Arrow Video's American Horror Project: Volume One - February 23, 2016

[RandyK]

American Horror Project Vol. 1 on Amazon

NEW UK/US TITLE: American Horror Project Vol 1 [The Witch Who Came From the Sea + Malatesta’s Carnival of Blood + The Premonition] (Arrow Video) Dual Format Limited Edition

Unique slices of the American Nightmare are brought back into the public consciousness and preserved for all to enjoy.

Pre-order your UK copy here: http://www.arrowfilms.co.uk/shop/ind...product_id=642
North American pre-orders links should be live soon!

UK Release Date: 22nd February 2016
US Release Date: 22nd February 2016
Region: Free

Everyone knows the classic American horror titles: Night of the Living Dead, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and A Nightmare on Elm Street, to name but a few. But we want to tell you a different story: a story of the unsung heroes of stars-and-stripes terror, films that have remained on the fringes of the genre either through lack of availability or else sheer obscurity. This is where American Horror Project comes in.

Volume One of this series presents three tales of violence and madness from the 1970s. Malatesta’s Carnival of Blood (Christopher Speeth, 1973) sees a family arrive at a creepy, dilapidated fairground in search of their missing son, only to find themselves at the mercy of the cannibalistic ghouls lurking beneath the park. Meanwhile, The Witch Who Came from the Sea (Matt Cimber, 1976), stars Millie Perkins (The Diary of Anne Frank) as a young woman whose bizarre and violent fantasies start to bleed into reality – literally. Lastly, every parent’s worst nightmare comes true in The Premonition (Robert Allen Schnitzer, 1976), a tale of psychic terror in which five-year-old Janie is snatched away by a strange woman claiming to be her long-lost mother.

Newly remastered from the best surviving elements and contextualised with brand new supplementary material, American Horror Project proudly presents an alternative history of American horror and film heritage.

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

- Brand new 2K restorations of the three features
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard DVD presentations
- Original Mono 1.0 audio (Uncompressed PCM on the Blu-rays)
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Reversible sleeves for each film featuring original and newly-commissioned artwork by the Twins of Evil
- American Horror Project Journal Volume I – Limited edition 60-page booklet featuring new articles on the films from writers Stephen Thrower (Nightmare USA: The Untold Story of the Exploitation Independents), Kim Newman (Nightmare Movies), Kier-La Janisse (House of Psychotic Women) and Brian Albright (Regional Horror Films, 1958-1990: A State-by-State Guide with Interviews)

MALATESTA’S CARNIVAL OF BLOOD

- Introduction to the film by Stephen Thrower
- Audio Commentary by film historian Richard Harland Smith
- The Secrets of Malatesta – an interview with director Christopher Speeth
- Crimson Speak – an interview with writer Werner Liepolt
- Malatesta’s Underground – art directors Richard Stange and Alan Johnson discuss the weird, mysterious world of Malatesta’s underground
- Outtakes
- Draft script (BD/DVD-ROM content)
- Stills gallery

THE WITCH WHO CAME FROM THE SEA

- Introduction to the film by Stephen Thrower
- Audio commentary with director-producer Matt Cimber, actress Millie Perkins and director of photography Dean Cundey
- Tides and Nightmares – brand new making-of documentary featuring interviews with Cimber, Perkins, Cundey and actor John Goff
- A Maiden’s Voyage – archive featurette comprising interviews with Cimber, Perkins and Cundey
- Lost at Sea – director Cimber reflects on his notorious cult classic

THE PREMONITION

- Introduction to the film by Stephen Thrower
- Isolated score
- Audio commentary with director-producer Robert Allen Schnitzer
- Pictures from a Premonition – brand new making-of documentary featuring interviews with Schnitzer, composer Henry Mollicone and cinematographer Victor Milt
- Archive interviews with Robert Allen Schnitzer and star Richard Lynch
- Three Robert Allen Schnitzer short films: ‘Vernal Equinox’, ‘Terminal Point’ and ‘A Rumbling in the Land’
- 4 Peace Spots
- Trailers and TV Spots

American
adjective
i. of or relating to America
ii. of or relating to the United States or its possessions or original territory

Horror
noun
i. a very strong feeling of fear, dread, and shock
ii. the quality of something that causes feelings of fear, dread, and shock : the horrible or shocking quality or character of something
iii. something that causes feelings of fear, dread, and shock : something that is shocking and horrible

Everyone knows the classic American horror titles: Night of the Living Dead, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and A Nightmare on Elm Street, these films remain some of the USA’s most celebrated genre efforts – known the world over, their production histories well-documented, the films preserved for posterity in any number of lavish DVD and Blu-ray releases.

