Tempe Entertainment, Pioneers of Indie Horror and home of The Dead Next Door is calling it quits after 33 years-Fitz of Horror
Bryan Fitzgerald (Fitz of Horror) November 2, 2018
It is with a heavy heart that I write that indie horror pioneers Tempe Entertainment are calling it quits after 33 long and revolutionary years of dedicated service in the horror industry. Tempe Entertainment may very well be know for its classic zombie splatter flick The Dead Next Door, written and directed by Tempe Entertainment founder J.R. Bookwalter.
If you have been collecting as long as I have then you remember the late 90s and early 2000s and how hard it was to find a copy of The Dead Next Door for under $75-$100 on DVD. This made TDND somewhat of a cult hit because of its rarity but mostly because it was an extremely gory zombie movie that lovingly pays heavy homage to Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead and George A. Romero’s Living Dead Trilogy.
This opened the door for many more straight to video independent horror directors to get their films on this label and create a mini B-Movie empire over the years. Amassing a catalogue of well over 50 films, they only recently started to get into the Blu ray game by creating a stunningly comprehensive “Ultimate Edition” of The Dead Next Door which put Tempe back on the map. With a few more Blu ray releases, including another “Collector’s Edition” TDND with a slip case and most recently (Shipping in early 2019) and officially Tempe Entertainment’s final release, the campy super hero movie Robot Ninja.
From the outside looking in, the Robot Ninja Blu ray Indiegogo campaign that fell well short of its monetary goal, was seemingly the straw that broke the camels back. But a man of his word, Bookwalter is taking care of those who backed the campaign by producing some limited comics and Ultimate edition Robot Ninja blu rays, sending them to the backers and then calling it quits as he rides off into the sunset as, in my opinion, a horror legend in the industry.
He is currently having a “Going out of Business” blow out sale at the Tempe Online Store with DVDs as low as $1 (no case) or $2.99 (with case) and Blu rays for $9.99 (including the collectors edition The Dead Next Door) and less than 10 of the Ultimate Edition The Dead Next Door ($49.99) which is the cheapest you will find it anywhere (I checked).
*****SHOP THEIR GOING OUT OF BUSINESS SALE HERE*****
From J.R. Bookwalter/Tempe Entertainment-
All good things must come to an end, which is why we’re announcing today that Tempe Entertainment will be packing our bags and heading to that great indie retirement home in the sky on January 1, 2019.
Rising from the ashes of Amsco Studios during post-production on THE DEAD NEXT DOOR in September 1988, The Suburban Tempe Company became a recognizable name in B-movie cinema over the decade that followed, producing ROBOT NINJA, SKINNED ALIVE, and a notorious shot-on-video “six pack” for Cinema Home Video before branching out on its own with movies like OZONE, THE SANDMAN, and POLYMORPH.
In 1991, Tempe Video was formed to market and distribute productions in house, paving the way to acquire movies from other producers alongside Alternative Cinema, a magazine dedicated to the burgeoning direct-to-video scene. After a brief hiatus from self-distribution with BLOODLETTING in 1997, the newly-christened Tempe Entertainment headed west for the most prolific chapter in the company’s history.
A five-year partnership with Full Moon Pictures began innocently enough with post-production work on SHRIEKER and CURSE OF THE PUPPETMASTER, culminating in producing a series of shot-on-video features between 2000 and 2002 including HORRORVISION, WITCHOUSE 3: DEMON FIRE, DEADLY STINGERS, and the infamous William Shatner-directed GROOM LAKE.
During the same period, Tempe DVD blasted onto the scene with a series of critically-acclaimed Special Edition releases that quickly garnered the label a reputation as “the Criterion of direct-to-video features.” By 2008, new releases dried up until things came full circle seven years later with the 2K restored release of THE DEAD NEXT DOOR Ultimate Edition, one of the most comprehensive Blu-ray releases of an indie horror classic ever made.
But that was then, and this is now.
Starting January 1, we’ll no longer be actively marketing or distributing our catalog of 40 titles. For the next two months, we’ll be holding a “going out of business” sale on the Tempe Online Store, with everything deeply discounted across the board. No promo codes necessary — effective immediately, everything has been marked down! We’ve added a “Dollar Disc” option to many titles — if you don’t mind supplying your own DVD case, this is a great opportunity to buy the disc and artwork only and save big! (You also have the option to buy new, packaged copies for cheap while supplies last.)
Several favorites will be leaving the Tempe lineup for good — this will be your last chance to purchase the following titles in their current release:
5 DARK SOULS
BENT 3-Pack (individual Dollar Discs also available)
DEAD & ROTTING Special Edition
EDDIE PRESLEY (Single Disc Edition)
EDDIE PRESLEY (Two-Disc Special Edition)
EVILMAKER Double Feature
HELL ASYLUM Special Edition
OCTOBER MOON
OCTOBER MOON 2: NOVEMBER SON
SAFE INSIDE (DVD or Blu-ray)
SHY OF NORMAL
SPACEMEN & GO-GO GIRLS Double Feature
WINGRAVE
WITCHOUSE 3: DEMON FIRE Special EditionBut these aren’t the only titles going away: We’re sunsetting the entire catalog, so if you’ve been holding off on making a purchase, now is the time to do so. There’s no guarantee you’ll be able to buy our movies or merchandise again in the future, especially in physical form — when the current inventory is gone, no more will be made! (Please note this does not apply to the forthcoming ROBOT NINJA Blu-ray, which will proceed as planned and tentatively scheduled for early 2019 release.)
We’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported our efforts over the last 33 years. Because of your purchases, positive word of mouth, and social media posts, we’ve stuck around longer than most, and our movies continue to live on thanks to your fond memories. Our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts aren’t going anywhere for now, but there’s unlikely to be much activity after January 1.
Until then, it’s business as usual, and we’ll be happy to answer any questions or inquiries you might have. Feel free to comment below with your favorite Tempe memories to keep the party going until the end of the year!
That’s a wrap folks, but remember, it’s not over until the fat lady sings…
Follow Tempe Entertainment of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Follow The Dead Next Door on Facebook
Follow me on Facebook and Instagram at Fitz of Horror
Bryan Fitzgerald
I am a huge fan and supporter of independent horror and the dedicated people involved. I grew up watching all of the great slasher films of the 80s and also have a love for creature features and anthology horror. As horror fans the best way to help indie horror is to talk about it and to spread the word.