News

Hello, everyone! We’re back with the final round of horror and sci-fi home media releases for the month of August, and we’ve got quite a few killer titles headed home today. Scream Factory is giving Paul Schrader’s Cat People remake a 4K overhaul in a brand-new Collector’s Edition release, and Severin Films is keeping busy with several titles today as well, including All About Evil and Fearless, and if you haven’t had a chance to check it out for yourself yet, Jane Schoenbrun’s extremely unsettling We’re All Going to the World’s Fair is headed to Blu-ray this week as well.

Other titles being released on August 30th include Arrow Video’s Giallo Essentials: 3-Disc Limited Edition Collection, Lux Aeterna, Satan’s Children, Jack Be Nimble featuring Alexis Arquette, The Oregonian, Raw Nerve, and Shriek of the Mutilated.

All About Evil: 2-Disc Special Edition

It's...

CineSavant reaches back to a U.K. disc released in 2014, because the subject is (what else) a semi-obscure science fiction effort. Favorite John Neville stars as a scientist opposite newcomer Gabriella Licudi, a beauty who may be an invader from outer space. This is the one with the teardrops that burn; not having seen it since 1966 or so, evaluating a ‘new’ Blu was an imperative. The main takeaway is that it’s awfully small-scale and the fantastic content is almost entirely confined to dialogue. But the performances are exemplary and actress Jean Marsh is terrific.

Unearthly Stranger

Region B Blu-ray

Network-bfi

1963 / B&w / 1:66 / 80 min. / Street Date November 3, 2014 / Available from Amazon / 14.99

Starring: John Neville, Philip Stone, Gabriella Licudi, Patrick Newell, Jean Marsh, Warren Mitchell.

Cinematography: Reg Wyer

Art Director: Harry Pottle

Film Editor: Tom Priestley

Original Music: Edward Williams

Written by Rex Carlton based on an idea by Jeffrey Stone...

To mark the release of Circus of Horrors on 12th October, we’ve been given 2 copies to give away on Blu-ray.

A gem of classic 60s horror, Circus Of Horrors stars Anton Diffring as a manipulative plastic surgeon who, following a botched operation, flees the country with his assistants. Landing in France he meets the owner of a rundown circus (Donald Pleasence). The circus becomes the ideal front for him to continue his work, but his surgical exploits become increasingly deranged and experimental. Erika Remberg and Yvonne Monlaur star as two of the young women, disfigured in accidents, and lured in by ‘Dr Schuler’s’ promises to make them beautiful again.

Restored from the original camera negative Circus Of Horrors depicts all the scares and thrills of the circus in sensational and horrifying style. This new release from Studiocanal’s Vintage Classics Collection includes brand new interviews with Kim Newman and Stuart Maconie.

No one goes to the circus anymore. Outdated, antiquated, and cruel, it houses and mistreats animals for our amusement; I’d sure like to see the people running it tortured instead of the animals. Speaking of which, Circus of Horrors (1960) does just that; the circus is an ideal setting for shadowed deaths and “unforeseen” accidents, and this film provides plenty while still retaining a solid focus on its characters.

Released by American International stateside in August, with a slight earlier date (late June) by Anglo-Amalgamated on its home turf of the UK, Circus of Horrors was well received by some critics, who praised its sturdy direction, potent atmosphere, and strong performances. Audiences dug it too, especially in the states, where it double billed with The Angry Red Planet and did quite well. Even if it hadn’t performed, it’s still a fast-paced thrill ride through the grimy and tattered tents of the big top.

Toot Toot! The Little Engine that Could becomes a tale of the little town that could, when their tiny rail service is discontinued. A crackerjack cast of Ealing regulars — Stanley Holloway, Naunton Wayne, John Gregson — band together to take over the little spur line and keep it running. We get to see a vintage locomotive from the early 1800s in action, but the appeal isn’t limited to lovers of trains — Ealing’s knack for inspired, understated comedy is all over this show. Plus, it’s the company’s first feature in Technicolor, and is beautifully remastered.

The Titfield Thunderbolt

Blu-ray

Film Movement Classics

1953 / Color / 1:37 Academy / 84 min. / Street Date , 2020 /

Starring: Stanley Holloway, George Relph, Naunton Wayne, John Gregson, Godfrey Tearle, Hugh Griffith, Gabrielle Brune, Sidney James, Reginald Beckwith, Edie Martin, Michael Trubshawe, Jack MacGowran, Ewan Roberts.

