Now that we’re stuck inside for the foreseeable future because of the Coronavirus, your Blu-ray player ought to be getting a work out. Thankfully Arrow Video has discs coming out in April that includes two ’80s classics, Italian horror, a Greek tale of a serial killer in a hurricane and weirdness from Russia.
Beyond the Door is a film that sounds so much like The Exorcist that the makers of The Exorcist sued them. But now you can compare the two films. Did Ovidio G. Assonitis make a film so demonic that it summoned a team of lawyers? Next up is the ’80s Teen Flick classic Sixteen Candles. If you haven’t seen the John Hughes movie in a while, you might notice different things with your adult eyes. Mostly pay attention to Jake Ryan. Is he as sweet and wonderful as you and Molly Ringwald believed back in 1984? The film introduced us to the world of Shermer High School and gave us the John Kapelos saga. Why Don’t You Just Die! should be this month’s trip to the strange. Elvira Mistress of the Dark is the cult classic about what happens when the late night movie hostess with the moistest inherits house. The making of movie is as long as the film and lets you see Elvira out of make up. Finally we get The Wind which mixes a major weather event with a killer on the loose. Meg Foster and Wings Hauser get tangled up in what happens when Dateline meets The Weather Channel.
Here’s the press release from Arrow Video with a list of bonus features:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
New from Arrow Video US and Arrow Academy US
BEYOND THE DOOR [Blu-ray] (4/7)
SIXTEEN CANDLES [Blu-ray] (4/14)
WHY DON’T YOU JUST DIE! [Blu-ray] (4/21)
ELVIRA: MISTRESS OF THE DARK [Blu-ray] (4/28)
THE WIND [Blu-ray] (4/28)
via MVD Entertainment Group
Spring into April with Five Exciting New Releases from Arrow!
While the world faces difficult, uncertain times the small comforts like movies can mean so much more. Arrow knows this and has you covered with 5 new and vastly different releases coming to Blu-ray this April. If you’re forced to stay inside, you may as well make the best of it.
Releasing on April 7th is Beyond the Door, Ovidio G. Assonitis’ brilliant play on The Exorcist. Juliet Mills stars as a young pregnant housewife from San Francisco that becomes possessed by a demonic being. Roger Ebert labeled the film as “scary trash,” which may have been intended as an insult, but will certainly make the ears of genre fans the world over perk up with excitement. Limited to just 3,000 copies, this release includes the uncut English export version, Devil Within Her, as well as Italy Possessed, a brand-new documentary on Italian exorcism films.
April 14th is the day for the John Hughes classic Sixteen Candles… The film that made Molly Ringwald a star! Arrow presents the film with a brand-new restoration from a 4K scan of the original camera negative. The release will also include both the theatrical and extended versions of the film and a collection of new and archived bonus features.
On April 21st, Arrow is proud to release Why Don’t You Just Die! This horror-comedy hybrid and feature debut from writer / director Kirill Sokolov is sure to leave viewers laughing at the most inappropriate times. Praised by Rob Hunter of Film School Rejects as “a goddamn delight,” Why Don’t You Die! is a tale of bloody mayhem that puts a group of terrible people in one room together and unleashes them. This one is not to be missed!
Arrow brings April to close on April 28th with their highly anticipated Blu-ray release of Elvira: Mistress of the Dark. The queen of horror makes her feature film debut as she travels to Massachusetts to claim an inheritance after quitting her job. This release includes a brand-new 4K restoration scanned from the original film elements and a bountiful bosom of special features.
And finally, also coming April 28th is The Wind. Written and directed by cult icon Nico Mastorakis (Island of Death, The Zero Boys), this slasher is the story of a Los Angeles novelist that travels to remote Greek island in search of isolation to write her newest book. There she witnesses a murder and becomes the killer’s next target during a windy night. Notably the film’s score was composed by Hans Zimmer and Stanley Myers. This lost slasher it making its world-wide Blu-ray debut.
Beyond The Door
Demonic Possession LIVES and GROWS in the Most Terrifying Event in the History of Mankind!
Legendary filmmaker Ovidio G. Assonitis, whose Tentacles and Piranha II sought to cash in on the killer fish craze spawned by Jaws, first hit pay dirt in 1974 with Beyond the Door – a gloriously bonkers riff on The Exorcist featuring Emmy Award-winning actress Juliet Mills and distinguished British actor Richard Johnson. Set against the backdrop of San Francisco, Beyond the Door stars Mills as Jessica Barrett, a young mother who starts to develop strange behaviors whilst pregnant with her third child. Before you can say “split pea soup”, Jessica is displaying signs of full-blown demonic possession – complete with projectile vomiting and fully-rotating head! Could it be that she’s carrying the child of the Antichrist himself? Described as “disgusting”, “scary trash” and “maddeningly inappropriate” by film critic Robert Ebert and subject to a lawsuit by Warner Bros. (who claimed copyright infringement against a certain William Friedkin film), the devilish denizens at Arrow Video have summoned up this wickedly entertaining popcorn spiller in a brand new, extras-packed edition fit for Satan himself!
Bonus Materials
Limited to 3,000 units
Brand new 2K restoration of the extended Uncut English Export Version
Exclusive bonus disc containing the alternate US Theatrical Version and Italy Possessed, a brand-new feature-length documentary on Italian exorcism movies!
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Marc Schoenbach
Reversible fold-out poster
Perfect-bound collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by John Martin and Alessio di Rocco
Brand new 2K restoration of the Uncut English Export Version, released as Devil Within Her (108 mins)
High Definition Blu-rayTM (1080p) presentation
Original uncompressed mono audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
The Devil and I – a newly-filmed interview with director/producer Ovidio G. Assonitis
Barrett’s Hell – a newly-filmed interview with cinematographer Roberto D’Ettorre Piazzoli
Beyond the Music – a newly-filmed interview with composer Franco Micalizzi
The Devil’s Face – a newly-filmed interview with camera operator Maurizio Maggi
Motel and Devils – a newly-conducted audio interview with actor Gabriele Lavia
Alternate Italian Chi Sei? opening titles
Alternate Behind the Door VHS opening titles
Alternate Japanese Diabolica opening and ending sequence
Trailers, TV and Radio Spots
Image Gallery
Brand new 2K restoration of the US Theatrical Version, released as Beyond the Door (99 mins)
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
Original uncompressed mono audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Italy Possessed – a brand new feature-length documentary on the history of Italian Exorcist rip-offs, including interviews with key filmmakers such as Sergio Martino, Alberto De Martino, Pupi Avati, Marcello Avallone, Ovidio G. Assonitis and many more!
BLU-RAY
SRP: 49.95
Street Date: 04/07/20
Genre: Horror
Language: English
Run Time: 109 mins
Sixteen Candles
In his debut film as writer-director, John Hughes immediately cemented himself as the king of teen cinema with Sixteen Candles, and in the process also introduced one of the most iconic faces of ’80s Americana: Molly Ringwald. For high schooler Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald), her 16th birthday might be the worst day of her life. Her entire family has forgotten about it due to her older sister’s impending wedding; her biggest crush, high school hunk Jake Ryan (Michael Schoeffling) has discovered an embarrassing “sex quiz” filled out by Sam in which she details how she is saving herself for him; and to make matters worse, she is hounded by a relentless nerd (Anthony Michael Hall) who won’t take no for an answer. But Sam’s sweet sixteen isn’t over yet, and before the end of the night, all her birthday wishes could still come true… Taking the rude and crude humor of the teen sex comedies that came before it and placing it within the intimately portrayed perspective of a girl’s mid-teenage-life crisis, Sixteen Candles is a bombshell of 80s pop culture that continues to be debated and beloved over three decades after its release.
Bonus Materials
New restoration by Arrow Films from a 4K scan of the original negative
High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray™ presentation of the Theatrical Version of the film (92 mins), plus Blu-ray™ premiere Extended Version (94 mins), featuring the additional “cafeteria” scene newly remastered in high definition
Original lossless mono audio, plus 5.1 DTS-HD MA surround option
Original English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Alternate “home video” soundtrack prepared for VHS and laserdisc releases
Option to watch additional scene from the Extended Version separately
Casting ‘Sixteen Candles’, an all-new audio interview with casting director Jackie Burch
When Gedde Met Deborah, a newly filmed conversation between actors Gedde Watanabe and Deborah Pollack
Rudy the Bohunk, a newly filmed interview with supporting actor John Kapelos
The In-Between, a newly filmed interview with camera operator Gary Kibbe
The New Wave Nerd, a newly filmed interview with filmmaker Adam Rifkin, who shadowed John Hughes while working as an extra on set
Music for Geeks, a newly filmed interview with composer Ira Newborn
A Very Eighties Fairytale, an all-new video essay written and narrated by writer Soraya Roberts, looking at the film from a contemporary feminist perspective
Celebrating Sixteen Candles, an archive documentary featuring interviews with cast, crew and admirers, including stars Anthony Michael Hall, Paul Dooley, Justin Henry, Haviland Morris and Gedde Watanabe
Theatrical trailers, TV spots and radio spots
Image galleries
BD-ROM: PDF of the original shooting script
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sara Deck
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors’ booklet featuring new writing on the film by Nikki Baughan and Bryan Reesman
BLU-RAY
SRP: 39.95
Street Date: 04/14/20
Genre: Comedy
Language: English
Run Time: 93 mins
Why Don’t You Just Die!
Shades of early Tarantino, Edgar Wright and Sam Raimi abound in this violent, stylish and riotously entertaining slice of family life, Moscow style, described as “a splatterpunk action comedy drenched in gleefully dark Russian humor” (The Hollywood Reporter) and “an amazing first feature from a filmmaker to watch” (Screen Anarchy). Matvey (Aleksandr Kuznetsov) has just one objective: to gain entry to his girlfriend’s parents’ apartment and kill her father Andrey (Vitaliy Khaev) with a hammer to restore her honor. But all is not as it initially seems, and Matvey’s attempts to bludgeon the family patriarch to death don’t quite go to plan as Andrey proves a more formidable – not to mention ruthless – opponent than he anticipated… and Matvey, for his part, proves stubbornly unwilling to die. Making his feature debut, writer/director Kirill Sokolov presents a rousing tale of family, modern relationships and the dark places they can take you to when things turn sour. Featuring a soundtrack that veers between Ennio Morricone-esque western riffs and toe-tappingly catchy pop numbers, Why Don’t You Just Die! delivers laughs, shocking twists and copious quantities of blood and gore, and establishes Sokolov as one of cinema’s brightest rising stars.
Bonus Materials
High Definition Blu-ray™ (1080p) presentation
Original lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and PCM 2.0 stereo soundtracks
Optional English subtitles
Brand new interview with author and critic Kim Newman, exploring Why Don’t You Just Die! within the context of the long-standing tradition of single location cinema
Exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from rehearsals and the film set
Four short films by Kirill Sokolov: Could Be Worse, The Outcome, The Flame and the award-winning Sisyphus is Happy (Best Director and Gold Frame awards, 2013 Unprecedented Cinema International Festival of Short Film)
Theatrical trailer
Kirill Sokolov’s complete original storyboard for the film (BD-ROM content)
Reversible sleeve featuring two choices of artwork
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Neil Mitchell
BLU-RAY
SRP: 29.95
Street Date: 04/21/20
Genre: Horror
Language: Russian
Run Time: 95 mins
Elvira: Mistress Of The Dark
She’s back! Elvira, Horrorland’s hostess with the mostest, finally busts out on Blu-ray with this long-awaited, positively bursting-at-the-seams special edition of her big screen debut, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark! Having just quit her job as a Los Angeles TV horror hostess, Elvira receives the unexpected news that she’s set to inherit part of her great aunt Morgana’s estate. Arriving in the small town of Fallwell, Massachusetts to claim her inheritance, Elvira receives a less than enthusiastic reception from the conservative locals – amongst them, her sinister uncle Vincent, who, unbeknownst to Elvira, is in fact an evil warlock secretly scheming to steal the old family spellbook for his own nefarious ends… Campy, quirky and stuffed to the brim with more double entendres than your average Carry On movie, 1988’s Elvira: Mistress of the Dark helped solidify the horror hostess (played by Cassandra Peterson) as a major pop culture icon, here owning every inch of the screen with her quick wit, sass, and of course, cleaving-enhancing gown!
Bonus Materials
Brand new restoration from a 4K scan of original film elements
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
Original uncompressed stereo 2.0 audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Introduction to the film by director James Signorelli
2017 Audio Commentary with director James Signorelli, hosted by Fangoria editor emeritus Tony Timpone
2017 Audio Commentary with Patterson Lundquist, www.elviramistressofthedark.com webmaster and judge of US TV show The Search for the Next Elvira
Archival Audio Commentary with actors Cassandra Peterson, Edie McClurg and writer John Paragon
Too Macabre – The Making of Elvira: Mistress of the Dark – newly-revised 2018 version of this feature-length documentary on the making of the film, including interviews with various cast and crew and rare never-before-seen archival material
Recipe for Terror: The Creation of the Pot Monster – newly-revised 2018 version of this featurette on the concept and design of the pot monster, as well as the film’s other SFX
Original storyboards
Extensive image galleries
Original US theatrical and teaser trailers
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sara Deck
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring writing by Kat Ellinger and Patterson Lundquist
BLU-RAY
SRP: 39.95
Street Date: 04/28/20
Genre: Comedy
Language: English
Run Time: 96 mins
The Wind
What would you do if going outside meant being killed by a raging hurricane, but staying indoors meant being hacked to pieces by a sickle wielding maniac? Arrow video proudly presents The Wind, from prolific genre filmmaker Nico Mastorakis, the director behind such cult classics as Hired to Kill and Island of Death. When mystery novelist Sian Anderson (Meg Foster, They Live) arrives in the remote Greek town of Monemvasia, Elias Appleby (Robert Morley, The African Queen), the pompous British landlord of the house she’s renting warns her of two dangers: the wind, which gets dangerously strong at night, and Phil (Wings Hauser, Vice Squad), his sleazy and suspicious American handyman. As night falls and the wind starts howling, Sian witnesses the shocking sight of Phil burying Elias’s dead body in a shallow grave in his front garden! Trapped indoors from the raging, tree-branch-breaking wind, Sian must play a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with the murderous Phil, who’ll stop at nothing to silence this inconvenient witness! A tense and thrilling blend of Euro-horror and late 80s slasher, The Wind is a stalk ‘n’ slash hidden gem, presented here for the first time on Blu-ray. Get ready to be blown away!
Bonus Materials
New restoration by Arrow Films from a 4K scan of the original negative, approved by writer-director Nico Mastorakis
High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray™ presentation
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Optional Greek subtitles
Original DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround and LPCM Stereo 2.0 Audio
Blowing The Wind – Brand new interview with Director Nico Mastorakis
The Sound of The Wind – The complete soundtrack composed by Hans Zimmer and Stanley Myers
A collection of trailers for the films of Nico Mastorakis
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors’ booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic and author Kat Ellinger
BLU-RAY
SRP: 39.95
Street Date: 04/28/20
Genre: Horror
Language: English
Run Time: 92 mins
