She Who Must Burn Press Release

She Who Must Burn Debuts on Cable VOD

Digital HD & DVD October 11

Cult Provocateur Larry Kent Turns Up the Heat 

On the Red-Hot Debate over Women's Choice

                                                        

"She Who Must Burn is strong meat." --Variety

"Emotional and intentionally baiting...a horror-siege-witchhunt with no punches withheld" --Coming Soon

"An extraordinary piece of filmmaking that digs past the headlines which make us shake our heads over coffee in the morning."--Film Thrills

Los Angeles, CA - Midnight Releasing has announced the October 11th Cable VOD, Digital HD and DVD release of She Who Must Burn, Canadian cinema provocateur Larry Kent's latest feature. Kent and co-writer Shane Twerdun have crafted a thought-provoking and violent horror story centered around the all-too-real battle between personal choice, state-sanctioned law and religious dogma.  She Who Must Burn will be available to rent or own starting October 11th on Dish Network, Cox, Charter, Verizon Fios, DirecTV, iTunes, Amazon Instant, Google Play, Vudu, XBox and more.

Sarah Smyth ("Cedar Cove", 50/50, "Supernatural") headlines as a healthcare provider at odds with the evangelical family in her small town.  When she refuses to stop seeing women in need and even helps a desperate member of their own family (sci-fi icon Jewel Staite, "Firefly", "Stargate: Atlantis", "The LA Complex"), they decide she is to blame for the mysterious deaths in the community and must pay.

She Who Must Burn has been acclaimed by mainstream and horror media since its world premiere at the 2015 Fantasia International Film Festival, where the film took home the award for Best Feature Film.  It went on to screen around the world, winning Best Feature Film at Blood in the Snow and sweeping the awards at the Fright Night Festival, taking home Scariest Film, Best Villain and Best Supporting Actress.  Modern Horrors raved that "the horror is all in the reality"and FilmFestivals.com declared She Who Must Burn is "a profound, thought-provoking movie that brilliantly speaks about our flawed human nature".

A deadly storm heads towards a small mining village as the local preacher feeds the dark resentments seething in the souls of its citizens.  Angela is the only medical resource for women in this unfortunate town where stillbirths and cancer have become disturbingly common. The local preacher and his followers blame Angela for the miscarriages and deaths, and even her Deputy Sheriff boyfriend can't protect her from their wrath. Dark clouds gather as the preacher's followers, infected with religious fervor and inflamed with passionate righteousness, seek to cleanse their community. Those who sin against the Lord must pay.

The DVD release of She Who Must Burn (SRP $17.98) will be available exclusively from Amazon.com.

THE NEON DEAD (DVD Review) - Wild Eye Releasing

USA/2015
Directed By: Torey Haas
Written By: Torey Haas
Starring: Marie Barker, Greg Garrison, Dylan Schettina
Color/80 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1
Release Date: September 13, 2016

The Film
A young woman hires two local "paranormal exterminators" after finding a zombie in her bathroom. These exterminators are little more than a pair of local grocery store employees with a bit of experience dealing with these ancient demon monsters that have recently been plaguing the area with the intention to take over mankind. Can this trio banish the demons back to where they came from before it's too late or will these brightly colored monsters do the bidding of their master and wreak havoc on Earth?

The strongest point of THE NEON DEAD is it's visuals. I don't know the reason why these monsters are glowing but fuck it, they're cool as shit to look at it. Their day glow flesh and bright neon eyes are an original look for these undead baddies and the sets are flooded with heavily colored lighting. The movie is bloody and funny. The three leads have good chemistry together and there's a lot of fun winks and nods to classic fan favorite horror movies. It's easy to pick apart the shortcomings of low budget indie horror but when a movie takes as much pride in not only its aesthetics but also having extremely likable characters and a decent storyline I don't even want to spend my time nitpicking.

I think it's best to keep this review as brisk as the film itself. The 80 minute runtime flies by with laughs and splatter so grab some popcorn and check out THE NEON DEAD.

The Audio & Video
Wild Eye Releasing really knocks the look of this movie out of the park with a really strong DVD presentation. The anamorphic widescreen transfer has great colors and clarity. The 2.0 audio mix is also quite crisp and clear with no background noise or hiccups.

The Extras
-Director's Audio Commentary
-Allison Profile
-Creature Profile
-Jake Profile
-Happy Birthday Greg
-"First Date" - Short Film
-"Troll Picnic" - Short Film

The Bottom Line
THE NEON DEAD is one of the more entertaining indie horror flicks I've seen lately and if that's you're thing you should definitely check out this DVD!

THE NEON DEAD is available HERE

MAI-CHAN'S DAILY LIFE (Blu-ray Review) - Redemption Films

Japan/2014
Directed By: Sato Sade
Written By: Sato Sade
Starring: Kashi Ann, Akane Miyako, Maruyama Shogo
Color/63 Minutes/Not Rated
Region A
Release Date: September 20, 2016

The Film
Miyako is a pretty woman looking for a new job when she comes across a listing for a live-in maid position that pays well. She's hired after inquiring for the job and is quickly fitted for her skimpy, sexy outfit and quickly meets Mai-Chan, another maid working for their "master". Soon after Miyako finds that Mai-Chan is being used as a human play thing for all of their masters twisted fantasies because she regenerates fully from any injuries she sustains. When Miyako is given the opportunity to act out some of her own desires she quickly finds out how sick and twisted she really is.

MAI-CHAN'S DAILY LIFE is based on a Japanese manga that I'm totally unfamiliar with but if the film adaptation is faithful to the manga than it's quite the explicit book. This film is for fans of excess who like their sex and gore. While the film takes place in limited locations that look like sets designed for a stage play, there is definitely a "more is more" attitude when it comes to graphic violence and nudity, particularly the gore. Eyeballs, guts, full dismemberment, it's all here on full bloody display. It's the sexual tension drives the film from point A to point B which leads to the violent acts. The tension between Miyako and Mai-Chan is also purposely inflicted on the viewer as the camera constantly gives up-skirt views of the girls' panties and follows them in an almost seductive manner. I almost felt voyeuristic watching this film, which I feel was intended by director Sato Sade. Sade revels in sexualizing everything from scrubbing the floors and dusting to the use of a chainsaw and actual sex itself.

There are moments in MAI-CHAN'S DAILY LIFE that even air on the surreal side. The film has a stylish look despite some sets looking a bit chintzy. The sets are interestingly even if sparsely dressed, the costumes are nicely designed and the effects are very well done. There are some scenes that you can tell were shot with different cameras as the quality shifts but overall I think MAI-CHAN'S DAILY LIFE does quite a good job at bringing a highly sexualized, gore fest manga to life in the form of an exploitation film while keeping it in a world that straddles the line of fantasy and reality.

The Audio & Video
Redemption Films has brought MAI-CHAN to Blu-ray with a very nice HD presentation. The 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer largely looks very crisp and sharp. There are moments where it's apparent that somewhat lower quality equipment was used in the production of the film and the image quality in those moments drops just a bit but never to the point of looking bad. Colors are vibrant and detail is strong in the lacy maid uniforms to the wood floors and metal furniture. Black levels are deep and inky and really round out a quality transfer. The audio is in the film's native Japanese with optional English subtitles. The HD audio is clear and free of distractions like popping, crackling or buzzing. There's no background noise either and the subtitles are translated well and timed perfectly with a white colored font.

The Extras
-"Waita's Daily Life" - A behind the scenes documentary clocking in at over half an hour
-Trailer

The Bottom Line
This is 63 minutes of insanity that gore hounds need to take note of.

MAI-CHAN'S DAILY LIFE is available HERE

HAUNTED HONEYMOON (Blu-ray Review) - Kino Lorber

USA/1986
Directed By: Gene Wilder
Written By: Gene Wilder, Terence Marsh
Starring: Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner, Dom DeLuise
Color/82 Minutes/PG
Region A
Release Date: September 20, 2016

The Film
Gene Wilder stars as Larry, a beloved radio show actor who is quite preoccupied with irrational fears. He is to be married to his co-star Vickie (Gilda Radner) on a vacation trip to his aunt Kate's (Dom DeLuise) old mansion where his family has plans to cure him of his fears by scaring him... death! That promise may be taken a bit too seriously by jealous family members when Aunt Kate names Larry the sole heir to her estate. Oh and did I mention that one of the family members might be a werewolf?

HAUNTED HONEYMOON is a horror themed comedy romp with an amazing cast. Gene Wilder is one of a kind and I'm glad to have been able to enjoy this film that he not only stars in but also co-wrote and directed so soon after his passing, for the first time. Wilder is endlessly likable and genuinely funny without needing a schtick to fall back on. His real life marriage with Gilda Radner translates seamlessly to the screen and they're absolutely adorable together. They have perfect chemistry and are a perfect duo to lead the film.

The film's mix of spoofing gothic horror tropes and murder mystery ala Clue lends itself to be silly and goofy fun. It only takes one look at Dom DeLuise in drag as Aunt Kate to start the chuckling, before heartier belly laughs come about. DeLuise is excellent, as he always was, giving a warm performance as the matriarch of the family who is trying to help her beloved nephew and the love of his life have a perfect wedding all in the midst of a police investigation into a murder and a werewolf running around creating all sorts of havoc. Paul L. Smith gives a booming performance as Larry's doctor and uncle and is one of several others in the supporting cast that hold their own with the stars of the picture. There really isn't a bad performance in the bunch.

The film has excellent set design with a mansion you'd find straight out of a Hammer production from two decades earlier, and a really well done wolf man creature design that would rival any straight forward horror production of the era. HAUNTED HONEYMOON succeeds by keeping things lighthearted and cute with enough kooky comedy thrown in to keep things feeling like they're moving even more briskly than they are. If there's such a thing as a gothic murder mystery romantic comedy than HAUNTED HONEYMOON is probably the tops of the genre which makes it quite surprising to me that the film was panned by critics and was a poor performer at the box office. Hell, even Dom DeLuise earned a Razzie award for his portrayal of Aunt Kate. I'd think that HAUNTED HONEYMOON would have been at least a moderate success on name power alone. Hopefully the film has found it's audience or this Blu-ray will help spread the gospel of HAUNTED HONEYMOON because while this film isn't perfect it really is a delight to watch.

The Audio & Video
Kino Lorber gives HAUNTED HONEYMOON its high definition debut with an attractive 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that is very clean and clear allowing for finer details to come through. Colors are strong and natural, despite a very dreary color palette through most of the film's production in the old gothic style mansion. Appropriately, the black levels fare well with no compression or blocking issues. The DTS-HD English audio is free of distortions, dropouts or other imperfections. The mix is well done, and steady throughout.

The Extras
Bare bones.

The Bottom Line
HAUNTED HONEYMOON is a perfect choice for lighter and more family friendly viewing for the Halloween season and would make for a wonderful viewing for the memories of the stars of this film that have since passed away.

HAUNTED HONEYMOON is available HERE

TABOO (Blu-ray Review) - Vinegar Syndrome

USA/1980
Directed By: Kirdy Stevens
Written By: Helene Terrie
Starring: Kay Parker, Mike Ranger, Juliet Anderson
Color/86 Minutes/X
Region FREE
Release Date: August 30, 2016
Blu-ray/DVD

The Film
Barbara's husband has left her, blaming her frigidity and lack of passion for destroying their love life and marriage. Now without an income Barbara has to find a job while taking care of their son who is getting ready for college which is another added expense. Stressed to the max, Barbara turns to her free swinging friend Gina who sets her up with the local swinger scene but Barbara's sexual tension is growing hot and heavy with her own son instead.

