Jamie Lee Curtis Recording Session for HALLOWEEN COMPLETE COLLECTION Blu-ray Deluxe Edition

Work continues on the HALLOWEEN COMPLETE COLLECTION Blu-ray set...

Bonus features continue to be added on a daily basis, and an announcement is forthcoming outlining all the great newly produced interviews, featurettes, behind-the-scenes footage and more that will be included in the 15-disc Deluxe Edition.

So, as we near our nation's birthday, please enjoy this behind-the-scenes photo of the actress who helped launched the historic franchise -- Jamie Lee Curtis, as she sat down with HALLOWEEN H20 director Steve Miner (r) and moderator Sean Clark (c) for a new commentary track and interview that you'll hear and see starting September 23rd!

Thanks and have a safe and Happy 4th of July!

Jamie Lee Curtis Recording Session for HALLOWEEN COMPLETE COLLECTION Blu-ray Deluxe Edition

TORMENT -- DVD review by porfle

Sometimes a movie starts out really good but then begins to suffer from something known as "Goes-On-Too-Long" syndrome. The horror-thriller TORMENT (2013) falls victim to this dreaded malady sometime after the halfway mark--which is a shame because up till then, it really had me going.

Robin Dunne (TEENAGE SPACE VAMPIRES, CRUEL INTENTIONS 2) plays Cory Morgan, a widower whose young son Liam (Peter DaCunha, THE BARRENS) is having a hard time accepting his new mom, Sarah (Katharine Isabelle, CARRIE 2002, AMERICAN MARY, GINGER SNAPS). The newlyweds hope this will change when they all spend some quality family time in Cory's rustic vacation cottage dead in the middle of Sticksville.

What they don't know is that another nearby house was the scene of some horrible murders that we got to see during the opening scene, and since Cory and Sarah just found evidence that someone else has been living in their cottage, the whole set-up starts to give us, the viewer, what various Star Wars characters usually refer to as "a bad feeling about this."

The local sheriff (played by old pro Stephen McHattie) advises them to "turn on a few lights", to which they respond by keeping one of the darkest houses I've ever seen in a film. I kept wanting to advise Cory to heed Sarah's instincts to get back in their SUV and get the hell out of Home Invasion-ville, but I've yet to find a way of getting movie characters to listen to me.

There are some great creepy touches--earlier, Sarah hears Liam playing with his talking toy robots in his room, and then that night after Liam's disappearance she hears the same toys talking in his room again. Later, after safely barricading herself in the bedroom against unknown assailants, she'll hear another sound outside the door which, again, might be the missing boy. Of course, she has to investigate, and...

Director Jordan Barker, whose earlier THE MARSH was another partially but not entirely successful horror flick that took place in a rural setting, takes his time establishing all of this, slowly building a sense of impending dread that works mainly because he doesn't tip his hand too early.

That is, at least not until things hit the fan about halfway through when the Morgans' frantic search for the missing Liam just goes from bad to worse. For ten minutes or so, TORMENT is painfully tense and frightening, and almost unbearably suspenseful. It's as though some of the scariest elements from films such as HALLOWEEN, THE STRANGERS, and even THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN were combined with the potential of terrifying us.

We get some very effectively scary glimpses of the bad guys (I'm not going to describe them any more than that except to say there's a new twist on the "mask" thing that's just way creepier than regular Halloween masks) although their identities remain a mystery to us. Unfortunately, as soon as the main bad guy opens his mouth and starts talking to a bound Cory, hinting at his rather uninteresting and even mundane motives, the film loses its buoyancy and starts settling back to earth.

After that, everything just starts following the old "elude the omnipresent stalker(s)" formula that we've seen a thousand times before until one of those big none-too-convincing showdowns. Even when the story tries to end with a big twist, it just comes off kind of flat. It's a shame too, since the initial set-up was so promising.

The cast is fine--even the youngest member, Peter DaCunha as Liam, gives an assured performance. Best of the bunch is familiar genre actress Katharine Isabelle, who just keeps getting better with time. (I remember her best as the vile Tina from the 2002 CARRIE remake while GINGER SNAPS and AMERICAN MARY fans will know her from those films.) She's convincing here as a caring young stepmom who has to "step" up to defend her kid against a terrifying menace.

