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Buy / Wait / Rent: September 2019 Blu-Ray Releases

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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 September 2019! read more

‘Kolchak: The Night Stalker’ and ‘The Night Strangler’ Coming to Blu-Ray this October From Kino Lorber

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Darren McGavin’s The Night Stalker’s impact on the horror genre can not be denied and has had a “monstrous” influence on everyone from Chris Carter to Joss Whedon.

Unfortunately, the many fans of the short lived series (it only ran for twenty episodes in 1974-75) have had a hard time tracking down the episodes.  The series has run intermittently on SyFy, MeTV, and was even on Netflix until last year, but physical copies of the series, and the even more elusive TV movies, have been very hard to come by.  Luckily for us, Kino Lorber Studio Classics will be unearthing the original two films that kick started Carl Kolchak’s career in October with the release of The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler, and both will be available on blu-ray for the first time (and this is also the first time any of Kolchak’s adventures have received a blu-ray release/restoration). read more

Arrow Video’s ‘J.D.’s Revenge’ Blu-Ray: The Horror News Network Review

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Most fans probably immediately go to Shaft, Black Caesar, Foxy Brown, or Dolemite when they think of the Blaxploitation craze of the 1970’s.  Although the genre is mainly associated with these type of urban crime action flicks, the Blaxploitation movement also featured films that veered towards romance, comedy, and of course, horror.

After the release of Blacula in 1972, B-Movie factories such as AIP produced a string of blaxploitation horror features such as Blackenstein, Scream, Blacula, Scream, and Abby (also known as “The Black Exorcist”).  And in 1976, producer Sam Arkoff and director Arthur Marks combined the traditional gangster tropes of blaxploitation and added supernatural elements to the mix to form the past-lives regression shocker called J.D.’s Revenge. read more

Arrow Video’s ‘Donnie Darko’ Limited Edition Blu-Ray: The Horror News Network Review

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Over a decade before fans were fawning over Stranger Things‘ 1980’s horror and pop culture nostalgia, Richard Kelly practically invented this formula for homage with Donnie Darko. In celebration of the 15th anniversary of the film, Arrow Video has created a beautiful 4K restoration of both cuts of the movie, taken from the original film negatives. This version of the film was released in U.K. theaters for a short period in late 2016, and Arrow Video followed up with a definitive home video package for the movie, which contains these lovely transfers and a mountain of engaging special features. This release is a must-have, even for casual fans of the movie. read more

Arrow Video’s ‘Pulse’ Blu-Ray: The Horror News Network Review

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Following up on their excellent October release of Dark Water, Arrow Video continues their tradition of offering important early 2000’s J-Horror films with this month’s Pulse blu-ray and DVD set. While I find the film to be an acquired taste in comparison to some of the other popular Japanese ghost films of its time, it is highly regarded by many critics and it has withstood the test of time as evidenced by this release 16 years later. Arrow Video has cut no corners with this release; and the overall package includes a digital transfer of the film which has it looking the best it possibly can, as well as a wealth of interesting special features. The first pressing of the set will include a booklet featuring illustrations and an article by film critic Chuck Stephens. The package also features new cover art by Tommy Pocket which recalls the contemporary work many artists are doing with pop culture screen printing these days. Overall, I believe this package will be highly desirable for J-Horror fans who want to own the best possible versions of all of the classics, but this one may not be for every casual horror fan out there. read more

Arrow Video’s ‘The Bird with the Crystal Plumage’ Blu-Ray: The Horror News Network Review

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Dario Argento’s first film, the 1970 classic The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, profoundly impacted the world of horror and established his career as a sophisticated auteur of cinema for decades to come. The film’s beautiful cinematography and expert filmmaking qualities make it an integral addition to any film-lover’s home video collection. There have been several blu-ray releases of various quality over the years, but none have come close to giving this important Italian film the level of love and attention as the upcoming limited edition box set from Arrow Video. read more

Get Out Blu-Ray Release to Include Alternate Ending

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Although Get Out is still adding to its phenomenal total at the box office (over $164 million at this point) , the film will certainly disappear from theaters in the upcoming weeks due to the kick-off of the summer movie season and increased competition for screens at theaters around the country.

For those who missed the theatrical release, or for fans who want to own the debut film from director Jordan Peele, the film’s blu-ray release on May 23rd will include something that no one has yet seen: an alternate ending to the film. read more

C.H.U.D. Special Edition Blu-Ray Early Review

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There is no better representative of video store culture of the 1980’s than Douglas Cheeks’ C.H.U.D.

This cult classic had all of the right ingredients to become a hit on the video market including a mysterious acronym, memorable tagline (“They’re not staying down there, anymore!”), and frightening vhs box artwork that would make any one looking for a fun Friday night stop dead in their tracks.

Thankfully, the fine people at Arrow Video have decided to give this well-loved horror-exploitation gem from 1984 a first class restoration and package in the form of their two disc special edition blu-ray release (available on November 22nd).   read more

DVD & Blu-ray Releases: August 2, 2016

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DVD & Blu-ray Releases: August 2, 2016

This week’s releases include a Collector’s Blu-ray edition of the classic Invasion Of The Body Snatchers.
You can view the complete list of this week’s horror releases below.

Invasion Of The Body Snatchers [Collector’s Edition] [Blu-ray]

Starring: Donald Sutherland, Leonard Nimoy, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum, Veronica Cartwright

Synopsis: Under cover of darkness, while an unsuspecting city sleeps, an alien life form begins to sow the seeds of unspeakable terror. Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Leonard Nimoy, Veronica Cartwright and Jeff Goldblum star in this shocking, “first-rate suspense thriller”, (Newsday). read more

DVD & Blu-ray Releases: July 19, 2016

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DVD & Blu-ray Releases: July 19, 2016

This week’s DVD & Blu-ray releases include a Collector’s Edition of The Return Of The Living Dead and Bad Moon on Blu-Ray.
You can view the complete list of this week’s horror releases below.

The Return Of The Living Dead [Collector’s Edition] [Blu-ray]

Starring: Thom Mathews, Clu Gulager, John Philbin
Synopsis: On his first day on the job at an army surplus store, poor Freddy (Thom Mathews) unwittingly releases nerve gas from a secret U.S. military canister, unleashing an unbelievable terror. The gas re-animates an army of corpses, who arise from their graves with a ravenous hunger… for human brains! And luckily for those carnivorous cadavers, there is a group of partying teens nearby, just waiting to be eaten! read more