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Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile Sings and Dances On 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray December 13Stuff those stockings this holiday season with the musical comedy based on the children's book of the same name arriving on streaming November 22 and on 4K UHD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD December 13. When the Primm family moves to New York City, their young son Josh struggles to adapt to his new school and new friends. All of that changes when he discovers Lyle - a singing crocodile who loves baths, caviar and great music - living in the attic of his new home. The two become fast friends, but when Lyle’s existence is threatened by evil neighbor Mr. Grumps, the Primm’s must band together with Lyle’s charismatic owner, Hector P. Valenti, to show the world that family can come from the most unexpected places and there’s nothing wrong with a big singing crocodile with an even bigger personality. Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile - Blu-ray Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile Collector's Edition - Blu-ray The full press release is available below. AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL NOVEMBER 22 ON 4K Ultra HD™, BLU-RAY™, DVD DECEMBER 13 WITH LOADS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT INCLUDING SING-ALONGS, STORYTIME, BLOOPERS & MORE LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILE - Special Features Preview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjrIH3tOHGk SYNOPSIS When the Primm family moves to New York City, their young son Josh struggles to adapt to his new school and new friends. All of that changes when he discovers Lyle - a singing crocodile who loves baths, caviar and great music - living in the attic of his new home. The two become fast friends, but when Lyle’s existence is threatened by evil neighbor Mr. Grumps, the Primm’s must band together with Lyle’s charismatic owner, Hector P. Valenti, to show the world that family can come from the most unexpected places and there’s nothing wrong with a big singing crocodile with an even bigger personality. 4K Ultra HD™, BLU-RAY™, AND DIGITAL BONUS MATERIALS Sing-Along Songs: Karaoke versions of the original songs “Top of The World,” “Rip Up the Recipe,” “Take a Look at Us Now,” and “Carried Away” from Pasek & Paul (The Greatest Showman). Storytime with Shawn Mendes & Javier Bardem: Shawn Mendes, Javier Bardem, alongside the cast and filmmakers alternate reading excerpts from the book that set the world of Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile in motion. Bloopers: Behind-the-scenes blooper reel. Deleted Scene: Josh Learns About Lyle’s Stage Fright Croc and Roll – Lyle On Set: We will find out what working with Lyle was truly like with interviews with his castmates and the filmmakers. As they shed light on everything from Lyle’s eating habits to his occasional odor issues, we’ll come to get a better understanding of what Lyle brings to the filming experience beyond his incredible voice. Take a Look at Us Now – The Cast: From Javier Bardem, Constance Wu, Scoot McNairy and Winslow Fegley to Shawn Mendes, meet the incredible key cast of Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. Two Music Videos: “Top of the World” and “Carried Away” by Pasek & Paul (The Greatest Showman). DVD BONUS MATERIALS Croc and Roll – Lyle On Set Take a Look at Us Now – The Cast Two Music Videos CAST AND CREW Directed By: Will Speck and Josh Gordon Screenplay By: Will Davies Produced by: Hutch Parker, Will Speck, Josh Gordon Executive Producers: Kevin K. Vafi, Dan Wilson, Robert J. Dohrmann, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Tarak Ben Ammar, Andy Mitchell Cast: Javier Bardem, Constance Wu, Winslow Fegley, Scoot McNairy, Brett Gelman and Shawn Mendes as Lyle SPECS Run Time: 106 minutes Rating: This film is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association for the following reasons: mild peril and thematic elements. 4K Ultra HD: Feature: 2160p Ultra High Definition / 2.40:1 | Audio: English Dolby Atmos (Dolby True HD 7.1 compatible) | Audio Description Tracks 5.1 Dolby Digital Blu-ray™: Feature: 1080p High Definition / 2.40:1 | Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD MA | Audio Description Tracks 5.1 Dolby Digital DVD: Feature: 2.40:1 Anamorphic Widescreen | Audio Description Tracks 5.1 Dolby DigitalPosted Mon Nov 14, 2022 at 07:54 PM PST by: -
Like a Genie in a Bottle - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray & Blu-ray Release Guide - November 13, 2022 - November 19, 2022Have the early Black Friday sales busted your wallet yet? It makes it hard to pass on your wish list items with some of the prices they have been at, that's for sure. My backlog of unwatched movies has not gotten any smaller. Welcome to Volume 3 Episode 26 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc this week, as well as a look at announcements from last week. 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases- Real quick, import Monday includes two Zavvi Exclusive SteelBook releases. Jordan Peele's Nope and a mega-set for Jurassic Park/World. The latter might say sold out but keep on checking because they always have more here and there during release week. The Jurassic set originally had more zesty artwork, but now is the iconic T-Rex logo on every case. And on to domestic Tuesday. There's two new releases, Halo: Season One, which aired on Paramount+. This one is also available as a SteelBook. The other new release this week is Three Thousand Years of Longing, from Warner Bros. I won't even pretend to have heard of this movie before we listed it for preorder, the synopsis sounds interesting though, I will probably pick it up. Doubling back to Paramount, Sonic the Hedgehog 2-Movie Collection [SteelBook] gets a release now. Had this been an option last August I can say without a doubt I would have bought it then. Wayne's World also dons a 4K release this week too, try not to get carried away when you hear the Bohemian Rhapsody blasting through your sound system. And, more Paramount, but under the Paramount Presents label, Blue Hawaii. Little known fact, this title was not previously released on 4K disc or blu-ray anywhere in the world. This is a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray + Blu-ray combo pack, so order today! Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs gets a pair of 4K releases, a standard edition and a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. Robert Zemeckis' Used Cars comes this week via the Shout Select label. Universal is also releasing a unique gift set of The Bourne Complete Collection. Next week: More classic Clint Eastwood, internet protocol guy, modes of transport to get home for Thanksgiving, a famous ogre, a mega-classics collection, and lots more! Blu-ray releases- Blu-ray counterparts of the above titles first, Halo: Season One and Three Thousand Years of Longing each get their respective releases. Everything else has likely had releases over the years. TV on disc includes A Discovery of Witches: Complete Collection a week after we got Season 3 on disc, and in a snazzy looking package, Doom Patrol: The Complete Third Season, The Little Rascals: The Complete Collection and Why Women Kill: The Complete Series. Busy week for Lionsgate, first in the comedy category comes in the name of Christmas in Paradise. In the family drama category, Gigi & Nate. In the horror thriller category comes The Inhabitant. Ti West's follow up to the successful film 'X', this one is titled Pearl. You can also get a Walmart Exclusive cover edition of this one. Wonder if there will be a 4K of this overseas like there was for X? Or a 4K domestic set for the trilogy once it is completed? Anime highlights include Bleach 4-Film Collection, Given - The Movie and Given - The Complete Season. Paramount comedy drama Jerry and Marge Go Large is available this week. Foreign cinema from Criterion Collection this week with The Infernal Affairs Trilogy. Honorable Mentions: Those viewers still hungry for 3D can get The Diamond Wizard 3D from Kino Lorber this week. I can't not mention Moonage Daydream from Decal - Neon, a documentary about the late David Bowie. Notable announcements from last week: Was pretty much a drought for major announcements last week. With Black Friday coming and these announcements typically shooting for a February(ish) time frame, it is no surprise. Halloween Ends has been made official for December 27th. BFI has canceled the 4K release of Watership Down. It is unkown what the particulars are and if it is possible a different label will do it in the future. Delayed yet again, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Season One and Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Season Two now move to November 29th. 4K Release Calendar 2K/BD Release Calendar 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?Posted Sun Nov 13, 2022 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
Here's Looking at the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray & Blu-ray Release Guide Kid - November 6, 2022 - November 12, 2022As we enter the second week of November, the releases are not slowing down by a long shot. With this week having just a few new releases, there is still plenty to ponder over. Oh, and a note to our US readers --- don't forget to vote on Tuesday if you have not already done so. Welcome to Volume 3 Episode 25 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc this week, as well as a look at announcements from last week. 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases- Starting out with import Monday, the edition of Casablanca we should be getting in the states, but are not. Look at that cool swag. Also from the same studio, a collection SteelBook of Creed & Creed II. Domestic Tuesday begins with the standard edition of Casablanca. It does have a code to unlock the digital copy, but it is minus all the cool swag mentioned (and shown) above. Also from Warner Bros, a new release animation that is not DC, [adult swim] animated feature Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm. Talking cups and an order of fries? Say what? If you were stumped at last week's preview of this week, remember the song that won Eminem a Grammy? If not, it's probably not your cup of tea. Anyway, 8 Mile comes to 4K disc this week. Alternately, Gruv Entertainment has been quietly building up a US customer base, and this week they have a Gruv Exclusive SteelBook Edition. Classic Don Siegel film from Kino Lorber with Escape from Alcatraz. Paramount releases Saturday Night Fever. Talk about a killer soundtrack. A hybrid combo-pack that includes 3D and 4K, I, The Jury from Classicflix. 4K Western action from Criterion with The Power of the Dog. For an import on a Wednesday, Saw: The Ultimate Collection can be purchased directly from Via Vision AU, just look for the link within the bottom of the synopsis, or if you feel like the import route is too much of a hassle, pay a bit more and get it direct from Amazon US sometime next week (or just past that). Next week, sad U.S. temperate state, Tom Clancy TV, hit Xbox game made TV series, Bohemian Rhapsody and more! Blu-ray releases- Blu-ray counterparts first, Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm from Warner Bros and The Power of the Dog from Criterion. Vertical Entertainment, known for mostly action/thrillers this week has a drama/romance titled After Ever Happy. From LionsGate, drama/horror Devil's Workshop. A thriller titled Dig. From the Vestron Label, Earth Girls Are Easy. TV on disc includes American Rust: Season One, A Discovery of Witches: Season 3 (the complete collection is coming next week), Frasier: The Complete Series, Moonhaven: Season 1 (maybe) and Yellowstone: The Dutton Legacy Collection Giftset, which includes everything so far in the series. Arrow Video presents 1977 horror Audrey Rose. In the comedy/fantasy category, a French film titled Incredible But True. Anime highlights include Fruits Basket -prelude- - The Movie, Gundam Build Divers: Re:RISE, Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S: Season 2 and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny - Collection Two. Honorable mention: Now that you got the original on 4K disc, how about the missing sequels on blu-ray? I am talking about Trancers 4: Jack of Swords and Trancers 5: Sudden Deth. Notable announcements from last week: Shout Factory has announced several titles for January, and there will no doubt be more blu-ray and animated titles added in the next week or so. Thus far though we know about the following: Dawn of the Dead (2004) 4K is coming 1/31, Freaky is coming to 4K 1/24, The Jackie Chan Collection: Volume 1 (1976 - 1982) comes to blu-ray 1/24, Ouija is coming to 4K 1/10, They Live is getting a 4K SteelBook on 1/17 and Wrath of Man is getting a 4K release on 1/17. Interesting to see some recent Universal and Warner titles in there, surprising to see the major studios not doing these themselves. As much as I hate double-dipping, the new lineup will all likely be in my collection! The next Paramount Presents 4K release will be Double Jeopardy with a street date of January 17th. Sony Pictures will be releasing the Oscar winning film The Remains of the Day to 4K on February 21st. 4K Release Calendar 2K/BD Release Calendar 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?Posted Sun Nov 6, 2022 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
Negative Ghost Rider The Pattern is Full - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray & Blu-ray Release Guide - October 30, 2022 - November 5, 2022Poof, just like that, we are entering November. What a busy disc schedule the past few months have been huh? The next closest thing to a reprieve will be in January, after you renew your Vinegar Syndrome subscription! Welcome to Volume 3 Episode 24 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc this week, as well as a look at announcements from last week. 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases- No need to check your calenders, there's a domestic release on a Monday, Halloween Day (apparently). Not a Halloween movie, but a great sequel that took way too long to materialize, Top Gun: Maverick comes to us via a standard edition and a SteelBook edition. Also available is a Top Gun 2-Movie Collection, but keep in mind there's a superfan collection coming December 6th. Alrighty then, on to Tuesday. Why not get all the Christmas season movies listed first? No, no Die Hard here. The Original Christmas Classics Collection gets released as a single set. Listed chronologically, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town also all get single releases, which one is your favorite? Christmas family fun continues with A Christmas Story, Elf, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and The Polar Express. The latter is available as a standard edition and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. The SteelBook still lacks an online presence so it could be they're waiting til July to release it. And the final movie of the season set this week, Holiday Inn with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. Criterion Collection has a Korean film in the 4K category this week with In the Mood for Love. If you somehow held off buying several different imports, Paramount is finally offering The Running Man as a domestic SteelBook. Scream Factory is offering Piranha (1978) to 4K combo this week. I only mention this last one because it is a swag-loaded edition, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial gets an Amazon Exclusive edition, two weeks later than all the others. Hey, it might be worth it, I hope they ship them in a box to preserve the collectability. Next week, don't miss the opportunity, Stayin' Alive, Here's Looking At You, Kid and more! Blu-ray releases- Blu-ray counterpart first, Top Gun: Maverick gets a Monday release from Paramount. The rest of this category is actually pretty light. New comedy from Universal with Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. TV on disc includes Dark Winds: Season One and Young Rock: Season Two. There are more Sandpiper reprints this week with films formerly in the Twilight Time catalog, they are Dream Lover, Khartoum andWuthering Heights (1970). Criterion also is in the blu-ray category this week with Daisies. Anime highlights include Belle [SteelBook], The Dungeon of Black Company - The Complete Season, which is available as a standard edition and a limited edition, Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya 2wei! (Seasons 2 & 3), Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut, Moriarty the Patriot - Part 2, Summer Ghost and Tribe Nine. Honorable mention: From MVD's Rewind Collection label, star-studded crime/drama At Close Range. Fortunately, during this slow week there's also the option of picking up some of the Imprint Films import releases via Amazon on Friday, this month titles include: >Come Back, Little Sheba (1952) – Imprint Films Limited Edition >North Dallas Forty (1979) – Imprint Films Limited Edition >Pretty Baby (1978) – Imprint Films Limited Edition >Save the Tiger (1973) – Imprint Films Limited Edition >Testament (1983) – Imprint Films Limited Edition >The Molly Maguires (1970) – Imprint Films Limited Edition >The Rose Tattoo (1955) – Imprint Films Limited Edition >Warning Shot (1967) – Imprint Films Limited Edition Notable announcements from last week: Slow on the announcements, but we are also looking mostly at January dates now for a lot of titles. Don't Worry Darling has an official release date of November 29th to both blu-ray and 4K discs. House of the Dragon: The Complete First Season has been finalized for December 20th. The 4K SteelBook is pretty to look at, but the UK version (Amazon Exclusive) has a bit of swag while the US version does not. Sigh. The Woman King has also been finalized for 4K and blu-ray with a December 13th date. 4K Release Calendar 2K/BD Release Calendar 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?Posted Sun Oct 30, 2022 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
See Dawn of the Dead 3D - 4 Nights Only At Your Local Regal TheaterFour Nights Only - Regal Theaters will be showing George A. Romero's iconic Dawn of the Dead in 3D! Order Your Dawn of the Dead 3D Tickets HERE In 2016, Dawn of the Dead producer Richard P. Rubenstein and his New Amsterdam Entertainment arranged to have the film converted to 3D to capitalize on the then still relatively healthy Theatrical 3D market. Showing only in a few film festivals, this new conversion of George Romero's masterpiece has yet to see a major theatrical distribution - until now! Regal will be showing Dawn of the Dead 3D on October 28th, 29th, 30th, and 31st! While the thought of this film being converted to 3D may seem irksome to some folks out there, it's a genuine treat to be able to see Dawn of the Dead on the big screen. I've desperately wanted to check this conversion out but none of the showings to date have happened anywhere near where I lived at any given point so I was quick to get my tickets early for this special screening event. From what I've heard from folks lucky enough to check it out, the digital 3D conversion was handled very well with plenty of impact moments. I imagine all of those zombie hands popping out of the screen will be quite a kick! Hopefully, if this does well that may invite a 3D Blu-ray disc release in the future! Again, this is a limited-release event so move faster than those lumbering undead knuckleheads to reserve your tickets. Even if you don't like 3D just put the glasses on and close one eye and enjoy seeing one of the best horror films on the big screen! *Main image is a still from the film I converted to anaglyph and is not indicative of the theatrical digital 3D experience.Posted Thu Oct 27, 2022 at 11:22 AM PDT by: -
Only 3 Days Left To Back 3D Film Archive's Abbott & Costello Show Ssn 2 Kickstarter!Bob Furmanek and the 3-D Film Archive team are at it again restoring Season Two of the classic Abbott and Costello Show for Blu-ray and DVD! Now is your chance to pre-order this hilarious television series and score some cool perks! Following their amazing work on Africa Screams, Jack and the Beanstalk, and The Abbott and Costello Show Season One - Bob Furmanek and his team of restoration wizards are working overtime to deliver comedy fans The Abbott and Costello Show Season Two a new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negatives. Click Here To Learn More and Pre-order your Blu-ray or DVD Why are they doing a Kickstarter to restore The Abbott and Costello Show Season Two? Unlike your average 90-minute or two-hour movie, there are 26 episodes that need more than a little TLC to be HD ready. That's nearly 120,000 feet of film! The last time this series was given any attention was in the 1980s. Even the past DVD sets from over ten years ago simply reused those old masters and added a ton of unsightly sharpening to make them "look better". This is an expensive undertaking, to say the least so by pre-ordering your set now and throwing in some of the add-ons, Bob and his restoration team can work their magic. And they do work magic on slim budgets having restored dozens of incredible classic 3-D feature films for Blu-ray. What do I get if I pre-order The Abbott and Costello Show Season Two on Kickstarter? Well, you get just that. Whether you want to pick it up on Blu-ray or if you're still rocking DVD (that's cool, we're not judging), you can snag the fully restored second season of this classic television series. And as an extra cool kick, if you didn't pick up their restoration of The Abbott and Costello Season One on either DVD or Blu-ray, you can grab that too while you're at it! How much does it cost to support The Abbott and Costello Show Season Two Kickstarter? You have a couple of different options for supporting this restoration effort. First, you can pre-order just the The Abbott and Costello Show Season Two DVD for $30 (plus shipping), or if you want the best presentation possible you can roll with the Blu-ray for $40 (again plus shipping). Now to sweeten the deal for those late to the party, if you need to add The Abbott and Costello Show Season One to your collection on DVD or Blu-ray you can order both seasons at the same time - $60 for the two-season DVD and $75 for the two-season Blu-ray (again plus shipping). However, if you want to be a real angel of physical media, a true one-of-a-kind mensch, you can still throw a few bucks in without a reward. Are there any pledge add-ons for The Abbott and Costello Show Season Two Kickstarter? Good thing you asked! As of this writing, there are two very cool add-ons you can spring for: On First, for $50 there is a 35-mm film cell from the show printed on Dupont safety film stock. On Second, for $125 you can pick up an original 78 rpm record of Bud and Lou's legendary "Who's on First" routine that was handed out to guests at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York! That's a pretty cool slice of history for the collection! On Third, well we don't know who's on third because right now those are the only two add-ons but there could be more in the waning hours of this Kickstarter effort! When can I expect my Blu-ray or DVD pre-order of The Abbott and Costello Show Season Two? As with any Kickstarter, the timing of your pledge rewards is always subject to change if any complications come up or weird nonsense happens. But as they detail at the end of their Kickstarter information, they've already inspected all of the elements for this Abbott and Costello Show Season Two restoration and they don't anticipate any hiccups. They're projecting a May 2023 delivery timeframe. What Other Classic Films Has 3-D Film Archive Restored? In addition to their work on old favorites featuring the comedic dynamic duo of Bud and Lou, 3-D Film Archive has been involved in a number of amazing classic 3-D film restorations over the years. Favorites titles they've restored for 2D and 3D Blu-ray include: Flesh For Frankenstein Return of the Creature from the Black Lagoon It Came From Outer Space Gog Parasite 3D Sangaree 3-D Rarities 3-D Rarities Vol 2 Ape 3D Wings of the Hawk Revenge of the Shogun Women And if that's not enough, they're currently working on a full restoration of the campy sci-fi masterpiece Robot Monster for 3D Blu-ray! Click Here To Pre-order Your Abbott and Costello Show Season Two Blu-ray or DVD!Posted Wed Oct 26, 2022 at 01:45 AM PDT by: -
Yup, it's the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray & Blu-ray Release Guide - October 23, 2022 - October 29, 2022Halloween is ever so near. It's probably my favorite of all holidays. The food, the colors, the decorations, the costumes, and oh yeah, the movies! What's your favorite? Welcome to Volume 3 Episode 23 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc this week, as well as a look at announcements from last week. 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases- Import Monday features Videodrome from Arrow Video. There is a standard release and a Limited Artwork edition which are available via Zavvi and Arrow Films' sites. Moving on to domestic Tuesday titles. The new release this week is Jordan Peele's Nope. Options include the standard edition, the Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook (which is identical to Zavvi's release on Monday) and the Walmart Exclusive Art edition. A pair of releases from the Kino Lorber team, Dressed to Kill and The Usual Suspects. Both are masterpieces in their own way. Blue Underground has a release this week titled Quiet Days in Clichy. Shout Select is offering The Last Detail with good ole Jack Nicholson. Severin Films has a spiffy new 4K release of The Changeling. The original that started it all, The Amityville Horror now gets a standard release available everywhere else. You can still get the limited edition at Vinegar Syndrome's site. I saved this one for last, and no doubt it will sell a ton of copies, Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection: Volume 3. This one, just like previous volumes is packed with some great films. Next week, you'll shoot your eye out, we're all a couple of misfits, squirrel mayhem, feeding frenzy, return to the danger zone, and more! Blu-ray releases- By now you probably know we mention the blu-ray counterparts of the above titles first. Jordan Peele's Nope gets a standard release from Universal Pictures. The Usual Suspects gets a new edition from Kino Lorber. Not exactly a counterpart, but related, Jordan Peele 3-Movie Collection is also available this week. And that concludes counterparts, on to other highlights... From Universal Pictures, action film Blade of the 47 Ronin. Sony doesn't frequent the horror/thriller category, but this week they've got The Invitation (2022) that fits the bill. TV on disc this week contains Charmed: The Complete Series (2018-2022) from CBS TV and Titans: The Complete Third Season from Warner Bros. Warner Archive Collection this week offers Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) to blu-ray. From the Criterion Collection, Eve's Bayou with Samuel Jackson. Having not seen it, does he utter his signature MF word several times? Anime highlights include Flying Phantom Ship, Lupin the 3rd: Dead or Alive, Revue Starlight: The Movie and Scarlet Nexus - Season 1 Part 1. From Arrow Video, The Count Yorga Collection. Previously you had to hunt down two separate releases to get this, and of course the special features (if any) were less inclusive. Sticking with a predominently horror label, Severin Films' box set release worth considering is House of Psychotic Women Rarities Collection. Not stopping there, The Incredibly Strange Films of Ray Dennis Steckler appears on track for this week as well after a couple of pushed back dates. Honorable Mention (unless it gets another delay), The Film Detective releases their Special Edition of The Bat which stars Vincent Price. Notable announcements from last week: Via Vision/Imprint Films will be releasing a lenticular SteelBook edition for War of the Worlds in 4K on December 15th. That date is just a month after their similarly packaged Dirty Dancing in 4K. MVD will be releasing Rain Man to 4K on February 20th. Kino Lorber will be releasing Missing in Action Trilogy to a blu-ray box set as well as individual titles on January 17th. Also look for The Italian Job (1969) to hit 4K in early 2023. Not officially announced yet, but it looks like Halloween Ends has a street date of December 27th. 4K Release Calendar 2K/BD Release Calendar 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?Posted Sun Oct 23, 2022 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Angela Lansbury: An Actress for the AgesClassic movie fans know her as the saucy Cockney scullery maid in Gaslight, the animated (in more ways than one) Mrs. Potts in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and most notably as the conniving, duplicitous, and diabolically manipulative mother of a brainwashed Laurence Harvey in The Manchurian Candidate. Broadway buffs cherish the memories of her Tony Award-winning turns as the boisterous, flamboyant Mame and lovably ghoulish meat pie maker Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. (I was so obsessed with this brilliant Stephen Sondheim musical as a teen, I saw her perform the role four times on Broadway and once on tour in Chicago.) And who could forget her 12 seasons as mystery writer-cum-intrepid sleuth Jessica Fletcher on CBS-TV’s massive hit Murder, She Wrote? The role earned her an Emmy Award nomination each and every year the show was on the air, but she never won - now that’s a crime! Of course I’m talking about the legendary Angela Lansbury, one of the greatest and most beloved actresses ever to grace the big screen, small screen, and Broadway stage. Lansbury died last week just a few days shy of her 97th birthday, ending a career that spanned eight decades and more than 100 film and television appearances. She made her movie debut at age 17 in 1944’s Gaslight and continued working in multiple mediums until the very end of her life. (Her final film credit is the upcoming Knives Out sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, to be released this November.) What’s more, she never gave a bad performance. She was nominated for three Oscars and a whopping 19 Emmys and won six Tony Awards and six Golden Globes. In 2014, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Dame Angela with an Honorary Oscar, calling her “an entertainment icon who has created some of cinema’s most memorable characters, inspiring generations of actors.” Lansbury’s talent overshadowed her beauty, which Hollywood never properly recognized or appreciated. Often passed over for romantic leads, she almost instantly found her niche in much older character parts, all of which she attacked with customary relish. Most actresses would cringe at the prospect of playing middle-aged women and mothers of grown men while still in their 30s, but Lansbury never batted an eye. She was just three years older than Harvey when she played his mother in The Manchurian Candidate and just nine years older than Elvis Presley when she played his in Blue Hawaii (which is slated for a 4K UHD release next month). At age 32, Lansbury portrayed the long-time, fortysomething love of crotchety Orson Welles (who himself was playing a much older part) in The Long, Hot Summer, and at age 36, she played 24-year-old Warren Beatty’s mother in All Fall Down. (Interestingly, Eva Marie Saint, who portrays Beatty’s lover in the film, is a year older than Lansbury!) And only Cecil B. DeMille would be audacious enough to cast Hedy Lamarr, who was 11 years Lansbury's senior, as her younger sister in the blockbuster biblical epic Samson and Delilah. Ever versatile and always authentic, unaffected, and believable, Lansbury played tough career women, waifs, temptresses, prim matrons, bawdy dames, combative wives, and kooky socialites with equal aplomb. She excelled in dramas, comedies (she made a fine foil for the rambunctious Danny Kaye in The Court Jester), and musicals (though sadly she was passed over for the film version of Mame in favor of a badly miscast Lucille Ball). Most importantly, Lansbury was a generous team player who shared the spotlight with her cast mates instead of stealing it from them. Her impeccable poise, steadfast commitment to her craft, unassuming elegance, and spot-on instincts not only improve every film in which she appears, they also engender respect and admiration and cultivate a love for this indomitable and endearing performer that transcends both her passing and the passage of time. Below, in chronological order, are several of her noteworthy films that are currently available on Blu-ray: GASLIGHT (1944) Lansbury nabbed a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her very first film, portraying a sassy Cockney maid who shamelessly flirts with a fiendish Charles Boyer while he attempts to drive his emotionally unstable wife (Ingrid Bergman) insane. Bergman walked away with a well-deserved Best Actress Oscar, but Lansbury, with her sullen demeanor and sly wiles, rivets attention whenever she pops up in this atmospheric and suspenseful thriller directed by George Cukor. NATIONAL VELVET (1944) Twelve-year-old Elizabeth Taylor plays the title role in this heartwarming family flick about a plucky, horse-crazy young girl who dreams of riding her prized Pie in England's Grand National race, but Lansbury files a warm performance as her protective and supportive older sister. It's not much of a part, but Lansbury, as she would do throughout her lengthy career, makes the most of it. THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY (1945) Another Best Supporting Actress Oscar nod came Lansbury's way for her heart-wrenching turn as the tragic Sybil Vane, who falls in love with the narcissistic, ne'er-do-well Dorian (Hurd Hatfield) and falls victim to his selfish manipulations. The classic Oscar Wilde story about a man who remains forever young while his portrait ages and reflects his moral decay gets a wonderfully creepy treatment from director Albert Lewin, who never sugarcoats the tale's myriad unsavory elements. Keep an eye out for Lansbury's mother, Moyna MacGill, an established actress in her own right, in a small role as a duchess. THE HARVEY GIRLS (1946) Legend has it Lansbury, who portrays a sexy, scantily-clad saloon singer in director George Sidney's enormously successful tribute to the trailblazing Harvey House waitresses who tamed the Wild West, was booed by audiences for being mean - on screen, of course - to co-star Judy Garland. She and Garland, who plays the stereotypical good girl who clashes with Lansbury's voluptuous vixen, vie for the attention of saloon owner John Hodiak in this captivating musical that mixes romance, humor, and spectacle and features the rousing, Oscar-winning song "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe." Though MGM let Lansbury sing the plaintive ballad "Good-Bye, Little Yellow Bird" in Dorian Gray, the studio chose to dub her vocals here. STATE OF THE UNION (1948) Lansbury really sinks her teeth into the role of Kay Thorndyke, a powerful newspaper publisher who shamelessly promotes the political career of her married lover, Grant Matthews (Spencer Tracy), in director Frank Capra's slick, incisive adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Katharine Hepburn plays Grant's estranged wife, who puts aside her personal feelings to aid his campaign and ultimately reform and redeem his soul. Van Johnson, Adolphe Menjou, Lewis Stone, and Wicked Witch of the West Margaret Hamilton also star in this biting, topical satire that brims with Capra's trademark idealism, but it's Lansbury's fire-and-ice portrayal that really fuels the film and rivals the priceless chemistry between Tracy and Hepburn. THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1948) Though largely ornamental, Lansbury looks regal and lovely as Queen Anne, the sympathetic British monarch whose priceless jewels become a central plot point in this colorful, acrobatic adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' classic swashbuckler. MGM's opulent production boasts an all-star cast that also includes Gene Kelly, Lana Turner, June Allyson, Van Heflin, Frank Morgan, Vincent Price, Keenan Wynn, and Gig Young. SAMSON AND DELILAH (1949) The ravishing Hedy Lamarr steals everyone's thunder as the titular temptress in this mammoth biblical epic from producer-director Cecil B. DeMille, but once again, Lansbury contributes memorable work...before her character conveniently dies to pave the way for Delilah's devious doings. Released just before Christmas in 1949, Samson and Delilah was the top-grossing film of 1950 and remains a notable example of DeMille's legendary showmanship. THE COURT JESTER (1955) Prior to this riotous romp starring the irrepressible Danny Kaye, Lansbury's comic talents went largely untapped, but the actress shows off her deft flair for daffy humor as Princess Gwendolyn in this rollicking farce about a minstrel who assumes the identity of a court jester to save his skin and the infant heir to the throne. Kaye's uproarious antics dominate the film, which also stars Glynis Johns, Basil Rathbone, Mildred Natwick, and Robert Middleton. Though it flopped when first released, The Court Jester has since garnered a lofty reputation and in 2004 was added to the prestigious National Film Registry. THE LONG, HOT SUMMER (1958) The first movie to co-star Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, this excellent adaptation of a William Faulkner tale focuses on bad-boy barn-burner Ben Quick (Newman) and his stormy relationship with the powerful but dysfunctional Varner family that rules a small Mississippi town. Lansbury portrays Minnie Littlejohn, the brassy, earthy mistress of portly patriarch Will Varner (Orson Welles) and the only person who can knock some sense into the gruff, irascible, and oh-so-stubborn mule. Though it resembles Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in many respects, director Martin Ritt's well-made film stands as an absorbing, often steamy drama that also features top-notch work from Anthony Franciosa, Lee Remick, and Richard Anderson. THE RELUCTANT DEBUTANTE (1958) As a gossipy, sly-as-a-fox socialite mounting an extravagant coming-out party for her teenage daughter, Lansbury shines in director Vincente Minnelli's sophisticated romantic comedy. Rex Harrison, Kay Kendall, and Sandra Dee are the top-billed stars of this frothy confection that chronicles a rebellious American teen's rocky introduction to high-toned British society, but Lansbury is one of the film's most colorful characters and she maximizes every screen moment. THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962) Director John Frankenheimer's riveting adaptation of Richard Condon's frightening political thriller is hands down Lansbury's finest film and contains her most iconic and enduring portrayal. As the ruthlessly ambitious and domineering mother of a brainwashed Korean War POW (Laurence Harvey) who's programmed to be an assassin while in captivity and is activated upon his return home by a subversive U.S. political faction that plans to overthrow the government, Lansbury embodies insidious evil in a deft, nuanced performance that resonates long after the movie ends. As I wrote in my 2016 review of the Criterion Collection Blu-ray, "Lansbury...steals the show, crafting a bravura performance that was justly rewarded with a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination. (She lost to Patty Duke's Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker.) Rarely has villainy been portrayed so convincingly or with such calculated precision, making it impossible to concentrate on anyone else while she's on screen. Despite the fact she was only three years older than Harvey, their relationship as mother and son is utterly believable, and their interchanges crackle with tension. Eleanor is a part that easily could have been overplayed and transformed into a caricature, but Lansbury embraces and nails every nasty element, even outshining the magnificent Meryl Streep, who gamely tackled Eleanor in the 2004 remake." Also starring Frank Sinatra, Janet Leigh, Henry Silva, and James Gregory, The Manchurian Candidate might have seemed far-fetched a decade ago, but it feels eerily plausible today and still packs a devastating punch. BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS (1970) Lansbury's first Disney film is a delightful fantasy that combines live action and animation á la Mary Poppins and is packed with Oscar-winning special effects. As wannabe witch Miss Eglantine Price, who hopes to use her newfound skills to stop the Nazi bombing of Britain in World War II, Lansbury files a spritely, quirky portrayal that's a fun departure from her more traditional roles. DEATH ON THE NILE (1978) This all-star adaptation of the famed Agatha Christie whodunit is vastly superior to Kenneth Branagh's recent remake and features Lansbury as the outrageously over-the-top romance novelist Salome Otterbourne, one of several passengers on an Egyptian river cruise who might be a killer. Dripping in garish jewelry and donning an array of lavish costumes, Lansbury contributes a priceless comic performance that outshines many of her estimable cast mates, including Peter Ustinov (as Hercule Poirot), Bette Davis, Maggie Smith, David Niven, and Mia Farrow. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991) As the empathetic, maternal teapot Mrs. Potts, Lansbury is the heart and soul of this enchanting animated Disney classic. The tale of a prince who's transformed into a beast and the humble country lass he imprisons in his castle may be as old as time, but Lansbury's touching rendition of the beautiful title song by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman is timeless and will now carry extra emotional weight following her passing.Posted Wed Oct 19, 2022 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
You Better Watch Out! Vestron Video Collector's Series' The Silent Night, Deadly Night Collection Arriving on Blu-ray + Digital December 13The Blu-ray set includes three horror films: Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out!, Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation, and Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker - for under $25 from Lionsgate. Prepare for a trilogy of pure terror with this collection of films from the Silent Night, Deadly Night series. In Better Watch Out!, it’s a very bloody Christmas after Ricky Caldwell, the notorious “Killer Santa Claus,” awakens from a six-year coma with one thing on his mind: murder. In Initiation, a reporter’s investigation into a mysterious death leads her into the clutches of a cult that’s chosen her as its new queen, and The Toy Maker stars entertainment legend Mickey Rooney as a toy maker whose creations display some very human – and deadly – tendencies. The Silent Night, Deadly Night Collection - Vestron Video Collector's Series SPECIAL FEATURES Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out! • Audio Commentary with Film Historian Jarret Gahan • “Outshine the Brain Cap” — An Interview with Actor Bill Moseley • "Monte & Me” — An Interview with Creative Consultant Steven Gaydos • “For a Live Audience: Silent Night, Deadly Night 3” — An Interview with Executive Producer Richard Gladstein • Trailer • Still Gallery Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation • Audio Commentary with Director Brian Yuzna • Our Man Ricky with Clint Howard • “Ritualistic Behavior” — An Interview with Screenwriter Woody Keith • “Twisted Visions” — An Interview with Surrealistic Design & Effects Artist Screaming Mad George • "For a Live Audience: Silent Night, Deadly Night 4” — An Interview with Executive Producer Richard Gladstein • Trailer • Still Gallery Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker • Audio Commentary with Director-Cowriter Martin Kitrosser • “The Best Presents” — An Interview with Producer-Cowriter Brian Yuzna • “Pino’s Truth” — An Interview with Actor Brian Bremer • “The Most Toys” — An Interview with Surrealistic Design & Effects Artist Screaming Mad George • “For a Live Audience: Silent Night, Deadly Night 5” — An Interview with Executive Producer Richard Gladstein • Trailer • Still Gallery The 3-Disc set features 1080p revealed, an English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, and suggested list price is $22.99. .Posted Tue Oct 18, 2022 at 11:09 AM PDT by: -
C'Mon n' Ride It (The Train) - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray & Blu-ray Release Guide - October 16, 2022 - October 22, 2022How did you fare from last week's retailer unique sales? Prime Early Access, Walmart's Rollback Specials, Best Buy, Target? I confess, I picked up a few things, but I did exercise some restraint. Welcome to Volume 3 Episode 22 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc this week, as well as a look at announcements from last week. 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases- There are three titles in the new releases category this week. First from Warner Bros, DC Animated Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons. Next, from LionsGate, and the only direct way to get the film on 4K disc is via Best Buy, I am referring to Bodies Bodies Bodies. Glad there is at least an option for 4K, will Best Buy have it in stock? And lastly from Sony, action comedy Bullet Train starring Brad Pitt. This one has a few options to pick from, the standard edition, the SteelBook Edition and the Walmart Exclusive Edition. I'm a fan of the swag in the SteelBook release, but I think I prefer the other covers. And on to catalog titles. First from Scream Factory, The Return Of The Living Dead gets an upgrade. From Kino Lorber, another 'Highly Recommended' release, Tropic Thunder. New to this section (with their first 4K release), Full Moon Features is releasing Trancers this week. When I had heard this announcement, I never realized there were several sequels. In a way it's a double-dip, but there's some interesting options available. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial celebrates 40 years with a standard release,a Target Exclusive SteelBook edition and a Walmart Exclusive Edition. If this makes any sense at all, the Amazon Exclusive swag-infused version is releasing on November 1st. Maybe the lunch boxes were delayed or something. Lastly (and a double-dip at that), Punisher: War Zone gets a slipcover version SteelBook that is Only@Best Buy. Next week: What's opposite of Yup? A classic studio with another collection, Odo's slang name, imagine this movie if he ran out of gasoline, and more! Blu-ray releases- Blu-ray counterparts first (as we do every week). Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons comes at ya via Warner Bros, LionsGate delivers Bodies Bodies Bodies, Sony Pictures rides the Bullet Train and Universal celebrates the 40th Anniversary (or birthday) of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. From Paramount, Orphan: First Kill, which takes place before the original Orphan movie from 2009. Animated family comedy Rumble also debuts to disc this week. LionsGate this week has a thriller titled Fall. I know decisions are made on to 4K or not, but this one would probably look incredible with Dolby Vision. And a bit more in the comedy genre, Mack & Rita with Diane Keaton. New comedy from Universal with Easter Sunday. TV on blu includes DC's Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Series, Doctor Who: Colin Baker Complete Season One, EVIL: Season One, EVIL: Season Two, The Flash: The Complete Eighth Season, Station Eleven and The Thing About Pam: The Complete Limited Series. Anime highlights include Aoharu x Machinegun - Complete Collection, Burn the Witch, which has a standard release and a Limited Edition, The Deer King, A Silent Voice [Steelbook], Naruto: Set 8, Peter Grill and the Philosopher's Time: Season 1 Complete Collection and Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle. Eyes of Laura Mars gets a spiffy new special edition from Kino Lorber. I think you know who Tommy Lee Jones and Faye Dunaway are, right? Just last week we mentioned Volume IX, so we gotta mention Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema X coming out this week. Arrow Video's latest 'collection' release is Gothic Fantastico: Four Italian Tales of Terror. Keeping up with horror, look for Two Witches this week too. Criterion has more Japanese director's Kiyoshi Kurosawa work this week with Cure, a psychological mystery. And, different director, another foreign cinema title, La Llorona, which, yes, is the same genre as what you're probably thinking. Honorable Mention: Boris Karloff fans might like to get Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster, a documentary by Voltage Films. This release has 140 minutes of previously unreleased bonus material. There is a Limited Edition as well, but I cannot ascertain if all that means is it also contains a DVD. Notable announcements from last week: Kino Lorber has announced that Serpico (Al Pacino/1973) is coming to 4K disc 'soon.' Likely January 2023 would be my guess. Sony will be releasing Adaptation. to 4K disc on December 6th. And then on the 13th, My Best Friend's Wedding. Universal will be releasing R.I.P.D. to 4K disc on December 6th. 4K Release Calendar 2K/BD Release Calendar 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?Posted Sun Oct 16, 2022 at 12:00 PM PDT by:
