genre master Ovidio Assonitis (Tentacles, Beyond the Door).
“The kids had never seen anything like it, coming to Oldenburg just opened the door to a whole other universe for them,...
- 9/15/2022
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hey everyone! We have a busy week of home media releases on tap, so let’s go ahead and just dive right into everything. Two of my favorite films of 2021—Julia Ducournau’s Titane and Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho—are both coming home on Tuesday and I cannot recommend them enough. For those of you with little monsters, The Addams Family 2 is making its way onto various formats, and if you’re a franchise completist, Candyman: Day of the Dead is getting the Vestron Video Collector’s Series treatment this week as well.
We also have a bunch of Italian horror movies arriving on Tuesday, including Mario Bava’s Shock, plus The Stendhal Syndrome and Deep Red from Dario Argento. Blue Underground is showing some love to The Toolbox Murders with their 4K release of the film, and Rlje Films is set to release An Unquiet Grave on DVD,...
We also have a bunch of Italian horror movies arriving on Tuesday, including Mario Bava’s Shock, plus The Stendhal Syndrome and Deep Red from Dario Argento. Blue Underground is showing some love to The Toolbox Murders with their 4K release of the film, and Rlje Films is set to release An Unquiet Grave on DVD,...
- 1/17/2022
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
“Death is like going on a trip, darling, only one doesn’t come back.”
Mario Bava’s final horror film Shock (1977) will be available on Blu-ray January 18th from Arrow Video
In a career spanning four decades and encompassing virtually every genre under the sun, Mario Bava inspired multiple generations of filmmakers, from Dario Argento to Martin Scorsese and Tim Burton. Best remembered for his gothic horror movies, for his final feature, Shock, he eschewed the grand guignol excesses of Black Sabbath or Blood and Black Lace for a more intimate portrait of mental breakdown in which true horror comes from within.
Dora moves back into her old family home with her husband, Bruno, and Marco, her young son from her previous marriage. But domestic bliss proves elusive as numerous strange and disturbing occurrences transpire, while Dora is haunted by a series of nightmares and hallucinations, many of them involving her dead former husband.
Mario Bava’s final horror film Shock (1977) will be available on Blu-ray January 18th from Arrow Video
In a career spanning four decades and encompassing virtually every genre under the sun, Mario Bava inspired multiple generations of filmmakers, from Dario Argento to Martin Scorsese and Tim Burton. Best remembered for his gothic horror movies, for his final feature, Shock, he eschewed the grand guignol excesses of Black Sabbath or Blood and Black Lace for a more intimate portrait of mental breakdown in which true horror comes from within.
Dora moves back into her old family home with her husband, Bruno, and Marco, her young son from her previous marriage. But domestic bliss proves elusive as numerous strange and disturbing occurrences transpire, while Dora is haunted by a series of nightmares and hallucinations, many of them involving her dead former husband.
- 12/20/2021
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
If anyone these days still remembers Piranha II: The Spawning, a low-budget Jaws-esque “horror for the deep” from 1981, it’s usually as the answer to the trivia question: What was James Cameron’s first film as a director?
But Somtow Sucharitkul remembers. The pioneering composer from Thailand is taking the film, or more accurately its music, as inspiration for his latest work, a “symphony of horror” that will first be performed live at this year’s Oldenburg International Film Festival.
The choice of Piranha II is no accident. Somtow’s new work is a tribute to Piranha II producer Ovidio G. Assonitis, the ...
But Somtow Sucharitkul remembers. The pioneering composer from Thailand is taking the film, or more accurately its music, as inspiration for his latest work, a “symphony of horror” that will first be performed live at this year’s Oldenburg International Film Festival.
The choice of Piranha II is no accident. Somtow’s new work is a tribute to Piranha II producer Ovidio G. Assonitis, the ...
- 9/16/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
If anyone these days still remembers Piranha II: The Spawning, a low-budget Jaws-esque “horror for the deep” from 1981, it’s usually as the answer to the trivia question: What was James Cameron’s first film as a director?
But Somtow Sucharitkul remembers. The pioneering composer from Thailand is taking the film, or more accurately its music, as inspiration for his latest work, a “symphony of horror” that will first be performed live at this year’s Oldenburg International Film Festival.
The choice of Piranha II is no accident. Somtow’s new work is a tribute to Piranha II producer Ovidio G. Assonitis, the ...
But Somtow Sucharitkul remembers. The pioneering composer from Thailand is taking the film, or more accurately its music, as inspiration for his latest work, a “symphony of horror” that will first be performed live at this year’s Oldenburg International Film Festival.
The choice of Piranha II is no accident. Somtow’s new work is a tribute to Piranha II producer Ovidio G. Assonitis, the ...
- 9/16/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After several years away from the movie business, cult filmmaker and veteran producer Ovidio G. Assonitis is getting back in the game, greenlighting a series of new features including a new sequel to his own 1974 cult horror film Beyond the Door.
The original, which starred Juliet Mills as a woman impregnated by the devil after a possession, was a commercial hit, grossing more than $40 million at the box office. It has already spawned two sequels: the Mario Bava-directed Beyond the Door II, aka Shock, in 1977, and Beyond the Door III in 1989. But those films were sequels in name only. The ...
The original, which starred Juliet Mills as a woman impregnated by the devil after a possession, was a commercial hit, grossing more than $40 million at the box office. It has already spawned two sequels: the Mario Bava-directed Beyond the Door II, aka Shock, in 1977, and Beyond the Door III in 1989. But those films were sequels in name only. The ...
After several years away from the movie business, cult filmmaker and veteran producer Ovidio G. Assonitis is getting back in the game, greenlighting a series of new features including a new sequel to his own 1974 cult horror film Beyond the Door.
The original, which starred Juliet Mills as a woman impregnated by the devil after a possession, was a commercial hit, grossing more than $40 million at the box office. It has already spawned two sequels: the Mario Bava-directed Beyond the Door II, aka Shock, in 1977, and Beyond the Door III in 1989. But those films were sequels in name only. The ...
The original, which starred Juliet Mills as a woman impregnated by the devil after a possession, was a commercial hit, grossing more than $40 million at the box office. It has already spawned two sequels: the Mario Bava-directed Beyond the Door II, aka Shock, in 1977, and Beyond the Door III in 1989. But those films were sequels in name only. The ...
Lance Henriksen has been one of the screen’s most distinctive character actors and overall badasses for going on 50 years. A genuine working actor who always seems to be showing up in a film or TV show, the New York-born Henriksen’s early film career featured small roles in some of the most iconic films of the 1970s, including Dog Day Afternoon, Network and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Even though his long and varied run on the big and small screen was just getting underway, he managed to work with directors like Sidney Lumet and Steven Spielberg.
He also didn’t have a clue at the time that those films would endure decades later as classics of their era.
“I had no idea,” he says while speaking to us on the phone about his latest film, Falling. “I was just grateful to have a job and do my best and try.
He also didn’t have a clue at the time that those films would endure decades later as classics of their era.
“I had no idea,” he says while speaking to us on the phone about his latest film, Falling. “I was just grateful to have a job and do my best and try.
- 2/5/2021
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Well, we’ve officially made it to April, which means we’ve got more home media releases to look forward to as well. In terms of new horror headed to Blu-ray and DVD on Tuesday, Joe Begos’ badass siege flick Vfw arrives on both formats, and Jennifer Reeder’s Knives and Skin is coming home via a Blu/DVD combo release as well. If you’re in the mood for a mind-blowing Exorcist ripoff, be sure to pick up Arrow Video’s 2-Disc Special Edition release of Beyond the Door, and Terror Train is being shown some love this Tuesday with a brand new Blu-ray, too.
Other releases for April 7th include Supernatural (1933), Dead by Dawn, Reflections on the Living Dead, The Devil’s Fairground, Impact Event, and The Wind Walker.
Beyond the Door: 2-Disc Special Edition
Legendary filmmaker Ovidio G. Assonitis, whose Tentacles and Piranha II sought to...
Other releases for April 7th include Supernatural (1933), Dead by Dawn, Reflections on the Living Dead, The Devil’s Fairground, Impact Event, and The Wind Walker.
Beyond the Door: 2-Disc Special Edition
Legendary filmmaker Ovidio G. Assonitis, whose Tentacles and Piranha II sought to...
- 4/7/2020
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
” Come on, you filthy pig-lick the vile whore’s vomit! “
Legendary filmmaker Ovidio G. Assonitis, whose Tentacles and Piranha II sought to cash in on the killer fish craze spawned by Jaws, first hit pay dirt in 1974 with Beyond the Door – a gloriously bonkers riff on The Exorcist featuring Emmy Award-winning actress Juliet Mills and distinguished British actor Richard Johnson.
Set against the backdrop of San Francisco, Beyond the Door stars Mills as Jessica Barrett, a young mother who starts to develop strange behaviors whilst pregnant with her third child. Before you can say split pea soup , Jessica is displaying signs of full-blown demonic possession – complete with projectile vomiting and fully-rotating head! Could it be that she s carrying the child of the Antichrist himself?
Described as disgusting , scary trash and maddeningly inappropriate by film critic Robert Ebert and subject to a lawsuit by Warner Bros. (who claimed copyright infringement...
Legendary filmmaker Ovidio G. Assonitis, whose Tentacles and Piranha II sought to cash in on the killer fish craze spawned by Jaws, first hit pay dirt in 1974 with Beyond the Door – a gloriously bonkers riff on The Exorcist featuring Emmy Award-winning actress Juliet Mills and distinguished British actor Richard Johnson.
Set against the backdrop of San Francisco, Beyond the Door stars Mills as Jessica Barrett, a young mother who starts to develop strange behaviors whilst pregnant with her third child. Before you can say split pea soup , Jessica is displaying signs of full-blown demonic possession – complete with projectile vomiting and fully-rotating head! Could it be that she s carrying the child of the Antichrist himself?
Described as disgusting , scary trash and maddeningly inappropriate by film critic Robert Ebert and subject to a lawsuit by Warner Bros. (who claimed copyright infringement...
- 3/26/2020
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Arrow Video isn't joking around when it comes to their April Blu-ray releases, with an eclectic physical home media lineup that includes the beloved, the obscure, and one of the more buzzed-about indie films from last year's festival circuit.
In April, Arrow Video will release Beyond the Door, Why Don't You Just Die!, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, and The Wind on Blu-ray via Mvd Entertainment Group.
You can read the full release details below (including the new announcement of an illustrated collector’s booklet for Elvira: Mistress of the Dark), and to learn more, visit the links for the following Blu-rays:
Beyond the Door Why Don't You Just Die! Elvira: Mistress of the Dark The Wind
"Spring into April with Five Exciting New Releases from Arrow!
While the world faces difficult, uncertain times the small comforts like movies can mean so much more. Arrow knows this and has you...
In April, Arrow Video will release Beyond the Door, Why Don't You Just Die!, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, and The Wind on Blu-ray via Mvd Entertainment Group.
You can read the full release details below (including the new announcement of an illustrated collector’s booklet for Elvira: Mistress of the Dark), and to learn more, visit the links for the following Blu-rays:
Beyond the Door Why Don't You Just Die! Elvira: Mistress of the Dark The Wind
"Spring into April with Five Exciting New Releases from Arrow!
While the world faces difficult, uncertain times the small comforts like movies can mean so much more. Arrow knows this and has you...
- 3/26/2020
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
To celebrate the release of Beyond The Door – available on Blu-ray 30th March from Arrow Video – we have a copy up for grabs!
Legendary filmmaker Ovidio G. Assonitis, whose Tentacles and Piranha II sought to cash in on the killer fish craze spawned by Jaws, first hit pay dirt in 1974 with Beyond the Door – a gloriously bonkers riff on The Exorcist featuring Emmy Award-winning actress Juliet Mills and distinguished British actor Richard Johnson.
Set against the backdrop of San Francisco, Beyond the Door stars Mills as Jessica Barrett, a young mother who starts to develop strange behaviors whilst pregnant with her third child. Before you can say “split pea soup”, Jessica is displaying signs of full-blown demonic possession – complete with projectile vomiting and fully-rotating head! Could it be that she’s carrying the child of the Antichrist himself?
Described as “disgusting”, “scary trash” and “maddeningly inappropriate” by film critic Robert Ebert...
Legendary filmmaker Ovidio G. Assonitis, whose Tentacles and Piranha II sought to cash in on the killer fish craze spawned by Jaws, first hit pay dirt in 1974 with Beyond the Door – a gloriously bonkers riff on The Exorcist featuring Emmy Award-winning actress Juliet Mills and distinguished British actor Richard Johnson.
Set against the backdrop of San Francisco, Beyond the Door stars Mills as Jessica Barrett, a young mother who starts to develop strange behaviors whilst pregnant with her third child. Before you can say “split pea soup”, Jessica is displaying signs of full-blown demonic possession – complete with projectile vomiting and fully-rotating head! Could it be that she’s carrying the child of the Antichrist himself?
Described as “disgusting”, “scary trash” and “maddeningly inappropriate” by film critic Robert Ebert...
- 3/23/2020
- by Competitions
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
To celebrate the release of Beyond the Door – available on Blu-ray 30th March from Arrow Video – we have a copy up for grabs!
Legendary filmmaker Ovidio G. Assonitis, whose Tentacles and Piranha II sought to cash in on the killer fish craze spawned by Jaws, first hit pay dirt in 1974 with Beyond the Door – a gloriously bonkers riff on The Exorcist featuring Emmy Award-winning actress Juliet Mills and distinguished British actor Richard Johnson.
Set against the backdrop of San Francisco, Beyond the Door stars Mills as Jessica Barrett, a young mother who starts to develop strange behaviors whilst pregnant with her third child. Before you can say “split pea soup”, Jessica is displaying signs of full-blown demonic possession – complete with projectile vomiting and fully-rotating head! Could it be that she’s carrying the child of the Antichrist himself?
Described as “disgusting”, “scary trash” and “maddeningly inappropriate” by film critic Robert Ebert...
Legendary filmmaker Ovidio G. Assonitis, whose Tentacles and Piranha II sought to cash in on the killer fish craze spawned by Jaws, first hit pay dirt in 1974 with Beyond the Door – a gloriously bonkers riff on The Exorcist featuring Emmy Award-winning actress Juliet Mills and distinguished British actor Richard Johnson.
Set against the backdrop of San Francisco, Beyond the Door stars Mills as Jessica Barrett, a young mother who starts to develop strange behaviors whilst pregnant with her third child. Before you can say “split pea soup”, Jessica is displaying signs of full-blown demonic possession – complete with projectile vomiting and fully-rotating head! Could it be that she’s carrying the child of the Antichrist himself?
Described as “disgusting”, “scary trash” and “maddeningly inappropriate” by film critic Robert Ebert...
- 3/13/2020
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Nick Aldwinckle Jul 20, 2017
Our latest round up of genre DVDs and Blu-rays is here, with Wes Craven, Creepozoids, Dario Argento and more...
With the DC cinematic universe currently riding high on the coattails of Wonder Woman, Patty Jenkins’ megahit antidote to the miserablism of messrs Bats and Soops, it would seem churlish to point out that company’s past failures. Things being as they are, though, with the recent release of a camp classic on Blu-ray, it’s time to do precisely that.
The sequel to Wes Craven’s 1982 superhero effort that was more Toxie than Alan Moore, Jim Wynorski’s 1989 adaptation of the tale of scientist turned mutant bog creature Alec Holland, slyly monikered The Return Of Swamp Thing, cranks the ridiculousness dial right up to 'comedy horror' level. As Swampy meets the love of his life, Abigail – Heather (Locklear) be thy name – and battles the evil Anton Arcane (Louis Jourdan,...
Our latest round up of genre DVDs and Blu-rays is here, with Wes Craven, Creepozoids, Dario Argento and more...
With the DC cinematic universe currently riding high on the coattails of Wonder Woman, Patty Jenkins’ megahit antidote to the miserablism of messrs Bats and Soops, it would seem churlish to point out that company’s past failures. Things being as they are, though, with the recent release of a camp classic on Blu-ray, it’s time to do precisely that.
The sequel to Wes Craven’s 1982 superhero effort that was more Toxie than Alan Moore, Jim Wynorski’s 1989 adaptation of the tale of scientist turned mutant bog creature Alec Holland, slyly monikered The Return Of Swamp Thing, cranks the ridiculousness dial right up to 'comedy horror' level. As Swampy meets the love of his life, Abigail – Heather (Locklear) be thy name – and battles the evil Anton Arcane (Louis Jourdan,...
- 7/11/2017
- Den of Geek
Time can be a hell of a drug, especially when it comes to the projected image. There’s an inherent danger in revisiting a film we have fond memories of; is it as good as we recall? Conversely, can a film improve after an initial viewing, one that perhaps was initially dismissed with a shrug and a wave of the hand? Case in point: actor David Keith’s directorial debut, The Curse (1987), a film that inspired nothing in me beyond guffaws 30 years ago. But that was then; now it inspires a sense of awe, because if you’ve ever wondered what an American-flavored Lucio Fulci film would look like, clear a spot in your collection for the class clown of the Class of ’87.
Producer Ovidio G. Assonitis is no stranger to fans of the genre; if you’ve seen Beyond the Door (1974), Tentacles (1977), or The Visitor (1979), then you know he...
Producer Ovidio G. Assonitis is no stranger to fans of the genre; if you’ve seen Beyond the Door (1974), Tentacles (1977), or The Visitor (1979), then you know he...
- 7/6/2017
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
Ryan Lambie Jul 14, 2017
A cult gem in its own right, 1981's Galaxy Of Terror also gave James Cameron his start in big-screen filmmaking...
In most respects, it's pure Roger Corman: low-budget, swiftly made, and loaded with gratuitous gore and bare flesh. But take a closer look at Galaxy Of Terror, the amiably tawdry sci-fi horror flick released by Corman's New World in 1981, and you'll see the creative fingerprints of one James Cameron.
See related 8 Star Wars games we'd like to see
Directed by Bruce D Clark - who also co-wrote - Galaxy Of Terror slams together the plots of Ridley Scott's Alien and the 50s classic, Forbidden Planet. A group of explorers land on the planet Morganthus, where they discover a huge ancient pyramid; one by one, the visitors are terrorised and killed by monsters from their subconscious. One luckless character is torn apart by claws and tentacles...
A cult gem in its own right, 1981's Galaxy Of Terror also gave James Cameron his start in big-screen filmmaking...
In most respects, it's pure Roger Corman: low-budget, swiftly made, and loaded with gratuitous gore and bare flesh. But take a closer look at Galaxy Of Terror, the amiably tawdry sci-fi horror flick released by Corman's New World in 1981, and you'll see the creative fingerprints of one James Cameron.
See related 8 Star Wars games we'd like to see
Directed by Bruce D Clark - who also co-wrote - Galaxy Of Terror slams together the plots of Ridley Scott's Alien and the 50s classic, Forbidden Planet. A group of explorers land on the planet Morganthus, where they discover a huge ancient pyramid; one by one, the visitors are terrorised and killed by monsters from their subconscious. One luckless character is torn apart by claws and tentacles...
- 6/23/2017
- Den of Geek
Review by Roger Carpenter
In his heyday, director/producer Ovidio Assonitis was affectionately known as “The Rip-Off King” due to his blatant copying of popular, more expensive hit films. Thus, we have Beyond the Door (1974), an Exorcist-style film; Tentacles (1977), a killer octopus film in the vein of Jaws; and even the sequel Piranha II: The Spawning (1981), which he famously directed after firing James Cameron shortly after filming commenced. Always on the lookout for the next big idea in exploitation, it isn’t surprising that he would also jump on the slasher bandwagon as well. Madhouse is Assonitis’ entry into that particular subgenre of film.
Though produced in late 1980 or early 1981 in Savannah, Georgia, Madhouse wasn’t released stateside until 1983. So while the film bears more than a passing resemblance to the classic slasher Happy Birthday to Me (also made in 1981), it is unclear how much of a direct rip-off one film is of the other.
In his heyday, director/producer Ovidio Assonitis was affectionately known as “The Rip-Off King” due to his blatant copying of popular, more expensive hit films. Thus, we have Beyond the Door (1974), an Exorcist-style film; Tentacles (1977), a killer octopus film in the vein of Jaws; and even the sequel Piranha II: The Spawning (1981), which he famously directed after firing James Cameron shortly after filming commenced. Always on the lookout for the next big idea in exploitation, it isn’t surprising that he would also jump on the slasher bandwagon as well. Madhouse is Assonitis’ entry into that particular subgenre of film.
Though produced in late 1980 or early 1981 in Savannah, Georgia, Madhouse wasn’t released stateside until 1983. So while the film bears more than a passing resemblance to the classic slasher Happy Birthday to Me (also made in 1981), it is unclear how much of a direct rip-off one film is of the other.
- 6/19/2017
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
We have another busy week of home entertainment releases on the horizon, as there are over two dozen titles making their way to Blu-ray and DVD this Tuesday. For those of you cult film enthusiasts, you have a lot of options when it comes to adding items to your collections, as Alienator is being resurrected by Scream Factory, Arrow Video is unleashing a special edition set for Madhouse, and Mondo Macabre has given Paul Naschy’s Inquisition an HD overhaul as well.
As if that wasn’t enough, we also have new releases for The Hound of Baskervilles, Medusa, and Nicholas Ray’s classic noir They Live By Night to look forward to as well. For you TV lovers out there, the box sets for the final season of both The Vampire Diaries and Grimm are being released Tuesday, and for those who are on the hunt for some new action cinema,...
As if that wasn’t enough, we also have new releases for The Hound of Baskervilles, Medusa, and Nicholas Ray’s classic noir They Live By Night to look forward to as well. For you TV lovers out there, the box sets for the final season of both The Vampire Diaries and Grimm are being released Tuesday, and for those who are on the hunt for some new action cinema,...
- 6/12/2017
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Many People Visit … No One Ever Leaves!
Ovidio Assonitis’ Madhouse (1981) will be available on Blu-ray June 12th From Arrow Video
Helmed by legendary producer/director Ovidio Assonitis, the man behind such cult favourites as The Visitor and Piranha II: The Spawning, Madhouse is a crimson-soaked tale of sibling rivalry taken to a terrifying and bloody extreme.
Julia has spent her entire adult life trying to forget the torment she suffered at the hands of her twisted twin Mary… but Mary hasn’t forgotten. Escaping hospital, where she’s recently been admitted with a horrific, disfiguring illness, Julia’s sadistic sister vows to exact a particularly cruel revenge on her sibling this year – promising a birthday surprise that she’ll never forget.
An Italian production shot entirely in Savannah, Georgia, Madhouse (aka And When She Was Bad and There Was a Little Girl) fuses slasher elements with the over-the-top excess of...
Ovidio Assonitis’ Madhouse (1981) will be available on Blu-ray June 12th From Arrow Video
Helmed by legendary producer/director Ovidio Assonitis, the man behind such cult favourites as The Visitor and Piranha II: The Spawning, Madhouse is a crimson-soaked tale of sibling rivalry taken to a terrifying and bloody extreme.
Julia has spent her entire adult life trying to forget the torment she suffered at the hands of her twisted twin Mary… but Mary hasn’t forgotten. Escaping hospital, where she’s recently been admitted with a horrific, disfiguring illness, Julia’s sadistic sister vows to exact a particularly cruel revenge on her sibling this year – promising a birthday surprise that she’ll never forget.
An Italian production shot entirely in Savannah, Georgia, Madhouse (aka And When She Was Bad and There Was a Little Girl) fuses slasher elements with the over-the-top excess of...
- 5/31/2017
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Arrow Video is already looking to make this a summer to remember for fans of Italian horror, as they recently revealed that their June Blu-ray / DVD releases will include Ovidio Assonitis' Madhouse (1981) and Dario Argento's first feature film, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage.
From Arrow Video: "New UK/Us Title: Madhouse (Dual Format Blu-ray & DVD)
Fuses slasher elements with the over-the-top excess of ‘80s Italian terror.
Pre-order your copy in the UK: http://bit.ly/2nN0nOK
North American pre-orders links should be live soon!
Release Dates: 12/13 June 2017
Many People Visit … No One Ever Leaves.
Helmed by legendary producer/director Ovidio Assonitis, the man behind such cult favourites as The Visitor and Piranha II: The Spawning, Madhouse is a crimson-soaked tale of sibling rivalry taken to a terrifying and bloody extreme.
Julia has spent her entire adult life trying to forget the torment she suffered at...
From Arrow Video: "New UK/Us Title: Madhouse (Dual Format Blu-ray & DVD)
Fuses slasher elements with the over-the-top excess of ‘80s Italian terror.
Pre-order your copy in the UK: http://bit.ly/2nN0nOK
North American pre-orders links should be live soon!
Release Dates: 12/13 June 2017
Many People Visit … No One Ever Leaves.
Helmed by legendary producer/director Ovidio Assonitis, the man behind such cult favourites as The Visitor and Piranha II: The Spawning, Madhouse is a crimson-soaked tale of sibling rivalry taken to a terrifying and bloody extreme.
Julia has spent her entire adult life trying to forget the torment she suffered at...
- 3/24/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
There are certain horror films you just love. Weird, offbeat, horrible puzzle boxes that, by all rights, have no logical reason to exist, and yet there they are. And then, there’s Beyond the Door (1974), an Italian / American co-produced quasi-Exorcist treatise that burns down that particular sacred house, stomps on the ashes, and pisses on the embers before speeding off in its Ferrari. If you found The Exorcist too restrained, we may have just become best friends.
Beyond the Door is also known as Chi Sei?, Who Are You?, Behind the Door, The Devil Within Her (not to be confused with the Joan Collins vs. satanic little person shocker) and various other titles it was given in an effort, I’m assuming, to avoid Warner Brothers’ legal department (they can’t catch us if they can’t find us!). Back then, Warner Bros. was on the hunt for any horror...
Beyond the Door is also known as Chi Sei?, Who Are You?, Behind the Door, The Devil Within Her (not to be confused with the Joan Collins vs. satanic little person shocker) and various other titles it was given in an effort, I’m assuming, to avoid Warner Brothers’ legal department (they can’t catch us if they can’t find us!). Back then, Warner Bros. was on the hunt for any horror...
- 1/12/2017
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
By Todd Garbarini
Directors Joe Dante (1984’s Gremlins) and Allan Arkush (1979’s Rock ‘n’ Roll High School) cut their teeth in Hollywood putting together trailers for Roger Corman films in the early 1970s and got the idea to make their own film by piecing together stock footage from other Corman pics and shooting a story around the clips. Armed with $55,000 from Mr. Corman, Hollywood Boulevard is the result. Released in 1976 on a smattering of screens, Hollywood Boulevard is a charming and entertaining send-up of Hollywood filmmaking which stars the incomparable (and sadly, the late) Candice Rialson as Candy Wednesday, a fresh-off-the-bus naïve blonde who, at the ripe old age of twenty-four, wants to be an actress and walks straight into the office of agent Walter Paisley (Dick Miller). His advice to just go out and walk the streets and be seen is taken quite literally, and she finds herself suckered...
Directors Joe Dante (1984’s Gremlins) and Allan Arkush (1979’s Rock ‘n’ Roll High School) cut their teeth in Hollywood putting together trailers for Roger Corman films in the early 1970s and got the idea to make their own film by piecing together stock footage from other Corman pics and shooting a story around the clips. Armed with $55,000 from Mr. Corman, Hollywood Boulevard is the result. Released in 1976 on a smattering of screens, Hollywood Boulevard is a charming and entertaining send-up of Hollywood filmmaking which stars the incomparable (and sadly, the late) Candice Rialson as Candy Wednesday, a fresh-off-the-bus naïve blonde who, at the ripe old age of twenty-four, wants to be an actress and walks straight into the office of agent Walter Paisley (Dick Miller). His advice to just go out and walk the streets and be seen is taken quite literally, and she finds herself suckered...
- 10/15/2016
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
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To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Aliens, we look at one of its very best performances - Lance Henriksen’s gentle android, Bishop...
When cinema-goers queued up to see Aliens in 1986, seven years had already passed since its predecessor, Alien. While a follow-up to the 79 hit had been discussed at Fox for years, it took James Cameron to finally bring it to fruition - and it’s fair to say that he created something far more than a typical sequel of the era.
Where franchises like Halloween, Friday The 13th and A Nightmare On Elm Street largely followed the template established by the first film, Cameron attempted something vastly more ambitious: a continuation and expansion of Ridley Scott’s classic, a second chapter in its resourceful heroine Ripley’s story - one where she’s transformed from traumatised survivor to avenging warrior.
Much has been written about the brilliance of Aliens,...
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To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Aliens, we look at one of its very best performances - Lance Henriksen’s gentle android, Bishop...
When cinema-goers queued up to see Aliens in 1986, seven years had already passed since its predecessor, Alien. While a follow-up to the 79 hit had been discussed at Fox for years, it took James Cameron to finally bring it to fruition - and it’s fair to say that he created something far more than a typical sequel of the era.
Where franchises like Halloween, Friday The 13th and A Nightmare On Elm Street largely followed the template established by the first film, Cameron attempted something vastly more ambitious: a continuation and expansion of Ridley Scott’s classic, a second chapter in its resourceful heroine Ripley’s story - one where she’s transformed from traumatised survivor to avenging warrior.
Much has been written about the brilliance of Aliens,...
- 6/20/2016
- Den of Geek
Monster movies — especially giant monster movies — are not created equal. There are some great ones, which are rightfully considered to be classics. Everything else tends to fall into different categories of bad, from the schlocky but entertaining to the truly cheap and dismal. Two giant monster movies that land closer to the latter end of the spectrum have been packaged together on a new Blu-ray from Scream Factory that seems specially designed for lovers of Z-grade horror.
First up is the 1977 film Tentacles, a cross between a blatant Jaws rip-off and a standard ’70s disaster movie. It tells the story (if you can call it that) of Ocean Beach, a resort town experiencing a series of attacks by a giant octopus. It seems a construction company headed by Henry Fonda (slumming) is building an underwater tunnel and using radio frequencies that are making the octopus unusually aggressive. The only residents...
First up is the 1977 film Tentacles, a cross between a blatant Jaws rip-off and a standard ’70s disaster movie. It tells the story (if you can call it that) of Ocean Beach, a resort town experiencing a series of attacks by a giant octopus. It seems a construction company headed by Henry Fonda (slumming) is building an underwater tunnel and using radio frequencies that are making the octopus unusually aggressive. The only residents...
- 7/13/2015
- by Patrick Bromley
- DailyDead
This week, we’ve got another fantastic bounty of genre films hitting DVD and Blu-ray on June 16th, including a ton of cult classics like The Land that Time Forgot, Night of the Strangler and the Tentacles/Reptilicus double feature from Scream Factory.
Fans of Neill Blomkamp also have a lot to get excited about this Tuesday, as there’s a Limited Edition collector’s set featuring all three of his sci-fi actioners, with Chappie finally making his way home this week as well. Echo Bridge has put together two different DVD movie packs featuring a bunch of old-school horror movies, and the recent Blumhouse production, The Lazarus Effect, is arriving on Blu-ray and DVD, too.
Blomkamp3 Limited Edition Collection: Chappie/District 9/Elysium (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Blu-ray)
The world of Neill Blomkamp is unlike any other. Distinct of story and vision, and for the first...
Fans of Neill Blomkamp also have a lot to get excited about this Tuesday, as there’s a Limited Edition collector’s set featuring all three of his sci-fi actioners, with Chappie finally making his way home this week as well. Echo Bridge has put together two different DVD movie packs featuring a bunch of old-school horror movies, and the recent Blumhouse production, The Lazarus Effect, is arriving on Blu-ray and DVD, too.
Blomkamp3 Limited Edition Collection: Chappie/District 9/Elysium (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Blu-ray)
The world of Neill Blomkamp is unlike any other. Distinct of story and vision, and for the first...
- 6/16/2015
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
"It slept... until man disturbed it. Then it woke with a fury no man could control." On June 16th, creatures will attack in Scream Factory's double feature of Tentacles and Reptilicus, and we've been provided with three Blu-ray copies to give away.
"Tentacles
It's angry. It's hungry. It's extremely well-armed and it's descending on a small seaside town to sample the local cuisine! John Huston, Shelley Winters, Bo Hopkins and Henry Fonda do all they can to keep a giant marine menace from turning their sleepy village into a one-stop snack-shop in this fast-paced thriller! Directed by cult director/producer Ovidio G. Assonitis (Beyond the Door, The Visitor, The Curse), Tentacles is a menacing jolt-a-thon that'll grip you with relentless terror and never let go!
Reptilicus
Discover the true meaning of survival of the fittest, as a terrifying creature from the past brings the future to its knees! Packed with thrills,...
"Tentacles
It's angry. It's hungry. It's extremely well-armed and it's descending on a small seaside town to sample the local cuisine! John Huston, Shelley Winters, Bo Hopkins and Henry Fonda do all they can to keep a giant marine menace from turning their sleepy village into a one-stop snack-shop in this fast-paced thriller! Directed by cult director/producer Ovidio G. Assonitis (Beyond the Door, The Visitor, The Curse), Tentacles is a menacing jolt-a-thon that'll grip you with relentless terror and never let go!
Reptilicus
Discover the true meaning of survival of the fittest, as a terrifying creature from the past brings the future to its knees! Packed with thrills,...
- 6/13/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
"It slept... until man disturbed it. Then it woke with a fury no man could control." On June 16th, creatures will attack in Scream Factory's double feature Blu-ray of Tentacles and Reptilicus, and we have clips and trailers teasing the upcoming release.
"Tentacles
It's angry. It's hungry. It's extremely well-armed and it's descending on a small seaside town to sample the local cuisine! John Huston, Shelley Winters, Bo Hopkins and Henry Fonda do all they can to keep a giant marine menace from turning their sleepy village into a one-stop snack-shop in this fast-paced thriller! Directed by cult director/producer Ovidio G. Assonitis (Beyond the Door, The Visitor, The Curse), Tentacles is a menacing jolt-a-thon that'll grip you with relentless terror and never let go!
Reptilicus
Discover the true meaning of survival of the fittest, as a terrifying creature from the past brings the future to its knees! Packed with thrills,...
"Tentacles
It's angry. It's hungry. It's extremely well-armed and it's descending on a small seaside town to sample the local cuisine! John Huston, Shelley Winters, Bo Hopkins and Henry Fonda do all they can to keep a giant marine menace from turning their sleepy village into a one-stop snack-shop in this fast-paced thriller! Directed by cult director/producer Ovidio G. Assonitis (Beyond the Door, The Visitor, The Curse), Tentacles is a menacing jolt-a-thon that'll grip you with relentless terror and never let go!
Reptilicus
Discover the true meaning of survival of the fittest, as a terrifying creature from the past brings the future to its knees! Packed with thrills,...
- 6/12/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
"It slept... until man disturbed it. Then it woke with a fury no man could control." Creatures will rise from the deep to take a bite out of summer vacations (and those taking them) in Scream Factory's double feature Blu-ray of Tentacles and Reptilicus, hitting shelves on June 16th.
Press Release -- "Invincible…Indestructible! Two underwater creature shockers on Blu-ray for the first time! Scream Factory proudly presents the monstrous arrival of Tentacles and Reptilicus in a double feature Blu-ray release on June 16, 2015.
Tentacles
It's angry. It's hungry. It's extremely well-armed and it's descending on a small seaside town to sample the local cuisine! John Huston, Shelley Winters, Bo Hopkins and Henry Fonda do all they can to keep a giant marine menace from turning their sleepy village into a one-stop snack-shop in this fast-paced thriller! Directed by cult director/producer Ovidio G. Assonitis (Beyond the Door, The Visitor, The Curse...
Press Release -- "Invincible…Indestructible! Two underwater creature shockers on Blu-ray for the first time! Scream Factory proudly presents the monstrous arrival of Tentacles and Reptilicus in a double feature Blu-ray release on June 16, 2015.
Tentacles
It's angry. It's hungry. It's extremely well-armed and it's descending on a small seaside town to sample the local cuisine! John Huston, Shelley Winters, Bo Hopkins and Henry Fonda do all they can to keep a giant marine menace from turning their sleepy village into a one-stop snack-shop in this fast-paced thriller! Directed by cult director/producer Ovidio G. Assonitis (Beyond the Door, The Visitor, The Curse...
- 4/23/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
From his psychological thriller to Spider-Man to Battle Angel, here's a look at the James Cameron-directed projects that never happened...
In the summer of 1977, James Cameron, like lots of other people that year, went to the cinema and watched Star Wars. But unlike so many others, Cameron didn't feel elation as the room went dark and the first space ship soared overhead - he felt a shiver of mild panic.
"My reaction to it was not, 'Oh, wow, that's cool. I want to see more,'" he later recalled. "It was, 'Oh wow, I better get off my butt because somebody is doing this stuff, you know, and they're beating me to it.'"
Within one year, the 24-year-old Cameron had borrowed some money from a consortium of dentists looking for a tax break, and with it, made the short film Xenogenesis. That film and its title (which could...
In the summer of 1977, James Cameron, like lots of other people that year, went to the cinema and watched Star Wars. But unlike so many others, Cameron didn't feel elation as the room went dark and the first space ship soared overhead - he felt a shiver of mild panic.
"My reaction to it was not, 'Oh, wow, that's cool. I want to see more,'" he later recalled. "It was, 'Oh wow, I better get off my butt because somebody is doing this stuff, you know, and they're beating me to it.'"
Within one year, the 24-year-old Cameron had borrowed some money from a consortium of dentists looking for a tax break, and with it, made the short film Xenogenesis. That film and its title (which could...
- 2/3/2015
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Arrow Video is thrilled to announce the release of the 1979 B-movie sci-fi/horror mash-up The Visitor, available on Blu-ray & DVD from 6th October. A bizarre blend of The Exorcist, The Omen and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Visitor was criticised and humorously dubbed ‘a turkey made of cement’, yet it has recently gone on to become something of a cult classic in its own right. The Visitor combines stunning imagery, incredible set-pieces alongside a truly jaw-dropping cast list which includes John Huston, Mel Ferrer, Shelley Winters and Franco Nero appearing as Jesus! The Visitor is the ultimate experience in B-movie madness from Ovidio G. Assonitis, producer extraordinaire and director of such deliciously guilty pleasures as Beyond the Door and Tentacles. Described by various sources as “one of the most mind-altering cinematic experiences of the 1970s” and “the Mount Everest of insane ‘70s Italian movies”, The Visitor brings together...
- 9/29/2014
- 24framespersecond.net
As James Cameron's The Terminator turns 30, Ryan looks at how its horror overtones made it a classic...
Feature
Things were not going well for James Cameron in the spring of 1982. He was just five days into what is supposed to be his debut as a director, the low-budget horror sequel Piranha II: The Spawning, and the project had gone sour.
Producer Ovidio Assonitis had no intention of letting Cameron make the film his own way (Assonitis had a track record of firing directors and taking over projects himself), and before long the director found himself stuck in Rome, jobless, and struck down with a fever. It was then that Cameron had the nightmare which would change the course of his career.
He dreamt of a horrifying metal being, clawing its way towards out of a sheet of fire, clutching a pair of kitchen knives. It was the seed that...
Feature
Things were not going well for James Cameron in the spring of 1982. He was just five days into what is supposed to be his debut as a director, the low-budget horror sequel Piranha II: The Spawning, and the project had gone sour.
Producer Ovidio Assonitis had no intention of letting Cameron make the film his own way (Assonitis had a track record of firing directors and taking over projects himself), and before long the director found himself stuck in Rome, jobless, and struck down with a fever. It was then that Cameron had the nightmare which would change the course of his career.
He dreamt of a horrifying metal being, clawing its way towards out of a sheet of fire, clutching a pair of kitchen knives. It was the seed that...
- 7/22/2014
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
The strangeness that is The Visitor is now on Blu-ray, and we have your chance to score a copy on us! Believe us - you Need this film in your life. It's that damned wacky! Read on for details.
To enter for your chance to win, just send us an E-mail Here including your Full Name And Mailing Address. We’ll take care of the rest.
This contest will end at 12:01 Am on Wednesday, March 19, 2014.
Drafthouse Films, in conjunction with Cinedigm, is bringing the wildly ambitious and neglected sci-fi/horror epic The Visitor to Blu-ray and DVD Today, March 4 .
Synopsis
Incredibly ambitious but derided and largely neglected upon its initial release in 1979, The Visitor is an unforgettable assault on reality, a phantasmagoric sci-fi/horror/action hybrid. From writer-producer Ovidio G. Assonitis (Tentacles) and director/actor/body builder Michael J. Paradise (aka Giulio Paradisi - Fellini's 8½), the film artfully fuses...
To enter for your chance to win, just send us an E-mail Here including your Full Name And Mailing Address. We’ll take care of the rest.
This contest will end at 12:01 Am on Wednesday, March 19, 2014.
Drafthouse Films, in conjunction with Cinedigm, is bringing the wildly ambitious and neglected sci-fi/horror epic The Visitor to Blu-ray and DVD Today, March 4 .
Synopsis
Incredibly ambitious but derided and largely neglected upon its initial release in 1979, The Visitor is an unforgettable assault on reality, a phantasmagoric sci-fi/horror/action hybrid. From writer-producer Ovidio G. Assonitis (Tentacles) and director/actor/body builder Michael J. Paradise (aka Giulio Paradisi - Fellini's 8½), the film artfully fuses...
- 3/4/2014
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Drafthouse Films has announced that they will be releasing both The Visitor and Ms. 45 to Blu-ray & DVD in March:
“Drafthouse Films, in conjunction with Cinedigm (Nasdaq: Cidm), will bring two of its recent theatrical success stories to Blu-ray and DVD in restored and remastered editions: the wildly ambitious and neglected sci-fi/horror epic The Visitor and Ms. 45, legendary director Abel Ferrara’s gritty, gore-filled New York revenge thriller. The films will arrive, respectively, on March 4 and on March 25, 2014, with SRPs of $29.95 for Blu-ray and $27.95 for DVD. They come packed with bonus material in both formats.
Incredibly ambitious but derided and largely neglected upon its initial release in 1979, The Visitor is an unforgettable assault on reality, a phantasmagoric sci-fi/horror/action hybrid. From writer-producer Ovidio G. Assonitis (Tentacles) and director/actor/body builder Michael J. Paradise (aka Giulio Paradisi – Fellini’s 8½),the film artfully fuses elements of some of...
“Drafthouse Films, in conjunction with Cinedigm (Nasdaq: Cidm), will bring two of its recent theatrical success stories to Blu-ray and DVD in restored and remastered editions: the wildly ambitious and neglected sci-fi/horror epic The Visitor and Ms. 45, legendary director Abel Ferrara’s gritty, gore-filled New York revenge thriller. The films will arrive, respectively, on March 4 and on March 25, 2014, with SRPs of $29.95 for Blu-ray and $27.95 for DVD. They come packed with bonus material in both formats.
Incredibly ambitious but derided and largely neglected upon its initial release in 1979, The Visitor is an unforgettable assault on reality, a phantasmagoric sci-fi/horror/action hybrid. From writer-producer Ovidio G. Assonitis (Tentacles) and director/actor/body builder Michael J. Paradise (aka Giulio Paradisi – Fellini’s 8½),the film artfully fuses elements of some of...
- 2/7/2014
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
The lovable loonies at Drafthouse Films are doing a great job of bringing some really obscure little titles to a new generation of viewers. Next up for them - the DVD and Blu-ray releases of The Visitor and Ms. 45. Read on for details.
From the Press Release
Drafthouse Films, in conjunction with Cinedigm (Nasdaq: Cidm), will bring two of its recent theatrical success stories to Blu-ray and DVD in restored and remastered editions: the wildly ambitious and neglected sci-fi/horror epic The Visitor and Ms. 45, legendary director Abel Ferrara's gritty, gore-filled New York revenge thriller. The films will arrive, respectively, on March 4 and on March 25, 2014, with SRPs of $29.95 for Blu-ray and $27.95 for DVD. They come packed with bonus material in both formats.
Incredibly ambitious but derided and largely neglected upon its initial release in 1979, The Visitor is an unforgettable assault on reality, a phantasmagoric sci-fi/horror/action hybrid.
From the Press Release
Drafthouse Films, in conjunction with Cinedigm (Nasdaq: Cidm), will bring two of its recent theatrical success stories to Blu-ray and DVD in restored and remastered editions: the wildly ambitious and neglected sci-fi/horror epic The Visitor and Ms. 45, legendary director Abel Ferrara's gritty, gore-filled New York revenge thriller. The films will arrive, respectively, on March 4 and on March 25, 2014, with SRPs of $29.95 for Blu-ray and $27.95 for DVD. They come packed with bonus material in both formats.
Incredibly ambitious but derided and largely neglected upon its initial release in 1979, The Visitor is an unforgettable assault on reality, a phantasmagoric sci-fi/horror/action hybrid.
- 2/7/2014
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Drafthouse Films, in conjunction with Cinedigm (Nasdaq: Cidm), will bring two of its recent theatrical success stories to Blu-ray and DVD in restored and remastered editions: the wildly ambitious and neglected sci-fi/horror epic The Visitor and Ms. 45, legendary director Abel Ferrara's gritty, gore-filled New York revenge thriller. The films will arrive, respectively, on March 4 and on March 25, 2014, with SRPs of $29.95 for Blu-ray and $27.95 for DVD. They come packed with bonus material in both formats. Incredibly ambitious but derided and largely neglected upon its initial release in 1979, The Visitor is an unforgettable assault on reality, a phantasmagoric sci-fi/horror/action hybrid. From writer-producer Ovidio G. Assonitis (Tentacles) and director/actor/body builder Michael J....
- 2/7/2014
- by Pietro Filipponi
- The Daily BLAM!
The Visitor (Stridulum)
Directed by Giulio Paradisi
Written by Luciano Comici
USA/Italy, 1979
This Euro-American science fiction horror clusterfuck was directed by professional body builder Giulio Paradisi (credited as Michael J. Paradise), who made four other films, but is best known for shooting second-unit footage on Federico Fellini’s 8 1/2. It was the brain child of producer Ovidio G. Assonitis – known for his poor quality attempts at cashing in on box office gold by cloning Hollywood’s biggest hits. Assonitis was a hack, with a reputation for producing flagrant knock-offs like the 1977 Jaws rip-off Tentacles (starring John Huston and Shelley Winters) – and Beyond the Door, the most successful of numerous Italian horror films produced in the wake of The Exorcist. In the dawn of ’70s American blockbusters, European production companies emerged stateside, attempting to emulate the success of their American counterparts. Of the hundreds of these films produced, The Visitor is...
Directed by Giulio Paradisi
Written by Luciano Comici
USA/Italy, 1979
This Euro-American science fiction horror clusterfuck was directed by professional body builder Giulio Paradisi (credited as Michael J. Paradise), who made four other films, but is best known for shooting second-unit footage on Federico Fellini’s 8 1/2. It was the brain child of producer Ovidio G. Assonitis – known for his poor quality attempts at cashing in on box office gold by cloning Hollywood’s biggest hits. Assonitis was a hack, with a reputation for producing flagrant knock-offs like the 1977 Jaws rip-off Tentacles (starring John Huston and Shelley Winters) – and Beyond the Door, the most successful of numerous Italian horror films produced in the wake of The Exorcist. In the dawn of ’70s American blockbusters, European production companies emerged stateside, attempting to emulate the success of their American counterparts. Of the hundreds of these films produced, The Visitor is...
- 1/19/2014
- by Ricky da Conceição
- SoundOnSight
Time to make believe that the 1979 weirdo-classic The Visitor hasn't been available on DVD since November 2, 2010, and show you new clips leading up to its theatrical run. Check 'em out.
Check to see if you're gonna be having a blast of insanity on the big screen by clicking here!
Drafthouse Films is releasing the phantasmagoric 1979 sci-fi/horror hybrid The Visitor in several U.S. cities throughout November and the rest of the year. The title will be hitting the big screen in major markets including Los Angeles, New York, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Portland, and San Francisco. A VOD/digital and home entertainment release will follow in January, 2014.
Synopsis
Legendary Hollywood director/actor John Huston (The Maltese Falcon, Treasure of the Sierra Madre) stars as an intergalactic warrior battling alongside a cosmic Christ figure against a demonic eight-year-old girl and her pet hawk as the fate of the universe hangs in the balance.
Check to see if you're gonna be having a blast of insanity on the big screen by clicking here!
