The second week of April is a big one for horror fans, as one of the most buzzed-about indie genre films of 2014—The Babadook—is finally coming home this Tuesday courtesy of Scream Factory and IFC Midnight. There are also a multitude of classic cult titles arriving in high-def on April 14th as well, including Long Weekend, Tales of Terror, the sequels to both The Toxic Avenger and Class of Nuke ’Em High, and Class of 1984.
Several new titles are also being released this week including Jinn, Roadside, and Echoes, and 20th Century Fox is unleashing their terror-filled sequel, The Woman in Black 2 Angel of Death, on both Blu-ray and DVD.
The Babadook (Scream Factory/IFC Midnight, Deluxe Edition Blu-ray & DVD)
Amelia (AFI Award winner Essie Davis, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, The Slap) is a single mother plagued by the violent death of her husband. When a disturbing storybook called Mister Babadook turns up at her house, she is forced to battle with her son’s deep-seated fear of a monster. Soon she discovers a sinister presence all around her.
A chilling tale of unseen and otherworldly horror in the haunting tradition of The Orphanage, Jennifer Kent’s visceral journey into the heart of fear itself is as terrifying as it is believable.
Special features include Limited-Run "Pop Up" Packaging, Deleted Scenes, Cast And Crew Interviews, Behind-The-Scenes Of The Making Of The Film, Jennifer Kent's Short Film, "Monster" and Theatrical Trailers.
Class of 1984 (Scream Factory, Blu-ray)
The teachers at Lincoln High have a very dangerous problem… their students! Andrew Norris (Perry King, Lipstick, Mandingo), an idealistic and naive music teacher, has moved into a new community with his pregnant wife, Diane (Merrie Lynn Ross, General Hospital), only to find his new job is an academic abyss. Appalled by the crime-infested school, Norris soon crosses paths with its teenage kingpin, the shrewd and sadistic Peter Stegman (Timothy Van Patten, Catacombs, Zone Troopers). With Norris setting his sights on reforming Stegman and the young punk declaring war on his teacher, the duo is on a collision course for a fateful showdown.
Directed and co-written by Mark L. Lester (Class of 1999, Commando, Firestarter), Class of 1984 is one of the seminal cult movies of the early 1980s. While its vision of a decaying, violence-plagued inner city school seemed over the top in 1982, it sadly prophesied the future of American education. With an original story and screenplay co-written by genre veteran Tom Holland (Fright Night, Child’s Play, Psycho II, The Beast Within), the film is also notable for its great cast, which includes Lisa Langlois (Deadly Eyes, The Nest), Roddy McDowall, Stefan Arngrim (Fear No Evil) and Michael J. Fox in an early role.
Special features include NEW High-Definition Transfer of the Film From the Interpositive, NEW interviews with director Mark Lester, composer Lalo Schifrin and actors Lisa Langlois and Erin Noble, NEW career retrospective interview with Perry King, Audio Commentary with director Mark Lester, Blood and Blackboards featurette – featuring interviews with director Mark Lester, actors Perry King and Merrie Lynn Ross, Poster & Still Gallery, Original Theatrical Trailer & TV Spots.
Long Weekend (Synapse Films, Blu-ray)
Attempting to resurrect their failing marriage, Peter (John Hargreaves, THE ODD ANGRY SHOT) and Marcia (Briony Behets) set out on a camping trip to a deserted stretch of the Australian coastline hoping a long weekend in the sunshine will help them patch their differences. They are a careless couple, littering the countryside with garbage, shooting guns and even driving away after wounding a kangaroo with their automobile. Their callous disregard for the environment soon becomes apparent when the animals start to seek vengeance. Marcia and Peter have proven themselves to be destroyers of nature. Will the animals allow them to leave or will they too be destroyed?
From the writer of ROAD GAMES and RAZORBACK comes this spooky little gem (Premiere Magazine), presented in a high-definition transfer from original vault materials with a re-mastered DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround soundtrack created by Synapse Films.
Special Features include Audio Commentary from Producer Richard Brennan and Cinematographer Vincent Monton, Motion Still Gallery Featuring an Audio Interview with Actor John Hargreaves and Theatrical Trailer.
Tales of Terror (Kino Lorber, Blu-ray)
This triple treat of terror is a three-episode blood-dripping package that includes murder, necrophilia, dementia, live burials, open tombs, exhumation, resurrection, zombies and feline vengeance, resulting in nothing less than juicy entertainment and spine-chilling cinema. Mix in three horror legends, Vincent Price (The Oblong Box), Peter Lorre (The Raven) and Basil Rathbone (Queen of Blood), and you've got a shocker you dare not to watch alone! Mr. Price stars in all three Edgar Allan Poe (Premature Burial) episodes, Morella, The Black Cat and The Case Of M. Valdemar. Produced and directed by cult great, Roger Corman (X: The Man with X-Ray Eyes) with a great supporting cast that includes Leona Gage, Joyce Jameson, Debra Paget and David Frankham.
Special Features include Interview with Producer and Director Roger Corman, Audio Commentary by Film Historian Tim Lucas, Audio Commentary by Film Historian David Del Valle & Actor David Frankham, and Original Theatrical Trailer.
ALSO AVAILABLE THIS WEEK:
Carrie/The Rage: Carrie 2 (Scream Factory, Blu-ray)
Class of Nuke ‘Em High 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown (Troma Entertainment, Blu-ray)
Echoes (Anchor Bay Entertainment, Blu-ray & DVD)
Jinn (Freestyle Releasing, DVD)
The Man with the Iron Fists 2 (Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Blu/DVD/Digital & DVD/Digital)
Roadside (Image Entertainment, DVD)
Spine (Massacre Video, DVD)
Thriller: The Complete Collection (Vei Entertainment, DVD)
The Toxic Avenger Part II (Troma Entertainment, Blu-ray/DVD Combo)
The Woman in Black 2 Angel of Death (20th Century Fox, Blu-ray & DVD)
Heather A. Wixson was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, until she followed her dreams and moved to Los Angeles in 2009. A 14-year veteran in the world of horror entertainment journalism, Wixson fell in love with genre films at a very early age, and has spent more than a decade as a writer and supporter of preserving the history of horror and science fiction cinema. Throughout her career, Wixson has contributed to several notable websites, including Fangoria, Dread Central, Terror Tube, and FEARnet, and she currently serves as the Managing Editor for Daily Dead, which has been her home since 2013. She's also written for both Fangoria Magazine & ReMind Magazine, and her latest book project, Monsters, Makeup & Effects: Volume One will be released on October 20, 2021.
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