New DVD • Blu-ray • 4K Ultra HD Activity For The Period Ending June 14, 2024

New DVD Additions

 

 

 

Access Tuolumne (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - Church of the Harvest, 2024 - Love Alive and 2024 - Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors Meeting

BCSN (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - Back Bay League Baseball: Island Hoppers vs. Muffleheads and 2024 - Sand Volleyball and the Docks

Belmont Media Center (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - Belmont Planning Board Meeting, 2024 - Belmont Select Board Meeting, 2024 - Belmont Town Meeting and 2024 - Belmont Warrant Committee Meeting

Brainstorm Media (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Lies We Tell and Sinners

Breaking Glass Pictures (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Men for Sale (French) and Our Paradise (French)

Burning Bulb Publishing (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Ceremonie Secrete (French) and Secret Ceremony (French)

CCX Media (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - Brooklyn Center: City Council Meeting, 2024 - Brooklyn Park: City Council Meeting, 2024 - Brooklyn Park: Planning Commission, 2024 - City of Crystal: City Council Meeting,  2024 - City of Plymouth: City Council Meeting, 2024 - City of Robbinsdale: Economic Development Authority, 2024 - Golden Valley City Planning Commission, 2024 - Maple Grove High School Graduation, 2024 - Osseo High School Graduation, 2024 - Osseo: City Council Meeting, 2024 - Osseo: Economic Development Authority Meeting and 2024 - Park Center High School Graduation

Capital Community Media (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - City of Salem Council Meeting, 2024 - Marion County Commissioners Meeting and 2024 - Salem-Keizer School Board Meeting

Championship Productions
06/11/2024 — Released Open Practice with Jerome Tang: Details Matter

City of Cambridge (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - City of Cambridge City Council Regular Meeting and 2024 - City of Cambridge Planning Board Meeting

City of Tacoma (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - City of Tacoma City Council Meeting and 2024 - City of Tacoma City Council Study Session

Dark Star Pictures
06/11/2024 — Released Big Boys

Dartmouth Community Media (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - Dartmouth Community Preservation Committee Meeting, 2024 - Dartmouth Conservation Commission Meeting, 2024 - Dartmouth Planning Board Meeting, 2024 - Dartmouth Waterways Management Commission Meeting, 2024 - DeMello School 5th Grade Recognition Night, 2024 - Potter School 5th Grade Recognition Night and 2024 - Quinn School 5th Grade Recognition Night

Decal Releasing, LLC
06/11/2024 — Released Origin

Dreamscape Media, LLC
06/11/2024 — Released Bright Path, Fast and Furriest, Good Guys! Doing Good, Kids Safari: Volume Five, Kids Safari: Volume Four, Kids Safari: Volume One, Kids Safari: Volume Six, Kids Safari: Volume Three, Kids Safari: Volume Two,  Lessons From The Bible With Pastor Doug: Season 1 (2 disc set), Lessons From The Bible With Pastor Doug: Season 2 (2 disc set), Love, Violet, Personally Yours (aka Wilderness Love), Plate of Hope, Ramadan to Remember, Secret Life of John Paul II, Stay Calm, Surviving Camp Analog, Travis: A Soldier's Story, Un Plato De Esperanza and Walk

ETV (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - City of Eagan: City Council Meeting

Electric Entertainment
06/11/2024 — Released Ask Me to Dance

Film Movement
06/11/2024 — Released Sales Girl (Mongolian)

Full Moon Entertainment
06/11/2024 — Released Bad Influencer, Bring Her To Me and Head of the Family

Giant Interactive (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Finding The Money

Gravitas Ventures (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Bad Behaviour, Before the World Set on Fire,  Break,  Re: Uniting and Wild Eyed and Wicked

Hallmark Entertainment
06/11/2024 — Released Come Fly With Me

Hallmark Entertainment (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Anything For Love, Broadcasting Christmas, Christmas at the Plaza, Christmas Homecoming, Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses, Framed For Murder: A Fixer Upper Mystery, Front of the Class, Hallmark Double Feature: Wedding March 1 And 2 and Nashville Legacy

IFC Films
06/11/2024 — Released Stopmotion

IMD Films, Ltd.
06/11/2024 — Released Super Vixens 7

Icarus Films
06/11/2024 — Released Toni (French)

Indiepix
06/11/2024 — Released Don't Look at Me That Way (German)

Kino Lorber
06/11/2024 — Released Nude for Satan and Remembering Gene Wilder

Lex Media (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - Diamond Middle School Moving-On Ceremony, 2024 - Jonas Clarke Middle School Moving-On Ceremony, 2024 - Lexington School Building Committee Meeting and 2024 - Lexington School Committee Meeting

Lightyear Video
06/11/2024 — Released Edge of Everything

MGM Home Entertainment (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Betrayed, Class and Mighty Quinn

MPI Home Video
06/11/2024 — Released Last Kumite

Magnolia Home Entertainment
06/11/2024 — Released Animal Kingdom (French)

Memories Videography (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - Hayfield High School Graduation, 2024 - Heritage High School Graduation, 2024 - Lightridge High School Graduation, 2024 - Oakton High School Graduation, 2024 - Riverside High School Graduation, 2024 - Rock Ridge High School Graduation, 2024 - South County High School Graduation, 2024 - Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology Graduation and 2024 - West Potomac High School Graduation

Memory Marker Video (MOD)
05/28/2024 — Released 2024 - Archer High School Graduation, 2024 - Buford High School Graduation, 2024 - Collins High School Graduation, 2024 - Duluth High School Graduation, 2024 - Grayson High School Graduation, 2024 - Lanier High School Graduation, 2024 - North Gwinnett High School Graduation and 2024 - Peach Ridge High School Graduation

PBS Direct
06/11/2024 — Released Poisoned Ground - The Tragedy at Love Canal

PCN Productions (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - PIAA 1A Softball Championship, 2024 - PIAA 2A Softball Championship, 2024 - PIAA 3A Softball Championship, 2024 - PIAA 4A Softball Championship, 2024 - PIAA 5A Softball Championship and 2024 - PIAA 6A Softball Championship

PCSD (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - Normandy High School Commencement, 2024 - Parma City School District Superintendent Town Hall Meeting and 2024 - Valley Forge High School Commencement

Paramount Home Entertainment
06/11/2024 — Released South Park: Joining the Panderverse

Random Media (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Get Rich Quick Scheme, Virt and What Brings Us Together

Remember When Classic Movies, Ltd. (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Shock and Topper Returns

Rising Sun Media (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Behind India, Dark Prism, El Apartamento (Spanish), List (Spanish) and My Beautiful Sheep (Myakut) (Hindi)

Rustblade
06/11/2024 — Released Two Evil Eyes

SRS Cinema
06/11/2024 — Released Amityville Backpack

Sandpiper Pictures
06/11/2024 — Released Article 99, Family Thing, Warriors of Virtue and Winter People

Serio Controla (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released King Serio

Shout! Factory
06/11/2024 — Released Return to Lonesome Dove (2 disc set)

Strand Releasing
06/11/2024 — Released Prince (French)

Sony Pictures Home Ent. (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Darkness of Man and Wicked Little Letters

Synergetic Entertainment (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Boboiboy Galaxy: The Complete Series (6 disc set)

Trinity Creative (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released World of Tanks and Commanders

Universal Pictures Home Ent.
06/11/2024 — Released Long Game

VAC-TV (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - Oak Park Heights City Council Meeting, 2024 - Stillwater Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting and 2024 - Stillwater School Board Meeting

VIZ Media
06/11/2024 — Released Pokemon The Series: XY Complete Season (6 disc set)

Vermont Collective (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Final Run and Merry Scottish Christmas

Via Vision Entertainment
06/11/2024 — Released Emily the Criminal, Great Escaper, Master Gardener, Mr. Holmes, Queen of the Desert, Railway Man, Red Joan, Upside, Watcher and Y/ N: You Lie You Die

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Ent.
06/11/2024 — Released Superman & Lois: The Complete Third Season (3 disc set) and Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series (12 disc set)

New Blu-ray Additions

 

105Films (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Invited and Woodmen

88 Films
06/11/2024 — Released Royal Warriors (Cantonese) and Yes, Madam! (Cantonese)

Access Tuolumne (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - Church of the Harvest, 2024 - Love Alive and 2024 - Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors Meeting

BBC Home Entertainment
06/11/2024 — Released Doctor Who: The Celestial Toymaker (2 disc set)

