The crew over at Shout! Factory is one of the most consistent when it comes to bringing pop culture home on Blu-ray and DVD. Through their Shout!, Shout! Kids and Scream Factory divisions, they’ve got titles for the whole family, and for August I’m doing something different – showing off highlights from their new release selection, from the kid-friendly POWER RANGERS to the horror of MOTEL HELL and classic television series’ like NEWHART. Check out what’s on deck for this month…
August 5, 2014
PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE Blu-ray Combo Pack
The music made him do it! Phantom of the Paradise, the darkly satirical cult favorite from acclaimed writer and director Brian De Palma (Carrie, Dressed To Kill) will make its American Blu-ray debut as a Collector’s Edition 2-Disc on August 5th, 2014 from Scream Factory. The new edition of this Academy-Award nominated horror musical classic is packed to the rafters with bonus features, including new interviews with Brian De Palma, Paul Williams and Tom Burman; new audio commentary with producer Jack Fisk, a new audio commentary with Jessica Harper, Gerrit Graham and the Juicy Fruits (Archie Hahn, Jeffrey Comanor and Harold Oblong aka Peter Eibling); as well as a DVD of additional bonus content including a new interview with producer Edward R. Pressman, a new featurette the neon poster art, and much, much more!
Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song, Score and Adaptation, as well as a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score – Motion Picture, Phantom of the Paradise is the Faustian tale of Swan, (Paul Williams, who also wrote the acclaimed score) an evil record tycoon who is tormented by the disfigured composer Winslow Leach (William Finley, Sisters) he once wronged. Also starring Jessica Harper (Suspiria, Shock Treatment) and Gerrit Graham (Used Cars, Terrorvision), Phantom of the Paradise is a hilarious send-up of the glam rock era that is pure entertainment from beginning to end.
TRANSFORMERS: CYBERTRON – THE COMPLETE SERIES
This summer, relive some of the most astonishing classic action battles of Robots in Disguise and complete your home entertainment collection of the rare Unicron Trilogy. On August 5, 2014, Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Hasbro Studios, will release Transformers Cybertron: The Complete Series, featuring all action-packed episodes collected in one deluxe 7-DVD box set. Whether reliving the childhood memory or discovering this series for the first time, this is an essential home collection for fans, collectors and the entire family to complete their Transformers home entertainment library. This complete series 7-DVD set is priced to own at $44.99 SRP.
In 2005, Transformers fans were introduced to the animated series Transformers Cybertron, the third installment of the rare Unicron Trilogy – consisting of Armada, Energon and Cybertron. Unicron has been defeated, but his destruction has created a black hole, which is threatening the Autobots’ home world of Cybertron. It’s up to Optimus Prime, his team of heroic Autobots and their new human friends — Coby, Lori and Bud — to secure the four mystical Cyber Planet Keys, in order to destroy the black hole. Unfortunately, Megatron and the Decepticons are always lurking. And if the Cyber Planet Keys fall into their hands, it could mean the end of life as we know it. The race is on!
POWER RANGERS: IN SPACE Vol. 1
This summer, Shout! Factory unleashes Power Rangers: In Space, Vol. 1, available on home entertainment shelves nationwide on August 5th, 2104.The Power Rangers battle the dreaded villain Divatox at rapid speed in Power Rangers: In Space, Vol. 1, a 3-DVD box set that contains the first 22 episodes of the series.
When word reaches the remaining Power Rangers that their founder and mentor Zordon has been captured by a coalition of villains, the remaining Rangers journey into space aboard a NASADA space shuttle in the hopes of rescuing him. Deep in space, they discover the Astro Megaship, the mobile base of operations for Andros, a Power Ranger who grew up on the distant space colony of KO-35. Joining forces, they draw power from their new Astro Morphers to take their fight against evil anywhere necessary and to find Zordon before it’s too late. Fighting a union of all their past villains, led by the monstrous Dark Specter and his trusted captain Astronema, the Rangers are in for the biggest fight the universe has ever seen!
