Severin Films, with sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has a 4K Ultra HD/Double-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack edition of writer/director Romano Scavolini’s 1981 slasher film, Nightmare, ready for genre fans to savor on Jan. 30.

Filmmaker Romano Scavolini had a somewhat “checkered” background, “artistic porn” in Italian, etc., and that “reputation” (likely unfounded) may have colored the MPAA’s decision to slap the dreaded X-rating on the film.   It even got so bad in the UK that several involved with the distribution of the film did prison time for defying demands that the film, titled Nightmares in a Damaged Brain, be censored.

Domestically, Scavolini’s film had limited theatrical distribution, with the limited number of prints being “bicycled” from market to market … stretching the release from the Halloween season in 1981 well into the spring of the following year.   Nightmare was an early VHS release … and has been out in various forms on DVD and Blu-ray over the years.   This, however, is the definitive version.

Severin Films has scoured the world to gather the best film elements to assemble the “most complete version” of Scavolini’s Nightmare.

So what is Severin Films serving up on Jan. 30?  

For starters, the 4K Ultra HD presentation (disc one) has two commentary options.   The first features the film’s star, Baird Stafford (as George) who is joined special effects assistant Cleve Hall, with moderation by Lee Christian and David DeCoteau.   The second is with producer William Paul.

The first companion Blu-ray disc includes both commentary options, plus deleted scenes, the feature-length session with filmmaker Romano Scavolini titled “Kill Thy Father and Thy Mother” (clocks in at 71 minutes) and five featurettes — “The Nightmare of Nightmare,” “The Stuff that Nightmares are Made Of,” “A Nightmare on Many Streets,” “Dreaming Up a Nightmare” and “Open Matte Peep Show Sequence.”

The other companion Blu-ray disc in this Combo Pack from Severin Films is loaded with bonus feature films from David Hamilton-Grant, the leading UK film distributor who did prison time for refusing to make cuts to the film.   

Included in the collection are The Office Party, Under the Bed and You’re Driving Me Crazy, plus the short film titled Escape to Entebbe and the documentary titled Damaged: The Very British Obscenity if David Hamilton-Grant.

In short WOW.  Nightmare in 4K Ultra HD, two feature-length documentaries, a short film and three bonus films … that’s quite the package from Severin Films on Jan. 30.

The first companion Blu-ray disc is also available on Jan. 30 as a purchasing option.