Welcome to another look at some of the highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. This is an unusual edition with a few less new releases than usual, although most are unique and appropriate for the season. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week or need to stay indoors for a while, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
CADDY HACK – Few would think of a golf course as a setting for terror, but this low-budget horror/comedy attempts to do so. When a group of golf caddies begin vanishing (only to be found later torn to bits), the owner of the facility attempts to cover up the deaths. As it turns out, a group of pesticide-mutated gophers are the responsible party. The unhinged course groundskeeper decides to wage war and go toe-to-toe with the dangerous creatures. This is a Wild Eye release. For those unfamiliar with the distributor, they specialize in micro-budgeted genre pictures. There have only been a couple of online reviews thus far. One states that the humor is cringeworthy and that the picture isn’t as entertaining as it could have been. But another maintains that the monsters in the movie are entertaining and that the screenplay delivers plenty of effective lowbrow laughs. Dana Ackerman, Max Alvarado, Joe Diedron and Chrissy Cacallo headline the picture.
THE MEG 2: THE TRENCH – The Meg was a tongue-in-cheek horror/comedy about a killer megalodon that became a surprise late summer hit in 2018. This sequel finds the first film’s protagonist unattached after the passing of his significant other and co-raising his late partner’s daughter with her uncle. As it turns out, this relative is financing a major undersea exploration of the region where the megalodon first appeared. The hero tags along to make sure the operation goes smoothly, while the youngster stows away onboard the submersible. Of course, things go horribly wrong and the group end up trapped at the bottom of the sea. While there, they discover other strange life forms that haven’t been seen in millions of years. The majority of critics slammed this follow-up. About one-quarter did state that it was everything fans would hope for, delivering silliness and plenty of sharks (as well as other beasts) eating up cast members. But everyone else complained that the film had a needlessly convoluted plot, didn’t deliver thrills or laughs, and forgot to focus on the title monsters. It stars Jason Statham, Jing Wu, Shuya Sophia Cai, Cliff Curtis, Page Kennedy, Sergio Peris-Mencheta and Skyler Samuels. Check out a review of the movie here.
RIDE ON – In this foreign-language feature from China, an aging and broke stuntman is heartbroken after being told that his clever stunt horse must be sold in order to cover his debts. However, the lead becomes a media sensation after he and the animal are recorded by onlookers while taking down debt collectors. The lead attempts to use the publicity to both restart his career and make amends with his estranged daughter. Released in its homeland under the title Long ma jing shen, this is the latest action/comedy from legendary Hong Kong performer Jackie Chan. The movie earned more positive notices than negative ones from the press. Those who disliked the movie complained that it attempted to add some dramatic beats that didn’t work and summed it up as being inferior to previous Chan efforts. Still, more commented that the unusual tale was perfectly suited to the star and won them over with the charming lead and his adorable animal sidekick. It features Chan, Haocun Liu, Kevin Guo and Yueting Lang.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
It may not be the busiest week for new films, but older titles are more than making up for it.
Messiah of Evil (1974) is arriving on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films. This 50th anniversary “Limited Edition” release of an eerie low-budget chiller came from the minds of Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz. The pair co-wrote American Graffiti, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Howard the Duck (which Huyck also directed) and also crafted this feature about a woman who travels to a small town and experiences some terrifying things involving the seemingly undead locals. The movie barely got a release, but has earned a following over the years with its dreamlike imagery. This release includes a 4K restoration from the best surviving film elements, a horror film expert commentary, an archival interview with Willard Huyck, a lengthy documentary on the production, a visual essay on the picture and a trailer. This particular edition also comes with an 80-page booklet with essays on the movie and is limited to only 3000 copies. Read a full disc review by clicking this link.
The same distributor is also presenting Visible Secret (2001) on Blu-ray. This Hong Kong effort follows a man who falls in love with a woman who claims that she can see ghosts. The disc features a conversation with the director, a visual essay on the movie, an archival making-of documentary and a trailer, as well as a booklet with writing on this feature’s place in Hong Kong horror. Apparently, this is a single pressing of 5000 copies in the US and UK and it will not be rereleased once it’s sold out.
Arrow Video is releasing a Blu-ray of Sammo Hung’s The Iron Fisted Monk (1977). The director stars as a man seeking vengeance for the murder of his father. This title marks the famed martial artist’s directorial debut, and it’s considered to be more disturbing and violent than many of the pictures he made afterward. Arrow is presenting a 2K restoration of the uncensored cut of the film (which received an adults-only Category III rating in Hong Kong). You can watch the movie in Cantonese or Mandarin with English subtitles, or choose between two different English dubs of the picture. It also comes with a martial arts expert audio commentary, two archival interviews with Sammo Hung, a talk with Casanova Wong, a trailer, a booklet with writing on the film and a double-sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned art for the movie. A full disc review will appear on this site later this week.
Criterion is putting out the phenomenal Nicole Kidman effort The Others (2001) in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set (it’s also available as a standalone Blu-ray). It’s about a mother and her two children who live at an isolated estate When a trio of individuals arrive at the home, strange events begin occurring. Besides vastly improved picture quality, it has a “looking back at the movie” featurette, another segment that discusses the paranormal angle of the movie, an examination of the score, a visual effects piece, a look inside the production, an archived talk with the director and publicity materials.
If you enjoy B-movie fare, Dark Horse Entertainment is putting out a Drive-In Double Feature Blu-ray of Smokey and the Judge (1980) and the western (yes, western) Alien Thunder (1974). Curiously enough, Donald Sutherland stars in the latter effort.
Beast from Haunted Cave (1959) is about a group of thieves who hide stolen gold in a cave, only to find a giant spider-like monster living there. The film is arriving as a Special Edition Blu-ray from Film Masters. It has been newly restored from a 4K scan of archival picture materials. Bonuses include an extended TV edition, a bonus movie called Ski Troop Attack (1960), a booklet with essays on the movies, a restored trailer and more!
Kino is making several titles available this week. Alien Outlaw (1985) is a low-budget oddity about aliens who decide to terrorize a small town, not realizing that a gun show is occurring at the same time. It’s part of the Kino Cult line and extras include a 4K picture restoration, cast and crew featurette, a cast and crew audio commentary, an interview with the editor and archival discussions and featurettes on the picture.
Black Sabbath (1963) is an Italian anthology horror classic from Mario Bava that tells a trio of chilling stories. Boris Karloff appears in one of the segments. This 60th anniversary edition comes with a critic commentary and trailer, as well as a “limited edition” slipcase.
Cujo (1983) is appearing in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray (it can also be purchased as a standalone Blu-ray). Adapted from the book by Stephen King, it follows a mother and son who are trapped in their car by a large and rabid St. Bernard dog. In addition to the picture upgrade, the set is jam-packed with features, including three archived commentary tracks (two with the director), lengthy cast and crew interviews, a 45-minute making-of and tons of publicity materials.
The Dark Power (1985) is another Kino Cult Blu-ray. This effort features college students being attacked by undead forces. The movie has been given a 4K restoration and arrives with a director commentary track, a cast and crew commentary, a featurette with the cast and crew, an interview with the editor and an image gallery.
It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958) is getting a 2K restoration on Blu-ray. The plot involves the caption of a spaceship being charged with murder after his crew dies under mysterious circumstances. Soon it becomes clear that the title monster is responsible and must be stopped. This release includes three film historian commentaries, a movie expert featurette, a trailer, reversible art and a slipcase.
If that wasn’t enough, Kino is also presenting Jess Franco’s Lorna the Exorcist (1974) on Blu-ray. It arrives with a critic commentary, cast and crew interviews, a film critic introduction and a slipcase.
While made well after the Oscar-winning 1991 effort The Silence of the Lambs, the chiller Red Dragon (2002) serves as something of a prequel, because it features the famous Hannibal Lecter character offering advice to an FBI agent investigating a crime. This story was previously made in the 1980s by Michael Mann as Manhunter, but the tale got a redo when Anthony Hopkins agreed to reprise the Lecter role for this film. This is a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set featuring a new master from the original camera negative. It also comes with seemingly every single bonus from all the previous releases.
