I've just received something that may be of interest to you lovely people.
BFI Flipside Presents: Short Sharp Shocks (Rated 18, 2 disc set with booklet, 216 minutes).
Sadly I don't own a blue-ray player so, I've loaned it to my brother who going to put some of it on data stick for me. These disc are full of short horrors - not large enough to be put out on there own.
A quick not-comprehensive list of the shorts and short film on it;
Lock your Door (Anthony Gikison, 1949) - 15 mins
the Reformation of St. Jules (Anthony Gikison, 1949) - 14 mins
The Tell-Tale Heart (J B Williams, 1953) - 21 mins
Death was a Passenger (Theodore Zichy, 1958) - 18 mins
Portrait of a Matador (Theodore Zichy, 1958) - 24 mins
Twenty-Nine (Brian Cummins, 1969) - 26 mins
The Sex Victims (Derek Robbins, 1973) - 37 mins
The Lake (Lindsey C. Vickers, 1978) - 33 mins
The Errand (Nigel Finch, 1980) -29 mins
And lots of extras besides. I personally bought it for The Lake, by the director of The Appointment (an unusually film I rate highly, although I think there is a slight disconnect in presentation, it is still a powerful film), anyway there's the scrips for the The Lake on the Disc and some making of type documents, which I'm looking forward to.
Reviews and comments on it when I have a chance to look at it.
One of my Holy Grails has been announced! I Start Counting is getting a US BD release via Vinegar Syndrome* of all companies. I hope this means that a UK release will be forthcoming. It's absolutely made for a Flipside release. https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=27413
The I START COUNTING release came to my attention in October 2019, as I was contacted by Jonathan Hertzberg of Fun City Editions about working on extras - ultimately my participation didn't materialise, but I've been sitting on news of this release for almost a year. It's getting a great response online and hopefully will do well for Jonathan's label (formed after he left Kino Lorber). Frame comparisons between the FCE version and the YouTube upload have appeared on Facebook and there are heaps of additional picture detail and massively improved clarity. A day one purchase for me.
First Twitter comments re the BD "restoration" of the classic BBC version of The Day of the Triffids is that it has been very badly bungled - filmisation effects, wrong colour overlays and even the wrong font on the title sequence.
FAO Moodie. Kino Lorber have announced that they are bringing the first two Santo movies to BD: https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/monsterkidclassichorrorforum/el-santo-s-first-2-films-from-kino-in-2021-t78800.html#p1579349
German company Wicked Vision (not sure if they used to be Anolis or not) are releasing Biggles and Madhouse in variant covers in very limited editions. Each has new extras. https://www.wicked-shop.com/en/pre-order/
I was not aware that the BBC only ever screened 39 of the 52 episodes that were made. The new set contains all 52 episodes with 2004 voice tracks for the ones not shown by the Beeb.
"Bonus features include:
Documentary filmed around the dubbing of the lost 13 episodes and PDF scans of all the 39 original BBC dubbing scripts!"
@mal I only became aware of the other episodes when I started buying the DVDs, because you got one of them in the original Japanese as an extra feature on each disc!I might treat myself, but only if I hear glowing reports about the PQ and suchlike. It's certainly true that the episodes often look a bit horrible on the DVDs, but then again, it's only Monkey!
Over at CHFB someone is reporting that the restored version of The Masque of the Red Death is coming soon to BD via Studiocanal. I for one can't wait to re-watch a film about waiting around inside while a plague wipes out mankind ... It's getting so that I feel like incinerating a dwarf dressed up in an ape suit...
I watched their release of The Evil of Frankenstein and I'm sorry to say that it's pretty awful. I watched it with the commentary and, since I wasn't focused on how poor John Elder's script was, I was able to really appreciate how lovely the film looked with its gorgeous 1960s colours. Then the print damage kicked in and went on and on and on. A large chunk of the right side of the image is noticeably damaged for a very long part of the film's running time. Unfortunately, there's no option to watch the TV inserts separately so I was going to watch the entire TV version until I saw how bad that print was - colours faded to almost nothing and scratched to buggery. I might try and fast forward to the relevant scenes some time but at this point I was dispirited by the whole experience. Caveat emptor.
I'd forgotten all about Network's Blu-ray release of 'The Woman in Black', until it plopped through my letterbox this morning!Watching it now, it looks lovely. And I'm listening to the jovial and informative commentary featuring Kim Newman, Mark Gatiss and Andy Nyman.My copy came in a lovely slipcase that makes it look like an old book, and has a small reproduction of the press book. Spiffy!
We did 😀 It's a nice set, although it is distinguished by one of the most useless supplements (on "Cats in the Horror Film") I ever sat through (well I say I sat through it, but I switched it off after 5 minutes of tedium).
David McGillivray has reported that he's filmed an interview this week for a BFI release that many of us have been hoping for for a long while - it's a collection of nine British horror shorts, apparently due out later this year. His film THE ERRAND is the only confirmed title as yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if the three SCREAMTIME films, plus PANIC and THE LAKE, turn up, as the BFI have access to quality 35mm prints for all of those. They've nicked the title of my 2019 monograph for the package, which will be called SHORT SHARP SHOCKS.
The Reformation of St Jules (Anthony Gilkison, 1949)
The Tell-Tale Heart (J B Williams, 1953)
Death Was a Passenger (Theodore Zichy, 1958)
Portrait of a Matador (Theodore Zichy, 1958)
Twenty Nine (Brian Cummins, 1969)
The Sex Victims (Derek Robbins, 1973)
The Lake (Lindsey C Vickers, 1978)
The Errand (Nigel Finch, 1980)
Strictly limited edition of 3,000 copies
Extras
Interview with Peter Shillingford (2020): newly recorded interview with the producer of Twenty Nine
Interview with David McGillivray (2020): newly recorded interview the writer of The Errand
Interview with Kate Lees (2020): the chair of Adelphi Films discusses the 2017 discovery of the long thought lost 1953 short The Tell-Tale Heart starring Stanley Baker
Interview with Renee Glynn (2020): newly recorded interview with the script-supervisor on Twenty Nine
Image galleries for The Tell-Tale Heart, The Lake and The Errand
Script galleries for The Lake and The Errand
The original short story of The Errand, presented as a viewable gallery
Other extras TBC
***FIRST PRESSING ONLY*** Fully illustrated booklet with new writing on the films by Vic Pratt, Dr Josephine Botting, William Fowler, Jonathan Rigby, Peter Shillingford, Lindsey C Vickers and David McGillivray
"After the early example of “folk horror” in the Play for Today instalment Robin Redbreast, playwright John Bowen returned to the form with A Photograph, a deceptive piece of work that for the most part plays as a psychological thriller before taking a turn into “folk horror” territory in the closing moments." https://eofftvreview.wordpress.com/2018/05/14/play-for-today-a-photograph-1977/ (Beware SPOILERS)
Full list of the plays included:
"The Lie (Written by Ingmar Bergman | Dir. Alan Bridges, 1970)
Shakespeare or Bust (Written by Peter Terson | Dir. Brian Parker, 1973)
Back of Beyond (Written by Julia Jones | Dir. Desmond Davis, 1974)
Passage to England (Written by Leon Griffiths | Dir. John Mackenzie, 1975)
Our Flesh and Blood (Written by Mike Stott | Dir. Pedr James, 1977)
A Photograph (Written by John Bowen | Dir. John Glenister, 1977)
Your Man from Six Counties (Written by Colin Welland | Dir. Barry Davis, 1976)"
Indicator have confirmed that their October release will be a boxset of Christopher Lee's Fu Manchu films. The BBC used to show the first three quite a lot back in the day and I enjoyed them but was always frustrated that we never got to see the last two. Then about 24 years ago, when I was living in London, they turned up on late-night ITV and ... oh my! I think the best that can be said for those is that their remarkable incompetence means that they're slightly less tedious than most Jess Franco films. https://www.powerhousefilms.co.uk/products/the-fu-manchu-cycle-1965-1969-le?mc_cid=3c29473ddd&mc_eid=14dd2f4491 "*Includes an exclusive poster only available with direct orders from this website (poster features the famous FU MANCHU FOR MAYOR design, originally printed to coincide with the 1965 mayoral elections in New York, see image on this page)."
There are a few interesting extras to point out. The Ghost of Monk’s Island is a CFF serial edited into feature length form. I've reviewed this in the 1960s subforum. Also included are two episodes from silent British Fu Manchu serials, presumably all that survives of them. This is one of them: https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-the-coughing-horror-1924-online
I wish the Fus (pronounced "fooze") were more fun. Face of Fu is fun. Brides of Fu are fun. Vengeance of Fu isn't much fun. The Jessies aren't even funny fun fooze.
Kino Lorber's release of The Flesh and the Fiends sounds both disappointing and confusing. DVD Beaver's review http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_125/the_flesh_and_the_fiends_blu-ray.htm is unclear as to whether it's the UK or Continental cut that we're seeing. It says it's the UK version but there's a reference to "nudity" which would seem to suggest it's the Continental...? Either way, it's very disappointing that both versions are not included so I'll be passing on this one.
Indicator have announced a 2-BD set of John Badham's Dracula, presumably utilising the same two masters of the "desaturated" and original theatrical colour versions of the film that Shout! released in the USA. It's a film that I always wanted to like but I hate that Dracula is now a romantic lead and the talented cast all seem to be at their worst. I might still get this release though as I remember quite liking the garish colours that Badham ruined in his preferred desaturated home video release. What I would really like is a good featurette on John Williams' score which I adore even though I don't think it's appropriate for a horror movie.
Yup, I totally agree. It's a film where the elements just don't seem to gel, and John Williams' score is a big part of that for me. It's lovely music, but it doesn't belong in a horror film. Mind you, he was probably asked to ramp up the romance. Come to think of it, has Williams ever done a good horror score? I can't think of one. Now, if they'd only got Jerry Goldsmith...
I, Monster from Indicator looks a terrific edition:
INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES
New 2K restoration by Powerhouse Films from original film materials
Two presentations of the film: the original 75-minute theatrical cut; and the extended 80-minute version
Original mono audio
Audio commentary with director Stephen Weeks (2020)
The BEHP Interview with Peter Tanner – Part One, 1914–1939 (1987): an archival audio recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring the celebrated editor in conversation with Roy Fowler and Taffy Haines
Introduction by Stephen Laws (2020): appreciation by the acclaimed horror author
Stephen Weeks at the Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films (1998): archival video recording of the director in conversation
Interview with Milton Subotsky (1985): archival audio recording of the famed producer
Interview with Carl Davis (2020): the renowned composer discusses his score
Image gallery: publicity and promotional material
Original theatrical trailer
Kim Newman and David Flint trailer commentary (2017): short critical appreciation by the genre-film experts
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition exclusive 36-page booklet with a new essay by Josephine Botting, Milton Subotsky on I, Monster, an archival interview with Stephen Weeks, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits
"Powerhouse Films have used Studio Canal's restoration which strikes me as impeccable; no signs of print damage or age related wear and tear. Never have I seen this looking and sounding ... as good as it it is here. Most striking are the colours which have had their lustre restored. Flesh tones are warm and rich but natural. The green forests have never looked lusher and the marvellous sets and locations really come off well; the production design stands out nicely as well.
...
Quite simply, it's never - repeat, never - looked or sounded as good as it does on this new BD from Powerhouse Films. That's it, period. For that reason alone this would be one of THE discs of the year. However, it's stacked with vintage and newly available supplements that make this disc an absolutely essential purchase for any fan of horror, Amicus or '70s action cinema.
The Film: B Video: A+ Audio: A+ Extras: A+ Overall: A+"
Wow! I've loved The Beast Must Die unreservedly for nearly 40 years and I've seen it into double figures. One thing I would never have ranked among its virtues is visual sumptuousness ... but that has now changed. The new restoration is a complete revelation after years of watching undernourished prints. It's now a visually-rich experience with the mansion interiors looking gorgeous, the natural hues of the exteriors popping. I intended just to spot-check it last night and ended up watching the whole thing. Fans of this movie are going to be overjoyed.
I've just received something that may be of interest to you lovely people.
BFI Flipside Presents: Short Sharp Shocks (Rated 18, 2 disc set with booklet, 216 minutes).
Sadly I don't own a blue-ray player so, I've loaned it to my brother who going to put some of it on data stick for me. These disc are full of short horrors - not large enough to be put out on there own.
A quick not-comprehensive list of the shorts and short film on it;
Lock your Door (Anthony Gikison, 1949) - 15 mins
the Reformation of St. Jules (Anthony Gikison, 1949) - 14 mins
The Tell-Tale Heart (J B Williams, 1953) - 21 mins
Death was a Passenger (Theodore Zichy, 1958) - 18 mins
Portrait of a Matador (Theodore Zichy, 1958) - 24 mins
Twenty-Nine (Brian Cummins, 1969) - 26 mins
The Sex Victims (Derek Robbins, 1973) - 37 mins
The Lake (Lindsey C. Vickers, 1978) - 33 mins
The Errand (Nigel Finch, 1980) -29 mins
And lots of extras besides. I personally bought it for The Lake, by the director of The Appointment (an unusually film I rate highly, although I think there is a slight disconnect in presentation, it is still a powerful film), anyway there's the scrips for the The Lake on the Disc and some making of type documents, which I'm looking forward to.
Reviews and comments on it when I have a chance to look at it.
BASIL FREAKIN' KIRCHIN!!!!!
One of my Holy Grails has been announced! I Start Counting is getting a US BD release via Vinegar Syndrome* of all companies. I hope this means that a UK release will be forthcoming. It's absolutely made for a Flipside release. https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=27413
*ETA, the actual company releasing the BD is the new boutique label Fun City but distribution is via the VS site: https://vinegarsyndrome.com/collections/fun-city-editions/products/i-start-counting-fun-city-editions
First Twitter comments re the BD "restoration" of the classic BBC version of The Day of the Triffids is that it has been very badly bungled - filmisation effects, wrong colour overlays and even the wrong font on the title sequence.
FAO Moodie. Kino Lorber have announced that they are bringing the first two Santo movies to BD: https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/monsterkidclassichorrorforum/el-santo-s-first-2-films-from-kino-in-2021-t78800.html#p1579349
German company Wicked Vision (not sure if they used to be Anolis or not) are releasing Biggles and Madhouse in variant covers in very limited editions. Each has new extras. https://www.wicked-shop.com/en/pre-order/
Circus of Horror is coming from Studiocanal: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Circus-of-Horrors-Blu-ray/275713/
In non-BHF news, Leni's Waxworks is coming soon and there's a bunch of Japanese stuff like Mothra for folk that enjoy that sort of thing.
It's not a BHF, not a B, H or F for that matter, but I thought I'd mention it here for the nostalgia factor ... Monkey is coming to BD: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Monkey-The-Complete-Series-Blu-ray/275489/
It might be as well to wait for reviews if anyone is thinking of getting this as I believe the DVD release was notoriously horrible.
Meanwhile, the earworm-packed soundtrack has been uploaded to YT: https://youtu.be/Sb30CUMeSBM
Over at CHFB someone is reporting that the restored version of The Masque of the Red Death is coming soon to BD via Studiocanal. I for one can't wait to re-watch a film about waiting around inside while a plague wipes out mankind ... It's getting so that I feel like incinerating a dwarf dressed up in an ape suit...
Seriously, bring it on! There's a clip from last year's LFF screening here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icAxzMkZZlQ
Scream! have announced The Brides of Dracula.
I watched their release of The Evil of Frankenstein and I'm sorry to say that it's pretty awful. I watched it with the commentary and, since I wasn't focused on how poor John Elder's script was, I was able to really appreciate how lovely the film looked with its gorgeous 1960s colours. Then the print damage kicked in and went on and on and on. A large chunk of the right side of the image is noticeably damaged for a very long part of the film's running time. Unfortunately, there's no option to watch the TV inserts separately so I was going to watch the entire TV version until I saw how bad that print was - colours faded to almost nothing and scratched to buggery. I might try and fast forward to the relevant scenes some time but at this point I was dispirited by the whole experience. Caveat emptor.
I'd forgotten all about Network's Blu-ray release of 'The Woman in Black', until it plopped through my letterbox this morning! Watching it now, it looks lovely. And I'm listening to the jovial and informative commentary featuring Kim Newman, Mark Gatiss and Andy Nyman. My copy came in a lovely slipcase that makes it look like an old book, and has a small reproduction of the press book. Spiffy!
Ooh! I just discovered this! Did we know about it? https://eurekavideo.co.uk/movie/murders-in-the-rue-morgue-the-black-cat-the-raven/ I'll be having that! This saves me from having to buy an expensive Blu-ray set from America that has several crap films in it! Rue Morgue isn't great, but it does have Bela swearing in Hungarian, and sporting one of the greatest eyebrows in the history of monobrows. And I see Eureka have released this beaut too: https://eurekavideo.co.uk/movie/mr-vampire-limited-edition/ Have Eureka been reading mind, or what? :D
David McGillivray has reported that he's filmed an interview this week for a BFI release that many of us have been hoping for for a long while - it's a collection of nine British horror shorts, apparently due out later this year. His film THE ERRAND is the only confirmed title as yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if the three SCREAMTIME films, plus PANIC and THE LAKE, turn up, as the BFI have access to quality 35mm prints for all of those. They've nicked the title of my 2019 monograph for the package, which will be called SHORT SHARP SHOCKS.
BFI are releasing Play For Today Volume One which includes A Photograph (Written by John Bowen | Dir. John Glenister, 1977). https://shop.bfi.org.uk/pre-order-play-for-today-volume-one-4-disc-blu-ray-box-set.html?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20200724-shop-dvd-oct20-announcement&utm_content=20200724-shop-dvd-oct20-announcement+CID_8b518bdedce89f1d12e6c57bbcbf4218&utm_source=cm&utm_term=Play%20for%20Today%20Volume%20One
"After the early example of “folk horror” in the Play for Today instalment Robin Redbreast, playwright John Bowen returned to the form with A Photograph, a deceptive piece of work that for the most part plays as a psychological thriller before taking a turn into “folk horror” territory in the closing moments." https://eofftvreview.wordpress.com/2018/05/14/play-for-today-a-photograph-1977/ (Beware SPOILERS)
Full list of the plays included:
"The Lie (Written by Ingmar Bergman | Dir. Alan Bridges, 1970)
Shakespeare or Bust (Written by Peter Terson | Dir. Brian Parker, 1973)
Back of Beyond (Written by Julia Jones | Dir. Desmond Davis, 1974)
Passage to England (Written by Leon Griffiths | Dir. John Mackenzie, 1975)
Our Flesh and Blood (Written by Mike Stott | Dir. Pedr James, 1977)
A Photograph (Written by John Bowen | Dir. John Glenister, 1977)
Your Man from Six Counties (Written by Colin Welland | Dir. Barry Davis, 1976)"
Indicator have confirmed that their October release will be a boxset of Christopher Lee's Fu Manchu films. The BBC used to show the first three quite a lot back in the day and I enjoyed them but was always frustrated that we never got to see the last two. Then about 24 years ago, when I was living in London, they turned up on late-night ITV and ... oh my! I think the best that can be said for those is that their remarkable incompetence means that they're slightly less tedious than most Jess Franco films. https://www.powerhousefilms.co.uk/products/the-fu-manchu-cycle-1965-1969-le?mc_cid=3c29473ddd&mc_eid=14dd2f4491 "*Includes an exclusive poster only available with direct orders from this website (poster features the famous FU MANCHU FOR MAYOR design, originally printed to coincide with the 1965 mayoral elections in New York, see image on this page)."
There are a few interesting extras to point out. The Ghost of Monk’s Island is a CFF serial edited into feature length form. I've reviewed this in the 1960s subforum. Also included are two episodes from silent British Fu Manchu serials, presumably all that survives of them. This is one of them: https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-the-coughing-horror-1924-online
Kino Lorber's release of The Flesh and the Fiends sounds both disappointing and confusing. DVD Beaver's review http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_125/the_flesh_and_the_fiends_blu-ray.htm is unclear as to whether it's the UK or Continental cut that we're seeing. It says it's the UK version but there's a reference to "nudity" which would seem to suggest it's the Continental...? Either way, it's very disappointing that both versions are not included so I'll be passing on this one.
Here's my VHS (taped off the telly), uploaded at 720p resolution to YT. To my eyes, this looks better than the recent Blu-ray release! And it has the proper title card too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfm3sLnmeac&feature=youtu.be
Indicator have announced a 2-BD set of John Badham's Dracula, presumably utilising the same two masters of the "desaturated" and original theatrical colour versions of the film that Shout! released in the USA. It's a film that I always wanted to like but I hate that Dracula is now a romantic lead and the talented cast all seem to be at their worst. I might still get this release though as I remember quite liking the garish colours that Badham ruined in his preferred desaturated home video release. What I would really like is a good featurette on John Williams' score which I adore even though I don't think it's appropriate for a horror movie.
Kino Lorber have announced Tod Slaughter's The Face at the Window from a new 4K master. That just seems wrong somehow.
I, Monster from Indicator looks a terrific edition:
https://www.powerhousefilms.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/i-monster-le
Good to know I'm not the only one who loves the Werewolf Break! :)