TABOO is one of the most notable adult films of the era as it is very well made featuring great performances for a porno flick and really solid writing. The screenplay from Helene Terrie is great, with a few truly memorable and wonderfully staged scenes including one of the most wonderfully photographed orgy scene of all time and a dreamlike incestuous encounter that feels quite surreal. Kay Parker handles her range of encounters and emotions with grace, showing true acting ability. It's no wonder that she would rocket to stardom in the adult world soon after TABOO was released. Her incredible body certainly didn't hurt either.

This film's main draw is how shamelessly it deals with kink and, as the title so plainly suggests, taboo subjects. And there ain't nothing wrong with that. Everybody has their own fetishes and incest is certainly one of the biggies. TABOO tackles that fetish and is so sexy that the viewer won't be feeling any guilt while enjoying this film. TABOO can still be called shocking to this day but you can't call it shocking for the sake of shock value. TABOO is a stylish movie, with heaping helpings of sex that will continue to be considered a classic piece of adult cinema for years to come as not only a piece of kinky smut but a look at the harsh reality of being a single mother... who happens to fuck her son.

The Audio & Video
As much as I love Vinegar Syndrome's horror and exploitation output, their real bread and butter is their vintage X-rated and nobody does it better so it's no surprise that their brand new 2K scan of TABOO looks incredible. The amount of detail is exceptional from clothing and surface texture to strands of hair. Colors are strong and vibrant but in no way come across as artificial. The entire anamorphic widescreen transfer has a warm, film look with a nice grain structure that will leave you wondering if you're watching this in an old porno house. The audio is no different as it is handled with a DTS-HD mono track that gets the dialogue and funky bass driven soundtrack across with crispness and crystal clarity.

The Extras
Vinegar Syndrome has this release absolutely stacked with commentaries! There's two new commentary tracks, one with Kay Parker and one with writer/producer Helene Terrie. There's also two archival commentary tracks which feature Kay Parker on her own and director Kirdy Stevens and Helene Terrie together. There's also an archival video interview with Kay Parker, a promotional image gallery and reversible artwork.

The Bottom Line
The film's tagline is "The ultimate sin!", the real ultimate sin would be considering yourself a fan of porno flicks and skipping this Blu-ray.

TABOO is available HERE

SODOMANIAC (DVD Review) - Wild Eye Releasing

USA/2015
Directed By: Anthony Catanese
Written By: Anthony Catanese, Steve Revesz
Starring: Craig Kelly, Allan Sconza, Dale Gordon
Color/85 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1
Release Date: July 12, 2016

The Film
"Booty vision motherfucker, booty vision!"

A masked killer is stalking a group of guys who have a bad habit of date raping girls during a party they're hosting at their house. If that wasn't bad enough this killer has a bad habit of killing their victims with the most violent anal sex you'll ever come across. I guess the tag line is right - Everyone gets it in the end.

SODOMANIAC, like many slasher films is a simple premise - a masked killer stalks and kills their victims for whatever reason this particular film has come up with. The twist here is that the killer is most definitely the protagonist as they are killing off a group of obnoxious guys who are only concerned with getting high and drugging girls at the bar or their house parties to rape them while they're passed out. And what better way to kill a rapist than to rape them anally with a Dildo Of Doom. I didn't make that up folks, the movie really refers to this device as the Dildo Of Doom. It's an appropriate name for the weapon when you see it. Imagine a dildo, power drill and sphere from Phantasm rolled into one sex toy. It's absolutely hilarious but you'll be clenching your cheeks when you see it.

Anthony Catanese co-wrote along with Steve Revesz and directed SODOMANIAC and the duo scripted a genuinely funny, stoner type dark comedy housing a brutal slasher film. The cast, lead by Craig Kelly as the biggest douche bag of the bunch, Hamilton, is great. There are some fantastic exchanges throughout including one with a friend fresh out of prison who is getting some booty and the local nerd who's playing Edward Fortyhands and curses Tim Burton when he pisses himself. For a film condemning such a serious topic SODOMANIAC is as lighthearted as it comes. It blends both ends perfectly.

