Sure, Dead Heat is by no means a typical zombie film, but it is worth a view and a laugh. So come on, enjoy Joe Piscopo’s only role in a zombie film! September brings us a batch of new releases. Old and new, good and bad, Blu-Ray and DVD and full of gore and schlock! Check out these upcoming releases- out on September 20th is Dead Heat on Blu-Ray/DVD, the re-release of the much overlooked 1985 film The Stuff on DVD, and the only new film in the bunch, 2011′s  Zombie Apocalypse: Redemption on DVD (Blu-Ray out October 18th). Also, out on September 27th is another great Blue Underground re-issue with Lucio Fulci’s The House by the Cemetary on Blu-Ray/DVD!

Blue Underground, one of ZRC’s favorite purveyors of horror and underground films, is set to release Lucio Fulci’s epic 1979 zombie masterpiece, aptly titled Zombie (aka Zombi 2), as a 2-Disc Ultimate Edition Blu-Ray on October 25th. This version, which retails for $29.98 is a 2K High Definition transfer from the film’s original camera negative and includes these special features:

Disc 1 Extras:

-Audio Commentary with Star Ian McCulloch and Diabolik Magazine Editor Jason J. Slater
-Theatrical Trailers
-TV Spots
-Radio Spots
-Poster & Still Gallery
-Guillermo del Toro Intro

Disc 2 Extras:

-Zombie Wasteland – Interviews with Stars Ian McCulloch, Richard Johnson & Al Cliver, and Actor/Stuntman Ottaviano Dell’Acqua
-Flesh Eaters on Film – Interview with Co-Producer Fabrizio De Angelis
-Deadtime Stories – Interviews with Co-Writers Elisa Briganti and (Uncredited) Dardano Sacchetti
-World of the Dead – Interviews with Cinematographer Sergio Salvati and Production & Costume Designer Walter Patriarca
-Zombi Italiano – Interviews with Special Make-Up Effects Artists Gianetto De Rossi & Maurizio Trani and Special Effects Artist Gino De Rossi
-Notes on a Headstone – Interview with Composer Fabio Frizzi
-All in the Family – Interview with Antonella Fulci
-Zombie Lover – Award-Winning Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro talks about one of his favorite films

The ZRC cannot recommend this film enough and is looking forward to seeing what will probably be the best transfer of this film to ever hit “video”.

There’s new info just released from Anchor Bay concerning the special features included with the upcoming The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season Blu-Ray and DVD. Special Features will include:

Featurettes:
• The Making of THE WALKING DEAD
• Inside THE WALKING DEAD: Episode 1-6
• A Sneak Peek with Robert Kirkman
• Behind The Scenes Zombie Make-Up Tips
• Convention Panel With Producers
• THE WALKING DEAD Trailer

Extra Footage:
• Zombie School
• Bicycle Girl
• On Set With Robert Kirkman
• Hanging With Steven Yeun
• Inside Dale’s RV
• On Set With Andrew Lincoln

The Blu-Ray will retail for $49.99, and the DVD for slightly less at $39.98. Both will also include English and Spanish subtitles. Hurry up March 8th!!

Resident Evil: Afterlife is in stores today! Available on Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray 3D and DVD.  Special Features: PS3 Wallpaper Theme, movieIQ™+sync and BD-Live, Undead Vision: Picture-in-Picture, Filmmaker Commentary, Deleted & Extended Scenes, Outtakes, Back Under the Umbrella: Directing Afterlife, Band of Survivors: Casting Afterlife, Undead Dimension: Resident Evil in 3D, Fighting Back: The Action of Afterlife, Vision of the Apocalypse:, The Design of Afterlife, New Blood: The Undead of Afterlife, Pwning the Undead: Gamers of the Afterlife

The fourth installment of the hugely successful Resident Evil franchise, Resident Evil: Afterlife is again based on the wildly popular video game series, and will this time be presented in 3-D. In a world ravaged by a virus infection, turning its victims into the Undead, Alice (Milla Jovovich), continues on her journey to find survivors and lead them to safety. Her deadly battle with the Umbrella Corporation reaches new heights, but Alice gets some unexpected help from an old friend. A new lead that promises a safe haven from the Undead takes them to Los Angeles, but when they arrive the city is overrun by thousands of Undead – and Alice and her comrades are about to step into a deadly trap.

The Walking Dead Season 1 will be released in the U.S. and Canada on March 8, 2011, from Anchor Bay Entertainment on  Blu-Ray/ DVD.  Season 1 retails at $39.98, and also includes these bonus features: Making of…, Webisodes, Audio Commentaries and Behind-the-Scenes footage. UK and international release dates have not been announced yet, but we will keep you posted!

OUT DECEMBER 7TH

Fistful of Brains DVD (Brain Damage Films)
The town of Shadowhawk is overrun by zombies when it gets caught in a war between two mysterious brothers. One of the brothers has sold the townsfolk his magical elixir promising them immortality. What he doesn t tell them is that he s recruiting them for his zombie army, and they will develop an unquenchable hunger for human flesh! The Sheriff s daughter Lily and her so-called half brother Jack are helplessly entwined in the battle and have to decide if it s better to fight them or join them and embrace immortality.

Special Features: Audio Commentary, Bloopers, P3 and Thurston, KIFF Music Video, The Premiers, The Making of Fistful of Brains

OUT DECEMBER 21ST

The Horde DVD (IFC Independent Film)
In order to avenge the murder of one of their own by a group of ruthless gangsters, four corrupt cops go on a rampage against the mob responsible. A horde of bloodthirsty cannibal zombies complicates matters.

Special Features: Trailer, Behind the Scenes, Film Storyboards, Deleted Scenes

OUT DECEMBER 28TH

Resident Evil: Afterlife Blu-Ray/ Blu-Ray 3-D/ DVD (Screen Gems)
The fourth installment of the hugely successful Resident Evil franchise, Resident Evil: Afterlife is again based on the wildly popular video game series, and will this time be presented in 3-D. In a world ravaged by a virus infection, turning its victims into the Undead, Alice (Milla Jovovich), continues on her journey to find survivors and lead them to safety. Her deadly battle with the Umbrella Corporation reaches new heights, but Alice gets some unexpected help from an old friend. A new lead that promises a safe haven from the Undead takes them to Los Angeles, but when they arrive the city is overrun by thousands of Undead – and Alice and her comrades are about to step into a deadly trap.

Special Features: PS3 Wallpaper Theme, movieIQ™+sync and BD-Live, Undead Vision: Picture-in-Picture, Filmmaker Commentary, Deleted & Extended Scenes, Outtakes, Back Under the Umbrella: Directing Afterlife, Band of Survivors: Casting Afterlife, Undead Dimension: Resident Evil in 3D, Fighting Back: The Action of Afterlife, Vision of the Apocalypse:, The Design of Afterlife, New Blood: The Undead of Afterlife, Pwning the Undead: Gamers of the Afterlife

While not even scheduled for limited release in the U.S. until May, George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead is out on Blu-Ray/ DVD today in the UK. It includes absolutely no special features and a crappy cover, but is none the less available for your home viewing pleasure.

Out Tuesday on DVD and Blu-Ray, Zombieland!

The two disc Blu-ray collection includes:

Commentary with Actors Woody Harrelson & Jesse Eisenberg, Director Ruben Fleischer, Writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick
Go Behind-the-Scenes with “In Search of Zombieland”
“Zombieland is Your Land” – The zombification of the United States
Deleted Scenes
Visual Effects Progression Scenes
movieIQ
Exclusive to the Blu-ray: “Beyond the Graveyard” Behind the Scenes Picture-in-Picture Track
Theatrical Promo Trailers
PS3 Wallpaper

The two disc DVD collection includes:

Commentary with Actors Woody Harrelson & Jesse Eisenberg, Director Ruben Fleischer, Writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick
Go Behind-the-Scenes with “In Search of Zombieland”
“Zombieland is Your Land” – The zombification of the United States
Deleted Scenes
Visual Effects Progression Scenes
Theatrical Promo Trailers
Woke Up Dead Episode “Up and At ‘Em”

For being a mainstream Hollywood zombie film, I enjoyed most of it. I did find the ending to be horribly rushed and to obvious (with one small saving grace), but found a lot of the film to be refreshing change of pace to an often tired genre (I’m talking about Hollywood horror standards here).

This film came out during our down time here at the ZRC, so we never had a good discussion about it. So what did you, the ZRC reader, think of this film?

*** WARNING: SPOILERS MAY END UP IN THE COMMENTS, SO DON’T READ THEM IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THIS FILM AND ARE PLANNNING ON WATCHING IT WITHOUT IT POSSIBLY BEING RUINED FOR YOU! YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN FAIR WARNING!

Troma Films will be releasing Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead on Blu-Ray on February 23rd. So, if you are fortunate enough to own one of those silly little machines (I’m just jealous), then head to your local Blu-Ray Emporium and pick a copy up!