Kaleidoscope release ARMY OF THE DEAD to DVD on 13th September.

A mix of Indiana Jones, Mars Attacks and Jason & The Argonauts, you’ll soon discover to never trust a skeleton with a machine gun!

In 1590, a powerful Conquistador, Coronado, ordered a thousand of his most fearsome soldiers to find the legendary El Dorado - the lost city of gold. These men were never to return.

Now, 400 years later, an adventurous archeology professor and his students are exploring Mexico’s Baja Peninsula and unwittingly wake a long dormant curse. Confronted by Coronado’s long lost army - now a militia of skeleton warriors – the group find themselves in a life or death battle. But, how do you kill an army that is already dead?

DVD DETAILS:
RUNNING TIME: 89 mins approx
CERTIFICATE: 18
RRP: £12.99
SPECIAL FEATURES: None
CAT NO: KAL8088
BARCODE: 5060192810875

To win one of 3 DVDs answer the following:

What is the name of the Conquistador who controls an army of the dead in this film?

Answers to carl@unrated.co.uk by 20th September 2010.

“A MASTERPIECE… PERHAPS THE MOST UNDERRATED HORROR MOVIE OF THE 1980s.” – KIM NEWMAN.

Having already wowed horror fans with superlative releases of ‘Day Of The Dead’, ‘Martin’ and ‘City Of The Living Dead’ earlier this year, Arrow Video continues its commitment to presenting the ultimate, must-have editions of horror cinema’s greatest cult classics on DVD and Blu-ray with its forthcoming 30th Anniversary release of Dario Argento’s INFERNO. Never before available on DVD or Blu-ray in the UK, this 30th Anniversary Edition features a brand new, restored, uncut version of the film and comes complete with a host of unique and exclusive extras, many of which were specially commissioned for this release. Also included are four sleeve art options, a double-sided poster, an exclusive collector’s booklet written by Alan Jones (author of ‘Profondo Argento’) and six original poster art postcards.

Described by Argento as “a fairy tale designed for adults”, the second instalment of his ‘Three Mothers’ trilogy (and the follow up to his smash hit, ‘Suspiria’), Inferno “contains some of Argento’s most hallucinatory images and unforgettable set-pieces” (The Onion AV Club) and was listed as one of the 50 Greatest Horror Movies Of All Time by Total Film.

The film’s surreal plot concerns a young poetess, Rose Elliot (Irene Miracle), whose research into the history of her New York apartment building and its possible connection to the legendary witches known as ‘The Three Mothers’ results in a series of bizarre murders and a supernatural mystery of horrific proportions. Disturbed by a frantic phone call from Rose, her brother Mark (Leigh McCloskey) immediately flies home to New York from his studies in Rome only to find Rose’s apartment empty and very few clues as to her whereabouts. As he investigates his sister’s disappearance, Mark unwittingly moves closer and closer to a terrifying encounter with an ancient, powerful evil.

Starring Irene Miracle (Puppetmaster; Midnight Express), Daria Nicolodi (Phenomena; Tenebre), Leigh McCloskey (Dallas) and Ania Pieroni (Tenebre; The House By The Cemetery), boasting a truly bombastic score by Keith Emerson (of Emerson, Lake And Palmer fame) and featuring some of the most unforgettable images from any of Argento’s works, INFERNO is a must-see for horror fans and an essential companion piece to ‘Suspiria’.

The 30th Anniversary Edition of Inferno (cert. 18) will be released as a two-disc DVD (£15.99) and a two-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo (£22.99) by Arrow Video on 13th September 2010.

Special Features include: Introduction by star Daria Nicolodi; ‘Dario’s Inferno’ featurette; ‘Acting In Hot Water – An Interview With Daria Nicolodi’; ‘The Other Mother: Making The Black Cat’ – director Luigi Cozzi discusses his rarely seen, totally unofficial 1989 ‘sequel’ to Inferno; ‘X Marks The Spot – Argento Remembers Bava’ (Easter Egg); Dario Argento and Lamberto Bava discuss Inferno; ‘Dario Argento: An Eye For Horror’ – documentary on Argento’s career narrated by Mark Kermode and including interviews with George A. Romero, John Carpenter and others; The Complete Dario Argento Trailer Gallery; Q&A with star Irene Miracle, composer Keith Emerson and author Tim Lucas filmed at LA’s New Beverly Cinema in 2009 (Blu-ray only); English 5.1 Dolby Digital and Stereo and Italian Mono audio options; 5.1 DTS audio option (Blu-ray only); optional English subtitles; four sleeve art options; double sided poster; exclusive collector’s booklet; six original poster art postcards.

We have one DVD set and 2 Blu-ray sets to give away to the readers who can answer the following

What was the title of Argento’s third film in the "Three Mothers" trilogy?

Answers to carl@unrated.co.uk by 16th September, 2010.

State whether you prefer a Blu-ray of DVD in the email.

Winner of Best Film at the 2009 annual International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival, the tense and bloody horror movie TWELVE adds a brand new recruit to the hallowed ranks of memorable screen psycho killers that include Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees and Leatherface and introduces a future Hollywood Scream Queen-in-the-making in the form of impressive newcomer Emily Hardy starring in her debut feature.

Written and directed by Michael A. Nickles (Just Peck; Desert Winds) and starring familiar genre favourites Mercedes McNab (Hatchet; Angel; Buffy The Vampire Slayer), Nick Searcy (Timber Falls; The Dead Girl), Steven Brand (Mistresses; Hellsing), Jeremy Fitzgerald (Star Trek), Josh Nuncio (I <3 Vampires) and former Family Of The Year vocalist, Vanessa Long (I’m On Fire; You Don’t Mess With The Zohan), TWELVE brings a sly wit to a gruesome tale that delivers plenty of gore for horror fans to get their teeth into, including an unexpected exploding head, a very unpleasant tongue removal sequence and some rather graphic scenes of human skin peeling, amongst other things.

Five years after being convicted for the abuse of a minor, Leonard Karlsson (Fitzgerald) is released from prison bearing a hideously disfigured face, the result of the routine beatings regularly handed out by fellow prisoners to those guilty of crimes against children. Scarred and barely recognizable, Karlsson conceals his wounds beneath a bizarre mask and returns to the remote, Arizona desert town in which his trial was held, determined to settle the score with the dozen jury members responsible for his incarceration.

Unaware of Karlsson’s release and of their own terrifying connection to several out of town serial killings, friends and fellow diner waitresses Claire (Hardy) and Vicki (McNab) enlighten their humdrum lives with dreams of upping their roots and moving to LA. But when an FBI agent (Brand) in town investigating the murders goes missing along with several of the local townsfolk, the two friends realize that the man whose fate they decided five years ago is about to decide theirs… and if they’re lucky, it’ll only be a death sentence.

Following the tradition of ‘stalk and slash’ classics ‘Halloween’ and ‘Friday the 13th’, TWELVE adds new dimensions to the proceedings with a witty script, sympathetic characters and a shrewd killer who thinks fast, moves fast and is armed with more than just a big knife.

TWELVE (cert. 18) will be released on DVD (£12.99) by Chelsea Films on 27th September 2010

To win one of three DVDs simply answer te following:

What is the name of the serial killer in TWELVE?

Answers to carl@unrated.co.uk by 27th Sept. 2010.

From the studio that had terrified you with Stephen King’s The Mist and Teeth comes the new edge-of-your-seat thriller BURNING BRIGHT. Trapped in a house with a ravenous tiger during a hurricane, a young woman must decide whether or not to sacrifice her younger brother to save her own skin. When 20 year old Kelly (Briana Evigan) wakes late at night during a hurricane, she finds a hungry tiger stalking her through her home. With every door and window boarded up from the outside and her stepfather nowhere to be found, Kelly fights frantically to stay one step ahead of the killer beast. Torn between protecting her autistic brother Tom and saving herself from a brutal mauling, Kelly’s situation becomes more complicated and desperate at every terrifying turn. Briana Evigan, the stunning star of (SORORITY ROW), leads a strong young cast supported by newcomer Charlie Tahan as her vulnerable disabled brother and Garret Dillahunt (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, THE ROAD) her step-father. BURNING BRIGHT also boasts a star turn from hell-raising rocker Meat Loaf as the trader who finds a home for the savage Bengali tiger.

The footage of the tiger was shot within the house; no animatronics, no tricks – this tiger is very real and very hungry.

A roaring and engaging ride with a unique concept and suspenseful plot, BURNING BRIGHT is this year’s adrenalin-pumped thriller that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat till its bloody finale.

BURNING BRIGHT is released on DVD on 6th September. It receives a big screen debut at this year’s FRIGHTFEST over the August bank holiday.

