The Innkeepers (2012)

Writer-director (and editor) Ti West's follow up to his 2009 HOUSE OF THE DEVIL is now getting a posh Second Sight release in a limited edition including the film on 4K UHD and Blu-ray as well as separate standard releases on both formats.

Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy) are looking after the soon-to-close Yankee Pedlar Inn for the weekend while the owner is in Barbados. As well as needing the money, the two of them have another reason to be there: they are amateur ghost hunters and the hotel is allegedly haunted by a woman who hanged herself there when she was jilted on her wedding day after which her body was hidden in the cellar.

The hotel only has a couple of guests including former TV star-turned 'healer' Leanne Rease-Jones (Kelly McGillis) and as night falls and strange things start to manifest it appears the hotel may actually be haunted after all, and not everyone may make it out alive.

THE INNKEEPERS received its UK premiere at 2012's Frightfest on the main Empire screen, one of the biggest in the country, but it's actually a lot better suited to being watched on TV at home. In fact, the opening half an hour has the distinctive feel of an old episode of Night Gallery or a Brian Clemens Thriller episode, only shot in 2.35:1 aspect ratio. It's been described as 'slow burn' which it is, but West displays considerable skill in priming the viewer to develop a gradually increasing sense of discomfort through camera angles, lighting, and a gag at the start played by Healy on Paxton after which you can't help but watch what follows in a particular way.

As is always the case with Second Sight's releases, THE INNKEEPERS is packed with extras, including two commentary tracks, both with Ti West. The first also has producers Larry Fessenden and Peter Phok and sound designer Graham Reznick, the second has West with Paxton and Healy. There are some excellent interviews with West (15 minutes), Healy (30 minutes) and especially Larry Fessenden who talks about all of the West films he has produced (31 minutes), as well as DP Eliot Rockett (10 minutes), composer Jeff Grace (8 minutes) and line producer Jacob Jaffke (14 minutes).

There are also seven minutes of behind the scenes footage and a trailer. Finally the limited edition also comes with a 120 page book featuring new writing on the film, six art cards and a slipcase.

Ti West's THE INNKEEPERS is out in limited (4K UHD and Blu-ray) and standard separate 4K UHD and Blu-ray editions on Monday 25th August 2025

The Nice Guys (2016)

"Loads of Fun"

Second Sight Films are releasing, in both limited and standard editions, and on both Blu-ray and 4K UHD, Shane Black's LETHAL WEAPON meets BOOGIE NIGHTS buddy PI comedy.

Los Angeles 1977. Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) is hired by Amelia (Margaret Qualley) to deter PI Holland March (Ryan Gosling) who has been assigned to find her. But then Amelia vanishes and her disappearance may be connected to the recent death in a car wreck of adult film star Misty Mountains (Mureille Telio). As their investigations proceed they find themselves in deeper trouble as they begin to uncover a plan to reveal political shenanigans that involve government official Judith Kuttner (Kim Basinger).

Don't worry too much about the plot, which gets overly convoluted pretty quickly. Instead enjoy the fun writer-direcor Black has recreating the Hollywood of the late 1970s, with nods to real porn films (the Pinocchio gag at the party) and pacing rapid enough to stop you saying 'hang on a minute' too many times.

What really makes THE NICE GUYS work, though, is the standout interplay between Crowe and Gosling. Not the most likely of pairings, the two bounce off each other very well indeed. Black's dialogue helps of course, but the two get along so well by the end of the film you'll be sorry we never got a series with these two, or at least one sequel.

Second Sight's disc comes with a batch of extras. New to this release is a commentary track with Black and co-writerAnthony Bagarozzi. They both admit to not having seen the film since its release and prompting from moderator Priscilla Page helps. Also new are interviews with Shane Black (36 mins), co-producer Ethan Erwin (22 mins), DP Philippe Rousselot (14 mins) and a video essay from Leigh Singer on Shane Black's buddy movies (21 mins).

Archival material from 2016 includes 11 minutes of cast interviews (Gosling, Crowe, Qualley, Basinger and Matt Bomner), a six minute making of and a five minute piece on Shane Black.

If you get Second Sight's limited edition that includes both 4K and Blu-ray copies of the film and extras (all available on the stand alone editions as well), plus a 150 page hardback book with lots of new writing about the film.

