Enter the Video Store: Empire of Screams (Arrow Video) Blu-ray Review + 1080p Screenshots + Packaging Shots

Arrow Video releases one of the best blu-ray sets of 2023 with Enter the Video: Empire of Screams, which brings together five classics from the legendary Empire Pictures and loads this set with a ton of special features.

Studio: Arrow Video
Release Date: August 24th, 1984 (theatrical) (The Dungeonmaster) / May 29th, 1987 (theatrical) (Dolls) / September 30th, 1988 (theatrical) (Cellar Dweller) / September 18th, 1991 (video premiere) (Arena) / November 21st, 1990 (theatrical) (Robot Jox) / June 27th, 2023 (blu-ray)
Run Time: 1 hour 17 minutes 59 seconds (The Dungeonmaster pre-release version), 1 hour 17 minutes 37 seconds (The Dungeonmaster international version), 1 hour 13 minutes 35 seconds (The Dungeonmaster US cut) / 1 hour 17 minutes 29 seconds (Dolls) / 1 hour 17 minutes 36 seconds (Cellar Dweller) / 1 hour 37 minutes 20 seconds (Arena) / 1 hour 24 minutes 27 seconds (Robot Jox)
Region Code: FREE

Disc Count: 5
Picture: 1080p (1.85:1 aspect ratio) (all films)
Sound: English LPCM 1.0 (The Dungeonmaster) / English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and 5.1 (Dolls) / English LPCM 2.0 (Cellar Dweller, Arena, Robot Jox)
Subtitles: English SDH (all films)
Slipcover: Yes (one of the rare boxsets to get a full slipcover)
Digital Copy: No
Starring: Jeffrey Byron, Richard Moll, Leslie Wing, Phil Fondacaro, Anthony T. Genova III, Lonnie Hashimoto (The Dungeonmaster) / Stephen Lee, Guy Rolfe, Hilary Mason, Ian Patrick Williams, Carolyn Purdy-Gordon, Cassie Stuart, Bunty Bailey, Carrie Lorraine (Dolls) /  Yvonne De Carlo, Debrah Farentino, Brian Robbins, Pamela Bellwood, Vince Edwards, Jeffrey Combs (Cellar Dweller) / Paul Satterfield, Hamilton Camp, Claudia Christian (Arena) / Gary Graham, Anne-Marie Johnson, Paul Koslo, Robert Sampson, Danny Kamekona, Hilary Mason, Michael Alldredge (Robot Jox)
Written by Allen Actor, Dave Allen, Charles Band, John Carl Buechler, Jeffrey Byron, Peter Manoogian, Ted Nicolaou, Rosemarie Turko. (The Dungeonmaster)/ Ed Naha (Dolls) / Don Mancini (Cellar Dweller) / Danny Bilson, Paul De Meo (Arena) / Joe Haldeman (Robot Jox)
Directed by Dave Allen, Charles Band, John Carl Buechler, Steven Ford, Peter Manoogian, Ted Nicolaou, Rosemarie Turko (The Dungeonmaster) / Stuart Gordon (Dolls and Robot Jox) / John Carl Buechler (Cellar Dweller) / Peter Manoogian (Arena)
Rating: PG (violence) (Robot Jox) / PG-13 (fantasy violence) (The Dungeonmaster US Cut), Not Rated (fantasy violence and some nudity) (The Dungeonmaster Pre-release and International versions) / R (horror violence and gore, and for language) (Dolls) / Not Rated (creature violence and brief nudity) (Cellar Dweller) / PG-13 (fantasy violence) (Arena)

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Poster(s)

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What's It About?

Paul, a computer whiz who spends more time with his machine than with his girlfriend, finds that he has been chosen as a worthy opponent for Mestema, an evil wizard who has spent centuries searching for a challenging foe. After having his computer changed into a wristband weapon, Paul battles with a variety of monsters before finally coming face to face with the ultimate adversary. (THE DUNGEONMASTER)

Five adults and a child (two parties traveling separately) are stranded in a storm and spend the night in the mansion of an elderly couple who are dollmakers. However, the travelers' young daughter realizes the dolls the couple makes were once wicked humans whom the couple has miniaturized and turned into dolls. (DOLLS)

Thirty years have passed since the grisly murder/suicide of Colin Childress, creator of the comic book Cellar Dweller. But, as often happens to those ignorant of it, comic book artist Whitney Taylor is doomed to repeat history in a most grotesque way. Little does she know that her twisted renderings will soon reincarnate the bloody hysteria of Cellar Dweller. (CELLAR DWELLER)

An intergalactic fighting competition between champions of various worlds has traditionally been won by a species much larger and stronger than humans. Entering the contest, a human finds he has to battle against not just his opponents and his self-doubts, but the corrupt system. (ARENA)

It is post-World War III. War is outlawed. In its place, are matches between large Robots called Robot Jox. These matches take place between two large superpowers over disputed territories. The main character Achilles is a pilot in one of the large Robots. The plot revolves around him and a match for the state of Alaska. (ROBOT JOX)

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Video/Audio

THE DUNGEONMASTER three versions:

-Ragewar (pre-release version) (1h 17m 59s, HD, 1.85:1) Under the alternate title of Ragewar, this is the longest version of the film. It includes some nudity that was cut from later versions and features the various "challenges" in the same order as listed in the end credits.

-Ragewar (international version) (1h 17m 23s, HD, 1.85:1) This version of the film was released in cinemas and on home video around the world. It omits some of the nude shots contained in the pre-release version,  and presents the "challenges" oin a different order.

-The Dungeonmaster (US theatrical version) (1h 13m 35s, HD, 1.85:1) This version of the film was released in US cinemas as The Dungeonmaster. It mots the prologue entirely, and once again changes the order in the "challenges" are presented. 

THE DUNGEONMASTER comes from a brand new 2K scan of the original camera negative and I have to say it looks pretty damn good. I was worried early on when the picture looked a little worse for wear, like it was taken from an older master but everything smooths out once we get to the fantasy section of the film. Colors are full and accurate and film grain is nicely resolved. I liked this transfer. The included LPCM mono track gets the job done. 

DOLLS, like THE DUNGEONMASTER before it (and ROBOT JOX after it), is taken from a 2K scan of the original camera negative and looks great. I don't know what the previous blu-rays (from Scream Factory and 101 Films respectively) looked like but they didn't look like this. This is a nice transfer with very healthy colors, deep blacks, and a fine layer of film grain. The included 2.0 and 5.1 tracks are both pretty good. I liked the 2.0 more but that is a preference. 

CELLAR DWELLER is the least impressive of this set, so far. This is the only film in the set that has to rely on previous work rather than Arrow bring able to do a scan on their own, although Arrow did do additional work on the transfer they were provided. The results are good. Film grain is presented but not as natural as it was on the other films in this set. Skin tones look good as do colors. Blacks are deep and detail is nice. The included 2.0 track is nice.

Arena starts out with a disclaimer about the transfer and the materials used for said transfers:

"Despite a thorough search, the best quality film material that could be found was a 35mm theatrical print, which the source element used for this remastered version. The opening titles and onscreen text offset was an error in the initial film printing and has been retained for this presentation."

As for how the film looks: it looks really good. This is coming from a theatrical print so everything is a bit off. There's a bit of black crush here and there and some skin tones are just this side of blown out. This transfer isn't doing Claudia Christain any favors. This is also a fairly soft transfer. I do like it though as it feels like it came from a real film source instead of being just another file (yes it is a file now). The Lionsgate blu-ray for the 1981 MY BLOODY VALENTINE has this same look in the Unrated footage. Sure, it makes the film look "worse" but I love it. The included 2.0 track is nice. 

Robot Jox is really impressive. This is taken from a 2K restoration and I think it's the best one in the set. The film has a wonderful look and feel of a film print. Detail is high across the board and film grain is present and accounted for. ROBOT JOX has always been a colorful film but now the colors are so much better and deep. Blacks are inky and deep. This is an all around winner.

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Extras/Packaging

Disc 1: The Dungeonmaster

Audio Commentary by Jeffrey Byron moderated by Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain

I Reject Your Reality and I Substitute My Own (15m 7s, HD, 1.78:1) An interview with actor Jeffrey Byron, star of The Dungeonmaster. Filmed exclusively for Arrow Video in 2023. This is a pretty interview. He starts out by talking about how he met Charles Band and how he got the role. He speaks favorably about the film's writer which is something you don't see in interviews like this.

Trailers:

    -Theatrical Trailer (1m 57s, HD, 1.85:1)

    -Alternate Trailer (3m 2s, SD, 1.33:1)

Image Gallery (11 images)

Disc 2: Dolls

Audio Commentaries:

-Director and Screenwriter Commentary An archival audio commentary with director Stuart Gordon and writer Ed Naha

-Cast Commentary An archive audio commentary with cast members Carolyn Purdy-Gordon, Stephen Lee, Carrie Lorraine, Ian Patrick Williams

-Empire Alumnus Commentary A new audio commentary by Empire Pictures and Full Moon alumnus David DeCaoteau (director of Creepozoids) talking about his friend, Dolls director Stuart Gordon.

Assembling Dolls (17m 1s, HD, 1.78:1) Editor Lee Percy was an essential part of what made Stuart Gordon's early films work. In this interview he discusses his work on Dolls. Filmed exclusively for Arrow Video in 2023.

Toys of Terror: The Making of Dolls (38m 31s, HD, 1.78:1) This making-of was created for the 2014 Scream Factory blu-ray and it is a pretty good one. The big hitters (Stuart Gordon, Brian Yuzna, Charles Band) are here, among others, and they have some great stories to tell.

Storyboard Comparision (8m 30s, HD, 1.85:1)

Trailers:

-Theatrical Trailer (2m 34s, HD, 1.85:1)

-Alternate Trailer (1m 24s, HD, 1.85:1)

-UK Home Video Trailer (1m 35s, SD, 1.33:1)

Still Gallery (51 images)

Disc 3: Cellar Dweller 

Audio Commentary Special Make-up effects artist Michael Deak who inhabited the creature suit for the "Cellar Dweller" itself, sits down with film critics, and Empire Pictures fans, Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain to revisit the film. Recorded exclusively for Arrow Video in 2023

Grabbed by the Ghoulies (16m 3s, HD, 1.78:1) Film critics Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain present an appreciation of John Carl Buechler, celebrated creator of special make-up effects for a host of cult horror films and the director of Troll, Cellar Dweller and Friday the 13th Part VII. Recorded exclusively for Arrow Video in 2023. This video is very thorough with the guys going through Buechler's career and stopping to highlight their favorites. This is one of the best special features in the whole set. 

Inside the Cellar (16m 30s, HD, 1.78:1) An interview with special make-up effects artist Michael Deak wor worked on the effects for the film and inhabited the creature suit for the "Cellar Dweller" itself. Filmed exclusively for Arrow Video in 2023

Trailers:

VHS Trailer (1m 15s, SD, 1.33:1) 

More Films by Empire Pictures (11m 23s, HD, 1.33:1 / 1.78:1 / 1.85:1 / 1.90:1) A trailer reel for more classic Empire Pictures films, including: Ghoulies, Ghoulies II, Breeders, Eliminators, Crawlspace, From Beyond, and Prison.

More Films by Empire Pictures (VHS Mode!) (17m 1s, SD) Complete the VHS experience with this reel of VHS trailers for Empire Pictures films, including: Ghoulies, Eliminators, From Beyond, TerrorVision, Enemy Territory, Ghoulies II, Catacombs, Ghost Town, and Crawlspace (Troll is also included)

Image Galleries:

Behind the Scenes ()1m 40s, HD)

Artwork and Stills (44 images)

Original Sales Sheet (2 images)

Original Production Notes (16 images)

Disc 4:  Arena

Audio Commentary Director Peter Manoogian sits down with film critics, and Empire Pictures fans, Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain to revisit the film to revisit the film. Recorder exclusively for Arrow Video in 2023.

Alternate Full Frame Version (1h 37m, SD, 1.33:1) This archive standard-definition master for Arena is included for posterity as it features different framing and color grading to the remaster seen elsewhere on this disc.

Not His Arena (14m 44s, HD, 1.78:1) An interview with screenwriter Danny Billson, co-writer of Trancers, Zone Troopers, Arena, and The Rocketeer. Filmed exclusively for Arrow Video in 2023. Started as a camera assistant to Mac Alhberg. While working on Ghoulies, he approached the producer about writing a script for a film. This film was Trancers. He explains how Charles Band would come up with ideas for films. He would have a poster made up with only an idea and then a script would be made based on said poster. The original script he wrote was his favorite script he and his writing partner ever wrote but the script was changed so much while filming that he does recognize the film anymore. He has no nostalgia for the film that was made because the film isn't what he wrote. He doesn't blame the director as he was shooting what he was told to shoot.

Empire of Creatures (16m 21s, HD, 1.78:1) Special make-up effects artist Michael Deak talks about Arena, Cellar Dweller and creating effects for Empire Picture. Filmed exclusively for Arrow Video in 2023. He plays Horn in the film and he talks about the challenges he faced not being able to see during the fight scenes. He says that all of the effects people working on the film played various creatures in the film. He also played Shorty's second set of arms. He talks about the challenges of each of the scenes where creatures appear and speaks highly of the whole production and the people who worked on it.

Trailers:

Theatrical Trailer 16:9 (1m 40s, HD, 1.85:1)

Theatrical Trailer 4:3 (1m 41s, SD, 1.33:1)

Image Galleries:

Behind the Scenes (1m 6s, HD)

Posters and Stills (27 images)

Disc 5: Robot Jox

Audio Commenraies:

Director Commentary An archival audio commentary with director Stuart Gordon

Special Effects Commentary An archive audio commentary with associate effects director Paul Dentry, mechanical effects artist Mark Rappaport, and stop-motion animator Paul Jessell

Crash and Burn (17m 9s, HD, 1.78:1) An interview with actor Gary Graham about the making of Robot JOx and his role as Achilles. Filmed exclusively for Arrow Video in 2023.

Her Name is Athena (13m 25s, HD, 1.78:1) An interview with actress Anne-Marie Johnson about the making of Robot Jox and her role as Athena. Filmed exclusively for Arrow Video in 2023. She talks about how she got along with Gary Graham (despite what Imbd says). She also talks about how many of the background characters are people of color and how Italian crews go out of their way to populate their ground extras with people of color. She speaks very highly of the film and seems to be proud of it.

The Scale of Battle: Davis Allen and the FX of Robot Jox (26m 35s, HD, 1.78:1) A new appreciation of stop motion animator David Allen by those who knew him, featuring contributions from fellow visual effects artists Steve Burg (Terminator 2, The Matrix), Yancy Calzada (Evil Dead 2, Starship Troopers), Paul Gentry (Darkman, Total Recall), Kevin Kutchaver (Robocop, Blade), Dennis Muren (Star Wars, Jurassic Park), and John Vincent (Freaked, Prehysteria). Filmed exclusively for Arrow Video in 2023. Many shared memories along with a ton of behind-the-scenes footage, make this one of the best special features in this set.

Looking Back (10m 24s, HD, 1.78:1) An archive interview with actor Paul Koslo in which he looks back at the making of Robot Jox and his role as Alexander.

Salvaged from the Wreckage (8m 19s, HD, 1.78:1) An archive of behind-the-scenes photos courtesy of associate effects director Paul Gentry

Trailer (1m 25s, SD, 1.33:1)

Image Galleries:

Behind the Scenes (9m 14s, HD)

Posters and Stills (113 images)

Original Sales Sheet (2 images)

Original Production Notes (11 images)

Arrow Video did such a great job on this box set. After seeing pictures on social media, I was afraid this set would have been pretty big, but I am happy to report that this set is a lot smaller than I had thought. I would say that it is a bit bigger than their normal Limited Edition but not by much. The set features a slipcover which is something we don't normally see on box sets. The entire box is made to look like a video store through the lens of nostalgia. The main colors are blue and purple and the entire thing looks great. The top of the box comes off to reveal 5 14mm clear blu-ray cases and a booklet. Each film gets its own disc (which I am glad Arrow didn't cheapen out on and make a few double feature discs.) with reversible artwork featuring brand new artwork from Ilan Sheady on one side and the film's original theatrical art on the other. My only complaint with the artwork is the one used as the original theatrical artwork for ROBOT JOX is not the one that I am used to. The one I know is the one that was used in the States with the two robots. Oh well. 

Inside each case is 3 postcards and a double sided poster that features the same artwork as the blu-ray. The disc art is the commissioned artwork. 

Finally, the 80-page booklet features an essay by four different authors: Dave Jay (THE DUNGEONMASTER),  Meagan Navarro (DOLLS), Lee Gambin (CELLAR DWELLER), Dave Jay (ARENA), John Harrison (ROBOT JOX) as well as a history of Empire Pictures, an interview with John Carl Buechler, ROBOT JOX production notes, and information about each of the restorations used in this set. The booklet is made up to look like the movies magazines that many video stores carried during the heyday of THE VIDEO STORE DAYS.

All 5 discs are REGION FREE

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Overall

THE DUNGEONMASTER is a lot of fun. The skipping between worlds can be a little jarring with the different filmmaking style and all, but it doesn't take away from the film.  The film has some great cinematography and Richard Moll is always a plus.

DOLLS was pretty decent. If you look at it as a follow-up to RE-ANIMATOR and FROM BEYOND, then you are going to be disappointed, but if you watch it as a film without those connections, I think you will have a good time with it. There's some nice gore and the dolls are actually kind of scary. Definitely worth checking out.

CELLAR DWELLER was pretty good. I loved the concept of bringing a monster to life by drawing it and felt that it was well executed. The monster is great looking and it shows up throughout the film, something that most films don't do. The film is short so it never overstays its welcome. Some good gore effects too but that should be as it was directed by an effects guy. Also, one of the stars of the film is the current (as of 2023) President of Nickelodeon. 

ARENA is a disappointment. This doesn't mean the film is bad. Far from it. It just means that I had certain expectations that the film did not meet. The creature design is amazing and I was surprised by the amount of creatures we saw. Usually, films like this only have the actual creature designs in a few scene and the rest of the film would be humans with make up on. It happens here too but far less than I expected. The film just didn't gel with me all that much. I was kind of bored with it. It's a decent film but far from the film that has built up in many head over the last thirty years.

ROBOT JOX is a pretty decent film. This was the most expensive film that Empire Pictures ever made and it is all up on the screen. There are some really impressive shots where the merge live action footage with the stop motion animation footage. All of the robot stuff in the film is top notch. The character stuff had me checked out at various points in the film. I just didn't care about that and wanted far more robot action. The film is still entertaining because the robot stuff is so strong. I have to bet that Guillermo del Toro is a fan of ROBOT JOX.

ENTER THE VIDEO STORE: EMPIRE OF SCREAMS is an incredible set. All five films are fun in different ways and they are all worth owning. The picture and sound quality are all top notch and the special features will keep you entertained for days. I can't recommend this set highly enough. This is a must buy.

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Film

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Packaging