VAMPIRE CIRCUS (Synapse Films) The year ends on a real high note with this long-awaited Region 1 release! One of the all-time horror classics (and one of Hammer Films’ finest) gets dual blu-ray/DVD treatment, and is presented in a beautiful uncut transfer, including some nice featurettes and other extras. More Hammer to come in '11 from Synapse, and needless to say, we’ll be all over it like a cheap suit!

HORROR HOSPITAL (Dark Sky Films) After a long absence from issuing classic drive-in flicks on DVD, Dark Sky Films returned with this re-issue of the bizarre British gore/camp favorite which was previously available from Elite Entertainment. Dark Sky’s new HD transfer is a stunner, and there’s an entertaining, revealing commentary with producer Richard Gordon, moderated by Tom Weaver.

CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD (Blue Underground) Lucio Fulci’s essential macabre tale of the undead is also one of the more visually arresting horror films of the 1980s. Blue Underground’s new DVD is a major facelift from the old Anchor Bay issue, and there’s a number of exclusive extras to sweeten the deal. Also available on blu-ray disc.

CANNIBAL GIRLS (Shout! Factory) Canadian-made splatter send-up stars future SCTV legends Eugene Levy and Andrea Martin, and its gets better with repeated viewings. Originally released theatrically here by AIP, Shout! salvages what MGM would no doubt be sitting on had they still owned the video rights, delivering the goods and including interviews with Levy, director/executive producer Ivan Reitman and producer/editor Daniel Goldberg.

HORROR HIGH (Code Red DVD) Also known as THE TWISTED BRAIN, this cheap, homegrown take on “Jekyll and Hyde” and teen angst was previously only seen in a censored TV print, but Code Red presents it totally uncut with a very pleasing transfer. The featurette with actor Austin Stoker aint too shabby either.

STARCRASH (Shout! Factory) I could have included every single release in Shout! Factory’s “Roger Corman’s Cult Classics” series here (especially PIRANHA, DEATH RACE 2000, HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP and GALAXY OF TERROR), but this late 1970s plastic and tin foil space opera (well, STAR WARS rip-off) gets high marks for its massive supplements which includes interviews with director Luigi Cozzi and star Caroline Munro, as well as two solid commentaries by super fan Stephen Romano. Also available on blu-ray disc.

DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW (VCI Entertainment) Probably the most long-awaited TV horror movie upon its release, VCI does this Halloween-time favorite justice with a beautiful transfer and a new audio commentary with the filmmakers. It scared the crap out of all the school kids who caught it on the prime time boob tube 30 years ago, and it still holds up quite well today.

THE GREEN SLIME (Warner Archive Collection) Exciting Japanese-made blend of outer-space peril, vacationing American actors and zany monsters made this what is in retrospect one of the most fondly remembered drive-in movie experiences for many juvenile moviegoers in the late 1960s. Warner released it barebones under their Warner Archive Collection banner, but it’s finally seen on home video widescreen and now can truly be appreciated.

PSYCHOMANIA (Severin Films) A British biker/horror flick about a motorcycle gang (known as “The Living Dead”) committing suicide and returning from beyond the grave, bringing new meaning to the term “hell on wheels”. PSYCHOMANIA is one of those endearing late night cult items, and this new anamorphic DVD (a definite improvement over the old Image Entertainment disc and several other budget editions) contains some great interviews with a number of cast members.

KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS (Shout! Factory) Shout! began 2010 with a Special Edition of this catastrophic nature-strikes-back thriller, which is the epitome of a drive-in movie and absolute proof of why these kinds of things were made so much better years ago. A stunning transfer (you can now use the old GoodTimes disc as holiday drink coaster) is complimented with some great supplements, which include the participation of director John Cardos and star William Shatner.

HANNIE CAULDER (Olive Films) What would a drive-in movie list be without a Western? Lovely Raquel Welch teams up with Robert Culp to enact revenge on the three stooges (Ernest Borgnine, Strother Martin, Jack Elam) who raped her and murdered her husband. If that wasn’t enough to entice you, Christopher Lee is in it! A bloody good cowboy flick made by a British company (Tigon) that usually specialized in horror and sexploitation. Olive Films licensed it from Paramount; the DVD is barebones but the widescreen transfer looks great.

DOCTOR DEATH (Scorpion Releasing) A fun American-made tale of a supernatural lady killer that appears to have gotten at least some of its inspiration from the “Dr. Phibes” films. Moe Howard is in it! Scorpion began 2010 with this fine DVD release, which includes a commentary and interview with the film’s star, John Considine.

ICONS OF SUSPENSE: HAMMER FILMS (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment) Sony continues its appreciation of the many Hammer Films titles released by Columbia Pictures. Excellent transfers and for the most part, excellent films. Sony, please keep up the tradition and release the rest of your Hammers! (ICONS OF ODDS AND ENDS: HAMMER FILMS anyone?). CREATURES THE WORLD FORGOT sucks, but we'll take it!

GREYDON CLARK DRIVE-IN DOUBLE FEATURE (HI-RIDERS/THE BAD BUNCH) (VCI Entertainment) Two very different exploitation features directed by the great Greydon Clark, and his spot-on commentaries are a must for those who adore low budget cinema.

TERMINAL ISLAND (Code Red DVD) A Stephanie Rothman prison film (where the female inmates are all gorgeous) set on an island inhabited by death row inmates, left to fend for themselves, sans rules. If that doesn’t spell drive-in, I don’t know what does. Code Red’s DVD carries a nice uncut transfer of this early Tom Selleck film credit, and there’s some great interviews with stars Sean Kenney and Don Marshall, who are also present on an audio commentary.

GOODBYE GEMINI (Scorpion Releasing) Overlooked British psychological thriller starring Judy Geeson and Martin Potter as a pair of very weird paternal twins on their own in swingin’ London. Scorpion’s disc contains their usual top-notch transfer (mastered in HD) and an excellent commentary (with Geeson and producer Peter Snell).

MAD RON’S PREVUES FROM HELL (Virgil Films) There are far better exploitation film trailer compilations out there (any of Synapse’s “42nd Street Forever” collections for example), but this one dates back to the glory days of renting VHS and Beta tapes from “ma and pa” rental shops, so it has a special place in our hearts, and it’s finally on DVD. It’s hosted by a ventriloquist and his zombie puppet sidekick. The DVD’s transfer quality is not so hot, but there’s some welcomed extras to be had.

MACHINE GUN MCCAIN (Blue Underground) John Cassavetes turns in an exceptional performance as a recently-released felon who undertakes a Las Vegas heist on his own after all his accomplices back out. Crackerjack Euro crime thriller with an exceptional international cast (Peter Falk, Britt Ekland, Gina Rowlands, Tony Kendall, Florinda Bolkan, Luigi Pistilli) is presented in glorious HD 2.35:1 transfer (and also on blu-ray) from Blue Underground, and it includes an interview with director Giuliano Montaldo. It's easy to see why Quentin Tarantino is a fan.

THE SADIST WITH RED TEETH (Mondo Macabro) A strange, sexy and unorthodox Belgian vampire film that we’ve read about in books for years, and it’s finally on DVD in a beautiful edition transferred from the original negative. It definitely fits in with Mondo Macabro’s ever-growing catalogue of worldwide weirdness. Also included is a mondo documentary, FORBIDDEN PARIS, from the same director, Jean Louis von Belle (who’s also on hand for on-camera introductions and is the subject of a featurette).

GAMERA, THE GIANT MONSTER (Shout! Factory) The giant turtle and defender of children, you gotta love the big green guy, especially if you grew up watching him on TV (in rather horrid pan and scan transfers). Now you can see him on DVD in all his widescreen glory, thanks to Shout! Factory, so this "top 20" entry refers to all their Gamera discs, with one more double feature due in '11.