ThanksKilling 3: Collector's Edition – MVD Rewind Collection (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 2012
Director: Jordan Downey
Writers: Jordan Downey, Michael W. Downey, Kevin Stewart
Cast: Daniel Usaj, Joe Hartzler, Preston Altree, Benjamin Siemon, Mike Litzenberg, Bridge Stuart, Wanda Lust, Christina Blevins

Release Date: November 10th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 99 Minutes 16 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English, LPCM Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $34.95

"When Turkie learns that the movie"ThanksKilling 2" - the centerpiece of his master plan for world domination - has been abruptly canned, he launches a vengeful hunt for its last remaining copy. His search spirals into a chaotic odyssey through wormholes and a bizarre handmade universe, where only a puppet heroine named Yomi and her raunchy puppet friends stand in his way. " – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4.5/5

ThanksKilling 3 comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.3 GB

Feature: 23.9 GB

The digital source looks excellent; the flesh tones and colors appear accurate. Image clarity is strong, black levels are deep, and there are no compression issues.

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 release include a brown band trailer (1 minute 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), the original trailer (1 minute 35 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), a stills gallery with music from the film playing in the background, a behind-the-scenes photo gallery with music from the film playing in the background, Thankskilling 2 artwork gallery with music from the film playing in the background, The Pluckmaster 3000 Infomercial (1 minute 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Flowis Rap music video (1 minute 9 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a behind-the-scenes featurette titled Frakenturkey (4 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo with music from the film playing in the background and text in English), a behind-the-scenes featurette titled Skeleturkey Graveyard (8 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo with music from the film playing in the background and text in English), a behind-the-scenes featurette titled The Flame Thrower (1 minute 9 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo with music from the film playing in the background and text in English), a behind-the-scenes featurette titled Nerd Worms Lair (1 minute 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo with music from the film playing in the background and text in English), a behind-the-scenes featurette titled Pluckmaster (4 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo with music from the film playing in the background and text in English), a behind-the-scenes featurette titled Thanksgiven Land Sign (1 minute 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo with music from the film playing in the background and text in English), a behind-the-scenes featurette titled Turkie’s House (13 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo with music from the film playing in the background and text in English), a featurette titled Uncle Donny Cam (11 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Dan Usaj aka Uncle Donny (64 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with creators Kevin Stewart and Jordan Downey and producer Ricky Fosheim (146 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with screenwriter Michael Downey, an archival audio commentary with Jordan Downey and Kevin Stewart titled How Did We End Up Here?, an archival technical audio commentary with creators Jordan Downey and Kevin Stewart, a collectible mini-poster (limited to the first pressing), and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

A foul-mouthed killer turkey's quiet life as a family man is disrupted when all copies of a movie about him are destroyed. Upon hearing the news, the turkey becomes enraged and goes on a killing spree.

The opening scene depicts a woman astronaut floating through space, her nude chest exposed, when she is confronted by a turkey armed with a laser gun that slices her in half. While this moment feels like an odd way to open a film, it makes more sense as the narrative progresses. The scene was from Thankskilling 2, a movie that is widely regarded as the worst ever made, and all but one copy have been destroyed. From there, the foul-mouthed killer turkey searches for the last remaining copy of his life's work while encountering a cast of colorful characters/puppets.

Instead of retreading familiar ground, Thankskilling 3 goes in a completely different direction. Where its predecessor was a film that firmly fit into a slasher genre, Thankskilling 3 is a melting pot of genres that plays things mostly for laughs. Unfortunately, when it comes to the humor, it is not as successful this time around.

Another way that Thankskilling 3 is inferior to its predecessor is its 99-minute length. Where Thankskilling had a lean 66-minute running that never overstayed its welcome, Thankskilling 3 often drags and never establishes any momentum. That said, while everything in Thankskilling 3 is bigger and better executed from a production standpoint, the result is a film that most who enjoyed its predecessor will find it a chore to get through.

Thankskilling 3 has never looked or sounded better and it comes with a wealth of extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer

ThanksKilling: Collector's Edition – MVD Rewind Collection (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 2008
Director: Jordan Downey
Writers: Jordan Downey, Brad Schulz, Kevin Stewart, Anthony Wilson, Grant Yaffee
Cast: Wanda Lust, Natasha Cordova, Lindsey Anderson, Lance Predmore, Aaron Ringhiser-Carlson, Ryan E. Francis, General Bastard, Jake, Chuck Lamb, Pat Love

Release Date: November 10th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 66 Minutes 38 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $34.95

"When a wisecracking killer turkey rises from its grave, a group of unsuspecting college kids must survive a Thanksgiving nightmare unlike any other." – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4.25/5

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

Disc Size: 44.8 GB

Feature: 16.1 GB

Shot on the digital, the source looks excellent; the flesh tones and colors look correct; the image clarity is strong; the black levels fare well; and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM stereo mix in English with removable English SDH. The track sounds clear, balanced, and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include the original trailer (1 minute 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), official stills with music from the film playing in the background, fan art and pictures with music from the film playing in the background, a behind-the-scenes photo gallery with music from the film playing in the background, ThanksKilling soundboard app interface video, a blooper reel (5 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette titled Prop Unboxing (49 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Jordan Downey behind-the-scenes featurette from 2022 (2 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Jordan Downey Facebook Live 2019 (76 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Jordan Downey Facebook Live 2020 (115 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with creators Kevin Stewart and Jordan Downey (142 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Lance Predmore (52 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Ryan Francis (74 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Aaron Carlson (53 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Lindsey Anderson (63 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a Behind the Scenes with Kevin Stewart and Jordan Downey recording the 2007 audio commentary (37 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with Kevin Stewart and Jordan Downey recorded in 2007; an archival audio commentary with Kevin Stewart and Jordan Downey recorded in 2011; a collectible mini-poster (limited to the first pressing), and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Five friends who are forced to camp in the woods are targeted by a killer turkey that’s resurrected after a dog pisses on its grave.

Although Thankskilling closely follows the slasher film blueprint, featuring stalk-and-kill carnage and stereotypical characters, it stands out as one of the more unique entries in the genre. What distinguishes Thankskilling from other slasher films is that its killer is a turkey, rather than the more familiar psychopath or an evil entity not of human flesh. That said, the turkey in Thankskilling is a fowl-mouthed killing machine that feeds off of its victims.

While the cast are nothing more than props that further the story along, the makeup is a familiar group of characters: the jock, the nerd, the hillbilly, the slut, and the final girl. When it comes to the special effects, they are good all things considered, and the kill scenes are sufficiently gory. Like a lot of more recent horror films, Thankskilling leans into comedy, and fortunately the humor works more than it fails.

The narrative keeps things simple and it is very effective at building momentum to a final showdown finale between the killer turkey and the final girl. Some of the more outrageous moments include a scene where the turkey kills a boy during a sexual encounter and then attacks the girl, as well as a scene where the turkey carjacks a man, shoots him in the head with a shotgun, and drives off. Ultimately, Thankskilling makes no attempt to break new ground or pretend to be something it is not; it is a film that understands its audience.

Thankskilling has never looked or sounded better and it comes with a wealth of extras.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Surf Nazis Must Die!: Special Edition – Troma Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1987
Director: Peter George
Writers: Jon Ayre, Peter George
Cast: Gail Neely, Robert Harden, Barry Brenner, Dawn Wildsmith, Michael Sonye, Joel Hile, Ryan Fegley, Gene Mitchell, Tom Shell

Release Date: October 27th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 82 Minutes 16 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10 Dolby Vision
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD, Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $39.95

"After a devastating earthquake leaves California's coastline in ruins, rival surfer gangs battle for control of the shattered beaches until Adolf and his neo-Nazi surf punks seize power. Their reign of terror comes to an abrupt end when they murder Leroy, the son of the formidable Mama Washington, who arms herself with guns and grenades before embarking on an unforgettable campaign of bloody revenge." - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

Surf Nazis Must Die! comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD

Disc Size: 60.5 GB

Feature: 54 GB

Outside of some very minor white specks, the bulk of the source looks excellent. 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.

Surf Nazis Must Die! comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 32 GB

Feature: 23.4 GB

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

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD stereo mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles) and a Projection Booth podcast audio interview with director Peter George (71 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), the original DVD release introduction (53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), the original Blu-ray release introduction (1 minute 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), 6 deleted scenes with Peter George audio commentary (7 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette titled Scenes From The Tromaville Cafe (3 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with Peter George titled Who Controls The Beaches? (8 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Waves Are A War Zone interview with producer Robert Tinnell (1 minute 53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Waves Are A War Zone interview with Peter George (3 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and a Projection Booth podcast audio interview with Peter George (71 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles). 

Other Blu-ray extras include Independent Artists VS. Corrupt Cartels (9 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Radiation March (53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Soul of Troma (2 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), “INNARDS” music video (1 minute 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), The Toxic Avenger in Ukraine (1 minute 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Troma Sleepover (2 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and trailers for Shakespeare’s Shitstorm, Eating Miss Campbell, Curse of the Werewolf, Kill Dolly Doll, Divide & Conquer, The Toxic Avenger, Class of Nume ‘Em High, Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D., and Rise of the Super Tromettes.

Other extras include a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Los Angeles is in chaos and overrun by gangs wanting to control the beach after an 8.6 earthquake devastates it.

Surf Nazis Must Die! is a disaster-themed action/drama that has post-apocalyptic vibes. The narrative revolves around a neo-Nazi surf gang lead by Adolf. When they surf Nazis to form a collision with rival beach gangs, it backfires and leads to an all-out war. The locales are being robbed by the surf Nazis while they battle rival gangs. The surf Nazis seal their fate when they kill a good Samaritan, and his gun-toting mama unleashes her wrath on them.

While Surf Nazis Must Die! features many elements typical of Troma Films, it stands out as one of their pickups that doesn’t seem to aspire to be a Troma film. The premise is certainly outlandish and the politically incorrect humor aligns with the typical Troma style. That said, Surf Nazis Must Die! is relatively mild regarding onscreen violence when compared to other Troma productions. Despite its differences, Surf Nazis Must Die! ultimately aligns well with the type of movies for which Troma is known.

The premise is well-executed; it is perfectly complemented by subversive humor. The narrative creates a good momentum as it builds upon one outrageous moment after another. While the performances are not going to win any awards, it is easy to get caught up in the cast's enthusiasm. The standout performance is Gail Neely, who portrays Eleanor ‘Mama’ Washington, who goes on a rampage after her son is murdered. Another performance of note is Barry Brenner’s portrayal of Adolf, a metrosexual caricature of Germany’s infamous Führer. Ultimately, Surf Nazis Must Die! shares a common trait with many Troma films: it tends to divide its audience. The only way to determine your personal opinion about this film is to watch it.

Surf Nazis Must Die! has been released on 4K UHD, featuring a notable upgrade that greatly improves the audio and video quality compared to earlier home media versions. Additionally, it comes with a wealth of extras. 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

Scarlet Sails: Standard Edition – Deaf Crocodile (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Soviet Union, 1961
Director: Aleksandr Ptushko
Writers: Alexandr Yurovsky, Semyon Nagorny
Cast: Anastasiya Vertinskaya, Vasily Lanovoy, Yelena Cheremshanova, Aleksandr Lupenko, Ivan Pereverzev, Nikolay Volkov, Sergei Romodanov, Oleg Anofriyev, Zoya Fyodorova, Pavel Massalsky, Grigory Shpigel

Release Date: December 15th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 86 Minutes 59 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Russian
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"Adapted from the novel by famed Russian author Alexander Grin, the film follows two parallel stories: the first about Assol, daughter of an impoverished sailor (Ivan Pereverzev from SADKO and NEBO ZOVYOT). As a young girl, an old storyteller predicts her destiny: "One day the sun will shine upon a white ship with scarlet sails. The white ship will slice through the waves and move right towards you." This shimmering dream sustains her into adulthood when she's played by the luminous Anastasiya Vertinskaya (WAR & PEACE, THE AMPHIBIAN MAN). The second story revolves around Arthur, the rebellious son of an aristocrat, who only dreams of shipwrecks, pirates and going off to sea" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "New 4K restoration from the original 35mm picture and sound elements by Mosfilm."

Scarlet Sails comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 33.5 GB

Feature: 24.8 GB

The source is in excellent shape; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and compression are solid, black levels are strong, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.5/5

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

Extras:

Extras for this release include a video essay by film historian Celeste de la Cabra titled Scarlet Sails: Man-Made Miracles and Godless Fairy Tales (10 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video conversation with Eisner Award-winning comics artist, film historian, and author Stephen R. Bissette and film critic and author Tim Lucas (59 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with author and film historian Rich Johnson, and a 48-page booklet with an essay titled Scarlet Sails written by Peter Rollberg, an essay titled Scarlet Sails written by Walter Chaw, In Memoriam—Tony Stella, and information about the transfer.

Other extras are trailers for Ilya Muromets (3 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with text in English), Sampo (3 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Russian with non-removable English subtitles), The Tale of Tsar Saltan (2 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with text in English), and Ruslan and Ludmila (1 minute 42 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with text in English).

Summary:

Scarlet Sails was directed by Aleksandr Ptushko, who's been referred to as the Soviet Ray Harryhausen because of his work in special effects, notably stop-motion animation. Notable films he directed are Ilya Muromets, Sampo, The Tale of Tsar Saltan, and Ruslan and Ludmila.

The narrative revolves around a young girl named Assol, who’s raised by her longshoreman father after her mother dies. One day, Assol meets a sorcerer in the woods, who tells her when a ship with scarlet sails arrives, a noble prince will be onboard, and he will take her away. Running parallel with Assol’s story is about a young prince named Arthur, who rejects his family's wealth and has dreams of becoming a captain of a ship.

Although Scarlet Sails has fantasy elements, what unfolds is more reality-based than Aleksandr Ptushko's other films. Central to the story that unfolds is a miracle that brings Assol and Arthur together, while it bears all the hallmarks of a miracle: Scarlet Sails emphasizes the role we play in shaping our destinies. Besides destiny, another theme Scarlet Sails explores is individuality vs. conformity.

The opening setup does a phenomenal job setting the foundation for what unfolds. It opens with a scene where Assol’s father, a longshoreman, has returned home to discover that his wife has died. A neighbor explains what happened to Assol’s father’s wife through a flashback. The narrative remains consistently engaging, and one of its key strengths lies in its ability to balance the stories of Assol and Arthur.

All around, the cast are excellent in their roles. The production design is exemplary, and it does a superb job drawing you into the world being depicted. Visually, Scarlet Sails takes advantage of its scenic landscapes and is filled with many striking moments. Ultimately, Scarlet Sails is a well-crafted romantic fairy tale that examines the resilience of the human spirit.

Scarlet Sails gets an excellent release from Deaf Crocodile that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras. Highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Bride of Re-Animator: Special Edition – Ignite Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1990
Director: Brian Yuzna
Writers: Woody Keith, Rick Fry
Cast: Jeffrey Combs, Bruce Abbott, Claude Earl Jones, Fabiana Udenio, David Gale, Kathleen Kinmont

Release Date: December 15th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 96 Minutes 37 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo English, DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH, English, Spanish (Latin America), Dutch
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $49.95

"Eight months after the horrific events at Miskatonic University, Herbert West and Dan Cain have resumed their forbidden experiments in Bride of Re-Animator, the outrageous and unforgettable sequel to Stuart Gordon's cult horror classic. Working as battlefield doctors during a brutal civil war, the pair continue to perfect West's infamous re-agent, pushing the boundaries of life and death further than ever before. Back home, Dan remains haunted by the loss of his fiancée, Megan, while Herbert becomes consumed by an audacious new obsession: creating a living woman from an assortment of stolen body parts. But as their experiments spiral out of control, the return of old enemies and the emergence of West's monstrous creation unleash a fresh wave of grotesque terror and darkly comic mayhem." - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Brand-new 4K restoration—Newly restored from the original camera negative, presenting Bride of Re-Animator with unprecedented detail, richer colors, and dramatically improved image stability."

Bride of Re-Animator comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 89.2 GB

Feature: 68.3 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, contrast, black levels, image clarity, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic appearance. That said, this transfer is a marked improvement over this film's previous home media releases.

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

Bride of Re-Animator comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41 GB

Feature: 31.1 GB

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Stereo English), 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD 5.1 English)

This release comes with three audio options, a DTS-HD stereo mix in English, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. All tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. The score and ambient sounds are well-represented. The stereo mix is the strongest track. Included are removable English SDH, English, Spanish (Latin America), and Dutch subtitles.

Extras:

Extras of the 4K UHD disc include a new 4K release trailer (1 minute 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), extended interviews; director Brian Yuzna (5 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), actor Bruce Abbott (9 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), actress Fabiana Udenio (8 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), actor Jeffrey Combs (9 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and actress Kathleen Kinmont (9 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a documentary titled Till Death Do Us Part: Making Bride of Re-Animator (59 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Sarah Sherman aka Sarah Squirm, an archival audio commentary with Brian Yuzna, an archival audio commentary with Jeffery Combs, and Bruce Abbott, and an archival audio commentary with Brian Yuzna, Jeffrey Combs, Howard Berger, Robert Kurtzman, Tom Rainone, Mike Deak, Screaming Mad George, and John Buechler.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 51 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), behind-the-effects reel (14 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Carnival Sequence—the cast and crew discuss this excised sequence (2 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Meg is Re-Animated—a deleted scene with behind-the-scenes footage (8 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival making-of featurette titled Getting Ahead of Horror (23 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival FX featurette titled Splatter Masters: The Special Effects Artists of Bride of Re-Animator, featuring a wealth of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with Robert Kurtzman of KNB, Screaming Mad George, Tony Doublin, and John Buechler (14 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an interview with Brian Yuzna titled Brian Yuzna Remembers Bride of Re-Animator (9 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Summary:

Bride of Re-Animator was co-written and directed by Brian Yuzna, whose other notable films as a director include Society and The Dentist. Other notable films that he worked on as a producer include Re-Animator, From Beyond, and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Bride of Re-Animator, like its predecessor, was adapted from H.P. Lovecraft’s short story Herbert West—Reanimator. Another influence on The Bride of Re-Animator includes James Whale's Frankenstein.

Adapting the literary works of H.P. Lovecraft for the silver screen has been a daunting task, and the majority of those who have tried have failed to retain the essence of the source. with the first feature film adaptation, The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, being released as The Haunted Palace in 1963. By the end of the 1960s, there would be more key Lovecraft adaptations: Die, Monster, Die! (The Color Out of Space), The Shuttered Room, and The Dunwich Horror.

Then, over the next fifteen years, there would be a drought until the release of Re-Animator, a film that would single-handedly revive interest in adapting H.P. Lovecraft for the silver screen. And after making two highly successful Lovecraft adaptations, Re-Animator and From Beyond, the majority of the cast and crew from these two films would return for a third time to the imagination of H.P. Lovecraft, though the original idea was to shoot The Shadow over Innsmouth. The idea was put on hold in favor of making a sequel to Re-Animator.

Unlike the majority of sequels, which just try to rehash the elements that made their predecessors successful, The Bride of Re-Animator goes the other route by creating a film that not only stands on its own but also brings several new elements into the mix that enhance the story at hand. Another advantage of this sequel is that it continues the story of the previous film. With the time between the two films summarized by the sequel's opening scene, humor plays a significant role in this sequel, as it did in its predecessor. 

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Bride of Re-Animator is how well it holds up in regard to the look of the film. From a creative standpoint, there would be two major charges with regard to the crew. With Brian Yuzna replacing Stuart Gordon (Castle Freak) as director and Rick Fichter (Society) taking over for Mac Ahlberg (The Seduction) in the role of cinematographer, in other areas of this production, such as special effects, Bride of Re-Animator exceeds expectations. The effects are often shocking to look at, and there is never a shortage of gore. With the most memorable moment being the scene where West resurrects Cain’s dead girlfriend.

Performance-wise, the entire cast is excellent in their respective roles. with Jeffry Combs (Lurking Fear) in the role of Herbert West and Bruce Abbott (Bad Dreams) in the role of Dan Cain. Both actors are reprising the roles they played in Re-Animator. They have a tremendous amount of chemistry, and the moments they share are by far and away this film’s most durable asset. Other notable performances include Fabiana Udenio (Summer School), who provides plenty of eye candy, and David Gale, who returns as Doctor Carl Hill, or more precisely as Doctor Hill's severed head. Ultimately, Bride of Re-Animator is a rare example of a sequel that is on par with its predecessor.

Ignite Films gives Bride of Re-Animator an exceptional release that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a treasure trove of archival and newly created extras. Highly 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