BBC News Online: Entertainment: Film

Cult horror films released uncut

Films including The Evil Dead, Halloween, Nosferatu, The Stepford Wives, which has been unavailable for many years on video, Murphy's War and Runaway Train will be released by independent video company Anchor Bay.

All of these titles will be remastered and restored to the best quality.

One title that horror fans will be eagerly anticipating is a new extended edition of John Carpenter classic Halloween.

When the film was sold to NBC in 1980, the network's Standards & Practices Department demanded cuts to the original film.

Alternate footage

When the cuts were made, additional scenes had to be shot to make sure the film had the required two-hour television running time.

Using the crew of Halloween II, as well as stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasance, director John Carpenter commenced a three-day shoot of 12 minutes of all-new scenes and alternate footage that was then added to the original feature.

The new releases will be reviewed on the BBC Films Online site.

Almar Haflidason, DVD reviewer for BBC Films Online, said: "Anchor Bay's reputation precedes them. We have already reviewed some of their DVDs for the US market and we're delighted that we'll be able to give UK fans exclusive previews of their new UK products before anyone else."

Other films in Anchor Bay's US catalogue include several Ealing comedies, many Hammer films, and cult films such as Heathers, Repo Man, Manhunter and The Wicker Man.