The ROGER CORMAN'S CULT CLASSICS Collection that SHOUT! Factory is in the midst of releasing is some of the best DVD work this year.  The titles are all classic B Camp fun and the packaging and work on the disc is top notch.

Tonight we are looking at the 2 Disc release of FORBIDDEN WORLD an Alien ripoff that is every bit as much fun as that film with lots of  boobs and nudity too.

I really enjoy this film. 

Shot with hardly any money and even less time FORBIDDEN WORLD tells the tale of a group of scientists who while attempting to cure a galactic food crisis unwittingly create a horrible man eating creature that will surely end mankind as we know it.

With that silly yet interesting premise FORBIDDEN WORLD ramps into a blood and boob filled kill fest that is 2nd to none.  Originally released in 1982 to make money off the crazy success of ALIEN this film had kind of been forgotten and it's great to see SHOUT! finally give it its due.

Fantastically over acted and brilliantly shot FORBIDDEN WORLD features some early FX work of JOHN CARL BUECHLER who would go on to of course bring us several of the Friday the 13th films and other genre classics.  The FX are ooey gooey fun and actually quite gross.

More then a few squirm in your seat moments.

Of course the major lure for us horny young teenage boys back in '82 was the out and out full frontal nudity.  The shower scene was infamous back in the day and all the talk of the school hallway between classes.  Fun to watch it again and glad to see it is preserved for posterity.  In this day and age of basically nude chicks contorting on MTV and the like it is sure to not hold the same magic punch it did some 28 years ago but us old farts can watch it now and smile.

Trust me, it was cinema magic a couple of decades ago.

SHOUT! is releasing this as a two disc edition.  The first disc is the newly remaster theatrical cut and the second disc is the never before seen, unrated directors cut.  I highly recommend both.

As far as special features go, this is one of the best and most complete packages I have ever seen:

* New Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) Transfer From The Interpositive Film Elements Of The Theatrical Cut

* The Unrated Directors Cut (4:3 - Full Frame)

* Audio Commentary With Director Allan Holzman On The Directors Cut

* Interview With Producer Roger Corman

* Interviews With Cast And Crew Including Director Allan Holzman, Composer Susan Justin And Actor Jesse Vint

* A Look At The Special Effects Of Forbidden World With John Carl Buechler, Robert Skotak, Tony Randel And R. Christopher Biggs

* Poster And Stills Gallery

* Theatrical Trailer

It really is the ultimate version of this film.

It is absolutly a must own collection. 

FORBIDDEN WORLD is available now as a part of the ROGER CORMAN'S CULT CLASSICS series of releases.  You can CLICK HERE and buy the disc directly from SHOUT!  This title is also available on Blu-ray.

I can't stress enough what a great time this flick is.  Find it, watch it, love it!

Here's the official word from Shout!:

In the distant future, a federation marshal arrives at a research lab on a remote planet where a monstrous genetic experiment is loose and feeding on the scientists who created it. Enter into the Forbidden World - an outrageous, sexy and violent exercise in Alien-like terror!

This 2-disc set features new extras, re-mastered widescreen picture and two versions of the film (original theatrical and extended Director’s cuts). Set designs by the legendary James Cameron (which were also used in Galaxy of Terror a year prior). Received three nominations for the 1983 Saturn Award (Best Low Budget Film, Best Make-up and Best Special Effects).

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There is no doubt that Tim Sullivan is a HUGE horror fan.  HUGE!  He knows his horror and he loves it.  While watching the bonus features for his latest release 2001 MANIACS: FIELD OF SCREAMS this much comes through load and clear. 

What isn't explained is why oh why did we have to revisit the residents of Pleasant Valley.  This is one horror fan that could have done without the return trip.

2001 MANIACS brings nothing and I do mean nothing new, original or even remotely interesting to the table.

The entire experience can be summed up in 3 words.

1. Profanity

2. Nudity

3. Blood

We all know that when these three things come together and mesh perfectly nothing short of magic happens but when these three things are just willy nilly thrown into your face you get what?  Rob Zombie's Halloween.

No, wait.  I'm sorry.  What you get is just a mess of a film that has no heart, no soul and no reason to be watched.  Oh wait, I was right.  That is Rob Zombie's Halloween.  Unfortunately it is also 2001 MANIACS: FIELD OF SCREAMS.

This film would have been great if I where watching it and was 14 years old and had only just heard from my friends about boobies and sex jokes.  You know what?  Maybe that's it.  The old saying "if you don't get it, it's not for you".  Maybe it's just not for me because I sure as hell don't get it.

The story line is just excruciating.  The MANIACS from the first film are still at it but instead of luring unsuspecting northerners into their sleepy little town they are this time forced onto the road where they meet up with a "SIMPLE LIFE" type of reality TV show and proceed to kill off cast and crew.

Robert Englund is gone this time around.  Bill Moseley steps in and does a respectfully decent job of attempting to holding this turd together but even with his best attempt he falls way short of making this one even remotely watchable.

A lot of the rest of the cast from the original come along for the ride, in a few cases that's a good ting but in a few, well I think you know.

This flick is just plain silly.  It bills itself as a horror / comedy but it's not scary nor is it funny.  It just kind of is.

It's all hype and no substance.  It's an hour and a half of attempting to find any reason at all to have a pair of tits on the screen and then throwing some blood on them from off screen. 

I'm sure this release will find an audience.  The original did and they made enough money to make another one and as I always tell you, watch it and decide for yourself but for me 2001 MANIACS: FIELD OF SCREAMS is a waste of time.

Now, I did enjoy the special features.  I loved watching director Tim Sullivan carry on about his love for the genre and attempt to explain why this film needed to be made.  He does have a passion for it, I'll give him that.

Tim actually seems like a great guy and he's a great director.  I just don't care for this film.  Hey, it happens.

2001 MANIACS: FIELD OF SCREAMS hit July 20th (hey, that's my sisters birthday...Happy Birthday Sis) so go get it if your so inclined.

Personally I think this is a" NETFLIX it so you can say you seen it" title.

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OK classic horror fans, listen up.

A great, often overlooked little gem is out on DVD and you really need to look this one up and check it out.

Thanks to the WARNER ARCHIVES COLLECTION we now have the 1965 spookfest TWO ON A GUILLOTINE out on DVD and I just gave it in spin in the player and what fun!

A throwback to the William Castle style of film making TWO tells the tale of a Magician and his ultimate trick.  When things go horribly wrong and some one looses their head things get fun.

The Magician's daughter comes home to bury her dad who had been very ill since "the accident".  Upon the reading of "dads" will it is found out that he has left his vast fortune and his elaborate house to his daughter under the condition that she spend 7 nights in the house from Midnight to sunrise.  If she don't stay, she don't get nothing.

Once she gets into the house the film takes a turn towards the William Castle vien with flying skeletons, rolling heads and all kinds of fun little gimmicks.

Directed by William Conrad who would later gain fame as the FATMAN in the hit TV series JAKE AND THE FATMAN this film makes me wish he would have continued making genre films.  The movie is really well shot.  I would say it easily holds its own against other Black and White classics of that era.

The cast is one that anyone younger then 40 probably won't remember.  You've got CONNIE STEVENS, DEAN JONES in his pre Disney days and CESAR ROMERO who would go onto infamy as THE JOKER in the old BATMAN TV show.

Everyone is great but Romero steals the show as the completely mad magician DUKE.  Over the top, out of the park amazing.

I really can't recommend this film enough.  I had a great time watching it and seeing it really makes your realize just how lame so many of the films today are.

TWO ON A GUILLOTINE is loaded with heart and imagination and inventiveness.  A lot of stuff that we could use in the genre right now, as opposed to just redoing crap that has already been done.

Sure, it's almost 50 years old, in black and white and done by a bunch of folks that most of you have never heard of but trust me, give it a chance and you might just find out what it's like to see something inventive and fun as opposed to overdone and over-hyped.

TWO ON A GUILLOTINE is available right now from WARNER ARCHIVE.  You can CLICK HERE and go pick it up.

