Warner Brothers sets The Maltese Falcon and Cool Hand Luke on 4K UHD on April 4th with Rebel Without a Cause following on April 18th.

Best Buy Exclusive Steelbooks for at least Cool Hand Look and Rebel Without A Cause are up for pre-order!

The Maltese Falcon - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Academy Award® winner Humphrey Bogart stars in this classic film noir as tough San Francisco private detective Sam Spade in the classic, convoluted story of Spade's involvement with a deadly band of international thieves who will lie, double cross and murder to obtain a small, jewel-encrusted statue known as The Maltese Falcon. Sam Spade's (Bogart) partner, Miles Archer (Jerome Cowan), accepts a job protecting a young woman (Mary Astor). Neither Spade nor Archer believe the woman or the story she tells them, but they do believe her money. Then, when Archer is murdered, Spade's search for the killer drags him in the web of lies and death spun by the desperate people seeking The Maltese Falcon.

The 1941 film is directed by John Huston in his directorial debut. The screenplay is by Huston and is based on the 1930 novel by Dashiell Hammett. The film stars Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George, Peter Lorre, Barton MacLane, Lee Patrick, and Sydney Greenstreet.  

The Maltese Falcon was nominated for three Academy Awards® for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Sydney Greenstreet) and Best Adapted Screenplay (John Huston). Considered one of the greatest films of all time, it was one of the first 25 films selected by the Library of Congress to be included in the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." 

The Maltese Falcon Ultra HD Blu-ray contains the following previously released special features:

• Commentary by Eric Lax
• “Warner Night at the Movies”
• “Sergeant York” Trailer
• “New Highlights of the Roosevelt Churchill Parley” (newsreel)
• “The Gay Parisian” (1941 WB short)
• “Meet John Doughboy” (1941 WB cartoon)
• The Maltese Falcon: One Magnificent Brid
• Becoming Attractions: The Trailers of Humphrey Bogart
• Breakdowns of 1941 (WB short)
• Make-up Tests
• 2/8/43 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast
• 9/20/43 Screen Guild Theater Broadcast
• 7/3/46 Academy Award Theater Broadcast
• Trailers
• 1936 “Satan Met a Lady”
• 1941 “The Maltese Falcon”

In the UK a SteelBook option is available, we just haven't seen it pop up stateside at Best Buy yet, when/if they add it we'll update our listings.

Cool Hand Luke - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Academy Award® winner Paul Newman stars with George Kennedy in this story of a man who will not surrender to authority--even at the cost of his life. When Luke Jackson (Newman) is sentenced to a Southern prison for a minor infraction, his intelligence, calm under pressure and inability to accept defeat soon gain him the respect of his fellow inmates on the chain gang--and the nickname Cool Hand Luke. But they also earn Luke the enmity of the warden, who cannot allow any inmate to challenge his authority. When Luke's mother dies, he decides to escape ... and he will not allow anyone to stop him.

The 1967 film is directed by Stuart Rosenberg.  The screenplay is by Donn Pearse and Frank R. Pierson and is based on the Pearce’s 1965 novel of the same name. The film is produced by Gordon Carroll and stars Paul Newman, George Kennedy, J.D. Canon, Robert Drivas, Lou Antonio, Strother Martin, and Jo Van Fleet.

Cool Hand Luke was nominated for four Academy Awards® for Best Actor (Paul Newman), Best Supporting Actor (George Kennedy) and Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium (Don Pearce and Frank Pierson) and Best Original Music Score (Lalo Schifrin) and won for Best Support Supporting Actor.

Cool Hand Luke Ultra HD Blu-ray contains the following previously released special features:

• Commentary by Eric Lax
• “A Natural-Born World-Shaker: Making Cool Hand Luke” (featurette)
• Trailer

 Cool Hand Luke - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook)

Rebel Without a Cause - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

The 1955 film is directed by Nicholas Ray from a story by Ray, a screenplay by Stewart Stern, and an adaptation by Irving Shulman. It is produced by David Weisbart and James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, Jim Backus, Ann Doran, Corey Allen, and William Hopper.

In 1990, Rebel Without a Cause was added to the Library of Congress's National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant." 

Rebel Without a Cause Ultra HD Blu-ray contains the following previously released special features:

• Commentary Douglas L. Rathgeb
• “James Dean Remembered” (1974 TV special)
• “Rebel Without a Cause: Defiant Innocents” (featurette)
• “Dennis Hopper: Memories from the Warner Lot” (featurette)
• Screen Tests
• Wardrobe Tests
• Deleted Scenes

Rebel Without a Cause - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook)

All of these are ready to pre-order! Thank you in advance for your pre-orders, they really do go a long way toward keeping our little operation up and running.

The next animated DC movie based on the comic book story by Mike Mignola, Richard Pace and Troy Nixey will be available on Digital, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on March 28.

Inspired by the comic book series by Mike Mignola, Richard Pace and Troy Nixey, Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham is a 1920s-based tale that finds explorer Bruce Wayne accidentally unleashing an ancient evil, expediting his return to Gotham City after a two-decade hiatus. The logic/science-driven Batman must battle Lovecraftian supernatural forces threatening the sheer existence of Gotham, along the way being aided and confronted by reimagined versions of his well-known allies and enemies, including Green Arrow, Ra’s al Ghul, Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, Two-Face, James Gordon and Bruce’s beloved wards. Prepare for a mystical, often terrifying Batman adventure unlike any other.

The press release for this latest DC Animated adventure didn't list any A/V specs but we've reached out for more details and will update our listings as soon as we know more. 

Batman: Shadows of Gotham (New Featurette) – An examination of themes of existential dread in a world drenched in gothic overtones that combine to create one of Batman’s most unique adventures. 

Audio Commentary – Filmmakers and storytellers, including producer/co-director Sam Liu and screenwriter Jase Ricci, take in all the gothic horror and intrigue of Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham.

Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham - Blu-ray
 

Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Pre-orders should be available soon and the Blu-ray has MSRP of $29.98 and the 4K UHD is $39.98. Here is the full press release:

MIKE MIGNOLA’S EPIC TALE PITS THE DARK KNIGHT

AGAINST SUPERNATURAL FORCES IN A NEW DC ANIMATED MOVIE.

PURCHASE DIGITALLY AND 4K ULTRA HD^TM & BLU-RAY^TM DISC

ON MARCH 28

BURBANK, CA (January 19, 2023) – Batman’s rational mind and unparalleled fighting skills are put to the ultimate test when an ancient force threatens his world and everyone he holds dear in Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham, available to purchase Digitally and on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Blu-ray on March 28, 2023 from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment. The all-new, feature-length DC Animated Movie puts Batman up against Lovecraftian supernatural forces threatening the sheer existence of Gotham as he’s aided and confronted along the way by reimagined versions of his well-known allies and enemies, including Green Arrow, Ra’s al Ghul, Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, Two-Face, James Gordon and more. 

David Giuntoli (Grimm, A Million Little Things) reprises his Batman: Soul of the Dragon role as the voice of the Dark Knight in this all-new 1920s-based DC Elseworlds tale. Tati Gabrielle (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Uncharted) makes her DC animated debut as Kai Li Cain, Batman’s closest ally.

Elevating the action and drama are DC animation veterans Christopher Gorham (The Lincoln Lawyer, Insatiable) as Oliver Queen, Patrick Fabian (Better Call Saul) as Harvey Dent, John DiMaggio (Futurama, Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire) as James Gordon, and David Dastmalchian (Dune, The Suicide Squad, Ant-Man) as Grendon.

Rounding out the cast is Gideon Adlon (Legion of Super-Heroes) as Oracle, Karan Brar (Jessie, Diary of a Wimpy Kid franchise) as Sanjay “Jay” Tawde, Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator, The Frighteners) as Kirk Langstrom, Darin De Paul (Mortal Kombat Legends & Overwatch franchises) as Thomas Wayne, Brian George (Seinfeld) as Alfred, Jason Marsden (Young Justice, A Goofy Movie) as Dick Grayson & Young Bruce Wayne, Navid Negahban (Homeland, The Cleaning Lady) as Ra’s al Ghul, Emily O’Brien (Days of Our Lives) as Talia al Ghul & Martha Wayne, Tim Russ (Star Trek: Voyager) as Lucius Fox, William Salyers (The Regular Show) as Cobbelpot & Professor Manfurd, and Matthew Waterson (The Croods: Family Tree) as Jason Blood/Etrigan.

Sam Liu (The Death and Return of Superman) fills the dual role of producer and co-director of Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham, working closely with co-director Christopher Berkeley (Young Justice) to bring to animated life the script from screenwriter Jase Ricci (Teen Titans Go! and DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse). Producers are Jim Krieg (Batman: Gotham by Gaslight) and Kimberly S. Moreau (Legion of Super-Heroes). Executive Producer is Michael Uslan. Sam Register is Executive Producer.

Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham will be available on March 28 to purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more. 4K Ultra HD and Blu-Ray Discs will be available to purchase online and in-store at major retailers. Pre-order your copy now.

SYNOPSIS:

Inspired by the comic book series by Mike Mignola, Richard Pace and Troy Nixey, Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham is a 1920s-based tale that finds explorer Bruce Wayne accidentally unleashing an ancient evil, expediting his return to Gotham City after a two-decade hiatus. The logic/science-driven Batman must battle Lovecraftian supernatural forces threatening the sheer existence of Gotham, along the way being aided and confronted by reimagined versions of his well-known allies and enemies, including Green Arrow, Ra’s al Ghul, Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, Two-Face, James Gordon and Bruce’s beloved wards. Prepare for a mystical, often terrifying Batman adventure unlike any other.

SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE:

Batman: Shadows of Gotham (New Featurette) – An examination of themes of existential dread in a world drenched in gothic overtones that combine to create one of Batman’s most unique adventures. 

Audio Commentary – Filmmakers and storytellers, including producer/co-director Sam Liu and screenwriter Jase Ricci, take in all the gothic horror and intrigue of Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham.

Pricing and film information:

PRODUCT                                                                             SRP

Digital purchase                                                                      $19.99

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack + Digital Version*             $39.99 USA

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack                                         $44.98 Canada

Blu-ray + Digital Version*                                                      $29.98 USA    

Blu-ray                                                                                   $39.99 Canada

4K/Blu-ray Languages: English, Spanish, French

Blu-ray Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Running Time: 90 minutes

Rated PG-13 for some strong violence, disturbing images, language and brief partial nudity    

*Digital version not available in Canada

About Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment
Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment (WBDHE) distributes the award-winning movies, television, animation, and digital content produced by Warner Bros. Discovery to the homes and screens of millions through physical Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD retail sales and digital transactions on major streaming, video-on-demand cable, satellite, digital, and mobile channels.  WBDHE is part of Warner Bros. Discovery Content Sales, one of the world’s largest distributors of entertainment programming.

About DC
DC, part of Warner Bros. Discovery, creates iconic characters and enduring stories and is one of the world’s largest publishers of comics and graphic novels. DC’s creative work entertains audiences of every generation around the world with DC’s stories and characters integrated across Warner Bros. Discovery’s film, television, animation, consumer products, home entertainment, games, and themed experiences divisions, and on the DC Universe Infinite digital comic subscription service. Learn more at DC.com

About Warner Bros. Animation
arner Bros. Animation (WBA) is one of the leading producers of animation in the entertainment industry, producing and developing projects for multiple platforms, both domestically and internationally. WBA’s current series include Animaniacs for Hulu, Batwheels, Bugs Bunny Builders, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Harley Quinn, Jellystone!,Looney Tunes Cartoons, My Adventures with Superman, Noonan’s, Tiny Toons Looniversity, Tom and Jerry Time, Tom and Jerry in New York, and Velma for HBO Max, Teen Titans Go! for Cartoon Network. The studio is currently in production with New Line Cinema on the upcoming original anime feature film, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.  WBA’s full-length theatrical film, Teen Titans GO! to the Movies, was released in summer 2018. As home to the iconic animated characters from the DC, Hanna-Barbera, MGM and Looney Tunes libraries, WBA also produces highly successful animated films — including the DC Universe Movies — for DVD, Blu-ray^® and digital media. One of the most-honored animation studios in history, WBA has won six Academy Awards®, 40 Emmy® Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, a BAFTA Children’s Award, an Environmental Media Award, a Parents’ Choice Award, the HUMANITAS Prize, two Prism Awards and 21 Annie Awards (honoring excellence in animation).

© Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. BATMAN and all related characters and elements are © & TM DC.

It's not an April Fool's joke - Criterion's April releases include three 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray of titles. The titles include: The Fisher King (4K UHD Blu-ray), The Seventh Seal (4K UHD), Small Axe - Five Films by Steve McQueen (Blu-ray), and Triangle of Sadness (both 4K UHD and Blu-ray).

Up first on April 11 comes Terry Gilliam's The Fisher King starring Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams. 

The Fisher King - The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

A fairy tale grounded in poignant reality, Terry Gilliam’s magnificent, Manhattan-set The Fisher King features Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams in two of their most brilliant roles. Bridges plays a former radio shock jock reconstructing his life after a scandal, and Williams a homeless man on a quest for the Holy Grail—which he believes to be hidden somewhere on the Upper East Side. Unknowingly linked by their pasts, the two men aid each other on a fanciful journey toward their own humanity. This singular American odyssey features a witty script by Richard LaGravenese, evocative cinematography by Roger Pratt, and superb supporting performances by Amanda Plummer and an Oscar-winning Mercedes Ruehl, all harnessed by Gilliam into a compassionate, funny modern-day myth.

 1991 • 138 minutes • Color • 5.1 surround • 1.85:1 aspect ratio

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

• New 4K digital restoration, approved by director Terry Gilliam, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack

• One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features

• Audio commentary featuring Gilliam

• Interviews with Gilliam, producer Lynda Obst, screenwriter Richard LaGravenese, and actors Jeff Bridges, Amanda Plummer, and Mercedes Ruehl

• Interviews with artists Keith Greco and Vincent Jefferds on the creation of the film’s Red Knight

• Interview from 2006 with actor Robin Williams

• Video essay featuring Bridges’s on-set photographs

• Footage from 1991 of Bridges training as a radio personality with acting coach Stephen W. Bridgewater

• Deleted scenes, with audio commentary by Gilliam

• Costume tests

• Trailers

• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

• PLUS: An essay by critic Bilge Ebiri

 Next on April 18, Ingmar Bergman's classic tale The Seventh Seal starring Max von Sydow gets a 4K upgrade as well. 

The Seventh Seal - The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray 

Returning exhausted from the Crusades to find medieval Sweden gripped by the Plague, a knight (Max von Sydow) suddenly comes face-to-face with the hooded figure of Death, and challenges him to a game of chess. As the fateful game progresses, and the knight and his squire encounter a gallery of outcasts from a society in despair, Ingmar Bergman mounts a profound inquiry into the nature of faith and the torment of mortality. One of the most influential films of its time, The Seventh Seal is a stunning allegory of man’s search for meaning and a work of stark visual poetry.

 1957 • 97 minutes • Black & White • Monaural • In Swedish with English subtitles • 1.37:1 aspect ratio

4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack 

• One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features

• Introduction from 2003 by director Ingmar Bergman

• Audio commentary and video afterword by Bergman expert Peter Cowie

• Bergman Island (2006), a feature-length documentary on Bergman by Marie Nyreröd

• Audio interview from 1998 with actor Max von Sydow

• Tribute to Bergman from 1989 by filmmaker Woody Allen

• Bergman 101, a selected video filmography tracing Bergman’s career, narrated by Cowie 

• Trailer

• Optional English-dubbed soundtrack

• PLUS: An essay by critic Gary Giddins

 Arriving on April 25 comes Small Axe - a collection of five films by Steve McQueen only on Blu-ray. 

Small Axe - Five Films by Steve McQueen 

With the five films that make up his Small Axe anthology, director Steve McQueen offers a richly evocative panorama of West Indian life in London from the 1960s through the ’80s—a time defined for the community by the terror of police violence, the empowering awakening of political consciousness, and the ecstatic escape of a vibrant reggae scene. Ranging in tone from the tenderly impressionistic to the devastatingly clear-eyed, these powerfully performed portraits of Black resistance, joy, creativity, and collective action—all sumptuously shot by Shabier Kirchner—form a revolutionary counterhistory of mid-twentieth-century Britain at a transformational moment.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED THREE-BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• New high-definition masters of all five films, approved by director Steve McQueen, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks

• New conversation between McQueen and writer and professor Paul Gilroy

• Behind-the-scenes featurettes including interviews with McQueen, executive producer Tracey Scoffield, writing consultant Alex Wheatle, and members of the Small Axe cast

• Uprising (2021), a three-part documentary codirected by McQueen and James Rogan about the tragic 1981 New Cross house fire

• Audio conversation among McQueen, music producer Dennis Bovell, and Beastie Boys member Mike D

• Trailers

• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

• PLUS: An essay by film programmer and critic Ashley Clark

 MANGROVE

 Steve McQueen’s multistrand anthology of West Indian immigrant life in London opens in the late 1960s with this stirring ensemble film. In a Caribbean restaurant, a group of Black activists, intellectuals, and ordinary people converge and unite in struggle against incessant police harassment, leading to an explosive showdown on the streets and a courtroom drama that challenges the racist power structures of British society. Based on real events, this is a passionate vision of community as a form of resistance, performed by a dynamic cast (led by Shaun Parkes, Letitia Wright, and Malachi Kirby) and bolstered by McQueen’s eye for vivid sensory detail.

2020 • 133 minutes • Color/B&W • 5.1 surround • 2.39:1 aspect ratio

LOVERS ROCK 

Suffused with the intoxicating sounds of reggae, dub, and lovers rock, the second installment in Steve McQueen’s Small Axe series unfolds over the course of one rapturous night into dawn in early-1980s West London, as a young woman (the luminous Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn) sneaks out to attend a house party. As the alternately languorous and ecstatic rhythms pulse from a homemade sound system, romance sparks on the dance floor, small human dramas play out, and, for a moment, this gathering is a safe haven from the outside world. Aided by the sensuous cinematography of Shabier Kirchner, McQueen captures an exhilarating expression of Black joy in a society often intent on stifling it.

2020 • 73 minutes • Color/B&W • 5.1 surround • 1.78:1 aspect ratio

RED, WHITE AND BLUE

Both a hard-hitting indictment of structural injustice and a penetrating portrait of a complex man, Red, White and Blueboasts a passionate, multilayered performance from John Boyega as Leroy Logan, a Black research scientist whose decision to join the notoriously racist London police force, in hopes of reforming it from the inside, brings him into conflict with his family, community, and very sense of self. Based on a true story, this nuanced exploration of Margaret Thatcher–era racial tensions powerfully portrays the psychic struggle of a lone man going up against a system designed to crush him.

2020 • 84 minutes • Color • 5.1 surround • 1.85:1 aspect ratio

ALEX WHEATLE

An intimate account of a decisive moment in British history unfolds via the true story of one man’s awakening Black consciousness. Raised in cold, oppressive children’s homes that have left him estranged from his West Indian roots, the eponymous orphan Alex Wheatle (Sheyi Cole) gradually finds his voice as an artist, activist, and writer on the streets of Brixton—a transformation that intersects with the 1981 uprising in which the neighborhood’s mainly Black youth erupt in protest against police violence. Interwoven with the vibrant reggae that inspired its subject’s journey, Alex Wheatlecrackles with the heady political and cultural energy of a singular time and place.

2020 • 69 minutes • Color • 5.1 surround • 2.00:1 aspect ratio

EDUCATION

A Black boy’s journey through an ineffectual public school system reveals the racial inequities built into everyday British life. Young Kingsley Smith (Kenyah Sandy) is a spirited aspiring astronaut with a love of drawing whose life is turned upside down when he is thrust into a new school for the “educationally subnormal”—a harrowing experience that gradually awakens his mother (Sharlene Whyte) to the institutional mistreatment of the children of West Indian immigrants. Shot on Super 16 mm to evoke BBC television dramas from the 1970s, the final Small Axe film concludes the pentalogy with a hopeful vision of the power of Black-led collective action.

2020 • 66 minutes • Color • 5.1 surround • 1.66:1 aspect ratio

 And finally, also due on April 25 comes Ruben Östlund's Palme d’Or–winner Triangle of Sadness on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. 

Triangle of Sadness - The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray 

Master of social discomfort Ruben Östlund trains his unsparing lens on the world of wealth, beauty, and privilege in this audacious, Palme d’Or–winning satire of our status-obsessed culture. A model-influencer couple (Harris Dickinson and Charlbi Dean) get a ticket to the luxe life when they’re invited aboard an all-expenses-paid cruise alongside a coterie of the rich and ghoulish—but an act of fate turns their Insta-perfect world upside down. Pushing each provocative set piece to its outré extreme, Östlund maps the shifting social hierarchies with the irreverence of a modern-day Luis Buñuel and the incisiveness of a cinematic anthropologist.

2022 • 147 minutes • Color • 5.1 surround • 2.35:1 aspect ratio

DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• New 4K digital master, approved by director Ruben Östlund, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack

• In the 4K UHD edition: One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features

• New interview with Östlund and filmmaker and actor Johan Jonason

• Two new programs: one about the film’s special effects and one about a challenging day on set 

• Trailer

• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing 

As usual with The Criterion Collection, preorders should be available within the next few days - Happy Collecting!

If you missed out on Turbine Medien's excellent 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook releases, fear not, now you can get all of the same great content and artwork in new deluxe Mediabook packaging!

Now the good news for you collectors out there that already picked up the SteelBook Slipcase editions from last year, there's nothing new here to force you into making another purchase of Tobe Hooper's horror classic. You're getting the same great Dolby Vision transfer with the same great Atmos and Auro 13 audio tracks and 65-page booklet (in German), with extra discs of bonus content. Read our review here

With that - Second Sight and Dark Sky Films will also have their own releases of Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chain Saw Massacre later this year. We aim to review those as soon as they're available - but this release is a very good option. The Dolby Vision transfer sourced from the original 16mm negative is first rate and the Atmos is pretty slick. And for those not rigged up for Atmos or Auro 3D, there are legacy audio tracks as well.

Here are the new Mediabooks:

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Turbine Mediabook French Cover

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Turbine Mediabook US Artwork

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Turbine Mediabook US Video Artwork

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Turbine Mediabook Jason Edmiston Cover

If fancy packaging isn't your thing, a standard release is also available:

Texas Chainsaw Massacre
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - Standard Edition 

Here's all the gory details of each set:

4K Restoration from 16mm Negative - Featuring HDR + Dolby Vision for the first time on Ultra HD Blu-ray

In 1974, writer, director and producer Tobe Hooper unleashed his dark vision upon mankind - a story about five young friends whose innocent journey to... turns into a nightmare on a summer afternoon. The film was labeled perverse and glorified violence, was banned in many countries and, at the time, was only recognized by the bravest critics as the film that redefined horror. The Texas Bloody Judgment divided, shocked and stunned audiences around the world, set a benchmark in its genre, set a new course and made Leatherface a horror icon

Language / Sound: German Auro-3D 13.1, German Dolby Atmos, German DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0, English Auro-3D 13.1, English Dolby Atmos, English DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0, English DTS 2.0 Stereo, German DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 Surround, German DTS 2.0 Mono, English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 Surround, English DTS 2.0 Stereo, DTS 2.0 Mono
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 (2160p24) - 4K Ultra HD with HDR10 / Dolby Vision, 1.85: 1 (1080p24 Full HD)
Subtitles: Main film: German for the hearing impaired, German, English - Audio comments: German
Running time: 84 minutes

Bonus material:
+ 64-page booklet by Tobias Hohmann about the history of the creation and the franchise
+ four audio comments by cast, director, cameraman , editor and sound engineer
+ Documentaries and interviews The chainsaw business: From grandfather's sewing box, The chainsaw cut, The hallowed ground of horror
+ Documentaries: TCM - A Family Portrait - The Shocking - Truth, Flesh Wounds and Off the Hook
+ A tour of the TCM house with Gunnar Hansen
+ Removed Scenes and Outtakes
+ The Shocking Truth Outtakes
+ 40th Anniversary Trailer, Cinema Trailer (USA, D), US TV & Radio Spots

The bonus material has optional German subtitles and is partly in SD.

If you love classic movies and have been waiting - and waiting - to enjoy them in the splendor of 4K UHD, 2022 was your year. After tantalizing fans with a few isolated releases over the past few years (Universal led the way with its superior Alfred Hitchcock and Classic Monsters Icons of Horror collections, while Warner’s eye-popping edition of The Wizard of Oz, Paramount’s sumptuous My Fair Lady, and Sony's Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection, Volume 1 and Volume 2 earned well-deserved plaudits), many studios - big and small - at last fully embraced the idea of presenting classics in 4K in 2022. All I can say is, it’s about time!

And while I know it takes time to get these cinematic gems restored and remastered so they'll hold up under the unforgiving 4K microscope, I also believe studios don't prioritize even the most renowned films of the 1930s, ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s when a new format debuts. Classics took forever to arrive on DVD, Blu-ray, and 3D, and 4K UHD was no exception. In fact, the Ultra High-Def wait was so interminable, many rabid fans like myself began to wonder if any classics ever would be released in the format at all. Would the high cost of remastering, painstaking restoration process, and smaller market share prevent studios from adding classics to their 4K catalogues, especially when so many classic titles had yet to even enjoy a Blu-ray release?

Thankfully, no. After Criterion finally waded into the 4K classic waters with Citizen Kane and The Red Shoes late last year, Kino Lorber grabbed the baton and ran with it. Their Studio Classics line unveiled a plethora of excellent 4K UHD releases in 2022, and though major studios like Warner, Sony, Paramount, and Universal couldn’t match Kino’s output, the quality of their releases remained stellar. While Criterion continues to produce 4K UHD discs, its slate of Golden Age classics in the format has lagged well behind Kino, much to the disappointment of classics aficionados. That said, fans of Ultra HD and Hollywood classics had a lot to smile about in 2022.

10 best 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Classic Releases of 2022

THE APARTMENT (1960) - Kino Lorber Studio Classics

What's most notable about this 4K UHD presentation of writer-director Billy Wilder's Oscar-winning comedy-drama that skewers office and sexual politics is its lack of High Dynamic Range. The Apartment is the only title in this list that isn't enhanced by either HDR or Dolby Vision, and - much to my amazement - it doesn't matter a damn. The crisp, vibrant transfer immerses us in New York's concrete corporate jungle and makes the pitch-perfect performances of Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, and Fred MacMurray resonate more strongly. The Apartment won five Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Art Direction-Set Decoration, and Editing, and was nominated for five more, and this terrific disc showcases every aspect of this funny, moving, and searing film like never before.

CASABLANCA (1942) - Warner Home Video

We waited a loooong time for this one. From the moment 4K UHD came on the scene, classic movie fans salivated at the prospect of seeing one of the all-time great movies in the format. Well, just in time for Casablanca's 80th birthday, Warner Home Video finally delivered, and the disc was worth the wait. Incredibly film-like, razor sharp, and packed with fine detail, the HDR transfer struck from a 4K 16-bit scan of the best-surviving nitrate elements outshines every other home video release of this Best Picture Oscar winner that tells arguably the most captivating World War II story in Hollywood history. Iconic images abound - Bogie in his trench coat, Bergman's watery eyes, Paul Henreid passionately singing "La Marseillaise," the sardonic Claude Rains smirking in his military finery, tubby Sydney Greenstreet cackling in his fez hat, an oily Peter Lorre squealing "Reeeeck! Reeeeck!", Dooley Wilson crooning "As Time Goes By" while tinkling the ivories... None of them have looked or sounded any better than they do here. If you have a 4K setup, you need Casablanca in Ultra High-Def in your collection.

DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944) - The Criterion Collection

"From the moment they met, it was murder." Double Indemnity is the granddaddy of all film noir thrillers and the gold standard by which countless copycats and wannabes are judged. Writer-director Billy Wilder's blistering adaptation of James M. Cain's novel about an adulterous couple who plot to bump off the woman's sour husband and collect the sizable insurance spoils never fails to cut like a knife, no matter how many times we've seen it, and it fits 4K UHD like a glove. Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, and Edward G. Robinson ignite the screen, and the inky blacks and crisp whites in Criterion's lush yet film-like Dolby Vision HDR transfer create a seductive noir mood that intensifies the sexual tension and ruthless nastiness of this irresistibly nefarious tale. Nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Actress, Screenplay, Cinematography, Sound, and Music Score, Double Indemnity remains the pinnacle of film noir, and this delectable 4K UHD rendering from Criterion allows us to savor every ferocious bite.

FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953) - Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection, Volume 3

Don't get me wrong, director Fred Zinnemann's stark, stirring adaptation of James Jones' bestselling novel about a U.S. Army outfit in Hawaii in the months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor looks fantastic in 4K UHD, but it's the Dolby Atmos soundtrack that really earns this Best Picture Oscar winner a spot on this list. A 70-year-old movie with a Dolby Atmos track??!! I couldn't believe it either, but it makes this timeless film almost feel like a contemporary release. As my colleague Matthew Hartman astutely noted in his review, don't "staple this against something like Top Gun: Maverick, that wouldn’t be a contest, but for a film of this vintage, Sony is proving with some care and attention that a massive multi-channel track can work wonders for a classic." He continues, "From grunts clacking pool cues in the officer’s club to drilling in the courtyard to the climactic surprise attack sequence, this mix is quite something. Channel spacing is pitch-perfect allowing enough activity to occupy the front, side, and rear channels and bleeding into the overheads without sounding forced, cheap, or inorganic. One could swear it was always presented in Atmos." Dolby Vision HDR also heightens the intensity of the climactic aerial attack and enhances the power of the nuanced performances of Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Frank Sinatra, and Donna Reed, all of which were nominated for Oscars. (Yes, that famous beach scene with the waves crashing over Lancaster and Kerr as they passionately embrace looks stunning, too.) For now, From Here to Eternity, which won a whopping eight Oscars and was nominated for five more, is only available as part of Sony's Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection, Volume 3, but hopefully a stand-alone release is planned.

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934) - Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection, Volume 3

One of the oldest films yet to receive the 4K UHD treatment, It Happened One Night, the first of only a handful of movies to win Oscars for Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay, is a revelation in the format. It's also Hollywood's first bona fide romantic comedy and the blueprint from which almost all subsequent romcoms have been constructed. Director Frank Capra's rollicking battle of the sexes depicts the incessant fireworks between a sassy runaway heiress (Claudette Colbert) and cocky newspaperman (Clark Gable) as they bumble and stumble their way up the East Coast, bickering and sparring before they inevitably fall in love. Though the Dolby Vision HDR transfer occasionally emphasizes the heavier grain structure of vintage films, the picture looks remarkably vivid and silky most of the time without appearing artificially enhanced. Much of It Happened One Night takes places at night, but the dense blacks don't shroud fine details and the increased clarity and contrast heighten depth. This impeccable transfer proves early films can indeed benefit from 4K UHD upgrades, and we can only hope it will inspire the release of more 1930s movies in the format. Like From Here to Eternity, It Happened One Night is only available as part of the Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection, Volume 3 for now, but it would behoove Sony to release it separately later this year.

PATHS OF GLORY (1957) - Kino Lorber Studio Classics

Stanley Kubrick fans hit the jackpot in 2022, thanks to Kino releasing three of the legendary director's early films in Ultra High-Def. Both Killer's Kiss and especially The Killing, which just missed making this list, look terrific in 4K UHD, but the crown jewel of the trio is without question Paths of Glory. One of the most realistic and devastating war movies of all time tells the true-life tale of an innocent group of World War I German soldiers who become scapegoats after a disastrous mission threatens the standing of their pompous, egomaniacal commanding officer. The dazzling Dolby Vision HDR transfer, which was struck from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, puts us in the filthy, putrid trenches and on the muddy battlefield strewn with casualties. The smoke, grit, gore, debris, exploding shells, and deafening noise are all brilliantly rendered, as are the close-ups of Kirk Douglas, who files one of his most intense and magnetic portrayals, Adolphe Menjou, George Macready, and Ralph Meeker. Paths of Glory wields immense power and Kino's 4K UHD disc provides an immersive cinematic experience that heightens the film's impact and celebrates the young Kubrick's artistry and innovation.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962) - Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

Gregory Peck won a well-deserved Best Actor Oscar for his thoughtful, measured portrayal of Atticus Finch, a small town lawyer who defends a black man against a scurrilous charge made by a white woman in director Richard Mulligan's classic adaptation of Harper Lee's immortal novel. The top-notch HDR transfer brings out all the details in the dusty, sleepy town of Maycomb, Mississippi and enhances the intimate moments that make the movie resonate. To Kill a Mockingbird is about honor, integrity, prejudice, and acceptance, and though those ideas and principles don't instantly scream 4K, they become strangely more impactful when we feel like we're in the same room and breathing the same air as the film's characters. Ultra High-Def isn't just for big-budget action blockbusters, sci-fi odysseys, and effects-laden superhero movies, and To Kill a Mockingbird, with the same quiet dignity that defines the film, proves that.

TOUCH OF EVIL (1958) - Kino Lorber Studio Classics

One of 2022's most eagerly anticipated classic releases was Kino's 4K UHD presentation of director Orson Welles' masterful film noir Touch of Evil. The gripping tale of a corrupt and vindictive cop who locks horns with a narcotics agent over a mob murder in a sleazy Mexican border town brims with Wellesian style and nail-biting tension and is buoyed by riveting performances from Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Joseph Calleia, Akim Tamiroff, Marlene Dietrich, and Welles himself. Universal mangled the movie prior to its release, prompting an irate response from Welles and two re-edited versions (one of which was created decades later) that more fully reflect his original vision. All three cuts of Touch of Evil are included in Kino's three-disc special edition, and all three boast stunning Dolby Vision HDR transfers that belie the film's difficult history. The two alternate versions look remarkably cohesive, despite the use of multiple sources, with rich blacks, palpable depth, and sublime close-ups combining to create an image that's "so immersive, so sharp, so filmic, so balanced, so impressive, and such a pleasure to watch, I can't imagine anyone with the capability to play 4K UHD discs not wanting to add this set to their collection."

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952) - Warner Home Video

Along with Casablanca, Singin' in the Rain sat atop scads of upgrade wish lists when Ultra High-Def debuted. It took a while, but in honor of the movie's 70th anniversary, Warner at last released in 4K UHD what many rightfully call the greatest musical ever made. And to quote the title song, what a glorious feeling it was! This uproarious, exhilarating, and nostalgic look at Hollywood's rocky transition from silent to sound pictures contains an array of breathtaking numbers that showcase the peerless terpsichorean talent of Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, and Cyd Charisse. The film's yummy Technicolor palette and sumptuous sets and costumes look fantastic in 4K, and the splendiferous HDR transfer boosts appreciation for not only the illustrious cast, but also MGM's entire Arthur Freed Unit, which elevated the humble musical to a lofty, sophisticated art form. As I wrote in my review, "Warner has always done Technicolor proud in its Blu-ray transfers, but the hues in this 4K UHD transfer with HDR take the cake...and make us want to eat it, too...To say [the film's] Blu-ray transfer is kind of like Kansas and the 4K UHD transfer is like Dorothy opening the door and entering Oz is a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea. Once you see Singin' in the Rain in the splendor of 4K UHD with HDR...you will never, ever watch the Blu-ray again."

SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959) - Kino Lorber Studio Classics

"You had me at Marilyn Monroe in Dolby Vision." That's how I opened my review of Kino's 4K UHD upgrade of Billy Wilder's classic cross-dressing, gender-bending screwball comedy about a couple of manic musicians (Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon) who join an all-girls band to evade the vengeful grasp of a vindictive mobster (George Raft). Monroe sparkles in this side-splitting farce, and Kino's terrific Dolby Vision HDR transfer allows us to drink in her inimitable vivacity, vulnerability, and doe-eyed allure. (It also inspires longing for Marilyn's color movies to be released in the format. C'mon Fox, get on the ball!) As I wrote in my review, "Everything that's good about [Criterion's] 2018 restoration is that much better here - heightened clarity and contrast, greater depth, denser black levels, brighter whites, and sharper fine details all enhance the incredibly film-like picture...What's so exhilarating about Kino's transfer is the way it captures, reflects, and transmits the kinetic energy that permeates almost every frame of Some Like It Hot." Few comedies are as laugh-out-loud funny, and Kino's excellent presentation ensures we'll be howling for years to come.

A few other classic titles released in 4K UHD in 2022 merit mention. Kino's Ultra High-Def upgrades of The Killing (1956), director Stanley Kubrick's gritty, mesmerizing heist flick with Sterling Hayden and Elisha Cook Jr., and In the Heat of the Night (1967), director Norman Jewison's explosive murder mystery with racial overtones with Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger, made significant splashes, as did Warner's impressive UHD presentation of Giant (1956), director George Stevens' mammoth adaptation of novelist Edna Ferber's ode to Texas starring Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, and James Dean. Even without HDR, Kino delivered an exceptional release of the iconic World War II POW epic The Great Escape to 4K Ultra HD along with the Clint Eastwood Spaghetti Westerns A Fistful of Dollars and For A Few Dollars More. With so many great releases, it's nearly impossible to catalog and rank them all, but the 10 titles above are the essentials of any growing 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray collection.

2022 was a banner year for classics in 4K UHD. And as I raise a glass to these glorious discs, here’s hoping 2023 yields an even greater bounty of classics in Ultra High-Def. We've waited long enough.

 Have you been nice this year? Did Santa bring you movies or new gear? How true they are, the "Twelve Pains of Christmas" by the talented Bob Rivers. At the close of this week, we countdown to 2023! Welcome to Volume 3 Episode 31 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of December 25th - December 31st, as well as a look at announcements from last week.

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases

 New releases this week starts out with Halloween Ends, which is available as a standard edition, a Walmart Exclusive and a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. The Zavvi cover edition comes on January 16th. You can also get the trilogy (2018 - 2022) in a single package as well.

This one surprised me a bit, when the announcement dropped there was a lot of buzz. Talking about Terrifier 2, and the only way to get the 4K is from Best Buy. This might make me have to watch the first film to see what's up.

 Kino Lorber this week has Paul Newman's 1994 film Nobody's Fool, which is based on Richard Russo's novel by the same name.

Blu-ray Releases

 Blu-ray counterparts first, and this week it means every title above. Halloween Ends, the 2018-2022 trilogy, Terrifier 2 and Nobody's Fool.

 Anime highlights include Digimon Adventure Season 1, Goodbye, Don Glees!, Lupin the 3rd Farewell to Nostradamus, Project A-ko 3, Seven Days War - Movie and She Professed Herself a Pupil of the Wise Man - The Complete Season.

 LionsGate delivers a bio/drama titled Lamborghini. Yup, it's *that* Lambo.

 Mystery behind this one, from Universal, Prancer: A Christmas Tale. This one was supposed to be released December 27th, and right up til a few days ago, it was still listed as such. Now it is listed as a release date of November 29, so, a month ago. My joke was going to be "just in time for (50% off) Christmas (sales)."

 Honorable mention: If you got Nobody's Fool because you're a Newman fan, Kino Lorber has a blu-ray of Twilight (1998) to fill your Newman library.

 If you are OK with importing, Turbine Media has Knight Rider - 40th Anniversary Edition this Friday. There are enough differences with their set (including more discs/higher bitrate) to strongly consider this one. 

Announcements from last week:

Paramount has officially announced Dragonslayer for 4K SteelBook and standard editions with a date of March 21.

4K Release Calendar

2K/BD Release Calendar

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?

Disney's 61st animated feature blasts off to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital on February 14.

Strange World introduces a legendary family of explorers, the Clades, as they attempt to navigate an uncharted, treacherous land alongside a motley crew that includes a mischievous blob called Splat; Legend, the family dog; and a slew of ravenous creatures. The voice cast includes Academy Award®*- and Tony Award®-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal as Searcher Clade, a family man who finds himself out of his element on an unpredictable mission; Emmy®- and two-time Golden Globe®-nominee Dennis Quaid as Searcher’s larger-than-life explorer father, Jaeger; comedian, actor, writer, filmmaker and musician Jaboukie Young-White as Searcher’s 16-year-old, adventure-seeking son, Ethan; actress, producer, bestselling author and TIME100 cover honoree Gabrielle Union as Meridian Clade, an accomplished pilot and Searcher’s partner in all things; and critically acclaimed actress, producer, director and fine artist Lucy Liu as Callisto Mal, Avalonia’s fearless leader who spearheads the exploration into the strange world. Helmed by director Don Hall (Oscar®-winning Big Hero 6, Raya and the Last Dragon) and co-director/writer Qui Nguyen (co-writer Raya and the Last Dragon), with Roy Conli (Oscar®-winning** Big Hero 6, Tangled) producing, Strange World is in theaters now.

The 4K UHD package includes a 4K UHD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and Digital Copy with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. The Blu-ray set will include a Digital Copy, however the cover art isn't available yet.

Strange World - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Here is the full press release:

.

“AN ENTERTAINING AND VIVID SCI-FI ADVENTURE 
FILM FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY.”

– Mark Pacis, Nerd Reactor 

Prepare for An Epic Adventure When Strange World Arrives on Digital December 23 and 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ and DVD February 14

BURBANK, CA (December 14, 2022) – Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 61^st animated feature Strange World will soon be available to audiences to enjoy at home with never-before-seen bonus features and deleted scenes. The “stunning” (Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times) family adventure arrives on all major digital platforms this holiday season on December 23 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD February 14. Strange World will also be available to Disney+ subscribers starting on December 23.

Film Synopsis

Strange World introduces a legendary family of explorers, the Clades, as they attempt to navigate an uncharted, treacherous land alongside a motley crew that includes a mischievous blob called Splat; Legend, the family dog; and a slew of ravenous creatures. The voice cast includes Academy Award®*- and Tony Award®-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal as Searcher Clade, a family man who finds himself out of his element on an unpredictable mission; Emmy®- and two-time Golden Globe®-nominee Dennis Quaid as Searcher’s larger-than-life explorer father, Jaeger; comedian, actor, writer, filmmaker and musician Jaboukie Young-White as Searcher’s 16-year-old, adventure-seeking son, Ethan; actress, producer, bestselling author and TIME100 cover honoree Gabrielle Union as Meridian Clade, an accomplished pilot and Searcher’s partner in all things; and critically acclaimed actress, producer, director and fine artist Lucy Liu as Callisto Mal, Avalonia’s fearless leader who spearheads the exploration into the strange world. Helmed by director Don Hall (Oscar®-winning** Big Hero 6, Raya and the Last Dragon) and co-director/writer Qui Nguyen (co-writer Raya and the Last Dragon), with Roy Conli (Oscar®-winning** Big Hero 6, Tangled) producing, Strange World is in theaters now.

*Best Supporting Actor, 2006    ** Best Animated Feature, 2015 

Bonus Features*

• Anatomy of a Scene: Creating A Strange World – Learn about Walt Disney Animation Studios' creative process through a single, visually stunning scene as the filmmaking team puts all of their imagination – and more – on the screen.
• Strange Science – Jaboukie Young-White (voice of Ethan Clade) hosts an exploration of how Walt Disney Animation Studios artists were inspired by real science to create Strange World.
• Creature Feature – Journey into the world beneath Avalonia and meet some of the terrifying, slimy, gassy ­– and sometimes cute – creatures that inhabit this Strange World.
• The Hidden Secrets of Strange World – Uncover the references and characters from some of your favorite Walt Disney Animation Studios films hidden throughout the film, along with some fun facts and behind–the–scenes stories of how Strange World was made.
• Outtakes – Go behind the glass as we join the cast of Strange World inside the recording booth for some fun, flubs and outtakes.

Deleted Scenes

• The Ballad of Jaeger Clade
• Lightning Lynx
• Funerals and Promises
• Ethan and Searcher

*Bonus features vary by product and retailer

Voice Cast

Jake Gyllenhaal as Searcher Clade

Dennis Quaid as Jaeger Clade

Jaboukie Young-White as Ethan Clade

Gabrielle Union as Meridian Clade

Lucy Liu as Callisto Mal

Director

Don Hall

Co-Director

Qui Nguyen

Producer

Roy Conli

Screenplay

Qui Nguyen

Product Specifications

Street Date

Digital: December 23, 2022

Physical: February 14, 2023

Product SKUs

Digital: 4K UHD, HD, SD

Physical: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital Code), Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + Digital Code) & DVD

Feature Run Time

Approx. 95 Minutes

Rating

U.S. Rated PG

* Bonus Material Not Rated

Aspect Ratio

Digital: 2.39:1

Physical: 2.39:1

U.S. Audio

4K Ultra HD: English 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos, Japanese 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus, Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus, French 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus, English AD 2.0 Dolby Digital

Blu-ray: English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, English AD 2.0 Dolby Digital

DVD: English 5.1 Dolby, Spanish 5.1 Dolby, English AD 2.0 Dolby

Digital: English 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital, English Descriptive Audio 2.0 Dolby Digital (some platforms)

U.S. Subtitles

4K Ultra HD: English SDH, Japanese, Spanish, French

Blu-ray: English SDH, Spanish, French

DVD: English, English SDH, Spanish, French

Digital: English SDH, Spanish, French (some platforms)

LAIKA and Shout Factory will be bringing the modern day animated classics Kubo and the Two Strings & The Boxtrolls to the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format on February 28 2023 with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Both films will also be available for purchase in limited SteelBooks.

According to the press release, "The scrupulous remastering process for both titles was overseen by the team at LAIKA, led by LAIKA CEO (and Kubo and the Two Strings Director) Travis Knight, and Visual Effects Supervisor Steve Emerson, who pored over each film shot-by-shot, paying close attention to every last detail and color to present these groundbreaking films in the most dynamic format."

"The use of Dolby Vision has made these films look more spectacular than ever before, with vivid colors and exacting picture quality, and with highlights brighter and essential dark elements darker, unleashing the full potential of HDR technology. The films were also mixed in Dolby Atmos spatial audio, bringing out more details and clarity in the sound, resulting in an even more immersive experience for fans."

The four LAIKA 4K UHD titles (including the previously released Coraline and ParaNorman) will also available for digital purchase or rentals beginning December 13, 2022.

Kubo and the Two Strings - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Kubo and the Two Strings - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook

Kubo and the Two Strings

Kubo and the Two Strings is an epic action-adventure set in a fantastical Japan. The film follows clever, kindhearted Kubo as he ekes out a humble living, telling stories to the people of his seaside town. But his relatively quiet existence is shattered when he accidentally summons a spirit from his past which storms down from the heavens to enforce an age-old vendetta. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey and Beetle and sets out on a thrilling quest to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known. With the help of his shamisen - a magical musical instrument - Kubo must battle gods and monsters, including the vengeful Moon King and the evil twin Sisters to unlock the secret of his legacy, reunite his family and fulfill his heroic destiny.

Special Features:

• Feature-Length Storyboards
• Inside LAIKA -Revisiting the Puppets with LAIKA’s Animation Team
• Inside LAIKA—Confronting the Epic Challenges of Kubo and the Two Strings 
• Audio Commentary with Director/Producer Travis Knight
• “Kubo’s Journey”
• Original Featurettes

The Boxtrolls - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

The Boxtrolls - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook 

The Boxtrolls

This comedic fable unfolds in Cheesebridge, a posh Victorian-era town obsessed with wealth, class, and the stinkiest of fine cheeses. Beneath its charming cobblestone streets dwell the Boxtrolls, foul monsters who crawl out of the sewers at night and steal what the townspeople hold most dear: their children and their cheeses. At least, that’s the legend residents have always believed. In truth, the Boxtrolls are an underground cavern-dwelling community of quirky and lovable oddballs who wear recycled cardboard boxes the way turtles wear their shells. The Boxtrolls have raised an orphaned human boy, Eggs, since infancy as one of their dumpster-diving and mechanical junk-collecting own. When the Boxtrolls are targeted by villainous pest exterminator Archibald Snatcher, who is bent on eradicating them as his ticket to Cheesebridge society, the kindhearted band of tinkerers must turn to their adopted charge and adventurous rich girl Winnie to bridge two worlds amidst the winds of change – and cheese.

Special Features:

• Inside LAIKA - Discovering the Characters of The Boxtrolls with Never-Before-Seen Test Footage
• Inside LAIKA - Revisiting the Puppets with LAIKA’s Animation Team
• Feature-Length Storyboards
• Foreword by Ramin Zahed, the Editor in Chief of Animation Magazine
• Audio Commentary with Directors Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi
• The Making of The Boxtrolls
• Original Featurettes

These are now up for pre-order! And once again, thank you for your pre-orders. They really do go a long way toward helping us keep our little show rolling. 

George A. Romero's iconic spin on the classic vampire legend puts a stake into 4K Ultra HD & Blu-ray From Second Sight Films

Much like their incredible work on Romero's Dawn of the Dead 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray set, Second Sight films again reteams with original Director of Photography Michael Gornick to deliver blood-thirsty fans a new restoration of Martin. After some delays and side-missions to try and acquire the fabled black and white "Director's Cut" - Second Sight delivers three options for fans looking to add this eccentric horror classic to their collections. 

Martin - Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

• A new Second Sight 4K restoration supervised and approved by Director of Photography Michael Gornick
• UHD presented in HDR10+
• Audio commentary by George A Romero, John Amplas and Tom Savini
• Audio commentary by George A Romero, Richard P Rubinstein, Tom Savini, Michael Gornick and Donald Rubinstein
• A new audio commentary by Kat Ellinger
• A new audio commentary by Travis Crawford
• Taste the Blood of Martin: A new feature length documentary including location tour
• Scoring the Shadows: A new interview with composer Donald Rubinstein
• 'J Roy - New And Used Furniture': a short film by Tony Buba
• Making Martin: A Recounting
• Trailer, TV and radio spots

Limited Edition Contents

• Rigid slipcase with original classic artwork
• Soft cover book with new essays by Daniel Bird, Miranda Corcoran, Travis Crawford, Heather Drain, Kat Ellinger, Andrew Graves, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Elena Lazic, , Stephen Thrower, Jon Towlson, Simon Ward and Tony Williams
• Original Soundtrack CD by Donald Rubinstein
• 5 collectors' character art cards illustrated by Adam Stothard

Martin - Standard Edtion 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

• A new Second Sight 4K restoration supervised and approved by Director of Photography Michael Gornick
• UHD presented in HDR10+
• Audio commentary by George A Romero, John Amplas and Tom Savini
• Audio commentary by George A Romero, Richard P Rubinstein, Tom Savini, Michael Gornick and Donald Rubinstein
• A new audio commentary by Kat Ellinger
• A new audio commentary by Travis Crawford
• Taste the Blood of Martin: A new feature length documentary including location tour
• Scoring the Shadows: A new interview with composer Donald Rubinstein
• 'J Roy - New And Used Furniture': a short film by Tony Buba
• Making Martin: A Recounting
• Trailer, TV and radio spots

Martin - Blu-ray

• A new Second Sight 4K restoration supervised and approved by Director of Photography Michael Gornick
• Audio commentary by George A Romero, John Amplas and Tom Savini
• Audio commentary by George A Romero, Richard P Rubinstein, Tom Savini, Michael Gornick and Donald Rubinstein
• A new audio commentary by Kat Ellinger
• A new audio commentary by Travis Crawford
• Taste the Blood of Martin: A new feature length documentary including location tour
• Scoring the Shadows: A new interview with composer Donald Rubinstein
• 'J Roy - New And Used Furniture': a short film by Tony Buba
• Making Martin: A Recounting
• Trailer, TV and radio spots

For those who live in the U.K.  - Second Sight will ship direct from their shop. However, if you're looking to import the title to the U.S. (like me), you'll have to go through a third-party retailer. So far I've only seen Zavvi have it up for pre-order and we've linked to the various sets in each listing. We don't know if DiabolikDVD or anyone else will have it up for sale but keep your eyes and ears out. This one has been a long time coming and it's one of my favorites- not because I'm a Romero junkie either! I've always felt the Vampire genre was a little stale in the crypt and this was one of the first entries that really turned the horror creature sub-genre on its head. Ever since my ancient Anchor Bay DVD was stolen from me I've been hoping a great new set would come along, and here it is! 

Get those pre-orders in!

The DC Comics action-adventure starring Dwayne Johnson will be available for Premium Digital Ownership on November 22 and on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD on January 3.  

Both the 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray will include several featurettes as well as Dolby Atmos. It is unclear if the 4K will include Dolby Vision.

Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the ancient gods—and imprisoned just as quickly—Black Adam (Johnson) is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world.

Black Adam - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Black Adam - Blu-ray
 

Black Adam 4K Wal-Mart Exclusive
 

Pre-orders are now live and the full press release is available below: 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

"One of the Best DC Superhero Films to Date”

Matt Zoller Seitz, RogerEbert.com

Black Adam

COMES HOME FROM

WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT

 Premium Digital Ownership

debuts early on November 22

 4K, Blu-ray and DVD arrive on January 3

Burbank, CA, November 21 – Experience the first-ever feature film exploring the story of the DC Super Hero in the action adventure, when “Black Adam” arrives for Premium Digital Ownership at home on November 22. The film is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra from a screenplay by Adam Sztykiel and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani, screen story by Adam Sztykiel and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani, based on characters from DC, and Black Adam created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck, starring the voice of Dwayne Johnson (“the “Jumanji” films, “Moana”). The film will be available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD beginning on January 3.

The film also stars the voices of Aldis Hodge (TV’s “City on a Hill,” “One Night in Miami” film) as Hawkman, Noah Centineo (“To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” film) as Atom Smasher, Sarah Shahi (TV’s “Sex/Life,” “Rush Hour 3” film) as Adrianna, Marwan Kenzari (“Murder on the Orient Express,” “The Mummy” films) as Ishmael, Quintessa Swindell (“Voyagers,” film and TV’s “Trinkets”) as Cyclone, Bodhi Sabongui (TV’s “A Million Little Things”) as Amon, and Pierce Brosnan (the “Mamma Mia!” and James Bond franchises) as Dr. Fate. The film was produced by Beau Flynn, Dwayne Johnson, Hiram Garcia and Dany Garcia, with Richard Brener, Walter Hamada, Dave Neustadter, Chris Pan, Eric McLeod, Geoff Johns and Scott Sheldon executive producing.

• On November 22, “Black Adam” will be available for early Premium Digital Ownership at home for $24.99 and for 48-hour rental via PVOD for $19.99 SRP on participating digital platforms where you purchase movies.

• On January 3, “Black Adam” will be available on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD. “Black Adam” will also continue to be available to own in high definition and standard definition from participating digital retailers.

“Black Adam” can be enjoyed at home with Filmmaker Mode ^TM.  Developed by studios, TV manufacturers and some of Hollywood’s leading directors, Filmmaker Mode disables all post processing (e.g. motion smoothing), preserves the correct aspect ratios, colors and frame rates, and enables your TV to display the film precisely as it was intended by the filmmaker.  Filmmaker Mode is available on televisions from select manufacturers.

“Black Adam” will also be available on Movies Anywhere. Using the free Movies Anywhere app and website, consumers can access all their eligible movies by connecting their Movies Anywhere account with their participating digital retailer accounts.

SYNOPSIS

Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the ancient gods—and imprisoned just as quickly—Black Adam (Johnson) is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world.

DIGITAL, 4K, BLU-RAY & DVD ELEMENTS

“Black Adam” Premium Digital Ownership contains the following special features:  

• The History of Black Adam
• Who is The Justice Society?
• From Soul to Screen
• Black Adam: A Flawed Hero
• Black Adam: New Tech in an Old World
• Black Adam: Taking Flight
• Kahndaq: Designing a Nation
• The Rock of Eternity
• Costumes make the hero
• Black Adam: A new type of action

“Black Adam” 4K UHD combo pack and Blu-ray contain the following special features: 

• The History of Black Adam
• Who is The Justice Society?
• From Soul to Screen
• Black Adam: A Flawed Hero
• Black Adam: New Tech in an Old World
• Black Adam: Taking Flight
• Kahndaq: Designing a Nation
• The Rock of Eternity
• Costumes make the hero
• Black Adam: A new type of action

 ABOUT MOVIES ANYWHERE

Your Movies, Together at Last.TM MOVIES ANYWHERE lets you enjoy your favorite purchased or redeemed digital movies combined in one simplified, personal collection. MOVIES ANYWHERE brings together movies from Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures (including DreamWorks and Illumination Entertainment), The Walt Disney Studios (including Disney, Pixar, Twentieth Century Studios, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm), and Warner Bros. Entertainment. MOVIES ANYWHERE offers a library of over 7,900 digital movies, including new releases, and old favorites, and the user experience will continue to grow as more content providers, digital retailers and platforms are added. Using the MOVIES ANYWHERE app and website, consumers can connect their MOVIES ANYWHERE account with participating digital retailers and enjoy their favorite digital movies across multiple devices and platforms. Participating digital retailers include Apple TV, Prime Video, Vudu, Xfinity, Google Play/YouTube, Microsoft Movies & TV, FandangoNOW, Verizon Fios TV and DIRECTV. Consumers may also redeem digital codes found in eligible Blu-ray Discs™ and DVDs from participating studios: just look for the MOVIES ANYWHERE logo, redeem the code, then instantly enjoy your movie.

ABOUT DIGITAL

*Digital movies or TV episodes allow fans to watch a digital version of their movie or TV show anywhere, on their favorite devices. Digital movies or TV episodes are included with the purchase of specially marked Blu-ray discs. With digital, consumers are able to instantly stream and download movies and TV shows to TVs, computers, tablets and smartphones through retail services. For more information on compatible devices and services go to wb.com/digitalmoviefaq. Consult a digital retailer for details and requirements and for a list of digital-compatible devices.

BASICS

PRODUCT                                                                            SRP

                                    4K UHD Combo Pack                                                                        $49.98

Blu-ray                                                                                                $39.98 

DVD                                                                                                   $34.98

Digital Ownership: November 22, 2022

PVOD: November 22, 2022

4K, Blu-ray and DVD Street Date: January 3, 2022

DVD Languages: Canadian French, Brazilian Portuguese, Latin Spanish, English

BD Languages: Canadian French, Brazilian Portuguese, Latin Spanish, English

4K Languages: Canadian French, Brazilian Portuguese, Latin Spanish, English, German, Italian

DVD Subtitles: Cantonese, Spanish, French, Korean, Chinese (written), N/A, Canadian French, English SDH

BD Subtitles: Spanish, French, N/A, Canadian French, English SDH

4K Subtitles: Spanish, French, Italian, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Canadian French, English SDH, German SDH, Italian SDH

Running Time: 124 minutes

Rating: Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, intense action, and some language

DVD: DLBY/DGTL

Blu-ray: ATMOS TrueHD

4K: ATMOS TrueHD

The Credits

About “Black Adam”

The film is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra from a screenplay by Adam Sztykiel and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani, screen story by Adam Sztykiel and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani, based on characters from DC, and Black Adam created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck, produced by Beau Flynn, Dwayne Johnson, Hiram Garcia and Dany Garcia, with Richard Brener, Walter Hamada, Dave Neustadter, Chris Pan, Eric McLeod, Geoff Johns and Scott Sheldon executive producing.

The ensemble stars the voices of Dwayne Johnson (“the “Jumanji” films, “Moana”), Aldis Hodge (TV’s “City on a Hill,” “One Night in Miami” film) as Hawkman, Noah Centineo (“To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” film) as Atom Smasher, Sarah Shahi (TV’s “Sex/Life,” “Rush Hour 3” film) as Adrianna, Marwan Kenzari (“Murder on the Orient Express,” “The Mummy” films) as Ishmael, Quintessa Swindell (“Voyagers,” film and TV’s “Trinkets”) as Cyclone, Bodhi Sabongui (TV’s “A Million Little Things”) as Amon, and Pierce Brosnan (the “Mamma Mia!” and James Bond franchises) as Dr. Fate.

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents a New Line Cinema Production, “Black Adam.”

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment's home video and digital distribution businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees. 

Spooks, Specters, and Ghosts better watch out, there's a new guy in town! Michael J. Fox stars in Peter Jackson's exciting horror/comedy 

The Frighteners

coming to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray from Turbine Medien December 2nd!

A box office bust when it came to theaters (I don't know where y'all were but I was there opening night), Peter Jackson's hilariously terrifying special effects extravaganza has grown into a modern cult classic. Without this film's pioneering visual effects, we wouldn't have gotten The Lord of the Rings - let that sink in a minute. Now after languishing on a decent enough Blu-ray, German label Turbine Medien is giving fans what they've long been hoping for - a true 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of both the Theatrical Cut and the longer and arguably better Director's Cut fully restored and approved by Jackson with Dolby Vision HDR and Atmos Audio! But that's not all, much like their recent Pitch Black 4K Ultra HD Ultimate Editon, Turbnine isn't stopping at just a couple of discs and fancy packaging. This set is stacked  with six discs including both cuts in 4K and 1080p Blu-ray, along with a new "Oppen Matte" edition as well as hours of new and archival bonus features PLUS a 196-page book AND a whole load of swag! Take a look

The Frighteners - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Ultimate Edition Cover A [Limited to 4,444 Units]

The Frighteners - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Ultimate Edition Cover B [Limited to 3,333 Units]

And if the screenshots below are accurate - we're in for a real treat!

Here's what you're getting for approximately $70 U.S. (it's a little less than that but exchange rates may fluctuate):

THE FRIGHTENERS - 6-Disc Ultimate Edition:
Director's Cut & Theatrical Cut Restored in 4K on UHD & Blu-ray - Approved by Peter Jackson
+ HDR and Dolby Vision + Sound in Dolby Atmos + Completed Dubbing + 2 Bonus Blu-rays + New bonus material and much more

Evil has awakened in the sleepy Californian town of Fairwater... and only one person can stop it: Frank Bannister earns his living as a ghost hunter - he frees haunted houses from their uninvited guests. In truth, however, he is in cahoots with the ghosts - a perfect deal! One day, however, when a truly evil spirit goes on a murderous rampage through Fairwater, suspicion falls on Frank. Now he urgently needs to prove his innocence and end the spook... without ending up in the afterlife himself!

In 1996, director Peter Jackson (THE LORD OF THE RINGS) and producer Robert Zemeckis (BACK TO THE FUTURE) created THE FRIGHTENERS, a crazy horror comedy with groundbreaking special effects, music by Danny Elfman and a brilliant cast.

In addition to 2 Ultra HD Blu-rays & 4 Blu-rays, this box set includes world exclusive interviews, the 196-page book Die Welt von Peter Jackson's THE FRIGHTENERS, posters, artcards and a replica business card by Frank Bannister.

Technical specifications:
Language / sound: DC: German & English Dolby Atmos, English - DTS-HD MA 5.1 & 2.0 (UHD), English - DTS 2.0 & 5.1 (BD) - KF German & English DTS-HD MA 5.1 & 2.0
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 (2160p 4K Ultra HD) with HDR and Dolby Vision (UHD), 2.35:1 (1080p24) (Blu-ray)
Subtitles: German, German for the hard of hearing, English, English for the hard of hearing
Running time: DC: approx. 123 minutes, Theatrical version: approx. 110 minutes

Bonus material:
+ World premiere of the Director's Cut as open matte version - approved by Peter Jackson
+ 196-page book The World of Peter Jackson
+ World exclusive new artwork and poster by Ronan Wolf Chuat
+ Artcards and Replica Business Card
+ No Way to Make a Living* - New Bonus Featurette featuring 95 minutes of cast and crew interviews
+ The Making of THE FRIGHTENERS* (270 mins)
+ Audio Commentary by Peter Jackson*
+ Trailer

* The bonus material has optional German and English subtitles.

Both sets are up for pre-order right now! Follow the title links above to snag your copy, your pre-orders help keep HDD alive and well! Thank you! 

Criterion isn't taking any time off in 2023 with five releases oncluding Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused and Krzysztof Kielowski's Three Colors trilogy on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Two Films By Marguerit wth Duras, Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet (1967) and Robert Townsend's Hollywood Shuffle. 

Starting things off on February 7, is a trio of films in Kieślowski's Three Colors  on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray.

This boldly cinematic trio of stories about love and loss, from Krzysztof Kieślowski, was a defining event of the art-house boom of the 1990s. The films are named for the colors of the French flag and stand for the tenets of the French Revolution—liberty, equality, and fraternity—but that hardly begins to explain their enigmatic beauty and rich humanity. Set in Paris, Warsaw, and Geneva, and ranging from tragedy to comedy, Blue, White, and Red (Kieślowski’s final film) examine with artistic clarity a group of ambiguously interconnected people experiencing profound personal disruptions. Marked by intoxicating cinematography and stirring performances by Juliette Binoche, Julie Delpy, Irène Jacob, and Jean-Louis Trintignant, Kieślowski’s Three Colors is a benchmark of contemporary cinema.

BLUE
In the devastating first film of Krzysztof Kieślowski’s Three Colors trilogy, Juliette Binoche gives a tour de force performance as Julie, a woman reeling from the tragic death of her husband and young daughter. But Blue is more than just a blistering study of grief; it’s also a tale of liberation, as Julie attempts to free herself from the past while confronting truths about the life of her late husband, a composer. Shot in sapphire tones by Sławomir Idziak, and set to an extraordinary operatic score by Zbigniew Preisner, Blue is an overwhelming sensory experience.

1993 • 98 minutes • Color • 5.1 surround • In French with English subtitles • 1.85:1 aspect ratio

WHITE

The most playful and also the grittiest of Krzysztof Kieślowski’s Three Colors films follows the adventures of Karol Karol (Zbigniew Zamachowski), a Polish immigrant living in France. The hapless hairdresser opts to leave Paris for his native Warsaw when his wife (Julie Delpy) sues him for divorce (her reason: their marriage was never consummated) and then frames him for arson after setting her own salon ablaze. White, which goes on to chronicle Karol’s elaborate revenge plot, manages to be both a ticklish dark comedy about the economic inequalities of Eastern and Western Europe and a sublime reverie on twisted love.

1994 • 91 minutes • Color • 5.1 surround • In French and Polish with English subtitles • 1.85:1 aspect ratio

RED

Krzysztof Kieślowski closes his Three Colors trilogy in grand fashion, with an incandescent meditation on fate and chance, starring Irène Jacob as a sweet-souled yet somber runway model in Geneva whose life dramatically intersects with that of a bitter retired judge, played by Jean-Louis Trintignant. Meanwhile, just down the street, a seemingly unrelated story of jealousy and betrayal unfolds. Red is an intimate look at forged connections and a splendid final statement from a remarkable filmmaker at the height of his powers.

1994 • 99 minutes • Color • 5.1 surround • In French with English subtitles • 1.85:1 aspect ratio

4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• New 4K digital restorations, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks
• One 4K UHD disc of each film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray of each film with special features
• Three cinema lessons with director Krzysztof Kieślowski
• Interviews with cowriter Krzysztof Piesiewicz, composer Zbigniew Preisner, and actors Julie Delpy, Irène Jacob, and Zbigniew Zamachowski
• Selected-scene commentary featuring actor Juliette Binoche
• Video essays by film critics Annette Insdorf, Tony Rayns, and Dennis Lim
• Documentary from 1995 featuring Kieślowski
• Three short films by Kieślowski—The Tram (1966), Seven Women of Different Ages (1978), and Talking Heads (1980)—plus the short film The Face (1966), starring Kieślowski
• Interview programs on Kieślowski’s life and work, featuring Binoche, Insdorf, Jacob, film critic Geoff Andrew, filmmaker Agnieszka Holland, cinematographer Sławomir Idziak, producer Marin Karmitz, and editor Jacques Witta
• Behind-the-scenes programs for White and Red, and a short documentary on Red’s world premiere
• Trailers
• PLUS: Essays by film critics Colin MacCabe, Nick James, Stuart Klawans, and Georgina Evans; an excerpt from Kieślowski on Kieślowski; and reprinted interviews with cinematographers Idziak, Edward Kłosiński, and Piotr Sobociński 

Next hitting stores on the 14th is the 1968 adaptation of  Romeo and Juliet  from Franco Zeffirelli.

One of the great Shakespeare adaptations, this sublime take on the Bard’s immortal romantic tragedy by Franco Zeffirelli breathed new life into the oft-told tale by casting actual teenagers in the title roles. As the young lovers whose affair threatens to inflame the tensions between their feuding families in Renaissance Verona, Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting vividly capture the mix of adolescent ardor and turmoil that fuels their destiny-driven liaison. A sensory banquet thanks to Nino Rota’s delicate score and the exquisite, Oscar-winning costumes and cinematography, Romeo and Juliet is Shakespeare at its most deeply felt and passionately alive.

SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• Excerpt from the 2018 documentary Franco Zeffirelli: Directing from Life
• Interviews with actors Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting from 1967 and 2016
• Trailer
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: An essay by scholar Ramona Wray

1968 • 138 minutes • Color • Monaural • 1.85:1 aspect ratio

A week later on the 21st comes  Dazed and Confused  on the 4K UHD Blu-ray format.

America, 1976. The last day of school. Bongs blaze, bell bottoms ring, and rock and roll rocks. Among the best teen films ever made, Dazed and Confused eavesdrops on a group of seniors-to-be and incoming freshmen. A launching pad for a number of future stars, the first studio effort by Richard Linklater also features endlessly quotable dialogue and a blasting, stadium-ready soundtrack. Sidestepping nostalgia, Dazed and Confused is less about “the best years of our lives” than the boredom, angst, and excitement of teenagers waiting . . . for something to happen.

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

• New 4K digital restoration of the director’s cut, supervised and approved by director Richard Linklater and cinematographer Lee Daniel, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
• One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray of the film with special features
• Audio commentary by Linklater
• Making “Dazed,” a documentary by Kahane Cooperman
• Rare on-set interviews and behind-the-scenes footage
• Footage from the ten-year-anniversary celebration
• Audition footage and deleted scenes
• Trailer
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: Essays by critics Kent Jones, Jim DeRogatis, and Chuck Klosterman; reprinted recollections of the filming from cast and crew; and character profiles from the Dazed and Confused companion book; as well as the original film poster by Frank Kozik

1993 • 102 minutes • Color • 5.1 surround • 1.85:1 aspect ratio

 Two Films By Marguerite Duras  will be available on Blu-ray on the 24th.

Marguerite Duras had already established herself as one of the major figures of postwar French literature when she launched an equally fascinating and unclassifiable career in cinema, translating her elliptical, experimental style to the screen through an unprecedented fusion of hypnotic, highly stylized imagery and radically disjunctive sound. Boldly reimagining the possibilities of dialogue, music, silence, and architectural space, the tantalizing, sphinxlike evocations of soul-deep female malaise India Song and Baxter, Vera Baxter embody Duras’s singular multisensory approach, with each opening up new spaces for the expression of women’s interior worlds.

INDIA SONG
Marguerite Duras’s most celebrated work is a mesmerizing, almost incantatory experience with few stylistic precedents in the history of cinema. Within the insular walls of a lavish, decaying embassy in 1930s India, the French ambassador’s wife (Delphine Seyrig) staves off ennui through affairs with multiple men—with the overpowering torpor broken only by a startling eruption of madness. Setting her evocatively decadent visuals to a desynchronized chorus of disembodied voices that comment on and counterpoint the action, with India Song Duras creates a haunted-house movie unlike any other.

1975 • 119 minutes • Color • Monaural • In French with English subtitles • 1.37:1 aspect ratio

BAXTER, VERA BAXTER
Marguerite Duras reunited with India Song collaborators Delphine Seyrig and composer Carlos d’Alessio for Baxter, Vera Baxter, a hypnotically unsettling journey into one woman’s existential emptiness. Ensconced in a sprawling rental villa, the world-weary Vera Baxter (Claudine Gabay) receives visits from two women, including a mysterious stranger (Seyrig) to whom she recounts a shocking story about her marriage, the way she lives, and the reasons for her malaise. Setting her languid images to d’Alessio’s incongruously breezy, endlessly looping score, Duras fashions a quietly shattering portrait of marriage as a kind of prison.

1977 • 95 minutes • Color • Monaural • In French with English subtitles • 1.66:1 aspect ratio

SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• New 2K digital restorations, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks on the Blu-rays
• Marguerite as She Was, a 2003 portrait of director Marguerite Duras
• Interview from 1977 with Duras
• Excerpt from a 1977 documentary on actor Delphine Seyrig
• New English subtitle translation
• PLUS: An essay by film scholar Ivone Margulies

Finally and also on the 28th is the satire  Hollywood Shuffle  on Blu-ray.

This debut feature by Robert Townsend is an ingenious guerrilla satire that takes riotous aim at the typecasting of Black actors in 1980s Hollywood. The writer-director-star’s megawatt charisma propels Hollywood Shuffle, the hilarious tale of a struggling actor attempting to break into an industry where the only roles available to Black performers seem to be hustlers, butlers, slaves, and “Eddie Murphy types”—forcing him to choose between selling out and maintaining his self-respect. Lampooning everything from film noir to zombie flicks to Siskel and Ebert, Townsend and cowriter Keenen Ivory Wayans cannily turn the frustrations of the Black artist into a subversively funny pop-culture critique.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• New, restored 4K digital transfer, approved by writer-director-actor Robert Townsend, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
• New audio commentary featuring Townsend 
• New interviews with actors Rusty Cundieff, Anne-Marie Johnson, and Bobby McGee
• Radio program featuring Townsend in conversation with film critic Elvis Mitchell
• Trailer
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: An essay by critic Aisha Harris

1987 • 81 minutes • Color/Black & White • Monaural • 1.85:1 aspect ratio

We will update links on the site as soon as pre-orders become available or if there are any release date changes.

Parker Finn's critically-acclaimed horror film starring Sosie Bacon will be available digitally on Paramount+ on November 15 with a 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray arriving in stores on December 13. Read the theatrical review here.   

Certified Fresh™ on Rotten Tomatoes®, critics called SMILE “haunting” (Erik Davis, Fandango) and “scary as hell” (Alyse Wax, Collider). The film stars Sosie Bacon as Dr. Rose Cotter who, after witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can't explain. As an overwhelming terror begins taking over her life, Rose must confront her troubling past in order to survive and escape her horrifying new reality.

Both the Blu-ray and the 4K UHD packages include some featurettes, an audio commentary and deleted scenes as well as a Dolby Atmos soundtrack.

Smile - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Smile - Blu-ray
 

Preorder your copy now and the full press release is available below.

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The conclusion to David Gordon Green's Halloween trilogy will be available on Digital platforms on November 15 and will be available on physical 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray on December 27.  

The physical discs will include deleted and extended scenes, a gag reel, featurettes, and an audio commentary and both the 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray are equipped with Dolby Atmos. Check out our theatrical review here.

The most acclaimed and revered horror franchise in film history reaches its epic, terrifying finale as Laurie Strode (Curtis) faces off for the last time against the embodiment of evil, Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney). Michael hasn’t been seen for four years after the events of Halloween Kills. Laurie lives with her granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) and has chosen to liberate herself from fear and rage and embrace life. When a young man is accused of killing a boy he was babysitting, a cascade of violence and terror is ignited with a final confrontation between Laurie and Michael unlike any ever captured on screen. Only one of them will survive.

Halloween Ends - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Halloween Ends - Blu-ray
 

Halloween Ends 4K - Best Buy SteelBook
 

Halloween Ends 4K Zavvi Exclusive SteelBook

 re-orders are now live and the full press release is available below:

   James Ivory's 1993 drama starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson will be hitting the 4K UHD Blu-ray format on February 21.

Oscar®-winners Anthony Hopkins (1991, Best Actor, The Silence of the Lambs) and Emma Thompson (1992, Best Actress, Howards End) reunite with the acclaimed Merchant Ivory filmmaking team for this extraordinary and moving story of blind devotion and repressed love. Hopkins stars as Stevens, the perfect English butler - an ideal carried by him to fanatical lengths - as he serves his master, Lord Darlington, beautifully played by James Fox (The Servant). Darlington, like many other members of the British establishment in the 1930s, is duped by the Nazis into trying to establish a rapport between themselves and the British government. Thompson stars as the estate's housekeeper, a high-spirited, strong-minded young woman who watches the goings-on upstairs with horror. Despite her apprehensions, she and Stevens gradually fall in love, though neither will admit it, and only give vent to their charged feelings via fierce arguments.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray includes a Digital Copy and features Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, as well as a commentary, deleted scenes, featurettes, and theatrical trailer.

The Remains of the Day - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Here is the full press release:

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Hopefully you've been good boys and girls this year. Santa will be bringing fans and franchise collectors Halloween Ends and the complete David Gordon Green-directed Halloween Trilogy to 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray December 27th 2022

David Gordon Green's tenure with the Halloween franchise certainly has been interesting. With Halloween (2018) there was the promise of a franchise retcon expunging from the timeline every past Halloween sequel and reboot save for John Carpenter's original classic. Jamie Lee Curtis returns as the iconic "final girl" Laurie Strode - a role we hadn't seen her occupy since she was stabbed in the back and dropped off a roof in 2002's Halloween Resurrection. While this outing certainly had some issues, by and large stalwart Michael Myers fans were excited to see this new direction take fold. And then Halloween Kills came along. While I didn't hate the film, I won't deny how messy it was. But that's okay, because it was the middle part of a planned trilogy, and everything would come together for Halloween Ends... we all know how well that turned out. To say the least, it sparked a passionate response. Now the trilogy capper Halloween Ends and a full trilogy of David Gordon Green's Halloween films is due to come out two days after Christmas as a last-minute stocking stuffer for eager fans... or a lump of coal depending on how you feel about the films. 

Now - we don't yet have full specs and outside of the SteelBooks, the cover art isn't official or finalized and that release date could change - it could come out even earlier than that considering the second-weekend box office for Halloween Ends, but these are all up for pre-order right now at various retailers. As soon as more details come in, we'll update our listings and this article. 

Halloween Ends - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Halloween Ends - Blu-ray 

Halloween Ends - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Best Buy SteelBook

Halloween Ends - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Zavvi Exclusive SteelBook

Halloween Trilogy - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Halloween Trilogy - Blu-ray

Once again, as soon as we have details for these releases we'll update our listings accordingly. Also - thank you for your pre-orders, they really do go a long way toward keeping our little show going. 

Celebrate the 20th anniversary of Spike Jonze's comedy starring Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper, newly remastered in 4K resolution from the original camera negative and with Dolby Vision on December 6.

Director Spike Jonze delivers a stunningly original comedy that seamlessly blends fictional characters and situations with the lives of real people: obsessive orchid hunter John Laroche (Chris Cooper, in an Academy Award®-winning performance, 2002, Best Supporting Actor), New Yorker journalist Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep), Hollywood screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Nicolas Cage), and his twin brother, Donald (also Cage). As Charlie struggles to adapt Orlean's best-selling book "The Orchid Thief," he writes himself into his own movie. The various stories crash into one another, exploding into a wildly imaginative film. ADAPTATION is at once a hilarious drama and a moving comedy, now celebrating its 20th anniversary.

As per the course with Sony as of late, the 4K UHD Blu-ray edition doesn't include a standard Blu-ray, but it does have a Digital Copy. The release features Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and a legacy featurette and theatrical trailer.

Adaptation. - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Order your copy today and here is the full press release:

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.   The hit 1997 romantic comedy will be getting a 4K upgrade with High Dynamic Range and Dolby Vision on December 13.

Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz and Rupert Everett star in MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING, a high-spirited romantic comedy that serves up something wild, something new, something touching and something truly hilarious. Roberts dazzles as commitment-shy Jules Potter, who reluctantly realizes she is in love with her best friend Michael (Mulroney). There is just one catch: he's about to marry someone else. Comically crazed and full of devious plans, Jules will do anything to steal him back... except tell him the simple truth.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray edition does not include a standard Blu-ray, but it does have a Digital Copy. The release features Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and NEW deleted scenes as well as an alternate ending.

My Best Friend's Wedding - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Here is the full press release:

My Best Friend's Wedding

CELEBRATING ITS 25^TH ANNIVERSARY

PRESENTED IN 4K WITH HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE

DEBUTING ON 4K ULTRA HD™ DECEMBER 13^TH

.   The 1975 sci-fi cult classic rolls to the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with a new transfer from the original camera negative on November 22.

The year is 2018. There are no wars. There is no crime. There is only ... the Game. In a world where ruthless corporations reign supreme, this vicious and barbaric "sport" is the only outlet for the pent-up anger and frustrations of the masses.

Tuned to their televisions, the people watch "Rollerball": a brutal mutation of football, motocross, and hockey. Jonathan E. (the great James Caan, The Godfather, Thief) is the champion player – a man too talented for his own good. The Corporation has taken away the woman, Ella (Maud Adams, Octopussy) Jonathan loves but they can't take away his soul – even if the diabolical corporate head (John Houseman, The Fog) tells him he better retire ... or suffer the old-fashioned way. With its surrealistic imagery and tense action sequences, Rollerball grips you by the heart – and never lets you go!

The release will present the film in Dolby Vision and HDR-10 and features a brand new 2022 restoration and color grade using an existing 4K scan of the original camera negative done by MGM with DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 audio tracks.

Rollerball - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Pre-order your copy now

Here is the full press release with all the sporting details and stats:

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The classic John Hughes comedy starring Steve Martin and John Candy celebrates its 35th anniversary with a 4K UHD Blu-ray including over an hour's worth of brand new content on November 22.

Steve Martin and John Candy star in this hysterical tale of travel gone awry. Neal Page (Martin) is an uptight ad exec trying to get home to Chicago for Thanksgiving with his family. When rerouted to Wichita, Neal reluctantly partners with Del Griffith (Candy), an obnoxious yet loveable salesman. Together, they embark on a cross-country adventure filled with outrageously funny situations and a generous helping of warmth.

The newly-remastered film not only arrives on a 4K UHD Blu-ray presented in HDR-10 & Dolby Vision, the release will also include a "bonus “LOST LUGGAGE” Blu-ray Disc™ containing over an hour of never-before-seen deleted and extended scenes that were recently discovered in the archives of writer, producer and director John Hughes. The newly uncovered footage offers a unique glimpse into the filmmaking and editing process and features even more hilarious moments between Steve Martin and John Candy."

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Now up for pre-order! 

Check out the full press release below:

CELEBRATING ITS 35^TH ANNIVERSARY, JOHN HUGHES’ COMEDY CLASSIC LANDS ON 4K ULTRA HD WITH OVER AN HOUR OF PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED FILM FOOTAGE 

Making an On-Time Arrival November 22, 2022, Just in Time for Thanksgiving

Written and directed by the incomparable John Hughes, the celebrated comedy PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES comes in for a landing on 4K Ultra HD for the first time ever on November 22, 2022 from Paramount Home Entertainment.

Originally released on November 25, 1987, PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES celebrates its 35^th anniversary this year.  Starring comedy greats Steve Martin and John Candy, the uproarious film has become a beloved holiday classic.

Newly remastered on 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision^™ and HDR-10, PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES looks better than ever and is packaged with a bonus “LOST LUGGAGE” Blu-ray Disc^™ containing over an hour of never-before-seen deleted and extended scenes that were recently discovered in the archives of writer, producer and director John Hughes.  The newly uncovered footage offers a unique glimpse into the filmmaking and editing process and features even more hilarious moments between Steve Martin and John Candy.

In addition to the newly discovered footage, the bonus Blu-ray Disc also includes Dylan Baker’s original audition for the character of Owen.  The 4K Ultra HD Disc includes the feature film and the following legacy bonus content:

• Getting There is Half the Fun: The Story of Planes, Trains and Automobiles
• John Hughes: Life Moves Pretty Fast (2-Part Documentary):                        
• John Hughes: The Voice of a Generation                                           
• Heartbreak and Triumph: The Legacy of John Hughes                               
• John Hughes for Adults      
• A Tribute to John Candy

The release also includes access to a Digital copy of the film.

Synopsis

Steve Martin and John Candy star in this hysterical tale of travel gone awry. Neal Page (Martin) is an uptight ad exec trying to get home to Chicago for Thanksgiving with his family. When rerouted to Wichita, Neal reluctantly partners with Del Griffith (Candy), an obnoxious yet loveable salesman. Together, they embark on a cross-country adventure filled with outrageously funny situations and a generous helping of warmth.