Creepozoids – Full Moon Features (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1987
Director: David DeCoteau
Writers: Dave Eisenstark, David DeCoteau
Cast: Richard L. Hawkins, Linnea Quigley, Ken Abraham, Ashlyn Gere, Michael Aranda, Joi Wilson

Release Date: August 12th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 72 Minutes 11 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo English, Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Subtitles: N/A
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $24.95

"five Army deserters who wander the post-apocalyptic, post-industrial LA landscape seeking shelter from an increasingly toxic environment and poisonous rain. They end up in an abandoned laboratory where they explore, have sex, and eventually run afoul of a cavalcade of genetically engineered creatures, including mutant rats, a monstrous baby, a massive, bloodthirsty H.R. Giger-esque beast...and something even more malevolent." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "remastered and restored from the original 35mm camera negative."

Creepozoids comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 16.4 GB

Feature: 14.1 GB

This is one of Full Moon’s stronger transfers; flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 3.75/5 (Dolby Digital Stereo English), 3.5/5 (Dolby Digital 5.1 English)

This release comes with two audio options, a Dolby Digital stereo mix in English and a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, balanced, and robust when they should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include Creepozoids’s original trailer (1 minute 17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a photo montage with music from the film playing in the background, and an audio commentary with director David DeCoteau.

Other extras include trailers for Ravenwolf Towers, Killjoy’s Psycho Circus, Puppet Master 2, Puppet Master 3, Head of the Family, and Specters.

Summary:

Creepozoids was co-written and directed by David DeCoteau, a prolific filmmaker who began his career working in XXX cinema. He’s known for Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama, Nightmare Sisters, Murder Weapon, Dr. Alien, and Deadly Embrace.

Set in a near post-apocalyptic future, five AWOL soldiers find refuge in an abandoned government facility that conducted genetic experiments that created mutants.

Shot on a limited budget in one location, Creepozoids does a phenomenal job creating a believable post-apocalyptic world. The opening setup introduces the characters, while the latter half is the mutant monster stalking the AWOL soldiers. The narrative is well-constructed, and it does an excellent job building momentum to its finale.

Performance-wise, the cast all deliver enthusiastic performances, which work well within the story that unfolds. Notable cast members are Linnea Quigley (Night of the Demons) and adult film actress Ashlyn Gere, under the name Kim McKamy. The former is the only one who shows some flesh; her character has a soapy shower scene, while the latter portrays a brainy character who never disrobes.

The real stars of Creepozoids are its mutant monsters, and the practical special effects hold up extremely well. When it comes to the monster attack scenes, what they lack in gore, they make up for in intensity. Another area where Creepozoids excels is its sound design, which does a superb job reinforcing the mood. Ultimately, Creepozoids is a well-made action/horror film that Z cinema fans should thoroughly enjoy.

Creepozoids gets a solid audio/video presentation from Full Moon Features. Recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Sid and Nancy – The Criterion Collection (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: UK, 1986
Director: Alex Cox
Writers: Alex Cox, Abbe Wool
Cast: Gary Oldman, Chloe Webb, David Hayman, Debby Bishop, Andrew Schofield, Perry Benson, Tony London, Anne Lambton

Release Date: August 22nd, 2017
Approximate Running Time: 113 Minutes 33 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: R
Sound: LPCM Stereo English, DTS-HD 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $39.95

"With the lacerating love story Sid & Nancy, Alex Cox reimagines the crash-and-burn affair between punk’s most notorious self-destructive poster children: Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious and his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen—brought to visceral life by brilliant performances from Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb. Cox turns his anarchic filmmaking style on the explosive energy of the London punk scene and the degenerate streets of seventies New York, making for an eviscerating depiction of excess and addiction." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Supervised and approved by director of photography Roger Deakins, this new 16-bit 4K digital transfer was created on a DFT Scanity film scanner from the original 35mm camera negative at Deluxe in Culver City, California. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, and warps were manually removed using MIT Film's DRS, while Digital Vision's Phoenix was used for jitter, flicker, small dirt, grain, and noise management."

