Arrow Video’s offering for March have two twists on classic literature. First is Japan’s version of H.G. Well’s The Invisible Man. The Invisible Man Appears & The Invisible Man Vs. The Human Fly finally get released in America. The two films from the Daiei Studios (future home of Gamera) had the Japanese getting into the science fiction game with the star who disappears when unwrapped. The films have been talked about for decades, but rarely seen on these shores until now. The second title is a new release. The Bloodhound from director Patrick Picard is based on an Edgar Allen Poe tale. It should make March a bit squeamish. Here’s the press release from Arrow Video:
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: New from Arrow Video US THE INVISIBLE MAN APPEARS / THE INVISIBLE MAN VS. THE HUMAN FLY[Blu-ray] (3/16) THE BLOODHOUND [Blu-ray] (3/23) via MVD Entertainment Group |
| March Into Spring with Two New Releases from Arrow! Arrow’s March release lineup focuses on quality over quantity. With only two new releases on the plate, some may be left wanting more. But fear not, because these releases pack a massive punch. On March 16, Arrow will release a double feature of Japanese sci-fi classics with The Invisible Man Appears & The Invisible Man Vs. The Human Fly. These unique riffs on the legendary H.G. Wells’ characters are sure to please fans of the Universal classic. In 1949’s The Invisible Man Appears, jewel thieves develop an interest in invisibility with plans to use it to help them steal a highly-coveted diamond necklace. The Invisible Man Appears is noted for being one of the earlier works of special effects icon, Eiji Tsuburaya. Eight years later, this disappearing act would return in The Invisible Man Vs. The Human Fly, a film that Rob Hunter of Slash Film dubbed “an ambitious blend of genre ideas.” This murder-mystery, of sorts, delivers on exactly what the title promises. The first pressing includes an illustrated collectors’ booklet featuring new writing by Keith Allison, Hayley Scanlon, and Tom Vincent. To go with something old, Arrow gives fans something new with the March 23 release of The Bloodhound. First-time director Patrick Picard puts a fun new twist on an Edgar Allen Poe classic in this stylish mystery about a young man that finds himself in a world of fear after a seemingly innocent visit with a friend. Vague Visages described the film as “unsettling, tense and incredibly strange.” The release also includes four experimental short films directed by Picard. |
| The Bloodhound First-time feature director Patrick Picard brings a fresh take to one of the best-known stories from the master of mystery and the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher, in his new slow-burner horror-thriller The Bloodhound, a hauntingly atmospheric tale described by The Hollywood News as “an impressively stylish and intellectual debut”. Francis (Liam Aiken, A Series of Unfortunate Events), a dispossessed young man, is summoned to the secluded home of his wealthy childhood friend, JP Luret (Joe Adler, The Maze Runner), who is suffering from a mysterious affliction. Upon his arrival, Francis realizes that JP and his ethereal twin sister Vivian (Annalise Basso, Ouija: Origin of Evil) are the sole surviving members of the privileged Luret family, whose legacy has been one of depression and self-destruction, and the only occupants of their family estate. As the old friends attempt to reconnect, a number of inexplicable incidents begin to occur within the house, and Francis finds himself drawn into a world of malaise and despair, where an act of betrayal might provide his only way out… From Leal Naim and Thomas R. Burke, producers of The Endless and Synchronic, and featuring some remarkable performances from its trio of lead actors, The Bloodhound leads you on a journey exploring themes that are as relevant to today as ever before, such as the yearning for emotional connection, the perils of social isolation and the fragility of mental health. Bonus Materials High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Brand new audio commentary by director Patrick Picard and editor David Scorca Four experimental short films by director Patrick Picard: bad dream, the muffled hammerfall in action, the mosaic code and wiggleworm On the Trail of The Bloodhound: Behind the Scenes of a Modern Chiller, exclusive 45-minute making-of featurette FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated booklet featuring new writing on the film by Anton Bitel SRP: 39.95 Street Date: 03/23/21 PGenre: Mystery/Thriller Language: English Run Time: 72 mins The Invisible Man Appears/The Invisible Man Vs. The Human Fly Finally released outside Japan for the very first time, these unique riffs on H.G. Wells’ classic character (though undoubtedly also indebted to Universal’s iconic film series) are two of the earliest examples of tokusatsu (special effects) cinema from the legendary Daiei Studios. In The Invisible Man Appears, written and directed by Nobuo Adachi in 1949, a scientist successfully creates an invisibility serum, only to be kidnapped by a gang of thugs who wish to use the formula to rob a priceless jewel. In addition to being the earliest surviving Japanese science fiction film ever made, the film’s entertaining special effects were an early credit for the legendary Eiji Tsuburaya, five years before he first brought Godzilla to life. Eight years later, Mitsuo Murayama’s exciting The Invisible Man vs. The Human Fly tells the story of a series of mysterious murders where the only clue is strange buzzing noise at the scene of the crime… could this be linked to secret wartime experiments in shrinking humans to the size of insects? And can a scientist who’s just invented an invisibility ray be the one to stop it? Bonus Materials High Definition (1080p) transfers of both films on one Blu-ray disc Original lossless Japanese mono audio on both films Optional English subtitles for both films Transparent Terrors, a newly filmed interview with critic and genre scholar Kim Newman on the history of the ‘Invisible Man’ in cinema Theatrical trailer for The Invisible Man Appears Image galleries for both films Reversible sleeve featuring new and original artwork by Graham Humphreys FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors’ booklet featuring new writing by Keith Allison, Hayley Scanlon and Tom Vincent SRP: 39.95 Street Date: 03/16/21 Genre: Crime/Sci-Fi Language: Japanese Run Time: 183 mins |