Belmont Media Center (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - Belmont Planning Board Meeting, 2024 - Belmont Select Board Meeting, 2024 - Belmont Town Meeting and 2024 - Belmont Warrant Committee Meeting

Bill Zebub
06/11/2024 — Released Zombie Christ

Burning Bulb Publishing (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Ceremonie Secrete (French) and Secret Ceremony (French)

Capital Community Media (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - City of Salem Council Meeting, 2024 - Marion County Commissioners Meeting and 2024 - Salem-Keizer School Board Meeting

City of Tacoma (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - City of Tacoma City Council Meeting and 2024 - City of Tacoma City Council Study Session

Dartmouth Community Media (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - Dartmouth Community Preservation Committee Meeting, 2024 - Dartmouth Conservation Commission Meeting, 2024 - Dartmouth Planning Board Meeting, 2024 - Dartmouth Waterways Management Commission Meeting, 2024 - DeMello School 5th Grade Recognition Night, 2024 - Potter School 5th Grade Recognition Night and 2024 - Quinn School 5th Grade Recognition Night

Decal Releasing, LLC
06/11/2024 — Released Origin

Dr. Movies 2024 (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Strangers: Chapter 1

ETV (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - City of Eagan: City Council Meeting

Epic Pictures
06/11/2024 — Released Bag of Lies

Full Moon Features
06/11/2024 — Released Bring Her to Me

FUNimation
06/11/2024 — Released Buddy Daddies: The Complete Season (2 disc set)

Giant Interactive (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Finding the Money

Gravitas Ventures (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Bad Behaviour and Break

IFC Films
06/11/2024 — Released Stopmotion

Kino Lorber
06/11/2024 — Released Remembering Gene Wilder

Kitty Media
06/11/2024 — Released Kitty's Vault Klassics: High Five Pack (2 disc set)

Lex Media (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - Diamond Middle School Moving-On Ceremony, 2024 - Jonas Clarke Middle School Moving-On Ceremony, 2024 - Lexington School Building Committee Meeting and 2024 - Lexington School Committee Meeting

MGM Home Entertainment (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Betrayed, Class and Mighty Quinn

MPI Home Video
06/11/2024 — Released Last Kumite

Magnolia Home Entertainment
06/11/2024 — Released Animal Kingdom (French)

Massacre Video
06/11/2024 — Released Das Kombrutalle Duell (German) and Hunt Her, Kill Her

Media Blasters
06/11/2024 — Released Zebraman Ultimate Z-pack (2 film set: Zebraman, Zebraman 2) (2 Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack) (Japanese)

Memories Videography (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - Hayfield High School Graduation, 2024 - Heritage High School Graduation, 2024 - Lightridge High School Graduation, 2024 - Oakton High School Graduation, 2024 - Riverside High School Graduation, 2024 - Rock Ridge High School Graduation, 2024 - South County High School Graduation, 2024 - Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology Graduation and 2024 - West Potomac High School Graduation

Monsterland Media (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Mahabharata (2 disc set), Mega Man: The Animated Series (3 disc set), Megaman NT Warrior: The Complete Series (6 disc set), Planet Sheen: The Complete Series (3 disc set), Scooby-Doo and the Guess Who? - The Complete Series (6 disc set) and Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends: The Complete Series (3 disc set)

Movies R U.S.A. (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Fall Guy: Season 2 (2 disc set), Fall Guy: Season 3 (2 disc set), Monster Mash, My Bodyguard, Under the Bridge:  The Complete Series (2 disc set) and Waco: American Apocalypse

PCN Productions (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - PIAA 1A Softball Championship, 2024 - PIAA 2A Softball Championship, 2024 - PIAA 3A Softball Championship, 2024 - PIAA 4A Softball Championship, 2024 - PIAA 5A Softball Championship and 2024 - PIAA 6A Softball Championship

PCSD (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - Normandy High School Commencement, 2024 - Parma City School District Superintendent Town Hall Meeting and 2024 - Valley Forge High School Commencement

Paramount Home Entertainment
06/11/2024 — Released South Park: Joining the Panderverse

Retromedia (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Last Woman on Earth

Rising Sun Media (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Behind India, Beyond Fury (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack), Dark Prism,  El Apartamento (Spanish), Killer Pinata (Killer Edition) (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack), List (Spanish), Lonely Hearts and My Beautiful Sheep (Myakut) (Hindi)

