Fargo – Collector’s Edition (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)
November 6th, 2023 by Brandon Peters
Feels weird to be so far into the life cycle of 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray and we are just now getting to the Coen Bros’ Fargo. And that its being put out by Shout! Studios to boot. But, that’s also a good thing, as they are gonna take a little more care than it being an also ran. Its an update of their previous release on the format, carrying over extras and audio to go with the new 4K transfer from the original negative that was overseen by Roger A. Deakins (the GOAT!). Its for release on November 7th. You can order yourself a copy (why the heck wouldn’t, ya?) by using the paid Amazon Associate link at the bottom of this review.
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Who’d have wagered that Lionsgate would release the first 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray of the late master of cinema Jean-Luc Goddard? Not I. Criterion seems to have been sleeping on him. Lucky for us though, when Studio Canal does something in the UK, Lionsgate will mirror it in the US as they have with Le Mépris (Contempt). After a delay, it was released on October 24th. Featuring a previously done introduction, the film pretty much is bare bones in this. But, in terms of thing, us collectors have to be just grateful that those with the rights put something out at all. You can order yourself a copy by using the paid Amazon Associates link at the bottom of this review.
Paramount Presents has become something for collector’s and film lovers to look forward to, as they strive to put very wanted titles onto Blu-ray and 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray or to upgrade previous releases to (ideally) better editions. November sees the release of highly decorated Academy Award winner, including Best Picture, Terms of Endearment onto 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray. This edition will include a new Filmmaker Focus interview with director James L. Brooks as well as a commentary. You can order the film by scrolling all the way down to the bottom of this page and clicking on the paid Amazon Associate link.
On October 24th, Paramount unleashed upon us a new vision of horror – Paramount Scares: Volume 1 on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray! This mega set intended to highlight horror of all different subgenres and eras in their history as a studio. In addition to including five films (one of them a MYSTERY TITLE…which is Sweeny Todd), the set also came in a nice box that featured some physical goodies related to the films. Armed with a collectible, customized to the films in this set issue of Fangoria, as well as a set of stickers and a enamel pin bearing the Paramount Scares logo, this set is one for those of us still attracted to collecting ridiculous boxed sets like this. Like this box houses all those goodies, this review is going to house all the separate written reviews and videos myself and others at Why So Blu have published, in order to make this a one-stop shop for this fabulous set.
Celebrating 55 years of haunting audiences around the world, Rosemary’s Baby has finally made its way to 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray. Released as a standalone on October 10th and then as part of the Paramount Scares, Volume One boxed set on October 24th, the film updated its transfer and ported over the audio and extras from the standard Blu-ray released by Paramount back in 2021. If you purchase it in the Paramount Scares set, there are some bells and whistles physical extras that accompany Rosemary’s Baby as well. If you are interested in either the standalone release or the Paramount Scares, Volume One boxed set, you can order a copy using the link that goes with either at the bottom of this review.
Paramount dropped itself a nifty October “Spooky Season” release with its Paramount Scares, Volume 1 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray set. One of the novelties in this package was a mystery title. In what was one of the worst kept secrets, that title was Tim Burton’s adaptation of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Regardless of “cat out of the bag” happening early, its fantastic to have this one updated to 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray. I mean, the standard Blu-ray rocked the VC-1 encoding. Via the standard Blu-ray included, all the previous bonus features are ported over. And, of course there are stickers and a magazine with an article about it that are part of the set as well. Sweeney Todd is not yet available standalone, so if you want it now you’ll have to order the Paramount Scares, Volume 1 set. Which, you can do by clicking on the paid Amazon Associates link at the bottom of the page.
Perhaps the biggest victim of Barbenheimer was the of the much hyped Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning: Part One. The seventh entry in Tom Cruise’s staple series had a year to build off of the wave of Top Gun: Maverick hoping to ride it but unfortunately fell quite short. The first of a two parter (finale?) wound up the lowest grossing since the third film 17 years ago. But, in its defense, it was hit by a two fisted juggernaut and fighting for screens. Nonetheless, on Halloween (October 31st), Paramount released it on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray. It comes with an Atmos track and a smattering of featurettes including a commentary. There is also a limited edition steelbook of it as well. You can order yourself a copy of the film by using the paid Amazon Associates link following the review.
We are marching toward a new beginning for the DC brand in film form. The penultimate entry came this past summer in the way of Blue Beetle. For having a low opening weekend, it hung on pretty good in the following week. On Halloween, you’ll be able to pick this one up for your home collection on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray. Armed with a Dolby Atmos track, it also has a nice smattering of featurettes to round out the package. Warner Bros seem to be taking a page out of the Paramount book, as it has no standard Blu-ray with it. You can order yourself a copy by using the paid Amazon Associates link at the bottom of the page.
Like many a Studio Canal title on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray, Lionsgate has released their version of the folk horror legend, The Wicker Man, in the United States. Hitting shelves at Best Buy on October 17th, it comes in collectible steelbook packaging. In addition to the new restoration, the release features a nice slew of new featurettes/interviews and presents the film with an LPCM track instead of DTS-HD MA which had been on the standard Blu-ray. This isn’t an identical port from the UK version as its missing some bonus features and only contains The Final Cut version of the movie.
You can now own the year’s biggest film both financially and pop culturally – Barbie! Greta Gerwig’s film took the summer by storm and became Warner Bros biggest movie of all time. It arrives on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray with a handful of featurettes and a Dolby Atmos track. They released it on the format on October 17th. You can order one (if you haven’t already) to own this piece of history by using the paid Amazon Associate link that follows at the bottom of this page.
For October this year, Scream Factory is unleashing its inner demons. The night of said demons to be specific. And three nights at that. Its cult staple Night of the Demons and its sequels. The original will be making its debut on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray and includes some new interviews, as the sequel is making its second Blu-ray appearance with a new transfer and extras and Night of the Demons 3 debuts to the format. There’s a load of excitement to be had with these as they are not only loved themselves, but will be getting some top notch love on the format. Released on October 3rd, you can order them now using links in these reviews. In this review, we’ll be looking at the Brian Trenchard-Smith directed sequel, Night of the Demons 2!
Transformers continue to roll out in theaters, the latest being the 90s set, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. While not generating huge numbers like they used to, Rise of the Beasts still easily crossed the $400 million line and proved to be more successful than some more highly anticipated and well respected franchise efforts last summer. You can now own it, which Paramount released on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray on October 10th. It comes with an Atmos track and a smattering of featurettes. It also comes in a collectible steelbook edition, which is the copy sent here for review. You can order one for yourself by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows at the end of the review.
Just a few years ago, Disney saw some success with the ride movie, Jungle Cruise. It wasn’t the phenomenon that was the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, but its led us to them taking another stab at their staple attraction, Haunted Mansion. This one was another notable underwhelming box office performer this summer, and another notch on a rather financially disappointing one for them as a whole. While it feels like it should have been fall release during spooky season, it now becomes that as a home video release. The 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray for it was dropped on October 17th and comes equipped with an Atmos track and handful of featurettes. You can order yourself one from the paid Amazon Associates link below.
While Barbie and Oppenheimer were dominating the box office and the headlines in the late summer, there was another film making waves and profits on a smaller scale; the Australian fright fest that is Talk To Me. The film was an ultra low budget import that became one of A24’s most successful. Released on October 3rd, it arrived on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray with a Dolby Atmos track and a handful of extras. There is an Amazon Exclusive edition which has a special lenticular slipcover and another disc with a recording of a Q&A on it. You can order that version by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review.
Perhaps the most important film in the history of the studio, Disney’s first feature length film animation, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is finally making its way to 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray. Armed with a brand new transfer, this one was released on October 10th. Packaged with it is the Signature Edition Blu-ray which carries all of the previous extras that were on that release. You can order yourself a copy of this classic, which should be in any film lover and collector’s library, by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review at the bottom of the page.
One of the last efforts of Summer 2023 at the movies was a horror film that had been waiting in the wings for a good many years before being made and then releasing to theaters. The Last Voyage Of The Demeter released to some positive reviews, but then wound up being a hot target for a couple weeks in terms of its underwhelming box office and people wondering why it went theatrical. Now it arrives to Blu-ray (No 4K as of yet – frown). Surprisingly enough, its coming in a Collector’s Edition with plenty of bonus material on it. Released on October 17th, you can order yourself a copy from the paid Amazon Associates link at the bottom of the review.
Shout! Factory has collected many of the film and television works of the king of the disaster film, Irwin Allen, for a 7-disc box set. A load of mini-series, tv movies and feature films are hitting Blu-ray for the first time in this Irwin Allen: Master Of Disaster Collection box set. See notable stars like Michael Caine, Paul Newman or Sally Field do their best to save a town from a preventable nature disaster or escape a sinking ship. The films all come with new 2K scans from interpositives (1 film has a 2K scan from an original negative) and a few of them have alternate cuts, additional scenes and promotional materials as extras. This set was released on September 12th and you can order yourself a copy from the paid Amazon Associates link below.
