Cinemaniac Mark

  Film Masters brings a pair of Gene Corman produced (and Roger Corman Executive Produced) American International Pictures Drive-In titles to Blu-ray in another solid release. This time around, we get the THING-inspired NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST (1958), and ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES (1959), two creature features with low budgets and running times that hit the late night sweet spot. Transfers are the best we've seen (while dealing with damaged materials on NIGHT), with Tom Weaver audio commentaries, trailers, the 8mm version of NIGHT, a documentary on the director of both films, Bernard L. Kowalski (hosted by C Courtney Joyner) and more. While not top-tier B-movies, still a fun double for fans of cheapjack monsterflicks and Drive-In classics. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4fOtHyo (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  A quick pre-review look at upcoming October 4th - November 26th, 2024 releases (with Amazon links for full specs and purchasing): NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST (1958) / ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES (1959), on Blu-ray from Film Masters (Street Date: 11/12/24): https://amzn.to/3NFy5nb 1982: GREATEST GEEK YEAR EVER! (2024) on Blu-ray from the MVD Rewind Collection (Street Date: 11/5/24): https://amzn.to/3Yi6H3z INFINITE SANTA 8000 (2013) on Blu-ray from Synapse Films (Street Date: 11/12/24): https://amzn.to/3YyO64F ZYZZYX ROAD (2006) on Blu-ray from Dark Arts Entertainment (Street Date: 11/26/24): https://amzn.to/3Urz1zp BEHIND THE BUCKET: A GARRISON STORY (2024) on DVD from MVD Visual (Street Date: 10/4/24): https://amzn.to/3YjHuFV Reviews coming soon! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

  Film Masters brings two creepers starring the ever-subtle Klaus Kinski to Blu-ray in solid transfers with a bloody bucket of extras, the Edgar Wallace krimi CREATURE WITH THE BLUE HAND (1967 - along with it's early 80s Sam Sherman-produced alternate cut with extra scenes and gore), and the Poe-inspired remake of CASTLE OF BLOOD, WEB OF THE SPIDER (1971) from genre legend Antonio Margheriti. Super fun Halloween viewing, and a nice intro to the world of Edgar Wallace krimis for the uninitiated. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/48lTRWS (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  A quick pre-review look at upcoming October 8th-22nd, 2024 releases (with Amazon links for full specs and purchasing):  FAMILY (2017) on DVD from IndiePix Classics (Street Date: 10/15/24): https://amzn.to/47JkFQx   SPIRAL (2007) on Blu-ray from Ronin Flix (Street Date: 10/8/24):  https://amzn.to/3Y4cD1n   KILLERS (1996) on Blu-ray from Synapse Films (Street Date: 10/8/24):  https://amzn.to/47NXPak THE CONVENT (2000) on 4K UHD + Blu-ray from Synapse Films (Street Date: 10/8/24):  https://amzn.to/3zMYBaU CREATURE WITH THE BLUE HAND (1967) / WEB OF THE SPIDER (2004) on Blu-ray from Film Masters (Street Date: 10/22/24):  https://amzn.to/3ZKnOxn Reviews coming soon!  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Film Masters continues its mission to rescue obscure films from low-quality Public Domain obscurity with its latest release, featuring two early 60s neo noir crime films with unique stars, Johnny Cash in DOOR-TO-DOOR MANIAC (1961) and Aram Katcher, Hollywood hairdresser and writer/producer/production designer/hairstylist/director/star of RIGHT HAND OF THE DEVIL (1963). Each featured on their own Blu-ray in crisp transfers with illuminating extras, it's a fun dip into the shady corners of 60s independent cinema with an edge. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4gpcD36 (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  A quick pre-review look at upcoming August 27th-September 24th, 2024 releases (with Amazon links for full specs and purchasing): DOOR-TO-DOOR MANIAC (1961)/THE RIGHT HAND OF THE DEVIL (1963) on Blu-ray from Film Masters (Street Date: 8/27/24):  https://amzn.to/3X90HuE   A MAN ON HIS KNEES (1979), on Blu-Ray from Radiance Films (Street Date: 9/24/24): https://amzn.to/4fOcJ3Q   TOKIJIRO: LONE YAKUZA (1966), on Blu-ray from Radiance Films (Street Date: 8/27/24): https://amzn.to/3SV2SiT   TERROR FIRMA (2023), on Blu-ray from Dark Arts Entertainment (Street Date: 8/27/24): https://amzn.to/4cqwXhr   A MAN CALLED TIGER (1973), on Blu-ray from Eureka! Entertainment (Street Date: 8/27/24): https://amzn.to/4doJhjt   Reviews coming soon!  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Film Masters strikes again with a restored Special Edition of the infamous martial arts epic THE CRIPPLED MASTERS (1979) on Blu-ray, with fun and insightful extras including an audio commentary by The Important Cinema Club's Justin Decloux and Will Sloan, a featurette on Kung Fu movies and the NYC theaters who loved them by Chris Poggiali, a restoration demo, trailers, a booklet with two interesting articles, and the raw, unrestored scan of the film! If you see one film about a pair of martial artists, one missing arms and the other missing legs, who learn the ways of Kung Fu from an elderly Yoga master, this might be just what you're looking for! Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3zIU4pF (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

