Arrow Video November Line Up Is Fear And Loathing Cult Classics
Autumn might have finally arrived but Arrow Video is preparing for those colder months with some Cult Classics. Hitch-hiking horrors, drug-induced bat attacks and the insane future of law enforcement – November’s fantastic Arrow Video line-up includes a newly-restored exploitation crime curio, a newly restored gonzo classic, and a smash hit sci-fi thriller.
First off in November, be careful who you hitch a ride with in Hitch Hike to Hell! All roads lead to terror in this delightfully sleazy cautionary tale from cult director Irvin Berwick (Malibu High, The Monster of Piedras Blancas). Influenced by the depraved crimes of the likes of “Co-ed Killer” Edmund Kemper, Hitch Hike to Hell is a bona fide American nightmare from the vaults of legendary exploitation producer Harry Novak (The Child, Toys Are Not for Children), presented here in a pristine, brand new 2K restoration from original film elements.
Next in November is Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, anarchic visionary director Terry Gilliam’s adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s literary landmark of psychedelic excess, featuring no-holds-barred star performances by Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro. This exclusive 4K restoration, presented in a limited edition two-disc Blu-ray™, is a must for Gonzo fans: as well as an outstanding selection of bonus material delving into the history of the film and the original book, the release includes collectable postcards and a fold-out film poster.
Last but not least in November, RoboCop, director Paul Verhoeven’s stunning Hollywood debut, an enduring sci-fi/action classic where the director’s peerlessly exciting and kinetic visuals were matched by a sharp script, iconic cast and exceptional special effects. Unsurpassably thrilling, unexpectedly moving and unforgettably hilarious in equal measure, the future of law enforcement is back in a definitive Blu-ray™ presentation packed with hours of brand-new bonus features and exclusive packaging. RoboCop is also being released in a beautifully designed and highly collectable Steelbook edition.
Hitch Hike to Hell | Blu-ray | 18 November
Howard is a mild-mannered momma’s boy whose job running deliveries for a cleaning agency affords him a lot of time out on the road. It’s not until he picks up young women who’ve run away from home that he transforms into a twitching, homicidal maniac, hellbent on meting out punishment for their “transgressions”. Can the cops put a stop to Howard’s demented spree before he claims yet another victim?
SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS
• Brand new 2K restoration from original film elements
• 1.33 and 1.78 versions of the feature
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
• Original uncompressed mono audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Newly-filmed appreciation by Nightmare USA author Stephen Thrower
• Road to Nowhere: Hitchhiking Culture Goes to Hell – brand new video essay by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas exploring the dark side of hitch-hiking in the real world and on the screen
• Original theatrical trailer
• Original press book (BD-ROM Content)
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by The Twins of Evil
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Heather Drain
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas |Limited Edition Blu-ray| 25 November
Raoul Duke and his volatile Samoan attorney Dr. Gonzo are en route to Las Vegas, ostensibly on a banal journalistic assignment, but the suitcase full of psychoactive narcotics in their possession tells another story. Beset by bats, horny lizards and runaway hotel carpet upon their arrival, the pair plunge deeper into the pharmaceutically enhanced neon underbelly of the City of Sin, on a chemically-charged, savage journey to the heart of the American Dream.
2-DISC LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY CONTENTS
• Two-disc edition featuring Fear And Loathing in Las Vegas in a new 4K restoration, and the documentary For No Good Reason about illustrator Ralph Steadman, featuring Terry Gilliam and Johnny Depp
• Limited edition packaging featuring iconic original art by Ralph Steadman
• Limited edition hardbound book featuring new writing by Roger Keen, an essay on “Thompson on Film” by Dr William Stephenson, a 1999 interview with Terry Gilliam by Ian Christie and original production notes
• Six collectors’ postcards
• Double-sided fold-out poster of the original theatrical one-sheet and a sketch by Terry Gilliam
DISC ONE – FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS
• Brand new 4K restoration by Arrow Films from the original negative supervised by Terry Gilliam
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
• Original 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
• Optional subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• New commentary by Terry Gilliam, moderated by Phil Stubbs
• New interview with producer Laila Nabulsi
• New interview with cinematographer Nicola Pecorini
• Newly filmed appreciation by Ian Christie, author of Gilliam on Gilliam
• More new extras in production and TBC at a later date!
