Eureka Entertainment Announces May Releases
HomeEureka Entertainment Announces May Releases
Posted February 20, 2025 11:05 PM by Webmaster
Eureka Entertainment has announced its May batch of Blu-ray releases. They are: Terror in the Fog: Wallace Krimi at CCC (1963-1964), Strange New Worlds: Science Fiction at DEFA (1960-1976), and The Bells of Death (1968).
Terror in the Fog: Wallace Krimi at CCC
Titles Include:
The Curse of the Yellow Snake
The Strangler of Blackmoor Castle
The Mad Executioners
The Monster of London City
The Racetrack Murders
In the 1960s, a cycle of crime films or krimis became hugely popular with West German audiences. Adapted from works by the British crime writer Edgar Wallace and his son Bryan Edgar Wallace, they combined the traditional murder mystery with horror as they depicted enigmatic killers stalking their victims through foggy English landscapes from the streets of London to isolated rural mansions. Following the early success of the cycle after the release of Face of the Frog and The Crimson Circle, veteran producer Artur Brauner launched into his own series of Wallace krimis with his company CCC Film. Presented here are five key films drawn from CCC's krimi cycle.
In The Curse of the Yellow Snake, a mysterious cult wishes to lay its hands on an ancient artefact that has been brought to London from Hong Kong. The Strangler of Blackmoor Castle sees a masked murderer stalk the grounds of a vast British estate one who brands his victims' foreheads with the letter "M." London is faced with dual threats in The Mad Executioners, as a gang of hooded vigilantes roams the streets while a sadistic serial killer is on the loose. Jack the Ripper lives on in The Monster of London City, as a series of brutal murders brings panic to the British capital. Finally, in The Racetrack Murders (or The Seventh Victim), people are dropping like flies in and around a stately home and the murders might just have something to do with the owner's prized racehorse.
With its masked killers, labyrinthine plots and gothic atmosphere, the Wallace krimi blended crime, thriller and horror elements into a potent mix that had a significant influence on both the Italian giallo and the American slasher film. The Masters of Cinema series is proud to present five of Artur Brauner's Wallace adaptations for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK from new restorations provided by CCC Film, alongside a wealth of special features including a bonus film presented in standard definition, The Phantom of Soho.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
UK STREET DATE: MAY 26.
The Bells of Death
A standout wuxia film heavily influenced by both the longstanding Japanese samurai tradition and the emergent Spaghetti Western, The Bells of Death is a fantastical tale of revenge produced by Shaw Brothers Studio, directed by the prolific Yueh Feng (Madam White Snake) and starring Chang Yi (Lady Whirlwind) in one of his earliest roles.
Wu Fei (Chang) is a simple woodcutter that is, at least, until he gives directions to a group of bandits he encounters on a lonely road, sending them in the direction of his family home. He returns to find the criminals have murdered his parents and younger brother while his sister has been kidnapped, claimed by chief bandit Tao Ching Lung (Lam Kau, Drunken Master) as his new bride. Desperate for vengeance, Wu Fei finds a way forward when he encounters a master swordsman (Yang Chi-ching, Come Drink with Me), who takes the woodcutter under his wing and prepares him to take his bloody revenge.
A markedly dark and gruesome wuxia film featuring a cadre of truly despicable villains, The Bells of Death boasts breathtaking cinematography by Pao Hsueh Li who would go on to direct several wuxia films of his own and features Hong Kong superstars Wu Ma and Sammo Hung in supporting roles. Eureka Classics is proud to present the film on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
Strange New Worlds: Science Fiction at DEFA
Titles include:
The Silent Star
Signals: A Space Adventure
Eolomea
In the Dust of the Stars
Following the division of Germany in the aftermath of World War II, DEFA was established as the state-owned film studio of East Germany or the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Active from 1946 until its dissolution in 1992, the studio made hundreds of feature films in a diverse range of genres, from hard-hitting dramas to crime thrillers, fairytale adaptations and Westerns. During the 1960s and 1970s, it also produced a series of colourful and wildly imaginative science fiction films in which courageous cosmonauts attempt to unravel the secrets of the universe: The Silent Star, Signals: A Space Adventure, Eolomea and In the Dust of the Stars.
Based on Stanisław Lem's The Astronauts, The Silent Star begins as an extraterrestrial object is unearthed in the Gobi desert. When it is found to have originated on Venus, the crew of the spacecraft Kosmoskrator is dispatched to the yellow planet to solve its mysteries. In Signals: A Space Adventure, the Laika and its crew are sent to find a lost research vessel, the Ikaros. But as they draw nearer to the missing craft, they begin to intercept a series of strange radio transmissions. Then, Eolomea sees eight ships dispatched from the space station Margot disappear without trace and it's down to science officer Maria Scholl (Cox Habbema) to find out what happened to them. Finally, In the Dust of the Stars follows the crew of the Cyrano as they land on the planet TEM 4 to investigate a distress signal and find themselves under the psychedelic influence of its bizarre inhabitants.
Pitched somewhere between Forbidden Planet, Star Trek, Solaris and 2001: A Space Odyssey, DEFA's science fiction films are marvels of production design and practical effects work as well as poignant commentaries on the central issues of the atomic age, including nuclear warfare, rapid technological advancement and capitalist expansion. The Masters of Cinema series is proud to present all four of DEFA's space-faring films together for the first time on any format from astonishing restorations by the DEFA Foundation, accompanied by a wealth of new and archival extras.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
Terror in the Fog: Wallace Krimi at CCC
Titles Include:
The Curse of the Yellow Snake
The Strangler of Blackmoor Castle
The Mad Executioners
The Monster of London City
The Racetrack Murders
In the 1960s, a cycle of crime films or krimis became hugely popular with West German audiences. Adapted from works by the British crime writer Edgar Wallace and his son Bryan Edgar Wallace, they combined the traditional murder mystery with horror as they depicted enigmatic killers stalking their victims through foggy English landscapes from the streets of London to isolated rural mansions. Following the early success of the cycle after the release of Face of the Frog and The Crimson Circle, veteran producer Artur Brauner launched into his own series of Wallace krimis with his company CCC Film. Presented here are five key films drawn from CCC's krimi cycle.
In The Curse of the Yellow Snake, a mysterious cult wishes to lay its hands on an ancient artefact that has been brought to London from Hong Kong. The Strangler of Blackmoor Castle sees a masked murderer stalk the grounds of a vast British estate one who brands his victims' foreheads with the letter "M." London is faced with dual threats in The Mad Executioners, as a gang of hooded vigilantes roams the streets while a sadistic serial killer is on the loose. Jack the Ripper lives on in The Monster of London City, as a series of brutal murders brings panic to the British capital. Finally, in The Racetrack Murders (or The Seventh Victim), people are dropping like flies in and around a stately home and the murders might just have something to do with the owner's prized racehorse.
With its masked killers, labyrinthine plots and gothic atmosphere, the Wallace krimi blended crime, thriller and horror elements into a potent mix that had a significant influence on both the Italian giallo and the American slasher film. The Masters of Cinema series is proud to present five of Artur Brauner's Wallace adaptations for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK from new restorations provided by CCC Film, alongside a wealth of special features including a bonus film presented in standard definition, The Phantom of Soho.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
- NEW 2K RESTORATIONS OF ALL FIVE FILMS undertaken by CCC Film
- The Phantom of Soho (Franz Josef Gottlieb, 1964) bonus feature (presented in SD)
- Optional English subtitles, newly revised for this release
- Optional English dubs for The Strangler of Blackmoor Castle, The Mad Executioners, The Monster of London City and The Phantom of Soho
- New introductions to each film by genre film expert and Video Watchdog founder Tim Lucas
- New audio commentaries on The Curse of the Yellow Snake and The Phantom of Soho by Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw
- New audio commentaries on The Strangler of Blackmoor Castle, The Mad Executioners and The Racetrack Murders by Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby
- New audio commentary on The Monster of London City by Kim Newman and Stephen Jones
- Bryan Edgar Wallace: An Era new interview with Alice Brauner, producer and managing director of CCC Film and daughter of Artur Brauner
- Passing the Blade new video essay by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas exploring the influence of the Wallace krimi on the Italian giallo and the American slasher film
- Limited Edition Box Set [2000 copies]
- Limited edition hardcase featuring new artwork by Poochamin [2000 copies]
- Limited edition 60-page collector's book featuring a new introduction to the Wallace krimi cycle by film writer Howard Hughes, a new essay on Edgar Wallace and Bryan Edgar Wallace by crime fiction expert Barry Forshaw and new notes on each film by Holger Haase, co-editor of Krimi! magazine [2000 copies]
UK STREET DATE: MAY 26.
The Bells of Death
A standout wuxia film heavily influenced by both the longstanding Japanese samurai tradition and the emergent Spaghetti Western, The Bells of Death is a fantastical tale of revenge produced by Shaw Brothers Studio, directed by the prolific Yueh Feng (Madam White Snake) and starring Chang Yi (Lady Whirlwind) in one of his earliest roles.
Wu Fei (Chang) is a simple woodcutter that is, at least, until he gives directions to a group of bandits he encounters on a lonely road, sending them in the direction of his family home. He returns to find the criminals have murdered his parents and younger brother while his sister has been kidnapped, claimed by chief bandit Tao Ching Lung (Lam Kau, Drunken Master) as his new bride. Desperate for vengeance, Wu Fei finds a way forward when he encounters a master swordsman (Yang Chi-ching, Come Drink with Me), who takes the woodcutter under his wing and prepares him to take his bloody revenge.
A markedly dark and gruesome wuxia film featuring a cadre of truly despicable villains, The Bells of Death boasts breathtaking cinematography by Pao Hsueh Li who would go on to direct several wuxia films of his own and features Hong Kong superstars Wu Ma and Sammo Hung in supporting roles. Eureka Classics is proud to present the film on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
- High-definition transfer
- Optional English subtitles, newly revised for this release
- Original Mandarin mono audio
- Optional English dub
- New audio commentary by East Asian cinema expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
- New audio commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
- For Whom the Bell Tolls a new interview with Wayne Wong, editor of Martial Arts Studies
- A limited edition collector's booklet featuring new writing on The Bells of Death by East Asian cinema expert Camille Zaurin [2000 copies]
- Limited Edition [2000 copies]
- Limited edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Grιgory Sacrι (Gokaiju) [2000 copies]
Strange New Worlds: Science Fiction at DEFA
Titles include:
The Silent Star
Signals: A Space Adventure
Eolomea
In the Dust of the Stars
Following the division of Germany in the aftermath of World War II, DEFA was established as the state-owned film studio of East Germany or the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Active from 1946 until its dissolution in 1992, the studio made hundreds of feature films in a diverse range of genres, from hard-hitting dramas to crime thrillers, fairytale adaptations and Westerns. During the 1960s and 1970s, it also produced a series of colourful and wildly imaginative science fiction films in which courageous cosmonauts attempt to unravel the secrets of the universe: The Silent Star, Signals: A Space Adventure, Eolomea and In the Dust of the Stars.
Based on Stanisław Lem's The Astronauts, The Silent Star begins as an extraterrestrial object is unearthed in the Gobi desert. When it is found to have originated on Venus, the crew of the spacecraft Kosmoskrator is dispatched to the yellow planet to solve its mysteries. In Signals: A Space Adventure, the Laika and its crew are sent to find a lost research vessel, the Ikaros. But as they draw nearer to the missing craft, they begin to intercept a series of strange radio transmissions. Then, Eolomea sees eight ships dispatched from the space station Margot disappear without trace and it's down to science officer Maria Scholl (Cox Habbema) to find out what happened to them. Finally, In the Dust of the Stars follows the crew of the Cyrano as they land on the planet TEM 4 to investigate a distress signal and find themselves under the psychedelic influence of its bizarre inhabitants.
Pitched somewhere between Forbidden Planet, Star Trek, Solaris and 2001: A Space Odyssey, DEFA's science fiction films are marvels of production design and practical effects work as well as poignant commentaries on the central issues of the atomic age, including nuclear warfare, rapid technological advancement and capitalist expansion. The Masters of Cinema series is proud to present all four of DEFA's space-faring films together for the first time on any format from astonishing restorations by the DEFA Foundation, accompanied by a wealth of new and archival extras.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
- NEW RESTORATIONS OF ALL FOUR FILMS by the DEFA Foundation
- Reversible inner sleeve artwork featuring new designs for each film by Carly A-F
- Signals: A Space Adventure presented from a new 6K scan of the original 70mm camera negative
- Eolomea presented from a 4K scan of the original 70mm camera negative
- The Silent Star and In the Dust of the Stars presented from 2K scans of the original 35mm camera negatives
- The Robot (Klaus Georgi, 1968) animated short produced by the DEFA Studio for Animation Film
- Jana and the Little Star (Christl Wiemer, 1971) animated short produced by the DEFA Studio for Animation Film
- Love 2002 (Joachim Hellwig, 1972) documentary short on the future of love in East Germany produced by the DEFA Studio for Newsreels and Documentary Films
- Optional English subtitles on all features and shorts, newly revised for this release
- New audio commentaries on all four features by Jim Morton, founder of the East German Cinema Blog
- Blast Off new interview with science fiction scholar Mark Bould
- Red Skies new interview with Soviet cinema expert Claire Knight
- Exploring the Cosmos new video essay by science fiction expert Paweł Frelik
- British Filmmaker Visits DEFA (1959) archival newsreel documenting Anthony Asquith's visit to the set of The Silent Star
- A Rocket in the Soviet Zone (1959) archival newsreel covering the making of The Silent Star
- Cosmonaut Dreams archival featurette on the making of Eolomea, featuring special-effects cameraman Kurt Marks, costume designer Barbara Mόller-Braumann and technician Jan-Peter Schmarje
- Dusting Off After 30 Years archival interview with Peter Suring, director of photography on In the Dust of the Stars
- Original theatrical trailers
- Limited Collector's Edition Box Set [2000 copies]
- Limited edition hardcase featuring new artwork by Carly A-F
- Limited edition 60-page collector's book featuring an introduction by Mariana Ivanova, Academic Director of the DEFA Film Library, and new writing by DEFA historians Sebastian Heiduschke, Sonja Fritzsche and Evan Torner
