All Hail King Rawhead: on Blu-ray!

99.9% of you have never heard of this movie, but believe me when I tell you that Rawhead Rex (1986) has an enthusiastic and insatiable following. Written by none other than Clive Barker himself, Rawhead Rex concerns the accidental release of a horrific demon from his underground prison, and the subsequent head-severing rampage across the Irish countryside that ensues as a result.

Time has not been kind to old Rawhead, and it's been nearly impossible to find over the last couple of decades. It's one of those cult horror films that makes fans possessively cling to their time-worn VHS copies - you know the kind I mean. It's right up there with Michael Mann's The Keep among films that horror fans fear would stay lost and mired in legal mayhem for years, never to be resolved.

But the fine folks at Kino Lorber Studio Classics have untied the Gordian Knot and will be releasing a special edition of the film on DVD and blu-ray this fall - just in time for Halloween! The disc will feature a new 4K restoration, and to top that, Kino Lorber Repertory is actually having a limited theatrical release this summer in over 20 markets.

So prepare yourselves, fans, and all Hail the King!!!

Jonathan Demme: Farewell and Gratitude

This one really kills me. The great Jonathan Demme has passed away - another victim of cancer, at the age of 73. Easily one of America's greatest filmmakers, he moved with ease from dramas to comedies - from concert films to documentaries, all the while maintaining one of the most likable dispositions in the business. He cut his teeth on Roger Corman films and an episode of Columbo, before directing Melvin and Howard in 1980, which won two Oscars. At that point, there was no stopping him.

Demme is responsible for three of my personal favorites. Of course, The Silence of the Lambs, which was a critical and box office triumph, leaving an indelible icon of infamy in the landscape of cinema. Like The Godfather, it's one of those films that feels new every time you see it, and is endlessly quotable, impossible to stop watching.

In 1986, I discovered Something Wild, with Melanie Griffith and Jeff Daniels, and it blew me away. It was awash in eighties music, and dared to do what few comedies had ever tried before: introduce a truly terrifying villain and upend the tone, with Ray Liotta's breakout performance. It's as unique as they come, and full of life, something all of Demme's films have in common.

But one of my all time favorites of Demme's is a little known production from 1982 - Who Am I This Time? - an episode of the PBS anthology series American Playhouse. Adapted from a short story by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Who Am I This Time? stars Susan Sarandon and Christopher Walken as two lonely strangers who meet in a small town's amateur theater production. It's probably the sweetest love story I've ever seen, and Demme managed to capture these amazing performances that are simply beautiful to behold. You really owe it to yourself to seek this one out, it's a helluva gem.

From The Talking Heads to Neil Young, from Howard Hughes to Hannibal Lecter, Jonathan Demme was fascinated by rhythms and lives, and was a filmmaker who truly captured the unique nature of America at its best. He was a true original, and leaves behind a glorious canvas of color and sound.

Happy Alien Day!!!

That’s right, it’s Alien Day! These days, every good franchise needs a holiday!

Star Wars fans have May 4^th, riffing off of “May the Force be with you!” So it was only natural that fan enthusiasm and marketing synergy would collide and spray us all with synergistic acid. The planet where all the Xenomorph excitement sprang from was LV-426, so 4/26 quickly sired April 26^th as our official Alien Day, worldwide. That’s today!

The idea really gained momentum thanks in large part to Alaric Hahn, whose @AlienDay426 “Ripley” Twitter handle helped drive the day into permanence, with a lot of creative support from NECA toy honcho Randy Falk - @NECA_Toys – who thank goodness has the figure license, and has been blowing our minds with spectacular depictions of Ripley, Dallas, Hudson and all the rest for the last few years. And with Fox set to release an all new Alien: Covenant in just a few short weeks, this year Alien Day is full of surprises!

Your first destination should absolutely be NECA:

https://thenecastore.com/

…where you can get an exclusive version of Colonial Marine Jenette Vasquez, styled after the Kenner Aliens line from the early 90s. No mere repaint, this figure features a new head sculpt, detailing, knife – even the teardrop tattoo!

You’ll also want to visit 20^th Century Fox’s dedicated site for all things Alien:

https://www.alienuniverse.com/

…where you can glimpse new products including what I believe is the first peek at NECA’s new Covenant Xenomorph; a live-stream, and tons of other exclusive goodies.

So stop your grinnin’ and drop your linen! Hug your face and let your chest burst with pride!
It’s a great time to be an Alien fan!!!

Train to Busan: Hell on Wheels at 200 mph!

I was just saying that horror films have been on something of a roll lately, when along comes one that knocked me out so hard I'd easily put it on my list of the best films of 2016. South Korean director Sang-ho Yeon's Train to Busan is currently streaming on Netflix, and if like me, you've been feeling like The Walking Dead has been pushing its expiry date lately, get ready for a real zombie horror flick, easily the best since Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later. 

Seok-woo (Yoo Gong) is a work-obsessed fund manager with a divorced wife and a young daughter he can barely make time for. His daughter Soo-an (Soo-an Kim) convinces him to take her back home to her mother from Seoul to the southern city of Busan. Seok-woo wearily agrees, and they head south on the KTX bullet train. 

But sheer pandemonium has been breaking loose across the country as some kind of horrific infection has got out of a lab and is transforming citizens into hot-wired undead zombies, that race towards their prey like rabid spiders. The setup may remind you of World War Z, but with high-adrenaline direction more like that of The Raid.

Train to Busan kicks all kinds of ass. It's hard to find an accurate budget - one source listed it at only $182,000, but that can't be right, as the movie looks like it cost crazy millions. Sang-ho Yeon sure know how to get maximum yield out of his resources, and the makeup and effects are used judiciously and for tremendous effect. The film is incredibly well edited. A sequence at an apparently deserted train station is one of the most harrowing sequences of any film I've seen this year. I lost count of how often I gasped, or was yelling at the screen. Seok-woo is a selfish ass, and it's great to see his daughter call him on his behavior and see him start to realize he's truly lacking as a person. Soon-an Kim is just phenomenal here, giving one of the best child performances in recent memory. She's really fantastic, and the emotions she goes through are anything but simple. One of the great things about this film is the character work. The passengers on the train are relatable and compelling and feel realistically random. 

It's also loaded with social commentary. Sang-ho Yeon was evidently inspired by the Sewol ferry disaster of 2014, and like Snowpiercer, uses the situation of passengers trapped on a fast-moving train to make pungent social commentary, particularly about society's harshness towards refugees. It's effective and deeply unsettling.

It's only a matter of time before some nincompoop decides to remake this for U.S. audiences, so my advice is stick with the high-test original and see this now. Train to Busan is a phenomenal horror thriller that will not disappoint, and is just waiting to sink its teeth in you.

More Hasbro SWCO News: SDCC Exclusive Speeder and Tarkin!

Hasbro had even more goodness up their sleeves at Star Wars Celebration Orlando over the weekend. We'd only just heard of this fall's new Black Series Landspeeder, when they dropped word that there will be a special 2017 San Diego Comic-Con Exclusive version this summer, with opening hood and engine sections, more weathered and detailed deco, as well as Luke's poncho - check it out:

But that ain't all! Hasbro also unveiled several other new Black Series figures, my favorite being Grand Moff Tarkin, who'll come with an interrogation torture droid, to hover menacingly over Princess Leia. 

But possibly the best news for fans was word that due to popular demand and cranky, vocal collectors, Hasbro is bringing back the fan-favorite 3.75" Vintage Collection line of super-articulated figures in 2018! This hopefully means an end to frustrating Walmart exclusives, and wider availability of the kinds of figures that helped make Hasbro who they are. Welcome news indeed!

Our First Mysterious Glimpse of The Last Jedi!

"Breathe...just breathe..."

































With those words, we got our first look at The Last Jedi, still eight months down the long road, but for most of us, a truly exhilarating and provocative glimpse at the latest chapter in the Star Wars saga. With the very first shot, director Rian Johnson seems to be telling us that appearances can be deceiving and that things can change mightily depending on your perspective, as what appears to be a pock-marked planetoid seen from space is in reality a cliff face on Ach-To, Luke Skywalker's planet of exile.

We hear Luke's words, revealing things to Rey, asking what she sees, what she perceives, until at last he promises, "It's so much bigger."























I love that this trailer just gives us a tantalizing glimpse, and doesn't reveal too much. We know Rey is somehow training with Luke, and it looks like the Resistance is dealing with Kylo Ren and his First Order cronies hungry for payback. Both Kylo and Finn seem to be carrying scars from their last encounter, and there's a sense that opposing forces are about to clash mightily.






































For me, the biggest impression was that of a changed, somehow damaged Luke Skywalker. That may be a thematic undercurrent, of wounded heroes, altered by their experiences, trying to make sense of what's coming and how to face it. Luke says, "It's time for the Jedi to end," which sounds ominous, and we might think that's said out of guilt or regret - that he's thinking too much sorrow comes from trying to make new Jedi. But if as he says earlier, "It's so much bigger," might he be meaning that it's time for the Jedi to evolve to something even grander and more powerful than what we've known of so far? Could it be that the Jedi need to close one door, in order to open a new one? To become something else entirely?




















Me, I'm thrilled! Let the theorizing and debates begin! Let's watch that a few more times, shall we?

New Hasbro Vehicles Kick Off Star Wars Celebration!

For the next few days, Orlando, Florida is the center of the universe, as fans the world over flock to Star Wars Celebration - a massive exposition, trade show, and well... "celebration" of all things Star Wars. George Lucas is there in person, and there will be uncountable fan events and reveals, with tomorrow's release of the very first The Last Jedi trailer leading the pack.

Toy company Hasbro has a few new goodies on display, and are continuing their emphasis on 6-inch Black Series figures, with two new collector-friendly vehicles: First, we've got a brand new version of "Farmboy" Luke Skywalker, with his iconic Landspeeder. Nice ride! It's got a plastic stand to simulate hovering, and Luke comes with new accessories, including the desert hat he wore in the filmed-but-deleted scenes. Looks pretty nice!

Then from The Force Awakens, a similar scale depiction of Rey's Speeder, along with a new version of Rey in her desert scavenger outfit from the beginning of the film. The detailing and features on these two vehicles is great and a definite step in the right direction for Hasbro. Here's hoping for plenty of more reveals, and maybe some surprises in the neglected 3.75-inch figure range!

Celebration is just getting underway, so stay tuned for lots more excitement over the next few days!

May the Force be with You!