Corruption: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/France, 1963
Director: Mauro Bolognini
Writers: Fulvio Gicca Palli, Ugo Liberatore
Cast: Alain Cuny, Rosanna Schiaffino, Jacques Perrin, Isa Miranda, Filippo Scelzo, Ennio Balbo, Anna Glori

Release Date: September 14th, 2026 (UK), September 15th, 2026 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 82 Minutes 54 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 12 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"After finishing his studies in Switzerland, the shy and innocent Stefano (Jacques Perrin, Girl with a Suitcase) decides to become a priest. His father, Leonardo (Alain Cuny, La dolce vita), a rich publishing magnate, disapproves: he wants his son to take over his empire someday. When he invites Stefano on a yacht trip together with his mistress (Rosanna Schiaffino), Leonardo’s intention is not to reconcile with his son..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Corruption was restored in 2K by Movietime. The restoration was delivered to Radiance as a high definitiono digital file."

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

Disc Size: 29.4 GB

Feature: 24.1 GB

While some minor debris remains, the source usually looks excellent. Flesh tones look healthy, contrast, image clarity, and compression are solid, black levels are strong, and the image retains an organic appearance.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, an LPCM mono mix in Italian with removable English subtitles. Although there is some mild hiss, dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an archival interview with producers Alfredo Bini and Manolo Bolognini, son of Mauro Bolognini (10 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with film critic and programmer Adrian Wootton (24 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 20-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled After the Bloom written by Marco Natoli and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Mauro Bolognini directed Corruption. He’s known for Young Husbands, The Big Night, From a Roman Balcony, The Lovemakers, Careless, and Il bell'Antonio.

A young man's father derails his desire to enter the priesthood because he wants to someday take over the family business.

At the heart of Corruption is a story about spiritual fulfillment in a world consumed by materialism. Stefano is a young man who comes from an affluent family. When it comes to his material needs, someone has always taken care of him. Wanting more out of life, he sees joining the priesthood as a way to find fulfillment he cannot find elsewhere. His father is the polar opposite and is determined to make Stefano conform to the life he’s mapped out for him.

When the film begins, Stefano is a pure soul, and it is an act of deception that corrupts him. Stefano reluctantly goes on a sailing trip with his father. When they arrive, Stefano is angered that his father has brought someone along, a young woman, his mistress. From there, his father, with the help of the young woman, set in motion a plot to seduce Stefano. Their act of deception succeeds, igniting Stefano's canal desires.

All around, the performances are excellent, especially Alain Cuny (La Dolce Vita) and Jacques Perrin (Cinema Paradiso) in the roles of father and son. Alain Cuny’s portrayal of Leonardo, the overbearing father, is pitch-perfect. Jacques Perrin delivers an exemplary performance of a conflicted character who feels trapped in his current life. Another performance of note is Rosanna Schiaffino's (The Killer Reserved Nine Seats) portrayal of Adrianna. She delivers a performance that more than fulfills the role of an object of desire.

Corruption is a dialogue-driven film; its well-crafted narrative does a superb job drawing you in and holding your attention as it builds to an exemplary finale. There are a few striking moments visually, the scenes where Adrianna seduces Stefano on the boat and a scene where an employee of Stefano's father’s company jumps to their death after being accused of stealing from it. There are two lines of dialogue spoken by Stefano’s father that perfectly sum up corruption: “There are two kinds of morality. Those who command and those who obey.” Ultimately, Corruption is an extraordinary exploitation of desire and faith whose moment of truth will crush you.

Corruption gets an excellent release from Radiance Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and insightful extras. Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Reanimator Academy: Collector's Edition – Visual Vengeance (Blu-ray)

Release Date: USA, 1992
Director: Judith Priest (Bret McCormick)
Writer: Benton Jennings, Judith Priest (Bret McCormick)
Cast: Steve Westerheit, Connie Speer, Richard Perrin, Benton Jennings, Julian Scott, Sarah Paxton, Tom Fegan, J. Scott Guy, Tricia Anderson, Matt Montano

Release Date: August 25th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 68 Minutes 32 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Interlaced / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $34.95

"The fraternity brothers at Delta Epsilon Delta are your typical red-blooded American party animals, that is except for Edgar Allen Lovecraft. He's locked up in his room trying to cure death and finds a serum that works on the severed head of a recently deceased comedian. When a mafia hood steals the serum to use on his murdered squeeze, her reanimated corpse goes on a campus killing spree—let the corny puns and one-punch decapitations fly!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 1.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Transfer from existing SD tape masters."

