Year: 2014

RoboCop 2

RoboCop 2 VHS cover art. Movie starring Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Dan O'Herlihy, Belinda Bauer, John Glover, Mario Machado. Written by Frank Miller, Walon Green. Directed by Irvin Kershner. 1990.

RoboCop 2 on VHS. Starring Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Dan O’Herlihy, Belinda Bauer, John Glover, Mario Machado. Written by Frank Miller, Walon Green. Directed by Irvin Kershner. 1990.

From the box:

The sizzling sequel to 1987’s sci-fi blockbuster brings back “The Future of Law Enforcement,” RoboCop, to face his greatest challenge ever! Peter Weller returns as the half man/half machine police officer, this time to rid the lawless streets of Detroit of the deadly new designer drug “Nuke.” Unknown to RoboCop, the evil corporate empire which created him wants to take the city “private.” and develop RoboCop 2, a newer, bigger and more powerful version to replace the original.

You Have The Right To Upgrade To DVD : RoboCop 2

Read Your Rights: RoboCop 2: A Novel

Hear Your Rights: RoboCop 2 (Original Score) [Soundtrack] Leonard Rosenman | Format: Audio CD

The Bride of Frankenstein

The Bride of Frankenstein VHS cover art. Movie starring Boris Karloff, Elsa Lanchester, Colin Clive, Valerie Hobson. Directed by James Whale. From the brain of Mary Shelley. 1935.

The Bride of Frankenstein on VHS. Starring Boris Karloff, Elsa Lanchester, Colin Clive, Valerie Hobson. Directed by James Whale. From the brain of Mary Shelley. 1935.

From the box:

One of the most outstanding horror classics of all times, and a superb sequel to the original Frankenstein. Horror great, Boris Karloff, reprises his role as film history’s most misunderstood monster who now longs for a mate of his own. Also starring Colin Clive as Dr. Frankenstein, and the incredible Elsa Lanchester as the ill-fated monster-made Bride sporting Hollywood’s most infamous hairdo.
Directed by the original’s James Whale (his last horror film) produced by the original’s Oscar-winning Carl Laemmle, Jr., with a haunting score by Frank Waxman, The Bride of Frankenstein ranks as one of the finest films of the horror genre.

DVD Upgrade: The Bride of Frankenstein (Universal Studios Classic Monster Collection)

Read The First Part For Free: Frankenstein [Kindle Edition] Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (Author)

Dracula’s Daughter

Dracula's Daughter VHS cover art. Classic horror movie starring Otto Kruger, Gloria Holden, Marguerite Churchill, Edward Van Sloan, Nan Grey. Directed by Lambert Hillyer. 1936.

Dracula’s Daughter on VHS. Starring Otto Kruger, Gloria Holden, Marguerite Churchill, Edward Van Sloan, Nan Grey. Directed by Lambert Hillyer. 1936.

From the box:

This popular horror classic picks up where Dracula left off. Dr. Von Helsing (Edward Van Sloan), thinking he has rid London of all vampire, is instead arrested for murder. Just when Von Helsing’s fate seems sealed, the bodies suddenly disappear. Soon, several people are found mysteriously killed, their bodies drained of all blood.
Meanwhile, beautiful and mysterious Countess Marya Zaleska (Gloria Holden) appears in London. The trouble woman seeks the understanding Dr. Garth (Otto Kruger), Von Helsing’s psychiatrist for consultation.
A mysterious sequence of events surrounding a disoriented young girl (Nan Grey) leads Von Helsing and Garth to deduce the countess must be a vampire. They set off to Transylvania after the elusive countess to rescue Garth’s beautiful fiancée (Marguerite Churchill) in this engrossing thriller.

DVD Upgrade: Dracula’s Daughter/Son of Dracula (Universal Studios Dracula Double Feature)

Read The Novel Inspired By The Classic Film (Like A Movie Tie-In Written 40 Years After) By John Ramsey Campbell: Dracula’s Daughter Mass Market Paperback by Carl Dreadstone (Author)

Dracula

Dracula VHS cover art (sealed). Gothic movie starring Frank Langella, Laurence Olivier, Donald Pleasence, Kate Nelligan. Directed by John Badham. From the book by Bram Stoker. 1979.

Dracula on VHS (sealed). Starring Frank Langella, Laurence Olivier, Donald Pleasence, Kate Nelligan. Directed by John Badham. From the book by Bram Stoker. 1979.

From the box:

Throughout history, Dracula has filled the hearts of men with terror and the hearts of women with desire. This stylish new production of the classic gothic horror tale stars Frank Langella, repeating the his electrifying award-winning stage performance as the bloodthirsty Count, and Laurence Olivier as the devout vampire hunter Von Helsing who is Dracula’s nemesis. A great cast, fine direction and a superbly atmospheric score make this the ultimate Dracula.

DVD Upgrade: Dracula

Sink Your Teeth Into The Book For Free: Dracula [Kindle Edition]

Jethro Tull Slipstream

Jethro Tull Slipstream VHS cover art. Music video starring Ian Anderson (flute, vocals), Martin Barre (electric guitar), Mark Craney (drums), Dave Pegg (bass), Eddie Jobson (keyboards, electric violin). Written by George Stone. Directed by David Mallet. 1981.

Jethro Tull Slipstream on VHS. Starring Ian Anderson (flute, vocals), Martin Barre (electric guitar), Mark Craney (drums), Dave Pegg (bass), Eddie Jobson (keyboards, electric violin). Written by George Stone. Directed by David Mallet. 1981.

From the box:

Jethro Tull look even better on screen than they do on stage.

How do you take one of the world’s leading rock bands like Jethro Tull and improve on their live performance?
After all, their stage act is as famous for the way it looks as for the way it sounds.
Slipstream, conceived and executed specially for the screen is the answer.
And even though concert material is naturally included, Slipstream is far more adventurous than previous music programs.
The format is conceptual from start to finish with a coherent storyline.
It includes film shot on locations as well as in the studio, together with animation, special effects and library footage.
The band members themselves appear in a number of different guises in the conceptual sequences, with Ian Anderson adopting such diverse roles as Aqualung, the music hero of a previous album, and Dracula.
All in all, it’s a unique show and probably one of the most adventurous music specials ever made.


Songs: Black Sunday, Dun Ringil, Flylingdale Flyer, Songs From the Wood, Heavy Horses, Sweet Dream, Too Old to Rock ‘n’ Toll, Too Young to Die, Skating Away, Aqualung, Locomotive Breath.

DVD/CD Upgrade: A/Slipstream

Slipstream Guitar Tab: Slipstream

DVD Only: Jethro Tull – Slipstream

This is Spinal Tap

This is Spinal Tap VHS cover art. Movie starring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner, June Chadwick, Bruno Kirby, Tony Hendra. With Ed Begley Jr., Fran Drescher, Fred Willard, Anjelica Huston, Howard Hesseman, Billy Crystal, Dana Carvey, Paul Shaffer. Directed by Rob Reiner. 1984.

This is Spinal Tap on VHS. Starring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner, June Chadwick, Bruno Kirby, Tony Hendra. With Ed Begley Jr., Fran Drescher, Fred Willard, Anjelica Huston, Howard Hesseman, Billy Crystal, Dana Carvey, Paul Shaffer. Directed by Rob Reiner. 1984.

From the box:
This videocassette contains previously unreleased theatrical material:
The explosively familiar “Hell Hole” video (as seen on MTV)! Plus “Heavy Metal Memories,” the unforgettable greatest-hits commercial that could not be suppressed!

You’ll never be able to watch a rock group seriously again after experiencing this hilarious comedy about a supposed heavy-metal band called Spinal Tap. Once upon a time they had a pretty big hit song. Now, nearly two decades later, Spinal Tap still clings to some glint of their lost glory as they embark on an accident-plagued tour across America. In Cleveland, the group gets lost underneath the stage. In Washington, they’re accidentally booked at an Air Force formal dance. And in a Chicago record store, no one shows up to get their autographs. It’s the “rockumentary” parody that’ll leave you cheering. Directed with great wit and affection by Rob Reiner.

From left to right, Spinal Tap is: Nigel Tufnel, Derek Smalls, David St. Hubbins, Mick Shrimpton, Viv Savage.
From left to right, Spinal Tap is: Nigel Tufnel, Derek Smalls, David St. Hubbins, Mick Shrimpton, Viv Savage.

DVD Upgrade: This Is Spinal Tap (The Criterion Collection)

The Follow-up: Return of Spinal Tap

Even More Spinal Tap: Back from the Dead

Fire and Ice

Fire and Ice VHS cover art. Animated movie starring Randy Norton, Cynthia Leake, Steve Sandor, Sean Hannon, Leo Gordon, William Ostrander. Directed by Ralph Bakshi. Produced by Ralph Bakshi and Frank Frazetta. 1983.

Fire and Ice on VHS. Starring Randy Norton, Cynthia Leake, Steve Sandor, Sean Hannon, Leo Gordon, William Ostrander. Directed by Ralph Bakshi. Produced by Ralph Bakshi and Frank Frazetta. 1983.

