For the week of July 29th, 20th Century Studios will release a Blu-ray for Arkasha Stevenson's The First Omen, starring Nell Tiger Free, Ralph Ineson, Sonia Braga, Tawfeek Barhom, Maria Caballero and Charles Dance.
Description: In this psychological horror prequel to the classic Omen films, a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church. Soon, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith, and that reveals a terrifying conspiracy to bring about the birth of evil incarnate. The First Omen stars Nell Tiger Free (Servant), Tawfeek Barhom (Mary Magdalene), Sonia Braga (Kiss of the Spider Woman), Ralph Ineson (The Northman) and Bill Nighy (Living). The film is directed by Arkasha Stevenson based on characters created by David Seltzer (The Omen), with a story by Ben Jacoby (Bleed) and a screenplay by Tim Smith & Arkasha Stevenson and Keith Thomas (Firestarter).
20th Century Studios' Blu-ray of The First Omen contains a DTS-HD MA 7.1 audio track. Extras include the featurettes The Director's Vision, The Mystery of Margaret and Signs of the First Omen. For a full disc breakdown, read Jeffrey Kauffman's Blu-ray review.
New on Blu-ray from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is a Blu-ray box set for Ted Lasso: The Complete Series (2020-2023), starring Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, Jamie Lee, Brett Goldstein and Ashley Nicole Black.
Description: In a bitter divorce settlement from her billionaire husband Rupert Mannion, Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) becomes the new owner of British football club AFC Richmond. She's assisted by her Director of Football Operations, Higgins (Jeremy Swift), who formerly worked for her husband. Her first order of business is to fire the team's current manager and replace him with an idealistic all-American football coach Theodore "Ted" Lasso (Jason Sudeikis). Ted and his friend, assistant Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) cross the pond to take up the management of the team's "long, albeit modest" history. Ted gets to know the team – including Team Captain Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), top scorer Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster) and more – but finds his first friend in the locker room assistant Nathan (Nick Mohammed). Half a world away from his wife and child, Ted could use a friend. But he presses on, nevertheless. Richmond is about to change the way they're doing things — and from now on — that is the Lasso way.
Warner's Blu-ray release of Ted Lasso: The Complete Series is a seven-disc set with all three seasons of the series. Also included is a limited edition double-sided poster.
New on Blu-ray from Well Go USA is Kiah Roache-Turner's Sting (2024), starring Jermaine Fowler, Ryan Corr, Alyla Browne, Noni Hazlehurst, Robyn Nevin and Penelope Mitchell.
Description: After raising an unnervingly talented spider in secret, 12-year-old Charlotte (Alyla Browne) must face the facts about her pet—and fight for her family's survival—when the once-charming creature rapidly transforms into a giant, flesh-eating monster.
Well Go USA's Blu-ray of Sting contains a three-part behind the scenes featurette and a trailer. For a full disc breakdown, read Jeffrey Kauffman's Blu-ray review.
Also new on Blu-ray from Well Go USA is Choi Dong-hoon's Alienoid: Return to the Future (외계+인 2부), starring Ryu Jun-yeol, Kim Tae-ri, Kim Woo-bin, Kim Eui-sung, Lee Hanee and Yum Jung-ah.
Description: Writer/Director Choi Dong-hoon (The Thieves) and stars Ryu Jun-Yeol (A Taxi Driver), Kim Tae-ri (The Handmaiden), and Kim Woo-bin (Master) are together again for ALIENOID: RETURN TO THE FUTURE, the epic sequel to the mind-bending, time-traveling, sci-fi action adventure that retains "… all the action, hilarity, and drama of the first film …" (Elements of Madness). In the acclaimed sequel, after locating the Divine Blade, a shaman and a modern-day woman race through time to battle a powerful alien commander intent on destroying mankind.
Well Go USA's Blu-ray of Alienoid: Return to the Future contains a making of, character trailer and trailer. For a full disc breakdown, read Jeffrey Kauffman's Blu-ray review.
Description: An intimate portrait of William Shatner's personal journey across nine decades of a boldly lived and fully realized life, YOU CAN CALL ME BILL strips away all the masks he has worn during his storied career, to reveal the man behind it all.
Decal Releasing's Blu-ray of William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill contains a live Q&A with William Shatner and Alexandre O. Philippe, hosted by Tamara Krisnky.
Turning to catalog titles, Kino Lorber have a number of titles coming to Blu-ray and 4K UHD this week. They are:
A Blu-ray 3D release for Arch Oboler's Bwana Devil (1952), starring Robert Stack, Barbara Britton, Nigel Bruce, Ramsay Hill, Paul McVey and Hope Miller. Sourced from new 4K scans of the original left/right 35mm camera negatives by the 3-D Film Archive, Kino presents Bwana Devil in both 2D and Blu-ray 3D presentations, as well as anaglyph (red/cyan) 3D (for which a pair of anaglyph 3D glasses are included). Extras include The Story of Bwana Devil with 3D expert Mike Ballew, the original prologue M.l. Gunzburg Presents Natural Vision 3-Dimension (1952), an original intermission snipe, a 1953 color 3D trailer and a 1954 black and white trailer for the 2D re-release.
A 4K UHD and remastered Blu-ray for Nancy Walker's Can't Stop the Music (1980), starring Steve Guttenberg, Caitlyn Jenner, Valerie Perrine, Paul Sand, Tammy Grimes and June Havoc. Sourced from a 4K master provided by StudioCanal, Kino presents Can't Stop the Music with a choice of lossless 2.0 and 5.1 audio options and in 4K SDR on the 4K UHD disc. Extras include a new audio commentary by film critic / historian Lee Gambin (with podcaster and Village People expert DJ Maynard), legacy audio commentary by The Fabulous Allan Carr director Jeffrey Schwarz and comedy writer Bruce Vilanch, an interview with Village People's Randy Jones, a theatrical trailer and TV spots.
A 4K UHD and remastered Blu-ray for Roger Donaldson's No Way Out (1987), starring Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman, Sean Young, Will Patton, Howard Duff and George Dzundza. Sourced from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, Kino presents No Way Out with a choice of lossless 2.0 and 5.1 audio options and Dolby Vision HDR on the 4K UHD disc. Extras include a new audio commentary by filmmaker / historian Steve Mitchell and writer / actor Richard Brewer, legacy audio commentary by Roger Donaldson, an interview with Roger Donaldson by Film Stories' Simon Brew and a theatrical trailer.
A 4K UHD and remastered Blu-ray for Frank Oz's In & Out (1997), starring Kevin Kline, Joan Cusack, Tom Selleck, Matt Dillon, Debbie Reynolds and Wilford Brimley. Sourced from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, Kino presents In & Out with a choice of lossless 5.1 and 2.0 audio options and Dolby Vision HDR on the 4K UHD disc. Extras include a new audio commentary by screenwriter Paul Rudnick (moderated by film critic / historian Lee Gambin), a new interview with Frank Oz, vintage cast and crew interviews, behind the scenes footage and a theatrical trailer.
A Blu-ray for Philip Kaufman's Twisted (2004), starring Ashley Judd, Samuel L. Jackson, Andy Garcia, David Strathairn, Russell Wong and Camryn Manheim. Sourced from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, Kino presents Twisted with a choice of lossless 5.1 and 2.0 audio options. Extras include audio commentary by Philip Kaufman, three featurettes, deleted scenes with optional commentary by Kaufman and a theatrical trailer.
Coming to Blu-ray from Arrow Video is a re-release for Howard Hawks' Red Line 7000 (1965), starring James Caan, Laura Devon, Charlene Holt, Marianna Hill, Skip Ward and Norman Alden. Sourced from an HD master provided by Paramount and Kino Lorber, Arrow presents Red Line 7000 with LPCM Mono audio. Extras include a new interview with assistant director Bruce Kessler, new visual essays by filmmaker and critic Howard S. Berger and film scholar Kat Ellinger, audio commentary by Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman and an image gallery. Limited edition packaging includes a reversible cover, a double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and new artwork and an "illustrated collector's booklet containing new writing by film critic Martyn Conterio". For a full disc breakdown, read Jeffrey Kauffman's Blu-ray review.
Then from Arrow is a Blu-ray box set: The Nico Mastorakis Collection (1984-1992), a three-disc set featuring Mastorakis' films The Time Traveller (1984), Sky High (1985), Terminal Exposure (1987), Glitch! (1988), Ninja Academy (1989) and The Naked Truth (1992). All six films are presented with original stereo and 5.1 audio options. Extras include Nico's Self Interviews: Six brand new interviews with writer, director and producer Nico Mastorakis (which include behind-the-scenes footage and cast and crew interviews), new interviews with actors Dan Hirsch (Sky High) and Gerald Okamura (Ninja Academy), original trailers for all the films, an "illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the career Nico Mastorakis by critic Barry Forshaw" and limited edition deluxe packaging with reversible sleeves.
Finally from Arrow is a 4K UHD and new Blu-ray for Guy Ritchie's The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015), starring Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Luca Calvani and Sylvester Groth. Sourced from a 4K master provided by Warner Bros., Arrow presents The Man from U.N.C.L.E. with its original Dolby Atmos audio and Dolby Vision HDR on the 4K UHD edition. New extras include audio commentary by critics Bryan Reesman and Max Evry, interviews with co-writer/producer Lionel Wigram and actor Luca Calvani, and two featurettes on the original 1960s TV series and director Guy Ritchie's oeuvre. Additional extras include five archival featurettes, four "bite-size" featurettes, a theatrical trailer and an image gallery. Limited edition content includes a reversible cover, a double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and new artwork and an "illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing by Barry Forshaw, and a reprinted article from CODEX Magazine on the film's cinematography". For full disc breakdowns, read Jeffrey Kauffman's 4K UHD review and Blu-ray review.
Coming to Blu-ray from Radiance Films is Tai Katô's Eighteen Years in Prison (懲役十八年) (1967), starring Noboru Andô, Hiroko Sakuramachi, Asao Koike, Shingo Yamashiro, Masaomi Kondô and Michitarô Mizushima. Sourced from an HD master, Radiance presents Eighteen Years in Prison with original lossless mono audio and newly-translated English subtitles. Extras include a new appreciation by critic and programmer Tony Rayns, a new visual essay on Japanese prison films by author Tom Mes and an original trailer. Limited edition content includes a "booklet featuring new writing by Ivo Smits and an archival interview with Noboru Ando by Mark Schilling".
Also on Blu-ray from Radiance is Claude Berri's Tchao Pantin (1983), starring Coluche, Richard Anconina, Agnès Soral, Mahmoud Zemmouri, Philippe Léotard and Albert Dray. Sourced from a 4K remaster by Pathé (approved by cinematographer Bruno Nyutten), Radiance presents Tchao Pantin with original lossless mono audio and newly improved English subtitles. Extras include a new introduction by Michael Abecassis, the documentary Once Upon a Time…Tchao Pantin (Il était une fois...Tchao Pantin) (2003) and an original trailer. Limited edition content includes a "booklet featuring new writing by Manuela Lazic".
Coming to 4K UHD from Paramount Home Media Distribution is Alexander Payne's Election (1999), starring Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell, Mark Harelik and Phil Reeves. Sourced from a 4K master, Paramount brings Election to 4K UHD as part of its Paramount Presents line, with Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio and Dolby Vision HDR. An included new Blu-ray of the film also features the new three-part featurette Who Cares About This Stupid Election!, along with audio commentary by Alexander Payne. Packaging includes a slipcover which opens to reveal original poster artwork.
Finally this week, Shout Factory has two releases on offer. First up is a Blu-ray for Mark Mylod's Ali G Indahouse (2002), starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Emilio Rivera, Martin Freeman, Michael Gambon, Rhona Mitra and Naomi Campbell. Shout presents Ali G Indahouse with a choice of lossless 5.1 or 2.0 audio tracks. Extras include audio commentary with Ali G and Ricky C, deleted scenes and outtakes, Behind-the-Scenes with Ali G, Learn to Talk Like Ali G, an image gallery and trailers.
Also from Shout is a 4K UHD upgrade for Ridley Scott's House of Gucci (2021), starring Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Jared Leto and Jack Huston. Sourced from a 4K master, Shout presents House of Gucci with a choice of DTS-HD MA 7.1 or 2.0 audio tracks and Dolby Vision HDR on the 4K UHD disc. An included Blu-ray copy also features the three featurettes The Rise of the House of Gucci: Masking Of, The Lady of the House and Styling House of Gucci.