This week in the world of physical media comes some 4K UHD upgrades and many blu-ray debuts, all from a variety of labels and genres!
Let’s take a look at what is being released this week.
***ALL IMAGES SERVE AS DIRECT LINKS TO PURCHASE THE MOVIES THROUGH AMAZON***
|
The most significant recent release for this week is “Wonder Woman 1984”, the 2020 DCEU sequel directed by Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, and Robin Wright. The film is available on 4K, 3D Blu-ray, and standard Blu-ray, along with a Best Buy Exclusive 4K Steelbook and a Target Exclusive Blu-ray with alternate artwork. All of these releases include a variety of extras on the film. |
|
|
|
|
Severin Films is putting out their first 4K titles, both by director Álex de la Iglesia: “The Day of the Beast” (1995) and “Perdita Durango” (1997). Each includes both a 4K disc and a standard Blu-ray from the same 4K master and several supplemental features.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Another Blu-ray debut this week is James Mangold’s 1999 film “Girl, Interrupted,” starring Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Clea DuVall, Brittany Murphy, Elisabeth Moss, Jared Leto, and Whoopi Goldberg. Newly remastered, this release includes a director’s commentary track, deleted scenes with an additional commentary, and a making-of documentary. |
|
|
The Paramount Presents label is releasing the 1952 Cecil B. DeMille film “The Greatest Show on Earth,” starring Charlton Heston, Cornel Wilde, Dorothy Lamour, Gloria Grahame, and Betty Hutton. This is the Blu-ray debut for this Best Picture winner and includes a new 4K master from a scan of the original camera negative. |
|
|
|
|
The Criterion Collection has two big releases this week. First is the 1991 film “Defending Your Life.” Written and directed by Albert Brooks, the film stars Brooks, along with Meryl Streep, Rip Torn, Lee Grant, and Buck Henry. This release features a new 4K digital restoration and includes new and archival interviews and an essay on the film by director Ari Aster.
This week’s other release from Criterion is the 1996 Mike Leigh film “Secrets & Lies,” starring Brenda Blethyn, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Timothy Spall, Phyllis Logan, Claire Rushbrook, Elizabeth Berrington, and Lesley Manville. This release also includes new and archival interviews.
|
|
|
Finally, there are two releases from Warner Archive this week. First, we have “Isle of the Dead” from 1945, directed by Mark Robson and starring Boris Karloff, Ellen Drew, and Marc Cramer.
The other Warner Archive title is “The Bermuda Depths,” the 1978 made-for-TV-movie directed by Tsugunobu Kotani and produced by the stop-motion television special titans Rankin/Bass (this film was co-written by Arthur Rankin Jr.). The film stars Leigh McCloskey, Carl Weathers, Connie Sellecca, Julie Woodson, Ruth Attaway, and Burl Ives.
|
|
|
CASEY’S WEEKLY BLU-RAY RECOMMENDATION
I recently ordered some Blu-rays from Warner Archive during their final 4 for $44 sale (though the WBShop is closing, by all accounts, the WA label will still be available elsewhere) and watched one of my blind-buys, which was “Where the Boys Are.” From 1960, the film was directed by Henry Levin and starred Dolores Hart, Paula Prentiss, Yvette Mimieux, Connie Francis, George Hamilton, and Tim Hutton. It’s about four college girls who travel down to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for their spring break vacation and depicts the very different girls’ situations and romances over the course of their vacations. The film is a lot of fun while also being quite serious and ahead of its time regarding how it depicts sex and consent. It also has distinct and memorable characters, despite a fluctuation in the quality of the performances.
As far as the Blu-ray, it looks beautiful. Like most 60s films, it’s shot in stunning Cinemascope, with the beach exteriors and various set pieces coming across nicely. It includes an audio commentary track with Prentiss, where she discusses her experience on this film as her feature debut, along with a retrospective on the film and newsreel of the world premiere. While not a perfect movie, I highly recommend it for fans of the 50s and 60s cinema as it does feel incredibly modern in its subject matter. Plus, it’s a perfect film to watch as we get into Spring and Summer.
Are there any releases you will be picking up this week? Let us know in the comments section below or on our Twitter account.
You can follow Casey and hear more of her thoughts on the Oscars and Film on Twitter at @CaseyLeeClark
