For the period ending March 15, 2019 ... New DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD selections added to the DVD & Blu-ray Release Report's database

 

 

 

 

DVD New Additions

AAZM Studios (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Another Apocalyptic Zombie Movie

Acorn Media

03/12/19 — Released Simple Heist: Series 1 (2 disc set)

Ambient Relaxation Films (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Doggy Pool Party

Ammo Content, LLC

03/12/19 — Released Kingdom of the Gladiators II and Spunk's Not Dead

BKE Films (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Bitter Pill to Swallow

BJJ Fanatics (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Z Guard Encyclopedia (3 disc set)

Bayview Entertainment

03/12/19 — Released Forgotten Ed Wood: Married Too Young

Blue Fox Entertainment (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Darkness Visible (Hindi)

CBS Home Entertainment (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Here's Boomer: Season 1 (2 disc set) and Here's Boomer: Season 2 (2 disc set)

Championship Productions

03/05/19 — Released Best of Club Volleyball: Setting, Bob McKillop's 5 & 4 Out Offensive System, Bryan Petersen: Half Court Offensive Principles and Actions, Flex Offense Reads & Counters, Mastering Transitions, Open Practice with Eric Musselman (2 disc set) and Todd Phillips: Skills & Drills for a Winning Program

03/12/19 — Released Fence Offense, Offensive Individual Musts, Simplified Unstoppable Fast Break and Unscoutable On-Ball Offense

Criterion Collection

06/04/19 — Sets Film Trilogy by Ingmar Bergman (3 film set: Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Light, The Silence) (Swedish) (4 disc set)

06/11/19 — Sets Swing Time

06/18/19 — Sets L’humanité (French) and La vie de Jésus (French)

06/25/19 — Sets Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2 disc set) and War and Peace (Russian/French) (3 disc set)

Dark Entity Music, LLC

03/12/19 — Released Garden Party Massacre

Daywind Music Group

03/12/19 — Released Beyond Amazing

DreamScape Media

03/05/19 — Released Fearless Leader: A Bible Story About Deborah and How to Catch a Unicorn

Eagle Rock Entertainment

03/12/19 — Released Foreigner: Live at the Rainbow '78

Excel Entertainment

03/12/19 — Released Jane and Emma (ARR of 151 days; box office: $184,795)

Film Detective

04/01/19 — Sets Laurel & Hardy: One Fine Collection (21 silent short films: The Lucky Dog (1921), 45 Minutes From Hollywood (1926), Duck Soup (1927), Battle of the Century (1927), Call of the Cuckoo (1927), Slipping Wives (1927), Do Detectives Think (1927), Their Purple Moment (1928), We Faw Down (1928), Habeas Corpus (1928), Flying Elephants (1928), You're Darn Tootin' (1928 long version), You're Darn Tootin' (1928 short version), The Finishing Touch (1928), Leave ‘em Laughing (1928), That's My Wife (1929), Liberty (1929), Double Whoopee (1929), Angora Love (1929), Big Business (1929); plus six short films Double Whoopee (1929/Talking Version), Blotto (1930), Be Big!  (1931), Twice Two (1933), The Live Ghost (1934), Tit for Tat (1935) and three bonus short films: Stolen Jools (1931), Mixed Nuts (1934), On the Wrong Trek (1936)) (2 disc set)

Gravitas Ventures (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Acts of Desperation, Avenues, Climate Warriors, Easter Sing and Violentia

Hallmark Channel

03/12/19 — Released Like Cats and Dogs

Icarus Films

05/14/19 — Sets Return of the Hero (French) (ARR of 256 days; box office: $37,108)

Kino Lorber

03/12/19 — Released Earthling and Unknown Soldier (Finnish)

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

03/12/19 — Released A.I. Rising, Ancient Aliens: Season 11, Volume 2 (2 disc set) and Last Man

MPI Home Video

03/12/19 — Released Pat Boone & Family: Springtime & Easter Specials and Perry Como's Music Hall

MVD Entertainment Group

05/21/19 — Sets Beer League

Magnolia Home Entertainment

03/12/19 — Released Divide And Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes (ARR of 95 days; box office: $38,036) and Tyrel (ARR of 95 days; box office: $18,376)

Movie Detective (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Coiffeur Pour Dames (French), Everybody He is Nice, Everybody He is Beautiful (French), Girl Gogo (Icelandic), La Nuit des Espions (French), Nine Guests for a Crime (Italian) and Till Marriage Do Us Part (Italian)

My Spotlight Independent (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Paranormal Farm and Player

Nanuq Original (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Snow to Sand

National Geographic (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released National Geographic: U.S. Secret Service

Naxos

03/12/19 — Released Sarah Vaughn and Her Trio

NCircle Entertainment

03/12/19 — Released Sonic Boom: Here Comes the Boom!

PCN Productions (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released 2019 PIAA Boys 2A Diving Championships, 2019 PIAA Boys 2A Swimming Championships, 2019 PIAA Boys 3A Diving Championships, 2019 PIAA Boys 3A Swimming Championships, 2019 PIAA Girls 2A Diving Championships, 2019 PIAA Girls 2A Swimming Championships, 2019 PIAA Girls 3A Diving Championships, 2019 PIAA Girls 3A Swimming Championships and PA Books: They Were Immigrants

Random Media (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Kathryn Upside Down

Serpent Films (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released 2 Classic Horror Movies (2 film set: Freaks, Dead Men Walk), 2 Classic Horror Movies (2 film set: The Human Monster, Snake People (aka: Isle of the Snake People)), 3 Classic WWII Docs (3 film set: The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress, The Nazis Strike, The Battle of Britain) and World War II in Color

Team Marketing

03/12/19 — Released 2019 Cotton Bowl, 2019 Fiesta Bowl, 2019 Orange Bowl and 2019 Peach Bowl

The Orchard (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Madonna and the Breakfast Club

Uncork’d Entertainment (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Lifechanger and Glorious Seven

Universal Pictures Home Ent.

03/12/19 — Released Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends: The Complete Series (18 disc set)

VIZ Media

03/12/19 — Released Hunter X Hunter The Last Mission

Warner Bros. Home Ent. (MOD)

03/19/19 — Sets Beau Bandit, Headline Shooter, In Person, Nightmare Room: Camp Nowhere, Nightmare Room: Scareful What You Wish For,Our Betters, Rockabye and Super-Sleuth

03/26/19 — Sets Coquette, Lady of Scandal, Men of the North, Mysterious Island, Spring is Here, Way Out West, Wayans Bros.: The Complete Fifth Season (3 disc set) and Wise Girls

Wild Eye Releasing

03/12/19 — Released False Flag and Silk Scream

World Wide Multi Media

03/12/19 — Released Hunting Evil

WOWnow Entertainment

03/12/19 — Released Vampz

Wyntersea Productions, Inc. (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released England's Greatest Poets and Sailing Vancouver's Island

Blu-ray New Additions

 

Ammo Content, LLC (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Cash Only and Scarehouse

Arrow Video

06/18/19 — Sets Running Man

Criterion Collection

06/04/19 — Sets Film Trilogy by Ingmar Bergman (3 film set: Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Light, The Silence) (Swedish) (3 disc set)

06/11/19 — Sets Swing Time

06/18/19 — Sets L’humanité (French) and La vie de Jésus (French)

06/25/19 — Sets Hedwig and the Angry Inch and War and Peace (Russian/French) (2 disc set)

Dark Entity Music, LLC

03/12/19 — Released Garden Party Massacre

Eagle Rock Entertainment

03/12/19 — Released Foreigner: Live at the Rainbow '78

Excel Entertainment

03/12/19 — Released Jane and Emma

FilmRise

03/12/19 — Released Dark River, Greasy Strangler: Special Director's Edition, Life in the Doghouse, Miseducation of Cameron Post and Vengeance: A Love Story

FUNimation

03/12/19 — Released Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody (2 Blu-ray/2 DVD Combo Pack) (with Digital Copy)

Gravitas Ventures (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Acts of Desperation, Avenues, Climate Warriors, Easter Sing and Violentia

Kino Lorber

03/12/19 — Released Earthling and Unknown Soldier (Finnish)

La La Land Entertainment

03/12/19 — Released King Cohen (Blu-ray/CD Combo Pack)

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

03/12/19 — Released Last Man (with Digital Copy)

MVD Entertainment Group

05/21/19 — Sets Beer League

Magnolia Home Entertainment

03/12/19 — Released Tyrel

Maiden Japan

03/12/19 — Released Armored Trooper Votoms (3 disc set)

Mondo Macabro

03/12/19 — Released Wild Pussycat (Greek)

My Spotlight Independent (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Paranormal Farm and Player

PCN Productions (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released 2019 PIAA Boys 2A Diving Championships, 2019 PIAA Boys 2A Swimming Championships, 2019 PIAA Boys 3A Diving Championships, 2019 PIAA Boys 3A Swimming Championships, 2019 PIAA Girls 2A Diving Championships, 2019 PIAA Girls 2A Swimming Championships, 2019 PIAA Girls 3A Diving Championships, 2019 PIAA Girls 3A Swimming Championships and PA Books: They Were Immigrants

Shout! Factory

03/12/19 — Released Craft: Collector's Edition, Man's Best Friend, Someone to Watch Over Me and Then Came You

Smart Mark Video (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Fight or Die: First Day Out - Indianapolis, IN, Rise: Ascent - Row on the Rise - Texas City, TX and Rise: Ignition - Berwyn, IL

