July 7th Blu-ray & DVD Releases Include MAGGIE, THE CRIMSON CULT, ROBOT JOX

2015/07/07 04:48:14 +00:00 | Heather Wixson

The first week of July sees a ton of genre titles headed home on DVD and Blu-ray including a handful of cult classics including Stuart Gordon’s Robot Jox, The Crimson Cult which co-stars Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee, Luigi Cozzi’s Contamination, a pair of 1974 shockers- Deranged and Spasmo- as well as The Killers, which is based on Ernest Hemingway’s chilling tale of the same name and gave the film noir subgenre a boost back in the 1940’s.

For those of you looking for something a little more current, you’ve got Alien Outpost, The Pact 2, Trophy Heads and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s recent zombie film, Maggie, to look forward to as well. As if that wasn’t enough, we also have last year’s Town that Dreaded Sundown remake is also arriving on both DVD and Blu-ray, with the latter being available exclusively at Best Buy on July 7th.

Contamination (Arrow Video, Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Branded as a “video nasty” in the UK, director Luigi Cozzi’s Contamination takes the premise of Ridley Scott’s classic Alien and peppers it with exploding guts galore and a dangerously infectious soundtrack from celebrated Italian prog-rockers Goblin (Deep Red, Suspiria).

A cargo ship drifts up the Hudson River. Its crew: all dead, their bodies horribly mutilated, turned inside out by an unknown force. Its freight: boxes upon boxes of glowing, pulsating green eggs. It soon becomes clear that these eggs are not of this planet, and someone intends to cultivate them here on Earth. But who? And to what end?

Starring Italian horror veteran Ian McCulloch (Zombie Flesh Eaters), Contamination is an ultra-violent sci-fi epic that really gets under the skin. In space, no one can hear you scream – but on Earth, the terror rings loud and clear!

Special Features include High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation, Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing, 2014 Q&A with Cozzi and star Ian McCulloch, recorded at Abertoir Film Festival, Luigi Cozzi on the Creation of Contamination - an archive documentary hosted by the director and including behind-the-scenes footage, Theatrical Trailer, Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin and Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film, illustrated with original archive stills and posters.

Maggie (Lionsgate, Blu/Digital HD & DVD/Digital)

As the nation reels from a lethal virus that turns its victims into zombies, Wade's (Arnold Schwarzenegger) daughter Maggie (Abigail Breslin) has been infected. Now, as Maggie's condition worsens, Wade will stop at nothing to protect her from the authorities seeking to kill her to eradicate the virus.

Special Features include "Making Maggie" Featurette, Deleted Scene, Cast & Crew Interviews and Audio Commentary with Director Henry Hobson.

Robot Jox (Scream Factory, Blu-ray)

Warfare, advanced and upgraded! From the mind of cult favorite director Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator, From Beyond) comes Robot Jox, a thrilling sci-fi adventure finally available on Blu-ray from Shout! Factory.

In a future world where war has been outlawed, international disputes are settled in a single winner-takes-all fight between two of the ultimate killing machines. Massive, menacing and made-to-destroy, these human-piloted combat bots square off to determine global supremacy. But when tragedy strikes during a crucial battle and treacherous espionage raises the stakes, will veteran robowarrior Achilles walk away from the game for good… or take his revenge against his rival pilot, the homicidal Alexander?

Starring Gary Graham (TV’s Alien Nation), Paul Koslo (Voyage of the Damned) and Anne-Marie Johnson (TV’s In The Heat of the Night), this riveting (riveted?) sci-fi actioner will crush your burning desire for giant robot-on-robot action!

Special Features include Audio Commentary with Director Stuart Gordon, Audio Commentary with Associate Effects Director Paul Gentry, Mechanical Effects Artist Mark Rappaport, and Stop-Motion Animator Paul Jessel, New Interview with Actor Paul Koslo, Archival Interviews with Director Stuart Gordon, Pyrotechnic Supervisor Joe Viskocil, Associate Effects Director Paul Gentry, Stop-Motion Animator Paul Jessel, and Animation & Effects Artists Chris Endicott and Mark McGee, Behind-the-Scenes Footage, 2 Still Galleries and Trailers.

The Town that Dreaded Sundown (Image Entertainment, DVD & Best Buy Exclusive Blu-ray)

65 years after a series of brutal slayings terrorized the small town of Texarkana, the “Moonlight Murders” suddenly begin again.

While on a trip to Lovers’ Lane, 17-year-old Jami (Addison Timlin) watches as her date is brutally slain by a masked serial killer. Barely escaping with her life, she becomes obsessed with finding the man referred to as ""The Phantom."" As the body count climbs and the carnage comes closer, Jami delves deeper into the mystery, following clues that point her toward the killer’s true identity. Starring Anthony Anderson, Gary Cole, Edward Herrman, Joshua Leonard, Denis O’Hare, Travis Tope and Veronica Cartwright, The Town That Dreaded Sundown puts Texarkana back on the map for all the wrong reasons.

ALSO AVAILABLE THIS WEEK:

Alien Outpost (IFC Midnight/Scream Factory, Blu-ray & DVD)

Awaken (Arc Entertainment, DVD)

Bigfoot Chronicles (New Kingdom Pictures, DVD)

Bitten: Season Two (Entertainment One, DVD)

The Crimson Cult (Kino Lorber, Blu-ray)

Dark Summer (IFC Midnight/Scream Factory, Blu-ray & DVD)

Deranged (Kino Lorber, Blu-ray)

Fight of the Living Dead (Cinedigm, DVD)

Kill Me Three Times (Magnolia Home Entertainment, Blu-ray & DVD)

The Killers (Criterion Collection, Blu-ray)

Mega Shark Versus Kolossus (The Asylum, DVD)