Cinemaniac Mark

  Eureka Entertainment brings to Blu-ray a little-discussed 80s Hong Kong survival horror film, THE ISLAND (1985), wherein a group of college students and their professor plan a 3 hour tour of a remote island for sight-seeing, and wind up the prey of a demented family with sinister intentions. Think HILLS HAVE EYES and MOTHER'S DAY, Hong Kong style. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4hEdrSK (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  Arrow Video brings Marcus Nispel's 2003 remake THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE to 4K UHD, in a transfer sharper than a sawtooth, with voluminous extras carried over from the original deluxe DVD edition, along with a meatlocker full of fresh looks back at the film's production and reception. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3LkbGhk (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  Blue Underground brings Gary Sherman's DEATHLINE (aka RAW MEAT - 1972) to 4K UHD and Blu-ray in a transfer that brings out the disturbing details in this tale of subterranean slaughter in the London Underground, with police inspector Donald Pleasence hot on the trail of the not-so-charming CHUD. Earlier transfers were too dark, murky, or soft to truly get all of the details (gruesome or otherwise) in the set, character, and rubble design, now all razor sharp, all the better to shock you with. My first viewing, years ago via a tape trade online, was a dark, multi-generational pan and scan copy that was more a series of screams and moans over black than a cohesive viewing experience, and Blue Undergrounds new edition was like seeing it for the first time. Extras are copious, porting over archive goodies from previous releases along with some new tidbits to shed light on the dark origins of the film, including the shocker that at one point Marlon Brando was lined up to play the non...

REFLECTION IN A DEAD DIAMOND (2025) Highly recommend this one for fans of fumetti, Diabolik, and Eurospy films. In super limited theatrical release from Shudder, eventually streaming there. Fabio Testi stars as an elderly former spy, spending his days at a lavish seaside hotel, his mind flashing back and forth between his past adventures and battles with a Diabolik-esque female master criminal and his present days of quiet luxury. Past, present, fantasy and reality begin to blur for him (and the audience), is a living ode to 60s Eurocult cinema, featuring a soundtrack with cues from the era, and fantastic visuals and editing. From the directors of LET THE CORPSES TAN, THE STRANGE COLOR OF YOUR BODY’S TEARS, and AMER.

Radiance Films brings Japanese director Seijun Suzuki's (BRANDED TO KILL, TOKYO DRIFTER) 1977 dark satire of advertising, idol-making, and celebrity, A TALE OF SORROW AND SADNESS to Blu-ray looking gorgeous, with hole-in-one extras. When a textile company needs a new celebrity to shill their clothing lines, they decide to build up a moderately successful and attractive female golfer into their next superstar. A peek behind the curtain of glittering celebrity that starts off amusing and light, but gets increasingly dark as the pressures of maintaining artifice rise, and a local female stalker attaches herself to our glamourous golfer. Colorfully shot with some memorable images, this one is a slow roll to the 18th hole that pays off. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4opjlJH (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  After a long absence, COMING SOON returns! A quick pre-review look at upcoming November 2025 to February 2026 releases (with Amazon links for full specs and purchasing): https://youtu.be/vjluGCb7GUs A quick pre-review look at upcoming November 2025 to February 2026 releases (with Amazon links for full specs and purchasing): MIRROR LIFE (2025), on DVD from Cleopatra Entertainment (Street Date: 10/14/25): https://amzn.to/3LWgPN1 THE OGRE OF ATHENS (1956) on Blu-ray from Radiance Films (Street Date: 11/18/25): https://amzn.to/4pwGxWZ MALPERTUIS (1971) on Blu-ray from Radiance Films (Street Date: 10/28/25): https://amzn.to/3MiTUvl WICKED GAMES: THREE FILMS BY ROBERT HOSSEIN on Blu-ray from Radiance Films (Street Date: 11/18/25): https://amzn.to/3X8ZnY2 DEN ACE CHAOS on Blu-ray from SRS Cinema (Street Date: 2/10/26): https://amzn.to/3LTTUls SPLENDID OUTING (1978) on Blu-ray from Radiance Films (Street Date: 12/9/25): https://amzn.to/48ewMWr THE ISLAND CLOSEST TO HEAVEN (1984) on Blu-r...

  Joe Spinell and Caroline Munro reunite not long after MANIAC for THE LAST HORROR FILM (1982), now available on Blu-ray from TROMA. SEE! Joe Spinell as a deranged wannabe director stalking the streets of the 1981 Cannes Film Festival in search of his favorite actress (Munro) to star in the film! SEE! Celebrities filmed in public who never knew they appeared in this flick! SEE! Joe Spinell as a sweaty creep! Totally gratuitous and over the top, an underseen early 80s horror hoot. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3ISyOTi (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

  Out this week from Celluloid Dreams is a lost giallo nugget from 1968, A HYENA IN THE SAFE, from director Cesare Canevari. What happens when a group of thieves reunite after a major diamond heist to divvy up the dosh in a luxurious castle? Murder, mayhem, and stylish high-tech TEN LITTLE INDIANS-esque backstabbing, set to a catchy, brassy score, of course! Barely released until its recent rediscovery, Celluloid Dreams presents this film in a gorgeous transfer with glittering extras, including location tours, crew recollections, and a deep dive commentary by CD's own Guido Henkel. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4p5lYR0 (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

Get yours at amazon here:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCNMZF75?ref=t_ac_view_request_product_image&campaignId=amzn1.campaign.QXF14U748F22&linkCode=tr1&tag=thecinemaniac-20&linkId=amzn1.campaign.QXF14U748F22_1762361033361 (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

  Liberation Hall brings the surviving episodes of the short-lived 1950s THE BUSTER KEATON SHOW to Blu-ray, with some fun extras, the best of which is a fascinating TV roundtable with Buster and other old-time comedians talking shop and the mechanics of getting screen laughs. Quality varies, but it's fun to see Buster in his 60s still as spry as ever, going all in on physical comedy in a single-camera sitcom setting. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/42YTgbS (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  Get your Whimsical Monkey Table Lamp from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCNMZF75?ref=t_ac_view_request_product_image&campaignId=amzn1.campaign.QXF14U748F22&linkCode=tr1&tag=thecinemaniac-20&linkId=amzn1.campaign.QXF14U748F22_1762365026703 (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

SRS Cinema LLC brings to Blu-ray the loving Japanese ULTRAMAN spoof OUTER MAN (2015) to Blu-ray, with a fun and informative commentary, behind the scenes featurette, and more. When an alien kaiju appears in Japan, looking very much like a villain from the long-running TV series OUTER MAN, followed by a real-life giant Outer Man appearing to fight it, the government gets a whiff that all is not what it seems, and the real-life manifestation of the TV hero may not be so heroic. Former Outer Man TV actors and superfans are assembled to fight the intergalactic menace, in a GALAXY QUEST-like situation of actors stepping back into old roles for real. Lots of fun, with a surprising amount of heart, especially rewarding for fans of Japanese superhero TV of the past. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3JoBw3i (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

As some of you may know, via my activities with The Cinemaniacs show, YouTube channel, and Facebook account, I'm an Amazon affiliate (basically if you buy anything via the links I post in reviews, I get a small percentage of that sale), keeping my activities solidly in the realm of home video releases. UNTIL NOW. You see, until now, no product has spoken to me the way the Whimsical Monkey Table Lamp has. If you know me, one of my mottos in life is "Everything's better with a monkey", and this Whimsical Monkey Table Lamp brings that to glorious, illuminating life. Whether it's on or off (LED lamp included, with various levels of illumination possible with a touch of the monkey), this lamp is sure to light up your life because, well, IT'S A MONKEY. And a whimsical one, no less! What better way to show visitors what they're dealing with when they enter your space than with a whimsical monkey? How can someone truly know you love, appreciate, and/or respect the...