HOUSEWIVES FROM ANOTHER WORLD -- DVD Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 3/2/10

 

 

Fred Olen Ray's Retromedia does it again with HOUSEWIVES FROM ANOTHER WORLD, another lighthearted soft-porn romp in the vein of BIKINI FRANKENSTEIN and TWILIGHT VAMPS. This time, the story which serves as a connective tissue for the numerous sex scenes is flimsier than ever, but ultimately that doesn't really matter all that much, does it? 

 

The movie opens, unsurprisingly enough, in the bedroom of Max (Frankie Cullen) and Karen (Heather Vandeven), but that's not Karen whom Max is having furious simulated sex with--it's their ditzy neighbor, Rita (Rebecca Love). 

 

Nicely intercut with this are shots of a meteor headed for a fiery rendezvous with Earth--the simple CGI looks pretty good--which might serve as a metaphor for the fact that Karen is coming home early from a business trip. When she discovers Max and Rita in bed together, she's furious. Rita, we find, was told that Karen had been killed in a freak skateboard accident and that Max needed to be held. 

 

Karen grabs a bottle of Jack and angrily stomps out into the desert behind their house, where she finds the pieces of the fallen meteor. One of the shards shoots a jolt of energy into her head, transferring an alien entity into her body. 

 

Seemingly morphed into a Stepford wife, Karen cheerfully forgives Max and Rita. But she secretly has a new mission--find the plans for a top-secret galaxy-probing satellite that Max is working on for the government and destroy them before Earth discovers her home planet, which will lead to an intergalactic war. (How? It doesn't matter.) 

 

Meanwhile, Max's competitors at work, Tom (Tony Marino) and Carla (Christine Nguyen), are busy trying to steal the plans themselves so they can take credit for them. Using meteor shards in the form of necklaces, Karen zaps Carla and Rita with more alien entities. Their mission, however, is put on hold when the intoxicating carnal sensations of their new human bodies drive them to engage in lots and lots of sex. Betcha didn't see that coming. 

 

 

As in the rest of these Retromedia sex farces, HOUSEWIVES is capably directed and looks really good for its low budget, with a pleasant musical score. Best of all, however, is the fact that the lead castmembers not only look terrific but aren't bad actors, either. Frankie Cullen and Tony Marino continue to display a deft comic sense that sets them apart from the average leering stud muffin, while Christine Nguyen's sex appeal is matched by her own skills in this area. Too bad this particular script doesn't give them much of a chance to be funny. 

 

Heather Vandeven looks about as good as you'd expect a Penthouse Pet of the Year to look and is quite enthusiastic in her sex scenes. (It appears as though she's using the famous Stanislavski method in her shower scene.) My favorite, though, is the adorable and delightfully buxom Rebecca Love, who has now joined my list of future wives which will go into effect just as soon as I become a billionaire playboy and bigamy is decriminalized. 

 

Rounding out the supporting cast are Ted Newsom as Max's boss Mr. Roberts--Ted plays a normal person for a change, and is surprisingly adept at it--and Ron Ford as the shady foreign-type (he wears a fez) who schemes to purchase the satellite blueprints from a debt-plagued Tom. Both actors bring a certain substance to their roles which adds a little weight to this otherwise paper-thin story.

The DVD from Retromedia and Infinity is widescreen with Dolby Digital sound. Extras consist of trailers for this and several other Retromedia releases. 

 

As an entry in Retromedia's growing list of sci-fi and horror-tinged softcore sex comedies, HOUSEWIVES FROM ANOTHER WORLD is extremely light on the comedy and story elements (though it does have a slight ZONTAR vibe at times). But with acres of bare skin on display and a cast that performs like Energizer bunnies at the drop of a hat, it's definitely fun to look at.

 

 

HOUSEWIVES FROM ANOTHER WORLD -- DVD Review by Porfle

BIKINI FRANKENSTEIN and TWILIGHT VAMPS -- DVD Reviews by Porfle

Originally posted on 1/30/10

 

 

As great as Universal Studios' classic "Frankenstein" movies of the 30s and 40s are, there was always one key ingredient curiously missing from all of them--beautiful naked babes having sex. Whether this was merely an oversight or, for some inexplicable reason, directors such as James Whale and Rowland V. Lee intentionally omitted this vital element, legendary "B" moviemaker Fred Olen Ray's Retromedia Entertainment has finally corrected this problem with the release of BIKINI FRANKENSTEIN (2009).

And rest assured, there's a veritable buttload of steamy softcore, simulated sex scenes in this film, with the story serving as a sort of connective tissue between them. It's kind of a shame, in fact, that we don't get to see more of that story since it's really fun and the actors all give exceptional comic performances. Unlike some preening 70s porno stud like Randy West donning a pair of glasses and trying to be "funny", Frankie Cullen is genuinely, cartoonishly amusing as Dr. Victor Frankenstein, a nebbishy scientist who gets booted (yes, "booted") out of his university teaching job for banging a buxom cheerleader on his desk.

Tony Marino is also funny as Victor's rival, Clive, who gleefully reports the Doc's carnal activities to Professor Van Sloane (actor-filmmaker Ted Newsom in fine comic form). As it happens, both Cullen and Marino happen to be a couple of pretty buffed-out hunks, which should keep the straight chicks and gay dudes in the audience occupied while the heterosexual males get an eyefull of the gorgeous female-type characters. These include voluptuous blonde knockout Brandin Rackley as Dr. Frankenstein's ditzy lab assistant Ingrid, exotic Christine Nguyen as Clive's sexy wife Claudia, and the delightfully winsome Alexis Texas as the aforementioned cheerleader, Debbie.

