Welcome to another look at new arrivals on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. Last week saw a number of releases appearing on store shelves. And as a result, this edition looks a little thinner. Still, there is one major new feature and plenty of older ones with new upgrades. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
BRING HER BACK – A teenager and his younger, visually impaired stepsister experience tragedy when their father, the last living relative in their family, dies unexpectedly. The teen is almost 18 and wants to become his sibling’s guardian, but is told that he can’t take custody until he is a legal adult. In the meantime, the pair are placed in a foster home with an eccentric woman who has an excellent reputation. Unfortunately, the lead’s relationship with the lady quickly sours, and she threatens to report him as an unfit caregiver. There also may be something else strange and unsettling occurring in the home. This horror film is from the Australian Philippou brothers (Talk to Me) and was very well received by the press. A small number called the movie disheartening, disturbing, and so unpleasant it just left them aghast with its depictions of torment. However, all others were impressed by how horrifying the film was, calling it a brilliantly acted, jarring, and tense psychological chiller that wasn’t easy to forget. It stars Billy Barratt, Sally Hawkins, Sora Wong and Jonah Wren Phillips. Read a full review of the movie here.
PERPETRATOR – In this horror feature, a teenager leaves her father and goes to live with her aunt. She arrives at a new high school and is immediately perceived as something of a troublemaker. Things get worse when the protagonist learns that many women in the neighborhood have gone missing. The longer the teen spends in this area, the more she learns about the mystery and those who may have been involved. This picture debuted on Shudder in late 2023 and is now receiving a Blu-ray release from Arrow Video. Overall, critics were positive about what they saw. Nearly one-quarter did state that this title ignored too many storytelling rules, resulting in a jumbled narrative that lacked tension and suspense. However, the majority called the film an artistic, singular, and unique coming-of-age story with a feminist twist that would impress young genre enthusiasts. The cast includes Kiah McKirnan, Taylor Kinkead, Christopher Lowell, Tim Hopper and Alicia Silverstone.
THE ROOSTER – A small town cop is called in to deal with an incident involving an old friend. He fails to follow police protocol and does nothing, only to find his buddy’s body in a shallow grave afterward. Shocked, he’s asked questions by superiors, who presume the death must have been a suicide. But the main character quietly throws himself into a deep investigation, encountering an oddball hermit who was the last person to see his pal alive. This Australian mystery earned more upbeat write-ups than negative ones. About one-third did complain that the film was too eccentric and its characters were exceedingly over-the-top, lessening the drama and effectiveness of the story. Regardless, more thought that the performances were excellent and that the movie was far sharper than many gave it credit for. They felt that it cleverly dealt with issues like mental health and masculinity in a thoughtful and compelling manner. It features Phoenix Raei, Hugo Weaving, John Waters and Rhys Mitchell.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
While there aren’t a ton of new releases this week, you can still pick up a number of older films on disc. Radiance Films is putting out the Shinobi Volume 2 Blu-ray box set. It contains three more Japanese films featuring the famous title character, a famous folk hero. The first set from last year offered a trilogy of titles starring Raizo Ichikawa. He returns for these titles, but the films involve a different version of the character and take place during a different era. You’ll get Siege (1964), The Return of Mist Saizo (1964) and The Last Iga Spy (1965).
This set features high-definition transfers of the films, which are being made available for the first time outside of Japan. Extras include an interview with a period film historian, a discussion with a ninja film scholar, select-scene commentary on the first title with a movie authority, and a trailer. You’ll also get new and improved subtitles for the features, six postcards with images from the film, a reversible sleeve with artwork based on promotional materials, and a booklet with an analysis of the titles. This set is limited to 3000 copies. Click this link to read a full review.
If you enjoy dark and depressing cinema, Through and Through (1973) is likely a movie for you. Pictured above and to the right, it’s a Polish effort about a Krakow-based couple in the 1930s failing to make ends meet. As they become more and more desperate, they end up taking part in a violent crime. The movie is noted for its striking cinematography and sound design, which heightens their grim lives. This Blu-ray boasts a 2K picture restoration supervised by the director of photography, and arrives with an interview about the movie with a film critic, as well as three short films made by the director in the years leading up to this production. This release is also limited to 3000 copies and comes with a booklet featuring writing on the movie, a reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned art. You can read a detailed review of the disc right here.
The Criterion Collection is presenting a Blu-ray set called Two Films by Edward Yang that contains A Confucian Confusion (1994) and Majong (1996). These are a pair of well-regarded Taiwanese satires about confused individuals trying to make their way in a materialistic and amoral society. The films were given new 4K restorations for this release, and extras include an excerpt of the director talking about the 1994 film, as well as a new interview with the editor, discussion between film scholars, a performance of a 1992 stage play from the director, as well as an essay on the movies.
Shoeshine (1946) is an Academy Award-winning Italian feature from Vittorio De Sica (Umberto D., Bicycle Thieves) that helped cement the neorealism film movement. It is arriving in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo and also as a standalone Blu-ray. Set on the streets of Rome, two boys do everything they can to raise enough money to buy a horse, and in the process end up getting in the middle of a violent robbery. This image quality is newly restored in 4K, and the release contains a 2016 documentary on the film, a new program on the feature and children in Italian neorealism, as well as a radio broadcast from 1946 with De Sica and a trailer.
Dark Force Entertainment is an impressive distributor specializing in obscure cult films. This week, you can pick up a Blu-ray of The Beast and the Vixens (1974), a B-movie about a Bigfoot-like beast who terrorizes women in the woods (in addition to criminals and hippies). This title has only been available on VHS. The distributor has found a surviving 35mm print and completed a new 2K scan of the material for its debut on disc. It comes with a film historian commentary and more.
The Golden Triangle (1975) aka Jin San Jiao is a Hong Kong/Philippines martial arts/action effort arriving on Blu-ray from the same distributor. Specs haven’t been listed for this title (other than it being a 2K image restoration), but it sounds like it could be fun.
You can also purchase the period drive-in exploitation effort Ride a Wild Stud (1969). It features a cowboy coming to the rescue of a group of women who have been taken by a nasty Civil War Confederate guerilla force. The distributor has located the only existing 35mm internegative and has used the copy to present the film in HD for the first time ever.
Eureka Entertainment is presenting Martial Law: Lo Wei’s Wuxia World on Blu-ray. It contains the action pictures The Black Butterfly (1968), Death Valley (1968) and Vengeance of a Snowgirl (1971). Those who pick up this effort will see high-definition transfers of the films, audio commentaries from Asian cinema experts on all the titles, a new interview with a movie authority on director Lo Wei, as well as a booklet with writing on the pictures and a slipcase with new art for the set.
Film Masters is delivering The Amazing Mr. X (1948) on Blu-ray. It’s about a spiritualist who may or may not be swindling a customer, saying that her dead husband is trying to contact her from beyond the grave. The title is known for its beautiful photography and this disc delivers a 4K restoration of the film from archival elements. It also comes with a film professor/scholar commentary track, an original documentary on movies about spiritualism, and a booklet with an essay on the title.
Patterns (1956) is about a New York business executive, played by Van Heflin, who goes through some ethical turmoil after learning that his kind and well-intentioned boss is going to be fired, only to take over the position himself. The film is considered a take-down of the cutthroat corporate world.
Kino is releasing a number of notable titles this week. The first is Coneheads (1993), which can be purchased on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray or a Blu-ray only disc. This film adaptation of the Saturday Night Live comedy sketch features a family of literal aliens trying to settle down in America. It wasn’t a big hit when it was originally released, but has become something of a cult item over the years. The film stars Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtin, Michelle Burke, Michael Richards, Eddie Griffin, Sinbad, Phil Hartman, Adam Sandler, David Spade and Michael McKean. It boasts a 4K restoration of the original camera negative presented in Dolby Vision, an audio commentary with director Steve Barron, archival interviews with co-star Burke, monster creator Phil Tippett, the vintage EPK, extended interviews with cast and crew and a ton of publicity material for the feature.
Gung Ho (1986) is a comedy/drama from Ron Howard (Willow, Far and Away, Apollo 18, A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man) starring Micheal Keaton, Gedde Watanabe, George Wendt, Mimi Rogers and John Turturro. It follows the workers of an American auto plant who must adapt when they are bought by a Japanese car company. The Blu-ray contains a 4K restoration from the original camera negative from Paramount, a new film historian commentary, an interview with co-star Watanabe, and a discussion with Wendt.
Happy Gilmore (1996) is available as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo. This Adam Sandler comedy is about a hockey player with a violent temper who tries his luck as a professional golfer. This release contains a 4K restoration of the original camera negative presented in Dolby Vision (apparently, it looks strikingly good). The discs contain a film expert commentary track, deleted scenes, outtakes and a trailer.
Repossessed (1990) is a slapstick take on The Exorcist starring Leslie Nielsen (of the original Naked Gun series) as a priest trying to help a young woman (played by Linda Blair from the 1973 horror classic) who has been possessed by a satanic demon. This release contains a new commentary track with the director, as well as a trailer. The first set of copies also come in a slipcase.
The Vengeance of Doctor Mabuse (1972) is another title from Spanish B-movie filmmaker Jess Franco. It arrives on Blu-ray with a film historian commentary.
Any musical fans out there? Xanadu (1980) is officially arriving in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack or as a Blu-ray only release. This notorious musical features Olivia Newton-John, Gene Kelly and Michael Beck in a loosely constructed story about a muse who is sent from the heavens to inspire a struggling artist. She is not helping him create a beautiful new creation, but instead pushing him to open a roller-disco.
This outlandish film was a huge flop and the story makes absolutely no sense, but the soundtrack is fantastic, featuring hits from Newton-John and E.L.O. like “Magic,” “All Over the World,” and the title track. The original camera negative has been given a 4K restoration and is presented in Dolby Vision for this release. There are also four new commentary tracks. One features director Robert Greenwald and the other three are from movie historians. You’ll also get a 1980 making-of, a 2009 retrospective documentary on the film, 5 TV spots, 17 radio ads, and a trailer.
Powerhouse Films is an import label that has begun making inroads in North America. All of their releases feature great transfers and plenty of bonus features. This week, you can pick up a 4K Ultra HD “Standard Edition” of the Jean Rollin vampire flick Lips of Blood (1975), a 4K Ultra HD “Standard Edition” of Rollin’s The Night of the Hunted (1980), and a Blu-ray of the British racing drama, The Rainbow Jacket (1954).
Shout Factory is delivering Blaxploitation Classics Volume 2, an impressive 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray containing six titles. You’ll receive Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970), as well as Slaughter (1972) and Slaughter’s Big Rip-Off (1973) with Jim Brown, Foxy Brown (1974) and Friday Foster (1975) starring Pam Grier, and Bucktown (1975) with Fred Williamson. It’s an excellent collection of movies that will entertain anyone who enjoys Blaxploitation features.
These pictures have all received new 4K restorations from the original camera negative and are presented in Dolby Vision. You’ll also receive an in-depth documentary on the genre featuring new and archival interviews with moviemakers, authors and film historians. Additionally, there is a new discussion on these titles with filmmaker Johnathan Kaplan (who directed The Slams and Truck Turner, as well as The Accused and Unlawful Entry). Foxy Brown director Jack Hill also provides a commentary for this movie. Sounds pretty phenomenal.
If you haven’t picked it up yet, you can now purchase the extremely entertaining Drag Me to Hell (2009) as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Walmart exclusive Steelbook. This effort from Sam Raimi (the original Evil Dead series, and Tobey Maguire Spider-Man series) features a bank employee who is cursed after refusing an old woman’s request for an extension on a loan. All of the extras from previous editions will be on this release, only the packaging is different.
Sony Pictures is delivering the award-winning Brazilian film The House of Sand (2005) on Blu-ray.
In celebration of its 30th anniversary, Ang Lee’s Sense and Sensibility (1995) with Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet and Hugh Grant is arriving from the studio as an 4K Ultra HD-only release.
Finally, the classic James Stewart comedy Harvey (1950) is arriving in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack from Universal Studios. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Stewart plays a sweet, eccentric man with a constant companion… a 6-foot-tall rabbit that only he can see and communicate with. Family members attempt to have the protagonist committed to an asylum, leading to some unexpectedly funny moments and interactions. This 75th anniversary edition will arrive with presumably improved picture quality. An archival introduction from Stewart, as well as featurettes from this era at Universal and a theatrical trailer are among the listed bonus features.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Sorry, no major kid-friendly titles are arriving this week.
ON THE TUBE!
Below is a list of all the TV-related discs arriving on store shelves.
The Boys: Season 4 (Sony Pictures) Blu-ray
NCIS: Sydney: Season 2 (CBS) DVD
The Last Anniversary (AMC) DVD
Tales from the Void: Season 1 (Cinedigm) Blu-ray