-
José Ramón Larraz's 'Symptoms' Headed for Blu-ray[teaser]The long lost 1974 horror will be making its way to high-definition this year. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Mondo Macabro will be releasing 'Symptoms' on Blu-ray sometime later this year. For years only viewable as a blurry bootleg derived from an early 80s British TV broadcast, this haunting thriller can now be seen as it was intended with a brand new HD transfer of the recently discovered negatives. It's taken us more than 15 years of searching and negotiating to get here, but with the indispensable assistance of the BFI Mondo Macabro can finally bring this film to the world on Blu-ray and DVD. Symptoms is an intense and claustrophobic study of a woman's descent into madness and murder. Made in the same years as Larraz's better known Vampyres with much of the same crew and a similar vibe, Symptoms is more atmospheric and ambiguous, and less exploitative. But it casts a powerful spell and is perhaps the most potent example of director Jose Larraz's unique style. Starring Angela Pleasance (From Beyond the Grave) in what is probably her best ever role, Symptoms is a film whose time has finally come. After premiering at the 1974 Cannes Film Festival as the official UK entry and a brief theatrical run, the film sank into almost complete obscurity until being rescued from oblivion by books like Tohill and Tombs' Immoral Tales and the ever-diligent video underground. With this stunning new Blu ray release Symptoms can now be seen as the masterpiece of 70s horror that it truly is. The Blu-ray will include the 2011 documentary on Jose Larraz, ON VAMPYRES AND OTHER SYMPTOMS; FROM BARCELONA to TUNBRIDGE WELLS, a 1999 TV documentary on Larraz, part of the EUROTIKA! series; and New interviews with stars Angela Pleasence and Lorna Heilbron and editor Brian Smedley-Aston. There will also be a limited numbered version of the 500 copies this release version with exclusive extras, only available through MondoMacabro.BigCartel.com You can find the latest specs for 'Symptoms' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under PENDING.Posted Tue Feb 9, 2016 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
First Warner Brothers Ultra HD Blu-ray Titles Now Available for Pre-Order![teaser]Titles include 'Mad Max: Fury Road' and 'The Lego Movie.' [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Bros. is preparing their launch lineup for Ultra HD Blu-ray. The discs are expected to arrive on March 1. Warner Bros. Ultra HD Blu-rays will feature a resolution of 3840x2160 with HDR (high dynamic range), offering four times the resolution of HD along with superior contrast and colors on supported displays. Likewise, each release will feature a Blu-ray and Digital HD copy as well. Full specs and supplements have not been detailed yet. Order the Ultra HD Blu-ray Order the Ultra HD Blu-ray Order the Ultra HD Blu-ray Order the Ultra HD Blu-ray Suggested list price for each Warner Bros. Ultra HD Blu-ray is $44.95. You can find the latest specs for all of the Ultra HD Blu-ray titles listed above linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under March 1.Posted Mon Feb 8, 2016 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
David Nutter's 'Disturbing Behavior' Blu-ray Bound[teaser]The thriller starring James Marsden, Katie Holmes and Nick Stahl arrives on Blu-ray in March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Scream Factory will be releasing 'Disturbing Behavior' on Blu-ray on March 22. In the halls of Cradle Bay High School, something sinister is happening… something dark… something disturbing. Sure, the “Blue Ribbons” – the clique that’s at the top of the food chain at Cradle Bay – appear perfect in every way. But underneath their clean-cut, well-mannered facades lurks a shocking secret – one that a group of Cradle Bay High’s outsiders and rebels must uncover in order to save their school, their town…and their own lives. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements include: Director's Commentary with David Nutter; Deleted Scenes; Alternate Ending; and Theatrical Trailer. You can find the latest specs for 'Disturbing Behavior' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under March 22. Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Feb 8, 2016 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
Rob Lowe Will Be a 'Bad Influence' on James Spader in May[teaser]Curtis Hanson's 1990 crime thriller is headed for Blu-ray. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Shout Factory says 'Bad Influence' will arrive on Blu-ray on May 24. Financial analyst Michael Boll (James Spader) seems to have everything: brains, money, a socially connected fiancée and a blindingly bright future. Then he meets Alex (Rob Lowe), an impeccably dressed drifter with fatal charm and an insatiable appetite for wine, women and danger. Alex befriends Michael and takes him for a walk on the wild side, but Michael soon discovers that there's a terrible price to pay for life in the fast lane, because hanging out with Alex...can be murder! Soundtrack by Trevor Jones (Angel Heart, Runaway Train). No other details have been revealed at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'Bad Influence' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under May 24.Posted Mon Feb 8, 