David Cronenberg’s RABID (26 Aug) & lost 90s horror SKINNER (23 Sept) head to UK Blu-ray from 101 Films Black Label

RABID (David Cronenberg, 1977)

101 Films is proud to present Rabid, the enduringly tense and gruesome horror that marked a landmark in David Cronenberg’s early career.When Rose suffers terrible injuries in a motorcycle crash, she is taken to a nearby clinic run by Dr Keloid for experimental skin-graft surgery. At first, the revolutionary procedure proves successful, but it soon leaves Rose with a strange orifice protruding from her armpit and an insatiable thirst for human blood. Hell-bent on satisfying her bloodlust, Rose leaves a trail of insane and uncontrollably aggressive victims, as the unknown virus engulfs North America in an orgy of frenetic violence.

Starring: Marilyn Chambers, Howard Ryshpan, Frank Moore and Patricia Gage (American Psycho). Rabid is written and directed by David Cronenberg (Videodrome) and produced by John Dunning, Ivan Reitman and Don Carmody.

Brand new extras

• The Quiet Revolution: State, Society and the Canadian Horror Film – Part One: Gimme Shelter: Cinepix and the Birth of the Canadian Horror Film, a brand new feature-length documentary exploring the social contexts behind Canadian horror cinema from filmmaker and author Xavier Mendik
• Audio commentary with filmmakers Jen and Sylvia Soska (directors of the 2019’s Rabid reimagining)
• Limited edition booklet: Includes ‘The Birth of Rabid’ by Greg Dunning and ‘Stunned. Shocked. Exhilarated: Horror in the Early Films of David Cronenberg’ by Alex Morris

Additional extras

• Audio commentary with writer-director David Cronenberg
• Audio commentary with William Beard, author of ‘The Artist as Monster: The Cinema of David Cronenberg’
• Audio commentary with Jill C. Nelson, author of ‘Golden Goddesses: 25 Legendary Women Of Classic Erotic Cinema, 1968-1985’ and Marilyn Chambers’ Personal Appearances Manager Ken Leicht
• Young And Rabid – An interview with actress Susan Roman
• Archive interview with David Cronenberg
• The Directors: David Cronenberg – a 1999 documentary on the filmmaker
• Interview with executive producer Ivan Reitman
• Interview with co-producer Don Carmody
• Trailer
• Radio spots

Tech specs

• 2K scan from the original camera negative at director David Cronenberg’s preferred aspect ratio (1.66:1)
• Cert: 18
• Feature runtime: 91 mins
• Extras runtime: 200 mins approx
• Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
• Subtitles: English HOH
• Region: B
• Format: two-disc Blu-ray (all extras aside from commentaries on disc two)
• Cat no.: 101BL009
• First 3,000 copies come with limited edition slipcase and booklet

This 2K restoration will screen at London’s FrightFest Film Festival on Sunday 25 August. For more information visit: http://bit.ly/Rabid77FrightFest

SKINNER (Ivan Nagy, 1993) – UK Blu-ray debut

At one time thought a lost film, Skinner has been resurrected from obscurity in a mind-blowing 4K restoration so cult cinema fans can now witness this 90s horror gem in all its sinful, sleazy and violent glory.Dennis Skinner seems like a normal enough guy but he has a very abnormal hobby. At night, he creeps through the back streets looking for potential victims, and when he finds one, carefully removes their skin with an elaborate collection of knives. Heidi, one of Dennis’ victims, is on his trail, waiting for a chance to get her revenge, but in the meantime Dennis has developed a crush on Kerry and wants to find a way to show her he really cares.

Starring: Ted Raimi (Spider-Man), Traci Lords (Blade), David Warshofsky (There Will Be Blood), Richard Schiff (Se7en) and Rikki Lake (Hairspray). Directed by Ivan Nagy (The Hitchhiker) and written by Paul Hart Wilden (Alone). This marks Skinner’s UK debut on any format.

Brand new extras

• Limited edition booklet includes ‘Finding Skinner’ – Screenwriter Paul Hart-Wilden on the long and multi-faceted search for the ‘lost’ Skinner master

Additional extras

• A Touch of Scandal – Interview with Director Ivan Nagy
• Under His Skin – Interview with Star Ted Raimi
• Bargain Bin VHS For A Buck – Interview with Screenwriter Paul Hart-Wilden
• Cutting Skinner – Interview with Editor Jeremy Kasten
• Flaying sequence out-takes and extended takes
• Trailer

Tech specs

• 4K scan and restoration
• Cert: 18
• Feature runtime: 88 mins (Blu-ray)
• Extras runtime: TBC
• Subtitles: English HOH
• Region: B/2
• Format: dual format Blu-ray and DVD (DVD in limited edition only)
• Cat no.: 101BL010
• First 3,000 copies come with limited edition slipcase and booklet

101 Films presents Rabid on two-disc special edition UK Blu-ray 26 August and Skinner on special edition UK dual format (Blu-ray/DVD) 23 September