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With the release of films like Mad God and The Spine of Night (not to mention a poignant reminder by Guillermo del Toro at the 95th Academy Awards ceremony), it seems like Western audiences are one step closer to catching up with the rest of the world in realizing that animation is more than capable of telling complex, adult-oriented stories.

However, this doesn’t mean that older animated films avoided mature themes and experimental narratives – it’s just that many of these movies turned out to be huge flops, with the very best of them destined to become cult classics decades after they underperformed at the box-office. And when it comes to animated flops, there are few films more remarkable than Clive A. Smith’s beautiful disaster, 1983’s Rock & Rule. An unprecedented financial failure, this oddball rock opera would go on to entertain fans of weird cinema for decades...

Stars: Marilyn Chambers, Frank Moore, Joe Silver, Howard Ryshpan, Patricia Gage, Susan Roman, Roger Periard, Lynne Deragon, Terry Schonblum, Victor Désy, Julie Anna, Gary McKeehan | Written and Directed by David Cronenberg

Rabid has always been one of my favourite David Cronenberg movies, there is just something about the strange little film that makes it more accessible than some of his others like Shivers. When I was younger I remembered it as the film with the women with the strange bloodsucking thing under her arm, but as with most of Cronenberg’s work as I grew older I started to understand his vision of the film and his use of body horror.

When Rose (Marilyn Chambers) is involved in a bike accident she has to undergo experimental emergency surgery to save her life. When she awakens from her coma though she has an insatiable taste for human blood. Once bitten her victims become crazed,...

It’s a funny thing, watching David Cronenberg’s early films now with 40 years of work to his credit. He’s a director whose movies have a reputation for being cold, clinical, and cerebral. He is known for his fascination with body horror, but approaches it from the remoteness of a distant observer rather than as a fellow human being. And while some of this characterization may be correct, very little of it accurately describes his early efforts, including 1977’s Rabid, Cronenberg’s second-ever horror movie (following Shivers, aka They Came From Within) and his fourth feature film overall, now out on a special edition Blu-ray from Scream Factory.

At the time most famous for giving adult film superstar Marilyn Chambers her first leading role in a mainstream movie, Rabid is one of several variations on a theme Cronenberg made in the first half of his career, in which he...

After last week being rather quiet on the home entertainment front, November 22nd is looking to make up for some lost time with a ton of great genre Blu-ray and DVD titles coming our way on Tuesday. This week, Scream Factory is showing some love to another David Cronenberg classic, Rabid, and Arrow Video is resurrecting the cult film C.H.U.D. in HD for their brand new Special Edition Blu-ray.

Lionsgate is putting out a pair of Vestron Video Collector’s Series titles—Return of the Living Dead 3 and C.H.U.D. II: Bud the Chud—that horror fans will undoubtedly want to add to their home media collections. And for all you William Friedkin fans out there, Shout Select has put together a stellar Collector’s Edition Blu-ray of To Live and Die in L.A. that is absolutely worth owning.

Other notable releases for November 22nd include Intruder,...

David Cronenberg puts Canada on the horror map with yet another early career ick-fest, about a vampiric woman armed with a new mutant organ. Marilyn Chambers is the dangerous female who spreads a plague of bloody murder. Fun for the whole family.

Rabid

Blu-ray

Scream Factory

1977 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 91 min. / Street Date November 22, 2016 / 34.93

Starring Marilyn Chambers, Frank Moore, Joe Silver, Howard Ryshpan, Patricia Gage, Susan Roman, Roger Periard, Lynne Deragon, Allan Moyle, Robert A. Silverman.

Cinematography René Verzier

Makeup Effects Joe Blasco

Music Supervisor Ivan Reitman

Editor Jean Lafleur

Produced by John Dunning, Ivan Reitman

Written and Directed by David Cronenberg

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

Now available in Region A, David Cronenberg’s Rabid is slightly different than the Blu-ray released in the UK last year by Arrow. It’s touted as a new transfer. Some of the previous extras have been retained and others dropped, and two new items have been added.

The infection spreads on November 22nd with Scream Factory's Collector's Edition Blu-ray release of David Cronenberg's Rabid, and we've been provided with three copies to give away to lucky Daily Dead readers.

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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Collector's Edition Blu-ray copy of Rabid.

How to Enter: For a chance to win, email [email protected] with the subject “Rabid Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on November 26th. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

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Rabid Collector's Edition Blu-ray: "With Rabid, acclaimed director David Cronenberg (The Fly, Dead Ringers, Naked Lunch) delivers a high-tension thriller filled with "zombified sluts and shock moments… an irresistible combination that Cronenberg handles well" (Almar Haflidason, BBC)!

After undergoing radical emergency surgery,...

Scream Factory will unleash the infectious fear and creepy chaos of David Cronenberg’s Rabid on a Collector's Edition Blu-ray beginning November 22nd, and we have high-def clips and a trailer teasing the film's 2K makeover.

Rabid Collector's Edition Blu-ray: "With Rabid, acclaimed director David Cronenberg (The Fly, Dead Ringers, Naked Lunch) delivers a high-tension thriller filled with "zombified sluts and shock moments… an irresistible combination that Cronenberg handles well" (Almar Haflidason, BBC)!

After undergoing radical emergency surgery, Rose (former adult film star Marilyn Chambers in her first leading role in a mainstream film) develops an insatiable desire for blood. She searches out victims to satisfy her incurable craving, infecting them with an unknown disease which in turn swiftly drives them insane… and makes them equally bloodthirsty.

Follow the lovely but deadly Rose through her terrifying ordeal as victim by victim, the spreading circle of casualties grows... until no one...

This November, Scream Factory will release Dead Ringers and Rabid on Collector's Edition Blu-rays, respectively, and to help make the wait a little sweeter, they've unveiled the full list of special features for both David Cronenberg movies.

Press Release: Progenitor of the body horror genre and master of psychological terror, filmmaker David Cronenberg is known for his visceral style, crafting stories that interweave audacious physical transformations with challenging narratives and complex emotional arcs.

This November, two seminal Cronenberg films, Dead Ringers and Rabid, make their Collector’s Edition Blu-ray debuts from Scream Factory. Each film features a new 2k scan and is loaded with new bonus features, making these critically acclaimed masterpieces must-owns for cinephiles.

Dead Ringers November 15th, 2016

Cronenberg’s haunting tale of twin gynecologists and the woman they both love will make its Blu-ray debut November 15th, 2016 from Scream Factory, in conjunction with Morgan Creek Productions. The two-disc...

"Toronto ComiCon", presented by "Fan Expo Canada" will be held March 20, 21 and 22, 2015 @ the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, with unique exhibitors, presentations, workshops and celebrity guests including Chad Coleman, aka 'Tyreese' on "The Walking Dead", Karen Gillan, aka 'Nebula' in "Guardians Of The Galaxy", Jaime Murray aka 'Stahma Tarr' from the series "Defiance" and a whole lot more:

Meet more of the cast of "Defiance", with Grant Bowler, Stephanie Leonidas, Tony Curran and Jesse Rath signing autographs...

...posing for photo ops and uniting on stage for a Q&A session.

Shannen Doherty aka 'Prue Halliwell' from the series "Charmed" will also be in attendance...

...along with Chad Coleman, aka 'Tyreese'. 

...Karen Gillan aka 'Nebula'.

In the 'Artist Alley', pencillers, inkers and writers display and offer for sale comics, graphic novels, limited edition prints, original art and sketches, with Neal Adams, Dan Parent and a whole lot more.

In the 'Retailer Area',...

"Toronto ComiCon", presented by "Fan Expo Canada" will be held March 20, 21 and 22, 2015 @ the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, with unique exhibitors, presentations, workshops and celebrity guests including Chad Coleman, aka 'Tyreese' on "The Walking Dead", Karen Gillan, aka 'Nebula' in "Guardians Of The Galaxy", Morena Baccarin aka 'Dr. Leslie Thompkins' on the series "Gotham", Jaime Murray aka 'Stahma Tarr' from the series "Defiance" and a whole lot more:

Meet more of the cast of "Defiance", with Grant Bowler, Stephanie Leonidas, Tony Curran and Jesse Rath signing autographs...

...posing for photo ops and uniting on stage for a Q&A session.

Shannen Doherty aka 'Prue Halliwell' from the series "Charmed" will also be in attendance...

...along with Chad Coleman, aka 'Tyreese'. 

...Karen Gillan aka 'Nebula'.

 ...and Morena Baccarin aka 'Dr. Leslie Thompkins'. 

In the 'Artist Alley', pencillers, inkers and writers display and offer for sale comics, graphic novels, limited edition prints, original art and sketches,...

Stars: Marilyn Chambers, Frank Moore, Joe Silver, Howard Ryshpan, Patricia Gage, Susan Roman, Roger Periard, Lynne Deragon, Terry Schonblum, Victor Désy, Julie Anna, Gary McKeehan | Written and Directed by David Cronenberg

Rabid has always been one of my favourite David Cronenberg movies, there is just something about the strange little film that makes it more accessible than some of his others like Shivers. When I was younger I remembered it as the film with the women with the strange bloodsucking thing under her arm, but as with most of Cronenberg’s work as I grew older I started to understand his vision of the film and his use of body horror.

When Rose (Marilyn Chambers) is involved in a bike accident she has to undergo experimental emergency surgery to save her life. When she awakens from her coma though she has an insatiable taste for human blood. Once bitten her victims become crazed,...

While fans of Sailor Moon are enjoying the current run of Sailor Moon Crystal, Viz Media has released an official clip of the long-awaited redub of the original Sailor Moon series.

The clip runs under a minute and shows the famous scene where Usagi meets Mamoru for the very first time (also commonly known as the "30" test score scene).

As to be expected, the ongoing debate over "sub vs. dub" continues to be alive and well. However, the issue that appeared to be causing the most howls from longtime fans was the replacement of "meatball head" with "bun head". Representatives with Viz did go on record stating the dub will be close to the original Japanese translations when compared to the Americanized puns Dic used in 1995.

In the Japanese dialogue, Mamoru actually calls Usagi "odango" which can be translated to mean either "dumpling" or "bun". Still, it appears longtime fans...

Chicago – For fans of comic strip legend Georges “Hergé” Rémi’s celebrated investigative reporter and trusty canine sidekick, director Stéphanie Bernasconi’s short-lived TV series from the early ’90s represented the ideal adaptation of the Belgian author’s work. Unlike Belvision’s series of the late ’50s and early ’60s, Bernasconi stuck to the original design, structure and spirit of Rémi’s internationally beloved books.

Yet for American audiences unfamiliar with Tintinology, it’s doubtful this low-key French-Canadian co-production will get their pulses pounding and minds enticed for Steven Spielberg’s big screen version, which has already made a sizable splash overseas. The show is an ideal fit for youngsters—it has a gentle spirit and remains upbeat even during cliffhanger episodes, but still has enough tangible danger to excite kids. Older viewers, however, are guaranteed to find this show a dull, blandly animated babysitter.

DVD Rating: 2.5/5.0

With a lanky...