Team Marketing

03/12/19 — Released 2018 National Championship: Clemson Tigers (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack)

Uncork’d Entertainment (MOD)

03/12/19 — Released Lifechanger

VCI Entertainment

06/25/19 — Sets Vanishing Shadow (12 chapter serial)

VIZ Media

03/12/19 — Released Hunter X Hunter: The Last Mission

Vinegar Syndrome

04/30/19 — Sets Corruption of Chris Miller (aka: Behind the Shutters) (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack), Darkroom (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack), Grandmother's House (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack) and Skin Flicks (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack)

The Film Detective To Release The Double Disc Set Of Laurel & Hardy: One Fine Collection On DVD On April 1 (no foolin')

The Film Detective, working with archives of Scott Entertainment and original film elements courtesy of Richard Feiner & Associates, has assembled a dream collection of Laurel and Hardy short films that will be available for fans, collectors and curious to own on Monday, April 1.   

That’s no fool’s joke, the Laurel & Hardy: One Fine Collection is a double-disc DVD product offering featuring 21 silent short films, a half-dozen of the legendary comedy team’s early theatrical sound short films and three bonus short films.   That’s ten hours worth of laugh-out-loud comedy.

The collection includes their first screen appearance together, director Jess Robbins’ 1921 silent short film titled The Lucky Dog, featuring Stan as a dog lover who falls for the owner of a poodle (played by Florence Gilbert) and is robbed at gun point by Oliver.

It would be another five years before the future comedy team would appear in a film together, this was director Fred Guiol’s 1926 Hal Roach Studios’ production of 45 Minutes from Hollywood (Stan was hotel guest and Oliver was the house detective … they do not share any scenes together).    

This all changes in March of 1927 when the two are teamed in Duck Soup, also directed by Guiol and produced by the Hal Roach Studios … you can say that they were “born” as a comedy team in this film.   Ironically it was considered a lost film for five decades.

Slipping Wives, Do Detectives Think, Call of the Cuckoo and Battle of the Century (only recently “found” in a complete form) are all from 1927, with Call of the Cuckoo also featuring Charley Chase.

1928 opens with the directing team of Clyde Bruckman and Leo McCarey serving up the Hal Roach Studio’s production of Leave ‘em Laughing.   The laugh-filled year continues with the likes of Flying Elephants, The Finishing Touch, Their Purple Moment, Habeas Corpus, We Faw Down and two cuts of You're Darn Tootin'.

The last of the silent films — all released in 1929 — included in the collection are: That's My Wife, Liberty, Big Business, Angora Love and Double Whoopee, which is also included as a sound version (look for Jean Harlow).

The comedy team of Laurel and Hardy successfully made the transition from the sound era to “soundies” and the Film Detective has six of these early films.   Director James Parrott’s Blotto was released in February of 1930 and features Anita Garvin as “Mrs. Laurel.”  

Next up in the collection are Twice Two (1933), The Live Ghost (1934) and Tit for Tat (1935).   

The bonus short films include the 1931 Paramount Pictures’ all-star comedy, Stolen Jools — which showcases the comedy talents of Laurel and Hardy with the likes of Buster Keaton, Our Gang members Farina, Stymie and Chubby, plus Wallace Beery, Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Gary Cooper and even Pete the Dog gets in on the action — On the Wrong Trek, a 1936 Charley Chase comedy with Laurel and Hardy doing a cameo appearance as hitchhikers and finally the Hal Roach short film, Mixed Nuts (1934).

VCI Entertainment Restores Director Lew Landers' 1934 Landmark Sci-Fi Serial — The Vanishing Shadow — For Blu-ray Release On June 25

It has been a journey of over 40 years, but fans of the classic theatrical serial genre are being rewarded for the long, long wait.   

Back in the 1970s, VCI Entertainment acquired the “non-theatrical” distribution rights to 48 serials from Universal Pictures through a third party.  After an arduous struggle with “chain-of-title” documentation, Universal Pictures has finally turned over the original film elements to 38 of those serials and is currently working on tracking down the materials for the remaining ten.

VCI Entertainment will be bringing the entire collection to market as either 2K or 4K scans from either the original negatives or remaining fine grain elements (35mm black and white positive elements) during the coming months.   

The first of these were announced for DVD distribution during the past few weeks — two double-disc, 2K restorations of serials starring Western screen legend Buck Jones, The Roaring West (15 chapter serial) and The Red Rider (15 chapter serial) … both of which will be available for fans to enjoy on May 28.

This week the news is even bigger!   Before Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon arrived on the silver screen with their sci-fi serial adventures, there was the spring of 1934 Universal Pictures 12-chapter serial from director Lew Landers (aka: Louis Friedlander), The Vanishing Shadow.

Ray guns, robots, a device to render one invisible and all packed in a 12-chapter thrill-a-minute serial.   First time on Blu-ray on June 25… indeed, for years the film was thought to be lost.   Even if you are not into serials, as a stand-alone example of early sci-fi in the world of cinema, this one is a must.  

This “before-its-time” gem was no accident.   The previous year the studio had a “monster” theatrical hit with director James Whale’s film adaptation of the H.G. Wells’ novel, The Invisible Man.   And so it was imperative to develop more material to capitalize on the success of that film … the result was The Vanishing Shadow.   

Not only was it a first for the use of a “ray gun” in the movies (of note, H.G. Wells’ 1898 novel, “The War of the Worlds,” has been noted as the first use of a “heat ray” weapon … so the connection to Wells, Universal Pictures and The Vanishing Shadow all seems to fit quite nicely), but it was also the first film to be directed by Lew Landers, who would become one of the most prolific filmmakers in the history of Hollywood.   

A sampling of his films include The Raven (1935, with Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi), Alias Boston Blackie, The Return of the Vampire (1943, with Lugosi), The Power of the Whistler, Adventures of Gallant Bess … and more, many more.

As to The Vanishing Shadow, Onslow Stevens (The Three Musketeers, House of Dracula, Angel on My Shoulder, etc.) stars as inventor Stanley Stanfield, who is also the son and heir to his father’s newspaper, The Tribune, which is under attack from the evil Wade Barnett (Walter Miller — King of the Wild, The Last of the Mohicans, The Roaring West).   

With the help of professor Carl Van Dorn (James Durkin — Perils of Pauline), Stanfield plans to thwart Barnett’s plans, but all too often the gadgets they conjure up end up in the hands of Barnett’s gang (a cautionary warning about such things).   

Also joining in the conflict is ace Tribune reporter, Gloria Grant (Ada Ince), who has a closely guarded secret of her own.   12 thrill-packed chapters of whiz-bang inventions, danger, daring escapes and that secret revealed!

Absolutely mark June 25 on your viewing calendar … and like we said, even if classic serials are not your bag, this one, for all of its historic value, is the 1930s equivalent of Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Arc and Star Trek all rolled into one.

As for die-hard serial fans, toss away those bootlegged DVD copies (yeah right, “The Film Collectors Society,” which is a long winded way of saying “pirate” … hey Warner Bros., when did King Kong fall into the public domain?).

The Vanishing Shadow is the holy grail of lost serials … it’s like finding the missing elements to The Lone Ranger or watching a restored version of King of the Mounties.   June 25th can’t come soon enough!!  

Icarus Films Tabs May 14 For The Domestic DVD Debut Of Director Laurent Tirard's The Return Of The Hero

Icarus Films will be teaming up with France’s Distrib Films on May 14 for the domestic DVD debut of director Laurent Tirard delightfully wicked comedy, The Return of the Hero.

Tirard’s film had a domestic arthouse break in August of last year and arrives with an ARR of 256 days.  

The never-ending Napoleonic Wars are the backdrop to this mischievous comedy about a test of wills and false facades.   It’s 1809 and Pauline (Noémie Merlant) is over-the-moon at the thought of marrying the dashing Capitaine Charles-Grégoire Neuville (Jean Dujardin — Best Actor Oscar-winner for his performance in The Artist), but her sister, Elisabeth (Mélanie Laurent — Inglourious Basterds) is wise to the Capitaine as a playboy and must figure out a way to stop the marriage.   

That arrives in the form of the 1809 call to arms, which includes Capitaine Neuville heading off to the front.   He promises to write Pauline every day, but that’s a meaningless bit of nonsense.   Elisabeth knows that even if he survives the war, his interest in Pauline is only sexual … he’s not likely to pursue the matter of marriage in any case.   Call that a big sigh of relief.

However, Pauline makes herself ill over her worry that Neuville will be killed in battle, which creates something of a family crisis when it appears that her broken heart will mean her death.   Her loving sister concocts a brilliant plan, she will start writing the letters that Neuville promised, but never sent … what is there to lose.

Of course it works like a charm.   Pauline recovers from death’s door with words of love from the bold and brave Capitaine Neuville.   But there is one more letter that needs to be sent once the conflict ends … the farewell letter; the kiss goodbye.   He will go off to India and never be heard from again.   Problem solved.

Now that would be a short film and leave out the best conflict.   A couple of years pass, Pauline marries some dolt and the affair of Capitaine Neuville is safely in the past.  Except, Elisabeth happens upon the drunken deserter one day and efforts to buy him off prove fruitless … she can’t let him expose her letter writing scheme and he suspects that he can take full advantage of that.   

The thought of Neuville having his way with her is so repulsive that Elisabeth must come up with a new scheme … and thus begins a test of wills.

The Return of the Hero is presented in French with English subtitles.