Welcome to another look at highlights coming your way on Blu-ray and DVD. There are plenty of interesting features arriving this week, including a sequel for a major horror franchise. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week or need to stay indoors, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
BIG GEORGE FOREMAN – Also known as Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World, this biopic tells the story of, well, exactly what is detailed in the extended title. It tells viewers about his impoverished childhood, rise to the top of the boxing world not once but twice, as well as a near-death experience that resulted in a move to serving the church. Critics were mixed about the final product and it earned a few more negative reviews than positive ones. Those who enjoyed the movie liked the cast and stated that the story being relayed was incredible and that they wouldn’t have believed it all if it wasn’t actually true. Unfortunately, more felt that it was overly sentimental, tried to cover too much material, and ultimately didn’t delve deeply into all of the unusual twists and turns the figure’s life has taken. It stars Khris Davis, Forest Whitaker, Jasmine Matthews, Sullivan Jones and Lawrence Gillard Jr..
CLAYDREAM – This documentary focuses on innovator Will Vinton, who developed and pioneered a technique of claymation animation while attending college at Berkeley. After winning an Academy Award for his work and forming his own company, competitors in his field began appearing and a feeling of disenchantment began arising at his production house. Using interviews with many of those involved as well as animators whose work he inspired, the film shows this figure’s rise and fall. The press was taken by the feature. One or two complained that the movie lacked focus and didn’t manage to make a specific argument about its subject. The rest appreciated the approach, saying it was an honest portrait of a figure, detailing the highs and lows of his career without succumbing to hero worship. Other animators like Nick Park, Bill Plympton and Craig Bartlett are interviewed in the feature.
EVIL DEAD RISE – The latest chapter in the Evil Dead series isn’t a sequel to the 2013 reboot of the original. Instead, it tells a story about a woman visiting her estranged sister and her family in their apartment in order to repair their relationship. When someone in the household finds a recording of the Necronomicon and plays it aloud, they are attacked by demons and some of them succumb to possession. Notices were extremely good for this horror film. A small contingent suggested that while individual sequences were excellent, the movie didn’t come together or make a big imprint on them. All others called it stylish and terrifyingly grotesque, noting that the energy level was off-the-charts and that there were several disturbing moments that they wouldn’t soon forget. It features Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols and Nell Fisher.
A NEW OLD PLAY – This foreign-language feature from China was scheduled for release at the end of May, but hit a delay and is only now arriving on disc. It tells the story of a clown in a theater troupe who suddenly dies. His spirit arrives in the underworld, where he relives some of the most important moments of his life. These memories are tied into some important events in the country’s history and he attempts to process and make sense of what he has experienced and the lives he has touched. This picture earned plenty of awards in its homeland and at various international film festivals. All notices were positive, calling the 3-hour epic surprisingly fast-paced, well-acted and moving. They complimented some of the satirical elements and how it examined the history of China in a unique manner. Tao Gu, Nan Guan and Chen Jianing headline the film.
PLEASE BABY PLEASE – A pair of newlyweds go through a tumultuous change after going on a honeymoon. They become the obsession of a biker gang, who begin pursuing them. The chase apparently awakens questions in the couple’s marriage and puts their sexual and gender identities into question. This independent musical/drama received more positive write-ups than negative ones. Those who panned the picture described the screenplay as being so blunt and self-satisfied that the movie had an obnoxious tone. However, the majority thought that the film was wild and completely off-the-wall, saying that it was intriguing and did a good job of promoting its cause. It also was delayed from the end of May, but should be arriving this week. The cast includes Andrea Riseborough, Harry Melling, Demi Moore and Karl Glusman.
