HALLOWED BY THEIR NAME Is A Maiden Voyage

HALLOWED BY THEIR NAME: THE UNOFFICIAL IRON MAIDEN BIBLE (Book)

By Martin Popoff

2025 / 666p (naturally)

From Schiffer Publishing

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Banger😺

When this arrived, my first thought was that it would break every bone in my foot if I happened to drop it. This is a massive, meaty volume, as any biography about heavy metal legends should be. 

And Iron Maiden aren’t just legendary (to say nothing of hugely influential), their brand is still culturally relevant. My own daughters probably couldn’t name a single one of their songs, but they sure as hell know the band’s iconic logo and mascot, Eddie (as would anyone else who regularly ventures into Hot Topic). As for their headbanging ol’ Dad, he’s been a die hard fan since Maiden’s first album…way back in 1980, before most Americans had even heard of them.

I’ve also read numerous books about Iron Maiden, but none as comprehensive as Hallowed By Their Name. I suppose it’s not quite a biography in the purest sense, since it focuses almost exclusively on the band’s musical career, album by album, along with the massive tours in between and numerous line-up changes over the years. Anyone curious about Steve Harris’ childhood are advised to look elsewhere, since the closest the book dives into anyone’s personal life is when it influences or affects the band. And as the “unofficial” part of the title indicates, a majority of the stories and anecdotes are culled from various interviews over the years, from band members to roadies to important figures like manager Ron Smallwood.

Still, it’s a fascinating read. After a lengthy introduction that charts Maiden’s tumultuous rise from playing British pubs to being the poster boys for the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM), every album and tour (Iron Maiden to Senjutsu) is chronicled in enough detail to sate even the most hardcore fan. Concurrently, the chapters keep tabs on careers of notable former members, such as perpetually troubled Paul Di’Anno (RIP), and current lead singer Bruce Dickenson’s solo projects. During the course of this nearly 50-year journey, author Martin Popoff also discusses the ever-changing musical climate and Maiden’s status and relevance within it. 

Speaking of the author, Popoff is a prolific and engaging music writer who focuses almost exclusively on rock & metal. I’ve read some of his other books, all which reflect an exhausting amount of research, so there’s no disputing his knowledge of the genre. While I’ve enjoyed his previous biographies, I sometimes took issue with the overt subjectivity he’d frequently interject, writing as though his own critical assessments reflect a general consensus. Although some of his personal opinions about various songs/albums pop up in this one from time to time, he mostly lets his subjects tell a majority of this story. Besides, Mr. Popoff, everybody knows Powerslave is their greatest album (see what I did there?).

I can’t say I’m crazy about the cover, but inside, Hallowed By Their Name is a thing of beauty. Hundreds of photos are included throughout its glossy pages, as well as promotional material and, of course, plenty of Derek Riggs’ iconic artwork (by the way, this is the second Iron Maiden book I’ve read where Riggs comes across as kind of a dick). Capping things off are the complete discographies of Iron Maiden and various band members’ solo/side projects. 

Epic in length and aesthetically gorgeous, Hallowed By Their Name is a terrific book about one of metal’s greatest bands. I think even the most knowledgeable Maiden fans will find much that’s revelatory. And I did happen to drop it once while reading. Luckily, I missed my foot, but it hit the floor hard enough to scare the shit out of my cats.

JASON Steps Out Of His Comfort Zone in 4K

JASON GOES TO HELL (4K Limited Edition) 

JASON X (4K Limited Edition)

From Arrow Video

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat

Here they are, the two blackest sheep of the Friday the 13th franchise, courtesy of New Line Cinema, now on 4K from Arrow Video. Still, both have their share of fans (one probably a lot more than the other), who will certainly appreciate the UHD upgrades.

"You guys hear something?"

When New Line acquired the Jason character from Paramount, the ultimate goal was to eventually pit him against Freddy Krueger. Laying the groundwork for this clash of terror titans was Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993/91 min), and if nothing else, there’s an admirable attempt to do something a little different. In fact, Jason is blown to bits in the very first scene, but is now able to possess others into continuing his killing spree.

That means ol’ Voorhees ain’t actually on-screen all that much, which apparently didn’t sit too well with fans. But that’s not the problem with this one. The story is too much like The Hidden, the performances are pedestrian (even by the franchise’s lowly standards) and the characters are terribly written. Though there are some great kills (especially the unrated cut, which is included), this one is just for completists.

The backstory of Jason Goes to Hell is far more interesting and entertaining than the movie itself, and this set is loaded with scores of bonus features, both new and carried over from the recent Shout Factory editions. I especially enjoyed the interviews with director Adam Marcus, whose unbridled enthusiasm is quite charming. God bless him…he honestly thought he was making a great film.

EXTRA KIBBLES: THEATRICAL & UNRATED CUTS; NEW INTERVIEWS with make-up effects creator Robert Kurtzman, actor Julie Michaels, composer Harry Manfredini. ARCHIVAL INTERVIEWS (mostly carried over from the recent Shout Factory releases) with director Adam Marcus, actor/stuntman Kane Hodder. TV FOOTAGE with optional commentary by director Adam Marcus; 3 AUDIO COMMENTARIES -  1) by historians Michael Felsher & Steve Barton (NEW); 2) by director Adam Marcus & author Peter Bracke; 3) by director Adam Marcus & screenwriter Dean Lorey; TRAILER/TV SPOTS; STILL, POSTER & BEHIND-THE-SCENES GALLERIES.

"Surely you guys heard that."

Confession time, folks…I never really cared for the Friday the 13th franchise. I know the first one is considered a classic, but catching it in theaters as a teenager, all I saw was a crude Halloween ripoff and couldn’t fathom what my peers thought was so scary. Still, I’ve seen all of them…because sometimes you just wanna watch horny, pot-smoking  teenagers die.

There are two exceptions, however…one was Jason Lives, which was often an intentionally funny send-up of slasher tropes (long before Scream), and Jason X (2002/91 min). Man, I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when this screenplay was being developed, where someone must have thrown up their hands and said, “Ah, fuck it, let’s just launch him into space.”

This is film knows it’s ridiculous…and simply doesn’t care. But unlike other slashers-in-space debacles like Hellraiser IV and Leprechaun in Space, Jason X is both self-aware and satirical. It’s a hell of a lot of fun watching Jason awakening from cryo-sleep and picking up where he left off 500 years earlier (and the nano-enhanced ÜberJason is a real hoot). Not only does this one have the highest body count of any previous Friday the 13th film, setting it in space allows for some awesomely creative kills Jason could never have done in the woods (like the somewhat legendary liquid nitrogen scene). 

Needless to say, Jason X also has an interesting backstory, which is provided by numerous featurettes and interviews, though fewer actual new ones. Most of the best stuff is also carried over from the recent Shout Factory editions.

EXTRA KIBBLES: NEW INTERVIEW with composer Harry Manfredini; ARCHIVAL INTERVIEWS (mostly carried over from the recent Shout Factory releases) with screenwriter Todd Farmer, actor Kristi Angus, original F13 director Sean S. Cunningham; DOCUMENTARIES - Outta Space: The Making of Jason X and By Any Means Necessary: The Making of Jason X; 3 AUDIO COMMENTARIES -  1) by historians Michael Felsher & Steve Barton (NEW); 2) by screenwriter Todd Farmer & author Peter Bracke; 3) by director Jim Isaac, screenwriter Todd Farmer & producer Noel Cunningham; BEHIND THE SCENES FOOTAGE; EPK; TRAILER/TV SPOTS; STILL, POSTER & BEHIND-THE-SCENES GALLERIES

The 4K restorations for the films are quite good, and both feature original 2.0 lossless stereo and DTS-HD 5.1 audio options. Maybe it’s the way my system is set-up, but I was far more impressed with Jason X’s audio quality than the other (where the dialogue seemed a lot muddier). As usual for Arrow’s Limited Editions, each set comes with physical goodies, but since we were only sent promo discs, they weren’t available for review.

THE POOP SCOOP: Collections & Classics

🕵JAMES BOND: SEAN CONNERY 6-FILM COLLECTION on 4K June 10 from Warner Bros/MGM. The action, the intrigue, the women…The films and THE Bond that established the enduring franchise. The six James Bond films starring Sean Connery as 007, will be available to own on June 10 as a 4K UHD collection for the first time for the ultimate at home movie watching experience. The collection includes Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever. The collection will be available in collectible steelbook packaging and as a standard 4K collection. These six films will also be available on Digital from MGM. 

🦆THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP - A LOONEY TUNES MOVIE on Blu-ray & DVD May 27 from Ketchup Entertainment. A new buddy comedy starring Porky Pig and Duffy Duck! This richly crafted, hand drawn 2D animated adventure marks the first fully-animated feature-length film in LOONEY TUNES history, told on a scope and scale that’s truly OUT OF THIS WORLD!

🪐STAR TREK 10-FILM COLLECTION Blu-ray coming May 6 from Paramount. For the first time, the big-screen adventures of the original and next-generation crew are ready to engage STAR TREK fans of all ages, and beyond, remastered from their 4K film transfers. This essential 12 Blu-ray set—begins with STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE (1979) through STAR TREK: NEMESIS (2002), and features legacy special features as well as the acclaimed STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE—THE DIRECTOR’S EDITION (2022).

🦈JAWS 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION Coming To Disc and Digital June 17 from Universal. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment celebrates this cinematic milestone with the JAWS 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION. This Combo Pack features the never-before-seen documentary, JAWS @ 50: THE DEFINITIVE INSIDE STORY, a brand-new look at the making and legacy of the film. The disc and digital include over five hours of additional bonus features! JAWS will also be available in an all-new limited edition SteelBook..

😺Jason Statham’s A WORKING MAN on 4K, Blu-ray & DVD June 10 from Warner Bros Discovery/Amazon MGM Studios. Directed by David Ayer from a screenplay by Ayer and Sylvester Stallone. Starring Jason Statham, Jason Flemyng, Merab Ninidze, Maximillian Osinski, Cokey Falkow, with Michael Peña and David Harbour.

😺THE ALTO KNIGHTS on Digital NOW and Blu-ray & DVD May 27 from Warner Bros.  From Warner Bros. Pictures, “The Alto Knights,” stars Academy Award winner Robert De Niro in a dual role and is directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barry Levinson. 

😺NOVOCAINE on Digital April 8 and 4K/Blu-ray June 24 from Paramount. Fans who purchase NOVOCAINE on Digital or 4K Ultra HD will have access to over 35 minutes of action-packed bonus content. 

THE POOP SCOOP: Jaws 50th Anniversary Edition

JAWS 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION Coming To Disc and Digital June 17 from Universal. JAWS made history in 1975, turning a young Steven Spielberg into a household name and boldly establishing the summer blockbuster spectacle that revolutionized the film industry. Winner of three Academy Awards, including Best Original Score, JAWS has become a global phenomenon, and half a century later, it still holds a grip on audiences around the world. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment celebrates this cinematic milestone with the JAWS 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION. This Combo Pack features the never-before-seen documentary, JAWS @ 50: THE DEFINITIVE INSIDE STORY, a brand-new look at the making and legacy of the film directed by Laurent Bouzereau and from National Geographic, in partnership with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Documentaries, Nedland Media, and Wendy Benchley. The disc and digital include over five hours of bonus features with an inside look at the making of the film, deleted scenes, original on-set footage, and much more! JAWS will also be available in an all-new limited edition SteelBook with never-before-seen artwork.

JAWS @ 50: THE DEFINITIVE INSIDE STORY:

• Steven Spielberg shares an authorized look inside the story of JAWS in this documentary. From Peter Benchley’s epic novel to Spielberg’s film, JAWS continues to influence pop culture, cinema and shark conservation. With interviews from Hollywood’s most influential directors and shark scientists, the legend of JAWS is endless.

BONUS FEATURES ON 4K UHD, BLU-RAY AND DIGITAL INCLUDE:

• Deleted Scenes and Outtakes – Over 13 minutes of content

• The Making of JAWS - An insider look into the making of this classic film, this original full-length documentary is filled with exhaustive cast and crew interviews, archival footage, outtakes, and much more!

• JAWS: The Restoration - An in-depth look at the intricate process of restoring the movie.

• The Shark is Still Working: The Impact and Legacy of JAWS - A fan-made documentary that focuses on the many ways JAWS has helped shape elements of pop culture and influence a generation of filmmakers.

• JAWS Archives

• Storyboards

• Production Photos

• Marketing JAWS

• JAWS Phenomenon

• From the Set – Available on Disc only

• Theatrical Trailer

A Fistful of CLINT EASTWOOD in 4K

DIRTY HARRY, THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES and PALE RIDER (4K UHD)

From Warner Bros

#InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Mr. Paws😺

Three of Clint Eastwood’s most popular American films are finally available on 4K. For fans who already have one or all of them of DVD or Blu-ray, the good news is that the video and audio restorations are excellent. But even if technical upgrades aren’t really your thing, each disc includes some interesting new bonus features along with those from previous releases.

Best field trip ever.

Of these films, Dirty Harry (1971/102 min) is the undisputed classic. Hugely influential, to say nothing of controversial, the film was a game changer in the action genre while firmly establishing Eastwood as a superstar. Certain aspects obviously haven’t aged well, but when viewed within the context of the era when it was released, it’s easy to see why it connected with audiences (though this writer actually prefers the second film, Magnum Force). Thematic elements notwithstanding, it’s Don Siegel’s sharp direction, Eastwood’s iconic performance and still quotable dialogue that remain timeless.

EXTRA KIBBLES: FEATURETTES - Generations and Dirty Harry (NEW); Lensing Justice: The Cinematography of Dirty Harry (NEW); Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows; Dirty Harry’s Way; Dirty Harry: The Original; DOCUMENTARIES - Clint Eastwood: The Man from Malpaso; Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy; AUDIO COMMENTARY - By critic Richard Schickel; INTERVIEW GALLERY; DIGITAL COPY.

"There he is...the guy who called you Chief Poopy Pants."

Though the Dirty Harry franchise offered the strongest evidence to date that Eastwood had panache beyond revisionist westerns, he still knew his way around a horse and never truly left the genre behind, even as most of Hollywood already had. Along with High Plains Drifter, The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976/136 min) showed that no director was better suited to keeping westerns alive in the 70s than Eastwood himself. Initially a revenge film, the main character’s transformation from vengeance-fueled killer to regaining his humanity is something we hadn’t really seen in an Eastwood western before (though he still kicks serious ass). While a little overlong and occasionally meandering, this features one of Eastwood’s most affecting performances.

EXTRA KIBBLES: FEATURETTES - An Outlaw and an Antihero (NEW); The Cinematography of an Outlaw: Crafting Josey Wales (NEW); Clint Eastwood’s West; Eastwood in Action; Hell Hath No Fury: The Making of The Outlaw Josey Wales. DOCUMENTARY - Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy - Reinventing Westerns; AUDIO COMMENTARY - By critic Richard Schickel; DIGITAL COPY.

Clint calls his shot.

If the western was on life support in the 70s, it was all but dead in the 80s. Even Lawrence Kasdan’s magnificent Silverado was more of an homage to a bygone era than an attempt to revitalize the genre. But as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and by this time, who didn’t want to see Eastwood strap on his six-guns again? His penultimate western, Pale Rider (1985/116 min), doesn’t reinvent the wheel - it’s kind of a benevolent variation of High Plains Drifter - but sure was a satisfying slice of cinematic comfort food back then. While the film’s legacy has since been somewhat overshadowed by 1992’s Unforgiven (Eastwood’s inarguable masterpiece), Pale Rider remains a solid western from the only guy who could have gotten away with making one at the time.

EXTRA KIBBLES: FEATURETTES - The Diary of Sydney Penny: Lessons from the Set (NEW); Painting the Preacher: The Cinematography of Pale Rider (NEW); DOCUMENTARIES - Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy - Reinventing Westerns; Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story; The Eastwood Factor; AUDIO COMMENTARY - By critic Richard Schickel; DIGITAL COPY.

All three releases feature new case & slipcover design, none of which reflect much imagination (original one-sheet artwork would’ve been awesome), but I guess that’s a minor quip. Elsewhere, I doubt there will be too many complaints about the technical specs or substantial bonus features, new and old, included with each disc. These are must-owns for Clint Eastwood fans.