Sid and Nancy comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46.1 GB

Feature: 32.1 GB

The source looks excellent, and it appears to be the same source that StudioCanal used for their 2016 Blu-ray release. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

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

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM stereo mix in English and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. Both audio tracks sound excellent. That said, I prefer the stereo track. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, ambient sounds are well-represented, and the soundtrack sounds appropriately robust. Included are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), The London Weekend Show, a British TV show that explores Punk music and fashion (13 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), the infamous 1976 Bill Grundy interview with the Sex Pistols on British television titled The Filth and the Fury! (2 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a rare telephone interview from 1978 with Sid Vicious (13 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), interviews with Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen from the 1980 documentary D.O.A.: A Right of Passage (10 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Sad Vacation, an excerpt from Danny Garcia’s documentary titled Sad Vacation:The Last Days of Sid and Nancy (14 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival making of Sid & Nancy titled England’s Glory (30 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with director Alex Cox (24 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary from 1994 with screenwriter Abbe Wool, actors Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb, cultural historian Greil Marcus, filmmakers Julien Temple and Lech Kowalski, and musician Eliot Kidd, an archival audio commentary from 2001 with Alex Cox and actor Andrew Schofield, and a 18-page booklet with cast & crew information, an essay titled The Horrible Purity of Immortality written by Jon Savage, an archival piece compiled by Alex Cox about Vicious, Spungen, and the making of the film titled On Sid and Nancy, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Alex Cox directed Sid and Nancy. He’s most known for Repo Man, Straight to Hell, and Walker.

Sid Vicious' rise to fame as the bass player of The Sex Pistols. His tumultuous relationship with Nancy, an American groupie/heroin addict. The eventual demise of the Sex Pistols, an ill-fated attempt at a solo career, and two star-crossed lovers’ untimely deaths.

Cinema, much like life, often navigates a delicate balance between reality and imagination. This distinction is particularly pronounced in films that are based on real individuals’ lives. There is much more to our identities than just the events of our lives, and the best biographical films are those that truly capture the essence of their subjects. A prime example of this is Alex Cox’s Sid and Nancy.

To this film’s credit, it focuses more on Sid’s life outside of the Sex Pistols and, more importantly, on his relationship with Nancy. The well-constructed narrative charts the rise of its two main characters, Sid and Nancy, followed by their deterioration and ultimately their self-destruction. Regarding backstory, the film leans on the legend that has developed since Sid’s death to provide context. Though the primary focus is on Sid and Nancy and their love affair, the film also spends ample time exploring his time in the Sex Pistols, featuring many of their songs throughout.

Casting is such an essential aspect of filmmaking, and for this film they have picked two actors, Gary Oldman (Léon) and Chloe Webb (The Belly of an Architect), who perfectly capture the essence of Sid and Nancy. They fully immerse themselves in the characters they are portraying, and they also have a tremendous amount of chemistry. Other performances of note are Andrew Schofield (Distant Voices, Still Lives), who portrays Johnny Rotten, and Courtney Love in a brief albeit noticeable cameo as one of Nancy’s junkie friends.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where this film does not excel. The well-constructed narrative moves briskly once it establishes momentum, and its ending provides a perfect coda. Music plays a significant role, and besides the use of Sex Pistols music, the soundtrack is rounded out by songs by The Clash's Joe Strummer, The Pogues, and Dan Wool. Not to be overlooked when discussing this film are its visuals, which do a phenomenal job heightening the mood. The cinematographer was Roger Deakins, most known for his collaborations with the Coen Brothers. The most striking moment is the scene where Sid sings My Way. Ultimately, Sid and Nancy is a film that will connect with Sex Pistol fans, while those who go into this film cold might find it too bleak.

Sid and Nancy gets an exceptional release from The Criterion Collection that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras; highly recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Yongary, Monster from the Deep – Vinegar Syndrome (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: South Korea, 1967
Director: Kim Ki-duk
Writers: Kim Ki-duk, Seo Yun-sung
Cast: Oh Yeong-il, Kwang Ho Lee, Nam Jeong-im, Lee Sun-jae, Moon Kang, Cho Kyoung-min

Release Date: July 22nd, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 79 Minutes 48 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: PG
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $64.98

"Earthquakes are causing havoc throughout Korea, and it's no simple seismic mayhem, but instead the mythic monster Yongary emerging from the earth! After nuclear testing awakens the giant monster presaged in Korean folklore, Yongary threatens to level the country, breathing fire and stomping entire buildings. Only scientist Il-Woo, with the help of his girlfriend's prankster kid brother Icho, can figure out how to slow down the terrible Yongary, who gobbles up petroleum products and only appears to be growing stronger. The seemingly powerless army considers using guided missiles against Yongary, potentially demolishing ancient historical landmarks in order to save lives, all in the hope of stopping his fiery path of destruction." - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm interpositive."

Yongary, Monster from the Deep comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 56.6 GB

Feature: 56 GB

Kino Lorber’s 2016 Blu-ray came from a date source; this new release comes from a 4K scan, and the result is a noticeable improvement in every way. Although some minor debris still remains and grain is noticeably thicker in some moments, the bulk of the source looks excellent. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Yongary, Monster from the Deep comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.4 GB

Feature: 22 GB

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

Audio: 3.75/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. Though the audio sounds clean and clear, it is limited range-wise.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an archival audio commentary with film historian Steve Ryfle and writer/film critic Kim Song-ho and an audio commentary with film historian Samm Deighan.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include an image gallery, an archival video interview with legendary kaiju suitmaker Keizo Murase, originally produced for TohoKingdom.com (20 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), a featurette with Korean film historians Kim Hyun-jae, Hong Gi-hun, and Park Sang-kyu titled Yongary: The Birth of Korea's Monster (19 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Korean with non-removable English subtitles), an introduction by film historian Sean Rhoads, co-author of Japan's Green Monsters: Environmental Commentary in Kaiju Cinema (7 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), all that remains of Daegoesu Yonggari, the original Korean cut of Yongary with newly translated English subtitles, sourced from tape and courtesy of the Korean Film Archive (48 minutes 15 seconds, 2.35:1 aspect ratio, DTS-HD mono Korean with removable English subtitles), an archival audio commentary with Steve Ryfle and Kim Song-ho and an audio commentary with Samm Deighan.

Other extras include reversible cover art, an anatomy poster by renowned kaiju artist Matt Frank, and a spot gloss hard slipcase + slipcover combo (limited to 6,000 units).

Summary:

Kim Ki-duk directed Yongary, Monster from the Deep. He was one of the most prolific Korean filmmakers from the 1960s and 1970s, directing 66 films in 17 years. Despite sharing a surname, he’s not related to Kim Ki-duk, who directed The Isle, Samaritan Girl, and 3-Iron.

When Yongary, Monster from the Deep was sold outside of South Korea, the Korean producers shipped the film’s original negative and all sound elements to its international sales agent, Toei. Somewhere down the line these elements were lost, and all that remains is American International Pictures source material and about 48 minutes of the original Korean version, which is held by the Korean Film Archive. That said, it is a shame that the full-length Korean version is lost forever and cannot be compared to the English language version.

A nuclear test in the Middle East causes an earthquake in South Korea that awakens a giant monster.

Despite being one of South Korea’s best-known giant reptilian films, Yongary, Monster from the Deep was not its first; that distinction goes to Pulgasari: The Iron-Eating Monster, a film that is considered lost. Yongary, Monster from the Deep is a film clearly influenced by Japan's Kaiju films, notably Godzilla and Gamera. This link is especially clear to the latter; both films prominently feature child characters who interact with the monster and, content-wise, are child-friendly films.

Yongary, Monster from the Deep, like its Japanese counterparts, keeps things simple: a monster is awakened, characters frantically search for a way to kill it, and usually the simplest answer saves the day. The first 25 minutes are devoted to the human characters and getting to know them, while the last 55 minutes are mostly about the monster wreaking havoc by destroying everything and everyone in its path. That said, the narrative does a great job building momentum to its climax.

Without a doubt the highlight of Yongary, Monster from the Deep is its practical special effects, which were created by a Japanese crew who were well versed in Kaiju films. While evaluating the performances can be challenging, the voice acting ultimately surpasses expectations. Yongary, Monster from the Deep follows a formula similar to that of the Kaiju films that inspired it; despite its predictability, it effectively executes this formula. Yongary, Monster from the Deep does manage to get some humor into the mix, notably an absurd scene where the monster dances to rock and roll. Ultimately, Yongary, Monster from the Deep is a highly entertaining film that fans of kaiju cinema should thoroughly enjoy.

Vinegar Syndrome gives Yongary, Monster from the Deep its best home media release to date; 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

Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity – Full Moon Features (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1987
Director: Ken Dixon
Writer: Ken Dixon
Cast: Elizabeth Kaitan, Cindy Beal, Don Scribner, Brinke Stevens, Carl Horner

Release Date: August 12th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 74 Minutes 16 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo English, Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Subtitles: N/A
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $24.95

"Busting loose from an intergalactic prison, buxom inmates Daria and Tisa flee to an uncharted planet where they're taken in by the reclusive alien aristocrat Zed and his robot henchmen. There, they meet other stranded travelers who are being "kept" by their scar-faced host, under the guise of being guests. After wandering into Zed's gruesome trophy room and seeing the head-mounted fates that previous visitors have met, the ladies soon discover that they are to be used as game in a pulse-pounding race to the death!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 16.7 GB

Feature: 13.9 GB

No information is provided about the source; that said, it is one of Full Moon’s stronger transfers. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 3.25/5 (Dolby Digital Stereo English), 3/5 (Dolby Digital 5.1 English)

This release comes with two audio options, a Dolby Digital stereo mix in English and a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix in English. Though both audio tracks are clean, free of any hiss or distortion, they sound boxy and lack depth; dialogue is not always clear.

