HNO’s Big Fat Friday Review: March 28, 2025

#horror – #horrormovies – #horrorcomics – #comicbooks – #WeeklyReleases – 

Here’s a review of this week’s comic and movie releases and premieres!

Read more “HNO’s Big Fat Friday Review: March 28, 2025”

Burke & Hare (1972) Available April 1

#horror – #horrormovies – #BurkeHare – #KLStudioClassics – @KLStudioClassic –

Two of the most notorious figures in the history of medicine, William Burke and William Hare were a pair of enterprising street thugs who provided anatomical specimens to the Edinburgh Medical College—often by robbing the graves of the recently dead, sometimes through even more nefarious methods. Derren Nesbitt and Glynn Edwards bring these two scoundrels to life in Burke & Hare, a colorful, early-’70s rendition of life in the taverns, brothels and surgical theatres of 1820s Scotland. While other filmmakers have treated the Burke and Hare murders as a source of Gothic horror, director Vernon Sewell (The Blood Beast Terror) offers a playful spin on the Irish body snatchers, blending dark comedy with bawdy eroticism, seasoning it with the grotesque, then crowning it with a playful theme song by the pop band The Scaffold.

STARRING: Derren Nesbitt, Glynn Edwards, Harry Andrews, Yootha Joyce

Read more “Burke & Hare (1972) Available April 1”

The Bloody Lady (1980) Available April 1

#horror – #horrormovies – #TheBloodyLady – #ArbelosFilms –

The legend of Elizabeth Báthory-the early-17th-century Hungarian countess accused of torturing and killing hundreds of women, and rumored to have bathed in their blood as a means of preserving her youth-receives a most singular retelling in Slovak animator Viktor Kubal’s largely silent opus, rendered in a minimalist fairy-tale style. Jela Lukešová narrates. 72 min. Standard; Soundtrack: Slovak DTS HD mono Master Audio; Subtitles: English; bonus feature “Jurko the Highwayman” (1976); bonus shorts; theatrical trailer. In Slovak with English subtitles.

STARRING: Viktor Kubal

Read more “The Bloody Lady (1980) Available April 1”

Doctor Rigby : Tales from the Deep Available March 28

#horror – #horrorcomics – #comicbooks – #DoctorRigby – @Markosia – #JohnKissee –

By: John Kissee

Impeccably dressed and wielding strange weapons, Doctor Rigby is a mysterious soldier in an ancient, secret war of magic, monsters, and cosmic madness. In this thrilling collection, Doctor Rigby visits a demonic mermaid, battles a parking lot full of vampires, boards a haunted house ride from hell, solves a sea monster mystery, and learns the meaning of existence!

Read more “Doctor Rigby : Tales from the Deep Available March 28”

Thirst (1979) (Import) Available March 28

#horror – #horrormovies – #Thirst – #PowerhouseFilms –

The Brotherhood-a secret vampirical society that “milks” and stockpiles it’s victims’ blood-kidnaps Kate Davis (Chantal Contouri), a beautiful businesswoman they believe to be descended from their founder, Countess Bathory. Can Kate hold out against the Brotherhood’s relentless attempts to get her to become one of their number? Stylish and spine-chilling horror parable from Australia also stars David Hemmings and Henry Silva. 93 min. Widescreen; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono. Region Free

STARRING: Chantal Contouri, David Hemmings, Henry Silva, Shirley Cameron, Max Phipps

Read more “Thirst (1979) (Import) Available March 28”

Harlequin (1980) (Import) Available March 28

#horror – #horrormovies – #Harlequin – #PowerhouseFilms –

Horror, science fiction, and political intrigue blend in this tale of Australian senator Nicholas Rast (David Hemmings) who seeks help from a mysterious, psychic stranger named Gregory Wolfe (Robert Powell) to heal his ailing son. Wolfe gains influence over Rast and his wife, raising fear among the politician’s backers. Creepy retelling of the Rasputin story also stars Carmen Duncan, Broderick Crawford. AKA: “Dark Forces.” 95 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono. Region Free

STARRING: Robert Powell, David Hemmings, Carmen Duncan, Broderick Crawford, Gus Mercurio

Read more “Harlequin (1980) (Import) Available March 28”

Shadow of the Golden Crane #2 Available March 26

#horror – #horrorcomics – #comicbooks – #ShadowoftheGoldenCrane – @DarkHorseComics – @artofmmignola – #MikeMignola – #ChrisRoberson – #MichaelAvonOeming – #ClemRobins –

By: Mike Mignola (Author), Chris Roberson (Author), Michael Avon Oeming (Cover Art, Artist), Clem Robins (Letterer)

A link between a possessed woman and a biker gang has roots in a different kind of gang going centuries back in Mongolia. Hellboy creator Mike Mignola is joined by writer Chris Roberson (Hellboy and the B.P.R.D., Panya: The Mummy’s Curse) and artist Michael Avon Oeming (Abe Sapien, Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1956) in this paranormal puzzle that unfolds across time.

• Four issue series.

Read more “Shadow of the Golden Crane #2 Available March 26”

Into the Unbeing : Part Two #2 Available March 26

#horror – #horrorcomics – #comicbooks – #IntotheUnbeing – @DarkHorseComics – #ZacThompson – #HaydenSherman –

By: Zac Thompson (Author), Hayden Sherman (Cover Art-Artist-Colorist)

The remaining survivors of the S.I.N.E.W. expedition ally themselves with an incomprehensible Stranger. This fleshy Stranger claims the way back to the surface is across an impossible ocean. But what lies waiting for them on the distant shore?

And why is the sun watching them?

• Four issue series.

Read more “Into the Unbeing : Part Two #2 Available March 26”

Grimm Fairy Tales #94 Available March 26

#horror – #horrorcomics – #comicbooks – #GrimmFairyTales – @Zenescope – #DaveFranchini – #JorgeCortes – #BabisuKourtis –

By: Dave Franchini (Author), Jorge Cortes (Cover Art), Babisu Kourtis (Artist)

Blood-soaked and action-packed, this new adventure for Skye Mathers and her friends has just gotten a lot more horrifying! After finding one of their friends monstrously transformed into a creature of the night, they now know what they are dealing with, vampires! Luckily, for our heroes they are joined by someone who knows this problem, and how to handle it, all too well—Liesel Van Helsing! Be sure to stake your claim on this next can’t miss issue!

Read more “Grimm Fairy Tales #94 Available March 26”

Free for All #1 Available March 26

#horror – #horrorcomics – #comicbooks – @OniPress – #FreeforAll – #PatrickHorvath –

By: Patrick Horvath

From Eisner Award–nominated writer/artist Patrick Horvath (Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees) comes a 56-page, self-contained one-shot that delivers a brutal new vision of capitalism by combat…

In the future, the World Finance League exists to benefit all, randomly choosing those from among the billionaires and trillionaires of the world and presenting them with a choice: either donate half of their assets to the common good—or defend them in ritual combat. Reigning champion and real estate magnate Ted Brooks has 22 victories under his belt — defending the wealth he schemed and stabbed to get—when he is forced to face his ex-wife, Luella Dominguez, in a fight to the death. Luella has been training, waiting for this moment. But will she have what it takes to defeat the man who would do anything — absolutely anything — to keep his fortune?

It’s every shareholder for themselves when death and bankruptcy collide in Free for All #1, a giant-sized, one-shot spectacle of commerce and carnage coming this March from Eisner Award–nominated cartoonist Patrick Horvath!

Read more “Free for All #1 Available March 26”

Frankenstein : New World–The Sea of Forever #2 Available March 26

#horror – #horrorcomics – #comicbooks – #Frankenstein – @DarkHorseComics – @artofmmignola – #MikeMignola – #ChristopherGolden – #TomSniegoski – #PeterBergting –

By: Mike Mignola (Author), Christopher Golden (Author), Tom Sniegoski (Author), Peter Bergting (Cover Art-Artist)

Unknown attackers strike in their pursuit of Frankenstein and Lilja, so they look for help underwater only to find a powerful creature who has her own dark means of survival.

Mike Mignola, Christopher Golden, Tom Sniegoski, and Peter Bergting return to the New World that Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. gave their lives to save.

• Continues the Hellboy universe story post B.P.R.D.

• Four issue series.

Read more “Frankenstein : New World–The Sea of Forever #2 Available March 26”

The Exorcism at 1600 Penn #4 Available March 26

#horror – #horrorcomics – #comicbooks – #TheExorcismat1600Penn – @IDWPublishing – #HannahRoseMay – #VanesaDelRey –

By: Hannah Rose May (Author), Vanesa Del Rey (Illustrator-Artist)

President Kelly Doyle has seen the devil. If she’s to save her daughter, Mara, from possession by the demon calling itself “The Purifier” she needs to secure an exorcist from the Vatican as soon as possible. Meanwhile, a nuclear threat looms, and Doyle’s advisors pressure her to strike. Every shadow is razor-sharp, articles of impeachment have been drafted…and the cleansing fire hungers.

Read more “The Exorcism at 1600 Penn #4 Available March 26”

The Savage Sword of Conan : The Original Comics Omnibus Vol. 4 Available March 25

#horror – #horrorcomics – #comicbooks – #TheSavageSwordofConan – @ComicsTitan – #RoyThomas – #JohnBuscema –

By: Roy Thomas (Author), John Buscema (Illustrator)

The greatest hero in sword-and-sorcery history. This is the legend of Conan!

Conan returns for another massive Omnibus collection! The barbarian wields his savage sword against a massive winged monster that guards a tower holding a weather-controlling gem – then finds himself surrounded by an army of Picts with their own witch-doctor protector! In THE TREASURE OF TRANICOS, Conan matches wits with a band of pirates who’d rather kill each other than share any of the loot – all while the wicked Thoth-Amon stalks them from the shadows. And the four-part epic CONAN THE LIBERATOR sees Conan realize his destiny as he raises an army to overthrow the mad king Numedides! Featuring the stories by Roy Thomas with stunning art by John Buscema, Gil Kane and more!

Read more “The Savage Sword of Conan : The Original Comics Omnibus Vol. 4 Available March 25”

Fishflies Available March 25

#horror – #horrorcomics – #comicbooks – @ImageComics – #Fishflies – #JeffLemire –

By: Jeff Lemire

A strange and surreal new tale of friendship and small town life from the creator of SWEET TOOTH and DESCENDER.

A small town crime sets off a chain of events that will permanently alter the lives of several residents of bucolic Belle River, Ontario. As the manhunt heats up, a lonely girl named Franny Fox forms an unlikely friendship with a fugitive that leads them both on an odyssey of discovery and redemption… a journey that also uncovers dark secrets from the town’s eery past.

Collects all issues #1-7.

Read more “Fishflies Available March 25”

Feral Vol. 2 Available March 25

#horror – #horrorcomics – #comicbooks – #Feral – @ImageComics – #TonyFleecs – #TrishForstner – #ToneRodriguez – #BradSimpson –

By: Tony Fleecs (Author), Trish Forstner (Illustrator), Tone Rodriguez (Illustrator), Brad Simpson (Illustrator)

The Walking Dead meets The AristoCats in this purrfect series for readers in search of pulse-pounding thrills from the creative team behind the bestselling Stray Dogs!

Lord is missing! Patch is infected! And just when things couldn’t get any worse, Elsie finds herself with a bunch of cats she barely knows, on the run from rabid rats, hidden traps, and whatever terror lurks in the CREEPY OLD SHACK!

Don’t miss out on this smash-hit animal horror series from the creators of STRAY DOGS!

Collects issues #6-10.

Read more “Feral Vol. 2 Available March 25”

East of West : The End Times Compendium Available March 25

#horror – #horrorcomics – #comicbooks – #EastofWest – @ImageComics – #JonathanHickman – #NickDragotta –

By: Jonathan Hickman (Author), Nick Dragotta (Illustrator)

Collecting all ten volumes of the critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling series into one massive paperback.

This is the world. It is not the one we wanted, but it is the one we deserve. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse roam the Earth, signaling the End Times for humanity, and our best hope for life, lies in DEATH.

This compendium tells the entire story of the epic sci-fi/western EAST OF WEST by writer JONATHAN HICKMAN and artist NICK DRAGOTTA.

Collects EAST OF WEST #1-45.

Read more “East of West : The End Times Compendium Available March 25”

Conan The Barbarian : The Original Comics Omnibus Vol. 4 Available March 25

#horror – #horrorcomics – #comicbooks – #ConanTheBarbarian – @ComicsTitan – #RoyThomas – #JohnBuscema –

By: Roy Thomas (Author), John Buscema (Illustrator)

The greatest hero in sword-and-sorcery history. This is the legend of Conan!

Roy Thomas’ decade-long original run on CONAN THE BARBARIAN ranks as one of the greatest in comic book history, and it was crucial in making Conan an icon known the world over! In this action-packed Omnibus, Roy and artistic collaborator John Buscema bring the saga of Bêlit and her quest for the crown of Asgulun to a conclusion. It’s a tale that will forever change Conan’s life – and the adventures that follow feature a more savage Conan, fiercer than ever and truly unbound! Plus: Thrilling sequels to The Hour of the Dragon, an offbeat What If? tale that places Conan in the middle of modern-day New York City and a massive trove of original art, essays and behind-the-scenes material! Parental Advisory

Read more “Conan The Barbarian : The Original Comics Omnibus Vol. 4 Available March 25”

White Cannibal Queen (1980) Available March 25

#horror – #horrormovies – #WhiteCannibalQueen – #VinegarSyndrome – @VinegarSyndrome –

During the course of a tropical expedition, Jeremy Taylor and his family become the unsuspecting prey of a primitive and cannibalistic tribe. While his wife is savagely killed and devoured, and Jeremy’s arm is also dismembered and devoured, his young daughter is instead taken prisoner by the tribe. Years later, Jeremy has not given up hope of rescuing his daughter and, with the aid of some friends, organizes a new expedition to bring her home. However, to his shock and dismay, he discovers that her white skin and blonde hair have caused her to become worshipped as a god by the cannibals and that she has gained a tolerance for consuming human flesh.

An expectedly outrageous lo-fi cannibal film from Euro-sleaze master Jess Franco (Venus in Furs), this delectable marvel of bad taste stars Al Cliver (The Beyond), Sabrina Siani (2020 Texas Gladiators), Olivier Mathot (Draguse), Franco regular Antonio Mayans (Night of Open Sex) and, of course, his wife and muse Lina Romay (Female Vampire). Bursting with the bizarre and transgressive creative flair for which Franco is known, on top of plentiful gut munching and other perversity, WHITE CANNIBAL QUEEN (aka La Dea Cannibale) remains a fascinating outlier from Franco’s transition between more commercial and erotically-minded fare and his plunge into almost outsider art weirdness throughout the 80s. Vinegar Syndrome is delighted to present this oft-overlooked effort on Blu-ray for the first time, newly scanned and restored in 2K from its 35mm camera negative.

STARRING: Al Cliver, Sabrina Siani, Jérôme Foulon, Lina Romay

Read more “White Cannibal Queen (1980) Available March 25”

The Strings (2020) Available March 25

#horror – #horrormovies – #TheStrings – #Shudder – @shudder –

In the dead of winter, Catherine, a talented musician, travels to her aunt’s remote cottage to work on new material in solitude. Once there, she and local photographer Grace spark up a budding romance while visiting an abandoned farmhouse with a disturbing past. Soon after, strange and seemingly supernatural occurrences begin to manifest at the cottage, escalating each night and dangerously eroding Catherine’s sense of reality.

STARRING: Teagan Johnston, Jenna Schaefer, April Aliermo, Lora Bidner

Read more “The Strings (2020) Available March 25”

Rot (1999) Available March 25

#horror – #horrormovies – #Rot – #SaturnsCore –

Artist Sara has sex with a corpse in the local funeral home and soon finds herself infected with a mysterious disease. After infecting her crust punk boyfriend Muzzy, the pair sets out on a reckless spree of carefree crime and chaos. They soon discover the virus is the deranged creation of the disgraced government genetic scientist turned janitor Dr. Robert Olsen (Joel D. Wynkoop). Developed as an experimental population control method, the virus causes its living victims to deteriorate and decompose. Shooting formaldehyde intravenously to avoid their inevitable decay, Sarah and Muzzy desperately traverse the Florida backstreets and underground punk clubs in search of an antidote to the ROT.

The third SOV feature from Florida based filmmaker Marcus Koch known concurrently for his transgressive directorial output (100 Tears, Fell, Bad Blood) as well as his masterful special FX work (Jakob’s Wife, We Are Still Here), ROT combines a rudimentary take on Cronenberg’s body horror ruminations with the grimy, analog aesthetics of Hugh Gallagher’s Gorotica. With an unhinged performance from B-Movie legend Joel D. Wynkoop (Creep, Lost Faith) and a riotous soundtrack featuring The Casualties, Blanks 77, and The Scams, ROT is a gooey and gruesome cinematic explosion of punk, puke, and necrophilia. And for the analog completists, ROT now comes accompanied by Koch’s long sought after, suburban teenage metalhead splatter epic Lunch Meat from 1989 plus over 8 hours of slimy special features!

STARRING: Billy Scam, Tiffany Stinky, Joel D. Wynkoop, Tim Leavey

Read more “Rot (1999) Available March 25”

The Possession of Joel Delaney (1972) (4K Ultra HD) Available March 25

#horror – #horrormovies – #ThePossessionofJoelDelaney – #VinegarSyndrome – @VinegarSyndrome –

Joel Delaney would seem to be an average burnout type, eschewing his high-class and wealthy upbringing for an affected hippie lifestyle. But when he moves into an apartment previously inhabited by a now-deceased serial killer in Spanish Harlem, Joel begins changing. Initially, his wealthy sister Norah attributes his behavior to moodiness and disillusionment, but as Joel becomes increasingly hostile and aggressive, she begins to fear something worse is afoot. When Joel’s temperament spills over into violence, after which a series of seemingly accidental deaths occur, Norah begins investigating her brother’s new lifestyle, which plunges her into the world of Espiritismo and the occult.

A tense and genuinely unnerving story of paranoia and the supernatural from acclaimed director Waris Hussein (A Touch of Love) and adapted from Ramona Stewart’s chilling novel of the same name, THE POSSESSION OF JOEL DELANEY was one of the earliest films to emerge in the cycle of 1970s possession thrillers. Helmed with an emphasis on documentary-like realism and taking great visual advantage of seedy, early 70s New York City, courtesy of cinematographer Arthur J. Ornitz (Serpico, Death Wish), the film stars Oscar® winner and five-time nominee Shirley MacLaine (The Apartment, Terms of Endearment) in what is one of the most unusual and unforgettable roles of her career, alongside cult film star Perry King (Mandingo, Class of 1984) in one of his earliest leading roles. Long subject to either heavily edited or low-quality home video presentations, Vinegar Syndrome, at last, presents the UHD debut of this uniquely terrifying film, presented in its original theatrical version, freshly restored in 4K from its 35mm camera negative.

STARRING: Shirley MacLaine, Perry King, David Elliott, Lisa Kohane

Read more “The Possession of Joel Delaney (1972) (4K Ultra HD) Available March 25”

Night of the Creeps (1986) (4K Ultra HD) Available March 25

#horror – #horrormovies – #NightoftheCreeps – #ScreamFactory – @Scream_Factory –

Thrill me! When an alien experiment goes awry, it crashes to Earth in 1959 and infects a young college student. Twenty-seven years later, his cryogenically frozen body is thawed out by fraternity pledges…and the campus is quickly overrun by alien creatures whose victims turn into zombies! Fred Dekker’s (The Monster Squad, RoboCop 3) thoroughly enjoyable throwback chiller deftly mixes all sorts of genres while simultaneously having fun with them (the college and all the leading characters are named after famous horror movie directors).

STARRING: Jason Lively, Steve Marshall, Jill Whitlow, Tom Atkins, Wally Taylor

Read more “Night of the Creeps (1986) (4K Ultra HD) Available March 25”

The Mansion of Madness (1973) Available March 25

#horror – #horrormovies – #TheMansionofMadness – #VinegarSyndrome – @VinegarSyndrome –

Journalist Gaston LeBlanc travels deep into the woods of France in order to investigate a mental institution run by the famed Dr. Maillard, who purports to have developed an experimental form of treatment for his patients, which he deems to be more “soothing.” Once Gaston and his entourage arrive just outside the institution walls, they are immediately greeted by a hostile display from the guards. Being the only one allowed inside, Gaston meets with Dr. Maillard, who gives him a tour of the facility and explains his new treatment method, seemingly allowing the patients to roam the grounds freely and engage in their own delusions. Gaston is also introduced to Dr. Maillard’s beautiful niece, Eugénie, who he is warned is more dangerous than she appears. As Gaston spends more time in the institution, he becomes wary of Dr. Maillard’s intentions as the patients engage in an almost cult-like worship of him, and soon, Gaston begins to question what is actually taking place inside the sanitorium walls.

The directorial debut of infamous Mexican director Juan López Moctezuma (Alucarda), THE MANSION OF MADNESS (aka Dr. Tarr’s Torture Dungeon) is loosely based on Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether.” Mixing gothic horror elements with contemporary absurdism, THE MANSION OF MADNESS uses stunning visuals clearly inspired by Moctezuma’s peer Alejandro Jodorowsky (El Topo) in order to satirize medical treatment theories. Featuring engaging performances by Arthur Hansel (10 to Midnight) as Gaston and Claudio Brook (The Devil’s Rain) as the deranged Dr. Maillard, Vinegar Syndrome Labs is proud to present this unique blend of literary horror and absurdist imagery on Blu-ray and newly restored in 4K from the original camera negative.

STARRING: Arthur Hansel, Claudio Brook, Ellen Sherman, Martin LaSalle

Read more “The Mansion of Madness (1973) Available March 25”

In Flames (2023) Available March 25

#horror – #horrormovies – #InFlames – #YellowVeilPictures –

After the death of the family patriarch, a mother and daughter’s precarious existence is ripped apart by figures from their past. They must find strength in each other if they are to survive the malevolent forces that threaten to engulf them.

STARRING: Ramesha Nawal, Omar Javaid, Bakhtawar Mazhar

Read more “In Flames (2023) Available March 25”

Fear In The Philippines : The Complete Blood Island Films Available March 25

#horror – #horrormovies – #FearInThePhilippines – #SeverinFilms – @SeverinFilms –

This filipino monsters-and-mayhem quartet made between 1959 and 1970 remains among the most deliriously schlocky horror classics of all time. FOUR FEATURES ON TWO DISCS, RESTORED WITH IMPROVED COLOR & AUDIO

Between 1959 and 1971, Filipino filmmakers Eddie Romero and Gerry de Leon – along with Hemisphere Pictures marketing consultant Samuel M. Sherman – unleashed this monsters-and-mayhem quartet that remains among the most deliriously schlocky horror classics of all time: The series launched with TERROR IS A MAN, a “quite terrifying” (The New York Times) take on Island Of Dr. Moreau starring Francis Lederer (THE RETURN OF DRACULA). BRIDES OF BLOOD stars John Ashley (THE TWILIGHT PEOPLE) and Beverly Powers (SPEEDWAY) in a taboo-smashing orgy of violence, nudity and depraved nuptials. Ashley and Angelique Pettyjohn (THE CURIOUS FEMALE) star in MAD DOCTOR OF BLOOD ISLAND, “one of the greatest, nastiest, goriest films of the 1960s” (Dangerous Minds). BEAST OF BLOOD stars Ashley and Celeste Yarnall (THE VELVET VAMPIRE) in “the most exciting and aggressive of all the BLOOD ISLAND movies” (1000 Misspent Hours), newly scanned from a 35mm print by the Library of Congress. All four films have been scanned uncut in 4K with improved color and audio and include over 8 combined hours of Special Features.

STARRING: Various

Read more “Fear In The Philippines : The Complete Blood Island Films Available March 25”

Deadly Obsession: The Films of Bill Reeves Available March 25

#horror – #horrormovies – #DeadlyObsessionTheFilmsofBillReeves – #VHSHitfest –

Bill Reeves is the self-proclaimed Ed Wood of VHS but that is underselling his greatness. Bill is an SOV auteur who directed, wrote, edited and starred in ten movies over three decades. He tackled everything from the horror genre to slapstick comedy to documentary. None of the movies got distribution outside of his hometown of Lebanon Indiana and because of that were impossible to see and pretty much lost in storage. VHSHITFEST is so happy to present this collection of outsider art from an unsung legend of homegrown filmmaking that deserves to finally have some recognition.

STARRING: Bill Reeves, Jack Dodson

Read more “Deadly Obsession: The Films of Bill Reeves Available March 25”