MVD & ARROW MARCH MADNESS SALE - WHAT SHOULD YOU GET?!
Rising inflation and gas prices are just two of the more recent reasons why collectors may be hesitant to spend their hard-earned dollars at the moment. Thankfully, the fine folks at MVD ENTERTAINMENT and ARROW FILMS have heard our cries and have met them with some deep discounts to ease the burden on your wallet while not forgoing the expansion of your physical media collection!
When sales like these come up, it can be hard to know what films. Unless you have very deep pockets and lots of extra income it is inherent that you will only be able to take advantage of some of these, so why not let me help you with your picks?!
Below are a handful of films available during the sale, and while these are some of my favorites there are plenty more to choose from!
ALICE SWEET ALICE is a mid-70s proto-slasher that offers up some intense familial horror and is widely known as BROOKE SHIELD's first on-screen performance. For slasher completists and fans of 70s horror, this is a must-own, and Arrow’s disc is full of features as per usual along with an amazing A/V transfer.
AUDITION is easily the most accessible TAKASHI MIIKE film available, even though it still has all the trademarks of classic MIIKE cinema. AUDITION might also be one of the best horror films of all time and certainly in conversation as Top 10 slow-burn horror films of all time. It’s hard to talk too much about this one without ruining it, but suffice to say it has a timeless effect and is as shocking today as it was when it was released in 1999.
CRUISING is a film both of, and ahead of its time. WILLIAM FRIEDKIN’S giallo-esque thriller was largely unavailable on high-definition until ARROW gave it their restoration treatment, and it features a provocative story about a killer who is targeting gay men and a killer soundtrack comprised of some outstanding punk rock from the 1980s. Controversy surrounded this film upon its release from LGBTQ+ activists and it almost received an X-rating. While the controversy has largely died down, this is an essential film for fans of thrillers and ARROW’s disc is the definitive version of this film.
DREAM DEMON is the kind of movie that companies like ARROW exist for. Influenced by Wes Craven’s A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET with a uniquely British twist, DREAM DEMON is a surreal trip through obscure 80s horror that is rife with gooey prosthetics and some really audacious characters. DREAM DEMON blends psychological horror with great visual effects and was largely only available on VHS until ARROW’s release.
EVIL ED holds a special place in my heart because I discovered it on VHS at a Hollywood Video in Tucson, AZ. The best way to describe it would be DEAD ALIVE (BRAINDEAD outside of North America) meets CENSOR. It’s the story of a film editor who is working on an ultra-violent slasher film which may or may not be making him lose his mind. It’s absurd, violent, and Swedish…what more could you want?
ARROW’s HERSCHEL GORDON LEWIS FEAST box-set set the bar for quality back when it was originally released in 2016. While the deluxe version is long out of print, ARROW released a standard version of the set which is included in this sale. This is a must-buy for the collectors who value history over quality, as many of the films included are not the greatest. Similar to SEVERIN’s Andy Milligan set, you’re buying this because you want an entire director’s work in one place and not because all of the movies are great.
TORSO is one of the sleazier films that emerged from the giallo-era in Italy in the 60s and 70s and certainly stands in contrast to SERGIO MARTINO’s other gillao films. Vicious violence and an overabundance of female nudity are the calling cards for this film, so if either of those things is your bag and you love giallo films TORSO is the film you’re looking for.
VAMP doesn’t get enough credit in the vampire genre. For one, it is most definitely the inspiration for ROBERT RODRIGUEZ’S FROM DUSK TIL DAWN not just in concept, but also in tone. It’s also a really endearing buddy comedy that has a similar dynamic of Evil Ed / Charley Brewster, and it’s also a movie about vampires. GRACE JONES plays the titular bloodsucker and is worth watching just to see her eerie performance.
Before adapting CLIVE BARKER’s MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN, RYÛHEI KITAMURA wrote and directed the Yazuka-Zombie hybrid horror film VERSUS. I have fond memories of this film because I had to track down a store to special order the DVD from all the way back in the early-2000s. ARROW gave this a loving restoration so the masses could enjoy it as well, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself wondering, “do these guns have unlimited ammo or what"?
TREMORS is a film I would hope needs no introduction because of how singular it is in the horror genre. While there are many sequels, there has never been another film to even try to replicate the comedy and insanity of giant killer worms in the desert. Not long ago, ARROW put out TREMORS in both 4K and standard Blu-Ray, and both versions are a part of the MVD sale. Few films are as entertaining as TREMORS largely because of its great cast of characters and over-the-top premise.
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