Arrow 2012 Releases Updated

Earlier in the year I brought you news about upcoming releases from Arrow Video and Arrowdrome. Now, thanks to our exclusive feed with Cult Labs, I can bring you more specific details on three of the releases. Those releases are Red Scorpion, Penitentiary and The Cat O'Nine Tails. All three are set for release in February, and look set to continue Arrow's good work so far.

Red Scorpion (Arrow Video) Blu-ray


TAUGHT TO STALK. TRAINED TO KILL. PROGRAMMED TO DESTROY.


Dolph Lundgren is Nikolai - a killing machine - a deadly, highly skilled agent for the Russian army whose brutal efficiency and single minded determination to serve the motherland leaves behind a trail of battered bodies and bloodied enemies.
Now Nikolai must infiltrate an African rebel army who seek to defy their new communist rulers and take out their leader, but as he gets to know his enemies and the dignified Bushmen he encounters, he begins to slowly realize that all he has been taught was a lie. This Cold War rebel is ready to turn the tables on his Soviet masters and kick all kinds of ass!
With a body count that leaves jaws firmly on the floor and a healthy disregard for troublesome logic, Red Scorpion is a classic 80s action spectacular that doesn’t let up for a second…


THIS EDITION CONTAINS


- Reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork
- Double-sided fold-out artwork poster
- Collector’s booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by author Calum Waddell


BLU-RAY CONTAINS:


- Brand New High Definition Transfer of the film (1080p)


SPECIAL FEATURES:


- Introduction to the film from star Dolph Lundgren
- UK exclusive audio commentary with director Joseph Zito, moderated by filmmaker and genre scholar Howard S. Berger
- ALL OUT OF BULLETS: Dolph Lundgren remembers RED SCORPION
- MUSIC WITH MUSCLES: Composer Jay Chattaway on the soundtrack of RED SCORPION
- Original Trailer


Original Art by The Dude Designs
In original 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio
Original Uncompressed LPCM Stereo Audio
Feature and extras 1080/24p Region ABC playable worldwide
RRP £24.99
Released 6th February 2012

Penitentiary (ArrowDrome) DVD

There's only one way out, and 100 fools stand in the way!

Too Sweet likes three things… Candy bars, makin’ love and fighting. Arrested while defending a beautiful hooker in a roadside diner brawl, he finds himself unjustly incarcerated in a violent prison hellhole where life is cheap and punks get owned by predatory lifers. There’s only one way out… Victory in the ring!

Now Too Sweet has to fight for his freedom in series of boxing battles, all the while watching his back in the prison corridors, waiting for the cold sting of the shiv that might end his life.

Experience Jamaa Fanaka’s extraordinary grindhouse classic – Which is arguably the last great Blaxploitation flick – and pray to God you never end up somebody’s bitch in the PENITENTIARY!

ARROWDROME IS A FLEAPIT SELECTED LIBRARY OF CULT FILMS; VIOLENT, HORRIFIC, SLEAZY, EXPLOITATIVE. TO EXPLORE STEP IN TO THE CULT ARENA! EVERY ARROWDROME RELEASE INCLUDES A REVERSIBLE SLEEVE OF ORIGINAL ARTWORK AND A COLLECTOR’S BOOKLET!

ALSO INCLUDES AUDIO COMMENTARY WITH WRITER/DIRECTOR JAMAA FANAKA, TRAILERS, FEATURE LENGTH SEQUEL PENITENTIARY II STARRING ERNIE HUDSON AND MR T. + COLLECTOR’S BOOKLET BY AUTHOR CALUM WADDELL!

Running Time 99 mins approx

English language

Region 0 NTSC

RRP £9.99

Released 13th February 2012

The Cat O’ Nine Tails (ArrowDrome) DVD

CAUGHT BETWEEN THE TRUTH AND A MURDERER’S HAND!

A break in at a genetics lab leads to a spiralling vortex of bloody murder in Cat O’ Nine Tails, Dario Argento’s 70s Giallo classic.

Strange circumstances surrounding the crime pique the interest of a journalist and a blind crossword compiler whose sharp ears have overheard talk of blackmail. However, all the would be investigators leads soon regret the help they gave as scientists die in front of speeding trains and photographers are viciously slain while others fall to their screaming deaths down elevator shafts in this surreal and nightmarish thriller from one of the acknowledged masters of Italian horror.

As the body count increases, will no one escape the sting of The Cat O’ Nine Tails?

