By MICHAEL GINGOLD
Having previously issued THE BLOOD ISLAND TRILOGY, Severin Films is digging deeper into the vaults of Philippine/U.S. production/distribution company Hemisphere Pictures to bring us another collection of 1960s/70s B-horrors. Read on for the full details, art and a trailer.
Severin releases THE HEMISPHERE BOX OF HORRORS April 9. This limited edition (3,500 numbered units) contains five films on four Blu-rays: Gerry de Leon’s THE BLOOD DRINKERS and CURSE OF THE VAMPIRES (pictured), Al Adamson’s BRAIN OF BLOOD and a double feature of Harold Hoffman’s THE BLACK CAT and Harald Reinl’s THE TORTURE CHAMBER OF DR. SADISM. Each film has been newly scanned in 4K or 2K from the best—in some cases only—elements available. Special features are:
THE BLOOD DRINKERS
- “Manong of the Philippines”: Interview with script supervisor and Gerry De Leon’s AD Dik Trofeo
- Hemisphere appreciation by filmmaker David DeCoteau
- Audio commentary by film historians Nathaniel Thompson and Howard S. Berger
- Partial audio commentary by Hemisphere marketing consultant Samuel M. Sherman
- Deleted scenes
- BLOOD DRINKERS trailer
- VAMPIRE PEOPLE trailer
- Radio spot
CURSE OF THE VAMPIRES
- “Cursed Vampire”: Interview with actor Eddie Garcia
- “The Market of Hemisphere”: Interview with marketing consultant Samuel M. Sherman
- Audio commentary by Philippine genre documentarian Andrew Leavold
- Partial audio commentary by Sam Sherman
- Deleted scenes
- Trailers
- BEAST OF BLOOD/CURSE OF THE VAMPIRES radio spot
BRAIN OF BLOOD
- “Memories of Blood”: Interviews with director Al Adamson, producer Samuel M. Sherman, associate producer J.P. Spohn, actor Zandor Vorkov, actor Sean Graver and filmmaker Fred Olen Ray
- Partial audio commentary with producer/co-writer Samuel M. Sherman
- Trailer
- Radio spot
The BLACK CAT/TORTURE CHAMBER disc includes BLOOD DEMON and BLACK CAT trailers and is exclusive to the boxed set; the other three Blu-rays are also available separately, and those movies are also available on DVD. Orders for the box placed at the Severin webstore will include mini-posters of the set’s artwork.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1b-BbDnL50
