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OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases
Blood Bath
(1966) The films of Roger Corman are often as well-known for their behind-the-scenes stories as they are the ones unfolding on the screen. He famously made "Little Shop of Horrors" in just two days using sets left over from "A Bucket of Blood" and shot "The Terror" over a long weekend because bad weather prevented him from playing tennis. But none of these tales is quite so complex, or quite so extraordinary, as the making of "Blood Bath." The saga began when Corman invested in a Yugoslavian Krimi-like picture entitled "Operation Titian" just prior to it going into production. Insisting it be filmed in English, he sent actors William Campbell and Patrick Magee, and uncredited story editor Francis Ford Coppola (all fresh from "Dementia 13"), to Dubrovnik to make a U.S.-friendly movie but wasn't satisfied with the end results. First it was re-cut and re-scored to create "Portrait in Terror," a film more in line with drive-in tastes, then it was handed over to Jack Hill ("Spider Baby"), followed by Stephanie Rothman ("Terminal Island"), each undertaking reshoots that resulted in a vampire picture by the name of "Blood Bath." One final twist was provided when a TV version was required, chopping scenes and adding others to create "Track of the Vampire." For this release, Arrow Video has searched through the vaults to bring you all four versions of "Blood Bath," newly restored from the best materials available to provide a definitive release of one of Corman's craziest ventures. Brand new 2K restorations of "Portrait in Terror," "Blood Bath" and "Track of the Vampire" from original film materials. Brand new reconstruction of "Operation Titian" using original film materials and standard definition inserts. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: "The Trouble with Titian Revisited" new visual essay in which Tim Lucas returns to (and updates) his three-part Video Watchdog feature to examine the convoluted production history of "Blood Bath" and its multiple versions; "Bathing in Blood with Sid Haig" new interview with the actor, recorded exclusively for this release; archive interview with producer-director Jack Hill; outtakes from "Track of the Vampire," scanned from original film materials; stills gallery; double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artworks; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Dan Mumford; limited edition booklet containing new writing on the film and its cast by Anthony Nield, Vic Pratt, Cullen Gallagher, and Peter Beckman. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).
City of Women
(1980) In a railway coach Snąporaz (Marcello Mastroianni) wakes from a nap and seduces a beautiful stranger. Then he follows her through a forest to a weird hotel where a feminist convention is being held. He is so unnerved by the vociferous hostility of the militants that he hides in the mansion of a female killer who has wooed and won a thousand hearts. Snąporaz will be forced to run the gauntlet before waking up and realizing that his adventure was only a crazy nightmare. Federico Fellini's surrealistic and over the top fantasy earned him four Silver Ribbons by the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Cohen Film Collection).
Gods of Egypt
(2016) Gerard Butler, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Brenton Thwaites, Geoffrey Rush, Rufus Sewell, Abbey Lee, Chadwick Boseman, Emma Booth, Courtney Eaton, Bryan Brown. Mortal hero Bek teams with the god Horus in an alliance against Set, the merciless god of darkness, who has usurped Egypt's throne, plunging the once peaceful and prosperous empire into chaos and
conflict. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray/Blu-ray/DVD Combo, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "The Battle for Eternity: Stunts," "A Window into Another World: Visual Effects" featurette.Blu-ray adds deleted storyboards, "A Divine Vision: Creating a Cinematic Action Fantasy" featurette, "Of Gods and Mortals: The Cast" featurette, "Transformation: Costume, Make-up & Hair" featurette, "On Location: Shooting in Australia" featurette. (Summit Entertainment/Lionsgate).
The Life of Verdi
(1982) Famed for his beloved operas, Giuseppe Verdi endured a lifetime of personal turmoil and popular acclaim. Marked from childhood by his musical talent, Verdi rose to become the preeminent composer of his era amidst family heartbreak, societal upheaval, and a scandalous love affair. In this biographical miniseries seen on PBS, Ronald Pickup gives a captivating performance as Verdi, and ballerina Carla Fracci dazzles as his second wife, opera star Giuseppina Strepponi. Filmed on location in Italy, London, and Paris, the seven-episode series is narrated by Burt Lancaster and features clips of Verdi's music, including the perpetual favorites, "La Traviata" and "Aida." Formats: Four-disc DVD. (Acorn Media).
Pride + Prejudice + Zombies
(2016) Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston, Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth, Matt Smith, Charles Dance, Lena Headey. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Ultra/Blu-ray, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Two featurettes: "Courtship, Class and Carnage: Meet The Cast" and "From Austen to Zombies: Adapting a Classic." Blu-ray adds two additional featurettes, "The Badass Bennet Sisters" and "Creating the Unmentionables," deleted scenes, Mr. Collins line-o-rama, gag reel. (Sony).
12 Sci-Fi Cult Classics Collection
Three-disc set with "Metropolis" (1927), "Phantom From Space" (1953), "The Attack of the Giant Leeches" (1959), "The Giant Gila Monster" (1959), "The Killer Shrews" (1959), "Teenagers From Outer Space" (1959), "The Wasp Woman" (1959), "The Amazing Transparent Man" (1960), "The Phantom Planet" (1961), "The Brain That Wouldn't Die" (1962), "The Atomic Brain" (1963) and "Destroy All Planets" (1969). Formats: DVD. (Film Chest Media Group).
Teen Titans Go!: Eat. Dance. Punch! Season 3 Part 1
(2016) Robin, Cyborg, Raven, Starfire and Beast Boy are back in 26 all-new adventures of DC Comics crime-fighting Teen Titans. Formats: DVD. (Warner).
Triple 9
(2016) Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Aaron Paul, Norman Reedus, Casey Affleck, Kate Winslet. A bank robbery is just the tip of the iceberg when two cops in Atlanta start suspecting members of their own team are involved. Not knowing who to trust and how deep the corruption goes, time is ticking for them to uncover the truth -- before they become the target for the next deadly job.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Deleted scenes, "Under the Gun" behind-the-scenes featurette, "An Authentic World" featuette on the film's gritty, authenic look and feel. (Universal).
© 1996 -- 2016 OnVideo. All rights reserved May 30, 2016 (ISSN 1094-3676). |
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