Blu-ray & DVD: The Digital Dread Report for 4/5

*Check out our other Release Date Pages: Blu-ray & DVD, Theatrical, VOD, TV.
The Force Awakens; Arrow Video gives us 3 new releases from the Golden Age of Italian Horror; Scream Factory gives us 2 new movies; plus Creep on DVD... this is one cray busy week on the Blu-ray & DVD release schedule.

*Be sure to click the pics to order yourself some flicks!

"From Italy’s own Godfather of Gore Lucio Fulci (Zombie, The Gates of Hell) comes The Black Cat – a gruesome reimagining of the classic Edgar Allan Poe tale starring Patrick Magee (A Clockwork Orange) and Mimsy Farmer (The Perfume of the Lady in Black).

When a young couple goes missing in a sleepy English village, Scotland Yard Inspector Gorley (David Warbeck, The Beyond) is brought in to assist on the case. But what starts off as routine investigation turns into a murder inquiry when the couple are found dead in mysterious circumstances."

Not one of Fulci's best movies, The Black Cat is one that we've always loved  for its Gothic atmosphere; for some reason, this movie always felt like Fulci's attempt at making a Hammer flick. For fans of old school Italian Horror, especially Fulci flicks, The Black Cat is worth a buy; for everyone else though, maybe spend your money on one of the other Arrow releases below.

Special Features:

• Brand new 2K restoration of the film from the original camera negative.
• Original Italian and English soundtracks in DTS-HD mono audio.
• Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack.
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack.
• Brand new audio commentary by filmmaker and Fangoria editor Chris Alexander.
• From Poe into Fulci: The Spirit of Perverseness – film historian Stephen Thrower on Fulci’s Poe-tinged classic.
• In the Paw-Prints of The Black Cat – a look at the original Black Cat locations.
• Frightened Dagmar – a brand new career interview with actress Dagmar Lassander.
• At Home with David Warbeck – an archive interview with the Black Cat star.
• Original Theatrical Trailer.
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matthew Griffin.

"Emerging at the peak of the giallo boom of the early ‘70s, Luciano Ercoli’s Death Walks films are two superlative examples of the genre linked by their shared casting of the stunning Nieves Navarro (billed under her adopted stage name of Susan Scott) as the lead woman in peril.

In Death Walks on High Heels (1971), exotic dancer Nicole (Navarro), the daughter of a murdered jewel thief, finds herself terrorised by a black-clad assailant determined on procuring her father’s stolen gems. Fleeing Paris and her knife-wielding pursuer, Nicole arrives in London only to discover that death stalks her at every corner.

Returning in Death Walks at Midnight (1972), Navarro stars as Valentina – a model who, in the midst of a drug-fuelled photoshoot, witnesses a brutal murder in the apartment opposite hers. But when it becomes clear that the savage slaying she describes relates to a crime that took place six months earlier, the police are at a loss – forcing Valentina to solve the mystery alone."

We've never seen either of these movies, but we've heard nothing but good things about both of them, with the words Giallo Gems used more than once to describe them. I'm personally not a huge fan of blind buys when it comes to obscure movies, but we'll be giving this Boxed Set a shot anyhow. We only live once, after all.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens saw the eagerly anticipated reteaming of original Star Wars stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill, along with Anthony Daniels, the only actor to have been in all seven Star Wars films, and Peter Mayhew. The returning cast was joined by newcomer Daisy Ridley, who beat out fierce competition to take the principal role of Rey; BAFTA Rising Star Award winner John Boyega (Attack the Block, Imperial Dreams) as reluctant stormtrooper Finn; Emmy nominee Adam Driver (Lincoln, Girls) as the villainous Kylo Ren, and Golden Globe winner Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis, The Bourne Legacy) as Resistance pilot Poe Dameron."

It's Star Wars. Just grab a copy and enjoy.

Special Features:

• Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey – For the first time, discover the complete story behind the making of The Force Awakens, revealed through in-depth footage and exclusive interviews with the actors and filmmakers in this feature documentary.
• The Story Awakens: The Table Read – Cast members familiar and new reflect on the memorable day they all first came together to read the movie's script.
• Building BB-8 – See how the filmmakers brought the newest droid to the screen, creating an instant fan favorite in the Star Wars universe.
• Crafting Creatures – Watch movie magic as the filmmakers bring a cast of new creatures to life.
• Blueprint of a Battle: The Snow Fight – Go deeper into the epic, climactic lightsaber battle between Rey and Kylo Ren.
• John Williams: The Seventh Symphony – The legendary composer shares personal insights of his work on Star Wars and The Force Awakens.
• ILM: The Visual Magic of The Force – An insider's look into the remarkable digital artistry of the movie's visual effects.
• Force For Change – Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. See how the Star Wars: Force for Change initiative has united Star Wars fans all over the globe to help others.
• Deleted Scenes.

"Loosely based on Edgar Allan Poe’s classic tale “The Black Cat”, Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key, from director Sergio Martino (Torso), weaves the key motifs from Poe’s gothic yarn into one of the most sensual films from the Golden era of giallo.

Luigi Pistilli (Milano Calibro 9, A Bay of Blood) plays writer Oliviero, an abrasive drunk who amuses himself by holding drunken orgies at his grand country manor – much to the displeasure of his long-suffering wife (Anita Strindberg). But this decadence is soon rocked by a series of grisly murders, in which Oliviero finds himself implicated."

Now this is a Blu-ray that we've been waiting for. Your Vice is a Locked Door and Only I Have the Key is a loose re-telling of Poe's The Black Cat, but it's got a mean edge to it. That's probably because it was directed by Sergio Martino, who gave us the classic Torso, which was mean in its own right.

This is a Day One buy for us.

Special Features:

• Brand new 2K restoration of the film from the original camera negative.
• Original Italian and English soundtracks in DTS-HD mono audio.
• English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack.
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack.
• Through the Keyhole – a brand new interview with director Sergio Martino.
• Unveiling the Vice – making-of retrospective featuring interviews with Martino, star Edwige French and screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi.
• Dolls of Flesh and Blood: The Gialli of Sergio Martino – a visual essay by Michael Mackenzie exploring the director’s unique contributions to the giallo genre.
• The Strange Vices of Ms. Fenech – film historian Justin Harries on the Your Vice actress’ prolific career.
• Eli Roth on Your Vice and the genius of Martino.
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matthew Griffin.

• The first of two Scream Factory releases this week, #Horror was a movie that we didn't dig all that much. Read our review HERE. 
• Scream Factory's other release this week is much better. We really liked The Hallow. Read our review HERE. 
• Cherry Tree is one we're looking forward to checking it out.
• Creep was a solid Found Footage flick. It's available on Netflix, so if you can stream it, you might as well. Not a bad buy though.
• Ava's Possessions was a mixed bag that ought to be a hit with anyone who loves Arthouse Comedies. Read our review HERE.
• And as always, everything else is a crap-shoot.