The DVD from Vertical Entertainment is in 16 x 9 (2.40:1) widescreen with 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound. I reviewed a screener and can't comment on extras, if any.

TORMENT is worth checking out for the first half alone--it would've made a great short film if it had ended during its peak. Unfortunately, it sticks around too long like a houseguest who refuses to go home even after we've started to nod off.

Buy it at Amazon.com

Now available on VOD
DVD street date: July 15

TORMENT -- DVD review by porfle

"HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL" Graduates to Blu-ray and DVD August 26th from Olive Films

BEWARE:IT’S A TEENAGE JUNGLE OUT THERE!

OLIVE FILMS RELEASES
HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL!

ON BLU-RAY™ AND DVD AUGUST 26, 2014

Newly remastered in HD and on Blu-ray™ for the First Time!

Chicago, IL – Olive Films releases, one of the wildest, rockinest, flipped-out flicks of the ‘50s, High School Confidential!, on Blu-Ray™ and DVD August 26th. Directed by Jack Arnold (Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Incredible Shrinking Man) and released in 1958, this is one of the most memorable and iconic B-movies of all time and remains a campy cult classic with its exploitation essentials of bad girls, fast cars and raunchy rock and roll. Part crime story and part teenage delinquency drama, High School Confidential! is an unforgettable piece of trashy film history that was awarded a Golden Raspberry Award as one of The 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made.

Fanning the flames of Eisenhower America's growing paranoia High School Confidential! is the quintessential juvenile delinquency film that celebrates the very sex-drugs-and-rock'n'roll culture it pretends to condemn. Staring Russ Tamblyn (West Side Story) as Tony Baker, the new kid at Santa Bellow High, whose cocky attitude and ambitious weed-dealing enable him to infiltrate the gang of a local narcotics boss played by Jackie Coogan ("The Addams Family"). But High School Confidential! is much more than a hardboiled crime picture. It's is a pop-culture touchstone, a Rebel Without a Cause without the angst, The Wild One, but even wilder!

High School Confidential! features the sexy and shapely Mamie Van Doren in her most outrageous role wrapped in tight sweaters that would make Ed Wood jealous! The opening sequence with a piano pounding performance of the theme song by Jerry Lee Lewis on a flatbed truck is one that still sizzles and shakes. High School Confidential! is the hippest, hottest thrill ride around – and these crazy cats and kittens must be seen to be believed!

About Olive Films
 Olive Films was founded in 2003 by Farhad Arshad as a boutique theatrical and distribution label. Currently located in Chicago, Illinois, its catalog boasts over 500 titles cultivated from the libraries of Paramount, Republic, Warner and HBO and includes such Hollywood classics as the Oscar® winners High Noon starring Gary Cooper and John Ford’s The Quiet Man starring John Wayne, the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers starring Kevin McCarthy, Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1900 starring Robert DeNiro, the John Wayne classics Rio Grande, McLintock! and Sands of Iwo Jima, along with such contemporary classics as Stephen King’s Cujo, the Wachowski’s Bound, The Running Man starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ironweed starring Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep.

High School Confidential! Blu-ray™
Street Date: August 26, 2014
Pre-book: July 21, 2014
Cat. #: OF798
UPC: 887090079808
Run Time: 85 Minutes
Rating: N/A
SRP: $29.95
Format: 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio; B&W
Audio: Mono
Subtitles: N/A

High School Confidential! DVD
Street Date: August 26, 2014
Pre-book: July 21, 2014
Cat. #: OF797
UPC: 887090079709
Run Time: 85 Minutes
Rating: N/A
SRP: $24.95
Format: 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio; B&W
Audio: Mono
Subtitles: N/A

Buy it at Amazon.com:

Blu-ray
DVD

"HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL" Graduates to Blu-ray and DVD August 26th from Olive Films

ADJUST YOUR TRACKING: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE VHS COLLECTOR -- DVD review by porfle

First of all--just as most pre-recorded VHS tapes begin with an "FBI Warning", I feel as though I should start my review of ADJUST YOUR TRACKING: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE VHS COLLECTOR (2013) with an "FYI Warning." In short...if you're a "normal" person who doesn't understand the obsessive nature of fandom and/or collecting, chances are this documentary about rabid VHS tape collectors will not only be uninteresting to you, but puzzling and even off-putting as well.

If, however, you share even a fraction of these guys' nostalgia for the glory days of VCRs and video stores, and can empathize with their enthusiasm due to some collecting obsession of your own, then you'll probably find this gushing fanboy love letter to VHS of more than passing interest.

As for me, I bought my first clunky top-loading Magnavox VCR in 1981, as soon as my first real job afforded me the means to do so (about $600), because for me it was the realization of a lifelong dream--the ability to actually record my favorite movies and TV shows, and to put whatever I wanted to on my TV whenever I wanted to watch it.

There were no video stores in town yet, but the appliance store where I bought my VCR had a tiny bookshelf of rental tapes. I got two free ones with my purchase and chose THE GRADUATE and WHERE'S POPPA? After setting up my new VCR at home, my excitement over pushing that big "play" button and seeing the "Magnetic Video" logo pop onto my TV screen at my own bidding was something I'll never forget. That night, I used one of my two free RCA blank tapes to record ALIEN from HBO, marveling at the fact that I could then rewind the tape and watch it again and again.

My tape collection grew quicky as those $25 RCA blank tapes (which were so solidly made that they still play well to this day) gave way to ten-dollar bundles of cheap blank tapes from Wal-Mart, and pre-recorded movies came down in price from $70-100 apiece (priced to sell mostly to video rental stores) to around $20 when a mass market for them was discovered. And the spread of the mom 'n' pop "hole in the wall" video store gave me plenty of tapes to make copies of as soon as I was able to buy a second VCR in '84.

As Troma's Lloyd Kaufman states (other commentators include Fangoria's Tony Timpone, Keith "The Bloody Ape" Crocker, Wild Eye's Rob Hauschild, and our own 42nd St. Pete, along with various authors and video store owners), video stores in those days were "like bookstores." Each one had its own individual ambience and unique selection of movies. But when big, impersonal Blockbuster came along and started driving the little guys out of business, they started selling off their stock at reduced prices. Like many others, I began buying up a lot of these tapes while they lasted.

Because of all this, I can relate to the stories told by the tape collectors in ADJUST YOUR TRACKING and easily share in their nostalgia for the medium of VHS. These guys, however, take it to a whole different, overtly obsessive level that will amuse and amaze.

Many of them, in fact, have recreated the video store experience in their own homes with massive collections displayed on shelves that take up several rooms. One guy has even created his own video store dubbed "Bradco Video" in his basement, including actual store shelves and a checkout counter. Others chatter at length about their methods of categorizing, alphabetizing, and obtaining rare titles, sometimes for hundreds of dollars (a rare piece-of-crap horror flick called TALES FROM THE QUADEAD ZONE went for almost $700 on eBay).

The collectors bask in the physical attributes of VHS, especially the mostly cheapo-looking covers which they often value more than their contents. They talk excitedly about the different distribution companies such as Vestron, Magnetic, and the popular favorite, Wizard (I still have a few of those myself). They trade stories about rare finds at flea markets, conventions, and going-out-of-business sales, and the physical sensation derived from such "lowbrow archeology" ("It feels like getting your first boner").

While the drive to collect and preserve the medium of VHS may seem merely obsessive to many, the fact remains that many films are still available solely on tape and not on DVD and are in danger of becoming lost.

Only time will tell if these torch-carriers' efforts are in vain, or if VHS will resume its place in pop culture the way the vinyl record album has (but in which the 8-track tape has not).

As for me, I resisted the encroachment of the DVD in the late 90s until I was finally won over by the medium and allowed my once-avid interest in videotape to wane. But for the hardcore enthusiasts of ADJUST YOUR TRACKING: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE VHS COLLECTOR, there is only the delirious pleasure of taking a slab of plastic out of a crudely-decorated box and inserting it into a clunky machine, and watching something which, like life itself, is full of crackles, drop-outs, and other imperfections, and for which adjusting the tracking periodically is simply part of the fun.

