It’s a MONSTER month as Eureka reveal their November 2020 lineup
Eureka have announced their November 2020 line up today which will feature a newly restored edition of a landmark in German expressionism; a classic Japanese monster movie that introduced us to one of the most unique creatures ever seen on film; and two influential sci-fi epics from one of Japan’s inimitable filmmakers.
Waxworks [Das Wachsfigurenkabinett] was the final film Paul Leni directed in Germany before striking out for Hollywood and making such classic works of genre filmmaking as The Cat and the Canary, The Man Who Laughs, and The Last Warning. Its sophisticated melding of genres was in fact what inspired Universal’s Carl Laemmle to invite Leni to come to Hollywood in the first place, as Laemmle was hoping to capitalise on the emerging comedy-horror craze of the 1920s. Yet Waxworks is, at heart, a pure example of German expressionism. Its stylised sets (designed by Leni), fantastical costumes, chiaroscuro lighting, and startlingly bold performances are paragons of the cinematic movement, and contribute heavily to the film’s lasting appeal. As there is no surviving original negative of Waxworks, this newly restored edition—a joint effort by the Deutsche Kinemathek and Cineteca di Bologna, L’Immagine Ritrovata (with funding from the German Commission for Culture and the Media)—is composed of contemporary prints and additional film materials from archives around the world. The elements, including English intertitles, were scanned in 4K resolution and then restored in 2K. Presented by The Masters of Cinema Series and Flicker Alley in a special Blu-ray edition, there is an option of two new scores to accompany the film: one by the Ensemble Musikfabrik (commissioned by ZDF/ARTE), and the second by composer Richard Siedhoff. The first print run of 2000 copies will be presented with a Limited-Edition O-Card Slipcase, and will be released on 16 November 2020.
One of the most iconic Japanese kaiju, Mothra has appeared in over a dozen feature films. Presented here is her debut, a gloriously vibrant piece of filmmaking that forever changed how kaiju eiga would be produced in Japan. Psychedelically colourful, with an intelligent, benevolent protector as its lead kaiju, Mothra was radically different to every other monster movie that had come before it, and it remains a classic of the genre to this day. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present Ishirō Honda’s Mothra on Blu-ray for the first time on home video in the UK, in a Limited Edition set of only 3000 copies, featuring a Hardbound Case, 60-page Perfect Bound Collector’s Book & Reversible Poster.
Travel back to the days before CGI, when special effects were real and the results were spectacular! A sci-fi double, featuring Director Ishiro Honda’s extravagant space adventure flicks, The H-Man / Battle in Outer Space will be released on Blu-ray for the first time on home video in the UK. Honda and special effects wizard Eiji Tsuburaya bring these wildly colourful kaiju eiga to life, both films are classic cult Japanese sci-fi gems which simply can’t be missed. Released on 16 November as part of The Masters of Cinema Series, featuring a Limited Edition O-Card Slipcase (First Print Run of 2000 copies only].