We have 5 copies of the DVD to give away to the readers who can answer the following:

Name the rock star who stars in BURNING BRIGHT?

Answers to carl@unrated.co.uk by September 3rd, 2010.

Trailer Links WMV - http://www.yousendit.com/download/T1VuV28xUnJtNEkwTVE9PQ

MOV - http://www.yousendit.com/download/T1VuV28wdkczMWxjR0E9PQ

(C) 2009 SOBINI FILMS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

On 23 August the BFI releases Jack Clayton’s THE INNOCENTS (1961) on Blu-ray. An intensely unsettling experience, it is widely considered to be one of the greatest of all ghost stories on film. This Blu-ray release contains numerous special features including a full feature commentary by Professor Christopher Frayling.

In the performance of her career, Deborah Kerr plays Miss Giddens, an emotionally repressed vicar’s daughter, who becomes the guardian of two, apparently angelic, orphans at a secluded stately home. When the apparitions of a late governess and her sadistic lover manifest themselves to Miss Giddens, she determines to save her young charges from their ghostly evil. But just who is corrupting whom?

THE INNOCENTS' sinister atmosphere is carefully created through its cinematography, soundtrack, and decor: Freddie Francis’s beautiful CinemaScope photography, with its eerily indistinct long shots and mysterious manifestations at the edges of the frame; an evocative and spooky soundtrack; and the grand yet decaying Bly House.

Full details are attached. Review copies are expected to be in around next Weds 21 July. Due to holidays, please let me know asap if you would like to see this film.

NB. This is a Blu-ray only release as the BFI released THE INNOCENTS on DVD in 2006.

Assault On Precinct 13’ meets ‘Dawn Of The Dead’ in THE HORDE, the latest addition to the ever-rising wave of superlative French horror cinema. Winner of the International Fantasy Film Awards for Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography at the 2010 Fantasporto International Film Festival, this impressive debut feature from writing-directing team Yannick Dahan and Benjamin Rocher is a must-see for zombie movie fans, not least because it features some of the most awesome, edge-of-your-seat, close-combat human versus zombie beat-downs ever committed to film.

When a high-ranking and well-respected police detective is found murdered by a gang of homicidal mobsters, a small group of his closest colleagues on the force take it upon themselves to avenge his death vigilante-style. Heavily armed and determined to see justice done, they manage to infiltrate the upper floors of the suburban high-rise apartment block that serves as the criminals’ hideout. But during the raid things go wrong and the cops find themselves overcome by the gang, who take them prisoner and begin to torture them.

Meanwhile, one ground level, the gang’s lookout men become aware of a strange disturbance in the streets immediately surrounding the building, with the sounds of explosions and sirens filling the air. Incredibly, it becomes apparent that the commotion is being caused by ever-growing crowds of crazed people with a hunger for human flesh. It’s not long before the gang of criminals and their captive cops realize they are trapped together on the top floor of an unfortified building that is becoming rapidly infested with blood-thirsty legions of the living dead. Their only chance of making it to ground level and getting out of the situation alive is to join forces, but with their numbers dwindling and each side having a score to settle, the odds of survival really don’t look good for anyone with a pulse.

Starring Claude Perron (Chrysalis; Amelie), Eriq Ebouaney (Thirst; Transporter 3), Aurelien Récoing (Intimate Enemies) and Doudou Masta (Arthur And The Minimoys), THE HORDE is an action-packed, axe-swinging, gun-toting, ass-kicking zombie flick that pulls out all the stops to breathe refreshing new life into the genre.

THE HORDE (Momentum Pictures) will be released in UK cinemas from 17th September 2010.

Not sure whether we need this or not? but here’s the skinny for those who enjoy such things...

Zombie Strippers’ meets ‘The Evil Dead’ Japanese style in BIG TITS ZOMBIE, an insane horror-comedy that delivers everything the title promises and much, much more… and all in eye-popping, in-your-face 3D!

Written and directed by Takao Nakano, the man who brought you ‘Sexual Parasite: Killer Pussy’, ‘Sumo Vixens’ and the ‘ExorSister’ movies, Big Tits Zombie is based on Rei Mikamoto’s infamous manga, ‘Kyonyu Dragon’, and stars legendary Japanese porn idols Sola Aoi and Risa Kasumi, the hugely popular pin-up model, Mari Sakurai, and controversial comedian, Minoru Torihada.

Recently returned to Japan from a stint in Mexico, exotic dancer Lena Jodo (Aoi) gets what she hopes will be a temporary gig dancing at a run-down hot springs resort in a deserted suburban town. Her fellow strippers – Ginko (Kasumi), Maria (Sakuri), Nene (Tamayo) and Dana (Io Aikawa) – seem to spend most of their downtime sitting around bitching at each other, until one afternoon, after discovering a hidden door in their dressing room, they decide to break the monotony by venturing into the club’s basement. There, they unearth a mysterious well and, nearby, a dusty volume that Maria declares is a rare copy of the Book of the Dead.

Reading aloud from the tome, Maria inadvertently summons the dead back to life and soon Japan is overrun by rampaging flesh-eaters. For the strippers, however, that’s of no interest. For the time being, at least, the only zombies they are worried about are those who have descended upon their club and are ready to chow down on their bare, tasty and voluptuous bodies. What’s worse, though, is that Maria, on discovering she has the power to control the undead as her slaves, has gone power mad and is intent on ruling the world with the help of her zombie army. Arming themselves with some swords and chainsaws that are handily lying around, the remaining busty babes are forced to employ their formidable ass-kicking skills in a fight to the un-death!

Chainsaw-wielding cowgirls, bloody decapitations, eyeball lollipops, zombie sushi, human buffets, samurai sword slashing strippers, gratuitous nudity, the most inappropriate flame thrower ever and a gorgeous Goth-Lolita villain who is literally to die for are just a few of the delights on offer in Big Tits Zombie, which comes to DVD as a single disc release featuring both 2D and 3D versions of the movie.

BIG TITS ZOMBIE 3D (cert. 18) will be released on DVD (£14.99) by Terracotta Distribution on 11th October 2010.

Special Features include: cast interviews; ‘Making of’ featurette; deleted scenes; photo gallery; trailers.

‘Saw’ and ‘Hostel’ meet Columbine High School Massacre-inspired movies such as ‘Elephant’, ‘Zero Day’ and ‘The Class’ in THE FINAL, the debut feature from director Joey Stewart and starring Marc Donato (White Oleander; Pay It Forward), Jascha Washington (Big Momma’s House 2; Last Holiday), Travis Tedford (The Little Rascals) and Julin (Sweatshop).

A brutal, unflinching and shockingly violent portrayal of a small group of geeks’ systematic revenge against their bullying jock, cheerleader and prom queen tormenters, this psychological horror film “crackles with a mean-spirited energy that borders on the psychotic” (MovieCynics.com).

Tired of being one of several victims of a routine of endless bullying by the high school jocks and their socially superior girlfriends, awkward student Dane (Donato) decides to turn the tables and plots to avenge the years of humiliation to which he has been subjected. Leading a small group of similarly victimized outcasts, Dane, driven by the group’s deadly vendetta and his own suicidal tendencies, secretly organizes a must-attend fancy dress party at a remote farm house left to him by his late uncle.

With their prospective victims collected together in one place, all the geeks need to do is spike the punch, put restraints on the unfortunate, drugged partygoers and begin a long night of retribution that is certain to leave several of the guests if not dead, then at least scarred for life, both emotionally and physically…

Featuring novel if somewhat inappropriate uses for cattle prods and stun guns, gardening shears, acupuncture needles and a specially formulated skin cream you wouldn’t want to leave on for too long, THE FINAL is a horror movie aimed fairly and squarely at viewers with very strong nerves and comes with a BBFC warning to consumers "contains strong sadistic violence".

THE FINAL (cert. 18) is released by Chelsea Films and will open at selected UK cinemas on 13th August 2010.

From Yohei Fukuda, the controversial director of the crowd-pleasing action-horror flick ‘Chanbara Beauty’ and the outrageous shocker ‘Grotesque’, comes Tokyo Gore School, in which Fukuda uses a violent teen action-drama to address the provocative subjects of bullying, teen violence, underground websites and data protection.

For high schooler Fujiwara, everything in life seems to be going according to plan. He’s good-looking, popular, doing well in his studies and, most importantly, is a good fighter and is therefore able to avoid the attentions of any bullies looking for trouble.

His idyll suddenly ends, however, when he is unexpectedly attacked by a group of fellow students, seemingly without any provocation. His investigation into the attack leads him to the discovery of a series of underground websites linking to known social networking sites and to a mysterious and very violent game that is being spread through the students’ mobile phone networks.

Forced against his will to join in the game in order to prevent his deepest and darkest personal secret from being revealed to the entire school, Fujiwara becomes a key part of a puzzle that is becoming deadlier by the hour. Soon, he is involved in a fight for his life for reasons still unknown to him. But the terrifying truth is about to be revealed…

Echoing the themes of ‘Battle Royale’ and ‘Lord Of The Flies’, Tokyo Gore School adds modern communications technology, martial arts fighting and free running action to the mix for a compelling look at the escalation of, and problems caused by bullying and teen violence in modern day Japan.

Tokyo Gore School (cert. 18, tbc) will be released on DVD (£15.99) by Manga Entertainment on 16th August 2010.

We have 3 DVDs to give away to the reader who can answer the following:

Which torture porn feature, directed by Yohei Fukuda was banned by the BBFC earlier this year?

Answers to carl@unrated.co.uk by August 15th, 2010.

Based on the legendary multi-volume manga series created by Japanese artist and essayist Sanpei Shirato in 1964, directed by Yoichi Sai (Blood And Bones; Doing Time; All Under The Moon) and scripted by Sai and Kankuro Kudo (Zebraman; Ping Pong; Go), KAMUI: THE LONE NINJA comes to the screen as a live-action, special effects-laden extravaganza that perfectly captures the spirit and flavour of Shirato’s original vision.

A high-spirited adventure involving deadly ninjas, fierce warrior clans, treacherous pirates and fearless shark hunters, KAMUI: THE LONE NINJA boasts a star-studded cast that features some of Asian cinema’s hottest talent, including Ken’ichi Matsuyama (the Death Note trilogy), Koyuki (Blood: The Last Vampire; Kitaro), Koichi Sato (Sukiyaki Western Django; Starfish Hotel), Ekin Cheng (Storm Warriors; Divergence), Yuta Kanai (Death Note: L Change The World) and Suzuka Ohgo (Memoirs Of A Geisha).

It is 17th century Japan and from a young age Kamui has been considered something of an outcast, even within his own ninja clan. Disillusioned with the laws and principles, which dictate that he must use his skills to kill others, Kamui chooses to leave his past behind him and go in search of true freedom. But for a ninja liberation comes at a price and the only way to escape the bonds of the ninja brotherhood is to die.

Now a fugitive on the run from his clan, who are determined to hunt him down and eliminate him for his betrayal, Kamui finds himself constantly fighting for his life and unable to trust anyone. He eventually finds some solace when he meets an indomitable fisherman who saves his life and invites him to settle with his family. Unexpectedly, the arrangement brings Kamui face to face with a long-forgotten nemesis of his, another renegade ninja with a deadly score to settle. Meanwhile, the ninja army hunting Kamui is setting a trap from which there can be no escape… Remaining faithful to its source material, Kamui: The Lone Ninja is a thrilling fantasy-adventure, full of martial arts action and spectacular set-pieces that vividly bring Sanpei Shirato’s unique manga images to life in dazzling style.

KAMUI: THE LONE NINJA (cert. 15) will be released on DVD (£15.99) and Blu-ray (£19.99) by Manga Entertainment on 9th August 2010.

To win one of 3 x Blu-rays answer the following:

Which Japanese artist & writer originally created the KAMUI character in 1964?

Answers to carl@unrated.co.uk by 7th August.

http://onlinemoviepromo.com/newplayer.php?id=3728

Writer-director George A. Romero’s personal favourite of his own movies, Martin is a genuinely disturbing horror film that turns the traditional conventions of the vampire myth inside out and one which, at the time of its original release, reinvented the vampire movie genre. Now, Romero’s masterpiece comes to DVD as a special two disc release courtesy of Arrow Video featuring the original theatrical cut of the film (with 5.1 and Stereo audio options plus a choice of 16:9 and the Romero-recommended ‘Academy’ 4:3 aspect ratio presentations), the Italian cut of the film (reputedly edited by Dario Argento) and featuring music by Goblin, plus a host of other extra features.

Despite a lack of fangs, and having no aversion to daylight, garlic or crucifixes, insecure teenager Martin believes he is actually an 84-year-old vampire compelled to drink the blood of humans in order to survive. Martin’s belief is reinforced by his elderly uncle, Cuda, with whom he is sent to stay to work in his Pittsburgh grocery store. Cuda is convinced vampirism is part of their family curse and refers to Martin as ‘Nosferatu’, employing ineffective Old World defences in an attempt to keep the teenager at bay. Driven by his insatiable blood lust, the frustrated and confused Martin is forced to kill and feed, first drugging his victims to reduce their suffering before opening their veins with a razor blade. However, his inhuman desires are almost overcome when he begins an affair with a desperate older woman and he starts to question the validity of his self-belief.

An intelligent, modern day story of addiction, sexuality, and obsession given a unique vampire twist, Romero's film begins with a typically shocking opening scene that perfectly sets the tone for what is to come. Romero regular John Amplas (Creepshow; Day Of The Dead) gives an astonishing, sympathetic performance as the eponymous anti-hero, starring alongside the real-life Mrs. Romero, Christine Forrest (Dawn Of The Dead; Knightriders; Creepshow; Monkey Shines; The Dark Half), make-up wizard Tom Savini, and, as an ineffectual priest, the director himself.

Hugely underrated at the time of its release, Martin has now come to be accepted by many critics and horror fans as Romero's finest work to date. Martin (cert. 18) will be released on DVD (£15.99) by Arrow Video on 28th June 2010.

Special Features include: the original theatrical cut of the film with 5.1 and Stereo audio options plus a choice of 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratio presentations; ‘Wampyre’ – the Italian cut of the film, featuring Italian dialogue (with optional English subtitles) and musical score by Goblin; ‘Making Martin: A Recounting’; Documentary on George A. Romero; TV and radio spots; original theatrical trailer; photo gallery; four sleeve art options; double sided poster; exclusive collector’s booklet; six original poster art postcards.

To win one of three DVDs answer the following and email to carl@unrated.co.uk no later than July 8th

Who stars as the title character MARTIN?

From screenwriter Ryuhei Kitamura (director of ‘The Midnight Meat Train’ and writer-director of ‘Versus’) and director Tak Sakaguchi (the star of ‘Versus’ and fight choreographer for ‘Tokyo Gore Police’ and ‘Vampire Girl Vs. Frankenstein Girl’) comes SAMURAI ZOMBIE, a splatter-filled, genre blending, horror-comedy that delivers precisely what its title promises.

A vacationing family’s drive through the tranquil woods surrounding Eight Spears Village takes an unfortunate turn when their car hits a gun-toting man standing in the middle of the road. Suddenly, a young man and woman emerge from the woods and, after shooting the accident victim, proceed to car-jack the family taking them hostage in the process. The situation immediately goes from bad to worse when the car suffers a blowout and dad is sent off in search of a spare tyre or an alternative means of transport while his wife and two kids remain in the hands to the two apparent psychopaths.

Unfortunately, any sign of deliverance for dad, his family or their captors is a long way off. Before he can find help, a mysterious encounter with a rather large blade leaves the head of the family headless, precipitating a bloody rainfall and the resurrection of a long-dead samurai warrior with a mean streak and a score to settle. Meanwhile, back at the car, a derelict old hag appears before the stranded group with a dire but frighteningly convincing warning: “You’re all going to die!” Confirmation of this stark proclamation soon comes in the form of the undead warrior looking to add to his newly-begun collection of severed heads.

A highly recommended addition to the recent wave of Japanese extreme splatter movies, SAMURAI ZOMBIE sees director Sakaguchi and writer Kitamura playing for laughs and shocks in equal measure with a joyously demented zombie flick that includes scenes of explosive geyser-spouting decapitations, hilariously graphic dismemberment, wince-inducing oral castration and the introduction of a pair of bumbling cops with an amusing case of serious gun envy. Size, it appears, is everything.

SAMURAI ZOMBIE (cert. 18) will be released on DVD (£15.99) by MVM on 19th July 2010.

We have 3 copies of the DVD to give away to 3 winners who can answer the following:

Which film based on short story by Clive Barker directed by Ryuhei Kitamura?

Answers to carl@unrated.co.uk no later than 20th July, 2010

THE DINNER PARTY – a Dark, contemporary Australian thriller directed by Scott Murden and starring Lara Cox (Heartbreak High, Home & Away) will be released on DVD on 12th July, and we have 3 copies to give away as competition prizes.

Jealous and unstable, Angela (Lara Cox) plans a dinner party for her student friends - what they don’t know is that the night’s deadly entertainment is an extra serving of suicide and murder!

Determined to end her life after the final course, Angela’s friends watch as their hostess becomes obsessed with death. Soon they realise that not all of them will be leaving the table as Angela does not plan to die alone – the question is: who is she going to take with her?

Accepting an invite to dinner has never been more deadly as drugs, murder and suicide will make you think twice before returning that RSVP!

To win a copy email the answer to the folliwng to carl@unrated.co.uk no later than July 12th.

Which actress stars as deranged dinner host Angela in THE DINNER PARTY?

Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment have annunced the DVD release, on 28th June 2010, of Ozgur Uyanik’s RESURRECTING THE STREET WALKER, a UK-made faux documentary that tells the story of a wannabe filmmaker who finds the unfinished horror "The Street Walker" and becomes obsessed with completing it, sparking a horrific descent into madness.

Whilst documenting his life as a lowly intern, James Parker (James Powell - Swimming with Sharks) uncovers the long forgotten film, ‘The Street Walker’. Desperate to make a mark on the film industry and to prove his ever- doubting parents wrong, James endeavours to complete the unfinished horror movie, resulting in a murderous obsession. Delving into the past world of ‘snuffmovies’ and the modern trials and tribulations of internships and making it big, James’ genius and madness is captured on tape by friend and documentary maker Marcus (Tom Shaw - Skins, The Inbetweeners). Unbeknown to those around him James declines so far in to the fantasy world of Street Walker that he is unable to untangle himself from the mystery he uncovers whilst resurrecting the film relic. For James, the there is only one way out, and for some there is no escape...

The DVD is rated 18 and carries an RRP of £12.99. Special Features include: Deleted Scenes; Test Footage; Cast & Crew Interview; Audio Commentary.

To win one of three DVDs answer the following:

Which popular C4 show about wayward teens stars RESURRECTING THE STREET WALKER’s Tom Shaw?

Answers by email to carl@unrated.co.uk by 30th June, 2010

LIZARD IN A WOMAN’S SKIN receives the DVD star treatment from Optimum Classics and will be available on Region 2 UK from 7th June.

Carol Hammond (Florinda Bolkan, Una breve vacanza, The Damned, Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion) is a sophisticated politician’s daughter who experiences a series of vivid, psychedelic nightmares drenched in depraved sex orgies and LSD. The dreams turns into a nightmare featuring the death of her neighbour, Julia Dürer (Anita Strindberg, The Eroticist). The next day Julia is found brutally murdered in her own apartment.

The investigation, conducted by Inspector Corvin (Stanley Baker, The Guns of Navarrone, Zulu), leads to Carol’s arrest, however she is released after a mysterious man confesses to Scotland Yard that he is the murderer. Not convinced of Carol’s innocence, Corvin continues to investigate the murder and unearths new disturbing clues … Did Carol really do it or is she being framed? Where do her dreams end and reality begin?

This thriller from Lucio Fulci (Perversion Story, The Eroticist) is acclaimed as a masterpiece of the Italian giallo thriller genre and its psychedelic Ennio Morricone score ranks among the best of Il Maestro’s work.

Extras: Trailer. Italian audio.

Tech specs: R/T: 100 mins / Aspect ratio: 1.78:1 / Region: 2 / Pal / English audio / Mono / Colour / Catalogue number: OPTD 1742 / Cert: 15 / Price: £19.99

*In order to produce the most complete version of the film ever available on DVD, shots have had to be inserted from different sources. In some places only Italian audio is known to exist, in which case we have retained and subtitled the scenes. The restoration has been overseen by acclaimed film writer Marc Morris (The Art of the Nasty).

The debut feature written, produced and directed by award winning comic book creator and writer and founder of Chaos Comics, Brian Pulido (whose works include ‘Lady Death’, ‘Evil Ernie’ and ‘Purgatori’), THE GRAVES is a gory, blood-soaked shocker that begins in the ‘survival horror’ vein of films such as ‘Wrong Turn’, ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’, ‘Staunton Hill’, ‘House Of 1000 Corpses’ and ‘Timber Falls’ before unleashing an unexpected supernatural twist. A real crowdpleaser at LA’s After Dark Horrorfest in January 2010, the film stars horror genre veterans Bill Moseley (Halloween; Grindhouse; The Devil’s Rejects), Tony Todd (The Rock; Candyman) and Amanda Wyss (A Nightmare On Elm Street; Fast Times At Ridgemont High), alongside relative newcomers and future ‘scream queens’ in the making, Jillian Murray(Cheerleader Camp; Fifty Pills) and Clare Grant (Black Snake Moan; Walk The Line).

Attractive, self-assured ass-kicker Megan Graves (Grant) and her cute, Goth, kid sister, Abby (Murray), are inseparable siblings with a mutual love of comics, pop culture and rock and roll. Sadly, the offer of a job in New York means Megan will soon be moving east and leaving Abby behind. As a final send off before Megan’s departure, the pair decides to go on a wild road trip through the uncharted areas of the Arizona desert in search of kitschy roadside attractions. The journey leads them to Skull City and its abandoned mine, rumoured to be haunted and harbouring terrifying secrets. Shortly after arriving at the dubious tourist trap, the sisters witness the brutal killings of a group of fellow visitors and soon find themselves the targets of a band of psychotic locals with a keen interest in torture, mutilation and murder. But there is far more to the perceived terrors that threaten the lives of Megan and Abby than meets the eye. In their desperate bid to escape Skull City, they fall into the hands of Reverend Abraham Stockton (Todd) and the followers of The Church of the Devout Ascension. There, they discover there are far worse things to fear than death.

THE GRAVES (cert. 18) will be released on DVD (£15.99) by Anchor Bay Entertainment on 31st May 2010. Special Features include: introduction to the feature by director Brian Pulido; audio commentary by Brian Pulido and cinematographer Adam Goldfine; behind the scenes interviews; Tattoos video; Spot the Gnome; Tour of Vulture City; VCM News piece; LD comic; Mischief Night comic; Making Fun of a Bad Special Effect; Clare Grant – Faces and Botched Takes; bloopers; photo gallery; marketing materials gallery.

We have 3 DVDs up for grabs. To win a copy answer the following.

Amanda Wyss appeared in which classic Wes Craven horror movie that launched a franchise?

Answers to carl@unrated.co.uk by June 4th 2010.

Optimum Classics will be releasing Lucio Fulci’s acclaimed LIZARD IN A WOMAN’S SKIN to region 2 UK DVD on June 7th.

Carol Hammond (Florinda Bolkan), is a sophisticated politician’s daughter who experiences a series of vivid, psychedelic nightmares drenched in depraved sex orgies and LSD. The dreams turns into a nightmare featuring the death of her neighbour, Julia Dürer (Anita Strindberg). The next day Julia is found brutally murdered in her own apartment.

The investigation, conducted by Inspector Corvin (Stanley Baker), leads to Carol’s arrest, however she is released after a mysterious man confesses to Scotland Yard that he is the murderer. Not convinced of Carol’s innocence, Corvin continues to investigate the murder and unearths new disturbing clues … Did Carol really do it or is she being framed? Where do her dreams end and reality begin?

This thriller from Lucio Fulci is acclaimed as a masterpiece of the Italian giallo thriller genre and its psychedelic Ennio Morricone score ranks among the best of Il Maestro’s work.

Extras: Trailer. Italian audio.

Tech specs: R/T: 100 mins / Aspect ratio: 1.78:1 / Region: 2 / Pal / English audio / Mono / Colour / Catalogue number: OPTD 1742 / Cert: 18 / Price: £19.99

*In order to produce the most complete version of the film ever available on DVD, shots have had to be inserted from different sources. In some places only Italian audio is known to exist, in which case we have retained and subtitled the scenes. The restoration has been overseen by acclaimed film buff Marc Morris (The Art of the Nasty).

In addition there will be two cinematic screenings that take place at Sheffield Showroom, 27th May, as part of Celluloid Screams, and also at Bradford Pictureville, 4th June, as part of the Fantastic Films weekend.

The world’s fascination with serial killers has spawned hundreds of fictional madmen in novels and feature films such as SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, SEVEN, KISS THE GIRLS and THE BONE COLLECTOR. None are more notorious than Thomas Harris’ diabolical creation Dr Hannibal Lecter. However, before Lecter, there were a select group of real life monsters that terrorized our neighbourhoods: Ted Bundy, Albert Fish, Jeffrey Dahmer, Andrei Chikatilo and John Wayne Gacy. Between them, they claimed over 150 lives.

SERIAL KILLERS: THE REAL LIFE HANNIBAL LECTERS is released by Stax Entertainment on June 7th, 2010 and we’ve got three copies to tgive away. To win answer the following:

Which of the serial killers featured in the film once entertained children dressed as a clown?

Answer to carl@unrated.co.uk by June 10th 2010

Get ready for the most unashamedly over-the-top and deliriously inventive cinematic experience of your life, as the Japanese masters of movie mayhem achieve a brand new level of jaw-dropping craziness.

To help them achieve their goal of taking over the world, a megalomaniac Japanese businessman and his son recruit a vicious gang of Geisha assassins. These include two feisty sisters with an amazing range of surgically added weapons.

But when one of these Robo-Geishas refuses to kill an innocent group of ex-employees, its butt-blades versus wig napalm and machine breasts against killer-cleaver socks as the assassins take on the Geisha’s in one of the most mind-bending movie battles of all time. Throw in the buildings that bleed, the Giant Castle Robot and the Breast Milk From Hell, and you have a wonderfully insane Kamikaze movie that will have you laughing out loud!

Robo-Geisha (cert. tbc) will be released on DVD (£15.99) and Blu-ray (£24.99) by Cine Asia on 7th June 2010. Special Features include: DTS HD Master Audio Japanese 4.0 Audio Track (Blu-ray only); Dolby Digital Japanese 2.0 Audio Track; optional English Subtitles; Trailer Gallery; Original Trailer.

The debut feature from French writer and director David Morlet, Mutants is a gripping movie that takes the traditional Zombie genre milieu (Morlet took his inspiration from "28 Weeks Later" and the films of David Cronenberg) and introduces some interesting themes, twists and turns to make it a stand-out among the Zombie crowd.

In a world devastated by a pandemic virus that turns human beings into primitive and bloodthirsty creatures, the last hope for survivors is the military station 'Noah' where scientists are researching the cure. Marco (Francis Renaud) and Sonia (Hélène De Fougerolles) set off to find the secret base to escape from the 'mutants'. When they are attacked Marco becomes contaminated and little by little begins to undergo the same changes as the other creatures. Sonia, pregnant with her first child, must somehow fight off the hordes and force herself to fight the man she once loved. Marking David Morlet as a director to watch, MUTANTS is an extraordinary debut that features stunning film sets, top-notch special effects and make-up, and stand-out performances from the lead actors. MUTANTS begins with a bang and builds to a fantastic climax that will leave viewers wanting more!

Mutants (cert. 18) will be released on DVD (£15.99) by Momentum Pictures on 10th May 2010.

Winner of the New Visions Award at the 2009 Sitges International Film Festival and the Best International Feature Award at the 2009 Lund International Fantastic Film Festival (Sweden), Van Diemen’s Land, the debut feature from writer-director Jonathan auf der Heide, tells the grisly true story of Australia’s most notorious convict, Alexander Pearce, and his infamous escape into the beautiful yet brutal island of the title, which is known today as Tasmania.

An expanded, feature-length version of Jonathan auf der Heide’s earlier short, “Hell’s Gates”, based on Pearce’s confessions, Van Diemen’s Land was co-written by the film’s star, Oscar Redding(The Secret Life Of Us), and co-stars Arthur Angel (Ghost Rider), Paul Ashcroft (Salem’s Lot),Mark Leonard Winter (Balibo) and Torquil Neilson (The Secret Life Of Us). A point of no return for convicts banished from their homeland for repeated crimes, Van Diemen’s Land was a feared and dreaded penal settlement situated in the most remote and unexplored region of the British Empire. The entrance to its station of secondary punishment, Macquarie Harbour, was named ’Hell’s Gates’ by its prisoners, with the legend “Abandon all hope ye who enter here” posted on a sign at the harbour’s mouth as a warning to all the souls sent there.

In 1822, eight convicts escaped Macquarie Harbour in a fateful bid for freedom. Led by ex-sailor and experienced navigator Robert Greenhill, this band of Irish, English and Scottish thieves was immediately hurled into chaos as their plans to escape the island by boat failed and they were thrust into the heart of a harsh and unforgiving terrain. With little in the way of food or equipment, the men struggled to survive in the barren land. As their limited supplies began to run out, exhaustion and hunger combined to drive the men to madness, leading them to contemplate the unthinkable.

A dark, brooding and densely atmospheric tale reflecting Australia’s true colonial heritage, Van Diemen’s Land is an assured and impressive debut feature by a young new director who will almost certainly prove to be a name to watch in future.

Van Diemen’s Land (cert. 15) will be released on DVD (£12.99) by High Fliers Films on 24th May 2010.

http://onlinemoviepromo.com/newplayer.php?id=3547

March 22nd sees the release of 3 classic Argento movies in repackaged format with a plethora of extras.

THE CARD PLAYER sees Italian horror maestro Dario Argento moving into classic detective thriller territory in what is generally considered to be his most commercially accessible work to date. This innovative, modern day thriller highlighted by a dazzling set-piece set around a breathtaking ‘cat and mouse’ chase between Anna and the film’s eponymous killer.



 THE STENDHAL SYNDROME is considered by many to be a remarkable return to vintage form for the Italian master of suspense and terror, the atmospheric and chilling study of the effects of insanity and violence, The film is full of the dazzling cinematic style and technical wizardry audiences have come to expect from Dario Argento. Special Features include: double sided sleeve featuring new artwork; exclusive collector’s booklet; poster; Dario Argento trailer gallery; theatrical trailer; English 5.1 and Italian 5.1 audio options.

TERROR OF THE OPERA is the last of the great horror masterpieces from Argento’s greatest and most critically acclaimed period of filmmaking to date, This gore-laden masterpiece comes to DVD in March as a special edition featuring two edits of the film and three separate audio dubs, including the infamous English language ‘Cannes Film Festival dub’ and the ‘studio approved dub’ that replaced it.

All three films will be released on DVD (15.99) by Arrow Video on 22nd March 2010.

To win one of two sets, simply answer the following:

Who plays the part of Anna Manni in Argento’s THE STENDHAL SYNDROME?

Ansers to carl@unrated.co.uk by March 31st, 2010

For those in the London area, there's a special first night screening this Friday (19th March)and Q&A Special for Lawrence Gough's SALVAGE at the Curzon Soho, London, on Friday 19th March starting at 6.30pm.

The film will be introduced by director Lawrence Gough and the UK / US distributors Revolver Entertainment, and there will be a Q&A session immediately after the screening with cast and crew as below;

- Lawrence Gough (Director)
- Neve McIntosh (Lead Actress - and winner of two Best Actress awards for the film at Fantastic Fest 2009 and Fantasporto 2010)
- Shaun Dooley (Lead Actor - Eden Lake, Married Single Other)
- Alan Pattison (Associate Producer)

To book tickets, visit the official Curzon website at www.curzoncinemas.com or call the Box Office on 0871 703 3988

here's the trailer of the film: http://onlinemoviepromo.com/newplayer.php?id=3548

Also visit the official website at www.salvagethefilm.com

Unrated's review of the film can be accessed on the reviews page.

The Icelandic film industry’s first ever bona fide foray into in-your-face exploitation horror movie territory, HARPOON: THE REYKJAVIK WHALE WATCHING MASSACRE is a blackly comic and supremely gory affair that has led David Hayles of The Times to claim, “it’s tourists versus deranged whalers in this fright flick that’ll make you scream and blubber.”

Having recently been given a rapturously reception by a rabid audience of appreciative horror fans attending a sold out screening at the Glasgow Film Festival’s Annual Frightfest, HARPOON: THE REYKJAVIK WHALE WATCHING MASSACRE comes to DVD in May 2010 courtesy of E1 Entertainment and promises to be one of the most talked about horror releases of the year.

HARPOON: THE REYKJAVIK WHALE WATCHING MASSACRE (cert. 18) will be released on DVD (£12.99) by E1 Entertainment on 10th May 2010.

Trailer:

http://onlinemoviepromo.com/newplayer.php?id=3568

The latest production from Andrew Copp is CHURCH OF THE EYES an experimental, rock and roll, horror, return to his roots ala THE MUTILATION MAN and BLACK SUN. Written by Andrew Copp and Kevin Jones with some additional material by Nick Williams the movie is a trip into the heart of spiritual decay and madness as one man confronts mortality. A young man experiences deep loss as his girlfriend dies in a car crash, as he falls deeper into depression and sorrow, he decides the only way out it is to simply find God and kill him in retaliation for taking away all that he has loved. The project was conceived by musician Keven Jones as a vehicle for his music imprint SWINEBURNER and has developed into a beast all its own.

Andy explains "While the movie is set to start shooting the end of April 2010 we are still nowhere near were we need to be funds wise. Due to the economy two thirds of the saved money that was going towards the budget was lost (thanks lost jobs and GM faulty cars!) and we are simply not willing to forgo shooting another year, as we have postponed that long already. We need to raise a substantial amount to do this right. We can get started on what we have and make an okay movie. But if we can raise some decent money we can make the movie we NEED to make."

"This is where you THE FANS come in. We are asking for your help. Coppfilms has always been pretty quiet when it comes to this sort of thing, but we are asking this time. We are asking for the fans to donate some money towards this production to get it going properly."

For further details and how to donate go to:-

http://coppfilms.weebly.com/church-investors.html

Star of the hit TV series ‘The Mentalist’, Simon Baker (The Devil Wears Prada; Land Of The Dead) heads an impressive cast that includes Paz Vega (The Spirit; The Human Contract; Spanglish), Chloe Moretz (Kick Ass; (500) Days Of Summer; Dirty Sexy Money) and Claire Forlani (CSI: NY) in Not Forgotten, a stylish and atmospheric mystery-thriller packed with suspense and hints of the supernatural.

Successful businessman Jack Bishop (Baker) lives a seemingly perfect life in a peaceful town of Del Rio, Texas with his 11-year-old daughter, Toby (Moretz), and beautiful new wife, Amaya (Vega). But Jack’s past holds a dark secret that he hides not only from his family and friends but also from himself. When Toby goes missing, feared kidnapped, during one of her regular junior football team practices, Jack suspects that the transgressions of his former life have returned to haunt him. Desperate in his search to find his daughter, he is compelled to turn to his long forgotten faith in the powers of La Santa Meurte and her followers, the protectors of the sinner and worshippers of the dead. Meanwhile, the more conventional investigation into Toby’s disappearance is being led by an insecure, newly appointed local sheriff and a pair of FBI agents who initially believe a repeated sex offender may be responsible.

Jack’s own search takes him across the border and into the squalid barrios and seedy brothels of a Mexican border town, where a psychic reveals the secrets of his forgotten past in terrifying detail. As various dark truths are unearthed, an unexpected web of lies, deceit, murder and revenge conspires to destroy Jack by threatening the lives of those he loves the most.

An engrossing and finely performed thriller, Not Forgotten will keep viewers on edge right up to its shocking and totally unexpected denouement.

Not Forgotten (cert. 18) will be released on DVD (£15.99) by Anchor Bay Entertainment on 15th March 2010.

To win one of three DVDs simply answer the following:-

Which George A. Romero Zombie film did star Simon Baker appear in?

Answers to carl@unrated.co.uk by 12th March 2010

Prepare yourself for a racy riot of buxom brawling babes, ballistic bedlam, crazed catfights and gratuitous sapphic romps in Bitch Slap, a sassy celebration and post-modern parody of 1950s, 60s and 70s exploitation movies. Imagine ‘Sin City’ produced by Roger Corman, directed by Russ Meyer – and shot in glorious Technicolor rather than dull monochrome! – and you’ll have some idea of what Bitch Slap is all about.

Directed by Corman protégé Rick Jacobson, starring a trio of titillating temptresses in the form ofJulia Voth (Love Hurts), Erin Cummings (Dollhouse; Dante’s Cove) and America Olivo(Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen; Friday the 13th; Iron Man), and co-starring ‘Xena/Hercules’ alumni Michael Hurst, Kevin Sorbo, Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor, along with Quentin Tarantino’s stunt woman of choice Zoe Bell (Inglourious Basterds; Death Proof; Kill Bill), this is pure, sexy, mindless cinematic joy from sensational start to explosive finish. The plot follows three badass chicks – stripper Trixie (Voth), corporate powerbroker Hel (Cummings)and psychotic drug-runner Camero (Olivo) – as they crash at a remote desert hideaway with a plan to steal $200 million in diamonds from a ruthless underworld kingpin. But as allegiances change and bitter truths are revealed, the girls’ plan spirals dangerously out of control, forcing them to face a variety of villains much worse than themselves and leaving the very fate of the world in the balance.

Bitch Slap (cert.18 will be released on DVD (£15.99) by Momentum Pictures on 19th April 2010.

DVD Extras include a 94 minutes Making of documentary.

Described by the media as “thrilling” (Bizarre), “scary and believable” (Sci-Fi London), and “a seriously shocking chiller for our times” (Alan Jones, Frightfest), Salvage, the stunning debut feature from director Lawrence Gough, is a brand new British horror film that redefines the genre with a strong female heroine and a topical plot that positions the terror right on our doorstep.

Written by Colin O’Donnell (Hollyoaks) and starring Neve Mcintosh (Gormenghast), Shaun Dooley (Eden Lake), Linzey Cocker (Wild Child), Trevor Hancock (Behind Closed Doors), Dean Andrews (Life on Mars), Kevin Harvey (Everyone Loves Sunshine), Paul Opacic (Bad Girls) and Shahid Ahmed (28 Weeks Later), the film has already thrilled audiences at the London Frightfest, the Edinburgh Film Festival and at Texas’s prestigious Fantastic Fest where the film’s star Neve Mcintosh was rewarded with the Best Horror Actress Award.

It’s Christmas Eve and a quiet cul-de-sac is suddenly plunged into a world of violence, terror and paranoia when a group of heavily armed military personnel storms the area, sealing off the close and ordering the residents at gunpoint to retreat inside their homes.

Unsure if this is the first sign of a terrorist attack, or something worse, one local single mother, Beth (Neve Mcintosh), finds it in herself to fight to save her estranged daughter, Jodie (Linzey Cocker), who is visiting her for the holiday but is now stranded across the street in a neighbour’s house. However, with growing dread, the trapped residents soon discover that the imminent threat is far more monstrous than any of them could possibly imagine. Only one thing is certain… survival is no longer guaranteed.

Shot by Director of Photography Simon Tindall (Bright Star; The Queen, 28 Days Later) on location in and around Merseyside and on the set once used for the popular TV drama series ‘Brookside’, this highly effective shocker is one of the best British horror movies to come along in years.

Salvage (cert. 18) is released by Revolver Entertainment and will open at selected UK cinemas on 19th March 2010 as well as being available on Sky Box Office, iTunes, FilmFlex and LOVEFilM on the same day.

To win 1 of 3 copies of the DVD please answer the following:

Which actor plays the part of local single mother, Beth in SALVAGE?

answers to carl@unrated.co.uk no later than 18th February, 2010.

If classic and cult British films - from Alfie to Performance, from The Devils to Withnail and I - are your cup of tea, then this indispensable guide to a previously uncharted, alternative history of British cinema is for you.

In an all-new documentary, produced exclusively for the BFI, the UK’s most knowledgeable and well-respected cult film critic, Kim Newman, explores such questions as how the director of Help! and Superman II came to make one of the world’s greatest, but little-known, black comedies, and lifts the lid on which previously unseen British film features Helen Mirren in her debut role.

With a selection of original trailers and short films - including one that’s exclusive to this release - this is your passport to the exciting and surprising world of the Flipside. All titles are now available on DVD and Blu-ray for the first time ever, in the BFI Flipside collection.

* Kim Newman’s Guide to the Flipside of British Cinema (2010, 37 mins): all-new, exclusive documentary * Carousella (1966, 25 mins): controversial documentary on the lives of a group of striptease artistes, directed by John Irvin (Hamburger Hill, Raw Deal)

* Tomorrow Night in London (1969, 5 mins): vibrant and fast-paced tourist board short extolling the virtues, and fashions, of London’s nightlife

* The Spy’s Wife (1972, 27 mins): a modish tale of international intrigue and extra-marital relations with Tom Bell (The L-Shaped Room, Prime Suspect) and Ann Lynn (Screamtime, Separation)

* BFI Flipside trailer reel

* Fully illustrated booklet with essays and film credits

The DVD can be had for the bargain price of £1.99 direct from the BFI

http://filmstore.bfi.org.uk/acatalog/info_15526.html?NOLOGIN=1

A true Aussie horror cult classic and one of the most memorable movies of the early 1970s to mid-1980s New Wave of Australian Cinema, Colin Eggleston’s atmospheric 1978 shocker LONG WEEKEND (originally starring John Hargreaves and Briony Behets) gets a contemporary makeover courtesy of director Jamie Blanks (Valentine; Urban Legend) and the original film’s screenwriter Everett De Roche (Link; Razorback; Roadgames; Patrick).