THE TANK – This independent horror film from New Zealand involves a man and his wife who inherit an abandoned coastal property that his mom never told him about. They arrive and find an eerie, untouched estate on the beach. Baffled, the lead tries to do repairs and search the house for the answer why no one ever talked about it. He learns the answer after releasing a monster while trying to fix the water tank beneath the property. This effort didn’t fare particularly well with critics. About one-third of them thought that the movie was well-produced, featured nifty-looking monsters and delivered the required chills. But sadly, the consensus was that it was a pastiche of older, better creature features that felt unoriginal and left the protagonists undeveloped. It stars Luciane Buchanan, Matt Whelan, Zara Nausbaum and Regina Hegemann.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
If you’re wondering what older features will be appearing in high definition, there is a huge number arriving. So many, in fact, that we’re going to have to rush through a few. It’s important to first note that Arrow Video is releasing Enter the Video Store: Empire of Screams Collector’s Set Blu-ray. It contains some titles from the prime days of Empire Pictures, a production company founded by Albert Band (who would later form Full Moon Pictures). This box contains The Dungeonmaster (1984), Dolls (1987), Cellar Dweller (1987), Arena (1989) and Robot Jox (1989). Two of the films were directed by genre fave Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator, From Beyond), while make-ups effects titan John Carl Buechler (Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood) either directed or co-directed a pair of titles. You’ll get sharper picture quality on all the titles, as well as a ton of extras that include archived and new commentary tracks featuring film historians and/or those behind the lens. It also comes with interviews with various cast and crew members, publicity materials and more, housed in a fantastic-looking box. The set is pretty amazing and is already selling out on various sites, so act quickly if you’re interested. A full review of the release will be appearing shortly. Read a full review of the set here.
Arrow Video enthusiasts can also pick up a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray edition of the amusing comedy Mallrats (1995), which was the first studio picture from writer/director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy, Dogma) and featured a group of characters hanging out at a local shopping mall. Besides the picture upgrade, it includes most if not all of the extras from previous editions.
The same is true for Waterworld (1995), the expensive Kevin Costner action picture. It was a critical and box office bomb back in the day, but has found a following after the release of an extended TV version. This set contains 4K Ultra HD and Blu-rays of the theatrical version, as well as 2K editions of TV cut and the preferred Ulysses Cut (which combines all the footage together into the most coherent edition).
Irreversible (2002) from Altered Innocence is a title that was first released as an exclusive on the Vinegar Syndrome website. This unsettling French shocker is now available everywhere. The movie begins with a horrendous murder and then plays in reverse to reveal the initial act that inspired it. It comes with a lengthy making-of, a video essay on the movie, an effects featurette, music videos and trailers.
Blue Underground is giving some of their older catalog titles 4K Ultra HD upgrades. You can now pick up new editions of Daughters of Darkness (1971) and the excellent chiller Dead & Buried (1981). Please note that Blu-rays are not included in this edition, so it is only for those who want to own 4K versions of each film without all the bonuses from earlier releases.
The Blu-ray box set Pasolini 101 is arriving from the Criterion Collection. It contains nine titles from the filmmaker, including Accattone (1961), Mamma Roma (1962), Love Meetings (1964), The Gospel According to Matthew (1964), The Hawks and the Sparrows (1966), Oedipus Rex (1967), Teorema (1968), Porcile (1969) and Medea (1969). Seven films appear with 4K restorations while two are given 2K restorations. It includes two short films from Pasolini, a program on the artist’s visual style, film historian audio commentaries on a pair of titles featured, documentaries on Pasolini’s life and pictures, interviews with filmmakers and scholars. Trailers, a French program from 1966 about the director and trailers.
Back in the 1950s and 1960s, Russian filmmakers made some wild, brightly colored and over-the-top family movie adaptations of their famous poems and fairy tales. The Tale of Tsar Saltan (1967) is one of these efforts and it’s arriving on Blu-ray from Deaf Crocodile Films. The movie is based on a classic poem by Alexander Pushkin and features a heroic tsar doing battle with an evil sorcerer. It comes with a film historian commentary, a lengthy discussion about the director with his visual effects artist and a lengthy booklet with an essay on the movie.
Bohachi Bushido: The Villain (1974) is arriving on Blu-ray from Discotek Media. It follows a ronin who is condemned to death, only to be saved by a criminal organization who demand that he help them defeat their enemies. It doesn’t come with any supplemental material, but at least interested parties can finally purchase the movie on disc.
Disney is delivering another Wal-Mart exclusive Blu-ray that comes with a collectible pin. The title is Mickey & Friends: 10 Classic Shorts – Volume 2 and it contains more animated short films with familiar Disney characters.
Trouble Every Day (2001) is an effort from French director Claire Denis (High Life, Stars at Noon) that stars Vincent Gallo. The Film Desk is putting out a Blu-ray of the film that contains a video essay on the movie, a film expert commentary and more.
If you enjoy silent movies, you can pick up a Blu-ray of Erich von Stroheim’s Foolish Wives (1922) from Flicker Alley. It follows a con artist pretending to be a Russian count in order to swindle women, only to discover that several previous victims are now plotting revenge. In addition to a 4K picture restoration, it comes with short documentaries on the movie and director, as well as a look at how the image was restored for this release.
Fun City Editions is delivering the Scottish drama Morvern Callar (2002) on Blu-ray. Pictured above and to the right, it stars Samantha Morton as a young woman using some fraudulent methods to try and change her life after discovering that her boyfriend has committed suicide. It was written and directed by Lynne Ramsay (We Need to Talk About Kevin, You Were Never Really Here) and the disc includes a film historian commentary, a video essay on the movie, as well as a ton of publicity material.
Kino is putting out several discs as well. You can pick up the Julie Andrews drama Duet for One (1986) on Blu-ray. It contains a 2K restoration of the film. If you like Gerard Depardieu, the French comedies La Chevre (1981) aka The Goat and Les Comperes (1983) aka The ComDads are receiving Blu-ray releases as well. Both pictures have been given 2K upgrades from French studio Gaumont with film historian commentaries and trailers.
You can also pick up the well-regarded Taiwan production Millenium Mambo (2001) on Blu-ray as well.
Fans of exploitation pictures may appreciate Prison Girls (1972), which contains both 3D and 2D versions of the film on Blu-ray, alongside a film expert commentary track, deleted scene and trailer. The White Buffalo (1977) is a crazy Charles Bronson period flick in which the star plays a man hunting a gigantic and monstrous buffalo in the wilderness. It borrows liberally from the classic Jaws and isn’t as effective, but may provide a few laughs. The movie has been restored in 2K and arrives with a movie authority commentary, TV spots and a trailer.
And the distributor is giving the Charlton Heston western/romance flick Will Penny (1968) a Blu-ray release. The disc includes a 4K restoration of the film, a commentary with crew members and a film historian, featurettes on Heston and the movie’s director, as well as a trailer.
With the latest Mission: Impossible film about to hit theaters, Paramount is giving the first Tom Cruise Mission: Impossible (1996) and its follow-up, Mission: Impossible II (2000), a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook upgrade.
And, if you decided to hold off on the studio’s Steelbook Blu-ray debut of Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) a few months back, you can now pick it up in regular packaging. It’s a really underrated title from Barry Levinson (The Natural, Rain Man, Bugsy) that tonally feels like an ancestor of the Harry Potter series. There are plenty of creepy moments as young versions of the famous Sir Arthur Conan Doyle characters try to solve a mystery at their boarding school.
Powerhouse Films is delivering the Italian/Spanish Giallo Cold Eyes of Fear (1971) in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray package. It features a man involved in a tryst at his uncle’s home trying to talk his way out of a hostage situation. The image upgrade is a result of a 4K transfer of the negative and extras include a movie critic commentary and interviews with the director, assistant editor, and a cast member. There is also a featurette on the music and tons of publicity materials.
Hung Jury (1994) is arriving on Blu-ray from Saturn’s Core Audio & Video that was previously only available through Vinegar Syndrome. It’s a shot-on-video independent film from New Jersey about two actresses working on a horror movie set who soon learn that the on-camera deaths are real. The transfer comes from the original SVHS master tapes and it comes with a director commentary, an extended cut, a movie expert commentary, a bonus title from the director called The Perils of Penelope and a sequel short film, as well as a big booklet with articles and photos.
Alien from the Abyss (1989) is an Italian genre flick that Severin is releasing on Blu-ray. A monster made from dumping toxic sludge into an active volcano goes on the rampage. The movie has been restored in 4K for this disc and comes with original English and Italian audio, two interviews with the son of the director, an hour-long special on the filmmaker and a trailer.
If you’re a fan of Mystery Science Theater 3000, then you’ll be familiar with The Pod People episode, which was a sort of Spanish E.T. knock-off perhaps most notable for the line of dialogue, “It stinks!” The flick was one of the most bizarre titles ever featured on the show. For those who just want to see the uncut movie, Severin is presenting Extra Terrestrial Visitors (1983) aka The Pod People on Blu-ray. It includes a 4K restoration of the original title, a feature-length documentary on the director, interviews with the soundtrack composer (along with a private concert), a cast member, alternate opening credits and a CD of the soundtrack, so that fans of the film can really “Hear the engines roll now!”
