So we’re at the end of another year, or did 2020 never end and this is all one extended time/space period? Let’s forget I said that. Anyway, I never did like the idea of counting down favorite things so I never do a Best of, but I do like to call attention to great things, by great companies, writers, artist, musicians, and designers so for the 11th year EuroCultAV is doing a Gift Guide. Mostly everything in here except for a few things is something a EuroCultAV writer has gotten hands on time with, and can be bought physically, so that it can be gifted on that level.
The guide is broken up into 3 pages this year.
Movies
Books and Games
Music.
For a pandemic year there have been a lot of stellar releases all around and I cannot wait to share them with out, so let’s get started.
The Dungeon of Andy Milligan (Severin Films)
Andy Milligan is a director who was at one point considered one of the worst, if not the worst director in the world. His style was a very theatrical, and melodratic low budget style applied to horror, or occasional porn. Stephen King in his Danse Macabre book described Milligan’s The Ghastly Ones as “The Ghastly Ones is utterly dreadful on every level.” Needless to say from the first Andy Milligan film I saw about a decade ago, I fell in love with his work. While this does not contain it all, it’s fairly comprehensive, with loads of extras and a delightful book by Stephen Thrower included. If you are new to Milligan, or a long time fan this is a must.
The Eurocrypt of Christopher Lee (Severin Films)
Christopher Lee is my favorite actor of all time. From the moment I saw him in Horror of Dracula at age 12, I became addicted to his work. This Severin collection takes a handful of his underseen Eurohorror works of the 60’s and puts them together with the 26 episode Theater Macabre TV show restores them to the best they’ve ever been scene, gives them solid extras and makes it one of the finest releases of 2021.
Santa Sangre (Severin Films)
Alejandro Jodorowsky’s 1989 film which takes a true crime case, and brings it to carnival-esque life gets a 4k UHD release from Severin Films which is just STUNNING. This is loaded up with extras new and old, and is just too good to pass up.
Perdita Durango/Day of the Beast/Witching and Bitching (Severin/IFC)
OK, so I’m heaping a lot of praise on Severin here, and this year they’ve earned it with some of the best genre film releases. I’m sort of splitting this entry up because earlier this year they put out 2 UHD releases of Álex de la Iglesia films in Perdita Durango and Day of the Beast later in the year we got an excellent Blu-ray of Witching and Bitching from MPI. All 3 films are must see’s from a director who has not gotten nearly as much attention as he deserves.
Howl of the Devil (Mondo Macabro)
Howl of the Devil is a late 1980’s Paul Naschy entry long thought to be lost. It got an excellently restored release from Mondo Macabro this year that was the first stateside release for this gem of a film, which ended up casting a light on a film that definitely deserved it.
Demons/Demons 2 (Synapse)
I’ve owned Demons on VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, and now UHD. I’m ready to have the film digitally scanned into my brain so I can just be done with it. Demons is one of my all-time favorite horror films, I watch it probably once or twice a year, and I have a feeling this is not the last time I’ll get it. However, Don May Jr. Of Synapse Films is one of the premier restorationist of genre films, and if he puts his hands on a film, you can rest assured this is the best it will look for this generation, so basically GET THIS NOW.
Cat O’ Nine Tails/Deep Red/Bird With the Crystal Plumage (Arrow Video)
Considering the Dario Argento pedigree of Demons, I guess the next logical stop on the tour is Dario’s own films. Arrow Video has been on a 4k kick this year releasing 3 of Dario’s finest 70’s gialli in stellar 4k editions. We get 2/3’s of the animal trilogy (minus the always elusive Four Flies on Grey Velvet), and the genre smashing Deep Red. Each is packaged in sturdy keep case with liner notes, and these restorations are nothing short of brilliant.
Death Screams (Arrow Video)
Arrow Video made my dreams come true by rescuing this excellent slasher from VHS rip hell. I had read good things about this film here and there but the primary complaint was that there were sections of the film that you could barely see. So, I just skipped out on that checking out Death Screams until Arrow announced it. And hoo boy, I am very glad that I did. This is one of those slashers that spends more time on its characters and their small town lives than it does on stalking and killing scenes. Thankfully, it doesn’t hold back when the body parts start flying. The Blu-ray looks great and is loaded with extras. Highly recommended for slasher fans.
-Richard Glenn Schmidt
Mill of the Stone Women (Arrow Video)
Obviously, I’m a Eurohorror junkie, that’s why this site exist to begin with. So when a new release of an old favorite comes out, I really get excited. However, Mill of the Stone Women isn’t just any old favorite, next to something like Bava’s Black Sunday this might be THE finest of the Italian gothics from the 1960’s. The prior Mondo Macabro DVD was a stunner and was a fine release, but this new Blu-ray from Arrow contains FOUR versions of the film, and a new 2k restoration, and it’s out just in time for the holidays.
Years of Lead 1973-1977
I really need a poliziotteschi hot key, because I can never spell that. Anyway, most readers of this site love gialli, but it’s less loved cousin the poliziotteschi seems to be oft-neglected. Arrow Video tried to pick up the slack on that this year with the wonderful Years of Lead box set giving us 5 films that are great examples of the genre well-restored with extras. If you are a fan, or just curious this is an easy one to recommend.
Evil Dead Trap (Unearthed)
When I first got into Japanese horror films, one of the first films I purhcased was a copy of Evil Dead Trap over at Best Buy (remember when Best Buy stocked cool movies for like 5 minutes?). The Synapse DVD was solid for its time, but it was LBX, and thus once HDTV’s hit the market it quickly became obsolete, but no replacement ever came. Well Unearthed came to the rescue with a gorgeous restore of the film that brings this Japanese, gone Argento splatter fest to HD life. This one is all too easy to recommend.
Alone in the Dark (Scream Factory)
Alone in the Dark is an early slasher from Jack Sholder that has needed a release FOREVER. This is the film that got him NOES 2, and pretty much cemented his name in the horror hall of fame for life. It has not 1 but 4 killers and feels tonally different than most slashers of the era. It’s not a perfect film, but it’s fun, unique, and a must have for slasher fans.
Six String Samurai (Vinegar Syndrome)
For their halfway to Black Friday sale this year Vinegar Syndrome unleashed 2 films that I needed to add here. This is the first. Six String Samurai takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where everything is run out of Las Vegas and Elvis is king. Sadly the King is dead, and now everyone is coming for his crown including THE SIX STRING SAMURAI, who also must defend a young child. This release is stacked, it’s a gorgeous 4k release, and I am just ecstatic this film has been treated so well.
Forgotten Gialli Volume 3 (Vinegar Syndrome)
I was yellow with excitement about yet another Vinegar Syndrome boxset of gialli to crowd up my movie shelves. Getting to see one of my all-time favorites, Autopsy starring Mimsy Farmer and Ray Lovelock, in HD was quite the revelation. I hope this means that a Blu-ray of The Dead Are Alive is right around the corner. The set also includes another classic in the form of Murder Mansion. This one is a great giallo with excellent gothic and supernatural overtones. Seeing this title finally get its due after languishing in public domain DVD sets for so long is quite a revelation. And lastly, there’s the wild card! Crazy Desires of a Murderer is an oversexed and bloody slab of trash that must be seen to be believed.
-Richard Glenn Schmidt
Stunt Rock (Umbrella Entertainment)
If there is ever a Mount Rushmore of iconic exploitation directors Brian Trenchard-Smith certainly belongs among them. There is at least a 20 year period where the man could not direct a film that was not at least entertaining. His most sheer entertaining film in my not so humble opinion, STUNT ROCK. This film is basically all car stunts, and rock and roll, and honestly I don’t need anything else. The DVD from Code Red was solid, and it came as an SD extra back in the day with Man from Hong Kong, but FINALLY we get a solid HD release of this, so thank you Umbrella Entertainment!
Stone (Umbrella Entertainment)
A stone (no pun intended) cold Ozploitation classic sees a biker gang take an undercover cop under their wing to solve a murder. This is a true blast of 70’s Ozploitation and I’m so glad to see this excellent restoration and release. Another great Umbrella region free release.
Night Gallery Season 1 (Kino Lorber)
I so rarely try to use the term underrated, but Night Gallery is Rod Serling’s highly underrated follow up to Twilight Zone. This show sees Sterling host from an art gallery of horror, and the stories focus more on that genre rather than the sci-fi of TZ. Kino Lorber has done a fine job restoring these episodes in HD.
Get Crazy (Kino Lorber)
Another film that is long overdue for an HD release is Alan Arkush’s Get Grazy which is like the spiritual sequel to Rock and Roll High School. The film is a “Let’s put on a show” film that’s focused on saving a venue, rather than on a band. This one unlike the prior film fell into obscurity, but it’s a bit of ridiculous fun, and it’s good to see it back again and restored.
Last Man on Earth/Tomb of Ligeia (Kino Lorber)
Kino Lorber re-released The Last Man on Earth with a cool package now with a slipcover of the poster art for the movie. The audio and video might be the same as the Scream Factory Vincent Price set, but that set is out of print. It’s Vincent Price, you can’t go wrong! Based on the novel I Am Legend, Price plays the last man on Earth, but realizes that he isn’t!
The Tomb of Ligeia is another GREAT Vincent Price film that Kino released as a stand-alone as the Scream Factory Vincent Price set is long out of print. Kino has also included a very cool slipcover of the poster art.
-David Steigman
Arise My Love (Kino Lorber)
Mitchell Leisen’s Arise My Love was another nice surprise in 2021, having seen this World War II drama for the first time this year. The film has a pair of great actors. Themes of war, love and romance are the key ingredients to this movie The audio and video quality for this release from Kino Lorber is excellent.
-David Steigman
Come September (Kino Lorber)
Come September made its way to Blu-ray not too long ago. Kino Lorber has continued to release Rock Hudson films left and right, and this one stood out as one of the best. Rock wants to spend more than just September with his girl, but she has other ideas. Another strong release from Kino Lorber.
-David Steigman
Devil and and Deep (Kino Lorber)
Marion Gering’s Devil and the Deep with an all-star cast also received its initial Blu-ray release. This is a fantastic romance classic that Kino Lorber delivered the goods on! A jealous husband wants to kill his wife and her lover in a submarine!
-David Steigman
Surf II
Surf II is the sort of film my hyperactive weirdo teenage brain would have made up, but didn’t have to, because this exists. This one has surfing, zombies, punk rock, and a villainous Eddie Deezen. The release is well-restored, loaded with extras and there is no Surf 1 or 3 so get on it.
Mad Max Anthology (Warner)
So we’ve had Mad Max on 4k from Kino and Fury Road on Blu-ray and 4K Warner Themselves. That, however, left the series incomplete with Mad Max 2 – The Road Warrior, and Beyond Thunderdome without 4k releases. This month Warner fixed that with individual and this box set release. This is a nice slim package and saves much needed shelf space, so this is the way to go for me.
The Alfred Hitchcock Classic Collection (Universal)
OK, this bugs me, but I love it. I have full box sets of the Universal Hitchcock films on Blu-ray and DVD. But we get this little sampling of this “best of” to start, but yeah having Psycho, Rear Window, Vertigo, and the Birds on a new sexy format is not a bad thing.
I just know more are coming….
The Universal Monsters Collection (Universal)
See the prior entry, we get a small sampling of the Universal monsters in 4k, Frankenstein, Wolfman, the Invisible Man, and Dracula. These releases are GORGEOUS, but you know by next Halloween a much larger box will be coming, and the existing Blu-ray box with EVERYTHING is hard to beat.
Drive (MVD Rewind)
Drive is a film I’d all but forgotten about out. It was a direct to cable or video depending on how you saw it, Asian influenced action fest. MVD lovingly brought this one back to life on a really well put together Blu-ray edition that needs some attention through to it, because this is a real fun film. Check it out.
Action USA (MVD Rewind)
The title for this says it all, but if it doesn’t go to YouTube, watch the trailer, and come back. Vinegar Syndrome did a small pressing DVD of this, but fortunately MVD’s Rewind collection did not let it disappear. This is an action packed fun fest, this is too much fun not to have in your personal collection. Like drive, this is one to own.
Mona Lisa (Criterion)
Mona Lisa is the cinematic breakthrough film from Neil Jordan, and stars a phenomenal Bob Hoskins(but seriously when was he not, don’t say Mario, that’s a lie) as a fella who just gets out of jail, and wants to get his life together, but just can’t. Mona Lisa is one of the “HandMade” films productions by George Harrison, and I swear he never struck out with any of these. The Criterion edition is fantastic (though I do wish 4k was an option).
Onibaba (Criterion)
Onibaba is a minimalist excursion into horror using a Japanese folk tale as a jumping off point. It has some of the most iconic imagery of early Japanese horror, and the new Blu-ray from Criterion is STUNNING, and comes with a solid extras slate.
Deep Cover (Criterion)
Few things please me as much as seeing one of the top entries on my Blu-ray wish list finally get its day. Deep Cover, the massively underrated 1992 crime classic directed by actor/filmmaker Bill Duke (Predator) and starring the great Laurence Fishburne and Jeff Goldblum at the absolute finest, made its high-definition debut from the Criterion Collection this year, and the end result was definitely worth the wait. Fishburne plays an idealistic police officer recruited to infiltrate the dangerous and seductive narcotics underworld who soon finds himself fighting to maintain his cover and stay alive as warring drug barons and local and federal authorities close in. All the while, he realizes the line between cop and criminal is vanishing faster than he can notice and must choose the right side lest he sacrifice his soul for a piece of the best things in life. The action is faster and more furious than most modern action movies, the dialogue is endlessly quotable, the performances are top-notch, and the narrative is richly imbued with themes of racial strife and political malfeasance and compromise that make Duke’s best work as a filmmaker timelier than ever before.
Deep Cover looks and sounds almost indescribably amazing on Criterion’s Blu-ray – big shock there. Past VHS and DVD transfers are antiquated now as the revelatory 4K restoration makes the image come alive with stunning colors, nuanced texture, and painterly black levels. Criterion also brings their A-game to the supplements as usual, with Duke and Fishburne returning for a passionate and intriguing retrospective conversation, various film and music scholars offer detailed analysis of the film’s place in black cinema history and its memorable soundtrack. My favorite Blu-ray release of 2021, this naturally gets my highest recommendation.
-Bobby Morgan
The Soul of Midnight Special (Time Life)
This is 10 DVD’s packed full of Burt Sugarman’s Midnight Special DVD show courtesy of Time Life. Would I prefer this on Blu-ray with HD sound, yeah? But this is damn cool stuff, funk, soul, yeah some disco, but I’ll live. The vibe of this show is fun, the atmosphere is cool, and just the overall look and feel is great. The songs are a blast and you get a great spread of artists from the era.
The Thin Man Series (Warner Archive)
The Thin Man is one of my favorite movie series. In 2020, the Warner Archive Collection released the first Thin Man movie came out on Blu-ray followed by the sequels in 2021, After the Thin Man, Another Thin Man, Shadow of the Thin Man and The Thin Man goes home. In January 2022 Song of the Thin Man will be getting released and I cannot recommend this series enough. The Blu-rays all look and sound outstanding, as are the films themselves and next month the entire series will be in HD. The movies follow the life of Nick and Nora Charles who keep getting involved in murders by those around them!
-David Steigman
Doctor X (Warner Archive)
Warner Archive fully restored Doctor X earlier this year and the film has never looked better. This release is a must for fans who love classic horror! A man-monster kills people at night. The words synthetic flesh will haunt you for days, as will the face of the killer!
-David Steigman
Night at the Opera (Warner Archive)
A Night at the Opera debuted on Blu-ray this year thanks to Warner Archive. Fans of the Marx Brothers should not pass this release up which looks the best that it ever has. The Marx brothers have a scheme which involves the opera!
-David Steigman
Fury (Warner Archive)
Another great classic from Warner Archive, Fritz Lang’s Fury received a stellar Blu-ray release. This is the story of a man who goes to jail for a crime he didn’t commit story. This film will have you thinking for days about what you would have done if you were in the same situation.
-David Steigman
It Happened At the World’s Fair (Warner Archive)
Fans of Elvis Presley will be happy to know that It Happened at the World’s Fair arrived on Blu-ray this year. Warner Archive did another of their usual remarkable jobs. Elvis has a friend with a gambling problem and is trying to help him pay off his debts, by gambling!
– David Steigman
Dark Intruder (Warner Archive)
Ladies They Talk About is a Warner Archive pre-code classic women in prison tale that I thoroughly enjoy. Hopefully this is the first of many pre-code films getting a Blu-ray release from Warner in the next year!
-David Steigman
A Woman Like Eve (Cult Epics)
A Woman Like Eve also received a gorgeous Blu-ray release, from Cult Epics and this movie is a must for fans of Dutch filmmaker Nouchka van Brakel and starring Monique van de Ven. A married woman becomes a lesbian!
-David Steigman
The Cool Lake of Death (Cult Epics)
Cult Epics release of The Cool Lakes of Death is a tale of a woman who is coming to grips with her sexuality. This movie was given a 4K scan and the results are fantastic!
-David Steigman