The certified fresh (Rotten Tomatoes) quirky comedy Asteroid City featuring an ensemble cast including Jason Schwartzman, Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston, Tilda Swinton and many more is bound for Blu-ray on August 15. Digital arrives on August 11.
A fictional American desert town, circa 1955. Junior Stargazers and Space Cadets from across the country assemble for the annual Asteroid Day celebration -- but the scholarly competition is spectacularly upended by world-changing events. Equal parts comedy, drama, and romance (with a touch of science-fiction).
The Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Combo Pack will include a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 soundtrack and supplements include:
The Making of Asteroid City – With Wes Anderson as your guide, take a personal tour behind the scenes of “Asteroid City” and get insider’s access into set creation, performer preparation, music rehearsals and more.
Desert Town – Wes Anderson pulls back the curtain on the creation of Asteroid City with an intimate look at what goes into building a town in the middle of a desert and bringing its quirks to life.
Doomsday Carnival (Digital, Blu-ray™, DVD Exclusive) – Go even further inside Asteroid City as period costumes, classic cars, and camera tricks combine to create a bustling midway of carnival rides and lookie-loos anticipating an alien arrival.
Montana and Ranch Hands – Witness a quiet prayer evolve into a hand-clapping country hoedown as the film’s fictional band inspires a sudden dance number through their banjo, bass, and washboard.
The Players (Digital, Blu-ray™, DVD Exclusive) – Go behind-the-scenes with the stars of Asteroid City.
The Alien (Digital Exclusive) – Designers come up with the concept and Jeff Goldblum suits up in the costume to create the captivating look and mesmerizing movements of the movie’s extraterrestrial creature.
The Roadrunner (Digital Exclusive) – Get a peek at the planning, puppeteering, and careful camera positioning that animates an artificial animal with scene-stealing personality.
Order your copy of Asteroid City on Blu-ray and here is the full press release:
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Several 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray titles were announced and/or added to our release calendar this week. Read on below for some of the main highlights that we have summed up for you in case you missed them.
Warner Brothers has officially announced William Friedkin's classic The Exorcist for 4K UHD Blu-ray on September 9. It will include the theatrical cut as well as the extended director's cut. Best Buy will also be carrying a 4K SteelBook.
A Blu-ray (sorry no 4K) of 20th Century Studios' The Boogeyman based on the short story by Stephen King is going to be hitting stores on October 10. Better check under your bed before you go to sleep tonight.
Continuing the horror trend, Paramount is slapping a SteelBook costume on the 4K UHD Blu-ray of Halloween H20: 20 Years Later which will be available on September 26.
Sony's Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse will be swinging to 4KUHD & Blu-ray September 5th. There will also be several retailer exclusive versions including a Target Blu-ray with collectible cards, a Wal-Mart Blu-ray SteelBook, and a Best Buy 4KUHD SteelBook.
Vinegar Syndrome has listed a few new limited edition preorders: Killer Condom on 4K UHD Blu-ray, plus The Cardona Collection: Volume Two, Amazon Jail / Amazon Jail II, and Guest House Paradiso on Blu-ray. Several limited edition titles from Vinegar Syndrome's partner labels have been added to our release calendar as well: Vengeance Is Mine, Tower. A Bright Day & Monument, Terminal Degeneration: The Films of Jon Moritsugu, Once Upon a Time in Uganda, Name Above Title and Other Tales of Woe by Carlos Conceição, Heroic Times, Give Me Pity, Dream Life, Don't Fall In Love With Yourself, Death In Brunswick, The Catechism Cataclysm, and Bloodfeast!: The Adventures of Sgt. Lunch.
Universal has announced Wes Anderson's latest star-studded comedy Asteroid City for Blu-ray. The release will be available on August 15.
And the last thing worth noting is that Pixar and Disney's Elemental is headed for a home video release on September 26. There will be a Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Walmart Exclusive 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, and a Best Buy Exclusive 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook.
I think that's all we have for today so thanks for tuning in and have a great weekend!
"I'd know it was for pre-order on 4k Ultra HD Blu-ray. I'd feel it, in my bones, and I'm telling you that thing up there is a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray up for pre-order!"
Tired of us prattling on about various releases of The Exorcist on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray yet? Well, we are too! After a whirlwind week of U.K. and European-only Deluxe Collector's editions and the listings going live on Best Buy and Amazon for standard releases, we can finally confirm what we already knew that William Friedkin's iconic horror masterpiece, The Exorcist, will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with both the original Theatrical Cut and the 2000 Director's Cut on disc in 4K. However, as we'll detail momentarily - aside from the audio commentaries all of the legacy bonus features will be available streaming only. So unless you have the past Blu-ray releases already, be sure to redeem that digital code instead of selling it! Here's what's coming to fans Stateside -
The Exorcist: 50th Anniversary - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
The Exorcist: 50th Anniversary - 4K Ultra HD Best Buy SteelBook
As we've already pointed out in previous articles and Facebook posts, foreign markets got some snazzy deluxe packaging options with booklets and extra swag - but those are pretty well all sold out unless you're willing to plug gray-market prices or if DiabolikDVD still has some ready for pre-order. For those looking to score the Best Buy SteelBook, it's currently listed as "Coming Soon" since it looks like the early pre-order allotment sold through, but it's a safe bet there will be plenty to pick up on street day.
Here's everything that's going to be on disc or left to streaming:
The Exorcist Ultra HD Blu-ray disc (theatrical version) contains the following previously released special features:
The Exorcist Digital release (theatrical version) the following previously released special features:
The Exorcist Extended Director’s Cut Ultra HD Blu-ray disc contains the following previously released special features:
The Exorcist Extended Director’s Cut Digital release contains the following previously released special features:
Now the press release we received didn't list Dolby Vision so expect HDR10 at minimum - audio is a bit of a mystery so we'll be checking in on that if they opted for Atmos, 5.1, or if they stuck with mono.
Once again these are up for pre-order an we suspect most of you already placed your orders as soon as they went live - in which case if you ordered through our links, thank you very much. Your pre-orders really do go a long way towards keeping our show going.
Here's that full press release for your perusal:
THE EXORCIST
COMES TO 4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAYTM AND DIGITAL
TO CELEBRATE THE ICONIC SUPERNATURAL FILM’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY,
THE EXORCIST WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 4K RESOLUTION WITH HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE (HDR)
Purchase the film on 4K Ultra HD Disc and Digital on September 19
Burbank, Calif., August 1, 2023 – As part of the year-long centennial celebration for the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros. Studio, the iconic supernatural film The Exorcist from Academy Award-winning director William Friedkin (The French Connection) will be available for purchase on 4K Ultra HD Disc and Digital for the first time this September.
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of its 1973 release, on September 19 The Exorcist will be available to purchase on Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc from online and in-store at major retailers and available for purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more.
The Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs include both the 1973 theatrical version of the film and the 2000 Extended Director’s Cut of the film which features eleven additional minutes of footage not seen in theaters.
Directed by Friedkin from a screenplay by Academy Award winner William Peter Blatty, the film is based on Blatty’s 1971 novel of the same name. The Exorcist stars Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn (Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore), Academy Award nominee Max von Sydow (Pelle the Conqueror, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close), Academy Award nominee Lee J. Cobb (On the Waterfront, The Brothers Karamazov), Kitty Winn, Jack MacGowan, Academy Award nominee Jason Miller, and Academy Award nominee Linda Blair.
Widely regarded as a supernatural masterpiece, the film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director as well as acting nominations for Burstyn, Miller and Blair. The film won two Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay for Blatty.
In 2010, the United States Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
The Exorcist will be available on Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc for $33.99 SRP and includes an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc with the theatrical version of the feature film in 4K with HDR, an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc with the Extended Director’s Cut of the film in 4K with HDR, and a Digital download of both versions of the film. Fans can also own The Exorcist in 4K Ultra HD via purchase from select digital retailers beginning on September 19.
About the Film
The Exorcist tells the now-famous story of a girl's demonic possession, and a gripping fight between good and evil. Linda Blair, in a breakout role, plays Regan, a young girl who starts to exhibit strange, arcane behavior. Her mother (Burstyn) calls upon a priest, Father Karras (Miller), to investigate. But Karras, who has a spiritual crisis of his own, is suddenly confronted with the unimaginable evil of Regan's possession. Father Lankester Merrin (Von Sydow), an archeologist-priest, is called to help, and a horrific battle for her soul begins.
The Exorcist Ultra HD Blu-ray disc (theatrical version) contains the following previously released special features:
The Exorcist Digital release (theatrical version) the following previously released special features:
The Exorcist Extended Director’s Cut Ultra HD Blu-ray disc contains the following previously released special features:
The Exorcist Extended Director’s Cut Digital release contains the following previously released special features:
BASICS
PRODUCT
The Exorcist Ultra HD
The Exorcist
Ultra HD Blu-ray Languages: English, Spanish, French
Ultra HD Blu-ray Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, Parisian French
Theatrical Version Run Time: 122 minutes
Extended Director’s Cut Run Time: 132 minutes
Rating: R for strong language and disturbing images
Physical Street Date: September 19, 2023
Digital Street Date: September 19, 2023
THE CREDITS
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.
You can't have a slate of October horror disc releases without another appearance from Michael Myers!
After already scoring an impressive 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray run thanks to Scream Factory, Halloween H20: 20 Years Later will be carving up a new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release from Paramount Home Entertainment with deluxe SteelBook packaging. Honestly, considering that release was barely a year old and that 3-Film set was the only way Scream could release it, I wasn't expecting a solo-title release of this film anytime soon. But given it's the 25th Anniversary, it shouldn't have been too surprising. The press release didn't give us a lot of details, but thanks to Amazon having the back J-card artwork posted, it does look like this release will offer up Dolby Vision HDR with DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio - although no bonus features are listed. We've made inquiries to find out those extra disc specs and if there will in fact be any bonus features or not.
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray StreelBook
and here's a closer look at the back J-Card details -
Obviously as the ravenous Halloween fans that we are, we will be reviewing this ASAP. This is up for pre-order now, thank you for all of your pre-orders, they really do go a long way towards keeping our little operation up and running.
For what it's worth - here's that Press Release:
Get ready for horror season with iconic duo Laurie Strode and Michael Myers as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the franchise classic HALLOWEEN H20: 20 YEARS LATER with a new Limited-Edition 4K Ultra HD SteelBook™ arriving September 26, 2023 from Paramount Home Entertainment.
Oscar® winner Jamie Lee Curtis* returned as Laurie Strode in 1998 for a terrifying reunion with Michael Myers, 20 years after the original Halloween. Now the dean of a Northern California private school with an assumed name, Laurie must face the horrifying events of her past as the life of her own son hangs in the balance.
Directed by Steve Miner and written by Debra Hill, John Carpenter, and Robert Zappia, HALLOWEEN H20: 20 YEARS LATER features a sensational supporting cast, including Josh Hartnett (in his feature film debut), Michelle Williams, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Adam Arkin, LL Cool J, and horror icon (and mother of Jamie Lee Curtis) Janet Leigh. Leigh was of course famous for her starring role in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho and HALLOWEEN H20: 20 YEARS LATER makes multiple allusions to the classic thriller.
The Limited-Edition 25th Anniversary 4K Ultra HD SteelBook features the remastered film in stunning 4K Ultra HD and access to a Digital copy of the film. Presented with haunting original artwork, this collectible SteelBook is a perfect addition to any horror fan’s collection.
Rob Savage's horror film The Boogeyman based on Stephen King's short story of the same name will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on October 10. The film will be available at digital retailers on August 29th.
In this horror-thriller from the mind of Stephen King, two sisters — along with their therapist father — are reeling from their mother’s death. When a desperate patient comes to their home, he leaves behind a terrifying entity that feeds on its victims’ suffering.
The Blu-ray + Digital release will include a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack and supplements include:
Pre-orders should be available soon and here is the full press release:
.“A THRILLING STEPHEN KING ADAPTATION” – Jonathan Sim, Coming Soon
Be the first to watch The Boogeyman when it arrives exclusively on Digital August 29 and Blu-ray™ and DVD October 10
Watch new spot here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_J276ZNi8c
BURBANK, CA (August 1, 2023) – Relive your most terrifying childhood fears when The Boogeyman, “the scariest horror film of the year” (Matt Donato, IGN) arrives at digital retail including Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango/Vudu on August 29 and on Blu-ray and DVD October 10. Horror fans can add the film to their movie collection and access exclusive bonus features including a behind-the-scenes look into director Rob Savage’s vision for this frightening tale along with outtakes and more.
Film Synopsis
In this horror-thriller from the mind of Stephen King, two sisters — along with their therapist father — are reeling from their mother’s death. When a desperate patient comes to their home, he leaves behind a terrifying entity that feeds on its victims’ suffering.
Bonus Features*
• Into the Darkness Featurette – Open the door into the dark world of The Boogeyman as the cast and crew share how the terrifying tale, based on Stephen King's classic short story, was crafted.
• Outtakes – It’s not all just jump scares and bumps in the night. Join the cast for some lighthearted fun in the outtakes.
*Bonus features vary by product and retailer
Cast
Sophie Thatcher as Sadie Harper
Chris Messina as Will Harper
Vivien Lyra Blair as Sawyer Harper
Marin Ireland as Rita Billings
Madison Hu as Bethany
LisaGay Hamilton as Dr. Weller
David Dastmalchian as Lester Billings
Maddie Nichols as Natalie
Leeann Ross as Cassidy
Rio Machado as Anne
Shauna Rappold as Cara Harper
Cristala Carter as Detective Garland
Directed by
Rob Savage
Written by
Scott Beck
Bryan Woods
Mark Heyman
Produced by
Shawn Levy
Dan Levine
Dan Cohen
Music by
Patrick Jonsson
Based on the short story
“The Boogeyman” by Stephen King
Product Specifications
Release Date
Digital: August 29
Physical: October 10
Product SKUs
Digital: 4K UHD, HD, SD
Physical: Blu-ray (Blu-ray + Digital Code), DVD
Feature Run Time
Approx. 98 minutes
Rating
U.S. Rated PG-13
* Rated PG-13 for terror, violent content, teen drug use and some strong language.
Aspect Ratio
Digital: 2.35:1
Physical: 2.35:1
Disc Size
Blu-ray: 50GB
DVD: 8.5GB
U.S. Audio
Blu-ray: English 5.1 DTS-HDMA, English AD 2.0 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital
DVD: English 5.1 Dolby, English AD 2.0 Dolby, Spanish 5.1 Dolby, French 5.1 Dolby
Digital: English 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital, English Descriptive Audio 2.0 Dolby Digital (some platforms), Spanish 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital
U.S. Subtitles
Blu-ray: English SDH, Spanish, French
DVD: English SDH, Spanish, French
Digital: English SDH, Spanish (some platforms), French (some platforms)
What's up danger? It's time to take that leap of faith for the spectacular Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on 4K UHD and Blu-ray
After a tremendous box office run, Sony is finally bringing Miles and an entire army of Spider-People to physical media on September 5th (digital coming August 8th). The first of a two-part story arc, we watch Miles grow into his role as New York's one and only Spider-Man - but he's not alone. As Spider-Man 2099's Miguel O'Hara unites the Spider-Verse, Miles is about to make some new friends and a new enemy with The Spot - a being capable of ripping apart all time and space as we know it! I had a blast with this beautifully constructed first half - so I dearly hope that the second part (whenever it's released) is able to stick the landing.
Check out Bryan's Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Film Review
But now's the time to check out your home video collecting options -
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse - Blu-ray
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse - Blu-ray
Walmart Exclusive SteelBook
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse - Blu-ray
Target Exclusive
4K UHD, BLU-RAY™, AND DIGITAL
If you need the first film on 4K or Blu-ray, a pair of two-film options on either format will also be available:
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse / Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse / Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - Blu-ray
All standard and retailer-exclusive editions of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse are up for pre-order! Thanks again for your pre-orders, they really do go a long way towards keeping our little outfit up and running.
For all the gory details - here's the full press release from Sony:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
“THE BEST SPIDER-MAN FILM EVER MADE” -Jake Hamilton, FOX-TV
AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL AUGUST 8
AND ON 4K UHD & BLU-RAY™ SEPTEMBER 5 INCLUDING OVER 90 MINUTES OF EXCLUSIVE EXTRAS
SYNOPSIS
Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga (2018, Best Animated Feature Film, Spider-Man™: Into the Spider-Verse), SPIDER-MAN™: ACROSS THE SPIDER-
VERSE. After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders, and must redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.
BONUS MATERIALS
4K UHD, BLU-RAY™, AND DIGITAL
• Blu-ray™, 4K UHD and Digital Exclusives:
o Obscure Spiders and Easter Eggs
o Deleted Scene: Miguel Calling
o “I’mma Do My Own Thing” Interdimensional Destiny
o Across the Worlds: Designing New Dimensions
o Designing Spiders and Spots
o Scratches, Score and The Music of the Multiverse
o Escape from Spider-Society
o Across the Comics-Verse
o Lyric Videos
o Filmmaker Commentary
• Also Includes:
o Creating the Ultimate Spider-Man Movie
o Raising a Hero
o Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Cast
DVD
• Creating the Ultimate Spider-Man Movie
• Raising a Hero
• Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Cast
Blu-ray™ and DVD include a digital code for movie and bonus materials as listed above, redeemable via Movies Anywhere for a limited time. Movies Anywhere is open to U.S. residents age 13+. Visit MoviesAnywhere.com for terms and conditions.
CAST AND CREW
Directed By: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson
Written By: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller & David Callaham
Based on the Marvel Comics
Produced By: Avi Arad, Amy Pascal, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Christina Steinberg Executive Producers: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, Aditya Sood, Brian Michael Bendis
Cast: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, Karan Soni, with Daniel Kaluuya with Mahershala Ali and Oscar Isaac
SPECS
Run Time: Approx. 140 Mins.
Rating: PG: Sequences of Animated Action Violence, Some Language and Thematic Elements
4K UHD: 2160p Ultra High Definition / 2.39:1 • Audio: English Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible), French (Doublé au Québec) & Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English & French (Doublé au Québec) – Audio Description Tracks 2.0 Dolby Digital • Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish • Color
Blu-ray™: 1080p High Definition / 2.39:1 • Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD MA, French (Doublé au Québec) & Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English – Audio Description Tracks 2.0 Dolby Digital Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital • Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish • Mastered in High Definition • Color DVD: 2.39:1 Anamorphic Widescreen • Audio: English, French (Doublé au Québec), Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English & French (Doublé au Québec) – Audio Description Tracks Stereo • Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish • Color
"Someday I'm gonna make great machines that fly. And me and my friends are gonna go flying together, into the forever and beautiful sky" - Rocket Raccoon, GOTG3
Just like that, July closes out and August begins. This week gives us Guardians of the Galaxy 3, James Dean, John Wayne, Dean Martin, Bueller.. Bueller.. Bueller and more.
Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 9 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of July 30th - August 5th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
Import Monday begins with another Japanese Artwork Steelbook, this one is for The Meg. As Japanese Artwork Editions go, this is about the most non-Japanese Artwork Edtion looking cover thus far.
And this one shows sold out, a StudioCanal Vintage Classics Line release for Cross of Iron. You may be able to find this on Amazon US, Diabolik DVD or have to resort to the secondary market.
On to Domestic Tuesday, and the new release this week is for James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. This one is available as a Standard Edition, a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook and as a Walmart Exclusive.
Catalog titles next, let's begin with 2 Guns from Universal Pictures. Quite an all star cast on this one, and just like last week's slate, more Bill Paxton (minus the chickens)! There is also a SteelBook that has been added at the last second (no, Universal never adds them at the last second!)
If you are not a Disney Movie Club Member and did not shop the secondary market, Cinderella (1950) now gets a general release. This one is also available as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. Bippety Boppety Boo!
And another pair of "Disney 100" SteelBooks are also available this week from Best Buy with Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Frozen.
Let's talk classic film, or rather, a pair of them. First we get East of Eden, which stars Julie Harris, James Dean and Raymond Massey. When it comes to an expert opinion, I cannot do this film justice, so follow our link, read David's review, then purchase it via our link.
And next, follow the same workflow for Rio Bravo which stars John Wayne, Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson. Read the review, make that purchase!
Next, a cult classic from Shout Factory, Clive Barker's Nightbreed.
This next one is sort of a double-dip, a release from the Universal Essentials Collection, The Big Lebowski: 25th Anniversary Limited Edition. Finally, a swag-filled set for a favorite film. And just like 2 Guns, a SteelBook has been added at the last second.
Next week, Fast X, Swamp Thing, Enter the Dragon and more!
Blu-ray counterparts of the above titles include the (likely) region B locked import for Cross of Iron from StudioCanal and likely a region-free domestic release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 from Disney.
I did mention it last week, this week's blu-ray calendar is an arid landscape. There are less than 10 actual previously unreleased skus.
New release from Universal, not to be confused with that Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon film from decades ago with a similar title, we drop the word The and give you River Wild. Reading the synopsis of both, they do sound quite similar.
Anime highlights include Black Summoner: The Complete Season and Vermeil in Gold - Complete Collection. Because we are really reaching, we will mention a few repackages here, Dragon Ball Z has new editions available; Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, Season 4, Season 5, Season 6, Season 7, Season 8 and Season 9. And if you want the whole shebang in one box set, check out the Amazon Exclusive Set that is available too.
How about a comedy/crime film with Tina Fey and Jon Hamm? Yeah, that would be Maggie Moore(s).
From Shout Factory, Assault On Hill 400, a World War II based film.
Import Friday features several Imprint Films Director Collections:
Directed By… Sidney J. Furie (1970 – 1978) – Imprint Collection #231 – #235
Directed By… Walter Hill (1975 – 2006) – Imprint Collection #164 – #169
Film Focus: Gene Hackman (1970 – 1977) – Imprint Collection #236 – #239
Arrow Video has revealed their October slate. For the USA/Canada, look for Witness in both both blu-ray and 4K editions, The Iron-Fisted Monk blu-ray and The Desperate Hours blu-ray. For the UK, Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment in blu-ray and 4K edition, as well as an Arrow Video store exclusive, and The House by the Cemetery, both blu-ray and 4K editions, and, yup, an Arrow Video store exclusive too/
Paramount will be releasing Scream 3 as a 4K and 4K SteelBook, as well as a Scream 4K trilogy. Seeing as how we just bought Scream VI, hopefully the studio fills in the gaps to our 4K library.
Universal will be releassing American Graffiti to 4K and 4K SteelBook on November 17th, shortly after a theatrical run.
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?
As previously reported, The Criterion Collection and Janus Films are teaming up to produce a new series of Blu-rays. The first three are coming this October are all from 2022: Jerzy Skolimowski's EO, Jafar Panahi's No Bears, and Louis Garrel' The Innocent.
Legendary director Jerzy Skolimowski created one of his freest and most visually inventive films yet with this story of a gray donkey named EO. After being removed from an itinerant circus, EO begins a trek across the countryside, experiencing cruelty and kindness from a cast of characters including an Italian countess (Isabelle Huppert) and a Polish soccer team. Nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature, and featuring stunning cinematography by Michał Dymek coupled with Paweł Mykietyn’s resonant score, EO presents the follies and triumphs of humankind from the perspective of its four-legged protagonist on a quest for freedom.
SPECIAL FEATURES
No Bears - Janus Contemporaries
One of the world’s great cinema artists, Jafar Panahi has been carefully crafting self-reflexive works about artistic, personal, and political freedom for the past three decades, despite being banned from filmmaking by the Iranian government since 2010. In No Bears—completed shortly before his imprisonment in 2022—Panahi plays a fictionalized version of himself, a dissident filmmaker who relocates to a rural border town to direct a film remotely in nearby Turkey and finds himself embroiled in a local scandal. As he struggles to complete his feature, Panahi must confront the opposing pulls of tradition and progress, city and country, belief and evidence, as well as the universal desire to reject oppression.
SPECIAL FEATURES
The Innocent - Janus Contemporaries
Part crime thriller, part romantic comedy, Louis Garrel’s The Innocent shows the dangerous and outlandish lengths two men go to for the women they love. Garrel stars as Abel, an aquarium educator whose mother, Sylvie (Anouk Grinberg), marries one of her drama pupils in the local penitentiary, Michel (Roschdy Zem). Once on parole, Michel attempts to start a legitimate life but soon reverts to his old ways, eventually roping Abel into one of his schemes. Complicating matters is Clémence (Noémie Merlant), Abel’s brazen coworker, who convinces him to take part in the heist. Directing from a screenplay he cowrote (with Tanguy Viel and Naïla Guiguet), Garrel explores the comedic results of playacting’s intrusion into reality, as well as reality’s comedic tendency to transform us into what we never thought we could be.
SPECIAL FEATURES
We will update with preorder links as soon as they become available and all three titles will be available on Blu-ray on October 17th.
Celebrating 30 years of animated Batman glory, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm has been fully restored for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Where was Kevin Conroy's Batman in that silly multiverse convergence scene in The Flash? If you're like me and starting to feel a bit old - news that Batman: Mask of the Phantasm celebrating its 30th Anniversary starts to hit hard. Originally planned as a direct-to-video release, the film was so good it demanded a theatrical run. I was 11 when I saw this incredible film in theaters and was always perplexed how this movie could be so amazing and yet all of my friends could think Batman Forever was a better movie. Now to celebrate its big anniversary, Warner Bros. is delivering fans a fully restored 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray to thoroughly scrutinize - hopefully, it's more akin to the excellent Batman: The Animated Series release and not that woefully scrubbed Max Fleischer's Superman set.
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Already up for pre-order - here's the press release for all the gory details:
BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM
WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF HERALDED
FAN FAVORITE ANIMATED FILM WITH FULLY REMASTERED EDITION
FOR 4K ULTRA HDTM
AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2023
#BatmanMaskofthePhantasm4K
BURBANK, CA (July 26, 2023) – Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the most universally acclaimed film in the Dark Knight’s legendary cinematic history when the newly-remastered animated movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, comes to 4K Ultra HD for the very first time. From Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment, the film will be available to purchase on 4K Ultra HD on September 12, 2023.
The release will also include an all-new featurette Kevin Conroy: I Am The Knight, which takes a look at the legacy of Kevin Conroy, who voiced Batman for 30 years in film, television, video games and more.
Rooted in DC’s acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series and released theatrically on Christmas Day 1993, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm has not only been ranked by Time magazine as one of the 10 best Super Hero movies ever, but is also arguably the core fans’ all-time favorite Batman film. The movie has been rated at the top of the Dark Knight film franchise by such popular entertainment media as Empire, Screenrant and Paste. And in the ultimate mainstream salute for its time, Gene Siskel & Robert Ebert didn’t initially review the film during its theatrical release, but later dedicated a portion of their At The Movies weekly TV series to pay compliment to the film – and voice their regret for not giving it the attention it deserved during its original run – when Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was distributed for home entertainment.
The 4K HDR/SDR remaster of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was sourced from the 1993 Original Cut Camera Negative and was scanned at 4K resolution. Digital restoration was applied to the 4K scans to remove dirt, scratches and additional anomalies, but special care was given to not touch the film grain or the animation cel dirt that was part of the original artwork. This is the first time since its theatrical release that it is presented in its 1.85 aspect ratio. The original 2.0 mix and the 5.1 tracks were remastered to remove or improve defects such as pops, ticks, dropouts and distortion.
The animated film features an all-star cast headed by the quintessential voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, alongside Dana Delany (Desperate Housewives, China Beach) as Bruce Wayne’s love interest, Andrea Beaumont, Mark Hamill (Star Wars franchise) as the Joker, Stacy Keach (Nebraska, Prison Break, Mike Hammer) as Phantasm/Carl Beaumont, Abe Vigoda (Barney Miller, The Godfather) as Salvatore Valestra, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (The F.B.I.) as Alfred, Hart Bochner (Die Hard) as Arthur Reeves, Bob Hastings (McHale’s Navy, The Poseidon Adventure) as Commissioner Gordon, Robert Costanzo (Forget Paris, City Slickers) as Detective Bullock, Dick Miller (Gremlins, The Terminator) as Chuckie Sol, and John P. Ryan (The Right Stuff) as Buzz Bronski. Additional voices included Pat Musick, Marilu Henner, Neil Ross, Ed Gilbert, Jeff Bennett, Jane Downs, Vernee Watson, Charles Howerton, Thom Pinto and Peter Renaday.
The Batman: Mask of the Phantasm filmmaking team is composed of the award-winning core group behind Batman: The Animated Series. Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm directed the film from a screenplay by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, Martin Pasko and Michael Reaves, based on a story by Burnett.
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm will be available on September 12, 2023 to purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more. 4K Ultra HD Discs will be available to purchase online and in-store at major retailers. Pre-order your copy now.
SYNOPSIS:
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm opens with the city's most feared gangsters being systematically eliminated, and assumed blame falling on the Caped Crusader. But prowling the Gotham night is a shadowy new villain, the Phantasm, a sinister figure with some link to Batman's past. Can the Dark Knight elude the police, capture the Phantasm and clear his own name? Unmasking the Phantasm is just one of the twists in this dazzling animated feature, which provides new revelations about Batman's past, his archrival the Joker, and Batman's most grueling battle ever - the choice between his love for a beautiful woman and his vow to be the defender of right.
SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE*:
Kevin Conroy: I Am The Knight (New Featurette) – For 30 years, Kevin Conroy defined Batman for multiple generations using only his voice, best exemplified in the landmark film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Conroy passed away in November 2022, but his legacy lives on in 15 films, nearly 400 episodes of animated television series, a dozen video games, and as a live-action Bruce Wayne in the Arrowverse’s 2019-2020 “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event. Several of Conroy’s contemporaries – including animation legend Bruce Timm, Batman producer Michael Uslan and revered voice actress Tara Strong – pay tribute to the star who remains the Dark Knight for millions of Batfans.
Bonus episode of Justice League: Unlimited featuring a cameo from Phantasm.
*Special features are not available in 4K Ultra HD.
Pricing and film information:
PRODUCT
Digital purchase
4K Ultra HD + Digital Version**
4K Ultra HD
In case you have missed any of our recent announcements, we've provided an abridged version here for your convenience. It also includes some of the titles that we think you might find interesting that have recently been added to the release calendar.
Speeding its way to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray on August 8 is Universal's Fast X starring Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Jordana Brewster, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, John Cena, Helen Mirren, Charlize Theron, Jason Momoa, and many more. The 10th film in The Fast and the Furious franchise is directed by Louis Leterrier and will also have a Walmart exclusive as well as a SteelBook only at Best Buy.
On September 12, Lionsgate and Walmart will be wrapping up some horror flicks in Blu-ray SteelBooks just in time for Halloween. Choose from The Leprechaun Collection, Rob Zombie's Firefly Trilogy, Rob Zombie's Halloween 1 & 2, Blair Witch & The Blair Witch Project, and Saw 1-8.
We've also added to our release calendar 4K Blu-ray SteelBooks for William Friedkin's horror classic The Exorcist from Warner Brothers, and for those afraid of heights - Netflix and Lionsgate's thriller Fall.. Both arrive on September 19 only at Best Buy.
Lionsgate doesn't stop there, on August 7 they will be reissuing the 2013 novel-inspired science fiction action-adventure Ender's Game starring Asa Butterfield and Harrison Ford on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in a Best Buy exclusive SteelBook.
Warner Brothers has revealed that they are prepping a 30th anniversary edition of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. The 4K UHD Blu-ray + Digital package will include a fully remastered HDR/SDR transfer and audio as well with a September 12 release date.
RLJ Entertainment has a slew of SteelBooks coming exclusively to Walmart this fall: Werewolves Within, Vesper, PG: Psycho Goreman, and Bone Tomahawk on Blu-ray, as well as Arizona, Color Out of Space, and The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot on 4K UHD Blu-ray. The SteelBooks will hit stores on November 14.
Two more erotic horrors from sleaze-maestro Jean Rollin have been announced by Powerhouse Films for limited edition home video releases. Fascination will be available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray and Lips of Blood will also be available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray. They will be available on October 24.
Imprint has six more Blu-rays for their library. They are: The Orphanage (2007), Wind Chill (2007), Bug (2006), The Skeleton Key (2005), The Mad Room (1969), and Night of the Eagle (1962). All six limited edition Blu-rays will be available in early November.
And finally, The Criterion Collection and Janus Films' new Janus Contemporaries line is coming this fall beginning with Jerzy Skolimowski's EO, Jafar Panahi's No Bears, and Louis Garrel' The Innocent on Blu-ray. The three releases will hit stores October 17.
That's all we have for now so until next time...Have a great weekend!
