Tag: Shout Factory

Shout! Factory Releasing ‘Kakuranger’ On DVD In 2016

by Eric Francisco

During Shout! Factory’s Zyuranger marathon (which we’ve been tweeting along all morning!), a new promo aired advertising the next Super Sentai release: Ninja Sentai Kakuranger!

That’s right: the source material for Mighty Morphin‘s third season replacement squad Alien Rangers as well as the giant Zords — the Ninja Megazord and Shogun Megazords — will hit U.S. shores on DVD.

It’s currently unknown what the specific date will be as well as what bonus features, if any, will be included. Zyuranger had the panel that I moderated as a bonus while Dairanger was a bare bones release.

I’m very excited. Kakuranger is the series I was most hoping for when Shout! began to import the Super Sentai series. Former Ninja Warrior contestant Kane Kosugi, who also starred in DOA: Dead or Alive and Isaac Florentine’s Ninja: Shadow of a Tear plays Jiraiya, a.k.a. Ninja Black in Kakuranger. He plays a California-born ninja and speaks a ton of English in the series. I can’t wait!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYWzu1mARsE

Shout! Factory Will Stream a ‘Super Sentai Zyuranger’ Marathon on January 23

by Eric Francisco

Set the date: On January 23rd at 9am PST, Shout! Factory will stream a marathon of Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger, the original Super Sentai series from Japan that provided the aesthetic basis of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, on Shout! Factory TV. The marathon will be hosted by Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters author August Ragone, who previously hosted Shout! Factory’s various kaiju movie marathons last year.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BAacWq3otEZ/

I never thought as a die-hard Power Rangers fan that we’d ever see a U.S. domestic release of the Super Sentai series that provided the basis for Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. Yet in 2015, Shout! Factory made our dreams come true with not one, but two complete DVD sets of Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger and Gosei Sentai Dairanger. I’ve been working my way through Dairanger a lot more slowly than I like, but I’m also just enjoying them like fine wine: Slow, steady, and savoring every second. (Even if Dairanger is admittedly not that great.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H1S4mQhifo

I’m also considering this a present from Shout! Factory to me since the marathon is happening literally the day before my birthday. Thanks Shout! You guys shouldn’t have. But please do, and more often.

Shout Factory! Unveils ‘Gosei Sentai Dairanger’ DVD Cover

by Eric Francisco

Shout! Factory did the impossible earlier this year when they released Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger, the original 1992 Super Sentai series that Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers was adapted from, to foreign shores. It was the first American release of a Super Sentai and it was a time to be alive.

Well it’s time to stay alive for another round. Announced back at San Diego Comic-Con, Shout! will be releasing 1993’s Gosei Sentai Dairanger — from which the fabled White Ranger hails from — and they’ve unleashed the DVD cover to go with it.

https://twitter.com/RangerCrew/status/633368186897960960

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Looks exactly like something that came out in 1993! The colors are gaudy and mismatched. Yup, that was the ’90s.

Like the Zyuranger set last year, they’ve got the actors front and center but have noticeably omitted any neat shots of the (fugly) Dairanger costumes. This year it makes sense, no one except the hardcore fans recognize the Dairanger costumes, but last year they didn’t feature the Zyuranger costumes and that was pretty questionable. They don’t even have the White Ranger costume, and having him would be an instant “The hell is this?” from lesser-informed parties.

Then again, you don’t see these sets at Target. No one shopping at Target gives a damn, only fans in convention halls and shopping online so the paying customers already know what they’re looking for.

It goes without saying, but clearly there is a demand for these DVD sets here on western shores. If you have Zyuranger and Dairanger sitting in your hard drives, delete them and buy these DVDs. These are a dream come true and we as fans, who demanded these for fucking years, need to make good on our rage-filled keyboard strokes and buy these.

Oh, one last thing: Did you ever buy the Zyuranger DVD? I’m in it!

https://instagram.com/p/zl3ZxLgN2T/?taken-by=ericthedragon

Saint Mort’s Nostalgia Nightmare – ‘From A Whisper To A Scream’ Blu-Ray Review

by Saintmort

Until today I had never seen this movie. In fact, I only vaguely remember its box art. I trust that if Scream Factory went up to bat for this release that it must be pretty damn good, so I’m quite excited to see what I’m in for. As opposed to a normal review this will be a stream of consciousness write-up as I watch the film.

Right off the bat the movie feels like a weird episode of Tales from the Crypt. The music has that anthology feel and I believe it is in fact an anthology movie starring Vincent Price as Mr. White (who I assume is our Crypt Keeper).

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The film begins with a lethal injection execution which makes me question if this is an anthology film. Currently a reporter is asking Vincent Price (which is what I’ll refer to him as throughout this write up) about his niece’s history (turns out his niece is the one who was executed). I think I see where this is going. Price is discussing how his niece is just one in a long line of people born to be murderers in the town of Oldfield. I think I could really dig this movie.

Our first story is about Stanley. The Tales from the Crypt vibe I felt earlier is only stronger this time around. There’s a multi-layered dream sequence, bizarre imagery and comic-book level sex jokes. However anything that could be moderately seen as light-hearted disappears after the second death. It’s one of the more disturbing and depressing things I’ve seen in a horror film. Not because of gore or shock but because of the relationship between victim and murderer and the victim just yelling “why” over and over again. Sadly this darkness is offset by a really confusing ending.

Apparently this film was released under the name “The Offspring” inspired by this first segment. Personally I don’ think it’s a very good title but if you like it the Blu-Ray comes with a reversible cover.

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The second story is absolutely a Tales from the Crypt episode. It’s dark, gritty and has some creative edits as well as an ending that’ll freak you out. Whatever I disliked in the first story is completely gone in this second story.

The third story takes place at a carnival, so I automatically like it. I’m obsessed with carnival themed horror movies. I think it’s because of an unhealthy obsession with the movie Freaks. Who knows. My biggest issue with this story is that it’s two voodoo/witchcraft inspired tales back to back which is the most boring thing to do in anthology horror if you ask me.

The fourth story didn’t really hold my attention at all. It takes place during civil war times with a bunch of soldiers being tortured by war orphans. It’s bizarre but not as interesting as the other stories.

Also I’m questioning Mr. Price’s reliability as a storyteller and how big the town of Oldfield is exactly. I’m having trouble accepting that all 3 of locations so far are all in the same town.

All in all I’m glad I watched this movie. While I didn’t adore it, the whole film is worth watching just for that second story. The rest of the stories are decent enough but the second story is definitely the highlight of the film.

Pick up your copy of From a Whisper to a Scream from Scream Factory. While there check out some of their other films (like the Ghoulies double feature)

Matt Kelly is the host of the Saint Mort Show Podcast and co-host of the Reddit Horror Club. He also runs the Every Damn DVD blog and why not get him something off his Amazon Wishlist to watch.

Geekscape Reviews: ‘My Little Pony: Adventures Of The Cutie Mark Crusaders’ DVD

by Shane O'Hare

We’re back with another incredible My Little Pony collection from Shout! Factory Kids. This time around we’ve got five episodes all about those fancy tattoos called cutie marks!

I love these DVDs from Shout! Factory Kids because they are the perfect package FOR a younger fan of the show. These series of DVDs all have their own cohesive theme that I believe are great for a kid to enjoy in nice long binge sesh. Like Netflix for kids but without the bandwidth overages from Comcast!

Adventures of The Cutie Mark Crusaders centers around, well the Cutie Mark Crusaders (and the amazing Cheese Sandwich episode)! You get on disc:

The Cutie Mark Chronicles

 

The Cutie Pox

 

Flight To The Finish

 

Pinkie Pride

 

Twilight Time

Now I don’t want to get into reviewing each of these episodes. Frankly we don’t have enough time in the WEEK for me to coherently deconstruct each episode. I just want to give you an opinion on the entire package.

The episode selection is top notch with this release. I feel they curated a great series of episodes from all four seasons that all center around, what appears to be, the never ending journey of the CMC getting their cutie marks.

Bonuses include one of the genuinely fun Sing Alongs (hey, I’m a sucker for ridiculously sweet things OKAY!), a collection of surprisingly well done wallpapers and a printable coloring sheet.

Final Thoughts

All and all Adventures of The Cutie Mark Crusaders collection is a great product, just like all of these collections from Shout! Factory.

I give it a definite buy for a younger fan. As an older fan of the show, I don’t think it would appeal to the Brony/hardcore collector.

You can get your hands on Adventures of The Cutie Mark Crusaders February 24th!

Score: 3.5/5

MLP_FIM_AOTCMC_3D Box Art
Keep and eye out for THIS DVD case!

 

Scream Factory Announces March Titles

by Saintmort

Continuing their on going track record of keeping horror classics alive Scream Factory has some great titles coming out this March.

unnamed-2For starters on March 3rd the Blaxploitation classic Blacula (and its sequel Scream Blacula Scream) on a double feature DVD and will feature a commentary track from Film Historian David F. Walker (author Reflections on Blaxploitation: Actors and Directors Speak) and a new interview with Richard Lawson of Scream Blacula Scream.

For those of you not familiar with this cult classic it tells the tale of African Prince Mamuwalde (played by the intensely entertaining William Marshall) who visits Count Dracula only to end up being transformed into a vampire. After two centuries of being trapped in his tomb he gets unleashed onto the mean streets of Los Angeles.

The underrated sequel pits the titular vampire against some voodoo power and stars cult favorites Richard Lawson and Pam Grier.

That same day they’re also releasing the Italian Post-Apocalyptic Exploitation Fan Favorite Exterminators of the Year 3000.

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Eagerly awaiting the release of the newest Mad Max movie? Well you can fill some time with this post-apocalyptic future where the earth is a desert and water is the most precious substance of all. A band of survivors turn to a mysterious stranger to battle a ruthless gang of motorcycle psychos for control of the wasteland and the water. A glorious crash of guns, nuclear fallout, and synthesizers make this a must-see for anyone who’s been longing for the day in which they can finally get beyond Thunderdome.

With a commentary track from the director Robert Iannucci makes this film’s blu-ray debut just that extra level of special.

They’ve also announced the upcoming releases of Invaders from Mars, The Babadook and recently they acquired Stigmata.

Keep your eyes open on Geekscape.net for some upcoming reviews for their February releases Phantom of the Opera, The Love at First Bite/Once Bitten double feature as well as the  Vampires Kiss/High Spirits double feature.

 

Matt Kelly is the host of the Saint Mort Show available on Soundcloud as well as the sole writer of the Every Damn DVD blog.

Geekscape Reviews: Equestria Girls ‘Rainbow Rocks’ Blu-Ray

by Shane O'Hare

Hot off the presses from Shout!Factory is the next in the Equestria Girls franchise. The full title. “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks”, was how you say, a bit long to put in the title of this review.

In case you aren’t in the know, “Equestria Girls” is a spin-off film series of the now HUGELY popular “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic”. In these films there exists and alternate dimension similar to that of MLP’s Canterlot. This is not a dimension of sight or sound, but of hands and feet! That’s right, Ponies are People too!

The first film had our lead character, Twilight Sparkle, traveling through to this alternate dimension to stop the plans of an evil doer. Rainbow Rocks pretty much starts out the same, but this time there are THREE bad guys!

The story, much like the first one, is what it is. A nice feel good story with valuable lessons for the young crowd. For the older crowd, such as myself, it’s more of an elaborate fan service. Seeing all of our favorite characters human counterparts put a huge smile on my face throughout the entire film. The “adult” references throughout were always met with an audible laugh.

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This was hands down my favorite shot from the film.

The entire goal for our protagonists in “Rainbow Rocks” was to sing a song that would counter the evil magic from the films villains, The Dazzlings.

Hands down the best part of “Rainbow Rocks” was the amazing soundtrack. The entire plot revolves around a Battle of The Bands. The show’s composer, Daniel Ingram, freaking killed it. 10 all new original recordings from Daniel really stole the show (how many stage puns do you think I can get into this review?).

The Blu-Ray edition comes with both the Blu-Ray and DVD copy, as well as a code for the digital download version. The bonus features are a tad slim, but it is to be expected for a childrens release. The one feature I was extremely grateful for was the audio commentary. A gaggle of the films crew were present. Writers, producers, editors, animators. The entire crew was well represented. I really appreciated that it was obviously a group of people that loved their job, it wasn’t “dumbed down” for a younger audience. They pointed out small minute animation details that you wouldn’t normally have caught. It was a joy listening to it.

Final Thoughts

“Rainbow Rocks” was a must see for me this year. After the surprise that was the first Equestria Girls movie (it really superseded all my expectations), I knew that the sequel would have only improved on everything. Boy was I right.

The bonus features are lacking. Besides the audio commentary you get three sing alongs and the eight prequel shorts. The audio commentary and the fact that you get what amounts to three copies of the film more than makes up for it.

This is a must have for any MLP fan, young OR old.

You can get your hands on your own copy of “Rainbow Rocks” NEXT WEEK! It hits store shelves October 28th. There are some retailer specific bonuses too! If you get the DVD version at Target, Walmart or KMART you will get a Rainbow Rocks bracelet, Music CD or A Backstage Pass respectively.

SCORE: 4/5

‘Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger’ Shout! Factory DVD Art Revealed!

by Eric Francisco

As most of you Geekscapists know, I am a die-hard Power Rangers fan. No matter what ridiculous decisions surround the upcoming 2016 movie, I will stand by it for no good reason other than just because. So I’m pretty excited for this.

At the San Diego Comic-Con this year, Shout! Factory, the renowned home video distributors of your childhood memories, announced they will be releasing — for the first-time ever on American soil — the complete Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger series on DVD! And today, they unveiled the official cover on their Tumblr page:

 

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Not at all what I expected! The DVD cover is, in a word, risky. You would think to sell the DVD, they would put up the Zyuranger/Mighty Morphin’ costumes front and center, but nope! It’s a crystal clear image of the original actors, which I think is amazing. It’s about time their faces become more well-known after the phenomenon of Power Rangers all but erased them. Furthermore, there isn’t one single sight of the Power Rangers logo anywhere. There’s just the easy-to-miss “Before Power Rangers there was…” line at the top.

Also, isn’t it a little confusing? They have at the top “Before Power Rangers there was” and then “SUPER SENTAI” in big-ass letters, only to have “Zyuranger” spelled out in English at the bottom. The hell? Fans know exactly what this is, but to the less informed they don’t know what this thing is called.

Having seen Zyuranger, I’ll be buying this purely to support North American-released Super Sentai, which only could have happened in our dreams before the current geek landscape. Truthfully, Zyuranger is not a very good series. There are almost no interesting characters, awful pacing, ridiculous storylines (even given the genre!), and a gigantic lack of any meaningful arcs. Yes, Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers has better storytelling. You can believe that or not. Aside from the obvious cool factor of seeing Power Rangers before they were, you know, Power Rangers, there is little reason to give Zyuranger any real attention. The action choreography is pretty great, though.

That said, I did have a wonderful time moderating the Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger panel at the Power MorphiCon convention this past summer. Jealous?

An official release date and price is still unknown.

Will you be buying the DVD set? Comment below!

My Little Pony: Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks Gets A New Poster & More Theaters!

by Shane O'Hare

Having the second longest title in movie history (only behind The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies), Rainbow Rocks is the second film in the Equestria Girls series. Hasbro’s surprisingly successful attempt at sliding into the doll market, became a quick hit with MLP fans of all ages.

Today we got our hands on the newest poster for the film, along with the amazing announcement that the film is coming to MORE theaters! Still, no Alaska though 🙁

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MY LITTLE PONY EQUESTRIA GIRLS: RAINBOW ROCKS the movie finds Canterlot High (CHS) hosting a musical showcase, and Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy are going to be performing with their new band, The Rainbooms. But when The Dazzlings, a new girl group, arrive at CHS and convince everyone to turn the friendly showcase into a Battle of the Bands, tensions mount between the competing musical acts. A now-reformed Sunset Shimmer realizes that the Dazzlings may not be ordinary girls and are after something far more sinister than just being named Best Band at Canterlot High. The Rainbooms call on Princess Twilight to restore harmony to their world to help them perform a musical counter-spell so that they can win a battle that now determines the fate of the entire school!

I am so freaking excited for this, the last Equestria Girls film really surprised me. All of the charm from the show was brought over to the new story and setting. The characters remained true to their Pony counterparts, and Daniel Ingram really knocked it out of the park with the music. Unfortunately, living up here in Alaska, I have to wait for it to hit DVD. I’m sure it’ll be worth the wait.

To find a theater near you playing Rainbow Rocks click HERE.

Be sure to check out our friends over at Shout! Kids, and the official Equestria Girls website for more information.

‘Wolverine Weapon X: Tomorrow Dies Today’ Motion Comic Looks Freaking Awesome

by Shane O'Hare

Marvel Knights Animation has been putting out some incredible content lately. Their motion comics truly are works of art, and Wolverine Weapon X: Tomorrow Dies Today is something to behold. Check out the trailer below!

The future is controlled by a malevolent mega-corporation known as Roxxon — which keeps its tight grip on society through the use of cyborgs, the Deathloks, whose sole purpose is to seek out current and future vigilantes — and neutralize them with extreme prejudice. Now, in order to prevent Roxxon’s rise and the eventual slaughter of the world’s heroes, Wolverine must join forces with a mysterious woman possessing unexplained knowledge of the coming dystopia. He won’t give up until the Deathloks are stopped, but what hope is there to prevent a future that has already come to pass?

The DVD boasts a behind the scenes featurette that goes inside the creation process of a Marvel Knights animation.

You can snag  Wolverine Weapon X: Tomorrow Dies Today on DVD only at Shout! Factory on May 13th!

SDCC 2013: Geekscape Interviews The Aquabats!

by Shane O'Hare

Our good friends The Aquabats have had a crazy year. Season 2 is getting its second run of filming off the ground and Season 1 hitting DvD.

We caught up with The MC Bat Commander himself at the Shout! Factory booth. Check out our interview below!

You can check out The Aquabats only on The Hub and grab their Season 1 DVD from Shout! Factory!

‘Wolverine: Origin’ Is Coming To DVD! Watch The Opening Sequence!

by Derek Kraneveldt

It’s almost here!

The anticipated Marvel Knights Animation release of Wolverine: Origin is fast approaching, and Shout Factory has just unveiled the film’s opening sequence.

Based on the miniseries from 2001, Wolverine: Origins tells the story of Logan’s early days, right from the character’s childhood. It was the first time that the character’s entire origin had ever been revealed, and the transition to an animated feature should open the story to an entirely new audience.

Wolverine: Origin hits DVD on July 9th, and is available for preorder now. Take a look at the opening sequence below, and let us know if you’re looking forward to the adaptation!

Wolverine is the best there is at what he does – although of course, what he does isn’t very nice. But long before he was a member of the X-Men, a tormented experiment of the Weapon-X project, or even a savage bar brawler known as Logan – he was simply a young boy.
 
What incredible forces created this man, the world’s greatest killing machine? For years, Wolverine has searched desperately for answers from his past, from the wilds of the Canadian Wilderness to the teeming cities of Japan and beyond. And despite his perseverance and longing for the truth, he remains an enigma to himself and those around him. But, in this landmark event, Marvel reveals all: the birth and childhood of young James Howlett…the intriguing secrets of his family history…and the tragedy that changed everything.
 
Welcome to the greatest story never told.

Shout Factory To Unleash The Bruce Lee Legacy On Blu Ray!

by Shane O'Hare

When I saw this news I flipped out. One of the greatest human beings of ALL time, Bruce Lee, is getting his greatest films released on Blu-Ray with a stack of extras. Check out the Press Release:

Featuring four of the classic Bruce Lee films that would make him one of the most important martial artists ever to grace the screen, THE BRUCE LEE LEGACY COLLECTION contains the first-ever Blu-ray™ presentation of THE BIG BOSS, FIST OF FURY, WAY OF THE DRAGON and GAME OF DEATH;
Three feature-length documentaries BRUCE LEE: THE LEGEND (and the original version BRUCE LEE: THE MAN, THE LEGEND), the critically acclaimed I AM BRUCE LEE and THE GRANDMASTER AND THE DRAGON: WILLIAM CHEUNG AND BRUCE LEE; a special bonus disc with hours of new bonus content exclusive to this set, and four DVDs of aforementioned action-packed classics. A fitting tribute and celebration in honor of the legend, these sumptuous offerings are collected in a deluxe book-style packaging, brimming with 68 pages of archival materials, rare and never-before-released photos, new essay on Lee’s amazing career, and much more!

Bruce Lee was and always will be a legend. His acting and his personal philosophies are so unique no other person will match him. His life was tragically cut short  and the day he died we lost a great person. So if you are a huge film buff or just a fan of Bruce himself get your hands on the Legacy Collection on August 6th!