Once again, the Blu-ray.com reviewers and contributors have come together to compile individual lists of their favorite releases. 2025 saw an incredible variety of 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray releases, featuring timeless classics, beloved cult and rare genre gems, as well as some extremely rare catalog titles that had been unavailable on the home video market for many decades. Several beloved vintage and more recent TV shows also received lavish releases.
JUSTIN DEKKER
HORROR RELEASES
Those who read my reviews here know that my while I enjoy all sorts of films, horror is absolutely my favorite genre. More days than not, once the others in my house have gone to sleep, I'll put in something creepy or blood-curdling to keep me company as midnight approaches. 2025 was a fantastic year for horror on Blu-ray and 4K UHD disc. What follows are some of my favorites from the year that was, some of which are likely familiar but perhaps a few that my fellow horror fans may have missed.
1.
Re-Animator (Ignite Films)
Based on the writing of H.P. Lovecraft, director Stuart Gordon's "Re-Animator" is deliriously gooey, bloody, frightening and hilarious. Jeffrey Combs excels as the brilliant but troubled Dr. Herbert West, a man who has conquered brain death, who finds himself at Miskatonic University where he quickly runs afoul of his roommate and his program's leadership. It all, of course, ends up in an outlandishly gory final act, with Comb's Dr. Herbert West somehow left standing. The film features excellent practical effects and the incredible Barbara Crampton in her horror debut. Ignite's release includes a 150-page hardcover book with interviews with Combs and Crampton alongside a number of essays, art cards, an amazing transfer, and enough on-disc extras to keep fans busy for days. It's my top horror release of the year.
2.
Twins of Evil (Imprint)
Hammer is having something of a moment, and that's great news for horror fans. Not only are they putting out some of the best releases on the market today themselves, but other labels are doing a terrific job with Hammer titles as well. Take Imprint's release of the final installment of the Karnstein trilogy, 1971's "Twins of Evil". The first film, "The Vampire Lovers", more directly leveraged the 1872 novella "Carmilla" by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, while this one pays more attention to Mircalla's male descendent, Count Karnstein. Peter Cushing headlines the cast, but the film really belongs to and is perhaps more memorable for the performances of real life twin sisters and former Playboy Playmates Mary Collinson and Madeleine Collinson who are the intended prey of the evil Count. Given a top-notch 4K makeover, and accompanied by some great on-disc and printed extras, Hammer fans shouldn't hesitate to add this one to their libraries.
3.
Nosferatu (Universal)
Director Robert Eggers immediately unsettles and destabilizes audiences as the film opens with Lily-Rose Depp's frantic prayerful and lustful plea directed at whichever diety or demon may be listening. This, naturally, links her to Bill Skarsgård's monstrous Count Orlok/Nosferatu, sealing her fate and imperiling her husband (Nicholas Hoult) and Willem Dafoe's remarkable Prof. Albin Eberhart von Franz. Through it all, the performances of the lead actors play off of and feed into this overwhelming sense of impending doom. Rich in atmosphere, beautifully shot on film, and outfitted with one of the best Dolby Atmos tracks I've heard in quite some time, Nosferatu is a veritable feast for the eyes and ears.
4.
Short Night of Glass Dolls (Celluloid Dreams)
Aldo Lado had been working on what would eventually become "Short Night of Glass Dolls" for quite some time before he was able to use the project as his directorial debut. Moody, disorienting and uncanny, the film is set in Prague, a city which, in the 1970's, was as imposing and alien as it was breathtaking. Lado's other films "Night Train Murders" and "Who Saw Her Die?" may be more graphic and/or controversial, but "Short Night" is a real gem that has been wonderfully restored. Morricone's score is a particular highlight, as are the performances of Jean Sorel, Barbara Bach, and frequent Bergman collaborator Ingrid Thulin, in what is considered by many to be one of the very best gialli ever made.
5.
Girl Slaves of Morgana Le Fay (Mondo Macabro)
Another unique take on feminine beauty, aging, and the struggle to retain youth, this 1971 film borrows bits of Arthurian legend to tell its tale. After Morgana Le Fay (Dominique Delpierre) offers two young women the chance to remain eternally young on her island the viewer is as tempted as they are to stay, even though it's the normal cycle of events that gives life it's meaning. Boasting a dreamlike atmosphere that call to mind the best moments from the films of Jean Rollin, artful cinematography, and fantastic production value thanks to the film's primary location, it's a film that's equally haunting and enchanting, and Mondo Macabro's treatment of it amazing.
6.
The Return of the Living Dead (Arrow Video)
I may have have a bit of a problem with this particular title, having picked up (and kept) more releases of this title than any person probably needs. That being said, I believe this particular release to be the best one to date. From the comparisons I've done, it seems to have the best picture quality to date, and it hosts an impressive amount of meaningful extras. The film is darkly funny, highly influential, and wonderfully gory, and scream queen Linnea Quigley's portrayal of Trash is one for the ages. There are gorier zombie films and there are scarier zombie films, but there are few better zombie films.
7.
Danza Macabra: Volume Four — The Italian Gothic Collection (Severin)
I've been very happy with the previous three releases of this series from Severin, but "Volume 4" is probably the most exciting of the bunch. Collected here viewers will find "Terror Creatures from the Grave", "Night of the Damned", "The Devil's Wedding Night", and "Baba Yaga". The films feature a two of the queens of European horror - Barbara Steele and Rosalba Neri, along with the incomparable Carroll Baker, in front of the camera, and the likes of Joe D'Amato, Luigi Batzella, and Massimo Pupillo behind it. Richly atmospheric, stylishly shot, and often dreamlike, the films are entrancing and engrossing. The 4K presentations are quite pleasing and the set includes a groovy assortment of extras.
8.
The Beyond (Grindhouse Releasing)
The Beyond 4K (Grindhouse Releasing) - Directed by Lucio Fulci, the man behind ""Zombie", "The Devil's Honey", and "A Lizard in a Woman's Skin", 1981's "The Beyond" isn't entirely coherent but it's ultimately unforgettable. The film is spooky from beginning to end, with an otherworldly atmosphere that is significantly enhanced by Fabio Frizzi's score. In true Fulci fashion, the film doesn't skimp on gore, with more than a few scenes that are likely to generate an uneasy squirm or two. While it may not be Fulci's best work, it's certainly something of a triumph of style over substance. Hardcore fans will no doubt gravitate to the 6-disc Deluxe Edition which includes a soundtrack CD and a mountain of on-disc and printed extras.
9.
The Substance (MUBI)
No mere horror film for horror's sake, "The Substance" has a great deal to say about the concept of aging and the lengths to which one woman in particular will go in order to prolong her Hollywood career by recapturing her youth. Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley turn in powerful performances as two faces of the same entity united by the mysterious substance. This modern gender-swapped riff on Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is augmented by fearsome practical effects which conspire to convince the viewer that maybe aging gracefully isn't such a bad idea after all. Not for the squeamish, the over-the-top conclusion is one that will stick with viewers long after the film is over.
10.
Off Ramp (Refuse Films)
I must admit, "Off Ramp" caught me off guard. A Juggalo horror film? Seriously? But between the film's use of voiceover, and Jon Oswald, Scott Turner Schofield, and Ashley Smith's performances, in no time at all, I was absorbed into "Off Ramp's" world and deeply invested in these damaged, but ultimately compassionate characters. Not being well-versed in the Insane Clown Posse's catalog or in Juggalo culture, I didn't know quite what to expect from a film that puts both of these front and center, but I found it funny, horrific, transgressive, and heartfelt. As the road trip goes wrong, the film's central message of the importance of found family is discovered below the face paint and the grooves, and that's what serves to make the film so memorable.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
1.
Lifeforce (Arrow Video)
Crafted by Toby Hooper, co-written by Dan O'Bannon, and featuring creature effects by John Dykstra, one might have expected something a little more serious than what's on display here. But this wild tale of space vampires with a cast that includes Mathilda May and a pre-"Star Trek: TNG" Patrick Stewart never quite gets to where it could or should have gone, though the film is something of a guilty pleasure of mine. This release provides the international and theatrical cuts, both looking and sounding better than ever.
2.
Sinners (Warner Bros.)
The part period drama, part supernatural vampire yarn that sees Michael B. Jordan in a dual role as twin brothers, "Sinners" is visually impressive. Packed with stand-out performances from Delroy Lindo, Miles Caton, and Hailee Steinfeld, and others, a fantastic soundtrack, and a truly beautiful transfer and Dolby Atmos track, it's a dazzling film and one of my favorites of the year. The extras are interesting, but a commentary track is sorely missed here. Still, it's a release every horror fan should have on their shelf.
