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12 Interesting Horror Films Not Yet on Blu-Ray

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It’s hard to tell why some films are so quick to get a Blu-Ray release when some films haven’t had an official stateside release since the VHS days or since snapper case DVDs and badly panned and scanned transfers were still a thing.  Here’s a list of a few films that, for whatever reason, are taking an insanely long time to make it to Blu-Ray (or, in some cases, DVD). 

Paperhouse

 Before Bernard Rose was summoning Clive Barker’s Candyman, he was making this understated English thriller about a sickly girl whose only means of escape is dreaming of the things she draws during her waking hours.

In these dreams, she meets another sick child and they strike up a friendship. It’s a good thing, too, because they’ll need each other’s help when those dreams turn into nightmares. Rose creates a moving and frightening story that’s high in mood and well-worth seeking out.

There was an out of print international Blu-Ray release and there’s an HD master that floats around on TV and streaming, so there’s definitely material to work with. This would make a great fit for the Vestron Collector’s Series since that’s the company that released this on VHS back in the late 80s.

The Ugly

After discovering this one on a complication DVD called Boogeymen in the early aughts, I went out of my way to check this indie New Zealand-lensed shocker out and I was blown away by it.

It’s about a psychiatrist trying to figure out why a serial killer murdered so many people. Was it his abusive childhood? Is he really hearing voices? Or is he just playing the sympathy card and manipulating the shrink?

Despite slight similarities to The Silence of the Lambs and Seven, it has a style all its own, great performances, and a few moments you’ll never be able to forget.

Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II

Let’s just admit it. Prom Night II is the true MVP of the franchise. It throws just about every 80’s horror cliche and trope into a blender and adds a generous helping of Michael Ironside and “what the hell did I just see/hear” moments.

A mousy high school girl is possessed by the spirit of a sexy 1950’s prom queen who was accidentally burnt to a crisp by her jealous boyfriend and she’s been looking for a way to reclaim her prom queen crown ever since.

If that doesn’t sound fun enough, throw in some horny rocking horses, incest, big hair, a little sacrilege, murderous capes, and a full-frontal lesbianic locker room stalking scene.

It has everything! Except for a Blu-Ray release. Apparently, rights issues are holding this one up, so we can only hope they get everything sorted out ASAP because this one would be a big seller. 

May

Lucky McKee’s May is one of the true cult classics of the past 20 years. Angela Bettis plays a vet’s assistant who has a problem connecting with anyone who isn’t 100% perfect.

After she realizes no one is truly perfect except her creepy porcelain doll, she decides to create the perfect human doll using all the best parts of her problematic companions.

With its quirky and macabre sense of humor, surprising humanity, and eerie lead performance by Angela Bettis, this is one that should be talked about a lot more than it is. It probably doesn’t help that it’s not available on Blu-Ray. Who do we need to call? Lion’s Gate? 

 

Mother of Tears

Ok, so it’s not Suspiria or Inferno, but just to leave the 3rd and final chapter of Dario Argento’s Three Mothers trilogy in Blu-Ray limbo seems cruel.

In Rome, an ancient urn is unearthed and opened by a historian, and the blood-thirsty spirit of Mater Lachrymarum is released to throw the world into violent chaos. The visuals aren’t as eye-popping as the previous films (did they shoot this movie during the great Italian colored lighting gel shortage of 2007 or what?), but it has a few creative moments, an enjoyably angry performance from Asia Argento, and some nasty gore effects. And doesn’t the world deserve to see Daria Nicolodi flying out of a magical powder puff in stunning HD?

 

Cheerleader Camp

This one isn’t high art. I’ll admit it, but there have been far worse slashers that have gotten the deluxe treatment on Blu-Ray.

It takes place at a camp for 30-year-old cheerleaders where someone is killing off the competition. Is it our leading lady who might be coming apart at the seams?

Awkward rap battles and raunchy sex comedy spice things up in between scenes of cheerleaders being terrorized with garden shears and meat cleavers.

This seems like a great fit for Arrow or Vinegar Syndrome who have done such great work with cleaning up other neglected slasher films from the 80s. 

 

Silent Night, Deadly Night IV: Initiation

While all of the Silent Night, Deadly Night entries deserve one big box set, this one is my favorite.

In this “sequel”, a reporter tries to get to the bottom of a case of spontaneous combustion and its link to a weird cult. It’s so loosely connected to the franchise or the Christmas holiday (you can spot one or two Christmas trees in the background and that’s as festive as it gets) that they might as well have called it something else, but there’s a lot of gooey body horror, witchcraft, spontaneous combustion, and Clint Howard as a deranged homeless man.

If that doesn’t spell Christmas cheer, I don’t know what does. 

https://youtu.be/akf-m7LmPjU

 

Summer Camp Nightmare

This one’s cover art enticed me to give it a rental in middle school and, while I was a little disappointed that it didn’t give me the slasher flick I was promised (it was rated PG-13! What was my dumb ass expecting?), it ended up being an entertaining “kids run amok and take over a summer camp” movie.

It’s like Lord of the Flies with bigger hair and Chuck Connors. I think. Honestly, it’s been so long since I’ve seen it that I’d like a Blu-Ray release just to remind me what all it had going for it again.

Maybe this one will do better with a fresh transfer and artwork that matches the contents of the film a little closer. 

 

The Attic

Man, this one is a downer. I mean that in the best way.

A spinster librarian takes care of her evil invalid father all night and day and dreams of running away and finding the man who was supposed to marry her many years ago. It’s a psychological drama with some gothic horror elements thrown in, but Carrie Snodgress and Ray Milland both give killer performances and it’s filled with deep dark family secrets, patricide daydreams, and a monkey for good measure.

It’s only been available on dark, dreary VHS tapes and a long out-of-print MGM double feature DVD with the Klaus Kinski creeper Crawlspace (which has already gotten its own Blu-Ray release).

Time to let this one out of the attic and let it see the sun.

 

The Stepford Wives

Somehow, this film’s remake has made it onto Blu-Ray, but no one’s been kind enough to offer the original classic a warm, digital home. Truly, what would the women of Stepford think about such rudeness? It’s a shame, too, because this is one of the creepiest and most unsettling 70’s horror films out there.

Katharine Ross and Paula Prentiss play two independent women who settle in the town of Stepford with their families and try to figure out exactly why the men in the town meet in secret at a creepy mansion and why the women look so perfect and have no interests outside of housework.

This is another one where rights issues have kept it from getting the release it deserves and that needs to change. 

We’ll just die if we don’t get this on Blu-Ray.

 

Office Killer

Artist Cindy Sherman might be the last person you’d expect to make a horror film, let alone a slasher film, but she did (even if it’s rumored that she’d like you to forget) and it’s very entertaining.

It stars Carol Kane as an awkward office worker who accidentally kills a sleazy co-worker and then decides that her life might be better if she took out some of the other biggest offenders in her life.

It’s too ghoulish for the comedy crowd and too arty and satirical for most traditional slasher fans, which made it hard to find its audience. The fact that it went direct to video might not have helped either, but it’s gathered a decent cult fanbase over the past 20+ years since its release, and a retrospective with stars Kane, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Molly Ringwald wouldn’t suck either. 

 

The Haunting of Julia

Mia Farrow’s other major horror film besides Rosemary’s Baby (besides a fun supporting role in the remake of The Omen) is a thoughtful and quietly unsettling ghost story involving a grieving mother who gets a little too close to the ghost of a dead child haunting her new home.

It’s only ever been available in a crummy pan and scan VHS releases and the few widescreen prints out there are muddy and lacking definition. Time for an upgrade so that a new generation or two can become acquainted with this under-seen film. 

I’m not sure who’ll be reading this, but if, by chance, a distributor gets ahold of this list, maybe they can make some magic happen and give some of these unfairly neglected horror films a little love on home video. 

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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