October ends with a nice solid list of releases and because this is our last new release day before Halloween, let’s take a look at three awesome flicks for your horror movie night this weekend. These are your new releases for October 25, 2016.
First up this week is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated horror films ever. After the success of the original film The Exorcist and the subsequent failure of the terrible Exorcist II: The Heretic it was unlikely any film associated with the original could succeed, but in 1990 William Peter Blatty, author of the original novel, wrote and directed Exorcist III which is out this week in a beautiful Collector’s Edition.
Lt. Bill Kinderman (George C. Scott) is investigating a series of murders resembling those of a killer he caught and was executed years before. During his investigation he discovers a nameless man locked away in a psychiatric hospital that may or may not be an old friend thought dead. Or it may be the killer himself. Kinderman must face the darkest evil of his career if he ever hopes to solve the case.
Exorcist III is a masterpiece in my humble opinion. It is masterfully directed and full of staggeringly powerful performances, especially by Scott, Brad Dourif and Jason Miller of the original Exorcist. The entire atmosphere is full of dread and it raises many questions of good and evil, man’s purpose in life and how to confront the evils in our world. And this new Collector’s Edition from Shout Factory features an all new assembly of a director’s cut with never before seen footage put together to more closely match the director’s original vision, as well as hours of special features bound to make any fan rejoice. I certainly did. This is one scary, unnerving, and thought provoking horror film, check it out.
Next up is a new movie based on a short film that was an internet sensation. Lights Out follows young Martin (Gabriel Bateman) whose father has just been mysteriously murdered. When he see’s his mother Sophie (Maria Bello) talking to an imaginary friend in the shadows, Martin finds he is too scared to sleep anymore. After an incident involving social services, Martin goes to stay with his older sister Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) but Rebecca has experiences of her own as a child involving the imaginary friend. Now she must find out once and for all what the truth is behind the shadowy figure.
The short film for Lights Out was a terrifyingly original idea that was executed brilliantly and while it is hard to maintain that for a feature length film, the ideas still work very well and are anchored by a solid cast. The effects are very cool and very creepy and the backstory is actually very interesting as well. Lights Out was a nice change of pace and did a great job of trying something different instead of sticking to genre complacency.
Lastly this week is a new indie horror anthology, Tales of Poe. Based on three stories from literary master Edgar Allan Poe (The Tell Tale Heart, Cask of Amontillado & Dreams), Tales of Poe presents unique retellings from directors Bart Mastronardi & Alan Rowe Kelly and features some of the horror genre’s most beloved scream queens including Debbie Rochon (James Gunn's Tromeo and Juliet, The Hospital), Lesleh Donaldson (Happy Birthday To Me, Curtains, Funeral Home, Deadly Eyes), Caroline Williams (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Halloween 2, Tales of Halloween, Hatchet 3, Sharknado 4, Contracted), Amy Steel (Friday the 13th Part 2, April Fool's Day, American Gothic) and Adrienne King (Friday the 13th, Friday the 13th Pt. 2).
Tales of Poe is a great anthology directed with an unique flair by Mastronardi and Kelly, great production design, a nice fresh twist on the Poe classics and the bringing together of some of the great women of horror. This is a horror fan’s dream and is well worth checking out, especially the week before Halloween.
Also of note this week is the new Viggo Mortensen film Captain Fantastic, a new Eddie Murphy film called Mr. Church, and the new thriller Nerve starring Emma Roberts and Dave Franco.
Until next week movie lovers.
DVD and Blu-ray Releases for Tuesday October 25, 2016
1 Nation Under Trump
Ancient Aliens: Season 9
Be Somebody
Burial Grounds: The Nights of Terror*
Calamity Jane’s Revenge
Captain Fantastic
Careful What You Wish For
Dark Water*
Deathrow Gameshow*
Exorcist III – Collectors Edition
Fathom*
Forced Move
Gored
Hobgoblins*
Hunter x Hunter: Set 1
Lights Out
Manhattan Baby – Limited Edition*
Men & Chicken
Mr. Church
Murder Weapon/Deadly Embrace Double Feature*
Nerve
Nightmare Sisters*
Portlandia: Season 6
Shopkins Chef Club
Sin You Sinners/Vampire Ecstasy Double Feature*
Skiptrace
Subterranea
Tales of Poe
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Ultimate Fan Edition
The Executioner – Criterion Collection*
The Hershell Gordon Lewis Feast Box Set*
The ID
The Killing of America
The Tree of the Wooden Clogs – Criterion Collection*
Trancers III*
Transformers Rescue Bots: Bots Battle for Justice
Voodoo Rising
Within
Wolf Lake*
*Catalog Blu-ray debut