It's here. The 48 hours we fear the most, dreading with every fiber of our being...
The financial apocalypse that is Prime Day is upon us once again promising any number of great deals on everything from toilet paper stands and bidets to bone-conducting headphones to deals on cheap accessories for cats. But for physical media collectors, it's the dreaded opportunity to stock up on some titles we held back grabbing in hopes of a good deal. Now those deals are here, and your financial standing may never survive. On top of the rapid-fire lightning deals on recent releases and favorite titles at big discounts, Amazon has a range of great deals on a slew of titles including big recent releases to complete series collections to guilty favorite titles on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray.
We're going to do some hunting for you by section and here are some of the best deals we've spotted so far:
Lord of the Rings The Motion Picture Trilogy 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $39.99
James Bond: Daniel Craig 5-Film Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $34.99
Nightmare on Elm Street 7-Film Collection Blu-ray - $19.99
Top Gun: Maverick 2-Film Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $26.99
The Flintstones The Complete Series Blu-ray - $29.99
The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection Blu-ray - $14.99
The Alfred Hitchcock Collection Vol 1 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $34.99
The Alfred Hitchcock Collection Vol 2 4k Ultra HD Blu-ray - $34.99
Sonic The Hedgehog 2-Movie SteelBook 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $26.99
Sony Pictures Classics 30th Anniversary 11-Film Collection 4K ultra HD Blu-ray - $149.49
Game of Thrones The Complete Series 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $99.99
The Godfather 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook - $16.49
The Godfather Part II 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook - $15.99
The Godfather: Coda The Death of Michael Corleone 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook - $12.99
The Untouchables 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook - $17.99
The Bionic Woman Complete Series Blu-ray - $89.99
Supernatural: The Complete Series Blu-ray - $129.99
Space 1999 Complete Series Blu-ray - $52.24
Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series Blu-ray - $49.99
Smallville: The Complete Series Blu-ray - $84.99
Charmed: The Complete Series Blu-ray - $89.99
Justified: The Complete Series Blu-ray - $92.49
Dune (2021) 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $9.49
Casablanca 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $11.99
The Maltese Falcon 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - 14.99
The Thing 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $10.99
Event Horizon 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $15.99
Dragonheart 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $18.49
Freaky 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $18.99
Used Cars 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $20.41
Nope 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $11.99
Jaws: 45th Anniversary Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $15.99
Rebel Without A Cause 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray $14.99
The Lost Boys 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray $11.99
1917 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $9.49
Cool Hand Luke 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $14.99
Poltergeist 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $11.99
Godzilla 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $9.99
The Meg 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $9.99
Braveheart 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $12.99
Highlander 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $13.49
The Suicide Squad 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $11.49
The Outsiders 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $18.99
Old Henry 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $16.99
The Last Detail 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $17.99
The Green Mile 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $10.99
Spartacus 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $13.00
Training Day 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $14.24
Scott Pilgrim Saves The World 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - $9.99
The Whale Blu-ray - $10.99
Clerks III Blu-ray - $7.96
Candyman III Day of the Dead Blu-ray - $4.99
Fall Blu-ray - $8.49
Warlock Collection (3-Films) Blu-ray - $16.49
House of 1000 Corpses 20th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray - $32.45
Without Remorse Blu-ray - $10.99
Big Night Blu-ray - $13.99
Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III Blu-ray - $15.99
Now obviously there's a bunch more great discs out there waiting to take up space on your shelves - and this is only Day One! Tomorrow may see more new deals!
Won't exactly call it a return to normal, but after a holiday week, any sort of release schedule is much more normal than that. It's a tossup on whether Scream 6 or Sisu will be the 4K title of the week. I lean towards Sisu because that category generally gets more attention.
Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 6 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of July 9th - July 15th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
With no Imports Monday to report, thes get New Releases Tuesday first.
From Paramount, Scream VI, which comes as a Standard Edition and as a SteelBook Edition.
From LionsGate, Sisu, which comes as a Standard Edition and as a SteelBook, but the latter is a Best Buy Exclusive.
Moving on to catalog releases, Criterion Collection releases After Hours, listed as a 'Dark' Comedy. And, The Watermelon Woman, which is in the romcom category.
From Scream Factory, a horror titled The Burning.
Closing out the 4K category this week, a few double-dips of sort. Invaders from Mars (1953) gets a standard release and both Mission: Impossible - Fallout and Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation get a SteelBook repackage.
Next week, Bruce Lee imports, that Evil Dead Rise SteelBook I told you about, Les Mes, James Dean, John Wayne and more!
Blu-ray counterparts of the above releases include Scream VI from Paramount and Sisu from LionsGate for the new releases, and After Hours from Criterion for a catalog title. The double-dip/standard release of Invaders from Mars also is available this week.
This week and next are pretty slow for blu-ray releases. Again, a good week to be a boutique label.
New comedy/drama from LionsGate titled Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.. Not done with LionsGate yet, also look for Beau Is Afraid, which is a comedy/horror.
From Sony Pictures Classics, Drama/Romance titled Carmen.
Under the standard Sony label, based on the anime of the same name, Knights of the Zodiac gets a live action film. As a fan of the series, is a 4K import an option?
A new comedy from Universal titled Book Club: The Next Chapter. Were there previous chapters?
TV on disc includes just Doctor Who: Jon Pertwee: Complete Season Three.
Collectors of the series from Kino Lorber should know that Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema XV releases this week.
There is practically no anime this week, what we do see are movies with One Piece Film: Red and Ranma ½ OVA & Movies Collection.
A little bit of action from Vertical Entertainment with To Catch a Killer.
Honorable Mention: Richard Pryor Double Feature is available this week and is currently the only way to get both Which Way Is Up? and 'The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings' on blu-ray. And if you were looking for White Noise 2, you can get it with another double feature from Mill Creek, White Noise / White Noise 2.
Shout Factory has revealed a slew of titles for September. In no particular order (except maybe from their social media account) they are Lost Souls, The Pack (1977), Night of the Comet 4K, My Demon Lover, My Bloody Valentine 4K, The Lost City of Z 4K, What's Love Got to Do with It?, Irwin Allen: Master of Disaster Collection, Natural Born Killers 4K and Lonely Castle in the Mirror. I would expect another anime title or two to be added, but this is still quite a list!
Disney has revealed the release of The Little Mermaid (2023) for a date of September 19th. Keeping up with their usual formula, Best Buy SteelBook, Walmart Exclusive, and the best cover art among all the choices remains with the blu-ray edition.
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?
Vinegar Syndrome's sister company OCN Distribution adds two exciting new labels to their growing consortium of companies dedicated to preserving popular, weird, wild, and obscure films on physical media. That means more Blu-rays, more 4K UHD, and yes - even more Blu-ray 3D discs coming our way!
News broke earlier this week ahead of the 4th of July holiday that exploitation label Culture Shock would be leaving the OCN Distribution partner catalog to go their own way as they expand their collection of titles. While exploitation fans may miss seeing new Culture Shock titles in the new monthly OCN releases, there's good news on the horizon. In a press release OCN Distribution details they've added two new exciting partner labels to their catalog ensuring that not only will their monthly assortment of exciting titles continue to grow, but see films earn their first-time releases on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, and even new Blu-ray 3D releases!
The first big highlight of the press releases is the news that the new imprint Art Label run by Warren Xian, formally of Culture Shock releasing, will be joining the OCN Distribution collective. As the name implies, Art Label aims to expand beyond horror and exploitation titles to encompass rare, obscure, and well-known art house titles.
The next big piece of news in this press release is that independent cinema caretakers IFC Films will be joining OCN Distribution! On top of their expansive back catalog, IFC continues to give new films a shot on home video rather than letting them get lost (or deleted) in the streaming weeds. This means back catalog titles that were only issued on DVD may see their Blu-ray debuts and even some 4K UHD upgrades as new titles continue to reach physical media!
Collectors should see the first releases from both Art Label and IFC Films arrive in December!
While it may be sad to see Culture Shock leave this exciting network, it's awesome to hear they're not going away either. When we have more news about where they land and when their next releases arrive we'll let you all know. HDD has had a great time checking out their discs so we're happy and excited to see what's next in store for them. At the same time, it's impossible to hold back enthusiasm for what's coming from OCN with two new labels and current partners expanding their collections. That just means more awesome new movies, more slick exclusive slipcovers, and more money happily vanishing from our wallets every month!
For all the gory details, check out the full OCN press release below:
OCN DISTRIBUTION ADDS TWO NEW PARTNER LABELS FOR FALL 2023
[Bridgeport, CT July 6th, 2023] – OCN Distribution, sister company of popular boutique genre home video label Vinegar Syndrome, is expanding its roster of Partner Labels in 2023 (and beyond) with at least two more new labels introduced in this calendar year.
Following up the addition of labels like the Australian based Umbrella and the US based XYZ Films and Film Desk in 2023 thus far, OCN Distribution is adding two more exciting labels to its consistently expanding lineup this fall, while the current lineup will continue regular releases including the first 4K UHD from Canadian International Pictures and the first 3D BD release from any of the OCN partner labels, via Dekanalog.
The first addition to the OCN roster has been years in the making and we are very excited to announce that IFC Films will be joining OCN, with extras packed upgrades of select titles, including some previously only released on DVD, alongside future UHD upgrades and new to home video releases. It’s a relationship that will build on IFC’s exquisite curation at the forefront of independent cinema both domestic and abroad, which has been cultivated for decades.
The first IFC Films release will land in December’s Partner’s Only month and its director, Alex Ross Perry, had the following to say about working with OCN on the release: "The work being done by OCN is invaluable when it comes to creating essential physical media home video releases of films that might otherwise not be given the luxury treatment. IFC's catalog is nearly unparalleled when it comes to crucial and significant independent cinema over the past few decades. The possibilities of this partnership are endless, and I am flattered that my previous work with OCN on the definitive Her Smell blu-ray - and their desire to release more of my films - has played a small role in building this relationship”.
Also launching in December’s Partner’s Only month will be brand new imprint Art Label, run by Warren Xian, formerly of Culture Shock Releasing which will operate without Xian going forward. As many OCN fans are aware, Culture Shock Releasing will be parting ways with OCN this summer and will seek alternative means of distribution. Xian had the following to say about staying with OCN and forming his own label: “With Art Label, I am excited to broaden the horizons of what I was doing with Culture Shock Releasing. We will be expanding beyond horror and exploitation into past and present art house cinema, from the deep fringe to the well known. Working with OCN has been very liberating, allowing me to focus my energy on acquiring more titles and gathering more bonus material for each release, and I am delighted to be continuing that relationship.”
OCN is very excited about these two new partner labels, and more labels to come in 2024! This fall will be a banner season for OCN Distribution, with an average of 15 releases per month from September through December and that will only increase going into the following year, which will contain even more surprises, including never before on disc titles, unexpected UHD upgrades, comprehensive filmmaker box sets and more!
Tom Cruise's latest action-packed adventure as international IMF superspy Ethan Hunt is about to hit theaters. The franchise has always been about intricate spycraft, big stunts, and pulse-pounding-action set pieces. After the wall-to-wall nonstop action of Mission: Impossible Fallout, Tom Cruise and frequent collaborator Christopher McQuarrie are back for more with Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One. This and the upcoming sequel are rumored to be the swan song for Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt and that means big world-ending stakes, intense action, and impressive stuntwork demanding the best possible movie-going experience.
With theaters offering a variety of premium format options to give you a fully immersive cinematic experience, IMAX and Dolby Cinema are your best options over any standard theater screen. But what is the difference between IMAX and Dolby Cinema and which is the best way to enjoy Dead Reckoning Part One? Reviewers Bryan and Sam saw the film in each format and they might help you decide.
There are a number of premium format theater options out there intended to offer a definitive cinema-going experience - for a slightly more expensive ticket. IMAX and Dolby Cinema are the current top formats out there, but they're not made equal.
So let's start with IMAX:
Probably the most recognized premium format name to average moviegoers, IMAX has been the go-to for BIG screen theater viewings. The format got started with gorgeous nature documentaries but in the late 90s and early 2000s started to show Hollywood feature films reformated, and in the case of Attack of the Clones re-edited, for the biggest screen in town. And it is BIG. A true IMAX screen can measure anywhere from 50 to 125 feet high! Then you have Omnimax which not only adds height but then gives you an intense 180-degree sightline for a uniquely immersive visual experience. Then the theaters blast you with wall-to-wall earth-rattling surround sound to bring you right into the movies. And starting with Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight - big Hollywood tentpoles were partially (or more recently entirely) shot with IMAX cameras to give you a truly BIG SCREEN experience with either a shifting or static aspect ratio.
But sadly not all IMAX screens are made equal. With around 1700 Imax screens globally, you have to do your research before you run off to any old theater. In the push to get more IMAX screens out there, some multiplexes retrofitted existing screens to support IMAX - but didn't give you the same height experience. Not by a long shot. While the picture may be crystal clear, these screens dubbed "Lie-MAX" by moviegoers are a frustratingly lacking experience and just aren't worth the extra premium format surcharge. So you have to do your homework to make sure the screen you're going to is genuine IMAX and not a pithy converted screen.
Let's now dive into Dolby Cinema:
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray enthusiasts will know the names Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos - but you don't have to own a high-end home theater setup, you can go to your local theater! Utilizing their own dual high dynamic range laser projector system, Dolby Cinema screens promise the clearest, most detailed image possible with an intense surround and overhead audio experience. While only in a fraction of the theaters as IMAX, Dolby Cinema has set its own quality benchmark for image clarity and auditory resonance. Since all Dolby Cinema screens are certified by Dolby, there isn't a worry about one Dolby Cinema screen not being the same quality as the next Dolby Cinema screen. However - screen size is along standard theater ranges so you won't get that genuine HUGE SCREEN experience of IMAX.
Here's what Sam had to say about his Dolby Cinema experience:
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One was viewed in Dolby Cinema at AMC Theaters Boston Common with a 4K Dolby Vision presentation that impresses with crisp colors, deep contrast and rich hues that come with the improved 4K laser projection. You can really tell the difference between the sequences shot normally and those framed for IMAX, though I don’t really fault the film for that, as the presentation on the whole is vivid and eye-popping. You won’t be disappointed by seeing it in Dolby Vision at a Dolby Cinema theater, though everything is cropped at 2.39:1. If you see this film in IMAX, certain sequences open up to the full-frame 1.90:1 ratio. The film was reportedly shot completely on Sony CineAlta Venice Cameras, made popular for their use on Top Gun: Maverick, which explains why everything is so crisp and vivid.
[Edit 7/12/23]
At the time of press, we didn't have confirmation that there wouldn't be any open frame 1.90:1 IMAX sequences - given past blockbuster titles and Mission: Impossible entries it was a safe assumption. After finally getting clarifications and numerous readers letting us know, the IMAX version of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One does not have expanding aspect ratio sequences and is apparently fixed at 2.39:1. Apologies for the confusion there.
Here's what Bryan had to say about his IMAX experience:
Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One is being released in just about every theater across the world. The film will be available to watch in standard theaters or if one is so lucky, a choice of IMAX or Dolby Cinema enhanced theaters. What is the difference here? This film was shot on the Sony CineAlta Venice IMAX cameras, which means it was specifically made for IMAX theaters, or at least the big action set pieces were. That full scope from top to bottom in crystal clear clarity is something special to witness, especially during the incredible train sequence that allows for every type of visual imagination. It's an immersive experience when Cruise jumps off a mountain and lands on a train, along with some of those winding, narrow streets during the car chase. Movies like this are made to be seen on the biggest screen possible and IMAX delivers that option with perfection here.
While Sam enjoyed the viewing experience of Dolby Cinema - Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One was made to be seen at IMAX. Using the state-of-the-art Sony CineAlta Venice Cameras, both experiences guarantee you a better image experience than a standard theater screen - but IMAX looks like the clear overall winner overall. From incredible car chases to daring jumps to runaway trains, the film is sure to be a visual feast. Bryan and Sam may have had differing opinions about the film itself, but they both agree the action setpieces are incredible and demand to be seen on the best and biggest screens available.
In the USA, there is a major holiday this week, which is pretty much why there are fewer releases, both in the 4K category and the blu-ray category. What are some of your favorite films or TV shows with July 4th / Independence Day in them? Uncle Sam and Independence Day are some obvious ones. Stranger Things 3 also revolved around this holiday.
Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 5 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of July 2nd - July 8th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
There are no new release titles and no notable imports this week.
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, Jaws 2 debuts to 4K disc with a standard edition and a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook.
Paramount Pictures delivers The Truman Show, perhaps one of Jim Carrey's better known films besides Ace Ventura or The Mask.
Shout Factory upgrades another Universal Pictures film to 4K, this one coincidentally is titled, Upgrade.
In the double-dip category, Paramount offers two existing films, but as collectible SteelBooks, Mission: Impossible - III and Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol.
Next week, a semi-normal week, with two major titles, Sisu and Scream 6, plus another Criterion 4K, and several other upgrades too!
There are to blu-ray counterparts of the above titles this week. Actually, this entire category is nearly devoid of any activity.
On a busier week we might pass right over this one, but it has Dolph Lundgren in it and we have the space. An action movie titled Come Out Fighting from Screen Media.
Anime highlights include The Executioner and Her Way of Life Complete Collection, One Piece: Season Thirteen - Voyage One and Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum Movie Collection.
Crime/Drama from Arrow Video titled Fighting Back.
There is one added bonus this week. June's slate of Imprint Films releases is available on Amazon this Friday, here's what to look for:
With the Independence Day holiday this week in the US, last week's announcements were a bit slow. (Thus two UK companies with the biggest news)
Arrow Video has revealed their September releases. For the US and Canada, look for Borsalino, Carlito's Way 4K, The Prodigal Son and Ringu 4K. If you don't mind importing 4K titles (or getting them from Diabolik), Blood and Black Lace gets a 4K, and a bit of a surprise, The Psycho Collection (1960-1990) gets a 4K set as well. I personally doubt that Universal will be doing 4K discs if the 3 sequels of Psycho, so this might be the set to get.
Second Sight UK also has a couple of surprises for August, Crimes of the Future as a 4K Special Edition, and It Follows, as a 4K Special Edition too. We have also linked a standard edition release of the latter because there is no 4K disc option in the US.
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?
Peacock's hit mystery series from Rian Johnson with a 99% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and starring Natasha Lyonne is headed for a Blu-ray-on-demand release on September 12.
The star-studded mystery, directed by Rian Johnson (Knives Out), follows four-time Emmy® Nominee Natasha Lyonne’s "Charlie," who has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. She hits the road with her Plymouth Barracuda and with every stop encounters a new cast of characters and strange crimes she can’t help but solve.
POKER FACE: SEASON ONE features amazing guest performances from Academy Award® nominee Hong Chau (The Whale), Primetime Emmy® Award nominee Tim Meadows (“Saturday Night Live”), Academy Award® winner Adrien Brody (The Pianist), four-time Primetime Emmy® Award nominee Judith Light (“Transparent”), Academy Award® nominee Chloë Sevigny (Boys Don’t Cry), three-time Academy Award® nominee Nick Nolte (Warrior), three-time Primetime Emmy® Award nominee Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Create Together), two-time Primetime Emmy® Award nominee Ron Perlman (Beauty and the Beast), Tim Blake Nelson (Old Henry), and Lil Rel Howery (Get Out) and more.
Poker Face: Season 1 - Blu-ray
The 3-Disc Blu-ray set will include DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtracks and there doesn't appear to be any supplements. Here is the full press release:
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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.
