BURBANK, CA ' Fresh off its national theatrical release, writer/director Adam Green's Hatchet ' the independent horror film championed by internet fans and critics the world over ' will be released by Anchor Bay Entertainment on DVD December 18th. The Unrated DVD of the acclaimed horror film, which Pit of Horror dubbed 'the best slasher film in twenty years,' comes packed with ninety minutes of in-depth bonus features detailing the joys and pains of creating the next great horror icon ' Victor Crowley! SRP for the unrated and theatrical version DVDs is a tame $26.97, with pre-book on November 15.

Visceral and unrelenting, Hatchet is Adam Green's blood-soaked love letter to the slasher film genre, which reached its critical and commercial zenith in the 1980s. Starring Joel David Moore (Dodgeball, Grandma's Boy, the upcoming James Cameron film Avatar), Deon Richmond (Not Another Teen Movie, Scream 3), Tamara Feldman (Perfect Stranger) and Mercedes McNab ('Buffy The Vampire Slayer' and 'Angel'), Hatchet also boasts a stellar supporting cast of iconic genre veterans including Robert Englund ('Freddy Krueger' from the Nightmare on Elm Street film series), Kane Hodder ('Jason' from Friday the 13th Part VII and VIII, Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Chapter and Jason X), Tony Todd (Candyman), and Joshua Leonard (The Blair Witch Project).

Hatchet spins a terrifying tale of tragedy and comeuppance from beyond the grave. Victor Crowley is a hideously deformed boy, living in seclusion with his father (Kane Hodder) in an isolated cabin deep in the Louisiana bayou. When a Halloween prank initiated by local kids goes terribly awry, Victor is accidentally killed in a vicious twist of irony. Years later, a tourist group visiting New Orleans' 'haunted swamps' stumble upon the remnants of that shocking event, transforming an evening of seemingly innocent fun into a horrific nightmare, from which there may be no escape.

From its first appearances at film festivals worldwide including Fantastic Fest in Austin (winning Best Picture 'Audience Choice Award,' Best Actor ' Kane Hodder and Best Special Effects), Spain's Sitges Festival, Montreal's Fantasia Festival (winning Best Picture 'Audience Choice Award'), London FrightFest, France's Weekend De La Peur (winning Best Picture 'audience Choice Award') and the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival, Hatchet immediately developed and cultivated a loyal following among horror fans on the Web. Following Adam's numerous appearances at fan conventions, Hatchet became the 'independent film that could,' rallying the fans from all over the world into the 'Hatchet Army,' helping to spread the word about the film's national theatrical release, which included sold-out exclusive engagements in New York and Los Angeles.

Critical reaction within the genre community was immediate and unanimous. DreadCentral called Hatchet 'the next big thing in horror,' while Gorezone Magazine declared the film 'a masterpiece.' But horror fans weren't the only ones to champion Hatchet. The Austin Chronicle said 'no other film in recent memory has featured such a terrifically retro maniac or revisited the heyday of Eighties gore films with such gleeful, moist abandon,' while the Memphis Commercial Appeal proclaimed 'I can think of no other recent film that succeeds so spectacularly at what it sets out to do.' It was even put on Top 10 Films of the Year lists for both MTV and Ain't It Cool News.

The Unrated Hatchet DVD not only presents the film exactly as Adam Green intended ' frame by frame ' but also offers ninety minutes of bonus features charting the film's production practically from Day 1. Witness the birth of the next great movie monster with the following supplements:

' Widescreen (1.78:1) presentation, enhanced for 16x9 televisions
' Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Adam Green, Cinematographer Will Barratt and Actors Tamara Feldman, Joel David Moore and Deon Richmond
' The Making of Hatchet
' Meeting Victor Crowley: An in-depth look at the creation of a new horror icon
' Guts & Gore: Go behind the scenes of Hatchet's special makeup and prosthetic effects
' Anatomy of a Kill: Witness the 'jaw-breaking' birth, design and execution of a death scene
' A Twisted Tale: Writer/Director Adam Green recounts his decades-long friendship with 'Twisted Sister' front man and Fangoria Radio host Dee Snider
' Gag Reel
' Theatrical Trailer

The theatrical version DVD of Hatchet presents the R-rated version, as seen in theaters nationwide, along with the 'Meeting Victor Crowley' featurette and the theatrical trailer.

Hatchet was produced under ArieScope Pictures, Radioaktive Film, and High Seas Entertainment. The film was written and directed by Adam Green and produced by Cory Neal. Producers were Sarah Elbert and Scott Altomare. Andrew Mysko and Roman Kindrachuk were the Executive Producers. FX wizard John Carl Buechler (Re-Animator, Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare, Halloween IV: The Return of Michael Myers) created Hatchet's unforgettable special make-up and creature effects.