Reanimator Academy comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 26.9 GB

Feature: 10.4 GB (Reanimator Academy), 7.4 GB (Children of Dracula)

There is only so much that can be done with the source, which looks rough. That said, image clarity and black levels are never convincing, and colors fluctuate.

Audio: 1.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital stereo mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio lacks depth, and it's a positive that there are English subtitles for this release.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a Visual Vengeance trailer for Reanimator Academy (1 minute 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Bret McCormick Reanimator Academy Q&A at Nitehawk Cinema (15 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Fred the Head interview (4 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Tom Fegan (4 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with composer Greg Synodis titled Brainwaves: Scoring Reanimator Academy (7 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a locations featurette titled Back To School: Reanimator Academy Location Tour (5 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Bret McCormick titled Talking Heads (8 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Reanimator Academy’s 2023 director’s alternate soundtrack cut (68 minutes 32 seconds, 1080 interlaced, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH), an audio commentary with Sam Panico of B&S About Movies and Bill Van Ryn of Drive-In Asylum, a bonus feature film: Children of Dracula (55 minutes 57 seconds, 1080 interlaced, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview for Children of Dracula with Bret McCormick (4 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), reversible cover art, original poster art, a 'Stick your own' video store sticker sheet (first pressing only), a folded mini-poster, a video store card (first pressing only), and a limited-edition O-Card slipcover (first pressing only).

Other extras are Visual Vengeance trailers for Highway to Hell, The Abomination, and Repligator.

Summary:

Reanimator Academy: Bret McCormick directed Reanimator Academy, who's known for low-budget cinema like The Abomination and Repligator.

The narrative revolves around a college student named Edgar Allen Lovecraft, who’s created a serum that reanimates the dead. His first experiment is on the severed head of a dead comedian, which he successfully reanimates. From there things spiral out of control when a mafia hood steals the serum and brings a dead hooker back to life who then goes on a killing spree. 

While the film’s title and the name of its protagonist, Edgar Allen Lovecraft, make reference to H.P. Lovecraft, Reanimator Academy’s connection to the literary writings of H.P. Lovecraft is nonexistent. Reanimator Academy is a textbook example of an ultralow-budget horror film that tries to associate itself with a known commodity. The acting is horrible, and the narrative is padded with moments that make it feel longer than it is. Despite attempts at humor, the film consistently fails to deliver.

The genesis of Reanimator Academy can be traced back to David DeCoteau, who served as the film’s executive producer. Looking for work, Bret McCormick reached out to David DeCoteau, who offered him a film and the only requirement was he had to use the title Reanimator Academy. Shot quickly over one weekend on video, Reanimator Academy is not the type of film that one puts on their resume. That said, it is not surprising that the director Bret McCormick used a pseudonym for Reanimator Academy.

Children of Dracula: A documentary about vampires with people who claim to be vampires and it is narrated by Joe Estevez.

Visual Vengeance continues to rescue cinema from obscurity and give it Criterion-like home media releases.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Cyclops: Collector's Edition – Visual Vengeance (Blu-ray)

Release Date: Japan, 1987
Director: Jôji Iida
Cast: Kai Atô, Mayumi Hasegawa, Yoshimasa Kondô, Kazuhiro Sano, Nobuo Takahashi

Release Date: August 25th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 52 Minutes 20 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $37.95

"A secret team of scientists has crossed the line between medicine and madness, implanting embryos into human hosts in a series of hideous experiments designed to create a new form of life. But when their latest subject takes her own life before giving birth, the operation spirals into desperation. Accompanied by a malformed cyclops mutant as muscle, the researchers descend into the city in search of a new victim--dragging an unsuspecting young woman into a nightmare of medical horror that degenerates into a frenzy of deformed flesh, slimy transformations and mutant showdowns." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "New 2K transfer from original 16mm film elements."

