Stars: Barbara Steele, Ian Ogilvy, John Karlsen, Mel Welles, Joe ‘Flash’ Riley, Richard Watson, Lucretia Love, Peter Grippe | Written and Directed by Michael Reeves

Revenge of the Blood Beast, also known as The She-Beast, is a 1966 horror film directed by Michael Reeves. This movie is a unique blend of Gothic horror and campy humour, which offers a curious mix of eerie atmosphere and unintentional comedy.

The story revolves around a newlywed couple, Philip and Veronica, who are honeymooning in Transylvania. They encounter an eccentric innkeeper and a deranged scientist, Count von Helsing. An ancient witch, executed centuries ago, is resurrected and possesses Veronica, leading to a series of supernatural events. Barbara Steele, known for her roles in Gothic horror films, stars as Veronica. Her performance is captivating and adds a layer of authenticity to the supernatural elements of the film. Ian Ogilvy, as Philip, delivers a solid performance, balancing the...

Antonio Margheriti made several space epics about ‘errant planets’ posing dangers to Earth; this one gets all the attention via star casting. Claude Rains’ bombastic but brilliant scientist advises space command to blow up the planetoid, and then chooses attack day to go see its interior for himself. Toy rockets, overripe dialogue and thunderous acting from Rains ensue, leading to a finale in an ‘alien brain cave’ made of colored plastic tubes. This critical ‘triumph of the imagination’ indeed makes something entertaining out of very, very little. The presentation includes a half-hour docu hosted by Tim Lucas, a graduate class listed as ‘Italo Space Intro 101.’

Battle of the Worlds

Blu-ray

The Film Detective

1962 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 84 min. / Street Date August 9, 2022 / Il pianeta degli uomini spenti / Available from The Film Detective

Starring: Claude Rains, Bill Carter, Umberto Orsini, Maya Brent, Jacqueline Derval, Renzo Palmer, Carlo d’Angelo, Carol Danell, Jim Dolen, Joe Pollini,...

Italian horror from the early 1960s covers a wide range of quality, from eerie hauntings to tacky vampire romps. For one of his first major credits, ace giallo scribe Ernesto Gastaldi cooks up Lycanthropus, a murder mystery in which the savage slashing is committed by a drooling maniac with a hairy face, wild eyes and saber-toothed fangs. You saw the poster out front, kid — do you think it might be … a werewolf? Director Paolo Heusch’s thriller is no classic, but neither is it stupid — and the original Italian language option on this disc reveals good work by a spirited cast. Dreamy Polish starlet Barbara Lass is a much more assertive, independent female than what we expect from conventional Italo horror fare.

Werewolf in a Girls’ Dormitory

(Lycanthropus)

Blu-ray

Severin Films

1961 / B&w / 1:66 widescreen / 85 min. / Street Date November 12, 2019 / 34.98

Starring: Barbara Lass (Kwiatkowska), Carl Schell, Curt Lowens, Maurice Marsac, Luciano Pigozzi,...

Horror and sci-fi home entertainment titles are really picking up this week, as we have almost 20 different Blu-rays and DVDs coming home this Tuesday. Universal is keeping themselves busy with several notable releases including Death Race 2050, Ouija: Origin of Evil, 12 Monkeys: Season Two, and a Ouija double feature.

Scream Factory is dusting off two cult classics, Slumber Party Massacre II and III for a special Blu-ray featuring the slasher sequels, and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is getting you guys pumped for the upcoming release of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter with several new Blu-ray releases for the franchise's first four films.

Other notable releases for January 17th include Revenge of the Blood Beast, 24 Hours to Die, Wolf House, Mountain Devil, and Space Clown.

Ouija: Origin of Evil (Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Blu / DVD / Digital HD & DVD)

It was never just a game. Inviting audiences again into the lore of the spirit board,...

Revenge of the Blood Beast

Blu-ray

Rarovideo

1966 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 79 min. / Il lago di Satana, La sorella di Satana, The She-Beast / Street Date January 17, 2017 / 29.95

Starring: Barbara Steele, John Karlsen, Ian Ogilvy, Mel Welles, Lucretia Love

Cinematography: Gioacchino Gengarelli

Film Editor: Nira Omri

Original Music: Paul Ferris

Produced by: Paul Maslansky, Michael Reeves

Written and Directed by Michael Reeves

It’s back into the genre argument pits with the interesting director Michael Reeves. Reeves has persisted as a cult figure far longer than most directors with only three credited feature films. The movies are uneven but promising, and certainly the artistic equal (or better) than most of the work being turned out at the time by American-International and the majority of the Euro-horror crowd. The second half of the 1960s saw a general depression in the horror field, with Hammer losing touch with its audience and continental fare turning to sex content to generate interest.

