Posted October 22, 2023 08:27 PM by Sean Greenwood
For the week of October 23rd, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has a 4K UHD and Blu-ray for Ben Wheatley's Meg 2: The Trench, starring Jason Statham, Jing Wu, Shuya Sophia Cai, Cliff Curtis, Page Kennedy and Sergio Peris-Mencheta.
Description: Get ready for the ultimate adrenaline rush with "Meg 2: The Trench," a literally larger-than-life thrill ride that supersizes the 2018 blockbuster and takes the action to higher heights and even greater depths with multiple massive Megs and so much more! Dive into uncharted waters with Jason Statham and global action icon Wu Jing as they lead a daring research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean. Their voyage spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival. Pitted against colossal Megs and relentless environmental plunderers, our heroes must outrun, outsmart, and outswim their merciless predators in a pulse-pounding race against time.
Also coming from Warner are four more Blu-rays from the Warner Archive Collection. They are:
Dorothy Arzner's Christopher Strong (1933), starring Katharine Hepburn, Colin Clive, Billie Burke, Helen Chandler, Jack La Rue and Ralph Forbes. Warner Archive presents Christopher Strong from a new 4K scan of the original nitrate negative, with DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono audio. Extras include the short films Plane Nuts and Tomalio and the Looney Tunes short Buddy's Beer Garden (all 1933). For a full disc breakdown, read Randy Miller's Blu-ray review.
Tod Browning's The Devil Doll (1936), starring Lionel Barrymore, Maureen O'Sullivan, Frank Lawton, Rafaela Ottiano, Robert Greig and Lucy Beaumont. Warner Archive presents The Devil Doll from a new 4K scan of preservation elements, with DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono audio. Extras include new audio commentary by film historian Dr. Steve Haberman and filmmaker / film historian Constantine Nasr, the Looney Tunes shorts Milk and Money and The Phantom Ship (both 1936) and the film's original theatrical trailer.
Volker Schlöndorff's Palmetto (1998), starring Woody Harrelson, Elisabeth Shue, Gina Gershon, Michael Rapaport, Chloë Sevigny and Marc Macaulay. Warner Archive presents Palmetto from a new HD master, with DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio. Extras are limited to the film's original theatrical trailer. For a full disc breakdown, read Randy Miller's Blu-ray review.
Julian Schnabel's Before Night Falls (2000), starring Javier Bardem, Johnny Depp, Olivier Martinez, Diego Luna, Sean Penn and Vincent Laresca. Warner Archive presents Before Night Falls from a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, with DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio. Extras include filmmaker audio commentary, excerpts from a 1983 Imroper Conduct interview with Reinaldo Arenas, behind-the-scenes, the featurette Little Notes on Painting and the film's original theatrical trailer.
New on Blu-ray from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is The Boys: Season 3 (2022). The two-disc set contains all 8 episodes as well as gag reels, deleted and extended scenes and a making of featurette.
Also coming from Sony is a Blu-ray for Fred F. Sears' Rock Around the Clock (1956), starring Bill Haley and the Comets, The Platters, Ernie Freeman Combo, Tony Martinez and His Band, Alan Freed and Johnny Johnston. Extras on the disc include audio commentary with writer / journalist Barry Forshaw and novelist / critic Kim Newman.
Then from Sony comes two 4K UHD upgrades. First is Frank Oz's The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984), starring Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Richard Hunt and Jerry Nelson. Sourced from a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, Sony presents The Muppets Take Manhattan with Dolby Vision HDR and a choice of a new Dolby Atmos remix, DTS-HD MA 5.1 or DTS-HD MA Mono audio options. Extras on the 4K UHD disc include a new audio commentary with Frank Oz, while a legacy Blu-ray copy of the film contains an interview with Jim Henson and Muppetisms.
Finally from Sony is a 4K UHD SteelBook release for Roland Emmerich's Godzilla (1998), starring Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno, Maria Pitillo, Hank Azaria, Kevin Dunn and Michael Lerner. Previously released on 4K UHD in 2019 with HDR10 and Dolby Atmos, this new release features Dolby Vision HDR and a new Dolby Atmos track.
New on Blu-ray from RLJE Films and AMC Studios is a Blu-ray release of Dark Winds: Season Two (2023). The two-disc set contains all 6 episodes.
New from Well Go USA is a Blu-ray for Larry Yang's Ride On (龙马精神), starring Jackie Chan, Liu Haocun, Kevin Guo, Wu Jing, Yu Ailei and Joey Yung.
Description: The film follows Jackie Chan as a washed-up stuntman who can barely make ends meet, let alone take care of his beloved stunt horse, Red Hare. The man reluctantly seeks help from his estranged daughter and her lawyer boyfriend when notified that the horse may be auctioned off to cover his debts. Unexpectedly, the stuntman and the horse become overnight media sensations when their real-life fight with debt collectors goes viral. That earns the stuntman a second chance to choose between his movie career and his family.
Well Go USA's Blu-ray of Ride On contains behind-the-scenes, a trailer and more.
New from Wild Eye Releasing is a Blu-ray for Anthony Catanese's Caddy Hack, starring Dana Ackerman, Max Alvarado, Joe Biedron, Chrissy Cavallo, Christine Chell and David Diaz.
Description: A struggling golf course suffers a string of caddy murders at the paws of pesticide-mutated gofers, while the greedy owner of the facility tries to cover up the carnage and an unhinged groundskeeper wages all out war on the vicious vermin.
Wild Eye Releasing's Blu-ray of Caddy Hack contains director and producer commentary, outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage and more. An illustrated slipcase and folded poster are also included.
New on Blu-ray from Acorn Media is Murdoch Mysteries Season 16 (2022-2023). The five-disc set contains all 24 episodes.
Turning to catalog titles, Kino Lorber have a remastered Blu-ray for Edward L. Cahn's It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958), starring Marshall Thompson, Shirley Patterson, Kim Spalding, Ann Doran, Dabbs Greer and Paul Langton. Sourced from a new 2K scan of a 35mm fine grain, Kino presents It! The Terror from Beyond Space with DTS-HD MA Mono audio. Extras include three new audio commentaries: One by film historians Tom Weaver, Bob Burns, Larry Blamire and David Schecter, another by film historian Craig Beam and a third by film historian / screenwriter Gary Gerani. Also included is a new featurette with Beam: idbITs: Ephemera from Beyond Space as well as a theatrical trailer. The release also includes reversible art and a slipcover.
Also from Kino is a new Blu-ray edition of the AIP cut of Mario Bava's Black Sabbath (1963), starring Michčle Mercier, Boris Karloff, Mark Damon, Harriet Medin, Lidia Alfonsi and Susy Andersen. This reissue contains the same content as Kino's 2015 Blu-ray, but has been re-encoded onto a dual-layered BD-50 disc.
Then from Kino is a Blu-ray for Jess Franco's Lorna the Exorcist (Les Possédées du diable) (1974), starring Lina Romay, Pamela Stanford, Guy Delorme, Howard Vernon, Jesús Franco and Jacqueline Laurent. Kino presents Lorna the Exorcist with a choice of French or English: DTS-HD MA 2.0 tracks, with optional English subtitles for the French track. Extras include a new audio commentary by novelist and critic Tim Lucas, interviews with actress Pamela Stanford, filmmaker Gérard Kikoďne and an introduction by author Stephen Thrower (Nightmare USA: The Untold Story of the Exploitation Independents). For a full disc breakdown, read Svet Atanasov's Blu-ray review.
Coming to 4K UHD from Kino is Lewis Teague's Cujo (1983), starring Dee Wallace, Danny Pintauro, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Christopher Stone, Ed Lauter and Kaiulani Lee. Sourced from a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, Kino presents Cujo with DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 audio tracks, as well as Dolby Vision HDR on the 4K UHD disc. Extras on the 4K UHD disc include two audio commentaries with Lewis Teague, a third audio commentary with author Lee Gambin ( Nope, Nothing Wrong Here: The Making of CUJO), while an included remastered Blu-ray also includes the 2014 roundtable Cujo Revisited, Dog Days: The Making of Cujo, interviews with Dee Wallace, composer Charles Bernstein, stuntman Gary Morgan, stuntwoman Jean Coulter, casting director Marcia Ross, visual effects artist Kathie Lawrence, special effects designer Robert Clark and dog trainer Teresa Miller, TV and radio spots and a theatrical trailer.
Also from Kino is a Blu-ray for Phil Smoot's Alien Outlaw (1985), starring Kari Anderson, Stephen Winegard, Kimberly Mauldin, Stuart Watson, and Sunset Carson. Sourced from a new 4K scan of 35mm materials, Kino presents Alien Outlaw with DTS-HD MA 2.0 audio. Extras include the new featurette They Came From the Swamp, two filmmaker commentaries, an interview with editor Sherwood Jones and archival interviews and featurettes. For a full disc breakdown, read Svet Atanasov's Blu-ray review.
Also from Kino is a Blu-ray for Phil Smoot's The Dark Power (1985), starring Lash La Rue, Anna Lane Tatum, Cynthia Bailey, Mary M. Dalton, Paul Holman, Cynthia Farbman. Kino presents The Dark Power from a new 4K scan of 16mm materials. Extras include the new featurette The Terror of the Tarheel State, filmmaker commentary and an interview with editor Sherwood Jones.
Finally from Kino is a 4K UHD upgrade for Brett Ratner's Red Dragon (2002), starring Anthony Hopkins, Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, Harvey Keitel, Emily Watson and Mary-Louise Parker. Sourced from a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, Kino presents Red Dragon with DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 audio tracks, as well as Dolby Vision HDR on the 4K UHD disc. Extras on the 4K UHD disc include filmmaker audio commentary isolated score with audio commentary by composer Danny Elfman, while an included remastered Blu-ray also features legacy video extras, including a documentary, various featurettes, alternate, deleted and extended scenes with optional commentary and more.
New on Blu-ray from Film Masters is Monte Hellman's Beast from Haunted Cave (1959), starring Michael Forest, Sheila Noonan, Frank Wolff, Wally Campo, Richard Sinatra and James Hoffman. Sourced from a new 4K scan of 35mm archival materials, Film Masters presents Beast from Haunted Cave with DTS-HD MA 2.0 audio. Extras include the extended TV cut of the film, audio commentary with Tom Weaver and Larry Blamire, trailers, a still gallery and an easter egg. Also included with the release is a bonus film: Ski Troop Attack (1960). For a full disc breakdown, read Jeffrey Kauffman's Blu-ray review.
Coming to 4K UHD from Lionsgate Home Entertainment is Jean-Luc Godard's Le Mépris (AKA Contempt) (1963), starring Brigitte Bardot, Michel Piccoli, Jack Palance, Fritz Lang, Giorgia Moll and Linda Véras. Sourced from a new 4K master prepared by StuidoCanal, Lionsgate presents Le Mépris with Dolby Vision HDR and both French and English: DTS-HD MA 2.0 tracks, with optional English subtitles. The release is available either as a single-disc single-disc 4K UHD or a 4K UHD and Blu-ray bundle.
Coming to Blu-ray from Radiance Films is a remastered Blu-ray for Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz's Messiah of Evil (1973), starring Michael Greer, Marianna Hill, Joy Bang, Anitra Ford, Royal Dano and Elisha Cook Jr. Sourced from a new 4K scan of the best-surviving elements, Radiance presents Messiah of Evil with LPCM Mono audio. Extras include audio commentary by critics and horror experts Kim Newman and Stephen Thrower, an archival interview with co-writer-director Willard Huyck, a new documentary on the film, visual essay by critic Kat Ellinger and a trailer. Limited edition content includes an 80-page booklet, with the release packaged in a rigid box.
Also coming from Radiance is a Blu-ray for Ann Hui's Visible Secret (幽靈人間) (2001), starring Eason Chan, Shu Qi, Anthony Chau-Sang Wong, Sam Lee, Kara Wai and Tony Liu. Sourced from an HD master, Radiance presents Visible Secret with DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio and newly translated optional English subtitles. Extras include a new conversation between Ann Hui and NYAFF director Ken Smith, a new visual essay by critic and programmer Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and a trailer. Limited edition content includes a booklet.
Coming to remastered Blu-ray and 4K UHD from the Criterion Collection is Alejandro Amenábar's The Others (2001), starring Nicole Kidman, Fionnula Flanagan, Christopher Eccleston, Alakina Mann, James Bentley and Eric Sykes. Sourced from a new 4K master (approved by director Alejandro Amenábar), Criterion presents The Others with a Dolby Atmos remix and in SDR on the 4K UHD disc. Extras include a 2022 audio commentary by Alejandro Amenabar, while the Blu-ray disc includes a new conversation between Amenábar and film critic Pau Gómez, a new 62-minute making of documentary from StudioCanal, and archival extras, including featurettes, deleted scenes a trailer and more. For full release breakdowns, read Svet Atanasov's 4K UHD review and Blu-ray review.
Coming from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is a Blu-ray upgrade for Psych: The Complete Collection (2006-2021), a 31-disc box set which contains all eight seasons of the TV series as well as three movies. Extras include deleted and extended scenes, gag reels, the international pilot episode, audio, video and podcast commentaries and much more.
Finally this week, MUBI will release a 4K UHD upgrade for Park Chan-wook's Decision to Leave (헤어질 결심) (2022), starring Park Hae-il, Tang Wei, Lee Jung-hyun, Go Kyung-Pyo, Kim Shin-young and Jung Young Sook. MUBI presents Decision to Leave with Dolby Vision HDR and the film's Dolby Atmos audio. Extras replicate the Blu-ray edition and add a Q&A between Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon Ho.