Round Town Productions (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Great Nick D (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack)

Sandpiper Pictures
06/11/2024 — Released Article 99, Family Thing, Warriors of Virtue and Winter People

Sentai Filmworks
06/11/2024 — Released My Love Story!!! Complete Collection (3 disc set) and Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist In Another World: The Complete Series (2 disc set)

Shout! Studios
06/11/2024 — Released Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack) (Japanese)

Synergetic Entertainment (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Boboiboy Galaxy: The Complete Series (3 disc set)

Universal Pictures Home Ent. (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Dogman (French)

VAC-TV (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released 2024 - Oak Park Heights City Council Meeting, 2024 - Stillwater Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting and 2024 - Stillwater School Board Meeting

Via Vision Entertainment
06/11/2024 — Released Emily the Criminal, Great Escaper, Master Gardener, Mr. Holmes, Prisoner: The Complete Series (7 disc set), Queen of the Desert, Railway Man, Red Joan, Upside, Watcher and Y/ N: You Lie You Die

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Ent.
06/11/2024 — Released Superman & Lois: The Complete Third Season (3 disc set)

Winnatakall (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Babymetal & Electric Callboy: Ratatata - Live

Wood Dale Collective (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Fellow Travelers: The Complete Series (2 disc set), House M. D.: The Complete Series (23 disc set) and Justified: The Complete Series (12 disc set)

New 4K Ultra HD Additions

MPI Home Media
06/11/2024 — Released Last Kumite (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack)

Movies R U.S.A. (MOD)
06/11/2024 — Released Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire and Rebel Moon: Part Two - The Scargiver

Shout! Studios
06/11/2024 — Released Species II: Collector's Edition

Sony Pictures Home Ent.
09/10/2024 — Sets Richard Pryor: Live on Sunset Strip (with Digital Copy)

Universal Pictures Home Ent.
06/11/2024 — Released Shrek Forever After (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack) (with Digital Copy)

Walt Disney Studios Home Ent.
08/27/2024 — Sets Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack) (with Digital Copy)

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Ent.
08/13/2024 — Sets Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (with Digital Copy)

The Blu-ray Format Celebrates Its 18th Anniversary With A Seven Year Run Of Record Breaking Release Counts

The Blu-ray format just turned eighteen.   Eighteen years and going strong, with the latest twelve month cycle being the busiest one yet.

You read that right … the busiest one yet!   A seven-year run of new record release totals!

It was not a pretty beginning for the format back in 2006.   The launch was to hav taken place on May 23, with eleven titles lined up from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Lionsgate Home Entertainment and MGM Home Entertainment.   That didn’t happen.
Delayed again on June 13.   

Finally, June 20, 2006 saw the first wave of seven titles on Blu-ray.   Six were from Sony — House of Flying Daggers, 50 First Dates, The Fifth Element, Hitch, Underworld: Evolution and XXX — with MGM kicking in one Blu-ray, The Terminator.

The following week, June 27, Lionsgate contributed its five delayed titles — Terminator 2, Crash, Lord of War, Punisher and Saw — and Sony released Ultraviolet.

MGM managed to cough-up three titles in July and Sony found two more, the surprise was WEA – Concert Hot Spot dipping its toe in the water with Muriel Anderson: A Guitarscape Planet and View From Space With Heavenly Music.

Meanwhile, Sony’s arch-rival, Toshiba, had launched a DVD second generation format of its own, HD-DVD.   The VHS/Betamax wars of the early 1980s were about to repeat themselves.

Toshiba was even out first with a smattering of titles in March of 2006.   But, their format launch efforts would prove to be inept.

At the 2006 VSDA (Video Software Dealer’s Association) convention in Las Vegas that summer, the DVD Release Report (our original publication name) held over 40 meetings with home entertainment suppliers over a four-day period.  We asked two questions at every session.   

First, which format do you prefer?  The answer was complete ambivalence — we are not picking sides; we are not getting into this war.   Authoring is too expensive to take the risk.

The next question, if HD-DVD or Blu-ray picked up the tab for authoring, would you commit your best selling DVD titles to that side?   The universal answer was a resounding YES!

Within days after the convention we reached out to Toshiba, who had publically stated that they had a $50 million war chest to promote the HD-DVD format.   We supplied the data.   Hundreds of titles would be instantly available if Toshiba authored product for the new format … instead, they went on a $50 million “bus tour.”   Money squandered … an opportunity lost.   Within 24 months they were gone.

