Welcome to another look at some of the highlights arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. After a slow week, things have picked up considerably. In fact, it’s a ridiculously busy edition, to the point where one might wonder why these titles aren’t being spread out over a couple of weeks. Oh well. At least this edition features something for everyone, from big Hollywood hits to intriguing independents. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
DADDIO – A young woman heading to Manhattan arrives at JFK International Airport in Queens and hops into a cab. She and the driver spend the next hour plus in his taxi, discussing their lives and exchanging opinions on their personal and professional problems, as well as many other subjects. This unique concept for a film earned generally decent reviews from critics. Just about one-quarter of them did find the ride to be long and uneventful, commenting that it was difficult to buy into this duo having such an intimate conversation out of the blue. Still, the majority praised the work of the two leads, saying that the onscreen chemistry and rapport was so good that their conversation was compelling and addressed the film’s themes in an engaging manner. For the time being, this is a DVD-only release. It stars Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn.
DRAGONKEEPER – A young orphan girl living in Han Imperial China discovers a pair of dragons. She befriends them, despite knowing these creatures have been banished from the kingdom. Naturally, the ruler and locals want them locked up, but the lead feels compelled to help the beasts. She attempts to protect their egg, which contains their future offspring, believed to be the last imperial dragon. This animated family film is a co-production between China and Spain. Overall, write-ups were upbeat. One third complained that the story left them unmoved and that the final product didn’t compare with big-budget studio animated pictures. Yet more liked the movie’s positive messages and even called it heartening family entertainment. This is a DVD-only title for the time being. The English-language voice cast includes Bill Nighy, Bill Bailey, Anthony Howell, Brendan Coyle and Mayalinee Griffith.
EIGHT EYES – In this independent horror picture, an American couple decides to tour the former Yugoslavia republic. They meet a local who suggests that they allow him to show them the “real” Serbia, and they immediately follow their new guide. As you might have guessed, the local turns out to be a psychopath. He terrorizes the pair, kidnapping the woman, who must then attempt to escape his clutches. Described as a homage to 1970s exploitation films, the limited number of genre critics who have seen this film did appreciate it. A few suggested that all the homages were obvious and it only reminded them of better pictures this feature was borrowing from. Still, most called the movie stylish and disturbing. They also enjoyed all of the classic chiller references. Bradford Thomas, Emily Sweet and Bruno Veljanovski headline the picture.
FEMME – After performing a show at a club, a drag queen decides to have a cigarette in a nearby alley. He is suddenly grabbed and severely beaten by a man and his friends. Recovery is slow and the traumatized artist retreats from the world. One day, he goes to a gay sauna and sees his attacker. The lead is surprised, but approaches the closeted man, who doesn’t recognize him. The protagonist begins an affair with his assailant, plotting an elaborate revenge. This neo-noir from the UK received excellent notices. A very small number thought it reverted to genre trappings and, despite the original set up, didn’t deliver enough surprises to earn it a recommendation. However, everyone else thought the actors were excellent and that the picture was tense throughout. They liked watching the dynamic and position of power between the pair slowly change. It features George MacKay, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Antonia Clarke and Aaron Hefferman.
FORCE OF NATURE: THE DRY 2 – The Dry was an excellent 2020 Australian crime/drama about a federal agent returning to his small hometown for the funeral of a childhood friend. In the process, he ends up trying to solve the murder of a teenager he attended school with. In this follow up, he’s assigned a case involving a disappearance among a group of five female hikers. He interviews the four women who returned, with each telling a completely different story about what occurred. The lead must discern who is telling the truth and what really happened in the wild. Reaction towards this sequel was generally good. About one-third stated that, unlike the original, this was a routine whodunit that didn’t make a lasting impression. The rest called the movie intriguing, beautifully shot and also noted that the strong cast elevated the material and that it would please mystery fans. For now, this title is only available on DVD. It stars Eric Bana, Anna Torv, Deborra-Lee Furness, Robin McLeavy, Sisi Stringer and Bruce Spence.
KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES – The tenth film in this franchise is set many generations after War for the Planet of the Apes and introduces new characters and threats. A young chimpanzee and his village are raided by a group of apes. He escapes, but many are kidnapped. The lead travels through dangerous territory and befriends a human as he attempts to find and rescue the captives. Generally, the consensus towards the film was good. About one-fifth of critics found it slow-paced, overlong and predictable, summarizing that it was a weak entry in the series. Still, most thought the film was visually spectacular and enjoyed the script’s attempts to tackle jingoism. They believed that most would find themselves entertained and looking forward to future sequels. The movie is being released in a combo 4K Ultra HD theatrical cut and extended cut Blu-ray. These discs will also be available in Steelbook packaging, and a Blu-ray-only version can also be purchased. The cast includes Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon and William H. Macy. Read a full review of the movie here.
MAMI WATA – This Nigeria-set feature is shot in black-in-white. It takes place in a village where the people worship the titular mermaid deity. When children in the town begin disappearing, the townspeople begin panicking and looking for leadership. A warlord and his soldiers arrive and easily take control of the area. Two villagers who see this new threat team up and plot to usurp the invaders, hoping to restore the place of their supreme being in the process. Every single reviewer who saw this fantasy/thriller loved it. They called it an impressive, original and atmospheric effort that dealt expertly with the theme of power and personal philosophy. The reviewers also complimented that cast, calling them charismatic and engaging. It features Evelyne Ily Juhen, Uzoamaka Aniunoh, Kelechi Udegbe and Emeka Amakeze.
NIGHT CALLER – A gifted psychic who takes calls from clients picks up the phone to find a disturbing figure on the line. She immediately sees graphic images of terror and murder, quickly coming to the conclusion that the caller is a serial killer. The protagonist attempts to put together the images in her head in order to determine the identity of his next target. A co-worker tries to help her save the individual and stop the maniac. So far, this independent horror movie has been seen by only a few genre critics. In general, they have been complementary. One did complain that the story was unfocused and the pacing slow as a result. However, more enjoyed the 1970s horror homages present and called the film well-acted and surprisingly effective. Steve Railsback, Susan Priver, Bai Ling and Robet Miano headline the picture.
RIDE – The world of rodeos is the setting for this independent crime drama. After being convicted and serving a sentence for vehicular manslaughter, a young man struggles to reconnect with his estranged family of multiple generations of bull riders. When he learns that his sister has contracted cancer and needs $160,000 dollars to pay medical fees, he and his father step forward to compete and try to win a competition with a large purse. Reaction was positive towards this picture. Slightly less than one-third of notices did feel that the movie had too many characters and became overly melodramatic as it progressed. Still, the majority thought the cast were excellent and that the story delivered surprises and a moving finale. The cast includes C. Thomas Howell, Annabeth Gish, Jake Allyn, Forrie J. Smith, Josh Plasse and Liz Atwater.
THE WATCHERS – A young artist finds herself lost in a forest in Ireland. She explores the eerie landscape and discovers a shelter with a large glass window. After entering, the lead encounters three additional strangers who are lost and confused. That night, mysterious, dangerous creatures appear on the other side of the glass. The group band together to try and figure out what these creatures are and why they are in the forest. This is the debut feature from Ishana Shyamalan, daughter of M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, The Village, Split, Trap). The press was a little miffed by the thriller. About one-third of reviews called the movie a decent debut with a good lead and an interesting, twisty plot. But the consensus was that the pay-off was not worth the build-up and that some of the ideas raised were not addressed in a satisfactory manner. The movie can be purchased as a 4K Ultra HD only title or as a standalone Blu-ray. It stars Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Olwen Fouéré and Oliver Finnegan.
WHAT YOU WISH FOR – In this suspense picture, a chef with a gambling addiction leaves the US to hide out in a Latin American country. An old friend and fellow chef lets the lead to stay at his home, and he happily accepts the offer. As it turns out, his pal is cooking for some of the nation’s most powerful people. Hoping to make some fast money, he decides to assume his buddy’s identity and goes to work in his place. He soon discovers what this job really entails. Critics were very upbeat about this dish. A small number who disliked the film didn’t think it went far enough with shocks or make the most of its points about class divide. Still, most called it a tense and exciting picture that felt authentic and delivered equal doses of dark humor and terror. Nick Stahl, Tamsin Topolski, Randy Vasquez, Penelope Mitchell and Juan Carlos Messier headline the film.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
It’s another extremely busy edition for upgrades of older titles. So jam-packed, in fact, that you’ll have to forgive me if I rush through a few releases.
Arrow Video is getting the ball rolling with The Mexico Trilogy in 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray. It presents the original action trilogy from Robert Rodriguez (From Dusk Till Dawn, Sin City, Grindhouse). The low-budget, shot-on-16mm film El Mariachi (1992) appears on a Blu-ray, while Desperado (1995) gets a 4K Ultra HD disc and a Blu-ray. The third and final film in the trilogy, Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003), is included on a Blu-ray. As it happens, the final film was shot entirely on video, but presumably in a lower resolution format than 4K (hence it gets a Blu-ray and not a 4K disc). The plot involves a mariachi performer who gets caught up in the criminal underworld of Mexico and must fight his way to freedom. They’re all high-energy, entertainingly wild and crazy features.
Besides improvements to the image, each film includes a new discussion with Rodriguez about how the projects came together and the challenges he faced in making them. On the first title, there is a new interview with star/producer Carlos Gallardo, as well as a featurette on the movie’s music. There are also archival bonuses from the first release of the picture like a director commentary, “Ten Minute Film School”, a short, and promotional materials. Desperado comes with new talks with the producer, stunt coordinator, special effects coordinator and an appreciation of the movie from fellow director Gareth Evans (The Raid), as well as an archival commentary and other material. The final title comes with a new interview with the visual effects editor and a ton of extras, including a commentary, featurettes, promo materials and more. The box arrives with a booklet with essays on the movies, double-sided posters with new and original art for the films and another poster with Rodriguez’s original poster concept for El Mariachi. Read a full review of this incredible set here.
And if you’re only a fan of Desperado, it is available separately as a 4K Ultra HD Steelbook.
Arrow is also presenting The Woman (2009) and The Offspring (2011) in a 4K Ultra HD “Limited Edition” set (no Blu-rays are included). These adaptations of horror stories from author Jack Ketchum about a feral woman who is abused by the patriarch of a family after she is discovered in the woods behind their home. The 4K restorations of both titles were supervised by the directors. The Woman comes with four cast and crew commentary tracks, a 75-minute behind-the-scenes documentary, an interview with the star, archival making-of featurettes, deleted scenes and more. The second disc includes a director commentary, an archive commentary with the filmmaker and Ketchum, an extended talk with the author, an interview with the star, archival making-of featurettes and extras, and promotional material and other bonuses. A WRITE-UP OF THIS SET WILL APPEAR SOON.
Radiance Films is presenting Tokijiro: Lone Yakuza (1966) on Blu-ray. The Japanese film follows a swordsman who is forced to fight against his will in a gang war involving gambling. This disc includes an interview with a film critic about the title’s importance in film history. You’ll also get a visual essay on star Kinnosuke Nakamura and a booklet with writing on the movie and a reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned art for the picture. A DISC REVIEW WILL BE POSTED ON THE SITE SOON.
The gritty action picture High Crime (1973) is being put out in 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and CD set (as well as a standalone Blu-ray) from Blue Underground. Considered something of a knock-off of The French Connection, the picture stars Franco Nero as an Italian cop trying to take down a European drug ring. The release presents the uncensored version with a 4K restoration and includes three audio commentaries. There is one with the director, another featuring Nero and another star in the picture, and a film historian track. Numerous cast and crew interviews also appear along with publicity materials and the motion picture soundtrack (on CD).
