Tag Archives: Nightmare Nostalgia

The Rare “Child’s Play” VHS Screener Footage From 1989

The ’80s were a grand decade for the little plastic nightmare known as Chucky and I think it’s fair to say, this era belonged exclusively to the slasher. From Freddy, Jason, to Michael, the 1980’s coined the word slasher and turned it into an unstoppable phenomenon. Between brilliant marketing from all those inducing ass-whoopings from calling 1-900 numbers to every kid on your block dressed up as Freddy; sporting a plastic garbage bag Ben Cooper costume on Halloween. The era of the slasher was a glorious time to be alive for horror fans. And in 1988, a small but fierce force entered into that iconic fraternity of slasher legends in the form of what looked like, a My Buddy doll from the seventh layer of Hell.

When Child’s Play opened in theaters back ’88, no one expected the pint-sized Good Guy to launch the kind of fanfare Chucky brought to the horror game. The movie made on a less than stellar budget of only $9 million ended up pulling in almost four times that amount worldwide upon its theatrical release and ended up spawning seven sequels over the past 30 years, including an upcoming Child’s Play series in the works!

The Rare "Child’s Play" VHS Screener Footage From 1989

 

Back in the glory days of the Polaroid cassette videotape, studios such as MGM would send out promotional VHS screeners of new releases to mom and pop video stores in an effort to get that movie lined up on their shop shelves. On a side-note, I remember the first time seeing Chucky’s face at my local one-stop rental shop Action Video and my seven-year-old self, fresh off a viewing of Dolls, was immediately impulsed to rent the little sucker. Not knowing a thing about it, and so glad I did.

Anyway, these VHS screeners sent out apparently also contained some extra promotional material intended to fancy up the marketing. In this case, a six and half minute promo of a stiff as fuck Chucky salesman breaking into a rap about his movie and the cheese is so delicious my friends. Also, you gotta appreciate the gangster aspect of good ole’ Chucky taunting both Freddy and Jason in this promo.

“Jason? HA! He’s so scared of me, he’s gotta hide behind a mask.”

Beautiful. Check the video out below uploaded by YouTube channel DoctorSnowcone!

“Return of Swamp Thing” Blu-Ray and More Coming to the MVD Rewind Collection

Be kind and support MVD Rewind with Return of Swamp Thing and more new awesomely nostalgic titles coming this Spring/Summer to the online retro movie store! Since launching in December of 2017 with the Blu-ray release of D.O.A., MVD Rewind Collection has quickly established itself as one of the premiere labels in the home video market. With two new titles already released in the early part of 2018, the company is poised to have a big year.

With the dog days of Summer fast approaching leaving you hiding in the coolest corner of your house, these upcoming titles being trickled out over late Spring and into Summer may give you a good reason to fetch a TMNT Bubblegum Popsicle and bask into some nostalgic (and air-conditioned) goodness. Here’s whats new to MVD Rewind!

 

(Special Edition) [Blu-ray] (5/8)
"Return of Swamp Thing" Blu-Ray and More Coming to the MVD Rewind Collection
Coming in May are three new titles starting with Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God…Be Back by Five. This story about a pair of friends looking for a third childhood friend that they fear may be homeless and mentally ill was co-written, produced and stars 80’s icon Jon Cryer. The plot is loosely based off on a true story involving Cryer and a former classmate he heard was homeless.
The Return Of Swamp Thing [Blu-ray + DVD] (5/8)

"Return of Swamp Thing" Blu-Ray and More Coming to the MVD Rewind Collection

Swamp Thing sprouted from the pen of Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson and took root in the pages of his award-winning DC Comics’ series. Dr. Alec Holland, a noble scientist out to cure the ills of our ravaged planet Earth, is caught in a powerful explosion that coated him with his bio-restorative formula and set him ablaze. Jumping into a nearby swamp for relief from the flames, Alec Holland was transformed into everyone’s favorite muck-encrusted half-human/half plant Swamp Thing. Dick Durock starred as Swamp Thing in both the original movie and The Return of Swamp Thing. Trapped in his monstrous physical form, Alec Holland retained his intellect, emotions, and capacity to love. That love appears in the form of Abigail Arcane (Heather Locklear), step-daughter to the world’s maddest scientist, Dr. Anton Arcane. Abby owns a plant store and is more comfortable talking to her plants than to men in the local singles bar. When she meets Swampy she sees beyond the horror of his physical form and falls in love with Alec Holland. Swamp Thing has to single-handedly battle the evil Dr. Arcane, his security forces, and his army of mutant creatures in order to rescue Abby.  Both BR and DVD were created from a brand-new HD transfer made from the original internegative, released now for the first time ever. Directed by Jim Wynorski.

 

Savannah Smiles (Collector’s Edition) [Blu-ray + DVD] (5/22)

"Return of Swamp Thing" Blu-Ray and More Coming to the MVD Rewind Collection

MVD Rewind brings May to a close with the release of director Pierre De Moro’s Savannah Smiles. In this charming family comedy, the young daughter of a politician runs away in an effort to get some attention from her parents. She ends up hiding in a car that belongs to a pair of two-bit criminals and what could turn into an awful nightmare becomes an unlikely bonding experience between the three.

 

Abominable (Special Edition) [Blu-ray + DVD] (6/12)

"Return of Swamp Thing" Blu-Ray and More Coming to the MVD Rewind Collection

June will see two new releases from MVD Rewind starting with Abominable. Released in 2006, Abominable is easily the newest film to see entry into the MVD Rewind Collection but don’t let that fool you – all the old-school, retro appeal that you’ve come to expect and love with this collection is very much present in this one. A paraplegic convinced he was attacked by the legendary Bigfoot returns to his cabin in the woods hell-bent on proving all those that called him crazy wrong. This fun monster movie features horror icons Jeffrey Combs, Lance Henriksen and Dee Wallace.

 

Lionheart (2-Disc Special Edition) [Blu-ray + DVD] (6/12)

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The second and final June release marks the second time Jean-Claude Van Damme will appear in the MVD Rewind Collection with the release of 1990’s Lionheart. Van Damme stars as a paratrooper legionnaire that is forced to return home to Los Angeles after his brother is seriously injured. With his brother’s family desperately needed money, Van Damme decides to earn it the only way he knows how – entering an underground fighting circuit. Often overlooked in the Van Damme catalog, Lionheart is every bit the action classic as the more popular Bloodsport and Kickboxer films. Lionheart is also notable for being the first time Van Damme showed his signature buns onscreen.

 

 

Windrider (Special Edition) (7/24)
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By the mid-80’s Nicole Kidman was well on her way to becoming a star but she was still considered to be a child actor. In 1986, at the age of 19, she started to shed that image as she starred in the first film aimed at adults with the romantic comedy Windrider. The film co-stars Tom Burlinson as an enthusiastic surfer attempting to develop a new, high tech surfboard. Along the way, he meets and begins to fall in love with a rock star played by Kidman. MVD Rewind Collection is proud to present Windrider on special edition Blu-ray this July, given the film its debut home video release in North America.

First Official Halloween 2018 Movie Poster Highlights an Aged Michael Myers

Here it is Haddonfield heads! The first official Blumhouse Halloween movie poster just dropped and Holy Shatner, Michael is showing his age! In which case, I myself can completely appreciate as the sequel is set in the present 40 years after the first Haddonfield Halloween incident in 1978, (which makes Michael 61 in the film).

First Official Halloween 2018 Movie Poster Highlights an Aged Michael Myers

While we don’t know a ton of details on what to expect from Blumhouse’s new take on the slasher grand-daddy helmed by David Gordan Green and co-written by Danny McBride and Jeff Fradley, we do know all other Halloween films, as we know it, are being disregarded, including the whole Myers and Laurie being related angle. However, the 2018 movie will pay homage to them in some sort of way, presumably with some fun Easter Eggs. Reports have come in stating that Jason Blum has seen a cut of the film in recent weeks and is “extremely happy” with the result.

The film has Halloween alumni Jamie Lee Curtis (Laurie Strode) returning to settle a score one more time with Myers, who is being taken on by the original Shape himself, Nick Castle along with James Jude Courtney.  Judy Greer is also cast as the role of Laurie’s daughter, Karen Strode. The Godfather of Myers John Carpenter is heading the film’s score along with an Executive Producer credit with fellow producers, Jason Blum and Malek Akkad.

Halloween will be in theaters on October 19th.

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