Scream and Scream Again (1970) (Limited Edition)

[dsman71]

October 13th is a lucky day for fans of this film. Another great Price title upcoming - thank you Twilight Time

[Oscar Rothman]

cool news!

[cakefactory]

I posted this in the TT thread, but it will quickly get buried. For those who aren't sure what this movie is, here's the best description/review I've seen of it, from Kim Newman's excellent book "Horror: The Definitive Companion" (it just has capsule reviews and pictures of everything in the genre he considers essential viewing in chronological order).

A killer is stalking women in London nightclubs and drinking their blood; a jogger wakes up in a hospital bed to find his limbs amputated one by one; and a ruthless psychopath seizes power in a totalitarian Eastern European state. Bewildering and exhilarating by turns, Hessler's adaptation of Peter Saxon's novel The Disorientated Man is an ambitious attempt to drag classic horror stars (Price, Lee, Cushing) and themes (Frankenstein, vampires) into a modern Swinging London of grooving dolly-birds, mauve silk shirts and political paranoia.

It's not entirely successful: the film's obsession with human partition, seen in the limb-lopped jogger, the vampiric Keith's torn-off hand and a freezer full of body parts, has its parallels in a narrative that is so fragmented as to be a near-incoherent patchwork of scenes that fail to make the most of their horror stars (Cushing's role is a cameo, and Lee and Price only meet for a brief confrontation at the climax) or the collision of styles ranging from generation-gap movie through mad science to '60s super-sleuth - as though John le Carré, his mind buzzing with topical events (Gary Powers's spy plane) and ambient fears (organ transplants, cyborg technology), had rewritten Frankenstein as a tribute to Bava's Diabolik (1968).

But, as Hessler avoids static camera set-ups in favour of hand-held cameras and rapid edits, even if the film is finally little more than a collection of dissociated set pieces, they're so bizarre and adrenalin-charged that Scream remains enormously entertaining, trading on such extraordinary sequences as cyborg vampire Keith (Michael Gothard in a wonderful Austin Powers turn - "lovely mover", one of the habitués of the Busted Pot observes as Gothard shimmies to the sound of the Amen Corner) being chased around south London by police and tearing off his hand to escape, all fuelled by a jazz score that kicks into high gear at the slightest provocation.

[Partyslammer]

Very strange movie, all over the map style-wise but well worth a look but only worth owning for the few hardcore fans of Price, Lee and Cushing. Actually kind of surprised TT is doing this one as I think it won't be among their better sellers at their usual price point.

[HotRats]

This is one I've been waiting for, always had a soft spot for it even though it makes very little sense, it feels like the film is about to move up a gear just as it ends very abruptly. Those expecting big scenes with Price, Cushing and Lee will be disappointed, blink and you'll miss Cushing. It could be a difficult transfer as the film is packed with dodgy day for night shots. Catchy song by The Amen Corner

[oddbox83]

It's a bonkers film that looks like someone took two or three totally different movies and cut them together. Oddly, it works if only for entertainment value and the quality of it's cast!

[Alfredlynch]

Cool, weird movie.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by oddbox83

It's a bonkers film that looks like someone took two or three totally different movies and cut them together. Oddly, it works if only for entertainment value and the quality of it's cast!

I agree and am satisfied with it on DVD with no need to upgrade, especially given the price point of TT. Happy for its diehard fans, but for me it's always been a contender that never quite makes it.

[rdodolak]

This will include a new audio commentary with David Del Valle and Tim Sullivan.

https://www.facebook.com/horacecordi...06643722588304

[oildude]

Pre-orders begin Wednesday, September 30 @ 4pm EST

Special Features: Isolated Score Track / Audio Commentary with Film Historians David Del Valle and Tim Sullivan / Gentleman Gothic: Gordon Hessler at AIP / An Interview with Uta Levka / Still Gallery / Radio Spot / Original Theatrical Trailer

[cakefactory]

More extras than I was expecting! I'll be getting this eventually.

[rdodolak]

[drat]

I'm really looking forward to this. Nice extras too.

[StingingVelvet]

Tempted to get this but I'm trying to stop buying non-80's horror lately after a string of disappointments. The $30 price doesn't help either. Arg!

[NoirFan]

It would have been a nice addition if they had been able to use the PBS Price intro and outro.

[Joeynines]

Love Price, Lee and Cushing. Hate the price tag but I'll be getting this one.
Joe

[Alan2112]

SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN is A GO! pre-ordered my copy @ 4:02 PM~!

[Joeynines]

Originally Posted by Alan2112

SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN is A GO! pre-ordered my copy @ 4:02 PM~!

Got mine too, at 4:07!

[defile959]

Guess I cheated - mine was in at 3:56pm ET

[oddbox83]

It's perverse to be paying this price for such a mess of a film. I love it though and I'm not missing out.

I've seen this film half a dozen times probably by now, and I still remember it as 3 entirely different films (the super-human thriller, the fascist state and the barmy mad scientist), my mind just refuses remember them as one coherant plot. They've picked the right kind of quotes for the back cover.