Salvation!: Have You Said Your Prayers Today? (1987) aka Salvation! is a unique satire about televangelism from director Beth B featuring Dominique Davalos, Viggo Mortensen and Stephen McHattie. It’s being released on Blu-ray with a director interview, music video and trailers. And Two Small Bodies (1993) is another Beth B title with Fred Ward and Suzy Amis about a nightclub hostess being interrogated after her children disappear. It includes interviews with Beth B, lead Amis and more trailers.
Mill Creek Entertainment is putting out a “Hard as Steel Ultimate Edition ” Steelbook of the musical comedy Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007). This title is a Wal-Mart exclusive, so you won’t be able to find it anywhere else.
The recent South Korean effort Decision to Leave (2023) is receiving a 4K Ultra HD release from MUBI. This may be a combo pack with a Blu-ray, but the specs aren’t clear so you should check first if you want the film in both formats.
MVD Visual is releasing a trio of Blu-rays this week. Four Bullets for Joe (1964). This Spanish/Italian western involves a gunslinger seeking vengeance for the death of his sister. Jailhouse Wardress (1981) is a notorious “women in prison” flick from Spanish filmmaker Jess Franco that pits an inmate against her warden. And Vile (2011) is a genre picture similar to Saw that features a maniac kidnapping victims and forcing them to complete extreme tasks in order to escape. Director Taylor Sheridan would later write the prestigious Sicario and Hell or High Water in 2015 and 2016. The later release comes with deleted scenes and a trailer.
Paramount is putting together the box set Paramount Scares: Volume 1 that contains 4K Ultra HD and Blu-rays of a random selection of their genre titles. This collection includes Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Pet Sematary (1989), Crawl (2019) and Smile (2022).
Fascination (1979) is a horror picture from Jean Rollin about an escaped murderer who ends up taking the wrong group of women as hostages while hiding out from authorities. Powerhouse/Indicator is delivering the movie either in 4K Ultra HD or on Blu-ray. It comes with loads of extras including a film historian commentary, a new critical evaluation of the picture, extended sex scenes, archival interviews and much more.
Lips of Blood (1975) is another Rollin title, this time about a man who arrives at a chateau filled with amorous vampires. It’s being released in the identical manner and includes a film historian commentary, cast and crew interviews, an archival interview and introduction to the movie with Rollin and plenty more.
Severin is putting out some intriguing titles. Clearcut (1991) involves a lawyer who is paired with an Indigenous activist looking for revenge on a logging company. Graham Greene stars in this Canadian effort and the Standard Edition Blu-ray includes an audio commentary with an anthropologist, an audio interview with Greene, a featurette on the score and some short films from the region with similar subject matter.
You can also pick up a double feature Blu-ray of the Spanish genre titles Cuadecuc, Vampir (1971) and Umbracle (1972). The disc comes with an interview with a Spanish film scholar about the movies, a trailer and a booklet with more writing about these pictures.
Severin is also releasing a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set of the Italian genre flick Zombie Holocaust (1980) from Marino Girolami. It was filmed at the same time and on some of the same sets as Lucio Fulci’s more famous Zombie (1979) and is known for some extremely violent bits. The set presents both the original title and the US cut called Doctor Butcher M.D. in 4K and Blu-ray, as well as tons of publicity materials, cast and crew interviews and featurettes about the various New York locations used in the movies.
Shout! Factory is presenting the Blu-ray box set Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume Three, which includes Killer Clans (1976), The Shaolin Avengers (1976), The Web of Death (1976), Death Duel (1977), The Vengeful Beauty (1978), Life Gamble (1978), Soul of the Sword (1978), The Deadly Breaking Sword (1979), Shaolin Abbot (1979), Shaolin Rescuers (1979) and Clan of the White Lotus (1980). As with previous sets, there are too many bonuses to list here. If you appreciate old martial arts titles, this box is likely worth picking up.