This mini-war was not without consequences.   After two full years of pushing the new Blu-ray format only 601 titles were available … the DVD launch almost matched that title count in the first 12 months of its launch.

Warner Home Video’s first supported the Blu-ray format with four releases on Aug. 1, Disney joined the party on Sept. 19 with four titles and Paramount followed on Sept. 26 with four titles as well.

Magnolia Home Entertainment released writer/director Eylan Fox’s The Bubble on Sept. 26.
20th Century-Fox finally arrived on scene on Nov. 14, but New Year’s Eve came and went and both Universal and Dreamworks, the last studio holdouts, were still on the sidelines. 

It got ugly as 2007 opened up, Dreamworks released Dreamgirls on May 1, Flags of Our Father arrived on May 22 and two more titles followed.   On Aug. 21, Paramount and Dreamworks joined Universal in abandoning the Blu-ray format … all titles released were promptly withdrawn from the marketplace.

Three studios quit Blu-ray in 2007.    Tick tock, tick tock.  On May 20, 2008 both Dreamworks and Paramount signaled that they would once again support the Blu-ray format, however Dreamsworks was delayed in getting back into the pool until June 3.   On that date, all previously released Blu-rays from both Paramount and Dreamworks were reissued.

Universal finally raised the white flag on July 22, 2008 — over two years into the format wars — with The Mummy trilogy as their first three Blu-ray releases.

As a result of this mini-format war (and the consumer confusion that it caused), it took eight long years for the annual output to reach the 2,000-title mark.  

By mid-June of 2016 the Blu-ray format recorded its first down year … title release activity was stagnant.   2017 saw another dip in title output.

Indeed, if one only looked at “replicated” Blu-ray releases, a plateau was reached by year six (June of 2012) and output never climbed above 2,200 after that, peaking in year 13 (June of 2019) with 2,119 replicated Blu-ray releases.  

This peak in 2019 is significant as that’s the year that Hollywood (the studios) decided that they would declare on the Netflix monster that they had created and go all in on streaming, losing billions in the process.    

Couple this with the arrival of the Covid pandemic and replicated Blu-ray has been in steady decline — in terms of traditionally replicated output — over the past five years.   The latest cycle saw only 1,714 traditionally replicated Blu-ray titles released.

If that is your view on physical media in general, and Blu-ray specifically, then you have completely missed the mega trend of MOD (Manufactured On Demand).

At the “peak” year of Blu-ray (June of 2019), MOD releases were less than half of the replicated count — 990 versus 2,119.   By June of 2021 (year 15) they had flipped with 1,969 MOD titles delivered on Blu-ray versus 1,822 replicated releases.   

As we finish year 18 of the format’s lifecycle, the traditionally replicated count has fallen to 1,714 SKUs, while the MOD output has exploded to 6,651 (and that is just the preliminary count … it will go higher).

WHY?   It is not a clear-cut answer, but generally speaking the rapid rise in MOD Blu-ray product offerings is being driven by two factors.

First, when “Hollywood” went on its streaming kamikaze mission the “Helper” community (our term for pirates, bootleggers, etc.) took notice of all the pristine masters that were being served up for film and series across multiple platforms.   It was a trickle at first, but once they realized that the studios (rights owners) either didn’t care or didn’t realize that there was a problem worth dealing with, they became increasingly more aggressive.  

And we don’t even track China, Sri Lanka and other exotic “importer” locations.   In fact, it has reached a point where it appears that both eBay and Etsy (among other selling platforms) are in partnership with China in the mass delivery of pirated intellectual properties and the owners — the studios; the streamers — don’t seem to care (or notice).

Second, the Blu-ray format, which was launch for its superior Hi-Def qualities, is now being used as a storage platform.   The extra bandwidth over DVD makes it easy to cram an entire eight or ten episode series on just one disc.

Another minor factor is that consumers appear to have accepted MOD as the standard.   Looks good, plays fine, what’s the problem?   

The Blu-ray format is thriving because “Hollywood” (in a very loose sense) has turned its attention elsewhere and the demand for product by consumers is simply being filled by others.   You stream, or have a premium VOD window, and you’ve just delivered a nice master of the your film and/or series to those who will gladly distribute it … and not pay you a dime for the privilege. 

Is that an insane business model?   The numbers clearly show it … record after record is being smashed literally on a monthly basis.   Happy Birthday Blu-ray, you are a rock star!!

Mill Creek Entertainment Tabs July 30 For The Four-Disc Blu-ray Collection Of Ultraman Taiga: The Complete Series + Ultraman Taiga the Movie: New Generation Climax

Mill Creek Entertainment has made it official.   July 30 will be the Blu-ray debut date for the four-disc collection of Ultraman Taiga: The Complete Series, which also includes Ultraman Taiga the Movie: New Generation Climax.

The multi-year distribution arrangement between Mill Creek and Tsuburaya Fields Media & Pictures Entertainment, Inc. got a big boost this past week with the extension and expansion of the current distribution agreement.   New series have been added to the mix — not previously available in the domestic market.

Ultraman Taiga: The Complete Series is the 31st entry in the Ultraman Universe, featuring 26 episodes … which began their Japanese run in the summer of 2019.

It is all war between Ultraman Taiga (Hiroyuki has grown and is join by Titas and Fuma) and the ultimate evil, Tregear, whose plan is to unleash the planet-consuming Woola to destroy EGIS defenders and Earth itself!!

Once the series concluded, it was announced that a feature film, Ultraman Taiga The Movie: New Generation Climax, (with entire cast returning) would be produced, featuring “guest stars” from other “New Generation Heroes” series … it was released theatrically in Japan is August of 2020.

Both the complete series and the theatrical feature film are presented in Japanese with English subtitles.

 

 

Severin Films Has A New 4K Ultra HD Edition Of Barbara Steele's Castle Of Blood Ready For Genre Fans On Aug. 27

We couldn’t believe our eyes when we saw the news that popped up this past week.  Severin Films, with sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, had circled Aug. 27 on the release calendar for a stunning new 4K Ultra HD presentation (from the original camera negative) of Barbara Steele’s 1964 haunted castle thriller, Castle of Blood.

But there’s more, not only can genre fans savor scream queen legend Barbara Steele in the domestic-consumption English-dubbed theatrical version, but they can also tune into the original Italian-language presentation titled Danza Macabra.

Gothic horror!!  There was none better on screen in the 1960s than Barbara Steele.   If you are a genre fan you likely have Mario Bava’s Black Sunday, the Vincent Price delight directed by none other than the late Roger Corman, The Pit and the Pendulum and Nightmare Castle (among others) in your collection.  Certainly one of the previous incarnations of Castle of Blood resides there as well … but how can you say no to a newly-minted 4K Ultra HD edition?   

Simple answer: you can’t!!

Especially when you consider the bonus features included with this 4K Ultra HD edition from Severin Films.

We begin with commentary featuring “The Bloody Pit” podcast’s Rod Barnett, who is joined by author Dr. Adrian Smith (“Norman J. Warren: Gentleman of Terror”) and vintage selected scene commentary with Barbara Steele and Steele archivist Russ Lanier.

Also included here are an extensive collection of production featurettes — “Exploring The Castle of Blood,” “The Director Who Didn't Like Blood,” “Enigmatic Elegance: Unveiling The Haunting Legacy of Barbara Steele in the Italian Gothic,” “Return to the Castle” and “Antonio Margheriti Remembers Castle of Blood and Barbara Steele.”

Film Masters New 4K Scan Of Johnny Cash's Door To Door Maniac Makes Its Blu-ray Debut On Aug. 27 (Bonus Feature: The Right Hand Of The Devil)

Film Masters has done it again.   Another double feature, super rare and with near impossible to find material … so let’s get to it!   Aug. 27 is when the action happens!

Recording legend Johnny Cash made his first screen appearance in Five Minutes to Live in 1960 and 1961 (filming had actually begun in 1957, but it took awhile to get it finished).  It was one of those indie productions with a limited number of prints that worked its way around the country market by market, so what began in 1960 didn’t wrap up until 1961.   

A few years after it disappeared, legendary producer Robert L. Lippert, who had just wrapped up a decade long production and distribution arrangement with 20th Century-Fox (and was now on his own) acquired the film and saw potential in it.   It just needed a little extra work, so he had some new footage shot, tightened up the film and — through American International Pictures — got the “new” Johnny Cash film titled Door-to-Door Maniac released in 1966.   Was anyone the wiser?

Film Masters has a new 4K scan of Door-to-Door Maniac from the original 35mm archival elements.

Johnny Cabot (Cash) is on the run and goes into hiding in the small town of Camellia Gardens with his “girlfriend” Doris (Midge Ware), but she is not long for this world when fellow hood Fred Dorella (Vic Tayback) hooks up with him and gives Cabot the lowdown on how Doris double-crossed him.   Goodbye Doris!

The pair hit upon the idea of taking banker Ken Wilson’s (Donald Woods) wife hostage and demanding a ransom.   Cabot, disguised as a door-to-door salesman breaks into the Wilson home, takes Nancy (Cay Forester) hostage (has his way with her) and the pair demand that $70,000 be paid or she will be joining Doris in the great beyond.

The tension rises and Wilson sees (briefly) an opportunity to be rid of his wife (he’s having an affair), but — and we won’t give the ending away — he has a change of heart and events are set in motion that will see Doris having company soon.

Note, yes little Bobbie Wilson is Ron Howard (aka: “Ronny” Howard).

Bonus features include commentary by author Daniel Budnik and film historian Rob Kelly.
The companion feature is character actor Aram Katcher’s produced, directed-by, written-by and starring himself, The Right Hand of the Devil.   This too is a 4K scan from the surviving 16mm archived elements (for some unknown reason, Katcher destroyed all of the 35mm prints and negatives).

A heist caper, planned by Pepe Lusara (Katcher — who often appeared as Napoleon because of his resemblance to the same) from his abandoned mansion (filmed up in Laurel Canyon) requires that he assemble some “disposable” accomplices and the seduction of Miss Sutherland (Lisa McDonald), the head cashier at the “Hollywood Sports Arena.”

Pepe’s armed robbery plan works like a charm … what follows is pretty amazing.   We won’t give away what happens to his crew (do they pass the “acid” test) or how Miss Sutherland delivers an ironic twist to the proceedings.

The Right Hand of the Devil is a treasure for being a time capsule on film of the Hollywood area in the early 1960s.   Certainly worth a look-see as a lot of the shooting venues have long since vanished.

Members of the Monstery Party Podcast (James Gonis, Shawn Sheridan, Larry Strothe and Matt Weinhold) provide commentary, plus there is the newly-minted video essay titled “Player Piano: Passion of Aram Katcher.” 

The Film Masters Blu-ray double-feature all comes together on Aug. 27!!

 

 

 

 

Fun City Editions Selects Aug. 06 As The Blu-ray Debut Date For Writer/Director Robert Benton's Bad Company

Fun City Editions, with sales and distribution support provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has a new 4K film restoration (sourced from the original 35mm camera negative) of writer/director Robert Benton’s 1972 Civil War-era “frontier” film release of Bad Company lined up for a first time Blu-ray rollout on Aug. 06.

Jeff Bridges went from nowhere to being on the map with his performance in Bogdanovich’s The Last Picture Show, which immediately lead to acting gigs in filmmaker John Huston’s Fat City followed by Bad Company, a production that owes its existence to film producer and studio head, Stanley R. Jaffe.

During his first stint as the head of Paramount (1970/1971), Benton’s script landed on Jaffe’s desk and with the success of Bonnie and Clyde (Benton was nominated for Best Original Screenplay … he would later go on to win Oscars for his Kramer vs. Kramer and Places in the Heart scripts, plus Best Director for Kramer vs. Kramer), the script would depart with Jaffe when he left the studio and formed his own production company.  Bad Company was the first film out the door at Jaffilms.

Often confused as a Western, Bad Company is actually a Civil War-era story that follows the adventures of Drew Dixon (Barry Brown) and Jake Rumsey (Jeff Bridges), who both took off running when the Union Army recruiters came calling.   They team up and end up in the Missouri/Kansas area as “outlaws,” but soon learn that there are real “outlaws” and that justice is harsh for those caught committing crimes against those trying to carve out a living on the western frontier.

Bonus features include commentary by film critic Walter Chaw.

 

 

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment Has Full Spread Physical Media Rollout Of Writer/Director George Miller's Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga In Place For Aug. 13

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment has locked into Aug. 13 as the physical media street date for writer/director George Miller’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

The ARR is 81 days and the domestic box office take currently stands at $66.1 million.

This will be a full-spread physical media launch featuring stand-alone 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD editions for consumers to select from.

June 25, 32 days in the film’s theatrical release, will be the premium VOD window, which will give the “Helper” community seven full weeks to peddle their illicit Blu-ray editions of the film.   

Bonus features common to the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray SKUs are the featurettes titled “Highway to Valhalla: In Pursuit of Furiosa” and “Stowaway to Nowhere.”  

Exclusive to the 4K Ultra HD edition are three additional featurettes — “Metal Beasts & Holy Motors,” “Darkest Angel: Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa” and “Motorbike Messiah: Chris Hemsworth as Dementus.”

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Has Director Joe Layton's Richard Pryor: Live On The Sunset Strip Ready For A 4K Ultra HD Edition Launch On Sept. 10

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will be delivery a 4K Ultra HD edition of director Joe Layton’s 1982 filmed-live comedy session, Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip, this coming Sept. 10.

This is a new 4K film restoration from the film’s original camera negative.

Filmed live at the Hollywood Palladium Theater (on Sunset between Vine and Gower) over two nights in early December of 1981 — with an eight-camera set up guided by two-time Oscar-winner cinematographer Haskell Wexler (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Bound for Glory) — Pryor delivers a wide-ranging comedy set about life, sex, movie-making experiences, observations and drugs.

The film was a huge success when it was released theatrically in March of 1982, earning one and half times its reported production budget during the opening weekend alone!!

There are no bonus features included with this 4K Ultra HD presentation of the film.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Readies Blu-ray And DVD Editions Of Abigail For Delivery On July 9

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment says that the physical media street date for the directing team of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett’s (aka: Radio Silence Productions) horror tale, Abigail — starring Alisha Weir as the title character — will be July 9.  

Both a stand-alone DVD edition, as well as a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack selection are included in the distribution mix.

The ARR comes in at 81 days and the domestic box office haul was $25.9 million (against a reported $28 million production budget).

Only eighteen days into the film’s theatrical release a premium VOD window was inserted, which meant that the “Helper” community was given a nine-week window to deliver their own Blu-ray editions of the film to eager genre fans.   

It must be a good trade off for the studios these days with a quick VOD window generating revenue while the film is still playing theatrically.   This is now the common practice.   

Working with the VOD digital master, the “Helper” community is quick to get their own Blu-ray (not for HD, but bandwidth capacity) copies out often within hours of the VOD launch.

How much is lost in box office receipts is anyone’s guess, but the overall numbers so far this year are bordering on anemic.   What the piracy bite taken is also anyone’s guess.

As to bonus goodies, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, along with editor Michael P. Shawyer, provide commentary, plus there are deleted and extended scenes, a gag reel and four featurettes — “Blood Bath,” “Hunters to Hunted,” “Becoming a Ballerina Vampire” and “Directing Duo Matt & Tyler.”

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Picks Aug. 27 For The Full Spread Physical Media Launch Of Director Wes Ball's King Of The Planet Of The Apes

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will be guiding the Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment release of the 20th Century Studios’ (without the “Fox”) production of director Wes Ball’s latest installment in the Planet of the Apes franchise, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, on Aug. 27 as a full spread physical media launch.

Unpacking that opening sentence seems insane.  Disney buys rival 20th Century-Fox, drops the Fox, does precious little with the asset and then turns over the entire library of films, series and other programming (Disney and Fox) for distribution as DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD product offerings to another rival studio.   How is that not odd, if not completely insane?

Moving on, Aug. 27 will see the distribution of a 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack, plus stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray editions.

The ARR works out to 109 days and the domestic box office take currently stands at an impressive $161.8 million.

To complicate things further, July 09 has been carved out for the launch of a premium VOD window, which will give the “Helper” community a full seven weeks to move their own Blu-ray copies to an unsuspecting public (or consumers who simply don’t care the source of that shiny new Blu-ray).   

You own the intellectual rights to a product, in this case a film, but cut in a rival studio for a share of the revenue stream — and then turn around and encourage piracy of the same intellectual property — you have to begin to question the reasoning process of this distribution scheme.

As to bonus features, there are 14 deleted and/or extended scenes with optional audio commentary by director Wes Ball and documentary titled Inside the Forbidden Zone: Making Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.