Anthony Cantanese made sure this film had a style to it as well, with heavy doses of colored lighting, which you don't have to assume is influenced by Dario Argento's Suspiria, there's a line in the movie that confirms it. It makes the generic house party setting looking a lot more extravagant without doing a lot of extra set dressing or needing a lot of extra money. It's not only a choice that makes the movie prettier to look at but it also helps the production value of this independent production. And speaking of production value we can't forget that the killer wears a giant butt on it's head, complete with anus, which I assume is where the killer gets their limited vision. If you think that seeing an oversized butthead mask for 85 minutes would eventually stop being funny you are wrong. I may be 12 years old at heart but the butthead mask is absolutely hilarious. Do you remember the episode of South Park where two parents who have butts for heads try to find their lost butt headed son? Yeah, it's something along those lines and I love it.

If I have one complaint with SODOMANIAC it's that we are cheated out of the gory goods for each murder. I don't need gore to enjoy a horror movie, I think poor films rely on gore and shock far too much but this movie had me crying out to see some special effect scenes of buttholes being destroyed by the Dildo Of Doom, even if only once of twice. So there you have my complaint. Otherwise you can feel the energy of this movie resonating off the screeen. It's obvious that the cast and crew had a great time making it and I appreciate that energy and reciprocate it while watching. I laughed and laughed and cheered on the killer while knowing that my butthole was safe.

The Audio & Video
Wild Eye Releasing gives SODOMANIAC a home on DVD and it looks great. This film is a very colorful production and the colors really shine through on this disc. Darker scenes are no problem and there's no blocking or compression issues. It's a very clean and strong picture overall in the anamorphic widescreen transfer. The audio is a strong and steady mix with great clarity. Dialogue and music are complimentary and never overpower the other. Job well done on the technical side of this release.

The Extras
-Audio Commentary With Cast Members
-Audio Commentary With Crew Members
-Original Opening
-Original Ending
-Outtakes
-Trailers
-Music Video
-Short Film

The Bottom Line
It's lewd, crude and filled with... I got nothing. It's entertaining, full of laughs and features the most ridiculous mask in slasher movie history along with a killer we can all cheer for. I had a great time with SODOMANIAC.

SODOMANIAC is available HERE

TALES OF POE Coming To DVD and Digital HD From Wild Eye Releasing Oct. 11

Edgar Allan Poe Resurrected by Iconic Scream Queens

Wild Eye Releasing Brings Tales of Poe to DVD 

And Digital HD October 11th

"A loving tribute to the work of one of history's greatest horror writers." 

-- Rue Morgue Magazine

"A truly stylized take on Poe's work and just brimming with beauty, 

elegance and downright horror." -- HorrorMovies.ca

"Something very special to the horror genre... 

both beautiful and horrifying." -- Hacked in the Head

New York, NY - Wild Eye Releasing has announced the October 11th DVD and Digital HD release of the acclaimed horror anthology Tales of Poe.  Since the world premiere at the famous Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, Tales of Poe has been met with acclaim and awards on the festival circuit.  San Francisco Weekly called the anthology "a worthy successor to the Roger Corman/ Vincent Price Poe films" while Icons of Fright hailed the result as "downright stunning to witness...wickedly adventurous".  

Co-directed by Bart Mastronardi and Alan Rowe Kelly and co-written by Michael Varrati, Tales of Poe combines the classic horror prose with the star power of legendary scream queens Adrienne King (Friday the 13th, Friday the 13th Part 2), Caroline Williams (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Halloween 2), Amy Steel (Friday the 13th Part 2, April Fool's Day) Debbie Rochon (Model Hunger, Hell Town) and Lesleh Donaldson (Happy Birthday to Me, Funeral Home). 

Based on the timeless works of Edgar Allan Poe, three of the renowned author's most popular stories (The Tell Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, and Dreams) receive unique retellings by directors Bart Mastronardi & Alan Rowe Kelly. Offering a compelling and shocking journey into madness and the macabre, Tales of Poe features some of the most beloved final girls in horror movie history in new and exciting roles.