Umbrella Entertainment has announced the Ozploitation Rarities Volume 1 Blu-ray set, which consists of three brand-new restorations of lost and overlooked Australian thrillers slathered in sleaze, salacious secrets, and cold-blooded murder.
Featuring over four hours of new extras, including interviews and commentaries with key cast and crew
The three films in the set are the sun-soaked terror Lady Stay Dead, the seductive schlock Final Cut (aka Death Games), and the Hitchcockian sci-fi Crosstalk; this set also includes new outer and disc art and three cases with original artwork. The Collector’s Edition also includes a rigid case, two reversible posters, artcards, and a 48-page book with written content from Paul Harris, John Hipwell, David Stratton, and Stephen Vagg.
You can find a synopsis for each film below. You can pre-order the set here. It will be available July 3, 2024.
Ozploitation Rarities Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie Details
Crosstalk
Confined by his mysterious employers to a luxury high-rise apartment, wheelchair-bound computer programmer Ed Ballinger (Gary Day), attempts to correct a malfunction in the I-500 – the world’s most sophisticated surveillance system. Confronted by increasingly bizarre readouts, he discovers that not only is the computer’s intelligence growing – but it has witnessed a vicious murder!
Ed becomes obsessed with solving the crime – and soon both man and machine are plunged into a vortex of technological horror…
Lady, Stay Dead
Living in a luxury villa on a deserted Sydney beach, millionairess pop singer Marie Coleby (Deborah Coulls) makes the grave mistake of antagonizing her unhinged peeping Tom gardener (Chard Haywood) – leading to a vicious rape and a macabre murder.
The unexpected arrival of Marie’s sister Jenny (Louise Howitt) hinders the disposal of the body – so she is added to the insane handyman’s kill list. With Jenny equally determined to stay alive, so begins a cat-and-mouse battle of wits climaxing in an after-dark assault that violently showcases garden shears, a chainsaw, and homemade petrol bombs.
Final Cut
In the fast-lane world of sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll, Dominic Black (David Clendinning), a millionaire entrepreneur, reigns supreme. Bored with the usual showbiz diversions, he prefers to indulge in playing elaborate mind games – and making movies where the performers end up dead!
After a documentary cameraman (Lou Brown) and his journalist girlfriend (Jennifer Cluff) witness one of Dominic’s party guests being hunted and killed in a chilling, hallucinatory chase, the immoral tycoon fears they may have captured the shocking event on film.
He lures the inquisitive pair to his luxury Surfers Paradise penthouse for a weekend of cat-and-mouse games where there are blood-splattered bodies in the pool, on the balcony, and in the cupboards… but in this complex, deadly nightmare, nothing is what it seems.
Ozploitation Rarities Volume 1 Blu-ray Extras
Standard edition available from select stores. Only available from the Umbrella webstore, the Ozploitation Vol 1 Collector’s Edition includes:
- 48-page book with written content from Paul Harris, John Hipwell, David Stratton, and Stephen Vagg
- Custom designed outer rigid slipcase
- 8 poster cards
- 2 x A3 reversible posters
- Limited Edition Numbered release
CROSSTALK
- NEW! REAR WINDOW MEETS 2001 – a visual essay from screenwriter and author Stephen Vagg
- NEW! SHOOTING HITCHCOCK DOWNUNDER – an interview with cinematographer Vincent Monton
- NEW! NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD interview with executive producer Ross Matthews
- NEW! The VHS ExperienceArchival interviews with director Mark Egerton, executive producer Ross Matthews and composer Chris Neill
- Archival interview with original writer/director Keith Salvat conducted by film critic David Stratton (audio only)Theatrical TrailerExtended Theatrical Trailer
LADY, STAY DEAD
- NEW! NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD interview with actor Roger Ward
- NEW! 2024 interview with actor Chard Haywood (audio only)NEW! The VHS Experience
- THE D.W. GRIFFITH OF OZPLOITATION – a visual essay on the career of filmmaker Terry Bourke by film buff Paul Harris
- Archival interview with co-producer John Hipwell conducted by film buff Paul Harris (audio only)
- Terry Bourke trailer reel
- Stills Gallery
- Theatrical Trailer
FINAL CUT
- NEW! Audio commentary with producer Mike Williams moderated by screenwriter Shayne Armstrong (Acolytes, Bait 3D)
- NEW! OZ VOYEURS – a visual essay from Author and TV historian Andrew Mercado
- NEW! NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD interview with director Ross Dimsey
- NEW! The VHS Experience
- Stills Gallery
- Trailer