2016 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Are 'Sisters' on Blu-ray[teaser]The unrated comedy will arrive on Blu-ray in March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal will be releasing 'Sisters' on Blu-ray on March 15. Tina Fey (TV’s Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock) and Amy Poehler (TV’s Saturday Night Live, Parks and Recreation) reunite in Sisters, the story of two disconnected sisters summoned home to clean out their childhood bedroom before their parents sell the family house. Looking to recapture their glory days, they throw one final high-school-style party for their classmates, which turns into the cathartic rager that a bunch of ground-down adults really need. Critics say Sisters is “hilarious, heartfelt, & downright dysfunctional.” – Ramascreen.com The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, lossless 5.1 audio, and supplements include: Deleted and Extended Scenes; Gag Reel; The Improvorama; and Feature Commentary With Director Jason Moore, Star/Producer Tina Fey, Star/Executive Producer Amy Poehler and Writer Paula Pell. Blu-ray exclusives include: How to Throw a Party; Grown-Up Parties Suck; The Alex Chronicles; The Kate And Pazuzu Chronicles; A Teen Movie … For Adults; The Original Sister; and Pool Collapse Visual Effects. You can find the latest specs for 'Sisters' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under March 15. Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Feb 8, 2016 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
Grindhouse Releasing to Tear Blu-ray to 'Pieces'[teaser]The 1982 horror cult classic will debut on Blu-ray in just a few weeks. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Grindhouse Releasing will be releasing 'Pieces' on Blu-ray on March 1. Directed by Juan Piquer Simón and starring Christopher George (Lucio Fulci’s CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD, GRIZZLY, TV’s RAT PATROL), Edmund Purdom (DON’T OPEN TIL CHRISTMAS), Paul L. Smith (MIDNIGHT EXPRESS, David Lynch’s DUNE, and Robert Altman’s POPEYE) and Lynda Day George (MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE), PIECES tells the story of a psychopathic killer stalking a Boston campus, brutally slaughtering nubile young college co-eds, collecting body parts from each victim to create the likeness of his mother who he savagely murdered with an axe when he was ten years old. “We’ve had phenomenal response to our announcement of PIECES,” says Grindhouse Releasing theatrical director and publicist David Szulkin. “It’s been one of our most requested titles for the Blu-ray market, and already, in pre-orders alone PIECES ranked as one of Diabolik DVD’s top ten Blu-ray best-sellers of 2015. PIECES is also a real crowd-pleaser in theaters, and we will be screening it at midnight shows and on college campuses across the country to promote the Blu-ray, starting at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Boston (link) where the movie takes place.” PIECES was a Variety Top 10 box office smash in its original release, debuting at #5 in its first week (ahead of RETURN OF THE JEDI at #6!). It has remained a favorite among connoisseurs of gore, including director Eli Roth who ranks PIECES as one of his top horror films of all time. “We are very proud of this release, “ says Grindhouse Releasing co-founder Bob Murawski, an Academy Award-winning film editor whose credits include THE HURT LOCKER, SPIDER MAN 1, 2, & 3, ARMY OF DARKNESS, and the hit Starz TV series ASH VS. EVIL DEAD. “The stunning 4K masters, the incredible 42nd Street documentary produced by Calum Waddell and Naomi Holwill, the terrific new audio commentary by Jack Taylor, Jim Kunz' grueling 9 months of encoding, transcoding, authoring and menu design, the beautiful packaging by Tad Leger and Dan Harrington, and what we consider to be the coup of the century: the long-awaited, highly anticipated return of Rick Sullivan of GORE GAZETTE fame, contributing magnificent new liner notes to the release. We think it's our best release yet! “ The 3-Disc Deluxe Edition (Blu-ray + CD) will feature: TWO complete versions of this shocking gore classic; Brand new audio commentary by star Jack Taylor; Special 5.1 audio option - the Vine Theater Experience!; In-depth interviews with director Juan Piquer Simón and genre superstar Paul L. Smith; 42nd STREET MEMORIES; Extensive gallery of stills and poster art; Exhaustive filmographies; Liner notes by legendary horror journalist Chas. Balun and Rick Sullivan; BONUS CD - original soundtrack; AND OTHER SURPRISES! Plus the first 3000 units will include an actual jigsaw puzzle! Strictly limited to 3000 units! You can find the latest specs for 'Pieces' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under March 1. Order the Blu-rayPosted Sun Feb 7, 2016 at 07:01 AM PST by: -