Shout! is upgrading a modern genre classic with a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Collector’s Edition of Creepshow (1982). This fantastic anthology from director George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead) with an original screenplay by Stephen King is a wonderfully stylish and effective homage to old horror comics. The picture will look even more impressive with the new transfer and all bonus material from Shout!’s previous edition will be included here, from multiple audio commentaries, cast and crew interviews to deleted scenes and more.
The same is being done to the horror/comedy Motel Hell (1980). This title involves a psychotic pair of motel owners who kidnap customers (and strangely enough, selling smoked meat to passersby). This 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set includes a director commentary, interviews with the cast and crew, a look back at the female protagonist and a trailer. This creeper movie is fun (it features a great chainsaw duel at the close) and it’s nice to see it getting a picture upgrade.
Shout! is also releasing some Blu-ray exclusives that will be produced in limited quantities and will only be available to order on their website. The first title is Abraxas: Guardian of the Universe (1990) starring Jesse Ventura as an intergalactic cop. It has a 2K master of the feature from the best surviving elements and a trailer. Creepshow III (2006) is an absolute abomination of a sequel that has no connection to the previous two chapters. Still, if you want to own it, the disc includes a behind-the-scenes look with cast and crew interviews.
And Revenge of the Cheerleaders (1976) is a teen-sex comedy about students trying to stop a greedy developer from tearing down their school. It features an early appearance from David Hasselhoff (playing a character named Boner). The disc comes with a commentary track featuring the director/co-producer and the co-writer/co-producer/director of photography, along with publicity materials.
Spirits of the Air: Gremlins of the Clouds (1987) is arriving on Blu-ray through Umbrella US. This independent Australian title was another Vinegar Syndrome exclusive that is now available everywhere. It’s the visually striking debut film from Alex Proyas (The Crow, Dark City) set in a post-apocalyptic world. The disc features a director commentary, a commentary track with the editor and the film’s composer, interviews with cast members, a music video, a featurette on the production and an image gallery.
Speaking of Vinegar Syndrome exclusives, the distributor is putting out a few more this week. You can pick up The Adam Rifkin Film Festival (1975 – 1987) which contains a ton of shorts made by the filmmaker best known for directing Detroit Rock City, writing and directing The Dark Backward, The Chase and The Last Movie Star, not to mention co-writing Mousehunt and Small Soldiers for the major studios. The Blu-ray comes with loads of extras.
They also have Altered Innocence Volume 2 and The Queen of Hollywood (2017) on Blu-ray. Go to their website to find out more.
Warner Bros. is celebrating National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) this week with a 40th Anniversary 4K – Ultra HD edition (alas, no Blu-ray is included). This hit Chevy Chase comedy from director Harold Ramis (Caddyshack, Groundhog Day, Analyze This) and writer John Hughes (Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Planes, Trains & Automobiles) follows a family driving across the US to visit the Wally World theme park. Along the way, they get into every kind of trouble imaginable. The movie made a huge impression on anyone who grew up in the 1980s. Besides the picture upgrade, it comes with an archived commentary track featuring cast and crew members. There will also be a Best Buy Exclusive Steelbook edition available only at this retailer.
And for those wondering about new made-to-order Blu-rays from Warner Archive, you can now purchase Angel Face (1953), Caged! (1950), The Damned Don’t Cry (1950), Dangerous When Wet (1953) and The Old Man and the Sea (1958) in high definition.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Here are a couple of titles that may interest small children.
Mickey & Friends: 10 Classic Shorts – Volume 2 (Wal-Mart Exclusive with Collectible Pin) (Disney) Blu-ray
PBS Kids – We Love Camping! (PBS) DVD
ON THE TUBE!
And you’ll find a list of the week’s TV-related releases below.
21 Beacon Street: The Complete Series (ClassicFlix) DVD
The Complete Comic Strip Presents… Channel 4 Films: Seasons 1 – 3 (Severin Films) Blu-ray
Marriage (mini-series) (PBS) DVD
NATURE: Niagara Falls (PBS) DVD
Our House (mini-series) (PBS) DVD
Tales of the Walking Dead: Season 1 (RLJ Entertainment) Blu-ray