Posted September 12, 2022 12:33 AM by Sean Greenwood
For the week of September 12th, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will release a Blu-ray and 4K UHD for Baz Luhrmann's Elvis (2022), starring Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Olivia DeJonge, Dacre Montgomery, and David Wenham. Announced as early as 2014, considerable buzz was generated for the film when Hanks was cast as "Colonel" Tom Parker, Elvis' longtime manager. Production began in Luhrmann's native Australia in January 2020, but had to be halted in March 2020, when Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson both tested positive for coronavirus. Filming resumed in September 2020 and concluded in March 2021. Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2022, Elvis received critical acclaim, with particular praise for Butler's portrayal of Elvis and the film's energetic musical performances. In the United States, the film opened about a month later and topped the box office with over $31 million, eventually grossing over $150 million domestically and over $282 million worldwide. Warner's disc releases contain the film's Dolby Atmos audio, while the 4K UHD disc additionally contains both Dolby Vision and HDR10+. Extras on the Blu-ray include a making of, three featurettes and a lyric video.
Reviewer Randy Miller has high praise for both the 4K UHD disc and Dolby Atmos track of Elvis, saying of the picture that "As expected, the 4K's transfer advances upon the already-great Blu-ray in meaningful ways; not only is this a true 2160p source, but the HDR enhancement produces a number of highlight-worthy shorts during Elvis' many musical performances, where bright stage lights and colorful costumes dazzle". Of the film's Atmos audio, Miller says it "routinely takes full advantage of the format with a wide-open and, at times, incredibly immersive sound field that impresses at almost every turn...Frequent musical performances are unsurprisingly a highlight...t's a frequently over-the-top yet carefully reigned-in sonic experience...and regularly reaches into the rear and Atmos-exclusive height channels at opportune moments". For full disc breakdowns, read Randy's 4K UHD review and Blu-ray review.
Then from Warner this week is another entry in the Warner Archive Collection: John Cromwell's Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940), starring Raymond Massey, Gene Lockhart, Ruth Gordon, Mary Howard, Minor Watson and Alan Baxter. Included on the disc is a Lux Radio Theatre broadcast as an extra. For full a disc breakdown, read Randy Miller's Blu-ray review.
Also from Warner is a Blu-ray for Lucifer: The Sixth & Final Season (2022), starring Tom Ellis, Lauren German, Kevin Alejandro, D.B. Woodside, and Lesley-Ann Brandt. The two-disc set contains all ten one-hour episodes, with deleted scenes and a gag reel as extras.
New this week from Walt Disney Home Entertainment and Pixar Animation Studios is Angus MacLane's Lightyear, featuring the voices of Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, Peter Sohn, Taika Waititi, and Dale Soules.
Studio description: From Disney and Pixar comes an animated sci-fi action-adventure — the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans), the hero who inspired the toy. "Lightyear" follows the legendary space ranger on an intergalactic adventure alongside ambitious recruits, Izzy, Mo and Darby, and his robot companion Sox. As this motley crew embark on their toughest mission yet, they must learn to work as a team to escape the evil Zurg and his dutiful robot army who are never far behind.
Disney's 4K UHD release of Lightyear contains the film's Dolby Atmos audio and HDR. The included Blu-ray features an audio commentary, deleted scenes and three featurettes. In addition to standard packaging, a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook will also be available. Reviewer Martin Liebman is highly impressed with the 4K UHD disc, awarding it five stars for picture and sound quality and saying in part: "[the 4K UHD] presentation is certainly a solid step forward from the Blu-ray, which was itself magnificent in its own right. The HDR color grading makes for the most immediately evident area of improvement...There's a beautiful sense of accuracy at work here as colors blast from the screen with prominent punch...Viewers will enjoy refined clarity to dirt and wear and general texturing on the space suits, clarity of the alien terrain, and definition to basics like skin...it's efficient and flawless". For full disc breakdowns, read Martin's 4K UHD review and Blu-ray review.
Finally for new releases this week, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has a Blu-ray for Olivia Newman's Where the Crawdads Sing, starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Harris Dickinson, David Strathairn, Garret Dillahunt, and Joe Chrest.
Studio description: From the best-selling novel comes a captivating mystery. Where the Crawdads Sing tells the story of Kya, an abandoned girl who raised herself to adulthood in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina. For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" haunted Barkley Cove, isolating the sharp and resilient Kya from her community. Drawn to two young men from town, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world; but when one of them is found dead, she is immediately cast by the community as the main suspect. As the case unfolds, the verdict as to what actually happened becomes increasingly unclear, threatening to reveal the many secrets that lay within the marsh.
Sony's Blu-ray of Where the Crawdads Sing contains deleted scenes, three featurettes and a lyric video for "Carolina" by Taylor Swift.
Turning to catalog titles, also from Sony this week is a 4K UHD upgrade for Martha Coolidge's Real Genius (1985), starring Val Kilmer, Gabriel Jarret, Michelle Meyrink, William Atherton, and Jon Gries. Newly remastered from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, Sony presents Real Genius with Dolby Vision HDR, and a choice of Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD MA 5.1 or original DTS-HD MA 2.0 audio tracks. Presented on pressed Blu-ray for the first time, the feature is sourced from the new 4K master and contains the audio commentary with Coolidge from the 2017 release, the 95-minute TV version of the film (in SD) and a Balloon Chair Deleted Scene along with the Raw Takes from that deleted scene. Reviewer Martin Liebman is again impressed with the 4K UHD disc, saying "Wow...This is Real Genius looking as beautifully filmic and true to its roots as possible today...a very satisfying image that is an absolute revelation". For a full disc breakdown and to see 1080p screenshots from the new remastered Blu-ray, read Martin's 4K UHD review.
Also coming from Sony is a Blu-ray for Robert M. Young's Caught (1996), starring Edward James Olmos, Maria Conchita Alonso, Arie Verveen, Bitty Schram, and Steven Schub.
Description: Academy Award nominee Edward James Olmos (1988, Best Actor, Stand and Deliver) and Maria Conchita Alonso (Colors) star in this emotional drama about a couple trying to make their business work and the mysterious drifter who comes into their lives and changes them completely. Nick (Arie Verveen, The Thin Red Line) appears in Joe (Olmos) and Betty's (Alonso) Jersey City fish store while running away from the cops. The couple takes Nick in, and he inspires Joe and ignites passions in Betty. Neither Nick nor Betty want to hurt Joe, but their sexual attraction may be too strong to deny. When Joe and Betty's son, Danny (Steven Schub, The Thirteenth Floor), returns home after failing as a stand-up comedian, he sees what is going on and wants Nick out. Caught is a gripping drama filled with powerful performances.
Sony's Blu-ray of Caught presents the film in a 1.66:1 aspect ratio, with DTS-HD MA 2.0 audio. No subtitles or extras are provided.
Finally from Sony is a Blu-ray for Betty Thomas' 28 Days (2000), starring Sandra Bullock, Viggo Mortensen, Dominic West, Elizabeth Perkins, and Azura Skye.
Description: A disastrous drunken episode lands successful New York journalist Gwen Cummings (Sandra Bullock) inrehab where she encounters a bizarre assortment of characters and some unique rituals during her touching and often hilarious road to recovery.
Sony's Blu-ray of 28 Days contains English: DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio, with optional French and Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 audio tracks and optional English, French and Spanish subtitles for the feature film. Extras are character testimonials, "Santa Cruz" Soap Opera: The Lost Episodes, Guitar Guy's lost songs, and the film's theatrical trailer.
Also this week, Shout Factory has a pair of 4K UHD upgrades on offer. First up is John Carpenter's The Fog (1980), starring Tom Atkins. Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh, and John Houseman. Remastered in 4K by StudioCanal, Shout Factory presents the film with Dolby Vision HDR and a new Dolby Atmos remix as well as the original mono audio. Extras include two archival audio commentaries, while the included Blu-ray also features the interviews, featurettes and other extras from previous Shout Factory releases. In addition to standard packaging, a Limited Edition SteelBook will also be available.
Also on 4K UHD from Shout is Oliver Stone's Platoon (1986), starring Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, Forest Whitaker, and Francesco Quinn. Presented in 4K with Dolby Vision HDR, Shout's 4K UHD release contains DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 audio tracks. An included Blu-ray contains the commentaries, deleted scenes, interviews and extras from previous Blu-ray releases.
But Paramount Home Media Distribution has a pair of their own 4K UHD upgrades, starting with Sean S. Cunningham's Friday the 13th, starring Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Jeannine Taylor, Robbi Morgan, Kevin Bacon and Harry Crosby. Previously mastered in 4K and now with Dolby Vision HDR, Paramount's 4K UHD disc contains both the R-rated and Uncut versions of the film, with Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio. Extras are taken from previous Paramount Blu-ray editions and include audio commentary and featurettes.
Also from Paramount is a 4K UHD for Adrian Lyne's Fatal Attraction (1987), starring Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, Anne Archer, Fred Gwynne, and Ellen Hamilton Latzen. Previously remastered in 4K, Paramount's 4K UHD disc contains Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio. Also included are the extras from the previous Paramount Presents Blu-ray, including a filmmaker focus featurette with Lyne, audio commentary, alternate ending, rehearsal footage and the film's theatrical trailer.
Finally this week, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has a 4K UHD upgrade for Terry Jones' Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983), starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. The film has been remastered in 4K with HDR and a new DTS: X (with DTS-HD MA 7.1 core) audio track. Extras replicate the previous 30th anniversary edition, including the 30th anniversary reunion, audio commentary, featurettes, deleted scenes and more.