Blue Underground's New 4K Film Restoration Of Writer/Director Larry Cohen's 1976 Film Release Of Gold Told Me Set For 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack Release On July 19

Blue Underground, with sales and distribution support provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has a new 4K film restoration (from the original camera negative) of auteur filmmaker Larry Cohen’s 1976 New York City slaughter-in-the-streets thriller, God Told Me To, ready for delivery as a 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack edition on July 19.

For film fans, Larry Cohen was one of the best indie filmmakers of the 1970s and 1980s.   He could do blaxploitation with the best of them, but it was his genre films that set him apart … It's Alive (1974, plus sequels), Q: The Winged Serpent (1982), The Stuff (1985) and of course Gold Told Me To, which combines elements of sci-fi, horror and New York City detective work (much like Q: The Winged Serpent).

A sniper mows down over a dozen people, and when cornered by Lieutenant Detective Peter Nicholas (Tony Lo Bianco — The French Connection, The Seven-Ups, The Honeymoon Killers), he seems calms, almost unaware of the carnage he has created.  Why?  “God told me to” … and then he leaps to his death from his rooftop perch.  

Soon Nicholas is interviewing a man in a hospital who went on a stabbing spree.  He’s in bad shape.   Why?  “God told me to” … and then he flatlines.

What the hell is going on.   Nicholas is mystified, but being a New York City police detective he is going to figure it out, it’s his job.

It happens again, this time at the famed St. Patrick's Day Parade, but it’s not some stranger, it is one of their own.   A cop, pulls his gun and just starts shooting people … and once again Nicholas is there in time to hear the final works of the killer, “God told me to.”  

Once, strange.  Twice, a coincidence.   A third time, this isn’t random, something evil is a work.

As mentioned, filmmaker Larry Cohen combined sci-fi, horror and police work in Gold Told Me To, which sets Det. Nicholas on a mission; an obsession to solve this bizarre mystery.   It is an investigation that will lead him down a rabbit hole that is totally unexpected … what is going on comes right back to him.  Whoa!

Bonus features include a vintage commentary option with the late Larry Cohen, plus a newly-prepared commentary with film historians Steve Mitch and Troy Howarth, a vintage Lincoln Center Q&A session with Larry Cohen (2002) and three featurettes — “Heaven & Hell on Earth,” “Bloody Good Times,” and “God Told Me to Bone.” 

 

 

 

 

Severin Films' New 2K Film Restoration Of Writer/Director Jack Weis' Mardi Gras Massacre Heads To Blu-ray On June 28

Severin Films, with sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has a new 2K film restoration of writer/director Jack Weis’ 1978 indie horror film, Mardi Gras Massacre, ready for a Blu-ray push on June 28.

We get right to the “hook” with Mardi Gras Massacre as our killer (William Metz) walks into a seedy bar and negotiates for a hooker, named Shirley (Laura Misch Owens).   She is paid come back to his place for an evening of fun and delights.  It is just business, but in no time poor Shirley is spread-eagle on a sacrificial altar in his apartment and her heart is removed … poor Shirley, indeed!

Her body is soon found in the railyard and Detective Sergeant Frank Abraham (Curt Dawson — Blood Bath) is hot on the case and back at the bar where Shirley “worked.”  It’s love at first sight as Abraham questions her “co-worker,” Sherry (Gwen Arment), which for plot development is called “foreshadowing.” 

We sort of sense that at some point Sherry will be the target of our New Orleans serial killer (the body count mounts as the foreshadowing plays out) and it will be up to Frank to save her … or not!

Bonus goodies include a trio of featurettes — “I’m not into Hollywood” (with filmmaker Jack Weis), “The Mardi Gras Killer” (featuring William Metzo) and “The First Victim” (actress Laura Misch Owens reveals all).

 

 

 

Mill Creek Entertainment Readies Martin Short Double-Feature (Cross My Heart/Pure Luck) Blu-ray Release For Delivery On June 7

Mill Creek Entertainment has targeted June 7 as the street date for a double-feature Blu-ray presentation showcasing the comedy talents of Martin Short.   The Martin Short Double Feature combines writer/director Armyan Bernstein’s 1987 film release of Cross My Heart with that of director Nadia Tass’ 1991 buddy film Pure Luck.

Getting a movie made is no easy task.   Consider this, back in 1984, Emmy-winning writer Gail Parent (The Carol Burnett Show) pitched a story idea to film producer Alan Greisman (Fletch, Modern Problems, 'night, Mother), who liked it.   Let’s do it!  