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

Disc Size: 30 GB

Feature: 11.8 GB

While there is minor print debris, it is never intrusive, and the result is easily Visual Vengeance’s best-looking transfer to date. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 3.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital mono mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. While the track is limited range-wise, it sounds clear and balanced throughout.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background, a Koji Yamamura sketch gallery with music from the film playing in the background, a Visual Vengeance trailer for Cyclops (1 minute 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay by Justin Decloux titled All the Monsters Are Here: The Japanese DTV market of the mid-80s (10 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay by Justin Decloux titled Not In The Way Your Expect: The Films of Joji “George” Iida (10 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Joji “George” Iida titled No Compliance (53 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with non-removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Justin Decloux of The important Cinema Club and Patrick Macias, author of Tokyoscope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion, reversible cover art featuring original Japanese VHS art, 'Stick your own' VHS sticker set (limited to the first pressing), a folded mini-poster, an 8-page booklet with an essay titled A (Short) Horror Trip: A Look at Cyclops written by Nando Rohner and translated by Tony Strauss (limited to the first pressing), a 16-page booklet with an essay titled “She is Not Yet Aware of Her Nature!” A Detailed Look at the Creation of Cyclops written by Christopher N. Kellerback and edited and translated by Tony Strauss (limited to the first pressing), and an O-card slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Other extras are Visual Vengeance trailers for The Screaming, The Abomination, and Colony Mutation.

Summary:

A group of scientists experiment on deformed children, transforming some of them into normal-looking people, free of deformities. Unfortunately, very few survive until adulthood, and those who do are plagued by side effects that revert them back to how they once looked.

Cyclops is a do-it-yourself, independently made film that came out during the height of the Japanese home video boom of the 1980s. Cyclops is a film that fits firmly in the body horror genre, and there are many qualities about it that are reminiscent of the cinema of Hisayasu Satô. While the horror elements are prominent throughout, Cyclops also incorporates sci-fi elements and a few moments of nudity for added effect.

An opening credits provides a quick overview that fleshes out the characters and explains what the human hybrid mutations are. The narrative moves briskly and does an excellent job building momentum to an explosive finale where several characters revert to their original mutated state.

The acting is surprisingly strong. The most memorable performance by Kai Atô (The Beast to Die), who portrays Sonezaki, a one-eyed, shades-wearing henchman who resembles Jo Shishido’s gangster character from his 1960s Nikkatsu films. Another notable cast member is Kazuhiro Sano (Survey Map of a Paradise Lost), an actor who’s worked extensively in Pinku Eiga.

It is amazing what Cyclops is able to achieve considering its limited resources. The makeup effects, most of which take center stage in the last 15 minutes, hold up incredibly well. A pulsating score and striking visuals greatly enhance the mood. The most memorable scene is a lengthy, gory finale where a mutant baby escapes from its mother's womb and enters another mutant. Ultimately, Cyclops is an outstanding body horror film that packs more into its 54 minutes than most films that are twice its length.

Cyclops gets an exceptional release that stands out as Visual Vengeance’s best to date. Highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Scars of the Sun / Blow the Night – Third Window Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Japan, 1981 (Scars of the Sun), Japan, 1983 (Blow the Night)
Director: Chūsei Sone (Both Films)
Cast: Kenichi Kaneda, Hayashi Mirai, Ken Ogata, Satoshi Sadanaga, Kôji Tanaka, Emi Yokoyama (Scars of the Sun), Moeko Ezawa, Kazumi Kawai, Eiji Kobayashi, Namie Takada, Yūsuke Takita (Blow the Night)

Release Date: July 27th, 2026
Approximate Running Times: 99 Minutes 6 Seconds (Scars of the Sun), 109 Minutes 12 Seconds (Blow the Night)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Films)
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese (Both Films)
Subtitles: English (Both Films)
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £34.99

"Chusei Sone's 1981 film Scars of the Sun departs from the director's previous works in the field of Roman Porno, with this Toei youth-drama starring Kenichi Kaneda. Kenichi plays Shuhei, a member of a rough-and-tumble gang whose customs are broken apart when Kenichi is reunited with his estranged brother whose girlfriend's entry into the group starts to cause friction between its members and the traditions they follow. Starring Kenichi Kaneda, Kôji Tanaka, Ken Ogata, Kyôko Enami, and Satoshi Sadanaga.

The first film from Chusei Sone's production company "Filmworkers" is a hard-hitting Docu-drama based on the stories of Namie Takada: a 15 year old thinner-sniffing, girl-gang member. Namie stars in the film as herself to tell a brutal tale of wild youth in early 80s Japanese society. Starring Yuka Komatsu, Shûichirô Moriyama, Moeko Ezawa, Eiji Kobayashi, Kazumi Kawai, and Eiji Kobayashi." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5 (Scars of the Sun), 3.75/5 (Blow the Night)

Scars of the Sun comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 32 GB

Feature: 27.6 GB

Blow the Night comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 31.3 GB

Feature: 25.7 GB

Blow the Night has some source debris that fortunately is never intrusive. Scars of the Sun’s source are in better shape. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression or digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4/5 (Scars of the Sun - LPCM Mono Japanese, Blow the Night - LPCM Mono Japanese)

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. Both tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for Scars of the Sun include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), a video essay titled Dakota Noot titled The Sun Sets on Chusei Sone (17 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Japanese film expert Jasper Sharp.

Extras for Blow the Night include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), a video essay by James Balmont titled Juvenile Deliquency in '80s Japan (19 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with producer Kunihiko Ukai (21 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with Japanese film expert Tom Mes.

Other extras include reversible cover art, an O-ring slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and a 12-page booklet with an essay titled ‘Stupid rules don’t apply here’: The punk melodies of Blow the Night and Scars of the Sun written by Miriam Balanescu.

Summary:

Scars of the Sun and Blow the Night were directed by Chūsei Sone, known mostly for directing Nikkatsu romantic pornography films. Notable films he’s directed are Love Bandit Rat Man, Hellish Love, Naked Rashomon, Case of the Disjointed Murder, Angel Guts: High School Coed, and Angel Guts: Red Classroom.

Scars of the Sun: A young man’s reunion with his estranged brother puts him at odds with a gang of juvenile delinquents that he’s part of.

While the brief synopsis provides a distilled overview of Scars of the Sun, it just covers the surface of what unfolds. The protagonist, a young man named Shuhei, comes from a broken home. His parents separated when he was very young, and he has not seen his mother since the separation. He lives with his father, an author whose major success is a book loosely based on his son. Instead of providing guidance, his father lacks morals and has no boundaries when it comes to raising his son. Shuhei, unlike most teenagers who would be ecstatic to have such freedom, harbors intense resentment for his father.

1970s delinquent youth films were populated with characters who let violence do all of the talking, while Scars of the Sun is a film deep with emotion that goes beneath the surface with its characters. Throughout, Shuhei lets his anger get the better of him, and yet the issues that are plaguing him remain unsolved. It is not until he lets go of his anger that he finally frees himself of scars from his past.

All around, the performances are excellent. Anchoring the cast is Kenichi Kaneda in the Shuhei; he delivers an authentic performance that perfectly captures his character's state of mind. Other performances of note are Ken Ogata (Vengeance Is Mine) and Kyoko Enami (The Fall of Ako Castle), who portray Shuhei’s father and mother. In the case of the latter, despite her limited screentime, her character's moments with her estranged son are the most powerful.

While there is a looseness to the story that unfolds, there are no throwaway moments. The opening setup does an excellent job pulling you in and from there the narrative effectively builds to a heartfelt, bittersweet finale. Although the visuals mostly let the character be the focal point, there are a few striking moments that greatly heighten the mood. The most striking moment is a scene where Shuhie finally loses control of his anger, and in a jealous rage he uses a boat to run over his friend who was surfing. Ultimately, Scars of the Sun is a well-crafted melodrama whose emotionally charged finale stays with you.

Blow the Night: A teenage girl becomes entangled with an all-girl gang at her new school after recently moving to a rural city.

Reportedly, Blow the Night is based on stories of events from the life of Namie Takada, who portrays a character named Namie. That said, there is an authenticity to her performance since she is essentially portraying herself. While based on Namie Takada’s life experiences, Blow the Night is reminiscent of Toei’s Pinky Violence films. Another clear influence is Yankii, a Japanese subculture characterized by its rebellion against societal norms.

While the narrative weaves between several characters, Namie and Natsuko (sisters) are the focal point. The opening setup does a superb job laying the foundation and a punk rock soundtrack perfectly sets the tone. That said, the narrative retains a cohesiveness despite its free form, and it is very effective at building and maintaining momentum.

There is rampant drug use and sexual promiscuity and a general disregard for authority. The characters in Blow the Night come from dysfunctional families whose parents are absent or avoid confrontation. The visuals are shot in a documentary-like style that uses long takes that greatly enhance the realism. The most memorable moment visually is a rage-filled riot at the school where all hell breaks loose. Ultimately, Blow the Night is an angst-fueled melodrama whose relentless momentum never gives you a chance to catch your breath.

Where most home media companies try to play it safe, Third Window Films is one of the few companies that constantly surprise me. Third Window Films gives Scars of the Sun and Blow the Night a solid release, making it a must-see for fans of Japanese cinema and one of the forerunners for the best releases of 2026. Highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer