{"id":27270,"date":"2023-10-23T23:07:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-24T06:07:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=27270"},"modified":"2023-10-23T23:07:02","modified_gmt":"2023-10-24T06:07:02","slug":"blu-ray-dvd-roundup-for-october-24th-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=27270","title":{"rendered":"Blu-ray\/DVD Roundup for October 24th, 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to another look at some of the highlights arriving\non Blu-ray and DVD. This is an unusual edition with a few less new releases\nthan usual, although most are unique and appropriate for the season. So, if you\ncan\u2019t make it out to the movies this week or need to stay indoors for a while,\nbe sure to give one of these titles a try!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BIG NEW RELEASES!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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CADDY HACK \u2013 Few would think of a golf course as a setting\nfor terror, but this low-budget horror\/comedy attempts to do so. When a group\nof golf caddies begin vanishing (only to be found later torn to bits), the\nowner of the facility attempts to cover up the deaths. As it turns out, a group\nof pesticide-mutated gophers are the responsible party. The unhinged course\ngroundskeeper decides to wage war and go toe-to-toe with the dangerous\ncreatures. This is a Wild Eye release. For those unfamiliar with the\ndistributor, they specialize in micro-budgeted genre pictures. There have only\nbeen a couple of online reviews thus far. One states that the humor is\ncringeworthy and that the picture isn\u2019t as entertaining as it could have been.\nBut another maintains that the monsters in the movie are entertaining and that\nthe screenplay delivers plenty of effective lowbrow laughs. Dana Ackerman, Max\nAlvarado, Joe Diedron and Chrissy Cacallo headline the picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE MEG 2: THE TRENCH \u2013 The Meg<\/em> 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\u2019s protagonist unattached after the passing of his significant other and co-raising his late partner\u2019s 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\u2019t 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\u2019t 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.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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RIDE ON \u2013 In this foreign-language feature from China, an\naging and broke stuntman is heartbroken after being told that his clever stunt\nhorse must be sold in order to cover his debts. However, the lead becomes a\nmedia sensation after he and the animal are recorded by onlookers while taking\ndown debt collectors. The lead attempts to use the publicity to both restart\nhis career and make amends with his estranged daughter. Released in its\nhomeland under the title Long ma jing shen<\/em>, this is the latest\naction\/comedy from legendary Hong Kong performer Jackie Chan. The movie earned\nmore positive notices than negative ones from the press. Those who disliked the\nmovie complained that it attempted to add some dramatic beats that didn\u2019t work\nand summed it up as being inferior to previous Chan efforts. Still, more\ncommented that the unusual tale was perfectly suited to the star and won them\nover with the charming lead and his adorable animal sidekick. It features Chan,\nHaocun Liu, Kevin Guo and Yueting Lang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BLASTS FROM THE PAST!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It may not be the busiest week for new films, but older\ntitles are more than making up for it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Messiah of Evil<\/em> (1974) is arriving on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films. This 50th<\/sup> anniversary \u201cLimited Edition\u201d 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<\/em> and Howard the Duck<\/em> (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.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same distributor is also presenting Visible Secret<\/em>\n(2001) on Blu-ray. This Hong Kong effort follows a man who falls in love with a\nwoman who claims that she can see ghosts. The disc features a conversation with\nthe director, a visual essay on the movie, an archival making-of documentary\nand a trailer, as well as a booklet with writing on this feature\u2019s place in\nHong Kong horror. Apparently, this is a single pressing of 5000 copies in the\nUS and UK and it will not be rereleased once it\u2019s sold out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arrow Video is releasing a Blu-ray of Sammo Hung\u2019s The Iron Fisted Monk<\/em> (1977). The director stars as a man seeking vengeance for the murder of his father. This title marks the famed martial artist\u2019s directorial debut, and it\u2019s 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.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Criterion is putting out the phenomenal Nicole Kidman effort\nThe Others<\/em> (2001) in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set (it\u2019s also available\nas a standalone Blu-ray). It\u2019s about a mother and her two children who live at\nan isolated estate When a trio of individuals arrive at the home, strange\nevents begin occurring. Besides vastly improved picture quality, it has a\n\u201clooking back at the movie\u201d featurette, another segment that discusses the\nparanormal angle of the movie, an examination of the score, a visual effects\npiece, a look inside the production, an archived talk with the director and\npublicity materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you enjoy B-movie fare, Dark Horse Entertainment is\nputting out a Drive-In Double Feature<\/em> Blu-ray of Smokey and the Judge<\/em>\n(1980) and the western (yes, western) Alien Thunder<\/em> (1974). Curiously\nenough, Donald Sutherland stars in the latter effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Beast from Haunted Cave<\/em> (1959) is about a group of\nthieves who hide stolen gold in a cave, only to find a giant spider-like\nmonster living there. The film is arriving as a Special Edition Blu-ray from\nFilm Masters. It has been newly restored from a 4K scan of archival picture\nmaterials. Bonuses include an extended TV edition, a bonus movie called Ski\nTroop Attack<\/em> (1960), a booklet with essays on the movies, a restored\ntrailer and more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kino is making several titles available this week. Alien\nOutlaw<\/em> (1985) is a low-budget oddity about aliens who decide to terrorize a\nsmall town, not realizing that a gun show is occurring at the same time. It\u2019s\npart of the Kino Cult line and extras include a 4K picture restoration, cast\nand crew featurette, a cast and crew audio commentary, an interview with the\neditor and archival discussions and featurettes on the picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Black Sabbath (<\/em>1963) is an Italian anthology horror\nclassic from Mario Bava that tells a trio of chilling stories. Boris Karloff\nappears in one of the segments. This 60th<\/sup> anniversary edition comes\nwith a critic commentary and trailer, as well as a \u201climited edition\u201d slipcase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cujo<\/em> (1983) is appearing in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray\n(it can also be purchased as a standalone Blu-ray). Adapted from the book by\nStephen King, it follows a mother and son who are trapped in their car by a large\nand rabid St. Bernard dog. In addition to the picture upgrade, the set is\njam-packed with features, including three archived commentary tracks (two with\nthe director), lengthy cast and crew interviews, a 45-minute making-of and tons\nof publicity materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dark Power<\/em> (1985) is another Kino Cult Blu-ray.\nThis effort features college students being attacked by undead forces. The\nmovie has been given a 4K restoration and arrives with a director commentary\ntrack, a cast and crew commentary, a featurette with the cast and crew, an\ninterview with the editor and an image gallery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It! The Terror from Beyond Space<\/em> (1958) is getting a\n2K restoration on Blu-ray. The plot involves the caption of a spaceship being\ncharged with murder after his crew dies under mysterious circumstances. Soon it\nbecomes clear that the title monster is responsible and must be stopped. This\nrelease includes three film historian commentaries, a movie expert featurette,\na trailer, reversible art and a slipcase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If that wasn\u2019t enough, Kino is also presenting Jess Franco\u2019s\nLorna the Exorcist<\/em> (1974) on Blu-ray. It arrives with a critic\ncommentary, cast and crew interviews, a film critic introduction and a\nslipcase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While made well after the Oscar-winning 1991 effort The\nSilence of the Lambs<\/em>, the chiller Red Dragon<\/em> (2002) serves as\nsomething of a prequel, because it features the famous Hannibal Lecter\ncharacter offering advice to an FBI agent investigating a crime. This story was\npreviously made in the 1980s by Michael Mann as Manhunter,<\/em> but the tale\ngot a redo when Anthony Hopkins agreed to reprise the Lecter role for this\nfilm. This is a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set featuring a new master from the\noriginal camera negative. It also comes with seemingly every single bonus from\nall the previous releases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Salvation!: Have You Said Your Prayers Today?<\/em> (1987)\naka Salvation!<\/em> is a unique satire about televangelism from director Beth\nB featuring Dominique Davalos, Viggo Mortensen and Stephen McHattie. It\u2019s being\nreleased on Blu-ray with a director interview, music video and trailers. And Two\nSmall Bodies<\/em> (1993) is another Beth B title with Fred Ward and Suzy Amis\nabout a nightclub hostess being interrogated after her children disappear. It\nincludes interviews with Beth B, lead Amis and more trailers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mill Creek Entertainment is putting out a \u201cHard as Steel\nUltimate Edition ” Steelbook of the musical comedy Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox\nStory<\/em> (2007). This title is a Wal-Mart exclusive, so you won\u2019t be able to\nfind it anywhere else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recent South Korean effort Decision to Leave<\/em> (2023)\nis receiving a 4K Ultra HD release from MUBI. This may be a combo pack with a\nBlu-ray, but the specs aren\u2019t clear so you should check first if you want the\nfilm in both formats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MVD Visual is releasing a trio of Blu-rays this week. Four\nBullets for Joe<\/em> (1964). This Spanish\/Italian western involves a gunslinger\nseeking vengeance for the death of his sister. Jailhouse Wardress<\/em> (1981)\nis a notorious \u201cwomen in prison\u201d flick from Spanish filmmaker Jess Franco that\npits an inmate against her warden. And Vile<\/em> (2011) is a genre picture\nsimilar to Saw that features a maniac kidnapping victims and forcing them to\ncomplete extreme tasks in order to escape. Director Taylor Sheridan would later\nwrite the prestigious Sicario and Hell or High Water in 2015 and 2016. The\nlater release comes with deleted scenes and a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paramount is putting together the box set Paramount\nScares: Volume 1<\/em> that contains 4K Ultra HD and Blu-rays of a random\nselection of their genre titles. This collection includes Sweeney Todd: The\nDemon Barber of Fleet Street<\/em> (2007), Rosemary’s Baby<\/em> (1968), Pet\nSematary<\/em> (1989), Crawl<\/em> (2019) and Smile<\/em> (2022).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fascination<\/em> (1979) is a horror picture from Jean\nRollin about an escaped murderer who ends up taking the wrong group of women as\nhostages while hiding out from authorities. Powerhouse\/Indicator is delivering\nthe movie either in 4K Ultra HD or on Blu-ray. It comes with loads of extras\nincluding a film historian commentary, a new critical evaluation of the\npicture, extended sex scenes, archival interviews and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lips of Blood<\/em> (1975) is another Rollin title, this\ntime about a man who arrives at a chateau filled with amorous vampires. It\u2019s\nbeing released in the identical manner and includes a film historian\ncommentary, cast and crew interviews, an archival interview and introduction to\nthe movie with Rollin and plenty more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Severin is putting out some intriguing titles. Clearcut <\/em>(1991)\ninvolves a lawyer who is paired with an Indigenous activist looking for revenge\non a logging company. Graham Greene stars in this Canadian effort and the\nStandard Edition Blu-ray includes an audio commentary with an anthropologist,\nan audio interview with Greene, a featurette on the score and some short films\nfrom the region with similar subject matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also pick up a double feature Blu-ray of the Spanish\ngenre titles Cuadecuc, Vampir<\/em> (1971) and Umbracle<\/em> (1972). The\ndisc comes with an interview with a Spanish film scholar about the movies, a\ntrailer and a booklet with more writing about these pictures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Severin is also releasing a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set of\nthe Italian genre flick Zombie Holocaust<\/em> (1980) from Marino Girolami. It\nwas filmed at the same time and on some of the same sets as Lucio Fulci\u2019s more\nfamous Zombie<\/em> (1979) and is known for some extremely violent bits. The\nset presents both the original title and the US cut called Doctor Butcher\nM.D.<\/em> in 4K and Blu-ray, as well as tons of publicity materials, cast and\ncrew interviews and featurettes about the various New York locations used in\nthe movies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shout! Factory is presenting the Blu-ray box set Shaw\nBrothers Classics: Volume Three<\/em>, which includes Killer Clans<\/em> (1976),\nThe Shaolin Avengers<\/em> (1976), The Web of Death<\/em> (1976), Death\nDuel<\/em> (1977), The Vengeful Beauty<\/em> (1978), Life Gamble<\/em> (1978), Soul\nof the Sword<\/em> (1978), The Deadly Breaking Sword<\/em> (1979), Shaolin\nAbbot<\/em> (1979), Shaolin Rescuers<\/em> (1979) and Clan of the White Lotus<\/em>\n(1980). As with previous sets, there are too many bonuses to list here. If you\nappreciate old martial arts titles, this box is likely worth picking up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In celebration of its 25th<\/sup> anniversary, Sony is\ngiving their remake\/reboot of Godzilla<\/em> (1998) a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray\nSteelbook. It comes with trailers, a behind-the-scenes featurette, a music\nvideo and a compilation of Godzilla fight scenes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Muppets Take Manhattan<\/em> (1984) is also receiving\nthe 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray treatment. This is the third movie in the original\nMuppets trilogy of films that sees the characters heading to New York to try\nand get their musical on Broadway. It\u2019s filled with celebrity cameos and plenty\nof laughs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The musical Rock Around the Clock<\/em> (1956) is also\nappearing on Blu-ray. After they became popular, the band Bill Haley & His\nComets starred in this motion picture about a group of musicians hitting the\nbig time. Obviously, the movie features the title track, \u201cSee You Later,\nAlligator,\u201d and many other hits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Synapse Films is delivering a Standard Edition Blu-ray of\nthe Spanish cult zombie film, Tombs of the Blind Dead<\/em> (1972). It comes\nwith three audio commentaries, a feature-length documentary about the series\nand its production history, an alternate opening for the US edition, a featurette\non Spanish horror cinema, a music video and publicity materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Troma is putting out The Toxic Avenger Collection<\/em>,\nwhich contains 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray editions of all four movies in the\nseries made between 1984 and 2000. The picture quality has been significantly\nimproved and, as with all titles from the independent producer\/distributor, the\nset comes full of extras about the various titles and Troma in general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unearthed Films is putting out a 15th<\/sup> anniversary\nedition Blu-ray of Dead Girl<\/em> (2008), a zombie movie in which a pair of\nteens discover a female zombie in an abandoned hospital and then try to decide\nwhether or not to have their way with her. This edition includes new cast and\ncrew interviews, as well as two archived commentary tracks, a making-of\nfeaturette, audition tapes, deleted scenes and promo materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visual Vengeance is a company that specializes in debuting\nobscure independent genre films that were shot and released on video. This\nweek, they have the werewolf picture Lycan Colony<\/em> (2006). The Blu-ray\ncomes with a director commentary track and a drive-in movie historian\ncommentary, a 2022 interview with the filmmaker, a Rifftrax version of the\npicture, a music video, blooper reel, trailers, a mini-poster, a VHS sticker\nset, a reversible Blu-ray sleeve and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also pick up Vampires and Other Stereotypes<\/em>\n(1994) from the same distributor. It follows a group of paranormal\ninvestigators who encounter party-hopping ladies who have accidentally opened a\ngate to hell. This Blu-ray contains over 7 hours of bonus content, including\nthree commentary tracks (one with the director, another with cast members and a\nthird with a B-movie enthusiast), tons of cast and crew interviews, early Super\n8 films from the director, an image gallery, trailer, as well as a mini-poster,\nsticker set and a reversible sleeve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, Warner Archive is releasing several catalog titles\nas made-to-order Blu-rays. You can now purchase Before Night Falls<\/em>\n(2000) with Javier Bardem and Johnny Depp and the Katherine Hepburn\/Colin Clive\nadventure film Christopher Strong<\/em> (1933). The Devil Doll<\/em> (1936)\nfeatures a mad scientist and an ex-con who miniaturize people in order to take\nrevenge on those who have wronged them. And you can also pick up the amusing\nWoody Harrelson neo-noir Palmetto<\/em> (1998), about a journalist who can\u2019t\ncatch a break after encountering a femme fatale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latest kid-friendly titles can be found below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Muppets Take Manhattan<\/em> (1984) (Sony) 4K Ultra HD\nand Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Superhero Kindergarten: Weirdo World<\/em> (Ncircle) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ON THE TUBE!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And listed below are all of this week\u2019s TV-related releases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blue Collar<\/em>: The Complete Series (Warner Bros.) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Boys<\/em>: Season 3 (Sony) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dark Winds<\/em>: Season 2 (RLJ Entertainment) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gift of Peace<\/em> (2022) (Hallmark) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Happy Valley<\/em>: Series 3 (BBC) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Haul Out the Holly<\/em> (2022) (Hallmark) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five More Minutes: Moments Like These<\/em> (2022)\n(Hallmark) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Magical Christmas Village<\/em> (2022) (Hallmark) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Maple Valley Christmas<\/em> (2022) (Hallmark) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Murdoch Mysteries<\/em>: Season 16 (Acorn) Blu-ray or DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Psych<\/em>: The Complete Collection (8 Seasons and 3\nMovies) (Universal) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Superhero Kindergarten: Weirdo World<\/em> (Ncircle) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

World of Giants<\/em>: Season 1 (1955) (ClassicFlix)\nBlu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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