Why So Blu?

Own SCOOB! On 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray July 21st!

Learn the origins of Mystery Inc. and prepare for adventure when “SCOOB!” arrives on 4K UHD Combo Pack, Blu-ray and DVD from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on July 21st.  “SCOOB!” reveals the never-before-told story of Scooby’s origins. It shows how one of history’s most famous friendships began when an adorable, homeless puppy met a lonesome young boy named Shaggy, and how the two of them joined forces with aspiring young detectives Fred, Velma and Daphne to become the celebrated Mystery Inc.  Now, with hundreds of cases solved and adventures shared, Scooby and the gang face the biggest and most challenging mystery of their careers: a plot that will unleash the legendary ghost dog Cerberus upon the world.  As they race to stop this “dogpocalypse,” they discover that Scooby has a secret legacy and an epic destiny greater than anyone imagined. “SCOOB!” features an all-star ensemble cast led by Will Forte, two-time Oscar nominee Mark Wahlberg, Jason Isaacs, Gina Rodriguez, Zac Efron, Amanda Seyfried, Kiersey Clemons, Ken Jeong, Tracy Morgan, Simon Cowell, and Frank Welker. It was directed by Warner Bros. animation stalwart Tony Cervone, an Annie Award nominee for the feature film “Space Jam,” two-time Emmy nominee for his work on “Duck Dodgers” and one of the creators of the popular Scooby-Doo series “Mystery Incorporated.” Continue reading ‘Own SCOOB! On 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray July 21st!’

THIRTEEN GHOSTS – COLLECTOR’S EDITION Scares Its Way To Blu-ray July 28th!

This summer, thrills and chills abound with the arrival of the horror thriller THIRTEEN GHOSTS Collector’s Edition Blu-ray on July 28, 2020 from SCREAM FACTORY™. Awesome ectoplasmic specters populate THIRTEEN GHOSTS, an effects-rampant remake of the 1960 William Castle haunted-house film directed by Steve Beck (Ghost Ship) and from producers Gilbert Adler (House on Haunted Hill), Joel Silver (The Matrix, Suburbicon) and Robert Zemeckis (Cast Away, What Lies Beneath). Tony Shalhoub (Galaxy Quest) leads a cast that includes Embeth Davidtz (Mad Men), Matthew Lillard (Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?), Shannon Elizabeth (Jay and Silent Bob Reboot), Rah Digga (Blade II), and F. Murray Abraham (Homeland). The house itself is a design marvel and a mysterious puzzle-cube whose eerie corridors, sliding walls, spinning floors and phantasmic fiends may allow no escape. A must-have for movie collectors and horror enthusiasts, this definitive Blu-ray release contains special bonus content, including new audio commentary, interviews and more. Pre-order is available now at ShoutFactory.com. Continue reading ‘THIRTEEN GHOSTS – COLLECTOR’S EDITION Scares Its Way To Blu-ray July 28th!’

Gladiator – Steelbook (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)

Pretty crazy to think that the Academy Award Best Picture winner Gladiator turned 20 years old this year. But hey, here we are. In celebration of that, Paramount is releasing a new Steelbook edition for the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray they brought out two years ago. This is coming out in tandem to celebrate Braveheart’s 25th anniversary with a 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray steelbook. Gladiator‘s 4K steelbook features Russell Crowe’s Maximus in a battle ready pose, oversized for the space provided on the cover. Disc content-wise, this is the very same release from a couple years ago, the identical discs inside that include one 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray and two standard Blu-ray discs. Both cuts of the film are here like that set as well. As is, enjoy the images of the steelbook to accompany the review I wrote in May of 2008. You can find yourself a paid Amazon pre-order link at the bottom. Continue reading ‘Gladiator – Steelbook (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’

Buster Keaton: 3 Films (Volume 3) [Masters of Cinema] on Blu-ray August 24, 2020!

Between 1920 and 1929, Buster Keaton created a peerless run of feature films that established him as “arguably the greatest actor-director in the history of the movies”. Collected here are three further films from that era; Our Hospitality, Go West and College. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present all three films from brand new restorations in their UK debuts on Blu-ray. Eureka Entertainment to release BUSTER KEATON: 3 FILMS (Volume 3), a further collection of unparalleled films from the silent comedy genius. Presented for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK, from brand new restorations, as part of The Masters of Cinema Series. The Limited Edition Three Disc Box Set (3000 copies ONLY) will be available August 24, 2020. Continue reading ‘Buster Keaton: 3 Films (Volume 3) [Masters of Cinema] on Blu-ray August 24, 2020!’

Scorsese, Lynch, Dassin & More Coming to The Criterion Collection September 2020

This September, Claire Denis’ long-unavailable, ravishingly sensual masterpiece Beau travail will join the Criterion Collection in a new, restored 4K digital transfer. Turning forty this year, David Lynch’s atmospheric, Oscar-nominated The Elephant Man, stars John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins in the poignant true story of John Merrick. Never before available on home video, the full version of Francesco Rosi’s Christ Stopped at Eboli is a revelatory humanist epic set in the dark days of fascist Italy. Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project No. 3 will gather six newly restored gems from around the world: Héctor Babenco’s Pixote, Humerto Solás’s Lucía, Usmar Ismail’s After the Curfew, Bahram Beyzaie’s Downpour, Med Hondo’s Soleil Ô, and Juan Bustillo Oro’s Dos Monjes. And that’s not all: two hard-hitting noir classics from genre master Jules Dassin, Brute Force and The Naked City, will make their Blu-ray debuts in new restorations.

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Continue reading ‘Scorsese, Lynch, Dassin & More Coming to The Criterion Collection September 2020’

Pretty in Pink: Paramount Presents Edition (Blu-ray Review)

Paramount has been rolling right through releases for their new Paramount Presents line.  I have been looking forward to each release, finding interesting choices (Ahem…some of these were already available…) in each wave of releases.  My colleague Brandon Peters has been ripping through the releases, giving amazing commentary on the films and the tech specs.  I hope to live up to his astute reviews as I delve into the Paramount Presents edition of Pretty In Pink.  I am a John Hughes fanatic, and love even his lesser efforts so I was super excited to see this one added to the Paramount Presents line and finally getting a blu-ray release. Dive in below and If you’ve been wanting to own Pretty In Pink on Blu-ray, as always, feel free to use the paid Amazon link following the review. It both helps our site and helps you to get the product for which you’ve been seeking.

Continue reading ‘Pretty in Pink: Paramount Presents Edition (Blu-ray Review)’

One Cut of the Dead (Blu-ray Review)

In One Cut of the Dead, while shooting a low-budget zombie film in an abandoned warehouse, the crew find themselves caught between actual zombies and a mad director who won’t stop rolling. If you think you know what happens next, think again. Filmmaker Shinchiro Ueda turns teh film on its head more than once for one of the wildest, funniest, and most surprising zombie movies of all time. Continue reading ‘One Cut of the Dead (Blu-ray Review)’

‘Five Graves to Cairo’ [Masters of Cinema] on Blu-ray August 17, 2020!

