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Killer Nun is a 1978 Italian horror by Giulio Berruti. With Anita Ekberg, Paola Morra and Alida Valli. See IMDb.

US: The US release is uncut and MPAA Unrated for:

• US 2012 Blue Underground R0 Blu-ray via UK Amazon and at US Amazon just released on 24th April 2012

Previous Uncut Releases

UK: Passed 18 uncut with cuts waived for:

• UK 2011 Shameless Slasher Nasties Triple Bill R2 DVD at UK Amazon
• UK 2006 Argent/Shameless R2 DVD at UK Amazon

The BBFC commented in their 2006 Annual Report:

• Killer Nun had required cuts to remove some scenes of sadistic torture on video in 1993, but these now appeared dated and lacked the power to shock or harm and so it was passed without cuts.

US: The US release is uncut and MPAA Unrated for:

• US 2004 Blue Underground R1 DVD at US Amazon

Summary Review: Well worth checking out

Anyone familiar with nunsploitation will recognise this as a stand out film.

There are some very atmospheric set pieces in the film Anita Ekberg's flashbacks and the giallo inspired murder of the old woman.

The dubbing detracts from the power of the film by having cheesy actors do the overdubs. Some of the editing is a bit sloppy but Italian exploitation fans are well used to this. The gorgeous Paola Morra is worth the price of the film alone. Well worth checking out.

Previously cut by the BBFC

UK: Passed 18 after 13s of BBFC cuts for:

• UK 1993 Redemption VHS

The BBFC required the following cuts:

• A scene was cut showing the torture of an old woman, including a close up of a needle piercing an eye and a scalpel cutting into her bandaged flesh.

Previously a Video Nasty

UK: Released uncut for:

• 1981 Techno Film VHS

Released on  pre-cert video by Techno Film in April 1981. It was listed as a video nasty in August 1984 but was dropped by July 1985

Don't Go in the House is a 1979 US horror film by Joseph Ellison. With Dan Grimaldi, Robert Osth and Ruth Dardick. See IMDb

Passed 18 uncut with all previous BBFC cuts waived for:

• UK 2012 Arrow R2 DVD at UK Amazon released today 26th March 2012

ArrowDrome DVD Features:

• Reversible sleeve of original artwork
• trailer,
• teaser
• booklet by horror expert Anthony Timpone!

Previously cut by the BBFC

Passed 18 after 3:07s of BBFC cuts for:

• UK 1987 Apex VHS

The BBFC cuts were again

• Cuts to nudity and close ups of the scene involving a naked girl in chains being set on fire

Previously banned as a video nasty

Passed X (18) after extensively reduced shots of nudity and graphic close ups from the scene of the chained woman being burned alive, for:

• UK 1980 cinema release

The cut cinema version was first released on pre-cert video for:

• UK 1982 Arcade VHS

The uncut version then followed on pre-cert video for:

• UK 1983 Arcade VHS

The video was then banned as a nasty in July 1983, but was dropped in March 1984 after promises that only the BBFC approved version would be sold.

Summary Review: A Bit Lacklustre

A slasher film about a victim of child abuse (Dan Grimaldi) who grows up to become a maniacal construction worker. He stalks women at discos, takes them home, then hangs them upside-down in a special steel-walled room and sets them on fire.

Don't Go in the House gets off to a fairly good start, but after the first murder scene things begin to slowly fall a apart and it goes from a good movie to an average movie that never is able to get off the ground.

The screenplay written by Joseph Ellison, Ellen Hammill and Joseph R. Masefield starts off well enough with some good insight into the mind of the villain, but there comes a point to where the story never moves forward and in a sense it feels like the same scene is playing out over and over again.

Don't Go in the House isn't a terrible film, but it's just a bit lackluster, while it does have it's moments it just never reaches its full potential.

House by the Cemtery is a 1981 Italian horror film by Lucio Fulci. With Catriona MacColl & Paolo Malco. See IMDb.

UK: Passed 18 uncut after the BBFC waived their cuts for:

• UK 2012 Arrow Limited Edition R0 Blu-ray at UK Amazon for release on 7th May 2012
• UK 2011 Arrow/ArrowDrome Gates of Hell Trilogy R0 DVD at UK Amazon
• UK 2011 Arrow/ArrowDrome R0 DVD at UK Amazon
• UK 2009 Arrow R2 DVD

Censorship History

2001: Previously passed 18 after 33s of cuts with some BBFC cuts waived for:

• UK 2001 Protected/Vipco DVD

The BBFC explained: Cuts required to two sequences of detailed violence against women (stabs to chest and neck with sharp spike, knife cutting throat).

1993: A pre-cut version missing 7:27s was passed 18 without further BBFC cuts for:

• UK 1993 Vipco VHS

It is assumed that the extra cuts were to try and smooth over the edges of the BBFC cuts.

1988: Passed 18 after a further 4:11s of BBFC cuts beyond the 34s of cinema cuts for:

• UK 1988 Elephant VHS

The BBFC's further 4:11s of cuts were:

• Removal of all details of a girl being stabbed through the back of her head through to her mouth and of her body being dragged away.
• The entire poker killing mentioned above has been deleted along with the body being dragged away.
• The killing of a vampire bat and related blood spattering is missing.
• Shots of decomposing bodies in the cellar and the disembowelled man on the table have gone
• Norman having his throat cut by Fraudstein has also been removed

1983: The cut cinema version was released on video in January 1983 but was banned as a video nasty in November 1983. It remained on the list through out the panic so became one of the collectable DPP 39's

1982: Passed X (18) after 34s of BBFC cuts for:

• UK 1982 cinema release

The BBFC required 6 cuts totalling 34s:

• 3 cuts totalling 16s removed an estate agent being subjected to two stabs with a poker. This included the slow motion gushing of blood from her wounds.
• 3 cuts totalling 18s were imposed on the scene of a nanny having her throat cut.

Promotional Material:

Shock gore master Lucio Fulci's The House by the Cemetery is one of the finest typically single-minded exercises in zombie terror. Its just a shame no-one told the Boyle family who move into a gothic style house (by a cemetery) with a bloody past and a guts spraying future, what is yet to come! You'd think they'd twig given the basement door is nailed shut that they should get the hell out. Instead they stay long enough to discover their zombified non rent-paying lodger, the cellar-dwelling, flesh-hungry Dr Freudstein and boy is he pissed!

Blu-ray Features

• Reversible sleeve with 3 original poster artworks and newly commissioned artwork cover
• Double-sided fold-out artwork poster
• Collector's booklet featuring writing on the film by author Calum Waddell
• Brand new High Definition restoration from the original negative presented totally uncut
• Optional English subtitles for both the English and Italian audio tracks
• Audio commentary with star Catriona MacColl, moderated by Calum Waddell
• Audio commentary with co-star Silvia Collatina, moderated by Mike Baronas of Paura Productions
• Introduction to the film by star Giovanni Frezza
• Back to the Cellar: Interview with star Giovanni Frezza
• Cemetery Woman: Interview with star Catriona MacColl
• Freudstein's Follies: Interview with special effects artist Giannetto De Rossi
• Wax Mask -- Finishing the Final Fulci: Interview with Sergio Stivaletti about his completion of Wax Mask after Fulci's passing
• Women of Italian Horror: Featuring Silvia Collatina (The House by the Cemetery), Stefania Casini (Suspiria/ Bloodstained Shadow) and Barbara Magnolfi (Suspiria/ The Sister Of Ursula)
• House by the Cemetery Onstage Q&A Cast Reunion: Live from the Horrorhound convention, Indianapolis, March 2011: Featuring Catriona MacColl, Giovanni Frezza, Silvia Collatina, Carlo DeMejo and Dagmar Lassander.
• Italian Trailer Compilation: Twenty cult trailers from the golden age of Italian cult cinema including several rare previews from the resume of the late, great Lucio Fulci each prefigured by a written introduction.
• Deleted scene
• Trailers
• TV Spot
• Easter eggs
• Original Aspect Ratio 2.35:1

Summary Review: Dread and Fear

This is the third in a loose trilogy of films by Italian master of the macabre Lucio Fulci set in New England that evoke the uncanny and cosmic terrors of H.P. Lovecraft.

At times Fulci succeeds very well in creating an atmosphere of dread and fear, and the film is not without some subtle moments of terror, due mainly to an eerie soundtrack and a couple of creepy kids. But fans of Fulci and Italian horror cinema in general are not interested in the type of subtle scares one might find in ghost stories. Although this film is not without its moments (throats ripped out, maggot ridden bodies and decapitation), the violence seems quite muted compared to other Fulci films.