Wendy O. Williams' 1985 WOW Concert On DVD From MVD Entertainment Group On Nov. 18

The Queen of Punk!   Wendy O. Williams … she will be rocking loud and strong in November on DVD!! 

That’s the word from MVD Entertainment Group as they’ve tabbed Nov. 18 as the street for the DVD rollout of Wendy O. Williams - WOW: Live and Fucking Loud from London!  

This live concert, recorded at the Camden Palace in London in September of 1985, is a twelve-song set, featuring Michael Ray, bass man Greg “Bootyman” Smith and T. C. Tolliver on drums.   Plus there is a special guest appearance from Motörhead’s Lemmy and Würzel.

The set features the recorded, but as yet unreleased material from the “Kommander of Kaos” album (released in ’86, but recorded two years earlier) … “Goin’ Wild,” “Pedal to the Metal,” “Hoy Hey (Live to Rock),” “Party,” “Jailbait,” and “Ain’t None of Your Business” are showcased here.

And from the “Wendy O. Williams: Fuck N' Roll (Live)” EP are “Bump and Grind” and “Funk ‘N Roll.”  

Rounding out the set is the rare “You’ll Succeed,” plus “Fuck that Booty” and “No Class.”

 

 

 

Mill Creek Entertainment Has Love In Wolf Creek Ready For DVD Delivery On Nov. 08 Along With Christmas In Rock And A Ring For Christmas

Last week we reported that Mill Creek Entertainment had tabbed Nov. 8 as the DVD debut date for director Marco Deufemia’s Dove-Family-approved thriller, Love in Wolf Creek.

The pairing of Nola Martin — as Samantha Gavin — with Tim Rozon, as the new in-town Austin Spencer, proved to be so electric, that filmmaker Marco Deufemia asked the pair if they’d be onboard for a sequel.   They would not be facing a life-or-death struggle in the wilds against a ruthless hunter, but instead the romance between the two would be allowed to bloom.  

The answer was a resounding yes!!  

Mill Creek Entertainment announced this past week that a three-title “Christmas Collection” DVD promotion has been added to the Nov. 8 release calendar … and counted among the selections is the aforementioned sequel, Christmas in Wolf Creek.

This too won the Dove Family seal of approval. 

Everything is wonderful in Wolf Creek, Samantha and Austin are an item and the annual Christmas show is something that everyone looks forward to.   But when the reindeer star goes missing, Austin takes to the nearby woods to help in the search.   But he doesn’t return!!

Samantha asks her well-meaning younger sister, Sunny (yes, Madeline Leon reprises her role from the first film), to take over the rehearsals while she goes in search of the missing Austin and the show’s runaway star!!

Also, to be found among the Nov. 8 “Christmas Collection” from Mill Creek Entertainment is director Amy Force’s Christmas in Rockwell, starring former WWE superstar Trish Stratus as Alyssa Strader, a big-time movie star, who takes a break from the grind to return to her home town of Rockwell, Idaho for a little holiday-season downtime.   

She hides her identity.   No hype.  No press.  Her career stated here when she was the child-star of Holly’s Puppy Christmas, which plays at the local theatre every Christmas — it’s a tradition.   She just wants to slow down and savor the moment.

What she didn’t expect on her return home was falling in love with the theatre’s owner, Jake (played by Stephen Huszar), which sends the national entertainment media into a feeding frenzy once her identity is revealed.  Flee or stay … and in staying perhaps ruin the Christmas season in Rockwell … and her own dreams of happiness.

Lastly, spoiled adult brat, Angie Moore (Liliana Tandon), is cut-off from her mother’s funding (played by Lorraine Bracco) in cinematographer-turned-director Don E. FauntLeRoy’s A Ring for Christmas.   What to do?   What to do?

Ah ha, she discovers that she inherits a vast estate if she is married by Christmas, so she heads back to her hometown in search of her high school sweetheart, Tyler (Charles Hittinger), with the sole purpose of luring him into a marriage proposal and a quicky wedding.  How does that work out?  

 

 

Bayview Entertainment Preps 13 Tracks To Frighten Agatha Black And The Last Slay Ride For Blu-ray Release On Dec. 13

Bayview Entertainment tunes into the horror vibes on Dec. 13 with two new Blu-ray releases from indie filmmakers that will serve up the chills and certainly get the blood-pumping!

First up is writer/director Bradley Steele Harding’s 13 Tracks to Frighten Agatha Black, starring Bridie Marie Corbett (Bystander) as the title character who goes on a horror mind-trip that becomes all too real!

Growing up in Dallas, Harding became an avid fan and collector of vintage spoken-word vinyl albums with a horror and spooky tale theme — “Tales of the Frightened” as narrated by Boris Karloff being a prime example.   At some point, it occurred to him why not make a film about something that he knew quite well … the result is 13 Tracks to Frighten Agatha Black, which is right at home with the Amicus and Hammer film anthologies of the past.

