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Richard Loncraine’s The Haunting of Julia is something of a film maudit. Adapted from Peter Straub’s first horror novel, the film was shot around London in late 1976 under the title Full Circle (as its title card still reads), then made the festival rounds throughout 1977, before barely being released in England in 1978. It belatedly turned up in the U.S. three years later, boasting the more genre-friendly title The Haunting of Julia but still failed to find much of an audience. A lot of this has to do with some significant stylistic differences between Loncraine’s film and the wave of slasher movies that dominated the horror market at the time: Above all, its unhurried pace and relatively restrained depiction of violence stand in stark contrast to the slasher’s relentless plotting and unfettered brutality.

From its disturbing opening scene to its unforgettable final shot, The Haunting of Julia...

Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products released each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.

Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!

Trick or Treat Vinyl Soundtrack from Real Gone Music

Rock and roll will never die with Trick or Treat’s original motion picture soundtrack being reissued on vinyl for the first time since its initial release in 1986. Real Gone Music will release it on October 7.

The score is composed by Fastway, the British heavy metal founded by former Motorhead guitarist “Fast” Eddie Clarke and featuring Flogging Molly frontman Dave King on vocals. It’s pressed on “Hellfire” colored vinyl, limited to 2,000.

Stranger Things Prints from Netflix

Butcher Billy created artwork for all nine chapters of Stranger Things’s fourth season, giving retro-inspired designs to some of the most memorable moments — from Max’s “Running Up...

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By Darren Allison

Fireball XL5

It’s always a gratifying feeling when Silva screen produces another title in their successful Gerry Anderson collection. This time around, they have focused on the 1962-63 series, Fireball XL5 (SILLP1595).

The black & white puppet television series followed the missions of Fireball XL5, a vessel of the World Space Patrol in the year 2062. Commanded by Colonel Steve Zodiac, XL5 travels the universe encountering alien civilisations and defending planet Earth from interstellar threats. It was produced, like most other Anderson productions, in Supermarionation, using puppetry techniques that captured the imagination of a generation.

The Fireball XL5 soundtrack has been newly compiled, mastered and designed by the creative and committed team at Fanderson – The Official Gerry And Sylvia Anderson Appreciation Society.

The album features 24 tracks from 16 episodes, including the Fireball XL5 main theme and single version. In the opening theme,...

As a horror fan you might imagine I do just as much reading as I do sitting back and watching flicks on my couch. Well, maybe not. But I promise I do! I especially dig a solid short story, and one of my favorites is Hellraiser and Candyman creator Clive Barker's monster-on-the-loose tale Rawhead Rex. The story was initially adapted for the big screen by director George Pavlou back in 1987, and from the sound of it, the underappreciated monster movie might be getting a reboot soon. The latest issue of The Dark Side Magazine features a lengthy interview with Pavlou who says this about his original flick.

"After 30 years and with the film finally out on Blu-ray and the fans so enthusiastic for it, well, it's just pleased me enormously. For years I've been watching this horrible degraded, nasty 4K format version on YouTube and it was just depressing...

Robert Heinlein’s frighteningly brilliant sci-fi horror concept spawned an entire generation of biological invasions from outer space. Stuart Orme’s faithful, authorized adaptation has a lot going for it, including sensationally good, gloppy special makeup effects, and a commanding performance from a dour, authoritative Donald Sutherland.

The Puppet Masters

Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1994 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 109 min. / Street Date December 4, 2018 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95

Starring: Donald Sutherland, Julie Warner, Eric Thal, Keith David, Will Patton, Richard Belzer, Tom Mason, Yaphet Kotto, Marshall Bell.

Cinematography: Clive Tickner

Film Editor: William Goldenberg

Original Music: Colin Towns

Special Makeup Effects: Greg Cannom, Larry Odien

Written by Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, David S. Goyer from the book by Robert A. Heinlein

Produced by Ralph Winter

Directed by Stuart Orme

Paranoid conspiracy movies got an early hold in film noir but really took off in early science fiction, abetted by rumors (and some evidence...

Space-travelling truckers, deathly machines and evil pirates crash the cosmos in Space Truckers, the action packed intergalactic adventure from famed director Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator). This sci-fi cult favourite comes to UK Blu-ray for the first time ever in this newly restored edition complete with brand new bonus features, courtesy of Second Sight.

Award winning Hollywood star Dennis Hopper (Blue Velvet, True Romance) is John Canyon, a long in the tooth space trucker whose latest assignment is to carry a top-secret shipment and ask no questions. Joined by his girlfriend (Debi Mazar – Entourage, Empire Records) and a new rookie apprentice (Stephen Dorff – Blade, Leatherface), the trio runs into trouble when they cross paths with ruthless pirate Captain Macanudo (Charles Dance – The Imitation Game, Game of Thrones) who discovers the mysterious cargo – an army of invincible killing machines that are headed for earth.

This bumper Blu-ray edition of Space Truckers arrives on...

Trumpeter who played on every James Bond film soundtrack from Dr No to Skyfall

The trumpeter Derek Watkins, who has died aged 68 of cancer, was recognised by his fellow professionals as the finest lead player of his generation. To see him take his place in a big-band trumpet section or orchestral ensemble was to be reassured that all would be well. Dizzy Gillespie, no mean judge of trumpeters, called him "Mr Lead".

Watkins played on every James Bond film soundtrack from Dr No (1962) to Skyfall (2012), his blazing lead trumpet work evident on Monty Norman's iconic James Bond theme. The 19-year-old Watkins's spine-chilling trumpet growls set the scene on John Barry's Goldfinger (1964) theme, sung by Shirley Bassey, and Watkins was also prominent on Bill Conti's For Your Eyes Only (1981) score. As Barry said, Watkins "never failed to deliver the goods".

The film composer John Altman recalled that Watkins...

Our critics' picks of this week's openings, plus your last chance to see and what to book now

• Which cultural events are in your diary this week? Tell us in the comments below

Opening this week

Theatre

27

Return of Abi Morgan's play, set in a convent, which examines faith, science, ageing and loneliness. Maureen Beattie stars and Vicky Featherstone directs. Citizens, Glasgow, Thursday to 26 May, then touring.

Mayfest

Fabulous festival in Bristol of work from both established and emerging artists. It's a real mixture, very little of it in traditional form. Be adventurous. Various venues, Thursday to 27 May.

100% Norfolk

Famed Berlin company Rimini Protokoll, who create theatre with real people, are exploring the experiences, hopes and dreams of 100 Norfolk dwellers. Theatre Royal, Norwich, Friday and Saturday.

Pop

The Horrors

Still riding the wave of last year's fantastic Skying album, the Horrors tour with support from the equally great and similarly psychedelic Toy.

When Mark Hall's death was announced, one of Britain's leading animation businesses put a message on Twitter: "Deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend Mark Hall. Our company would not be here without him." Hall neither founded that business nor took any part in it. But its directors learned their trade under his unique guidance and inspiration, and never forgot it.

In his long professional life, Mark had two consistent passions. One was for filming stories by great children's writers, in ways which would respect and amplify the original work. The other was for teaching the craft and technique of animated film. The company he founded with Brian Cosgrove was born in the 1960s, when UK animation was a failing cottage industry and even Disney was in the doldrums. So they daringly built their team of film-makers from scratch, bringing new young recruits out of art colleges...

When Julia (Mia Farrow) Lofting witnesses her daughter Kate (Sophie Ward) choke to death at the kitchen table, her mental stability (as should be expected) shatters. Plagued by depression and a nasty case of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Julia leaves her husband Magnus (Keir Dullea), and attempts to build a new life on her own, in a new location. But Julia’s new residence is no safe haven, and she soon discovers that the peace she seeks is very far from “home”, for these new corridors harbor an old, malicious spirit, and few who come in contact with this entity live to tell about it.

An eerie film in just about every sense imaginable, The Haunting Of Julia (which was originally released as Full Circle) packs a load of chills despite a slow start and overall conservative approach to Peter Straub’s original novel “Julia” (which served as the films source...