Killer Dames: Two Gothic Chillers By Emilio P. Miraglia

https://www.amazon.com/Killer-Dames-Chillers-Miraglia-Special/dp/B01BIEHMMK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494580823&sr=8-1&keywords=killer+dames

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4 disc Limited Edition box set containing The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave and The Red Queen Kills Seven Times

At the height of the Italian giallo boom in the early 1970s, scores of filmmakers turned their hand to crafting their own unique takes on these lurid murder-mystery thrillers. This limited edition double pack features two distinctive offerings by Emilio P. Miraglia, which meld twisty whodunit narratives with gothic chills. In The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave, troubled aristocrat Alan Cunningham (Anthony Steffen, Django the B*stard), haunted by the death of his first wife Evelyn, tries to move on by marrying the seductive Gladys (Marina Malfatti, All the Colours of the Dark). Marital bliss is short-lived, however, as various relatives meet untimely and gruesome deaths, prompting speculation that a vengeful Evelyn has risen from the grave... Meanwhile, in The Red Queen Kills Seven Times, an age-old family curse hits sisters Kitty (Barbara Bouchet, Milano Calibro 9) and Franziska (Marina Malfatti) following the death of their grandfather Tobias (Rudolf Schündler, The Exorcist, Suspiria). Every hundred years, so the legend goes, the bloodthirsty Red Queen returns and claims seven fresh victims. Was Tobias just the first... and are Kitty and Franziska next? With both films making their worldwide Blu-ray debuts in stunning new 2K restorations, there has never been a better time to explore these little-seen giallo gems!


FEATURES:

Limited Edition box set (3000 copies) containing The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave and The Red Queen Kills Seven Times
Brand new 2K restorations of the films from the original camera negatives
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
Original Italian and English soundtracks in mono audio (lossless DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray Discs)
Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtracks
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtracks
Limited Edition 60-page booklet containing new writing by James Blackford, Kat Ellinger, Leonard Jacobs and Rachael Nisbet
New audio commentary by Troy Howarth
Exclusive introduction by actress Erika Blanc
Writer Stephen Thrower on The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave
The Night Erika Came Out of the Grave – exclusive interview with Erika Blanc
The Whip and the Body – archival interview with Erika Blanc
Still Rising from the Grave – archival interview with production designer Lorenzo Baraldi
Original Italian and US theatrical trailers
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx
New audio commentary by Alan Jones and Kim Newman
Writer Stephen Thrower on The Red Queen Kills Seven Times
Archival introduction by production/costume designer Lorenzo Baraldi
Dead à Porter – archival interview with Lorenzo Baraldi
Rounding Up the Usual Suspects – archival interview with actor Marino Masé
If I Met Emilio Miraglia Today – archival featurette with Erika Blanc, Lorenzo Baraldi and Marino Masé
My Favourite... Films – archival interview with actress Barbara Bouchet
Alternative opening
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx

Wild Beasts (Severin Blu-Ray)

                                                            By Mrparka

                Severin Films brings us the uproarious 1983 animals attack film “Wild Beasts” to Blu-Ray and DVD. A group of dangerous animals exposed to PCP break out and run amok in the city; eating, stomping, and tearing their way into anyone unlucky enough to cross their path.

                Franco Properi, the film’s director, manages to add in political and ecological messages into the film with some of these elements smashed in with violence, sex, cheese, and nudity. This is nothing new when you look at some of the other Italian films of the time, but “Wild Beasts” has a few more tricks up its sleeve. The animal scenes in “Wild Beasts” are executed very well; the deaths and scenarios put forth are truly mind boggling and come off as very dangerous. One scene in particular is the stuff that nightmares are made of: A Cheetah decides to chase a car down and try to eat the driver in the middle of the city, nothing quite as surreal as racing a Cheetah along street lights and sky scrapers. Another brilliantly executed scene involves a man’s faithful companion deciding to end their relationship while he unknowingly listens to a record oblivious to his fate, or that his Seeing Eye dog snuck a quick drink at the zoo. The score by Daniele Patucchi brings a lot of these scenes to life; its funky when showing shots of the city and paranoid when the attacks are ready to take place. The film's stuntman must be congratulated, there are dozens of scenes with men and women alike being torn apart and mauled by the beasts. The effects in these scenes are good, but the scenes work due to the animal and human performers more so than the splatter. Like other Euro Horror of the time, the dialogue is a tad painful as are the social messages; not that they are ridiculous, but just executed in such a ham-fisted way that one can't help but smile. Not every movie can be “Cannibal Holocaust” after all. Franco Properi does follow the approach as to shock the audience to get their attention; in fact he probably invented it, being half responsible for the shockmentary “Mondo Cane”. This is shown as he burns rats on film for real; this scene is pretty unpleasant but, again, a product of its time. We are made to believe all this violence toward animals is to send home a message about the infiltration of drugs, terrorist, and ecological disasters in the world, maybe, but doubts are abundant.  By the end of the film “Wild Beast” wraps up these pretty heavy questions without much subtlety, this is expected even from the opening when a pile of needles flashes across the screen amidst shots of a beautiful city. These social messages will leave you smirking, but it won’t stop “Wild Beasts”
from being a high energy, bat shit crazy entertaining animal attacks movie with a good score.

          The Blu-Ray looks and sounds great in English or Italian. The disc has a nice amount of features including interesting interviews with the director and editor, the latter of which even shows his old editing deck. “Wild Beasts” is a definite watch for any animal attacks enthusiast or Italian Horror film fanatic.

                                                                     Video Review 

DVD http://www.cavd.com/product.php?productid=2752

Blu-Ray http://www.cavd.com/product.php?productid=2751

For his final work, Godfather Of Mondo Franco E. Prosperi took on the Nature Strikes Back genre and delivered perhaps the most shocking movie of his controversial career: When PCP gets into the water supply of a city zoo, the drug-crazed beasts including tigers, lions, cheetahs, hyenas and elephants, as well as seeing eye dogs and sewer rats go berserk and rampage through the streets of Rome. What follows is a terrifying mix of actual animal attacks (supervised by professional circus trainers) and over-the-top 80s Italian gore that remains the greatest eco-revenge shocker in EuroCult history. Lorraine De Selle (CANNIBAL FEROX, HOUSE AT THE EDGE OF THE PARK) and Ugo Bologna (NIGHTMARE CITY) star in this disturbing urban bloodbath, now digitally remastered for the first time ever and bursting with all-new Special Features!

- Altered Beasts: Interview With Director Franco E. Prosperi

- Wild Tony: Interview With Actor Tony Di Leo

- Cut After Cut: Interview With Editor & Mondo Filmmaker Mario Morra

- The Circus is in Town: Interview With Animal Wrangler Roberto Tibeti's son, Carlo Tiberti

- House Of Wild Beasts: A Visit To The Home Of Franco E. Prosperi

- International Trailer

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Wax Mask

                                                                        By MrParka

                “Wax Mask” was due to be Lucio Fulci’s comeback film, produced by Dario Argento with special effects by Sergio Stivaletti. Unfortunately, Fulci died before the film was made and Sergio Stivaletti took over for the maestro. This set of unfortunate circumstances put “Wax Mask” in an unfair disadvantage. Fans were left with a series of questions; If Lucio Fulci had directed, would it be gorier? Would it be more atmospheric? Could “Wax Mask” ever live up to its potential?

                “Wax Mask” opens up in 1900 with a double murder. In true typical Italian horror fashion, our killer is in the shadows, dressed in a black trench coat and hat. But unlike any other Italian killer, ours wields a special weapon; a hand that has been turned into a gnarly mechanical device that punctures chest cavities. 12 years have gone by since these grisly murders and a young man is dared to stay the night in a macabre wax museum with the wax displays representative of murders. The man dies mysteriously and this puts unwanted focus on the museum. Shortly after, a young woman who has recently began work at the museum begins to have violent memories brought on by the visceral displays. These memories are undeniably linked to the tragic murders 12 years ago, the death in the museum, and the new disappearances in town. A curious journalist, a veteran cop, and the troubled employee soon uncover a terrible secret about the wax sculptures and proprietor of the museum.

                “Wax Mask” of course has Italian influences such as Gialli, but pulls from Universal and Hammer films as well. The result of this mish-mash is a film akin to that of “Darkman”, “Waxwork”, and a Gialli all rolled into one. The creative special effect flairs of Sergio Stivaletti really brought a lot of this to life; the animatronics are really fun, even when it goes full “Terminator” during the fiery climax. A vet like Sergio would never disappoint with the bloodshed and this is clear in the opening murder as a severed hand falls to the ground in sloppy detail. Italian horror is known for its creative kills and “Wax Mask” carries on the tradition in a fun scene where a man comes face to face with the killer, who just so happens to be wearing a realistic mask of him. When our victim is dispatched, he reaches for the face of the killer only to pull his own face off and have it land next to his lifeless corpse. The score on the film is standard when compared to its pupils and works well and has a nice effort put forth.  With all this behind the scenes creativity thrust into “Wax Mask” it’s amazing the movie even got made, especially in 1997 when the Italian horror scene was dead.  “Wax Mask” is somewhat muddled down in the middle, we spend too much time with the journalist character figuring out what is happening when it probably was already guessed by the audience. A couple more murders sprinkled in during this investigation would have helped the pacing. Thankfully, the plot points unfold nicely although they aren’t particularly hard to guess.  “Wax Mask” does end on a slight high note leaving this film world open for a sequel.

                 “Wax Mask” ends up coming across pretty decent in the end. A slew of Fulci fans still might think the maestro would have done better, but most fans seem to have a selective memory. To get another “Beyond” or “Zombie” would have been lovely, but highly doubtful. More than likely, it would have been another “Aenigma” or “Murderock”. Again: not a tragedy, but not a masterpiece, either.   

                “Wax Mask” is presented in widescreen and looks solid. You have your choice to watch the film in English or Italian, both in Stereo or Dolby, without the choice of English subtitles. The disc also includes behind the scenes and special effects featurettes in Italian, both without subtitles.

There is a new attraction in town, not for the fainthearted. A wax museum that recreates for the thrills of a paying audience some of the most gruesome murders ever committed by human hands. A young man bets with his friends that he will spend an entire night in the museum but is found dead the morning after. Who is the savage slayer? The police is unable to come up with a reason or a clue to identify the murder. Weirdly enough, the museum starts featuring new murder scenes as the killing spree increases. Maybe that metal-clawed killer that haunted Paris in past years is back, this time prowling on the streets of Rome looking for fresh blood and young flesh.

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The Bloodstained Butterfly Blu-Ray

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Directed by Duccio Tessari (Death Occurred Last Night, A Pistol for Ringo), The Bloodstained Butterfly melds the lurid giallo traditions popularised / popularized by Dario Argento and Mario Bava with courtroom drama, resulting in a film that is as concerned with forensic detail and legal process as it is with grisly murders and audacious set-pieces. When a young female student is savagely killed in a park during a thunderstorm, the culprit seems obvious: her lover, TV sports personality Alessandro Marchi (Giancarlo Sbragia, Death Rage), seen fleeing the scene of the crime by numerous eyewitnesses. The evidence against him is damning... but is it all too convenient? And when the killer strikes again while Marchi is in custody, it quickly becomes apparent that there's more to the case than meets the eye... Starring 70s heartthrob Helmut Berger (Dorian Gray, The Godfather: Part III) alongside genre mainstays Evelyn Stewart (The Psychic, The Case of the Scorpion's Tail) and Carole André (Colt 38 Special Squad), and featuring a score by Gianni Ferrio (Death Walks at Midnight), The Bloodstained Butterfly is presented uncut and in a sumptuous new 4K restoration that allows this unique and haunting thriller to shine like never before!

Bonus Materials
Brand new 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
Original Italian and English soundtracks in DTS-HD MA mono 1.0
Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack
New audio commentary with critics Alan Jones and Kim Newman
Murder in B-Flat Minor, a new visual essay on the film, its cast and crew by author Troy Howarth
New career retrospective on director Duccio Tessari
Original Italian and English theatrical trailers
Gallery of original promotional images
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matthew Griffin
Limited edition 36-page booklet illustrated by Tonci Zonjic, containing writing by James Blackford, Howard Hughes and Leonard Jacobs

Zombie Holocaust / Doctor Butcher M.D. Blu-Ray Severin

Like most good cannibal affairs, “Zombie Holocaust” starts off in the big city but soon enough moves to a more suitable gut munching zone… the jungle. The plot moves along quickly; we are introduced to our characters and a catalyst in the disguise of flesh eating foreigners.  A team is assembled to figure out why these foreigners are practicing cannibalism and why they all appear to have come from the same geographical location. Our leads are soon on their way. Included are a few notables; video nasty favorite, Ian McCulloch (Zombie), Alexandra Delli Colli, and Sherry Buchanan. Our adventurers are aligned with a local Doctor (Donald O’Brien) who shares his hospitality and workers to help them with their mission. They soon realize they are in grave danger as they are eaten off one by one. Zombie Holocaust’s onslaught of insanity continues as the Doctor who was once thought there to help them turns out to be responsible for the carnage. He has been practicing grotesque experiments that have resulted in the natives going awry and spawned a batch of murdering zombies.  

A plot like this has enough substance and cheese to make three Italian gore fests, but here we are treated to just one bizarrely beautiful disaster.  “Zombie Holocaust” sports a truly amazing score which seems so much more poignant and heartfelt than the film, itself.  A major highlight are the top notch Italian splatter effects we have all grown to love; the slit throats are some of the best to grace dingy theaters anywhere. The clay molded zombies are cheap but effective and with the amount of innards spilled, it would be enough to feed a small horde of zombies. The dialogue is unintentionally hilarious and the sound effects match it.   “Zombie Holocaust” has no shame in what it is; a cash in on successful films of the genre that have come before like “Emmanuelle and the Last Cannibals” and “Zombie” using Donald O’Brien from the former and Dakar, Ian McCulloch, and the locations from the later. “Zombie Holocaust” flows by at a fairly brisk pace giving us splatter or nudity when it can, never slowing down to realize how ridiculous the whole ordeal is. Directed by the father of Enzo G. Castellari, a very prominent director, Marino Girolami (with over 70 credits to his name) turns in a surprising horror exploitation number in a very capable way.  “Zombie Holocaust” is a must for fans of Italian Cannibal and Zombie flicks. On this rare occasion, they are both in one film fighting for screen time. Another rarity this film can brag about is that we are spared the awful animal cruelty usually associated with the cannibal films from this time.

Severin’s release of “Zombie Holocaust” isn’t the first Blu-Ray release of the film, but I can assure you it has got to be the best.  Included are two prints of the film, each on their own disc. One print included is the one that caused an uproar on 42nd Street in New York, “Doctor Butcher M.D.”. “Doctor Butcher M.D.” has got to have one of the most outstanding taglines of all time: “He's a depraved, homicidal killer...and he makes house calls!”. Just as outstanding is how the tagline came to be, created by the Aquarius Releasing to put asses in seats in the theater; this information is relayed by the owner of the company in a wonderful interview included on the disc.  This cut of the film is trimmed for pacing and includes an alternate opening directed by Roy Frumkes (Street Trash). This opening was used to avoid paying extra for the title “Zombie Holocaust”. The scene is shoe horned in and forcefully made to look as if it is part of the affair; we are also given the scene separately on the disc to see as much as we can of the unfinished film. Both prints look great for these types of films and offer a grainy yet nice looking picture quality.  A slew of extras and interviews round out the rest of the discs, including interviews with Sherry Buchanan, Ian McCulloch, Rick Sullivan (Gore Gazette),  Jim Markovic, Rosario Prestopino (FX), Maurizio Trani (FX) , and Terry Levine.  Other extras include locations now and then, trailers, a walk around with Roy Frumkes and Chris Poggiali, Enzo Castellari remembering his father, and more. The “Doctor Butcher” disc seems to focus on the theater experience, while the interviews with cast and crew from the film appear on the “Zombie Holocaust” disc. This edition even comes with a barf bag so you don’t make a mess from all the excitement.  

Severin seems to have outdone themselves with the amount of care and hard work put forth on this release.  It’s refreshing for Severin to have taken an exploitation film and given it the utmost respect and treatment that most wouldn’t. The best compliment you can give to a niche label is that they have given a film a treatment that it seemingly doesn’t deserve. Severin has given the vastly entertaining yet undeniably stupid film “Zombie Holocaust” just that.

Film 4/5: Let’s face it “Zombie Holocaust” isn’t winning any academy awards, but for what it is. It doesn’t get much better.

Release 5/5: Has more features than I could imagine on the disc. It looks good, sounds good, and has both cuts of the film, even a deleted scene that’s absent in most prints.

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https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Butcher-Zombie-Holocaust-Blu-rays/dp/B01GGPI1R6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468724812&sr=8-1&keywords=doctor+butcher

DISC 1 DOCTOR BUTCHER MD - Featurette: Butchery & Ballyhoo: Interview with Aquarius Releasing's Terry Levine - Featurette: Down On The Deuce: Nostalgic Tour Of 42nd Street With Temple Of Shock's Chris Poggiali and Filmmaker Roy Frumkes - Roy Frumkes' Segment Of Unfinished Anthology Film 'Tales That Will Tear Your Heart Out' - Featurette: The Butcher Mobile: Interview with Gore Gazette Editor & Butcher Mobile Barker Rick Sullivan - Featurette: Cutting Doctor Butcher: Interview with Editor Jim Markovic - Illustrated Essay: Experiments With A Male Caucasian Brain (...and other memories of 42nd Street) by Gary Hertz - Theatrical Trailer - Video Release Trailer 1 - Video Release Trailer 2 DISC 2 ZOMBIE HOLOCAUST - Featurette: Voodoo Man: Interview With Star Ian McCulloch - Featurette: Blood Of The Zombies: Interview With FX Master Rosario Prestopino - Featurette: Filmmaker Enzo Castellari Remembers His Father Director Marino Girolami - Featurette: Sherry Holocaust: Interview With Actress Sherryl Buchanan - Featurette: Neurosurgery Italian Style -Interview With FX Artist Maurizio Trani - Featurette: New York Filming Locations Then Vs. Now. A look at the Big Apple locales as they are today - Audio Bonus: Ian McCulloch Sings Down By The River - International Trailer - German Trailer

Mrparka Review's "Seven Dorms of Death"

https://youtu.be/87nwdeizusQ

Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key

Director - Sergio Martino (Torso)
Starring - Edwige Fenech (Strip Nude for the Killer), Anita Strindberg (The Case of the Scorpion Tales), and Luigi Pistilli (A Bay of Blood)
Release Date - 1972
Genre - Horror
Format - BluRay (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Italian horror is a hit or miss sub-genre among horror fans.  Some love them all while other pick them apart and enjoy certain aspects.  Personally, I tend to think that I like them all but I typically avoid giallos because they bore the shit out of me when most feel like a murder mystery and not a horror flick.  Most are beautifully shot and offer up some spectacular imagery.  A decent amount of these beautifully crafted horror films typically gave the viewer buckets of blood and gore but not all of them.  One such horror film was 1972's Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key.  This was a film that I never knew about until Arrow released the Black Cats box set.  The film was another take on the Edgar Allen Poe story The Black Cat.  Arrow was kind enough to hook me up with a review copy of the set.  Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to check it out!

    The film follows a writer who lives in a very old mansion with his wife and their black cat amply named Satan.  The writer, Oliviero (Pistilli), is a drunk and very abusive towards his wife and often has an affair with one of his former students.  One day she turns up dead and they suspect that Oliviero's wife, Irina (Strindberg), is the one responsible.  Soon, their black maid is found dead not long after wearing Oliviero's mother's dreass.  Oliviero starts to suspect Irna for the murders and turns to physically abusing his wife.  Not long after this Oliviero's niece Floriana (Fenech) arrives.  Oliviero starts seducing her and soon Floriana and Irina hatch a plan to get Oliviero which results in Irina stabbing Oliviero.  Floriana agrees to keep their secret and asks for the family jewelry.  Irina agrees and then hatches out yet another plan with the killer of the first two murders to get Floriana.  The police arrive to investigate and soon finds the cat whining behind the walls in the cellar...
        I was a little upset after watching The Black Cat from one of my favorite filmmakers, Lucio Fucli.  The film had the Fulci style but lacked the gore that I have grown to love and admire from the godfather of gore.  When I tossed in Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key, I was hoping this one would bring the carnage but it did not.  The film has that Italian horror style but lacked the gore I was expecting.  The acting in this one is easily the best out of the set.  The cast works very well together and create some very genuine characters that feel so real.  Luigi Pistilli is a man you love to hate and his character is easy to despise.  That is what the film calls for and he delivers on that perfectly.  Anita Strindberg is brilliant.  She is able to channel that battered woman character perfectly before switching it up to a clever little lady who is able to manipulate everyone around her.  Also, Edwige Fenech is amazing.  She is sexy, seductive, and deceiving.  This is a role she is known for and I believe that is because she was born to play those type of characters.  The story for this one is a very layered take on the Edgar Allen Poe tale.  The film ends like the iconic story but delivers a very unique spin that almost feels like a crime drama and not a horror flick.  This works well on so many levels just a bit of a let down on the horror front.  Finally, the film has a few on screen kills but they are very lackluster.  The film has decent practical effects but do not apply any originality to the kills themselves to make them memorable.  Overall, Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key is a solid Italian murder mystery with a great cast and an amazing take on The Black Cat but does not feel like a horror film.  I recommend it just keep in mind that it does not feel like a horror flick.