{"id":29747,"date":"2024-10-15T15:00:14","date_gmt":"2024-10-15T22:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=29747"},"modified":"2024-10-15T15:00:14","modified_gmt":"2024-10-15T22:00:14","slug":"4k-ultra-hd-blu-ray-dvd-roundup-for-october-15th-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=29747","title":{"rendered":"4K Ultra HD\/Blu-ray\/DVD Roundup for October 15th, 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to another look at highlights arriving on 4K Ultra\nHD, Blu-ray and DVD. The last edition was jam-packed, which means that this one\nis considerably slower. However, there are a few interesting features old and\nnew that might be worth checking out. So, if you can\u2019t make it out to the\nmovies this week or need to stay indoors for a few days, be sure to give one of\nthese titles a try!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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THE BOY IN THE WOODS \u2013 Based on a true story, this tale is\nset in Eastern Poland during the Nazi occupation. A 12-year-old Jewish boy is\ntaken with his family to a prison camp. His guardians encourage the youngster\nto try and escape. The child sneaks by guards and races out into the nearby\nforest, trying to survive the elements and evade soldiers hunting him. Along\nthe way, he befriends a local peasant. This drama fared well at film festivals.\nIt hasn\u2019t been seen by a lot of critics, but all of those who have reviewed the\npicture have all been positive. They called the movie powerful and moving,\nnoting that it was well-acted and effectively told its story from the\npoint-of-view of an innocent child who must face the horrors of war. The cast\nincludes Richard Armitage, Jett Klyne, Christopher Heyerdahl, Ari Millen and\nTara Nicodemo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE FALLING STAR \u2013 This French\/Belgian co-production\ninvolves a former activist turned fugitive. For the past 35 years, he\u2019s been\nlaying low and working as a bartender, but his past finally catches up with him\nwhen a one-armed, gun-toting figure arrives looking for revenge. The lead can\u2019t\nbelieve his luck when he discovers his doppelganger living in town and attempts\nto use him as a decoy. However, the hunted man\u2019s ex-wife threatens to ruin\neverything. Reaction towards this crime\/comedy was muted in North America.\nAbout one-third of reviews commented that the physical gags and deadpan sense\nof humor worked for them and thought the tone would remind viewers of Charlie\nChaplin. Unfortunately, the majority described the picture as a misfire,\nstating that most of the jokes were repetitive and fell flat. They also claimed\nthat the plot twists were too preposterous to buy into. Dominique Abel, Fiona\nGordon, Philippe Martz and Bruno Romy headline the picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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KILL \u2018EM ALL 2 \u2013 Kill \u2018Em All<\/em> was a 2017\ndirect-to-disc action picture starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as a hospitalized\nman with a secret past fighting a gang that is hunting him down. Seven years\nlater, the protagonist is trying to start life anew in Italy with his\ngirlfriend. They barely even have enough time to begin house-hunting when the\nbrother of the previous villain arrives for revenge. The hero decides to take\ncare of business once again. Only a handful of reviewers have seen this picture\nand the response has been poor. One suggested that it was a reasonable\nlow-budget action picture with a memorable antagonist. Everyone else stated\nthat the movie was bland, predictable and, thanks to its pedestrian editing,\ndidn\u2019t deliver much in the way of thrills. Besides Van Damme, it stars\nJacqueline Fernandez, Andrei Lenart and Peter Stormare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE LADY OF THE LAKE -The legend of Lake Ronkonkoma in New\nYork is the inspiration for this independent chiller. Apparently, this bit of\nfolklore involves a grief-stricken Native American princess who died in the\nbody of water and has been blamed for hundreds of suicides\/drownings there. A\nhigh school grad whose brother recently passed away in the lake struggles to\nprocess the death and, against her family\u2019s wishes, decides to investigate the\nlegend. She experiences supernatural phenomena and learns the truth about the\nlegend. The small number of online critics who have seen the picture have been\nmixed-positive about it. They write that the movie takes a while to get going\nbut does attempt to deal with issues of loss and guilt and eventually delivers\na chill or two down the spine by the close. For the time being, this is a\nDVD-only release. It features Nia Sioux, Sera-Lys McArthur and Del Zamora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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If nothing yet is catching your eye, you could try something\na little older. The Bounty Hunter Trilogy<\/em> from Radiance Films is being\nrereleased as a \u201cStandard Edition\u201d Blu-ray. You\u2019ll get the period action\npictures Killer’s Mission<\/em> (1968), The Fort of Death<\/em> (1969) and Eight\nMen to Kill<\/em> (1972) with all the same extras. It\u2019s only the packaging that\nis a little simpler with this version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was supposed to arrive a few weeks ago from Radiance\nFilms, but the French buddy road movie Fill \u2018er Up with Super<\/em> (1976) is\nfinally arriving on Blu-ray. It comes with a 2K picture restoration from the\noriginal camera negative, three interview short films with the cast, a lengthy\ndiscussion with the star of the movie, a critical appreciation of the feature,\nand a reversible sleeve featuring designs based on the original posters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Red Sun<\/em> (1970) is also arriving courtesy of the\ndistributor. The story follows a German hitchhiker who runs into an\nex-girlfriend on the road. She agrees to put him up, but the lead soon\ndiscovers that the lady and her roommates may have other plans for him. This\nBlu-ray arrives with a new transfer overseen by the director, two visual essays\non the movie, a commentary track with the lead actress\u2019 boyfriend, who served\nas inspiration for the picture, and a reversible sleeve with designs based on\noriginal posters for the movie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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88 Films is delivering The Project A Collection<\/em>,\neither in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack or as a standalone Blu-ray.\nYou\u2019ll get Project A<\/em> (1983) and Project A 2<\/em> (1987). These films\nare considered two of Jackie Chan\u2019s best and contain some of his most elaborate\nand dangerous stunts. As you might already expect, the set contains a ton of\nextras. Besides the 4K remasters, the first title is presented in both its Hong\nKong cut as well as an extended Taiwanese version, film historian commentaries\non both editions, numerous interviews with cast and crew, outtakes, the ending\nfrom the Japanese cut of the film, a making of, and publicity materials. Two\ndifferent versions of the sequel are included, as well as movie expert\ncommentary, a documentary on the Jackie Chan stunt team, interviews, the\nJapanese ending, trailers, stills and more. Sounds like a blast!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Criterion is putting out the Japanese genre film Demon\nPond<\/em> (1979) in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set (a Blu-ray only edition is\nalso available). Using myth as its inspiration, the story follows a man who\nvisits a run-down village troubled by a mysterious pond full of spirits. The\npicture has been given a 4K restoration that was supervised by the director,\nand comes with a movie scholar interview, a program on the picture\u2019s special\neffects, and an essay on the movie.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pandora\u2019s Box <\/em>(1929) is a silent German title about a\nfemme fatale whose actions end up getting her in trouble with various lovers.\nThe picture has been given a 2K restoration and there are four different scores\nthat can accompany the movie. There is also a film historian commentary, a 1998\ndocumentary on the film\u2019s star Louise Brooks, a rare interview with the\nperformer from 1971, a discussion with the director\u2019s son and an essay on the\npicture.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kino is presenting some interesting films as well. The\nexcellent, high-school-set Joseph-Gordon Levitt neo-noir Brick<\/em> (2005) is\narriving in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray package. The star plays a teenager who\nmust investigate the disappearance of his girlfriend. Besides the picture\nupgrade, the discs come with a commentary track with writer\/director Rian\nJohnson (Looper, Knives Out, Glass Onion<\/em>), a film historian commentary,\n8 deleted and extended scenes, a casting featurette, trailer and reversible\npicture art with a slipcase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cowboys & Aliens<\/em> (2011) was a big-budget studio\nsummer flop that combined western and science-fiction elements. Now you can see\nit again and decide if the bad press surrounding the picture was truly\nwarranted. Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford appear as cowboys who fight off alien\ninvaders. The picture is being put out in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray package\n(the theatrical cut is presented in 4K while the extended version appears on\nthe accompanying Blu-ray). It comes with a director commentary, production\nfeaturettes and publicity materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Oscar-nominated period biopic Cross Creek<\/em> (1983)\nfollows the life of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings as she writes the classic novel The\nYearling<\/em>. Mary Steenburgen, Rip Torn and Peter Coyote headline the cast.\nThis Blu-ray from Kino contains a film historian commentary, an interview with\nSteenburgen and a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Garbo Talks<\/em> (1984) stars Ron Silver and a young man\ndetermined to help his dying mother (played by Anne Bancroft) meet the famous\nscreen star Greta Garbo before she dies. The cast includes Carrie Fisher and\nCatherine Hicks. This release also includes a film historian commentary track\nand a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Paramount Pictures is releasing the horror remake The\nRing<\/em> (2002) in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set and are also making it\navailable as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook. As mentioned, this is the hit\nUS redo of the Japanese classic about a nasty, supernatural videotape. If the\nviewer watches the disturbing tape and doesn\u2019t show it to anyone within a short\nperiod of time, they meet a horrible end. Obviously, this edition promises a\nnice picture upgrade over previous editions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alfred Hitchcock\u2019s To Catch a Thief<\/em> (1955) with Cary\nGrant and Grace Kelly is arriving on 4K Ultra HD only as a Paramount Presents\ntitle. This line contains the special fold-out cover packaging containing the\nposter and other nifty extras. It comes with an intro from famous critic\nLeonard Maltin, a featurette on the stars, a film historian commentary track\nand more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Severin Films is making a couple of low-budget horror films\navailable on Blu-ray. They always give their titles the best possible\ntreatment, meaning that if they are of interest, the discs will certainly\npresent the cleanest versions of the title. Alison\u2019s Birthday<\/em> (1981) was\ninitially released as part of a \u201cfolk horror\u201d compendium, but is now receiving\nits own Blu-ray release. The Australian title involves a 19-year-old whose life\nis put at risk by a coven of sorts. It comes with producer and cast member\ninterviews and a video essay on the feature by a film critic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Demon<\/em> (1963) is another \u201cfolk horror\u201d effort from\nthe same set. This is an Italian production about a jealous woman who is\nthought to be a witch by those in her village. The Blu-ray contains a film\nhistorian commentary, a profile on the lead actress and another feature on the\nfilm\u2019s director.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shout! Factory is giving the Oscar-winning western Dances\nwith Wolves<\/em> (1990) a Walmart-exclusive Blu-ray Steelbook Collector\u2019s\nEdition. Everything about it should be the same as previous releases, except\nfor the packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Perhaps more notably, George A. Romero\u2019s Land of the Dead<\/em>\n(2005) is being upgraded and arriving as a \u201cCollector\u2019s Edition\u201d 4K Ultra HD\nand Blu-ray. This is the fourth title in the director\u2019s zombie series and a\nvery solid entry, featuring a class-war between the residents of a walled-in\ncity that is surrounded by zombies. You\u2019ll get a new 2024 4K picture\nrestoration from the original camera negative of the unrated cut (two\naccompanying Blu-rays contain the unrated and theatrical cuts). All previous\nextras will be included, like a Romero commentary, a zombie cast commentary,\nmaking-of featurettes, cast interviews, the Dream of the Dead <\/em>documentary\non the production, deleted scenes, promo materials and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sony is delivering a 4K Ultra HD disc of the amusing\ndocumentary American Movie<\/em> (1999), following a Wisconsin man trying to\nmake a low-budget horror film. Extras include a director and cast commentary,\ndeleted scenes, trailer, and the \u201cCoven\u201d short.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also pick up a Blu-ray of the well-regarded\nArgentinian crime picture Nine Queens<\/em> (2000), which involves a pair of\ncon artists trying to swindle a stamp collector. Another critical darling, Secret\nBallot<\/em> (2001), is arriving on Blu-ray. It follows a female election agent\nin Iran attempting to collect votes for a local election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thanksgiving<\/em> (2023) is getting a 4K Ultra HD and\nBlu-ray Steelbook. Based on the short trailer from the film Grindhouse, this\ntale involves a pilgrim slaughtering locals during the titular holiday season.\nThis edition includes upgraded picture quality, two \u201cmust-see\u201d\nbehind-the-scenes featurettes shot by the cast, a letter from director Eli Roth\nto fans and, of course, the special packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Undercrank Productions is delivering a Blu-ray of The Bat<\/em>\n(1926), an atmospheric crime picture set in a creepy old mansion. In addition\nto a 2K picture restoration, bonuses include a featurette on the director\u2019s\ncareer and a 20-minute short from the same era<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Finally, Warner Archive is making Robert Altman\u2019s final\nfilm, A Prairie Home Companion<\/em> (2006), available on Blu-ray. It\u2019s an\nall-star ensemble picture that tells a fictional behind-the-scenes story about\nthe famous radio show. Lily Tomlin, Meryl Streep, Woody Harrelson, John C.\nReilly, Tommy Lee Jones, Garrison Keeler, Kevin Kline, Lindsay Lohan, Virginia\nMadsen, Maya Rudolph, Robin Williams and many more appear in the movie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just in time for Halloween, Warner Bros. is releasing A\nNightmare on Elm Street<\/em> (1984) on 4K Ultra HD (no Blu-ray is included). The\ntheatrical and uncut versions of the horror classic are presented in 4K. It\ncomes with two archival commentaries featuring director Wes Craven. One\nincludes cast members and the other is a patchwork of himself and the crew.\nAlso featured is behind-the-scenes footage, alternate takes, alternate endings,\na retrospective featurette, a nearly hour-long documentary on the production\nand another featurette about dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

You can find this edition\u2019s kid-friendly releases listed\nbelow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are You Afraid of the Dark? The Limited Series:<\/em>\nThree-Season Collection (2019 – 2022 series) (Paramount\/NIckelodeon) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Captain Planet<\/em>: The Complete Franchise (Warner Bros.)\nDVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PAW Patrol<\/em>: Ultimate Film & TV Collection\n(Boxset) (Paramount) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SpongeBob SquarePants: Another 100 Episodes<\/em>\n(Paramount\/Nickelodeon) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Best 300 Episodes Ever<\/em>\n(Paramount\/Nickelodeon) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles<\/em>: The Complete Classic\nSeries Collection (1987 animated series) (Paramount) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Below is every TV-related release coming your way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are You Afraid of the Dark? The Limited Series: <\/em>Three-Season\nCollection(2019 – 2022 series) (Paramount\/NIckelodeon) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Babylon Berlin<\/em>: Season 4 (Kino) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Captain Planet<\/em>: The Complete Franchise (Warner Bros.)\nDVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Crown<\/em>: The Complete Series (Sony) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor Who<\/em>: Complete Series 1 -4 (BBC) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fear the Walking Dead<\/em>: The Complete Collection\n(Lionsgate) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harry Wild<\/em>: Series 3 (Acorn) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SpongeBob SquarePants: Another 100 Episodes<\/em>\n(Paramount\/Nickelodeon) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Best 300 Episodes Ever<\/em>\n(Paramount\/Nickelodeon) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: <\/em>The Complete Classic\nSeries Collection (1987 animated series) (Paramount) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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