SDCC 2015 - Shout Factory Score

The first stop I had to make on the SDCC convention floor was the Shout Factory booth.  I picked up a few Blu-Rays and scored some free swag:

- People Under the Stairs - This is one of the earliest horror films I remember seeing as a kid.  However, I rewatched it a few years back after going through a haunted house based on the film at Universal's Halloween Horror Nights.  Now that it has a proper release in High Definition, I can't wait to rewatch it again!

- Robot Jox - I never seen this movie before, but the guy at the booth sold me on the special features.  Besides, it's Stuart Gordon.

- Hackers - Angelina Jolie as a computer nerd - What's not to like?

- Dog Soldiers -  This is actually another film I've never seen before.  However I was a big fan of Neil Marshall's The Descent in college, so this should be a fun watch.

- Thunderbirds The Complete Series - Someone filmed marionettes before Team America?  How could I pass this package up?

I also attended the Shout Factory panel and I'm excited for their new releases (especially the ones from Scream Factory).  And in case you didn't know, Scream Factory is once again celebrating their Summer of Fear, so be sure to take advantage of their sales at http://summeroffear.com !

Bullet Points - A Scream Factory Edition

 

Today's Bullet Points are brought to you by Scream Factory:

Halloween III: Season of the Witch - For the longest time, I wrote this movie off.  From my edited viewings on AMC, I always considered this to be a cheesy movie with no Michael Myers to support the franchise.  However, after watching this Scream Factory release, I now realize how great this movie is.  Besides the beautiful transfer, we follow a doctor (played by Tom Atkins) investigating the death of a patient.  With some gruesome scenes involving children and Halloween masks, this movie is quite entertaining (oh, and you can't forget that catchy Silver Shamrock jingle).  As discussed in the special features, we learn the Halloween franchise was supposed to be a new tale for each film.  However, after Halloween 3 bombed, it was decided Michael Myers must return as the star of the series.  Although I like the boogy man, I wish this series would have stuck to its original plan because some interesting original stories could have come into fruition.

Death Valley - Starring Ralphie from A Christmas Story, this a pretty solid slasher that takes place in Death Valley.  When a mom (played by Catherine Hicks) takes her son on vacation to meet her new boyfriend, the young boy discovers evidence from a murder scene.  When the killer realizes the boy took a necklace that may link him back to the murder, his family becomes his next target.  With a fun set piece taking place in a mock western town, this was a fun gem uncovered by Scream Factory.

Terrorvision - Although it's a cheesy 80's film, the effects, props, and sets make this an enjoyable watch.  When a family gets a new satellite system for their television, an alien literally invades their channels.  As the alien releases itself from the television set, bizarre murders occur.  Made by an Italian director, this movie is a weird mix between a Giallo and an early Tim Burton film.

The Amityville Horror -  When a family moves into an old house with a dark past, the father begins to lose control of his senses and develops murderous tendencies.  I'm not an expert of the subject, but I'd say The Amittyville Horror is the beginning of the modern haunted house film.  Sure, William Castle made some entertaining haunted house flicks with Vincent Price in the 1950's.  However, this movie transformed the sub-genre since it was based on the accounts of real life people (even though James Brolin and Margot Kidder didn't believe in the events).

Scream Factory - My Criterion for Horror Films

Now that we're in the month of October, that means we've reached my favorite time of year for movies!  Sadly, I don't think there's many horror flicks playing at the theater except for Insidious 2 from September.  Luckily, a lot of television networks, like AMC, are doing their scary movie marathons.

However, if you're looking for some things to watch from the Home Video market, Scream Factory is the movie label to follow this Halloween (and honestly, all year long).  Releasing cult favorites from the 1980's, each film is beautifully transferred to blu-ray.  For instance, never would I think Halloween III as a horror masterpiece.  But with a beautiful anamorphic transfer and bonus features telling stories behind the scenes, Scream Factory is truly doing a service for horror fans.

Jam packed with special features, most releases include:

• Exclusive Interviews with the Cast and Crew
• New commentaries from the creators
• Horror’s Hallowed Grounds - Awesome documentaries re-visiting the actual on-scene locations in present day.

Another thing Scream Factory does with many of their releases is provide original cover art.  Similar to how Mondo visualizes classic movie posters, Scream Factory is getting some extremely talented artists to produce some beautiful (yet terrifying) images.

Although I always prefer the original artwork, Scream Factory provides the original poster art on the backside of the blu-ray cover.  This allows the consumer to reverse the slip and pick the image of their choice.  This is a company that really cares about their fans and customers.

If you're still not sold on Scream Factory, now is the time to check them out.  They are currently doing "The Year of Fear Contest."  By simply giving your name and email address, you can win a year's worth of their products (you're lucky I'm sharing because I really want to win).  Also throughout the month, they're doing 24 hour sales called "The Price is Fright."  With free shipping and awesome discounts, this is not a sale to miss. 

So be sure to check out Scream Factory at their website.  Also, if you want to hear a little more about their company, check their latest interview on the Killer POV podcast. 

Besides my Criterion Collection, I actually separate my Scream Factory releases from the rest of my video collection.  I've been very impressed by Scream Factory's product and can't wait for their future releases!