DR. SVET ATANASOV
NORTH AMERICA
1.
The Racket
(Warner Archive)
Two of American Cinema's all-time greatest actors, Robert Ryan and Robert Mitchum, clash in this old-school gangster film directed by John Cromwell. The tense drama and fireworks that emerge from it are as engrossing as those that transformed Michael Mann's
Heat into a contemporary classic. Warner Archive's release introduces a terrific new 4K restoration of
The Racket.
2.
V-Cinema Essentials: Bullets & Betrayal (Arrow Video)
Undoubtedly one of the year's biggest surprises for me. I picked up
V-Cinema Essentials only because I wanted to see
Danger Point: A Road to Hell, which stars Jo Shishido, an old-timer who played some fabulous characters during Japanese Cinema's greatest years, and was floored by a couple of different films.
The Hitman: Blood Smells Like Roses is a genuine cult classic. All films in the box set have been remastered by the Toei company and look very good on Blu-ray.
3.
The Quiet Ones (Magnolia Home Entertainment)
I have read a lot about the heist that Frederik Louis Hviid's film reconstructs. It is an even bigger and more complex job than the one the Danish authorities have described. It must be. Otherwise, the crew that organized and executed the job, which is now officially credited as the biggest ever heist attempted in Denmark, would not have been successful. This heist was a massive operation, and I do not think that the Danish authorities have been even remotely honest about its scope and the many international underworld players it attracted.
4.
Baby It's You (Fun City Editions)
Everyone has experienced a variation of the story that is told in John Sayles' film. It is because the story is timeless.
Baby It's You also presents this story with a wonderful slice of 1960s atmosphere, reviving New Jersey in a way that is impossible not to admire. Frank Sinatra, Dusty Springfield, and Procol Harum are just a few of the greats whose songs are featured on the film's soundtrack as well. A lovely release from Fun City Editions.
5.
I Died a Thousand Times (Warner Archive)
Jack Palance is an aging criminal, a lover with a dream, and a fugitive whose chances of remaining free and alive are dwindling as quickly as the last snow that surprised Phoenix, Arizona. But he is not ready to give up. He has a plan that can get him where he wants to be, and a woman who loves him and believes that he can execute it right. Palance is joined by Shelley Winters, Lee Marvin, Lon Chaney Jr., and Lori Nelson. Warner Archive's release introduces another terrific 4K restoration of
I Died a Thousand Times.
6.
3 X Teuvo Tulio: Sensuela / Cross of Love / Restless Blood (Deaf Crocodile)
Some years ago, several of Teuvo Tulio's films were made available on DVD in his home country of Finland, and these releases were English-friendly. I imported a couple. Tulio was a strange person. During the Cold War era, his head, where he imagined a lot more than he could shoot with his camera, must have been one of the most bizarre places in Finland. His films, or at least the ones I have seen, look and behave like euphoric creations of a repressed man who has unexpectedly discovered total freedom and chosen to take full advantage of it. One of his strangest films is included in this very interesting box set, produced by Deaf Crocodile. A standard retail version of the box set will be available for purchase in early 2026. (The link above redirects to the standard retail version).
7.
The Beast is Loose (Kino Lorber)
Approximately a year after
The Beast is Loose was released, Lino Ventura appeared in
The Big Risk, one of the greatest of all French gangster films. In these films, both penned by Claude Sautet, and the latter also directed by Sautet, Ventura plays a man with a criminal past on the run who is repeatedly betrayed by people like him.
The Beast is Loose offers more fireworks and makes Ventura's character transformation easier to predict correctly, but this terrific actor is equally impressive in both films. I could not be happier that the folks at Kino Lorber chose to bring
The Beast is Loose to America, where it is practically unknown. It is included in French Noir Collection II, a two-disc Blu-ray set.
8.
Hokuriku Proxy War (Radiance Films)
Kinji Fukasaku directs Sonny Chiba in this predictably entertaining gangster drama from the late 1970s. Apparently, Fukasaku's initial plan for
Hokuriku Proxy War was to include it as the final film in the
New Battles Without Honor and Humanity saga. However, when star Bunta Sugawara refused to commit to it, the entire project was rebuilt from scratch, and Fukasaku teamed up with Chiba. It was a great outcome because
Hokuriku Proxy War delivers all the fireworks one would want from a top Japanese gangster film.
9.
Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins (Warner Archive)
The laughs and cons are just a wrapper for a wonderful piece of Americana, which visits some of the country's most beautiful and atmospheric areas. Also, Dick Richards' film comes from the 1970s, so it sees the country in a very particular way, as it will never be again. I had hoped that Warner Archive would put this film on Blu-ray, but I did not expect to see it in 2025. It is one of my favorite acquisitions this year, and I could not be happier with the 4K makeover that was prepared for it at Warner Archive.
10.
A Day at the Beach (Indicator/Powerhouse Films)
It takes a long time for someone to become an alcoholic. However, once the transformation is complete, it is enormously difficult, typically impossible to avoid self-destruction. This is why alcoholics are frequently compared to hardcore drug addicts. Mark Burns' character can easily be placed next to Mickey Rourke's character from
Barfly and Ray Milland's character from
The Lost Weekend, both equally miserable, destructive alcoholics. For a while, Burns' character is a bit more civilized, but his story has an entirely predictable ending, made possible by an all-too-familiar indifference. Indicator/Powerhouse Films' release offers an outstanding presentation of
A Day at the Beach.
4K BLU-RAY RELEASES
1.
Danger: Diabolik (Kino Video)
One of my most highly anticipated upgrades is now one of my favorite releases. The folks at Paramount produced a stunning 4K restoration of
Danger: Diabolik, and the folks at Kino Lorber prepared a stunning 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack release of it. This is how Italian master Mario Bava's hugely influential cult film was meant to be seen. If viewed in the wee hours of the night, on a massive screen,
Danger: Dibolik is an incredible rush. Trust me.
2.
Up! / Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens (Severin Films)
No one in our massive community of collectors believed that what Severin did was possible. Russ Meyer's films were locked away for good. Until they no longer were. I prefer how a few of them look on Blu-ray, but I am very happy with the 4K Blu-ray releases of
Up! and
Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens. All of Severin's beautiful 4K restorations and releases of Meyer's films very effectively prove that the late editor Dann Cahn spoke the truth. What did Cahn say? "Russ went from making nuts and bolts to tits and ass. And, it's funny, but he knew how to photograph screws."
3.
A Better Tomorrow Trilogy (A Shout Factory)
Shout Factory's acquisition of the Golden Princess library is the biggest deal a boutique label has struck in a couple of decades. The Golden Princess library has some of the most influential action films Hong Kong has produced, and to have them fully restored in 4K and released on 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray, with exclusive new and archival bonus features, is an incredible development. Everything The Weinstein Company and Miramax were doing wrong while licensing many of the same films for the American market, which was a lot, Shout Factory is now doing right. I chose to highlight the
A Better Tomorrow Trilogy as I like these films a lot. However, all releases in Shout Factory's Hong Kong Cinema Classics line that I have checked are outstanding.
4.
Wake in Fright (Umbrella Entertainment)
Some Australians think it is rather odd that one of the greatest Australian films was made by a Canadian director and several British actors. It is not odd, it makes perfect sense. Usually, an outsider can see, understand, and appreciate a lot that is either intentionally or unintentionally misinterpreted or flat-out ignored by a local. I am not trying to imply that this is the only reason Ted Kotcheff's
Wake in Fright is a special film. However, it is undoubtedly one of the most important reasons. This combo pack introduces an outstanding, much-needed 4K restoration that finally makes it possible to experience
Wake in Fright the right way. An American release of this masterpiece is desperately needed.
5.
Leaving Las Vegas (Shout Factory)
Mike Figgis' masterpiece is also one of the greatest films of the 1990s. Had Nicolas Cage stopped acting immediately after
Leaving Las Vegas, he still would have been remembered as an outstanding character actor, unquestionably in a category of his own. I am a huge fan of
Leaving Las Vegas and was repeatedly disappointed that it was not treated properly on Blu-ray on both sides of the Atlantic. I could not be happier with the quality of the 4K restoration that was prepared for this 4K Blu-ray, as well as its presentation. However, the 4K restoration should have been made available on Blu-ray as well -- if not by Shout Factory, then by Sandpiper Pictures. An unmissable release, one of the year's greatest treats for serious collectors.
6.
Winchester '73 (Criterion)
A lot of people have argued that the first of the five westerns Jimmy Stewart and Anthony Mann made is also the best. I am unsure if this is true or if it is an important detail, because all of them are very good. However,
Winchester '73 is unquestionably the most important of these films because it was made at a crucial time in Stewart's career. Without
Winchester '73, the future progression of this career almost certainly would have been very different, and it is unclear whether Stewart would have become the iconic actor he is considered today. Criterion's combo pack release introduces a stunning 4K restoration, a collaboration between Universal Pictures and The Film Foundation.
7.
Subway (StudioCanal)
Luc Besson's
Subway, shot on location in the Paris Metro, displays everything that made Cinema du Look a phenomenon. For this reason, it is one of the quintessential 1980s films. In France,
Subway was beautifully restored on behalf of the French studio Gaumont, and only an exclusive new program with Isabelle Adjani could have made this combo pack release of it even more spectacular. I know
Subway incredibly well, and I genuinely could not believe how good it looked on my system once I loaded the 4K Blu-ray and the first images appeared on my screen.
8.
Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (Kino Video)
Initially, the great critic Roger Ebert did not get
Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead. However, later, he changed his mind, and he admitted, publicly, that his initial take on it was off by a lot. I remember extremely well how quickly
Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead lost steam because of the poor reviews it received from various mainstream critics. To this day, there are still plenty of people who like to compare it to
Pulp Fiction, which is bizarre because the two deal with completely different themes. I think that Scott Rosenberg's screenplay is pure dynamite and remarkably thought-provoking as well, so if the sequel Andy Garcia mentions ever materializes, I will be rushing to see it on opening day. This combo pack introduces a wonderful, very accurate new 4K restoration prepared by the folks at Paramount, with a terrific selection of new and archival bonus features. The new commentary that Gary Fleder and Rosenberg recorded covers everything a fan of
Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead would want to know.
9.
The Perfume of the Lady in Black (Indicator/Powerhouse Films)
Sadly, Francesco Barilli is probably right that films like his directorial debut,
The Perfume of the Lady in Black, will never be made again. Why? For multiple reasons. In the 1970s, these types of projects could easily get funded, and young directors, like Barilli, had all the freedom they needed to be creative and impress. This is why so many of these films are now considered cult -- they were bold and different. While flawed,
The Perfume of the Lady in Black is very much worth seeing because it is one such film, bold and different. It is beautifully lensed, too.
10.
The Pusher Trilogy (Second Sight)
At the end of 2023, I included Australian label Umbrella Entertainment's box set release of the
Pusher films on my list, and now I must highlight this British box set produced by Second Sight. I think that it is the release to own because it offers the best presentations of these films to date. They are all good, but the third is the most effective because it correctly predicted the future. Then again, this was fairly easy to do because rational minds, which were routinely linked to various isms and shamed by the usual suspects as Scandinavia began accepting refugees from the Balkans and then the Middle East, were able to see what was on the horizon long before Nicolas Winding Refn shot these films.
INTERNATIONAL BLU-RAY RELEASES
1.
Lifeguard (Imprint Films)
Life can be a beach, but eventually everyone gets old. What happens then? In Daniel Petrie's film, Rick Carlson, a lifeguard in his late thirties, who makes ends meet on one of the most beautiful beaches in Los Angeles, does not care. He is prepared to roll the dice and continue doing what he loves for as long as they will have him there.
Lifeguard was one of my most highly anticipated releases in many years, and I hoped it would look gorgeous on Blu-ray. It does. The folks at Paramount prepared a stunning new 4K master for it. In America,
Lifeguard was also made available on Blu-ray by Fun City Editions.
2.
The Sweeney: Series Two (Old Gold Media)
The folks at Old Gold Media gave
The Sweeney, a groundbreaking, once enormously popular TV show, the royal treatment. The numerous box sets they produced this year feature stunning restorations and are among the best releases to emerge on both sides of the Atlantic. Jumping back to the 1970s and spending time with Regan and Carter, as they take down all sorts of different bad guys, has been an incredible treat. The last box set with the newly restored Season Four of
The Sweeney is scheduled to arrive on the market in early February.
3.
Port of Shadows (StudioCanal)
Real magic happens in Marcel Carne's film. Jean Gabin plays a deserter who falls madly in love with Michele Morgan, but at the wrong place and at the wrong time. Based on the famous story by Pierre Dumarchais,
Port of Shadows is one of French Cinema's grand classics, and it was recently fully restored in 4K. It looks great on this Blu-ray release. In America, Kino Lorber will release the new 4K restoration of
Port of Shadows on 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray in late February.
4.
The Railroad Man (Radiance Films)
While it was active, the defunct Italian-American label NoShame Films reintroduced and introduced -- for the first time ever in America -- many great classic and cult Italian films on DVD. One of the label's best releases was a two-disc set of Pietro Germi's
The Railroad Man, a masterpiece of Italian neorealism, with Germi also playing the main character in it. I had hoped that an American or British label would quickly pick up the 4K restoration of
The Railroad Man after it was completed at L'Immagine Ritrovata in 2021, and I was enormously disappointed that for several years no one seemed to care about it. I was ecstatic when I saw that Radiance Films chose to bring it to Blu-ray earlier this year.
The Railroad Man was one of my favorite imports in 2025.
5.
The Sewers of Paradise (Coin de mire Cinéma)
This is the most controversial pick on my list because I have several serious reservations about the new 4K restoration that TF1 prepared for this outstanding film. However, I have only one other, ancient British DVD release with an underwhelming PAL presentation of the film in my library, which nowadays looks seriously problematic, and I feel that the Blu-ray release still offers a meaningful upgrade in quality.
The Sewers of Paradise reconstructs The Great Drain Robbery, one of the most ambitious heists ever. The French Blu-ray release is not English-friendly, so English speakers should wait for an American or British label to license the 4K restoration.
6.
Sex Rider: Wet Highway (88 Films)
Koretsugu Kurahara's film is unquestionably one of the most intriguing discoveries I made in 2025. It is a product of the counterculture fever that spread across the world during the late 1960s and 1970s. It rejects several Japanese cinematic stereotypes with unbridled enthusiasm, which is virtually indistinguishable from the one that dominated similar, much better-known European and American films from the same period. It even has a cool jazzy soundtrack. While 88 Films' release does not provide any detailed information about the work done to bring
Sex Rider: Wet Highway to Blu-ray, it is obvious that the film has been restored because it looks lovely in high-definition.
7.
Contraband (Shameless Entertainment)
While the transformation of the Naples underworld lasted, it produced fascinating violent characters and stories, many of which have been used and misused in various crime films. Lucio Fulci's
Contraband is not a historically accurate film; it is a predictably violent and graphic Fulci film. However, as odd as it may sound, some of the ugliest material in it is the most authentic. When the Naples crime clans began clashing for dominance in the late 1960s and 1970s because drug distribution provided vastly better profits than the sale of contraband cigarettes and whiskey, there were a lot of shocking executions like the ones seen in Fulci's film. This Blu-ray release offers the most convincing presentation of
Contraband that I have seen to date.
8.
8. The Mask of the Gorilla / Gorilla's Waltz a.k.a. Operation Top Secret (Pathe)
The Gorilla films have not been seen in America since the VHS era. Both films unite iconic actors like Charles Vanel, Lino Ventura, and Wolfgang Preiss, and offer top-quality entertainment. As the Cold War heats up, gangsters, spies, and impostors clash over dangerous plans to determine the future of Europe, and possibly the rest of the world. Pathe's double-feature release introduces good new 4K restorations of the Gorilla films, with optional English subtitles.
9.
Edge of Eternity (Indicator/Powerhouse Films)
While not a great film noir,
Edge of Eternity is frequently a breathtakingly beautiful film noir. It is a different film noir, too. The French describe films like it as
soleil noir because they are drenched in sunlight and often remarkably colorful. Don Siegel made a couple of such films, one of them,
The Lineup, in black-and-white, too. These
soleil noir films are the closest relatives of the popular neo-noir films that emerged during the 1980s and 1990s. This release should be on the radar of every Siegel completist.
10.
The Diabolical Dr. Z (Eureka Entertainment)
Several of cult Spanish helmer Jess Franco's earliest films are also his most stylish. They were all shot in black-and-white. For
The Diabolical Dr. Z, Franco teamed up with Jean-Claude Carriere, who only a year later penned Luis Bunuel's transgressive masterpiece
Belle de Jour.
The Diabolical Dr. Z is one of a couple of early Franco films that were beautifully restored in 2K on behalf of the French studio Gaumont several years ago. Its closest and arguably most influential relative is
Attack of the Robots, another one of these early and beautifully restored in 2K films, which drops Franco's favorite character, Al Pereira, played by rising star Eddie Constantine, in a deep and bizarre rabbit hole packed with sexy killers.