Get Your Tickets! George A. Romero’s THE AMUSEMENT PARK on Blu-ray September 13th
August 15th, 2022 by Aaron Neuwirth
Recently discovered and restored 46 years after its completion, George A. Romero’s THE AMUSEMENT PARK stars MARTIN’s Lincoln Maazel as an elderly man who finds himself disoriented and increasingly isolated as the pains, tragedies, and humiliations of aging in America are manifested through roller coasters and chaotic crowds. Commissioned by the Lutheran Society, the film is perhaps Romero’s wildest and most imaginative movie – an allegory about the nightmarish realities of growing older, and an alluring snapshot of the filmmaker’s early artistic capacity and style. The “lost” film was restored in 4K by IndieCollect in New York City. The film arrives on digital, DVD, and Blu-ray on September 13th.Continue reading ‘Get Your Tickets! George A. Romero’s THE AMUSEMENT PARK on Blu-ray September 13th’
First off, my apologies for the sabbatical. Secondly, here’s the first issue of Iron Cat! With the recent buzz surrounding the green light given for Marvel’s Iron Heart in the form of a TV series, it seems as if the number of Tony Stark-inspired suits not being worn by Tony Stark is limitless. Thankfully, it’s not a case of a flooded market with everybody and their brother donning plasma-blasting, flight-enabled exteriors. The cautious expansion makes the reading of a new addition palatable. Such is the case here with the first issue of Iron Cat.
Scream Factory took a stab at a Collector’s Edition of Neil Marshall’s Dog Soldiers seven years ago and are back to upgrade it with a 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray version. Armed with a new transfer and bonus features, this is bringing in a similar disc to the Second Sight 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray coming out in the United Kingdom at the very same time. Arriving the day after that one on August 23rd. This has the new transfer from the original camera negative that was approved by Neil Marshall himself and the director of photography. Marshall sits down for a career retrospective and we get some historical context type interviews/essays for the other new bonus features. You can order yourself a copy of this new Dog Soldiers – Collector’s Edition by using the paid Amazon Associates link that will be there when you scroll to the bottom of this review.
One of summer’s most profitable movies this year has been Scott Derrickson’s return to original horror with The Black Phone. Reuniting with Ethan Hawke and C. Robert Cargill, Derrickson tells a tale of child abduction with supernatural zest set upon the late 1970s. The biggest bummer about it coming out on home video now is that its going the path of standard Blu-ray and no 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray release. Unless you’re Michael Myers, it appears Blumhouse is going to continue the straight to Blu-ray and maybe later a 4K (Get Out) release down the road a little later. This Blu-ray does come with plenty of supplemental material as well as a digital copy and that always highly coveted DVD disc. The Black Phone arrives on August 16th, and you can pre-order yourself a copy to own by using the paid Amazon Associates link below the review.
A staple of the Lionsgate home video catalog has been Dirty Dancing releases. Though it be DVD, Blu-ray or 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray, this is one of the titles they’ll repackage discs countlessly. Last year, it debuted on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray in a limited edition steelbook, exclusive to Best Buy. Well, now it will be consumable for the masses on the optimal format. On August 23rd, you’ll be able to purchase the film’s 35th Anniversary Edition in a standard amaray case with a slipcover featuring some new key art. All the bonus features, menu art and yada yada remain the same as the one that came out on its 34th anniversary. If you missed out or didn’t know about that one, well, here we are with the regular bells and whistles version. You can pre-order yourself a copy of this edition by using the the paid Amazon Associates link after the review.
Scream Factory has been on a mission to update previous Collector’s Edition Blu-rays that rocked our world many moons ago onto the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray format. It makes for a perfect time to upgrade and also to revisit some of these that maybe haven’t been picked up since they had last come out. Going back through the films and the extras and brushing back up on things is quite fun. Case in point, Paul Schrader’s Cat People is back from them with a brand new 4K transfer and all of its lovely extras back in tow. It’ll be here to own on August 30th. You can pre-order using the Shout! Factory website or by clicking on the paid Amazon Associate’s link that follows the review at the bottom of the page.
