BILLY THE KID VS. DRACULA 1966 On Blu

 
 
    On Aug. 20 Kino Lorber will be releasing BILLY THE KID VS. DRACULA. Along with its co-feature JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER, it was directed by William Beaudrie who had a career going back to the silent era and these two features were his final credits. Long a staple of those "worst movie ever made" discussions it's a true low-budget oddity with top-billed Caradine playing a vampire count (the name "Dracula"is never mentioned in the film) who sets up shop in an abandoned silver mine (where most of the plot seems to take place) and sets his sights on Billy's fiance as his new bride. Billy was played by longtime Hollywood stuntman Chuck Courtney who had played the Lone Ranger's nephew on the 1950's TV series.
   No word yet on extras or the release of its companion feature.

THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT 4K Blu From Kino

      

  

     Kino Lorber have recently announced Michael Cimino's 1974 THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT for a new release later this year. Previously a limited release from Twilight Time this will be a fresh 4K scan of the original camera negative along with a new batch of extras.
    After the upheavals of the 60's American cinema hit the road in the 70's, while often such as here traveling through the vast open spaces of the west. Featuring near career best performances by Clint Eastwood and an Oscar nominated Jeff Bridges along with some surprisingly lean and tight direction, helped along by some doubtless backseat directing courtesy of Clint, from a pre- DEER HUNTER & HEAVEN'S GATE Cimino working from his own screenplay. This combination road/heist film is at its core a very moving story of friendship, loneliness & male bonding shot through Frank Stanley's (MAGNUM FORCE) gorgeous cinematography in a breathtakingly beautiful Montana landscape.
    Along with some endlessly debated subtexts there's also some scene stealing work by George Kennedy and Geoffrey Lewis, plus a host of familiar character faces including several members of the Sam Peckinpah stock company. Catherine Bach (DUKES OF HAZARD) shows up in her first acting credit and plus you get a wonderfully demented performance by the great Bill McKinney.