Retreating to his castle in Transylvania, Victor vows to prove his theories to his skeptical colleagues by bringing life to the dead, which in this case is the tall, lissom Jayden Cole as "Eve." She doesn't actually wear a bikini--more like two strips of gauze--but that doesn't matter since she gets naked pretty quick anyway. A carnal encounter with Ingrid reveals Eve's tendency to crackle with electricity whenever they connect the minus to the minus, so to speak.

Later, Victor returns to the States along with Eve and Ingrid, where, at a cocktail party attended by Clive, Claudia, Professor Van Sloane, and Dr. Waldman (Ron Ford with an enormous fake moustache), he plans to reveal Eve as his triumphant creation after she's sufficiently impressed everyone. Eve does this by having sex with Clive and then engaging in a three-way with Ingrid and Claudia (Claudia also finds time to get it on with Victor as well) which ultimately comes to an unfortunate and, to me, rather abrupt conclusion.

Nicholas Medina's direction is quite good and Sherman Scott's screenplay is stocked with fun references to the classic Frankenstein films. Aside from all the obvious name-dropping, the opening scene has Victor illustrating a scientific procedure that seems inspired by a certain Dr. Neimann from HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (dog included) and Ingrid is obviously inspired by Teri Garr's character in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, albeit with even more impressive "knockers." One of the film's best features is its cinematography, which looks just plain great, and the musical score is also easy on the ears.

Personally, I find long, drawn-out sex scenes to be pretty boring after the first minute or so, but the ones in this film benefit from truly great-looking performers and skillful execution. Add to this a nutty cast, lighthearted script, and pleasing production values, and BIKINI FRANKENSTEIN, while lacking a satisfactory ending, is a creation that's more than the sum of its parts.

TWILIGHT VAMPS (2009), on the other hand, isn't quite as enjoyable comedy-wise but maintains the same high standards in regard to the sex scenes while boasting pretty much the same cast. This time Frankie Cullen and Tony Marino play Jack and Roger, a couple of office drones who decide to unwind at a flashy new strip club called Shadows, which just happens to be a front for a bunch of beautiful vampires who drain male customers of their money, sexual energies, and blood.

Having just been dumped by his girlfriend Louise after discovering that she was a dyke interested only in banging her girlfriends and emptying his bank account, Jack falls for sexy blonde dancer Tabitha (Brandin Rackley) while Roger is smitten with Angela (Christine Nguyen). Before long, however, Jack discovers the blood-splattered truth and is forced to become an amateur vampire hunter armed only with a bottle of holy water that's gone past its expiration date.

With the same above-average production values, cinematography, and performances as BIKINI FRANKENSTEIN, TWILIGHT VAMPS is breezy low-budget entertainment that's pleasing to the eye. In addition to the usual plethora of simulated sex scenes which are equally well-done, the strip club setting affords lucky viewers the opportunity to watch the leading ladies show off their considerable poledancing skills. Ultra-fabulous babe Brandin Rackley, who has instantly leapt into the top five of my favorite actresses of this week, is especially awesome in this department (although the exquisite Christine Nguyen offers her close competition in terms of hotness). The opposite of her goofy "Ingrid" character from BIKINI FRANKENSTEIN, Brandin's "Tabitha" is sublimely gorgeous and seductive. In fact, she should be receiving my marriage proposal in the mail any day now, and my fingers are crossed that she'll check the "yes" box. Wish me luck!

Ron Ford returns as Jack's unappreciative boss, Mr. Cartwright, this time sporting an outlandishly fake beard, while Ted Newsom shows up again as a terse, suspicious police detective who questions Jack in regard to one of the vampire murders. In addition to giving his usual solid performance, Ted gets to reprise one of the most celebrated quotes from Ed Wood's classic PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE, and delivers the line with much relish. (Or whatever the craft services people were serving that day.)

Once again, Nicholas Medina handles the directing chores while also contributing the screenplay, which, according to the opening titles, is "based on the poem by Edgar Allen Poe." What poem by Edgar Allen Poe? I don't remember him writing anything called "Twilight Vamps." Maybe it's one of his lesser-known works. The associate producer is identified as one "Thorn Sherman", although it's unclear whether or not this is the same Thorn Sherman portrayed by actor James Best in THE KILLER SHREWS. If so, my hat's off to the guy for defeating those horrible monsters and scoring Miss Universe 1957 in the bargain.

Infinity Entertainment Group's DVDs of TWILIGHT VAMPS and BIKINI FRANKENSTEIN are presented in 16 x 9 widescreen and 2.0 Dolby Stereo. Special features include original trailers.

TWILIGHT VAMPS is filled with visual delights and, while not quite as much giddy fun, makes a fitting companion piece to BIKINI FRANKENSTEIN. Both films are worth checking out for the sex scenes alone, with the added benefit of talented actors and production values that are clearly superior to the usual low-budget fare. So the next time the guys are over at your place for the usual Saturday night drunken wing-ding, leave GIRLS GONE WILD on the shelf and pop one of these babies into the DVD player, and go nuts.

BIKINI FRANKENSTEIN and TWILIGHT VAMPS -- DVD Reviews by Porfle

SUSPENSE: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION -- DVD Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 5/7/09

 

I'm fascinated by the early days of television, and you can't get much earlier, or more fascinating, than SUSPENSE: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION.  

This is Jurassic TV, a primitive-looking, melodramatic thriller anthology that premiered in 1949 and lasted for 260 live, half-hour episodes until 1954. Ninety of those episodes have been unearthed and are now available in this 12-disc set which spans the series' entire run. 

As in any anthology series, the quality of the writing varies--in fact, some of the stories are clunkers. But for the most part, these episodes are consistantly exciting and imaginative, and live up to the series' title with stories that quickly establish a suspenseful situation and then keep us on edge till the end. 

Several stories are adapted from the works of authors such as Robert Louis Stevenson and Edgar Allan Poe. Rod Serling's contribution, the eerie "Nightmare at Ground Zero", is a tense and unsettling atom-bomb tale that really stretches the limits of live television. 

Knowing that these teleplays were performed live gives them the immediacy of theater combined with the intimacy of television. You can imagine the actors and crew rushing into their next set-ups during a slow dissolve, and sometimes you can hear them doing it, too. 

Gaffes by these skilled actors are few, while the occasional technical blooper is unavoidable. In "The Comic Strip Murder", a piece of equipment can be seen moving past a high-rise balcony like a UFO. In "The Parcel", a stock clip of a crowd enjoying a ballgame runs out before the director can cut to Ray Walston, Royal Dano, and Conrad Janis sitting in a bleacher mock-up. Cues are missed, boom mike shadows flit across walls, focusing is done on the fly, and sometimes you can even spot an errant crew member where he shouldn't be. But mistakes like this are part of the appeal of watching live television, and the fact that there are so few of them in this smoothly produced and directed (mostly by Robert Stevens) series is impressive. 

Most of the stories are grounded in reality, with the occasional foray into the supernatural. The very first episode in this collection, "A Night at the Inn" with Boris Karloff, is an unabashedly nutball tale of a gang of thieves stalked by knife-wielding, turban-wearing Indians for stealing a sacred idol's jeweled eye, until the indignant idol itself shows up to reclaim it. Another episode, "Black Passage", features none other than Stella Adler as a hot-blooded Latin vampire and a very young William Prince as the unwary suitor of her equally bloodthirsty daughter. 

Hardboiled crime drama rubs shoulders with frequent doses of Hitchcock-style mystery and creepiness, along with the type of macabre irony often found in EC comics. Richard Boone gives a super cool performance as a homicide cop closing in on a medical examiner whose guilt has been inadvertently captured on film in "Photo Finish." In "My Old Man's Badge", Barry Nelson plays a beat cop who singlehandedly takes on a drug-smuggling ring to avenge his father's murder, and in "Dead Fall", he's framed for passing industrial secrets to the Commies. 

On the darker side, "Dr. Violet" gives us Hume Cronyn as the proprietor of a carnival murder museum who takes a chillingly active part in his exhibits, while "Dead Ernest" generates suspense by showing us a catatonic man mistakenly pronounced dead and lying on a morgue slab awaiting the embalmer. 

One of the main pleasures of watching this collection is its incredible array of familiar faces, from past, present and future stars to the great character actors, often doing brilliant work. Ray Walston (billed as "Wallston" in one episode) and Royal Dano appear several times. Leslie Nielsen, just beginning his career as a dramatic actor which would later give way to comedy, stars in "The Brush Off" with future "Superman" star George Reeves. Boris Karloff shows up more than once and Bela Lugosi gives a delightfully florid performance in an adaptation of Poe's "The Cask of Amantillado." 

Other notable names include Paul Newman, Otto Kruger, Kim Hunter, Anne Francis, Lee Marvin, Harold J. Stone, Conrad Janis, Eileen Heckart, Walter Matthau, Eddie Albert, Lloyd Bridges, Mike Kellin, Ward Bond, James Whitmore, Vic Morrow, Jackie Cooper, Brian Keith, Darren McGavin, Franchot Tone, Jack Klugman, Tom Drake, Gene Lyons, Cloris Leachman, Mildred Natwick, Lilli Palmer, Eva Marie Saint, Richard Kiley, Joan Blondell, Jack Palance, Eva Gabor, Peter Mark Richman, Jayne Meadows, Robert Webber, and many more. Several of them make multiple appearances. 

These episodes are kinescopes, meaning that a monitor was filmed during the live performances so that copies of each episode could be sent to various network affiliates (this was before videotape or cable). This gives the show a somewhat murky picture and sound quality that is unavoidable; otherwise, however, I think these DVDs look very good. 

The 12 discs are contained in six attractive slimline cases which were originally released in three seperate sets, and contain all 90 episodes of the show that are known to exist. The final episode, "The Funmaster" with Keenan Wynn, is the only non-live entry and was aired in 1958, four years after the show's demise, presumably in an effort to revive it. 

The musical score for "Suspense" is performed almost entirely on Hammond organ (with the occasional piano, tubular bells, etc.) in the style of the early soap operas, and sounds similar to the music in Herk Harvey's CARNIVAL OF SOULS. As a bonus, almost every episode contains the original commercials for the show's sponsor, Auto-Lite automotive products, featuring dulcet-toned announcer Rex Marshall and a delightfully corny assortment of cartoons and animated clips.

