Published on
Picture

so many movies ... so much to celebrate!!!
​

On this day in 1989 (in the U.S.), The Return Of Swamp Thing enjoyed its first theatrical engagement ever.  Directed by Jim Wynorski from a screenplay by Neil Cuthbert and Grant Morris, the SciFi/Fantasy film starred Dick Durock, Louis Jourdan, Heather Locklear, and others. 

​According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"In this tongue-in-cheek sequel, the benevolent bog creature falls for the vegetarian, plant-loving daughter of the evil scientist who created him."

For the record:
At the 1990 Razzie Awards, actress Heather Locklear took home the big win in the category of 'Worst Actress.'  Ouch.

ExtraExtra Alert:
In 2023, I was fortunate to receive an all-new release of The Return Of Swamp Thing via a distributor relationship in exchange for a review on SciFiHistory.Net.  Interested in knowing my thoughts on the project?  Readers can find my review right here.

-- EZ

From Google.com:

​Released on May 12, 1989, The Return of Swamp Thing is a campy, lighthearted sequel to Wes Craven's 1982 original. Directed by B-movie veteran Jim Wynorski, the film pivots away from the first movie's serious horror roots, embracing a colorful "comic book" aesthetic filled with over-the-top creatures and tongue-in-cheek humor. [1, 2, 3]

The Return of Swamp Thing | Rotten Tomatoes
​
Film Review: The Return of Swamp Thing (1989) | HNN
​
The Return of Swamp Thing (1989) - IMDb

​Plot and CharactersThe story follows Abigail Arcane (Heather Locklear), a vegetarian horticulturist who travels to the Louisiana swamps to confront her stepfather, the villainous Dr. Anton Arcane (Louis Jourdan), about her mother’s death. [4, 5]

  • The Conflict: Dr. Arcane, who has somehow survived his previous death, is conducting experiments to achieve immortality by creating a serum from his stepdaughter's genes.
  • The Romance: Alec Holland, the Swamp Thing (Dick Durock), rescues Abby, and the two develop an unlikely romantic bond, leading to a famous and bizarre dream-sequence love scene.
  • The Monsters: Arcane’s lab is filled with "Un-Men"—grotesque, human-animal hybrids like "Leech-man"—which provide much of the film's campy action. [2, 5, 6, 7, 8]\

Key Trivia & Production
​
  • Cast Highlights: Dick Durock became the first actor after Christopher Reeve to reprise a DC protagonist role. Sarah Douglas, known as Ursa in Superman II, joined the cast as Arcane's assistant, Dr. Lana Zurrell.
  • Rating Milestone: It was the first PG-13-rated comic book movie, beating Tim Burton's Batman to theaters by one month.
  • Soundtrack: The film's iconic opening montage of comic book covers is set to Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Born on the Bayou".
  • Filming Locations: The exterior of the Arcane mansion was filmed in Savannah, Georgia, at Oatland Island, where the crew built a temporary facade for the building. [2, 5, 9, 10, 11]

Where to Buy

The film has a significant cult following and is available through various retailers:
  • 4K / Blu-ray Special Editions: You can find high-definition transfers from the MVD Rewind Collection or at specialty retailers like Frightmare Collectibles for approximately $27.99.
  • Standard DVD: Available at Target for around $11.69.
  • Collector's Items: Sealed original VHS tapes are often listed on eBay for high prices, sometimes reaching $150. [12, 13]

[1] https://www.imdb.com
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org
[3] https://www.youtube.com
[4] https://www.rottentomatoes.com
[5] https://swampthing.fandom.com
[6] https://www.amazon.com
[7] https://reviewallmonsters.wordpress.com
[8] https://mikesmoviecave.blogspot.com
[9] https://www.imdb.com
[10] https://www.facebook.com
[11] https://www.facebook.com
[12] https://www.vcientertainment.com
[13] https://www.target.com
Published on
Picture

so many movies ... so much to celebrate!!!
​

On this day in 1986 (in France), Nightmare Weekend played for audiences in attendance of the Cannes Film Festival.  Directed by Henri Sala from a story by George Faget-Benard and Robert Seidman, the SciFi/Horror feature starred Debbie Laster, Deb Hunter, Dale Midkiff, and others. 

​Here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:

"A female scientist performs experiments on three college girls that turn them into drooling, murderous mutants."

