This week offers a mixed bag of titles, which might be just what the doctor ordered. Fun fact, the sound of a fly has been used in all of the Evil Dead films, Evil Dead Rise actually opens with that sound.
Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 4 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of June 25th - July 1st, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
Too late for press time last week, Turbine Media Group releases three 4K media books for The Deep House. Still, check it out. They have other 4K titles in the works as well, Black Phone and Renfield among others. Why Universal isn't doing them, I couldn't really say.
The new release this week is Evil Dead Rise from Warner Bros. There have been mixed reviews with this one. And if you want the shiny SteelBook, the USA has been snubbed again, seek overseas markets. There is a European SteelBook coming July 17th, as well as other editions elsewhere.
Catalog releases next. Got to thinking, what a missed opportunity. Waiting until this week to get Creepshow, especially when there is an episode titled "Father's Day." All he ever wanted was his cake! The episode I remember most is the one with the cockroaches, but I was rather young when I had seen this film. A little more comedy to the horror mix, also look for Motel Hell.
When you think of classic Chevy Chase, no doubt you think of National Lampoon's Vacation (or the sequels). This one is available as a standard edition and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. The US market was snubbed (again) for the Ultimate Collector's Edition, which releases on Import Monday.
From Arrow Video, Kevin Smith's Mallrats. Next, even though Universal recently did their release, Arrow Video's 'fat pack' edition of Waterworld is available this week as well. A higher bit rate and a different mix of special features.
Powerhouse Films' Indicator Series has Cold Eyes of Fear this week.
SteelBooks of the first two films of the franchise, Mission: Impossible and Mission: Impossible - II are available this week.
Standard Editions for Daughters of Darkness and Dead & Buried close out the category.
Next week a Jaws sequel, an 'Upgrade,' Truman Show, and more MI steels.
And like the 4K category, just past press time for last week's shopping guide, Turbine Media Group announced several media books for the film Harry and the Hendersons.
Blu-ray counterparts for the above category, one new release, one catalog release. Look for Evil Dead Rise from Warner Bros and Cold Eyes of Fear (Limited Edition) from Powerhouse Films.
Warner Archive has been focusing most of their releases to street on the same week each given month, their June slate this week includes Angel Face, Caged!, Dangerous When Wet, The Damned Don't Cry and The Old Man and the Sea. Land of the Pharaohs got moved to July 18th.
New bio/drama from Sony Pictures titled Big George Foreman. This man has touched several generations and the story itself sounds well worth a look.
TV on disc has just one title this week, Tales of the Walking Dead: The Complete First Season.
More Sandpiper Pictures releases with The Barefoot Contessa and The Secret of Santa Vittoria.
Anime highlights are not so high this week, look for just Skeleton Knight in Another World: The Complete Season in this category. Yes, there are other fine anime releases, but they do not fit the right criteria for this guide.
If you're not a Disney Movie Club Member and was forced to wait, Mickey & Friends: 10 Classic Shorts - Volume 2 is now available to general release.
Just a single sku from Criterion this week, but it is a collection of Italian films on 9-discs, Pasolini 101.
Let's talk special interest. With a drought of 3D discs, no doubt you might want to consider Prison Girls 3D from Kino Lorber.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be released to 4K and blu-ray discs on August 1.
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is coming to 4K disc on September 26.
Which titles are you buying this week? Which ones are on your wishlist, be it to buy as an impulse buy or to wait for the right price?
Choose Your Avatar! At least that is what people in targeted campaigns on Facebook have been seeing. When I see it, I yell the 4K BD100 with Dolby Vision, but it's probably the answer they are looking for. If you are a 4K buyer, this week Avatar is gonna cost you around $70, if you are a little more hardcore collector of physical media, more like $200. Yes, there are a few other good catalog titles to ponder as well. Until the discs are in my hand though, Avatar is still just a mirage to me. I have seen pictures of The Way of Water in store backrooms already and my 3D copy has shipped, but not quite yet on the 4K SteelBook though.
Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 3 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of June 18th - June 24th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
Which 4K discs are you getting this week and which SKUS of the Avatar films are they?
The original Avatar (2009) is up as a first time to 4K disc. Hard to believe it goes way back to 2009.
Avatar: The Way of Water is probably the reason we get the original film to 4K. The Way of Water is available as a standard edition, a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook edition, a Target Exclusive, and last but not least, a Walmart Exclusive. See the Blu-ray category for a pleasant surprise, a 3D edition as well.
On to other films now, Paramount brings us Tom Cruise day with both a great classic The Firm, and well-known fantasy film, Vanilla Sky. Hard to resist not buying both.
Keeping with releasing films in pairs, Kino Lorber brings us The Manchurian Candidate (1962) and Ronin. Makes me wonder if The Manchurian Candidate (2004) will follow as Paramount has done the remakes on two other films so far where Kino Lorber did the original ones.
Next week, a National Lampoon classic, Creepshow gets the 4K upgrade, Mallrats, Waterworld by Arrow Video and more.
Blu-ray counterparts of the above titles, Avatar: The Way of Water from 20th Century Studios, with what I consider a better cover art than the 4K version, and Ronin gets a Kino Lorber edition as well.
Avatar: The Way of Water also gets a 3D blu-ray edition.
Super slow week for anime, look for Aoashi - Season 1 Part 2 and Haikyu!! To The Top (Season 4) Premium Box Set.
New Guy Ritchie action/thriller The Covenant comes to us via Warner Bros. No 4K in the states on this one.
Catalog releases from MGM, Best Seller, City of Ghosts (2002), Diary of a Hitman, Golden Gate and Stormy Monday.
Another short-notice release from Universal, the 2023 action/comedy Polite Society. (Most likely a not available at Walmart release, again. Not sure what determines if a new Uni release will be available there).
Pair of Criterion Collection releases Medicine for Melancholy, a "lo-fi" drama/romance, and The Servant, a film of the drama category.
TV on disc this week includes just Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 16. I would certainly buy seasons 1-15 if they offered it!
Arrow Video has Japanese action/thriller The Game Trilogy.
Honorable Mention (?) - Dinosaurs are always hot, this week Well Go USA has I Am T-Rex. It looks worth a gander in my book.
Warner Archive's next batch, Cowboys & Aliens 4K as well as Kill Bill 4K and Kill Bill 2 4K, check out the news story here.
Roman Holiday is getting a 4K release on August 15th. Hustle & Flow is getting a 'Paramount Presents' 4K release on August 29th. How about a 'Paramount Presents' 4K of Roman Holiday? Feel like Days of Thunder again!
Criterion Collection's September slate includes FOUR 4K titles, including The Princess Bride! That leaves the 4K restoration of La Bamba available as a blu-ray only, but hey even so, I might have to buy every title in September. Goodbye wallet, it's been nice knowing you.
Which titles are you buying this week? Which ones are on your wishlist, be it to buy as an impulse buy or to wait for the right price?
The film that made giant cryptids everyone's family friend, Harry and the Hendersons - or Big Foot Und Die Hendersons is getting SIX new Limited Edtion Mediabook releases from Germany's Turbine Medien.
Seriously though, where would The History Channel or The Learning Channel even be today without Harry and the Hendersons? Already the subject of numerous horror films including the infamous Charles B. Pierce flicks The Legend of Boggie Creek and Boggie Creek II... and the Legend Continues, Harry and the Hendersons took a page out of Spielberg's playbook and made the shoewear-challenged beast everyone's favorite family friend. This movie delighted me as a kid and amazingly it still holds up well today. There was also a half-way decent sitcom that ran for three seasons. Now Turbine gives fans of this family favoite six new limited edition Mediabooks for the collection.
Harry and the Hendersons - Mediabook A
555 Units
Harry and the Hendersons - Mediabook B
333 Units
Harry and the Hendersons - Mediabook C
222 Units
Harry and the Hendersons - Mediabook D
333 Units
Harry and the Hendersons - Mediabook E
222 Units
Harry and the Hendersons - Mediabook F
333 Units
And here's everything you're going to get in this Mediabook release of "Big Foot Und Die Hendersons"
On a trip to the woods, the Hendersons run into the legendary Bigfoot in front of their car. Believing they killed the shaggy giant, George, Nancy and children Sarah and Ernie secretly take him home. However, when Bigfoot wakes up there again, he turns the house completely upside down. There is panic at first before the Hendersons realize the good-natured nature of their furry new roommate, Harry. But when not only the neighbors but also the press and a Bigfoot hunter find out about them, a race against time begins to bring the supposed monster to safety again...
With BIGFOOT AND THE HENDERSONS, Steven Spielberg's production company Amblin created a wild adventure comedy for the whole family. Rick Baker designed Harry's costume and won the 1988 Oscar(R) for it, having previously done so with An American Werewolf in London.
Technical specifications:
Language / sound: German DTS-HD MA 5.1, German DTS 2.0, English DTS-HD MA 5.1, English DTS 2.0, German DD 5.1, German DD 2.0, English DD 5.1, English DD 2.0
Bildformat: 1,85:1 (1080p24 Full HD), 1,85:1 (16:9 anamorph, PAL)
Subtitles: German, German for the hearing impaired, English, English for the hearing impaired
Running time: 111 minutes
Bonus Material:
* with optional German/English subtitles
Sony's Big George Foreman on Blu-ray 06/27, Warner Archive's latest Blu-ray announcements for 07/25, Warner's Batman: Mask of the Phantasm 4K, Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Vol 1 4K, and Jon Favreau's Cowboys & Aliens in 4K from kino Lorber.
The first bit of news that we have is George Tillman Jr.'s boxing biopic Big George Foreman starring Khris Davis and Forest Whitaker will be available on Blu-ray and DVD on June 27. Digital arrives on June 13.
The miraculous story of the once and future heavyweight champion of the world. Fueled by an impoverished childhood, Foreman channels his anger into becoming the World Heavyweight Champion, followed by a near-death experience that takes him from the ring to the pulpit. But when he sees his community struggle, he reclaims his title, becoming the oldest and most improbable heavyweight champion ever.
The Blu-ray comes with English & Spanish 5.1 DTS-HD MA tracks, Movies Anywhere digital code, and the following supplements:
BONUS MATERIALS
BLU-RAY™, DIGITAL, AND DVD
Warner Brothers has also announced their July Warner Archive Blu-ray slate: Helen of Troy (1956), The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954), Du Barry Was a Lady (1943), The Broadway Melody (1929), The Fastest Gun Alive (1956) and Cimarron (1931). All six titles release on Blu-ray on July 25.
Helen of Troy
In an epic tale of passion, heroism, love, betrayal and war that has that has been passed from generation to generation since the dawn of civilization, one woman possesses a beauty that launches a thousand ships and sparks a war that destroys the greatest city of its age--Helen of Troy.
1100 BCE. King Priam (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) of Troy, sends his son, Paris (Jack Sernas), to Sparta to negotiate a treaty to ensure peace between the two Greek city-states. But Paris falls in love with Spartan King Menelaus' (Niall MacGinnis) wife, Helen (Rossana Podesta). Paris kidnaps the willing Helen and her servant (Brigitte Bardot), starting a war that will kill thousands of brave warriors and spell the end of the city of Troy. Homer's Iliad provides the basis for this epic from the '50s heyday of big-screen blockbusters. Robert Wise (West Side Story, The Sound Of Music) directs this lavish epic capturing more than 30,000 people on screen at a then-huge production cost of $6 million.
The Last Time I Saw Paris
Academy Award winners Elizabeth Taylor and Donna Reed star with Van Johnson in this sweeping romance loosely based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Babylon Revisited", a story of love and dreams found and lost in The City of Lights--The Last Time I Saw Paris.
When reporter Charles Wills (Johnson) travels to Paris to cover the Allies' victory in World War II, he falls in love with and marries the stunningly beautiful Helen Ellswirth (Taylor). The young newlyweds choose to stay in Paris, where Charles tries to make his way as a writer. But years of struggle, rejection and poverty take their toll on the Wills' marriage, and the two drift into affairs with others as their love and dreams fade. Now, after years of disillusion and tragedy, Charles returns to Paris. But can he rediscover the passion and dreams that once came so easily?
Du Barry Was a Lady
Hapless nightclub hatcheck boy Red Skelton loves glamorous chanteuse Lucille Ball. Handsome hoofer Gene Kelly loves her too. And Lucy? Lucy loves money. Then Red mistakenly gulps down a Mickey Finn and dreams he's in 18th-century France. Before you can powder your wig, a throng of suitors -- Red, Gene, King Louis XV, a dashing rebel, a sinister duke and just about everybody -- loves Lucy!
This glittery, tune-filled bonbon features a supporting cast of wags and wits (including the inimitable Zero Mostel) and three Cole Porter songs from the original Broadway smash: "Friendship," "Katie Went to Haiti" and "Do I Love You?" Cherchez la Lucy for comedy, music and star power from Hollywood's golden era.
The Broadway Melody: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer made every effort to impress with its first talking motion picture, setting a new standard for big-budget films and establishing an archetype for decades of movie musicals to follow in The Broadway Melody.
The Great White Way truly becomes the Street of Broken Dreams when sisters Queenie and Hank Mahoney (Anita Page and Bessie Love) follow Hank's boyfriend, Eddie Kearns (Charles King), to Manhattan with visions of stardom. In New York, Eddie and Queenie are attracted to each other, but unwilling to betray her sister, Queenie dates a feckless cad. Now, Hank must sort out the tangle of aspirations and emotions that form this tragic love triangle. Filled with a memorable score of unforgettable songs by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed, this was the first sound film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture (1929-30).
The Fastest Gun Alive
Glenn Ford stars in this action-packed Western featuring a star-powered cast. Ford stars as a gunman gone good named George Temple, who with his wife Dora (Jeanne Crain) are trying to live a peaceful life. But George's gunslinging ways are legendary - and attract the attention of other gunmen who feel up for a challenge. The couple moves to a new town in the hopes of finally finding a normal life. When George gets drunk and spills the beans, can he and Dora trust the townfolk to keep their secret? A Western with a message that the whole family can enjoy.
Cimarron
This Academy Award -winning adaptation of Edna Ferber's novel traces the lives of two people who are in love with each other--but in love with life even more--as they struggle to bring civilization to the Western frontier in Cimarron!
1898. The Oklahoma Land Rush. As thousands of would-be settlers race across a barren desert to be the first to stake their claim to a plot of land, Yancey Cravat (Richard Dix) is cheated out of his property by Dixie Lee (Estelle Taylor). Without the farm they had hoped to start, Yancey and his wife, Sabra (Irene Dunne), take over the local newspaper after the editor is assassinated. But as the newspaper helps bring order to a lawless land, Yancey feels the wanderlust to find new frontiers and new adventures, and Sabra stays to build a publishing empire. Always in love, frequently apart and destined for greatness, Yancey and Sabra lead lives as tempestuous as the land they have chosen for their home in this epic Western classic.
According to Bill Hunt over at The Digital Bits, Warner Brothers seems to be prepping Batman: Mask of the Phantasm for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray for a release likely this fall.
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm: When the city's most feared gangsters are systematically eliminated, the Caped Crusader is blamed. But prowling the Gotham night is a shadowy new villain, the Phantasm, a sinister figure with some link to Batman's past. Can the Dark Knight elude the police, capture the Phantasm and clear his own name?
Unmasking the Phantasm is just one of the twists in this dazzling animated feature. Discover revelations about Batman's past, his archrival the Joker and Batman's most grueling battle ever — the choice between his love for a beautiful woman and his vow to be the defender of right. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is "a mystery that is genuinely absorbing, suspenseful and moving" (Cincinnati Enquirer).
Quentin Tarantino fans will also be pleased to know that The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Lionsgate will be re-releasing Jackie Brown, Kill Bill: Vo 1, and Kill Bill: Vol 2 in the near future with a newly remastered 4K Ultra HD of Kill Bill: Vol 1 leading the way to coincide with the film's 25th anniversary. It's probably safe to assume the others won't be far behind. We hope to be able to update those with official release news ASAP.
Lastly, there is no release date yet, however, Kino Lorber Studio Classics is working on John Favreau's Cowboys & Aliens starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, and Olivia Wilde for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray sometime in 2023 or early 2024.
Cowboys & Aliens: Bearing a mysterious metal shackle on his wrist, an amnesiac gunslinger (Daniel Craig) wanders into a frontier town called Absolution. He quickly finds that strangers are unwelcome, and no one does anything without the approval of tyrannical Col. Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford). But when Absolution faces a threat from beyond Earth, the stranger finds that he is its only hope of salvation. He unites townspeople, outlaws and Apache warriors against the alien forces in an epic battle for survival.
What a great quote (above) from John Wick 4. And there ain't no doubt about it, this week John Wick 4 will decimate the charts. With so many skus available though, there probably will not be a clear winner of which sku (always a safe bet with the standard release). On the other hand, maybe you waited for Insidious, Rain Man or Time Bandits. Why not get all four?
Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 2 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of June 11th - June 17th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
Import Monday first, if you did not opt for the excellent A24 shop release, Arrow Video has it in one of their limited editions, I am referring to Robert Eggers' The Lighthouse.
So, it was bound to happen, it did happen, a certain studio in the habit of officially announcing a release literally a week before street date, which then causes mass confusion, especially when the actual boxes that were shipped to retailers had a different date (6/6) than the official date (6/13). Am referring to The Super Mario Bros. Movie, on June 6th Universal announced it for a June 13th release. Literally every B&M store out there already had it on the shelves for sale ON 6/6. How dare they follow what the box says!
Alrighty then, the new release that will sell oodles of copies among all the various skus is John Wick 4 from LionsGate. A run down of all the choices available, a Standard Edition, an Amazon Exclusive Edition, a Best Buy Exclusive and a Walmart Exclusive. Absent (again) from the 4K category is the Target Exclusive, how 2006 of them.
If you missed out on the Limited Edition SteelBook, Paramount/CBS has Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - Season One as a standard edition this week.
Moving on to catalog titles. First from the MVD Marquee Collection, after several street date pushbacks, it looks like Rain Man really is coming out on Tuesday.
From Criterion, a 4K upgrade for Time Bandits. Before you pounce on this though, there is one small thing to consider, the Arrow UK import that is coming out on August 28th. Likely the same transfer, just in a different package and with a little bit of swag.
Although originally listed for next week, the beginning of a franchise with Sony Pictures'/James Wan's SteelBook of Insidious. I hope that some day yesterday that Blumhouse will jump on the 4K disc bandwagon. Some day.
From Dark Star, a 1981 horror titled Scream, aka The Outing.
Next week, it will be all about the two Avatar movies. Yes there are a couple of decent catalog titles coming too, but they will certainly be in the shadows.
Blu-ray counterparts of the above titles, John Wick 4 gets a standard edition release, and Target sticks to blu-ray for their retailer exclusive. Rain Man also is available via MVD. If you can handle region locked titles, Arrow Video's Limited Edition release of The Lighthouse also gets a blu-ray edition.
It's bound to happen regularly, in a short announcement window, Universal Pictures releases the sports drama Sweetwater this week.
New comedy from Sony Pictures titled The Man from Toronto. In the horror/thriller category, The Pope's Exorcist, maybe you have heard of Russell Crowe?
Anime highlights include Boruto: Naruto Next Generations - Set 15 (The Otsutsuki Awaken), Made In Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun Complete Collection, My Senpai is Annoying, available as a standard edition and a limited edition, and Spy x Family Season 1 Part 1.
TV on disc this week includes Parenthood: The Compete Series and Quantum Leap: Season One.
LionsGate's action/thriller of the week is titled One Ranger.
Next batch of Indicator Series releases with From Hollywood to Heaven: The Lost and Saved Films of the Ormond Family and Mexico Macabre: Four Sinister Tales from the Alameda Films Vault, 1959-1963.
Sandpiper Pictures, known for rereleasing out of print Twilight Time titles, is releasing Lawman, One Man's Hero and Scorpio.
Competing with Shawscope (Arrow Video), Shout Factory this week releases Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume One.
(Berry Gordy's) The Last Dragon will be coming to 4K SteelBook on September 19th.
Sisu has been finalized for blu-ray and 4K disc with a July 11th street date.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off arrives to 4K disc on August 1st.
Which titles are you buying this week? Which ones are on your wishlist, be it to buy as an impulse buy or to wait for the right price?
Ari Aster's latest film starring Academy Award winner Joaquin Phoenix, Emmy winner Nathan Lane, and Emmy nominee Patti LuPone will debut on Blu-ray Combo Pack on July 11.
Read our review of Beau is Afraid HERE.
A paranoid man embarks on an epic odyssey to get home to his mother in this bold and ingeniously depraved new film from writer/director Ari Aster.
No 4K planned at the moment, but it's a safe bet that A24 Shop will probably have one of their deluxe book sets coming down the pipe sometime soon. For now, the Blu-ray combo pack will include a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack and Finally Home: Making Beau Is Afraid.
Order your copy today and here is the full press release:
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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Ari Aster’s third film collaboration with A24, Beau Is Afraid arrives on Blu-ray™ + DVD + Digital and DVD July 11 from A24 and Lionsgate. Writer and director Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar) creates another unsettling story, starring Academy Award® winner Joaquin Phoenix (2020, Best Actor, Joker), Primetime Emmy® winner Nathan Lane (2022, Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, “Only Murders in the Building”), and Primetime Emmy® nominee Patti LuPone (1998, Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, “Frasier”). Beau Is Afraid will be available for the suggested retail prices of $39.99 for Blu-ray + DVD + Digital, and $29.96 for DVD.
OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS
A paranoid man embarks on an epic odyssey to get home to his mother in this bold and ingeniously depraved new film from writer/director Ari Aster.
BLU-RAY/DVD SPECIAL FEATURE:
Finally Home: Making Beau Is Afraid
CAST
Joaquin Phoenix Her, Joker, Gladiator, The Master
Nathan Lane
Patti LuPone
Parker Posey
Amy Ryan
Trailer: https://youtu.be/PuiWDn976Ek
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Year of Production: 2023
Title Copyright: Beau Is Afraid © 2023 Mommy Knows Best LLC, UAAP LLC and IPR.VC Fund II KY. Artwork & Supplementary Materials © 2023 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Type: New Release
Rating: R
Genre: Thriller, Action/Adventure, Comedy
Closed-Captioned: N/A
Subtitles: Spanish, English SDH
Run Time: 179 Minutes
Blu-ray Format: 1080p High Definition, 16x9 (1.85) Presentation
Blu-ray Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio™, English Descriptive Audio
DVD Format: 16x9 (1.85) Presentation
DVD Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Audio, English Descriptive Audio
Look at that, we have gone a full 3 years with our weekly shopping guide and kick off year 4 this week. If you had to look back, what's the most memorable disc/set you have purchased? There are so many good ones it's hard for me to put a finger on it. This week is probably dubbed the double (or triple) dip edition for the 4K area, but there still are a couple of new to 4K releases, and of course blu-ray too.
Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 1 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of June 4th - June 10th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
Import Monday begins with The Changeling from Second Sight. No disrespect to Severin, but this edition is much more appealing to me.
Tuesday *would* have begun with the new release title The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which has a standard release, a Walmart Exclusive and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. As of press time though, Universal has not given their zero-notice announcement. Retailers have this title in hand and some are selling it today. BullMoose shows a 6/13 release, everyone else shows it as not yet announced. Great marketing there Universal! We will of course update our listings if it changes. Target's weekly ad also shows it available. If Universal were to wait to next week, they would get creamed by John Wick 4!
Tuesday begins with The Rules of the Game from Criterion.
LionsGate gives us another Best Buy Exclusive slipcover style SteelBook with Lord of War.
Sticking with Best Buy Exclusive SteelBooks, the next two 'Disney 100' editions to come out this week are Coco and Toy Story.
Clear and Present Danger gets a single sku release this week. We also see standard case editions for Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Next week calls for John Wick 4 x 4, Super Mario Bros. Movie (maybe), Time Bandits and more.
Believe it or not, there are no counterparts to the above 4K releases this week. There is a region B standard edition for The Changeling, but this is a case of where the Severin release more than satisfies. The Super Mario Bros. Movie would have been the counterpart if it were on a 6/6 release. A Walmart Exclusive would also be available.
Kino Lorber this week has blu-ray counterparts to the 4K releases from not too long ago, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More each get their respective blu-ray editions.
From Paramount, the 2023 action/thriller Assassin Club.
TV on disc include The Event: The Complete Series from Mill Creek, La Brea: Season Two from Universal and Tulsa King: Season One from Paramount, with the latter available as a standard edition and as a SteelBook Edition. Looks like no physical 4K option as of yet (if ever) for Tulsa King.
The next Giallo set Giallo Essentials V5 Blue Edition gets the general release this week from Arrow Video.
Literally just announced, comedy/horror Renfield with Nicolas Cage comes to us via Universal. You just might vant to buy this movie, har har!
Super slow week for anime, just one highlight, Platinum End - Part 2.
May 2023's batch of Imprint Films Limited Editions are available at Amazon US on Friday, titles include:
Shout! Factory's various labels have revealed their August titles. Subject to change, plus or minus, so far they include Assault On Hill 400, Coma, Hackers 4K, Little Nicky, Nightbreed 4K and Shaw Brothers Classics: Vol. Two.
MVD has revealed that they are bringing Ghoulies to 4K and blu-ray discs. Ghoulies 2 is also getting their special treatment for blu-ray. Keep your fingers crossed, they have indicated they are trying to also bring this film to 4K as negotiations continue.
The next Vestron Collector's Series release has been announced as My Best Friend Is a Vampire, with a street date some time in July.
Which titles are you buying this week? Which ones are on your wishlist, be it to buy as an impulse buy or to wait for the right price?
In collaboration with The Great Guidance, the team at 3-D Film Archive have masterfully and lovingly restored 1953’s ultra-low-budget classic B-Movie Robot Monster to its full 3-D glory - and it’s amazing! Shot on location in Bronson Canyon on a budget of around $16,000 dollars over four days, Phil Tucker’s creation may be one of the silliest films ever made but it was a box office smash and proof that some amazing 3-D photography could be achieved with very very little. I was among one of the fortunate few Hu-Mans to get to see the great and powerful Ro-Man as he was meant to be seen on the big screen.
On May 17th, a gathering of my fellow 3-D enthusiasts caught a double-feature screening of Abbott and Costello’s Jack and the Beanstalk and Robot Monster at the Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University campus hosted by 3-D Film Archive’s Bob Furmanek and Greg Kitnz. The evening opened with Jack and the Beanstalk which was a marvelous restoration effort (see our Blu-ray review) and it was quite something to see it projected in front of an audience. Before I’d only seen the film at home and I thought it was entertaining, but the humor and child-like fun are best experienced with an audience.
But the main attraction of the night was most certainly Robot Monster. After years of neglect at the hands of a recently departed rights holder, Bob and Greg and the rest of the 3-D Film Archive team were finally able to restore this three-dimensional gem and the results were amazing. Prior to this viewing I’d only been able to experience Robot Monster in 3-D on a terrible Anaglyph tape. On top of the generally bad Anapglyph work, large segments were flat without any dimension at all. Up to that point, the best visual experience I’ve had with the film was thanks to the hilarious spin on Mystery Science Theater 3000.
This restoration was a treat as soon as I popped on my Dolby Cinema 3D Glasses! As anyone out there collecting 3-D Film Archive’s wide range of classic three-dimensional films knows well, Bob Furmanek, Greg Kintz, and the rest of the restoration team are miracle workers. They can take something as abused and neglected as Revenge of the Shogun Women and restore it to something grand. After an amazingly successful Kickstarter campaign, Robot Monster is another amazing achievement. Apparently sourced from the best print elements available, the film has never looked this good in many, many decades. It may be one damned goofy movie but you can now fully appreciate the wide range of techniques and visual tricks Phil Tucker and his crew accomplished in very little shooting time with barely two months of post-production.
Watching George Barrows march around in a hundred-pound gorilla suit in the middle of a hot California summer is one thing, but it’s striking to see it in properly restored 3-D! And thankfully I wasn’t the only one there having a blast. Surveying the audience, everyone there looked and sounded like they were enjoying every goofy minute! I was grateful my calendar suddenly opened up and I could afford the time to trek the three hours into Buckeye territory because it was worth catching both of these films on the big screen with a Hu-Man audience but on July 25th you can bring Ro-Man home!
3-D Film Archive has teamed up with Bay View Entertainment to distribute Robot Monster on Blu-ray July 25th and it's now up for pre-order! The release will come with a standard digital 3-D perfect for your still-surviving 3-D Television or your awesome home theater projector. Now if you don’t have a 3-D TV or projector, a Red/Blue Anaglyph 3D version will be included so you can experience this film as it was meant to be seen on any home theater setup! 2D will be available too, but honestly, 3D is where it’s at. And more big-screen showings are on the way! Keep an eye on 3-D Film Archive’s Facebook Page or if you were a Kickstarter backer, tickets for future screenings will be going up for pre-order soon. We don’t have exact dates, times. or locations but when we do you can make sure we’ll let you all know so you secure your seat to the best show in town!
For an extra bit of fun, if you live in or near Pasadena, California and plan on going to Monsterpaluza, you can meet little Johnny himself! Actor Gregory Moffett will be in attendance signing autographs and taking your Robot Monster Blu-ray orders!
You Must! The Great Guidance Commands It! It Is Part Of The Plan!
The comedy/drama based on the novel by Judy Blume starring Rachel McAdams, Abby Ryder Fortson and Kathy Bates arrives on Digital on June 6 and on demand June 27. The Blu-ray is scheduled to hit stores on July 11.
In this long-awaited movie adaption of Judy Blume’s classic, groundbreaking novel, eleven-year-old Margaret (Abby Ryder Fortson) is uprooted from her life in New York City to the suburbs of New Jersey, going through the messy and tumultuous throes of puberty with new friends in a new school. She relies on her mother, Barbara (Rachel McAdams), who is also struggling to adjust to life outside the big city, and her adoring grandmother, Sylvia (Kathy Bates). A timeless coming-of-age story, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret sparkles with insightful humor while candidly exploring life’s biggest questions.
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. - Blu-ray
The Blu-ray includes a Dolby Atmos soundtrack and the following supplements:
Pre-order your Blu-ray now and check out the full press release:
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SANTA MONICA, CA (May 2, 2023) – The beloved and best-selling classic that has impacted generations, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. arrives on Digital June 6, On Demand June 27, and on Blu-ray™ + DVD + Digital Combo and DVD July 11 from Lionsgate. Abby Ryder Fortson (Ant-Man and the Wasp, Forever My Girl) is joined by a remarkable all-star cast, including Rachel McAdams (The Notebook, Mean Girls), Benny Safdie (Licorice Pizza, Good Time), and Kathy Bates (TV’s “American Horror Story,” Misery). Written for the screen and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig (The Edge of Seventeen), Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. will be available for the suggested retail prices of $39.99 for Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Combo, and $29.96 for DVD.
In this long-awaited movie adaption of Judy Blume’s classic, groundbreaking novel, eleven-year-old Margaret (Abby Ryder Fortson) is uprooted from her life in New York City to the suburbs of New Jersey, going through the messy and tumultuous throes of puberty with new friends in a new school. She relies on her mother, Barbara (Rachel McAdams), who is also struggling to adjust to life outside the big city, and her adoring grandmother, Sylvia (Kathy Bates). A timeless coming-of-age story, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret sparkles with insightful humor while candidly exploring life’s biggest questions.
Written for the Screen and Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig. Based on the Book by Judy Blume. Produced by James L. Brooks, p.g.a., Julie Ansell, p.g.a., Richard Sakai, Kelly Fremon Craig, p.g.a., Judy Blume, Amy Lorraine Brooks, Aldric La’auli Porter. Executive Producer Jonathan McCoy.
BLU-RAY/DVD SPECIAL FEATURES:
CAST:
Rachel McAdams The Notebook, Mean Girls
Abby Ryder Fortson Ant-Man and the Wasp, Forever My Girl
Elle Graham TV’s “Secrets of Sulphur Springs”
Benny Safdie Licorice Pizza, Good Time
and Kathy Bates TV’s “American Horror Story,” Misery
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Year of Production: 2022
Title Copyright: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. © 2023, Artwork & Supplementary Materials ®, ™ & © 2023 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Type: New Release
Rating: PG-13 for thematic material involving sexual education and some suggestive material
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Feature Run Time: 1 hour, 46 minutes
Closed-Captioned: N/A
Subtitles: Spanish, French, English SDH
Blu-ray™ Format: 1080p High Definition 16x9 (1.85:1) Presentation
Blu-ray Audio: English Dolby Atmos, English Descriptive Audio, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Audio
DVD Format: 16x9 (1.85:1) Presentation
DVD Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Audio, English Descriptive Audio, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Audio
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The action-horror comedy co-starring Nicholas Hoult as the titular RENFIELD will sink its teeth into Blu-ray on June 6.
Read our film review for RENFIELD here.
Nicholas Hoult stars as Renfield, the tortured aide to history’s most narcissistic boss: Dracula (Nicolas Cage). For centuries, Renfield has slavishly served Dracula by procuring his master’s prey and doing his every bidding, no matter how debased. But now, Renfield is ready to look for a new life outside the shadow of The Prince of Darkness, if only he can figure out how to end the toxic, co-dependent relationship...
Looks like no 4K release here, but the Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Combo Pack includes a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 soundtrack and several supplements:
Pre-orders are already available and here is the full press release:
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Universal City, California, May 30, 2023 – Oscar® winner Nicolas Cage stars as Dracula in the side-splitting, action-packed new cult classic, RENFIELD, available to own on Digital, Blu-rayTM and DVD June 6, 2023 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Soaked with bloody fun and overflowing with toxic relationships, RENFIELD comes home in a Dracula Sucks Edition with 60 minutes of darkly humorous and captivating never-before-seen bonus content, including deleted scenes and featurettes that dives deeper into the cutting-edge comedy and the secrets behind turning a classic tale into a modern monster movie.
“Super fun from start to finish” (Buzzfeed), RENFIELD features an immortal cast alongside Cage including Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road, X-Men franchise), Awkwafina (The Farewell, Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings), Ben Schwartz (“Parks and Recreation”, “House of Lies”), Adrian Martinez (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, iGilbert), Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Sand and Fog, “House of Saddam”), and Brandon Scott Jones (“Ghosts”, “The Good Place”). Directed by Chris McKay (The Tomorrow War, The LEGO Batman Movie) and written by Ryan Ridley (“Rick & Morty”, “Community”) from a story by Robert Kirkman (“The Walking Dead”, “Invincible”), the edgy horror comedy is produced by Skybound Entertainment and Giant Wildcat.
Nicholas Hoult stars as Renfield, the tortured aide to history’s most narcissistic boss: Dracula (Nicolas Cage). For centuries, Renfield has slavishly served Dracula by procuring his master’s prey and doing his every bidding, no matter how debased. But now, Renfield is ready to look for a new life outside the shadow of The Prince of Darkness, if only he can figure out how to end the toxic, co-dependent relationship...
EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURES ON DIGITAL, BLU-RAYTM & DVD:
FILMMAKERS:
Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Awkwafina, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Nicolas Cage
Music By: Marco Beltrami
Costume Designer: Lisa Lovaas
Editors: Zene Baker ACE, Ryan Folsey, Giancarlo Ganziano
Production Designer: Alec Hammond
Director of Photography: Mitchell Amundsen
Executive Producers: Todd Lewis
Produced By: Chris McKay, Samantha Nisenboim, Bryan Furst, Sean Furst, Robert Kirkman, David Alpert
Alpert p.g.a.
Screen Story By: Robert Kirkman
Screenplay By: Ryan Ridley
Directed By: Chris McKay
TECHNICAL INFORMATION BLU-RAYTM:
Street Date: June 6, 2023 (US)
Selection Number: 1000827192 (US)
Layers: BD 50
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 2.39:1 Widescreen
Rating: R for bloody violence, some gore, language throughout and some drug use
Subtitles: English SDH, French Canadian and Latin American Spanish
Languages/Sound: English (DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content), French Canadian (DTS Digital Surround 5.1) and Latin American Spanish (DTS-HD High Resolution Audio 7.1)
Run Time: 01:33:27
TECHNICAL INFORMATION DVD:
Street Date: June 6, 2023 (US)
Selection Number: 1000827193 (US)
Layers: DVD 9
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 2.39:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Rating: R for bloody violence, some gore, language throughout and some drug use
Subtitles: English SDH, Complex Mandarin, French Canadian, Korean and Latin American Spanish
Languages/Sound: English (Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content), French Canadian (Dolby Digital 5.1) and Latin American Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Run Time: 01:33:33