Only the second Hollywood film directed by Billy Wilder, the riveting World War II spy thriller Five Graves to Cairo is an underrated early gem from the filmmaker, who would ascend to the industry’s highest ranks with his next project, Double Indemnity. Five Graves demonstrates that Wilder and screenwriter Charles Brackett who would collaborate on thirteen films, winning screenplay Oscars for The Lost Weekend and Sunset Boulevard were already working at the peak of their powers, delivering an espionage yarn that never lets up on the suspense. The only survivor in his unit after a battle with Rommel’s soldiers in North Africa, British Corporal Bramble (Franchot Tone) staggers through the desert until arriving at the largely deserted Empress of Britain hotel, staffed only by owner Farid (Akim Tamiroff) and his French employee Mouche (Anne Baxter). While Bramble hopes to hide there, the hotel doesn’t remain deserted for long Rommel (a scene-stealing Erich von Stroheim) and his men arrive and take over the building as new headquarters. Bramble assumes the identity of a recently killed waiter…only to soon discover that this waiter was also serving as a German spy, a role Bramble now has to adopt for his own survival. And while Mouche knows Bramble’s true identity, she has her own reasons for not wanting to aid in his plot. Continue reading ‘‘Five Graves to Cairo’ [Masters of Cinema] on Blu-ray August 17, 2020!’

The Hunt (Blu-ray Review)

The Hunt appeared to by a normal Blumhouse release til it became a controversial one and delayed thanks to Tweets from a certain dolt running the country I live in. Nonetheless it just moved to a later time and then wound up hitting theatrical release the weekend before theaters closed up shop for the pandemic. It then wound up a headliner for the theatrical at home push for digital streaming while folks have been couped up. What a crazy history for this little Blumhouse thriller. Nonetheless, Its finally getting a Blu-ray release (Including a digital code) to bring a little relief in that its coming to the format with ease. While, I was sure it would come to physical media, part of me was curious if it would, due to a wonder if it was necessary with the at home push being so strong and appealing early on digitally. Alas, Blu-rays are still going pretty well and this one is out and available for you to purchase, so you can using the paid Amazon link below. Continue reading ‘The Hunt (Blu-ray Review)’

‘Criss Cross’ [Masters of Cinema] on Blu-ray June 22, 2020!

Illicit passion, greed, robbery, and murder collide in Criss Cross, a crime suspense tale from a true master of the genre, Robert Siodmak (The Killers). Steve Thompson (Burt Lancaster Novecento, Birdman of Alcatraz) is a hardworking armoured car driver with a fatal attraction to his ex-wife Anna (Yvonne DeCarlo The Munsters), who’s now married to notorious hoodlum Slim Dundee (Dan Duryea Winchester 73). Unable to stay away from her, Steve has a secret tryst with Anna … only to be discovered by Dundee. To cover up their affair, Steve convinces Dundee that he only met with Anna to get Dundee’s help in robbing an upcoming payroll shipment he will be driving. The hood falls for the ruse, which triggers a series of harrowing events that ultimately lead to violence and death. From a new 4K restoration, The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present this essential film noir in its UK debut on Blu-ray. Continue reading ‘‘Criss Cross’ [Masters of Cinema] on Blu-ray June 22, 2020!’

‘A Foreign Affair’ [Masters of Cinema] on Blu-ray June 22, 2020!

From the inimitable Billy Wilder (Double Indemnity, The Lost Weekend) comes this classic comedy that mixes romance with hard-boiled wit in a story about stiff-necked Iowa congresswoman Phoebe Frost (Jean Arthur – Shane) mired in jaded postwar Berlin. As she investigates the morale of American troops, Phoebe is cynically wooed by fellow Iowan Captain John Pringle (John Lund), who is trying to cover up his affair with Nazi-tainted chanteuse Erika von Schlütow (Marlene Dietrich – Witness for the Prosecution, The Blue Angel). Filled with sharp dialogue and satiric jabs, A Foreign Affair is one of Wilder’s most beloved comedies, and The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present the film in its UK debut on Blu-ray. Continue reading ‘‘A Foreign Affair’ [Masters of Cinema] on Blu-ray June 22, 2020!’

