SHADOW OF THE HAWK 1976 On Blu

    One of the more interesting and up till now examples of missing 70's horror SHADOW OF THE HAWK will be released on Blu-ray by Mill Creek on Sept. 18. Paired up with 1979's NIGHTWING., SHADOW OF THE HAWK was one of the numerous Canadian tax shelter movies that were made during this period. Most often doing their best to hide their Canadian origins, they're a fascinating (especially in the case of  horror/thriller films) sub-genre with examples such as MY BLOODY VALENTINE (1982), RITUALS (1976) and of course David Cronenberg's early work.
   Directed by George McCowan (FROGS 1972) SHADOW OF THE HAWK is an interesting (and sometime daffy) story with young executive Jan-Michael Vincent whose grandfather Chief Dan George enlists his help in fighting a malevolent Native American spirit. It would make a great dbl. feat, with William Gridler's THE MANITOU from 1978 (still sadly missing from DVD) and features Jan-Michael wrestling a bear!  The story doesn't hold up to close inspection and the special effects are a bit more ambitious then the budget allows, but it's a fun piece of 70's horror.
   NIGHTWING is one of the plethora of nature runs amok movies from this time and a good cast helps elevate it although it has the look of TV movie from the period. 

EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC Coming on Blu!!!

     In a surprise (some would say shocking) announcement Scream Factory is unleashing John Boorman's much maligned EXORCIST sequel on Blu-ray. Streeting on Sept. 25 it will include both including the 117 minute initial release cut and the 110 minute re-edited version that was put into wide release after the film's disastrous opening.
    Always on my Halloween watch list and rightly almost universally ridiculed, I've always found an almost a perverse fascination in it as a mind bogglingly example of WTF cinema with some sequences almost laugh out loud hilarious. Featuring a gorgeous looking Linda Blair, a scenery gobbling performance by Richard Burton and a fresh off her Oscar win Louise Fletcher along with a returning Max von Sydow as Father Merrin. Plus, you've got James Earl Jones, Paul Henried (CASABLANCA) in his last role and swarms of locusts.

THE EVIL 1978 On Blu

    On Sept. 18 Scream Factory will release this 1978 late night cable staple on Blu-ray. Directed by Gus Trikonis who had an interesting career in early 70's exploitation including THE SWING BARMAIDS (1975). NASHVILLE GIRL (1976), THE STUDENT BODY (1976) and MOONSHINE COUNTY EXPRESS (1977) it was probably seen by him a move forward into more mainstream projects (he was also a co-writer on the screenplay). Barely released theatrically by New World it showed up constantly on late night TV during the 80's and its video box would haunt the shelves of mom & pop video store everywhere.
   Starring Richard Crenna (FIRST BLOOD), Joanna Pettet (A CRY IN THE WILDERNESS) and 70's horror mainstay Andrew Prine (ANDREW KING OF WITCHES & BARN OF THE NAKED DEAD) it features the standard plot of group of people trapped in a house with unsavory past, but the film does add some different elements to proceedings and the characters back stories. Going into some real bizarre territory in its finale (complete with an unforgettable cameo by Victor Buono) the film has always been somewhat unfairly maligned.
   Previously available from Shout on a dbl. feature DVD with TWICE DEAD the new Blu will feature a new 2K scan from the only surviving elements along with an audio commentary with Trikonis, write Donald G. Thompson and director of photography Mario Di Leo moderated by Walter Olsen (ported over from the DVD) plus a trailer and TV spot.