In 1985, Walt Disney Productions released Return to Oz, a sequel to the beloved 1939 film.

In actuality, the film is merely a spiritual sequel to the 1939 landmark. Director Walter Murch gave Return to Oz a darker, far more sinister feel that is closer to the tone of the original books from L. Frank Baum. The film turned out to be the subject of much controversy due to the horrific nature of many of the situations that Dorothy finds herself in. The film was pulled out of theaters prematurely and was a box-office and critical flop.

Years later, the film developed a strong cult following, and fans have been clamoring for a proper making-of documentary for a long time. In 2021, that documentary, Remembering Return to Oz, finally arrived. Unfortunately, the final product is a disaster of epic proportions, as it has been haphazardly cobbled together by highly incompetent amateurs.

Director and editor, Aaron Schultz, and his co-editor and producer, Aaron Pacentine have taken a golden opportunity and squandered it, utterly and completely. The film, as it stands now, seems to have been edited with a chainsaw. The whole of the film is comprised of interview segments with the majority of the cast and crew of Return to Oz, but in the hands of Schultz and Pacentine, these segments have been edited in such a careless manner that it becomes positively infuriating. Audio drops in and out of sync throughout. Interview segments are abruptly cut while the interviewees are in mid-sentence. The generic score overwhelms the dialogue, completely removing us from the film while drowning out important information. Overall, the audio is fuzzy and sloppily mixed. There are awkward transitions, horribly rendered PowerPoint animations that pop up out of nowhere, and several instances of terrible dissolves in between clips.

This goes on for the entire runtime.

Yes, there are some gems to be found here. The interviews are revealing (when you can hear them) and very touching at times. The interview with Fairuza Balk is almost worth the $5.99 rental price alone. When the music and the terrible sound mix isn’t drowning her out, the anecdotes of her time on set are a dream come true for fans of this wonderful film. It is a travesty that this footage just happens to be in this…thing.

It is truly ironic that Walter Murch – widely considered to be one of the greatest film editors of all time – is featured so prominently in this hackjob. I would be embarrassed to have my name attached to this project.

I’m angry. Angry that this project fell into the hands of people who clearly didn’t realize what they had. Scultze and Pacentine lack both the talent and the filmmaking prowess to pull off a project of this magnitude. That is a damn shame. You’d think that this was a rough edit, but it is not. This is the final cut. This is the cut that has been published to Vimeo, which means the filmmakers saw what they had and decided to settle for mediocrity. 

Keep in mind that this was the outcome of a very long Kickstarter campaign. The production took so long to get off of the ground that backers began to wonder whether or not the film would ever materialize in any way, shape, or form. According to this thread on Reddit, many felt that they had been scammed. Backers asked for refunds on multiple occasions and were ignored. One of the “perks” for backers was a replica of the infamous Oz key that, according to those who received it, was brittle and cheaply manufactured on a 3D printer. Family Films Productions has a history of prolonging fundraisers, only to deliver atrocious products. They balk at any sort of criticism and dig their heels into the ground while prepping for their next disaster. Family Films Productions had an opportunity to give Return to Oz the retrospective that the fans deserve, and at the end of the day, they failed.

They failed horribly.

Not only are Schultz and Pacentine willing to deliver a defective product, they are unwilling to do anything to remedy the problem – and to top it all off, they want you to pay $5.99 to stream it. They have even threatened to offer a longer, rougher “director’s cut”. I shudder to think what the extended version is like. Save your money, people.

​This cinematic atrocity is now available to rent on Vimeo. I suggest that you save your money.

And lastly, be forewarned: Family Films Productions are already preparing their next “crockumentary” – and this time, they’re going after Disney’s Parent Trap series. Someone hide Haley Mills.

Michael Winner's The Sentinel is a wonderfully goofy, deliciously nasty little horror film from the seventies. Shout Factory has recently released a fantastic Blu-ray of the film, and it should definitely find a place in the collection of every serious horror buff! 

When a celebrity model moves into a Brooklyn apartment building, she finds that it is inhabited by a bevy of quirky neighbors - who may or may not be ghosts. After a series of increasingly disturbing events, it also comes to her attention that this particular apartment contains a secret doorway to Hell. Upon further investigation, it turns out that these sinister forces are preparing her to be the new guardian, or sentinel, of this doorway. 

This certifiably insane (and kinky) film has a stellar cast, including Chris Sarandon (in what is actually a pretty bland role), Burgess Meredith, Christopher Walken, Jeff Goldblum, Cristina Raines, Martin Balsam, Beverly D'Angelo and Ava Garder, among others. 

Don't miss this film. Amongst all of the thrills and chills, there is also a scene that involves a cat's birthday party. This scene alone is worth the price of the Blu-ray. And what a fabulous Blu-ray it is! Packed with special features, it is another triumph for the good folks at Shout Factory, and comes highly recommended! 

Kino Lorber’s Bluray release of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a cause for celebration amongst film fans. 

Considered one of the first true horror films, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari tells the tale of a crazed “doctor” who acquires a permit at a small town carnival, where he unleashes his latest spectacle - a man inside of a wooden box, a “somnambulist” named Caesar. 

Caesar remains in a state of prolonged sleep and only wakes at the command of Caligari. Soon, many mysterious murders occur in the town, and before long, people begin to suspect that Caligari and Caesar may be the guilty parties. 

In a sleepwalking state and under Caligari’s spell, Caesar roams the town at night, taking victim after victim. A man named Francis takes it upon himself to stop the two monsters, no matter what the cost. 

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a silent German classic, which makes iconic use of German Expressionism as far as production design is concerned. Before the film was released in 1920, no one had ever witnessed anything quite like it. It has gone on to inspire some of the major artists of our generation, such as Tim Burton. 

Director Robert Wiene was a true visionary, and this film has gone on to become a favorite amongst cineastes and horror fanatics. To this day, it still remains a terrifying experience - and the “twist ending” has lost none of its power. 

Kino has released the film on a stellar Blu-ray edition that should be included in the library of every serious collector. Special features include a documentary, two separate film scores, and two restoration featurettes - and much more! 

Jörg Buttgereit’s Der Todesking is a film that I approached with much trepidation. So disturbing was the films reputation, that I only agreed to sit through it if I could do so with one of my close friends. When Cult Epics sent me their new Blu-ray release of the film, it sat enclosed in the shrink wrap for quite some time. Finally, a few nights ago, my friend and I sat down to experience this forbidden film in all of its glory. 



And we were surprised.

If not pleasantly, we were surprised nonetheless to find out that Der Todesking is a work of art, fashioned with care by a man who has something profound to communicate on the unavoidable subject of death and mortality. 



Buttgereit’s reputation and past filmography would lead you to believe that Der Todesking is nothing more than a shameless exercise in morbid exploitation. With the two controversial Nekromantik films under his belt, no one could have foreseen that Der Todesking would be as provocative and intellectually satisfying as it is. 



What we have in Der Todesking is an anthology film of sorts. The film unfolds in seven segments - “Monday” through “Sunday” - in which we peek into the pathetic and desperate lives of several individuals as they are faced with death, by way of senseless murder and suicide. Each segment unfolds in a matter-of-fact, emotionally detached fashion. We know nothing of these characters beforehand. We are witnesses to their collective demise and nothing more.



In between - and sometimes interrupting - each segment, we see a body gradually decomposing. Buttgereit never lets us forget the death that is at the heart of the film. We aren’t allowed any comic relief - no escape from the desperation. 

The two segments which bookend the film are definitely the most potent, but nothing here should be dismissed. Der Todesking holds a power which few films can claim, and once you are in its grasp, you’ll stay there until the credits roll - maybe even long after. 



This is not a film for the faint of heart, by any means. You should definitely approach this piece with caution - however, if you are willing to take the plunge, you will find that it is rewarding in many respects. 



The Blu-ray that Cult Epics has released is a pristine collectors edition, complete with a glossy slipcover, several special features, and a special postcard. Film buffs and lovers of underground cinema should definitely check it out.

In 1985, Disney released Walter Murch's directorial debut, Return to Oz, and it scared kids - and parents - away in droves.

The film was hastily pulled from theaters after a few weeks, and was then dumped onto VHS months later. Even on home video, the film could not escape its tainted image. The box art on the original VHS release had a disclaimer in the lower left corner which read, "Portions of this material may not be suitable for small children. Parental discretion is advised". And the truth is that, yes, Return to Oz is largely a disturbing and unrelentingly bleak experience. From the opening moments, when Dorothy is being carted off to an insane asylum to receive shock therapy, well, you know you're not exactly in Kansas anymore. Added to that, the other controversial elements of the film - Princess Mombi and her interchangeable heads, the Wheelers, the somewhat kinky Nome King - and you realize that Return to Oz is basically a horror film under the Disney banner. 

Over the years, however, the film developed an audience. And that audience prefers the darker side of Oz over the 1939 classic, which honestly strays from the source material in many ways - something that Return to Oz does not. Return to Oz is closer in tone to the original books, and the books can be quite frightening at times. 

Return to Oz was released on DVD by the folks at Anchor Bay in 1999. Fans of the film rallied around the release, and were incredibly supportive of it - even though the transfer was muddy and non-anamorphic. In 2004, Disney brought us an "official" release, which was anamorphic and carried over the trailer and featurette from the Anchor Bay release. Only the transfer had not been properly restored. Dirt and debris still plague the film. Other Disney DVD releases do not look like Return to Oz. Most of them have been scrubbed clean for their DVD debuts. Disney's attitude towards Return to Oz has been largely dismissive since the original theatrical release. It's almost as if Disney is ashamed of this film. And they shouldn't be. It is a work of art. It should be seen by all audiences, especially lovers of fantasy. It's one of the best films of the eighties, and deserves to be treated as such. Digital copies of a 1080p restoration can be found on Amazon Instant Video and Vudu. This is a step in the right direction, but what fans really want is a proper Blu-ray release - complete with special features. A few featurettes, a commentary from the director and Fairuza Balk would be most welcome. It should be meticulously restored, not rushed out for the sake of quieting the fans or turning a quick profit. 

Disney, let's make this happen. It's what we want, and it is long overdue. Return to Oz is an amazing film. Give us the opportunity to experience it in the best way possible. 

In the meantime, fans can sign this petition at this wonderful unofficial page that is dedicated to the film.

Clive Barker’s Nightbreed is something of a misunderstood masterpiece. It’s almost hard to believe that it came out nearly 24 years ago. Now that Shout Factory has released the new “director’s cut”, a whole new audience will be able to see the film in the way that Barker intended, and it is an experience that they will never forget. 



When Nightbreed was released in 1990, the film was plagued with issues. The studio wasn’t keen on a movie that portrayed monsters as sympathetic creatures, and so, in an act of butchery that only the big studios are capable of, they made cuts and changes to the film that severely altered the tone that Clive Barker was going for. This being his sophomore feature - and clearly a project that he cared deeply about - Barker was devastated that his vision had been tainted. Over the years, the film began to develop a cult following. Even fans of the film knew that pieces were missing and that this was a world that hadn’t been fully explored. As time passed, new footage was found and the “Cabal Cut” was created. However, the quality of the found footage in this version left much to be desired. 



Cut to 2014, and we now have the director’s cut - the definitive cut, thanks to producer Mark A. Miller, who would not rest until Nightbreed was finally complete. The dedication to this restoration is admirable, and all of that love ends up on the screen. This is a film that is begging to be rediscovered. 



Nightbreed is based on Clive Barker’s own novella, entitled “Cabal”, and tells the tale of Aaron Boone, a mentally fragile young man who constantly dreams of a place called Midian, a dwelling place for monsters who have set themselves apart from the rest of the world. Worried that the dreams are becoming more frequent, Aaron’s girlfriend asks him to visit his psychotherapist, the sinister Dr. Philip K. Decker (played by a super creepy David Cronenberg), and is manipulated into believing that he is responsible for a series of horrific murders. A series of strange events at a local hospital lead Aaron to Midian, where he meets several fascinating and strange creatures - the “nightbreeds” - the very beings who will help him to discover his true destiny. Aaron will face many obstacles, including the prejudiced town lawmen who loathe the monsters - and a terrifying serial killer. 



I’m trying my best to be as vague as I possibly can in order to avoid serious spoilers. When it comes to Nightbreed, the less that you know going in, the better. Clive Barker has given us a rich new world to roam around in, with characters that we will never forget. It’s hard to believe that this film has been around for so long and has been so misunderstood and under appreciated. Granted, the theatrical cut lacked all of the substance that we find in this new cut, but it was always an endlessly imaginative picture, ripe with possibilities. It helps that Nightbreed is a film for adults, hence the R rating. It pulls no punches, and can be quite shocking at times. Anything can happen in a film like this.

And then there is the music. There is a strong emotional core to Nightbreed, which is highlighted by a beautiful score from Danny Elfman - a soundtrack that should be re-released as soon as possible. This is by far one of the composers best pieces. 



Nightbreed is a classic, plain and simple. For those of you who have never seen it, who will be lucky enough to stumble upon this new release at some point in the future, just know that you are in for a real treat. You really don’t want to miss this one! 

Shout Factory has really outdone themselves as far as this release is concerned, and the fans are going to love it. There are two releases: a standalone Blu-ray that only features the director’s cut, and a limited three-disc edition that features additional special features, as well as the digitally remastered theatrical cut of the film. I was only able to review the standalone release, but I was more than happy with it.

Special features include an introduction with Clive Barker and Mark A. Miller, a highly informative audio commentary, interviews with various actors and crew members, a theatrical trailer, and more! 



Do yourself a favor: stop what you are doing and purchase a copy as soon as possible! I promise you that you will not be disappointed! And Clive Barker, please make another movie soon! It’s been way too long.

What is there to say about Lamberto Bava's 1985 cult classic, Demons, other than the fact that it is bat-shit crazy and an incredibly gory and fun bit of badly dubbed Italian horror? 

Demons opens as a creeper in a silver mask approaches a young woman at a subway station and hands her a free ticket to a special screening in a renovated movie theatre. She manages to get an extra ticket for her girlfriend, and so they skip class to see what the fuss is all about. Once they arrive at the theatre, they find that the place is full of horror movie memorabilia, including a few silver masks - much like the one worn by the creeper at the start of the film. Before long, the theatre is packed, and the two young ladies have been hit on by two horny frat boys - both of whom proceed to follow the two girls into the screening room to sit beside them. 

Meanwhile, two hookers and a "Shaft"-wannabe pimp arrive. One of the hookers attempts to be cute by putting on one of the silver masks, and ends up nicking her face in the process. They think nothing of it, and find their seats. 

The movie within a movie begins, which happens to be about a bunch of curious teens who stumble upon the tomb of Nostradamus and find a sacred mask. We find out that whoever places the mask on their face becomes vulnerable to demonic possession. As chaos ensues on the big screen, so it does in the theatre as well, with art imitating life. The movie itself seems to be cursed. The aforementioned hooker runs to the bathroom, only to find that the tiny cut on her face is pulsating. Soon, blood and pus begins to run out, and she undergoes a horrific transformation. She infects a few people, and they too become blood spewing, bile vomiting creatures from hell. 

Soon, the audience erupts into a frenzy, and as they attempt to escape, they find that the exits have been bricked up. As several other patrons turn into Satan's spawn, it is up to Mr. Pimp and one particular college frat boy to save the day. All the while, Billy Idol, Saxon, and Go West blares away on the soundtrack. Added to all of the other mayhem, we are treated to a subplot involving a group of delinquents who rock out to "White Wedding" while snorting cocaine through a straw from a Coca-Cola can. They, too, will encounter the demons - but everything leading up to that is pretty fantastic. Especially the dialogue. 

Demons is a hoot. I absolutely enjoyed every single moment of it. It makes no sense whatsoever, but who cares? They don't make them like this anymore. That sounds like a cliche, but they really don't. There isn't one dull moment to be had. The film was produced and co-written by horror master, Dario Argento, and you can see how his influence made its way into the film. The lighting is very colorful and inventive at times, and the gore factor is extremely over-the-top. However, it isn't all high camp. There are some genuinely creepy scenes here. 

Synapse has released Demons on Blu-ray. The transfer is gorgeous and the sound mix does not disappoint. This is a bare-bones affair, in that there are no special features other than the theatrical trailer. In any case, this is a Blu-ray that every horror fan should own! Do not miss out on this. 

Kidnapped was considered a “lost film” until 1998. The production came to a halt in 1974, when one of the main investors died in a car crash. Mario Bava’s son, Lamberto, compiled the footage and released Kidnapped in its entirety in 1998.

The film begins as four criminals make a failed attempt to rob a pharmaceutical company. When one of the four is shot and killed, the remaining three – Dottore, Blade, and 32 – speed off with the cops following close behind. When they arrive at a parking garage, they take three hostages: an older man named Riccardo and his dying son, as well as a woman named Maria, who just happens to show up at the wrong place at the wrong time. Riccardo informs the criminals that he is in a hurry to get his son to the hospital, but the leader of the group, Dottore, forces him to drive at gunpoint, while the two hoodlums in the back proceed to humiliate Maria, who is in shock and going out of her mind.

Dottore promises Riccardo that no harm will come to any of them, as long as he can take them to their getaway. The tension builds and builds throughout, as the villains reveal just how depraved they really are. This is strong stuff, ladies and gentlemen. Mario Bava considered this has most important film, and it’s easy to see why. The film has been stripped of Bava’s usual stylistic trademarks, bringing a sense of gritty reality to the material that we see. We genuinely want to see these evil characters get their comeuppance, and we want to see Riccardo, his son, and Maria make it out alive.

Just when I thought that I knew where the film was going, it would take a different path that I hadn’t expected, which was both a good and a bad thing. Good because the film tries its best to avoid cliches, and bad because I was so tense during the majority of the film that I was depending on predictability as some sort of safety net. This is a testament to how unrelenting the film is. In fact, it reminded me of Wes Craven’s The Last House on the Left. It is repulsive from start to finish and just doesn’t let up.

Just when you think that things couldn’t get any worse, Mario Bava pulls a spectacularly evil twist right out of left field just before the credits roll. You’ve got to see it to believe it.

Kidnapped is definitely a change of pace for Mario Bava. I’ve only seen a handful of his films, but this one is definitely the strongest, in my opinion. The acting is incredible from everyone in the cast, and as he did for A Bay of Blood, Stelvio Cipriani has composed another memorable film score. If you can handle the no- holds-barred intensity, I recommend Kidnapped. 

Director Scott Derrickson’s Sinister is a horror tour-de-force that you’re not likely to forget once you've seen it.

Egomaniacal true-crime novelist, Ellison Oswalt, moves his wife and two kids into the house where an unsettling murder involving a family of five has recently taken place. He plans to write about the incident and the missing child, who was apparently spared and kidnapped by the killer, hoping that he can solve the mystery without the help of the local authorities.

As he stores boxes in the attic, he finds several reels of Super 8 film and a projector. Each film contains increasingly graphic and macabre footage of a family being murdered. Upon further inspection, Ellison discovers that a pale, hollow-eyed figure can be seen lurking in the background in each one of the home movies. A pattern begins to emerge, as Ellison becomes consumed with the dark secrets that lie within the films. Further investigation confirms that there are demonic forces at work, and that Ellison may have opened a gateway that has placed his family in danger.

Sinister takes familiar themes and situations and spins them in entirely different directions, making the film unpredictable and highly unnerving as a result. The film score by Christopher Young is almost a character in and of itself. It accentuates the disturbing nature of the film, cranking the scares all the way up to eleven. Ethan Hawke delivers an extraordinarily nuanced performance, and this ranks among some of his best work. The rest of the cast is just as good, under the direction of Scott Derrickson, who pulls absolutely no punches for the entirety of the film. Where most directors would turn away from such material, Derrickson dives right in, creating a cinematic experience that will live forever in your memory.

Sinister is utterly relentless and is not for the squeamish.