Head Of The Class: The Complete First Season (DVD Review)

While we are well into the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray era for home video, seeing the likes of more boutique labels now joining the battle in 2020, it may surprise you what movies and television shows still are not on the home video disc format. That leads us to 1986’s Head of the Class, which made its debut on DVD this week from Warner Archive Collection. Sure, we can bemoan releasing it on a format from 2 generations ago, but with the quality in which the show was mastered and broadcast, the SD 480i resolution is a rather fine way to put it out. Updated it to HD would probably only minimally enhance the quality. As of right now, the only way to watch head of the class is on the Roku channel. This will give fans and nostaligists a chance to own the show. If you’re wanting to order the show, you’ll be able to purchase it when it pops upon on the WB Shop store. As of this review posting, its not listing on the site and being and MOD title, you’ll want to keep checking back. Continue reading ‘Head Of The Class: The Complete First Season (DVD Review)’

Friday The 13th – 40th Anniversary Limited Edition Steelbook (Blu-ray Review)

Fridvay The 13th turned 40 years old this year. Granted, it happened during the beginning of the pandemic and lockdowns initiating so it feels it kind of had an underwhelming celebration. Happily, my friends Jason Coleman and James Oster were able to hold their rad Flicks For Fans event honoring the film. With the film in legal troubles, no further entries are able to cash in on the milestone. Maybe its the fact that multiple Fridays a year, the film gets highlighted by the same rankings, “Things you didn’t know”, top 10 kills lists and more that it waters the excitement down. Paramount could have brought some excitement with a 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray debut for (at least) the original film. But instead we are seeing the same disc that released in 2009 repurposed again (So long ago that I worked on it before I moved out of Los Angeles) with different packaging. And even that got delayed and couldn’t hit the anniversary (Just announced on the day). Regardless, the packaging utilizes the original poster and is pretty cool looking. We’ll have a look here at it in this review. Continue reading ‘Friday The 13th – 40th Anniversary Limited Edition Steelbook (Blu-ray Review)’

Selena (Blu-ray Review)

Hard to believe, but until last month (May 19th to be precise), the popular and well regarding biopic of the 1990s late Tejano pop sensation Selena had never made it to Blu-ray. The 1997 famously launched icon Jennifer Lopez from a supporting player to a lead star all on its own and also put her musical talents to the forefront as well. There are many a strange late additions or still not on Blu-ray titles out there and some even surprise me as I research this stuff constantly and do a wishlist piece on them every year. The film debuts on the format with a new transfer and a ported upgrade over its 2007 DVD special edition with its bonus features intact and offering up two separate editions of the film (Theatrical and Extended Edition). If you’ve been wanting to own Selena on Blu-ray, as always, feel free to use the paid Amazon link following the review. It both helps our site and helps you to get the product for which you’ve been seeking. Continue reading ‘Selena (Blu-ray Review)’

‘The Man Who Laughs’ [Masters of Cinema] on Blu-ray August 17, 2020!

One of the most visually striking of all the later silent films, The Man Who Laughs reunites German Expressionism director Paul Leni and cinematographer Gilbert Warrenton from their horror hit the previous year, The Cat and the Canary (1927). Both films are often considered to be among the earliest works of legendary horror classics from Universal Studios, yet the undeniably eerie The Man Who Laughs is more accurately described as a Gothic melodrama. However, its influence on the genre and the intensity of the imagery art director Charles Hall and makeup genius Jack Pierce would go on to define the look of those 1930s Universal horror landmarks have redefined it as an early horror classic, bolstered by one of the most memorable performances of the period.  Adapted from the Victor Hugo novel, The Man Who Laughs is Gwynplaine (an extraordinary Conrad Veidt), a carnival sideshow performer in 17th-century England, his face mutilated into a permanent, ghoulish grin by his executed father’s royal court enemies. Gwynplaine struggles through life with the blind Dea (Phantom of the Opera‘s Mary Philbin) as his companion though she is unable to see it, his disfigurement still causes Gwynplaine to believe he is unworthy of her love. But when his proper royal lineage becomes known by Queen Anne, Gwynplaine must choose between regaining a life of privilege, or embracing a new life of freedom with Dea.  Continue reading ‘‘The Man Who Laughs’ [Masters of Cinema] on Blu-ray August 17, 2020!’