Agatha Black is having a tough time of it of late and seeks a bit of refuge by revisiting the forgotten “treasures” of her youth that have been long stored-away in the attic of her home.   She happens upon an old vinyl album that she used to listen to with her father when she was a young girl, “13 Tracks to Frightened Your Friends.”   And plays it … the memories come flooding back.

The question becomes, is Agatha Black losing her mind?   Suddenly, each of the tales from this old album begin to unfold … the chills, the horrors and the things that go bump in the night begin to be all too real.   She’s living in a horror anthology … or is she?   Is it just a mind trip?

Tune in on Dec. 13 to find out if Agatha’s world of scares, carnage and ritualistic sacrificial tales are just a figment of her mind … or the real deal!!

The second genre offering from Bayview Entertainment on Blu-ray this coming Dec. 13 is writer/director Jason Hawkins’ The Last Slay Ride.

Indie horror filmmaker Josh Enders (Calvin Morie McCarthy — Mutant Vampires from the Planet Neptune, Directed by Evil, Amityville Poltergeist) has just completed his latest film, which is having its big night at the local film festival.   We’ve had the “privilege” of seeing the behind-the-scenes of the film being made, and it seems cheesy at best, but for some reason the audience loves it and it’s the big winner.   Enders lands a film distribution deal right there on the spot!

Later, Enders and his “producer,” Ivan (Lukas Verri-Singer), who simply borrowed the money for the production from a local screw-loose thug by the name of Marco (Steve Larkin — Conjuring: The Beyond, Cross Hollow, Tuesday Never Comes), realize that they’ve been scammed.   That’s not the biggest problem, Marco has cornered Ivan and he wants his money back … otherwise, Ivan’s grandmother will have her brains blown out.

The solution, go to the mansion of the scammer and demand their money back.   Marco, and his silent sidekick, Bob (Jason Reynolds), get wind of the plan and decide to invite themselves along to protect their investment.   With members of the cast and crew along for the ride, Enders, Ivan, Bob and Marco pull off a home invasion!

Film deal gone wrong, psycho “investor” and a film crew involved in a home invasion … what could possibly go wrong?   In a word, plenty!    It seems that the inhabitants of this mansion are more than just scammers, they are blood-sucking scammers.  

Marco soon discovers a nasty secret when he shoots the matriarch of the clan, who is simply called Grandma (Eileen Dietz), when his demands for money are rebuffed.   She brushes it off like nothing and Marco is attacked and … well, vampires are blood-suckers and that’s it for Marco!

Will the rest of the gang escape, or have they becoming unwitting members of the “victim pool” in this home-invasion “blood drive?”   Dec. 13, The Last Slay Ride on Blu-ray from Bayview Entertainment to discover the blood-dripping answer to that question!!

 

 

 

Will Eye Releasing Has A Special Edition Blu-ray Release Of Writer/Director Jason Berg's Black Holler Ready For Release On Dec. 13

Wild Eye Releasing, with sales and distribution support provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has selected Dec. 13 as the street date for the Special Edition Blu-ray debut of writer/director Jason Berg’s ‘80s horror homage Black Holler.

This is a fun genre romp, complete with a tough-as-nails Final Girl, a victim pool and an unseen mass killer with a lust for blood.

We begin with a foreshadowing prologue set sometime in the 1950s as two researchers venture into the Black Holler Woods in search of a lost Indian artifact with mysterious powers.   They, of course, find it — a magic stone —and unleash its avenging force … they are quickly slaughtered.

We skip ahead to “modern” times — late 1980s — and are introduced to LaQuita Johnston (Tamiko Robinson Steele — SingleVille, I Hate New Year’s, Tales from Parts Unknown), who is trying to make a break from her inner-city demons by enrolling at O’Fish Community College.   Her first class, “Archepology 101” (is there such a thing?) has an annual tradition of going on a weekend camp out … she should have read the small print, but there you have it, so off she goes.

Naturally, this is a group of misfits — name a character-type and filmmaker Jason Berg has them locked in as the soon-to-be-victim pool — joining the traditional camp out in Black Holler Woods.

No one on this “dig” is out there to do any real research for their class assignment, it’s all about party, party, party.   LaQuita is just along for the ride … she has to put up with the nonsense.

But, as you would expect in a horror film, they accidently uncover the long-lost artifact and set in-motion another round of ritual slayings.   The problem is, most in the group are either too stoned or too oblivious as to what is going on to realize that one by one their classmates are gone … slaughter by the same unseen force that took out the two researchers thirty-years earlier.

Once the danger is finally realized, it is the inner-city sister, LaQuita, who takes charge and faces off against the murderous threat!

Bonus goodies include commentary from filmmaker Jason Berg, deleted and extended scenes, a gag reel, an alternated ending and two song parody videos — “We Made our Goal” and “Guns n Roses.”

 

Paramount Home Entertainment Looks To Nov. 15 For The 4K Ultra HD Launch Of Blue Hawaii

Paramount Home Entertainment has selected Nov. 15 as the street date for a newly restored — from the original 35mm camera negative — 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack edition of director Norman Taurog’s landmark presentation of Blue Hawaii.

Elvis.   Hawaii.   The perfect match — the tourist industry exploded after the Blue Hawaii’s theatrical launch during the Thanksgiving season of 1961 and the companion soundtrack album was an immediate million-unit seller.

It was all set up to be a re-teaming of Elvis with Juliet Prowse, his co-star in G.I. Blues, and Taurog, who directed G.I. Blues, would once again be in the director’s chair.   A winning combination, but Prowse’s demands proved to be a deal-killer, so Joan Blackman (Visit to a Small Planet, Kid Galahad, Macon County Line) got the call.

A few weeks of location shooting in Hawaii, another month on the sound stages at the Paramount lot in Hollywood and then blockbuster business in theatres nationwide in November!    Plus, a keep sake soundtrack album that includes “Blue Hawaii,” “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “Rock-a-Hula Baby” and the “Hawaiian Wedding Song.”   Sweet!

Bonus goodies include commentary from film historian James L. Neibaur (“The Elvis Movies,” “The Monster Movies of Universal Studios” “RKO Features: A Complete Filmography of the Feature Films Released or Produced by RKO Radio Pictures, 1929-1960” … and more), plus the “Blue Hawaii Photo Scrapbook.”

 

 

The Criterion Collection's January Of 2023 Release Calendar Is Toplined By A New 4K Film Restoration Of Director John M. Stahl’s Imitation Of Life

The Criterion Collection will be opening the New Year with a new 4K film restoration of director John M. Stahl’s 1934 film adaptation of Fannie Hurst’s 1933 novel (previously serialized in Pictorial Review as “Sugar House”), Imitation of Life.   Both DVD and Blu-ray editions will be available on Jan. 10, 2023.

It is a wonder that Imitation of Life was even made.  When the anti-arts and anti-First Amendment Motion Picture Production Code (Hays Commission) got wind of the novel being acquired by Universal they became extremely concerned that the subject of miscegenation would be up there on the silver screen for all to see … sex between the races, horror of horror!  Negros.  No, no, no, we can’t have a story about a bi-racial woman released as a movie.

Eventually a deal was hammered out — some major script changes were made and careful attention was paid as to which words could be used.   

In November of 1934 the film opened theatrically and the rest, as they say, is history … a Best Picture-nominee (ironically, Claudette Colbert, also starred in another Best Picture-nominee that year, It Happened One Night … she won the Oscar for her performance as Ellie Andrews and It Happened One Night won Best Picture laurels).

Bonus features include video sessions with author Miriam J. Petty (“Stealing the Show: African American Performers and Audiences in 1930s Hollywood”) and Imogen Sara Smith, a contributor to “The Call of the Heart: John M. Stahl and Hollywood Melodrama.”

Also, to be found on the New Year release docket from Criterion is a the 4K Ultra HD debut of director Terry Gilliam’s 1989 flight of fancy film, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.   The street date is Jan. 3 for a 4K Ultra HD/2 Blu-ray Combo Pack edition (a double-disc Blu-ray purchasing option will also be available on Jan. 3 as well).

Bonus features include commentary from Gilliam, who is joined by co-screenwriter, Charles McKeown, deleted scenes, a making-of documentary, a newly-prepared video session with film critic David Cairns and Gilliam’s 1974 short film titled Miracle of Flight.

Rounding out the January new release slate are the Blu-ray-only collection of Lars von Trier’s Europe Trilogy (featuring The Element of Crime, Epidemic and Europa … Jan. 17); Blu-ray and double-disc DVD editions of director Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese’s This is Not a Burial, it’s a Resurrection, and on Jan. 31 look for both DVD and Blu-ray selections of writer/director Mia Hansen-Løve’s 2021 art house entry, Bergman Island (the ARR is 473 days and domestic box office receipts were $145,191).

 

 

Screen Media Tabs Nov. 15 For The Release Of Blu-ray And DVD Editions Of Director Timo Vourensola’s Jeepers Creepers: Reborn

It is always worth noting when an indie does something really clever and creative.   The “Hollywood” studios will bypass the theatrical experience these days — often with multi-million-dollar production budgets — to feed the streaming beast.

However, Screen Media took a different path in September when they teamed up with Fathom Events for the event launch of director Timo Vourensola’s Jeepers Creepers: Reborn, a reboot of the Jeepers Creepers film series launched by filmmaker Victor Salva back in the summer of 2001.

The three-day theatrical experience generated $1.9 million in ticket sales — which is more than Apple’s Best Picture-winner CODA generated in its limited theatrical engagement.   And, by the way, Coda has yet to see the light of date (except for various pirate offerings) in the home entertainment packaged media arena.  

Screen Media announced this past week that both DVD and Blu-ray editions of Jeepers Creepers: Reborn will be available for genre fans to add to their Jeepers Creepers franchise film collections on Nov. 15.   The ARR works out to 53 days.