SUSPENSE: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION is over 43 hours of pure, unadulterated nostalgia that I found irresistibly entertaining. Whether you're a fan of early TV, or simply curious about what the medium looked like before it began to earn nicknames like "vast wasteland" and "boob tube", this time capsule from television's infancy should give you just the sort of buzz you're looking for. Buy it at 

 

 

SUSPENSE: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION -- DVD Review by Porfle

EVIL TOONS: 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION -- DVD review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 4/23/10

 

The story behind EVIL TOONS (1990) is probably more interesting than the movie itself--famed exploitation filmmaker Fred Olen Ray was asked to come in and do some nude scenes to punch up another film that was nearing completion, and when he saw all the locations and equipment right there for the taking, with the rental still paid up for several days, he figured it would be the perfect opportunity to do another project he was currently trying to finance. So he teamed up with producer Victoria Till and in eight days shot the "naked girls terrorized by a cartoon monster in a haunted house" flick he'd been wanting to make.

Whether or not it's very good is a matter that each individual viewer must judge. When four good-looking babes are hired to spend the weekend in an old mansion and clean it up for the new owners, only to find an EVIL DEAD-type book that produces a hellish creature after the wrong incantation is read aloud (when will people learn?), it seems as though we'll be in for a whole heap of rip-snortin', blouse-rippin' fun.

As it turns out, the movie is pretty bland--I found it much less lively than, for example, that old "USA Up All Night" staple H.O.T.S. But it does have its own low-budget charms. The lead actresses are mostly former and future "adult" stars who aren't exactly the most talented comediennes in Hollywood. Monique Gabrielle (AMAZON WOMEN ON THE MOON, BACHELOR PARTY) is probably the best of the bunch as brainy nerd Megan, who manages a few funny moments and is a really good screamer. Suzanne Ager (THE BIKINI CARWASH COMPANY), also a first-class screamer, is appealing as Terry and gets better when her character has more action-oriented stuff to do.


Porn star Barbara Dare, here billed as "Stacey Nix", is the weakest of the bunch. Not bad, really, just not very memorable. The most energetic performance comes from Madison Stone as Roxanne, who not only does a bouncy striptease but later gets possessed by the monster from the book and goes on a bloody rampage. (Her "creature" voice is dubbed by none other than Count Yorga himself, Robert Quarry.) Madison plays the monster role to the hilt, and always manages to rip her victims' tops off before sinking her big, pointy teeth into them.

The "evil toon" himself is interesting simply because the presence of a cartoon monster interacting with live actors is pretty rare for a film with such a low budget. The fact that he's very crudely animated and appears for only a short time is to be expected in these pre-CGI times when such effects were more costly and difficult to achieve. He does have a few amusingly horny reactions to Roxanne (a la the wolf character in the old MGM cartoon "Red Hot Riding Hood") and the scene in which he attacks her is relatively complex. His voice is dubbed by Fred Olen Ray himself, who is a much better director than he is a voice actor. He does get the film's best line: "You little bitch--I'll get you for this in the sequel!"


Probably the most interesting and disturbing thing about this movie occurs in the opening minutes when, in an extremely ironic coincidence, David Carradine's character hangs himself. (Yikes.) As Gideon Fisk, the man responsible for discovering the book and unwittingly unleashing its evil upon the world, Carradine obviously has a bit of a struggle taking the part seriously, yet seems to enjoy playing his mysterious caped character. His scenes were all shot in one day but are well-distributed throughout the film, and he has a major role in the semi-exciting finale.

Also adding a little name value to the cast are perennial fave Dick Miller and "Laugh-In" alumnus Arte Johnson. Dick plays Burt, the owner of the cleaning company the girls work for, and as always he's fun to watch even though he doesn't really have much to do. The scene in which he watches himself on TV during a late-night airing of BUCKET OF BLOOD provides the film with one of its best moments. Arte Johnson, as creepy neighbor Mr. Hinchlow, is strangely reserved and manages to come off as more genuinely creepy than funny (although he relishes delivering the film's closing zinger).

America's sweetheart Michelle Bauer (HOLLYWOOD CHAINSAW HOOKERS, SORORITY BABES IN THE SLIMEBALL BOWL-A-RAMA, BIKINI DRIVE-IN, etc., etc.) makes a cameo appearance as Burt's wife which lasts all of twenty seconds. She does manage to get topless in that brief amount of time, and looks about as sweet as ever here, but I was sorely disappointed that she wasn't in the rest of the movie.


The DVD from Retromedia and Infinity Entertainment Group is in anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital. Extras include the original trailer, a "making of" featurette which consists mainly of Ray enthusiastically addressing the camera, a "workprint" clip that shows one of the later scenes in its unfinished form, a lengthy suite composed of themes from Chuck Cirino's synth score, and a "Nite Owl Theater" segment starring Ray, his wife, and various other lovely ladies, which is probably the funniest thing on the DVD.

Most interesting of all, I think, is Ray's commentary track which was recently recorded for this 20th anniversary edition. While many of his comments are scene-specific, he also delivers quite an informative monologue on the joys and hardships of independent filmmaking on a tiny budget, and laments the fact that, unlike the old days, the market for small but decent product is pretty much gone and he doesn't know where it went. We learn about fascinating things such as gate weave, short ends, and lens flare, how the cartoon effects were achieved, and how doing a small film such as EVIL TOONS just the way he wanted to is like a vacation compared to taking orders from some bean counter on a larger production.

I'm sure that some will find EVIL TOONS unbearably dull and lacking in entertainment value of any kind. Admittedly, it's a bit on the boring side at times and even when it goes into high gear near the end it's kind of like a Three Stooges comedy without the comedy. But darn it, there's just something endearing about this earnest little flick and I like it. I guess the magic of movies is a strange and unpredictable thing.

EVIL TOONS: 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION -- DVD review by Porfle

"EVIL TOONS" -- 20th Anniversary Edition on DVD May 4

Infinity Entertainment Group in Association With Retromedia Entertainment Proudly Presents Evil Toons: 20th Anniversary Edition


First They Undress You, Then They Possess You! -- Cult Classic Animates DVD May 4th

LOS ANGELES - May 1, 2010 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit meets The Evil Dead in the 1990 cult classic Evil Toons: 20th Anniversary Edition, starring the late David Carradine, animating DVD May 4 from Infinity Entertainment Group.

To receive a large amount of money, four hot teenage girls must spend the night in an old haunted house. Soon after arriving, a strange man comes by to deliver an old book full of magic incantations.

Reading the contents aloud, the group accidentally brings a cartoon character (a wolf-like monster) to life which desires the blood of young ladies! In their struggle to survive, the girls do whatever it takes to return the creature back to the book.


Co-starring with Carradine (Kung Fu, Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and 2) are Dick Miller (Gremlins, Tales From the Crypt: Demon Night, The Flash), Arte Johnson (Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In), Monique Gabrielle (Chained Heat, Bachelor Party) and Michelle Bauer (Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers, Voodoo Dollz).

Evil Toons: 20th Anniversary Edition is presented in anamorphic widescreen with an aspect ratio of 16 x 9 and Dolby Digital. Special features include director's commentary track; original trailer; original work-print; special "Making Of" video documentary; original Nite Owl Theater segment; and Evil Toons Suite by Chuck Cirino.

Retromedia Entertainment was launched in 2001 by CEO Fred Olen Ray, a well-known writer, director and producer of films across a broad range of genres. Among his most successful works are the award-winning films Invisible Mom, starring Dee Wallace, and Inner Sanctum, starring Tanya Roberts and Margaux Hemingway, both of which became "The Number One Most Rented" DVD titles in the U.S., according to the RIAA. The latter film earned Ray the Wall Street Journal headline "B Movie Makes A-Movie Money." Ray also directed the award-winning Black Horizon, starring Michael Dudikoff and Ice-T; Armed Response, starring David Carradine; and Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers, called the "4th Coolest B Movie of All Time" by Maxim magazine.

Infinity Entertainment Group, headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif., is a multi-service home entertainment retail distributor specializing in independent films, television programming, special-interest, documentaries, anime and music. Clients include Smithsonian Networks, MOJO HD, Falcon Picture Group, Bandai Entertainment, Roxbury Entertainment, SJ2 Entertainment and Retromedia. Hit titles include the iconic Route 66 television series, now available on DVD for the first time, and Spike Jones: The Legend. The company was launched in 2006 and is a division of Infinity Resources, Inc., a privately-held, multi-channel marketing and service enterprise with general offices based in suburban Chicago, Ill.


Evil Toons: 20th Anniversary Edition
Retromedia/Infinity Entertainment Group
Genre: Cult/Horror
Rated: R
Format: DVD Only
Running Time: Approx. 83 Minutes (Plus Special Features)
Suggested Retail Price: $14.98
Pre-Order Date: March 30, 2010
Street Date: May 4, 2010
Catalog #: IEG2193
UPC Code: #617742219395

Buy it at Amazon.com

"EVIL TOONS" -- 20th Anniversary Edition on DVD May 4

"HOUSEWIVES FROM ANOTHER WORLD" On DVD April 6th

"Housewives From Another World" -- From Infinity Entertainment Group & Retromedia Entertainment


‘Take Me to Your Leader’ Takes on a Whole New Meaning!

Starring Penthouse Pet of the Year Heather Vandeven

Get Ready to be Abducted on DVD April 6th

LOS ANGELES — April 1, 2010 — For Immediate Release — When space aliens invade the bodies of three beautiful women, they soon learn the meaning of "hot to trot" in Housewives From Another World, beaming onto DVD April 6 from Infinity Entertainment Group.

On a mission to stop the development of a new deep-space satellite, the body-snatched beauties will do anything – and anyone – to accomplish their goals. "Take me to your leader" takes on a whole new meaning!
Starring 2007’s Penthouse Pet of the Year Heather Vandeven and the smoking hot Christine Nguyen and Rebecca Love.

Housewives From Another World is presented in anamorphic widescreen with an aspect ratio of 16 x 9 and Dolby Digital. Includes original trailers.

Housewives From Another World
Retromedia/Infinity Entertainment Group
Genre: Erotic/Sci-Fi/Comedy
Not Rated
Format: DVD Only
Running Time: Approx. 82 Minutes (Plus Special Features)
Suggested Retail Price: $14.98
Pre-Order Date: March 2, 2010
Street Date: April 6, 2010
Catalog #: IEG2196
UPC Code: #617742219692

"HOUSEWIVES FROM ANOTHER WORLD" On DVD April 6th

"BIKINI JONES & THE TEMPLE OF EROS" and "D.C. SNIPER" -- Coming to DVD in March

Infinity Entertainment Group in Association With Retromedia Entertainment Proudly Presents "Bikini Jones and the Temple of Eros"

Erotic Adventure Comedy Whips Onto DVD March 2nd

LOS ANGELES - March 1, 2010 - For Immediate Release - Move over, Indiana! Whip into action with the adventure of a lifetime in Bikini Jones and the Temple of Eros, swinging onto DVD March 2 from Infinity Entertainment Group.

Dr. Bikini Jones (the luscious Christine Nguyen) is on the hunt for the lost Temple of Eros. Using a golden idol as her guide, she searches the wild land of Moronica, along the way battling man-eating dinosaurs and fending off the sensuously wicked Evilla (2007 Penthouse Pet of the Year Heather Vandeven).

Bikini will do anything to find the sacred temple … and certainly does (much to the delight of her fans)! Co-starring Rebecca Love.

Bikini Jones and the Temple of Eros is presented in anamorphic widescreen with an aspect ratio of 16 x 9 and Dolby Digital. Includes original trailers.

Retromedia Entertainment was launched in 2001 by CEO Fred Olen Ray, a well-known writer, director and producer of films across a broad range of genres. Among his most successful works are the award-winning films Invisible Mom, starring Dee Wallace, and Inner Sanctum, starring Tanya Roberts and Margaux Hemingway, both of which became "The Number One Most Rented" DVD titles in the U.S., according to the RIAA. The latter film earned Ray the Wall Street Journal headline "B Movie Makes A-Movie Money." Ray also directed the award-winning Black Horizon, starring Michael Dudikoff and Ice-T; Armed Response, starring David Carradine; and Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers, called the "4th Coolest B Movie of All Time" by Maxim magazine.

Bikini Jones and the Temple of Eros
Retromedia/Infinity Entertainment Group
Genre: Erotic Adventure-Comedy
Not Rated
Format: DVD Only
Running Time: Approx. 81 Minutes (Plus Special Features)
Suggested Retail Price: $14.98
Pre-Order Date: January 26, 2010
Street Date: March 2, 2010
Catalog #: IEG2200
UPC Code: #617742220094

Buy it at Amazon.com


North American Motion Pictures Proudly Presents "D.C. Sniper"


From the Trunk of a Car, They Terrified a Nation--The Inside Story of How Two Real-Life Serial Killers Terrorized Our Nation's Capital, on DVD March 16th

Buy Three DVDs, Receive One Free Blu-ray

"Enemies of the state: Manson, Unabomber, D.C. Sniper."
-- Independent Film Quarterly

LOS ANGELES - March 1, 2010 - For Immediate Release - The infamous, real-life killing spree perpetrated by two mysterious shooters is chillingly dramatized in the horror-thriller D.C. Sniper, on DVD March 16 from North American Motion Pictures (NAMP).

D.C. Sniper takes you back to October 2002 when John Allen Muhammad (Ken Foree, 2004's Dawn of the Dead) and his teenage accomplice Lee Boyd Malvo (Tory N. Thompson), held Washington D.C. and surrounding areas hostage with a terrifying three-week murder spree.

The deadly duo shot and killed 10 people and wounded three more from the specially rigged trunk of a 1990 Chevrolet Caprice sedan before finally being apprehended, allowing the entire country to breathe a sigh of relief.

During three trials and years of appeals, Muhammad professed his innocence and Malvo (who testified against him) tried to "make amends," but to no avail. Muhammed was executed by lethal injection Nov. 10, 2009 and Malvo, protected by juvenile law, is serving a life sentence without possibility of parole.

The inside story of how two sadistic assassins paralyzed our nation's capital.

D.C. Sniper is presented in full frame with an aspect ratio of 16 x 9 and 2.0 stereo. Special features include stills gallery and closed captioning.

To support the title in the marketplace, NAMP has announced a retail promotion: Buy three DVDs of D.C. Sniper and receive one free Blu-ray disc of the film (Blu-ray available only through this promotional offer).

D.C. Sniper
North American Motion Pictures
Genre: Horror-Thriller
Rated: R
Format: DVD
Running Time: Approx. 92 Minutes (Plus Special Features)
Suggested Retail Price: $26.98
Order Date: February 9, 2010
Street Date: March 16, 2010
Catalog #: DVD - NAMP 201065
3-DVD/Blu-ray Promo Pack - NAMP 201067
UPC Code: DVD - #812862010659
3-DVD/Blu-ray Promo Pack - #812862010673

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"BIKINI JONES & THE TEMPLE OF EROS" and "D.C. SNIPER" -- Coming to DVD in March

Two Sexy Horror Comedies on DVD Jan. 19!

Infinity Entertainment Group in Association With Retromedia Entertainment Proudly Present "Twilight Vamps" & "Bikini Frankenstein"


Sexy Reinventions of Classic Horror Monsters--Taking a Bite Out of DVD Jan. 19th

LOS ANGELES - Jan. 1, 2010 - Get ready to sex up your New Year with two erotic comedies busting out on DVD Jan. 19 from Infinity Entertainment Group.

Twilight Vamps: A vampire nudie bar? Let's get the party started! Two guys get the lap dance of their lives at one of the sexiest night clubs around, Shadows, where they encounter a bevy of bounteous beauties with an appetite for human blood. When Tabitha and her gang of to-die-for vampire strippers lead a dusk to dawn marathon of sex, music and more sex, who will survive and what will be left of them? Starring Brandin Rackley, Ashley West, Christine Nguyen and Beverly Lynne.

Bikini Frankenstein: The immortal tale gets a modern update with a sexy twist. Dr. Frankenstein sets out to create the perfect woman, wondering if anyone would ever really be able to tell the difference. Deciding to put his creation, Eve, to the ultimate test, the hilarious and sensuous results will leave you stiff with laughter. She'll love you to pieces! Featuring sexy newcomer Jayden Cole as Eve along with fan favorites Christine Nguyen and Brandin Rackley.

Twilight Vamps and Bikini Frankenstein are presented in widescreen with an aspect ratio of 16 x 9 and 2.0 Dolby Stereo. Special features include original trailers.


Retromedia Entertainment was launched in 2001 by CEO Fred Olen Ray, a well-known writer, director and producer of films across a broad range of genres. Among his most successful works are the award-winning films Invisible Mom, starring Dee Wallace, and Inner Sanctum, starring Tanya Roberts and Margaux Hemingway, both of which became "The Number One Most Rented" DVD titles in the U.S., according to the RIAA. The latter film earned Ray the Wall Street Journal headline "B Movie Makes A-Movie Money." Ray also directed the award-winning Black Horizon, starring Michael Dudikoff and Ice-T; Armed Response, starring David Carradine; and Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers, called the "4th Coolest B Movie of All Time" by Maxim magazine.

Infinity Entertainment Group, headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif., is a multi-service home entertainment retail distributor specializing in independent films, television programming, special-interest, documentaries, anime and music. Clients include Smithsonian Networks, MOJO HD, Falcon Picture Group, Bandai Entertainment, Roxbury Entertainment, SJ2 Entertainment and Retromedia. Hit titles include the iconic Route 66 television series, now available on DVD for the first time, and Spike Jones: The Legend. The company was launched in 2006 and is a division of Infinity Resources, Inc., a privately-held, multi-channel marketing and service enterprise with general offices based in suburban Chicago, Ill.

Twilight Vamps
Bikini Frankenstein
Infinity Entertainment Group
Genre: Erotic Horror/Comedy
Not Rated
Format: DVD Only
Running Time: Approx. 81 Minutes Each
Suggested Retail Price: $14.98 Each
Pre-Order Date: December 15, 2009
Street Date: January 19, 2010

Buy "Bikini Frankenstein" at Amazon.com
Buy "Twilight Vamps" at Amazon.com

Two Sexy Horror Comedies on DVD Jan. 19!

Smithsonian Networks & Infinity Entertainment Group Proudly Present "The Real Story Part 1" On DVD Sept. 29th

Thought you Knew the Whole Story? A Revealing Look at the Country’s Most Notorious & Malevolent Locations


LOS ANGELES — Sept. 1, 2009 — For Immediate Release — From one of history’s most best known and most daring prison escapes to one of America’s most notorious hauntings, Smithsonian Networks investigates in The Real Story Part 1, landing on DVD Sept. 29 from Infinity Entertainment Group.

Thought you knew the whole story? The Real Story Part 1 breaks myths and challenges convention with first-hand facts, classified files, meticulous recreations and little-known backstories of legendary icons.

Episodes Include:

Escape From Alcatraz — Once the world’s most impregnable prison, yet three prisoners achieved the impossible and escaped … never to be found. Features interviews with a fellow inmate, prison wardens, and the FBI agents who tried to track them down.

The Amityville Horror — A new look at the cold-blooded 1974 New York case of the DeFeo family, shot and killed by their eldest son in the quiet village of Amityville. Terrorizing eye-witness accounts, extraordinary archival footage and psychological drama explore the facts and reveal new evidence.


The Real Story Part 1 is presented in letterbox with an aspect ratio of 4 x 3 and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound or 2.0 Stereo. Special features include subtitling for the deaf and hearing impaired.

About Smithsonian Networks
Smithsonian Networks (SN) is a joint venture between Showtime Networks Inc. and the Smithsonian Institution. It was formed to create new channels to showcase scientific, cultural and historical programming based largely upon the assets of the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum complex. Smithsonian Channel features original documentaries, short-subject explorations and innovative and groundbreaking programs highlighting America’s historical, cultural and scientific heritage. Visit Smithsonian Networks on the Internet at www.smithsonianchannel.com.

About Infinity Entertainment Group
Infinity Entertainment Group, headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif., is a multi-service home entertainment retail distributor specializing in independent films, television programming, special-interest, documentaries, anime and music. Clients include Smithsonian Networks, iN DEMAND Networks, Falcon Picture Group, Bandai Entertainment, Roxbury Entertainment, SJ2 Entertainment and Retromedia. Hit titles include the iconic Route 66 television series, now available on DVD for the first time, and Spike Jones: The Legend. The company was launched in 2006 and is a division of Infinity Resources, Inc., a privately-held, multi-channel marketing and service enterprise with general offices based in suburban Chicago, Ill.

The Real Story Part 1
Infinity Entertainment Group
Genre: Documentary
Rated: TV-PG
Format: DVD Only
Running Time: Approx. 92 Minutes
Suggested Retail Price: $14.98
Pre-Order Date: August 25, 2009
Street Date: September 29, 2009
Catalog #: IEG2157
UPC Code: #617742215793

Buy it at Amazon.com

Smithsonian Networks & Infinity Entertainment Group Proudly Present "The Real Story Part 1" On DVD Sept. 29th

"MAD MONSTER RALLY"--Triple Treasure Trove of Terror Unleashes on DVD July 21st

Infinity Entertainment Group in Association With Retromedia Entertainment Proudly Presents MAD MONSTER RALLY--A Big Box of Scary!

LOS ANGELES — July 1, 2009 — Get ready for a monstrous midnight marathon as Morella, the Ghost Hostess with the Mostest, unveils a haunting collection of terror-ific goodness in Mad Monster Rally, on DVD July 21 from Infinity Entertainment Group.

The Mad Monster Rally box set includes three volumes – eight big films – guaranteed to keep you awake at night!

Morella’s All-Nite Spooktacular – Sit back and thrill to a chill-filled double-feature, The Cremators (1972) and House of Blood (1973).

Morella’s Blood Vision – This delightfully wicked offering featuring the walking dead includes Zombies (1964), The Blood Seekers (1965) and Blood Stalkers (1978).

Sci-Fi Trash-O-Rama – This trilogy of terror classics includes Creature of Destruction (1967), The Flying Saucer Mystery (1950) and UFO: Target Earth (1974)

The Cremators, House of Blood, Blood Seekers, Creature of Destruction, The Flying Saucer Mystery and UFO: Target Earth are presented in full frame with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Zombies is presented in anamorphic widescreen with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Blood Stalkers is presented in letterbox with an aspect ration of 1.85:1.

Retromedia Entertainment was launched in 2001 by CEO Fred Olen Ray, a well-known writer, director and producer of films across a broad range of genres. Among his most successful works are the award-winning films Invisible Mom, starring Dee Wallace, and Inner Sanctum, starring Tanya Roberts and Margaux Hemingway, both of which became "The Number One Most Rented" DVD titles in the U.S., according to the RIAA. The latter film earned Ray the Wall Street Journal headline "B Movie Makes A-Movie Money." Ray also directed the award-winning Black Horizon, starring Michael Dudikoff and Ice-T; Armed Response, starring David Carradine; and Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers, called the "4th Coolest B Movie of All Time" by Maxim magazine.

Infinity Entertainment Group, headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif., is a multi-service home entertainment retail distributor specializing in independent films, television programming, special-interest, documentaries, anime and music. Clients include Smithsonian Networks, MOJO HD, Falcon Picture Group, Bandai Entertainment, Roxbury Entertainment, SJ2 Entertainment and Retromedia. Hit titles include the iconic Route 66 television series, now available on DVD for the first time, and Spike Jones: The Legend. The company was launched in 2006 and is a division of Infinity Resources, Inc., a privately-held, multi-channel marketing and service enterprise with general offices based in suburban Chicago, Ill.

Mad Monster Rally
Infinity Entertainment Group
Genre: Sci-Fi/Horror
Not Rated
Format: DVD Only
Running Time: Approx. 640 Minutes
Suggested Retail Price: $24.98
Pre-Order Date: June 16, 2009
Street Date: July 21, 2009
Catalog #: IEG2132
UPC Code: #617742213294
Buy it at Amazon.com

"MAD MONSTER RALLY"--Triple Treasure Trove of Terror Unleashes on DVD July 21st

"Suspense: Ultimate Collection" -- Special 12-DVD Collector’s Set, in Stores May 19th

Join Master of Horrors Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi & Other Iconic Hollywood Stars For 90 Episodes of Popular ’50s Mystery TV Series

‘And now, a tale well calculated to keep you in … Suspense’


LOS ANGELES — May 1, 2009 — At last, your journey into the obscure, the bizarre and the downright terrifying is complete with Suspense: Ultimate Collection, a special DVD collector’s set being released May 19 from Infinity Entertainment Group and Falcon Picture Group.

Marking the first time all 90 episodes – including many episodes long thought lost – have all been available in one collector’s set, this 12-disc compilation is a must-have for any fan.

Suspense, a premiere anthology drama series featuring stories of mystery and the macabre, broadcast live from New York on CBS from 1949 to 1954. The show chilled and thrilled Americans each week with a new, spine-tingling tale. Suspense’s television version was based on the long-running show from the "Golden Age of Radio" and successfully created the atmosphere of its radio predecessor by using the same identifiable opening announcement, "And now, a tale well calculated to keep you in … Suspense," accompanied by the familiar, ominous Bernard Herrmann theme.

Film and television critic Leonard Maltin marks the unearthing of these lost shows as "a major discovery," touting the show as "especially fun to watch, exciting TV at its best!"

Throughout its run, the series featured many of Hollywood and Broadway’s most legendary young stars, including Boris Karloff, Charlton Heston, Paul Newman, Rod Steiger, Anne Bancroft, Jack Lemmon, John Forsythe, Brian Keith, Peter Lorre, John Carradine, Art Carney, Chester Morris, Leslie Nielsen, Hume Cronyn, Eddie Albert, Eva Gabor, Lloyd Bridges, Jackie Cooper, Jack Palance, Jack Klugman, George Reeves and Lee Marvin, Walter Matthau, Jayne Meadows, Jack Warden, Stella Adler and many more. One special episode was written by Rod Serling (The Twilight Zone).

Complete your Suspense library with all 90 episodes, digitally remastered from the original Kinescope masters.

Infinity Entertainment Group, headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif., is a multi-service home entertainment retail distributor specializing in independent films, television programming, special-interest, documentaries, anime and music. Clients include Smithsonian Networks, MOJO HD, Falcon Picture Group, Bandai Entertainment, Roxbury Entertainment, SJ2 Entertainment and Retromedia. Hit titles include the iconic Route 66 television series, now available on DVD for the first time, and Spike Jones: The Legend. The company was launched in 2006 and is a division of Infinity Resources, Inc., a privately-held, multi-channel marketing and service enterprise with general offices based in suburban Chicago, Ill.

Suspense: Ultimate Collection (12 Discs)
Infinity Entertainment Group/Falcon Picture Group
Genre: Classic TV/B&W
Not Rated
Format: DVD Only
Running Time: Approx. 43 ½ Hours (90 Episodes/29 Minutes Each)
Suggested Retail Price: $49.98
Order Date: April 14, 2009
Street Date: May 19, 2009

"Suspense: Ultimate Collection" -- Special 12-DVD Collector’s Set, in Stores May 19th