Mill Creek Entertainment Expands Its September Release Calendar

OK, let’s have some fun on Sept. 3.   Mill Creek Entertainment will be providing the excitement and laughs with the DVD debut of writer/director Israel Luna’s Dead Don’t Die in Dallas. 

As Rodney King famously said, “Can’t we all just get along?”   Can gays and “Bible Thumpers” find a common ground?   Perhaps, perhaps not, but when a cure-all for every virus is discovered and the pills start being taken in mass it is only then that a horrible side effect is discovered … cured forever of all forms of viral infections, but now a zombie (hell of a trade-off)!

Reverend Samuel Jeffress (Richard D. Curtin — Ticked-Off Trannies with Knives, Mangus!) and his wife, Janice (Krystal Summers — Ticked-Off Trannies with Knives), notice that there is something amiss on Sunday morning when no one shows up at their Pentecostal church for services.    Check that, there is actually one parishioner wandering about, and when the good reverend calls out to him he quickly discovers that he is of the walking dead … gulp, a zombie!!

Across town, the lovely Beth-Ann Fetterman (Willam Belli — A Star Is Born, Hurricane Bianca, Southern Baptist Sissies), the local transgender hairdresser, discovers the same zombie plague and makes a run for it … and in no time bumps into Sam and Janice.   

Polar opposites indeed, but when someone is trying to make you their noontime snack you have to put differences aside for survival’s sake.   Other miss-matched survivors soon fall in with Sam, Janice and Beth-Ann and the battle is joined … bonds are formed and differences are set aside.  Amen!

If you enjoyed Shaun of the Dead, then Dead Don’t Die in Dallas is going to be right up your alley.

Also in September on DVD from Mill Creek Entertainment are four priced-to-collect film collections — all featuring Digital Copy — that will be available for consumers to enjoy on Sept. 17.

Houses of Hell is a four-film, double-disc collection featuring Syfy Channel horror tales.   Included in the mix is writer/director Leigh Scott’s 2009 adaptation of the H.P. Lovecraft story, The Dunwich Horror.   What’s pretty cool about this adaptation is that Dean Stockwell also appeared in director Daniel Haller’s 1970 theatrical version of The Dunwich Horror, playing the role of Wilbur Whateley … here he plays Dr. Henry Armitage (Ed Begley starred in the original).  

The other three films in the collection are director Jeffery Lando’s House of Bones (2010, with Charisma Carpenter and Corin Nemec as TV series “ghost hunters” who uncover more than they bargained for), director G.E. Furst’s Mask Maker (2011, starring Nikki Deloach and Stephen Colletti as a young couple, and their friends, who start working on a fixer-upper only to find that a crazed killer haunts the place) and director Darin Scott’s American Horror House (2012, Alessandra Torresani and Morgan Fairchild star in tale about a sorority house that comes complete with a killer psycho).

Savage Nature is another four-film, double-disc collection featuring Syfy Channel gems with a nod towards nature striking back.   Included in the mix is director Leigh Scott’s Flu Birds, featuring disease-ridden birds who attack unsuspecting delinquent teens, who are being rehabilitated in the woods.   A sort of “Animal Farm” defense is the response with some of the teens being as nasty as their feathered “friends.”   

Others in the Savage Nature collection include director Todor Chapkanov’s Monster Wolf (2010, Robert Picardo is an oil executive who drills where he shouldn’t have and unleashes the spirit a monster wolf), writer/director Anthony C. Ferrante’s Headless Horseman (2007, seven college kids on their way to a Halloween party get sidetracked and are stalked by a horseman without a head) and director Griff Furst’s WolvesBayne (2009, a newly cursed werewolf (Jeremy London) teams up with a vampire hunter (Rhett Giles) to stop the vampire queen Lilith (Yancy Butler)).

If killer birds, headless horsemen and werewolves are not your thing, no problem, Mill Creek Entertainment also has two family-themed priced-to-own collections available for release on DVD on Sept. 17.   And, both include Digital Copy.

From the creative mind of producer/director Robert Vince springs these two collections … the Pup Star Triple Feature is a three-film set that includes Pup Star, Pup Star Better2Gether and Pup Star World Tour and the double-feature presentation of MVP: Most Valuable Primate/MVP 2:Most Vertical Primate.

Oscilloscope Laboratories Targets Aug. 13 For DVD And Blu-ray Editions Of Documentary Filmmaker Margarethe von Trotta’s Searching for Ingmar Bergman

Oscilloscope Laboratories announced this past week that actress-turned-director Margarethe von Trotta’s documentary salute to the auteur filmmaker Ingamar Bergman, Searching for Ingmar Bergman, will be available as both DVD and Blu-ray product offerings on Aug. 13.

The film opened at the Cannes Film Festival in May of 2018, worked both international markets and various film festivals, before getting a brief theatrical arthouse break in November of last year.   Unless you happened to be in the right place, at the right time, for most of us the first chance to see von Trotta’s excellent blend of film insights and interviews with family, colleagues and friends to better understand the filmmaker.

For cinephiles, especially those who have made a point of collecting the various film restorations of Bergman’s films that the Criterion Collection has released on DVD and Blu-ray over the years, Searching for Ingmar Bergman will be a must-have addition to these film libraries.

As both an actor and filmmaker, von Trotta knows the dramatics involved in directing and acting, having worked with both Rainer Werner Fassbinder (Gods of the Plague, The American Soldier) and Volker Schlöndorff (her husband of some 20 years… they co-directed The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum), and uses this hard-won knowledge in what has to be described as nothing short of a breathtaking opening.   

She cross-cuts the scene of Max von Sydow on the beach with Death in The Seventh Seal (in glorious black and white) with herself in the exact same shooting location to introduce her subject.   From here, the first third or so of the documentary focuses on Bergman’s career as a filmmaker.

She then shifts the focus to his family, friends and colleagues — through interviews — who talk of the man.   Flaws and all. 

  

As to bonus features, there is a newly-minted video session with director Margarethe von Trotta and a Q&A panel discussion at the Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival in Bologna in June of 2018 featuring Margarethe von Trotta, her son, Felix Meoeller (who is also a filmmaker) and Jan Holmberg of The Ingmar Bergman Foundation.

Take note, Searching for Ingmar Bergman moves between at least six different languages, so it is best viewed with the English subtitle option that Oscilloscope has included with both the DVD and Blu-ray editions in the on setting.

Icarus Films Tabs Sept. 3 For The DVD Debut Of Writer/Director Pierre Schoeller’s One Nation, One King

Icarus Films announced this past week that they will be teaming up with France’s premiere film distribution company, Distrib Films, for the domestic home entertainment release of writer/director Pierre Schoeller’s One Nation, One King.

The DVD release of One Nation, One King will take place on Sept. 3.

With the annual observance of Bastille Day in France right around the corner (July 14), the timing for this announcement is spot-on … Icarus Films has the entire summer to beat the promotional drums prior to its debut.   

Schoeller’s film opened at the Venice Film Festival before rolling out theatrically in France, which was the first clue that this is an upscale look at the French Revolution of 1789.   The second is the French cast list, which includes five-time César Awards nominee (the French equivalent to the Oscar) Louis Garrel as Robespierre and six-time César Awards nominee Adèle Haenel as one of Robespierre’s staunch “working class” allies, Françoise, with two-time César Awards nominee Olivier Gourmet playing the role of another working-class ally, L'oncle.

The list goes on, but the point is that Schoeller has assembled an impressive French cast to tell his mostly historical tale about the popular uprising against the rule of King Louis XVI (played by Laurent Lafitte — César Awards nominee for Elle and Au Revoir Là-Haut) and his “let them eat cake” wife, Marie-Antoinette (Maëlia Gentil).   

The bulk of the film focuses on the internal debates within the National Assembly, with the royal counterparts only surfacing when needed … the film is told primarily from the POV of the lower classes, with a mix of political opportunists willing to take which ever side would benefit them the most.

As to the production values, these too are top-notch, with Julien Hirsch’s cinematography being note worthy (César Awards winner for Lady Chatterley) and César Awards nominations going to Anaïs Romand for Best Costume Design and Thierry François for Best Production Design.

A must-see for history buffs and for those who enjoy a well-told story (regardless of the language), especially in the irony of many of the story points — women at the forefront, but even in the National Assembly they must remain mute.

One Nation, One King arrives in the United States virtually unseen by domestic audiences, so this is quite the coup for Icarus Films.

The film is in French, bien sûr, with English subtitles. 

Dark Side Releasing Readies Blu-ray Edition Of Writer/Director Joshua Hull’s Chopping Block On Sept. 17

A psycho killer tale with a twist and a sense of humor is not the norm for genre films of this ilk, but writer/director Joshua Hull’s Chopping Block is just such a film. 

Dark Side Releasing, with sales and distribution support provided by MVD Entertainment Group, will be releasing a new, updated Blu-ray edition of Chopping Block on Sept. 17.

In what can best be described as a foreshadowing of what is to come, a young woman, who we will eventually come to know as Danielle (Haley Madison — CarousHELL), is covered with blood and staggering down the sidewalk … obviously something pretty nasty has happened.   

We then turn our attention to Donnie (Michael Malone) and his co-workers, Hilary (Jasper Sams), Will (Bryan Wilson), Steve (Raymond Kester) and Richie (Alex Raaen ), who are all fired for Donnie’s incompetence.   This, of course, requires drinks at the local bar so that the events of the day make sense.

Drinks mean alcohol and pretty soon the five come up with a revenge scheme, which is hazy at best, but nevertheless it makes sense to the five of them in some sort of weird way.   They will kidnap the daughter of their boss (played by Dennis Crosswhite) and hold her for ransom … how that actually helps their cause is one of the loose ends of their plan as there is no dot-to-dot-to-dot end game that leads to a happy outcome.

