Since 2019, the owner and editor of this website, Adrian J Smith, and MOVIES and MANIA contributor David Flint (The Reprobate), have been providing informative and entertaining movie audio commentaries for a growing number of disc releases; we really enjoy doing commentaries and are pleased to say that in 2023 we’re now more and more in demand.
We have recently recorded five more audio commentaries, one of which has yet to be officially announced (but it’s a future Arrow Video release). Plus, we will be recording two more audio commentaries in the coming weeks.
Jean Rollin’s Two Orphan Vampires will be released by Indicator/Powerhouse on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray on 24th April 2023.
Meanwhile, Jess Franco’s historical horror The Bloody Judge (1969) – which stars Christopher Lee, Leo Genn, Maria Schell, Maria Rohm, Margaret Lee and Howard Vernon – will be released by 88 Films on May 29, 2023.
Extras also include:
High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray™ presentation in 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio
Lossless 2.0 English Mono
Optional English Subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Audio Commentary with Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw
Deleted and Alternative Scenes
Theatrical Trailer
And Marino Girolami’s Zombie Holocaust (also released as Dr Butcher M.D.) – which stars Ian McCulloch (Zombie Flesh Eaters; Contamination; The Ghoul), Alexandra Delli Colli (The New York Ripper) and Donald O’Brien (Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals) – will be released on 4K and Blu-ray by 88 Films on June 26, 2023.
This disc also features:
4K Restoration From Original “2-Perf” Techniscope Negative
2.0 English Mono
2.0 Italian Mono with English Subtitles
“Girolami Holocaust” – An interview with Alberto Moriani and Enzo G. Castellari
“Our Life, Our Music” – An interview with Giacomo and Edda Dell’Orso
“To Die and Rise in Rome” – An interview with Marcello Avellone
Eaten Alive!: The Rise and Fall of the Italian Cannibal Film
Q&A with Ian McCulloch at the Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films (2009)
Restoration Reel
Theatrical Trailer
Enzo G. Castellari’s Cold Eyes of Fear, which features an all-star line-up, including Gianni Garko (If You Meet Sartana Pray for Your Death), Fernando Rey (The French Connection), Giovanna Ralli (What Have They Done to Your Daughters?) and Frank Wolff (Once Upon a Time in the West) will be released by Indicator/Powerhouse on limited edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray discs on June 26, 2023.
The disc also features:
Directing Fear (2023): legendary director Enzo G Castellari looks back at the production and his experience of working with the actors
An Italian in London (2023): actor Gianni Garko reflects on his role, and considers the film’s place within his career
The Men in the Editing Room (2023): assistant editor Gianfranco Amicucci recalls a creative collaboration
Lovely Jon on Ennio Morricone (2023): the DJ and soundtrack enthusiast dissects the film’s experimental jazz score
Original theatrical trailer
Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Limited edition exclusive 80-page book with a new essay by Roberto Curti, a career-spanning archival interview with director Enzo G Castellari conducted by Mark Wickum, an archival interviews with actor Gianni Garko, a new interview with Giovanna Ralli, archival news reports on the death of actor Frank Wolff, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and full film credits
Here are some reviews of our previous audio commentary tracks:
House on the Edge of the Park – 88 Films 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
“They have also got talent to talk about them and in more interesting ways than expected. Yes, we have the cuts history (11 mins which I saw, then some 2 mins later on, now uncut) but it’s also the age of post-disco savageness, cinema of Italian horror and the fear of the outside world. All this played into conservatives’ hands and as David Flint and Adrian Smith extract, makes the film all the more fun as it became a nasty.”
Front Row Reviews
The Horrible Sexy Vampire – Mondo Macabro Blu-ray
” …David Flint and Adrian J. Smith […] take their typically jovial approach to this particularly obscure title. Given the lack of behind-the-scenes information, the commentary sticks to stuff, like the greater context of vampire movies during the era, the state of Spanish horror in particular, the inspirational role Hammer Films played, and the lives and careers of the cast & crew. They also do their best to work out the nonsense plot…” Genre Grinder
“An audio commentary by David Flint and Adrian J. Smith covers all the bases including the bizarre murder case that sort of led to the film’s creation, the various actors (including others with Jess Franco ties), the state of Spanish filmmaking under fascist rule by General Franco at the time, and the merits of the lead actor’s performance(s).” Mondo Digital
“There is a really informative commentary track by David Flint and Adrian J. Smith.” Euro Cult AV
“ …we get an audio commentary from David Flint and Adrian J. Smith that I found quite knowledgeable and entertaining as they talk about the translation of the title, the bizarre life and career of star Wal Davis aka Waldemar Wohlfahrt, the weirder elements of the film, the career of director José Luis Madrid, the exploitation elements and comparing it to Hammer films of the era.” McBastard’s Mausoleum
“The main extra on the disc is a new audio commentary by David Flint and Adrian J Smith that starts by discussing how the film translates, literally, from Spanish into English, the true story that loosely inspired the movie, details on the cast and crew members (and who appeared in a Jess Franco movie – a common trait in Spanish genre films of this era!), details on José Luis Madrid’s career, the frequent use of nudity courtesy of some attractive and decidedly not shy actresses, influences that worked their way into the movie, how the film tries to be modern and gothic at the same time, how the picture compares and contrasts to the Hammer Dracula cycle, how the original Spanish version of the movie would likely have had alternate clothed scenes in place of the nude scenes, the look and the pace of the film and the frequency of the murder set pieces and quite a bit more.” Rock Shock Pop
“ …and I did enjoy [the commentary] because they talked a lot about the movie and […] they’re not hyping this thing up.” Mr Parka YouTube channel
The Devil’s Men – Indicator Blu-ray
” …offers a new commentary by David Flint and Adrian J. Smith (Movies and Mania). They are pretty good discussing the cast, related films and the Greek-based production features.” DVD Beaver
“PI’s authors and commentators flatter the movie in the right way — they don’t try to pretend it’s a classic, and assess it with an open mind. Everyone knows that fans of the two stars will be pleased, at least to some degree. Online web writers David Flint and Adrian J Smith find plenty to discuss in the histories of the actors and the busy producer and director; we even get a run-down on the apparently very lively subgenre of Greek genre thrillers.” Trailers from Hell
“The commentary track with critics and authors David Flint and Adrian J Smith is entertaining and informative” 60 Minutes With
“A very informative and sometimes quite amusing new audio commentary by critics and authors David Flint and Adrian J. Smith goes a thorough job of covering the film including its odd financing (a combination of U.S. money and, believe it or not, the famous Getty family in America), the state of international horror filmmaking at the time, the release history and alternate versions, the careers of Pleasence (including his odd Irish accent) and Cushing whose roles were originally supposed to be swapped, the joys of watching Cushing brandish a shotgun, and more.” Mondo Digital
“An interesting audio commentary with David Flint (editor of The Reprobate) and Adrian J. Smith (moviesandmania.com) who give some solid background to the film” Blueprint Review
“Flint and Smith, who have their own fan websites, clearly adore this film and films like it. Other criticisms are batted away as matters of taste. Both have done their research and know all about the Greek actors and the thriving Greek film industry in the 70s. They are very appreciative of the locations. They cite their sources which is a courtesy all too uncommon these days. They muse on what was popular in the day, especially conspiracies. The limits of female nudity is a topic covered. Both leads get career summaries and appreciation. Their mutual recall of a bevy of horror movies is impressive. Arthur Rowe, the writer gets a full career appreciation. The great Michael Powell gets a mention as he was planning to shoot in Greece at the time and was good friends with producer Frixos Constantine […] The two chat about the film’s marketing. They do admit that The Devil’s Men is not a classic (phew). Finally, they have a great deal to say about the rather silly end title song. A hugely engaging commentary by two men who really know their stuff.” Cine Outsider
Rogue Cops and Racketeers: Two Crime Thrillers by Enzo G. Castellari – Arrow Blu-ray
“Each disc also features new audio commentaries by critics Adrian J. Smith and David Flint. I found their track for The Heroin Busters to be the better of the two since their conversation feels to flow in a more natural manner (at least slightly) but they’re both good tracks, the two admiring the structure and editing of both films, touching on their respective influences since, and even defending them from criticisms thrown about through the years, particularly from the accusations that the films are fascist.” Geek Vibes Nation
The Big Racket
“The disc features an audio commentary with David Flint – editor of The Reprobate Press – and Adrian Smith of Movies and Mania. They are good at contextualising the film as part of Italy’s Years of Lead, a period of deep social unrest between the 1960s and 1980s. It is broadly a light-hearted chat, with a highlight being their laughing at the ‘small village’ in the film, that just happens to have the Coliseum in the background. They are excellent value on the character work, and some of the tropes – such as the smarmy lawyer – that is present on screen.
They are just as good on shot choices which are unconventional; for example, a quick six shots for the first reveal of Rudy, the film’s bad guy. They also have strong information on how shots are achieved, particularly the shot of Nico inside a car being rolled off a cliff early in the movie. There is historical context for the movie business as they are able to cross reference actors to other projects such as those by Dario Argento. Serpico, Bullit, Get Carter and Dirty Harry are mentioned as influences, helping to contextualise what we are watching – the cop as an anti-hero. They address complaints that the film was ‘fascist’ and ‘vile’ as oversimplification and taking it as face value – easy pigeonholing – and they address these in context of Castellari’s whole career. They do call out where the film is inappropriate or exploitative, however, making this a very balanced conversation.
The Heroin Busters
“The audio commentary, for example, features the same people as on disc one, with a similar energy, but as they are commenting on less harrowing events it feels a little more playful and lighter. It was recorded just after the last one, and they note they may repeat some things. They are finding more humour in proceedings this time, though they remain strong on historical context, noting this is more in the Euro Crime genre.” Set the Tape
“Both films ditch the earlier commentaries in favor of new ones by critics Adrian J. Smith and David Flint, who have a lot of fun and know their stuff chatting about the poliziotteschi, Castellari, the tight narrative tactics of ’70s Italian action films, Testi’s physicality, the real-life “years of lead” social unrest in Italy at the time, and plenty more.” Mondo Digital
“They are fairly lively and well worth listening to.” Movie Man’s Guide
“Delivered in a conversational style but crammed with background details that help to place the films against their historical context, plus the usual cast and crew information. Essential listening for cult film fans and a good grounding for those new to poliziotteschi.” Frame Rated
Raw Force – 101 Films Blu-ray
“The commentary is very enjoyable, with the contributors very much on the same page as myself on the film. They also impart a few interesting facts about the production, such as how the film’s composer also wrote the theme tune to Family Guy!” Blueprint Review
“Exclusive to this release is a new audio commentary from David Flint of The Reprobate and Adrian Smith from MoviesandMania.com who give an insightful and fun track that properly assesses the film with the right amount of wit mixed with knowledgeable observation. They close out the commentary by describing the flick as “fun, light-weight, empty-headed, nonsense-cinema, and all the more fun for it”, and I couldn’t agree more” McBastard’s Mausoleum
“Featuring an audio commentary by The Reprobate’s David Flint and film critic Adrian Smith, and a short making-of featurette where director Edward D. Murphy tries to explain just what the hell he was thinking of when he made the film, 101 Films continue their current run of releasing somewhat obscure titles in excellent packages for connoisseurs to froth over and for newbies to discover…” Flickering Myth
The Blood of Fu Manchu part of The Fu Manchu Cycle 1965 – 1969 – Indicator Blu-ray
“ …comes with a new commentary featuring critics and authors David Flint and Adrian J. Smith diving into the strange waters of Franco, Towers, and Lee, as well as the ways these two entries approach the delirious Rohmer source material and deal with the iffy racial issues it entails.” Mondo Digital
“I’ve not heard Flint and or Smith do a track before (at least not that I recall) but they both get on well and pack it with plenty of value; I hope they do more.” DVD Compare
“The audio commentary is provided by critics and authors David Flint and Adrian J Smith (2020), both provide an enjoyable and not too serious appreciation.” Cinema Retro
Nightbreed – Arrow Video Blu-ray
“ …critics Adrian J Smith and David Flint glean from the theatrical cut, what I like about the film. Its nature of contained magic. They also ask the question why did they cut it? It fails in getting to the core. But it’s a good ride.” Front Row Reviews
“Smith and Flint give us a lively chat-style commentary with plenty of background facts and asides. It’s entertaining, all the more so because they don’t always agree. They do agree that Nightbreed is about outsiders so it’s a good thing it remained an ‘outsider’ movie for so long. They discuss whether it is, in fact, a horror film or more of a ‘Star Wars with monsters’. Usefully they talk us through which scenes were shot after the test audience feedback and refer back to the Director’s Cut, which they assume the viewer has already seen…” Medium.com
“Smith and Flint acknowledge that they are of my vintage having seen the film in 1990. And even at that screening introduced by Clive Barker, the director still apologised it wasn’t his cut. They talk about how the film was difficult to handle and the studio went for the slasher angle. They say that David Cronenberg was the best actor in the cast, which is an interesting judgement! The running time is discussed. Back in 1990 the idea of a movie going over one hour forty, particularly a horror film, was not on. What’s a big plus with this commentary is that it’s not just a reeling out of facts and figures. It’s a real conversation, an informed conversation. They mention what didn’t work for them in the Director’s Cut (oddly in sync with my own opinion). That doesn’t make us right, by the way. “Who would be turned on by a porcupine?” asks one […] Both men are not keen on Alejandro Jodorowsky’s homoerotic reading of the Decker and Boone/Cabal relationship. They come up with a concise if less academic judgement of “Bollocks!” This is a fine commentary well worth listening to despite their quote of “If you’re desperate enough to listen this commentary!” Cine Outsider
The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire – Arrow Video Blu-ray
“Audio commentary features “giallo connoisseurs” Adrian J. Smith and David Flint, and does manage to get quite a bit of background and production information in between fits of laughter and frequent sidebars into “what is that supposed to mean?” territory.
