Fred Walton's straight-to-cable sequel to his seventies horror classic, When A Stranger Calls, will always have a very special place in my heart. 

I rented it on VHS back in the day, and I saw it long before I ever viewed the original. I remember it terrifying me in the extreme - I was just dipping my toes in the horror genre in those days - and it left an impression on me. Years later, it has definitely lost some of its bite. I'm not as easily terrified as I once was. I've seen it all now, and so this one is relatively tame - but it is also tons of fun. 

Carol Kane and Charles Durning return in their roles from the first film, as they help a young college student (played by Jill Schoelen) who has recently had an encounter with 'the stranger' - a sinister ventriloquist who uses his unnatural talent to carry out his evil deeds. 

When A Stranger Calls Back arrives from Shout Factory on Blu-ray in both full frame and widescreen versions from a new 2K scan of the original film elements. There are new interviews with Fred Walton, Carol Kane, and Jill Schoelen). Included is the short film that inspired both films, entitled "The Sitter". 

​Highly recommended to horror fans! 

Masterfully directed by Lucile Hadžihalilović, Evolution is a small gem that is unmissable.

Available from Shout Factory on a beautiful Blu/DVD combo pack.

Shout Factory has released John Ottman's Urban Legends: Final Cut on Blu-ray. 

When Urban Legends: Final Cut arrived in theaters in 2000, the critics bashed it mercilessly. While some of that reaction is indeed warranted, I found this entry to be a lively and fun addition to this particular franchise. 

At a prestigious film school, several of the students are vying for the coveted Hitchcock Award, which will guarantee its winner a fruitful Hollywood career. While in the process of making their thesis films, several of the students are brutally murdered. There is a definite pattern going on, and it is up to one particular student, Amy Mayfield, to put all of the pieces together. 

Yes, the film follows a tried and true formula - and yes, at times it is incredibly predictable - but John Ottman clearly has lots of fun with the film school setting, which adds a sort of meta quality to the proceedings. You may not care about any of these characters, but you'll definitely enjoy seeing them get stalked and victimized. Two characters from the original film also show up, in a supporting role and a cameo.

From a screenplay that was co-written by Scott Derrickson of The Exorcism of Emily Rose fame, this is a film that was maybe a bit too harshly dismissed, and that now be enjoyed on its own terms.

The Blu-ray contains several special features that fans can enjoy, including a commentary, making of featurettes, and interviews with the cast and crew. 

Shout Factory has released two Jamie Blanks horror films, Urban Legend and Valentine. 

Released in 1998 on the heels of Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, Urban Legend focuses on a group of college students who are suddenly preyed upon, one by one, by a vicious killer who uses various "urban legends" as inspiration for the elaborate slayings. Featuring memorable performances from Jared Leto, Tara Reid, Alicia Witt, and most especially, Rebecca Gayheart. 

Urban Legend is one of the classic late-nineties horror films, a deliciously campy outing that has received the royal treatment from the folks at Shout Factory. 

Next up is Valentine, which was released in 2001. At the 1988 high school prom, several young girls reject the advances of nerdy Jeremy Melton, who simply wants to dance with one of them. When one of them finally says yes, it ends with an unforgivable act of cruelty at Jeremy's expense. 

Years later, all of the girls have grown into gorgeous women. Around Valentine's Day, they start to receive threatening Valentine's day cards. One girl receives a box of chocolate covered maggots. Before long, they are being stalked and killed by a man wearing an ominous cupid mask. There are many twists and turns to be had before the shocking ending. 

Starring Denise Richards, Katherine Heigl, and Jessica Capshaw, Valentine is an atmospheric and suitably creepy horror-mystery from Jamie Blanks. Like Urban Legend, it arrives through Shout Factory in a deluxe collectors edition Blu-ray. 

Both of these releases are highly recommended for horror fans! 

The blessed souls at Shout Factory have released the 2007 Halloween classic, Trick 'r Treat, on a loaded collector's edition Blu-ray. If you're a fan of horror, anthology films, or all things Halloween related, you must own this release. If you haven't seen the film...why are you still reading this? Go. Go now, find a copy, watch it, fall in love with it, and then purchase this release. 

If you're still here, I've posted my original review for your reading pleasure:

In October of 2007, a film was briefly marketed and then abruptly shelved by Warner Brothers.
The film in question was Michael Dougherty’s fantastic directorial debut, Trick ‘r Treat, and the theatrical trailer looked promising. I personally remember seeing the trailer in theatres. I immediately wanted to see it, and I wasn’t alone in that. The film quickly developed a following, and yet Warner Brothers repeatedly pushed back the release date, frustrating audiences in the process. Then one day, without warning, Warner pulled the film completely out of the public eye. This didn’t stop Trick ‘r Treat from becoming a major success at several film festivals, particularly Screamfest. However, the wait was still on for those of us who couldn’t attend those festivals.

Trick ‘r Treat was finally dumped on to DVD and Blu-ray on October 6th, 2009. As we all know, there is a stigma attached to straight-to-DVD fare. However, Trick ‘r Treat would prove to be the exception to that rule. The film is beyond amazing. It is a gift from the gods of film. It is the little Hallow’s Eve indie that could. It is one of the best films of its kind.

Trick ‘r Treat is an anthology film in the vein of Creepshow, Tales from the Darkside: The Movie and Cat’s Eye. It is split up into four segments, each one telling a different story. It takes place in a small town on Halloween night, and the stories are all interrelated. As far as narrative structure, it resembles Pulp Fiction. Unlike Pulp Fiction, we are dealing with werewolves, a haunted bus full of zombie children, vampires, and a cute little fella named Sam (short for Samhain), who wears a sackcloth over his head, loves chocolate, and likes to stab people to death with the jagged edges of giant jack-o-lantern lollipops. Little Sam appears in nearly every segment – a constant observer, always adorable, and always plotting. There is a showdown between Sam and the neighborhood grump near the end of the film that is worth the price of admission (or in this case, the price of the Blu-ray) and then some.

Michael Dougherty is clearly a fan of Halloween. He captures the essence of what makes the tradition so endearing and memorable for us all. He has a keen eye for atmosphere, bringing an authenticity to the film, in regards to the look and feel of Halloween. Dougherty’s pacing is deliberate, allowing us to become familiar with the characters and their surroundings, rather than rushing us into the scary bits. He has created an entire world here, and he wants us to linger for a while. As far as the music is concerned, Douglas Pipes has composed a score that perfectly captures the mood of the film and compliments what we are seeing on the screen. It is memorable piece of work that should become an instant favorite among fans.

The film does have its unnerving moments, but the humor contained within the film tends to balance it all out. There is a story that centers around an elementary school principal – played by Dylan Baker, with just the right amount of creepiness that made his deranged character in Happiness so memorable and disturbing – who just happens to be a serial killer. He knocks off children one by one by poisoning their candy. Afterwards, he proceeds to bury them in his backyard, while his son watches admiringly from the window.

​This segment of the film was pretty controversial, and was probably the reason that mainstream film executives decided to pass on the film. This is unfortunate, because this is exactly the type of experience that deserves to be shared with a full audience.

Trick ‘r Treat is one of the best films of 2009, and is a must-see for fans of horror anthologies. It is pure, unadulterated fun. It’s not going to keep you up at night, but if you are on its wavelength, you are going to have a great time. I promise. Don’t wait for Halloween – watch this one as soon as possible!

Franc Roddham's 1985 gothic horror film, The Bride, is finally given the Blu-ray treatment from the good folks at Shout Factory. 

Starring Sting as Dr. Frankenstein and Jennifer Beals as the titular "Bride", this is a somewhat different take on the classic material from Mary Shelley. It failed miserably at the box=office upon its release, and critics were less than kind. However, this undeniably campy and fun film has gained a cult audience over the years, who admire the handle of atmosphere in the film, as well as the unique take on a familiar story, which finds the so-called "monsters" in the film seeking love, independence, and self-worth in the world in which they were created. 

The Blu-ray features an audio commentary from the director, two interview segments, and a trailer. 

Recommended! 

Shout Factory has released the cult classic, Night of the Lepus, on Blu-ray. 

William F. Claxton's Night of the Lepus has gone down in history as one of the most misguided horror films in the history of cinema. A story about a town that has to face off against mutant bunny rabbits couldn't have looked that great on paper to begin with, but for whatever reason, everyone involved with the production felt that it was a great idea. 

And we should all be thankful that they went on with it, because the results are hilarious. 

Featuring a cast of overly committed - and equally confused - actors (including JANET LEIGH!), some of the sloppiest direction this side of a Tommy Wiseau film, and some of the crummiest special effects you've ever seen, you're going to want to hop to the nearest online store and purchase yourself a copy. 

Available on Blu-ray now. 

Arrow Video will finally release the 1988 cult classic, Killer Clowns from Outer Space, from the Chiodo Brothers. 

Fans have long awaited a definitive release of this beloved horror-comedy, and now they will have the chance to add it to their collection. 

According to the Arrow website, the bonus features are plentiful. They include:

• Brand new restoration from a 4K scan of the original camera negative
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
• Newly remastered stereo 2.0 and 5.1 DTS-HD MA audio options
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Archive audio commentary with the Chiodo Brothers
• Let the Show Begin! Anatomy of a Killer Theme Song – an all-new interview with the original members of the American punk band, The Dickies
• The Chiodos Walk Among Us: Adventures in Super 8 Filmmaking - all-new documentary highlighting the making of the Chiodo Brothers childhood films, from the giant monster epics made in their basement to their experiments in college
• New HD transfers of the complete collection of the Chiodo Brothers 8mm and Super 8 films, including Land of Terror, Free Inside, Beast from the Egg, and more!
• Tales of Tobacco – an interview with star Grant Cramer
• Debbie’s Big Night – an interview with star Suzanne Snyder
• Bringing Life to These Things – a tour of Chiodo Bros. Productions
• The Making of Killer Klowns – archive production featurette
• Visual Effects with Gene Warren Jr. – archive interview with co-writer/producer Charles Chiodo and visual effects supervisor Gene Warren Jr.
• Kreating Klowns – archive interview with Charles Chiodo and creature fabricator Dwight Roberts
• Komposing Klowns – archive interview with composer John Massari
• Klown Auditions
• Deleted Scenes with filmmaker’s audio commentary
• Bloopers
• Image Galleries
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sara Deck

Suffice it to say, if you're a true fan of this film, featuring a family of alien clowns that turn their victims into huge clouds of cotton candy, you're in for a treat! 

Shout Factory's Blu-ray of Jeff Burr's 1987 horror anthology, From A Whisper To A Scream, has finally arrived! 

One of the last films starring the late, great Vincent Price, From A Whisper To A Scream opens as a reporter (played by the equally legendary Susan Tyrrell) enters a gloomy library in the middle of the night. Her purpose is to interview the town historian (Vincent) whose daughter has just been executed for murder. You see, the town of Oldfield, Mississippi has a rich history of violence, and the historian is about to give this reporter a quick rundown of said history. 

The film goes into four different vignettes. The first one involves a creepy necrophiliac, who develops a crush on a co-worker of his. He then kills her and has sex with her corpse. Later, the "offspring" of that union comes calling for "daddy". 

In the second, a criminal is injured by a rival gang, and is then nursed back to health by a runaway slave who has apparently found the elixir of eternal life. This tale of greed and revenge ends on a particularly note. 

In the third segment, a young man works at a freakshow as a "glass eater", but hopes to run away with the love of his life. Only things aren't that easy, because the aggressive and overbearing snake woman has other plans. 

In the final segment, a group of corrupt civil war soldiers have their comeuppance when they run into a group of sadistic youngsters who seem to run the entire town of Oldfield. This segment gives off a very "Children of the Corn"-ish type vibe. 

All in all, it's a fun anthology, featuring some truly wack-a-doo performances from everyone involved. The score is pretty good, too. And, at the end of the day, it's just another excuse to watch Vincent do what he does best! The Blu-ray features a making-of documentary, as well as several other extras! 

Recommended! 

The Poughkeepsie Tapes has developed a cult status since its release date back in 2007, largely due to the fact that it has been unavailable on DVD and Blu-ray since its extremely limited theatrical run. MGM simply did not know how to market the film at the time, and its not too difficult to see why. Shout Factory has finally released the film on Blu-ray and DVD, unleashing it upon audiences for the first time. 

The Poughkeepsie Tapes takes the found footage genre to new heights, crafting a mixture of crude VHS footage with faux-documentary footage. It takes the form of a "true crime" documentary in many respects, featuring interviews with cops, detectives, family members of the victims, etc. It concerns a series of murders carried out by "The Water Street Butcher" who tortures and kills his victims for the camera, and who also films himself mutilating - and, sometimes, desecrating - the bodies. 

The film opens as it is revealed that an entire series of VHS tapes has been found containing the grisly footage. Along with the aforementioned interviews, we witness some of the footage on the tapes, and it's nothing short of brutal. A subplot involving a woman that the killer keeps as his personal "slave" is particularly distressing. The Poughkeepsie Tapes runs a little over an hour and twenty minutes, but it will stay with you much longer than that. This is a visceral experience, right up there with Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, that is so relentlessly disturbing, you may feel the need for a shower afterwards. 

The Shout Factory Blu-ray/DVD combo set is sure to please horror fans, and features interviews with the filmmakers, as well as one of the actresses. Highly recommended, but with much caution.