Billy Idol Should Be Dead – MVD Visual (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 2025
Director: Jonas Åkerlund
Cast: Billy Idol, Brendan Bourke, Joan Broad, Jane Broad, Tony James, Derwood Andrews, Perri Lsiter, Keith Forsey

Release Date: November 3rd, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 125 Minutes 16 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English, LPCM Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"Billy Idol Should Be Dead is an intimate, unflinching and wildly entertaining portrait of Billy Idol, the punk provocateur who became one of rock & roll's most recognizable and enduring stars. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker and music-video visionary Jonas Åkerlund, the documentary looks beyond Idol's trademark sneer, peroxide hair and leather-clad image to examine the ambition, excess, danger and resilience behind a career spanning nearly five decades.

Beginning with Idol's emergence from the British punk movement as a member of Generation X, the film follows his transformation into an international solo star whose fusion of punk attitude, hard rock and the visual possibilities of the MTV era produced such defining songs as "White Wedding," "Rebel Yell," "Dancing with Myself," "Eyes Without a Face" and "Mony Mony." Rather than simply revisiting the hits, Åkerlund traces the experiences behind them and the contradictions of an artist who repeatedly pushed himself to extremes while continuing to evolve and perform.

The story encompasses extraordinary success as well as the darker consequences of rock & roll excess, including Idol's near-death experiences and the personal and professional upheavals that could easily have ended his career. What emerges is as much a survival story as a music documentary: an examination of how Idol endured the volatility surrounding his fame and remained an active creative force long after many of his contemporaries disappeared from the spotlight.

Idol is joined by an exceptional group of friends, collaborators and fellow musicians who provide perspective on his music, personality and influence. Participants include longtime guitarist Steve Stevens, Miley Cyrus, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan, Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, The Who's Pete Townshend, Nile Rodgers, Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump and Perri Lister, among others. With Åkerlund bringing the perspective of a filmmaker deeply versed in both music and visual culture, Billy Idol Should Be Dead presents the story of a genuine rock survivor who lived through nearly everything the mythology of rock & roll could throw at him--and somehow came out the other side." – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Billy Idol Should Be Dead comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.3 GB

Feature: 22 GB

This documentary is a combination of newly shot interviews and archival material. When it comes to the archival material, the quality varies, and the best-looking footage consists of the newly shot interviews.

Audio: 5/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English and a LPCM stereo mix in English. Both tracks sound clear, balanced, and robust when they should. Included are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this are limited to a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 29 seconds, LPCm stereo English, no subtitles).

Summary:

Billy Idol Should Be Dead offers an in-depth exploration of both Billy Idol's music and the man behind the iconic persona. The story of Billy Idol is linked to the rise of music videos; he was one of the first artists to capitalize on MTV and the exposure it offered recording artists. Jonas Åkerlund has extensive experience with music videos, having directed dozens of them, making him a perfect choice to direct Billy Idol Should Be Dead.

Although Billy Idol Should Be Dead covers Billy Idol's life from birth to the present, it does not unfold in a linear way. The documentary tells Billy Idol’s story via archival footage, animation reenactments of events, and newly shot interviews with Billy Idol, people who worked with him, his family, and friends. While the highlight for most will be seeing old clips and hearing the music, the moment that connects the strongest is when Billy Idol discusses his family, notably his father.

Documentaries serve two primary purposes: to connect fans' nostalgia for the subject being explored or to bring someone new into the fold. Billy Idol Should Be Dead does both of these things extremely well.

Billy Idol Should Be Dead is an excellent documentary and MVD Visual gives it a solid audio/video presentation. Highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Sky Has Fallen – Unearthed Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 2009
Director: Doug Roos
Writer: Doug Roos
Cast: Carey MacLaren, Laurel Kemper, Cory Knisely, Grant Anstine, Kevin Keppy, Nathan Shelton, Mickey Stone, Amanda Russell, Amanda Ianelli, Natalie LaTurno, Debbie Sutcliffe, Sheri Lynn Baker, Shannon Gregory

Release Date: October 27th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 78 Minutes 43 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $39.95

"Two survivors of an outbreak that wiped out most of humanity decide to fight back when they notice mysterious black figures carrying away the dead." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

The Sky Has Fallen comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 34.9 GB

Feature: 21.1 GB

Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM stereo mix in English with removable English SDH. The track sounds clear and balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras: 

Extras for this release include a photo gallery with music from the film playing in the background, a teaser for Bokemono (37 seconds, LPCM stereo with text in English), a trailer for The Sky Has Fallen (1 minute 19 seconds, LPCM stereo with text in English), a featurette titled Prosthetic Application (2 minutes 51 seconds, LPCM stereo with text in English), a featurette titled Mask Making: Step By Step (6 minutes 32 seconds, LPCM stereo with text in English), a featurette titled Special Effects: Making the Monsters (4 minutes 48 seconds, LPCM stereo with music from the film playing in the background), a featurette titled Recording the Score (5 minutes 39 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette titled Pre-Production (3 minutes 56 seconds, LPCM stereo with text in English), a featurette titled Principal Photography (9 minutes 35 seconds, LPCM stereo with text in English), a featurette titled Post-Production (5 minutes 53 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles) an interview with director Doug Roos titled Influences: Asian Cinema and the 1980s (1 minute 37 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Doug Roos titled 20 Years Later: Reflecting on My First Feature (12 minutes 29 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Doug Roos and executive producer James Segars.

Summary:

A deadly disease has decimated most of society, leaving the survivors to battle not only against a horde of zombies but also against shadowy figures who conduct experiments on the recently deceased.

The Sky Has Fallen is a post-apocalyptic horror film that proudly wears its influences. The Sky Has Fallen’s director Doug Roos is a fan of Ryuhei Kitamura’s Versus. Lance, the protagonist, is fashioned after Versus’ protagonist, right down to the sword he uses to dispose of zombies.

Similar to many low-budget horror films, The Sky Has Fallen takes place primarily in a single location. The camera framing of the characters effectively emphasizes the wooded locations where the story takes place. There are few shots that provide a wide view of the surroundings; instead, most camera angles are close-ups or tightly framed, limiting what the viewers can see. That said, the visuals greatly contribute to heightening the mood.

Although the narrative is dialog-driven, that is not to say that gore takes a backseat. The exposition-heavy narrative does an excellent job fleshing out the backstory and it effectively builds to an open-ended finale that offers no resolution. The special effects work well in spite of their limitations, and when it comes to kills, they are gory. Ultimately, despite its familiar elements, The Sky Has Fallen stands out as a well-crafted horror film that will particularly appeal to gore enthusiasts.

The Sky Has Fallen gets an excellent release from Unearthed Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Meatballs 4 – MVD Rewind Collection (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA/Canada, 1992
Director: Bob Logan
Writer: Bob Logan
Cast: Corey Feldman, Jack Nance, Sarah Douglas, Bojesse Christopher

Release Date: December 15th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 89 Minutes 15 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: LPCM Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"When the wealthy and scheming Monica Shavetts (Sarah Douglas, Superman II) intends to buy Camp Lakeview and turn it into a golf course, owner Neil Peterson (Jack Nance) hires the young and spunky Ricky Wade (Corey Feldman, The Lost Boys) to handle the situation. Ricky has a bold idea: He wants the summer camp's waterskiing team to compete with Monica's rival team from Camp Twin Oaks. The showdown will determine Camp Lakeview's future, and the underhanded Monica will stop at nothing to win." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "High Definition (1080p) presentation of the main feature in 1.85:1 aspect ratio."

Meatballs 4 comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.4 GB

Feature: 17.8 GB

The source has some nicks, scratches, and other blemishes. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity is generally strong, black levels fare well, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM stereo mix in English with removable English SDH. The track sounds clean and balanced. Range-wise, music and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with screenwriter/director Bob Logan (55 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), reversible cover art, a collectible mini-poster, and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Meatballs 4 was written and directed by Bob Logan, who is most known for Repossessed. Meatballs 4 was originally titled Happy Campers before being retitled to cash in on the popularity of the Meatballs films.

A summer camp on the verge of bankruptcy brings in a former employee to help revive it.

Meatballs 4 is a sequel in name only to Ivan Reitman’s Meatballs, a film that spawned three sequels. The premise of an underdog facing considerable challenges and ultimately overcoming various obstacles to achieve their goals has been explored many times, often in a more impactful way. Besides a familiar scenario, the cast of characters is a collection of stereotypes that populate comedy films like Meatballs 4, notably a loser character or a fat person.

