This Week on Blu-ray: January 27-February 2

For the week of January 27th, Crunchyroll will release the anime series The Apothecary Diaries: Season 1, Part 1 (薬屋のひとりごと) (2023), starring Aoi Yûki, Takeo Otsuka, Katsuyuki Konishi, Atsumi Tanezaki, Hiroshi Yanaka and Rie Hikisaka.

Description: Kidnapped and made a servant in the royal palace, Maomao's apothecary skills catch the eye of a handsome official… who tasks her with tasting food for poison. But as mysterious death and illness befall the kingdom, she'll use her talents to find the truth.

Crunchyroll's Blu-ray of The Apothecary Diaries: Season 1, Part 1 is a two-disc set of 12 episodes, with a choice of original Japanese: Dolby TrueHD 2.0 (with English subtitles) or dubbed English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio options. Extras include textless opening and ending songs, 12 mini anime episodes and trailers.

And new on Blu-ray from Sentai Filmworks is the anime series The Dangers in My Heart: Season 2 Complete Collection (僕の心のヤバイやつ), (2024). Sentai's Blu-ray of The Dangers in My Heart: Season 2 Complete Collection is a two-disc set of 13 episodes, with a choice of original Japanese or dubbed English: DTS-HD MA 2.0 audio options and English or English SDH subtitles. Extras include the OVA Twi-Yaba, clean opening and closing animations and web previews.

This week also sees a large number of retail releases from Vinegar Syndrome and their OCN Distribution partner labels, such as:

Utopia Distribution's Blu-ray of Ethan Berger's The Line (2024), starring Alex Wolff, Bo Mitchell, Halle Bailey, Austin Abrams, John Malkovich and Graham Patrick Martin.

Description: Ethan Berger's feature narrative debut is an engrossing contemplation of blind adherence to tradition through the lens of a fictional college fraternity. Tom (Alex Wolff), a passionate 'brother' of this fraternity, is charmed by the promises of high social status and alumni connections that open doors. But as a classmate outside of his social circle named Annabelle (Halle Bailey) enters his life, his devotion begins to falter. Once the scheduled hazing of new fraternity members comes to a disturbing head, Tom is faced with the decision of a lifetime.

Utopia Distribution's Blu-ray of The Line contains audio commentary with Ethan Berger, deleted scenes, and a theatrical trailer. For a full disc breakdown, read Brian Orndorf's Blu-ray review.

Yellow Veil Pictures' Blu-ray of A.D. Calvo's Sweet, Sweet Lonely Girl (2016), starring Quinn Shephard, Erin Wilhelmi and Susan Kellermann. Yellow Veil's Blu-ray of Sweet, Sweet Lonely Girl contains an optional director's introduction, two audio commentary tracks: One with director Alex Calvo and another with Calvo, composer Joe Carrano and producer Mike S. Ryan, an alternate opening and ending (with optional commentary), interviews with Calvo, Quinn Shephard and Erin Wilhelmi and a trailer. For a full disc breakdown, read Kenneth Brown's Blu-ray review.

Finally, there will be a standard edition 4K UHD combo pack release from Cinématographe for Jonathan Demme's Last Embrace (1979), starring Roy Scheider, Janet Margolin, John Glover, Sam Levene, Charles Napier and Christopher Walken. Sourced from a new scan of the original camera negative, Cinématographe presents Last Embrace with DTS-HD MA Mono audio and HDR on the 4K UHD disc. Extras include audio commentary with film historians Howard S. Berger and Steve Mitchell, an archival interview with producer Michael Taylor, a video essay by Samm Deighan and a theatrical trailer. For a full disc breakdown, read Brian Orndorf's 4K UHD review.

Note: A previously-released Vinegar Syndrome Exclusive Mediabook edition of Last Embrace is still available and also includes a 40-page booklet with "essays by film critic Jim Hemphill, culture critic Jeva Lange, and Cinématographe's Justin LaLiberty".

Coming to Blu-ray and 4K UHD from Severin Films are three films by Russ Meyer. They are:

Vixen (1968), starring Erica Gavin, Harrison Page, Jon Evans, Vincene Wallace, Robert Aiken and Michael Donovan O'Donnell. Sourced from a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, Severin presents Vixen with DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono audio and HDR on the 4K UHD disc. Extras on the 4K UHD disc include archival audio commentary with Russ Meyer, audio commentary with Erica Gavin and a trailer, while the included Blu-ray copy additionally features a 1981 censor prologue, interviews with Erica Gavin and Harrison Page, David Del Valle's The Sinister Image with Russ Meyer and Yvette Vickers, and a featurette on the film's censorship battles in Cincinnati with Marc Edward Heuck. For full release breakdowns, read Jeffrey Kauffman's Blu-ray review and 4K UHD review.

