Cauldron's Lamberto Bava 'Brivido Giallo box set'

Cauldron Films is thrilled to release all 4 films from the Brivido Giallo collection  (Until Death, Graveyard Disturbance, Dinner with a Vampire, and The Ogre), collected on Blu-ray for the first time in a limited edition 5 disc set (4 Blu-rays / 1 CD soundtrack) fully uncut and restored from 4K scans of the 35mm film negatives, loaded with brand new cast and crew featurettes by Eugenio Ercolani, an exclusive new interview with composer Simon Boswell, all housed in a rigid outer box with 4 folded posters featuring new artwork by Eric Adrian Lee!

The set is still available for pre-order at a reduced price through 1/17/25. Go check out the details HERE.

 

A Request for 'Knights & Knaves' Blu-Rays

I've been very happy over the past few years to see that several of the boutique Blu-Ray companies are starting to move further afield in their desire to license obscure movies. I’m not sure that we need the fifth or sixth release of every Fulci horror film (now in 4K!!) before we get a decent release of literally hundreds of worthy pieces of cinema history. 

Later this year several companies are putting out a number of fascinating movies that have never been given the care and attention they deserve and I’m thrilled. But there are a couple of genres that still seem to be ignored and I’d like to make a short plea for one of the most obscure.

I’m a big fan of swashbucklers from any decade. This can be traced back to youthful television viewings of a couple of classic Errol Flynn movies – THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938) and CAPTAIN BLOOD (1935) - that dovetailed perfectly with my early reading of adventure stories of all types. And while I could make a loud argument that both Robin Hood and pirate movies are underrepresented in the current Blu-Ray market there is another genre with even fewer examples on retailer’s e-shelves. I refer to what I call the Knights & Knaves classification of adventure tales in the vein of IVANHOE (1952), KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE (1952), THE WAR LORD (1965) or PRINCE VALIANT (1954). And, of course, what I am most interested in seeing receive the Blu-Ray ‘special edition’ treatment are the films made in Europe during the period from the late 1950’s to the 1970’s. 

The Hollywood made films of this type are well represented these days but the lower budgeted follow-on productions are nearly invisible. There are a number of fascinating movies made in various countries that are worth considering. These were once staples of cheap television film packages sold to stations looking to fill up weekend afternoon slots but in the last few decades they have fallen into such obscurity that often the only option to see them is a poor copy posted on YouTube. This is a crime against film!

If I could have my way, I would ask that this fertile field of Sword & Armor cinema be explored by enterprising Blu-Ray companies. There are dozens of fascinating movies worthy of rediscovery. I know that they wouldn’t sell as many copies as a horror film from the 80’s or a giallo from the 70’s but there is a market out there. Well, unless I am the only lunatic calling for this, which might be possible. After all, these movies are considered rather juvenile entertainments with limited modern day appeal but the same could be said of peplum adventures made in the same years and they are finally getting some attention.

Here’s a list of a few examples that could be explored –

THE REVENGE OF IVANHOE (1965)

CHARGE OF THE BLACK LANCERS (1962)

THE BACK ARCHER (1959)

REVOLT OF THE MERCENARIES (1961)  

THE SEVENTH SWORD (Le sette spade del vendicatore) (1962)

L'AVVENTURIERO DELLA TORTUGA (1965)

ATTACK OF THE MOORS (1959)

CAVALIER IN DEVIL’S CASTLE (1959)

REVENGE OF BLACK EAGLE (1951)

THE NIGHTS OF LUCRETIA BORGIA (1959)

THE MYSTERIOUS SWORDSMAN (Lo spadaccino misterioso) (1956)

THE LION OF ST. MARK (1963)

KNIGHT OF 100 FACES (Il cavaliere dai cento volti) (1960)

IVANHOE, THE NORMAN SWORDSMAN (1971)

THE CASTILIAN (1963)

THE BLACK DUKE (1963)

THE AVENGER OF VENICE (1964)

THE INVINCIBLE MASKED RIDER (1963)

 

In this partial list there is some crossover with other swashbuckler kinds of tales but the flavor is the same. This type of adventure cinema deserves more than to be relegated to the rescued 16mm prints that pop up online or on cheap streaming services. These are interesting, entertaining movies that could find a receptive audience if given the right push. I hold out hope that some home video producer out there will see the wisdom of exploring these this mostly unexamined genre.

GOTHIC FANTASTICO: FOUR ITALIAN TALES OF TERROR

I'm proud to share the announcement of this amazing set of Italian Gothic films from the 1960's. I contributed in a small way to this release by writing an essay on one of the included movies but even if I had not I would still be very excited about this. Check out the details below and the links to where it can be pre-ordered ahead of the October release date.

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While groundbreaking director Mario Bava (Black Sunday, Black Sabbath) remains the most well-known purveyor of Italian Gothic horror, many other filmmakers tried their hand at the form throughout the 1960s as part of a hugely prolific and popular cycle. Gothic Fantastico presents four off-the-beaten path titles from this classic period, all of which demonstrate Italy’s ability to expand genre beyond the classic literary monsters that dominated elsewhere.

Gaslighting abounds in Massimo Pupillo’s Lady Morgan’s Vengeance – a delicate tale of romance and mystery, with a sprinkling of sadism and the supernatural – as newlywed Sir Harold Morgan (Paul Muller, Nightmare Castle) attempts to destroy his new bride (Barbara Nelli, Double Face) with help from his sinister maid (Erika Blanc, Kill, Baby… Kill!). Meanwhile, the perverse influence of Poe is used to great effect in Alberto De Martino’s The Blancheville Monster – a tale of family curses and madmen in the attic, as Emilie de Blancheville (Ombretta Colli, Gladiator of Rome) returns home to her brother Roderic (Gérard Tichy, Hatchet for the Honeymoon) and discovers her own family may be out for her blood. Mino Guerinni’s The Third Eye features not only a very early role for Italian cult film icon Franco Nero, but a plot that borrows several elements from Hitchcock, layered with a whiff of necrophilia. Finally, Damiano Damiani’s The Witch takes a more avant-garde approach, when a young historian (Richard Johnson, Zombie Flesh Eaters) is lured to work for an ageing woman, only to be held captive when he becomes obsessed with her beautiful daughter (Rosanna Schiaffino, The Killer Reserved Nine Seats).

Madness, obsession and messed up families are the order of the day in these four lesser-known monochrome gems from Italy’s peak Gothic period, now fully restored in 2K from their original camera negatives for the first time and presented alongside an array of in-depth extras.

Product Features

• Brand new 2K restorations from the original camera negatives of all four films
• High Definition Blu-ray™ (1080p) presentations of each film
• Original Italian and English front and end titles on The Blancheville Monster, The Third Eye and The Witch
• Original lossless mono Italian soundtracks on all four films
• Original lossless mono English soundtracks on The Blancheville Monster, The Third Eye and The Witch
• Optional English subtitles for the Italian soundtracks
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtracks
• Brand new video introductions to each film by Italian film devotee Mark Thompson Ashworth
• Image galleries
• Limited edition 80-page book featuring new writing on the films by Roberto Curti, Rob Talbot, Jerome Reuter, Rod Barnett and Kimberly Lindbergs
• Fold-out double-sided poster
• Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Colin Murdoch

DISC ONE: LADY MORGAN’S VENGEANCE

• Brand new audio commentary by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
• Brand new video essay on the film by author and producer Kat Ellinger
• Brand new video interview with actress Erika Blanc
• Newly edited video interview with actor Paul Muller
• Newly edited audio interview with director Massimo Pupillo
• The complete original cineromanzo, published in Suspense in April 1971
• Trailer

DISC TWO: THE BLANCHEVILLE MONSTER

• Brand new audio commentary by filmmaker and film historian Paul Anthony Nelson
• Brand new video essay on the film by writer and pop culture historian Keith Allison
• Brand new video interview with author and filmmaker Antonio Tentori
• Opening credits for the US release of the film
• Trailer

DISC THREE: THE THIRD EYE

• Brand new audio commentary by author and critic Rachael Nisbet
• Brand new video essay on the film by author and filmmaker Lindsay Hallam
• Newly edited video interview with actress Erika Blanc

DISC FOUR: THE WITCH

• Brand new audio commentary by author and producer Kat Ellinger
• Brand new video essay on the film by author and academic Miranda Corcoran
• Brand new video interview with author and filmmaker Antonio Tentori

Pre-Order LINK - Arrow Site

Pre-Order LINK - Zavvi Site

RED SONJA (1985) Comes to Blu-Ray and 4K!

There is no defendable reason I can give to be happy about this news. It is without a doubt a bad film. Terrible in fact. Despite being directed by Richard Fleischer, having a script co-written by George MacDonald Fraser and boasting a fantastic score by Ennio Morricone it is an absolutely awful movie. All the acting is bad, the story is so thin it wouldn't pass for a good comic book tale, the kid character is irritatingly obnoxious and the villain is just silly.

BUT - I will love watching this again in HD. I will.

Severin to Release Jess Franco's BLACK BOOTS, LEATHER WHIP (1983)!

I'm pleased to relay the information about this release not just because it's an excellent 80's Franco film but because Robert Monell and I contributed a commentary track for it!

This Blu-Ray is to be part of Severin's big sale this week along with a second Franco film HOUSE OF LAST WOMEN (1983) and both of them are well worth grabbing for the Franco fan. And I think even folks less enthusiastic about Ol' Uncle Jess will find much sleazy joy in these two movies. 

Here's the details for each - 

Special Features for BLACK BOOTS, LEATHER WHIP:

*In The Land Of Franco Part 5

*Murderous Passions Author Stephen Thrower On BLACK BOOTS, LEATHER WHIP

*Audio Commentary with I'm In A Jess Franco State Of Mind Writer Robert Monell and NaschyCast's Rodney Barnett

Feature Specs for BLACK BOOTS, LEATHER WHIP:

*Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

*Audio: Spanish Mono

*Subtitles: English

*Region: All

Special Features for HOUSE OF LOST WOMEN:

*In The Land Of Franco Part 6

*Murderous Passions Author Stephen Thrower On HOUSE OF LOST WOMEN

*Audio Essay with I'm In A Jess Franco State Of Mind Writer Robert Monell

*CD – Daniel J. White In The Land Of Franco Vol. 2

Feature Specs for HOUSE OF LOST WOMEN:

*Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

*Audio: Spanish Mono

*Subtitles: English

*Region: All

THE WIFE KILLER (1976)

This Greek thriller is very much in the vein of the giallo in some ways while veering from those films in significant ways. There is no black-gloved mystery murderer in THE WIFE KILLER (1976) so that trope is absent. Outside of one early sequence on a yacht the movie doesn’t seem very interested in showing off stylish clothing or homes in near fetishistic fashion either. The missing ‘lifestyles of the rich’ element seems a choice born of budgetary restrictions but the film plays into that absence well by ramping up the sleaze. In fact, the nastier sections of the film’s story are pretty rough as evidenced by the alternate title THE RAPE KILLER. That isn’t as accurate a descriptor as the one Mondo Macabro has chosen to release this under but it can serve as a warning (or enticement) to potential viewers.

I quite enjoyed this filthy little crime tale. It moves at a pretty good pace most of the time and plays its cards close to the vest on several occasions allowing some of the surprises to keep curiosity high. The violence is fairly bloody with the slapping and sexual assaulting of women making for some tough viewing. The plot has some well-done twists with its central idea seemingly pulled from STRANGERS ON A TRAIN (1951). It looks to be a smart, devious plan to get a lot of money without the problem of living with the person who actually owns it. But such secret plans have many trust points that criminals rarely seem willing to honestly negotiate so trouble is inevitable. THE WIFE KILLER is an entertaining 90 minutes and the film’s satisfying finale pushes this into the category of a solid, recommendable effort. Glad I finally pulled this disc off the shelf!

 

 

FLIGHT TO MARS (1951) Coming to Blu-Ray!

Can't believe I almost missed this news! While this is not my favorite 1950's science fiction movie I'm excited to see it on Blu-Ray. And the list of extras is phenomenal too. 

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Walter Mirisch: From Bomba to Body Snatchers - A new documentary short from Ballyhoo Motion Pictures

 Interstellar Travelogues: Cinema's First Space Race - A new documentary short with celebrated science-fiction artist/historian Vincent Di Fate from Ballyhoo Motion Pictures

 Audio Commentary by author/film historian Justin Humphreys

 Full color insert booklet with essay, Mars at the Movies, by award-winning author Don Stradley.

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Can't wait for July 20th!

TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD on the way to Blu-Ray!

News broke today over at the Rue Morgue website that Synapse will be bringing out the Spanish horror classic TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD later this year! Some details of the extras were part of the announcement including that the disc will sport three commentary tracks - one by film historian Troy Howarth; another with one of the film's stars Lone Fleming (!) and a third by myself and Troy Guinn! We are thrilled to have been able to be a part of this release which looks to be one of the most impressive packages Synapse has ever put together. Click on over to the Rue Morgue page for more information and add this disc to your 'must buy' list! 

More Naschy on Blu-Ray! (or DVD)

Full Moon has finally put on sale their new Blu-Ray of ORGY OF THE LIVING DEAD a.k.a. THE HANGING WOMAN! While I might wish for more extras on this fun film the fact is that that they are including the alternate cut of the movie that was released on Wizard Video back in the 1980's. That's pretty cool for old VHS freaks. I'm glad to be able to add an HD version of this one to the Naschy shelf and Full Moon is offering a good deal on it and their other new release THE HAND THAT FEEDS THE DEAD (1974). That film stars Klaus Kinski and is a sleazier version of the classic French horror film EYES WITHOUT A FACE (1959) which should have you immediately curious. Check them both out as a Euro-Trash double feature!

 

ASSIGNMENT TERROR (1968) on Blu-Ray!

Ladies and gentlemen - boys and girls - I have great news! 

The 1969 Paul Naschy monster mash film ASSIGNMENT TERROR has just been released on Blu-Ray! Follow this LINK to the RoninFlix page where it can be purchased with shipping as low as FREE! Yep - free shipping! Unless you want it tomorrow or something and then it is a bit more expensive. 

But this is so cool! Another Naschy werewolf film on Blu-Ray and with a commentary track by Troy Howarth to boot. Go grab yours ASAP. And I'm sure you could throw in a copy of THE MUMMY'S REVENGE at the same time and have a Merry Naschy Christmas for one and all. Who could ask for anything better? 

Paul Naschy's BEAST AND THE MAGIC SWORD (1983) on Sale Soon!

On October 18th Mondo Macabro will be offering two new Limited Edition Blu-Ray releases for pre-order and the most anticipated one is THE BEAST AND THE MAGIC SWORD! This isvery exciting for many reasons. I'll let Mondo's ad copy present the details -

BEAST is the last great film from Spanish horror legend Paul Naschy. Although he would go on making and planning films until his death in 2009, he never again attempted the epic sweep and grandeur of this 10th entry into the saga of Waldemar Daninsky, the man afflicted by the curse of lycanthropy.

In this film we get for the first time an origin story of how the Daninsky curse began back in the 10th century. We then move forward to 16th century Japan where Daninsky has travelled in search of a cure to his affliction. Co-starring Japanese stage and screen veteran Shigeru Amachi, and shot in the studios of Toshiro Mifune, The Beast and the Magic Sword is a highly successful and colourful melding of European werewolf legends and dark Japanese fantasy. It features a fight between werewolf and tiger, an evil scarlet cloaked witch who imprisons Daninsky, a sword fight with a troupe of ghost samurai, and many other unforgettable scenes.

This is the first Blu-ray release of this film and its first ever US release.

So take advantage of MM's Great Halloween Sale and get your hands on this fantastic werewolf film. You might even enjoy the commentary track from the Naschycast hosts. That's right! Troy and I have commentated again and it comes as part of this excellent release! We think you'll have a good time with the film and the Blu-Ray so buy two. It's the perfect gift for the holidays - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Thursday, etc. 

Doctor Who - The Macra Terror

Between 1967 and 1978 a number of BBC shows stored on videotape and film were wiped or destroyed to make storage room for newer programs. This was done because of the prevalent belief of the time that these shows had no real value. Cut to a few years later when the VHS revolution and the loss of these classic episodes becomes a gaping hole in television history – and a massive loss of profit potential.

For decades one of the most profitable of all BBC television shows has been Doctor Who. On the air originally from 1962 to 1989 it’s early years were hit pretty hard by the desire to make space in the BBC vaults for more recent things. Luckily, Doctor Who is unusual in that each of its 97 missing episodes survives in audio form recorded off-air by fans at home. Most of these episodes are also represented by production stills, and short video clips. This has allowed the modern BBC production team to find ways of bringing a version of these missing stories to the public. Over the years various means have been employed from narrated audio released to CD all the way to fully animated recreations of lost episodes. Fans are hungry for these missing pieces of this great science fiction show and the level of quality of each new way of visualizing these bits of TV history has steadily improved over the years.

So, as a huge fan, I'm always very excited when a lost Doctor Who story from the 60’s gets restored and released for public viewing for the first time. There are so many of these still missing, especially from the years of my favorite Doctor, Patrick Troughton that any chance to see a ‘Lost Tale’ is a time to celebrate. I will go far out of my way to see these restorations or recreations of classic Who stories including the theatrical special release a couple of years ago of the animated version Power Of The Daleks, the very first Troughton story. Another from the second Doctor is now available in a newly animated form and I was unwilling to wait for the stateside release of the Blu-Ray in November, so I bought the British release! That All Regions player is well worth it.

So, what did I think of the newest Who restoration, The Macra Terror? First, the new animation process is much improved over the previous releases. As much as I liked seeing Power of the Daleks the style of limited animation used was distancing. One of the joys of Doctor Who is the performances ranging from wonderfully subtle all the way to over-the-top scenery chewing. The previous animated tales were not capable of communicating the nuances of the actor’s choices making it harder to engage with the stories. The animation style used in this new release is much better with much more work having gone into giving each character plenty of different expressions and a fuller range of movement. This makes for a more satisfying presentation and I’m happy for this upgrade in quality. I’m also happy that the Blu-Ray gives you the option of watching the entire thing in either color or black & white. As all of the Troughton years were before the show switched to color it is fun to have the chance to see it both ways.

But I must admit that The Macra Terror is not one of the best of the second Doctor’s stories. At four episodes it feels a little padded with the hypnotic betrayal of one of the Doctor’s companions going on for longer than necessary. The tale has enough interesting ideas to keep things moving but the final episode feels a little rushed and unsatisfying. Interestingly, having the story completely animated probably helps the practical special effects work much better than the original full-sized stage mock-ups that can be seen in a few seconds of surviving footage. I’m sure that having the alien creatures be large crabs made for an easier visualization at the time, but having characters menaced by poorly flailing claws isn’t a great look. The truck-sized monsters are quite scary and dangerous in their animated form making this tale more effective than it might otherwise have been.

So, it’s not a great Doctor Who story but still a good one. Having another gap filled in is wonderful and with this improvement in the animated style I’m really looking forward to future releases. Next up is The Faceless Ones which is missing four of its six episodes. I can’t wait to finally be able to enjoy that one as well!

Mondo Macabro Releases Details of BEAST AND THE MAGIC SWORD (1983) Blu-Ray!

The details of the extras to be included on Mondo Macabro's forthcoming Blu-Ray of Paul Naschy's THE BEAST AND THE MAGIC SWORD (1983) were announced a couple of days ago and there were some very nice surprises. We might have expected the 4K restoration of the film itself and it had already been publicized that Troy and I had contributed a new NaschyCast commentary track. But the addition of an archival introduction to the film by Paul Naschy is unexpected. 

And the inclusion of the documentary SMILE OF THE WOLF in which Naschy discusses all of his werewolf films on camera is very exciting! This is the kind of extra fans like me dream of getting to see. 

Add to that an interview with Gavin Baddeley, author of The FrightFest Guide to Werewolf Movies talking about the genre and Naschy's place within it and you have a feast of Spanish Horror information!  

The Limited edition that goes on sale in October will also have a reversible cover with brand new art by Rick Melton on one side (censored below but uncensored on the actual release) and the original poster art on the flip side as well as a booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by film historian Richard Harland Smith and a set of lobby card reproductions! 

We were very pleased to be asked play a part in the release of this incredible and important Naschy film and I think we've created one of our best commentaries for it. We're thrilled that MM asked us to do another track for their continuing series of Naschy Blu-Rays and that this rare movie is finally getting a major release in the United States. At last, every Paul Naschy fan will get to enjoy this under seen classic combination of European and Japanese sensibilities in the best possible presentation. Having seen the preliminary transfer I can say it looks spectacular! 

Keep an eye on Mondo's website for more information about the Limited Edition version! 

LINK 

More New Naschy Blu-Ray Release News

In a surprise announcement this week Ronin Flix let the world know that Paul Naschy's excellent monster film THE MUMMY'S REVENGE (1973) is coming to Blu-Ray. This is wonderful news as I consider this to be one of Naschy's best but unfortunately underappreciated films. I think that this new release has the potential to elevate this fantastic horror film to the place it deserves to be in the Golden Age of Spanish Horror. After all - if you've never seen it how can you recognize it's brilliance? 

Scorpion Releasing is responsible for this new Blu-Ray and their recent output has shown them to be quite capable of handling these rare cult films with care and love. The disc will sport two different cuts of the movie (!), a commentary track by Human Beasts author Troy Howarth and liner notes from Naschy expert Mirek Lipinski. A couple of Naschy trailers are thrown in for good measure but the real treasure here is the film itself. This is a true classic of the mummy monster genre and I can hardly wait to have it be seen by fans and new potential fans. I once described the story as Nick and Nora Charles fight a head crushing mummy - if that doesn't make you curious I just don't know what to say! 

The movie goes on sale on Monday July the 22nd with only 1500 copies being offered for sale you don't want to sleep on this one folks. Follow this LINK and grab yours next week. You'll be glad you did! 

Ronin Flix Website! 

New Naschy Blu-Rays on the Way!

For months Troy and I have been sitting on the exciting news that this Autumn Mondo Macabro will be releasing to Blu-Ray Paul Naschy's epic werewolf adventure THE BEAST AND THE MAGIC SWORD (1983). This movie brings the cursed Waldemar Daninsky to feudal Japan in search of a cure for his affliction. The story gives Naschy the chance to open up the world of his signature creation setting up an amazing tale of lycanthropy, witchcraft and samurai! This film has been very difficult to see outside of Spain and, as there has never been an English dub, is one that requires subtitles. Luckily, MM has stepped up to the plate with a new digital scan and brand new subs for those of us who can't speak Spanish. This will be the first time this movie has ever been released in the United States so a lot of people are in for a major treat. 

Also, Mondo asked the Naschycast duo to contribute a commentary track for this Blu-Ray and we're proud to have submitted one we feel proud to have on this disc. We were able to find a lot of great info and even some details from a couple of onscreen participants! This is our sixth commentary for a Naschy film and I think we might have finally gotten the hang of it!

There are going to be more extras beyond our contribution but they haven't announced those goodies yet. THE BEAST AND THE MAGIC SWORD will go on sale later this Summer so bookmark this SITE for later use. This one is a must for Naschy fans and this new version will be a revelation for those of us used to poor quality bootlegs. 

So exciting! 

Paul Naschy for Halloween!

I just wanted to take the time to remind everyone that several Naschy films are available now on Blu-Ray for your Halloween viewing pleasure! In fact, any night in the lonesome October is a good night to watch the classic Spanish horror films of Paul Naschy! There is currently a sale over at the Scream Factory website that includes their two -

Each set contains five films and a pretty good set of extras with a few commentaries from the Naschycast duo. Another fine choice for the inquisitive horror fan is this excellent release from Mondo Macabro - 

As well as this classic horrorific tale that is available in the States for the first time only because Mondo Macabro knows good stuff when they see it! 

Add some Naschy to your Halloween viewing and let us know what you think of what you see! 

SUPERGIRL (1984) Comes to Blu-Ray!

Why am I so happy that this mess of a film is coming to Blu-Ray? Because it IS such a mess! It's a disaster of huge proportions wasting so much money, talent and effort that it still - 34 years later - blows my mind that this got made. I know the producers were coming off the high of the first two Superman films and surely thought this was going to be another massive hit. They just forgot to come up with a script that was better than a Saturday morning cartoon. 

No. That's too cruel. There were Speed Buggy and Hong Kong Phooey episodes that were on par with SUPERGIRL's screenplay. Most were better but not every one was great. I'll admit that. But there is still something I like about this crap-show of a film. Part of it is watching great actors flail around trying to find something to do onscreen that won't totally embarrass them when their friends see the finished product. Part of it is trying to dope out the idiotic plotline that even Peter O'Toole can't describe well enough to register. (Do you know how bad a script has to be for Peter O'Toole to fail to bring life to it? He brought energy to PHANTOMS (1998) and that thing is moldering garbage!) 

The real reason I'm thrilled is that I can toss away my old special edition DVD of this film because this Blu will have all the versions of that release. Yes! There is more than one edit of this dreadful mess and I WANT THEM ALL! 

It's an illness. 

I should seek treatment.