Headlining the cast is Corey Feldman (The Lost Boys) in the role of Ricky Wade, an ultra-cool dude who has a way of getting the best out of people. Another performance of note is Jack Nance (Eraserhead), who portrays Neil Peterson, the man who oversees the camp that rehires Ricky Wade. While there are other recognizable faces, most of the cast is made actors and actresses who never became known.

Meatballs 4 is typical of teen-targeted comedies of that era; it features an attractive cast, has some obligatory nudity, and its humor is often sexually laced. When it comes to the humor, it misses more than it hits the mark. Meatballs 4 also works pop culture references into the mix; the most notable is a moment where Ricky Wade dances like Michael Jackson, while a song sounding suspiciously like Black and White plays in the background. That narrative is inconsistent and predictable; it never manages to build any momentum. Ultimately, despite its shortcomings, something that can be said about Meatballs 4 is that it knows its audience.

The MVD Rewind Collection gives Meatballs 4 a serviceable audio/video presentation and there is an informative interview with the director.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Roy from Space: Standard Edition – Deaf Crocodile (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Mexico, 1983
Directors: Héctor López Carmona, Rafael Ángel Gil, Ulises Pérez Aguirre
Writers: Héctor López Carmona, Rafael Ángel Gil, Ulises Pérez Aguirre
Cast: José Chorena, Guillermo Coria, Juan Domingo Méndez, Arturo Férnandez, Patricia Martínez, Rommy Mendoza, Rubén Moya, Salvador Nájar, Esteban Siller, Álvaro Tarcicio, Braulio Zertuche

Release Date: December 15th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 64 Minutes 54 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Spanish
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"Completely lost for over 40 years and only the 3rd animated feature ever produced in Mexico, ROY FROM SPACE has finally returned! The only feature made by noted titles and commercials animator Héctor López Carmona, ROY is a wildly entertaining work of Outsider / Sci-Fi Animation, loosely inspired (ahem) by the classic 1930s Flash Gordon serials. "I'm Roy from Space. I come from Earth," our helmet-wearing hero announces with a straight face (note: he never takes off his helmet, indoors or outdoors), and we follow as he fights a nonstop stream of synthesizer-voiced robots and flying saucers in the service of wicked Ming-the-Merciless clone "King Alom" while fending off the king's hot-blooded daughter." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Roy from Space comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.8 GB

Feature: 18.6 GB

The source looks excellent; colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Spanish with removable English subtitles. The track sounds clean, clear, and balanced. That said, things sound limited range-wise.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a featurette on the creation of replacement animation for the film by animators Isabelle Aspin and Brian Smee, edited by Ryan Verrill of Someone’s Favorite Production (7 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay by film historian Celeste de la Cabra titled Mexico’s First Explotation Feature (13 minutes 45, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Héctor López Carmona’s grandson, Héctor Ricardo López Reyes, moderated by Dennis Bartok with translation by Alejandro Vidal (55 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English and Spanish translated into English), an interview with Andrea Pérez Mata (an animator on the film) and Ulises Pérez Mata, both children of Roy from Space producer Ulises Pérez Aguirre, and their cousin, Alejandro Mata, Dennis Bartok, and Alejandro Vidal (74 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English and Spanish translated into English), an audio commentary with Armando Hernández & Joey Diaz of the Trash-Mex podcast, and a 48-page booklet with an essay titled Roy from Space: An Overview of “A Daring Experiment" written by Alejandro Vidal, an essay titled Roy from Space written by Walter Chaw, and Restoration Notes.

Summary:

The leaders of Earth send an astronaut named Roy, a doctor named Faz, and a psychologist named Elena on a mission to investigate cosmic radiation that is eminating from the red planet. Once there, they encounter an evil emperor, his alluring daughter, and his army of robots. Their mission becomes complicated when the emperor becomes infatuated with Elena and orders his minions to kill Roy.

If the above scenario sounds familiar, it is because Roy from Space liberally borrows elements from Flash Gordon. Roy from Space not only fashions its characters and takes story elements from Flash Gordon, but it also rotoscopes scenes from a 1936 Flash Gordon serial. Another film that influences Roy from Space is Message from Space, from which the creators used footage without permission. For this Blu-ray release, the Message from Space footage has been removed and replaced with a new 4 ½ animation sequence that perfectly blends with the rest of the film.

Roy from Space employs a 2-D animation style that appears primitive and, by today’s standards, seems outdated even for its time. From a technical standpoint, everything about Roy from Space is amateurish. The narrative does not provide an origins story for the hero, Roy, and although it is heavy on dialogue, it lacks substantial backstory. Roy from Space has one advantage: its brevity. At just 65 minutes long, it manages to avoid overstaying its welcome. Ultimately, despite Roy from Space’s shortcomings, the result is a film that is always entertaining.

Roy from Space gets a solid release from Deaf Crocodile that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras. Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Where's Officer Tuba? – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1986
Directors: Philip Chan, Ricky Lau
Writer: Barry Wong
Cast: Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Jacky Cheung, David Chiang, Joey Wong, Stanley Fung, Paul Chun, Bowie Wu, Lam Ching-ying, Yuen Wah, Corey Yuen, John Shum, Bolo Yeung

Release Date: October 26th, 2026 (UK), November 10th, 2026 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 93 Minutes 16 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK), $29.95 (USA)

"When timid police officer Tuba (Sammo Hung) – more interested in music than chasing crooks, is put on a dangerous mission, he witnesses the killing of decorated hero Chow, who makes him promise to avenge his death. However, when he fails to live up to his promise, Chow returns as a ghost." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "a 2K remaster of the original camera negative."

Where's Officer Tuba? comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 29.1 GB

Feature: 26.9 GB

The source looks excellent; the flesh tones and colors look correct, image clairty, black levels, and compression are solid, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4/5 (LPCM Mono Cantonese), 3.5/5 (LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese and a LPCM mono mix in English. Although both tracks sound clear and balanced, the Cantonese-language track fares better range-wise. Included are removable English subtitles for the Cantonese-language track and removable English subtitles for Cantonese text when watching the English-language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background (stills/posters), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), English-language opening and closing credits (2 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Hong Kong experts Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto, a removable U-card leaving the O-Ring free of certificates and markings, a double-sided foldout poster (limited to the first pressing), a doubled-walled O-Ring slipcase (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Ricky Lau co-directed Where's Officer Tuba? He’s known for Mr. Vampire and four of its sequels, as well as Encounter of the Spooky. Kind II.

A cowardly police officer haunted by the ghost of a murdered colleague is forced to find the killer and bring them to justice.

What starts off as a gritty crime film evolves into an action/comedy hybrid that leans more to the latter. The humor is a combination of slapstick and one-liners, with the bulk of it coming at the expense of Sammo Hung Kam-Bo’s character, officer Tuba. The funniest moments are scenes where Chow, the dead cop who’s now a ghost, forces Tuba’s body to things. The most memorable of these moments is the scene where Tuba meets his girlfriend's parents.

The opening setup does a phenomenal job establishing the foundation for what follows. From there, the narrative moves quickly, skillfully building momentum toward an exemplary action-packed finale. One of the strengths of the narrative is its ability to balance Tuba’s professional and personal lives.

The cast is excellent in their roles, especially Sammo Hung Kam-Bo (The Magnificent Butcher) in the role of officer Tuba. There is a childlike innocence and a mischievous side of Tuba that Sammo Hung Kam-Bo perfectly captures. Another performance of note is David Chiang (The Deadly Duo), who portrays Chow, a murdered cop who returns as a ghost. Other cast members of note are Jacky Cheung (Bullet in the Head), who portrays Cheung, a police officer who’s Tuba’s roommate, and Joey Wong (City Hunter), who portrays Joanne, Tuba’s girlfriend.

Although the narrative opens with an exciting action set piece, there is little action until the final 30 minutes. The action sequences, however, showcase some impressive stunt work. In 1990, Where's Officer Tuba? was remade and retitled Look Out, Officer!, starring Stephen Chow. Ultimately, Where's Officer Tuba? works better than it should because of its cast's performances.

Where's Officer Tuba? gets a first-rate release from 88 Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and an informative audio commentary. Recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Asylum – Severin Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: UK, 1972
Director: Roy Ward Baker
Writer: Robert Bloch
Cast: Barbara Parkins, Richard Todd, Sylvia Syms, Peter Cushing, Barry Morse, Ann Firbank, John Franklyn-Robbins, Britt Ekland, Charlotte Rampling, James Villiers, Megs Jenkins, Herbert Lom, Patrick Magee, Robert Powell, Geoffrey Bayldon

Release Date: October 14th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 88 Minutes 26 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10 Dolby Vision
Rating: PG
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: OOP

"Here inside the gates of Dunsmoor Asylum for the Incurably Insane, you’ll discover four disturbing tales of voodoo vengeance, murderous mannequins, psychotic ingénues, demonic dolls, and one killer twist of an ending." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (4K UHD), 4.25/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "scanned in 4K from the original camera negative."

Asylum comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD

Disc Size: 61.4 GB

Feature: 59.6 GB

The source looks excellent; it is a noticeable improvement over Severin’s 2018 Blu-ray release. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are solid, there are no issues with compression, and the image retains an organic appearance.

Asylum comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41.1 GB

Feature: 25.5 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The track sounds clean, clear, and balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include two TV spots (1 minute 3 seconds and 28 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), two theatrical trailers (1 minute 34 seconds and 1 minute 26 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), and an archival audio commentary with director Roy Ward Baker and camera operator Neil Binney.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include two TV spots (1 minute 3 seconds and 28 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), two theatrical trailers (1 minute 34 seconds and 1 minute 26 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival featurette titled Inside The Fear Factory, featuring interviews with directors. Roy Ward Baker and Freddie Francis and producer Max J. Rosenberg (21 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Two's A Company—a 1972 BBC on-set report featuring interviews with producer Milton Subotsky; Roy Ward Baker; actors Charlotte Rampling, James Villiers, and Megs Jenkins; art director Tony Curtis; and production manager Teresa Bolland (18 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with author David J. Schow on Robert Bloch (20 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Fiona Subotsky Remembers Her husband, Milton Subotsky (8 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Robert Powell titled Dr. Martin's Challenge (8 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an archival audio commentary with Roy Ward Baker and Neil Binney.

Summary:

Roy Ward Baker Asylum. He’s known for Don’t Bother to Knock, A Night to Remember, The Anniversary, The Vampire Lovers, Scars of Dracula, Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde, The Vault of Horror, And Now the Screaming Starts!, and The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires. Asylum’s screenplay was written by Robert Bloch, who’s most known for the novel Psycho.

An asylum is left shorthanded after its lead physician, Dr. Starr, has a nervous breakdown that leads to his admission to the asylum for treatment. His replacement, Dr. Martin, arrives for his interview only to discover about Dr. Starr’s nervous breakdown. Dr. Rutherford, who has taken over as the lead doctor of the asylum, informs Dr. Martin to gain employment. He has to discover, without any clues, which one of the patients is Dr. Starr.

Asylum, like the majority of Amicus’s productions, is a collection of stories that are linked by an outer framework that brings them all together in the end. There are a total of five stories that make up the file's plot. The first and main story is that of Dr. Martin, who interviews the various patients at the asylum. The second story is about a husband who will do anything, even commit murder, to leave his wife for his mistress. The third story is about a father who wants a tailor to make his son a suit out of the most unusual fabric. The fourth story is about a demented woman, whose imaginary friend does bad things to those who are close to her. The final tale is about a patient who has the power to transfer his soul into dolls, which he uses to do his evil bidding.

All around, the cast are excellent in their roles, especially Herbert Lom’s (A Shot in the Dark) portrayal of Bryon, one of the patients in the asylum. His character crafts dolls that he’s able to control through sheer will and concentration. Other performances of note are Britt Ekland (The Wicker Man), who portrays Lucy, an imaginary friend with psychopathic tendencies, and Patrick Magee (A Clockwork Orange) in the role of Lionel Rutherford, the warden of the asylum. Notable cast members are Peter Cushing (The Curse of Frankenstein), Charlotte Rampling (The Night Porter), and Robert Powell (Harlequin).

Asylum presents an ingenious premise: a doctor interviewing for a position at an asylum must identify which patient is a fellow doctor who has lost their sanity. The opening sequence quickly captures your attention, and as each new patient shares their tragic story, the narrative effectively builds momentum towards a shocking twist ending. While music is only used sparingly, it is very effective, especially the use of Modest Mussorgsky’s A Night on Bald Mountain. Ultimately, Asylum is a solid horror film that has a few well-placed jump scares and genuinely unsettling moments.

Asylum makes its way to 4K UHD via a solid upgrade from Severin Films. Recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer