Recent Ultra HD 4K News

The latest news on all things 4k Ultra HD, Blu-ray and Gear.
Arrrgh!! Renny Harlin's Cutthroat Island Sails for a Walmart Exclusive 4K UHD SteelBook April 2nd

Lionsgate is preparing the 1995 adventure comedy starring Geena Davis and Matthew Modine for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on April 2.

The release will also include a SteelBook and be exclusively available at Walmart stores.

Geena Davis and Matthew Modine deliver a tidal wave of nonstop action and adventure in this swashbuckling saga of ruthless pirates, buried treasure, and bloodthirsty betrayal.

Cutthroat Island - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Walmart Exclusive SteelBook
Cutthroat Island - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Walmart Exclusive SteelBook
 

The 4K UHD Blu-ray + Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook Combo Pack will include a lossless 5.1 soundtrack and the following supplements:

4K UHD SPECIAL FEATURES

  • The Adventure of a Lifetime: Making Cutthroat Island
  • Charting the Course: Creating Cutthroat Island
  • Across the Bow: Editing Cutthroat Island
  • Summon Your Courage: Scoring Cutthroat Island
  • Ecce Pirate: A Short Film by Matthew Modine
  • Audio Commentary from Director Renny Harlin
  • Making of
  • Behind the Scenes
  • Storyboards
  • Interviews
  • Original Trailer

Pre-orders for Cutthroat Island - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Walmart Exclusive SteelBook should be on the horizon soon and here is the full press release:


4K UHD + Blu-ray™ + Digital Street Date: 4/2/24
4K UHD + Blu-ray™ + Digital SteelBook® SRP: $39.99
Available only at Walmart
 
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The course has been set for Cutthroat Island, arriving on SteelBook® April 2 exclusively at Walmart from Lionsgate. Prepare the weapons and summon the courage to return to this Geena Davis classic. This release of Cutthroat Island marks the first time the film is available on  4K UHD + Blu-rayTM + Digital SteelBook® for the suggested retail price of $39.99.
 
OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS
Geena Davis and Matthew Modine deliver a tidal wave of nonstop action and adventure in this swashbuckling saga of ruthless pirates, buried treasure, and bloodthirsty betrayal.
 
CAST
Geena Davis                                       Thelma & Louise, The Long Kiss Goodnight, The Fly
Matthew Modine                                 Full Metal Jacket, The Dark Knight Rises, TV’s “Stranger Things”
Frank Langella                                    Frost/Nixon, Robot & Frank, The Box
Maury Chaykin                                    My Cousin Vinny, Dances with Wolves, WarGames
Patrick Malahide                                 The World Is Not Enough, The Long Kiss Goodnight, The Singing Detective
Stan Shaw                                          The Monster Squad, Daylight, Rising Sun
 
4K UHD SPECIAL FEATURES
  • The Adventure of a Lifetime: Making Cutthroat Island
  • Charting the Course: Creating Cutthroat Island
  • Across the Bow: Editing Cutthroat Island
  • Summon Your Courage: Scoring Cutthroat Island
  • Ecce Pirate: A Short Film by Matthew Modine
  • Audio Commentary from Director Renny Harlin
  • Making of
  • Behind the Scenes
  • Storyboards
  • Interviews
  • Original Trailer
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Year of Production: 1995
Title Copyright: © 1995 Cutthroat Productions L.P. Package Design and Summary: © 2024 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. CutThroat Island and Design is a trademark of CutThroat Distribution Inc.
Type:  Catalog Re-Release
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
Closed-Captioned: N/A
Subtitles: French, German, English SDH
Run Time: 124 Minutes
4K UHD Format: 2160p Ultra High Definition 16x9 (2.35:1) Presentation
4K UHD Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio™, English 2.0 PCM Stereo, French and German 5.1 DTS-HD Master AudioTM
Artist Information: Luke Preece
Lionsgate Hunts Down New 4K SteelBooks for First Blood & Rambo: Last Blood April 2nd

Fans who missed out on Lionsgate big SteelBook set of all five films (or any of the previous 4k UHD releases for that matter) can pick up the story from the beginning and the end with First Blood and Rambo: Last Blood on April 2nd exclusively available at Walmart

42 years ago Sylvester Stallone started an action-packed franchise centering on the wayward disenfranchised Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. Five years ago, he effectively wrapped up John Rambo's journey with the decent but underwhelming Rambo: Last Blood. Now Lionsgate looks to be repurposing some discs and SteelBooks for new solo-film releases to start the fourth month of the year. If you didn't pick up the Best Buy SteelBook set, these individual versions look like the exact same SteelBooks only now with Lionsgate's standard plastic slipcover to give the case a little visual enhancement. And judging by the press releases for each set, we're getting the same discs as before. Now that's fine for First Blood, that's still a great disc, but I was really hoping we'd see the longer and better cut of Rambo: Last Blood finally make a disc appearance (and I don't mean the slightly longer German version). The much better-paced and longer Director's Cut appears to remain a streaming-only viewing option. We have reached out for verification on that point. So far, only First Blood is up for pre-order but we expect Last Blood to go up any time now. 

First Blood - Walmart 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook

 

4K ULTRA HD / BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

  • 4K AND BLU-RAY™ SPECIAL FEATURES:
    • Audio Commentary with Sylvester Stallone
    • Audio Commentary with Author David Morrell
  • BLU-RAY™ SPECIAL FEATURES:
    • Rambo Takes The ’80s, Part 1
    • Making Of First Blood
    • Alternative Ending
    • Outtakes
    • Deleted Scenes
    • Restoration Featurette
    • The Real ’Nam
    •  Forging Heroes
    • How To Become Rambo, Part 1 

4K UHD Format: 2160p Ultra High Definition • 16x9 (2.35:1) Presentation
4K UHD Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio™ • Spanish DTS-HD Master Audio™
Artist Information: SteelBook by Phantom City Creative, Slipcase by BOND

Rambo: Last Blood - Walmart 4K Ultra HD SteelBook 

  

4K ULTRA HD / BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

  • Drawing Last Blood: Multipart Production Diary
  • From First Note to Last Blood: Music for the Massacres
  • Theatrical Trailer 

4K UHD Format: 2160p Ultra High Definition 16x9 (2.39:1) Presentation
4K UHD Audio: English Dolby Atmos • Spanish and French 5.1 Dolby Audio
Artist Information: SteelBook by John Guydo, Slipcase by BOND

It's All 4K Love - February 2024 4K UHD Shopping Guide

Now that January is out of the way, we get ready to celebrate the shortest and one of the coldest months of the year with a lot of love for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. The format continues to build a nice robust catalog of new and old favorites. While the big studios are recovering from dealing with talent strikes, it's the independent labels that are delivering the biggest and best releases of the month. We've got some great catalog favorites and even an Uwe Boll film joins the format. This is also the month where we really see Walmart step up to the retailer-exclusive plate for SteelBook releases after Best Buy ditched physical media. So let's get to it and see what's jumping on our shelves this month. 

February 2024 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Shopping Guide 

February 6th - 4K UHD Releases 

    

February 13th - 4K UHD Releases 

     

      

     

    

 

 

February 20th - 4K UHD Releases 

     

     

       


   

February 26th - 4K UHD Releases 

 

February 27th - 4K UHD Releases 

    

     

   
 

   

That's all that's confirmed for the moment. It's possible more could get added to the slate or something could get bumped into later in the year. If/When that happens, we'll update our lists ASAP. Thanks for clicking our links, your preorders go a long way towards keeping our little show going. Happy Collecting!

Wonka Sweetens the Deal Arriving on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray February 27th

Warner Brothers' imaginative Charlie and the Chocolate Factory prequel - Wonka - starring Timothée Chalamet is headed for 4K UHD Blu-ray (with a Walmart exclusive 4K Blu-ray SteelBook) and Blu-ray on February 27. You can get an early taste of the film on Premium Digital on January 30.

Armed with nothing but a hatful of dreams, young chocolatier Willy Wonka manages to change the world, one delectable bite at a time.

Wonka - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray 

Wonka - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray 

Wonka - Blu-ray

Wonka 

Wonka - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Walmart Exclusive SteelBook
Wonka - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Walmart Exclusive SteelBook

“Wonka” Premium Digital Ownership, 4K UHD and Blu-ray contain the following special features:  

  • Unwrapping Wonka: Paul King’s Vision Revered director Paul King takes you on a deep dive into his experience adapting the beloved story of Wonka.
  • The Whimsical Music of Wonka Composer Joby Talbot and songwriter Neil Hannon take you into the studio to illuminate the craft behind the wondrous songs of the film.
  • Welcome to Wonka Land Production designer Nathan Crowley and the rest of the “Wonka” crew discuss creating the magical sets that transport audiences to the worlds of the film.
  • Hats Off to Wonka Costume designer Lindy Hemming breaks down the inspiration and intention behind each of the character’s wonderful costumes.
  • Wonka’s Chocolatier Chocolatier Gabriella Cugno provides an in-depth look at the creatin of the beautiful chocolates seen in “Wonka.”

Premium Digital Ownership: January 30, 2024

4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD Street Date: February 27, 2024

 

4K Languages: English, Canadian French, Latin Spanish

4K Subtitles: English SDH, Canadian French, Parisian French, Latin Spanish

BD Languages: English, Canadian French, Latin Spanish

BD Subtitles: English SDH, Canadian French, Parisian French, Latin Spanish

DVD Languages: English, Canadian French, Latin Spanish

DVD Subtitles: English SDH, Canadian French, Parisian French, Latin Spanish

 

Running Time: 116 minutes

Rating: PG for some violence, mild language and thematic elements

DVD: DLBY/DGTL 

Blu-ray: ATMOS TrueHD

Pre-orders for Wonka are now live. 

James Cameron's Aliens, The Abyss, & True Lies FINALLY Up For Pre-order at Walmart

We've honestly lost count of how many times we've been asked "When will these be up for preorder?"
Well - now's your chance! Walmart appears to be the only retailer, but we expect that to change soon. 

After weeks of waiting, the day to finally preorder these three films on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray has come! AliensThe Abyss, and True Lies are ready for pre-order at Walmart. We understand the delay was partly due to the UK certifications for The Abyss (that release in the UK has been canceled now over the rat scene) and then replication to be well underway to meet the demand for three high-profile titles. While it was a great thing to see a high-profile title like Oppenheimer completely sell out on 4K during the holidays, it's also bad because that means sure-thing sales are getting lost to the gray market and resellers inflating the prices. I can picture Disney/20th Century trying to find that stock-on-hand sweet spot. We also have not heard of any retailer-exclusive or deluxe packaging options for any of these films. Yet. As soon as we have hands on, we'll get reviews up ASAP, but for now you can gander at the artwork, check out a couple of bonus features clips, and get those pre-orders in. March 12th is still the targeted release date

Aliens
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Ultimate Collector's Edition
 

 

The Abyss
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Ultimate Collector's Edition 

The Abyss 4K 

 

True Lies
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Ultimate Collector's Edition 

True Lies 4K 

 

Obviously any changes to the release plan or if any special deluxe packaging crops up we'll update that info ASAP. Happy Collecting!

John Woo's Silent Night Arrives on Blu-ray & Walmart-Exclusive 4K UHD SteelBook

Lionsgate presents filmmaker John Woo's (A Better Tomorrow, Red Cliff, Face/Off) R-rated action-thriller Silent Night starring a vengeful Joel Kinnaman on Blu-ray and 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook on January 30.

From legendary director John Woo and the producer of John Wick comes this gritty revenge tale of a tormented father who witnesses his young son die when caught in a gang’s crossfire on Christmas Eve. While recovering from a wound that costs him his voice, he makes vengeance his life’s mission and embarks on a punishing training regimen in order to avenge his son’s death. Full of Woo’s signature style, Silent Night redefines the action genre with visceral, thrill-a-minute storytelling.

Silent Night - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Walmart Exclusive SteelBook

Silent Night - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Walmart Exclusive SteelBook 

Silent Night - Blu-ray

Silent Night 

A Dolby Atmos soundtrack is on both the 4K UHD Blu-ray and the Blu-ray and bonus materials include: 

  • "Actions Speak Louder Than Words" featurette
  • Theatrical Trailer

Pre-orders for Silent Night are currently live. Included below is the full press release:


 

 

 

4K UHD Steelbook® + Blu-ray™ Street Date: 1/30/24
4K UHD Steelbook SRP: $42.99
Blu-ray™ SRP: $39.99

 
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Director John Woo (A Better Tomorrow, Red Cliff, Face/Off) teams up with the producers of the John Wick series with Silent Night, available on 4K Ultra High Definition Steelbook® and Blu-ray on January 30 from Lionsgate. Follow a vengeance-filled father who has lost his ability to speak as he attempts to avenge his son. Silent Night will be available for the suggested retail prices of $42.99 for 4K UHD Steelbook® and $39.99 for Blu-ray.
 
OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS
From legendary director John Woo and the producer of John Wick comes this gritty revenge tale of a tormented father who witnesses his young son die when caught in a gang’s crossfire on Christmas Eve. While recovering from a wound that costs him his voice, he makes vengeance his life’s mission and embarks on a punishing training regimen in order to avenge his son’s death. Full of Woo’s signature style, Silent Night redefines the action genre with visceral, thrill-a-minute storytelling.
 
Lionsgate presents, in association with Capstone Global, a Thunder Road Films / Capstone Studios / A Better Tomorrow Films production. Written by Robert Archer Lynn. Directed by John Woo.
 
CAST
Joel Kinnaman                                    TV’s “The Killing,” RoboCop, Suicide Squad
Scott Mescudi                                     X, Don’t Look Up, Need for Speed
Harold Torres                                      Memory, TV’s “ZeroZeroZero”
and Catalina Sandino Moreno            Maria Full of Grace, A Most Violent Year, TV’s “The Bridge”
 
4K UHD STEELBOOK®/ BLU-RAY/ SPECIAL FEATURES:

  • "Actions Speak Louder Than Words" featurette
  • Theatrical Trailer

PROGRAM INFORMATION
Year of Production: 2023
Title Copyright: Silent Night © 2023 Silent Night Productions, Inc. Artwork & Supplementary Materials ®, ™ & © 2024 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Type: New Release
Rating: R for strong bloody violence, drug use and some language
Genre: Action
Closed-Captioned: N/A
Subtitles: English, Spanish, Spanish Subtitles, English SDH, LAS Dubbed
Run Time: 104 Minutes
4K UHD Format: 2160p High Definition, 16x9 (2.00:1) Presentation
4K UHD Audio: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Audio, English Descriptive Audio
Blu-ray Format: 1080p High Definition, 16x9 (2.00:1) Presentation
Blu-ray Audio: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Audio, English Descriptive Audio

4K & Blu-ray Round up:.Did Someone Say Pic-a-nic?

Things sure slowed down over the holiday season, but as we return to normal we have a steady stream of new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray titles coming your way.  In case you missed anything as of late, here is a healthy dose of what has been announced recently.

First up, the Criterion Collection has announced their April 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray releases. They are: Picnic at Hanging Rock - 4K, La haine - 4K, Dogfight, Werckmeister Harmonies - 4K as well as a Blu-ray edition, and I Am Cuba - 4K also on Blu-ray. Alexandre O. Philippe’s David Lynch documentary Lynch/Oz will also be joining Criterion's Janus Contemporaries series on March 19. Pre-order your favorites now.

Powerhouse Films has revealed more upcoming 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray releases in their Indicator Series lineup. The titles include The Nude Vampire - 4K and Blu-ray, The Demoniacs - 4K and Blu-ray, The Bat Woman, The Panther Woman, and Santo vs. the Riders of Terror.

Scream Factory will release a special edition Blu-ray of the horror cult classic Funeral Home on February 6. And the following week they will have a 4K Collector's Edition of Willy's Wonderland starring Nicolas Cage in stores on February 13 - which will also come in a Steelbook.

Warner Brothers is set to release Steven Soderbergh's star-studded Contagion (2011) on 4K UHD Blu-ray on February 27. Also Blitz Bazawule's drama/musical The Color Purple (2023) as well as Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom are both coming to 4K & Blu-ray on March 12th.

Disney's latest animated film Wish will be arriving on Blu-ray and 4K Walmart SteelBook on March 12. You can read all about that coverage in our previous article here.Likewise, The Marvels from Disney and Marvel Studios will be hitting 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray on February 13.

Disney's Wish SteelBook 

Eli Roth's hit slasher Thanksgiving is due for a home video release at the end of the month. Note that at this time, it seems like only a Blu-ray release is planned for now with no 4K yet.

Lionsgate will bring Sofia Coppola's Priscilla to Blu-ray February 13. Plus on March 5, the hugely popular SAW horror franchise is getting a mega boxed set - SAW 10-Film Collection 20th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray.

And last but certainly not least,  Warner Archive announced their latest Blu-ray slate which includes the classic western Colt .45: The Complete Series and Hanna-Barbera's Superstars 10: The Complete Film Collection. The 10 films include: Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats, Yogi's Great Escape, Yogi and the Invasion of the Space Bears, Yogi Bear and the Magical Flight of the Spruce Goose, Rockin' with Judy Jetson, The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones, The Good, the Bad, and Huckleberry Hound, Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo Brothers, Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf, and Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School also available separately.  

As always, be sure to keep an eye on our release calendars as more and more home video goodies are added all the time.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Does the Backstroke to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray on March 12

Warner Brothers has dated and detailed James Wan's Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom starring Jason Momoa as the titular hero for 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray on March 12. Walmart will also be offering a 4K UHD SteelBook, and there will be a 2-Film Blu-ray Collection as well.

Director James Wan and Aquaman himself, Jason Momoa—along with Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Nicole Kidman—return in the sequel to the highest-grossing DC film of all time: "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom."

Having failed to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father's death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman's family, and the world, from irreversible destruction.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray 

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray 

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom - Blu-ray 

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom 

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Walmart Exclusive SteelBbook 

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Walmart Exclusive SteelBbook 

Bonus features will include:

  • Finding the Lost Kingdom ​- Go behind the scenes as director James Wan reveals how he​ and the cast and crew pulled off their biggest endeavor yet, an epic sequel to​ the largest grossing film in the history of DC​.
  • Aquaman: Worlds Above and Below​ - When the filmmakers set out to create a sequel that eclipsed​ the original in scale and scope, they knew they would have to send Arthur and​ the rest of the cast to all kinds of new wild and wonderful worlds both above and​ below the sea.
  • It's a Manta World ​- Black Manta is more powerful than ever now that he has discovered the Lost Kingdom of Necrus and taken possession of the Black Trident. From inspiration to execution, filmmakers reveal how they leveled Black Manta up to the realm of supervillains​.
  • Necrus, The Lost Black City​ - Ages ago the great battle for the earth took place here, in this legendary lost Atlantean city. Discover how the filmmakers created the Black City from its "surface city" concept and its inhabitants: Undead Necrusians (Zombies), to its execution​.
  • Escape from the Deserter World ​- From idea to execution, explore how the filmmakers created this​ barren desert landscape and the Deserter Prison, how its creatures and​ inhabitants were brought to life, and how they planned and executed the daring Orm "breakout" sequence.
  • Brawling at Kingfish's Lair ​- The Citadel is the last frontier of the ocean, a deep trench filled​ with sunken old ships, stacked high like a rusty city. From concept to​ completion, discover Kingfish's Lair, a bar within, where the worst of the worst​ hang out​.
  • Oh TOPO!​ - The Tactical Observation and Pursuit Operative Octopus is a​ living legend and all-time fan favorite. Director James Wan and the filmmakers discuss​ the decision behind bringing TOPO back to the sequel and its promotion to​ Arthur's on-screen sidekick.
  • Optional English SDH, Canadian French, Parisian French, Latin Spanish subtitles 

Pre-orders are now live - Happy Collecting!

The Criterion Collection Dates and Details April 2024 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray Slate

Peter Weir's Picnic at Hanging Rock and Mathieu Kassovitz's La haine will be getting 4K UHD Blu-ray upgrades; A Blu-ray of Nancy Savoca's Dogfight; and Agnes Hranitzky & Béla Tarr's Werckmeister Harmonies as well as Mikhail Kalatozov’s I Am Cuba on both formats.

As previously mentioned, Peter Weir's Picnic at Hanging Rock will be getting a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray + Blu-ray edition. It will be available for purchase on April 9.

Picnic at Hanging Rock
The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray 

Picnic at Hanging Rock - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - The Criterion Collection 

This sensual and striking chronicle of a disappearance and its aftermath put director Peter Weir on the map and helped usher in a new era of Australian cinema. Based on an acclaimed 1967 novel by Joan Lindsay, Picnic at Hanging Rock is set at the turn of the twentieth century and concerns a small group of students from an all-female college who vanish, along with a chaperone, while on a St. Valentine’s Day outing. Less a mystery than a journey into the mystic, as well as an inquiry into issues of class and sexual repression in Australian society, Weir’s gorgeous, disquieting film is a work of poetic horror whose secrets haunt viewers to this day.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

  • New 4K digital restoration, supervised and approved by director Peter Weir and director of photography Russell Boyd, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
  • One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
  • Interview with Weir
  • Program on the making of the film, featuring interviews with executive producer Patricia Lovell, producers Hal McElroy and Jim McElroy, and cast members
  • Introduction by film scholar David Thomson, author of The New Biographical Dictionary of Film
  • On-set documentary hosted by Lovell and featuring interviews with Weir, actor Rachel Roberts, and source-novel author Joan Lindsay
  • Homesdale (1971), a black comedy by Weir
  • Trailer
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • PLUS: An essay by author Megan Abbott and an excerpt from film scholar Marek Haltof’s 1996 book Peter Weir: When Cultures Collide

    Cover by Eric Skillman

Mathieu Kassovitz's La haine is also getting a 4K UHD Blu-ray upgrade. Look for that in stores on April 2.

La haine
The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray 

La haine - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - The Criterion Collection 

Mathieu Kassovitz took the film world by storm with La haine, a gritty, unsettling, and visually explosive look at the racial and cultural volatility in modern-day France, specifically the low-income banlieue districts on Paris’s outskirts. Aimlessly passing their days in the concrete environs of their dead-end suburbia, Vinz (Vincent Cassel), Hubert (Hubert Koundé), and Saïd (Saïd Taghmaoui)—Jewish, African, and Arab, respectively—give human faces to France’s immigrant populations, their bristling resentment at their marginalization slowly simmering until it reaches a climactic boiling point. A work of tough beauty, La haine is a landmark of 1990s French cinema and a gripping reflection of its country’s ongoing identity crisis.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

  • New 4K digital master, supervised by director of photography Pierre Aïm and approved by director Mathieu Kassovitz, with 2.0 and 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks
  • One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
  • Audio commentary by Kassovitz
  • Introduction by actor Jodie Foster
  • Ten Years of “La haine,” a documentary featuring cast and crew members
  • Featurette on the film’s banlieue setting
  • Production footage
  • Deleted and extended scenes, with an afterword by Kassovitz
  • Behind-the-scenes photos
  • Trailers
  • PLUS: An essay by film scholar Ginette Vincendeau and a 2006 appreciation by filmmaker Costa-Gavras

    Cover by Neil Kellerhouse

The only Blu-ray solo release is Dogfight from filmmaker Nancy Savoca arriving on April 30.

Dogfight
The Criterion Collection 

Dogfight - The Criterion Collection 

An ineffably bittersweet portrait of youth in the 1960s, Nancy Savoca’s funny, sensitive tale of love and war etches two vividly alive characters: aspiring San Francisco folk singer Rose (Lili Taylor) and hotheaded, Vietnam-bound marine Eddie (River Phoenix), who meet on the occasion of a cruelly misogynistic party where men compete to bring the most unattractive dates they can find. But what begins as a night to forget unexpectedly develops into something far more meaningful. Featuring music by folk legends Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and Pete Seeger, Dogfight captures the miracle of human connection while gracefully subverting ideas surrounding machismo, patriotic duty, and the very meaning of America itself.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

  • New 2K digital restoration, supervised by director Nancy Savoca, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
  • Audio commentary featuring Savoca and producer Richard Guay
  • New interview with Savoca and actor Lili Taylor conducted by filmmaker Mary Harron
  • New interviews with cinematographer Bobby Bukowski, production designer Lester Cohen, script supervisor Mary Cybulski, music supervisor Jeff Kimball, supervising sound editor Tim Squyres, and editor John Tintori
  • Trailer
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • PLUS: An essay by film critic Christina Newland

    New cover inspired by an original theatrical poster

Agnes Hranitzky & Béla Tarr's Werckmeister Harmonies will be available on 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray. The release date is April 16.

Werckmeister Harmonies
The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Werckmeister Harmonies - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - The Criterion Collection 

This mesmeric parable of societal collapse is an enigma of transcendent visual, philosophical, and mystical resonance. Adapted from a novel by László Krasznahorkai, Werckmeister Harmonies unfolds in an unknown time in an unnamed village, where, one day, a mysterious circus—complete with an enormous stuffed whale and a shadowy, demagogue-like figure known as the Prince—arrives and appears to awaken a kind of madness in the citizens that builds inexorably toward violence. In thirty-nine hypnotic long takes engraved in ghostly black and white, auteur Béla Tarr and codirector-editor Ágnes Hranitzky conjure an apocalyptic vision of dreamlike dread and fathomless beauty.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

  • New 4K digital restoration, supervised and approved by director Béla Tarr, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
  • One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
  • Family Nest (1979), Tarr’s first feature film
  • New interview with Tarr by film critic Scott Foundas
  • New English subtitle translation
  • PLUS: An essay by film programmer and critic Dennis Lim

    New cover by Polly Dedman

And last but not least is Mikhail Kalatozov’s I Am Cuba arriving on 4K UHD Blu-ray. A Blu-ray edition will be also be available, and both editions hit stores on April 23.

I Am Cuba
The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

I Am Cuba - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - The Criterion Collection 

Both a landmark of radical political cinema and one of the most visually ravishing films ever made, this legendary hymn to revolution shimmers across the screen like a fever dream of rebellion. The result of an extraordinarily ambitious collaboration between the Soviet and Cuban film industries, director Mikhail Kalatozov’s I Am Cuba unfolds in four explosive vignettes that capture Cuban life on the brink of transformation, as crushing economic exploitation and inequality give way to a working-class uprising. Backed by Carlos Fariñas’s stirring score, the dazzling camera work by Sergei Urusevsky—an inspiration for generations of filmmakers to follow—gives flight to the movie’s message of liberation.

4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

  • New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
  • One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
  • “I Am Cuba,” the Siberian Mammoth, a 2004 documentary on the making of the film featuring key participants
  • Interview from 2003 with filmmaker Martin Scorsese
  • New appreciation of the film by cinematographer Bradford Young
  • Trailer
  • Alternate Russian-dubbed soundtrack
  • New English subtitle translation
  • PLUS: An essay by film critic Juan Antonio García Borrero

    New cover by Century

Pre-orders should be available in the coming days 

Blitz Bazawule's The Color Purple (2023) on 4K & Blu-ray Arriving March 12th - Preorder Now!

Warner Brothers' 2023 The Color Purple based on Alice Walker's acclaimed novel as well as the hit musical stage play will be available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray on March 12. The film will also be ready to own digitally on January 16.

Torn apart from her sister Nettie (Halle Bailey) and her children, Celie (Fantasia Barrino in her major motion picture debut, reprising her 2005 role from Broadway) faces many hardships in her life, including an abusive husband simply called Mister (Colman Domingo). With the support of sultry singer Shug Avery (Taraji P. Henson) and stand-her-ground stepdaughter Sofia (Danielle Brooks, Tony-nominated for the role on Broadway), Celie ultimately finds extraordinary strength in the unbreakable bonds of a new kind of sisterhood.

The Color Purple (2023) - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray 

The Color Purple (2023) - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray 

The Color Purple (2023) - Blu-ray 

The Color Purple (2023) 

Both Blu-ray editions feature Dolby Atmos soundtracks and bonus materials are as follows: 

“The Color Purple” Premium Digital Ownership, 4K UHD and Blu-ray contain the following special features:  

  • Creating The Color Purple: A Bold New Take on the Beloved Classic
    • Join the director, Blitz Bazawule, filmmakers and cast on their high-stakes, high intensity, heart-stopping, and awe-inspiring odyssey to bring Alice Walker’s beloved novel to life.
  • Hell Yes! The Iconic Characters of The Color Purple
    • The cast, producer Oprah Winfrey, and director Blitz Bazawule explore the characters – their personalities and intricate interpersonal dynamics, as well as their relatability and lasting impact – and how the actors connected and grew as performers.
  • In The Flow: Creating The Color Purple’s Biggest Musical Moments
    • Rehearsal footage reveals what it took director Blitz Bazawule, producer Scott Sanders, Quincy Jones, the cast, and the music team to push through the stumbles and missteps and hone all the rough edges to get each musical number exactly right.
  • A Story For Me: The Legacy of The Color Purple
    • The cast and filmmakers discuss the importance of Alice Walker’s novel – its timelessness and how it has touched so many, from book to landmark 1985 film to 2005 Broadway musical – and what it means for them to be a part of this bold new film.

Pre-orders for The Color Purple (2023) are live and hit stores on March 12th

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