4K BLUsday for 9/29/2020!
September 29th, 2020 by Brandon Peters
4K BLUsday is yet again upon us! Did all your new releases arrive on time? What did you think about all of them damn quality 4K Ultra-HD announcements last week? I sure as hell preordered The Beastmaster right away! On the latest episode of 4K BLUsday on The Brandon Peters Show, I go over all of this and more. Listen to the podcast version then watch here or head over to YouTube to see the video companion where I showcase some of today’s new releases as well as new review arrivals for me and more. Remember to subscribe to whatever avenue you choose and not miss out on making this stuff fun to share!
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Following a seven-year absence, September 29th, 1995, saw the long-awaited return of cinema’s most haunting shape, Michael Myers. For myself, as I’m sure for many other fans, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers was the first time I had the opportunity to see my favorite bogeyman on the big screen. As strange as the Thorn cult was, seeing Michael and Donald Pleasence’s Dr. Loomis square off for the final time wouldn’t be the biggest impact this film would have on me. As a more common history tells it, the film was ripped to shreds by critics, disappointed greatly at the box office, and didn’t launch Brother Cane into alt-rock stardom. Halloween fans, horror movie lovers, and other knowledgeable film crowds know its greatest legacy lies not on the screen debut of Paul “Steven” Rudd (Okay, Clueless beat it to release, but he shot this first), but from a highly sought after, copied and traded VHS tape featuring an alternative version of the sixth Halloween film known as “The Producer’s Cut.”
When the time allows and I have the capable resources to do so, I’m going to do more of these screenshot comparisons as more and more films are seeing new transfers on standard Blu-ray instead of opting for a jump to 4K Ultra-HD. For this latest rendition, we will be looking at 10 screenshots of the new Scream Factory Collector’s Edition of Hammer Horror’s 1961 film The Curse of the Werewolf against the previously available version found in the 2016 set, Hammer Horror 8-Film Collection from Universal Studios. When the Universal set was released, there were plenty of framing gripes and debates as to what the correct aspect ratios should be on these vintage films from Hammer studios. Nonetheless, one could assume the true form is the one that looks the best, but even then, you never know. Follow along here to see for yourself. As always, I think these are best judged when in motion, but screencaps can tell a bit of the story as well. 
Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker is already available on digital streaming video on demand platforms and will be available on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD in a myriad of stand-alone releases and ‘The Skywalker Saga’ 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray box set (a Best Buy/Amazon UK exclusive). One of the bonus features found on the release is ‘The Skywalker Legacy’, a feature-length (Over 2 hours) documentary chronicling the production of The Rise Of Skywalker, complete with interviews and behind the scenes footage. Every Star Wars Disney film during their run has included a documentary like this, so its no different in that regard. When I sat down to watch this for my upcoming 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray review, I had too many thoughts on this documentary (And kind of the angle they have played on these as a whole) to limit it just a few sentences recap in my extras section. So, here we are, a bonus feature for a disc getting its own film review aside from the the release. But I figured it was worth the exploration and discussion. 
Here I am, returning once again for my seventh Top 10 Films list in my Why So Blu career. And like any other year, I feel like I have a good handle on things to make a top list until I actually go to write it. 2019, due to life things, was a year where I missed out on more than I normally would have and I thought the list would be simpler in the end. Turns out, it was just as hard as any other and my final pick was an incredibly tough choice to make among the ones fighting for that 10 spot. While the task to list out, narrow down, weed out and make excruciating cuts is a frustrating task, it makes me happy that I am enjoying so many movies to such degrees year in and year out. So many people poo poo the “current state of movies” and my honest advice that you need to do some work (Not hard work even) and seek out something you’re mildly curious on. Don’t feel handcuffed to blockbusters, stop judging thing so hard on the trailers you’re seeing and go see something out of your comfort zone. If it doesn’t work out, well, maybe it will next time. That’s the gamble and fun of movies. Follow things by creators (Directors, writers) and not genre. Don’t be afraid of challenging yourself once in a while. Don’t be afraid of watching something ridiculous once in a while (And appreciating what fluff is). Enjoy movies. All kinds. Explore. Remember…Star Wars was once something weird and new. 
Another calendar year has come and gone in the “death of physical media” era we’ve been living in for years upon years now. While I think in the eyes of those of us collectors who prefer ownership, things are still thriving and benefiting us immensely (You SPOIL us, Reverend Entertainment!), 2019 has seen the desire of the big studios’ future plans come more to fruition. At Why So Blu alone, there have seen severe disappointments with announcements of digital only 4K Ultra-HD releases (The Limey, in particular) and new beloved movies only getting a standard Blu-ray release with bare minimum bonus features (Midsommar). On the brighter side, stingy big studios allergic to sub-licensing their catalogs have begun to soften their stance and the unthinkable of Warner Bros, Paramount and Sony (Moreso in terms of allowing new bonus features, something they used to not do) started unloading onto us in 2019. Your move, Lionsgate (The most head scratching and frustrating studio with catalog releases). As I’ve been saying for years, I don’t see a death for physical media ever happening, it’ll just be changing and a smaller output that has standards already have been practiced for almost 10 years now. It’ll evolve to look more like the current state of vinyl records in its future, and that’s okay. The people who are still passionate about putting these out know how to blast excitement into it (I mean, who doesn’t get antsy about the Vinegar Syndrome Black Friday sale every year?). But, enough about the future, let us get to the now, my Top 4K Ultra-HD and Top Blu-ray titles released in the 2019 calendar year. 
Welcome back to another edition of Brandon’s Blu-ray Wishlist. The second one this year as 2019’s had to be pushed to January last time. But alas, I’m back and on time here with another set of 10 films or TV programs that have yet to be blessed/restored/made-over with the Blu-ray format (Or 4K Ultra-HD now for that matter). The usual rules apply as always. To appear on the wishlist, a title cannot have been released anywhere on the globe (If its only in another region, its STILL on the format). Also, if it has been announced in some sort of professional or reliable manner (IE: Peter Jackson has discussed that Meet the Feebles and Bad Taste ARE getting released). After the list, in the comments, list of some of theme you’re hoping finally see the light of day or you are STILL waiting to see the light of day in the comments (We are already WELL aware of The Abyss and True Lies, so lets get a bit more creative, shall we?). 
No, Lucasfilm/Disney/Fox have not announced the release of Star Wars on the 4K UHD Blu-ray format yet. I apologize to anyone who quickly saw that and got excited, but I couldn’t think of any other way to title the piece. Clickbait was not my intention. But, now that you’re here, please stay for a while and participate! With the strong embrace of streaming from the mainstream, we don’t exactly know how embraced the 4K Ultra-HD format will be in the years to come. If there is one certainty from the format, its that the classic Star Wars films will one day make the jump to 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray. Every format and collector eagerly awaits the debut of these films as they usually take a few years before arrival. And each time has come with both excitement and light controversy. Star Wars has released in a similar “business as usual” fashion ever since the mid-1990s. With this article, I’m hoping to present a different method, one that breaks from their traditional release pattern and style. This isn’t going to be a history of Star Wars on home video as I’d done for Halloween, but what I’d like to see going into the next format. I’d also love for people to join in on the comments and suggest their own (somewhat realistic) ideas. 
