Dark Sky Films, a new company dedicated to releasing cult titles, has announced an exciting slate of discs to be released through 2006.
The company’s already availabe product has come under minor fire from purists. Apparently some visual image was clipped from the top and bottom of the presentation on their Terror Beneath the Sea disc, and their Flesh Eaters DVD will not include the Tom Weaver commentary track that had been prepared for Retromedia before their own release was scuttled (in favor of Dark Sky’s). Moreover, although apparently using a handsomer print than Retromedia’s source, the Dark Sky version reportedly lacks the ‘shock’ use of color for the climax of the otherwise black & white film.
Still, hopefully Dark Sky will attend some criticism and pledge to turn out even better product than they are now.
Here’s their uncoming release list, which is ambitious and impressive:
-WEREWOLVES ON WHEELS
-THE LOSERS
-FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE SPACE MONSTER
-HORROR OF PARTY BEACH
-CURSE OF THE LIVING CORPSE
-PSYCHOMANIA (aka VIOLENT MIDNIGHT)
-TRILOGY OF TERROR
-THE BEAST MUST DIE
-ASYLUM
-AND NOW THE SCREAMING STARTS
-MAGIC
-PRINCE OF SPACE
-INVASION OF THE NEPTUNE MEN
-THE DEVIL’S RAIN
-BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE
-JACK THE RIPPER (1959)
-EATEN ALIVE (1976)
-PLANET ON THE PROWL
-PLANETS AGAINST US
Some of these films have been afforded lame releases in the past (Devil’s Rain, Asylum), leaving room for presumably beefier treatments. The inclusion of such hilarious Japanese fare as Prince of Space and Invasion of the Neptune Men (which ran constantly on TV when I was a tyke) is certainly welcome. Meanwhile, schlock fans can only cheer the release of such major pieces of crap as Horror of Party Beach and Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster.
A lot of good stuff there. Looks like Dark Sky will be eating up a goodly portion of my disposable income next year.