  Film Masters does it again with their first collaboration with Something Weird Video , a hicksploitation double feature of two films featuring young wives with older husbands, and the exploitationy melodramatic complications that ensue. The stories of how these films came to be in their final forms are as entertaining as the films themselves, conveyed via commentaries featuring TCM Underground's Millie DeChirico, a solid "That's Hicksploitation" documentary with C Courtney Joyner , and illumination (and myth-busting) liner notes by Something's Weird's Lisa Petrucci (which I wish I'd read before recording this review, as I mistakenly repeated an inaccurate casting aspersion). Transfer looks razor-sharp on both titles, presented in crisp black and white (so sharp that it helps suss out the two shooting sessions for COMMON LAW more clearly than ever). A must for fans of Something Weird Video and rural melodrama shockers! Get your copy now from Amazon at: ...

  Film Masters continues its rescue mission to salvage long-neglected public domain film titles from bargain-bin transfers and presentations with a crisp new Blu-ray of Bert I. Gordon's lighthouse spooker TORMENTED, starring CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON and IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE's Richard Carlson, with fun and fascinating extras on the filmmakers and cast. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4ayP0lo (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

David Janssen stars in a Euro financial espionage thriller, THE SWISS CONSPIRACY (1976), with a cast of familiar faces, including John Saxon, Senta Berger, Anton Diffring, John Ireland, David Hess, Ray Milland and Elke Sommer, with the former TV FUGITIVE trying to unravel a blackmail plot targeting account holders at a Swiss bank. Bullets fly, cars race, and pulses pound in this little-seen final feature from director Jack Arnold, helmer of Universal Monsters classic like CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON and THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN, as well as numerous episodes of THE BRADY BUNCH. Brought back from smeary public domain oblivion by the fine folks at Film Masters, with an attractive transfer and fun extras. Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3SZzd8V (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

Film Masters continues its restorations of Roger and Gene Corman's Film Group releases of the early 60s with this double feature, one a tale of small-town devil worship, the other a comedy involving the Cuban revolution, criminals, and a bug-eyed sea monster. Both look the best they ever have, include fun and illuminating bonus materials (including an extended-by-15-minutes TV version of CREATURE) and sharp transfers. Get your copy now from Amazon at:  https://amzn.to/3TRevbX   (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Full review here:

Film Masters continues their excellent series of releases of long-neglected public domain titles with two from Roger Corman : Boris Karloff and Jack Nicholson (and Dick Miller!) in the Poe-tastic THE TERROR (1963), and Jonathan Haze, Jackie Joseph, Mel Welles, and Jack Nicholson (and Dick Miller!) in THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1960), all looking better than I've ever seen them look, with fun and enlightening extras (the production histories of both of these films were, as Arte Johnson would say, "Verrrryyyy Interesting!"). Out now on DVD and Blu-ray! Get your copy now from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3RMm0Qc (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)