In celebration of its 25th anniversary, Sony is giving their remake/reboot of Godzilla (1998) a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook. It comes with trailers, a behind-the-scenes featurette, a music video and a compilation of Godzilla fight scenes.
The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) is also receiving the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray treatment. This is the third movie in the original Muppets trilogy of films that sees the characters heading to New York to try and get their musical on Broadway. It’s filled with celebrity cameos and plenty of laughs.
The musical Rock Around the Clock (1956) is also appearing on Blu-ray. After they became popular, the band Bill Haley & His Comets starred in this motion picture about a group of musicians hitting the big time. Obviously, the movie features the title track, “See You Later, Alligator,” and many other hits.
Synapse Films is delivering a Standard Edition Blu-ray of the Spanish cult zombie film, Tombs of the Blind Dead (1972). It comes with three audio commentaries, a feature-length documentary about the series and its production history, an alternate opening for the US edition, a featurette on Spanish horror cinema, a music video and publicity materials.
Troma is putting out The Toxic Avenger Collection, which contains 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray editions of all four movies in the series made between 1984 and 2000. The picture quality has been significantly improved and, as with all titles from the independent producer/distributor, the set comes full of extras about the various titles and Troma in general.
Unearthed Films is putting out a 15th anniversary edition Blu-ray of Dead Girl (2008), a zombie movie in which a pair of teens discover a female zombie in an abandoned hospital and then try to decide whether or not to have their way with her. This edition includes new cast and crew interviews, as well as two archived commentary tracks, a making-of featurette, audition tapes, deleted scenes and promo materials.
Visual Vengeance is a company that specializes in debuting obscure independent genre films that were shot and released on video. This week, they have the werewolf picture Lycan Colony (2006). The Blu-ray comes with a director commentary track and a drive-in movie historian commentary, a 2022 interview with the filmmaker, a Rifftrax version of the picture, a music video, blooper reel, trailers, a mini-poster, a VHS sticker set, a reversible Blu-ray sleeve and more.
You can also pick up Vampires and Other Stereotypes (1994) from the same distributor. It follows a group of paranormal investigators who encounter party-hopping ladies who have accidentally opened a gate to hell. This Blu-ray contains over 7 hours of bonus content, including three commentary tracks (one with the director, another with cast members and a third with a B-movie enthusiast), tons of cast and crew interviews, early Super 8 films from the director, an image gallery, trailer, as well as a mini-poster, sticker set and a reversible sleeve.
Finally, Warner Archive is releasing several catalog titles as made-to-order Blu-rays. You can now purchase Before Night Falls (2000) with Javier Bardem and Johnny Depp and the Katherine Hepburn/Colin Clive adventure film Christopher Strong (1933). The Devil Doll (1936) features a mad scientist and an ex-con who miniaturize people in order to take revenge on those who have wronged them. And you can also pick up the amusing Woody Harrelson neo-noir Palmetto (1998), about a journalist who can’t catch a break after encountering a femme fatale.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
The latest kid-friendly titles can be found below.
The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) (Sony) 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray
Superhero Kindergarten: Weirdo World (Ncircle) DVD
ON THE TUBE!
And listed below are all of this week’s TV-related releases.
Blue Collar: The Complete Series (Warner Bros.) DVD
The Boys: Season 3 (Sony) Blu-ray
Dark Winds: Season 2 (RLJ Entertainment) Blu-ray
The Gift of Peace (2022) (Hallmark) Blu-ray
Happy Valley: Series 3 (BBC) DVD
Haul Out the Holly (2022) (Hallmark) Blu-ray
Five More Minutes: Moments Like These (2022) (Hallmark) Blu-ray
A Magical Christmas Village (2022) (Hallmark) Blu-ray
A Maple Valley Christmas (2022) (Hallmark) Blu-ray
Murdoch Mysteries: Season 16 (Acorn) Blu-ray or DVD
Psych: The Complete Collection (8 Seasons and 3 Movies) (Universal) Blu-ray
Superhero Kindergarten: Weirdo World (Ncircle) DVD
World of Giants: Season 1 (1955) (ClassicFlix) Blu-ray