Coming to DVD on 8th February 2010 as a two-disc Ultimate Edition, this new version of LONG WEEKEND stars Jim Caviezel (Jesus in Mel Gibson’s “The Passion Of The Christ” and soon to be seen starring in the highly anticipated remake of cult 1960s TV series “The Prisoner”) and Claudia Karvan (Daybreakers; Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith) and cranks the chilling eco-horror theme to the max producing that rare thing in cinema – a remake that is as good as, and arguably scarier and more effective than, the original.

When unhappily married and recently estranged city couple Peter (Caviezel) and Carla (Karvan) set off for a long weekend camping in a remote but picturesque spot on Austalia’s North Coast with Peter’s friend Luke and his girlfriend, they are hoping that a few days of sun, surf and solitude will help heal their marital wounds. After getting lost in the dark and spending an uncomfortable night in their car, Peter and Carla awake to find themselves parked mere yards from their intended destination and, despite the mysterious non-arrival of Luke and his partner, set up camp. In stereotypical city folk style they immediately begin to show a complete disregard for their beautiful, untouched environment by nonchalantly discarding rubbish, breaking glass, chopping live trees for firewood and taking pot shots at the wildlife.

As the weekend progresses and their personal relationship deteriorates ever further, they become increasingly aware of an unseen, almost malevolent force of nature acting against them. But are the bizarre occurrences they witness merely coincidental events whose effects are heightened by the couple’s isolation or is something else at work? A highly effective shocker that topically pits man against nature in a deceivingly beautiful setting, LONG WEEKEND comes to DVD boasting a host of extra features that include an exclusive interview with screenwriter Everett De Roche.

The two disc LONG WEEKEND (cert. 15) will be released on DVD (£17.99) by Showbox Entertainment on 8th February 2010. Special Features include: Director’s Production Diary; Interview Gallery (Claudia Karvan; Everett De Roche; Tobey Eggleston); Deleted Scene (Jim and the Ducks); ‘Making of’ featurette; ‘Taming the Wild’ featurette; Peter’s Death – Behind the Scenes with Grant Page and Roger Ward; English 2.0 and 5.1 audio options; chapter selection; trailer.

To win 1 of 3 DVDs, answer the following:

Who directed the original LONG WEEKEND in 1978?

Answers to carl@unrated.co.uk by January 31st, 2010

We have two copies of Park Chan-wook’s THIRST to give away as Competition prizes.

Following its hugely successful theatrical release in October, which saw it being hailed as Film of the Week in both Time Out and The Guardian and being awarded Four Star reviews in The Daily Express, Time Out, The Sun, Empire, Total Film and Loaded, Park Chan-wook’s Thirst comes to DVD and Blu-ray on 25th January 2010.

The joint winner of the Jury Prize at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, Thirst sees the director of the "Vengeance" trilogy and "Oldboy" further emphasising his versatility as a storyteller and a filmmaker by turning his hand to Western horror traditions and taking on the ever-popular vampire genre.

Very loosely based on Emile Zola’s novel "Therese Raquin", the story concerns a priest who, accidentally cursed with vampirism, is thrown into a whirlpool of moral decline that leads to him into a nightmare world of lust, adultery and murder.

Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho) is a priest who cherishes life; so much so, that he selflessly volunteers for a secret vaccine research project designed to eradicate a deadly virus.

When the virus is found to be affecting the priest and threatening his life, a blood transfusion is urgently ordered up for him. However, the blood he receives is unknowingly infected, the result of the transfusion being that Sang-hyun survives the viral attack but now exists as a vampire dependent upon the life blood of others. Struggling with his newfound carnal desire for this vital fluid, Sang-hyun’s faith is further strained when a childhood friend’s wife, Tae-ju (Kim Ok-vin), comes to him asking for his help in escaping her tormented life. It’s not long before the former priest is plunged headlong into a world of sensual pleasures, finding himself on intimate terms with the deadliest of the Seven Sins.

Starring Song Kang-ho as Sang-hyun (The Host; The Good, The Bad, The Weird; Lady Vengeance; Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance) and Kim Ok-vin as Tae-ju (Dasepo Naughty Girls; The Accidental Gangster), Thirstis a visceral, thought-provoking and darkly comic exploration of human existence in extreme circumstances from one of the most original and provocative directors working in modern cinema.

Thirst(cert. 18) will be released on DVD (£19.99) and Blu-ray (£24.99) by Palisades Tartan on 25th January 2010.

To win a copy simply answer the following. Which film was the first of the director’s "Vengeance Trilogy"? Answers by January 25th, 2010, to carl@unrated.co.uk

Following on from its critically acclaimed UK theatrical release in October 2009, the riveting, intelligent and totally unpredictable PONTYPOOL comes to DVD and Blu-ray in January 2010.

Oliver Stone's "Talk Radio" meets John Carpenter's "The Fog" in PONTYPOOL, a psychological chiller about a mysteriously transmitted virus that threatens the residents of a small Canadian town.

Adapted by author Tony Burgess from his award winning bestseller "Pontypool Changes Everything" and directed by Bruce McDonald (Hard Core Logo; The Tracey Fragments), PONTYPOOL stars Stephen McHattie (Watchmen), Lisa Houle (Due South; Seinfeld) and Georgina Reilly (Terry Southern's Plums And Prunes).

It appears to be just another humdrum winter's day in Pontypool, Ontario as shock-jock Grant Mazzy (McHattie) goes on air to present his morning phone-in radio show from a studio in the basement of the town's church. But amidst the minor news items regarding school bus cancellations and missing cats being reported by Mazzy's listening public and his "Eye in the Sky" reporter are a series of bizarre reports of local people developing strange speech patterns and committing acts of horrific violence. With no confirmation of these events on the official news wires, Mazzy, his producer (Houle) and assistant (Reilly) suspect an elaborate hoax is being played. However, it isn't long before the radio team realise that the reports are real and that something terrible is happening beyond the studio walls. Trapped inside the church as bloody chaos reigns outside, they must decide if they should stay on air in the hopes of being heard and eventually rescued, even though they suspect their broadcasts may be contributing to the madness infecting the residents of Pontypool.

PONTYPOOL (cert. 15) will be released on DVD (£15.99) and Blu-ray (£19.99) by Kaleidoscope Entertainment on 25th January 2010.

Special Features include: Cast and director interviews; Horror Collection – 2 short movies; Behind the Sound - The sound design of Pontypool; stills gallery; theatrical trailer.

Blu-ray exclusive: Pontypool – The Radio Play (30 mins).

To win one of three BLU-RAY DVDs simply answer the following:

Which Tony Burgess novel is the film PONTYPOOL based upon?

Answers to carl@unrated.co.uk by January 15th, 2010

Before Caligula and Salon Kitty came the Tinto Brass 1960s Psychedelic Classics.

Welcome to the sexual revolution as only Tinto Brass could have imagined it! Featuring Deadly Sweet (Col Cuore in Gola) a cinema fumetti pop art giallo thriller, starring the sexy Ewa Aulin (Candy). The Howl (L'Urlo) a surreal cult classic, with Tina Aumont (daughter of Maria Montez) now for the first time ever Uncut on DVD. And Attraction (Nerosubianco), a psychedelic pop art experience, with music by Freedom (ex Procal Harum)

SPECIAL FEATURES
Widescreen version (16x9 Enhanced), Restored, uncensored versions, English audio commentaries by Tinto Brass, Galleries, and Trailers

Color. 1867/1969/1970. 280 minutes. Widescreen. English/Italian with Optional English subtitles. Not Rated.

A Cult Epics Release DVD075 DVDs are also available as single discs, $29.95 srp

Paul Naschy star of numerous Spanish horrors has sadly passed away following a long battle with cancer at the age of seventy-five.

Unrated fondly remembers the films of Paul Naschy that proved so illusive in the days before video, when the only glimpses of the nocturnal activies of Waldemar the werewolf was gleaned from the likes of imported copies of "Famous Monsters of Filmland" and "Castle of Frankenstein", before the 80s came along, and aan uncut WEREWOLF AND THE YETI surfaced on VHS before being inexplicably caught up on the British Video Nasty furore on the early 80s.

After that it was screenings of bootlegged copies of Naschy’s films at Dave Carson’s flat in Victoria, years before the internet took off and the advent of DVD that made his films more readily available.

I was fortunate to meet Mr. Naschy at a film convention in London several years ago, his English was a bit shaky, but I managed to secure a signed photo "Para Carl" from the claws themselves. Thanks to everyone over the years who have watched Naschy films with me, we’ve laughed a lot at his barrel chested, pot bellied antics but they’ve proved enjoyable nevertheless.

The howling will continue long after the full moon has died.

One of the most controversial movies of the 1980s – and never granted a certificate by the British Board of Film Classification until now – the seminal cult shocker SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT finally gets its long-awaited UK DVD release in November 2009 just in time to bring some Christmas fear into the hearts of horror fans looking for something more stirring than the usual seasonal fare.

A ‘stalk and slash’ shocker with bells on, SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT sparked a wave of controversy on its original US theatrical release thanks to its premise of having a killer dressed as Santa Claus, a concept that led to angry parents, film critics, celebrities and movie industry insiders protesting against and calling for a boycott of this ‘outrageous’ movie. Now, UK viewers can at last see what all the fuss was about with the release of the fully uncut and most complete version of the film available.

A superlative 80s shocker that spawned four sequels and ticks all the required slasher genre boxes – namely gratuitous gore, nudity, sex, decapitation and an appearance by Hollywood scream queen Linnea Quigley (Return Of The Living Dead; Night Of The Demons; Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers) – SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT is the perfect Yuletide tale of terror.

SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT (cert. 18) will be released on DVD (£15.99) by Arrow Video on 23rd November 2009. Special Features include: unrated trailer; audio interview with director Charles E. Sellier Jr.; poster; booklet including ‘Deadly Director: Charles Sellier interviewed by Calum Waddell’ and ‘Silent Night, Sex Night: The Slice and Times of Linnea Quigley’.

We have 3 DVDs to offer for the readers who answer the following

Who directed SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT?

Answers to carl@unrated.co.uk by 31st November, 2009.

Revered, misunderstood and oft-discussed, Stephen Weeks’ rarely seen 1974 dreamlike chiller is the absolute definition of a cult British Horror film. Set in 1930s England it tells of three former public schoolmates, Larry Dann (The Bill), Murray Melvin (The Devils) and the enigmatic Vivian Mackerrell (the inspiration for Bruce Robinson’ s creation ’Withnail’, seen here in his only major screen role), who reunite in a country mansion haunted by the spirit of insane former resident Marianne Faithfull (Girl on a Motorcycle). The haunting transports them to a surreal world of demonic dolls, sadistic doctors, incest and murder. Hammer fans will see Barbara Shelley (Dracula Prince Of Darkness) and Leigh Lawson (Hammer House Of Horror), among the cast, ’cult TV’ enthusiasts will recognise Anthony Bate (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Beasts), and sitcom lovers will enjoy a cameo from Penelope Keith (The Good Life, To The Manor Born).

This combination of 1970s Britsploitation and 1930s quaintness, realised perfectly by Weeks and soundtracked by Pink Floyd collaborator Ron Geesin, have made Ghost Story legendary. Now, for the first time on DVD Nucleus Films proudly presents this pristine 2-disc collector’s edition including Ghost Stories, an in-depth featurette about the curious tale about the making of the film, an audio commentary, a trailer and a selection of Weeks’ fascinating early shorts and commercials including the previously unseen Tigon film 1917!

Two Disc Collector’s Edition

•Widescreen (1.85:1) Presentation Enhanced for 16x9 TVs • English 2.0 Mono • Ghost Stories - an all-new 60 minute featurette including interviews with Director/Producer Stephen Weeks, Actors Larry Dann and Murray Melvin, British Horror Icon Barbara Shelley, composer (and Pink Floyd collaborator) Ron Geesin, with comments from UK critic Kim Newman. • Audio Commentary with Stephen Weeks, moderated by Professor Samuel Umland • Theatrical Trailer • The Chelsea Cobbler store commercial • Alternate opening credits sequence • Stephen Weeks’ The Making of Ghost Story (.pdf)

Plus 7 previously unseen early short films!

Owen’s War (1965 / B+W / 10m) Deserted Station (1965 / B+W / 7m) The Camp (1965 / B+W / 4m) Moods of a Victorian Church (1967 / Colour / 9m) Two At Thursday (1968 / B+W / 10m) 1917 (1968 / Colour / 35m) Flesh (1969 / Colour / 3m)

Released by Nucleus Films on Monday 9th, November, 2009

http://www.nucleusfilms.com/

The Associates are delighted to announce the return of the much loved and celebrated Tartan Films name and catalogue – now rebranded as Palisades Tartan – and to welcome them to our valued roster of clients. In July 2008, the highly respected US company Palisades Pictures and its parent company Palisades Media Corp acquired a majority of Tartan Film UK’s 400-plus film library assets and branded their new division Palisades Tartan. Now bigger, better and bolder than before, Palisades Tartan will continue to expand on an already distinctive and provocative catalogue of films and to re-introduce the most popular elements of the former Tartan label to a whole new audience through DVD re-releases and exclusive DVD box sets, as well as through brand new releases in both the theatrical and home entertainment markets.

First of all, in late-September 2009, Palisades Tartan will be releasing the Andy Lau-starring Asian thriller "A World Without Thieves" and the New Queer Cinema classic "Swoon" on DVD. In the next few days we will announce the Palisades Tartan DVD and Blu-ray titles scheduled for release in October, November and December.

WIN TICKETS TO THE UK PREMIERE OF "THIRST" AND THE CHANCE TO MEET DIRECTOR PARK CHAN-WOOK!

To tie-in with the forthcoming UK theatrical release of director Park Chan-wook’s latest movie, "Thirst", Palisades Tartan is offering movie fans a once-in-a-lifetime chance to win a trip for two to London to attend the UK premiere of "Thirst" and to meet Park Chan-wook in person.

All entrants have to do is visit http://www.palisadestartan.com/contest_uk.asp between now and midnight on Wednesday 23rd September 2009 and enter their details on the competition page.

A winner and two runners-up will be randomly selected from those who enter. The grand prize winner will win a trip for two to London to attend the UK premiere of "Thirst" at the Curzon Soho cinema on Monday 5th October 2009, hosted by Metrodome Distribution in association with Palisades Tartan UK. The winner and a friend will also have the opportunity to meet and have lunch with the film’s celebrated director, Park Chan-wook. The grand prize includes roundtrip transportation to London from the major airport or train station nearest to the winner’s home address, as well as overnight hotel accommodation for their stay in London.

The two runners-up will each receive a copy of the Vengeance Trilogy DVD Box Set released by Palisades Tartan UK.

"Thirst" will open at UK cinemas on 16th October 2009.

CONTEST:

http://www.palisadestartan.com/contest_uk.asp

THIRST TRAILER:

http://onlinemoviepromo.com/newplayer.php?id=3318

From producer Michael Bay ("Transformers", "The Unborn") comes a truly terrifying story of one man’s journey into hell as HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE is released on DVD and Blu-ray by Icon Home Entertainment on 19 October 2009.

Starring Dennis Quaid ("G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra") – soon to be seen in cinemas in October in "Pandorum", and Ziyi Zhang ("House of Flying Daggers", "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE is a gruesome crime thriller full of the intensity and twists comparable to "Se7en" and "Saw", and the smash hit TV series Dexter. Directed by Jonas Akerlund ("Spun") the all-star cast also includes Peter Stormare ("Minority Report") and Patrick Fugit ("Almost Famous").

Four Horsemen. Four Unrelated Victims. Four Painful Secrets.

Recently widowed police detective Aidan Breslin (Quaid), finds himself thrust into investigating a series of perverse serial killings rooted in the Biblical prophesy of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War, Famine, Pestilence and Death.

The White Horsemen, a master of deception and the unexpected leader hell-bent on conquest; The Red Horsemen, a sharp-witted warrior intent on turning man against man; The Black Horsemen, a manipulative and dark Tyrant, unbalanced but always one step ahead; and The Pale Horsemen, an executioner with disarming strength, determined to spread death through surgical precision.

As Breslin unveils each of the bizarre revelations in the case, he slowly discovers a shocking and terrifying link between himself and the suspects. HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE also has some great special features including audio commentary with the Director Jonas Akerlund and some dark and intense deleted scenes.

Palisades Tartan UK and Metrodome Distribution have signed an exclusive deal allowing Metrodome exclusive rights to represent Palisades Tartan's TV and video-on-demand library in the UK. The deal also allows Metrodome theatrical distribution rights for acclaimed Korean director Park Chan-wook's new vampire feature "Thirst", opening in UK cinemas on 16th October 2009. Joint winner of the 2009 Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize (together with Andrea Arnold's "Fish Tank"), "Thirst" tells the story of a failed medical experiment that turns a priest into a vampire.

The celebrated Palisades Tartan catalogue boasts an assortment of critically hailed gems including Park Chan-Wook's 2003 masterpiece and winner of the Cannes Grand Jury Prize in 2004, "Oldboy". Additional titles include Takashi Miike's "Audition", Kinji Fukasaku's "Battle Royale" and Paul Verhoeven's "Black Book".