Monday, June 8, 2020

Arrow Video Preps Its First Two 4K Ultra HD Titles For Release On Aug. 19 • Flash Gordon and Pitch Black


DVD & Blu-ray Release Report, Ralph Tribbey
Arrow Video, with domestic sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, will be releasing its first two 4K Ultra HD titles on Aug. 18.   So let’s see what’s in the works …

First up is a 4K restoration (supervised by the director himself) from the original camera negative of director Mike Hodges’ 1980 film release of Flash Gordon, which will be available as both a newly-minted 4K Ultra HD edition as well as a Blu-ray product offering on Aug. 18.

What a hoot.  This salute to the serial adventures of Flash Gordon, Dale Arden, Dr. Alexis Zarkov and Ming the Merciless (Flash Gordon, Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars and Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe) was an absolute train wreck from inception, but nothing like time to make it an absolute cult favorite.

DVD & Blu-ray Release Report, Ralph TribbeyFirst, you get a Flash Gordon (played by Sam J. Jones — 10, My Chauffeur, Maximum Force, etc.) who, according to legend, was spotted on “The Dating Game” and had been a Playgirl “centerfold.”   He was teamed with Dayle Haddon as Dale Arden, fresh from North Dallas Forty, but when she showed up on the set she appeared to be in the middle of an anorexic episode and was fired, replaced by Melody Anderson (her theatrical debut).   

Haddon would later file a lawsuit against the film’s producer, Dino De Laurentiis … and that wasn’t the end of the legal problems with the production.   Sam J. Jones got into a tiff with De Laurentiis over his contract and before you could say “Flash” there was a breach of contract law suit and Jones’ post-work on the film had to end up being dubbed.
$40 million production budget, filmed on the same Shepperton Studios stages as Star Wars (and then some), but it ultimately failed to live up to its Christmas season release hype.   Ah, but time heals all wounds!!

DVD & Blu-ray Release Report, Ralph Tribbey
When you have the music of Queen, visuals off the charts, and Ming the Merciless played none other than Max von Sydow, you just had to know that time would make Flash Gordon a keeper.

This new 4K Ultra HD presentation comes loaded with extras.   There are two archival commentary options, one featuring director Mike Hodges (The Terminal Man, A Prayer for the Dying, Get Carter) and the second with actor Brian Blessed (as Prince Vultan), plus there are video sessions with the likes of Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, and Brian May from Queen.

Other bonus delights include deleted scenes, a vintage documentary titled Behind the Scenes of Flash Gordon, a newly-prepared documentary titled Lost in Space: Nic Roeg’s Flash Gordon and more … much, much more.

Also getting a new 4K film restoration and making its way to market on Aug. 18 from Arrow Video as a 4K Ultra HD release is director David Twohy’s 2000 sci-fi release of Pitch Black, starring that guy from Saving Private Ryan and the little-seen Strays, Vin Diesel as the ever-resourceful convict, Riddick.   Pitch Black made him a star, The Fast and the Furious the follow year would confirm it.
DVD & Blu-ray Release Report, Ralph Tribbey


Bonus nuggets for this chill-a-minute creature feature begin with two viewing options — a director’s cut and the original theatrical version — plus two vintage commentary tracks — one featuring Twohy and Diesel, who are joined by actor Cole Hauser, and the second also has director David Twohy (The Arrival, A Perfect Getaway, The Chronicles of Riddick), who is with producer Tom Engelman (The Last Samurai, Terminal Velocity) and visual effects supervisor Peter Chiang (The Bourne Ultimatum, John Carter, Godzilla).

There are also six newly-prepared featurettes — “Nightfall: The Making of Pitch Black,” “Black Box: Jackie's Journey,” “Black Box: Shazza's Last Stand,” “Black Box: Bleach Bypassed,” “Black Box: Cryo-Locked” and “Black Box: Primal Sounds” — plus vintage material, including the short animated film titled, The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury.

DVD & Blu-ray Release Report, Ralph Tribbey

DVD & Blu-ray Release Report, Ralph Tribbey





No comments:

Post a Comment