50% OFF BLUE UNDERGROUND @ MVD...WHAT SHOULD YOU BUY?!
Tax season is upon us and those who are receiving money back this year and yearning to know where to spend it should look no further than MVD ENTERTAINMENT and their BLUE UNDERGROUND sale! Veteran collectors need no introduction to the pedigree label run by cult film legend WILLIAM (BILL) LUSTIG, and for those unfamiliar with BLUE UNDERGROUND all you need to know is that they own the rights to some of the best horror films in the history of the genre. As hyperbolic as that may sound, it is anything but and this article will tell you why. The fine folks at MVD ENTERTAINMENT seem to want you to spend your refunds on some killer movies, so they are offering 50%+ off heaps of new and back catalog BLUE UNDERGROUND films. Details on the sale are below:
BLUE UNDERGROUND SALE 2022
50%+ off SRP on select titles - Now through 4/18/22 12:00 pm East Coast Time
US customers only (MVD only has US rights for Blue Underground titles)
While supplies last
Limit two copies, per title, per customer per order
Limit 15 total units per order
$5.99 Flat Rate Media Mail shipping for all orders
Slipcovers are not guaranteed
Over 180 titles to choose from!
We are Macabre Daily care about you and want to make sure that you spend your hard-earned refunds and dollars on movies you will enjoy more than once. With sales like these, it can be dizzying with so many titles to choose from. So we have put together a list of 10 films you should really consider picking up during this amazing sale!
THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY (1981) - LUCIO FULCI
Lucio Fulci is not just a horror legend, he is one of my favorite filmmakers of all time. While his films are seldom coherent and often outrageous, they are also wildly creative and absurdly entertaining. THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETARY is part of the pantheon of the Italian Horror genre, and this 4K release from BLUE UNDERGROUND is the best this film has and maybe will ever sound and look. This is classic Fulci through and through with gnarly gore, plot holes aplenty, and Bob the child. If you are a fan of Italian Horror you probably know about this film, and if you’re on the fence about upgrading from the previous blu-ray I can assure you it’s worth it at this price!
ZOMBIE (1979) - LUCIO FULCI
When I told you that BLUE UNDERGROUND has the rights to some of the best horror movies of all time, this is what I am talking about. While I appreciate others' opinions and tastes, I simply cannot regard any negative opinion about this film. Fulci’s unofficial sequel to Romero’s DAWN OF THE DEAD is pure madness and horror delight. Featuring some of the most memorable moments in horror history such as the zombie vs shark underwater showdown, slow and steady eye trauma, and a score by legendary FABIO FRIZZI. The 4K transfer of this disc is stunning, and the Dolby Atmos track is one of the best for a film from this time. While SYNAPSE’S SUSPIRIA Atmos track is still the bar, this release certainly is a close second.
UNCLE SAM (1996) - WILLIAM LUSTIG
Okay, so full transparency there is a 4K version of this film coming out later this year. While I typically will recommend the most recent and best-looking version of a release, it’s hard to turn down the amazing price for this often forgotten mid-90s slasher film. From the label owner himself BILL LUSTIG, UNCLE SAM is in a small class of political-horror films. In a similar fashion to BOB CLARK’S DEATHDREAM (another BLUEU UNDERGROUND release), UNCLE SAM is about a combat veteran returning home on the holiest of patriotic holidays in the USA, July 4th. His return brings death and mayhem that plays out with heaps of dark humor, commentary on war and veterans, and plenty of outrageous violence. So if you really need the best version of the film, wait for the 4K, and if you want a great price for a great film grab this blu-ray!
MANIAC (1980) - WILLIAM LUSTIG
MANIAC is an important horror film for so many reasons. Among them is the practical effects work of TOM SAVINI and the career-defining performance by JOE SPINELL. This is a movie that is still hard to watch even as it approaches 50 years of age, and it’s the kind of movie that you can almost feel and smell as you watch it. The dirty streets of New York’s now pristine 42nd Street and the beads of sweat that cascade down Spinell’s greasy face. All of that looks and sounds better in BLUE UNDERGROUNDS 4K remaster. For a movie filmed on 16mm it’s amazing how good things look in 4K. While it may sound counterintuitive to give films like these such lush treatments, what it really does is present the film the way it was intended. That means it isn’t any glossier than you remember, it’s just sharper to accommodate the preservation. I highly recommend this disc and release, especially with 50% off!
NIGHT TRAIN MURDERS (1975) - ALDO LADO
Rape/Revenge films are probably my least favorite of all the horror sub-genres. Much like car accidents though, one can’t help but be drawn to them on occasion. When done well, these films can be truly terrifying and effective pieces of shock cinema. There were many films that tried to replicate the success of LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, and NIGHT TRAIN MURDERS is far and away one of the best ones. Some might even argue it’s better than Craven’s film, but that’s neither here nor there. The level of depravity and cruelty on display is as shocking as it is engaging. It’s the kind of movie you feel almost bad watching because it is so transgressive, and for fans of that kind of thing this is a must-own film.
MANIAC COP 2 (1990) - WILLIAM LUSTIG
We reviewed both 4K releases of MANIAC COP 2 & 3 last year (read the reviews) and had glowing things to say about the transfers and the package overall. While both the 2nd and 3rd film are on sale at the moment, the second one is a stand-out by a long shot. In some ways, MANIAC COP 2 is the perfect sequel. It takes everything that worked about the first one and amped it up by 10x. While the first one is still my personal favorite, MANIAC COP 2 is such a great follow-up that it almost makes sense to watch them in succession. Everything about this movie works in service of pure entertainment. Rarely a dull moment between scenes of social commentary and exploitative violence MANIAC COP 2 is without a doubt one of the most fun and underrated horror films of the 90s.
DEAD & BURIED (1981) - GARY A. SHERMAN
If you like your horror in a seaside town with a cult that murders people in savage ways then DEAD & BURIED is the film for you! This early 80s piece of genre fare has been given the deluxe 4K remastering that BLUE UNDERGROUND is so known for, and our own Dead Alive Dana recently covered this film on The Horror Files (link to episode). DEAD & BURIED is so unique in that it feels like a slasher film from H.P. LOVECRAFT. The hazy location is apt considering the diabolical happenings in Potters Bluff, and if you like yourself some eye trauma then you’d be hard-pressed to find a better cringe-inducing scene that you’ll find in this one. To add a cherry on top of this horror sundae the legendary STAN WINSTON did the effects work and it is part of what makes this film a bonafide horror classic.
ANGUISH (1987) - BIGAS LUNA
I know what you’re thinking, “Matt, this is a DVD. Where’s the blu ray?”. The thing is, this film unfortunately does not have a North American HD release. While you can import one from Europe and if you have a region-free player (which is a sound investment I assure you), the only thing available in this part of the world is the DVD. For those who haven’t seen this film, it’s hard to talk about it too much without giving away some of the surprises held within. Suffice to say, I wouldn’t recommend a DVD to you unless I really thought you would dig it. A story of a man and his mom, played by ZELDA RUBENSTEIN, who have a fascination with eyes. When I first saw this film years ago I was left in absolute shock. It was one of the first times in a long time a film left me speechless as this one did. Not an easy watch, but a one-of-a-kind one to be sure.
STAGE FRIGHT (1987) - MICHELE SOAVI
MICHELE SOAVI is the last of the great Italian genre directors and STAGE FRIGHT is a perfect example of why. He worked under all the legends in Italy like Argento, D’Amato, Fulci, and more. While this has shades of a giallo, STAGE FRIGHT is more akin to an Italian slasher film. A group of stage actors that are being picked off one by one by a killer wearing a giant owl helmet sounds sillier than it actually is. The characters in this are the epitome of Italians acting like Americans and the dialogue is only funny because it’s so audacious. The kills in this are the star, and if you consider yourself a fan of the slasher genre you should definitely add this to your library.
THE PROWLER (1981) - JOSEPH ZITO
Not sure if you’ve noticed, and this was by no means intentional, but there are a lot of films on this list from 1981. It was a great year for horror and the slasher genre had not yet gotten as saturated as it would become later in the decade. Case in point, THE PROWLER. A slasher film that is a favorite among those who have seen it, and a hidden treasure for those who have yet to experience it. By today’s standards, THE PROWLER is a pretty by-the-numbers slasher, and that’s exactly why it is great. THE PROWLER is one of a handful of films that gave us the template so many used and still use to this day. We are once again blessed by the talents of TOM SAVINI in this tale about a jaded lover back from war who comes home to find his love has been unfaithful. Years later teens return to the scene of the crime for a dance, as you do, and the killer is back taking teens out. This all may sound quite pedestrian, but I assure you this is one of the more brutal and entertaining slashers of the decade, hell, of the entire genre. At this discounted price, it’s a no-brainer to pick up!
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