Shout Factory continues releasing superb special editions of cult classics throughout March 2013. The releases this month include a couple of sequels, a time travel movie, and an unforgettable adaptation of an H.P. Lovecraft story. There is no doubt that these movies will look better here than they ever have before.
“Time Rider: The Adventure of Lyle Swan”
Before there was “Back to the Future,” there was this time travel movie which stars Fred Ward (“Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins”) as Lyle Swan. Swan is a cross country dirt bike racer who accidentally gets caught up in a time travel experiment which sends him back 100 years in the past. A bunch of nasty cowboys end up stealing his motorcycle, and he falls for the beautiful Claire Cygne (Belinda Bauer) who is an outlaw like no other. But sooner or later Swan has to get back to his own time, and he’s not leaving without his motorbike!
“Time Rider” was directed by William Dear who would later go on to direct “Harry and the Hendersons” and “Angels in the Outfield,” and its screenwriter and music composer is Michael Nesmith who was a member of the musical group The Monkees. The special features on this disc include the theatrical trailer and some TV spots.
“Futureworld”
This 1976 science fiction film is a sequel to the late Michael Crichton’s “Westworld,” but it features none of the actors from that film other than Yul Brynner who reprises his Gunslinger character for a cameo. Several years after the events of “Westworld,” the Delos Resort is reopened under the name Futureworld and has been getting rave reviews. News reporter Chuck Browning (Peter Fonda), however, is not convinced that the resort owners have cleaned up their act, and his suspicions become justified after an informant who has damming information on the resort is murdered. Browning soon teams up with fellow reporter Tracy Ballard (Blythe Danner) to discover what’s really going on, and they of course end up in a world of danger.
“Futureworld” was not as well received as its predecessor, but it has long since gained a cult following. The special features on the Shout Factory release include the theatrical trailer, radio spots, and a still gallery.
“From Beyond”
Stuart Gordon’s follow up to one of the greatest cult classics of all time, “Re-Animator,” is just as gory and every bit as entertaining. Based on the short story by H.P. Lovecraft, it stars Jeffrey Combs and Ted Sorel as a pair of scientists who have put together a machine called the Resonator. This machine is designed to stimulate the pineal gland (sixth sense), and it allows those close to it to see creatures from another dimension. But like in any other horror movie, these creatures are anything but friendly. “From Beyond” also stars cult movie favorite Ken Foree and the seriously sexy Barbara Crampton.
A special edition of “From Beyond” was released back in 2007 by MGM, and the extras from that edition like the audio commentary with Gordon and the cast will be carried over. This Shout Factory release will also contain a wealth of new extras such as an audio commentary with one of the movie’s screenwriters Denis Paoli, interviews with the actors, and a documentary on the makeup and special effects. This release of “From Beyond” is a must buy for any true cult horror film fan.
“Phantasm II”
Of all the special edition releases Shout Factory is releasing in March, this is the one I am looking forward to the most. This sequel has Mike (James LeGros) being released from a mental institution seven years after the events in “Phantasm,” and he quickly teams up with Reggie (Reggie Bannister) to once again fight The Tall Man (Angus Scrimm) and destroy him for good. This one had the largest budget of any of the “Phantasm” movies, and it co-stars Paula Irvine as Liz Reynolds and Samantha Phillips as the bald man-loving Alchemy.
Fans have been clamoring for a digital release of this particular “Phantasm” for a long time, and Universal did finally release it on DVD in 2009. But while the other films in the series have received a lot of special treatment, “Phantasm II” had only one extra feature on it: the theatrical trailer. Fortunately Shout Factory will not be letting the fans down, and their special edition will include an audio commentary with the film’s writer/director Don Coscarelli and actors Scrimm and Bannister. There will also be a plethora of other goodies like a new documentary entitled “The Ball is Back,” some vintage behind the scenes footage, deleted scenes, and a featurette on makeup artist Greg Nicotero.
Related articles:
Cult Movie Releases Coming from Shout Factory in February 2013
Don Coscarelli and Company Look Back at ‘Phantasm II’
Samantha Phillips Looks Back on ‘Phantasm II’ at New Beverly Cinema
‘From Beyond’ — Stuart Gordon’s Follow Up to ‘Re-Animator’
Barbara Crampton Talks Acting in ‘Re-Animator,’ ‘From Beyond’