GIFT GUIDE: Horror fans gather ’round for these new Blu-ray titles
Image courtesy of Shudder / Provided by KWPR with permission.
‘Tis the season to be scary. Horror enthusiasts are already counting the days until Halloween 2023, so to keep these ferocious fiends at bay, why not consider gifting them some new fearful entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray. This Christmas season, there are a couple choice selections that will keep one up late into the midnight hour.
For starters, the third season of the Shudder original series Creepshow was recently released for home viewing. This Greg Nicotero-produced title is a beloved show on the horror streaming network. Based on the still-influential movie from the 1980s — a horror movie from the triple threat: George A. Romero, Stephen King and Tom Savini — this anthology series honors the spirit of the original and heads in new directions with its unique form of chilling entertainment.
The essential premise is that a horror comic book comes to life, and the audience is treated to two short stories from those pages each episode. The series has a definite parallel to Tales From the Crypt and even The Twilight Zone, although Creepshow is a few notches higher on the bizarre scale. Along the way, many genre favorites show up, including James Remar (Dexter), Michael Rooker (Harry: Portrait of a Serial Killer and The Walking Dead), Mark Hamill (Star Wars), Danielle Harris (Halloween 4-5 and Rob Zombie’s Halloween films) and Ron Livingston (Office Space), among others.
The new DVD and Blu-ray sets have some interesting special features, including a Comic-Con panel featuring Nicotero, the makeup extraordinaire, plus Mattie Do, Rusty Cundieff, Rooker and Remar. There’s also a comic art booklet and some behind-the-scenes footage. That’s not a bad package for the price point, especially given the fact that this anthology series provides “12 terrifying tales” to the fans.
Buy a ticket to the Creepshow.
Another Shudder title (also available on Sundance Now) is A Discovery of Witches, and the complete trilogy of this stellar series is now available on Blu-ray. That’s a lot of witch content in one slim package: three seasons, 25 episodes, six discs and even an accompanying bookmark.
For some horror fans (and those who simply love good TV), this one flew (on the broomstick) under the radar. A longer run felt in the cards for this intricate narrative centered on vampires, witches and daemons (oh my). Perhaps having this show as a “trilogy” makes sense because the original source material is a trilogy of books by Deborah Harkness.
The two main stars — Matthew Goode and Teresa Palmer — are the main reason why this series works so well. They bring mystery and romance to their respective roles, and for those keeping score at home, Goode is Matthew Clairmont, a vampire, and Palmer is Diana Bishop, a witch. They team up in a very Da-Vinci-Code-esque thriller that feels more adventurous than horror-filled (there are also glimmers of TV’s Sleepy Hollow and True Blood).
Kudos to the DVD and Blu-ray designers who have made a most attractive box set, which is made to look like an ancient book, perhaps even Ashmole 782, the text that is at the center of the three-season series.
Christmas is not exactly a horror holiday, but those out there who are counting the days until Halloween, there is some frighteningly brilliant content to keep them locked in the house and away from the sunshine.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Creepshow: Season 3 and A Discovery of Witches: The Complete Trilogy are now available on DVD and Blu-ray.