But we want to tell you a different story. A story of the unsung heroes of American horror cinema – films from the USA’s golden age of terror which, for a multitude reasons, have either slipped through the cracks or never gained the recognition they so richly deserve. Films that aren’t mentioned by movie fans in the same hushed tones of reverence as The Exorcist or Halloween – but are every bit as bold, bloody and bizarre as their more famous counterparts.

Arrow Video’s American Horror Project, the first volume of which will be released Feb 22nd (UK) and 23rd (US) 2016, is our commitment to bringing those lesser-known efforts of US genre cinema back into the limelight where they belong. Whether it’s a film that has languished in obscurity for far too long, or a movie that is at risk of being lost forever due to lack of usable materials, American Horror Project is here to ensure that these unique slices of the American Nightmare are brought back into the public consciousness and preserved for all to enjoy. Pleasant dreams…

“In much the same way that Stephen Thrower’s landmark study NIGHTMARE USA told an alternative history of the independent horror film during the 1970s and 80s, Arrow’s Horror Project aims to shine a light on a number of innovative and provocative films made during this period that for whatever reason, have been allowed to languish, under-appreciated and waiting to be rediscovered.

The majority of these films haven’t been seen for many years, and none of them will have ever been remastered for Blu-ray before. In some cases, they will have only been available on VHS!

So for every one of our titles, we’ll be restoring these films from scratch, seeking out the best existing source elements and (whenever possible) involving the original filmmakers to ensure that the films can be seen at the highest quality and in most historically accurate presentations possible. In many cases this may mean extensive detective work and piecing the films back together from a number of separate elements, given the lack of care that some of these titles suffered back in the day. Most of these films will never appear pristine, but viewed in the context of the Horror Project, will reflect their own unique production and distribution histories in a way that they’ve never been afforded before.

This was an incredibly prolific and creative period of independent filmmaking and Arrow’s Horror Project seeks to rescue these important films from being lost to cinema history forever.”

-James White, Head of Technical and Restoration Services at Arrow Video

http://www.americanhorrorproject.com

[Seymour]

This sounds pretty awesome. I can't wait to hear some of the titles they're working on.

[returnofthemack]

Hmm arrow and horror.... Yes please!

[themp3000]

This sounds like it'll be incredible. I can't wait to get more details.

[dvdmike]

Huh

[Jerome_T]

My favorite BD company working on my favorite genre of movies... It's pointless to tell you how excited I am... right? hahaha

[EddieDingle]

This is BEYOND amazing... I CANNOT wait for this! One of the best ideas EVER!

With Stephen Thrower involved, this is gonna kill! WITCH is one of my favorites, CARNIVAL is amazing and I have never seen The Premonition, so that's cool!

Given that Thrower is Curating it and on the website it talks about how none of the films have been released on BD, many only on VHS, I am focusing on titles in NIGHTMARE USA Thrower talks highly about.

I forget what He said, but from what I gather

"Scream Bloody Murder" should be on Volume 2 (or sometime soon) from what people have said in all sorts of places and that is one of the films I have wanted a proper release of for sooooo long. I have heard from multiple sources it was referenced to in "American Horror Project" promotional material... I would love to get my hands on that.

Below are my take on films that are discussed in Nightmare USA (N U)and most I think could be definite possibilities, while I'll point out issues with others....


I engaged in a 14hour road trip on December 30th and while my wife drive for a couple hoursl I got on my phone and messed around.

Part of that consisted of making faux future "American Horror Project" lists... I'd love to see what anyone else comes up with or revise mine and lets see if we ca find a few perfect one!

- Scream Bloody Murder
- Three on a Meathook
- Headless Eyes


- Let's Scare Jessica To Death
- The Child
- Satan War


- Pets
- A Scream In The Streets
- Schoolgirls In Chains


- Victims (77/82)
- Bloodrage aka Never Pick Up a Stranger
- Psycho From Texas


- Warlock Moon
- Demon Lover
- Night That God Screamed


*A Brownrigg Triple Feature
- Keep My Grave Open
- Don't Open The Door
- Don't Go In The Basement


- Massacre At Central High
- Final Exam
- Trip With The Teacher


- My Friends Need Killing
- Fight For Your Life
- Forced Entry (Soto)


- The Psychopath
- The Single Girls
- Welcome To Arrow Beach


- Blood Sabbath
- Satan's Children
- Crypt of Dark Secrets


- Night of The Demon
- Screams In The Winter Night
- Shriek of The Mutilated


- My Friend Need Killing
- The Ravager
- Forced Entry (Sotos)


- I Dismember Mama
- Savage Intruder
- Scream For Vengeance


- The Black Room
- Homebodies
- Death Game


- Invasion of The Blood Farmers
- Midnight
- The Child


- The Mafu Cage
- The Attic


- Scalps
- The Manitou



I don't think the below fit together well, but maybe, but either way they need to be somewhere...
- Alabama's Ghost
- Sole Survivor
- Love Me Deadly
- Necromancy
- Victims! (1985)

[Val Lewton]

You've got some great titles there, but some have already been released on blu-ray like Final Exam and the recently released Scalps. Others are being put out by other labels like Massacre at Central High, which Synapse has and Schoolgirls in Chains, coming from Code Red. Code Red have put out an amazing amount of stuff written about in Nightmare USA and have the rights to a couple on your list.

I'd love to see Blood Sabbath with Dyanne Thorne get put out. It's a bizarre and oddly captivating flick.

Let's Scare Jessica to Death is something I've been hoping would get a blu-ray release since I first bought a blu-ray player.

The Brownrigg triple feature would also be excellent.

[Lucy Ashton]

I'm extremely excited about this set as well, and hope there will be more volumes.

Originally Posted by EddieDingle

- Night of The Demon
- Three on a Meathook
- Screams In The Winter Night
- Sole Survivor

The rights are with Code Red. Bill Olsen has hinted very strongly at a Blu-ray release of Meathook. Bill has the original cut negatives for Screams. He says they will cost "four times to master on HD than any other negatives." Crowd funding, Bill? I'd chip in.

Originally Posted by EddieDingle

*A Brownrigg Triple Feature
- Keep My Grave Open
- Don't Open The Door
- Don't Go In The Basement

I'd get this.

Originally Posted by EddieDingle

- Let's Scare Jessica To Death

Paramount?

Obviously, any set containing The Child or The Manitou would get my money, as would Psychic Killer (an AVCO Embassy Pictures title, like Manitou and The Premonition). Honeymoon Horror, which Stephen Thrower will be covering in volume II of Nightmare USA, also has my vote.

[BarnDoor]

I think The Manitou is with Lionsgate sadly (at least, according to Amazon it is). The Attic should still be with MGM. Homebodies I believe is with StudioCanal.

[ScorpionReleasing]

LOVE ME DEADLY is with Code Red, they have the original negatives

FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE is with BU but the negatives got damaged ina flood

[BarnDoor]

Regarding Fight For Your Life - I wonder if Blue Underground might consider doing a Blu using a 35mm print?

[Telstar]

My votes for future American Horror Project volumes would include:
PIGS
THE ORPHAN
VICTIMS
FREDRIC HOBBS COLLECTION (TROIKA/ALABAMA'S GHOST/GODMONSTER OF INDIAN FLATS)
Other than some of the Hobbs' films, I haven't seen any of these but they sound like some of the most interesting selections in the Thrower book.

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by EddieDingle

This is BEYOND amazing... I CANNOT wait for this! One of the best ideas EVER!

With Stephen Thrower involved, this is gonna kill! WITCH is one of my favorites, CARNIVAL is amazing and I have never seen The Premonition, so that's cool!

Given that Thrower is Curating it and on the website it talks about how none of the films have been released on BD, many only on VHS, I am focusing on titles in NIGHTMARE USA Thrower talks highly about.

I forget what He said, but from what I gather

"Scream Bloody Murder" should be on Volume 2 (or sometime soon) from what people have said in all sorts of places and that is one of the films I have wanted a proper release of for sooooo long. I have heard from multiple sources it was referenced to in "American Horror Project" promotional material... I would love to get my hands on that.

Below are my take on films that are discussed in Nightmare USA (N U)and most I think could be definite possibilities, while I'll point out issues with others....


I engaged in a 14hour road trip on December 30th and while my wife drive for a couple hoursl I got on my phone and messed around.

Part of that consisted of making faux future "American Horror Project" lists... I'd love to see what anyone else comes up with or revise mine and lets see if we ca find a few perfect one!

- Scream Bloody Murder
- Three on a Meathook
- Headless Eyes


- Let's Scare Jessica To Death
- The Child
- Satan War


- Pets
- A Scream In The Streets
- Schoolgirls In Chains


- Victims (77/82)
- Bloodrage aka Never Pick Up a Stranger
- Psycho From Texas


- Warlock Moon
- Demon Lover
- Night That God Screamed


*A Brownrigg Triple Feature
- Keep My Grave Open
- Don't Open The Door
- Don't Go In The Basement


- Massacre At Central High
- Final Exam
- Trip With The Teacher


- My Friends Need Killing
- Fight For Your Life
- Forced Entry (Soto)


- The Psychopath
- The Single Girls
- Welcome To Arrow Beach


- Blood Sabbath
- Satan's Children
- Crypt of Dark Secrets


- Night of The Demon
- Screams In The Winter Night
- Shriek of The Mutilated


- My Friend Need Killing
- The Ravager
- Forced Entry (Sotos)


- I Dismember Mama
- Savage Intruder
- Scream For Vengeance


- The Black Room
- Homebodies
- Death Game


- Invasion of The Blood Farmers
- Midnight
- The Child


- The Mafu Cage
- The Attic


- Scalps
- The Manitou



I don't think the below fit together well, but maybe, but either way they need to be somewhere...
- Alabama's Ghost
- Sole Survivor
- Love Me Deadly
- Necromancy
- Victims! (1985)

Scalps has had UK BD release by 88 Films so NO chance for that one.

[junyab]

Originally Posted by fatboyslim142

Scalps has had UK BD release by 88 Films so NO chance for that one.

Not to mention a US release just a couple of weeks ago.

[Tchotchke]

Those of you who use Amazon regularly, a question...

I have AHP Vol.1 preordered with amazon. Its currently $79.99. I can order it from Diabolikdvd for $69.24 including shipping. Is it likely that amazon will drop again before release, or should I give Diabolik a try?

Also - does Diabolik charge on ordering, or when it ships? I can't find this info on their site.

Thanks for your help!

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by Tchotchke

Those of you who use Amazon regularly, a question...

I have AHP Vol.1 preordered with amazon. Its currently $79.99. I can order it from Diabolikdvd for $69.24 including shipping. Is it likely that amazon will drop again before release, or should I give Diabolik a try?

Also - does Diabolik charge on ordering, or when it ships? I can't find this info on their site.

Thanks for your help!

Diabolik charges on ordering. I would recommend them, as with the last several Arrow releases they started shipping them over a week before Amazon did.

[cgurley]

Originally Posted by cakefactory

Diabolik charges on ordering. I would recommend them, as with the last several Arrow releases they started shipping them over a week before Amazon did.

I have never been charged by Diabolik until my order actually ships. I use a credit card. I think they may charge when you order, if you use PayPal.

[gpn]

Originally Posted by Tchotchke

Those of you who use Amazon regularly, a question...

I have AHP Vol.1 preordered with amazon. Its currently $79.99. I can order it from Diabolikdvd for $69.24 including shipping. Is it likely that amazon will drop again before release, or should I give Diabolik a try?

Also - does Diabolik charge on ordering, or when it ships? I can't find this info on their site.

Thanks for your help!

When I was browsing Arrow titles on Family Video last night, I saw they have it for $60.99. Shipping is another $1.99.

[zbinks]

Originally Posted by Tchotchke

Those of you who use Amazon regularly, a question...

I have AHP Vol.1 preordered with amazon. Its currently $79.99. I can order it from Diabolikdvd for $69.24 including shipping. Is it likely that amazon will drop again before release, or should I give Diabolik a try?

Also - does Diabolik charge on ordering, or when it ships? I can't find this info on their site.

Thanks for your help!

I don't expect Amazon's price to drop any further during preorder unless Best Buy drops their price.

Originally Posted by gpn

When I was browsing Arrow titles on Family Video last night, I saw they have it for $60.99. Shipping is another $1.99.

Family Video often has great prices, but be prepared to wait on their shipping. The last time I preordered from them, they didn't ship the item until close to a month after release date. I actually had to contact them to verify why they had even sent the order, as I had already cancelled the order with them about a week before they had shipped it.