The Lost Boys, directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric, Corey Haim and Corey Feldman, will be released on Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Digital on September 20, it was announced today by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Directed by Schumacher, the 1987 film’s screenplay was written by Janice Fischer & James Jeremias and Jeffrey Boam from a story by Fischer & Jeremias. The film was produced by Harvey Bernhard. Richard Donner served as executive producer. The Lost Boys cast also includes Jami Gertz, Edward Herrmann, Barnard Hughes, Dianne Wiest, Jamison Newlander and Alex Winter. Ultra HD* showcases 4K resolution with High Dynamic Range (HDR) and a wider color spectrum, offering consumers brighter, deeper, more lifelike colors for a home entertainment viewing experience like never before. The Lost Boys will be available on Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and includes an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc with the feature film in 4K with HDR and a Digital download of the film. Fans can also own The Lost Boys in 4K Ultra HD via purchase from select digital retailers beginning on September 20. 
Poltergeist, the 1982 classic horror film written by Steven Spielberg and directed by Tobe Hooper, will be released on Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Digital on September 20, it was announced today by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Written
Continuing the fan-favorite and award-winning series, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is proud to debut six more acclaimed and iconic films from its library on 4K Ultra HD disc for the first time ever, exclusively within the COLUMBIA CLASSICS 4K ULTRA HD COLLECTION VOLUME 3, available October 25. This must-own set includes films that have resonated and endured, with stars and stories that have reverberated through cinema history: IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, TO SIR, WITH LOVE, THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, ANNIE and AS GOOD AS IT GETS. Each film is presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision High Dynamic Range, and four of the films have all-new Dolby Atmos mixes.
This September, Shout! Factory will release Cool World Collector’s Edition for the first time on Blu-Ray. Directed by underground animation legend Ralph Bakshi (The Lord Of The Rings), Cool World stars a remarkable cast of Kim Basinger (L.A. Confidential), Brad Pitt (Mr. & Mrs. Smith), and Gabriel Byrne (The Usual Suspects). This hybrid animated/live-action dark comedy creates a fantasy world where human characters and animated roles coexist and showcases Bakshi’s unique and creative animation style.
Early on into the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray era, there was a Director’s Definitive Edition release of Michael Mann’s Heat onto standard Blu-ray that everyone picked up anyway but was baffled why an upper echelon title didn’t just hit up the new format with a new edition that had a 4K restoration. Well, after 5 years of waiting, we are finally getting that 4K release of that version of the film. Heat’s debut on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ay will be a 3-disc set that carries over that standard Blu-ray edition with all the goods. There aren’t any new features exclusive to this one (which isn’t necessary). The release is set to arrive on August 9th. You can get yourself a copy by easily scrolling down to the end of this review and clicking on the paid Amazon Associates link that follows.
Experience an epic exploration of the life and music of Elvis Presley when “Elvis” arrives for Premium Digital Ownership at home on August 9. The film is directed by Baz Luhrmann from a screenplay by Luhrmann & Sam Bromell and Luhrmann & Craig Pearce and Jeremy Doner, based on a story by Luhrmann & Craig Pearce and Jeremy Doner, and stars Austin Butler (“The Dead Don’t Die,” “Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood”) and Tom Hanks (“Saving Private Ryan,” “Forrest Gump”). The film will also be available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD beginning on September 13.
Child’s Play 3 caps off the original run of films that would actually follow that title moniker. From here on out, everything would just be labeled “of Chucky” with the TV show merely called Chucky. This film isn’t the most popular of the bunch, but there’s a nostalgic good in its fit into the series and it still delivers many of the goods that you enjoy in the first two films. Scream Factory is giving it all the love you could want though with a brand new Collector’s Edition and bumping the film to 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray. Available on August 16th, this new edition contains a load of brand new interviews, including Perrey Reeves, scenes from the television cut and two commentary tracks. You can order yourself a copy by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review at the bottom.
Scream Factory has your horror August jackpot in the form of bringing the first 3 Child’s Play films to 4K Ultra-HD for the first time. Child’s Play 2 has largely been one of the most popular entries, many preferring it to the original even. One thing it hasn’t had before is some love on the home video front. For the first time, we are getting a Collector’s Edition treatment to the film in the form of commentary, interviews and deleted scenes. It’s long been overdue for the movie and will be available for you to have on August 16th. You can order yourself a copy by using the paid Amazon Associate’s link following the review. Also available that same day are the original film and Child’s Play 3 on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray for the first time as well.
Paramount Presents continues to be one of the most fun and varied lines of specialty Blu-ray releases month in and month out. Case in point the throwback beach party movie from 1987, Back to the Beach, is debuting on the format in this line. Releasing August 9th, its being giving the typical Presents line packaging, but also the tradition filmmaker focus interview and a new 4K restoration just for this release. The comedy’s filmmaker focus will be none other than its director, Lyndall Hobbs. Pre-order yourself a copy to have for at or around release day by using the paid Amazon Associates link following the review.