-- EZ

From Google.com:

​Nightmare Weekend (1986) is a cult-classic sci-fi horror film known for its bizarre, often incomprehensible plot and status as a hallmark of "so-bad-it's-good" 80s cinema. Distributed by Troma Entertainment, it features a chaotic blend of experimental computer science, murderous mutants, and a psychic hand puppet. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]Plot OverviewThe story follows a brilliant computer scientist who has developed "Apache," a high-tech program designed to improve human behavior. His unscrupulous assistant, Julie, sabotages the experiment to serve her own nefarious goals. [6, 7, 8, 9]

  • The Experiment: Three college girls are lured to a Florida mansion under the guise of behavior modification.
  • The Mutation: Instead of bettering their behavior, the machine launches small silver balls that enter the subjects' bodies, turning them into "drooling, murderous mutants".
  • The Chaos: The film descends into a series of disjointed scenes involving a local bar, roller skating, and various "accidental" deaths caused by the technology. [1, 2, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13]

Key Features and Strange Elements
​
  • George the Puppet: One of the film's most infamous characters is a robotic, psychic hand puppet named George that interfaces with the computer and offers unsolicited advice on things like hitchhiking.
  • Noteworthy Cast: The film marks early career appearances for Dale Midkiff (later of Pet Sematary) and Andrea Thompson (later of NYPD Blue).
  • Troma Style: As a Troma production, it is heavily stylized with gratuitous nudity, extreme 80s aesthetics, and a synth-heavy theme song titled "Nightmare Fantasy".
  • Production Background: A French crew filmed the movie in Ocala, Florida. The script was reportedly written in both French and English, contributing to the disjointed and surreal dialogue. [2, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18]

Critical ReceptionCritics often describe the film as "stunningly disconnected" and nearly impossible to track logically. While initially panned, it has gained a dedicated following among fans of B-movies and has been restored for high-definition release by Vinegar Syndrome. [11, 17, 18]
You can currently find the film streaming for free on Tubi or IMDb. [9, 10]
Would you like to know more about its restored Blu-ray release or see a list of other cult horror classics from the mid-80s?

[1] https://www.reddit.com
[2] https://www.rottentomatoes.com
[3] https://morbidlybeautiful.com
[4] https://www.imdb.com
[5] https://www.triskaidekafiles.com
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org
[7] https://cinemorgue.fandom.com
[8] https://www.netflix.com
[9] https://tubitv.com
[10] https://www.imdb.com
[11] https://www.themoviedb.org
[12] https://www.senselesscinema.com
[13] https://www.imdb.com
[14] https://www.reddit.com
[15] https://www.facebook.com
[16] https://mubi.com
[17] https://cinemaretro.com
[18] https://dailygrindhouse.com
Published on

press release

Picture
Synopsis:

Set during a scorching Australian summer in 1986, the film follows three teenage best friends whose celebratory night at a beach house spirals into a blood-soaked battle for survival after a prank takes a deadly turn.

Directed By: Mia’Kate Russell
​
​Starring:
  • Sophia Wright-Mendelsohn
  • Tahlee Fereday
  • Alexandra Jensen
  • Ben O'Toole
  • Bailey Spalding
  • Steve Le Marquand
  • Fletcher Humphrys

​Produced By:
  • ​Ari Harrison
  • Julie Ryan
  • Andre Lima
​
Published on

press release

Picture

Conquest
(Limited UHD/2XBlu-ray/CD w/ Rigid Slipcase)

​“Conquest is a bizzare, moody, and wonderfully oversaturated fantasy hallucination captured on film by Lucio Fulci, one of my all-time favorite directors.” 
- S. Craig Zahler - writer/director, Bone Tomahawk
​
In a Place Beyond Time, Comes a Terrifying Challenge Beyond Imagination!

When a mysterious stranger (Andrea Occhipinti — New York Ripper) travels from far away lands to explore, he is quickly attacked by the evil Ocron’s (Sabrina Siani — Aenigma) wolf-like henchmen (led by José Gras — Mad Foxes) to steal his magic bow. Fortunately he is saved by the brave barbarian Mace (Jorge Rivero — Goma-2), and the two embark on an epic quest to defeat Ocron and all of the land’s most evil and vile creatures! 
​
Attempting to ride the success of Conan the Barbarian, the Italian film market turned its attention to the fantasy realm for a series of films with Fulci’s Conquest remaining the best to emerge from this period. Featuring oddball creatures, naked sorceresses, mythical weapons, dolphins, gruesome practical gore FX and Claudio Simonetti’s (Goblin) driving synth soundtrack, Conquest is a Fulci film like no other, while still being exactly what you would expect from him. Scanned and restored in 4K from the original camera negative, Conquest retains all of the grain, haze, dreamlike focus, and color palette as Lucio Fulci intended! This worldwide UHD debut deluxe 4 disc edition (UHD, Blu-ray, Blu-ray, CD) features new artwork by Justin Coffee, soundtrack CD by Claudio Simonetti, and an entire Blu-ray disc loaded with extras!

Details:

Disc 1 (UHD):
  • Feature film
  • 4K restoration from the negative / 2160p 4K UHD presentation with Dolby Vision HDR (HDR 10 compatible)
  • English 2.0 mono, 2.0 stereo
  • Optional English SDH subtitles
  • Italian 2.0 mono w/ English subtitles
  • Audio Commentary by Eugenio Ercolani & Nanni Cobretti

Disc 2 (Blu-ray):
  • Feature film
  • 4K restoration from the negative / 1080p presentation
  • English 2.0 mono, 2.0 stereo
  • Optional English SDH subtitles
  • Italian 2.0 mono w/ English subtitles
  • Audio Commentary by Eugenio Ercolani & Nanni Cobretti

Disc 3 (Blu-ray - Extras):
  • Jorge the Outlaw: Interview with Jorge Rivero
  • A Catalan Wolfman in Sardinia: Interview with José Gras 
  • Post-Goblin Conquests: Interview with Claudio Simonetti
  • Operating the Conquest: Interview with Federico Del Zoppo
  • Cavemen Talk: Interview with Gino Capone
  • Jose Antonio De La Loma More than just a Name: Interview with Paco Marin
  • The Arsenal of Fantasy: Video essay by Heather Wixon
  • Conquering Occhipinti: Video essay by Pier Maria Bocchi
  • Conquest/Beyond Conquest: 2 Video essays by Mike Foster
  • Serurta: Conquest inspired short film
  • Trailer

Disc 4 (CD soundtrack by Claudio Simonetti) - limited edition only
  • Reversible Blu-ray wrap with vintage artwork
  • Rigid slipcase with artwork by Justin Coffee - limited edition only
  • Full color book with liner notes by Michael A. Martinez & Andrea Meroni - limited edition only
  • 1983 / Italy / 89 mins / Fantasy, Horror / Director - Lucio Fulci / All region UHD, Blu-ray
​
DUE TO CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS WE CAN ONLY SHIP THIS ITEM TO THE US AND CANADA. ALL ITEMS ORDERED TOGETHER WILL BE CHARGED AT THE TIME OF THE ORDER AND SHIP TOGETHER WHEN EVERYTHING IS IN STOCK. PLEASE PLACE MULTIPLE ORDERS IF YOU WISH TO HAVE ITEMS SHIPPED AS THEY ARRIVE. ALL DETAILS, INCLUDING RELEASE DATE ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. LIMIT 2 PER CUSTOMER.
​
Published on

site update

Picture

so many movies ... so little time!!!
​

On this day in 1991 (in the U.S.), Curse III: Blood Sacrifice (aka Panga) enjoyed its general release on home video.  Written (in part) and directed by Sean Barton, the film starred Christopher Lee, Jenilee Harrison, Henry Cele, and others. 

​According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"In 1950s Africa, a tribal magician calls up a demon to kill Europeans."

-- EZ

Published on
Picture

so many movies ... so much to celebrate!!!
​

On this day in 1986 (in Canada and the U.S.), No. 5 came alive as Short Circuit premiered in theatres.  For those of you who don't know, No. 5 was WALL*E before WALL*E was cool.  (I thought I'd read somewhere that some Hollywood executive wanted to reboot this franchise, but I'm coming up empty on a search right now.)  Written by the team of S.S. Wilson, Brent Maddock, and Jay Tarses, the SciFi/Comedy was directed by John Badham; and it starred Ally Sheedy, Steve Guttenberg, Fisher Stevens, and others. 

​According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"Number 5 of a group of experimental robots in a lab is electrocuted, suddenly becomes intelligent, and escapes."

For the record:
Short Circuit enjoyed three nominations (but no wins) at the 1987 Saturn Awards sponsored by the Academy Of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films in the categories of 'Best Special Effects,' 'Best Director,' and 'Best Science Fiction Film.'

-- EZ

Published on
Picture

so many movies ... so much to celebrate!!!
​

On this day in 1987 (in France), Gor played for audiences in attendance of the Cannes Film Festival.  Directed by Fritz Kiersch and based on a story by John Norman, Rick Marx, and Harry Alan Towers, the Fantasy feature starred Urbano Barberini, Rebecca Ferratti, Jack Palance, and others. 

​According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"American professor Tarl Cabot is transported via a magical ring to planet Gor, where he must help an oppressed country overthrow its evil king and his barbarian henchmen."

ExtraExtra Alert:
In 2025, I caught a stream of Gor (1987) on a platform to which I subscribe.  Interested readers can find my review right here.