‘The City Without Jews’ on Blu-ray & DVD July 28, 2020!

Based on the controversial and best-selling novel by Hugo Bettauer, H.K. Breslauer s 1924 film adaptation of The City without Jews (Die Stadt ohne Juden) was produced two years after the publication of the book, only a decade before events depicted in the fictional story became an all-too-horrific reality. Set in the imaginary city of Utopia (a thinly-disguised stand-in for Vienna), the story follows the consequences of an antisemitic law passed by the National Assembly forcing all Jews to leave the country. At first, the decision is met with celebration, yet when the citizens of Utopia are confronted with the loss of the Jewish population – and the resulting economic and cultural decline – the National Assembly must decide whether or not to invite the Jews back. Though darkly comedic in tone, and stylistically influenced by German Expressionism, the film also contains starkly realistic and eerily prophetic sequences, such as the shots of trains transporting deported Jews out of the city. The implicit critique of Nazism in the film is one reason it no longer screened in Continental Europe after 1933, and no prints were thought to have survived. The 1933 fragment, found and published by the Filmarchiv Austria in 1991, was missing critical scenes. Now, thanks to the discovery of a nitrate print with the missing footage in a Parisian flea market in 2015, as well as the comprehensive restoration work of the Filmarchiv Austria, this previously lost film can once again be appreciated in its ever-relevant entirety. The most definitive and authoritative edition of this remarkable film published anywhere in the world, The City without Jews (Die Stadt ohne Juden) features a newly-commissioned score by the acclaimed silent film ensemble, pianist Donald Sosin and Klezmer violinist Alicia Svigals. Continue reading ‘‘The City Without Jews’ on Blu-ray & DVD July 28, 2020!’

The Reluctant Debutante (Blu-ray Review)

Warner Archive Collection capped off May of 2020 (Which already feels so long ago) with the release of the 1958 film, The Reluctant Debutante. The cast features Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall at the top of the chain, but also notably stars Angela Lansbury, John Saxon and Sandra Dee. It was directed by Vincente Minnelli, father of Liza Minnelli and husband to Judy Garland. In other words, its stacked with somebodies. Some might not realize that the film was actually remade in the first part of this century with 2003’s What A Girl Wants that starred Amanda Bynes and Colin Firth. Crazy, I know. Warner Archive Collection release The Reluctant Debutante into its Blu-ray library on May 26, making it available and ready for you to order as soon as you complete reading my wonderful words, soon to be policed by the wonderful haters of our site. Thank you all in advance for the corrections, so I can save the time on doing them. Continue reading ‘The Reluctant Debutante (Blu-ray Review)’

KISS OF THE VAMPIRE – Collector’s Edition Sinks Its Teeth Into Blu-ray July 14th!

This summer, brace yourself for the long-awaited Hammer cult film classic debuting on Blu-ray. On July 14, 2020, SCREAM FACTORY™ is excited to present the highly sought-after Hammer Film cult classic THE KISS OF THE VAMPIRE Collector’s Edition Blu-ray. Directed by Don Sharp (The Avengers, The Four Feathers) and produced by Anthony Hinds (The Phantom of the Opera), this spine-chilling horror classic stars Clifford Evans (The Curse of the Werewolf), Noel Willman (Doctor Zhivago), Edward De Souza (The Spy Who Loved Me), Jennifer Daniel (Wuthering Heights), and Barry Warren (Frankenstein Created Woman). A must-have for movie collectors and loyal fans of Hammer Films, this definitive Blu-ray release contains special bonus content, including new 2K scan of the interpositive, new audio commentaries with author and film historian Steve Haberman and filmmaker/film historians Constantine Nasr, new interviews with composer James Bernard and production designer Bernard Robinson, and much more! Continue reading ‘KISS OF THE VAMPIRE – Collector’s Edition Sinks Its Teeth Into Blu-ray July 14th!’