Paolo Sorrentino's 'Youth' Bound for Blu-ray[teaser]The film starring Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, and Rachel Weisz is headed for Blu-ray in March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox is set to bring 'Youth' to Blu-ray on March 1. From Paolo Sorrentino, the director of Italy's Oscar foreign language winner The Great Beauty* comes Youth, about two longtime friends vacationing in the Swiss Alps. Oscar winning actor Michael Caine plays Fred, an acclaimed composer and conductor, who brings along his daughter (Rachel Weisz) and best friend Mick (Harvey Keitel), a renowned filmmaker. While Mick scrambles to finish the screenplay for what he imagines will be his last important film, Fred has no intention of resuming his musical career. The two men reflect on their past, each finding that some of the most important experiences can come later in life. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, lossless 7.1 audio, and supplements include five featurettes, an image gallery, and a theatrical trailer. You can find the latest specs for 'Youth' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 1. Order the Blu-rayPosted Fri Feb 5, 2016 at 01:00 PM PST by: -
Director Todd Haynes' 'Carol' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]One of the most critically acclaimed films of 2015 is headed for Blu-ray next month. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay says 'Carol' will be available on Blu-ray on March 15. Adapted from Patricia Highsmith’s seminal novel The Price of Salt, CAROL follows two women from very different backgrounds who find themselves in an unexpected love affair in 1950s New York. As conventional norms of the time challenge their undeniable attraction, an honest story emerges to reveal the resilience of the heart in the face of change. A young woman in her 20s, Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara), is a clerk working in a Manhattan department store and dreaming of a more fulfilling life when she meets Carol (Cate Blanchett), an alluring woman trapped in a loveless, convenient marriage. As an immediate connection sparks between them, the innocence of their first encounter dims and their connection deepens. While Carol breaks free from the confines of marriage, her husband (Kyle Chandler) begins to question her competence as a mother as her involvement with Therese and close relationship with her best friend Abby (Sarah Paulson) come to light. Living up to its groundbreaking source material, the film premiered to a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival—and won the festivals’ Queer Palm award. Since this auspicious debut, it has continued to collect both adoration and accolades. The Academy Awards honored the film with six nominations, including Actress in a Leading Role for Cate Blanchett and Actress in a Supporting Role for Rooney Mara. The film garnered five Golden Globe® nominations—the most of any film this year—including Best Motion Picture, Drama, alongside nominations for both Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama. Blanchett and Mara also received Screen Actors Guild nominations for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role and Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role, respectively. Other awards and nominations include: nine BAFTA nominations; six Spirit Award nominations; four wins from the New York Film Critics Circle for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography; nine Critics’ Choice nominations, and over 125 Top Ten lists. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, lossless 5.1 audio, and special features include a Behind the Scenes Gallery featuring cast and crew—as well as a Q&A with cast and filmmakers. You can find the latest specs for 'Carol' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under March 15. Order the Blu-rayPosted Fri Feb 5, 2016 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
Ken Burns' 'Jackie Robinson' Blu-ray Dated[teaser]The 4-hour documentary about the legend who broke baseball’s color barrier is planned for Blu-ray in April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, PBS says 'Jackie Robinson' will hit Blu-ray on April 12. This moving documentary tells the life story of Jack Roosevelt Robinson, the man and hero who broke baseball's color barrier. He continued to fight the race battle off the field long after he retired and helped in the Civil Rights Movement. "Jackie Robinson is the most important figure in our nation’s most important game,” said Ken Burns. “He gave us our first lasting progress in civil rights since the Civil War and, ever since I finished my BASEBALL series in 1994, I’ve been eager to make a stand-alone film about the life of this courageous American. There was so much more to say not only about Robinson’s barrier-breaking moment in 1947, but about how his upbringing shaped his intolerance for any form of discrimination and how after his baseball career, he spoke out tirelessly against racial injustice, even after his star had begun to dim.” Born in 1919 to tenant farmers in rural Georgia and raised in Pasadena, California, Robinson challenged institutional racism long before he integrated Major League Baseball. As a teenager, he demanded service at a Woolworth’s lunch counter and refused to sit in the segregated balcony at a local movie theater. In 1944, while serving as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Robinson was arrested after he defied an order from a civilian bus driver to move to the back of a military bus. He was found not guilty. In the spring of 1947, Brooklyn Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey signed Robinson to a major league contract. To help ensure the success of their endeavor, and protect the big league prospects of future African American players, Robinson agreed to ignore the threats and abuse that Rickey assured him he would face. That season, Robinson kept his word, remaining silent while he dazzled fans with his brilliant play and helped lead the Dodgers to the National League pennant. By the end of the year, he was the most famous black man in the country and in one poll, finished second only to Bing Crosby as the most popular American. In 1949, Robinson began to speak out, challenging opposing players, arguing with umpires and speaking his mind to the press, and he played some of the best baseball of his career, winning the National League MVP award. Despite his accomplishments on the field, his outspokenness drew criticism across the league, from the press and even from black fans and players who worried he would set back the progress that African Americans had achieved in baseball. When he retired in 1956, many were happy to see him go. After baseball, Robinson continued to use his immense fame to elevate the civil rights movement, voicing his views through a widely read newspaper column in the New York Post, raising money for the NAACP and Martin Luther King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and campaigning vigorously for candidates he believed would work to improve the lives of African Americans. Meanwhile, in Stamford, Connecticut, the Robinson family faced the challenge of integrating schools, social clubs and Little League teams in their mostly white suburb, where residents and real estate agents had once tried to keep them from buying property. “JACKIE ROBINSON” is also a warm portrait of a loving and devoted husband and father, featuring extensive interviews with Robinson’s widow, Rachel, and their surviving children, Sharon and David, who witnessed firsthand how resistant society could be to equality for African Americans, even their enormously popular father. As the 1960s progressed, many African Americans grew frustrated with the slow pace of change in black neighborhoods, and new leaders began charting a more militant course for the civil rights movement. Robinson denounced their calls for progress by “any means necessary” and criticized them for rejecting integration. Some young African Americans accused Robinson of being out of touch — chiding him for his ties to Branch Rickey, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller and other prominent whites — and sought new, more defiant cultural heroes such as Muhammad Ali and Jim Brown. But even as his celebrity waned and diabetes ravaged his body, Robinson continued to push for fair treatment and equal opportunities for all African Americans. After throwing out the first pitch before game two of the 1972 World Series, he told the crowd, and millions watching at home, that it was long past time for Major League Baseball to hire its first black manager. He died nine days later at just 53 years of age. “Jackie Robinson,” Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, was “a sit-inner before sit-ins, a freedom rider before freedom rides.” In addition to Rachel, Sharon and David Robinson, “JACKIE ROBINSON” features interviews with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama; former Dodgers teammates Don Newcombe, Carl Erskine and Ralph Branca; writers Howard Bryant and Gerald Early; Harry Belafonte; Tom Brokaw; and Carly Simon. Jamie Foxx is the voice of Jackie Robinson, reading excerpts from his newspaper columns, personal letters and autobiographies. Funding is provided by Bank of America; Public Broadcasting Service; Corporation for Public Broadcasting; The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; Dalio Foundation; Mr. Jack C. Taylor; and members of The Better Angels Society, including Jessica & John Fullerton and John & Catherine Debs. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but the Blu-ray will have a suggested list price of $29.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Jackie Robinson' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 12.Posted Fri Feb 5, 2016 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
William Castle's 'I Saw What You Did' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The 1965 thriller starring Joan Crawford, John Ireland, and Leif Ericson is bound for Blu-ray in May. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Scream Factory says 'I Saw What You Did' will be available on Blu-ray on May 17. A simple prank call turns into a night of person-to-person terror in I Saw What You Did, a movie that dials up the suspense. Teenagers Libby and Kit have found a new way to entertain themselves: by calling up random strangers and tormenting them with a warning: "I saw what you did, and I know who you are." But when a man who has recently murdered his wife becomes their latest victim, the tables are quickly turned…and this wrong number may mean that their number is up. Joan Crawford (What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?, Trog) and John Ireland are among the stars in this chiller produced and directed by the legendary Master of the Macabre, William Castle (House on Haunted Hill, The Tingler, Strait-Jacket). No other details have been revealed at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'I Saw What You Did' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under May 17.Posted Fri Feb 5, 2016 at 08:00 AM PST by:
