{"id":31277,"date":"2025-05-20T14:05:01","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T21:05:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=31277"},"modified":"2025-05-20T14:05:01","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T21:05:01","slug":"4k-ultra-hd-blu-ray-dvd-roundup-for-may-20th-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=31277","title":{"rendered":"4K Ultra HD\/Blu-ray\/DVD Roundup for May 20th, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to the latest look at highlights arriving on 4K\nUltra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. If you read this column regularly, you\u2019ll know that\nlast week was remarkably busy. As a result, this edition is much quieter,\nalthough it does have one studio picture and some international efforts. So, if\nyou can\u2019t make it out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these\ntitles a try!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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HUNT THE WICKED \u2013 In a dangerous city riddled with crime, a\npolice detective on the straight and narrow sets out to take down a vast\nnetwork of gangsters. After realizing that his by-the-book moral code isn\u2019t\nhelping him find the crooks, he makes an arrangement with a vigilante who is\nlooking for revenge on the same individuals. The pair team up and use their\nexceptional fighting abilities to get to the sinister leader, who turns out to\nbe a major political figure in the city. This action picture from China hasn\u2019t\nbeen reviewed by many critics yet. One or two online notices have appeared,\nstating that the action scenes are well-shot and high energy. They seem to\nsuggest the film is well-produced, but that the story is a little routine and\ndoesn\u2019t make a lasting impression. It stars Miao Xie, Andy On, Andrew Lien and\nShuang Hong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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OPERATION: RAQQA \u2013 Also released under the title Raqa<\/em>,\nthis Spanish-language spy film involves a Russian agent. The figure is sent to\nan area in Syria near the Iraq border to locate a leader of ISIS and bring down\nthe fundamentalist organization. He soon encounters another spy, this one a\nWestern European woman working for Interpol. They discover she has the same\nassignment and is posing as a nurse to get close to the enemy. The two become\nfriends and try to survive acts of the oppressive leaders in order to\naccomplish their shared goal. There haven\u2019t been many write-ups for this title\noutside of Spain, but reaction has been mixed. Most comment that the film is\nwell-intentioned and benefits from impressive locations (the picture was shot\nin Morocco) and photography, but that the pacing is slow and that there isn\u2019t a\nlot of onscreen chemistry between the leads. The cast includes \u00c1lvaro Morte,\nMina El Hammani, Abdelatif Hwidar and Cristina Kovani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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PRESENCE \u2013 Steven Soderberg (Traffic, Ocean\u2019s Eleven,\nContagion<\/em>) is having a busy 2025, with Black Bag<\/em> and this title\nhaving already been released in the last couple of months. This is a\nsupernatural effort told entirely from the point-of-view of a spirit in a\nsuburban home. As the film begins, it watches as a new family moves in. The new\narrival\u2019s teenage daughter first senses something odd and tries to convince her\nbrother and parents that there could be a ghost, but is dismissed. Eventually,\nmore is revealed about the members of the family, as well as what is watching\nthem. The press rated this effort highly. A small number had difficulty\nfollowing the mystery and didn\u2019t find the film compelling. However, the vast\nmajority called it an effective experiment that built momentum as it\nprogressed. They appreciated the use of the camera to present the spirit\u2019s\npoint-of-view, and how it showed a family under duress. The final twist also\nmade a big impression. The picture is available as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray\ncombo or as a standalone Blu-ray. It features Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan, Callina\nLiang, Eddy Maday, West Mulholland and Julia Fox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE QUIET ONES \u2013 Inspired by a true story, this tale depicts\nthe largest heist in Danish history. Appropriately enough, the film was made in\nDenmark. It introduces an ex-criminal struggling to care for his wife and\ndaughter. He and a small group of compatriots discover a nearby vault with\nlimited security that handles 20 percent of all financial transactions in\nCopenhagen. This team comes up with an elaborate plan to rob the site, dealing\nwith various complications along the way. Alas, this picture received more\nnegative reviews than positive ones. Less than half did comment that they were\nimpressed by the different approach to the story and choice to focus on very\nmorally gray characters, while also praising the camerawork. However, more\ncomplained that the set-up wasn\u2019t very interesting, offering a bland plot and\nsurprisingly little excitement over its running time. Gustav Dyekj\u00e6r Giese,\nReda Kateb, Amanda Collin, Christopher Wagelin and Jens Hult\u00e9n headline the\npicture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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If the latest films aren\u2019t for you, there are plenty of older titles arriving. The Rapacious Jailbreaker<\/em> (1974) is being released as a \u201cLimited Edition\u201d Blu-ray from Radiance Films. This is a Japanese title about a convicted murderer and his accomplice, who are sent to a penitentiary to serve time. The pair plot an elaborate break-out attempt. Apparently, the movie is based on the real exploits of a seven-time prison escapee. The title arrives with a high-definition transfer, a yakuza film expert commentary track, and a visual essay on the picture, along with a booklet with an essay on the movie and an archival review. Only 3000 copies of this title will be available. Read a full review of the disc by clicking on this link.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Themroc<\/em> (1973) is a French satire about a man who decides to shun every aspect of normal bourgeois life. In fact, he ends up turning his apartment into a cave. The movie features no dialogue, as the main character speaks in gibberish and grunts. It is well-regarded and won some film festival awards when it was originally released. This \u201cLimited Edition\u201d Blu-ray contains a 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative. It comes with a recently recorded critic analysis, an interview from 1973 with the writer and the director, a recent discussion about the star of the picture, promo materials, a booklet with writing on the feature, and a reversible sleeve featuring new and original artwork for the title. Like the other titles, only 3000 copies will be manufactured. Read a detailed review of the Blu-ray right here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

88 Films is releasing Lady of the Law<\/em> (1975) on\nBlu-ray. It\u2019s a Hong Kong period feature about an innocent man being pursued\nfor a crime he didn\u2019t commit by a relentless official (who is presumably\nfemale). This Shaw Brothers production has been given an HD transfer from the\noriginal camera negative and comes with a film historian commentary track and a\nstills gallery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you appreciate later Friday the 13th<\/sup><\/em>\npictures, this is a very good week. Arrow Video is presenting a 2-disc 4K Ultra\nHD-only \u201cLimited Edition\u201d of Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday<\/em>\n(1993). This is the ninth picture in the series and features the title maniac,\nJason Voorhees, rising from the dead once again to go on a murderous rampage.\nAlong the way, viewers learn more about his family history, and the feature\nends promising a future team-up film with another famous movie killer (the\nactual feature would eventually arrive 10 years later). This edition promises\nDolby Vision 4K restorations of both the theatrical and unrated versions, with\ntransfers that were approved by the director. Extras include an introduction\nwith the filmmaker, multiple commentary tracks (including two with the director\nand another with horror movie historians), several lengthy cast and crew\ninterviews, a look at various props used in the series, and additional TV\nfootage with optional director commentary. There is also a reversible sleeve\nincluded, as well as a booklet with writing on the film and a double-sided\nfoldout poster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The follow-up, Jason X<\/em> (2001) is also getting a 4K\nUltra HD \u201cLimited Edition\u201d from the distributor. This sequel is set many years\nin the future and features the undead killer chopping his way through the crew\nof a spaceship. The picture has been restored for this release with a 4K scan\nof the original camera negative in the correct aspect ratio (it has been\nreported that earlier editions of the feature were misframed slightly). Bonuses\non this release include an introduction to the movie from Jason Voorhees actor\nKane Hodder, a director commentary, a co-writer commentary, as well as a horror\nmovie expert audio track. You\u2019ll also get an interview with the film\u2019s\ncomposer, a making-of, cast and crew interviews, a history of Jason Voorhees\nfeaturette, behind-the-scenes footage, the electronic press kit, and a tone of\npublicity materials. A booklet and a double-sided foldout poster are also\nincluded in this release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Criterion is focusing on the work of actor Richard E. Grant\nthis week. First, How to Get Ahead in Advertising<\/em> (1989) is getting the\nBlu-ray treatment. It\u2019s about a London ad executive working on a pimple cream\nad campaign. One day, he gets a boil on his shoulder that starts growing into a\ntalking head which begins to take over his life. The picture has been given a\n2K restoration approved by the director of photography for this Blu-ray\nrelease. It comes with a new documentary featuring interviews with the star, as\nwell as writer-director Bruce Robinson, as well as a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Robinson and Grant also teamed up for the cult British\ncomedy Withnail and I<\/em> (1987), which is arriving as a 4K Ultra HD and\nBlu-ray combo and as a Blu-ray release. This tale is set in the 1960s and\ninvolves a pair of unemployed actors who decide to take a vacation to the\ncountry, only for things to go horribly wrong. The movie is said to be a\nsharply written and quotable tale that is extremely relatable to anyone who\nmight have pursued acting as a career. The film has received a 4K restoration\napproved by the director of photography and comes with a 2020 commentary\nfeaturing Robinson and Grant, as well as a second track from 2001 with other\nco-stars. There is a new short program with Robinson and Grant, a 1999\ndocumentary on the film, a 2017 Q&A with the director and the star, a\nstills gallery and a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kino is delivering a Blu-ray of The Amorous Adventures of\nMoll Flanders<\/em> (1965), a period comedy starring Kim Novak. This disc\ncontains a 4K restoration from Paramount Pictures of the fully uncut version of\nthe film. It comes with a movie historian commentary, a trailer, and reversible\nart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Interested in killer bear movies? You can now pick up a 4K\nUltra HD and Blu-ray combo of Prophecy<\/em> (1979), It\u2019s about a lumber mill\nin Maine spouting chemicals that turn a bear into an angry, mutated beast. It\nravages the area, murdering several locals. While this horror feature was a\nflop during its initial release, it has become something of a cult item.\nPerhaps that\u2019s because it stars Talia Shire, Robert Foxworth, Armand Assante,\nRichard Dysart and Kevin Peter Hall (in the bear costume) and was directed by\nJohn Frankenheimer (The Manchurian Candidate, The Train, Seconds, French\nConnection II, Black Sunday, Ronin<\/em>). You\u2019ll get a new 4K restoration of the\npicture from the original camera negative, an entertainment journalist\ncommentary, plenty of cast and crew interviews, radio spots and a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also pick up a Blu-ray of Wonder Dogs!<\/em> This\nis a two-disc collection of features, shorts and newsreels made between 1898\nand 1928 that all feature pooches as leads. It comes with a film historian\ncommentary, interviews with film curators and archivists, and an interview with\nthe composer who created music for the silent titles included here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lionsgate is giving the Jamie Foxx\/Gerard Butler action\npicture Law Abiding Citizen<\/em> (2009) a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook.\nFoxx plays a Philadelphia lawyer dealing with a psychopathic, incarcerated\ncriminal who vows to cause chaos in the city. This release boasts a 4K image in\nDolby Vision, along with a producer audio commentary, featurettes on the\nproduction and a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The studio is also providing DVD-only releases of the Liam\nNeeson effort Retribution<\/em> (2023), and the well-regarded Michael Keaton\nfeature, Knox Goes Away<\/em> (2023).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Powerhouse Films is an international distribution unit from\nthe UK who have begun releasing pictures for both the British and North\nAmerican market. This week, Girls Without Shame<\/em> (1973) aka Schoolgirl\nHitchhikers<\/em> is arriving separately on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray. It\u2019s a Jean\nRollin effort from France about a pair of lovers who are taken hostage by\ncriminals and ultimately tortured. The film has received a 4K image upgrade\ntaken from the original negative in Dolby Vision. You\u2019ll get three versions of\nthe title with a movie expert commentary, a featurette on this period in\ndirector Rollin\u2019s career, another examining career of co-star Joelle Coeur,\npromo materials, a 4K restoration of an explicit short starring Coeur and an\n80-page booklet with writing on the feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Another film from Rollin made the very same year, The\nIron Rose<\/em> (1973) is appearing as either a 4K Ultra HD release or a\nstandalone Blu-ray. This genre effort is about a couple who get lost while\nvisiting a cemetery and begin to panic as darkness sets in. The disc contains a\n4K restoration from the original camera negative in Dolby Vision of two\nversions of the picture. Additionally, it comes with a film historian\ncommentary, a 1998 introduction to the movie by Rollin, an in-depth documentary\non the production, an archival discussion with Rollin, two interviews with the\nstar, critical appraisals and appreciations of the title, promotional and\npublicity materials, and more. You\u2019ll also get an 80-page book on the film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shout Factory is putting out Blaxploitation Classics\nVolume 1<\/em>, an impressive 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray box set containing the cult\nclassics Across 110th<\/sup> Street<\/em> (1972), Black Caesar<\/em>\n(1973), Coffee<\/em> (1973), Hell Up in Harlem<\/em> (1973), Truck Turner<\/em>\n(1974) and Sheba, Baby<\/em> (1975). These six pictures star the likes of Pam\nGrier, Fred Williamson, Yaphett Koto and Isaac Hayes. You\u2019ll get to see all of\nthem kicking butt and taking names. It seems that if you\u2019re interested in the\nblaxploitation genre, this is a great place to start. The 4K transfers are\npresented in Dolby Vision and extras include part one of a new documentary on\nBlaxploitation films. All of the movies have either a director or a\nscreenwriter commentary and trailers are also included on the titles. Looks\nlike a lot of fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Finally, Sony Pictures is releasing a 4K Ultra HD and\nBlu-ray Steelbook of A Knight\u2019s Tale<\/em> (2001). This tale is set in the 14th<\/sup>\ncentury and stars Heath Ledger as a young man competing to win a jousting\ntournament. The movie is noted for using modern music and a few other elements\nin its storytelling. This release promises 4K restorations of both the\ntheatrical and extended versions of the film, both presented in Dolby Vision.\nFive deleted and extended scenes are included, as well as a gag reel, a\nfeaturette on the second unit photography, as well as an archival commentary\nwith the director and co-star Paul Bettany. There are 11 additional\nbehind-the-scenes featurettes, six more deleted scenes with a director intro,\nan HBO making-of, a music video, and trailers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The musical Oliver!<\/em> (1968) with Oliver Reed and Hugh\nGriffith, is receiving a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray \u201cStandard Edition\u201d this week.\nBased on the Charles Dickens novel, this effort won six Academy Awards\nincluding Best Picture. Obviously, this Sony release will offer a picture\nupgrade, but as of yet no word on whether or not any bonuses will be included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Below is a new title that might appeal to younger viewers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LEGO Jurassic World Collection<\/em> (Universal Pictures)\nDVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

And here is a list of the week\u2019s TV-themed releases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

American Experience: Forgotten Hero – Walter White and\nthe NAACP<\/em> (PBS) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bitten<\/em>: The Entire Series (Lionsgate) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor Who: The Savages<\/em> (1 season with William\nHartnell from 1966) (BBC) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Father Brown<\/em>: Season 12 (BBC) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hallmark 3-Movie: Branching Out, Romance in Style,\nMid-Love Crisis<\/em> (Hallmark) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Happy Valley<\/em>: Season 1 (BBC) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inspector Ellis<\/em>: Series 1 (Sentai) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LEGO Jurassic World Collection<\/em> (Universal Pictures)\nDVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rookie Blue<\/em>: The Entire Series (Lionsgate) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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