Before we roll into August, we have one last round of July home media releases to look forward to, even if this week is one of the lightest weeks I’ve seen all year, with only three horror titles making their way home on Tuesday. Scream Factory is giving Piranha II: The Spawning a Blu-ray release, Vinegar Syndrome has resurrected The House of the Dead on Blu-ray, and Warner Archive has given Village of the Damned (1960) an HD overhaul as well.
The House of the Dead (Vinegar Syndrome, Blu/DVD Combo)
Four tales of intrigue and horror await anyone brave enough to enter the HOUSE OF THE DEAD... When a philandering husband accidentally finds himself lost during a rainstorm, he's taken in by an elderly mortician and is forced to learn the ghastly origins of four freshly arrived corpses: a scornful teacher whose students teach her a fatal lesson, an amateur filmmaker with a deadly muse, two dueling detectives attempting to solve a mysterious murder, and a bitter man whose arrogance costs him everything...
Directed by Sharron Miller (AFTER SCHOOL SPECIALS) and featuring atmospheric photography by Ken Gibb (DRIVE-IN MASSACRE), this low budget, Oklahoma made horror anthology features a collection of ghoulish vignettes ranging from wryly comedic to genuinely grim and unsettling. Barely released theatrically and only available in murky video sourced editions, Vinegar Syndrome presents HOUSE OF THE DEAD (originally released as ALIEN ZONE) newly restored from its original 35mm negative and on Blu-ray for the first time!
Bonus Features:
1. Newly scanned and restored in 2k from 35mm camera negative
2. Audio interview with director Sharron Miller
3. Audio interview with writer David O'Malley
4. Reversible ALIEN ZONE cover artwork
5. English SDH subtitles
Piranha II: The Spawning (Scream Factory, Blu-ray)
It may seem like paradise, but just off shore, a new brand of terror has been unleashed ...
While investigating the mysterious death of a diver, scuba instructor Anne Kimbrough (Tricia O’Neil, Are You In The House Alone?) makes a horrific discovery: mutated piranhas, with wings that enable them to fly, are responsible for the death. As the body count rises, Anne desperately tries to convince the manager of the resort to call off the annual fish fry on the beach, but he’s determined to give his guests the ultimate feeding frenzy. This exciting sequel to Joe Dante’s original Piranha also stars Lance Henriksen (Aliens, The Terminator) and is the directorial debut of James Cameron (Avatar, The Terminator, Aliens).
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- NEW 2K Scan From The Original Camera Negative
- NEW Interview With Actor Ricky Paull Goldin
- NEW Interview With Special Effects Artist Brian Wade
- Theatrical Trailer
Village of the Damned (1960) (Warner Archive, Blu-ray)
From its seemingly placid opening, Village of the Damned keeps piling one eerie and disquieting detail upon another, creating the rarest of achievements – an utterly believable masterpiece of horror! Starring the ever-imperturbable George Sanders (who does not remain that way for long), this classic, havoc-filled take of mind reading and hypnotism will have you complete hypnotized…and shaken to the core! The “monsters” of this film are a band of innocent-faced, platinum-blond children, all of whom are born in a small, peaceful village on the same day. Their rapid physical development is matched by their fast-growing mental powers, and with calm, bloodcurdling efficiency, they are soon terrorizing the tiny hamlet. They Can read the thoughts that are forming in your mind…which makes them an altogether unstoppable enemy.
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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