Posted Sun Sep 17, 2023 at 10:00 AM PDT by D. LaFontaine
There is little doubt that Disney's live-action release of The Little Mermaid will dominate the charts this week, but there are plenty of other catalog and semi-new release upgraded titles to choose from as well.
Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 16 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of September 17th - September 23rd, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
As mentioned on the lead-in, Disney's live-action release of The Little Mermaid will dominate the charts this week, where will you be buying yours? Disney is following their strange Strange World model on this one again, which means the standard edition release is presently a Disney Movie Club Exclusive until some date further out, Cinderella was a DMC exclusive for four months, Strange World still is. Fret not though, there are other options available (just like Strange World had), look for either/both a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook Edition as well as a Walmart Exclusive Edition. Once again, absent from this category is a Target Exclusive Edition. Back in the day, their gallery books and art cards were something to look forward to. Hello, Target, are you listening?
4K upgrades for somewhat new titles, first from Universal Cocaine Bear gets 4K physical release. You're welcome by the way! I did not think this would get a domestic release so I imported it. Based on the source material, your biggest bang will come from the HDR aspect of it.
And LionsGate and A24's Fall gets a Best Buy Exclusive 4K SteelBook as well.
Whether you file this under B or under L on your video wall, Sony releases a SteelBook of Berry Gordy's The Last Dragon. I go with L, there was no Bruce Lee movie or any other film to be confused with here.
From Warner Bros, William Friedkin's The Exorcist gets two minimalist releases with a Standard Edition and a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook Edition. Again, the UK gets far superior editions with much better cover arts. Can someone from Warner Bros please explain the US strategy here? Hideous covers, minimal special features, no swag.
From Shout! Factory, The Lost City of Z.
Before The Ring, there was Ringu (Japan), and Arrow Video has it in 4K this week. You can also opt for an Arrow Store Exclusive Edition if you wish.
And in closing the 4K category this week, The Trial (1962) gets a Criterion Collection release this week.
Next week, another Disney repeat with Elemental getting the same type 4K releases as Strange World and The Little Mermaid, Natural Born, Jack Ryan, Carlito, Psycho and Wicker Man imports and more.
Blu-ray counterparts of the 4K titles above includes The Little Mermaid, available as a standard edition, a two-film collection, and Criterion also offers up a blu-ray of The Trial (1962).
We get to recharge our wallets in the blu-ray category this week, next week though is a very different story.
A drama/romance from LionsGate titled Past Lives is available this week.
Anime highlights include AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline: The Complete Season, Girls Und Panzer (TV Series + OVA) Collection and Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World - Season 2, available as a Standard Edition and a Limited Edition.
Is this one so bad it's good? Gravitas Ventures is releasing Slotherhouse to audiences this week. Am I steering you wrong to even consider this one?
Honorable Mention: Mill Creek offers Director Spotlight: Kevin MacDonald which includes State of Play and Black Sea. Both these films have been out of print for awhile and considerably more expensive to purchase.
Next week, look out, a very active week for the blu-ray category.
No major announcements per se, but we do have something to cover. Check out our disc round up summary for more fun stuff.
The Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection Vol. 3 will be released October 31.
StudioCanal (UK) will have Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai in 4K on October 23rd. No word on a US release yet but it's likely coming, just from which label?
Which titles are you buying this week? Which ones are on your wishlist, be it to buy as an impulse buy or to wait for the right price?
The latest news on all things 4K Ultra HD, blu-ray and Gear.