Writer-director Sergio Sollima gives us one of the best 'political' Italo westerns from the pre- May '68 era... with two top stars in great form, Gian Maria Volontè and Tomas Milian. This two-disc German import has both the long and short versions of the movie in HD, with full language options for each. Face to Face (Faccia a faccia; Von Angesicht zu Angesicht) Region A+B Blu-ray Explosive Media (Alive) 1967 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 93, 112 min. / Street Date April 29, 2016 / available at Amazon.de / E 21,93 Starring Gian Maria Volontè, Tomas Milian, William Berger, Jolanda Modio, Gianni Rizzo, Carole André Ángel del Pozo, Aldo Sambrell, Antonio Casas, Lidia Alfonsi, John Karlsen, Gastone Moschin, G&eacutge;rard Tichy. Cinematography Raphael Pacheco Film Editor Eugenio Alabiso Original Music Ennio Morricone Art Direction and sets Carlo Simi Written by Sergio Donati, Sergio Sollima Produced by Arturo González, Alberto Grimaldi <Directed by Sergio Sollima

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

Wow,...

It was a winner right out of the starting gate, an instant classic that's still a pleasure for the eyes and ears. Carroll Ballard and Caleb Deschanel's marvel of a storybook movie has yet to be surpassed, with a boy-horse story that seems to be taking place in The Garden of Eden. The Black Stallion Blu-ray The Criterion Collection 765 1979 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 117 min. / Street Date July 14, 2015 / 39.95 Starring Kelly Reno, Mickey Rooney, Teri Garr, Clarence Muse, Hoyt Axton, Michael Higgins, Ed McNamara, Doghmi Larbi, John Karlsen, Leopoldo Trieste, Marne Maitland, Cass-Olé. Cinematography Caleb Deschanel Film Editor Robert Dalva Supervising Sound Editor Alan Splet Original Music Carmine Coppola Written by Melissa Mathison, Jeanne Rosenberg, William D. Wittliff from the novel by Walter Farley Produced by Fred Roos, Tom Sternberg Directed by Carroll Ballard

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

Francis Coppola divided audiences with his war epic Apocalypse Now, but in the same...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

She Beast (1966)

Written and Directed by: Michael Reeves

Cast: Barbara Steele (Veronica), John Karlsen (Count von Helsing), Ian Ogilvy (Philip) Mel Welles (Landislav Groper)Richard Watson (Comrade Police Lieutenant)

This week I’m going really old school with a British Italian horror classic, “The She Beast”. There’s the strong possibility that I have seen this movie in the past maybe on a local channel from back in the day, but I don’t recall it if I did. I should have though, because, it’s definitely an important film in the history of horror. It won’t change your life if you watch it now, but I bet it inspired some horror filmmakers early on, whose work we enjoy today.

“The She Beast” tells the story of the evil witch Vardella, who is terrorizing villagers in 18th century Transylvania. Finally, the townspeople have had enough,...

Warning: If you love horror films (and you obviously do, since you’re visiting this site) and are over the age of 13, do not listen to the last section of the audio commentary on Dark Sky’s The She-beast DVD. What you’ll find is an attack on horror fans everywhere, with producer Paul Maslansky stating that all genre films are childish and the only people who like them are kids. Actually, to be fair, he states that they are not for “serious people,” but instead are for those who have no “critical faculties” and are “grown-up children”. Oh yeah, and apparently we fright fans have “lower standards” when it comes to cinema.

While this verbal bashing lasts only a few minutes toward the end of an otherwise fascinating commentary (although there are murmurs of this attitude throughout), it still leaves a bad taste in one’s mouth. Doesn’t...

Michael Reeves. directorial debut must.ve had a budget of around $25, but it still a film that you can.t help but watch. It would lead to much bigger things for the director, but his career would end on a tragic note. Dark Sky brings out another cult classic to DVD as the She Beast prowls again. Honeymooners Veronica (Barbara Steele) and Phillip (Ian Ogilvy) are touring scenic Transylvania (didn.t know that it was a popular honeymoon spot?). They stop at the inn of a perverted innkeeper Ladislav Groper (Mel Welles) and meet the strange Count Von Helsing (John Karlsen). The odd Count tells them the local legend of the witch Vardella (played by a stuntman in a...