Oscilloscope Laboratories Tabs Mar. 21 For The Home Entertainment Debut Of Writer/Director Maxwell McCabe-Lokos’ Stanleyville

Oscilloscope Laboratories announced this past week that writer/director Maxwell McCabe-Lokos’ deeply disturbing dark comedy, Stanleyville, will be heading to the home entertainment packaged media marketplace on Mar. 21 as both Blu-ray and DVD production selections.

Odd.   Strange.   Bizarre.   Just a few of words that easily attach themselves to McCabe-Lokos’ Stanleyville.  

It premiered at Canada’s Fantasia International Film Festival in August of 2021 and then had an ever-so-brief arthouse run in April of last year … and now Stanleyville makes the transition to the home entertainment marketplace virtually new-to-all.

For the record, the ARR works out 333 days.

Wham!   A fairly large bird crashes into the window at the office building where Maria Barbizan works (played by Susanne Wuest — Man from Beirut, Goodnight Mommy, Iceman, We Might as Well be Dead) and that’s about all we will ever know about her career.   She stops home and we meet her husband and daughter and that’s it for them too … Maria checks out.

It was probably a bit of time in the making, but McCabe-Lokos doesn’t clutter his film with Maria’s backstory, but rather moves quickly to the “chance” meeting with Homunculus (Julian Richings — Anything for Jackson, Spare Parts, The Space Between), who claims to be the host of a very special competition that has as its grand prize a new car.   She says yes.

Before you can say Stan-ley-ville, Maria finds herself locked away with four other contestants — Andrew (Christian Serritiello — Flesh City, Catalina), Felicie (Cara Ricketts — Home Sweet Home Alone, Something Other than Now), Manny (Adam Brown — as Ori in The Hobbit trilogy) and Bofill (played by stuntman George Tchortov) — three of which (not saying who) appear to be lunatics from a
nut house — throw in Homunculus and that makes four.   Not Michael Myers crazy, but more along the lines of Philippe de Broca’s eccentric crazies that populated King of Hearts.

Has Maria wandered into an elaborate Monty Python skit?   It has the feel of their film And Now for Something Completely Different and its “Upper Class Twit of the Year" contest … indeed, Maria’s name is on a big green chalk scoreboard with the all of the contestants listed and tasks numbered one through eight on it.  A real contest, with a scoreboard … and a prize.

Maybe, unbeknownst to either the audience or
Maria, she’s been committed to a psych ward, Homunculus is the therapist and she’s in a group session.   It’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and she’s McMurphy.

It doesn’t matter, real or not-real, the contest begins.  Blow up and pop as many balloons as you can is one minute.  Really?   Maria, sadly, fails … zero points for her.   Only seven rounds left.

We could go through Stanleyville round-by-round, but what would be the fun — or terror — in that.   

There is this much we can say.   Not all of the contestants will survive the game, not that there’s a maniac in the group, but like the players in Monty Python’s “Upper Class Twit of the Year" contest, stupid-is as stupid-does.

Stanleyville is out there … way out there.

Bonus features include commentary by filmmaker Maxwell McCabe-Lokos, who is joined by Matthew Rankin, plus there are two McCabe-Lokos short films — Ape Sodom and Midnight Confession.

 

 

 

The Film Chest Targets Apr. 4 For The Release Of The DVD Collection Of MIke Hammer: Private Eye

When you say “Sam Spade,” the image of Humphrey Bogart immediately comes to mind.  “The Thin Man,” why William Powell of course.  How about Mickey Spillane’s post-war creation, “Mike Hammer,” that’s an easy one, Stacy Keach!

The Film Chest announced this past week that Mike Hammer will be on the case this coming Apr. 4.   Packing heat (a Colt .45), taking no guff and with Velda at his side Mike Hammer is ready for all-comers … and now you can enjoy the action; the mysteries.

For three years in the mid 80s, Stacy Keach was the embodiment of pulp fiction writer Mickey Spillane’s private eye, Mike Hammer.   As the star of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, Keach was spot-on as the no-nonsense, streetwise; gritty private investigator.   

The show ran for three seasons and then Keach moved on … some movies, notably John Carpenter’s Escape from L.A. and as Wolf Larson in director Gary T. McDonald’s 1997 film adaptation of theJack London novel, The Sea Wolf, some MOW work and various series appearances.   But there was a void; a hunger.

That void was filled for 26 glorious episodes in the syndicated series re-launch in 1997 titled Mike Hammer, Private Eye, and that is what the Film Chest has ready on Apr. 4 for fans to enjoy in a five-disc DVD set.

Velda is played by Shannon Whirry (Fatal Pursuit, Dangerous Prey, Lying in Wait) and our boy Mike has a sidekick in this series, Nick Farrell (Shane Conrad — The Brady Bunch Movie, Flies on Cupid, Air Rage).

Each of the 26 episodes includes a complete-synopses and the teaser trailers. 

Mark it down, it’s “Hammer” time on Apr. 4 with 26 cases to crack!

 

 

 

Director Jon Steve Ward's Lovers Lane On Blu-ray This Coming Apr. 25 From Arrow Video

Arrow Video, with domestic sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, announced this past week that director Jon Steve Ward’s 1999 slasher film, Lovers Lane, has received a new 2K film restoration, complete with a 4K scan, from the original 35mm camera negative.

The Blu-ray edition, available on Apr. 25, for many will be the first opportunity to enjoy this genre-gem.   A DVD edition was released by First Look Home Entertainment back in the summer of 2002 and has long been out of print.

Lovers Lane has a classic horror set-up that includes a prologue to establish the storyline — in this case a deranged killer, with a hook for a weapon, who savages his victims at a secluded Lovers’ Lane — a victim pool (sexually-charged teenagers) and a modified “haunted house,” in this case a recurring return to the scene of the initial carnage, plus various spooky spots nearby … sort of a “free-range” haunted house (a classic set-up, checking off all of the right boxes).

There is also a double-twist ending!!

As for the prologue, its Valentine’s Day and we see a couple, Dee-Dee (Diedre Kilgore) and Jimmy (Carter Roy) at the local hot spot attacked by a maniac with a hook, but they manage to escape, only to discover another couple in a nearby car who have not been so lucky.

Suddenly, Dr. Jack Grefe (Richard Sanders — best known as Les Nessman in WKRP in Cincinnati sitcom) appears with Sheriff Tom Anderson (Matt Riedy — Hoax, The Loners, Devotion) in tow.   It seems that it is his patient, Ray “The Hook” Hennessey (Ed Bailey), who has murdered the two lovers — one of which conveniently turns out to be the sheriff’s wife.   Ray is caught … and that’s the end of it!

We skip ahead to the present day (something like 13-years later) and we meet the victim pool, high school kids, many of which — it will be revealed — have a direct relationship to the original killings.

Counted among these are Dr. Grefe’s daughter Chloe (Sarah Lancaster — Devil in the Flesh 2, Smother, The Terror of Hallow’s Eve), the sheriff’s daughter, Mandy (Erin J. Dean — Lolita) and Chloe’s boyfriend, Michael Lampson (Riley Smith), who is the son of Penny, the high school principal, whose husband was having the affair with Harriet, the sheriff’s wife, when they were both slaughtered by the “Hook.”  

Others in the group are Doug (Billy O'Sullivan), Bradley (Ben Indra), Cathy (Megan Hunt) and Tim (Collin F. Peacock) — which genre fans will certainly recognize as the “victim pool” — and cheerleader Jannelle Bay, played by none other than Anna Faris before her breakout role as Cindy in Scary Movie the following year.  

In addition to her recurring role as Cindy Campbell in the Scary Movie film franchise, Faris was Polly in filmmaker Lucky McKee’s May, April in The Hot Chick, Samantha in Just Friends, Shelley Darlingson in House Bunny … and Christy Plunkett in the long-running Mom sitcom.   Note (spoiler alert), Faris is not the Final Girl.

Ray “Hook” Hennessey has escaped from the Meston State Hospital … teenagers start dying.   Who survives?  And what is the double-twist ending?   To discover these answers and more, enjoy Arrow Video’s Blu-ray debut of Lovers Lane on Apr. 25.

Bonus goodies include commentary with writer/producers Geof Miller and Rory Veal and the featurette titled “Screaming Teens: The Legacy of Lovers Lane.”

 

 

 

 

Bayview Entertainment Preps The Blu-ray Debut Of Writer/Director Tony Mendoza's Ride Hard: Live Free For Mar. 28

Bayview Entertainment has tabbed Mar. 28 as the Blu-ray debut date for writer/director Tony Mendoza’s mixed-genre thriller, Ride Hard: Live Free.

Mendoza’s film is one part that of a pure-biker tale.   The Skoners would fit right at home in the cast of such drive-in biker classics and The Wild Angels, Hell’s Angels on Wheels and Angel Unchained.

Ride Hard: Live Free also mixes in the elements of a post-apocalyptic dystopian wasteland with an allegory on modern day cultural issues, including leadership, government and more ... a morality tale; a passion play, if you will, where each archetype has a role to play.

Center to the action is twelve-year-old Zyra (Lainee Rhodes — Bridge of the Doomed, Art of the Dead, The Legacy), who is part-mascot, part-prisoner, and not quite “ripe” enough to be passed around … soon, that will be soon.   Escape?   Perhaps, but Zyra is cunning and very much in survival mode.

Head of The Skoners, in his wasteland kingdom, is Guage (Emilio Rivera … as Marcus Alvarez in the Mayans M.C. television series), who is old school.   A man with honor who would like to tone down the chaos … not quite settle down and become a farmer, with a front porch and a rocking chair, but he certainly yearns for some peace.

Counter to this is Tank (Derek Russo), a stone-cold killer who sees death and destruction as his path to becoming the next overlord.   This is the spot that Zyra finds herself … the enemy of my enemy, is that really the best friend to have.

Welcome to the wasteland and hardcore biker action on Mar. 28 with the Blu-ray debut of Ride Hard: Live Free.

 

 

 

Severin Films Targets Apr. 25 For 4K Ultra HD And Blu-ray Editions Of Writer Director Alex de la Iglesia’s Acción Mutante

Severin Films, with sales and distribution support provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has a new 4K film restoration (from the original camera negative) of writer/director Alex de la Iglesia’s 1993 debut film, Acción Mutante, ready for its domestic rollout on Apr. 25 as a two-SKU product launch.

Planned for release are both Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack editions of this dystopian thriller … genre fans will be delighted to actually have a “real” presentation to view, none-of-that-VHS-to-DVD pirated garbage put out way back in October of 2002 that they have had to live with for the past twenty years.  

In a distant future, humans have been divided into the haves — beauty and perfection — and the have-nots, those that are freaks, flawed, physically-challenged and just plain ugly; deemed unfit.   Lead by Ramon Yarritu (Antonio Resines — Celda 211, La Buena Estrella), who has just been released from prison, the have-nots have reached a breaking point and have decided to put “THE BIG PLAN” into operation — open revolt.

But Ramon, a criminal by nature, has his other plans and will use his “mutant” compatriots to further his own goals.   In other works, he’s a violent psychopath who is not to be trusted.

The big day comes and they assault the wedding of Patricia Orujo (Frédérique Feder — Three Colors: Red, Swept from the Sea), the daughter of a wealthy businessman, slaughtering many of the guests and abducting Patricia.   Off they go to the mining colony planet of Axturias, where women are prohibited.

It is here that Ramon puts his own “big plan” into motion, by killing off his pals — to have the ransom all for himself — but there’s a problem.   The planet’s miners have gone mad without women and they will have something to say about Ramon’s “big plan.”   Poor Patricia, caught in the middle!!

Of course, there is a violent ending to it all … massive carnage and now it is all in hi-def; to be savored and enjoyed!

Acción Mutante is presented in Spanish with English subtitles.

Bonus goodies include commentary from filmmaker Alex de la Iglesia (The Day of the Beast, Witching and Bitching), who is joined by co-writer Jorge Guerricaechevarría and production designers José Luis Arrizabalaga and Biaffra.

Other bonuses include behind-the-scenes footage, a music video and five featurettes — “Well-Done Baloney,” “Bad Blood Costumbrism,” “The F*cking Boss,” “Some Crazy Sh*t” and “Liters of Blood.”

 

 

 

 

Paramount Home Entertainment Has Announced That Director Adrian Lyne's Flashdance Will Be Getting A 4K Ultra HD Makeover To Celebrate Its 40th Anniversary On Apr. 11

A near-perfect film, hated by some of the major film critics at the time, is getting a new 4K film restoration to celebrate its 40^th Anniversary.   This would be none other than director Adrian Lyne’s 1983 base-of-real-life romantic tale, Flashdance.

The 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack edition will be available from Paramount Home Entertainment on Apr. 11.

Based on — or “inspired by” — the life of Maureen Marder, a Toronto stripper by night and an industrial welder by day, it proved to be a work combination that was simply too tempting not to turn into movie.  She received no credit for her story … and sadly, Marder spent years in litigation over her claims that she had been cheated … finally losing all appeals in 2015 (32-years after the film was originally released theatrically).

Flashdance launched the career of Jennifer Beals, whose only previous screen credit was a small part in director Tony Bills’ My Bodyguard.    This mega-hit also marked the first production collaboration between Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, who also produced Beverly Hills Cop and Top Gun for Paramount.

And, one other bit of irony, the critical dancing routines and climatic breakdance sequence were doubled by Marine Jahan and Richard Colón respectively, but neither received screen recognition.

Nevertheless, filmmaker Adrian Lyne delivered what has turned out to be an iconic romantic tale, blended with high-energy dance and music sequences (Oscar-winner for Best Song, “Flashdance... What a Feeling” and also Oscar-nominated in the same category for “Maniac”), that not only showcased the acting talents of Jennifer Beals, but set the tone for a number of film productions that would follow, including Kevin Bacon’s Footloose that would rock theatres the following year.

Bonus features include the special feature titled “Filmmaker Focus: Director Adrian Lyne” and a pair of featurettes — “The Look of Flashdance” and “Releasing the Flashdance Phenomenon.”

 

 

 

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Preps 4K Editions Of The Maltese Falcon (Apr. 4) • Cool Hand Luke (Apr. 4) • And Rebel Without A Cause (Apr. 18)

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment announced this past week that three film vault treasures will be upgraded to 4K Ultra HD status with the release of newly-minted 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack special editions.  This promotion is part of the studio’s year-long 100^th Anniversary Celebration.

Topping the list is director John Huston’s 1941 film adaptation of Dashiell Hammett’s 1930 detective novel, The Maltese Falcon.   The street date is Apr. 4, mark that down if you are any sort of film buff … this one is must.

It is well documented that George Raft was selected by the studio to play Sam Spade, but since this was a remake — The Maltese Falcon in 1931 with Ricardo Cortez and Satan Met a Lady in 1936 with Bette Davis — Raft elected to turn it down.   He only appeared in A-list films and this wasn’t in that category.

And besides, it had some newbie filmmaker who had been a wanderlust for nearly a decade.   Thank you, Mr. Raft for making that move.

The Maltese Falcon is not only to be counted as one of Bogart’s great screen performances (read that as iconic), but the film itself was (an is) an important film; an A-list film earning three Oscar nominations — Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Sydney Greenstreet) and Best Adapted Screenplay (John Huston).

Bonus goodies include commentary by Eric Lax, make-up tests, a selection of Humphrey Bogart trailers, the featurette titled “The Maltese Falcon: One Magnificent Bird,” three separate vintage radio broadcasts and the “Warner Night at the Movies” selection of shorts, newsreels and cartoons from the period.

Also streeting on Apr. 4 as a 4K Ultra HD/Combo Pack is director Stuart Rosenberg’s 1967 film release of Cool Hand Luke, starring Paul Newman and co-starring George Kennedy (he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance here).

Rounding out the selections for this month of April 100^th Anniversary 4K Ultra HD promotion is Rebel Without a Cause, starring James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo.  The release date will be Apr. 18.