ARROWDROME IS A FLEAPIT SELECTED LIBRARY OF CULT FILMS; VIOLENT, HORRIFIC, SLEAZY, EXPLOITATIVE. TO EXPLORE STEP IN TO THE CULT ARENA! EVERY ARROWDROME RELEASE INCLUDES A REVERSIBLE SLEEVE OF ORIGINAL ARTWORK AND A COLLECTOR’S BOOKLET!

ALSO INCLUDES INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR DARIO ARGENTO, ORIGINAL TRAILER + BOOKLET BY ARGENTO BIOGRAPHER ALAN JONES!

Running Time 107 mins approx

English language

Region 0 PAL

RRP £9.99

Released 20th February 2012

Online Horror Anthology The Dead Hour Returns For Season 2

The online horror anthology The Dead Hour is all set to begin its second season. The show, which is free online at TheDeadHour.com, had a successful first season and is back with 9 new episodes. Based around a radio DJ (do they even use discs any more?) who tell her listeners dark and twisted stories each week. You can check out the teaser to Season 2 below and then head on over to the official site, linked above, to check out full episodes. Also, more info can be found on Facebook.

DJ Raven wants to know. She hosts The Dead Hour, a weekly radio program devoted to the shadows just beyond the streetlight's reach, the bumps you hear as you drift off to sleep, the nightmares that wake you up in a cold sweat. She brings these to you, one horrifying tale at a time.

New Teaser for The Woman in Black

The release date is still a few months off yet, it's released February 3rd, but the teasers and previews are already coming our way for the Hammer produced The Woman in Black. I now have a new 60 second spot to share with you. Looks like it could be a spooky affair!

A young lawyer (Daniel Radcliffe) travels to a remote village where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorner woman is terrorizing the locals.

Filthy Review - Helldriver

Helldriver (2010)

Review by Jude Felton

Director Yoshihiro Nishimura is definitely not playing with a full deck of cards. I don’t mean that in a derogatory way, far from it, but if you have seen any of his previous movies, such as Tokyo Gore Police or Vampire Girl vs Frankenstein Girl, you will know exactly what I mean. This is a director who puts the element of fun, albeit very twisted fun, into his films and then coats them with a copious amount of splatter. Helldriver, which was made by the Sushi Typhoon studio, is not set to break away from this trend. If anything it has amped up the outrageous action to another level.

To go too far into detail about the plot would probably take me several hours and result in a serious case of carpal tunnel. Neither of which I plan I am prepared to commit to, aside from the fact it would take away a good chunk of your enjoyment of the movie if I spoiled it for you. What I will tell you is that as a result of a meteor as mist forms above Northern half of Japan, this causes anyone without a gas mask to turn in a blood-thirsty zombie, complete with a strange little antenna.

The Japanese Government decide that these zombies are still human, so rather than exterminate them they just erect a wall that divides the country. Despite this a young school girl named Kika, who happens to have a delightful chainsaw as a weapon, is sent on a mission to the North.

I will tell you right now that Helldriver was absolutely without a shadow of a doubt batshit crazy. Nishimura even gives a short intro to the film, where he recommends watching this movie with a beer or two. I certainly wouldn’t recommend watching it with a cup of coffee as it would probably result in you going into cardiac arrest. If the movie starts off at a fairly moderate pace it soon gets upto speed and is a constant barrage of over-the-top blood (lots of blood), splatter and other crazy onscreen carnage. Helldriver is a visual rollercoaster that runs with no brakes. Am I overstating things? Good lord no.

I will mention though that you should not go into this movie expecting a highly polished gore-fest, as it is quite apparent that it was shot on what I imagine to be a fairly modest budget. To tell the truth this only adds to the movie’s immense charm, if a movie like this could be considered charming. Hell, we don’t even see the opening credits until we are 45 minutes or so into the movie!

Helldriver is, as you might expect, filled with mad-as-Hatters characters and also features Eihi Shiina who you might remember from Takeshi Miike’s Audition. You thought she was unhinged then? You haven’t seen anything yet my friends.

Some movies are meant to be taken seriously, whereas others aren’t. This film most certainly falls into the latter, it’s a fun movie that wants you to have fun with it. I will admit to not enjoying it as much as other Japanese movies of this style, I still rate The Machine Girl as my favorite, but I did like it a lot.

Helldriver is a movie that demands you hold your breath, jump on and just enjoy the ride. Logic isn’t a factor here, outrageous action is. What you can say about Helldriver, as with Nishimura’s other work is that they are original and show real imagination, and for that it must be commended.

If this style of movie doesn’t usually float your boat there is probably not too much that will change your opinion. However, fans of batshit crazy Japanese mayhem will lap this up. It is the perfect party movie to watch with your own legion of the undead.

Helldriver is available on Blu-ray/DVD combo pack through Well Go USA and is released on November 22nd.