Category Archives: Blu-Ray Reviews

Reviews of the latest High Definition releases!

The Manson Family (2003, Blu-ray Review)

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themansonfamilyBLURAYDirector: Jim Van Bebber

Cast: Marcelo Games, Marc Pitman, Leslie Orr, Maureen Allisse, Amy Yates, Jim Van Bebber

Severin Films / All Region / Unrated / 1.33:1 fullscreen / English Dolby 5.1 and 2.0 Surround / 95 minutes / Extras: Audio Commentary With Director Jim VanBebber / Exclusive New Interview With Musician Phil Anselmo / The VanBebber Family – Uncut Version Of Making Of Documentary Featuring Interview With Cast And Crew / In The Belly Of The Beast Documentary On The 1997 Fantasia Film Festival / Interview With Charles Manson / Deleted Scenes / Theatrical Trailers

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The name “Manson” will live forever in infamy. It has burrowed its way into pop culture with the likes of Shirley and Marilyn Manson and has had numerous books and films written about it. Charles Manson was/is a charismatic, free-thinking lunatic with the ability to reach people and have them follow him. In the 1960s he created a commune of these followers with promises of lots of sex, drugs and unwashedness (I know it’s not a word, but it fits). But those good times were short-lived as they culminated into horrific crimes that would forever be etched into the minds of the world. Continue reading →

Motel Hell (1980, Blu-ray Review)

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motelhellBLURAY1Director: Kevin Connor

Cast: Rory Calhoun, Nancy Parsons, Paul Linke, Nina Axelrod

Arrow Films / Regions B, 2 / Rated 18 / 1.85:1 Widescreen / English Digital Stereo 2.0 PCM / 102 minutes

Extras: Audio commentary with director Kevin Connor moderated by Calum Waddell / Another Head on the Chopping Block: Interview with star Paul Linke / From Glamour to Gore: Interview with co-star, and former Playboy Playmate, Rosanne Katon / Ida, Be Thy Name: A look back at Motel Hell’s frightful female protagonist Ida Smith – and the secrets of creating a convincing slasher siren, with Scream Queens Elissa Dowling and Chantelle Albers, genre commentator Staci Layne Wilson and critic Shelagh Rowan-Legg / Back to the Backwoods: Director Dave Parker (The Hills Run Red) speaks about the importance of Motel Hell / Original Trailer / Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jeff Zornow / Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Kim Newman, illustrated with original archive stills and posters

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The ABCs of Death (2013, Blu-ray Review)

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theABCsofdeathBLURAYDirector(s): Bruno Forzani, Helene Cattet, Kaare Andrews, Angela Bettis, Adrian Bogliano, Jason Eisner, Ernesto Diaz Espinoza, Xavier Gens, Noboru Iguchi, Thomas Malling, Jorge Michel Grau, Anders Morgenthaler, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Jbanjong Pisanthanakun, Simon Rumley, Marcel Sarmiento, Jon Schnepp, Srdjan Spasojevic, Timo Tjahjanto, Andrew Traucki, Nacho Vigalondo, Jake West, Ti West, Ben Wheatley, Adam Wingard, Yudai Yamaguchi

Magnolia Home Entertainment / Region A / Unrated / 1.78:1 widescreen / English DTS-HD 5.1 / English, Spanish subtitles / 130 minutes

Extras: A, B, C, D, F, H, I, J, P, R, T, V, W, Z – An Offering Of Behind The Scenes, Making Ofs and Deleted Scenes / AXS TV: A Look At The ABCs Of Death / Filmmaker Commentary (Over 30 Filmmakers) / Do You Know Your ABCs Trailer / BD – Live Feature – Short Film Contest Submission

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The horror anthology is a staple of the genre. We grew up watching stuff on TV like The Twilight Zone, Tales From the Crypt and Tales From the Darkside (a personal favorite), while Creepshow (1982), Deadtime Stories (1985) and Body Bags (1993) ruled the weekend video store visits. Aside from the classics, there have been some pretty good ones as of late like the Asian sickness of Three Extremes (featuring another favorite, Takashi Miike), the impressively creepy Trick ‘r Treat and now the ambitious, slick, excessive and thoroughly entertaining The ABCs of Death from the warped nightmare of New Zealander Ant Timpson. Continue reading →

American Mary (2013, Blu-ray Review)

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americanmaryBLURAYDirectors: Jen and Sylvia Soska

Cast: Katharine Isabelle, Antonio Cupo, Tristan Risk, David Lovgren, Paula Lindberg, Clay St. Thomas, John Emmet Tracy, Twan Holliday, Nelson Wong, Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska

Universal Pictures UK / Rated 18 / All Region / 2.40:1 widescreen / English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, German DTS 5.1 / English, German subtitles / 103 minutes

Extras: Behind the Scenes / An American Mary in London

OFFICIAL TWISTED TWINS SITE

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The first half of 2013 hasn’t touted much in the way of exceptional horror. I can’t speak for the horror community as a whole, but as it stands, there have really only been two or three titles that have piqued my curiosity. The title that has been sitting at the top of my “Must Sees of 2013” list for quite some time is Jen and Sylvia Soska’s American Mary. Boasting a cast of mostly unknowns led by the distinctively lovely Katharine Isabelle of Ginger Snaps fame (I have a major lady crush on her) and a premise that is as far up my alley as any bit of genre fare could be (twisted medical experiments, feminine empowerment, an unpleasant reality suffered by a character that is easy to relate to), I knew right from the get-go that American Mary would be a force to be reckoned with by the end of 2013 when I begin to reflect on the best of the year’s genre offerings. Continue reading →