THIS WEEK’S NOTABLE DVD & BLU-RAY RELEASES:

Assault on Precinct 13 (Restored Collector’s Edition) [DVD] – John Carpenter’s classic film has been cleaned up and finally put on DVD in the all new restored edition. (This has actually been out on Blu-ray for a while, in case you were wondering.) Along with better picture and sound, this double dip release features an audio commentary with John Carpenter, an interview with Carpenter and actor Austin Stoker, radio spots, a still gallery, trailer, and an option to listen to the film’s isolated score! If you don’t own it already, pick this up; heck, even if you do already own the previous Image DVD release, I’d have to say that this is a worthy upgrade.

Friday the 13th (Uncut Deluxe Edition) [DVD & Blu-ray] – Paramount is staffed by a-holes and should be ashamed of the way they’ve treated the slasher film genre. Luckily for them, this uncut release of Friday the 13th, is a step in the right direction towards making amends to the fans of the series. The film has an added ten seconds of gore or so (which doesn’t really warrant the disc’s “uncut” moniker), has been cleaned up quite a bit, and given a good dose of extras including: audio commentary with cast and crew, the original theatrical trailer, three short featurettes, and a short film entitled “Lost Tales from Camp Blood – Part I.” This sort of annoys me since I shelled out a good chunk o’ change for Paramount’s Friday boxed set, but I just can’t help it. I love the Friday the 13th series, and I really want to see how much better it looks, now that the folks at Paramount have seemingly pulled their heads out of their asses.

Friday the 13th Part 2 (Deluxe Edition) [DVD] – Another double dip to go along with the upcoming release of the new Friday the 13th. This release of Part 2 features improved audio and video and has a few featurettes, a trailer, and the second (and final?) chapter of the “Lost Tales of Camp Blood” short. There’s not much here to recommend really, but it is head and shoulders above the previous Friday the 13th Part 2 DVD releases, which isn’t saying much. And hey, Paramount, why the f*@k are those lucky bastards in the UK getting this on Blu-ray and not us?!

Friday the 13th Part 3D (Deluxe Edition) [DVD] – Ah, here we go! Along with greatly improved audio and video, this classic comes in 2D and 3D, plus you get two groovy pairs of 3D glasses in the case. The drawback though? There’s no freakin’ extras on this disc, except for the trailer! Luckily this is a fairly cheap disc, but still, Paramount couldn’t give any more love to this entry in the series? Oh, and once again, folks in the UK get this bad boy on Blu-ray and we don’t! Grrrr…

His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th [DVD] – This two-disc DVD set is an informative and fairly in-depth look at the seemingly immortal Friday the 13th franchise. Multiple cast members, directors, “Jasons,” and special effects artists (Tom Savini!) from the still expanding series make appearances, as do cast members from the upcoming remake. It’s not quite definitive, but it is well done, very interesting, and will easily appeal to Friday-fans and casual viewers alike.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XIV [DVD] – YES! Shout Factory! has been doing a bang-up job with their line of MST3K DVDs, and this set is no exception. It contains four hilarious episodes (“Mad Monster,” “Manhunt in Space,” “Soultaker,” and “Final Justice”) and tosses in a few fun extras as well. We get an interview with Greydon Clark, an interview with Joe Estevez, a trailer for “Mad Monster,” four mini-posters, and an episode of “Cheap Seats” on ESPN that featured Joel and the bots. It is MST3K, therefore I must buy it!

THIS WEEK’S CULT DVD & BLU-RAY RELEASES:
Afro-Samurai: Resurrection (Director’s Cut) [DVD & Blu-ray]
* Assault on Precint 13 (Restored Collector’s Edition) [DVD]
Black Swarm [DVD]
Blitzkrieg: Escape from Stalag 69 [DVD]
Blood Predator [DVD]
The Bloody Ape [DVD]
Brainstorm [DVD]
Clamp School Detectives: Complete Collection [DVD]
Claymore Vol. 3: The Hunter is Prey [DVD]
Code Geass Leouch of the Rebellion, Part 3 [DVD]
Cyberteam in Akihabara: Complete Collection [DVD]
Dead Noon [DVD]
Diary [DVD]
Dragonslayer (I Love the 80′s Edition) [DVD]
Five (1951) [DVD]
*Friday the 13th (Uncut Deluxe Edition) [DVD & Blu-ray]
*Friday the 13th Part 2 (Deluxe Edition) [DVD]
*Friday the 13th Part 3D (Deluxe Edition) [DVD]
Ghost Slayers Ayashi, Part 1 [DVD]
The Golden Child (I Love the 80′s Edition) [DVD]
Gundam: F-91 [DVD]
*His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th [DVD]
Jason Slasher Collection [DVD]
Killer Movie [DVD]
Kino’s Journey: Complete Collection [DVD]
Last Action Hero / Iron Eagle [DVD]
Lone Wolf & Cub: TV Series 6 [DVD]
The Magnificent Trio [DVD]
Mobile Suit Gundam 8: Anime Legend [DVD]
* Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XIV [DVD]
Ninja She Devil [DVD]
Nite Tales [DVD]
Paura – Lucio Fulci Remembered Volume 1 (Limited Edition) [DVD]
Sick and the Dead [DVD]
Sigma Die! [DVD]
The Sisters Four [DVD]
Small Town Folk [DVD]
Street Fighter: Round One – FIGHT! [DVD]
Top Secret (I Love the 80′s Edition) [DVD]
Tsubasa, Vol. 11: Reservoir Chronicles – At the Brink of Chaos [DVD]
Young Sherlock Holmes (I Love the 80′s Edition) [DVD]
Xanadu (Regular or Magical Musical Edition) [DVD]
Zaion: I Wish You Were Here: Complete Collection [DVD]

THIS WEEK’S NEW THEATRICAL RELEASES:
Coraline – Animated film about a young girl named Coraline who walks through a secret door in her house and ends up in an alternate reality. This one falls into the same vein as The Nightmare Before Christmas, but I don’t really think this film will be a huge hit or gain cult status. Then again, I could be completely wrong. Guess we’ll just have to see! If anything, this may be a fun family adventure, though the PG rating for scary imagery might give some of you parents second thoughts.

Fanboys – A group of Star Wars nerds sneak onto Skywalker Ranch to steal a print of Star Wars Episode I so that they’re dying friend can see it. The joke that “maybe they should just let the guy die” is almost as old as the film itself, which has been completed for years and has only now been given a theatrical release. (That’s usually not a good sign.) Coupled with the fact that this movie is being released about eight years too late, I figure it will probably experience poor ticket sales and make a hasty retreat to DVD. I may give this one a matinee viewing, just to sate my curiosity.

The Pink Panther 2 – What the hell?! Someone told me that this sequel was being made, and I laughed and said “That’s impossible! The first one was awful! Who’d fund it, and more importantly, who would even star in it? Steve Martin definitely has enough sense to pack up and move on to better projects!” Well I am now eating those words and I’m no longer laughing, and neither will you if you go see this movie. I could be jumping the gun with my pessimism; this could actually be a good movie. But my gut says no, and I always go with my gut. If you’re curious about this movie… download it illegally.

Push – So many alarms went off in my head when I saw the first trailer for Push, and yet, I actually want to see this. This tells the tale of a group of super-powered folks, coming together to fight off some evil super-powered folks that work for the (United States?) government. It has the feel of a big dumb action flick that probably would have been better off with a summer release date, and I guess that’s what I find so appealing about it. Out of this week’s group of theatrical releases, this is probably the best bet for a good time.

Well that’s it for this week’s Genre Watch; be sure to check back next week for more cult movie goodness: Bruce Campbell’s latest, the aptly titled “My Name is Bruce” comes to DVD and Blu-ray, “Boondock Saints” goes Blu-ray, and an epic kung-fu film called “Chocolate” also makes its DVD and Blu-ray debut. As for theatrical offerings, “Friday the 13th” is the only genre release next week; Jason Voorhees will be duking it out with Isla “hot shopaholic” Fisher, a killer bank, and several limited release films that no one gives a rat’s ass about. Here’s hoping that Jason makes a “killing” at the box office!

Take care everybody; I’ll see you next week! – Vault Master