If you enjoy cinema from north of the border, The Bitter Ash (1963) is arriving on Blu-ray from Canadian International Pictures. It involves a failing marriage. The picture has been given a 4K restoration from the original 16mm camera negative. There is an archival director commentary, a new film historian audio track, a new introduction to the movie from the director, new cast and crew interviews, a post-screening discussion of the movie from the 2023 Fantasia film festival, and a short from the movie maker.
Nuts! (2016) is a documentary about a Kansas doctor who, in 1917, tried to cure male impotence with goat testicle implants. Cartuna is releasing a Blu-ray of the movie with a trailer and extra materials from the family of the doctor who embarked on this odd pursuit.
Cinedigm is putting out a Blu-ray of Heavenly Sword (2014), an animated adaptation of a popular Sony Playstation game. It comes with a making-of and trailers.
Goin’ South (1978) is a well-regarded dark comedy/western starring and directed by Jack Nicholson. You can pick up a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo of the movie from Cinematographe. It arrives with a film critic commentary and video essays on Nicholson as director and the cinematographer.
The distributor is also making Robert Altman’s Thieves Like Us (1974) available as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Vinegar Syndrome exclusive Mediabook (for now, it can only be purchased on the Vinegar Syndrome website). It’s a period piece about two bank robbers stealing money across the southern US. This release features a film historian commentary, an archival commentary with Altman, interviews with the screenwriter and star Keith Carradine, a trailer and essays on the movie.
Criterion is delving into the work of Albert Brooks. Mother (1996) is appearing in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack, or in a Blu-ray-only edition. It follows a middle-aged writer who moves back in with his mother after his latest marriage falls apart. The 4K picture restoration was approved by star/director Brooks, and you also get new interviews with the filmmaker, co-star Rob Morrow and a teaser.
Pictured to the right, Real Life (1979), Brooks’s debut film, is also getting the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray or Blu-ray only treatment. It’s a satire about a filmmaker trying to make a documentary about an ordinary day-to-day family. Things go haywire when the movie maker gets too close to his subjects and interferes in their lives. Features are very similar for this release, with Brooks approving the 4K restoration, providing an interview. There is also a talk with cast member Frances Lee McCain and a silly “3D” trailer for the movie directed by Brooks.
You can pick up plenty of interesting Blu-rays from indie distributors, including Blood Cult (1985) from Degausser Video, and the gaming documentary Nintendo Quest: The Most Unofficial and Unauthorized Nintendo Documentary Ever! (2015) from ETR Media. You can find out more about special features on Amazon.
A Man Called Tiger (1973) is another kung-fu feature appearing on Blu-ray from Eureka Entertainment. It involves a young man with fighting skills seeking revenge for the murder of his father by some nasty gangsters. He goes undercover within their organization to find the party responsible. You’ll get an uncut theatrical version and a heavily edited rerelease edition, two film expert commentary tracks, a video essay, a music video (which is, apparently, just a full clip of a song featured in the film), an alternate opening to the picture and a trailer.
Going back to smaller cult features, Factory25 is putting out a Blu-ray of the independent film Go Down Death (2013). Film Masters is releasing a double-feature Blu-ray of Door-to-Door Maniac (1961) and Right Hand of the Devil (1961). On the arthouse front, Marcel Pagnol: My Father’s Glory, My Mother’s Castle (both 1990) is another Blu-ray double-feature including two-famed foreign-language films. In them, the movie-maker recounts his childhood in turn-of-the-century France. Bastards (2013) from IFC Films is a neo-noir from Claire Denis (High Life, Let the Sunshine In) about an unlikely love affair. It will also be appearing on Blu-ray. Curious parties should check the online listings for these titles to learn more about bonus material.
Kino is also very busy this week. They are releasing the Malcolm McDowell, Christopher Plummer WWI pilot movie Aces High (1976) on Blu-ray. It arrives with a new film historian commentary, interviews with the director and McDowell, a short about the premiere of the movie, a restoration comparison, a trailer and a slipcase for the disc.
The French, Jean-Luc Godard neo-noir/science-fiction picture Alphaville (1965) is appearing in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K restoration of the movie is from the original camera negative. It also comes with a film historian commentary and introduction to the movie, as well as a cast member interview and a trailer. It comes with a slipcase as well.
Speaking of French classics, Last Year at Marienbad (1961) is getting the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray feature. For those who haven’t seen the film, it’s a surreal classic with striking visuals set at a hotel about a man trying to convince a woman (who doesn’t remember him) that they should run away together as they promised each other the year before. It comes with a film historian commentary, a visual essay on the movie and more.
Action fans can pick up the Jean-Claude Van Damme effort Sudden Death (1995) in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set. This is a very exaggerated and fun action pick about a fireman trying to save the Vice President who has been kidnapped at a Stanley Cup final game in Pittsburgh. The hero’s kids also happen to be in the crowd. The 4K picture scan is from the original camera negative and there is a new film historian commentary, along with all the archive promotional material for the film.
The White Dawn (1974) is an adventure film set in the late 19th century about three sailors who find themselves lost and fighting for survival after their boat crashes on Baffin Island in northern Canada. The film has been given a 4K restoration from the original camera negative. It comes with a director commentary and introduction to the film, featurettes on the production
Kino Cult is a relatively new line of genre film titles. This week, you can pick up an amazing assortment of nature-on-the-rampage titles as “Special Edition” Blu-rays.
Empire of the Ants (1977) features Joan Collins doing battle with giant, radioactive insects. It comes with a film historian commentary and a director commentary, and a trailer. The same goes for Food of the Gods (1976), which includes all sorts of giant wilderness creatures taking on visitors. It also comes with a cast member interview. Frogs (1972) follows regular-sized but amphibians with a mean glare taking on a nasty millionaire during his birthday. This Blu-ray includes a film historian commentary, an interview with co-star Joan Van Ark and promo materials.
My favorite Blu-ray of this bunch is Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) starring William Shatner. He plays a vet whose Arizona town is slowly being overtaken by arachnids. This one is a blast. It features a very entertaining Shatner performance and some genuinely effective moments of the townspeople being attacked by tarantulas. This edition includes a new film historian commentary as well as every bonus from a previous Ronin Flix disc containing a director commentary, a producer audio track, cast and crew interviews and advertising materials. It also comes in a cardboard slipcase.
And Squirm (1976), a B-movie about flesh-eating earthworms, is also being rereleased on Blu-ray. It was previously put out by Shout!, and this version contains most of the same extras (like a director commentary) along with a new film historian audio track.
Media Blasters is releasing a Blu-ray called the Horror Noire Nightmares Collection which contains the zombie picture Shadow: Dead Riot (2006) along with Voodoo Virus (2021).
The Ashley Judd/Tommy Lee Jones thriller Double Jeopardy (1999) is arriving on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray from Paramount. It follows a woman who seeks revenge on her husband after he vanishes and she is wrongly convicted of his murder. The title was originally issued as a Paramount Presents title and is now receiving a “Standard Edition” release with all the same material, but in normal packaging.
And there’s more! The Proud Rebel (1958) is arriving on Blu-ray from Reel Vault Inc., Saturn’s Core Audio & Video is releasing a Blu-ray double feature of Living a Zombie Dream (1996) and Kitty Killers (1996), and Severin has a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo of the Italian, Barbara Steele shocker Castle of Blood (1964). The latter package is jammed full of bonus features.
While it doesn’t hold a candle to the Tobe Hooper/Steven Spielberg original, Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) does feature an incredibly memorable villain and a few chilling moments. For that reason, the movie still has its fans and Shout! is now presenting the title in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack. This “Collector’s Edition” includes a 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative, an audio commentary with the writer/producer and a track with the webmaster of Poltergeist fan site. There are also featurettes on the production, make-up effects and publicity materials.
The Ryan Gosling cult film Drive (2011) is appearing on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray in Steelbook packaging courtesy of Sony Pictures. Director Nicolas Winding Refn approved this 4K transfer and the set comes with a new featurette containing cast and crew interviews as well as an archival interview with the director and more featurettes on the production.
Vinegar Syndrome always delivers high quality releases of genre pictures and this week is no exception. You can now pick up a double-feature Blu-ray of A Chinese Torture Chamber Story (1994) and A Chinese Torture Chamber Story II (1998), as well as a Blu-ray of the Polish effort Interrogation (1989) and another double-feature Blu-ray containing the Mexican biker flicks Intrepidos Punks (1988) and Vengeance of the Punks (1991). All of these releases come with a ton of bonus material.
The distributor is also releasing a 4K Ultra HD and 2-Blu-ray set of the monster movie, Reptilicus (1961). In it, a giant prehistoric beast rampages Scandinavia, eventually setting its sights on Copenhagen. It comes with a 4K picture restoration from the original camera negative of both the US and Danish versions of the movie. There is also a film historian commentary, a new retrospective on the title, another interview with an authority on the picture, and yet another bonus in which artist/film expert Stephen R. Bisset discusses the movie’s enduring legacy. It also comes with promotional images and reversible sleeve artwork.
Universal Studios is presenting Dracula (1931) in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook. This is a Walmart exclusive that should contain all the extras from previous editions. The same is true of their Frankenstein (1931) Steelbook, which presents a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook to Walmart shoppers.
And we’re not done yet! Lost Prophet (1992) is arriving on Blu-ray from VHSHitfest. Two cuts of this independent, 16mm feature are included along with other extras.
Warner Bros. is giving the Will Smith/Margot Robbie caper Focus (2015) a 4K Ultra HD release. As of this writing, it doesn’t appear to include a Blu-ray in the package.
And their made-to-order Warner Archive line is making Three Little Words (1950) and Words and Music (1948) available on Blu-ray.
And finally, Yellow Veil Pictures is delivering She’s Allergic to Cats (2016) on Blu-ray.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Here is a list of kid-friendly titles arriving on shelves.
Dragonkeeper (Shout! Factory) DVD
The Garfield Movie (Sony) Blu-ray and DVD or DVD only
Pee Wee’s Playhouse: The Complete Series (Shout! Factory) Blu-ray
Sonic Prime: Season Two (NCircle Entertainment) Blu-ray
ON THE TUBE!
All this week’s many TV-related releases can be found below.
The Alaskans: The Complete Series (Roger Moore drama from 1959) (Warner Archive) Blu-ray
Blue Lights: Series 2 (BBC) DVD
Elsbeth: Season 1 (CBS) DVD
Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Murder in G Major (Hallmark) DVD
The Madame Blanc Mysteries: Season 3 (Acorn) DVD
Mammals (BBC Mini-series) Blu-ray
Pee Wee’s Playhouse: The Complete Series (Shout! Factory) Blu-ray
Resident Alien: Season 3 (Universal) Blu-ray
Silent Witness: Season 27 (BBC) DVD
Sonic Prime: Season Two (NCircle Entertainment) Blu-ray
Star Trek: Discovery: The Complete Series (Paramount) Blu-ray
Star Trek: Discovery: The Final Season (Paramount) Blu-ray
Star Trek: Discovery: The Final Season Steelbook (Paramount) Blu-ray
Succession: The Complete Series (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray
True Justice: Family Ties (Hallmark) DVD
Vikings: Valhalla: Season 1 (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray
Watchmen: Chapter 1 (Warner Bros.) 4K Ultra HD or Blu-ray