New HD transfers from original 35mm negatives will become available on Blu-ray on March 18th, packed with special features including interviews with acclaimed cult horror filmmaker Pete Walker
Kino Lorber and Redemption are proud to announce the Blu-ray release of two films by the celebrated cult horror filmmaker Pete Walker: FRIGHTMARE and THE FLESH & BLOOD SHOW. Kino Lorber and Redemption are pleased to release these two films in deluxe Blu-ray editions, mastered in HD from the original 35mm negatives and packed with special features (including a special 3D sequence on THE FLESH & BLOOD SHOW) that will make these releases a welcome addition to horror fans’ collections.
FRIGHTMARE and THE FLESH & BLOOD SHOW both come to Blu-ray on March 18th, with individual SRPs of $24.95 each.
Special Features on FRIGHTMARE include: “For the Sake of Cannibalism,” an interview with Pete Walker, by Elijah Drenner; Audio commentary by director Pete Walker and DP Peter Jessop, conducted by Steve Chibnall, author of Making Mischief: The Cult Films of Pete Walker; “Sheila Keith: A Nice Old Lady?” a profile of the late actress, featuring interviews with her former collaborators; and the original theatrical trailer.
Special features on THE FLESH & BLOOD SHOW include: “Flesh, Blood, and Censorship,” an interview with Pete Walker, by Elijah Drenner; 3-D sequence (10 min.) in the stereoscopic format (requires 3-D television system); 3-D sequence in the anaglyph format (requires red/blue 3-D glasses, not included); and the original theatrical trailer
Known for his films that blend elements of horror and exploitation, British director Pete Walker’s long career in the horror genre spans over forty years. Lurking beneath the blood-soaked of his unabashedly tawdry films is the director’s sly sense of humor. A former stand-up comic, Walker laced his films with clever wordplay, and took great pleasure in using his scripts to skewer figures of religious and political authority (especially those who dared to impose their sense of morality upon others).
Kino Lorber and Redemption have previously released four of Walker’s films on Blu-ray and DVD: House of Whipcord, Die Screaming, Marianne, The Comeback, and Schizo, and are proud to continue to bring the works of this unique director, whose films are ripe for re-discovery, to fans in high-quality HD transfers that do justice to his distinctive visual style.
FRIGHTMARE
Throughout his career, director Pete Walker was no stranger to controversy, but his 1974 film FRIGHTMARE sparked a firestorm of criticism from the protectors of public morals, who deemed it “despicable” (London Observer), “horrendous” (Evening News), and “a moral obscenity” (Daily Telegraph).
In spite of the condemnation – or more likely, because of it – FRIGHTMARE has achieved almost legendary status in British horror history. Sheila Keith stars as a former patient of a mental institution, who has settled down in a remote farmhouse, where she tells fortunes in her spare time. But the kind, maternal exterior conceals a dreadful monster, which the asylum, it seems, was unable to cure.
THE FLESH & BLOOD SHOW
Billed as “An Appalling Amalgam of Carnage and Carnality,” Pete Walker’s THE FLESH AND BLOOD SHOW is an homage to the blood-spattered, sex-smeared theatre known as the Grand Guignol. Still haunted by an especially tragic production of Othello, a seaside theatre reopens its doors as a groovy musical revue, only to have several of its performers fall victim to the deadly curse.
Newly mastered in HD from the original 35mm negative, this special edition includes a newly-filmed interview with Walker, as well as the legendary 3-D sequence, presented here in both the stereoscopic and anaglyph formats (as well as conventional 2-D).
About Redemption:
Established in 1992 and rebooted by Kino Lorber in 2012, Redemption Films is dedicated to resurrecting classics of the European cult and horror film — both the celebrated and the undiscovered — in deluxe Blu-ray and DVD editions, remastered from the original 35mm elements.
About Kino Lorber:
With a library of 800 titles, Kino Lorber Inc. has been a leader in independent art house distribution for over 30 years, releasing over 25 films per year theatrically under its Kino Lorber, Kino Classics, and Alive Mind Cinema banners, including four Academy Award® nominated films in the last six years. In addition, the company brings over 70 titles each year to the home entertainment market with DVD and Blu-ray releases under its 5 house brands, distributes a growing number of third party labels, and is a direct digital distributor to all major platforms including iTunes, Netflix, HULU, Amazon and others