• Four deleted scenes with new optional commentary by Gilliam, including the excised prologue A Dress Pattern
• Spotlight on Location, an original promotional featurette featuring interviews with Gilliam, Depp and del Toro
• Behind the scenes ‘B-roll’ footage and additional EPK interviews with Gilliam, Depp and del Toro
• Theatrical trailers and TV spots
• Extensive image galleries, including original production designs, storyboards and production stills
DISC TWO – FOR NO GOOD REASON (LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE)
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
• Original 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
• Optional subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Extended interviews with Terry Gilliam, Bruce Robinson and Richard E. Grant
• Deleted Scenes
• Ralph Steadman Art Gallery
• Digital Teasers
RoboCop|Limited Edition Blu-ray & Blu-ray Steelbook |25 November
In Detroit in the not-too-distant future, heroic cop Alex Murphy is gunned down in the line of duty, only to be resurrected as RoboCop – a cybernetic mix of spare human parts and Motor City steel, and the latest defense against crime designed by the all-powerful OCP Corporation. As RoboCop’s memories of his former life as Murphy resurface, only his ex-partner stands beside him to fight against the vicious thugs responsible for his death, as well as a nefarious top-level OCP executive orchestrating the chaos from above.
LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
• 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative by MGM, transferred in 2013 and approved by director Paul Verhoeven
• Newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper
• Director’s Cut and Theatrical Cut of the film on two High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray™ discs
• Original lossless stereo and four-channel mixes plus DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound option on both cuts
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing on both cuts
• Six collector’s postcards (Limited Edition exclusive)
• Double-sided, fold-out poster (Limited Edition exclusive)
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork
• Limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Omar Ahmed, Christopher Griffiths and Henry Blyth, a 1987 Fangoria interview with Rob Bottin, and archive publicity materials (some contents exclusive to Limited Edition)
DISC ONE – DIRECTOR’S CUT
• Archive commentary by director Paul Verhoeven, executive producer Jon Davison and co-writer Ed Neumeier (originally recorded for the Theatrical Cut and re-edited in 2014 for the Director’s Cut)
• New commentary by film historian Paul M. Sammon
• New commentary by fans Christopher Griffiths, Gary Smart and Eastwood Allen
• The Future of Law Enforcement: Creating RoboCop, a newly filmed interview with co-writer Michael Miner
• RoboTalk, a newly filmed conversation between co-writer Ed Neumeier and filmmakers David Birke (writer of Elle) and Nick McCarthy (director of Orion Pictures’ The Prodigy)
• Truth of Character, a newly filmed interview with star Nancy Allen on her role as Lewis
• Casting Old Detroit, a newly filmed interview with casting director Julie Selzer on how the film’s ensemble cast was assembled
• Connecting the Shots, a newly filmed interview with second unit director and frequent Verhoeven collaborator Mark Goldblatt
• Composing RoboCop, a new tribute to composer Basil Poledouris featuring film music experts Jeff Bond, Lukas Kendall, Daniel Schweiger and Robert Townson
• RoboProps, a newly filmed tour of super-fan Julien Dumont’s collection of original props and memorabilia
• 2012 Q&A with the Filmmakers, a panel discussion featuring Verhoeven, Davison, Neumeier, Miner, Allen, star Peter Weller and animator Phil Tippett
• RoboCop: Creating a Legend, Villains of Old Detroit and Special Effects: Then & Now, three archive featurettes from 2007 featuring interviews with cast and crew
• Paul Verhoeven Easter Egg
• Four deleted scenes
• The Boardroom: Storyboard with Commentary by Phil Tippett
• Director’s Cut Production Footage, raw dailies from the filming of the unrated gore scenes
• Two theatrical trailers and three TV spots
• Extensive image galleries
DISC TWO – THEATRICAL CUT
• Archive commentary by director Paul Verhoeven, executive producer Jon Davison and co-writer Ed Neumeier (originally recorded for Theatrical version of the film)
• Two Isolated Score tracks (Composer’s Original Mix and Final Theatrical Mix) in lossless stereo
• Edited-for-television version of the film, featuring alternate dubs, takes and edits of several scenes (95 mins, SD only)
• Split screen comparison of Theatrical and Director’s Cuts
• Robocop: Edited For Television, a compilation of alternate scenes from two edited-for-television versions, newly transferred in HD from recently-unearthed 35mm elements
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