Arrow Video has announced three new titles to join their collection on Blu-Ray this October: Two Witches (2021), Gothic Fantastico: Four Italian Tales Of Terror (1963-1966) and The Count Yorga Collection (1970-1971). These represent an impressive throwback to classic European horror, four horror films from Italy’s Golden Decade and a pair of vampire tales. Details on these films can be found below:
Two Witches
Street Date: October 18, 2022
Synopsis: With its super-saturated color palette, tenebrous art design and electrifying soundtrack, Two Witches presents two truly terrifying conjoined tales of witchery, paranoia and terror that hark back to the gory thrills of classic Euro horrors such as Suspiria, Shock and The Beyond. Expectant young mother Sarah is convinced she has been given the evil eye from a mysterious blank-eyed old hag while she is dining with her bullish and insensitive partner Simon. When the couple go to visit his new-agey friends Dustin and Melissa, dark forces are unleashed after an ill-advised attempt at consulting a Ouija board to allay her fears. Meanwhile, tensions grow between grad school student Rachel and her new roommate Masha after a violent incident involving a man that the strange and impulsive young woman has brought home. First-time feature director Pierre Tsigaridis, who also shot, edited and contributed to the film’s soundtrack, singles himself out as one to watch in a deft and unnerving depiction of unspeakable evil that truly delivers.
Bonus Materials
- High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
- Original lossless stereo audio and optional 5.1 DTS-HD MA surround audio
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Brand new audio commentary by director, cinematographer and editor Pierre Tsigaridis
- Brand new audio commentary by producer Maxime Rancon
- Behind the Movie, a two-part behind-the-scenes featurette
- Interview with actor and associate producer Dina Silva
- The Boogeywoman, an interview with actor Marina Parodi
- The Original Score, an interview with composer Gioacchino Marincola
- The Piano Score, director Pierre Tsigaridis talks about the inspiration behind the piano score for Two Witches
- Test footage
- Grimmfest 2021 Q&A with Pierre Tsigaridis and Maxime Rancon
- Trailer gallery
- Image gallery accompanied by the film’s original score
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ilan Sheady
- FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors’ booklet featuring new writing on the film by Anton Bitel, plus double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ilan Sheady
Gothic Fantastico: Four Italian Tales Of Terror [Limited Edition]
Street Date: October 18, 2022
Synopsis: While Mario Bava remains the best-known purveyor of Italian Gothic horror, many other filmmakers tried their hand at the form throughout the 1960s. Gothic Fantastico presents four titles from this classic period, all of which demonstrate Italy’s ability to expand genre beyond the classic literary monsters that dominated elsewhere. Gaslighting abounds in Massimo Pupillo’s Lady Morgan’s Vengeance – a tale of romance and mystery sprinkled with sadism and the supernatural – as newlywed Sir Harold Morgan tries to destroy his bride with help from his sinister maid. Meanwhile, the perverse influence of Poe is used to great effect in Alberto De Martino’s The Blancheville Monster – a tale of family curses and madmen in the attic, as Emilie de Blancheville returns home to her brother Roderic and finds her own family out for her blood. Mino Guerinni’s The Third Eye features an early role for Italian cult icon Franco Nero and a plot that borrows elements from Hitchcock, layered with a whiff of necrophilia. Finally, Damiano Damiani’s The Witch takes a more avant-garde approach, when a young historian is lured to work for an ageing woman, only to be held captive when he becomes obsessed with her beautiful daughter. Madness, obsession and messed up families are the order of the day in these four lesser-known monochrome gems from Italy’s peak Gothic period, restored in 2K from their original negatives for the first time alongside an array of in-depth extras.
Bonus Materials
- LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
- New 2K restorations from the original negatives
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations
- Original Italian and English front and end titles on The Blancheville Monster, The Third Eye and The Witch
- Original lossless mono Italian soundtracks
- Original lossless mono English soundtracks on The Blancheville Monster, The Third Eye and The Witch
- Optional English subtitles for the Italian soundtracks
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtracks
- New video introductions to each film by Italian film devotee Mark Thompson Ashworth
- Image galleries
- Limited edition 80-page book featuring new writing by Roberto Curti, Rob Talbot, Jerome Reuter, Rod Barnett and Kimberly Lindbergs
- Fold-out double-sided poster
- Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Colin Murdoch
- DISC 1: LADY MORGAN’S VENGEANCE
- New commentary by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
- New video essay by author and producer Kat Ellinger
- New video interview with actress Erika Blanc
- Newly edited video interview with actor Paul Muller
- Newly edited audio interview with director Massimo Pupillo
- The complete original cineromanzo, published in Suspense in April 1971
- Trailer
- DISC 2: THE BLANCHEVILLE MONSTER
- New commentary by filmmaker and film historian Paul Anthony Nelson
- New video essay by writer and pop culture historian Keith Allison
- New video interview with author and filmmaker Antonio Tentori
- Opening credits for the US release of the film
- Trailer
- DISC 3: THE THIRD EYE
- New commentary by author and critic Rachael Nisbet
- New video essay by author and filmmaker Lindsay Hallam
- Newly edited video interview with actress Erika Blanc
- DISC 4: THE WITCH
- New commentary by author and producer Kat Ellinger
- New video essay by author and academic Miranda Corcoran
- New video interview with author and filmmaker Antonio Tentori
The Count Yorga Collection [Limited Edition]
Street Date: October 25, 2022
Synopsis: RESTORED! REJUVENATED! REBORN! By the end of the 1960s the boom in Old World gothic horror had begun to wane in the face of present day terrors like the Vietnam war. In response, American filmmakers brought horror out of the past and into the present, and the classic movie monsters packed their bags and headed for the New World. Count Yorga, Vampire was among the first to successfully transpose the classic vampire, cloak and all, to a modern day setting as the Count – played unforgettably by Robert Quarry – arrives in the United States and settles in a Southern California mansion with his mysterious “brides”. A drive-in favourite from the moment it was released, a sequel soon followed. The Return of Count Yorga ups the ante and sees the sardonic Count on the streets of San Francisco, his sights set on an orphanage as a potential source of sustenance. Director Bob Kelljan (Scream Blacula Scream) delivers a one-two punch of classic cult cinema mixing chills, thrills, style, and suspense with a knowing wit that revels in the genre trappings. Presented in all new restorations by Arrow Films from new scans of the original camera negative, The Count Yorga Collection is a full blooded feast to die for!
Bonus Materials
- LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
- Brand new 2K restorations by Arrow Films of Count Yorga, Vampire and The Return of Count Yorga from new 4K scans of the original 35mm camera negatives
- High Definition Blu-Ray (1080p) presentations of both films
- Original lossless mono audio
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Illustrated perfect bound collector’s book featuring new writing by film critic Kat Ellinger and horror author Stephen Laws, plus archive contributions by critic Frank Collins and filmmaker Tim Sullivan
- Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Heather Vaughan
- Fold-out double-sided posters for both films featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Heather Vaughan
- Twelve double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproduction artcards
- Reproduction pressbook for Count Yorga, Vampire
- DISC ONE – COUNT YORGA, VAMPIRE
- Brand new audio commentary by film critic Tim Lucas
- Archival audio commentary by film critics David Del Valle & C. Courtney Joyner
- The Count in California, a brand new appreciation by Heather Drain and Chris O’Neill
- I Remember Yorga, a brand new interview with Frank Darabont in which the award-winning filmmaker talks about his love for Count Yorga, Vampire
- A Vampire in L.A., a brand new interview with actor Michael Murphy
- Fangirl Radio Tribute to Robert Quarry, an archival episode featuring host Jessica Dwyer in conversation with Tim Sullivan filmmaker, Yorga fan and friend of Robert Quarry
- Theatrical trailer
- Radio spots
- Image galleries
- DISC TWO – THE RETURN OF COUNT YORGA
- Brand new audio commentary by film critic Stephen R. Bissette
- Archival audio commentary by David Del Valle & C. Courtney Joyner
- The Count and the Counterculture, a brand new interview with film critic Maitland McDonagh
- Chamber-music of Horrors, a brand new interview with David Huckvale about the scores for both films
- Archival interview with film critic Kim Newman
- Theatrical trailer
- Radio spots
- Image gallery
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Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.