Drafthouse Films is releasing the phantasmagoric 1979 sci-fi/horror hybrid The Visitor in several U.S. cities throughout November and the rest of the year. The title will be hitting the big screen in major markets including Los Angeles, New York, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Portland, and San Francisco. A VOD/digital and home entertainment release will follow in January, 2014.
Synopsis
Legendary Hollywood director/actor John Huston (The Maltese Falcon, Treasure of the Sierra Madre) stars as an intergalactic warrior battling alongside a cosmic Christ figure against a demonic eight-year-old girl and her pet hawk as the fate of the universe hangs in the balance.
- 11/8/2013
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Back in the ancient days of the late 1970s and early 1980s, there were several Italian film producers who A) pinched a lot of pennies, B) slapped together some outlandishly bad movies, and C) borrowed, lifted, or outright stole entire plots from American films. (Look up an old Jaws knock-off called Great White to see how bad things got.) Most of these films were laughable and entirely forgettable, but there were also a handful that managed to combine bad filmmaking with some pretty amusing patchwork material -- and a lot of these films had (at the very least) some scenes or ensembles that still make them amusing today.
One such example is Giulio Paradisi's 1979 wacko masterpiece The Visitor, which comes from prolific schlock-producer Ovidio G. Assonitis (his non-classics includes Tentacles, Beyond the Door, and 1974's Super Stooges vs. the Wonder Women, yes really). Here we have a 1979 rip-off extraordinaire...
One such example is Giulio Paradisi's 1979 wacko masterpiece The Visitor, which comes from prolific schlock-producer Ovidio G. Assonitis (his non-classics includes Tentacles, Beyond the Door, and 1974's Super Stooges vs. the Wonder Women, yes really). Here we have a 1979 rip-off extraordinaire...
- 11/1/2013
- by Scott Weinberg
- FEARnet
A new trailer in promotion of the theatrical screenings of Drafthouse Films' release of the 1979 weirdo-classic The Visitor is here, and if you were wondering just how bizarre this flick actually is, this latest round of eye candy will more than answer that question for you.
Check to see if you're gonna be having a blast of insanity on the big screen by clicking here!
Drafthouse Films is releasing the phantasmagoric 1979 sci-fi/horror hybrid The Visitor in a dozen cities starting Halloween weekend before rolling it out into additional markets throughout November and the rest of the year. The repertory title will be hitting the big screen in major markets including Los Angeles, New York, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Portland, and San Francisco. A VOD/digital and home entertainment release will follow in January, 2014.
Synopsis
Legendary Hollywood director/actor John Huston (The Maltese Falcon, Treasure of the Sierra...
Check to see if you're gonna be having a blast of insanity on the big screen by clicking here!
Drafthouse Films is releasing the phantasmagoric 1979 sci-fi/horror hybrid The Visitor in a dozen cities starting Halloween weekend before rolling it out into additional markets throughout November and the rest of the year. The repertory title will be hitting the big screen in major markets including Los Angeles, New York, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Portland, and San Francisco. A VOD/digital and home entertainment release will follow in January, 2014.
Synopsis
Legendary Hollywood director/actor John Huston (The Maltese Falcon, Treasure of the Sierra...
- 10/30/2013
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Writer Lee Gambin calls them Natural Horror films, other writers call them Revenge of Nature or Nature Run Amok films and writer Charles Derry considers them a type of Apocalyptic Cinema.
Of course we’re speaking of one of the great horror subgenres for which we’ll employ writer Kim Newman’s tag: The Revolt of Nature.
Since the end of the 1990s, lovers of animal attack films have been subjected to copious amounts of uninspired Nu Image, Syfy Channel and Syfy Channel-like dreck like Silent Predators (1999), Maneater (2007) Croc (2007), Grizzly Rage (2007) and a stunning amount of terrible shark attack films to name a few that barely scratch the surface of a massive list.
These movies fail miserably to capture the intensity of the unforgettable films they are imitating and the recent wave seems to carry with it the intent of giving the Revolt of Nature horror film a bad name.
Of course we’re speaking of one of the great horror subgenres for which we’ll employ writer Kim Newman’s tag: The Revolt of Nature.
Since the end of the 1990s, lovers of animal attack films have been subjected to copious amounts of uninspired Nu Image, Syfy Channel and Syfy Channel-like dreck like Silent Predators (1999), Maneater (2007) Croc (2007), Grizzly Rage (2007) and a stunning amount of terrible shark attack films to name a few that barely scratch the surface of a massive list.
These movies fail miserably to capture the intensity of the unforgettable films they are imitating and the recent wave seems to carry with it the intent of giving the Revolt of Nature horror film a bad name.
- 10/27/2013
- by Terek Puckett
- SoundOnSight
Will you be one of the lucky ones to catch a theatrical screening of Drafthouse Films' release of the 1979 weirdo-classic The Visitor? Well your anxiety about the issue will soon be alleviated as the list of cities is finally here.
Check to see if you're gonna be having a blast of insanity on the big screen right here!
From the Press Release
Drafthouse Films announces a first-time theatrical platform release for the full-length cut of the phantasmagoric 1979 sci-fi/horror hybrid The Visitor. The film will open in a dozen cities starting Halloween weekend before rolling out into additional markets throughout November and the rest of the year. The repertory title will be hitting the big screen in major markets including Los Angeles, New York, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Portland, and San Francisco. A VOD/digital and home entertainment release will follow in January, 2014.
Legendary Hollywood director/actor John Huston (The Maltese Falcon,...
Check to see if you're gonna be having a blast of insanity on the big screen right here!
From the Press Release
Drafthouse Films announces a first-time theatrical platform release for the full-length cut of the phantasmagoric 1979 sci-fi/horror hybrid The Visitor. The film will open in a dozen cities starting Halloween weekend before rolling out into additional markets throughout November and the rest of the year. The repertory title will be hitting the big screen in major markets including Los Angeles, New York, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Portland, and San Francisco. A VOD/digital and home entertainment release will follow in January, 2014.
Legendary Hollywood director/actor John Huston (The Maltese Falcon,...
- 10/17/2013
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Great news is coming in for Drafthouse Films' release of the 1979 weirdo-classic The Visitor! If you're amongst the extremely lucky, you'll actually be getting a chance to see this sliver of Seventies psycho goodness up on the big screen!
From the Press Release
Drafthouse Films announces a first-time theatrical platform release for the full-length cut of the phantasmagoric 1979 sci-fi/horror hybrid The Visitor. The film will open in a dozen cities starting Halloween weekend before rolling out into additional markets throughout November and the rest of the year. The repertory title will be hitting the big screen in major markets including Los Angeles, New York, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Portland, and San Francisco. A VOD/digital and home entertainment release will follow in January, 2014.
Legendary Hollywood director/actor John Huston (The Maltese Falcon, Treasure of the Sierra Madre) stars as an intergalactic warrior battling alongside a cosmic...
From the Press Release
Drafthouse Films announces a first-time theatrical platform release for the full-length cut of the phantasmagoric 1979 sci-fi/horror hybrid The Visitor. The film will open in a dozen cities starting Halloween weekend before rolling out into additional markets throughout November and the rest of the year. The repertory title will be hitting the big screen in major markets including Los Angeles, New York, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Portland, and San Francisco. A VOD/digital and home entertainment release will follow in January, 2014.
Legendary Hollywood director/actor John Huston (The Maltese Falcon, Treasure of the Sierra Madre) stars as an intergalactic warrior battling alongside a cosmic...
- 10/9/2013
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Drafthouse Films, the distribution arm of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, has announced the acquisition of North American rights to "The Visitor," the sci-fi, action, horror amalgamation from 1979. The film stars acclaimed actor/director John Huston ("The Maltese Falcon," "Treasure of the Sierra Madre") as an intergalactic warrior out to save a telekinetic eight-year-old girl (Paige Connor) in a battle between God and the Devil. Franco Nero turns out an uncredited role as a cosmic Jesus Christ -- told you it was a weird movie. Italian producer Ovidio G. Assonitis and director Giulio Paradisi, like many European thriller filmmakers of the era, took inspiration from American films such as "The Omen," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "Rosemary's Baby," and "Star Wars" to create what Mondo Digital dubbed "the Mount Everest of insane '70s Italian movies." "This film is from another time, another place and another wholly different dimension," said Drafthouse Films Creative.
- 6/20/2013
- by Casey Cipriani
- Indiewire
And the video obscurities keep on coming as yet another classic film is being fully restored by the great and wondrous folks behind Drafthouse Films. That's right, kids! The Visitor is getting ready to resurface! Read on for details!
From the Press Release
Drafthouse Films, the film distribution arm of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, announced today the acquisition of North American rights to '70s phantasmagoric sci-fi/horror/action/??? hybrid The Visitor. Legendary Hollywood director/actor John Huston (The Maltese Falcon; Treasure Of The Sierra Madre) stars as an intergalactic warriorbattling alongside a cosmic Christ figure against a demonic eight-year-old girl and her pet hawk, as the fate of the universe hangs in the balance. A new HD restoration from the original film materials is planned for a theatrical, home video and multi Video On Demand/Digital platform release later in the year.
In the dawn of '70s American blockbusters,...
From the Press Release
Drafthouse Films, the film distribution arm of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, announced today the acquisition of North American rights to '70s phantasmagoric sci-fi/horror/action/??? hybrid The Visitor. Legendary Hollywood director/actor John Huston (The Maltese Falcon; Treasure Of The Sierra Madre) stars as an intergalactic warriorbattling alongside a cosmic Christ figure against a demonic eight-year-old girl and her pet hawk, as the fate of the universe hangs in the balance. A new HD restoration from the original film materials is planned for a theatrical, home video and multi Video On Demand/Digital platform release later in the year.
In the dawn of '70s American blockbusters,...
- 6/20/2013
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Drafthouse Films announced that they’ve acquired distribution rights to 1979′s The Visitor and are planning an HD restoration and release of the movie:
Austin, TX – Wednesday, June 19th, 2013 – Drafthouse Films, the film distribution arm of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, announced today the acquisition of North American rights to ’70s phantasmagoric sci-fi/horror/action/??? hybrid The Visitor. Legendary Hollywood director/actor John Huston (The Maltese Falcon; Treasure Of The Sierra Madre) stars as an intergalactic warriorbattling alongside a cosmic Christ figure against a demonic eight-year-old girl and her pet hawk, as the fate of the universe hangs in the balance. A new HD restoration from the original film materials is planned for a theatrical, home video and multi Video On Demand/Digital platform release later in the year.
In the dawn of ’70s American blockbusters, European production companies emerged stateside, attempting to recreate box office gold by cloning Hollywood. The...
Austin, TX – Wednesday, June 19th, 2013 – Drafthouse Films, the film distribution arm of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, announced today the acquisition of North American rights to ’70s phantasmagoric sci-fi/horror/action/??? hybrid The Visitor. Legendary Hollywood director/actor John Huston (The Maltese Falcon; Treasure Of The Sierra Madre) stars as an intergalactic warriorbattling alongside a cosmic Christ figure against a demonic eight-year-old girl and her pet hawk, as the fate of the universe hangs in the balance. A new HD restoration from the original film materials is planned for a theatrical, home video and multi Video On Demand/Digital platform release later in the year.
In the dawn of ’70s American blockbusters, European production companies emerged stateside, attempting to recreate box office gold by cloning Hollywood. The...
- 6/19/2013
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
By Allen Gardner
Killer Joe (Lionsgate) William Friedkin’s film of Tracy Letts’ off-Broadway hit about a family of Texas trailer park cretins (Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple, Thomas Haden Church, Gina Gershon) who hire a cop-cum-hitman (Matthew McConaughey) to take out their troublesome mother, then foolishly cross him, is a stinging satire, given double-barreled audacity by Friedkin’s sure, and fearless, directorial hand. Earning its Nc-17 rating in spades, “Killer Joe” reminds us that daring, frank material like this is why movies exist in the first place. McConaughey gives the performance of his career, hopefully redefined after this. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes; Commentary by Friendkin; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-hd 5.1 surround.
The Dark Knight Rises (Warner Bros.) Christopher Nolan’s coda to his “Batman” trilogy finds Christian Bale returning as a brooding Bruce Wayne/Caped Crusader, this time faced with a hulking villain (Tom Hardy) with respiratory...
Killer Joe (Lionsgate) William Friedkin’s film of Tracy Letts’ off-Broadway hit about a family of Texas trailer park cretins (Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple, Thomas Haden Church, Gina Gershon) who hire a cop-cum-hitman (Matthew McConaughey) to take out their troublesome mother, then foolishly cross him, is a stinging satire, given double-barreled audacity by Friedkin’s sure, and fearless, directorial hand. Earning its Nc-17 rating in spades, “Killer Joe” reminds us that daring, frank material like this is why movies exist in the first place. McConaughey gives the performance of his career, hopefully redefined after this. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes; Commentary by Friendkin; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-hd 5.1 surround.
The Dark Knight Rises (Warner Bros.) Christopher Nolan’s coda to his “Batman” trilogy finds Christian Bale returning as a brooding Bruce Wayne/Caped Crusader, this time faced with a hulking villain (Tom Hardy) with respiratory...
- 1/8/2013
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Released on Blu-ray this week, Arrow Video’s long-awaited release of The Wild Geese and Who Dares Wins see the format debut of two very “British” war movies staring some very familiar faces, including Roger Moore, Richard Burton, Lewis Collins and Richard Widmark; and thanks to Arrow Video we have three Blu-rays of each to giveaway!
Who Dares Wins
A fanatical group of anti-nuclear radicals, calling themselves ‘The People’s Lobby’, is plotting a bloody outrage on British soil and, having already fatally lost their undercover operative at a violent protest, the secret services call on the aid of the Sas.
Captain Peter Skellen (Collins) is apparently thrown out of the service for gross misconduct and is soon recruited by The People’s Lobby. But Skellen’s dismissal is a front to enable him to infiltrate the terrorist group. He seduces Frankie Leith (Judy Davis) and she quickly admits him to the inner circle.
Who Dares Wins
A fanatical group of anti-nuclear radicals, calling themselves ‘The People’s Lobby’, is plotting a bloody outrage on British soil and, having already fatally lost their undercover operative at a violent protest, the secret services call on the aid of the Sas.
Captain Peter Skellen (Collins) is apparently thrown out of the service for gross misconduct and is soon recruited by The People’s Lobby. But Skellen’s dismissal is a front to enable him to infiltrate the terrorist group. He seduces Frankie Leith (Judy Davis) and she quickly admits him to the inner circle.
- 10/14/2012
- by Phil
- Nerdly
Step inside if you dare.
Ovidio Assonitis (credited as Oliver Hellman) directed this popular Exorcist rip-off, which inspired an unsuccessful lawsuit from Warner Bros. An open season of further Exorcist copies followed at home and abroad, but this was the trailblazer. Pregnant Juliet Mills alarms hubby Richard Johnson when she’s possessed by a projectile-vomiting demon. It was successful enough to inspire distributors to give otherwise unrelated films release titles like Beyond the Door II and Beyond the Door III–although the original Italian title was Chi Sei? (Who Are You?).
Click here to watch the trailer.
I haven’t seen Beyond The Door, but I think the trailer is pretty rad and I’m definitely going to check it out. The soundtrack’s enough to guarantee that, though.
It’s remarkably groovy.
Franco Micalizzi isn’t a name to recognize right off the bat, but he did score quite a few Italian genre movies,...
Ovidio Assonitis (credited as Oliver Hellman) directed this popular Exorcist rip-off, which inspired an unsuccessful lawsuit from Warner Bros. An open season of further Exorcist copies followed at home and abroad, but this was the trailblazer. Pregnant Juliet Mills alarms hubby Richard Johnson when she’s possessed by a projectile-vomiting demon. It was successful enough to inspire distributors to give otherwise unrelated films release titles like Beyond the Door II and Beyond the Door III–although the original Italian title was Chi Sei? (Who Are You?).
Click here to watch the trailer.
I haven’t seen Beyond The Door, but I think the trailer is pretty rad and I’m definitely going to check it out. The soundtrack’s enough to guarantee that, though.
It’s remarkably groovy.
Franco Micalizzi isn’t a name to recognize right off the bat, but he did score quite a few Italian genre movies,...
- 8/31/2011
- by Danny
- Trailers from Hell
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