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David Gordon Green’s ‘Halloween’ Out on Blu-Ray and DVD Today!

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The moment has finally arrived. Halloween, co-written by David Gordon Green, Danny McBride, and Jeff Fradley with Green directing, is out on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-Ray, DVD, and ON DEMAND today!

Taking place 40 years after the original, the new Halloween is a direct sequel to the 1978 film. Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) has never fully dealt with the trauma of that long ago night, and her PTSD has effected the lives of everyone around her, including her daughter (Judy Greer) and granddaughter (Andi Matichak).

The film was box office gold for Blumhouse and Universal and while it has been available for a couple of weeks on digital streaming services, today is the day that physical media collectors have waited for.

Why, you ask? We want the special features, of course!

Halloween comes with a few select special features including deleted/extended scenes and five short featurettes.

The deleted and extended scenes here are exactly what one would expect on a release like this. These are the scenes that ran too long or simply slowed down the pace of the film, ultimately, though I wonder if two scenes in particular weren’t cut for another reason.

I’m going to include a brief synopsis of these scenes which contain some spoilers. If you want to see them for yourself, skip everything between the “***” above and below the information.

If you’re curious about my theory or want to know more before watching, read on!

***

In a scene titled, “Extended Shooting Range–Deleted Suicide Thoughts”, we see a much longer scene of Laurie on the shooting range and then back in her home cleaning her guns and making sure they’re in working order. As the scene comes to a close Laurie loads a single bullet into the revolver and places it under her chin, losing herself for a moment as if she’s actually considering shooting herself.

Given her mental state in the film, thoughts of suicide would not be uncommon, and it’s a poignant and powerful scene. However, for many, this is a disturbing and triggering topic and the studio may have cut this one short in order to avoid those issues.

Likewise, in “Jog to a Hanging Dog”, we see Laurie’s granddaughter out for a morning jog when she comes upon the police and a disturbed family who have found their dog hanging from his haunches in their tree.

His head is bloody and it’s just, in general, rough to see, though it echoes Michael killing a dog in the original film. In a day and age where websites exist to let people know whether animals and dogs in particular are killed in a film, it’s highly likely again that the studio pulled this scene to avoid potential backlash.

***

Back with me? Okay, here we go.

The five featurettes on the physical media release are pretty standard behind the scenes fare.

“Back in Haddonfield: Making Halloween” gives a few quotes and glimpses of the making of the film while “The Original Scream Queen” focuses on Jamie Lee Curtis’s return to the franchise.

“Journey of the Mask” features FX Make Up Designer Christopher Nelson discussing the creation of the new mask while honoring the legacy of the original interspersed with brief clips of James Jude Courtney, Jamie Lee Curtis, and David Gordon Green discussing what the mask has meant to them.

Particularly interesting are Courtney’s comments on how his whole demeanor seemed to change when he donned the mask, himself.

“The Legacy of Halloween” finds Green, Carpenter, and Curtis together with Jason Blum discussing their own thoughts on why the original film worked and how they connected it with the new film. It’s a great little feature, though very brief, and exciting to see these creative people exchanging ideas and comments with Curtis sort of acting as moderator.

Finally, and my favorite of the features, “The Sound of Fear” takes us inside John Carpenter’s studio where he and his son, Cody, and Dan Davies created the score for the new film.

The three really created something special with the score and not only do they describe their creative process, but we’re also given glimpses of them writing and working together.

While all of the features are entertaining, my biggest complaint is that it is all so brief. It took barely a half hour to watch the special features on the Blu-Ray, which also lacks a feature commentary.

Perhaps I’m showing my age, but one of the reasons I began collecting physical media was because of all the amazing hours of bonus footage, feature length documentaries, etc. that were once standard on most big film releases.

In recent years, however, those seem to be either gone all together or they only become available on later “anniversary” releases, special editions, etc.

I’m not entirely certain why this came to be, but as a fan and collector I’m left wanting more when I reach the end of a special features list and find I’ve still got hours left to my evening.

Still, what is available is great, and the film itself is well worth owning for fans of this classic franchise!

Halloween is available today, January 15, 2019, on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-Ray, and DVD at retailers across the country and online, and ON DEMAND.

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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