Supervixens (1975), starring Charles Napier, Uschi Digard, Henry Rowland, Colleen Brennan, John Lazar and Stuart Lancaster. Sourced from a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, Severin presents Supervixens with DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono audio and HDR on the 4K UHD disc. Extras on the 4K UHD disc include archival audio commentary with Russ Meyer and a trailer, while the included Blu-ray copy additionally features a 1990 interview with Russ Meyer, an interview with Charles Napier, Russ Meyer interviewed by Jonathan Ross and a TV spot. For full release breakdowns, read Jeffrey Kauffman's Blu-ray review and 4K UHD review.

Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens (1979), starring Kitten Natividad, Ken Kerr, Patrick Wright, Henry Rowland, Robert E. Pearson and Michael Finn. Sourced from a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, Severin presents Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens with DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono audio and HDR on the 4K UHD disc. Extras on the 4K UHD disc include archival audio commentary with Russ Meyer and a trailer, while the included Blu-ray copy additionally features an interview with Kitten Natividad, a 1979 interview with Meyer for Talk It Over with Ellen Adelstein, as well as a new interview with Adelstein. For full release breakdowns, read Jeffrey Kauffman's Blu-ray review and 4K UHD review.

Also this week, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment's Warner Archive Collection has several titles coming to Blu-ray. They are:

Gregory La Cava's Gabriel Over the White House (1933), starring Walter Huston, Karen Morley, Franchot Tone, Arthur Byron, Dickie Moore and C. Henry Gordon. Sourced from a new 4K scan of the best preservation elements, Warner Archive presents Gabriel Over the White House with DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono audio. Extras include the Looney Tunes shorts Bosko in Person, Buddy's Beer Garden and the Merrie Melodies short The Dish Ran Away with the Spoon (all 1933).

Hanna-Barbera's Frankenstein Jr. and the Impossibles: The Complete Series (1966-1967), starring the voices of Ted Cassidy, Don Messick, Hal Smith, Dick Beals, John Stephenson and Paul Frees. Sourced from new 4K scans of the original camera negatives, Warner Archive presents all 18 episodes of Frankenstein Jr. and the Impossibles: The Complete Series in a two-disc set with DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono audio. Extras include the featurette Monster Rock: The Adventures of Frankenstein Jr. and the Impossibles.

Hanna-Barbera's Wait Till Your Father Gets Home: The Complete Series (1973-1974), starring the voices of Tom Bosley, Joan Gerber, Jack Burns, Kristina Holland, Lennie Weinrib and Willie Aames. Sourced from new 4K scans of the original camera negatives, Warner Archive presents all 48 episodes of Wait Till Your Father Gets Home: The Complete Series in a six-disc set with DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono audio. Extras include the featurettes Animation for the Nation and Illustrating the Times. For a full set breakdown, read Randy Miller's Blu-ray review.

The animated compilation film Daffy Duck's Quackbusters (1988), starring the voices of Mel Blanc, B.J. Ward and Julie Bennett. Warner Archive presents Daffy Duck's Quackbusters with DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono audio. Extras include the cartoons Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24th½ Century, The Duxorcist, Little Go Beep, Night of the Living Duck, Superior Duck, Blooper Bunny and Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers.

And finally from Warner Archive is Dick Lowry's TV film Last Stand at Saber River (1997), starring Tom Selleck, Suzy Amis, David Dukes, Haley Joel Osment, Keith Carradine and David Carradine. Sourced from a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, Warner Archive presents Last Stand at Saber River with DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo audio.

Coming to Blu-ray and 4K UHD from the Criterion Collection is Anthony Mann's Winchester '73 (1950), starring James Stewart, Shelley Winters, Dan Duryea, Stephen McNally, Millard Mitchell and Charles Drake. Sourced from a new 4K master by Universal Pictures in collaboration with The Film Foundation, Criterion presents Winchester '73 with LPCM Mono audio and in 4K SDR on the 4K UHD disc. Extras include archival audio commentary from 1989 with James Stewart and film historian Paul Lindenschmidt, a new interview with film programmer Adam Piron on the portrayal of Native Americans in the Western genre, the documentary Forces of Nature: Anthony Mann at Universal, a 1951 Lux Radio Theatre adaptation and a trailer. Also included is an essay by critic Imogen Sara Smith. For full release breakdowns, read Svet Atanasov's Blu-ray review and 4K UHD review.

Coming to Blu-ray from Radiance Films is Seijun Suzuki's Underworld Beauty (暗黒街の美女) (1958), starring Michitarô Mizushima, Mari Shiraki, Shinsuke Ashida, Tôru Abe, Hideaki Nitani and Hiroshi Kondô. Sourced from a 4K master by Nikkatsu Corporation, Radiance presents Underworld Beauty with lossless mono audio and optional, newly improved English subtitles. Extras include new audio commentary by Suzuki biographer William Carroll, a new interview with critic Mizuki Kodama, Suzuki's 40-minute film Love Letter (らぶれたあ) (1959) and a trailer. Also included is a "limited edition booklet featuring new writing by critic Claudia Siefen-Leitich and an archival review of the film". For a full release breakdown, read Jeffrey Kauffman's Blu-ray review.

Also coming to Blu-ray from Radiance is Peter Fleischmann's Weak Spot (La Faille) (1975), starring Michel Piccoli, Ugo Tognazzi, Mario Adorf, Adriana Asti, Dimos Starenios and Thymios Karakatsanis. Sourced from a 4K master by StudioCanal, Radiance presents Weak Spot with lossless mono audio and optional, newly improved English subtitles. Extras include new audio commentary by critic Travis Woods, a 1975 interview with Michel Piccoli and a new interview with soundtrack expert Lovely Jon on Ennio Morricone's score. Also included is a "limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Kat Ellinger". For a full release breakdown, read Jeffrey Kauffman's Blu-ray review.

Coming to Blu-ray from Kino Lorber is George Seaton's Teacher's Pet (1958), starring Clark Gable, Doris Day, Mamie Van Doren, Gig Young, Nick Adams and Army Archerd. Sourced from a 6K scan of the 35mm VistaVision original camera negative by Paramount Pictures, Kino presents Teacher's Pet with a new audio commentary by film historian / writer Julie Kirgo and writer / filmmaker Peter Hankoff, as well as a theatrical trailer.

Also coming to Blu-ray from Kino is Melville Shavelson's Houseboat (1958), starring Cary Grant, Sophia Loren, Martha Hyer, Harry Guardino, Eduardo Ciannelli and Murray Hamilton. Also sourced from a 6K scan of the 35mm VistaVision original camera negative by Paramount Pictures, Kino presents Houseboat with a new audio commentary by film historian / writer Julie Kirgo and writer / filmmaker Peter Hankoff, as well as two theatrical trailers.

Then on Blu-ray from Kino is a special edition of Peter R. Hunt's Shout at the Devil (1976), starring Lee Marvin, Roger Moore, Barbara Parkins, Ian Holm, Reinhard Kolldehoff and Gernot Endemann. Previously released in 2013, Kino's edition adds a new audio commentary by Lee Marvin biographer Dwayne Epstein and filmmaker / historian Steve Mitchell, as well as a theatrical trailer.

Finally from Kino are two 4K UHD upgrades. First up is Michael Anderson's Orca (1977), starring Richard Harris, Charlotte Rampling, Will Sampson, Bo Derek, Keenan Wynn and Robert Carradine. Sourced from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, Kino presents Orca with lossless 2.0 and 5.1 audio options and Dolby Vision HDR on the 4K UHD disc. Extras include a new audio commentary by film historians Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson, archival audio commentary by author / film historian Lee Gambin and a theatrical trailer.

Then on 4K UHD from Kino comes Harold Becker's Sea of Love (1989), starring Al Pacino, Ellen Barkin, John Goodman, Michael Rooker, William Hickey and Richard Jenkins. Sourced from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, Kino presents Sea of Love with lossless 2.0 and 5.1 audio options and Dolby Vision HDR on the 4K UHD disc. Extras include new audio commentary by film historians Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson, archival audio commentary by Harold Becker, a featurette, deleted scenes and two theatrical trailers, with one of them newly remastered.

Coming to Blu-ray from Eureka Entertainment is Johnnie To's Running on Karma (大隻佬) (2003), starring Andy Lau, Cecilia Cheung, Eddie Cheung, Wong Chun, Karen Tong and Wah-Wo Wong. Sourced from an HD master, Eureka presents Running on Karma with original Cantonese stereo audio and optional, newly-translated English subtitles. Extras include new audio commentary by East Asian film experts Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto, a new interview with Gary Bettinson (editor-in-chief of Asian Cinema journal), a making of featurette and a theatrical trailer. Limited edition content includes "a collector's booklet featuring a new essay by David West of NEO magazine", as well as a slipcover.

Finally this week, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has a Blu-ray box set for House M.D.: The Complete Series (2004-2012), starring Hugh Laurie, Lisa Edelstein, Omar Epps, Robert Sean Leonard, Jesse Spencer and Jennifer Morrison. The 39-disc box set collects all eight seasons and includes audio commentaries, bloopers, alternate takes, an original short, audition tapes, a set tour, behind-the-scenes content and more.