Contributions from the staff of EuroCultAV including Ben Tucker, Scott MacDonald, David Steigman, and Richard Glenn Schmidt.
That oh-so-frosty time of year has arrived once again when we reflect back on what a bountiful crop of splendid releases that have been put out by all the stellar boutique media labels out there and recommend some to check out in order to bring a little holiday cheer to our friends and family (or just ourselves if you’re a selfish bastard like me). Some of these releases we received copies to review and you can find those full reviews elsewhere on the site. Some are just cool releases that we wanted to mention because we dig what those crazy cats are doing. Also while I know lots of folks out there have decided to thumb their noses at the powers-that-be and have gone region-free, I know we also have other folks who are still limited to region one releases. As such, while companies like Second Sight and Imprint are putting out stellar stuff outside the US, this thing will be limited to what can get gotten easily here in the states. Without further ado, let’s kick this thing off with a set of releases that are consistently excellent.
JAPANESE HORROR EXTRAVAGANZA!
What is it about autumn that makes our wonderful boutique labels want to release a deluge of J-horror? I honestly don’t know, but I love it!
Daiei Gothic: Three Ghost Stories Blu-ray Box Set
released by Radiance, October 29, 2024
Always nice to start things off with a bang, and this stellar set certainly fits the bill. Including three stories based on frequently told legends and folk tales, this box delivers a trio of beautifully shot, underseen Japanese ghost stories (although one could argue that the Snow Woman is more of a yokai but I digress) complete with a nice chunk of meaningful extras and very nice technical presentations.
David sez: “Radiance Films hit a home run with their Daiei Gothic Japanese Ghost Stories limited edition Blu-ray set. The set
has beautiful packaging and has a trio of entertaining horror themed ghost stories. These look stunning on Blu-ray! The entire package is just a thing of beauty!”
Demon Pond Blu-ray/4K
released by Criterion Collection, October 15, 2024
Not wanting to be left out in the cold, Criterion wanted to get in on the Japanese horror business and has chosen a wild and weird flick sure to please all the crazy yokai fans out there. Chocked full of demons, fish people and ghost samurai, this is a movie that must be seen to be believed. Plus as usual, Criterion has delivered a beautiful transfer that highlights the bonkers visuals.
Dogra Magra Blu-ray
released by Radiance, October 29, 2024
Radiance was really in the mood to step into the weird side of Japanese cinema this October. Between the Daiei Gothic set and this Lynchian nightmare, they really covered all the bases. Dogra Magra is not a movie that you will easily understand. Frankly, I’m still not sure I understand it. But it’s an eerie and endlessly fascinating puzzle box of a film that is sure to leave a mark.
J-Horror Rising Blu-ray Box Set
released by Arrow Video, October 29, 2024
To further cement the utter onslaught of Japanese horror, we have this groovy box set from Arrow that captures a lovely moment in time in the early ’00s when J-horror was everywhere you looked. The real star of this set is the great film Noroi: The Curse, but there are several other weird, little cool flicks in here to satisfy even the most jaded J-horror nut.
The Crazy Family Blu-Ray
released by Error 4444, September 10, 2024
If you haven’t been acquainted with the great Sogo Ishii a.k.a. Gakuryu Ishii, then Crazy Family would be a nice introduction to his particular brand of darkly comedic madness. The film definitely lives up to its title, and Error 4444 is a label that has been consistently putting out fascinatingly bizarre and ridiculous Asian cult films worthy of picking up.
Vinegar Syndrome 4K Frenzy!
Vinegar Syndrome has made a history of off-the-wall, out-of-left-field 4K releases like Rad, Six String Samurai and Miami Connection. This year was no different. Between the VS mainline and their new more swanky sub-label Cinématographe, 2024 has proved to be no different. Everybody’s jumping on their recent mind-blowing announcement of Michael Mann’s The Keep in 4K but here’s a few others we’ve decided to highlight.
The Horrible Dr. Hitchcock 4K
God bless Vinegar Syndrome for giving us this delightful UHD upgrade to everyone’s favorite necrophilic mad scientist courtesy of the great Riccardo Freda. I love me some Italian gothic and this is primo stuff indeed.
Southern Comfort 4K
Walter Hill’s swampy thriller of a military training exercise gone wrong is a low key classic and will make you think twice about underestimating creepy rednecks in the woods. VS Ultra does Hill proud with this one.
Phase IV 4K
Legendary graphic designer Saul Bass unleashed a preview cut of his bizarre “under siege by ants” flick on a crowd of unsuspecting filmgoers in 1973 but was received so poorly that the studio asked Bass to head back into the cutting room and make sense of it. As a result, the ending especially was cut down drastically into a completely different form and audiences never saw the preview cut again until 2012 when the footage resurfaced. With this release, Vinegar Syndrome has officially put out both the theatrical cut in 4K as well as a reassembled preview cut on a separate blu-ray disc. I gotta say folks. That original ending is glorious.
Navy Seals 4K
Friggin’ Navy Seals, man… Forever immortalized as a throwaway gag in Clerks, of course it would be Vinegar Syndrome that would ensure its UHD release.
Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf 4K
Leave it to the good folks at VS to give an ultra high definition release of a completely insane, sex-fueled werewolf flick. What a weird world we live in, huh?
Severin Box Set Bonanza!
Well now, it just wouldn’t be fair to mention Vinegar Syndrome without bringing up another of our favorite labels and some of the great work they’ve done this year.
Danza Macabra Volume Three: The Spanish Gothic Collection Blu-Ray Box Set
As I mentioned before, I love me some some creepy, fog-drenched gothic atmosphere with moldy castles and echo-y corridors. Severin delivered all sorts of goodies in that vein with this set with the fascinating anthology Cake of Blood and the gauzy, dream-like Night of the Walking Dead being personal highlights for me.
Richard Sez: “This is the set that I have been waiting for, and it’s also the set with 4 films that I have never seen! For a good long while, I’ve been holding off checking out both Cross of the Devil and The Night of the Walking Dead because I’d heard good things about them, but the bootlegs weren’t great. And the other two films on here look promising too.”
The Game of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection Vol. 1 Blu-ray Box Set
Martial arts box sets have been all the rage recently with companies like Arrow, 88 Films, Shout and Eureka all putting out solid slabs of punch ‘n’ kick mania. But Severin’s lone journey into kung fu kraziness is easily one of the most memorable and exhaustive of all of them. Brucesploitation is a bizarrely fascinating sub-genre and Severin’s has gathered together twelve of the craziest ones out there plus the excellent Enter the Clones of Bruce Lee documentary that surveys the strange phenomenon.
All Haunts Be Ours Volume 2 Blu-ray Box Set
The first All Haunts box set was a veritable treasure trove of weird world cinema folk horror and volume two delivers even more of the creepy rituals, bizarre folklore tales and eerie, slow burn nightmare fuel we’ve come to expect from this series. This set is bigger and possibly even better than the first one!
Dario Argento’s Deep Cuts Collector’s Set
For some folks out there, this random assortment of Argento-related odds and ends may not be a major deal, but we are EUROCULTAV after all, and Argento ephemera is our lifeblood! Heck, this is worth it for the Door Into Darkness anthology series featuring Argento’s Il Tram, but it includes hours and hours of even more stuff to sink your teeth into. Watch for a full review of this one coming soon here!
Richard Sez: “In case you missed out on MYA Communication’s disc of the giallo TV show called “Door into Darkness” produced by Dario Argento, then you are in a for a treat. Severin lists the runtime on this set as 594 minutes, which is freakin’ insane. There’s so much stuff on here in terms of interviews and little snippets of Argento’s other TV rarities that’ll keep you busy for quite a while.”
ANIME-AZING RELEASES!
While ECAV was built on the principles of European horror goodness, we like to take diversions into other corners of the world as well which brings me to our anime section! Anime is cool, dudes! Let’s check out some great stuff that’ll be sure to get your animated cravings satiated.
Evangelion 3.0+1.11: Thrice Upon A Time Steelbook
released by Shout! Factory
The original Neon Genesis Evangelion is rightly heralded as both an all-time classic in the world of anime as well as a supreme brain-melting frenzy. Originally conceived as more of a straight remake/remaster of the original series but in movie form, the Rebuild series has evolved into a completely different animal, showing more of an alternate universe reimagining of the Evangelion story. 3.0+1.11 wraps up the Rebuild tetralogy in appropriately grandiose and bizarre fashion, putting a cap on a whole new set of achievements courtesy of original Eva creator Hideaki Anno. Shout Factory has released a beautifully designed steelbook that will look wonderful on your shelf next to the steelbook releases of the other films.
The Boy and the Heron Steelbook
released by Shout! Factory
Shout and GKids brings us another beautifully designed steelbook release, this time of the latest masterwork by legendary director Hayao Miyazaki. The Boy and the Heron is easily one of Miyazaki’s most surreal, dream-like films, creating a Wonderland playground with nuanced characters and gorgeous artwork. This is an absolute must-have for Studio Ghibli fans.
Megazone 23: The Complete Trilogy Blu-ray
released by AnimeEigo
AnimeEigo isn’t one of the most prolific boutique labels out there, but what that means is that when they do release something, they make it count. Megazone 23 is a stone cold cyberpunk classic from the golden age of the 1980s. While gutted for use in Robotech, the original film series is an action-packed slab of goodness.
Arcane: League of Legends Season One 4K Steelbook
released by Shout! Factory
While not strictly anime, this video game adaptation is definitely informed by the kinetic aesthetic that emerged from the Japanese animation industry and is in fact a gorgeously stylish series, particularly during its visceral paint splatter action sequences. Video adaptations have certainly come a long way from the crap days of Super Mario Bros. and Street Fighter back in the early ’90s. The television series format in particular seems well-suited to the more long-form storytelling inherent in gaming with shows like Castlevania, The Last of Us, Fallout and now Arcane showing the public that video games are as fertile a ground for compelling narratives as anything. As proof, despite the fact that I have never played League of Legends and have zero interest in it, I found this series eminently watchable and engaging with well-rounded characters and excellent world-building. And the new 4K steelbook that Shout! has delivered is an absolute beauty to behold.
ACTION MOVIE MADNESS!
Not to be left out in the cold, lurking in the shadows waiting to plug us in the back when we aren’t looking, there have been some great crime and action flicks releases this year too! We’ll start with a couple of very cool poliziotteschi before moving even wilder places beyond.
High Crime 4K Blu-ray
released by Blue Underground
With High Crime, Blue Underground has released a seminal poliziotteschi in a top notch package with high technical marks and loaded with extras. Franco Nero has never been more badass!
Goodbye & Amen Blu-ray
released by Radiance
Early this year, Radiance delivered another underseen stellar release with this taut political thriller turned hostage crisis showdown from Italian crime maestro Damiano Damiani.
Ninja Terminator Blu-ray Box Set
released by Neon Eagle Video
If you had told me even five years ago that friggin’ Godfrey Ho’s gloriously ridiculous Ninja Terminator would be getting a deluxe box set release, I’d have said you were out of your damned mind. Yet thanks to that madman Jared Auner of Mondo Macabro and his side hustle Neon Eagle Video, here we are. Just sit for a spell and bask in the multi-colored ninja goodness…
The Bounty Hunter Trilogy Blu-ray Box Set
released by Radiance Films
This lesser known trilogy of samurai films from the 1960s was given the deluxe box set treatment from Radiance earlier this year and I couldn’t be happier. Bridging the gap between the masterful works of Kurosawa and the lean, mean grindhouse classics like Lone Wolf & Cub, The Bounty Hunter movies are well worth checking out for lovers of classic Japanese cinema.
Invasion U.S.A. 4K
released by Vinegar Syndrome
Do you like Chuck Norris and explosions? Do you want to see said Chuck Norris and explosions in glorious ultra high definition? Look no further than this Cannon Films “classic”.
The Warrior Trilogy Blu-ray
released by Mondo Macabro
Where would we be without the out-of-the-box weirdos at Mondo Macabro? With a much less interesting blu-ray collection, that’s where! Barry Prima kicks so much ass and gets in all kinds of crazy situations… The Warrior movies are stone cold classics of batshit insane Indonesian cult cinema, and you must own them!
ShawScope Volume 3 Blu-Ray Box Set
released by Arrow Video
While the deservedly revered One-Armed Swordsman trilogy is getting much of the love in this third release in Arrow’s chonky Shaw Bros. collections, I personally want to give a shout out to the gritty, nihilistic Killer Constable from Shaw horror maestro Chih Huang Kwei (Boxer’s Omen) and the ridiculous fantasy craziness of Buddha’s Palm.
RELIVE THE HORROR CLASSICS!
It’s always great to revisit the horror mainstays, especially when they get a spiffy new special edition that begs a purchase.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 50th Anniversation Chainsaw Edition
released by Dark Sky Selects
The grandaddy of visceral redneck horror, I have seen this movie in a theater more than probably any other horror movie (for a while it was an annual event for my friends and I). TCM is still as unhinged and delirious as it ever has been and this new $300 set with a friggin chainsaw and a VHS is the fanciest set I’ve ever seen by this amazing film.
Deathdream 4K
released by Blue Underground
Earlier this year, BU released the definitive edition of an excellent underseen, slow burn ’70s classic that riffs on The Monkey’s Paw while also fusing Vietnam-era social commentary and some excellent set pieces, all courtesy of Mr. Black Christmas himself, Bob Clark.
Messiah of Evil Blu-ray
released by Radiance Films
Richard Sez: “Sometimes I call this the best horror film of the 1970s. And yes, I have purchased this one four times to try and get the best copy. The Code Red Blu-ray was decent, but this Radiance one is a nicer transfer, so I just had to get it. A truly excellent film and just stunning to behold.”
Silent Night Deadly Night 4K
released by Scream! Factory
Quite possibly the ultimate Christmas slasher is given the 4K treatment and released just in time to find itself under the Christmas tree this holiday season. Axe may or may not be included depending on how naughty you’ve been this year…
I Walked with a Zombie/The Seventh Victim Blu-ray
released by Criterion Collection
David Sez: “Another Criterion offering that I can easily recommend! This is a fantastic double feature with a pair of Val Lewton classics that have a ton of atmosphere in them.
I Walked with a Zombie has some zombies in the Caribbean invading the life of a sugar plantation owner…Plenty of zombies and cool voodoo music to keep you entertained!
The Seventh Victim is a supernatural film with a woman who is trying to find her sister and turns out that she is being victimized by a devil worshipping cult! Both movies look terrific on UHD and has some extras to boot!”
Funeral Home Blu-Ray
released by Scream! Factory
Richard Sez: “The old DVD (and especially the old VHS) made many of this film’s darker scenes almost impossible to see. Now 80s horror fans can finally see what’s going on in this masterpiece. And by “masterpiece” I mean “kind of decent film”. Funeral Home is quaint and silly, but very atmospheric. When you’ve seen every other 80s horror movie on Blu, check this one out.”
Peeping Tom 4K UHD
Michael Powell’s Peeping Tom was for a long time treated as Psycho’s grody twin brother nobody wanted anything to do with. But time has shown this to be the thriller classic it was always meant to be, and Criterion’s new 4K transfer really makes Powell’s beautiful cinematography pop!
WEIRD AND WILD!
Sometimes I just like to revel in weird nonsense for the heck of it. These definitely fit the bill!
Frankie Freako Blu-ray
released by Scream! Factory
That madman Steven Kostanski of such batshit nutty, fun movies like Psycho Goreman and Manborg has decided to give us another over-the-top, practical effects blast from the past with Frankie Freako, a crazy micro monster movie that’s part Garbage Pail Kids, part Mac & Me and part Critters that is both a spot-on homage and not-too-subtle parody of that beloved ’80s sub-genre. It’s a lot of wacky fun and the practical effects are absolutely delightful to watch.
UHF 4K
released by Shout! Factory
I friggin’ love this movie. You can read my gushing review elsewhere on the site. Suffice it to say, Weird Al is a legend and his cult classic, extremely quotable comedy deserves all the fandom it has managed to gather over the years since it bombed on its initial release.
Special Silencers Blu-ray
released by Mondo Macabro
Barry Prima is back in an Indonesian movie that manages to be even crazier than The Warrior. Who knew that taking pills would give you iron skin or cause trees to burst from your chest depending on whether you’ve had a hearty meal or not?
Ghoulies II 4K
released by MVD
While some would put the first Ghoulies on here instead of Ghoulies II, for my money this crazy carnival romp ups the ante from the first movie and offers a broader, weirder world that’s ultimately more fun. And if a 4K setup doesn’t exist to watch Ghoulies in ultra hi-def, then I don’t know what it could possibly be for.
The Convent 4K
released by Synapse
Any movie that begins with a Catholic school girl walking into a nunnery and murdering the shit out of nuns with a baseball bat, gasoline fire and a friggin’ shotgun gets my attention right away. When it proceeds to unfold as a crazy demon romp in a haunted cathedral with frat boys and Satanists, it is guaranteed to give a wild ride that won’t disappoint.
EURO CULT MADNESS!
And of course, it wouldn’t be EuroCultAV without highlighting some totally awesome Euro Cult releases!
The Houses of Doom Box Set
released by Cauldron Films
While these four TV movies may not be considered peak Fulci or LamBava, they are still a hell of a lot of fun, and this Cauldron set is excellent, even including two soundtrack CDs (note to boutiques, if you want to guarantee a purchase from me, throw a soundtrack CD in there and I’ll buy it).
The Case of the Bloody Iris 4K
released by Celluloid Dreams
Richard Sez: “This is the giallo I show people who have never seen one before that also happens to be a favorite. I like to pretend this is a totally normal movie. After watching and rewatching my old Anchor Bay DVD a dozen times (at least) over the years, Celluloid Dreams gave giallo fans like me a real treat for their flagship release. Essential.”
Cemetery Man 4K
released by Severin Films
Richard sez: “While not my favorite horror film directed by Michele Soavi, it’s impossible to deny this film’s infectious energy and endlessly creative spirit. Having read several of the Dylan Dog comics that this is based on, I can safely say this is easily one of the single best comic book adaptations ever made. Some people call this the last great Italian horror film and I don’t want to believe that because… well, just because, okay?!”
Dr. Jekyll and the Werewolf 4K
released by Mondo Macabro
Everybody needs a little more Paul Naschy in their life, and when that Naschy monster mash happens to be presented in glorious UHD, then it makes snatching up this bad boy up a no-brainer.
Dante’s Inferno (1911) Blu-Ray
released by Terror Vision
Terror Vision has had a cool and prolific year, but the most stand-out release they’ve put out to date might very well be a film that seems at first very outside their wheelhouse but feels like a personal passion project. This demented Italian silent film version of Dante’s Inferno from 1911 is chock full of imaginative visuals, and the disc includes four different restorations and three different scores to give all sorts of ways to watch this seminal very early horror classic.
MONSTER MANIA!
There have been several great monster movies released this year including a couple from the great Godzilla himself!
Godzilla Minus One 4K
released by godzilla.com
David Sez: “Being a Godzilla fan, there is no doubt that the Godzilla Minus One UHD Deluxe set is one of the best releases of the year.
The deluxe set has plenty of content and goodies. Many of the supplements are in Japanese audio but you can still enjoy viewing them if nothing else! Godzilla Minus One is another origin story but with the best effects ever for a Godzilla movie with a superior story to compliment it. The award which winning film looks dynamite on UHD! This is a magnificent package that no Godzilla fan should be without!”
Retilicus 4K
released by Vinegar Syndrome
David Sez: “Vinegar Syndrome released an unlikely movie on UHD that I picked up, the giant monster movie called Reptilicus. Since
they released Gorgo on UHD why not Reptilicus! This is a tale about a huge lizard-like creature invading Denmark! Reptilicus
can regenerate itself, making it that much harder to kill! The 4K image looks beautiful. This release also contains the USA debut release of Danish version of the film where Reptilicus files and doesn’t vomit on his victims! Plus, there are more musicals in the Danish version!”
Godzilla 4K
released by Criterion Collection
David Sez: “Speaking of Godzilla, Criterion offered a wonderful 4K UHD of the first Godzilla movie and is a step above the Blu-ray! This is the Godzilla movie that started it all and opened the flood gates! Godzilla invades Japan and nothing can stop it except for one thing made by a doctor who is reluctant to use his invention!”
Night of the Blood Beast + Attack of the Giant Leeches Blu-ray
released by Film Masters
David Sez: “Film Masters is a label which has been doing top-notch work on some obscure titles. One of their double feature Blu-rays really stood out as it’s a favorite of mine, which is their Region Free Blu-ray of Night of the Blood Beast + Attack of the Giant Leeches. Night of the Blood Beast has a creature who wants
to invade the Earth with his children, who are inside the body of an astronaut, waiting to be born! The world’s first pregnant
male! Attack of the Giant Leeches has man-sized giant leeches attacking some swamp trash characters, including the lovely Yvette Vickers!
Overall, this release has excellent audio and video quality, plus a ton of extras including commentaries, interviews with experts
in the genre and a booklet. A great, great release from Film Masters!”
CLASSICS HOME AND ABROAD!
We aren’t afraid to get classy here at ECAV sometimes. It’s always cool to recognize classic films that have built our cinema heritage whether they be part of Hollywood history or great films from foreign shores.
Three Revolutionary Films by Ousmane Sembène Blu-ray
released by Criterion
This trio of socially relevant, influential African films from seminal director Ousmane Sembene are a crucial part of world cinema diaspora and are essential viewing for those who want to broaden their horizons and check out these Senegalese classics. Check out the full review elsewhere on the site for more info.
The Shootist Blu-ray
released by Arrow Video
David sez: “Arrow Video released the John Wayne classic, The Shootist on Blu-ray, making its North America debut! This was John Wayne’s final film, and he goes out with a bang! In this movie, he is looking for a peaceful way and place to pass away. The
picture quality blows away the DVD by miles and was well worth the wait! The package also has some extras to make it worth your time and money.”
The Lady from Shanghai 4K UHD
released by Sony Home Entertainment
David Sez: “This is an incredible release, as the movie looks better than ever. Orson Welles plays Michael O’Hara who gets involved with a shady couple (Rita Hayworth and Everette Sloan) and finds himself in over his head after a murder is committed! The UHD audio and video quality is stunning and has some great extras, easily making this a highly recommended release!”
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari 4K UHD
released by Kino Lorber
David Sez: “Kino Lorber also released a lot of movies on 4K this year that I can recommend but the one that impressed me the most was their UHD of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari – the silent classic with a murderously mad doctor! Dr. Caligari murders people by having his assistant Cesare doing the deed while he is in a
death-like sleep! The 4K UHD release is a revelation and is quite remarkable for a silent film that’s over 100 years old! The
movie has a great polished, cleaned up look, with excellent audio and some extras to make this another winner!”