Shane Black's THE NICE GUYS is out from Second Sight Films on Monday 16th June 2025 in both limited and standard 4KUHD and Blu-ray editions

Creep (2014)

 

With the TV series The Creep Files starting to air on Shudder, what better time for Second Sight to release one of their whistles and bells packages (in both standard and limited editions) devoted to the original found footage thriller? And if those 'f' words have you running for the hills, let me tell you now that CREEP very much still deserves a chance, so read on.

A found footage (I know) mumblecore (stick with me) improvisational (it's really very good, though) piece featuring only two actors, the plot involves film-maker Aaron (co-writer and director Patrick Brice) answering an ad placed by Jacob (co-writer Mark Duplass) who lives in a remote mountain town. The job? Jacob is dying and wants his final thoughts recorded on video for his unborn son. 

But is any of that true? As the day goes on things get weirder, as does Jacob's behaviour. He takes to wearing a terrifying wolf mask he refers to a 'Peachfuzz' (the film's original title) and Aaron starts to realise he may be in the presence of a dangerous lunatic. When CREEP premiered at Frightfest it boasted an ending that was one of the most horrible and disturbing of the festival that year, and if you've not seen it I'm not going to spoil it for you.

Second Sight's new Blu-ray wipes the floor with previous bare bones releases. We get a new commentary from Brice, Duplass and editor Christopher Donlan to compliment the archival one with Brice and Duplass only. There are also new interviews with Duplass (19 minutes), Brice (37 minutes) and Donlan (16 minutes), a half hour Q&A with the cast and crew, a deleted scene, an alternative scene (two minutes), and two alternative endings (seven minutes). 

Finally, the limited edition comes with a 70 page book, six art cards, and the usual rigid slipcase to keep it all in. Excellent. Now who's for Tubby Time?

Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass' CREEP is out in both standard and limited editions from Second Sight on Monday, 

9th December 2024, just in time to make it a nice 

Christmas present for anyone who might also 

be getting a video camera.

Train to Busan (2016)

 

“A 4K Upgrade for a Genre Classic ”

Oh yes indeed - one of the best ever zombie films gets a welcome 4K UHD release from Studio Canal.

Seok-Woo (Yoo Gong) is accompanying his young daughter Soo-an (Soo-an Kim) on the train from Seoul to Busan to visit his ex-wife. Unknown to any of the travellers when they board, a bit of a toxic waste leak at a chemical plant has led to a zombie outbreak of the ‘running very fast’ variety, and one of the infected is on the train. Soon there are lots and lots of infected on the train and when it turns out city after city is being affected the few remaining survivors have to hold out until they get to Busan. If they ever do.

So many good things have been said about TRAIN TO BUSAN by so many reviewers that it’s difficult to know what to add, suffice to say that Hollywood could learn a few lessons in character building and development from this one. Then they might realise that when the non-stop action and razor-sharp editing kicks in you actually end up with a thrilling, edge-of-the-seat movie experience rather than a hollow effects extravaganza.

What else? Well, great horror films that take place entirely in daylight are a rare commodity in themselves, but this is one (TREMORS is another). There are some tiny bits in a tunnel but there’s no night in this picture. You’ll miss the music on first viewing because the pacing and the acting will sweep you away but it’s actually nicely effective. 

Extras on Studio Canal’s disc are the same as on their previous Blu-ray and DVD release. These include a trailer for SEOUL STATION, and a making of featurette.

On its release in 2016 press releases for TRAIN TO BUSAN were filled with quotes like ‘The Best Film of the Year’, ‘Exhilarating’, ‘Will Keep You Gasping For Breath Until the End of the Line’ and ‘A Genre-Transcending Masterpiece’. It’s still all true. TRAIN TO BUSAN isn’t just a great horror picture, it’s a great film. one that will enthral you, thrill you and (by the end) move you. A must for any genre connoisseur's film library. 

TRAIN TO BUSAN is on on 4K UHD from Studio Canal on Monday 27th May 2024

Source Code (2011)

Director Duncan Jones' second feature (after 2009's MOON) and another study of loneliness and isolation within a science fiction storyline, gets a 4K UHD release from Studio Canal.

Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal), a US military officer, wakes up one morning in someone else's body, sitting on a commuter train bound for Chicago. He barely has time to register what has happened to him before the train explodes and Colter finds himself in a dark room surrounded by mostly broken equipment. The only thing that works is a video screen on which he sees the face of Colleen Goodwin (Vera Farmiga) who explains the bizarre situation Colter is now in.

The train he was on blew up due to a bomb and now the bomber has set his sights on a bigger target. The problem is nobody knows who he is, but they do know he was on the train that blew up. Using a technique known as Source Code, Colter has to keep playing out the last eight minutes on the train until the terrorist is found, while learning some truths about his own situation.

With a jump in budget after MOON, Duncan Jones was able to deliver a complex but never confusing piece of science fiction that touches on elements explored in that film while also asking big questions about what reality actually is or could be. Gyllenhaal makes for a likeable hero and that, combined with a tight run time of 93 minutes, means that SOURCE CODE never outstays its welcome while also managing to cram in some science fiction concepts that might well have lost audiences if the film were in less capable hands.

Extras include a commentary track from Jones, Gyllenhaal and writer Ben Ripley, interviews with Gyllenhaal (8 minutes) and Jones (12 minutes), Five Crazy Things You Might Have Missed (only two minutes but I learned a couple of things), 27 minutes of Cast & Crew Interviews, and 24 minutes of the science behind the ideas explored in the film.

Duncan Jones' SOURCE CODE is out on 4K UHD from Studio Canal on Monday 20th May 2024

The Borderlands (2013)

"First Class Found Footage Classic"

Producer Jennifer Handorf's 2013 found footage horror that premiered at Frightfest that year gets a deserved special edition Blu-ray release from Second Sight.

There's been an alleged miracle at a tiny Catholic church deep in the UK's West Country (actually West Ogwell in Devon). A team has been despatched from the Vatican to either verify or, more likely, disprove what has happened. The team consists of Deacon (Gordon Kennedy) and Mark (Aidan McArdle) assisted by tech guy Gray (Robin Hill) who is there to ensure round the clock filming of their investigations by the numerous cameras he sets up, and which the team have with them at all times.

At first it looks like the local vicar had been faking everything, but as events progress it turns out that there really might be something supernatural going on in, or rather under, the church, something far more horrible than any of them might have been expecting.

Eleven years after its hugely well received premiere, if anything THE BORDERLANDS has improved with time. It's essentially a slow buildup to a brilliantly unpleasant conclusion, with ideas and hints of what's actually going on dropped in along the way such that the film rewards repeat viewings.

Second Sight's disc offers a greatly improved transfer over the previous DVD release, plus a host of new extras. These include a 30 minute interview with producer Handorf and another of similar length with Kennedy and Hill. Both interviews go into good detail about the filming and how, after reshoots and what sounds like multiple edits, the film ended up in its current version.

Special effects man Dan Martin gives a tutorial on movie slimes (more interesting that you might think!) as well as talking about the picture in a 15 minute interview, and all four of the above are together for the commentary track, which goes over some of the above but has extra material as well. Finally, the archival making of featurette has been ported over, and the limited edition comes with art cards, a 70-page book and a slipcase to keep everything in.

THE BORDERLANDS had a terrific reception at its premiere. It's good to see that its reputation has endured, and if you've never seen it before Second Sight's edition of what is already something of a classic is the one to get.

THE BORDERLANDS is out from Second Sight on Blu-ray in both standard and limited editions on a new release date of Monday 15th April 2024

The Chucky Collection (1988 - 2022)

 

Arrow Films are releasing the entire cinematic saga of Chucky as played by Brad Dourif. That's by way of a qualifier, because you won't find Lars Klevberg's 2019 remake in here, nor will you find the TV series that kicked off in 2021 and so far has run to three seasons. But apart from those, it's all here. 

Before we dig in, a word about rights issues. The rights to Tom Holland's original CHILD'S PLAY has a different owner to the next six films in the series. This is also the case with the documentary LIVING WITH CHUCKY which takes up the eighth disc in this eight disc set. Both of those films have only been made available to Arrow on Blu-ray. Consequently, while Arrow have gone the extra mile to give us top notch UHD transfers of the films that they could, this collection is being released in two different versions - one is all Blu-ray, the other with CHILD'S PLAY 2,3 BRIDE OF CHUCKY, SEED OF CHUCKY, CURSE OF CHUCKY all in UHD but with the other two films included on Blu-ray.

Right, that's the boring (but worth spelling out bit) sorted. Let's take a look at the films!

Disc One: Child's Play

        Not provided for review, and only available on Blu-ray in both sets. Even though it was a film that helped rock the world of the average 1980s horror fan it was impossible to think at the time that the character of Chucky would become so enduring. Now, in retrospect, perhaps it's not so difficult. A combination of Don Mancini's script, Tom Holland's direction and perhaps above all the design of the Chucky doll (for which producer David Kirschner takes prominent credit in a number of these films but special effects wizard Kevin Yagher must take some of the credit, along with Mancini) combined with Brad Dourif's performance led to the creation of a horror icon. 

        The secret is that when Chucky isn't stabbing, crushing or pushing people out of windows, he looks like an actual child's toy. Contrast that with more recent doll movie characters like ANNABELLE, M3GAN, or even the Chucky of the remake, which are dolls no sane child (or adult) would want in their homes. There's a quote about the greatest feat the devil managed was to get people not to believe in him. CHILD'S PLAY, and it's sequels, works because Chucky is an entirely believable toy. Who's possessed by the soul of a serial killer who swears and kills people and wants to possess the body of a little boy.

Extras are (presumably) archival, with a commentary track from stars Catherine Hicks and Alex Vincent, as well as Kevin Yagher, another from Kirschner & Mancini, four featurettes and an image gallery.

Disc Two: Child's Play 2 (1990)

After being burned to a crisp (almost) in the previous movie Chucky's back in a film that's a slight step down from the first. However, there are three very good reasons to watch Arrow's disc:

1 The UHD transfer is absolutely sparkling and very impressive indeed for a 1990s film.

2 The climax in the toy factory is still cracking. Chucky's 'resurrection' at the same factory at the beginning isn't bad, either.

3 Jenny Agutter. Although admittedly she's rather wasted in this and really should have been the one to accompany Andy to the toy factory at the end. But it's still Jenny Agutter, even if they get her to wear some dreadful sleeping attire.

Extras include an archival commentary from director John Lafia, plus a whole collection of stuff ported over from the 2022 Scream Factory Region A release. These include interviews with screenwriter Don Mancini (13 minutes), stars Alex Vincent (8 minutes), Beth Grant (5 minutes) and Christine Elise (10 minutes), producer David Kirschner (8 minutes) and Robert Latham Brown (4 minutes). There are also 11 minutes of extra scenes taken from an off-air recording from the Sci Fi channel (surely the vault elements for these would be available, but then again perhaps not), 9 minutes of original promotional featurettes, trailers and an image gallery. 

Disc Three: Child's Play 3 (1991)

Eight years after the events of the previous film, Chucky is improbably resurrected (would fans have it any other way?) and sets off in search of Andy Barclay (now played by Justin Whalen) who is now at one of those uniquely American educational establishments known as Military Academies. 

This one's a definite low point of the series, with a script that feels as if it was thrown together grudgingly over a weekend. The result is a film that stumbles along, never builds up a head of steam, and has a fairground climax that comes out of left field. Surprisingly, things would get substantially better as the series went on.

Extras on Arrow's disk include two commentary tracks, one from TV movie veteran director Jack Bender, the other from producer Robert Latham Brown. Most of the other extras have been ported over from the Scream Factory Region A release including brief interviews with Brown (4 minutes), Mancini (13 minutes, who agrees this is probably the worst Chucky film), Kirschner (7 minutes), actors Perrey Reeves (6 minutes) and Michael Chieffo (4 minutes), production designer Richard Sawyer (& minutes) and makeup artist Craig Reardon (8 minutes). There are also five minutes of extra scenes from the TV version, a trailer and an image gallery. 

Disc Four: Bride of Chucky (1998)

Things become far more entertaining with the fourth entry in the series, in which Chucky gets rescued from a crime evidence locker and stitched back together by Charles Lee Ray's girlfriend Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly). However, Chucky and Tiffany end up having an argument, the result of which is Tiffany being electrocuted in the bath. But a little bit of voodoo later and BRIDE OF CHUCKY is born.

There's a definite move towards the comedic with this one, and judging from the previous film it wasn't a moment too soon. There are plenty of sight gags related to popular horror films of the time (you might want to freeze frame on the police evidence room at the start) and the leads are definitely in on the joke.

Extras include a suitably over the top archival introduction from Tilly, and there are two commentary tracks, one from director Ronny Yu and the other, which is one of the must-listen of the set if you've not already heard it (it's archival) is with Tilly, Dourif and Don Mancini. There's also a piece on the locations, a making of, trailer, and scenes from the TV version.

Disc Five: Seed of Chucky (2004)

The comedy and crudeness is upped for the fifth entry in the series, which some believe is the worst but I agree with writer-director Don Mancini (from his extra on CHILD'S PLAY 3) that they're all wrong. SEED OF CHUCKY is the unsung classic of the series, a film that channels John Waters, William Castle, is way ahead of its time about gender identity issues and has a fearless and utterly winning performance from Jennifer Tilly, who gets to play both 'herself' and Tiffany.

And as well as her, is this the most bizarre cast for a horror sequel? Pope of Trash himself John Waters, S Club 7's Hannah Spearrit, Jason (son of Gordon DALEKS INVASION EARTH 2150AD) Flemyng, Billy Boyd as well as, of course Brad Dourif. It's set in Glastobury and Los Angeles but was actually filmed in Romania and yes, if you like John Waters-style humour (Tilly's role could almost have been written for Divine) you'll have a blast with this.

Extras include two commentary tracks, one with Mancini and Tilly,  the other with Mancini and FX wiz Tony Gardner. There are also interviews with Gardner (19 minutes), John Waters (6 minutes), and Chucky himself (2 minutes) as well as a 'Family Slide Show' (3 minutes), storyboard to film sequences (14 minutes) and an archival making of (19 minutes). If you don't watch anything else Jennifer Tilly In Romania is a two minute must-see that cements her reputation as someone with a great sense of humour. There are also trailers, an image gallery, and a deleted scene with commentary. 

Disc Six: Curse of Chucky (2013)

The longest period between Chucky films also resulted in one of the best. In fact one could go so far as to say CURSE OF CHUCKY is the best in the franchise since the first film. 

In a creepy old house in the middle of nowhere lives wheelchair-bound Nica (Fiona Dourif, daughter of Brad) with her mother. A large box mysteriously arrives in the mail and, to no-one’s surprise except those on the screen, is revealed to contain Chucky (voiced once again by Brad Dourif). Chucky kills mum, who is found dead from a presumed self-inflicted stab wound. In the wake of her mother’s death, Nica’s sister Barb (Danielle Bisutti) arrives with her husband, daughter, live-in nanny and a priest, all of whom are going to come in handy to up the ensuing body count. 

It’s obvious writer-director Don Mancini still loves his creation, and this love comes through with this thoroughly enjoyable old school horror romp. Brad Dourif is excellent as always and the real revelation here is his daughter Fiona who does an excellent job of making Nica a three-dimensional character that you’ll be rooting for by the end.

Extras include a commentary track with Mancini, Fiona Dourif and Tony Gardner, interviews with Alex Vincent and Danielle Bisutti, three making of featurettes, deleted scenes, storyboard comparisons and a brief gag reel.

Disc Seven: Cult of Chucky (2017)

The final Mancini feature before he and his creation moved to television. This time Chucky's in an asylum, where he has followed Mica (Fiona Dourif) who is now incarcerated having been found guilty of the murders in 2013's CURSE OF CHUCKY. But is it really him? Because surely that's the remnant of his talking head that Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent) has in a safe? Who is delivering all the other Good Guy dolls to the asylum? And more importantly, who is responsible for the spate of new murders? Don Mancini's latest Chucky sequel isn't perfect, and it isn't as riotously entertaining as CURSE, but there's some good stuff in here, and a climax that's absolutely worth waiting for as everything goes quite nuts. Not at all bad for what is essentially CHILD'S PLAY VII, especially as they've had the sense to let Jennifer Tilly out of her box again. 

Don Mancini & Tony Gardner provide the commentary this time, with Gardner also profiled in a featurette, and his daughter Kyra provides another in which she talks about working with her father. There's an interview with Alex Vincent (and a piece on his recording studio), two short making of featurettes, deleted scenes, trailers, and an image gallery.

Disc Eight: Living With Chucky (2022)

Not provided for review, and not in UHD in either set, this is Kyra Gardner's documentary on the CHILD'S PLAY franchise, very much concentrating (unsurprisingly) on the work contributed by her father Tony, but there are also interviews with other cast and crew, including Brad and Fiona Dourif. Extras include a commentary track from Kyra Gardner, plus three featurettes - candid conversations, favourite death scenes and strange families.

The Chucky Collection is out in an eight disc Blu-ray or six disc UHD and two disc Blu-ray set on Monday 18th December 2023