News

Science fiction writer Philip K. Dick wrote numerous novels and short stories that question the nature of reality and human perception by focusing on characters in capitalistic, dystopian futures. His 1968 novel, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" is one of those works — it follows a bounty hunter named Rick Deckard who is assigned to "retire" six androids who escaped to off-world colonies. Ridley Scott eventually adapted this novel for the big screen with 1982's "Blade Runner," which retained some of the book's themes despite veering away from much of the plot in Dick's original work.

The book-to-screen journey for "Electric Sheep" was a long one, laden with studio refusals and rotating scripts because the book's premise was either heavily altered or too ambitious to be realized on screen. Scott also wasn't the only filmmaker who tried to adapt the story — years before his efforts, a young Martin Scorsese was heavily interested in optioning Dick's novel.

Synopsis

Meet Jerry Dandrige. He’s sweet, sexy, and he likes to sleep in late. You might think he’s the perfect neighbor. But before inviting Jerry in for a nightcap, there’s just one thing you should know. Jerry prefers his drinks warm, red, and straight from the jugular! It’s Fright Night, a horrific howl starring Chris Sarandon as the seductive vampire and William Ragsdale as the frantic teenager struggling to keep Jerry’s deadly fangs out of his neck. Only 17-year-old Charley Brewster (Ragsdale) knows Jerry’s bloodcurdling secret. When Charley can’t get anybody to believe him, he turns to TV horror host Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall), who used to be the “Great Vampire Killer” of the movies. Can these mortals save Charley and his sweetheart Amy (Amanda Bearse) from the wrathful bloodsucker’s toothy embrace? If you love being scared, Fright Night…will give you the nightmare of your life.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is bringing the original Fright Night to 4K Uhd on October 4th and its Packed with both old and brand-new bonus features:

Synopsis

Meet Jerry Dandrige. He's sweet, sexy, and he likes to sleep in late. You might think he's the perfect neighbor. But before inviting Jerry in for a nightcap, there's just one thing you should know. Jerry prefers his drinks warm, red, and straight from the jugular! It's Fright Night, a horrific howl starring Chris Sarandon as the seductive vampire and William Ragsdale as the frantic teenager struggling to keep Jerry's deadly fangs out of his neck. Only 17-year-old Charley Brewster (Ragsdale) knows Jerry's bloodcurdling secret. When Charley can't get anybody to believe him, he turns to TV horror host Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall), who used to be the "Great Vampire Killer" of the movies. Can these mortals save Charley and his sweetheart Amy...

A killer book (Dog Soldiers) must hide behind a Credence Clearwater tune. Karel Reisz’s killer movie about the moral residue of Vietnam scores as both drama and action, as disillusioned counterculture smugglers versus corrupt narcotics cops. Just don’t expect it to really have much to say about the Vietnam experience. But hey, the cast is tops — Nick Nolte, Richard Masur, Anthony Zerbe — and the marvelous Tuesday Weld is even better as a pill-soaked involuntary initiate into the pre- War On Drugs smuggling scene.

Who’ll Stop the Rain

Blu-ray

Twilight Time

1978 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 126 min. / Street Date May 16, 2017 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store 29.95

Starring: Nick Nolte, Tuesday Weld, Michael Moriarty, Anthony Zerbe, Richard Masur, Ray Sharkey, Gail Strickland, Charles Haid, David Opatoshu, Joaquín Martínez, James Cranna, Timothy Blake.

Cinematography: Richard H. Kiline

Supervising Film Editor: John Bloom

Original Music: Laurence Rosenthal

Written by Judith Rascoe, Robert Stone...

Nicholas Meyer's first directing effort is a classy science fiction thriller best remembered for a charming romantic angle, and for introducing many of us to the marvelous Mary Steenburgen. Clever storytelling pits Malcolm McDowell against fellow time tripper David Warner, in a fourth-dimensional pursuit of none other than Jack the Ripper. Time After Time Blu-ray Warner Archive Collection 1979 / Color / 2:40 widescreen / 112 min. / Street Date November 15, 2016 / available through the WBshop / 21.99 Starring Malcolm McDowell, David Warner, Mary Steenburgen, Charles Cioffi, Kent Williams, Andonia Katsaros, Patti D'Arbanville, Corey Feldman, Shelley Hack, Clete Roberts. Cinematography Paul Lohman Film Editor Donn Cambern Original Music Miklos Rozsa Written by Nicholas Meyer story by Karl Alexander & Steve Hayes Produced by Herb Jaffe Directed by Nicholas Meyer

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

Known for his smart scripts -- face it, even Invasion of the Bee Girls is an intelligent script -- Nicholas Meyer broke into the writer-director hyphenate...

It’s finally happening. This is one of the bad boys right here. This is one of Scream Factory’s Collector’s Edition releases that I have been dying for, and one that will finally make its way onto the space on my shelf(5 foot stack), designated for Scream and Shout Factory Blu-rays. If you haven’t seen Motel Hell yet, your first time is going to be great, as Scream Factory have stacked the disc with extras and awesome new cover art. The disc drops on August 12th, and if you’d like to pre-order your copy now, do so by clicking right here, and you will receive an exclusive 18×24 poster featuring the commissioned cover-art. Check out the official press release below for a listing of the newly-revealed special features, hot off the press.

Scream Factory™ Presents

A Twisted Horror Comedy from Celebrated British Filmmaker Kevin Connor

Finally Arrives...

With Tom Holland’s latest series now available on FEARnet and VOD entitled “Twisted Tales” and his group of short stories exclusively for the Kindle, “Untold Tales”, Holland is entering into a new creative stage in his long and varied career as an actor, writer, director, and producer.

The legendary creator of Fright Night, Child’s Play, Cloak & Dagger, and Psycho II (just to name a few), Holland recently reached out to Dread Central to discuss his thoughts on the new incarnation of Fright Night 2: New Blood (review) from director Eduardo Rodriguez, the new FEARnet series, and his upcoming projects including his desire to remake his 1982 screenplay The Beast Within. There’s also a great update about adapting Stephen King’s “The Ten O’Clock People” showing how both writers are working together to make the story fit more into the modern world.

Dread Central: So, you saw the...

One of the many reasons "Prometheus" was eagerly anticipated by so many was the director's track record in the sci-fi genre. Ridley Scott had only made two science fiction pictures before this year's blockbuster, and both are considered classics (and arguably his best two films). The first was 1979's "Alien," the direct inspiration for "Prometheus." And the second? 1982's "Blade Runner," the noirish mystery adaptation of Philip K. Dick's novel "Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep," which has been one of the most talked about and influential science fiction films of all time, particularly in terms of its grim look at Los Angeles in 2019.

The film, which follows Harrison Ford's "blade runner" Deckard as he's tasked with tracking down four murderous "replicants" (life-like robots) who've escaped from an off-world colony and are hiding out on Earth, wasn't a success when it first arrived, partly thanks to the tumultuous,...