Arrow Video has compiled five films from the 80s produced by Empire International Pictures for release on HD (1080p) Blu-ray on June 37, 2023. The 5-disc Blu-ray collection includes The Dungeonmaster (1984), Dolls (1986), Cellar Dweller (1987), Arena (1989), and Robot Jox (1989).
The collection (with custom package art) includes double-sided posters with new artwork of each film, 15 postcard art car repros, an 80-page bound book, an Arrow Video store membership card, new bonus material, and legacy bonus material.
Enter the Video Store: Empire of Screams Collector’s Set 5-Movie Blu-ray Collection carries an MSRP of $99.95 US. Buy on Amazon
Description: Remember the shelves of your local video store? Those days aren’t gone! Reject reality and substitute your own with Arrow Video! In 1983, entrepreneurial producer and director Charles Band founded Empire International Pictures, which would go on to make some of the most memorable and beloved genre movies of the 1980s. Empire became a mainstay of video stores across the world with their catchy titles, outlandish art and Band’s wholehearted belief in giving audiences a good time.
LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations of all five films
- Double-sided posters for each film featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ilan Sheady
- 15 postcard-sized reproduction art cards
- Arrow Video store “membership card”
- 80-page perfect bound book
- and more!
Disc 1 – The Dungeonmaster (1984)
- New 2K restoration by Arrow Films from the original negative
- Three different versions of the film via seamless branching: the US theatrical version (The Dungeonmaster), the pre-release version and the international version (Ragewar)
- Original lossless mono audio
- New audio commentary with star Jeffrey Byron, moderated by film critics Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain
- I Reject Your Reality and Substitute My Own, a new interview with star Jeffrey Byron
- Theatrical trailers
- Image gallery
Disc 2 – Dolls (1986)
- New 2K restoration by Arrow Films from the original interpositive
- Original lossless stereo audio
- New audio commentary by David Decoteau, Empire alumnus and friend of Stuart Gordon
- Archive audio commentary with director Stuart Gordon and writer Ed Naha
- Archive audio commentary with cast members Carolyn Purdy-Gordon, Stephen Lee, Carrie Lorraine, and Ian Patrick Williams
- Assembling Dolls, a new interview with Lee Percy, editor of Dolls, Re-Animator and From Beyond
- Toys of Terror: The Making of Dolls, an archive featurette with Gordon, Yuzna, Purdy-Gordon, Williams, Charles Band and Gabe Bartalos
- Film-to-storyboard comparison
- Theatrical trailers
- Image gallery
Disc 3 – Cellar Dweller (1987)
- Additional picture restoration by Arrow Films
- Original lossless stereo audio
- New audio commentary by special make-up effects artist Michael Deak who inhabited the Cellar Dweller creature suit, moderated by film critics Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain
- Grabbed by the Ghoulies, a new appreciation of John Carl Buechler, special make-up effects artist of many Empire Pictures films and director of Cellar Dweller, by film critics Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain
- Inside the Cellar, a new interview with special make-up effects artist Michael Deak
- Original sales sheet
- Original production notes
- VHS trailer
- Empire Pictures trailer reel
- Image galleries, including behind the scenes photos courtesy of special make-up effects artist Michael Deak
Disc 4 – Arena (1989)
- New 2K restoration by Arrow Films from the last known surviving 35mm elements
- Original lossless stereo audio
- New audio commentary with director Peter Manoogian, moderated by film critics Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain
- Alternative fullframe presentation
- Not His Arena, a new interview with co-screenwriter Danny Bilson
- Empire of Creatures, a new interview with special make-up effects artist Michael Deak
- Theatrical trailer
- Image gallery
Disc 5 – Robot Jox (1989)
- New 2K restoration by Arrow Films from the original negative
- Original lossless stereo audio
- Archive audio commentary with director Stuart Gordon
- Archive audio commentary with associate effects director Paul Gentry, mechanical effects artist Mark Rappaport, and stop-motion animator Paul Jessell
- Crash and Burn, a new interview with actor Gary Graham
- and more!