If you haven’t guessed who the bosses’ daughter is, then you haven’t been paying attention.   We circle back to the opening sequence, which finds our five inept kidnappers stumbling upon the bloody Danielle and grabbing her off the street.   

Once back to their “secret hideout” they learn from her that she is being stalked by a serial killer, which has forced her to move again and again as the body count of her friends has piled up.   “You are all going to die.”   And soon enough, guess who is at the door.

Chopping Block is great fun and is certainly more of a stand-up sketch comedy then it is a horror film … discounting the slaughter of the pizza delivery guy and one of the members of this hearty band of kidnappers, oh yes, and the chopped-off hand of another member of the “gang.”

Bonus features include cast and crew commentary, deleted scenes, outtakes and a gag reel.

Arrow Video Restores Wes Craven's The Hills Have Eyes II For Blu-ray On Sept. 17

Arrow Video, with domestic sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has selected Sept. 17 as the street date for a newly-minted 2K restoration of iconic horror film director Wes Craven's 1984 film release, The Hills Have Eyes II.

This Blu-ray presentation features commentary by the pod-cast group dedicated to the slasher film genre, The Hysteria Continues, plus there is a brand new documentary on the making of film titled “Blood, Sand and Fire: The Making of The Hills Have Eyes Part II,” which feature insights from actors Michael Berryman (as Pluto) and Janus Blythe (as Rachel/Ruby), production designer Dominick Bruno, composer Harry Manfredini and unit production manager John Callas.

Additionally, there is an extensive still gallery.

VCI Entertainment Announces 2K Film Restoration Of Lost City Of The Jungle For A Blu-ray Release On Sept. 17

Meteorium!!!   It is the one element that can be a defense against the atom bomb, which was unleashed in August of 1945 to bring an end to World War II.   Now, at the dawn of the nuclear age, the forces of good and evil are in a race to obtain and control it.

That is the premise of Universal Pictures 1946 13-chapter serial, Lost City of the Jungle, from the directing team of Lewis D. Collins and Ray Taylor.   This directing team — as with their counter-parts at Republic (William Witney and John English) — delivered such serial gems as The Master Key, Jungle Queen, Don Winslow of the Coast Guard and more.

The script is from famed super-hero screenwriter Joseph Poland, who wrote such classics as Spy Smasher, Adventures of Captain Marvel, Atom Man vs. Superman, Batman and Robin … over 140 screen credits dating all the way back to the dawn of silent films in 1913.

Word arrived from VCI Entertainment this past week that a newly-minted 2K film restoration of Lost City of the Jungle will be available as a Blu-ray release on Sept. 17.

The “United Peace Foundation” (which in retrospect sounds almost like a Communist front organization) represents the good guys in the post-World War II era, while Sir Eric Hazarias (played by Lionel Atwill, who was unable to complete the shooting schedule and died four days before the serial’s debut in April of 1946) is out to obtain the only known source of Meteorium in the remote Himalayan area called Pendrang … unlike the majestic Mt. Everest that we associate with the Himalayas, this is a dense jungle region with its capital being Zalabar.

His goal is not a noble one, but is driven by a lust for power.   He dupes archeologist Dr. Elmore (played John Eldredge) into helping him find the legendary “lost city,” where a “Glowing Goddess” is hidden (the glow comes from Meteorium) … remember this is 1946, but it has many of the same elements that Raiders of the Lost Ark contained some 35 years later.

Dispatched to stop Hazarias is agent Rod Stanton (Russell Hayden), who teams up with local agent Tal Shan (Keye Luke) and eventually gets Elmore’s daughter Marjorie (Jane Adams — House of Dracula and as Vicki Vale in Batman and Robin) on board.   

12 cliffhanging episodes capped by all sorts of moments of certain death reach a final resolution in chapter 13, which is chilling titled “Atomic Vengeance.”  Lost City of the Jungle on Blu-ray … Sept. 17, mark the date on your calendar now!!!

Sony Pictures Readies 4K Ultra HD Edition Of Director Ruben Fleischer's Zombieland For Release On Oct. 1

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment looks to Oct. 1 for the release of a 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack edition of director Ruben Fleischer’s zombie apocalypse comedy, Zombieland.   The timing of the 4K Ultra HD format release coincides with the Oct. 18 theatrical launch of Zombieland: Double Tap.

The Aug. 27 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack release of Stand by Me (announced earlier) appears to be a one-off aberration as Zombieland, as with all of the other Sony Pictures 4K Ultra HD product offerings, includes Digital Copy.   Maybe it was some weird contractual thing with the distribution of Stand by Me that precluded this purchase perk. 

As for bonus features, Zombieland includes the newly-prepared featurette titled “Raised From the Dead: Zombieland A Decade Later,” plus two additional featurettes, “Behind the Scenes with the Cast and Crew of Zombieland” and “Shootin' Zombies with Ruben Fleischer.”

The companion Blu-ray disc contains all of the previous bonus goodies from the 2010 Blu-ray edition, including commentary from director Ruben Fleischer, actors Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson and writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick.