We sift through the new release heap so you don’t have to!
Welcome to Horror News Network’s Buy / Wait / Rent, a monthly article devoted to the most highly-anticipated horror releases on blu-ray. Here you will find the best home video releases of each month, along with our opinion on whether each film is a must-own on the first day of release, something you should wait to buy until it goes on sale, or something you’re better off renting for a one-time watch. And now, on to the notable new releases of December 2017!
12/5/17:
WAIT:
David Lynch fans will surely be eager to add Showtime’s new Limited Event Series revival of Twin Peaks to their collections. Unfortunately, though, this new box set’s release date pricing is higher than the current price of the complete original series of the show. It would be wise to wait for the eventual price drop on this set.
RENT:
Shout! Factory’s timing for its release of Silent Night, Deadly Night couldn’t be better! However, the movie is more remembered for the shock value of it’s murderous toy store Santa Claus than its objective quality as a slasher flick. On the positive side, the transfer of this blu-ray release promises to be a marked improvement over the original budget blu-ray release of a couple years ago. Give this one a rental if you aren’t sure if it’s for you.
12/12/17:
BUY:
Arrow Video’s limited-edition release of House: Two Stories became an instant collectible item upon its release this spring. Fans have another shot of owning the two individual films in the series with the upcoming release of House and House II: The Second Story on blu-ray. These titles are not limited releases so they’ll likely be available in the marketplace longer; but the pre-order pricing is currently very attractive, so I recommend that anyone who is interested in either of these titles buy them upon release.
12/19/17:
BUY:
Darren Aronofsky’s mother! is one of my favorite movies of the year. You can read my extensive review of the film by clicking this link. This movie is obviously not for everyone, but I recommend it to anyone looking to build a serious film collection comprised of the works of the greatest directors of our time.
RENT:
Speaking of “not for everyone,” Shout! Factory’s release of the 1988 cult classic American Gothic will hit store shelves just in time for Christmas! If you haven’t seen it, you might want to give it a rental for an engaging performance by Yvonne De Carlo. Speaking of rentals, there’s a new Leatherface movie that’s coming out direct to video! Given the film’s dismal critical reviews and its creators’ lack of faith in a theatrical release, I’d say it’s a safe bet to rent this one before deciding to permanently place it beside your beloved copy of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
12/26/17:
BUY:
The new 4K UHD edition of Terminator 2: Judgment Day was originally supposed to drop in late October. It’s finally hitting the shelves late December, and you should absolutely buy it! Here’s what I had to say about this title in October:
“To this day, Terminator 2: Judgment Day is still one of the best action movies of all time. This particular edition is based on the 4K 3D remaster of the film which was released in theaters this past August. Director James Cameron made a couple of minor revisions for this remaster, but overall this transfer maintains the intended look and feel of the film that we all know and love, while bumping the contrast and resolution to unprecedented heights. It is priced low for its release date to boot, so you should have no reservations about picking this one up on day one!”