(NOTE: I reviewed a screener without the extras. The 2-disc set should include a co-directors' commentary, a producers' commentary, extended interviews, a behind-the-scenes documentary, three short films by the directors, deleted scenes, festival Q & A footage, trailers, and Easter eggs. )

Buy it at Amazon.com

Buy the exclusive DVD/VHS combo pack

ADJUST YOUR TRACKING: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE VHS COLLECTOR -- DVD review by porfle

"THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON" Comes Home August 26th from Anchor Bay Entertainment

ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT BRINGS HOME THE TERROR ONCE MORE WITH

AMC’S "THE WALKING DEAD:THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON"

EXPERIENCE IT ON BLU-RAY™+ DIGITAL HD WITH ULTRAVIOLET™ AND DVD AUGUST 26, 2014;

McFARLANE TOYS UPS TERROR QUOTIENT WITH

LIMITED EDITION "TREE WALKER" BLU-RAY™ SET


BEVERLY HILLS, CA – August. Baseball season is in full swing. Barbecues have been blazing since Memorial Day. And fans can count another August tradition, when Anchor Bay Entertainment releases THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON Blu-ray™ + Digital HD with Ultraviolet™ and DVD on August 26th. Each format contains five loaded discs, presenting each episode exactly as it was originally broadcast. The Blu-ray™ + Digital HD with Ultraviolet™ presents the episodes in pristine 1080p high-definition and lossless Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio. As with previous season releases, THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON rewards fans with hours of bonus features, including never-before-seen production footage, deleted scenes and audio commentaries, with ultra-exclusive content only available on the Blu-ray™ release, including additional audio commentaries and several "extended" episodes seen for the first time!


Another "Walking Dead" home entertainment release tradition, started with the Season 2 Blu-ray™ set, is the unique concept packaging by renowned collectibles creator McFarlane Toys. Following in the "shuffling" footsteps of Season 2’s "Walker Head" and Season 3’s "Walker Aquarium," THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON will be available in a Blu-ray™ limited edition "Tree Walker" package. SRP is $79.99 for the Blu-ray™ + Digital HD with Ultraviolet™, $69.98 for the DVD and $129.99 for the Blu-ray™ limited edition. Pre-book is July 23rd.

Based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman and published by Image Comics, AMC’s "The Walking Dead" enjoyed its most popular season to date, averaging 13.3 million live/same day viewers per episode and 8.6 million adults 18-49. Whether evading walkers, resisting a super flu outbreak, escaping the fall of their temporary prison haven and desperately searching for a sanctuary called Terminus, the on-going story of a group of survivors under the protective watch and leadership of Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and Dr. Herschel Greene (Scott Wilson) continues to capture viewers’ imaginations on a global scale.

THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON cast also includes Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Lauren Cohan, Danai Gurira, Chandler Riggs, David Morrissey, Melissa McBride, Chad L. Coleman, Sonequa Martin-Green and Emily Kinney. New characters introduced this season include Sgt. Abraham Ford (Michael Cudlitz), Bob Stookey (Lawrence Gillard, Jr.), Rosita Espinoza (Christian Serratos) and Dr. Eugene Porter (Josh McDermott).

Season 5 of "The Walking Dead" premieres on AMC this October.

About AMC
Whether commemorating favorite films from every genre and decade, or creating acclaimed original programming, AMC brings to its audience something deeper, something richer, Something More. The network reigns as the only cable network in history ever to win the Emmy® Award for Outstanding Drama Series four years in a row, and boasts the most-watched drama series in basic cable history with The Walking Dead. AMC’s original drama series include Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Hell on Wheels, Turn, Halt and Catch Fire and the forthcoming Breaking Bad spinoff, Better Call Saul. AMC also explores authentic worlds with bold characters through its slate of unscripted original series like Comic Book Men, Small Town Security, Talking Dead, Game of Arms and Freakshow. AMC is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc. and its sister networks include IFC, Sundance Channel, and WE tv. AMC is available across all platforms, including on-air, online, on demand and mobile. AMC: Something More.

About Anchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment is a leading home entertainment company. Anchor Bay acquires and distributes feature films, original television programming including STARZ Original series, children's entertainment, anime (Manga Entertainment), fitness (Anchor Bay Fitness), sports, and other filmed entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray™ formats. The company has long term distribution agreements in place for select programming with AMC Networks, RADiUS, and The Weinstein Company. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA, Anchor Bay Entertainment has offices in Troy, MI, as well as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Anchor Bay Entertainment (www.anchorbayentertainment.com) is a Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) business, www.starz.com.


"THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON" Blu-ray™
Street Date: August 26, 2014        
Pre-book: July 23, 2014
Cat. #: BD61611
UPC: 0-1313 2616117
Run Time: 696 Minutes
Rating: Not Rated
SRP: $79.99
Format: Widescreen Presentation 1.78:1
Audio: English Dolby TrueHD 7.1 and French Dolby Surround 2.0
Subtitles: English SDH and Spanish

"THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON" DVD
Street Date: August 26, 2014        
Pre-book: July 23, 2014
Cat. #: AF61610
UPC: 0-1313 2616100
Run Time: 688 Minutes
Rating: Not Rated
SRP: $69.98
Format: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1 and French Dolby Surround 2.0
Subtitles: English SDH and Spanish

"THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON" Limited Edition Blu-ray™
Street Date: August 26, 2014        
Pre-book: July 23, 2014
Cat. #: BD61710
UPC: 0-1313 2617107
Run Time: 696 Minutes
Rating: Not Rated
SRP: $129.99
Format: Widescreen Presentation 1.78:1
Audio: English Dolby TrueHD 7.1 and French Dolby Surround 2.0
Subtitles: English SDH and Spanish

Buy it at Amazon.com:

Blu-ray

DVD

Limited Edition Blu-ray

"THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON" Comes Home August 26th from Anchor Bay Entertainment

SPARTACUS: THE COMPLETE SERIES -- arriving September 16th on Blu-ray + Digital HD with Ultraviolet™ and DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment

"Pulse pounding entertainment."

– Huffington Post

ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT

BRINGS YOU THE BIGGEST AND BADDEST

BOX SET OF THEM ALL!

"SPARTACUS: THE COMPLETE SERIES"

ON BLU-RAY™ + Digital HD with Ultraviolet™

AND DVD SEPTEMBER 16, 2014

Thirteen-Disc Set Contains All 39 Episodes and New Bonus Features!

  

Beverly Hills, CA – All hail Spartacus - his legend will live on! Anchor Bay Entertainment releases every season of the acclaimed Starz Original series in a complete muscular thirteen-disc Blu-ray™ + Digital HD with Ultraviolet™ and DVD box set on September 16^th.

 

^{From executive producers Rob Tapert, Sam Raimi, Josh Donen and Steven S. DeKnight, here is every moment - uncut and uncensored – of the series that broke all the rules and took no prisoners! “SPARTACUS: THE COMPLETE SERIES” is a beautifully packaged collection that contains a full disc of new bonus features. The Blu-ray™ + Digital HD with Ultraviolet™ edition contains three new audio commentaries for the first season that are exclusive to this collection. A limited edition Blu-ray™ + Digital HD with Ultraviolet™ set packaged with a Spartacus collector’s figurine will also be available with an SRP of $199.99. SRP is $149.99 for the Blu-ray™ + Digital HD with Ultraviolet™ and $119.98 for the DVD.  Pre-book is August 13th.}

 



"SPARTACUS: THE COMPLETE SERIES" is the classic tale of Spartacus, the Republic’s most infamous rebel who comes alive in the first season of "Spartacus: Blood and Sand." Then comes "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena," the prequel that explores a deadly history before the arrival of Spartacus, and the death he now carries with him. The second season, "Spartacus: Vengeance," continues to follow Spartacus as he is faced with a choice to either satisfy his personal need for vengeance, or make the sacrifices necessary to keep his growing army from breaking apart at the seams. Finally, in "Spartacus: War of the Damned," Spartacus will carve his name into history as he plots to avenge his wife’s death and leads Batiatus' slaves in a bloody uprising that will not be forgotten or equaled.

"The gods finally bless us with the complete collection," says creator and executive producer Steven S. DeKnight. "Spartacus was a true labor of love for everyone who worked on it and I’m incredibly proud to present all 39 episodes in stunning High-def for the fans to enjoy at their leisure, but make sure you watch them in the order they first aired to revel in the experience as originally intended."

New Bonus Features:
SPARTACUS Fan Favorites With Liam McIntyre
Scoring A Hit: Composer Joseph LoDuca
An Eye Full: Roger Murray
SPARTACUS: Paul Grinder
The Last Word: John Hannah "SPARTACUS: THE COMPLETE SERIES" features Andy Whitfield in a star-making turn in the title role for season one, Liam McIntyre takes over as Spartacus for season two and three. Also featured in memorable roles are John Hannah (The Mummy, Four Weddings and A Funeral), Peter Mensah (300, The Incredible Hulk), Manu Bennett (30 Days of Night), Nick E. Tarabay ("Crash"), Dustin Clare ("Underbelly"), Dan Feuerriegel ("Home and Away"), Simon Merrells (The Wolfman), Todd Lasance ("Cloudstreet"), Cynthia Addai-Robinson ("FlashForward") and Lucy Lawless ("Xena: Warrior Princess," "Parks and Recreation").

This is what fans have been waiting for, the full Spartacus in one big, bold and bloody box set. "SPARTACUS: THE COMPLETE SERIES" is the one to own – it’s as powerful and compelling as the name it carries.


About Anchor Bay Entertainment Anchor Bay Entertainment is a leading home entertainment company. Anchor Bay acquires and distributes feature films, original television programming including STARZ Original series, children's entertainment, anime (Manga Entertainment), fitness (Anchor Bay Fitness), sports, and other filmed entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray™ formats. The company has long term distribution agreements in place for select programming with AMC Networks, RADiUS, and The Weinstein Company. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA, Anchor Bay Entertainment has offices in Troy, MI, as well as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Anchor Bay Entertainment (^{www.anchorbayentertainment.com) is a Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) business, www.starz.com.}

About Starz Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks), global content distribution (Starz Distribution) and animated television and movie production (Starz Animation), ^{www.starz.com.}

Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies. As of March 31, 2014, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 56.3 million subscribers, including 21.9 million at STARZ, and 34.4 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S. STARZ® and ENCORE®, along with Starz Networks’ third network MOVIEPLEX®, air over 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television. Starz Distribution’s home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties. Starz Animation produces animated TV and movie content for studios, networks, distributors and audiences worldwide.

"SPARTACUS: THE COMPLETE SERIES" Blu -ray™ + Digital HD with Ultraviolet™Street Date: September 16, 2014
Pre-book: August 13, 2014
Cat. #: BD61758
UPC: 013132617589
Run Time: 2173 Minutes
Rating: Not Rated
SRP: $149.99
Format: Widescreen Presentation 1.78:1
Audio: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Spanish Mono
Subtitles: English SDH and Spanish


"SPARTACUS: THE COMPLETE SERIES" DVDStreet Date: September 16, 2014
Pre-book: August 13, 2014
Cat. #: ST61757
UPC: 013132617572
Run Time: 2136 Minutes
Rating: Not Rated
SRP: $119.98
Format: Widescreen Presentation 1.78:1
Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Mono
Subtitles: English SDH and Spanish

SPARTACUS: THE COMPLETE SERIES -- arriving September 16th on Blu-ray + Digital HD with Ultraviolet™ and DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment

DEPORTED WOMEN OF THE S.S. SPECIAL SECTION -- DVD review by porfle

It's always with a bit of trepidation that I watch yet another Nazisploitation flick. Am I supposed to enjoy it? How much? Or for that matter, just plain how?

DEPORTED WOMEN OF THE S.S. SPECIAL SECTION (1976) bypasses that problem by not reveling in sadism for its own sake nearly as much as the usual entries in this genre. And, slow-moving as it may be, it has a story that does more than just give the Nazis a chance to be unremittingly evil for awhile until we can enjoy seeing their violent comeuppance at the end.

We get the usual heroine, the aptly-named Tania Nobel (Lina Polito, ALL SCREWED UP), who finds herself in a camp--located in an actual castle for some great authentic atmosphere--for deported women waiting to get shuffled off to their various fates while the more attractive ones are reserved for "special duty." Tania's quiet integrity, strength, and willpower will make her an inspiration to the other women, especially the ones planning a daring escape attempt, and a thorn in the side of the S.S.

As in the recently-reviewed GESTAPO'S LAST ORGY, there's another doomed love affair between a female prisoner and a male Nazi, which resolves itself in rather Shakespearean fashion. (If Shakespeare had written Nazisploitation flicks, that is.) Of further interest is a prisoner named Trudy (Paola D'Egidio) who turns traitor and becomes a "kapo" just like the blonde Aryan bitches who are always either being coldly sadistic or unwelcomely sexual toward the captive women. (Yes, shockingly enough, this movie contains...LESBIANS!)

Also as in GESTAPO'S LAST ORGY, we have a prison camp commandant--the prancing, decadent Herr Erner (John Steiner, TENEBRE, BEYOND THE DOOR)--smitten with one of his female prisoners. In this case, Erner is still carrying a torch for Tania, whom he knew back in their old village. Her non-response to his continued come-ons, however, raises his ire as conflicting emotions cause him to act out in bursts of petulant, sometimes cartoonish overacting that's fun to watch.

Writer-director Rino Di Silvestro (HANNA D.: THE GIRL FROM VONDEL PARK) initially explores much of the exploitation value inherent in the film's premise. There's a lengthy sequence where the inevitable group strip leads to naked delousing, soapy communal showers, scalp-shearing, and the ceremonial shaving of the pubes complete with generous close-up action--which, of course, is topped off by a visit to the camp gynocologist.

Yet the film is realistic enough to be involving (albeit a bit depressing) without trying all that hard to invoke our inner sadist. A couple of the softcore sex scenes are actually somewhat erotic, while the tortures aren't lengthy or explicit enough to be anywhere near as gratuitious as other such Nazi-themed films.

In fact, the juiciest horrors, to which the languidly-paced story builds ever so slowly, are committed against the Nazis during the climactic escape attempt, with Tania coming through with an especially cunning (and satisfying) surprise for the loathesome commandant.

The DVD from Intervision is in anamorphic widescreen with Dolby digital mono sound. No subtitles. Extras include interesting interviews with both director Rino Di Silvestro and star John Steiner, plus the featurette "A Brief History Of Sadiconazista: Interview With Film Historian Marcus Stiglegger" which also appears on the GESTAPO'S LAST ORGY disc.

Without the horrifying experiments, cannibalism, and other lurid elements of the kind found in many Nazisploitation flicks, DEPORTED WOMEN OF THE S.S. SPECIAL SECTION gets by mainly on story, performances, and the earnest filmmaking skills of Rino Di Silvestro. It isn't exactly something I'd watch for pleasure, but it's good enough to be enjoyed (if one is so inclined) as more than just a guilty pleasure.

Buy it at Amazon.com

DEPORTED WOMEN OF THE S.S. SPECIAL SECTION -- DVD review by porfle

Celebrate HALLOWEEN Early This Year With the HALLOWEEN COMPLETE COLLECTION Artwork Premiere!

Anchor Bay Entertainment and Scream Factory proudly unveil the official art for the September 23rd release of the HALLOWEEN Complete Collection Blu-ray. Please see artwork below of the 15-disc Deluxe Edition and the 10-disc set.

Stay tuned for more details, including updates on the bonus features and photos taken from behind the scenes!

#MichaelisComingHome

Our previous coverage of this upcoming release
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Celebrate HALLOWEEN Early This Year With the HALLOWEEN COMPLETE COLLECTION Artwork Premiere!