” Blu-ray.com
“Among the plethora of extras on this disc, most noteworthy is the audio commentary by film critics Adrian J. Smith and David Flint. Simultaneously playful and informative, Smith and Flint oscillate between providing historical information about The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire and their own personal takes on the film. A notable highlight of this commentary includes the revelation that, despite the credits citing a novel as the film’s source material, there was no such book; the claim was made in an effort to lend legitimacy to the production. ” Slant magazine
“Arrow Video load this Blu-ray with many new supplements starting with a new audio commentary by giallo connoisseurs Adrian J. Smith and David Flint who are true fans of the genre and know The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire very well – sometimes having fun with the incongruous plot, red-herrings, real locations and over-the-top effects – having plenty to say about the performers, cast and crew. It’s quite good but they do have relatively strong Brit accents.” DVD Beaver
“Film historians and giallo connoisseurs Adrian Smith and David Flint deliver an engaging and fun-spirited audio commentary that is both appreciative and realistic in nature. They know a fair amount of this movie can be dismissed as rubbish and are quick to poke holes in the mystery and the excessive amount of suspects before a somewhat disappointing ending. Flint and Smith appreciate the effort and are having a blast watching the film, leading to a satisfying track.” Horror DNA
“Audio commentary with giallo connoisseurs Adrian J. Smith and David Flint. This is fairly interesting, the two deep diving into the movie, what it was well and where it succeeds within the giallo genre.” Movie Man’s Guide
“Extras start off with an audio commentary by giallo connoisseurs Adrian J. Smith and David Flint who previously provided a track for Strip Nude for Your Killer. They remark on the unusual giallo setting of Dublin – noting that the production was actually shot there with some local actors as opposed to the Scotland-set Seven Deaths in the Cat’s Eye or Freda’s The Ghost – the Irish-isms of the script and dubbing, and the cast. They also discuss Freda’s diffidence to the genre and his later works, as well as suggesting that Freda’s dissatisfaction with the finished product lead him to choose the pseudonym “Willy Pareto” rather than his usual “Robert Hampton” one.” DVD Drive-In
“Audio commentary by giallo connoisseurs Adrian J. Smith and David Flint. They have fun watching the film and trying to make sense of the film. It’s probably good to watch a second time with their commentary to get clued into a few scenes.” Inside Pulse
“ …Adrian Smith is joined by David Flint – the editor and publisher of The Reprobate – for The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire‘s audio commentary. They cover quite a bit of ground that isn’t addressed in any of the disc’s other extras, such as the non-existent novel the film is supposedly adapted from, a pre-Bond Roger Moore being sought for the lead role, and the storied history of Dublin’s Swastika Laundry. This is very much a proper conversation rather than a couple of cineastes reading from pre-prepared notes. Occasionally that means the two of them will fall into the trap of watching the movie, laughing and interjecting quick comments between gaps of dead air. More often, thankfully, they discuss what makes The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire unique, its place in the giallo canon, other films of note showcasing the talents of its cast and key crew, and, yes, the many, many places that the film goes so horribly awry.” DVD Talk
“A new audio commentary with “giallo connoisseurs” Adrian J. Smith and David Flint parses out the film’s more intricate plot details, covers Freda’s career and desire to cast Roger Moore as the lead(!), and notes some of the more perplexing red herrings.” Mondo Digital
The Killer Nun – Arrow Video Blu-ray
“Commentary with Italian genre film connoisseurs Adrian J. Smith and David Flint (on the English version) – The Italian genre connoisseurs, Smith and Flint get right down to business chatting about the supposed true story that the film is based on, its connections to other nunsploitation movies, the larger careers of the cast & crew, and more” Genre Grinder
“The film is accompanied by an audio commentary by Italian genre film connoisseurs Adrian J. Smith and David Flint who discuss the film’s misclassification not only as nunsploitation – while noting that it does have elements of the genre but deploys them to different effect – and as a video nasty in the UK where they note that the video cassette art more so than the actual content may have singled it out for scrutiny. They also discuss the film in the context of Ekberg’s career and her latter day move towards Eurotrash, and pointing out that the film does have certain camp and kitsch aspects that do not signify the comedown of Ekberg’s post-Hollywood career. They also provide some background on the true crime case behind the film.” DVD Drive-In
“As Smith and Flint describe on the disc’s lone commentary, Killer Nun was a film murdered by audiences and critics alike, largely due to “expectations” […] As Smith and Flint mention on the commentary, the restored look of the film allows audiences to see that this movie is not the home-video style trash it was once perceived to be, but professionally made trash, created by people who really cared about what they were doing […] I’ve mentioned Smith and Flint’s commentary a few times already. That’s because these two clearly have a genuine love and respect for the nunsploitation genre, and are quite knowledgeable during their discussion of Killer Nun.” Killer Horror Critic
“The disc features a new audio commentary by Italian genre film connoisseurs Adrian J. Smith and David Flint who jump right in with their love of this film. They begin with a recounting of the factual origins of the story in Belgium, 1976 of a nun killing elderly patients in a hospital. From there they provide notes on the cast and address the film’s reputation and brief appearance on the video nasties list. There is much discussion of star Anita Ekberg, and some discussion of the crazy score by composer Alessandro Alessandroni (The Devil’s Nightmare)” Horror DNA
“ …an excellent audio commentary from Movies & Mania’s Adrian J. Smith and The Reprobate’s David Flint, who divulge plenty of details about the film’s interesting cast, including walk-on cameos for Alida Valli, Lou Castel and a “wasted role” for Joe Dallesandro (who does at least get his crotch licked—albeit only through his pants—by nympho nun Sister Mathieu at one point!). Smith and Flint also discuss many of the film’s misconceptions with audiences and its “melodramatic nature”, which they never consider to be a negative; Alessandroni’s superb score; and the film’s ridiculous video nasty history, which they believe was a “victim of its promotion.” Diabolique magazine
“This is a pretty academic track but anyone interested in Italian cinema, will get an informative history lesson, especially as it pertains to Killer Nun.” Movie Man’s Guide
“Arrow Video have included plenty of bonus features here, with a fact-packed, and good humored, audio commentary courtesy of Italian genre film experts Adrian J. Smith and David Flint leading the way.” Horror Fuel
“ …there’s an informative commentary by two Italian genre experts.” Nightmarish Conjurings
“A new audio commentary with “Italian genre film connoisseurs” Adrian J. Smith and David Flint dive right in chatting about the factual inspiration for the story (which happened in Belgium), the issues with labeling this as nunsploitation, the ins and outs of the cast and crew, the elements of classic melodrama, and more.” Mondo Digital
Strip Nude for Your Killer – Arrow Video Blu-ray
“There’s also an entertaining and informative extras package as well, including a new audio commentary with authors David Flint and Adrian J. Smith, which is an enjoyable listen as the two scholars discuss the film reverently while watching it.” The Digital Bits
“Audio commentary by Adrian J. Smith and David Flint is a little on the chatty side, with the two sometimes talking over each other, but it deals with a wide array of production and biographical data. ” Blu-ray.com
” …Smith, who is also the author of Blood & Black Lace (Stray Cat, 2000), and Horror Out of Control co-author (with Keri O’Shea; Reprobate Press, 2020) David Flint fairly assess (and sometimes tease) the film’s sometimes charming shortcomings, while also discussing the international state of gialli when Strip Nude for Your Killer was released, giallo/sexploitation/comedy overlap, the careers of the cast & crew, ongoing movie censorship, blatant product placement, and marveling at the film’s pure sleaziness.” Genre Grinder
“ …the Arrow Blu-ray starts off its array of extras with an audio commentary by Adrian J. Smith (author of the early British giallo tome Blood and Black Lace) and The Reprobate Press’ David Flint who discuss the film’s tonal shifts and its resemblance to a Carry On comedy, noting that the 1979 British double bill with Sister Emanuelle was symptomatic of British distributors’ treatment of many gialli as sex films rather than thrillers, and placing the film in a tier of gialli occupied by Slaughter Hotel, Torso and Giallo in Venice.” DVD Drive-In
“An entertaining new audio commentary with Adrian J. Smith and David Flint who acknowledge the film’s inherent exploitation factors while contextualizing it within the trend of the mid-’70s giallo. It also more than earns its scholar stripes with observations like “There’s an inference that the murderer has done something ’round the back end there.” Mondo Digital
“very entertaining commentary” Pizowell YouTube channel
If you would like us to provide an audio commentary for a future Blu-ray or 4K disc release please get in touch using the following form.
Most of our audio commentaries have been recorded with the helpful and friendly assistance of audio engineer Matthew Jarman at his Bad Princess Productions studio
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