Little Shop of Horrors 4K (1986)

           To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the release of director Frank Oz’s film version of the off off Broadway musical - that was itself inspired by a film that has become a legend in itself - Warner Bros. are bringing out LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS on 4K UHD in standard, steelbook and collector’s editions.

Why is the original film a legend? Made in 1960 and the brainchild of writer Charles B Griffith (who also voiced Audrey the man-eating plant) and producer-director Roger Corman, it's the story of browbeaten Seymour Krelborn who works in a flower shop and finds fame when he discovers a ‘strange and interesting new plant’ which turns out to need human blood to survive.  Allegedly it was shot over just a couple of days. (“We were going to play tennis,” quipped Corman, ever the showman, “but it was raining”).

The film was eventually turned into a musical and then into a big budget Hollywood picture with Rick Moranis as Seymour, Ellen Greene as the woman he loves, Vincent Gardenia as Mr Mushnik the flower shop owner, and Levi Stubbs and about forty other people as Audrey the Man-Eating Plant. Despite featuring memorable toe-tapping songs and likeable characters, preview audiences were upset with the original ending, and so more than ten minutes of complex and extensive effects work (and one of the songs) were sacrificed and a new ending filmed, which was then what audiences got to see when the film was released.

This is being mentioned because Warners’ new 4K gives you the option of playing the original director’s cut (103 minutes) or the version that was seen in cinemas (94 minutes). There’s an archival Frank Oz commentary on the theatrical version, with the original ending separate with an accompanying commentary amongst the ported over extras.

New to this disc is a featurette (15 minutes) in which Frank Oz and Ellen Greene share their memories of making the film, and a new piece on the creation of Audrey II (eight minutes). Otherwise extras are archival including Frank Oz discussing the director’s cut from 2012 and nine minutes of deleted scenes and out-takes.

If you go for the collector’s version you get the film on UHD and Blu-ray discs in a steelbook as well as two posters, a 34 page booklet, 4 character cards and 2 behind the scenes cards. You can also get the steelbook alone, or a standard edition which contains the UHD disc only. 

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is out in 4K from Warner Bros. in collectors, steelbook and standard UHD editions on Monday 19th October 2026

Evil Dead 4K (2013)

 

        Studio Canal are releasing Fede Alvarez’s remake of the Sam Raimi classic in a special two disc UHD edition that will also include a booklet, poster, slipcase and O-ring with the credits on to keep the slipcase free of them. Both versions of the film - theatrical (just over 91 minutes) and unrated cut (just over 96 minutes) are in 4K, with other special features all on disc one.

Four friends meet up at a remote cabin with the intention of helping the fifth, Mia (Jane Levy) to go cold turkey with her heroin addiction. The cabin is in quite a state, but that’s nothing compared to the basement, where they discover numerous dead cats hanging from the ceiling, and what looks like a book wrapped in barbed wire.

Presumably unable to resist the lure of an unopened book that’s been bound in human skin, Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci) cuts the wire off, opens it up, and is pretty soon uttering some familiar words to fans of the franchise. Before you can say ‘Necromicon’ something is rushing through the grim forest and taking up residence inside Mia, but it’s not long before the demonic presence is causing others to hack off their faces and arms and generally causing mayhem.

EVIL DEAD 2013 does it’s absolute best to be as bloody and as painful as possible, especially if you watch the unrated cut (which of course you should). Other than that its greatest strength is in not trying to slavishly remake the original. It’s far slicker than the Raimi film, of course, and lacks that nightmarish quality that had so many of us rewatching it time and again in the early 1980s. But in terms of gore and grue for a modern audience it does a good job.

New to this release is a short, decent talking head piece on the movie from critic Chris Tilly where he talks about the film & ties it into EVIL DEAD RISE and EVIL DEAD WRATH at the end. Otherwise extras are all archival, including a commentary track from Alvarez, co-writer Rodo Sayagues and actors Levy, Pucci, and Jessica Lucas (Olivia). There are a host of featurette interviews, including Alvarez (seven minutes and four minutes), Levy (nine minutes and two minutes) and Bruce Campbell (nine minutes) as well as two interviews with producers Rob Tapert, Bruce Campbell and others (ten minutes and five minutes). Finally there’s an on-stage Q&A from The Ritzy in Brixton from 2013 with Alvarez and Levy. 

Fede Alvarez’s EVIL DEAD is out from Studio Canal in a two disc UHD set (ie no Blu-rays) on Monday 19th October 2026

The Screaming Skull (1958)

“Welcome Blu-ray Release of a Minor Unsung Classic”

It’s time to follow the bouncing a skull as Eureka releases director Alex Nicol’s ‘AIP Does REBECCA - Sort Of’ on Blu-ray. The limited edition release of 2000 also comes with a booklet featuring new writing on the film by Jon Towlson.

Eric Whitlock (John Hudson) brings his new bride Jenni (Peggy Webber) back to his country mansion. We learn that Jenni has just been released from a sanatorium where she’s been recovering from the death of her parents by drowning. It turns out Eric first wife Marion (a nice touch as this is adapted from the story of the same name by Francis Marion Crawford) also drowned, after first falling and hitting her head so hard she crushed the base of her skull.

Jenni starts the see the skull, and yes it screams. Or is it just the peacocks in the garden? Could the shifty gardener Mickey (director Alex Nicol) have anything to do with it? Or is it just another ‘drive the rich wife mad to inherit everything she owns’ plot?

Well, THE SCREAMING SKULL may have a few surprises in store for you as its story unfurls, surprises that will be extremely welcome to fans of the EuroGothic horrors that followed in its wake in the 1960s and 1970s. In fact, the combination of small cast plus single location with impressive architecture plus lead actress role that requires extreme behaviour plus director playing a mentally challenged gardener will have fans wondering if Jess Franco was inspired by this one.

The film seems to have poor ratings on internet review sources like imdb but don’t believe them. The final twenty minutes of this contain at lease two bits that will cause anyone kindly disposed to this sort of thing to get shivers and then nod with pleasure at a job well done. 

Eureka’s disc comes with a 13 minute introduction by Stephen Laws who sets the scene nicely, and doubly so for British film fans of a certain age who will be able to easily sympathise with his hunt to watch this one, and his frustration at it never being shown on British television. There’s also a 29 minute piece from Mary Going on the film and gothic cinema, in which she compares it to Hitchcock’s REBECCA as well as mentioning the kind of ad campaign beloved of William Castle that the film used. Finally there are a couple of scratchy trailers sourced from Something Weird Video. 

THE SCREAMING SKULL is out on Blu-ray from Eureka in a limited edition of 2000 on Monday 19th October 2026

Plan Nine From Outer Space (1957) and Bride of the Monster (1955)

“Definitely Not the ‘Worst Film Ever Made’ ”

The BFI are releasing, in a two disc Blu-ray set, two of legendary director Edward D Wood, Jr’s unique forays into fantasy motion picture making. If you grew up during the 1980s then you’ll probably be aware of the renewed interest Wood’s movies were afforded during that decade, albeit as part of ‘Worst Movies of All Time’ lists. Well hopefully needless to say there are far, far worse films out there than Wood’s, and even if Eddie's do lack a certain technical competence, they are never less than watchable and also showcase valuable final performances (although it’s pretty much a cameo in one) of horror superstar Bela Lugosi. So let’s take a look at the set.

Disc One: Plan Nine From Outer Space (1957)

Aliens are determined to stop humankind before it can become advanced enough to making universe-destroying bombs. They do this by zooming over Hollywood in their flying saucers and bringing three people back from the grave. No it doesn’t make a lot of sense, but just sit back and enjoy the sight of TV ‘horror host’ Vampira staggering around a graveyard to little effect, pro-wrestler Tor Johnson as a police inspector doing his very best with the dialogue, fake-looking sets, a script that feels as if it was written in a hell of a rush and, of course, the sight of poor old Bela Lugosi in his last filmed footage. 

But there is something about PLAN NINE FROM OUTER SPACE that keeps bringing people back to it, and it’s not a desire to poke fun at it but instead genuinely enjoy it for what it is. There’s a sincerity here amongst all the incompetence, a sincerity to entertain and a profound desire by Ed Wood to be a film-maker when such a career was probably beyond his abilities (although he does show some competence as an editor).

The BFI’s disc comes with two commentaries, an archival USA track from David DeCoteau and Ted Newsom, and a new British track from Ken Hollings and Vic Pratt. The opinions from either side of the Atlantic compliment each other nicely making them both worth a listen. Hollings returns for a 12 minute video essay Criswell Predicts 2026 in which he talks about the ‘psychic’ before moving onto other aspects of the film. There’s also Mark Kermode’s BFI introduction (four minutes), a 1950s documentary on UFOs (14 minutes) and 96 minutes of archival interviews wit Wood associates Dolores Fuller, Kathy Wood, Stephen C Apostolof and Joe Robertson. Bela Lugosi Leaves the Sanitarium is six minutes of newsreel footage of the star, and you also get a trailer and image gallery.

Disc Two: Bride of the Monster (1955)

As a bonus we also get what is probably Wood’s most accomplished film, with certainly his biggest budget. Somewhere in the everglades (probably) mad scientist Dr Eric Vornoff (Bela Lugosi) has been carrying out research to create a race of atomic supermen. So far he has made Tor Johnson, who needs to be controlled with a whip. Into his world come reporter Janet Lawton (Loretta King) and policeman Dick Craig (Tony McCoy) who put a stop to Vornoff’s experiments and ensure his pet octopus enjoys a hearty meal.

BRIDE OF THE MONSTER is almost a normal B picture for the era, but it’s the almost that makes it interesting, that and one scene where Lugosi has a monologue that’s moving because you know the actor is doing his absolute best for his director. It’s no classic (and nowhere near as odd as its sequel, NIGHT OF THE GHOULS) but if you liked PLAN NINE then you will very likely enjoy this too.

As with PLAN NINE we get two commentary tracks: an archival USA track from David DeCoteau and Ted Newsom, and a new British track this time from William Fowler and Vic Pratt, in which I was pleased to learn I’m not the only one to  have made the connection between Max Casella in Tim Burton's ED WOOD and Dougie Howser, MD.

Other extras include a bizarre three minute short film called WHITE LITE and a one hour Children’s Film Foundation production from 1972 called KADOYNG about an alien visitor. Familiar faces in that include Gerald Sim and Bill Owen. There’s also a trailer and image gallery. Finally, the BFI's set comes with a booklet that includes essays on PLAN NINE & producer J Edward Reynolds, Ed Wood's relationship with 'Bunny' Breckinridge, the climate in which the films were made, BRIDE OF THE MONSTER, Ed Wood at the Scala, and a charming piece from Jan Mathey about actor Paul Marco. 

Ed Wood’s PLAN NINE FROM OUTER SPACE and BRIDE OF THE MONSTER are out from the BFI in a double disc Blu-ray set on Monday 19th October 2026

Wuthering Heights: The House of the Damned (2026)

“Emily Bronte: Italian Gothic Horror Style!”

Yes indeed, while this new version of Emily Bronte’s novel is British (and boasts some fabulous location work), fans of classic horror cinema will most likely be reminded of some of the classic Italian gothics of the 1960s and early 1970s while watching this. And that’s meant as the highest of compliments.

Anyone who has read Wuthering Heights will know how easy it should have been to turn it into a horror movie. Yes despite AIP filming their own version in 1970 (with Timothy Dalton and Anna Calder-Marshall) even that was light on the scary stuff. But never mind because here comes director Rebecca J Matthews (aka Becca Hirani) and writer Liana Failla’s operatic, blood soaked version that goes well over the top and probably isn’t the one to show your kids to introduce them to classic literature. Or then again, perhaps it is.

The story is told from the point of view of Mr Lockwood (Ross Townsend-Green), new tenant on the estate of Wuthering Heights, who calls on his landlord at ‘the big house’ to introduce himself, only to find the place populated by shifty servants and a very hairy and morbid Heathcliff indeed. Through a series of clever flashbacks and transition devices we are told the familiar tale, with more than a couple of variations in the plotting to keep things interesting.

WUTHERING HEIGHTS: HOUSE OF THE DAMNED is obviously low budget, but benefits immensely from the locations and the fact that everyone seems to be taking the endeavour exactly the right kind of seriously. Sky Cheema’s Heathcliff is closer in appearance to the novel that possibly any other version, while Townsend-Green gets the kind of role played by John Richardson or Mark Damon in any number of gothics of the 1960s. 

Matthews / Hirani piles on the atmosphere and sets out her table stylistically from almost the first scene. In the novel the first time we see Cathy (here played by Elle O’Hara) it’s her ghost tapping at the window. In WUTHERING HEIGHTS: THE HOUSE OF THE DAMNED Cathy’s ghost smashes the window, grabs Mr Lockwood and sprays blood everywhere. There. Now you know if you want to watch it. Rippingly good low budget modern gothic horror. 

WUTHERING HEIGHTS: THE HOUSE OF THE DAMNED is out from Signature Entertainment on Digital on Monday 19th October 2026

Insidious: Out of the Further (2026)

 

        After its recent theatrical run, the sixth in the INSIDIOUS series is getting a digital release (to buy or rent) from Sony. But before we look at it, let’s have another edition of Summarise That Franchise! Here they all are in chronological order, with links to click on for the ones I’ve already reviewed on here:

INSIDIOUS 3 (2015)

INSIDIOUS 4: THE LAST KEY (2018)

INSIDIOUS (2010)

INSIDIOUS 2 (2013)

INSIDIOUS: THE RED DOOR (2023)

INSIDIOUS: OUT OF THE FURTHER (2026)

So the most recent film is also the most recent film, if you seen what I mean. This time around we’re introduced to dental hygienist Gemma (Amelia Eve, Jamie the gardener from Mike Flanagan’s HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR). As a child Gemma saw her mother apparently commit suicide by bashing her head against the bathroom wall. Now as an adult she’s having strange dreams, and somehow manages to bring back a brooch from one of them.

Meanwhile an extremely creepy trio of old people are wandering up and down the street, and when one of them comes in to Gemma for treatment, a second set of teeth inside the man’s mouth closes on her finger (featured in the trailer). This sends Gemma back into her nightmare land, which is confirmed to be the Further by Elise (Lin Shaye again) who, despite being dead, is able to communicate with Gemma through a medium.

It turns out Gemma can act as a ‘courier’, pulling things out of her dream / the Further in the same way Nancy Thompson pulled Freddy Krueger out in Wes Craven’s A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET and this film has its own nasty villain wanting to use Gemma for exactly the same purpose.

The first act of INSIDIOUS: OUT OF THE FURTHER is surprisingly good, especially for part six of a franchise and, if it didn’t have the series name on it, could be considered the introduction to an intriguing and very well executed ghost story. Its problem is that it IS an INSIDIOUS movie, with all the expected elements that suggests. It’s also too long at over 100 minutes, which means those rictus smiley characters outstay their welcome by a good quarter of an hour. What the film does have going for it is that first act, which also features some of the most repulsive and well done horrible dentistry ever committed to film. You have been warned.

INSIDIOUS: OUT OF THE FURTHER is out on Digital to buy or rent from Sony now