Oh, my, it’s been a busy day. Went to the gym this morning and then it was a case of quick shower and then off out to do a spot of lecturing. Then get home, on with the computer and sit down to write this. Not that it’s a chore. I love everything I do but, boy, do I need to put my feet up and switch my brain off! Preferably with a truly enormous glass of wine in one hand, and a bar of Galaxy in the other. And something involving George Clooney on the telly. Yep, that would be awesome. And you know what I like about that goal? It’s achievable. Unless I can’t find my George Clooney DVDs, in which case I’ll be banging on a copy of Stonehenge Apocalypse which is out on DVD on Monday from Anchor Bay Entertainment!
So before I desert you all in favour of Mr. Clooney and a chap called Jacob who, apparently, has a creek named after him, I should probably deliver a newsletter jam-packed with amazing, exciting and astounding news from the Laboratories of Cult, shouldn’t I? Well, what an amazing coincidence as, on my person, I just so happen to have a newsletter jam-packed with amazing, exciting and astounding news from the Laboratories of Cult.
Wanna peek?
Sarah@Cult Labs.
DO DO DO DO DO DO DO DO…
OK, so that’s possibly the worst article title I’ve ever written but it’s the first thing that pops into my head when someone mentions The Twilight Zone. Anyway, it’ could’ve been worse: I could’ve sung it.
This week Cult Labs unveiled The Twilight Zone: The Official UK DVD & BD Forum as our newest forum-based resident. This is the place to be for all fans of TTZ (original and 80s) so if you’re a fan, head on over, and, if you know a fan, tell them to head on over too. We’ll make it worth their while. Especially with the amazing news that we have announce which is that The Twilight Zone is coming to UK DVD and Blu-ray, courtesy of Shock Entertainment and FremantleMedia Enterprises. The DVD has been digitally remastered and comes packed with extras including audio commentaries, vintage recollections from cast members, Rod Serling’s Network Pitch and original unaired pilots. Presented for the first time in the UK, the Blu-ray edition is in pristine high-definition, digitally remastered from new 1080p film transfers using the original camera negatives and magnetic soundtracks. As well as all the features on the DVDeditions, the Blu-ray editions will also include a host of extras, available for the first time in the UK. Season 1 alone includes an unofficial pilot written by Rod Serling, 19 new audio commentaries, 18 radio dramas, 34 isolated music scores, and much more.
Season One will be released on 18 April, with the rest of the seasons following throughout 2011. For more information on release dates, check out the official thread!
RECORD NUMBERS JOIN CULT LABS!
Just a quick shout-out to our many members to say thanks for supporting us. In the last week, we’ve had record numbers of fans joining in the fun – over a hundred in the last week! Cult Labs just wouldn’t work without you so if you haven’t already joined, head over to the forums and join the chatter!
OUT NOW AND COMING SOON FROM ARROW VIDEO!
It’s been on the cards for what’s seemed like ages but Vamp is finally out and available to buy on Blu-ray and DVD! For more info on this excellent 80s horror-comedy, head on over to the official thread or check out the blog.
Coming soon from Arrow is Dario Argento’s 1980s classic, Phenomena. It will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on 7 March 2011 and features an array of extras that will have you buzzing with excitement! Er, yeah, sorry about that.
The film mixes extreme violence, pounding metal music, a vicious chimp wielding a scalpel and enough buzzing insects to choke an entire school. Poor sleepwalking Jennifer Corvino (Jennifer Connelly) doesn’t fit in at her boarding school and her uncanny ability to control insects isn’t helping her popularity. With the aid of a local entomologist (Donald Pleasence), can she use her psychic insect skills to find the killer who’s leaving her fellow pupils in bloody pieces?
For more info, check out the blog or the official mini-forum.
PRISONER CELL BLOCK H
It’s been a busy old time on the official UK DVD forum for Prisoner Cell Block H! Firstly, Vol. 6 is out on DVD now from FremantleMedia Enterprises! For more info on this release, check out the blog or the official thread.
You’ve also been busy deciding on the font colour for forthcoming volumes. For Vol. 7 you all went with pink and for Vol. 8 you have gone with lime green! You still have time to vote for the colour of Vol. 9. The voting for this volume closes on Tuesday so head on over to the poll now! I went for rust orange – what will you choose?
COMING SOON FROM CULT LABS
We’re a busy lot over at Cult Labs. Not only have we got all the above releases coming soon, we thought we’d spoil you with two more – both out on 14 March 2011 from Anchor Bay Entertainment. First up, on DVD and Blu-ray, is Altitude, which, according to DVD Talk is “a tightly wound, surprisingly effective horror movie… an airborne version of Hichcock’s Lifeboat as adapted by H.P. Lovecraft for E.C. Comics.” Altitude is the debut feature from award-winning comic book writer and illustrator Kaare Andrews (The Incredible Hulk, Ultimate X-Men, Amazing Spider-Man) and will please fans of Donnie Darko, old school Twilight Zone episodes and the Final Destination movies with a claustrophobic, character-driven SFX extravaganza! Check out the blog or head on over to the official thread.
Out on the same day on DVD is Sharktopus: half shark, half octopus, all killer. Yep, that’s right, Sharktopus. I really don’t feel that a film with a title like that needs more promotion. It kinda sells itself, doesn’t it? The film is the latest sci-fi creature-feature from Roger Corman. A hugely enjoyable, tongue-in-cheek monster romp packed with jaw-dropping set-pieces and plenty of inventive ways for humans to be dispatched by a great white shark endowed with massive spear-tipped tentacles, Sharktopus is definitely one of the must-see DVD releases of the year. For more info, check out the blog or head on over to the official thread!
BRONX WARRIORS SCREENING IN PRESTON TONIGHT!
A quick reminder that if you can get to The Continental in Preston tonight, go check out the screening of The Bronx Warriors in conjunction with Mondo Euro and Shameless Screen Entertainment. For all the details, check out this official Cult Labs thread!
BEST OF THE BLOG
This week, Sam has written an excellent blog inspired by the forthcoming Damned By Dawn (out on DVD from Momentum Pictures on 7 March 2011). In it he discusses monsters from folklore little used by horror movies including the banshee, as seen in Damned By Dawn.
The Banshee is an excellent place to start, after all, it gets increasingly difficult to wrong foot an audience with a careful eye for genre conventions so why not focus on something from our distant past that hasn’t been raked over a million times already? Asian horror scared Western audiences because it referenced folk tales from a culture very different to our own, but, once you get away from Vampires and Werewolves, there’s a rich seam of ghouls and monsters ready to take a bite out of the screen.
To read more, head on over to the blog. For more on Damned By Dawn, check out the official thread!
THERE’S SOMETHING GOING ON AT THE LABORATORY
I’m hungry. So instead of my usual cuppa, I’m going to make my dinner. So, while I cook, why don’t I catch you up on what’s going on at the Labs?
Arrow Video – Battle Royale – The 2011 Special Edition Specs
As well as the existing 2010 released limited edition version of Battle Royale, Arrow Video are also bringing out a Special Edition DVD and Blu-ray edition in 2011 which will utilise the four-panel artwork slipcase packaging packaging format shared by many other AV releases. The full specs and exploded pack shot can be found over at this thread so, what are you waiting for? Get over there now!
The mini forum for Arrow’s forthcoming Fantastic Factory Presents boxset is well and truly buzzing with info on the DVD specs, the artwork and all the other bits and bobs that fascinate us collectors! Head on over there to have a proper explore as there’s far too much going on for me to condense it into a little paragraph!
This isn’t so much a thread you can participate in as a reference tool but it’s still worth flagging up for you! If you’re looking for the official thread for any released/announced Shameless title, head on over here and you will find a full list of Shameless titles, complete with links to their respective threads or mini-forums. No more searching blind for the thread you want to chat in!
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Very, very unsettling – far more powerful than any of the gore (but I do love the gore, mind!).” – Just in case you weren’t sure, Daemonia loves the gore!
KYLE’S COMP CORNER
This week, Kyle has an awesome prize to give away… Not that they’re ever not awesome! To be in with a chance of winning your spangly new copy of Vamp, head on over to the Comp Corner now! Good luck!
MODS & ROCKERS
It’s been a fairly quiet week but we’d just like to remind you that Cult Labs strives to be as friendly a place as possible. If you feel intimidated or victimised by any other member, PM one of the moderators (me, Reaper, Stephen, bizarre_eye, Nosferatu, iluvdvds, Almar or Stefan) in complete confidence.
The forum rules can be found here. If any of the mods (forum, technical, competitions, etc.) want me to include anything in this section next week then just let me know!
WELCOME NEWBIES!
Because so many of you have joined this week, I’m just saying a big hello to anyone who has joined. It would take far too long and far too much space to list you all! You’re all very welcome and I hope you have fun here!
AND FINALLY…
Before I go, here’s a little reminder that if you haven’t already signed up to receive this newsletter in your inbox each week, you can do so using this link. All this means is that every Thursday you get a little bit of me in your inbox. Not literally though. That’d be a bit gross.
Remember, if you have any comments, feedback or anything you’d like to see featured in the newsletter, PM me at Sarah@Cult Labs or drop me a line on the newsletter thread! Or, if you’re reading this as an email, just hit “reply”!
Until next week,
Sarah@Cult Labs.
