THE RINGU COLLECTION: J-HORROR DONE TO PERFECTION

A typical movie fan might not be aware of the term “J-horror” but odds are they’ve seen at least one movie in that genre. Horror fans on the other hand have loved these films and in particular the original versions over their US made remakes. If you bother to take the time and view them you’ll understand why. The original versions of J-horror (or Japanese horror) are filled with disturbing images and subtle scares as opposed to the loud jump scares US films tend to use. In doing so they offer a richer story being told as well as nightmarish images that stay with you.

While movies in the genre have been around for years it was in the late 1990s that they truly began to get noticed and US studios began lifting their storylines. One of the first in this category was the film RINGU which was remade as THE RING starring Naomi Watts. While that film was enjoyable enough the real Japanese film was far more atmospheric. It also spawned two sequels.

The series is being released from Arrow Video in THE RINGU COLLECTION and for fans it is well worth tossing aside those old versions and picking this one up. Not only are all three films here to enjoy but plenty of extras are on hand as well. In addition to that it’s never looked better with a new 4K restoration from the original camera negative, approved by director of photography Junichiro Hayashi. The clarity is amazing to see.

If you’re unfamiliar with the films the first, RINGU, tells the story of a group of teens who watch a video tape that is supposed to be cursed. After viewing a phone will ring and tell the viewer that they only have a week to live. A week later the teens begin dying off. A reporter looking into the story follows the trail to the video tape and watches it only to fear for her life. She recruits her ex-husband and psychic to aid her in discovering a way to beat the curse and later finds her young son watching the tape as well. With days to go until the curse if fulfilled, they rush to find out who the girl is in the film. Her name is Sadako and scenes of her crawling out of the TV as the tape plays will have your skin crawling. Will they find the answer in time?

The second film picks up where the first left off so spoiler alert is you haven’t seen them. Titled RING @ the woman from the first film and her young son are being sought by the police after the death of her father and ex-husband. Also seeking answers is her ex’s assistant. This film takes a different turn as the young boy who survived has developed psychic abilities like his father and is using them to help find a way to prevent Sadako from taking more lives. But is he strong enough to do so?

Here is where the collection gets interesting and actually adds a fourth film of sorts. The second film in the series was actually called RASEN aka SPIRAL and based on the book that came next in the series that they were based on. It didn’t do well at the box office and RING 2 was made to follow up. But RASEN is included in this set as well. This one involved another researcher who was friends with the ex-husband who looks into the cause of his death and gets help from the assistant.

And then there is the last film in the series, RING-0: BIRTHDAY. For me this was the least interesting as well as least frightening of the films. Rather than a sequel this one is instead a prequel that takes place 30 years before the events in the first film. Much of the folklore found in the first film is tossed aside and instead we have the story of Sadako in her teens after her mother has died. Involved in a play mysterious things begin to happen to other members of the cast that elevate Sadako to the lead role. The rest of the cast thinks she’s odd because, well, she acts odd. Just why Sadako does what she does in the first films is given more weight and just who and what she is explained. Odds are you won’t guess what that is ahead of time.

I’d seen the US versions of the film before but never had the opportunity to see these three. I’m glad that I did. The skill on display here by all involved is breathtaking at times. Both the director and cinematographer work hand in hand to create enough atmosphere without overdoing it. And the screenwriter allows the story to unfold at a perfect pace to hold your interest from start to finish.

But as I said Arrow Video has released this as a complete set and they’ve done an amazing job of it. What else would you expect from them? Not only are all four of these films included here but that ton of extras I mentioned are as well. Those include a new audio commentary track on RINGU by film historian David Kalat, a new audio commentary track on RINGU O by author and film critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, THE RINGU LEGACY a series of interviews from critics and filmmakers on their memories of the RINGU series and its legacy, A VICIOUS CIRCLE a new video interview with author and critic Kat Ellinger on the career of director Hideo Nakata, CIRCUMNAVIGATING RINGU a new video essay by Ellinger on the evolution of the RINGU series, SPOOK SIGHS AND VIDEOTAPE a new video essay by critic Jasper Sharp on the J-Horror phenomenon, THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FEAR a newly edited archive interview with author Koji Suzuki, archival behind the scenes featurette on RINGU O, RINGU O deleted scenes, Sadako’s video, multiple theatrical trailers for the entire series, for the first pressing only a limited edition 60 page booklet featuring new writing from Violet Lucca, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Jasper Sharp, Kieran Fisher and Kat Ellinger and a limited edition packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork.

