Category: Blu-Ray Review

Cyberpunk Cinema Classic BURST CITY Available on Blu-ray From Arrow Video November 10th

The 1982 Cyberpunk Cinema Classic BURST CITY will be available on Blu-ray from Arrow Video November 10th

Burst City is an explosive Molotov cocktail of dystopian sci-fi, Mad Max-style biker wars against yakuza gangsters and the police, and riotous performances from members of the real-life Japanese punk bands The Stalin, The Roosters, The Rockers and INU.

In a derelict industrial wasteland somewhere on the outskirts of Tokyo, two rival punk bands and their unruly mobs of fans gather for a Battle of the Bands-style protest against the construction of a nuclear powerplant, bringing them head to head with the yakuza industrialists behind the development of their turf.

This extraordinary celebration of Japan s punk music scene of the early 1980s thrust S go Ishii (now known by the name of Gakury Ishii), the underground filmmaking wunderkind behind such works as Half Human: Einstürzende Neubauten (1986), Angel Dust (1994) and Electric Dragon 80,000V (2001), to the next level and is regularly cited as an early landmark in Japanese cyberpunk cinema.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

  • High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
  • Original lossless mono Japanese soundtrack
  • Optional English subtitles
  • Brand new audio commentary by Japanese film expert Tom Mes
  • The Punk Spirit of 82: S go Ishii on Burst City, an exclusive new 56-minute interview with the director
  • Bursting Out, an exclusive 27-minute interview with the academic and independent filmmaker Yoshiharu Tezuka on jishu eiga and the making of Burst City
  • Original Trailer
  • Image Gallery
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon

FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Mark Player

Bruce Dern in SILENT RUNNING Available on Blu-ray November 17th From Arrow Video

“It calls back a time when there were flowers all over the Earth… and there were valleys. And there were plains of tall green grass that you could lie down in – you could go to sleep in. And there were blue skies, and there was fresh air… and there were things growing all over the place, not just in some domed enclosures blasted some millions of miles out in to space.”

Bruce Dern in SILENT RUNNING (1972) will be available on Blu-ray November 17th from Arrow Video

In 1968, visual effects pioneer Douglas Trumbull (The Andromeda Strain, Close Encounters of the Third Kind) contributed to the ground-breaking special photographic effects of Stanley Kubrick s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Four years later, he stamped his own indelible mark on the science fiction genre with his mesmerising directorial debut Silent Running.

In the not-so-distant future, Earth is barren of all flora and fauna, with what remains of the planet s former ecosystems preserved aboard a fleet of greenhouses orbiting in space. When the crews are ordered to destroy the remaining specimens, one botanist, Freeman Lowell (Bruce Dern, The Burbs), rebels and flees towards Saturn in a desperate bid to preserve his own little piece of Earth that was, accompanied only by the ship s three service robots.

Featuring a captivating central performance by Dern, visual effects that rival anything in 2001 and a powerful ecological message, Silent Running is a haunting and prescient sci-fi classic that resonates even more strongly today than it did at the time of its original release.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

  • Brand new 2K restoration from the original camera negative, approved by director Douglas Trumbull and produced by Arrow Video exclusively for this release
  • High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
  • Original lossless mono audio
  • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • Brand new audio commentary by critics Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw
  • Original audio commentary by Douglas Trumbull and actor Bruce Dern
  • Isolated music and effects track
  • No Turning Back, a new interview with film music historian Jeff Bond on the film s score
  • First Run, a new visual essay by writer and filmmaker Jon Spira exploring the evolution of Silent Running s screenplay
  • The Making of Silent Running, an archival 1972 on-set documentary
  • Silent Running by Douglas Trumbull and Douglas Trumbull: Then and Now, two archival interviews with the film s director
  • A Conversation with Bruce Dern, an archival interview with the film s lead actor
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Extensive behind-the-scenes gallery
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Arik Roper

FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Barry Forshaw and Peter Tonguette

Banned in Four Lakes! LAKE MICHIGAN MONSTER Available on Blu-ray From Arrow Video November 3rd

LAKE MICHIGAN MONSTER (2018) will be available on Blu-ray from Arrow Video November 3rd

LAKE MICHIGAN MONSTER BANNED IN FOUR LAKES!

All aboard! The combined spirits of H.P. Lovecraft, early Sam Raimi and Mystery Science Theater 3000 inhabit this action-packed tale of nautical derring-do and monster mayhem winner of the Audience Award for Best International Feature at the 2019 Fantasia Film Festival.

On the shores of Lake Michigan, the eccentric Captain Seafield (Ryland Brickson Cole Tews, who also writes and directs) enlists a colourful crew of misfits in a bid to slay the hellish sea monster that prowls the murky depths. But as Seafield s obsession with exacting revenge on the creature that killed his father threatens to consume him, can weapons expert Sean Shaughnessy (Erick West), sonar whiz Nedge Pepsi (Beulah Peters) and former N.A.V.Y. Nautical Athletes and adVenture Yunit officer Dick Flynn (Daniel Long) hold the show together?

Shot in gloriously retro black and white on a shoestring budget, with most of the cast also performing multiple roles behind the camera, Lake Michigan Monster is an inventive, irreverent and riotously entertaining ode to the classic monster movies of yesteryear: an absurdist urban legend guaranteed to appeal to the big kid in all of us.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

  • High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
  • Original lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and PCM 2.0 stereo soundtracks
  • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • Two cast and crew audio commentaries featuring writer/director/actor Ryland Tews and actors Daniel Long, Beulah Peters, Erick West and editor Mike Cheslik one sober, one drunk!
  • Critics audio commentary with Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Emma Westwood
  • Effects Breakdown comparison of the film s underwater sequence, including storyboards and pre-composited footage
  • Dear Old Captain Seafield the Captain Seafield theme song, performed by the Seafield Monster Sextet
  • Interview in a Cabin interview with Ryland Tews and Daniel Long at the Fantasia International Film Festival
  • Interview in a Bar interviews with the cast and crew at the Beloit International Film Festival
  • Interview by a Fire interview with Mike Cheslik on Mark Borchardt s Cinema Fireside radio show
  • The first season and pilot episode of L.I.P.S., Ryland Tews and Mike Cheslik s hybrid animation/live action sci-fi comedy web series
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Behind the scenes photos
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original artwork by Jade Watring and newly commissioned artwork by Colin Murdoch

FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Barry Forshaw

Greetings Starfighter! 1984 Sci-Fi Classic THE LAST STARFIGHTER Available on Blu-ray From Arrow Video

“Greetings, Starfighter. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the frontier against Xur and the Ko-Dan armada.”

The 1984 Sci-Fi classic THE LAST STARFIGHTER is currently available on Blu-ray from Arrow Video

Greetings Starfighter! You have been recruited by Arrow Video to experience the 1984 sci-fi classic as you’ve never experienced it before! Directed by Nick Castle, the man behind the Michael Myers mask in the original Halloween, The Last Starfighter tells the story Alex Rogan (Lance Guest), an arcade game whizz-kid whose wildest dreams comes true when he finds himself enlisted to fight in an interstellar war. 

Now newly restored from a 4K scan of the original negative and featuring a 4.1 mix originally created for the film’s 70mm release – never included on previous home video formats – The Last Starfighter arrives loaded with brand new and archival bonus features. Strap yourself in: the Blu-ray adventure of a lifetime is about to begin! 

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS:

  • Brand new restoration from a 4K scan of the original 35mm camera negative
  • High Definition Blu- ray (1080p) presentation
  • Uncompressed 2.0 stereo, 5.1 DTS-HD MA and 4.1 audio
  • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • Brand new audio commentary with star Lance Guest and his son Jackson Guest
  • Brand new audio commentary with Mike White of The Projection Booth podcast
  • Archival audio commentary with director Nick Castle and production designer Ron Cobb Maggie
  • Memories: Revisiting The Last Starfighter a new interview with actress Catherine Mary Stewart
  • Into the Starscape: Composing The Last Starfighter a new interview with composer Craig Safan
  • Incredible Odds: Writing The Last Starfighter a new interview with screenwriter Jonathan Betuel
  • Interstellar Hit-Beast: Creating the Special Effects a new interview with special effects supervisor Kevin Pike
  • Excalibur Test: Inside Digital Productions a new interview with sci-fi author Greg Bear on Digital Productions, the company responsible for the CGI in The Last Starfighter
  • Greetings Starfighter! Inside the Arcade Game an interview with arcade game collector Estil Vance on reconstructing the Starfighter game
  • Heroes of the Screen archival featurette
  • Crossing the Frontier: Making The Last Starfighter archival 4-part documentary
  • Image Galleries
  • Theatrical and Teaser Trailers

Chilling 1989 British Serial Killer Film COLD LIGHT OF DAY Available on Blu-ray From Arrow Video

The chilling 1989 British Serial Killer film COLD LIGHT OF DAY is available on Blu-ray from Arrow Video

February, 1983. Detectives are called to a residential address in the London suburbs following reports that the drains have been clogged by human remains. One of the property s residents, Dennis Nilsen a mild-mannered and unassuming civil servant is brought in for questioning, leading to the discovery of one of the most shocking and disturbing cases of serial murder ever to rock Britain.

Offering a grim and gritty retelling of the story of Des Nilsen, often dubbed the British Jeffery Dahmer , 1989 s Cold Light of Day stars Bob Flag (the face of Big Brother in Michael Radford s 1984) as Nilsen-cipher Jorden March, delivering one of the most chilling and credible portrayals of a serial killer ever committed to screen!

From writer-director Fhiona-Louise, Cold Light of Day which picked up the UCCA Venticittà Award at the 1990 Venice International Film Festival is a hugely underseen and underrated British effort that can stand proudly alongside the likes of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer as one of the most unflinching true-crime films of all time.

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

  • Limited Edition of 2000 units
  • Brand new 2K restoration from the original 16mm camera negative approved by director Fhiona-Louise
  • Original uncompressed mono audio
  • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • Brand new audio commentary with writer/director Fhiona-Louise
  • Brand new audio commentary with film historians/writers Dean Brandum and Andrew Nette
  • Newly-filmed interview with actor Martin Byrne-Quinn
  • Newly-filmed interview with actor Steve Munroe
  • Original Cold Light of Day promo film made to raise financing for the feature
  • Re-Release Trailer
  • Two short films starring Cold Light of Day director Fhiona-Louise and photographed by Star Wars DP David Tattershall, newly restored in HD: Metropolis Apocalypse (1988, 11 mins) and Sleepwalker (1993, 2 mins)
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly-commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx
  • Limited Edition Die-cut O-card
  • Limited Edition collector s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Jo Botting and a look at how the press reported Dennis Nilsen s real-life crimes by Jeff Billington

Van Heflin in TENNESSEE JOHNSON Available on Blu-ray From Warner Archive

Van Heflin in TENNESSEE JOHNSON (1942) is currently available on Blu-ray from Warner Archive

TENNESSEE JOHNSON provided M-G-M an opportunity to showcase the impressive talents of studio newcomer Van Heflin, who had just earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar(r) for the 1941 crime hit Johnny Eager. The studio found an ideal role for Heflin in Andrew Johnson, the Tennessee tailor-turned-senator who broke with the South, rose to the vice presidency under Abraham Lincoln and soon became – after Lincoln’s assassination – the first U.S. president to face impeachment.

With inspired direction by William Dieterle, Heflin convinces as Johnson “by the sheer sincerity and strength of his performance” (The New York Times). Studio stalwart Lionel Barrymore portrays Johnson’s nemesis, Thaddeus Stevens, and Ruth Hussey plays Johnson’s devoted wife.

Jamie Babbit’s Queer Cult Classic BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER: DIRECTOR’S CUT Available on Digital 4K Ultra HD December 8th

“She’s just upset because the fish on her plate is the only kind she can eat.”

Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of “the best lesbian movie of all time” (Riese Bernard, Autostraddle) when But I’m a Cheerleader: Director’s Cut arrives on Digital 4K Ultra HD December 8th from Lionsgate. From Primetime Emmy® Award-nominated director Jamie Babbit (2017, Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, “Silicon Valley”), the film features an all-star cast including Golden Globe® nominee Natasha Lyonne (2020, Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy, “Russian Doll”), Screen Actors Guild Award® winner Clea DuVall (2018, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, “Veep”), Melanie Lynskey, Primetime Emmy® Award winner RuPaul Charles (2019, Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program, “RuPaul’s Drag Race”), Eddie Cibrian, Golden Globe® nominee Bud Cort (1972, Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Harold and Maude), Wesley Mann, Richard Moll, Douglas Spain, Katharine Towne, Golden Globe® winner Michelle Williams (2020, Best Actress in a Limited Series or Television Motion Picture, Fosse/Verdon), Oscar® nominee Julie Delpy (2013, Best Adapted Screenplay, Before Midnight), and Oscar® nominee Cathy Moriarty (1980, Best Supporting Actress, Raging Bull). Remastered in 4K and featuring never-before-seen deleted scenes, this is Jamie Babbit’s definitive director’s cut and original vision of the film.

Editorial use only. No book cover usage. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Mark Lipson/Kushner-Locke/Ignite/Kobal/Shutterstock (5880542b) Clea Du Vall, Natasha Lyonne But I’m A Cheerleader – 1999 Director: Jamie Babbit Kushner-Locke/Ignite USA Scene Still

“I uncovered some amazing lost scenes that I wasn’t able to include in the original film and am so happy to see them added back into this cut. This film is so special to me and I can’t wait for everyone to fall in love with it all over again,” said director Jamie Babbit.

This whimsically edgy comedy, directed by Jamie Babbit, follows teenager Megan (Natasha Lyonne), whose suburban existence filled with friends, cheerleading, and all-American fun is upended when her straight-laced parents suspect she may be a lesbian. In a panic, they send her to True Directions, a “rehabilitation” camp run by the strict and prudish Mary (Cathy Moriarty), to mount an intervention led by counselor Mike (RuPaul Charles). Megan dutifully follows the program — until she develops feelings for another camper (Clea DuVall) in this timeless, satirical romantic-comedy about self-acceptance and love, also costarring Melanie Lynskey, Eddie Cibrian, and Michelle Williams.

The But I’m a Cheerleader: Director’s Cut special features include an audio commentary, Jamie Babbit’s student film Discharge, and three new featurettes, including the “But I’m a Cheerleader Class Reunion” reuniting the cast for the first time in 20 years.

The 20th Anniversary But I’m a Cheerleader: Director’s Cut Digital 4K Ultra HD will be available for the suggested retail price of $9.99.

SPECIAL FEATURES

·       Audio Commentary with Director Jamie Babbit, Costume Designer Alix Friedberg, and Production Designer Rachel Kamerman

·       “But I’m a Cheerleader Class Reunion” 

·       “Making But I’m a Cheerleader… In 1999”

·       “But I’m a Composer… A Chat with Pat Irwin”

·       Student Film: Discharge

James Stewart in THE MORTAL STORM Available on Blu-ray From Warner Archive

” May we not believe as we choose and allow others to do the same?”

James Stewart in THE MORTAL STORM will soon be available on Blu-ray from Warner Archive

Masterful director Frank Borzage’s brilliance behind the camera empowers this story of Hitler’s rise to power as seen through the microcosm of one German family. What on the surface seems small and personal, is instead a towering bold revelation of the brutality of the Nazi regime. James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan lead an impressive cast in a sweeping tale of the political and human chaos that rips a family apart, leading to savagery, sacrifice, and ultimately heroism.

The Hobbit Trilogy and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Arrive on 4K Ultra HD December 1st

WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES PETER JACKSON’S THE HOBBIT TRILOGY AND  THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY TO BE RELEASED IN 4K UHD  FOR THE FIRST TIME ON DECEMBER 1ST

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment announced today that The Hobbit Trilogy and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, from Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson, will be available for the first time on 4K UHD on December 1.  

From New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, the two epic trilogies include the theatrical and extended versions of the six films in 4K UHD with HDR.  The Hobbit Trilogy includes The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy includes The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which won Academy Awards® for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.  Both trilogies will also include Digital copies of both versions of each film.


4K Ultra HD** showcases 4K resolution with High Dynamic Range (HDR) and a wider color spectrum, offering consumers brighter, deeper, and more lifelike colors for a home entertainment viewing experience like never before.   


The 4K remastering process was overseen by Peter Jackson.

In addition, it was also announced that a 4K UHD “Middle-earth” Ultimate Collectors’ Edition featuring the theatrical and extended versions of all six films, along with new bonus content, previously released Blu-ray discs of The Hobbit Trilogy, and remastered Blu-ray discs of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy will be released in the summer of 2021. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy featuring remastered Blu-ray discs of the theatrical and extended versions of the 3 films will also be released in the fourth quarter 2021, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.


The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs of The Hobbit Trilogy and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy will feature Dolby VisionTM HDR that dramatically expands the color palette and contrast range and uses dynamic metadata to automatically optimize the picture for every screen, frame by frame. The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs of The Hobbit Trilogy and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy will also feature a Dolby Atmos® soundtrack remixed specifically for the home theater environment to place and move audio anywhere in the room, including overhead. To experience Dolby Atmos at home, a Dolby Atmos enabled AV receiver and additional speakers are required, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar. Dolby Atmos soundtracks are also fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment.


The Hobbit Trilogy and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy will be available on 4K Ultra HD for $89.99 Expected Retail Price.

Fans can also own The Hobbit Trilogy and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy in 4K UHD via purchase from select digital retailers beginning on December 1st.   

THE NEW MUTANTS Arrives November 17 On Digital, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD

In this action-filled film, five young people who demonstrate special powers are forced to undergo treatment at a secret institution – allegedly to cure them of the dangers of their powers. But it’s soon clear that their containment is part of a much bigger battle between the forces of good and evil!

Add “The New Mutants” to your X-Men collection when the film arrives on Digital, 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ and DVD on Nov. 17.

Read Jim Batts review HERE.

“The New Mutants”4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ and Digital Bonus Features

  • Origins & Influences – Legendary comics artist Bill Sienkiewicz and the filmmakers explore the origins and influences behind “The New Mutants.”
  • Meet the New Mutants – Cast members share their experiences while filming and reveal how they bonded as a family, much like the characters in the film.
  • Deleted Scenes
    • Roberto Suns & Dani Climbs
    • “She’s a Demon”
    • “Everybody’s Type” & Chores
    • Dani’s Nightmare – Alt
    • “I Need to Cool Off”
    • “We’re on Lockdown”
    • Take out the Source
  • Director Josh Boone Chats with Marvel Comics artist Bill Sienkiewicz

“The New Mutants”Digital Technical Specifications

Street Date:                 Nov. 17, 2020

Screen Format:            1.85

Audio:                         English Dolby Atmos (UHD only, some platforms), English 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital, English Descriptive Audio 2.0 Dolby Digital (some platforms)

Subtitles:                     English, English SDH, Spanish, French (some platforms)

Total Run Time:          95 mins

Rating:                         PG-13 in U.S.

14A in Canada

“The New Mutants”4K Ultra HD™ Technical Specifications

Street Date:                 Nov. 17, 2020

Screen Format:            1.85

Audio:                         English Dolby Atmos, Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus, French 7.1 & 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus, German 7.1 Dolby Digital, English Descriptive Audio 2.0 Dolby Digital

Subtitles:                     English SDH, Spanish, French, German

Total Run Time:          95 mins

Rating:                         PG-13 in U.S.

14A in Canada

“The New Mutants”Blu-ray™ Technical Specifications

Street Date:                 Nov. 17, 2020

Screen Format:            1.85

Audio:                         English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, English Descriptive Audio 2.0 Dolby Digital 

Subtitles:                     English SHD, Spanish, French                      

Total Run Time:          95 mins

Rating:                         PG-13 in U.S.

14A in Canada           

“The New Mutants” DVD Technical Specifications

Street Date:                 Nov. 17, 2020

Screen Format:            1.85

Audio:                         English 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, English Descriptive Audio 2.0 Dolby Digital

Subtitles:                     English, English SDH, Spanish, French

Total Run Time:          95 mins

Rating:                         PG-13 in U.S.

14A in Canada