From the box:

A Masterpiece Of Fantasy And Illustration

Fire and Ice, an animated adventure film, is the work of the imaginations of Ralph Bakshi and Frank Frazetta, masters of fantasy and illustration. A tiny village is destroyed by a surging glacier, which serves as the deadly domain for the evil Ice Lord, Nekron. The only survivor is a young warrior, Larn, who vows to avenge this act of destruction! The evil continues, however, as Nekron’s palace of ice heads straight towards Fire Keep, the great fortress ruled by the good King Jarol. When Jarol’s beautiful daughter, Teegra, is abducted by Nekron’s subhuman ape-like creatures, Larn begins a daring search for her. What results is a tense battle between good and evil, surrounded by the mystical elements of the ancient past!

DVD Upgrade: Fire and Ice (Two-Disc Limited Edition)

Something Weird Video Presents Hey Folks! — It’s Intermission Time

Something Weird Video Presents Hey Folks -- It's Intermission Time

From the box:

A barrage of wacky intermission shorts from moviehouses and drive-ins of the 50’s and 60’s!

Look! Up on the screen! It’s a monster! It’s a nuclear accident! It’s… it’s… it’s a pizza?
Used to be, back in the old days, moviehouses and drive-in theaters (remember them?) would show more than one film each evening. And between features, audiences were shown short films to keep them occupied. They entertained, they advertised, and, sometimes by accident, they even appalled.
Something Weird Video’s Hey, Folks! It’s Intermission Time! is a loving tribute to those cute little films of yore that have, with the passing of time, become the stuff of cinematic lore.
This two-hour collection features a barrage of intermission shorts from the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s. If you grew up in any of those decades, you’re sure to get a healthy dose of nostalgia taking them all in on this program.
Included here are items that will not only interest movie fans, but social historians as well. Witness, for example, a 1950’s clip urging theater patrons to “save standard time and stop daylight savings time by writing to your newspaper editor.” The clip suggests “just follow the sun.” Then there’s the anti-TV number that illustrates the tiny dimensions of a television screen, especially when compared to a huge movie screen. It’s a telling reminder of how fearful the movie industry was of the burgeoning TV “giant” in the ’50s.
As evidenced on this tape, the drive-ins of yesteryear were as much a place to pig-out as make out… or watch a movie. Scores of short films display the “scrumptious delights” awaiting Passion Pit patrons at the snack bar. There’s yummy hamburgers! Actually, most look like grilled Brillo Pads. Appetizing hot dogs. Is there something wrong with the projector or do weenies always look some strange shade of green in drive-in movie ads? Spicy California Pizza. Appears to be something else. Perhaps a creature from another galaxy?
Strangely enough, one of the between-show segments features two crudely-drawn crooks robbing a house. A perfect scenario for keeping families comfortable while they are miles from home enjoying an evening at their favorite drive-in theater! — Irv Slifkin

DVD Upgrade: Something Weird Video Presents Hey Folks — It’s Intermission Time

RIP Mike Vraney, founder of Something Weird Video: Daily Grindhouse Obit

Best of Marvel Cartoons

Best of Marvel Cartoons on VHS.

Best of Marvel Cartoons on VHS.

Compilation including:

Iron Man: Enter Hawkeye, So Spins The Web, Triple Jeopardy
The Hulk: Micro-Monsters, The Lair Of The Leader, To Live Again
Sub-Mariner: Peril In The Surface World, So Spreads The Net, The Unveiling, The Start Of The Quest, Escape… To Nowhere, A Prince There Was
Captain America: The Sentinel And The Spy, The Fantastic Origin Of Red Skull, Lest Tyranny Triumph, The Origin Of Captain America, Wreckers Among Us, Enter Red Skull

Many with original commercials.

Running Time: 1 hour 52 minutes

DVD Upgrade: Not Readily Available

The Fantastic Four

The Fantastic Four (1994) on VHS. Starring Alex Hyde-White, Jay Underwood, Rebecca Staab, Michael Bailey Smith, Joseph Culp, Carl Ciarfalio, George Gaynes. Directed by Oley Sassone. Produced by Roger Corman. 1994.

The Fantastic Four on VHS. Starring Alex Hyde-White, Jay Underwood, Rebecca Staab, Michael Bailey Smith, Joseph Culp, Carl Ciarfalio, George Gaynes. Directed by Oley Sassone. Produced by Roger Corman. 1994.

From the box:

Lights! Spandex! Action!

Can Marvel capitalize on this comic quartet?

DVD Upgrade: Not Readily Available

But here’s the story about this doomed movie on Blu-ray from Amazon

(One of these days when I figure out where I put this I’ll scan the back cover.)