Coming in June! DANZA MACABRA VOLUME 3: THE SPANISH GOTHIC COLLECTION is the latest in our acclaimed series of Gothic Horror Blu-ray box sets and the first to focus on Spain’s tradition of Gothic Horror, which – particularly during the Franco dictatorship – was characterized by daring concepts, lush visuals, extreme sexuality and a startling aestheic all its own. These four classic shockers from the 1970s represent the genre at its most audacious: In NECROPHAGOUS, the debut feature by writer/director Miguel Madrid, a fractured family in a crumbling castle conceals a grisly graveyard secret. The anthology film CAKE OF BLOOD – never previously available outside of Spain – presents a quartet of supernatural tales by four young filmmakers. Hammer Films director John Gilling brings his inimitable style to the occult thriller in CROSS OF THE DEVIL. And a terminally ill woman is enticed by eternal life in León Klimovsky’s vampire masterwork, THE NIGHT OF THE WALKING DEAD. Each film in this collection has been scanned from its original negative – with over 8 hours of Special Features – for the first time ever in America.
Fans purchasing VOLUME 3 from the Severin webstore can also purchase DANZA MACABRA VOLUME ONE and/or TWO at 50% off. As a continuation of our celebration of Spanish cinema, the webstore will also be offering 50% off a lovingly curated selection of seven Spanish films from now until May 24th.
Severin also celebrates Sherlock Holmes Day (May 22) with two elementary Holmes classics, both previously available only as part of our Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee box sets: SHERLOCK HOLMES features all six surviving episodes of the 1968 BBC-TV series starring Peter Cushing as Holmes and Nigel Stock as Dr. Watson, while Terence Fisher’s 1962 film SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE DEADLY NECKLACE stars the legendary Christopher Lee in his sole movie performance of Holmes.
DANZA MACABRA VOL. 3: THE SPANISH GOTHIC COLLECTION
Disc 1: NECROPHAGOUS
The most misunderstood Spanish gothic shocker of the early ‘70s can now be reassessed like never before: A young nobleman (Bill Curran) returns to his crumbling family castle, only to learn that his wife has died giving birth to their stillborn child. But why is her coffin empty? What follows is a uniquely told shocker of grief, lust, dark secrets and the hungers of the grave. Frank Braña (PIECES), Victor Israel (THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED) and Beatriz Elorrieta (BLOOD HUNT) co-star in this debut feature by writer/director Miguel Madrid (THE KILLER OF DOLLS) – also known as THE BUTCHER OF BINBROOK and released in America by Independent-International as GRAVEYARD OF HORROR – now scanned in 4K from the recently discovered negative for the first time ever.
Disc 1: NECROPHAGOUS Special Features:
Audio Commentary With Andy Marshall-Roberts, Host Of The Nasty Pasty Podcast
Something You’ve Never Seen – Appreciation By Ángel Sala, Head Of Programming At The Sitges Film Festival
The First Horror Film Festival In The World – Remembrance By Maria Pilar Rafáles, Daughter Of Sitges Film Festival Founder Antonio Rafáles
Trailers
Feature Specs for NECROPHAGOUS:
Runtime: 87 mins
English Mono, Spanish Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Disc 2: CAKE OF BLOOD
With Spanish cinema still under the oppressive Franco regime, four filmmakers banded together to create a horror anthology that examined classic themes through transgressive perceptions: Directed by José María Vallés, TAROT stars Julián Ugarte (ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK) in a grim tale of fanaticism set in the Middle Ages. Eusebio Poncela (THE CANNIBAL MAN) and Marisa Paredes (ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER) star in VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN, a unique take on Mary Shelley’s classic directed by Emilio Martínez-Lázaro (THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BED). TERROR AMONG CHRISTIANS, directed by Francesc Bellmunt, is a jolting vampire allegory set during Roman times. Jaime Chávarri – co-writer of VAMPYROS LESBOS and future icon of New Spanish Cinema – directs the twisted ghost story THE DANCE OR EMOTIONAL SURVIVALS starring Luis Ciges (THE CREATURE). Never available outside of Spain, CAKE OF BLOOD is now scanned in 4K from the original negative for the first time ever.
Disc 2: CAKE OF BLOOD Special Features:
Audio Commentary With Rod Barnett Of NaschyCast And The Bloody Pit, And Dr. Adrian Smith, Co-Author Of Norman J. Warren: Gentleman of Terror
My Generation – Interview With Actress Marisa Paredes
I Just Wanted To Have Fun – Interview With Co-Director Jaime Chávarri
To Whoever Wants To Watch – Interview With Actor José Lifante
An Arthouse UFO – Appreciation By Ángel Sala, Head Of Programming At The Sitges Film Festival
Feature Specs for CAKE OF BLOOD:
Runtime: 90 mins
Spanish Mono / English Subtitles
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Disc 3: CROSS OF THE DEVIL
In the early ‘70s, Spanish horror icon Jacinto Molina (aka Paul Naschy) wrote a screenplay for a Knights Templar film to compete with the popular BLIND DEAD series. Meanwhile, Hammer Films director John Gilling – whose hits for the UK studio included THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES and THE REPTILE – had retired to Spain. Molina shared his script with Gilling, who took over the project without Molina. The rarely seen result is a sumptuous tale of supernatural horror in which a writer (Ramiro Oliveros of THE PYJAMA GIRL CASE) plagued by violent nightmares investigates the murder of his sister by an ancient occult order. Carmen Sevilla (NO ONE HEARD THE SCREAM), Emma Cohen (THE CANNIBAL MAN) and Eduardo Fajardo (THE KILLER MUST KILL AGAIN) co-star in Gilling’s final film as director, now scanned in 4K from the negative with English subtitles for the first time ever.
Disc 3: CROSS OF THE DEVIL Special Features:
Audio Commentary With Kim Newman, Author Of Anno Dracula, And Barry Forshaw, Author Of Brit Noir
Fascinated By Bécquer – Interview With Screenwriter Juan José Porto
The Real Templar Knights Movie – Appreciation By Ángel Sala, Head Of Programming At The Sitges Film Festival
Fantasy And Imagination: The Legacy Of Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer – Video Essay By Xavier Aldana Reyes, Author Of Spanish Gothic: National Identity, Collaboration And Cultural Adaptation
Feature Specs for CROSS OF THE DEVIL:
Runtime: 97 mins
Spanishh Mono / English Subtitles
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Disc 4: THE NIGHT OF THE WALKING DEAD
Though best known for his collaborations with Spanish horror star Jacinto Molina/Paul Naschy, Argentinian director León Klimovsky also crafted several of Spain’s finest vampire films of the ‘70s, especially this “magnificent” (Taliesin Meets The Vampires) 1975 gothic classic: In a 19th century village ruled by superstition, a vulnerable young woman (Emma Cohen of HORROR RISES FROM THE TOMB) is seduced into an aristocratic family of the sensuous undead. Carlos Ballesteros (José Ramón Larraz’ THE VOYEUR) and Barta Barri (THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE DARK) co-star in this sexy/stylish/violent shocker – also known as STRANGE LOVE OF THE VAMPIRES and ripe for rediscovery after decades of edited prints and bad transfers – now scanned in 2K from the negative for the first time ever.
Disc 4: THE NIGHT OF THE WALKING DEAD Special Features:
Audio Commentary With Kat Ellinger, Author Of Daughters Of Darkness
A Deadly Invitation To Another Dimension – Appreciation By Ángel Sala, Head Of Programming At The Sitges Film Festival
Leo’s Signature – Interview With Writer Juan José Porto
Dead Man Walking – Interview With Actor José Lifante
Spain’s Cinematic Vampires – Video Essay By Xavier Aldana Reyes, Author Of Spanish Gothic: National Identity, Collaboration And Cultural Adaptation
Alternate Spanish Credit Sequence
Feature Specs for THE NIGHT OF THE WALKING DEAD:
Runtime: 88 mins
English Stereo, Spanish Stereo / Closed Captions, English Subtitles
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
SHERLOCK HOLMES
Having first portrayed the legendary detective for Hammer Films in 1959, Peter Cushing enthusiastically returned to the role of Sherlock Holmes for this 1968 BBC television series co-starring Nigel Stock (THE LOST CONTINENT) as Dr. Watson. Though most of the shows were forever lost, these six surviving episodes – including the two-part The Hound of The Baskervilles adapted by award-winning playwright Hugh Leonard – showcase Cushing at his elementary best, with guest stars that include Madge Ryan (A CLOCKWORK ORANGE), Ann Bell (THE WITCHES), Nick Tate (SPACE: 1999) and Gary Raymond (JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS). This definitive presentation of SHERLOCK HOLMES – which also includes the classic cases A Study in Scarlet, The Blue Carbuncle, The Boscombe Valley Mystery and The Sign of Four – is now restored from BBC tape protection masters.
SHERLOCK HOLMES Special Features:
Audio Commentaries For All Episodes Featuring Kim Newman, Author Of Anno Dracula, Barry Forshaw, Author Of Brit Noir And David Stuart Davies, Author Of Starring Sherlock Holmes: A Century Of The Master Detective On Screen
All Episodes Available With BBC Countdown Clock
Illustrated Peter Cushing Audio Interview With David Stuart Davies
Missing Episode Clips With Optional Commentary By Jonathan Rigby, Author Of English Gothic, And Horror Historian Kevin Lyons
Feature Specs for SHERLOCK HOLMES:
Runtime: 308 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region A
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE DEADLY NECKLACE
Shortly after their hit collaboration on THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, Christopher Lee and director Terence Fisher (HORROR OF DRACULA) returned to Holmesiana for Lee’s sole feature film portrayal of the world’s greatest detective. Shot in Berlin with Hammer regular Thorley Walters as Dr. Watson, Lee considered it to be “one of the best things I’ve ever done because I tried to play Holmes really as he was written – as a very intolerant, argumentative, difficult man.” Senta Berger (WHEN WOMEN HAD TAILS) and Ivan Desney (THE MARRIAGE OF MARIA BRAUN) co-star in this 1962 West German-French-Italian co-production produced by Artur Brauner (VAMPYROS LESBOS) from a screenplay by Curt Siodmak (THE WOLF MAN) and based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Valley Of Fear, now scanned in 2K from the German negative.
SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE DEADLY NECKLACE Special Features:
Audio Commentary With Film Writers Kim Newman And Barry Forshaw
Tony Dalton Interviews Terence Fisher
Tony Dalton On Terence Fisher
Trailer
Feature Specs for SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE DEADLY NECKLACE:
Runtime: 86 mins
English Mono, German Mono / Closed Captions, English Subtitles
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
