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Image Scores ‘Suspiria’-inspired ‘Finale, Jinga selling ‘Shadow’
Image Ent. has acquired all North American rights to Jinga Films’ supernatural horror Finale. Described as an homage to Dario Argento’s Suspiria, John Michael Elfers’ debut feature stars Carolyn Von Hauck as a grieving mother who discovers that her deceased son had been dabbling in black magic. Image has skedded the release for May. On Monday, Jinga announced it had added Federico Zampaglione’s psychological horror Shadow to its Berlin market slate. Produced by Massimo Ferrero, the English-language, Italian horror pic stars Jake Muxworthy (Borderland), Karina Testa (Frontiere), Chris Coppola (Friday 13th) and Nuot Arquint (The Passion of Christ). The pic centers on an American Iraq War vet whose romantic vacation in the Italian Alps turns into a Deliverance-style nightmare after a confrontation with local hunters.
FINAL: “A family descends into a vortex of denial and paranoia after the death of their oldest son. Though labeled a suicide, the bizarre circumstances lead his mother, Helen to believe there are darker forces at work. Black paint was thrown over every mirror in his house, an explosive trap set in his bedroom and a woman from his past haunts the cemetery where he lies buried. But when Helen’s investigation threatens to ruin the life of her daughter and possibly her own sanity, she realizes there is but one escape from this nightmare world – the very route attempted by her dead son.”
SHADOW: “A soldier returning from a tour of duty in Iraq goes on a mountain bike adventure in the Alps to forget his battle weary past. In the woods he meets a pretty young stranger who tells him about a local myth concerning a nazi experiment camp. After a confrontation with hunters the couple take refuge in an abandoned bunker where the soldier is forced to endure a more shattering nightmare than the fears he experienced in Iraq.”
Editorials
Arrow Video’s ‘Stranger Things: The Complete Series’ is the Ultimate Collector’s Box Set for Fans
Available as of today from Arrow Video is a new box set that might arguably be the definitive way to watch Netflix’s blockbuster series Stranger Things.
At the very least, Stranger Things: The Complete Series puts emphasis on “complete.” That’s evident in its special features alone.
Special and Deluxe editions of Stranger Things: The Complete Series are available for purchase now, featuring an array of exclusive bonus content, including bloopers, interviews with the cast and crew, and behind-the-scenes featurettes, designed for the ultimate Stranger Things experience.
The Deluxe Edition is presented in custom packaging featuring newly-commissioned artwork, alongside a wealth of extra material: a 148-page booklet, exclusive art cards, a Hellfire Club patch, double-sided posters for each season, and much more.
This limited-edition release features all 42 episodes of the show’s five season run on more than 25 discs, all housed in a set featuring gorgeous artwork by Juan Ramos. “We always dreamed that Stranger Things could be owned in its entirety,” said Matt and Ross Duffer, “not just as a collector’s set, but as a way to preserve the show for decades to come.”
Their imprint looms large over the release, including writing in the 148-page book that also includes original design sketches, concept art, and storyboards. All of which would warrant the steep price tag alone for the diehard Stranger Things fan, but Arrow Video upped the ante with collectible surprises as well. Arcade patches, stickers, Hellfire Club dice, and an extremely detailed map of Hawkins, Indiana- double-sided to account for the Upside Down, of course – are among the highlights for this all-ages set.
Adorn your walls with posters representative of your favorite season! That’s also an option with this set’s offerings.
All of which to say that it’s rare for Netflix to make the jump into physical media, and they’ve enlisted Arrow Video to give it the best possible treatment. They certainly brought utmost care and attention to this release. As such, both the standard and deluxe sets come with steep price tags that start at $160 depending on format. While that’s likely a deterrent to the casual viewer, it’s more than worth it for fans.
It may be less convenient than hitting play on Netflix, sure, but there’s a lot to be said about the potential for quality upgrades to your viewing. No spotty internet or compression issues to be found here when it comes to the 4K Ultra HD or Blu-ray discs.
That’s really the biggest takeaway from this release: the untapped potential still of Netflix’s streaming library of originals that are ripe for similar treatment. Series and films that could receive Arrow Video levels of treatment on physical media.
Fans of Stranger Things can venture into the Upside Down one last time this spooky season at Halloween Horror Nights, but there may be no better way to ring in the series’ tenth anniversary than a rewatch with this expansive, well-curated box set.
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