Extras:

Extras for this release include Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity’s original trailer (1 minute 17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles) and a tribute to Elizabeth Kaitan (6 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Other extras include trailers for Subspecies 2, Subspecies 3, Castle Freak, Puppet Master 3, Vampire Journals, Dark Angel, Trancers 2, and Specters.

Summary:

After two women escape from a space prison, their ship crashes on a planet where they become prey to a hunter who lives there.

Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity is an unofficial adaptation of Richard Connell’s short story The Most Dangerous Game, aka The Hounds of Zaroff. Besides liberally borrowing from Richard Connell’s short story, Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity has many elements synonymous with women in prison films. That said, Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity also throws in sci-fi and sexploitation elements for good measure.

Set in the future, the narrative begins in a prison ship where two women prisoners wearing cavewoman-like attire overtake the guards, escape, and steal a ship that crashes on a planet. The inhabitant of this planet is a big game hunter who has two robot servants, and there are two other stranded travelers, a brother and a sister. His home is built like a fortress, and he warns his guests of the dangers of going outside.

Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity is not a film that you watch because of its performances, and that is ok. Though Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity never misses an opportunity to showcase its beautiful actresses, there is a campiness to the performances that perfectly suits the story that unfolds. The most notable cast members are Elizabeth Kaitan (Nightwish) and Brinke Stevens (Nightmare Sisters), two actresses that anyone familiar with 1980s and 1990s horror and exploitation cinema is sure to know. The most memorable performance is Don Scribner, who dives headfirst into his portrayal of the sadistic Zed the hunter.

Years after its release, Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity was targeted by U.S. Senator Jesse Helms, who used it as an example for why cable TV needed additional restrictions related to content. Looking back, Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity is tame when compared to other films from that era, and his attacks on the film feel overblown. Ultimately, Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity puts an intriguing twist on a familiar premise, and at 74 minutes in length, its narrative never overstays its welcome.

Full Moon Features gives Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity its best home media release to date, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Children of Violent Rome – Terror Vision (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1976
Director: Renato Savino
Writer: Renato Savino
Cast: Gino Milli, Cristina Businari, Emilio Locurcio, Sarah Crespi, Paola Corazzi, Gino Barzacchi, Marco Zuanelli, Alicia Bruzzo, Renzo Rinaldi, Francesco Pau, Mario Cutini, Stefania D'Amario

Release Date: July 8th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 89 Minutes 18 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $27.99

"In the gritty underbelly of 1970s Rome, Children of Violent Rome exposes the harsh reality of Neo-Nazi youth living in the shadow of societal decay. This Italian crime drama follows a group of disillusioned teenagers from the outskirts of the city, whose lives are shaped by violence, crime, and their environment. As they navigate their turbulent existence, they find themselves entangled in a deadly cycle of lawlessness and rebellion." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Terror Vision is proud to present the worldwide disc debut and the first US release! This new 4K scan from the original camera negative (which was lost for years) brings the film’s striking cinematography to life."

The Children of Violent Rome comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.4 GB

Feature: 24.6 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image looks organic.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian with removable English subtitles. The audio is in excellent shape; dialogue always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with actor Gino Milli titled Baby Face Gino (32 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Marco Zuanelli titled The Lawless Breed (27 minutes 25 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with editor Roberto Colangeli titled Cutting a Violent Rome (24 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with film historians Eugenio Ercolani and Nanni Cobretti, an audio commentary with film historian Rachel Nisbet, a slipcover (limited to 1,000 copies), and a 36-page booklet with an essay titled Crazy Parioli(nis) the Circeo Massacre and Italian Crime Films written by Pier Maria Bocchi, an essay titled Exploitation Cinema During Socio-political Tumult: Violence Against Women in 1970s Italian Crime Film written by Sam Dunkley, an essay titled What Would You Do? - On Children of Violent Rome written by Sam Cohen, and an essay titled Beyond Vicious: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Children of Violent Rome written by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas.

Summary:

Renato Savino wrote and directed The Children of Violent Rome. He would only direct four films, of which The Children of Violent Rome is his most notable.

A neo-Nazi youth gang of bored teenagers from affluent families terrorizes the streets of Rome.

Italian crime cinema was at its peak during the 1970s; besides brutality, these films are known for their social-political themes, many of which are ripped from the headlines. Despite having many of the elements associated with 1970s Italian crime cinema, The Children of Violent Rome is lacking one: the police. That said, the narrative does revolve around a familiar culprit: violent youths.

Although The Children of Violent Rome never claims to be based on a true story, it opens with a series of newspaper headlines and a reporter on the street asking about violent youth crime. This opening setup does a superb job setting the tone for what follows, and from there things never let up for a moment as they build to a bleak finale that serves as a perfect coda.

There are two extremes at play in The Children of Violent Rome: fascism and communism. These are represented by violent youth gangs whose philosophies clash. Where one commits crime to obtain basic needs, the other has a superiority complex rooted in nihilism. That said, The Children of Violent Rome lets these ideologies speak for themselves and never takes a side.

What sets Italian "Youth Gone Wild" crime films apart from their 1970s counterparts is how the cast had little or no experience, which adds to their authenticity. Though none of the performances are lacking, they are all overshadowed by Gino Milli's (Shoot First, Die Later) portrayal of Marco, the leader of a neo-Nazi youth gang. There is an intensity to his performance that makes his actions all the more potent.

From its opening moments, The Children of Violent Rome is a film meant to make you feel uncomfortable, and in this regard, it's exemplary. For a film where each moment of violence and degradation tops the next, none stands out more than a gut-punch moment where Marco’s nihilism reaches its apex. Ultimately, The Children of Violent Rome is an unflinching exploration of violence without purpose.

Terror Vision gives The Children of Violent Rome a definitive release; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Arcade – Full Moon Features (Blu-ray)

Release Date: USA, 1993
Director: Albert Pyun
Writers: Charles Band, David S. Goyer
Cast: Megan Ward, Peter Billingsley, John de Lancie, Sharon Farrell, Seth Green, A.J. Langer, Bryan Dattilo

Release Date: July 29th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 81 Minutes 5 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Interlaced / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo English, Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $24.95

"All the kids in town are dying to play the hot new video game "Arcade". Trouble is once you play the game you can kiss reality good-bye. Arcade has seven levels of excitement, adventure, and terror for its players. The game transports you to another world with its stunning graphics, thrilling sound effects, and virtual reality simulation. It is the ultimate experience in a video game. But excitement like this doesn't come cheaply - when you battle with Arcade you're putting your life on the line. The kids have accepted the challenge and are absorbed into the game." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Remastered from the very best available elements."

Arcade comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 20 GB

Feature: 15.9 GB

The information provided about the source is vague; that said, it is in great shape, free of any debris. The scenes in virtual reality do not look as good as the bulk of the film. Flesh tones and colors look correct; image clarity is strong, black levels fare well, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 3.5/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a Dolby Digital stereo mix in English and a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, these two tracks do a good job when it comes to the action sequences. That said, the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix offers a slightly more expanded audio experience. Included are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include Arcade’s original trailer (1 minute 44 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Videozone - Behind the Scenes Arcade (9 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a rare VFX reel (18 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor John Delancie (15 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Charles Band and actress Megan Ward.

Other extras include trailers for Savage Island, Quadrant, Bad Channels, Crash and Burn, and Bad CGI Gator.

Summary:

Albert Pyun directed Arcade. He's known for The Sword and the Sorcerer, Nemesis, and Cyborg. The screenplay was written by David S. Goyer, whose other notable films are Dark City, Blade, Batman Begins, and The Dark Knight.

A virtual reality game collects the souls of those who play it.

Full Moon Entertainment is not a company that ever shied away from making films that resembled blockbuster Hollywood films. Case in point, Arcade, a film whose virtual reality moments bear a striking resemblance to Tron. That said, these similarities were enough that some of the CGI was changed to avoid a lawsuit with Disney.

Though the premise is interesting, it is ultimately undermined by the CGI, which looked dated even back then. The film's setting in an arcade may be unfamiliar to post-Gen Xers, who grew up in an era where video games are enjoyed in the privacy of their own homes. Additionally, the CGI appears dated, resembling technology from the distant past. That said, the film does foreshadow how video games are now played, when home versions of the game are given to those who want to try it out.

Although Full Moon had cornered the market on direct-to-video sci-fi, Arcade is one of the few times they made a sci-fi film with teenage characters. The cast is filled with recognizable faces like Megan Ward (Amityville 1992: It's About Time), Peter Billingsley (A Christmas Story), and Seth Green (Austin Powers films). The latter two get the most screentime, and it is Megan Ward’s character who makes it the farthest into the game. That said, the performances work well within the story that unfolds.

Whether initial or not, the most compelling aspect of Arcade is its depiction of technology's grip on our lives. The narrative is at its best during the real-world moments, while the virtual reality moments disrupt any momentum. Ultimately, Arcade is a product of its time that can be fun if you don’t overthink it.

Full Moon Features gives Arcade a good release that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer