Blu-ray & DVD: The Digital Dread Report for 11/15

Another Dario Argento classic from Synapse; the best season of the best show on television; and Arrow Video goes underground... this week is as expensive as it is awesome on the Blu-ray front.

*Be sure to click the pics below to buy the movies, or even rent them. Or both. Or neither. It really depends on your mood, now doesn't it?

"The young Jennifer Corvino (played by Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Connelly, in one of her first film roles) is sent to a private Swiss academy for girls where a vicious killer is on the loose, brutally murdering students. Jennifer is a “gifted” girl with the strange ability to communicate with insects, and Dr. McGregor (Donald Pleasence, John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN series, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK) enlists her to help locate the killer. Jennifer finds herself in a bizarre murder plot with maggots, mutants, and razor-wielding chimpanzee mayhem! Can she uncover the killer’s identity before becoming a victim herself? Daria Nicolodi (TENEBRAE) and Fiore Argento (DEMONS) also star in this strange, unique and gory film from Italy’s Master of Horror, Dario Argento. PHENOMENA also features fantastic soundtrack music from progressive-rock favorite Goblin, British Heavy Metal masters Motörhead & Iron Maiden, Andi Sex Gang, Bill Wyman and Simon Boswell!

Synapse Films is proud to present Dario Argento’s PHENOMENA in this beautiful Limited Collector’s Edition Blu-ray Steelbook® (only 3000 units produced), containing THREE different cuts of the film re-mastered in stunning high-definition! An exclusive CD created specifically for this release, and a collector’s booklet with liner notes from writer Michael Gingold and former New Line Cinema publicist Gary Hertz, along with technical notes about this release from Vincent Pereira complete this unique and amazing Special Edition package."

As with their Tenebrae Steelbook, it looks like Synapse has hit it out of the park with their Limited Edition Steelbook version of Dario Argento's Phenomena. 

Now, if they could just finish that Suspiria Blu-ray...

Special Features: 

PHENOMENA (116 minute version)

This English/Italian hybrid cut of PHENOMENA contains an additional six minutes of material not seen in the 110 minute version. Completely remixed by Synapse Films to seamlessly integrate the additional Italian audio segments into the feature, and remastered in high-definition, this version of PHENOMENA is now available for the FIRST TIME EVER in North America!

PHENOMENA (110 minute version)

This international version of PHENOMENA was released in 1985 and contains almost 30 minutes of additional footage not seen in the CREEPERS U.S. version. Completely remastered in high-definition and released, for the FIRST TIME EVER, on Blu-ray!

CREEPERS (83 minute U.S. release version)

Synapse Films is proud to present the U.S. version of CREEPERS, now available for the FIRST TIME EVER remastered in high-definition (1080p 1.66:1 Presentation). Includes optional English subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

“EXCLUSIVE” Synapse Films PHENOMENA Original Motion Picture Soundtrack CD

This original motion picture soundtrack contains the complete 16 track Goblin instrumental score for PHENOMENA, along with four additional music tracks from Andi Sex Gang and Simon Boswell. This CD, exclusively available from Synapse Films, is the first time these music tracks have been included on the same CD compilation.

Features

• THREE different cut of PHENOMENA, all available in high-definition for the first time ever in one collector's edition package!
• Audio Commentary Track on PHENOMENA (110 Version) from Argento scholar and author, Derek Botelho and film historian, journalist and radio/television commentator, David Del Valle
• Two completely different sound mix options on PHENOMENA (110 Version), including the original 2.0 stereo mix, along with a rare alternate mix containing different sound effects and music cues.
• English/Italian Hybrid Audio and Complete Italian Audio Options for PHENOMENA (116 Version)
• DARIO ARGENTO’S WORLD OF HORROR – Documentary. A fascinating look at the early films of director Dario Argento, including PHENOMENA, SUSPIRIA, DEMONS, DAWN OF THE DEAD, INFERNO and many more! Containing candid interviews and awesome behind-the-scenes footage, DARIO ARGENTO’S WORLD OF HORROR gives us a look into the mind of Italy’s Master of Horror and is an essential viewing experience for all Argento fans.
• Interview with Andi Sex Gang
• PHENOMENA – International Theatrical Trailer
• CREEPERS – U.S. Theatrical Trailer & Radio Spots
• Optional English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard for Hearing on PHENOMENA (110 Version and CREEPERS Version)
• Multiple optional subtitle selections on PHENOMENA (116 Version), including one for just the foreign English language segments of the hybrid version, complete English subtitles for the entire feature, and complete English subtitles for the Italian version of the film.
• "EXCLUSIVE" Synapse Films PHENOMENA CD Soundtrack - This original motion picture soundtrack contains the complete 16 track Goblin instrumental score for PHENOMENA, along with four additional music tracks from Andi Sex Gang and Simon Boswell. This CD, exclusively available from Synapse Films, is the first time these music tracks have been included on the same CD compilation.
• PLEASE NOTE, SO IT IS UNDERSTOOD (We always seem to get emails about this, even though the info is posted in the order info for the Steelbooks, so we're just posting it TWICE in this listing, and again in our News/Blog post about this release elsewhere on the site): Like our three previous Limited Collector’s Edition Steelbook® releases, the price of this product is $39.95 plus a $6.00 packing/handling fee ($45.95 total). Synapse Films personally and securely wraps/packs/insures and ships each and every Steelbook® individually with additional packing necessary to keep it safe on its way to your home. We even hand deliver them ourselves to the post office. Those of you who would like to save the $6.00 and pick it up direct from our office can certainly do so. Please call our office at 734-494-3502 to place your order for pick up and we'll reserve yours, so you can come by the office and get your copy when it's released!

You can buy Phenomena directly from Synapse, HERE.

"The most-watched series in HBO history and a worldwide TV phenomenon, Game of Thrones returns with another power season. This year, after the shocking developments at the end of Season 5 – including Jon Snow's bloody fate at the hands of Castle Black mutineers, Daenerys' near-demise at the fighting pits of Meereen, and Cersei's public humiliation in the streets of King's Landing – survivors from all parts of Westeros and Essos regroup to press forward, inexorably, towards their uncertain individual fates. Familiar faces will forge new alliances to bolster their strategic chances at survival, while new characters will emerge to challenge the balance of power in the east, west, north and south."

GOT is an excellent show that may have just given us the best season of its run this past Spring, and now there's only one more season to go... which will be split up into two, 7 episode "seasons" over the next two years.

Ugh.

The cool part is that the Blu-ray sets of each season are top notch, and we have a whole year to get this new one, and watch through the whole series again!

Ugh.

This is a Must Own Blu-ray set, but dammit we want to see what happens next!

Special Features:

• In-Episode Guide – Dig deeper into the show with this in-feature resource that provides background information about on-screen characters, locations, and relevant histories.
• Histories and Lore – Learn about the mythology of Westeros and Essos as told from the varying perspectives of the characters themselves in 18 history pieces.
• The Battle of the Bastards: An In-Depth Look – Behind-the-scenes piece examining the production challenges of creating this epic event, including explorations of VFX, stunts, and interviews with key cast and crew.
• Recreating the Dothraki World – Behind-the-scenes piece looking at the creation of Vaes Dothrak and its importance to Dany's evolution.
• 18 Hours at the Paint Hall –Follow all three shooting units as they converge in this behind-the-scenes snapshot of a day in the life of the largest show on television
• Audio Commentaries – The most commentaries ever recorded for Game of Thrones, featuring:
• Deleted Scenes – Four deleted scenes.

"In downtown Manhattan, a police captain’s hunt for his missing wife leads to the discovery of a series of mysterious disappearances in the area. Extending his search into the tunnels and sewers below the city streets, it soon becomes clear that something monstrous is lurking in that subterranean world – and it won’t stay there much longer…"

Arrow Video is giving us some silly, B-grade 80's goodness this week in the form of Cannibalistic Underground Humanoid Dwellers, aka C.H.U.D. If that title doesn't clue you into what you're in for with this one, then nothing will.

This is going to be a fun one to revisit in its new format.

Special Features:

•Brand new restoration from original film elements
•High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
•Original Uncompressed Mono PCM audio
•Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
•Audio commentary by director Douglas Cheek, writer Shepard Abbott, and actors John Heard, Daniel Stern and Christopher Curry
•Brand new crew interviews
•Original Theatrical Trailer
•Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Dan Mumford

• Better Call Saul is an excellent show, and one that we'll definitely be adding to the old library. 
• The Twilight Time release of The Boston Strangler is one we're interested in grabbing. Tony Curtis was absolutely chilling in this one. 
• Scream Factory is giving us a Collector's Edition of Dead Ringers, which is awesome, because more Cronenberg on Blu-ray is never a bad thing. 
• And everything else, as always, is a crap-shoot.