If you’ve never seen the films this is the best way possible to do so. Movie fans will want to check it out. And horror fans will make this a must have item for their shelves. Thank goodness once again for Arrow Video.

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AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON: HAIR RAISING TALE

When released in 1981 AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON created quite a stir among horror fans. Not only was it an amazing horror film it was one of two notable werewolf films released that year, the other being THE HOWLING. Fans continue to argue to this day about which film had the most unique transformation sequence but Oscar voters decided and awarded the best special effects makeup that year to Rick Baker for his work on this film. But the movie was more than just special effects.

The story opens with two American backpackers on holiday in England. David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne) are walking along the road in the dark when they come upon a small village and a local pub, The Slaughtered Lamb, still open. They step in to find an unwelcoming group of townsfolk whose hospitality is sorely lacking. Knowing they’re not welcome they decide to leave but not before they’re warned to stay out of the moors and on the road. Once gone the group begins to talk about how they should have taken them in.

Of course while walking they lose their way, end up in the aforementioned moors and are attacked by what appears to be a giant wolf. Jack is killed and the folks from the pub arrive in time to save David who’s been bitten by the wolf. David wakes in a hospital where he’s being watched over by Nurse Alex Price (Jenny Agutter). The police question him but he has few answers.

While in the hospital David is visited by Jack, or at least his ghost. Still carrying the mangled face he ended up with as a result of the attack he tells David that he was killed by a werewolf. He also lets David know that with the next full moon he too will transform into a wolf and that the only way for him to rest in peace is for David to kill himself. Of course David thinks he’s hallucinating.

While in the hospital and with no one else to turn to, David begins a romance with his nurse. When released Alex takes him back to her apartment to stay until he mends. While she’s at work Jack reappears once more, this time a bit more decomposed, and warns David again. Still thinking he’s a hallucination he ignores the warning. Until that night when he changes into a wolf, goes out, kills several people and wakes the next morning to find himself naked in the wolf area of the zoo.

David tries to get himself arrested in Trafalgar Square with no luck. When Alex shows to help him all he wants to do is put distance between them so he doesn’t do her harm. Popping into a porn theater David once more sees Jack, not more rotted flesh than human as well as the other victims of his rampage. They all attempt to talk him into killing himself but will he be able to do so and will he do it in time?

While watching the film this time, the first in several years, I was surprised at how straightforward the story was and how time passed quickly while watching it. I’d always felt it was longer than the 97 minutes it clocks in at and this time they went by sooner than I expected. I’d remembered the film as entertaining but was again surprised at not just how solid a story it was but how it was put together with perfection.

Director John Landis at this point in his career was known mostly for comedies having directed THE KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE, ANIMAL HOUSE and THE BLUES BROTHERS. His move to horror suited him and he combined bits of humor in the mix but not enough to take away from the real genre the film belongs in. Landis would return to horror in several other films later in his career and this one didn’t pigeonhole him as a genre director but it is an amazing first attempt.

To discuss Rick Baker’s makeup effects here would be to be only a chapter in the career he has established for himself. Baker has done so many amazing effects before and after this film that there is little doubt he will find himself in the hall of fame for those who create these images if one ever exists. Not only are we able to watch the transformation on screen but we can feel the pain involved as one would change from man to wolf here. To this day people still discuss this transformation.

The acting on hand is also above par. Naughton, probably known more for his work in a Dr. Pepper commercial than anything, showed that he had a certain naïve charm to him in the role of David. Dunne has never been better and has the funniest lines in the whole movie as the decomposing Jack. Agutter looks lovely but has little to do other than be sympathetic. But all of these combine to make an effective movie.

The film has been released before on blu-ray but that doesn’t compare to the new edition being released by Arrow Video. The company once more shows why they are the premiere company when it comes to releases like this. To start with this release is a new 2019 restoration from the original camera negative supervised by John Landis, giving a clarity unseen before with the picture. And extras?

Arrow continues to supply extras enough to keep you busy for some time. This time around they include a new audio commentary track by BEWARE THE MOON filmmaker Paul Davis, an audio commentary track by Naughton and Dunne, MARK OF THE BEAST: THE LEGACY OF THE UNIVERSAL WEREWOLF a newly produced feature length documentary by filmmaker Daniel Griffith with interviews including Landis, Naughton, Joe Dante and more, AN AMERICAN FILMMAKER IN LONDON a newly filmed interview with Landis where he reflects on British cinema and his time working in Britain, I THINK HE’S A JEW: THE WEREWOLF’S SECRET a new video essay by filmmaker Jon Spira about how Landis’ film explores Jewish identity, THE WEREWOLF’S CALL features Corin Hardy (director of THE HALLOW and THE NUN) chatting with writer Simon Ward about their formative experiences with Landis’ film, WARES OF THE WOLF a new featurette in which SFX artists Dan Martin and Tim Lawes of Prop Store look at some of the original costumes and special effects artefacts from the film, BEWARE THE MOON a feature length exploration of Landis’ film by Paul Davis featuring interviews with the cast and crew, MAKING AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON a short archival featurette on the making of the film, AN INTERVIEW WITH JOHN LANDIS a lengthy archival interview with the director about the film, makeup artists Rick Baker on the film, I WALKED WITH A WEREWOLF is an archival interview with baker about Universal horror and its legacy of Wolfman films, CASTING OF THE HAND features archival footage from Baker’s workshop showing the casting of Naughton’s hand, outtakes, storyboard featurette, original trailers, teasers and TV spots, an extensive image gallery with over 200 stills, poster and other items and a reversible sleeve featuring original poster art and artwork by Graham Humphreys. All in all the extras will take you longer to watch than the film itself!

The movie itself is a solid investment for movie fans and especially horror fans. Arrow Video makes it even more of a must have for those same fans, providing the best looking version of the film available as well as a wealth of extras that must be seen to be believed. This one is an item that needs to find a place on your shelf. 

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NEKROMANTIX-3 DECADES OF DARKLE: PSYCHOBILLY DONE RIGHT

If you’re unfamiliar with the music known as psychobilly then you should make a point of seeking it out. The genre is a combination of rockabilly music, punk music and more often than not a touch of the macabre. The fast, pulsating rhythms of rockabilly that most are familiar with in songs like “Blue Suede Shoes” to “Hello Mary Lou” and even “Stray Cat Strut” are joined with the rough and tumble sound and speed of punk to make a different yet similar sound.

One of the band who’ve made a name for themselves in this genre is Nekromantix. Founded in 1989 the American-Danish band have been a mainstay of the genre for three decades now with their popularity growing. Bass player and lead singer Kim Nekroman is known for his coffin shaped standup bass and brutal singing style that presents lyrics with a horror theme. On guitar and backing vocal is Francisco Mesa and on drums is Rene "Delamuerte" Garcia. When combined the three present a screaming sound that is both unmistakable and launches you into another world.

For those who’ve never seen them live (count me among those though I’ve talked to people who have and who can’t heap enough praise on the band) you can now find out what the uproars about the band is all about. They’re just releasing this combination blu-ray, DVD and CD of a live performance filmed at the Observatory in Santa Ana, CA. Directed by Vicente Cordero (3TEETH, ROOM 37: The Mysterious Death of Johnny Thunders), the film features 19 songs released over the bands albums from 30 years’ worth of material.

The band opens with “Struck by a Wrecking Ball” and you’ll feel like you were if you’re volume is turned up high enough. Other songs include “Brain Error”, “Gargoyle’s Over Copenhagen”, “Haunted Cathouse” and “Who Killed the Cheerleader” will either have you scratching your head at how the band is popular or (like me) find yourself moving to the music and enjoying every minute of it.

Limited extras include photos of the band and an interview with them as well. But it’s the music and concert footage that fans are here for. And those fans won’t be disappointed. Worth checking out for those who are curious and a must have for psychobilly fans. 

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