New Titles from McFarland!

So yeah… so this whole “Print is Dead” propaganda….

McFarland has some great new books coming out this year that I can’t wait to add to my library, let alone dive into them. Yes, McFarland’s titles tend to be on the expensive side, especially for their softcover editions. But their hardcover editions, especially from the likes of Gregory Mank or Tom Weaver, are probably worth the investment. Granted these are books to read, but at these prices, they are an investment, and usually go up in value. I know it doesn’t make it any easier to drop $75 to $100 for one book, so you have to pick your battles. With some special edition Blu-rays hitting the $40 and $50 range for just one movie, it doesn’t seem that much more really. But then again, I’m a sucker for these kind of books and know I’ll be adding most of the ones listed below to my own library at some point. So let’s take a look at some of these great titles they have in store for us this year:

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The Art of Rick Melton

If you’re a reader of Liquid Cheese, then you’ve definitely seen the incredible work of artist Rick Melton. His use of colors and the way he lays out the designs is top-notch. If you’re a horror fan, you’ll find something at this website that catches your eye. He has done pieces on the classic titles all the way into modern day, all giving that same beautiful style and look to them. Plus, prints of his work are highly affordable. Granted, they are coming from the UK, but they are worth the way. Here’s a couple of pieces that we think are amazing.

You can check out all his work on his website here: Stunningly Savage.

Midnight Train to Busan

train-to-busanSome headlines just write themselves….

Just when you thought the zombie genre was dead and gone, we get this new one from South Korea that has been making a lot of buzz on this interweb thingy. Coming from writer/director Yeon Sang-Ho, Train to Busan has appeared on a lot of people’s Best Of 2016 lists, and has be getting a lot of praise from the critics.

Now if you live in the Chicagoland area, now you will have your chance to see this on the big screen, at the legendary Music Box Theatre this weekend! They will be screening this coming Friday and Saturday at their midnight shows.

The basic plot is about a train ride from Seoul to Busan when a zombie virus breaks out, causing the ride to be a little more hectic than originally planned! I know I’m planning on coming out on Saturday to see if this measures up to all the hype.

For more information, head over to the Music Box’s website HERE.

 

Opera Blu-ray Hits the Stage!

opera-blurayOpera remains one of my favorites from Dario Argento. There is so much about this film that I love, from the subtext he was throwing in there, the amazing camerawork, the score, and everything  else in between. And now, thanks to Scorpion Releasing, it will soon be hitting Blu-ray in what looks to be an incredible release.

It will have “a new 2K scan from the original negative with extensive color correction – exclusive to this release.” It will also feature two different English tracks (which has me slightly puzzled on why) as well as the Italian track with English subtitles.

You will also have the opportunity to see the film in either 2.35:1 ratio or in 1.78:1. It was filmed for 2.35:1 but was made available to be screen in the other format if desired where it was being screened. While I think I’d always prefer the 2:35.1 ratio, it is nice that they have both.

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Hammer’s One Million Years B.C. Uncut!

While this might technically not be a horror movie, even though you do have dinosaurs running (and flying) around trying to eat people, since it is a Hammer Film, I figured it needs mentioning. Next year, on Feb. 14th, Kino Lorber will be releasing a movie that stop-animation fans have been waiting for…in the version they wanted!

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When One Million Years B.C. (1966) was released on DVD several years ago, it made a lot of fans very upset, since it was the American version, which as serious fans know, was cut. Even more surprising since it the laserdisc version released was the international cut, which is longer. If you’re a die-hard Ray Harryhausen fan, that was a big deal. But now, thanks to Kino Lorber, they will be releasing it on Blu-ray that has both the International Cut along with the U.S. Cut, both having a 4K restoration, so you’ll be able to see all amazing Harryhausen work, as well as Raquel Welch and Mattine Beswick in all their glory!

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Varèse Sarabande Soundtrack Box Set

2hjb_littleboxofhorrors-1Looking for the ultimate gift for a friend that is a horror soundtrack nut? Then look no further. This Friday, Varèse Sarabande will be releasing a special 12-CD limited edition box set featuring some titles that are rare, out-of-print, or never released on CD before, all inside a special black retro-styled carrying case. There will only be 1500 of these made, so if you’re interested, read on to get more information.

Here’s a listing of what titles are inside this:

Deadly Friend by Charles Bernstein
Dracula 2000 by Marco Beltrami
The Fly by Howard Shore
The Hidden by Michael Convertino
Maniac by Jay Chattaway
The Mephisto Waltz / The Other by Jerry Goldsmith
Mimic: Deluxe Edition by Marco Beltrami
A Nightmare on Elm Street by Charles Bernstein
Pumpkinhead by Richard Stone
Scream: Deluxe Edition by Marco Beltrami
The Serpent And The Rainbow by Brad Fiedel
The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde by Bob Cobert

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Discover the Horror…on Blu-ray!

Obviously one of the things I preach here at the Krypt is Discover the Horror. By that, I mean to explore and seek out new things in the genre, both old and new…but mainly old. One of the things that makes this a little easier these days are these Blu-ray companies who are putting out some amazing titles, some that were on the verge of being lost in the vast wasteland of obscurity. But thanks to companies like Synapse, Vinegar Syndrome, Arrow Video, Shout Factory, Code Red, Severin, Dark Sky, Mondo Macabro, just to name a few, they are not only keeping these films alive and available, but giving some titles a treatment that they probably never had before, even when they were first released.

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More Naschy Blu-rays!!!

To say the news of more Paul Naschy films hitting blu-ray is a bit exciting to me, especially when they are two titles that never even hit DVD, is the definitiion of an understatement. Earlier today, Mondo Macabro announced that they will be releasing both of these titles at some point next year. They haven’t said what the extras might be, but at this point, who cares. The fact that they are coming out is amazing and whatever extras they do come up with is just going to be icing on the cake.

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Need Some Music for the Holiday?

Pet Sematary CD.jpgIf you’re like me, horror movie soundtracks are a staple of my day. Each and every time I’m at work on my computer, I have a horror soundtrack playing in the background. Even now, I’m listening to Pet Sematary‘s score by Elliot Goldenthal. True story.

If you’re looking for a few scores to add to your collection, you may want to head over to La-La Land Records to take advantage of their Halloween sale that ends tomorrow. You can find some good deals for only $4 each! You can pick up the soundtracks for The Sender, Trick ‘r Treat, The Conjuring, and a few more for just a few bucks. For $10, you can get yourself copies of Friday the 13th (the original) and Evil Dead (the remake), Pet Sematary (the expanded release, which I just ordered), and a few more. Or for $15, you can get John Harrison’s Creepshow, which I have to say is simply a must for any collector of horror soundtracks. It is one of my all-time favorites. But in that same price range, they have Day of the Dead, Magic (which I also just ordered), and Monster Squad.

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Monster Party at the Chicago Toy Show

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Even though I’m a huge horror fan and collector, I tend to stay away from the horror toys. Mainly because once you start down that road, not only does it go on forever, but has so many side paths and diversions, that your bank account will hate you forever, not to mention trying to find space for all of the stuff you start to find. But I do like seeing some of the stuff, especially the older items that I remember from my childhood, and even more so, seeing how much it is going for these days. That is the reason why I, along with my wife Dawn and son Nick, headed out to the Chicago Toy Show today. As it turns out, it was well worth the trip.

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