WITHOUT WARNING Blu-ray Combo Pack
On August 5, 2014, Scream Factory is proud to unleash Without Warning in a special Blu-ray™+DVD combo pack on home entertainment shelves in the U.S and Canada. This highly anticipated release from Scream Factory marks the home entertainment debut of this cult classic movie after three decades. Arriving for the first time on Blu-ray and DVD, Without Warning Blu-ray + DVD combo pack contains insightful bonus content, as well as a collectible cover featuring newly rendered retro-style artwork, a reversible cover wrap with original theatrical key art.
The hunting season has begun. Earth is the new hunting ground for an alien life form that preys on human fear and feeds on human flesh. Beyond any known terror, mankind is about to become the next endangered species in the 1980 sci-fi horror cult classic Without Warning, also known as It Came Without Warning, from celebrated exploitation filmmaker Greydon Clark (Joysticks, Satan’s Cheerleaders). A non-stop ride into extra-terror-strial mayhem, this highly sought-after sci-fi creature thriller stars Oscar® winners Jack Palance (Batman) and Martin Landau (Ed Wood), Tarah Nutter (Bitter Harvest), Christopher S. Nelson (Roller Boogie), Cameron Mitchell (Blood and Black Lace), Neville Brand (Eaten Alive), Sue Ane Langdon (UHF), Ralph Meeker (Kiss Me Deadly), Larry Storch (F Troop) and featuring David Caruso (CSI: Miami) in an early role and Kevin Peter Hall (Predator) as the alien.
NINJA TURTLES: THE NEXT MUTATION – TURTLE POWER!
This summer, Shout! Factory will release Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Turtle Power!, available on home entertainment shelves nationwide on August 5th, 2014.
Everyone’s favorite turtles — Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo, along with the newest addition to the family, Venus Di Milo — are back! They’re on a mission to rescue Master Splinter from the evil Dragon Lord and his horde while staying clear of other new foes like the vampiress Vam-Mi, the yeti Silver and the big-game hunter Simon Bonesteel who are all out for their shells! Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Turtle Power contains six episodes from the live-action series, as well as the special Power Rangers In Space crossover episodes “Save Our Ship” and “Shell Shocked” as a bonus feature!
August 12, 2014
MOTEL HELL Blu-ray Combo Pack
People come from far and wide to sample Farmer Vincent’s distinctively flavored dried, smoked sausages, but one might well ask why there are so few people staying at the nearby kitschy Motel Hello. Also, have you ever wondered about the secret ingredients that make his meats taste so darn good? The ‘80s cult classic horror-comedy film Motel Hell, directed by Kevin Connor (At The Earth’s Core, The House Where Evil Dwells) takes on a frighteningly funny look into the different kinds of critters that make up Farmer Vincent’s fritters with plenty of surprises. On August 12, 2014, Shout! Factory is bringing Motel Hell (Collector’s Edition) Blu-ray+ DVD combo pack to home entertainment shelves in the U.S and Canada. Packed with insightful bonus content and all-new interviews, this definitive collector’s edition also contains a collectible cover, featuring newly rendered retro-style artwork, a reversible cover wrap with original theatrical key art.
A film by Kevin Connor, this crazy chiller stars Rory Calhoun (Angel), Paul Linke (CHiPS), Nancy Parsons (Porky’s), Nina Axelrod (Cobra), and legendary DJ Wolfman Jack. While many of its contemporaries were literally trying to scare the wits out of people, MOTEL HELL balanced horror with humor, making audiences cringe and laugh at its lurid tale. A modest success upon its theatrical release, video rentals and cable showings have kept it alive and solidified its slasher status. Its creepy chainsaw battle still excites today.
THE MARX BROTHERS TV COLLECTION
Adding to the celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Marx Brothers’ nicknames, Shout! Factory announces the August 12 release of The Marx Brothers TV Collection, the first set of its kind dedicated to the comedic trio. The set features more than 50 performances on TV programs including The GE Theater, The DuPont Show with June Allyson, The Jack Benny Program, The Jackie Gleason Show, The Colgate Comedy Hour, The Dick Cavett Show, All Star Revue, The Dinah Shore Chevy Show, The Kraft Music Hall, The Red Skelton Hour, The RCA Victor Show, The Perry Como Show, The Arthur Murray Party, Championship Bridge, Celebrity Golf, Celebrity Billiards and many, many more, all here on DVD – with many not seen anywhere in decades. The collection also features a 40-page book with rare photos from the Marx Brothers family archive, program notes and an essay by Marx Brothers historian Robert S. Bader.
Customers ordering from shoutfactory.com will receive a free, limited-edition poster, free U.S. shipping, early shipping on July 15, and a free bonus DVD titled More Bits and Pieces, featuring 90 minutes of content, including appearances on Silver Theater: Papa Romani (5/15/50), The Christophers: It’s Your Serve (12/19/54), Hollywood Palace (4/17/65), Hollywood Palace (3/14/64), See You At the Polls (10/9/56), One Man Show (11/1/69), and the Maxine Marx Interview (1971).
August 19, 2014
MARTIAL ARTS MOVIE MARATHON: VOL. 2
Shout! Factory has collected four of the most sought-after martial arts action classics into one DVD package with the Martial Arts Movie Marathon, Vol. 2. The 2-disc collection features The Fate Of Lee Khan (1973), Shaolin Boxers (1976), The Young Dragons (1974) and The Shaolin Plot (1977) — and includes such renowned talent as Director John Woo (Face/Off, Mission: Impossible II, Broken Arrow, Hard Target), marital arts icon Angela Mao Ying (Stoner, Queen’s Ransom) and celebrated action choreographer Sammo Hung (Ip Man series). Fans will love the opportunity to own these hard-to-find titles available for the first time on DVD August 19, 2014 at one low price of $19.97 SRP.
NEWHART: SEASON 4
Comedy legend Bob Newhart is back as Dick Loudon in Newhart: The Complete Fourth Season, the latest collection of the Emmy-nominated sitcom classic brought to by Shout! Factory. The 3-disc set will be available August 19.
In this season (which originally aired on CBS from 1985-86), life at the Stratford Inn gets even more eccentric for Dick and his wife Joanna (Mary Frann). But in their little Vermont town, and for their friends George (Tom Poston), Stephanie (Julia Duffy) and Michael (Peter Scolari), ‘eccentric’ is business as usual! It all adds up to a series of fresh and delightful events at the Stratford that you’ll love with no reservations.
All twenty-four Season 4 episodes, available on DVD for the first time, are sure to please both newcomers and returning guests of the Loudons. Sit back and enjoy Newhart: The Complete Fourth Season with your brother Darryl…and your other brother Darryl.
LEVIATHAN Blu-ray
Five miles beneath the ocean surface, a crew of underwater miners stumbled upon a haunting secret. What they uncovered will strike terror into our hearts! On August 19, 2014, the long-awaited deep-sea sci-fi creature thriller Leviathan, a film by George P. Cosmatos (Rambo: First Blood Part II, Cobra) finally unleashes on Blu-ray for the first time from Sceam Factory. Starring Peter Weller (Robocop), Richard Crenna (First Blood), Amanda Pays (Max Headroom), Daniel Stern (Home Alone), Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters), Michael Carmine (*Batteries Not Included), Lisa Eilbacher (Beverly Hills Cop) and Hector Elizondo (The Celestine Prophecy), Leviathan features a solid script by veteran screenwriters David Peoples (Blade Runner) and Jeb Stuart (Die Hard, The Fugitive) and amazing creature effects by Stan Winston (Aliens, Predator, Terminator 2, Jurassic Park). Packed with terrifying suspense and creature action, this definitive Blu-ray™ edition is a must-have for sci-fi creature thriller enthusiasts and movie collectors to complete their entertainment library.
On the dark and forbidding ocean floor, the crew of a deep-sea mission rig discovers a sunken freighter that harbors a deadly secret: a genetic experiment gone horribly wrong. With a storm raging on the surface and no hope of rescue, the captain and his team are propelled into a spine-tingling battle for survival against the ultimate foe – a hideous monster that cannot die…and lives to kill!
HEY ARNOLD! THE COMPLETE SERIES (Previously-featured on THE ROCK FATHER here)
Your favorite football head and all his pals are here with enough fun and laughs to cover several city blocks! On August 12th, 2014, Shout! Factory will release Hey Arnold! The Complete Series, a 16-DVD box set featuring all 99 big-city adventures from the classic Nickelodeon animated series.
Life in the big city is one big adventure for Arnold. Living with his grandparents, who run the Sunset Arms boarding house, Arnold shares a roof with a diverse and unusual menagerie of characters (including his pet pig!). But as any fourth grader knows, some of the most memorable people you’ll ever meet are in school. With friends like Arnold’s (including storyteller Gerald, class jinx Eugene, sometime-bully Harold, and the tomboy Helga, who harbors a secret crush on our hero), you can be sure that he’s got some funny exploits to share with fans.
Hey Arnold! features an all-star voice cast, including Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons), Francesca Smith (Recess), Toran Caudell (Recess) and Jamil Walker Smith (SGU Stargate Universe). Created by Craig Bartlett as a comic in 1986, Hey Arnold!debuted as an animated short for the Nickelodeon film Harriet the Spy in 1996. Hey Arnold! went on to air on Nickelodeon from 1996 to 2001. The show also aired on “Nick on CBS” from 2002 until 2004. Whether you want to revisit your own childhood memories or create new ones with your kids, Shout! Factory has two words for you: Hey Arnold!
August 26, 2014
WELCOME BACK, KOTTER: THE COMPLETE SERIES
Return to the 1970s and relive one of the most popular comedies in television history with Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series on DVD. On August 26th, 2014, Shout! Factory will release the classic 1970s sitcom, available for the first time as a complete series on DVD. Nominated for four Primetime Emmy® Awards, the 16-disc Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series box set contains all 95 episodes from the series, as well as bonus features including original screen tests and the featurette “Only a Few Degrees from a Sweathog.”
Wisecracking teacher Gabe Kotter (Gabe Kaplan) is in for the challenge of his career when he accepts a job at his alma mater, teaching an unruly band of misfits called the Sweathogs. His students – including class clown Arnold Horshack (Ron Palillo), hip athlete Freddie “Boom Boom” Washington (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs), tough guy Juan Epstein (Robert Hegyes), and the cocky and “so confused” Vinnie Barbarino (John Travolta in the role that made him a star) – are a proven nightmare for instructors. The Sweathogs think they’ve got Kotter’s number, until they discover that in his younger days, their new teacher was a founding member of their crew!
Featuring the hilarious talents of comedian Gabe Kaplan, John Travolta, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Robert Hegyes, Ron Palillo and Marcia Strassman, Welcome Back, Kotter also features a superb lineup of guest stars, including George Carlin, James Woods, Pat Morita, Scott Brady, Richard Moll, Della Reese and Dinah Madoff. Packed with laughs and heart, Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series will have you rolling with laughter- and maybe even a little nostalgia!
THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE
For the sake of your sanity, pray it isn’t true! Scream Factory brings you The Legend of Hell House on Blu-ray on August 26, 2014. Special features include a new interview with Director John Hough, a new audio commentary with actress Pamela Franklin, and the theatrical trailer.
It sits here, shrouded in mist and mystery, a nesting place for living evil and terror from the dead. It’s Hell House. Roddy McDowall heads the cast of this exciting chiller about four psychic investigators and the dark, brooding mansion they call “the Mt. Everest of haunted houses.” It’s already destroyed one team of researchers. Now this brave quartet ventures in for another try at unraveling its secrets. But before they succeed, they must suffer through madness, murder and everything else that the spirits who dwell here have in store for them. Yet learning the truth just might drive them all insane.
An ingeniously devised ghost story, The Legend Of Hell House will thrill and delight veteran horror fans from the first creaking door to the very last slithering shadow.
Want more great pop culture on Blu-ray and DVD? Check out Shout! Factory’s official site.
