The summer fun continues for film fans in July, as Arrow deliver a bulging picnic basket packed with splatter flicks, J-Horror, crime classics, superior sequels and unmissable documentaries.
First up is the Dual Format special edition release of Jörg Buttgereit’s 1991 splatter sensation Nekromantik 2, the follow-up to his controversial and groundbreaking masterwork. Starring the delectable Monika M. as a nurse with very dark desires, Nekromantik 2 sees Buttgereit, with a bigger budget, able to run riot with his truly depraved imagination in a jaw-dropping slice of German splatter. Presented with a new High Definition transfer approved by the director, and a host of behind the scenes features, this is a must for fans of the first film, and extreme cinema fanatics everywhere.
Also this month, J-Horror fans are in for a big treat with a Dual Format release of Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s haunting Pulse, which sees people in Tokyo compelled to commit suicide after visiting a mysterious website. The special edition features a High Definition transfer and brand new interviews with the filmmakers.
July sees two fantastic releases for connoisseurs of crime cinema. Firstly, the arrival on Dual Format of Mike Figgis’ acclaimed 1988 ‘Geordie noir’, Stormy Monday, starring Sean Bean, Melanie Griffith, Tommy Lee Jones and Sting. Set in Newcastle, the film sees Bean as a nightclub janitor caught in a dangerous love triangle with Griffith and Jones.
Then there is the Dual Format release of New Battles Without Honour And Humanity - The Complete Trilogy, the 1970s Japanese crime classic series making its UK English-language home video debut. From legendary Battle Royale director Kinji Fukasaku, starring Bunta Sugawara in three separate yakuza stories set in various parts of Japan, the films are hard-boiled and action packed, and the limited edition set features new subtitle translations, a host of extras and a collectable book.
At the end of the month, the mother of all serial killers Norman Bates returns in Psycho II, released for the first time on UK Blu-ray. The 1983 sequel, directed by Richard Franklin, stars Anthony Perkins (as Norman), Vera Miles and Meg Tilly, and shocked cinemagoers when it first appeared, not least because it was so damned good - and has come to be regarded as one of the finest horror sequels ever made.
Also at the end of July, the release on DVD and Blu-ray of Future Shock! The Story Of 2000AD, a superb 2014 documentary about arguably the greatest British sci-fi comic ever, with interviews from the writers and artists that gave the world the likes of Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog and, of course, Tharg. It’s a truly scrotnig film, and if you don’t know what that means, you need to watch it immediately, along with over six hours of previously unseen extras.
Nekromantik 2 - on Dual Format Blu-ray + DVD on 3 July 2017
Prepare to be shocked all over again with notorious German director Jörg Buttgereit’s Nekromantik 2,
a sequel every bit as bizarre, perversely erotic and jaw-dropping as
the first film. As well as a host of special features including
Buttgereit short films and music videos, this special edition release
includes a director approved High Definition transfer.
Pulse - on Dual Format Blu-ray + DVD on 10 July 2017
This
exquisite release of one of the finest J-Horrors of all time features a
host of special features, including brand new interviews and
appreciations, teamed with archive documentaries and footage. A must for
fans of Japanese ghost stories, in a fantastic Hi-Def transfer, with a
specially commissioned reversible sleeve, and a limited edition
illustrated collector’s book with the first pressing.
Stormy Monday - on Dual Format Blu-ray + DVD on 10 July 2017
Taking it’s cue from Tyneside-set crime classic Get Carter, Mike Figgis’ cult thriller Stormy Monday
boasts an all star cast including Tommy Lee Jones, Melanie Griffith,
Sean Bean and Sting, and drips with atmosphere and intensity. The
release features a commentary from Figgis, a reversible sleeve, and a
limited edition booklet with the first pressing.
New Battles Without Honour And Humanity - on Dual Format Blu-ray + DVD on 17 July 2017
Director Kinji Fukasaku’s epic gangster trilogy, New Battles Without Honour And Humanity is
a hard-hitting, take-no-prisoners crime thriller series, starring Bunta
Sugawara in all three films, as a hitman, a gambler and a labourer
respectively. Making its English language home video debut courtesy of
Arrow Video, in a limited edition packed with extras, and an illustrated
collector’s book, this is a genuinely exciting release of a crime
masterwork.
Psycho II - on Blu-ray on 31 July 2017
Director
Richard Franklin does Hitchcock proud with this eagerly-awaited sequel
to the classic chiller, with Anthony Perkins returning as Norman Bates
and opening his mother’s motel up to a whole new host of unlucky guests.
This UK Blu-ray debut boasts a pristine digital transfer from original
film elements, commentaries and interviews, and a collector’s booklet
featuring new writing on the film.
Future Shock: The Story Of 2000AD - on Blu-ray & DVD on 31 July 2017
A
thrilling look at the much-loved comic book from its inception in 1977
through to its 40th Anniversary this very year, with contributions from
the likes of Grant Morrison, John Wagner, Neil Gaiman, Dredd
writer / producer Alex Garland, and Judge Dredd himself, comic fan Karl
Urban. Loaded with a staggering six hours of previously unseen extras,
the first pressing also comes with an illustrated collector’s book,
making it a must-buy for comic fans.
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