The next step was to find a writer/director to flush out a script with Parent, and so he introduced her to Armyan Bernstein, who had just wrapped Greisman’s film production of Windy City, starring John Shea and Kate Capshaw.  

Parent was an experienced sitcom writer and Bernstein was something of a newbie as Windy City was his first film as a director, but he had supplied scripts for both Thank God It's Friday and director Francis Ford Coppola’s One From the Heart (he would later become a major film producer … The Commitments, Air Force One, The Hurricane, etc.)

By mid-1986 — two years later — they had it ready to go with Martin Short in the lead (the Three Amigos! would open theatrically in December of that year, so the timing was spot-on).   His co-star would be JoBeth Williams, who had just come from the success of Poltergeist II: The Other Side that summer, but nature called and Williams had to drop out as she had become pregnant.

Parent and Berstein had been at this for over two-and-half years and now they had to cast a new female lead and get the film finally into production.   Ironically, they found the perfect replacement in Annette O’Toole.   She began her career as child TV actress, had a breakout performance in Smile (1975) and then graduated to adult roles in Cat People, 48 Hrs. and Superman III and then suddenly found herself doing made-for-TV movies … landing the co-starring role in Cross My Heart was something of a come-back.

She was perfect, playing Kathy, an attractive young woman with a secret.   She had been on two dates with Short’s character, David, who also had a secret.   As they prepare for the big third-date, the turning point in any budding romance, the question becomes, will their secrets come out and will that be the end of it?   

Kathy is a single-mom (that’s her “big” secret) and she fears that it will be a turn-off for David.  David, on the other hand, has just lost his job and feels that Kathy is out of his league, and without a job it will certainly be hopeless.   What to do?   More secrets of course!!

Cross My Heart arrived in theatres during the Thanksgiving Holiday period of 1987 (three years from start to finish) and proved to be a winner with audiences as Kathy and David’s date-night from hell careens from one disaster to the next … but have no fear, the secrets are revealed and there is a happy romantic ending!

Teamed with Cross My Heart on this double-feature Blu-ray release from Mill Creek Entertainment on June 7 is Pure Luck, teaming Martin Short with Danny Glover, who are on a mission to find a missing heiress (played by Sheila Kelley — Mortal Passions, Passion Fish, Singles … as Gwen Taylor in the L.A. Law television series).

Glover is a seasoned private investigator, but he is having no luck finding the missing woman, who suffers from an infliction called “coincident misfortune syndrome,” which means that disaster and bad luck follow her wherever she goes.  

The solution, find a stooge with the exact same “coincident misfortune syndrome” affliction and use him to “track” the target.   Three guesses as to whom that might be (hint: Martin Short)!!

 

 

 

Sunrise Tabs June 7 For The Blu-ray Release Of Director Toshikazu Yoshizawa's Mobile Suit Gunam: NT (Narrative)

Sunrise, Inc., with domestic sales and distribution support provided by Bayview Entertainment, has tabbed June 7 for the Blu-ray release of director Toshikazu Yoshizawa anime-inspired feature-film, Mobile Suit Gundam: NT (Narrative).

One year has slipped past since the contents of the Laplace’s Box were revealed at the end of Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn.   The “Sleeves” of the Neo Zeon are vanquished and the dangerous Unicorn Gundam suits have been safely sealed up … peace.

Not so fast, RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 03 has suddenly re-appeared after being gone for two years; forgotten … what does this mean?   June 7, the truth will be revealed.

Mobile Suit Gundam: NT (Narrative) is presented in Japanese, with English subtitles … there is also an English-language viewing option.

Bonus features include both the Japanese Premiere Event and L.A. Premiere Event, plus a video session with producer, writer and director Toshikazu Yoshizawa.

 

 

 

 

Bloody 70's Horror Double Feature (Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary and Blood Feast) On Blu-ray From VCI Entertainment On June 07

The age-old question remains.   Is Mary Gilmore (Cristina Ferrare — JW Coop, The Impossible Years) a serial killer or a vampire?

VCI Entertainment announced this past week that director Juan López Moctezuma’s 1975 American/Mexican joint film production, Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary, will be heading home on June 7 for genre fans to enjoy as part of the Bloody 70's Horror Double Feature.

This new widescreen 2K restoration is double-billed with writer/director René Cardona Jr.’s Blood Feast (aka: The Night of a Thousand Cats) … which is also a newly-minted 2K restoration with the proper 2.35:1 aspect ratio (for the first time).

Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary was filmed in Mexico in order to take advantage of both the exotic beach locations and lower production costs.   When it opened theatrically in the states, it was on a market-by-market basis with the 35mm prints “bicycled” from one distribution center to the next (a common practice for indie films).

With that said, we are introduced to Mary on a dark and stormy night (of course), when her van breaks down, she becomes stranded and has a spooky encounter with a beach bum by the name of Ben Ryder (David Young — S.O.B., Double Exposure, Nightbreed).  They end up sharing an abandoned house for the night and at this point Moctezuma gives us a flashback sequence that gives us a clue as to what Mary the artist, Mary the serial killer … Mary the blood-drinker … is all about.

The balance of the movie is Mary’s relationship with Ben.   When not with him, she is busy slitting people’s throats — strangers, lovers, both male and female — and then drinks their blood.   You are constantly wondering when is Ben going to meet the same fate as all of the others who cross Mary’s bloody path.

What makes Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary a genre fan favorite is that you have a bi-sexual serial killer (the film was threatened with the dreaded X-rating) who is perfectly at ease with both the sexual encounters and her lust for blood.   Some, and perhaps rightly so, call this a vampire tale, but it is really more akin to watching Aileen Wuornos at work.  

Mary has a little mouse, a sex toy in Ben … will he make it to the end?

Author and film historian Dr. David Wilt provides insights in a newly-minted video session.

The second-feature here is René Cardona Jr.’s 1974 (filmed in 1972) creep-out horror tale, Blood Feast, which features Hugo Stiglitz as a wealthy eccentric who flies around in his helicopter (in Mexico) scooping-out the sweet young things … want to go for a ride?   As soon as he gets them “home,” he takes advantage of them, and then they become cat food.

He has 1,000 cats (well, who is counting) caged up and with the help of his assistant, Dorgo (Gerardo Zepeda), he “toys” with the beauties that he entices home and then murders them (in various creative ways), keeping the heads (a little hobby of his) and he then feeds what remains to the feral cats that he keeps. 

The big question on everyone’s lips, what happens if the cats get loose!!

There is also a newly-prepared video session with Dr. David Wilt included with Blood Feast as a bonus feature.

 

 

 

Vinegar Syndrome Readies 4K Ultra HD Edition Of Director Michael Winner's Death Wish II For Release On May 31

Vinegar Syndrome announced this past week that May 31 will be the street date for a newly-minted 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack edition of director Michael Winner’s 1982 vigilante thriller, Death Wish II, starring Charles Bronson and Jill Ireland.

This is a new 4K film restoration from the 35mm original camera negative, and included with this release is the alternate television broadcast version (a new 2K scan from the film’s interpositive).

Following the enormous success of Winner’s 1974 Death Wish, Bronson was in high demand and starred in a series theatrical hits, including Breakout (1975), Breakheart Pass (1976) and Telefon (1977), and then he hit something of a rough patch and so the time was right for a sequel to Death Wish.

What general audiences didn’t know is that Michael Winner’s film adaptation of Brian Garfield’s 1972 novel was not exactly what Garfield had envisioned.   In his mind, Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) was not a hero, but once he went on his revenge killing-spree he became something of a mentally-deranged psychopath.

With the sequel in the works, Garfield’s follow-up script was rejected … no, no, no, Kersey is a hero, not a psychopath, so producers Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus bought the rights to the character and that was that!

The action shifts to Los Angeles, but even with the sunny landscape and things looking up for Kersey — a new love interest (played by Jill Ireland) — the horrors of New York City find their way west and once again he is on a revenge-filled mission to take out the trash!!

Bonus goodies include commentary with author and film historian Paul Talbot and a quartet of production featurettes — “Pass,” “Working with Bronson,” “Dark Parts” and “Fights in the Theater.”

 

 

Writer/Director Mark Williams' Blacklight Set For May 3 Home Entertainment Packaged Media Launch From Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

Briarcliff Entertainment, in partnership with Open Road Films, will see domestic distribution for writer/director Mark Williams’ latest action thriller, Blacklight — starring Liam Neeson — guided by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment on May 3 with a two-SKU home entertainment packaged media launch.

The ARR works out to 81 days and domestic theatrical tickets registered $9.6 million.

Planned for release are a stand-alone DVD edition, as well as a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack SKU.

Bonus features include a pair of featurettes — “Blacklight: Behind the Scenes” and “Shooting Blacklight.”