VCI Entertainment Announces Fall 2018 Release Schedule

VCI Entertainment - Fall 2018 Release Schedule

Television's Lost Classics Volume One  on DVD and Blu-ray (9/11)
 Television's Lost Classics Volume 2: Rare Pilots on DVD and Blu-ray (10/9)
I Married Joan: Classic TV Collection Vol 4 (10/9)
The Boris Karloff Collection (9/11)
Blood and Black Lace (Blu-ray/ DVD Combo) (10/9)

Jeff Joseph (SabuCat Productions), film archivist, historian, author and producer, has produced a remarkable collection of rare and "lost" classic television programs. The series has been lovingly restored in high definition from the best archival film elements available; some of the programs have not been seen since they were originally broadcast. The first two volumes are set for release this fall, with Volume One available o

n September 11, 2018. Volume Two will follow on October 9, 2018. Both will be released on Blu-ray and DVD by VCI Entertainment, with distribution by MVD Entertainment. Additional volumes are planned with the third in the series already in production for release in late 2018.

TELEVISION'S LOST CLASSICS - VOLUME ONE - JOHN CASSAVETES

Ep. 1 - CRIME IN THE STREETS: actors: Robert Preston, John Cassavetes

Ep. 2 - NO RIGHT TO KILL: actors: John Cassavetes, Terry Moore, Robert H. Harris

The 1950s produced a treasure trove of live dramatic programs originating from New York.  Top talent from stage and screen were retained for both in front and back of the camera.  These two prime examples convey the feeling of watching a Broadway performance, but with the advantage of abundant and intimate close-ups and medium shots. They are surprisingly cinematic, especially considering the impediments those behind the camera had to face - clunky cameras, hot lights, quick set changes, live music and sound effects and always being mindful of keeping microphones out of the frame.  Clearly, the highlights of these programs are the intense performances by John Cassavetes, with his variation of method acting displayed in full form. 

The first program is titled "Crime in the Streets" and is from The Elgin Hour (Elgin watches) and was broadcast live on ABC, Tuesday, March 8, 1955. It was written by Reginald Rose and directed by Sidney Lumet, starring Robert Preston and a very young John Cassavetes. The second program, "No Right to Kill," was part of the Climax! series and was presented by the Chrysler Corporation. It is based on Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment" and adapted for TV by Victor Wolfson. It was broadcast on CBS, Thursday, August 9, 1956. Nostalgia buffs will enjoy the original commercial messages that are included in the episode. Also included: a bonus blooper reel from the "Defenders" and "The Nurses" series. (120 minutes, B&W, 1955-1956, TV-PG)

Blu-ray Item: #9041 / UPC: 089859904127 / SRP: $29.95

DVD Item: #8821 / UPC: 089859904127 / SRP: $19.95

Pre-order the DVD and / or Blu-ray 

TELEVISION'S LOST CLASSICS - VOLUME TWO - RARE 'PILOTS'

Volume Two contains 4-rare 'Pilot' episodes. 

Pilot 1 - "Case of the Sure Thing" actors: Reed Hadley, Louise Currie, Milburn Stone 

This introduced the series Racket Squad, which lasted for 3 seasons and was nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. An interesting side-note, reportedly, this program may have inspired parts of the Hollywood hit, "The Sting". It was first broadcast on CBS, Thursday, June 7, 1951 and starred Reed Hadley as Captain Braddock, and was written by Arthur Orloff. Note: Contains original network commercials as originally broadcast on CBS.

Pilot 2 - "Cool and Lam" actors: Billy Pearson, Benay Venuta, Alison Hayes, Sheila Bromley 

A light-hearted, detective yarn featuring characters first created by Erle Stanley Gardner. Bertha Cool runs a detective agency and Donald Lam is her junior partner, hence "Cool and Lam". Directed by Jacques Tourneur!

Pilot 3 - "The Life of Riley" actors: Lon Chaney, Jr., Rosemary DeCamp, John Brown 

A heretofore lost pilot which starred Lon Chaney, Jr. as Chester Riley! This stand-alone episode was produced in 1948 but by the time the first season went into full production in 1949, Chaney had been replaced by no less than Jackie Gleason!

Pilot 4 - "Nero Wolfe" actors: Kurt Kasznar, William Shatner, Alexander Scourby 

Based on characters created by Rex Stout, is another one-off production. Kurt Kasznar is Nero Wolfe, with future mega-star, William Shatner co-starring. This is another "lost" pilot, presented here for the first time. (120 minutes / B&W / 1948, 51, 58, 59 / TV-G)

Included on the disc is a bonus CBS Blooper Reel hosted by James Arness.

Blu-ray Item: #9042 / UPC: 089859904226 / SRP: $29.95

DVD Item: #8822 / UPC: 089859882227 / SRP: $19.95

Pre-order the DVD and / or Blu-ray 

I Married Joan: Classic TV Collection Vol 4

The show centers on Joan, a scatterbrained housewife, and her husband, Bradley Stevens, who was a staid and settled domestic court judge. Beverly Wills, Joan Davis' real-life daughter, also co-starred on the show playing the part of her sister. The show was cut from the same mold as the I LOVE LUCY series, with Joan Davis' comedy antics derived from the physical school of humor. 10 episodes!

Boris Karloff - Boris Karloff Collection

A compilation of four rare films on 2 DVDs starring the master of horror, Boris Karloff. Alien Terror, Cult Of The Dead, Dance Of Death, Torture Zone

Blood And Black Lace

A Fashion House of Glamorous Models... Becomes a Terror House of BLOOD!

Director Mario Bava's Giallo Masterpiece! The black shadow of drug dealing falls upon a high-fashion salon when a beautiful model is murdered. Her boyfriend is suspected of the crime. He is an addict to whom the model was supplying dope, but is he guilty'

Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection First Time Ever on Blu-ray!

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, A LANDMARK COLLECTION SHOWCASING THE LEGENDARY MONSTERS IN MOTION PICTURE HISTORY 

UNIVERSAL CLASSIC MONSTERS: 

COMPLETE 30-FILM COLLECTION

AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY™ ON AUGUST 28, 2018
FROM UNIVERSAL PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT 

Thirty of the most iconic cinematic masterpieces starring the most famous monsters of horror movie history come together on Blu-ray™ for the first time ever in the Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection on August 28, 2018, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Featuring unforgettable make-up, ground-breaking special effects and outstanding performances, the Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection includes all Universal Pictures’ legendary monsters from the studio that pioneered the horror genre with imaginative and technically groundbreaking tales of terror in unforgettable films from the 1930s to late-1950s.

From the era of silent movies through present day, Universal Pictures has been regarded as the home of the monsters. The Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection showcases all the original films featuring the most iconic monsters in motion picture history including Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, Phantom of the Opera and Creature from the Black Lagoon. Starring some of the most legendary actors including Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., Claude Rains and Elsa Lanchester in the roles that they made famous, these films set the standard for a new horror genre and showcase why these landmark movies that defined the horror genre are regarded as some of the most unforgettable ever to be filmed.

Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection includes a 48-page collectible book filled with behind-the-scenes stories and rare production photographs and is accompanied by an array of bonus features including behind-the-scenes documentaries, the 1931 Spanish version of Dracula, Featurettes on Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., and Jack Pierce, 13 expert feature commentaries, archival footage, production photographs, theatrical trailers and more. The perfect gift for any scary movie fan, the collection offers an opportunity to experience some of the most memorable horror films of our time.

IN ADDITION TO THIS NEWS, PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM MOOSTERBLOG ABOUT A POSSIBLE GIVEAWAY. ANNOUNCEMENT SEPT 1.

The Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection includes Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), The Mummy (1932), The Invisible Man (1933), The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Werewolf of London (1935), Dracula's Daughter (1936), Son of Frankenstein (1939), The Invisible Man Returns (1940), The Invisible Woman (1940), The Mummy's Hand (1940), The Wolf Man (1941), The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), The Mummy's Ghost (1942), The Mummy's Tomb (1942), Invisible Agent (1942), Phantom of the Opera (1943), Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), Son of Dracula (1943), House of Frankenstein (1944), The Mummy's Curse (1944), The Invisible Man's Revenge (1944), House of Dracula (1945), She-Wolf of London (1946), Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951), Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954, and includes a 3D version), Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955), Revenge of the Creature (1955 and includes a 3D version) and The Creature Walks Among Us (1956).

BONUS FEATURES:
•       Behind-the-Scenes Documentaries
•       3D Versions of Creature from the Black Lagoon and Revenge of the Creature
•       1931 Spanish Version of Dracula
•       Featurettes on Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., and Jack Pierce
•       13 Expert Feature Commentaries
•       Archival Footage
•       Production Photographs
•       Theatrical Trailers

EVIL DEAD/EVIL DEAD 2, HOUSE/HOUSE II, & THE WARRIORS Apparel from Fright-Rags

Evil Dead/Evil Dead 2, House/House II, The Warriors apparel

On sale now at Fright-Rags.com

Few films and their sequels are as equally revered by fans as The Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2. Whether you prefer Sam Raimi's 1981 indie horror landmark or his black humor-injected 1987 sequel, Fright-Rags has something for you, along with new shirts from House, House II, and The Warriors.

Fright-Rags returns to the cabin in the woods for more Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2 apparel. There are three new shirts, along with reprints of two classic designs, three pairs of socks, and five enamel pins - including a recreation of the cellar door that opens and closes with real dangling chains.

Horror has found a new home as Fright-Rags moves into House and House II: The Second Story. Four shirt have have been created for the pair of '80s horror flicks, including one in the style of a vintage double-feature newspaper ad.

Fright-Rags comes out to play with The Warriors collection. Choose from four new shirts from Walter Hill's 1979 cult classic, ranging from new designs to official artwork.

Join us at Fright-Rags.com, where the Evil Dead/Evil Dead 2, House/House II, and The Warriors collections are available now.

Be sure to return to the site this Friday, August 17, for Fright-Rags’ latest “classick” reprint. Justin Osbourn's Zeke the Plumber T-shirt, inspired by Salute Your Shorts, will be available for three days only.

Finally, Fright-Rags has announced that it will be releasing officially licensed apparel from the Halloween franchise - including John Carpenter's original and David Gordon Green's brand new sequel, among other installments - each week throughout the month of October.

Supersuckers celebrate 30 years with "Suck It" coming September 21st

SUPERSUCKERS
to release new album "Suck It" on September 21st

30th anniversary tour confirmed for the Fall

"We've finally become the band that we've always threatened to be," says singer-bassist Eddie Spaghetti, calling, as ever, from the road. With the Supersucker odometer clicking on three decades this very year, the self-proclaimed Greatest Rock n' Roll Band in the World is marking the occasion with a loud, resounding Suck It. Off the blocks, this 12th studio album from the band showcases a ruthless, get-it-done trio that sounds rebuilt from Motorhead parts, with a singer-bassist transmuting Lemmy's mojo to rasp "You said to grab it / Just hook or stab it / And now I gotta have it - All of the time." 

"Once we tapped into that vibe, we really ran with it," Eddie says of All the Time, which opens an album he and core 'Suckers Marty Chandler (guitar) and drummer Chris Von Streicher (drums) recorded early this year at Bismeaux Studio in Austin, TX, cutting all ten tracks in four days. "And it sounds great," says Eddie. "There's not a lick I wish we could have back."

One upside to putting 30 years of work in: You get better. One downside: Few around you do. The History of Rock n' Roll begins by lamenting a key knowledge gap among youngsters: "The difference between what sucks and what's good" - going on to illustrate the latter with an exuberant chorus: "Like Rocket From The Crypt / And the New Bomb Turks / Let's hear it for the Hangmen / Yeah they know how it works..." The list goes on: "How 'bout Zen Guerrilla man / They were fucking killer / And I am just amazed / Every time I see the Bell Rays." In the tradition of "Dancing in the Streets" or "Land of 1,000 Dances," the rhyming list song flips a crank's tirade into a roll call of fallen heroes: "Don't forget Danko and the Didjits / And the motherfucking Dwarves man / Yeah the Dwarves!" Eddie Spaghetti says it's all from the heart. "I had the line in my head for a long time - 'a footnote to an anecdote in the history of Rock n' Roll,'" he recalls. "I'm happy it came off snarky and crotchety but at the same time, celebratory about all these great bands that I really love, wish everybody else loved, and get bent out of shape that they don't."

By rights, Eddie Spaghetti should be way more than bent out of shape. Three years ago, he packed his wife Jessica, their sons Quattro and Zeke, and daughter Elvis into an SUV pulling a 29-foot Argosy Airstream, setting out from Seattle to spend a year as a family on the road - a year that was ended eight days later by a patch of black ice in Oklahoma. "That turned everything upside down," Eddie says of the crash, which was swiftly followed by a diagnosis of throat cancer and put the uninsured sometime country singer on a blue-collar trajectory from trailer to ICU room in just under six months. With his family living out of a minivan, Eddie got treated at City of Hope in Los Angeles, spending four days intubated and another six months fed by a tube before clawing his way back to Rock n' Roll. "I'm back, for sure," he says now. "It was a rough one though."

Since this is the first batch of Supersuckers released since then, some come from genuine darkness. "Everything happens for a reason" begins the track Dead Inside. "What a stupid thing to say." Four-on-the-floor cowbell and singsong chorus turn this telegram from the abyss into what Eddie rightly calls "a pop song. Back when bands used to have hits, this one could totally be a hit." The Worst Thing Ever describes the bottom in these same straight-shooting terms, the kind you hear throughout the Supersuckers oeuvre-giddily trashy paeans to hooch, Satan, or deviant sex in offhandedly-witty light verse.

This has been more or less their métier since the group of high school buddies from Tucson first moved to Seattle in 1990, signing with Sub Pop and becoming grunge's sole country-music dabblers, going so far as to back up Willie Nelson on the Tonight Show. On Suck It, Eddie's forays into country are reflected solely in the bluesy nod of Cold, Wet Wind. Otherwise, their expansive hardcore-band aesthetic came through time-tested Supersucker methodology: "writing songs in hotel rooms, dirty back stages, and all the shitholes we're always play at," says Eddie, whose fleet pen and nimble wit aren't to be overlooked-the gifts of a NSFW James Thurber or an inhalant-abusing Dorothy Parker.

"If somebody is a carpenter for 30 years, they're gonna be a fucking good carpenter, you know?" says Eddie. "So it shouldn't be such a surprise that a band just gets better over time and I really genuinely believe that we have," he says. And near-death experiences aside, Eddie says "It's really sort of a miracle. I mean, who does anything for 30 years anymore?" On this summer's 30th-anniversary tour, the band will play songs from Suck It, some country faves, and two of their Sub Pop records in its entirety.

As a whole, Suck It brings to mind that old friend who's awesome to hang out with even if his life is in the shitter. "I tend to do my best work when I'm feeling good," Eddie says. "I don't tend to channel dark stuff into my Rock n' Roll, but it makes for a more interesting record. I've come to realize what we do is not for everyone, but I still feel like we have hit songs. This one sounds like it's coming from dudes in their 50s who've been doing it for a long time and have this stupid hope that someday somebody will hear our song and make it popular like it oughta be. Because that is the truth."

Website: http://supersuckers.com/ 

Pre-order: https://mvdshop.com/products/supersuckers-suck-it-cd 

Tracklisting:

All Of the Time (5:14)

The History of Rock 'n' Roll (5:37)

Dead Inside (3.33)

Breaking My Balls (3:10)

The Worst Thing Ever (3:46)

What's Up (With This Motherfucking Thing?) (1:46)

Cold Wet Wind (3:16)

(Im Gonna Choke Myself and Masturbate) 'Til I Die )2:52)

Private Parking Lot (3:12)

Beerdrinkers and Hellraisers  (w/ Jesse Dayton)(3:37)

US Tour Dates 2018:

07/26/18 - Bend, OR @ Volcanic Theatre Pub

07/27/18 - Reno, NV @ July Jam / Greater Nevada Field

07/28/18 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of the Hill

07/29/18 - Santa Cruz, CA @ Moe's Alley

07/31/18 - Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge

08/01/18 - Tustin, CA @ Marty's on Newport

08/02/18 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah

08/03/18 - West Hollywood, CA @ Viper Room

08/04/18 - Mount Baldy, CA @ Mt Baldy Ski Resort

08/05/18 - Long Beach, CA @ Alex's Bar

09/01/18 - Milwaukee, WI @ Harley-Davidson Museum

09/07/18 - Birmingham, AL @ Zydeco

09/08/18 - Huntsville, AL @ Sidetracks Music Hall

09/09/18 - Knoxville, TN @ The Concourse

09/11/18 - Tampa, FL @ Brass Mug

09/12/18 - Orlando, FL @ Soundbar

09/13/18 - Jacksonville, FL @ Jack Rabbits

09/14/18 - Savannah, GA @ The Jinx

09/15/18 - Charleston, SC @ The Royal American

09/16/18 - Atlanta, GA @ The Earl

09/18/18 - Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle Music Hall

09/19/18 - Raleigh, NC @ The Pour House Music Hall

09/21/18 - Wilmington, NC @ Reggie's

09/22/18 - Richmond, VA @ The Camel

09/23/18 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Shaka's Live

09/24/18 - Washington, DC @ Pearl Street Warehouse

09/26/18 - New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge

09/27/18 - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Upstairs

09/28/18 - Worcester, MA @ The Cove Music Hall

09/29/18 - New Haven, CT @ Cafe Nine

09/30/18 - Troy, NY @ Hangar on the Hudson

10/02/18 - Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place

10/03/18 - Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom

10/05/18 - Erie, PA @ Kings Rook Club

10/07/18 - Columbus, OH @ A&R Music Bar

10/09/18 - Minneapolis, MN @ Uptown VFW

10/10/18 - Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews

10/11/18 - Waterloo, IA @ Spicoli's

10/12/18 - Lombard, IL @ Brauerhouse

10/13/18 - Pekin, IL @ Twisted Spoke

10/14/18 - Nashville, TN @ Exit/In

John Carpenter's THE FOG 4K- In Theaters for Halloween- NYC, LA, Chicago and more

JOHN CARPENTER’S
THE FOG

TO HAUNT THEATERS AGAIN HALLOWEEN WEEK

NEW 4K RESTORATION WILL ROLL IN OCTOBER 26
WITH NYC, LA AND CHICAGO RUNS
SCREENINGS ACROSS U.S.
AT ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE CIRCUIT
AND OTHER VENUES

New York based Rialto Pictures will release John Carpenter’s landmark horror movie THE FOG on October 26, in its first-ever major restoration. The horror classic, in a full 4K restoration from Studiocanal, opens October 26 for limited runs at the Metrograph, in New York, Landmark’s Nuart in Los Angeles, and The Music Box Theatre in Chicago.

Additional screenings will occur during the week of Halloween throughout the Alamo Drafthouse circuit and other specialty theaters.

Carpenter’s first post-Halloween venture into the H.P. Lovecraft-inspired, apocalyptic vein that he would continue to mine in films like The Thing (1982) and Prince of Darkness (1987), THE FOG depicts the seaside California town of Antonio Bay in the grips of an ancient curse and a creeping mist. Drenched in malevolent atmosphere and packing an ensemble cast that includes Adrienne Barbeau, Tom Atkins, Hal Holbrook and the mother-daughter duo of Janet Leigh and Jamie Lee Curtis, this is the director at his ingenious, chilling best, servicing a contemporary taste for gore while simultaneously evoking the spirit of Val Lewton. 

Out of theatrical release for years due to faded, unplayable prints, THE FOG can now be viewed again as it was intended, with the restoration of its breathtaking color cinematography by Dean Cundey (Escape From New York, Back To The Future (I-III), Apollo 13, Romancing The Stone), who deftly captured both the daylight beauty of the Point Reyes shore and the ghostly goings-on in the dark, eerie night.

“The Fog has been our most requested title for as long as we have handled the Studiocanal library here,” according to Eric Di Bernardo, Rialto’s director of sales. “It is Carpenter’s most visually alluring film and we think it’s been worth the wait.”

-------------
Founded in 1997 by Bruce Goldstein, Rialto Pictures brings the finest of world cinema to screens across North America. From new restorations of enduring classics such as Carol Reed's The Third Man, Jean Renoir's Grand Illusion, and Akira Kurosawa's Ran to genre mainstays like John Carpenter’s Escape From New York and Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead 2, Rialto Pictures offers an eclectic range of cinematic adventures appealing to any audience. Since 2012, Rialto Pictures has been the U.S. theatrical and non-theatrical representative of the Studiocanal library of over 2,000 international classics. Often featuring updated subtitles and renewed marketing materials, Rialto Pictures aims to engage moviegoers with cinematic history, preserve film culture, and highlight the continued relevance of classic stories through high quality theatrical presentations.

Andrew W.K. Throbblehead V2 now available

Andrew W.K. Throbblehead V2 now available

ORDER NOW - SHIPPING IMMEDIATELY

Limited to only 1000 hand-numbered figures! 

Andrew W.K., the man who continues to show the world how to party, has been transformed into a pint-sized party figure for a second time.

This follow up to his first Throbblehead brand figure is limited to just 1000 numbered units, stands at six inches tall, and is made of a super high quality polyresin.

Thanks to its lightweight, durable design, and its adhesive base, you can even plant Andrew on your dashboard and party bobble while you drive... When it's time to party, we will always party car!

Wherever you decide to put him, this mini-Andrew will stand strong and determined, and radiate pure positive party power directly into your soul!

Since 2009, AGGRONAUTIX has made over 40 Throbbleheads, almost all of which have sold out (see entire list HERE). The company has also been featured in Alternative Press, New Noise Magazine, and No Echo and profiled in Billboard and The Philadelphia Inquirer.

"The demand for the original Andrew W.K. Throbblehead was so great that we decided to gives fans a second version," said Clint Weiler owner of AGGRONAUTIX. "Andrew has such a great attitude and vibe... He's just awesome to work with!"

ORDER NOW  - SHIPPING IMMEDIATELY

MVD Rewind Spring / Summer Release Schedule

MVD REWIND COLLECTION

Spring / Summer 2018 Release Schedule

Went To Coney Island On A Mission From God...Be Back By Five
(Special Edition) [Blu-ray] (5/8)

The Return Of Swamp Thing [Blu-ray + DVD] (5/8)

Savannah Smiles (Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray + DVD] (5/22)

Abominable (Special Edition) [Blu-ray + DVD] (6/12)

Lionheart (2-Disc Special Edition) [Blu-ray + DVD] (6/12)

Windrider (Special Edition) (7/24)

Be kind, support MVD Rewind.

Since launching in December of 2017 with the Blu-ray release of D.O.A., MVD Rewind Collection has quickly established itself as one of the premiere labels in the home video market. With two new titles already released in the early part of 2018 the company is poised to have a big year.

Coming in May are three new titles starting with Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God...Be Back by Five. This story about a pair of friends looking for a third childhood friend that they fear may be homeless and mentally ill was co-written, produced and stars 80's icon Jon Cryer. The plot is loosely based off on a true story involving Cryer and a former classmate he heard was homeless.

Swamp Thing sprouted from the pen of Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson and took root in the pages of his award winning DC Comics' series. Dr. Alec Holland, noble scientist out to cure the ills of our ravaged planet Earth, is caught in a powerful explosion that coated him with his bio-restorative formula and set him ablaze. Jumping into a nearby swamp for relief from the flames, Alec Holland was transformed into everyone's favorite muck-encrusted half-human/half plant Swamp Thing. Dick Durock starred as Swamp Thing in both the original movie and The Return of Swamp Thing. Trapped in his monstrous physical form, Alec Holland retained his intellect, emotions, and capacity to love. That love appears in the form of Abigail Arcane (Heather Locklear), step-daughter to the world's maddest scientist, Dr. Anton Arcane. Abby owns a plant store, and is more comfortable talking to her plants than to men in the local singles bar. When she meets Swampy she sees beyond the horror of his physical form and falls in love with Alec Holland. Swamp Thing has to single-handedly battle the evil Dr. Arcane, his security forces, and his army of mutant creatures in order to rescue Abby.  Both BR and DVD were created from a brand-new HD transfer made from the original internegative, released now for the first time ever. Directed by Jim Wynorski.

MVD Rewind brings May to a close with the release of director Pierre De Moro's Savannah Smiles. In this charming family comedy the young daughter of a politician runs away in an effort to get some attention from her parents. She ends up hiding in a car that belongs to a pair of two-bit criminals and what could turn into an awful nightmares becomes an unlikely bonding experience between the three.

June will see two new releases from MVD Rewind starting with Abominable. Released in 2006, Abominable is easily the newest film to see entry into the MVD Rewind Collection but don't let that fool you - all the old-school, retro appeal that you've come to expect and love with this collection is very much present in this one. A paraplegic convinced he was attached by the legendary Bigfoot returns to his cabin in the woods hell-bent on proving all those that called him crazy wrong. This fun monster movie features horror icons Jeffrey Combs, Lance Henriksen and Dee Wallace.

The second and final June release marks the second time Jean-Claude Van Damme will appear in the MVD Rewind Collection with the release of 1990's Lionheart. Van Damme stars as a paratrooper legionnaire that is forced to return home to Los Angeles after his brother is seriously injured. With his brother's family desperately needed money, Van Damme decides to earn it the only way he knows how - entering an underground fighting circuit. Often overlooked in the Van Damme catalogue, Lionheart is every bit the action classic as the more popular Bloodsport and Kickboxer films. Lionheart is also notable for being the first time Van Damme showed his signature buns onscreen.

By the mid-80's Nicole Kidman was well on her way to becoming a star but she was still considered to be a child actor. In 1986, at the age of 19, she started to shed that image as she starred in first film aimed at adults with the romantic comedy Windrider. The film co-stars Tom Burlinson as an enthusiastic surfer attempting to develop a new, high tech surfboard. Along the way he meets and begins to fall in love with a rockstar played by Kidman. MVD Rewind Collection is proud to present Windrider on special edition Blu-ray this July, given the film its debut home video release in North America.

Synth Innovator, Pere Ubu founding member Allen Ravenstine releases new abstract instrumental album titled, Waiting For The Bomb

ALLEN RAVENSTINE, SYNTH INNOVATOR AND PERE UBU FOUNDING MEMBER, 

RELEASES NEW ALBUM TITLED, WAITING FOR THE BOMB, 

JUNE 29TH, 2018 ON CHRIS CUTLER'S LABEL RECOMMENDED RECORDS 

April 18, 2018 (New York, NY) – Proto-synth innovator Allen Ravenstine will release a new album titled, Waiting for the Bomb, on fellow Pere Ubu alumni (and Henry Cow founder), Chris Cutler's label Recommended Records. The release date is Friday, June 29th, 2018 and formats will include vinyl LP, CD and digital download. 

"This album has brought Allen back," Cutler says "to modular synthesis and, in this unusual recording, he arrives at a hybrid musical form that is more or less without precedent: discursive, digressive and disrupted by generic and emotional shifts; a music in which real-world sounds and real-world instruments occasionally argue with - or complement - the electronic current…" Noted journalist Rob Bowman adds “[Waiting for the Bomb] is a huge step forward for Ravenstine…various tracks conjure up ambient soundtracks, jazzy miniatures, space age exploration, world music, the ghost of Harry Partch, and, on “Day Shift,” the industrial dance floor.” 

Allen Ravenstine is recognized as one of the most creative synthesizer players of the past forty-plus years. His career began around 1975 when his composition, Terminal Drive, (released last year on Smog Veil Records) led him to become a founding member of the band Pere Ubu. Music scholar Nick Blakey notes "Terminal Drive's significance, in terms of Cleveland underground music, cannot be understated." And Keyboard Magazine wrote "…he constructed the recording using concrète sounds and a primitive, yet powerful analog synthesizer—the EML ElectroComp 200." 

Although Ravenstine initially rejected live performance, by joining Pere Ubu he was soon a working, touring, full-time musician. He contributed, as Robert Bowman writes "unpredictable textures, effects, bleeps, squalls, pulsating washes of sound—whatever he felt could enhance the soundscape of the band’s performances and recordings. In the mid-1980s, with Pere Ubu on hiatus, Ravenstine crafted similar sonic coloration for Red Krayola and David Thomas’ Wooden Birds, the latter of which eventually mutated into Pere Ubu Mk 5." 

By the early 1990s, Ravenstine quit working as a professional musician and instead became a commercial airplane pilot. However, in 2014 due to circumstances surrounding the documentary film, "I Dream of Wires," Ravenstine was drawn back into making music. Last year he released The Pharaoh’s Bee, and began writing and recording Waiting for the Bomb. 

"Most of this record was recorded in my apartment in New York city," Ravenstine explains, "using both analog and digital instruments, hardware and software. I accompanied the files to the Grant Avenue Studio in Hamilton Ontario where tracks were added by Bob Doidge, Joe Sorbara and William Blakeney. Bob Doidge and Amy King assisted by Andrew MacPhail engineered the studio sessions. William Blakeney acted as producer and mastered the recording.  George Boski provided transportation." 

William Blakeney's production credits include CD projects by John Cage, Iannis Xenakis, Luc Ferrari, Mark Sutherland, Joel Chadabe, Gayle Young, Yoko Ono, John Luther Adams, Hugh Le Caine, Lukas Foss, Allen Ravenstine & Robert Wheeler, Reptilicus, Syrinx, Intersystems, John Mills-Cockell and many others.  Film credits include " I Dream of Wires," "Electronic Voyager" and "Subotnick." 

The eighteen tracks on Waiting for the Bomb are: 1. "Sentimental Duet" (01:32), 2. "Waiting For The Bomb" (03:01), 3. "The Ladies In The Garden" (03:38), 4. "Bombay Tar" (03:17), 5. "If Only There Was More Time" (03:11), 6. "In the Ether" (03:25), 7. "Tin Wallah"     (03:16), 8. "Day Shift" (03:11), 9. "The 537 to White Plains" (03:35), 10. "Save Our Ship" (04:20), 11. "Out Late" (09:39), 12. "Waiting" (01:40), 13. "Spirits" (04:20), 14. "Insomnia" (03:10), 15. "Bump in the Night" (03:29), 16. "Shoot This Dog" (04:14), 17. "Venus Calling" (02:57), and 18. "Short Wave" (03:59). 

Ravenstine has played on countless classic recordings of global acclaim, including “30 Seconds Over Tokyo/Heart of Darkness” 45 (Hearthan/1975); “The Modern Dance/Heaven” 45 (Hearthan/1977); The Modern Dance (Blank/1977); Dub Housing (Chrysalis/1978); Datapanik In The Year Zero EP (Radar/1978). As a live performer he has shared the stage with acts like John Cale, The Cramps, The Dead Boys, 15-60-75 (The Numbers Band), Destroy All Monsters, Devo, Gang of Four, The Human League, The Stranglers, The Styrenes, Tin Huey, X and many, many others. 

Allen Ravenstine lives in New York City and is a commercial airline pilot. He enjoys playing and recording music but rarely performs live. Waiting for the Bomb will be available via Morphius Records Inc., iTunes, Amazon and directly through the label at ReRmegacorp.com. 

Soulwax Share New Track "Essential Four" || Announce 'Essential' LP Due Out 6/22 On DEEWEE

Soulwax Share New Track "Essential Four"
Announce Essential LP Due Out 6/22 On DEEWEE

Today Soulwax are thrilled to announce that they will release a new album of original material titled Essential on June 22nd via DEEWEE / [PIAS]. Alongside this news they have shared first cut "Essential Four". Listen to it HERE.

Elaborating on the album, the band say: "When we were approached to make an Essential Mix for the BBC in May 2017, we chose to do what every sane human being would do, we decided to lock ourselves into our studio for two weeks and make an hour of new music based around the word 'Essential', instead of preparing a mix of already existing music. The product of this otherwise unwise decision is something we ended up being very proud of and is now being released on the piece of plastic you’re are currently holding in your hands."
Soulwax are the first artists to ever submit an entire hour's worth of original material for a BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix. “It felt like a challenge,” the band explain, “and something no-one had done. We loved the challenge of releasing a full record live on a radio show without people having any advance notice, and we always wanted to release it on DEEWEE after it was aired on Radio 1”

Comprised of 12 tracks, named "Essential One – ‘Essential Twelve", each song on the album is based around the word ‘essential’. "Essential Four", a cut from the album, features vocals from Belgian vocalist Charlotte Adigéry, who will be releasing her second EP on DEEWEE in 2018.

Recorded in just under two weeks at Soulwax’s DEEWEE studio in Ghent, Belgium, Essential was created using the gear they didn’t use for their celebrated 2017 LP From Deewee, which was recorded live with the band in one take.

Since the creation of Soulwax in 1995, David and Stephen Dewaele have consistently pushed the boundaries into new and innovative territory. In addition to Soulwax, they continue to tour the globe as 2manydjs, have their DEEWEE record label and studio, Radio Soulwax – a visual radio station and app, and the Despacio project with James Murphy. And, furthermore, producing some of the most cutting-edge remixes we’ve seen in recent times for the likes of Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jagwar Ma, Warpaint, Tame Impala, Metronomy, Arcade Fire, Daft Punk, Gossip, Hot Chip, MGMT, and many more.

Essential will be available on heavyweight double-vinyl, CD and digital formats on June 22nd via DEEWEE / [PIAS].

Soulwax will perform at Coachella on April 20th, All Points East in London on May 26th and the DEEWEE stage at Dour Festival on July 13th, plus further festival appearances to be announced shortly.


SOULWAX LIVE DATES

4/19/2018 - Los Angeles, CA - Fonda Theater
4/20/2018 - Indio, CA - Coachella
5/26/2018 - London, UK - All Points East
7/7/2018 - Caen, FR - Festical Beauregard
7/13/2018 - Clitheroe, UK - Beat Herder
7/19/2018 - Carhaix, FR - Vielles Charrues Festival

PREORDER HERE

Horror-Thriller THE RAKE Coming to Digital and DVD

A Terrifying Urban Legend Becomes Real in the Horror-Thriller

 Starring Shenae Grimes-Beech (TV’s “90210”), Rachel Melvin (Dumb and Dumber To), and Izabella Miko (Coyote Ugly)

Spreading Fear on DVD & Digital June 5

A terrifying urban legend becomes real in the horror-thriller THE RAKE, spreading fear on DVD and Digital June 5 distributed by Unified Pictures via Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Shenae Grimes-Beech (TV’s “90210,” Scream 4), Rachel Melvin (TV’s “Sleepy Hollow”), and Izabella Miko (Clash of the Titans) star in this chilling tale of siblings who return home 20 years after the shocking murder of their parents and discover that the horrible crime may have a startling connection to a local urban legend. Directed by award-winning horror filmmaker Tony Wash (2014’s SXSW Film Festival Midnight Short Award nominee “The Muck”; 2011’s Chicago Horror Film Festival Jury Award-winning short “A Chance in Hell; It’s My Party and I’ll Die if I Want To) and co-starring Joey Bicicchi (Rudderless), Stephen Brodie (The Lone Ranger), and Joe Nuñez (Superbad), this scarily entertaining movie features a perfect mix of action, suspense, and scream-worthy moments horror fans won’t want to miss when THE RAKE creeps home on DVD and Digital. 



Synopsis: At a young age, Ashley and Ben witnessed the brutal murder of their parents.  Years later, Ashley is still convinced it wasn’t someone, but something that killed her parents and now she’s tormented by the thought of THE RAKE returning for her and her family.  Is Ashley traumatized, or is the creature inside her real?

THE RAKE was co-written by Tony Wash and Jeremy Silva (High on the Hog) and produced by Mike Dozier (Devil in My Ride).

THE RAKE has a run time of approximately 79 minutes and is Not Rated.

2001: A Space Odyssey 50th Anniversary Special Program

2001: A Space Odyssey 50th Anniversary Special Program

The Museum of Science Fiction, in cooperation with The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of 2001: A Space Odyssey with a special program featuring a film screening, special guests, and never-before-seen prop reproductions at Escape Velocity 2018: https://escapevelocity.events/2001-program

A 1:1 scale replica of the EVA pod built by Greg Nicotero, executive producer and director on The Walking Dead, will make its public debut at EV 2018. The project is now nearing completion after having been in production for several years.

The EVA pod will be on display for the first time ever alongside screen accurate replicas of two of the most iconic props from the film: a 9-foot tall Monolith replica and Clavius moon base spacesuit reproduction. The spacesuit was constructed by prop maker and 2001 aficionado Mike Scott, who also provided spacesuits to Adam Savage and astronaut Chris Hadfield for Comic-Con 2015.

Engineer and author Adam Johnson will bring his book, The Lost Science of 2001: A Space Odyssey, to a discussion panel looking back on the film and examining why it remains one of the most influential and thought-provoking works of science fiction even now, 50 years after its premiere. Johnson will be joined by Robert Godwin, the book's publisher, and Greg Nicotero. The panel will be moderated by Arthur C. Clarke Foundation treasurer and board member, Tim Logue. The panel will be followed by a book signing and film screening.

"Sir Arthur C. Clarke, the acclaimed author of 2001: A Space Odyssey, believed that it was not just science and technology that was essential for the future survival of humankind, but imagination and art as well," said Logue. "This mantra is reflected perfectly in the motto of Escape Velocity 2018 -- from imagination to reality -- and we at the Foundation are delighted to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of Clarke's groundbreaking work with the Museum of Science Fiction."

A prototype of an exact reproduction and fully functioning HAL9000 wall panel will also be presented in the exhibition hall by iconic prop modeling company, Master Replicas Group. The HAL9000 production model will be available this spring. The working prototype also includes HAL’s voice and uses an Amazon Alexa interface to communicate with people.

The Museum Gallery will display a Pan Am stewardess uniform which was featured prominently in the famous "floating pen" scene in the film as the Orion III spaceplane transported Dr. Heywood Floyd to Space Station V. The uniform was reproduced in partnership with the UNC Chapel Hill graduate costume production program and features the iconic hair cap and Velcro shoes. A CAD model of the floating Parker “atomic pen” is available for free downloading and 3D printing on the Escape Velocity CAD catalog: https://escapevelocity.events/cad-catalog

Escape Velocity 2018 is the third annual convention presented by the Museum of Science Fiction. It will return to the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center on May 25-27, 2018 at National Harbor, MD, the site of the inaugural convention in 2016. For additional information about Escape Velocity, including details for press registration, please visit: https://escapevelocity.events/press-media/

About the Museum of Science Fiction
The nonprofit Museum of Science Fiction will be the world’s first comprehensive science fiction museum, covering the history of the genre across the arts and providing a narrative on its relationship to the real world. The Museum will show how science fiction continually inspires individuals, influences cultures, and impacts societies. Also serving as an educational catalyst to expand interest in the science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) areas, the Museum uses tools such as mobile applications and wifi-enabled display objects to engage and entertain. For a full press packet on the Museum of Science Fiction’s vision and other information, please visit: www.museumofsciencefiction.org/presspacket

About Escape Velocity 2018
The Museum of Science Fiction and NASA are partnering to bring Escape Velocity 2018 to Washington, DC. The event is a futuristic world’s fair to promote informal STEAM educational activities within the context of science fiction using the fun of comic cons and fascination of science and engineering festivals. Escape Velocity 2018 seeks to make a measurable positive impact to boost informal learning on the more conceptually challenging academic areas. Escape Velocity's mission is to attract young people to science, technology, engineering, art, and math by producing and presenting the most compelling, exciting, educational, and entertaining science festival in the United States using science fiction as its primary engine. Escape Velocity will achieve orbit on May 25-27, 2018 at the Marriott Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC.