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Help 88 Films Restore Italian Classics!
88 Films is currently one of the best distribution labels out there for fans of cult cinema. The small UK-based company are relative newcomers on the block, but in a fairly short time they’ve already released a number of great Blu-rays. Their release of Zombi 3 is one of my absolute favorites.
They have standard releases that just fall under the 88 Films banner but they also have special collections of releases that are basically sets of films from a specific genre that come in special numbered cases. Their Italian Collection is about 14 films deep at the moment but they have big plans to increase it. In an effort to make sure they release the best possible versions of these films, they’ve launched an IndieGoGo campaign to help restore 4 classic Italian films in 2k.
Here are the four films:
Absurd
Dir. Joe D’Amato
A priest comes to a small town to help get rid of a monster whose blood coagulates very fast. This creates problems as the monster is very hard to kill and then decides to go on a killing spree of its own.Massacre in Dinosaur Valley
Dir. Michele Massimo Tarantini
A plane crashes in the Amazon jungle, and its passengers must battle their way through cannibals, slave traders, wild animals and murderous piranha fish to safety.Aenigma
Dir. Lucio Fulci
The spirit of a comatose teenage girl possesses the body of a newcomer to her girls boarding school to enact bloody revenge against the elitist, lingerie-clad coeds responsible for her condition.Beyond the Darkness
Dir. Joe D’Amato
Grief-struck after the death of his wife, a young man attempts to keep her with him forever – by gutting her, stuffing her and replacing her eyes with glass eyes, turning her into a doll. But his bouts of insanity are just beginning.
The campaign is set up in goals. Each time they hit one goal, they’ll move onto the next film. Here’s the breakdown:
Goal 1: We raise £10,000 and the (video) nasty Absurd absolutely, definitely gets remastered in 2K resolution from the original 35mm negative, uncut and uncensored.
Goal 2: We raise £20,000 and and the gut-munching Massacre in Dinosaur Valley gets remastered in 2K resolution from the original 35mm negative, uncut and uncensored.
Goal 3: We raise £30,000 and the creepy Aenigma gets remastered in 2K resolution from the original 35mm negative, uncut and uncensored.
Goal 4: We raise £40,000 and the gore filled Beyond the Darkness gets remastered in 2K resolution from the original 16mm negative, uncut and uncensored.
88 Films have done crowd funding campaigns in the past and have had much success. They already do great work, but with a little extra support they’re able to elevate their releases, as is evident with films like Burial Ground. And your donations aren’t without perks of course. There are lots of various levels to earn different things, including special limited edition releases of the films.
As they are based in the UK, 88 Films releases are region B, so that’s something you’ll want to keep in mind.
If you’re interested in donating you can visit the 88 Films campaign here: https://igg.me/at/absurd2K/x/491497
And if you’re just interested in previous releases from 88 Films be sure to check out their store: https://88-films.myshopify.com/
Home Video
Watch the Opening ‘Mortal Kombat II’ Battle Scene Now Ahead of Physical Media Release in July
Sequel Mortal Kombat II is now available to watch at home on Digital before heading to physical media in July, but you can test your might now and watch the opening scene.
Mortal Kombat director Simon McQuoid returns to the helm for the new sequel from a script by Jeremy Slater (“Moon Knight,” Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire).
In Mortal Kombat II, the fan-favorite champions — now joined by Johnny Cage (Karl Urban) — are pitted against one another in the ultimate, no-holds barred, gory battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders.
Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano, Joe Taslim, and Hiroyuki Sanada are also part of the ensemble cast of Mortal Kombat II fighters.
Watch the opening below, which introduces a young Kitana (Sophia Xu) as Emperor Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) prepares to conquer her father, King Jerrod (Desmond Chiam), and her kingdom of Edenia. It sets the sequel’s entire plot in motion.
From New Line Cinema, James Wan’s Atomic Monster, Broken Road Productions, and Fireside Films, Mortal Kombat II is rated R for “strong bloody violence and gore, and language.”
Look for Mortal Kombat II to arrive on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on July 28, 2026.
The physical media release contains the following special features, as unveiled by IGN:
- Mortal Kombat II: Evolving the Saga (Featurette)
- Returning characters, new alliances and even bigger fatalities! Go behind the scenes to learn all that went into creating the latest chapter in the Mortal Kombat film saga and how the sequel expands the universe to bolder, bloodier heights.
- Building the Realms of Mortal Kombat (Featurette)
- From the decaying streets of Edenia to the terrifying Pit featured in the iconic video game series, discover how the Mortal Kombat II design teams blended practical sets with groundbreaking VFX to create the legendary realms in the film.
- Mortal Kombat II: Choose Your Fighter (Featurette)
- Awaken your Arcana as you meet the cast and explore the brutal weapons, epic costumes and fierce training that went into bringing their characters to life.
- Klose Quarters Kombat (Featurette)
- Cast members and key creatives share insights into how the stunt preparation, intense fight scenes and weapons training shaped both classic moves and new, merciless combat styles.
- A “Boon” to Gamers Everywhere (Featurette)
- Sit down with chief Mortal Kombat mythmaker and creator Ed Boon for a deep dive into the franchise’s storied history and ongoing evolution that spans three decades of near-infinite games, films and comics, culminating with the live-action sequel.