With Halloween tomorrow at the time I am writing this combined first look Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack Review, I want to start of by stating these discs just arrived today and do not street until November 19, 2013.Yet I would rather get these horror film reviews up now before Halloween passes to psych fans up for the release of these two cult classics next month.
Now there are two points I want to make. As an undergraduate in film school James Glickenhouse visited my Film Producers class as a guest lecturer and one of the pieces of wisdom he imparted to us was that the reason so many horror films are produced is because they are the safest investment. At the worst they break even. He contrasted this by stating comedy was the riskiest because even if you make a bad horror film, people will rent it. However no one wants to see a comedy that is not funny. So the next time you ask yourself why are there so many horror sequels in theaters and on home video, remember what you've read above.
Now my second point is there are many filmmaker's and enthusiasts that deserve credit for the high quality home video releases of cult films that were once left to languish until these guys showed Hollywood the gold mine in the vaults. Two big names that come to mind are Don May, Jr., who pioneered the movement through Elite Entertainment in the mid 1990s on laserdisc and along with his business partner Jerry Chandler continues to release some of the best cult films on DVD and Blu-ray Disc through Synapse Films. As DVD took off as a format, Director William Lustig produced some of the best classic Anchor Bay Entertainment DVD releases before forming his own high profile cult film distribution company, Blue Underground. So whenever any of you buy a film you love that is a guilty pleasure or not, I want you all to remember Don and Jerry and William Lustig because these guys are a big part of the reason why you can get your favorite genre films on Blu-ray Disc and DVD today regardless of the home video distributor.
Known for his gore classic Maniac, which was written by and starred the late Joe Spinell, Lustig is also responsible for the Maniac Cop series of films. With the original already available on Blu-ray Disc, collectors will soon be able to add Maniac Cop 2 and the unrated version of Maniac Cop 3: Badge Of Silence on Blu-ray and DVD combo pack from Blue Underground.
Officer Matt Cordell was once a hero, but after being framed by corrupt superiors and brutally assaulted in prison, he sets out on a macabre mission of vengeance, teaming up with a vicious serial killer to track down those that wronged him and make them pay... with their lives!
Maniac Cop 2 stars Robert Davi, Claudia Christian, Michael Lerner, Charles Napier and Bruce Campbell with a screenplay by Larry Cohen and directed of course by William Lustig. With a brand new 4K Master taken from the film's original negative, these definitive home video releases of Maniac Cop 2 and 3 feature a ton of extra value features that include English DTS-HD MA 7.1 Digital Lossless Theatrical Surround Sound for Maniac Cop 2 along with English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired and Dutch, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese and Spanish Language Subtitles to accompany the 1080p high definition presentation on both films. An English DTS HD MA 5.1 Soundtrack is provided for Maniac Cop 3: Badge Of Silence.
Extra value features on Maniac Cop 2 include a screen specific Audio Commentary with Director William Lustig and Filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn, Back On The Beat - The Making Of MANIAC COP 2, Cinefamily Q&A with Director William Lustig, a Deleted Scene, Theatrical Trailers, Poster & Still Gallery and an Isolated Music Track. The disc is also enhanced for D-Box Motion Control Systems.
Maniac Cop 3: Badge Of Silence includes Wrong Arm Of The Law - The Making Of MANIAC COP 3, Deleted and Extended Scenes, the Theatrical Trailer, a Poster & Still Gallery, the Original Synopsis and it is also enhanced for D-Box Motion Control Systems.
Both Maniac Cop 2 and Maniac Cop 3: Badge Of Silence will debut on Blu-ray Disc + DVD Combo pack at retailers on and offline on Tuesday, November 19, 2013 courtesy of Blue Underground.
(C) Copyright 2013 By Mark Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