-- EZ

Published on

press release

Picture

IN PINOCHET’S CHILE, WHERE FEAR LIVES IN THE WALLS,
ONE MAN HEARS WHAT SHOULD NEVER BE HEARD
IN A CHILLING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER
YOU’LL NOT SOON FORGET
 
A YARD OF JACKALS  

Street Date: June 9, 2026
Blu-ray/DVD: $29.95/$24.95
​

“An impressive first feature that manages to get under one’s skin…
Almost like a magician and the art of misdirection, Figueroa creates a fluidity
between wake and sleep, reality and dream.”
-- Paul Risker, D Movies

“A Yard of Jackals…[forges] a tense, paranoid atmosphere along the lines of
Roman Polanski’s loose Apartment trilogy, which also has an effect
on the viewers to start questioning the protagonist’s sanity.”
-- Marko Stojiljkovic, Eye for Film

“A Lynchian immersion in psychological horror”
-- Steve Erickson, The Arts Fuse
​
Bonus Content for The Nominee for Best First Feature at the
Tallin Black Nights Film Festival Includes Picture-in-Picture
Video Commentary with Director Diego Figueroa and filmmaker
Inti Carrizo-Ortiz and a Behind-the-Scenes Featurette ​

SYNOPSIS:
 
In the winter of 1978, under Chile's dictatorship in Santiago, Raúl Peralta (Néstor Cantillana), a lonely, disabled architectural model maker, leads a quiet life, caring for his ailing mother and accompanied only by a pet canary. His routine is shattered by the arrival of new neighbors whose sinister activities seem to hide dark secrets. As Raúl desperately clings to the last vestiges of his sanity, his life becomes increasingly entangled with Guillermo, a mysterious man in dark glasses. Caught between personal loss and political terror, Raúl must confront the scars of repression and survival in this haunting psychological thriller about isolation, moral decay, and a mind fracturing under authoritarian rule.


Making its World Premiere at the 2024 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, A YARD OF JACKALS, nominated for Best First Feature, captured the Best Director Award in the First Feature Competition for Diego Figueroa.
 
BONUS FEATURES:
 
  • Picture-in-Picture Video Commentary with Director Diego Figueroa and filmmaker Inti Carrizo-Ortiz (Blu-ray only)
  • Behind-the-scenes featurette
  • Original Trailer
 
PROGRAM INFORMATION:
 
Type: Blu-ray/DVD/VOD/Digital
Running Time: 108 minutes + Extras
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Audio: Stereo 2.0
Language: Spanish with English Subtitles
​
Published on

press release

Picture

fact or legend?
​

​Documentarian William Bradshaw and his film crew embarked on a journey to 
Devensville, Indiana in search of clues behind a series of mysterious murders 
and the roots to the legendary Shadow Reaper. What begins as an investigation
soon descends into terror - ending in tragedy! 
​
A documentary unlike anything ever seen. A gut wrenching, pulse pounding 
film, mixed with actual raw footage shot by the late William Bradshaw from 
his unfinished work: "Devensville And The Legend Of The Shadow Reaper" along 
with interviews and cinematic reenactments of the terrifying events. 
Is it fact or legend?

Special Features:
•  Audio commentary   
• The Making of Shadow Reaper
• Raw Outtakes
• Photo Gallery
• Trailers
Number of Discs: 1
Dual Layer Blu-ray Disc (25GB)
Region Free 
Not Rated/Color/2:39 Widescreen/78 Mins
​​
Published on

press release

Picture
From Google.com:

Samuel Goldwyn Films will release the Norwegian monster movie KRAKEN in select U.S. theaters and on digital platforms on June 12, 2026. Directed by Pål Øie, this creature feature focuses on a marine biologist investigating mysterious deaths in Norway's deepest fjord, uncovering an ancient, mythical monster. [1, 2, 3]

Key Details:
​
  • Release Date: June 12, 2026 (Limited theatrical & Digital)
  • Director: Pål Øie (known for The Tunnel)
  • Writer: Vilde Eide, Kjersti Helen Rasmussen, Natasha Arthur
  • Genre: Creature Feature / Horror
  • Synopsis: When marine biologist Johanne investigates strange, unnatural phenomena in a remote Norwegian fjord, she uncovers an ancient monster awakened by human activity.
  • Stars: Sara Khorami (Johanne), Mikkel Bratt Silset, Øyvind Brandtzæg.
  • Technical Achievement: It is noted as the first Scandinavian film graded and mastered in Dolby Vision. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

​Production Context:
​
  • The film explores environmental themes, with the creature emerging due to industrial experiments impacting the fjord's salmon population.
  • It is considered a "slow-burn" thriller in its first half, focusing on the mystery, before becoming a monster action film.
  • The film aims to bring a Scandinavian perspective to the legend of the Kraken, distinguishing it from other sea monster films. [3, 4]

AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://scified.com/news/kraken-2026-movie-release-date-new-trailer-lands
[2] https://rue-morgue.com/trailer-and-poster-release-the-first-look-at-kraken/
[3] https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/movies/articles/p-l-ie-releases-kraken-183341044.html
[4] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19838566/
[5] https://www.movieinsider.com/m25398/kraken
[6] https://www.panoramaaudiovisual.com/en/2026/03/13/kraken-terror-marino-sello-escandinavo-davinci-resolve/
​

Reviews
​Archive
​

Daily
​Trivia
Archives
​

original content​