Happy May, readers! Hard to believe summer (and summer movie season) is right around the corner already, but here we are. The month is kicking off with a solid group of eclectic horror and sci-fi titles making their way onto Blu-ray, including two great films from Dark Sky Films: Emelie and Scherzo Diabolico.
This Tuesday, Scream Factory is bringing home the latest from Jim Wynorski, Sharkansas Women’s Prison Massacre, and for those of you looking to prep before the Independence Day sequel arrives in theaters this June, 20th Century Fox is releasing several new editions of the original film, including a badass Alien Attacker version.
Other notable releases for May 3rd include The Haunting of Alice D and Trailer Trauma 2: Drive-In Monsterama.
Emelie (Dark Sky Films, Blu-ray & DVD)
As their parents head out for a date in the city, the three young Thompson children immediately take to their new babysitter Anna (Sarah Bolger, Into the Badlands, Once Upon a Time), who seems like a dream come true: she s sweet, fun, and lets them do things that break all of their parents rules. But as Anna s interactions with them take on a more sinister tone, the kids realize that their caretaker may not be who she claims to be, and soon it s up to big brother Jacob to protect his siblings from the increasingly nefarious intentions of a very disturbed woman.
Featuring a tour-de-force performance from Bolger and its three young leads, EMELIE is a multidimensional, nail-biting thriller that proves trust can be the most deadly of weapons.
Special Features Include Making of and Trailer.
The Haunting of Alice D (RLJ Entertainment, DVD)
In the late 1890s, Davenport House was a famously successful brothel, ruled with an iron fist by an owner notorious for his cruelty and insatiable greed. Virtually imprisoned inside these walls, young Alice was forced to endure years of brutality and sexual slavery – until she took murderous revenge on her captors and tragically ended her own life. More than a century later, the latest Davenport heir is hosting a decadent bash in the newly renovated mansion – complete with drugs, prostitutes and just one rule: anything goes. But the “fun” has barely begun when strange, terrifying things begin to happen. Suddenly, the legend of Alice’s tormented ghost proves to be very real as the guests discover firsthand that vengeance never rests in peace!
Independence Day: 20th Anniversary Attacker Edition (20th Century Fox, Blu/Digital HD)
Experience the original OSCAR®-Winning* sci-fi epic that launched a new era in blockbuster filmmaking. Director Roland Emmerich, producer Dean Devlin and an all-star cast including Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman join forces to deliver the ultimate encounter between powerful aliens and the human race. When massive spaceships appear in Earth’s skies and blast destructive beams of fire down on cities all over the planet, a determined band of survivors must unite for one last strike against the invaders before it’s the end of mankind.*1997; Best Visual Effects
Special Features Include Newly Restored Extended and Original Theatrical Cuts,
All-new 30-Minute Documentary – Independence Day: A Legacy Surging Forward,
Limited Edition Alien Ship Replica, and Collectible Booklet.
Scherzo Diabolico (Dark Sky Films, DVD)
Tired of his nagging wife and his dull existence as an underappreciated employee, seemingly mild-mannered Aram snaps after he is passed over for a well-deserved promotion. Suddenly and menacingly asserting his long-reserved power, he devises a plan to kidnap a schoolgirl and keep her tied up in an abandoned warehouse in order to finally get what he feels he is owed. But what seems like the perfect plan soon unravels into his worst nightmare.
In this twisted thriller, visionary writer-director Adrián García Bogliano delivers a fresh take on the genre while keeping the audience constantly guessing as to what will happen next in its gory game of cat and mouse.
Sharkansas Women’s Prison Massacre (Scream Factory, Blu-ray & DVD)
When a fracking mishap accidentally rips apart the earth’s crust, the resulting hole opens up a gaping underground waterway leading to a vast and mysterious subterranean ocean somewhere deep below. Instantly, giant prehistoric sharks begin wending their way upward toward a murky bog in the heart of the Arkansas bayou. Unfortunately for a group of female prisoners on a work detail in the swamp, the deadly sharks attack without warning – pinning a hapless group of potential victims in a small deserted cabin in the heart of the wetlands. For these wayward women, death may be the only means of escape!
ALSO AVAILABLE THIS WEEK:
20 Horror Movies: Tales of Terror (Echo Bridge, DVD)
Mojin: The Lost Legend (Well Go USA, Blu-ray & DVD)
The Mirror (Omnibus Entertainment, DVD)
Trailer Trauma 2: Drive-In Monsterama (Garagehouse Pictures, Blu-ray)
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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