Cinemaniac Mark

  A group of gangsters and the sister of a dead thug are fired up to find some hot ice when a cache of diamonds goes missing in the Japanese noir thriller UNDERWORLD BEAUTY (1958), on Blu-ray from Radiance Films, in a crisp new black and white transfer, along with an early short film from its director, Seijun Suzuki, and informative supplements. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3WotWsv (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  88 Films brings the super sleazy Japanese true crime anthology LOVE & CRIME (1969) to DVD+Blu-ray in a sharp and colorful transfer, with extras that dig into the facts in the cases depicted in the film, along with more info on the director and performers. A medical examiner finds himself performing an autopsy on his wife, the victim of a suicide, and finds evidence of a recent affair. In his grief, he reviews several cases of crimes of passion involving women, and many dark paths are walked. A fun, grim shocker! Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3CnVckk (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  Arrow Video brings director Tarsem Singh's visionary sci-fi/horror film THE CELL (2000) to Blu-ray and 4K UHD in a loaded 2-disc set, featuring three versions of the film and loads of extras. Revisiting it for the first time in 25 (!!!) years, I still found it to be visually lush but fairly empty, though its fans will love the new razor-sharp transfer and hours of extras. Director Singh is a lot of fun to listen to in discussing the film, and critics, scholars and crew are along for the ride in extras new and old to dig into how it was made, received, and looked at a quarter of a century later. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/40RNLeL (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  Severin Films brings Russ Meyer's final theatrical film to DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K UHD looking bigger and better than ever, BENEATH THE VALLEY OF THE ULTRAVIXENS (1979), a bouncy, boisterous, living cartoon that spoofs both Meyer's own style and the adult films of the day. Frisky, filthy fun, starring Kitten Natividad, Ken Kerr, Stuart Lancaster, Ann Marie, and June Mack, with cameos by Candy Samples and Uschi Digard. Severin's disc carries over extras from previous editions (including a no-holes-barred Meyer commentary and Natividad interview), along with more goodies from the Bosomania archives. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4hvJzqf (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  Severin Films brings Russ Meyer's controversial sexploitation classic VIXEN (1968) to Blu-ray looking better than ever, with extras ported over from previous Arrow Video and Image Entertainment editions, alongside new insights laying bare the films production and release with Erica Gavin and Mark Edward Heuck! A must-have for fans of Meyer and American exploitation cinema. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3PQVx1W (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  Playing a little catch-up with the 2023 Lee Mendelson Film Productions 50th Anniversary LP release (also available on CD and digital) of Vince Guaraldi's A CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING (1973) soundtrack. Solid stuff, bringing Bay Area Funk to the world of Peanuts. Reviewed here is the Barnes & Noble picture disc edition. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3PMuMf9 (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  Are you "Tuff Enuf" for THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS LIVE IN HOUSTON, now out on Blu-ray from Cleopatra Entertainment? "Wrap It Up" with this live show recorded in 2006. It may be years after their MTV heyday, but the line-up of the band here still packs some "Powerful Stuff", with original lead singer Kim Wilson blowing a mean harmonica and belting out the tunes. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4je8nVA (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  Severin Films at long last brings the Russ Meyer catalog to remastered Blu-ray with their release of his "Vixen Trilogy" (VIXEN, SUPERVIXENS, and BENEATH THE VALLEY OF THE ULTRAVIXENS) on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K UHD, with stunningly remastered main features, vintage Meyer audio commentaries, and extras both archival and new. Digging into SUPERVIXENS (1975) here (get comfy, I'm a ramblin' guy), and just amazed at the image quality and care put into these, as a longtime fan who never thought he'd see the day something like this would be released. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/429qgyL (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  Lee Mendelson Film Productions continues their excellent series of restorations and releases of original Peanuts TV special soundtracks featuring the music of Vince Guaraldi with a 50th Anniversary release of BE MY VALENTINE, CHARLIE BROWN (1975). Available on LP (in various colors), CD and digital, this release is beautifully packaged, with extensive liner notes, and sound fantastic. Not to be missed for fans of the Charlie Brown specials and 70s loungey jazz vibes. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3WkVMWR (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  Arrow Video resurrects the long-lost (then found and released in 2001 by Winstar Entertainment, which then went out of print) William Shatner-starring Esperanto horror film INCUBUS (1966), now in sparkly new Blu-ray and 4K HDR UHD editions, with archival and new supplements. Directed by Leslie Stevens, creator of THE OUTER LIMITS, it plays very much like an episode of that series, a spooky, dreamlike, black and white supernatural thriller with some memorable imagery, a good late night spooker. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4a3jNr3 (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  For true crime fans, a fascinating Australian take on a U.S. cold case from the 1970s, sometimes known as The Burger Chef Murders, is now streaming on Hulu. THE SPEEDWAY MURDERS (2023) is a chilling and moving look at the victims, presented in fourth-wall-breaking reenactments, and possible scenarios that unfolded one dark night in the midwest when the night crew of a Burger Chef restaurant disappeared after their shift ended, only to be found dead 48 hours later. The cinematic quality of the reenactments, along with interviews with witnesses and family members, and a few new revelations along the way, make for riveting viewing. Also available on Blu-ray from Umbrella Entertainment

  One of the bigger surprises for me in recent viewing...I liked TROMA's new TOXIC CRUSADERS: THE SERIES Blu-ray set! Surprisingly sharp and funny animated series for the kiddies from 1991, with voice work from Chuck McCann and Michael J. Pollard (!!!), and episodes written by Chuck Lorre and Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz! Two Blu-rays, looking bright and colorful, and a good number of extras new and old, including features on the new Retroware Toxic Crusaders video game. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4fHnbsL (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  The MVD Rewind Collection brings a little-discussed Drive-In exploitation goodie back into print, one of the last of the theatrical entries in the Cheerleader genre of the time, 1979's CHEERLEADERS' WILD WEEKEND, starring Kristine DeBell, Marilyn Joi, Leon Isaac Kennedy, and Jason Williams. Perhaps misleadingly titled and featuring a cover that leads you to believe you're getting a film from a later period and lighter tone, this one is nonetheless filled with fun, fright, frolic, and copious nudity, everything you were looking for in a 70's R-rated Drive-In movie. Looking good and loaded with extras ported over from the previous Scorpion Releasing disc, this is a fun one to pair with REVENGE OF THE CHEERLEADERS (1976). Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4a1Czil (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here: