The ’80s were a wonderful time for horror fans. Roaming through the video stores looking for an interesting box that looked like it could be fun, it was always an exciting challenge to find some new gem. But when you come across a box that has several bodies hanging on the wall, with large hook in the foreground, with the title The Mutilator across teh bottom, with blood dripping from it! And best of all, the tagline on the box says “By Sword, By Pick, By Axe, Bye Bye!” How could you not want to rent that immediately! And once you got it home, it really did blow you away, especially the over-the-top gore! Okay, sure the movie itself wasn’t the best as far as quality, but back then, we weren’t looking for Citizen Kane.

Now, thanks to the wonderfully people at Arrow Films, a newly restored unrated version of the film, from original vault material, will be coming your way to blu-ray and DVD in a special 2-disc release. And even better, a region free release! But if the movie along isn’t going to make you want to add this to your collection, wait until you see the extras it comes with!

There is an introduction by writer/director Buddy Cooper and assistant special makeup effects artist Edmund Ferrell. Those two also contribute an audio commentary along with co-director John Douglas and actor Matt Mitler. There is also a second commentary with Cooper actress Ruth Martinez Tutterow. Mutilator Memories is a little chat with makeup artist Mark Shostrom who worked on the film, as well as a interview with composer Michael Minard who did the score. But the coolest extra sounds like Fall Breakers: The Story of the Mutilator, which is a feature length documentary on the making of the film, that features interviews with Cooper, Douglass, Ferrel, Mitler, actors Bill Hitchcock, Jack Chatham, and more. This sounds to be a lot of fun.

And if that wasn’t enough, there is behind-the-scenes footage, screen tests, alternate opening titles, trailers, the theme song from Fall Break (the original title), storyboards and more.

It really does boggle the mind how this cheesy little slasher film that was made over 30 years ago which was completely ignored by most of the upstanding citizens of the world, except for us die-hard horror fans, that now is getting this special treatment release. It comes out next week. Get ready!