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The is no denying the huge popularity of SYFY Channels GHOST HUNTERS.  The boys and girls from T.A.P.S. have been doing their thing for years now and folks tune in every week to watch them hunt for things that go bump in the night.

As a result of that popularity a spinoff has materialized titled GHOST HUNTERS INTERNATIONAL.  As the title would suggest this is GHOST HUNTERS but overseas.  This collection is basically the first half of Season One. 

It's a 3 disc, 11 episode collection that offers thrills and chills galore.

The first episode opens with the original GHOST HUNTER guys (Jay and Grant) realizing they are getting more and more requests for investigations overseas.  Being unable to attend to these cases themselves they make the choice to instead build a new team and send them on over. 

After some discussion they come up with a some folks they know can get the job done, Robb Demarest, Dustin Pari, Brandy Green, and Barry FitzGerald.

Low and behold GHOST HUNTERS INTERNATIONAL is born.

Once the team is compiled they are off on their first mission.  It's in the UK at a place called CHILLINGHAM CASTLE.

The thing I really like about these T.A.P.S. investigations is that they go out of the way to find a non-paranormal reason for way things are happening and they often do.  Footsteps are actually a shaking window, an orb is actually a bug that a camera couldn't focus on.  You get the idea.

While they do find "regular" explanations for a lot of the phenomenon they also discover lots and lots of stuff that just can't be explained away.

The same formula that made GHOST HUNTERS so popular is followed here to a tee.  We get the back story, the investigation and then going through of all the collected information.

It's interesting to see all those rather exotic locations and hear all the stories of folks seeing and hearing things that are just plain creepy and then watching the team search for answers as to why these things are happening.

I also always love being able to watch the episodes back to back without the commercial interruptions.

The episodes included on this set are:


Chillingham Castle

Evil Unearthed

Whispers from Beyond

Haunted Village

Fortress of Fear

Frankensteins Castle

Lamach Castle

Devil Dog

Castle of the Damned

Shattered Spirit


There is also a reel of deleted scenes.

This set is available now and the second half of Season One hits DVD on Aug. 24th.

Lots of fun, it's one of those shows that the whole family can sit around and get creeped out together watching.  Go get it!

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I had completely forgotten what a great little movie this was.  I haven't seen it I bet in over 10 years and watching it again, on Blu-ray none the less was nothing short of a great experience.

A true gem, UNCLE SAM tells the tale of one Sam Harper one feisty gulf war solider who sadly loses his life in a "friendly fire" incident.  Thing is, he ain't going down that easy.  His body is returned to his family back in the states but before they can get him buried he climbs on out of his casket, kills a local UNCLE SAM stilt walker, who just happens to be lurking around getting ready for the big JULY 4th celebration, steals his suit and mask and goes an a wild killing spree that is as disturbing as it is entertaining.

Written by genre legend Larry Cohen and directed by none other then William Lustig UNCLE SAM deserves to be placed high within the rankings of "cult classics" everywhere.

Explotation slasher cinema at its best and a definate "must have" addition to anyone's Blu-ray collection.

BLUE UNDERGROUND has done nothing short of a spectacular job on all these recent BLU-RAY releases that they have sent our way these last several months and UNCLE SAM just keeps the streak a rolling along.

The film looks great and sounds great as it comes to us in a brand spankin new remastered HD transfer from original negative materials and they have packed in some pretty fun special features:

Audio Commentary #1 with Director William Lustig, Writer Larry Cohen and Producer George G. Braunstein
Audio Commentary #2 with Director William Lustig and Star Isaac Hayes
"Fire Stunts" with Audio Commentary by Stunt Coordinator Spiro Razatos
Deleted Scene
Gag Reel
Theatrical Trailer
Poster & Still Galleries

Watch for some great little cameos from Isaac Hayes, Timothy Bottoms, PJ Soles and Robert Forster.

This JULY 4th, skip the lame fireworks display, run out and pick up this beauty of a Blu-ray and celebrate our Independence in a way only us horror fans can understand, celebrate it with UNCLE SAM!

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