Cinematography: Douglas Slocombe

Film Editor: Seth Holt

Original Music: Georges Auric

Written by...

Four out of five psychologists agree that something rotten is alive and well between the sawdust and the high wire in the delirious Circus of Horrors. Lame big-top horror pix are common enough, but this fiendishly entertaining delight would inspire the voyeur-sadist in MisterRogers. Anton Diffring is the steely-eyed medical maniac with a mission to populate an insane circus exclusively with cosmetically-enhanced prostitutes and criminals. And I won’t turn that into a White House joke.

Circus of Horrors

Blu-ray

Scream Factory

1960 / Color / 1:78 anamorphic 16:9 / 88/92m. / Phantom of the Circus / Street Date September 10, 2019 / 29.95

Starring: Anton Diffring, Jane Hylton, Kenneth Griffith, Erika Remberg, Conrad Phillips, Yvonne Monlaur, Donald Pleasence, Colette Wilde, Vanda Hudson, Yvonne Romain, John Merivale, Carla Challoner.

Cinematography: Douglas Slocombe

Film Editor: Reginald Mills

Makeup: Trevor Crole-Rees

Art Direction: Jack Shampan

Original Music: Muir Mathieson, Franz Reizenstein

Written by George Baxt

Produced by Leslie Parkyn, Julian Wintle

Directed...

This week’s horror and sci-fi home media releases feature a stellar array of new and old. Scream Factory is showing some love to a trio of classic titles—Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb, Circus of Horrors and Scars of Dracula—and for those who may have missed it in theaters a few months back, Jim Jarmusch’s zombie comedy The Dead Don’t Die is shambling its way home on various formats. We’re also getting several modern classics released in 4K this Tuesday—Daybreakers and Edgar Wright’s Cornetto Trilogy, and for all you Supernatural fans out there, season 14 arrives on both Blu-ray & DVD, just in time for the final season.

Other Blu-ray & DVD releases for September 10th include Nekrotronic, John Wick: Chapter 3, Paranormal Activity 6-Movie Collection, and Hex.

Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb

A British expedition in Egypt discovers the ancient sealed tomb of the evil Queen Tera.

Scream Factory continues to heat up the summer for horror fans with another round of new Blu-ray announcements, including 1981's Fear No Evil (coming to Blu-ray on September 24th) and 1960's Circus of Horrors (slated for a September 10th Blu-ray release).

Fear No Evil Blu-ray: "Devilish behavior knows no bounds in 1981’s Fear No Evil. Directed by Frank Laloggia and sporting a killer punk and new wave soundtrack, this cult film fav finally see’s it Blu-ray debut in North America. Expected release date is planned for Sept 24th.

God has appointed three archangels to fight against Lucifer, who has assumed human features. Archangel Raphael, in the guise of Father Damon, kills Lucifer and ends his life in jail. But his sister, Archangel Mikhail, knows that one day the devil will reappear. Eighteen years later, Lucifer returns, now in the form of Andrew, a brilliant but shy schoolboy who becomes...

What is this? Sex-oriented movies with believable psychodramatics, made by a committed artist with taste and talent? Joe Sarno’s pictures still aren’t suitable for grandma, but he’s way, way above the exploitation grindhouse competition of his day. His ’60s B&W pictures are not only watchable, they’re involving. Restored to pre-print condition, they’re — how can I best put this? — artistically respectable.

All the Sins of Sodom + Vibrations

Blu-ray

Film Movement

1968 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen / 161 min. (combined) / Street Date September 26, 2017 / 39.95

Starring: Maria Lease, Dan Machuen, Marianne Prevost, Peggy Steffans, Cherie Winters; Maria Lease, Marianne Prevost, Rita Bennett, Dan Machuen, Peggy Steffans, Geri Miller.

Cinematography: Steve Silverman, Bruce G. Sparks; Steve Silverman

Film Editor: Joe Sarno; Kenn Collins (?)

Original Music: none; Sandy Vane (Michael Colicchio)

Produced by Morris Kaplan; Morris Kaplan, Ken Collins

Written and Directed by Joe Sarno

I know you’re anxious for this review...

Hey, Ib Melchoir’s Opus Mars-us is back, in a not-bad new scan and color-grading job. If the nostalgia bug has bitten you deep enough to appreciate a fairly maladroit but frequently arresting space exploration melodrama, this may be the disc for you. Let’s be honest: Nobody can resist the allure of the fabulous Bat-Rat-Spider-Crab, and in glorious Cinemagic, no less.

The Angry Red Planet

Blu-ray

Scream Factory

1960 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 83 min. / Street Date June 27, 2017 / 17.28

Starring: Gerald Mohr, Nora Hayden, Les Tremayne, Jack Kruschen.

Cinematography: Stanley Cortez

Film Editor: Ivan J. Hoffman

Original Music: Paul Dunlap

Written by Ib Melchior from a story by Sid Pink

Produced by Norman Maurer & Sid Pink

Directed by Ib Melchior

Unjust though it may be, not all Savant reviews make the national news feed, but my old 2001 coverage of the pretty miserable MGM DVD of The Angry Red Planet got quoted all over the place,...

By Darren Allison

It’s been a very long time since I last sat down to watch Caltiki - The Immortal Monster. It was back in a time when like-minded friends would exchange and trade (decidedly dodgy) VHS copies of obscure monster movies such as this. The term ‘dodgy’ of course is used in retrospect; at the time they were pure gold dust, a rare opportunity to watch something which was out of reach to mainstream admirers. You needed to put in the leg work and research, but becoming part of that community offered so many rich rewards.

Today, it’s a society that has basically become redundant. There is simply little demand for an ‘under the counter’ or private exchange community. Instead we appear to be rather satisfied, accepting and respectful of the efforts provided by the speciality labels. To a large degree, the industry has taken over the...

Yvonne Monlaur: Cult horror movie actress & Bond Girl contender was featured in the 1960 British classics 'Circus of Horrors' & 'The Brides of Dracula.' Actress Yvonne Monlaur dead at 77: Best remembered for cult horror classics 'Circus of Horrors' & 'The Brides of Dracula' Actress Yvonne Monlaur, best known for her roles in the 1960 British cult horror classics Circus of Horrors and The Brides of Dracula, died of cardiac arrest on April 18 in the Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine. Monlaur was 77. According to various online sources, she was born Yvonne Thérèse Marie Camille Bédat de Monlaur in the southwestern town of Pau, in France's Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, on Dec. 15, 1939. Her father was poet and librettist Pierre Bédat de Monlaur; her mother was a Russian ballet dancer. The young Yvonne was trained in ballet and while still a teenager became a model for Elle magazine. She was “discovered” by newspaper publisher-turned-director André Hunebelle,...

Tuesday, April 25th boasts an array of diverse Blu-ray and DVD offerings with a great assortment titles both new and old. Lionsgate is releasing one of the best zombie films I’ve seen as of late, The Girl With All the Gifts, on both formats, and the most recent sequel in the Underworld franchise, Blood Wars, arrives this week on 4K Blu-ray, as well as the typical Blu and DVD discs, too.

Scream Factory is resurrecting both The Screaming Skull and I Bury the Living on Blu this Tuesday, and Arrow Video has put together a fantastic 2-Disc Special Edition set for Caltiki The Immortal Monster that fans definitely will want to pick up.

Other notable titles coming home on April 25th include a special edition release of The Vampire Bat, Mean Dreams, Detour, From Hell It Came, and Psycho Cop Returns.

Caltiki The Immortal Monster: 2-Disc Special Edition (Arrow Video,...

François Truffaut’s adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s dystopian, illiterate future looks better than ever, but the scary part is that some of its oddest sci-fi extrapolations seem to be coming true. It’s a movie that truly grows on one. The Bernard Herrmann music score is one of the composer’s very best.

Fahrenheit 451

Blu-ray

Universal Studios Home Entertainment

1966 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 112 min. / 50th Anniversary Edition / Street Date June 6, 2017 / $14.98

Starring Julie Christie, Oskar Werner, Cyril Cusack, Anton Diffring, Jeremy Spencer, Bee Duffell.

Cinematography: Nicolas Roeg

Production Designers: Syd Cain, Tony Walton

Film Editor: Thom Noble

Original Music: Bernard Herrmann

Written by François Truffaut & Jean-Louis Richard from the book by Ray Bradbury

Produced by Lewis M. Allen, Miriam Brickman

Directed by François Truffaut

Quality science fiction was once a hard sell with both critics and the public. Fahrenheit 451 is usually discussed either as a Science Fiction film or a François Truffaut movie,...

Sometimes a movie is simply too good for just one special edition… Savant reached out to nab a British Region B import of Georges Franju’s horror masterpiece, to sample its enticing extras. And this also gives me the chance to ramble on with more thoughts about this 1959 show that inspired a score of copycats.

Eyes Without a Face (Bfi — U.K.)

Region B Blu-ray + Pal DVD

Bfi

1959 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen / 90 min. / The Horror Chamber of

Dr. Faustus, House of Dr. Rasanoff, Occhi senza volto / Street Date August 24, 2015 / presently £10.99

Starring: Pierre Brasseur, Edith Scob, Alida Valli, Francois Guérin,

Béatrice Altariba, Juliette Mayniel

Cinematography: Eugen Schüfftan

Production Designer: Auguste Capelier

Special Effects: Charles-Henri Assola

Film Editor: Gilbert Natot

Original Music: Maurice Jarre

Written by Pierre Boileau, Thomas Narcejac, Pierre Gascar, Claude Sautet from a novel by Jean Redon

Produced by Jules Borkon

Directed by Georges Franju

Savant has reviewed Eyes Without a Face twice,...

Arrow Video isn't playing any April Fools' Day joke on horror and thriller fans with their Blu-ray releases for next month, which include the respective House: Two Stories (previously scheduled for a March 21st release) and Donnie Darko box sets, Wolf Guy, Caltiki the Immortal Monster, and more.

Press Release: Mvd Entertainment Group furthers the distribution of Arrow Video in the Us with several titles for April 2017. On April 18th comes The Night Evelyn Came Out Of The Grave (Blu-ray and DVD) and The Red Queen Kills Seven Times (Blu-ray and DVD), two giallo chillers from director Emilio P. Miraglia which were previously only available in the limited edition box set entitled Killer Dames. Miraglian blends the grisly whodunnit of the giallo with gothic and supernatural elements to create some truly unique chills in tales of revenge from beyond the grave and killer curses.

One of Emilio P. Miraglia's supernatural,...

A thyroid operation every ten years, plus regular libations of an eerie green liquid, has allowed Anton Diffring to live over a hundred years without looking a year over forty. Hammer’s medical horror show features Christopher Lee, Hazel Court and sumptuous cinematography, but not a whole lot of surprises.

The Man Who Could Cheat Death

Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1959 / Color/ 1:66 widescreen / 83 min. / Street Date March 14, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95

Starring: Anton Diffring, Hazel Court, Christopher Lee, Arnold Marle, Delphi Lawrence.

Cinematography: Jack Asher

Production Design: Bernard Robinson

Art Direction: Roy Ashton

Film Editor: John Dunsford

Original Music: Richard Rodney Bennett

Written by Jimmy Sangster from a play by Barré Lyndon

Produced by Michael Carreras

Directed by Terence Fisher

For its first two years of Technicolor horror Hammer Films could seemingly do no wrong. In just a few months their revivals of classic horror motifs were being bankrolled and...

It’s Hammer Time again! Every once in a while I like to dip back to that golden age, where the revered monsters of yore were dusted off with loving care for a newly appreciative crowd of teenagers at the Drive-In. Building upon the worldwide success of The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Horror of Dracula (’58), and The Mummy (’59), it was time for another Drac attack. The Brides of Dracula (1960) keeps up the high level horror, as long as you’re okay with a Dracula movie having no Dracula. Looking back on the whole series, Brides stands out (and up) due to this very omission.

Released in the UK in July, with a stateside rollout in September, Brides was another hit for the unstoppable Hammer machine; and why wouldn’t it be? All the staples (by this point, a formula, really) are present: cleavage, gorgeous cinematography, solid performances, and a gloriously elevated Gothic tone.

Seddok, l’erede di Satana (Atom Age Vampire)

Region 2 Pal DVD

Terminal Video Italia Srl

1960 / B&W / 1:66 flat letterbox / 103 min. / Street Date June 12, 2011 / available through Amazon.it / Eur 6,64

Starring: Alberto Lupo, Ivo Garrani, Susanne Loret, Sergio Fantoni, Rina Franchetti, Franca Parisi, Roberto Bertea.

Cinematography: Aldo Giordani

Film Editor: Gabrielle Varriale

Makeup Effects: Euclide Santoli

Original Music: Armando Trovajoli

Written by: Gino De Santis, Alberto Bevilacqua, Anton Giulio Majano; story by Piero Monviso

Produced by: Elio Ippolito Mellino (as Mario Fava)

Directed by Anton Giulio Majano

Let me herewith take a break from new discs to review an Italian release from six years ago, a movie that for years we knew only as Atom Age Vampire. Until sporadic late- night TV showings appeared, it existed for us ’60s kids as one or two interesting photos in Famous Monsters magazine. Forry Ackerman steered away from adult films, with the effect that...

Elfin Rita Tushingham makes a smash film debut as Shelagh Delaney's dispirited working class teen, on her own in Manchester and unprepared for the harsh truths of life. It's one of the best of the British New Wave. A Taste of Honey Blu-ray The Criterion Collection 829 1961 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen / 100 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date August 23, 2016 / 39.95 Starring Rita Tushingham, Dora Bryan, Paul Danquah, Murray Melvin, Robert Stephens. Cinematography Walter Lassally Film Editor Anthony Gibbs Original Music John Addison Written by Tony Richardson and Shelagh Delaney adapted from her stage play Produced and directed by Tony Richardson

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

The British New Wave got a real shot in the arm with 1961's A Taste of Honey. A stubbornly realistic drama about life in the lower working classes of Manchester, it was adapted from a near-revolutionary play by Shelagh Delaney, produced by Joan Littlewood. Here in...

Gruesome Galleries rounds up a series of shots from British classic Circus Of Horrors. Before H.G. Lewis was bathing in cheap stage blood and flipping stomachs at drive-ins everywhere and the same year that Alfred Hitchcock ran chocolate sauce down the drain, there was director Sidney (Burn Witch Burn) Hayers’ wonderful and surprisingly sadistic Circus…

The post Gruesome Galleries: 1960’s Circus Of Horrors appeared first on Shock Till You Drop.

Movies dealing with witchcraft are usually lumped in with the supernatural, so they’re sometimes unfairly shoved to the back of the horror line. However, I truly believe they should have their own category. With supernatural horror, forces are typically thrust upon a protagonist, revenge for misbegotten deeds perpetrated upon the deceased, or righting of wrongs from beyond the pale. Where witchcraft sets itself apart is in the approach – yes, it does deal with the unseen, unkempt and unwanted from beyond – but these forces are usually conjured by a human, for good or nefarious purposes. It’s definitely a case of “don’t call us, we’ll call you”, and you won’t find a finer example of filmic witchery than 1962’s Burn, Witch, Burn.

A British production (Independent Artists), Burn, Witch, Burn was picked up and distributed in North America by American International Pictures. In the U.K., it...

Kurt Walker in the background of Hit 2 Pass / Gina Telaroli making her way to the foreground in Here's to the Future!As has been previously reported, Here's to the Future! and Hit 2 Pass, new feature films from Notebook contributors Gina Telaroli and Kurt Walker, is starting its roll out this month. Following an open call for screenings the films will be playing at New York's Spectacle Theater (starting this Thursday November 5th), Toronto's Mdff (November 4th), Philadelphia's public access channel (starting November 13th), and more. The open call for screenings is in conjunction with an online release being done independently by the filmmakers themselves on their own website starting November 9th: http://h2phttf.tumblr.com The release, online and in real life, is a follow-up to Telaroli's grassroots release of her 2011 feature film Traveling Light (done in conjunction with the Spanish film journal Lumière). The following is...

Special Mention: Werckmeister Harmonies

Directed by Bela Tarr and Ágnes Hranitzky

Written by László Krasznahorkai and Bela Tarr

2000, Hungary / Italy / Germany

Genre: Emotional Horror

Bela Tarr is a filmmaker whose work is a highly acquired taste, but as a metaphysical horror story, Werckmeister Harmonies is an utter masterpiece that should appeal to most cinephiles. The film title refers to the 17th-century German organist-composer Andreas Werckmeister, esteemed for his influential structure and harmony of music. Harmonies is strung together like a magnificent symphony working on the viewer’s emotions over long stretches of time even when the viewer is unaware of what’s going on. Attempting to make sense of Tarr’s movies in strict narrative terms is not the best way to go about watching his films; but regardless if you come away understanding Harmonies or not, you won’t soon forget the film. Harmonies is a technical triumph, shot...

The 1962 cult item Burn, Witch, Burn finally gets a Blu-ray transfer courtesy of Kino Lorber. Perhaps relegated to obscurity due to its unavailability for many years, and also widely known by the alternate title Night of the Eagle, this is one of two notable genre films from Sidney Hayers (the other being 1960’s Circus of Horrors), a director who mainly dabbled in television after the end of this decade.

Based on the novel Conjure Woman by Fritz Leiber, Jr. (an author whose works could be primed for future adaptations), which was also adapted into a 1944 Lon Chaney, Jr. vehicle, Weird Woman, as well as later comedic adaptation with the 1980 film Witches’ Brew, this is the most noteworthy version, a flavorful exercise in logic vs. belief. Cult author and screenwriter Richard Matheson (who wrote the original I Am Legend text, of which three film versions also exist, headlined by the likes of Vincent Price,...

Every year, we here at Sound On Sight celebrate the month of October with 31 Days of Horror; and every year, I update the list of my favourite horror films ever made. Last year, I released a list that included 150 picks. This year, I’ll be upgrading the list, making minor alterations, changing the rankings, adding new entries, and possibly removing a few titles. I’ve also decided to publish each post backwards this time around for one reason: that is, the new additions appear lower on my list, whereas my top 50 haven’t changed much, except for maybe in ranking. Enjoy!

Special Mention:

Outer Space

Written and directed by Peter Tscherkassky

Austria, 2000

Outer Space has gained a reputation over the years as being a key experimental film alongside the works of such legends as Stan Brakhage and Michael Snow. Horror buffs will recognise the actress in the short as Oscar nominee Barbara Hershey.

Super Friends: A Dangerous Fate Season 5

Street Date: 7/23/13

We have updated our Super Friends DVD archive.

Synopsis: It’s a race to the rescue as all your favorite Super Friends are back in this all-new, crime fighting collection. Join the crusade as Batman, Robin, Superman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman protect the innocent from legendary creatures, rampaging robots and a rogues gallery that includes Mr. Mxyzptlk, Bizarro and The Riddler. With the help of Wonder Twins , Zan and Jayna and their space monkey Gleek, the Super Friends are ready to battle evil from Earth to the far reaches of space. It’s a collection of fearless feats that will leap into your DVD collection!

Episodes:1. Big Foot / Ice Demon, The/ Make-up Monster, The

2. Journey Into Blackness/ Cycle Gang/ Dive To Disaster

3. Yuna The Terrible/ Rock 'N Roll Space Bandits/ Elevator To Nowhere

4. One Small Step For Mars/ Haunted House/ Incredible Crude Oil Monster,...

Throughout the month of October, Editor-in-Chief and resident Horror expert Ricky D, will be posting a list of his favorite Horror films of all time. The list will be posted in six parts. Click here to see every entry.

As with all lists, this is personal and nobody will agree with every choice – and if you do, that would be incredibly disturbing. It was almost impossible for me to rank them in order, but I tried and eventually gave up.

****

Special Mention:

Shock Corridor

Directed by Samuel Fuller

Written by Samuel Fuller

1963, USA

Shock Corridor stars Peter Breck as Johnny Barrett, an ambitious reporter who wants to expose the killer at the local insane asylum. In order to solve the case, he must pretend to be insane so they have him committed. Once in the asylum, Barrett sets to work, interrogating the other patients and keeping a close eye on the staff.

31 – Rosemary’s Baby

Directed by Roman Polanski

USA, 1968

Roman Polanski’s brilliant horror-thriller was nominated for two Oscars, winning Best Supporting Actress for Ruth Gordon. The director’s first American film, adapted from Ira Levin’s horror bestseller, is a spellbinding and twisted tale of Satanism and pregnancy. Supremely mounted, the film benefits from it’s strong atmosphere, apartment setting, eerie childlike score and polished production values by cinematographer William Fraker. The cast is brilliant, with Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes as the young couple playing opposite Ruth Gordon and Sidney Blackmer, the elderly neighbors. There is ominous tension in the film from first frame to last – the climax makes for one of the greatest endings of all time. Rarely has a film displayed such an uncompromising portrait of betrayal as this one. Career or marriage – which would you choose?

30 – Eraserhead

Directed by David Lynch

USA, 1977

Filmed intermittently over the course of a five-year period,...

25 – Halloween

Directed by John Carpenter

1978 – Us

A historical milestone that single-handedly shaped and altered the future of the entire genre. This seminal horror flick actually gets better with age; it’s downright transcendent and holds up with determination as an effective thriller that will always stand head and shoulders above the hundreds of imitators to come. Halloween had one hell of an influence on the entire film industry. You have to admire how Carpenter avoids explicit onscreen violence, and achieves a considerable power almost entirely through visual means, using its widescreen frame, expert hand-held camerawork, and terrifying foreground and background imagery.

24 – Black Christmas

Directed by Bob Clark

1974 – Canada

We never did find out who Billy was. Maybe it’s for the best, since they never made any sequels to Bob Clark’s seminal slasher film, a film which predates Carpenter’s Halloween by four years. Whereas Texas Chainsaw Massacre, released the same year,...

Circus Of Horror Britain's Got Talent

Circus Of Horrors manage to split the panel when they made their return to Britain’s Got Talent tonight.

The theatrical, cirque based stage troupe opened ITV’s third live semi final show of the series and before taking to the stage, the freaky looking leader told Ant and Dec:

Britain’s Got Talent has never seen anything like Circus Of Horrors.

He added:

We have to go further tonight, the Queen has to see Circus of Horrors. It’s going to be freaky, it’s going to be dangerous and it’s going to blow your minds.

Coh’s act was very like Enchantment’s (who performed last night) but Much more exciting. There was knife throwing, flame blowing, trapeze artists, sword swallowing and so much more, that we’re sure we missed. It was a little slow to start but ended...

Last night, organist Jean Martyn and teenage harmony group No Bounce were chosen to join the lineup for this year's Britain's Got Talent final. Another eight hopefuls will face the judging panel of Simon Cowell, David Hasselhoff, Amanda Holden and Michael McIntyre tonight in the hope of joining them. Here's an introduction to this evening's contenders: > Britain's Got Talent Semi-Final 2: The lineup

> Britain's Got Talent Semi-Final 1: The lineup Circus of Horrors

Age: Various

Talent: Variety horror act

Extreme variety act Circus of Horrors reportedly toned down their act at their London audition and ringleader Dr Haze describes the group as "one big family of freaks". Their performance, which included contortion, fire tricks and sword swallowing, was described as a "visual feast" by Michael McIntyre. (more)...

So we have sat through two Britain’s Got Talent semi finals already and so far Ronan Parke, Paul Gbegbaje, New Bounce and Jean Martyn are through to Saturday’s final show….that’s two young acts and two piano players….uncanny eh?

Anyway, we thought that you might like to know who ITV have lined up for tomorrow night’s third show. Coming up on Wednesday we have more circus goings on, more canine madness and some bells!!!

Check out the full list below.

Circus of Horrors

Angela & Teddy

Abyss

Les Gibson

Wachiraporn Tirpak

Jay Worley

James Hobley

Aeolian Chimes

Who do you think will follow in Ronan and co’s footsteps and who do you hope will fail miserably as they perform in front of Simon Cowell and his fellow judges? Leave your comments below!

View the original post Britain’s Got Talent 2011: Semi Final show three...

Circus Of Horror Britain's Got Talent

Circus Of Horrors made their Britain’s Got Talent debut on last night’s episode of the ITV show and while they admitted that they greatly toned down their act for their London audition, the group admit that if they make the live shows, they may scare some viewers.

The freaky performance troupe stunned Amanda Holden, Michael McIntyre and David Hasselhoff with their routine, which included singing, contortion, sword swallowing and a woman swinging around the stage by her hair.

Their website states that they are “not suitable for children” and ringmaster Dr Haze told The News Of The World that he expects to cause some controversy if they make the semi finals. He explained:

“We might get complaints-and it wouldn’t worry me too much if we did.

“People think it’s a freak show -and it is.”

View the original post Britain...

Michael McIntyre was particularly blown away by one act on tonight’s Britain’s Got Talent show.

The TV funnyman was wowed when freaky performance troupe Circus Of Horrors took to the stage and showcased their talents which included singing, contortion, sword swallowing and a woman swinging around the stage by her hair.

He was quick to give them a yes when the act ended and when it was his turn to comment on their audition, Michael raved:

That made for a real visual feast. I didn’t know where to look. It was spectacular, congratulations.

Michael’s fellow judges Amanda Holden and David Hasselhoff also enjoyed the act and both said yes to sending Circus Of Horrors through to the next round.

It’s not the first TV appearance the group have made, they also appeared on an earlier series of Ant and Dec’s show Saturday Night Takeaway...

Last week there was marmite painting and dancing dogs. This week, Britain's Got Talent's more unsual acts include a 'Circus of Horrors' described as "gruesomely good" by Amanda Holden. Led by ringmaster Dr. Haze, the 'Circus of Horrors' act includes a contortionist, a woman swinging round the stage by her hair, a man

limboing under a pole that is on fire and a sword swallower. After the performance Holden commented: "It was gruesomely good. All I kept thinking about was your hair. How does it not fall out? With all my (more)...

When they travelled to Birmingham earlier this year, the Britain’s Got Talent judges were treated to something a little bit different…

They were stunned when freaky looking troupe Circus Of Horrors took to the stage and the leader told them:

My name is Dr Haze and I am the un-dead ringmaster and creator of the Circus of Horrors. We are bizarre and unusual people from every walk of life. Hannibal was a tax inspector for the German government.

Hannibal chimed in:

I had a suit, I had a normal haircut and here I am now.

Haze continued:

We’re all like one big family of freaks and we’ve got no problem with that. All the acts in the Circus of Horrors have a big element of danger. There’s no room for error, it’s got to be spot on. You’re going to be in for a...

Prepare yourself for some eye catching acts on this week’s Britain’s Got Talent.

Channelling a Rocky Horror Picture show vibe on the ITV show will be a bizarre entertainment troupe titled ‘Circus Of Horrors.’

Their act consists of singing, a contortionist, a woman that swings around the stage from her hair, a man limboing under a pole that is on fire, a man roller-skating whilst a woman swings from his neck from a tie and a sword swallower.

Check out the video below but be warned…..they’re a little bit freaky!

Britain’s Got Talent returns tomorrow night at 8Pm on ITV1.

View the original post Circus Of Horrors bring the freak show to Britain’s Got Talent 2011! on Unreality TV...

A circus act on the new series of Britain's Got Talent have experience of working on TV with Ant & Dec, it has been revealed. The collective The Circus of Horrors appeared on Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway and persuaded the presenters to get involved in their act. On Britain's Got Talent they earned three 'yes' votes from the new judging panel, thanks to a routine which involves fire-blowing and sword-swallowing. David Hasselhoff told the group: "It made me a little homesick. It reminded me of Hollywood Boulevard full of wacked-out freaks. I felt it was very entertaining." When they appeared on Saturday (more)...

A circus act which wowed the judges on 'Britain's Got Talent' has previously appeared on TV with hosts Ant and Dec. Dr Haze and The Circus of Horrors have been tipped to reach the final of the ITV1 talent search show after they impressed the panel of Amanda Holden, Michael McIntyre and David Hasselhoff with their daredevil stuntmen and women but their performance could be overshadowed after their previous TV appearance was revealed. In 2007, the group took part in Ant and Dec's 'Saturday Night Takeaway' and even roped the presenters in to their act by getting them to limbo dance...

A new bias furore has broken out over an act who tried out for this year’s Britain’s Got Talent.

Dr Haze and The Circus of Horrors have reportedly been chosen to appear on the live rounds of the ITV reality TV show and insiders say the panel – Amanda Holden, Michael McIntyre and David Hasselhoff – were stunned when they watched their daredevil stuntmen at their initial audition.

However, it has emerged that the group may have had links with show presenters Ant and Dec, as in 2007 they took part in the duo’s entertainment show ‘Saturday Night Takeaway’ and even roped the presenters in to their act by getting them to limbo dance under a rope of fire and stand between two men throwing knives at each other.

A show source said: “When other acts see the evidence it will look like favouritism.”

However a show spokesperson has denied...

On October 2nd the third annual GoreZone International Film Festival got under way at Leicester Square’s Prince Charles Cinema; and for the first time ever, Dread was on the scene to check it out. Our report follows along with condensed reviews of six of the films shown over the weekend.

Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet, Breath of Hate, Hyenas, Cyrus: Mind of a Serial Killer, New Terminal Hotel, Darfur, and Devil's Playground are all included, but first a recap of the event and awards show.

In the face of fellow Leicester Square-based festival and horror heavy hitter, Film4 Frightfest, GoreZone (or Gz, as the magazine has rebranded) would appear to be the underdog. Having experienced the festival first-hand, however, it’s pleasing to discover a level of intimacy and audience connection that is easily lost amongst the hustle and bustle of many larger profile fests, bolstered by...