New DVD • Blu-ray • 4K Ultra HD Activity For The Period Ending July 29, 2022

New DVD Additions 

Acorn Media

07/26/22 — Released Good Karma Hospital: Series 4 (2 disc set)

 

BCSN (MOD)

07/19/22 — Released 2001 - BCSN Classic - High School Football: St. John's vs. St. Francis 10/12/01, 2002 - BCSN Classic - High School Football: St. John's vs. St. Francis 10/4/02, 2003 - BCSN Classic - High School Football: Clay vs. Central Catholic 10/17/03, 2022 - 11U Youth Baseball: Matchick Division vs Roy Hobbs Division, 2022 - 12U Youth Baseball: Matchick Division vs Roy Hobbs Division, 2022 - 9U Youth Baseball: Matchick Division vs Roy Hobbs Division, 2022 - GLCSS College Softball: Yellow vs. Blue and 2022 - Youth Tennis: Bloor Ortner Tournament

07/26/22 — Released 2022 - Auto Racing: NWOQMRA at McNulty Speedway

 

Buck Cody (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Pick-Up

 

Buffalo 8 (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Immanence, In a Silent Way, Joey and Rex Save the Church and Testaments

 

Burning Bulb (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Fathers, Forgiving God, Horse Heroes, Rescue and Shoulder Down: Road to Redemption

 

CBS Home Entertainment (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released 4400: The Complete Series (3 disc set)

 

CCX Media (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Maple Grove Parade - July 14, 2022

 

CasablancaDVDs/truth3152 (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Bomba Double Feature (2 film set: Bomba In African Treasure, The Jungle Girl), Bomba Double Feature (2 film set: Bomba in the Lion Hunters, Elephant Stampede), Bomba Double Feature (2 film set: Bomba in the Lost Volcano, The Hidden City), Case of the Curious Bride,  Chester Morris Double Feature (2 film set: No Hands on the Clock, Double Exposure) and Men and not Gods

 

Championship Productions

07/26/22 — Released Chin Series Continuity Offense: Highly Effective Princeton Concepts with Modern Modifications and Mike Netti: Creating an Offensive Identity

 

Changing Your World (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Sunday Service, Wednesday Morning Service and Wednesday Night Service

 

Christian Worship Hour (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Christian Worship Hour: I Am The Door - John 10:7-14

 

ClassicFlix

07/26/22 — Released Jack and the Beanstalk: 70th Anniversary Limited Edition

 

DVDRParty (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Look in Any Window and On the Silver Globe (Polish)

 

ETV (MOD)

07/19/22 — Released Dakota County Board meeting on July 19th, 2022 and Eagan City Council Meeting on July 19th, 2022

 

EWTN

07/26/22 — Released EWTN Live: Allan Smith - collection of writings of Fulton Sheen, Journey Home: Dr. Tim Gregson / Former Presbyterian Worship Leader, Women of Grace: F.X. Cronin - Up Close and Personal and World Over with Raymond Navarro

 

Elvis DVD Collector & Movie Store (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Love Brides of the Blood Mummy, Man Who Died Twice, Mummy's Hand and Nazi Hunter: The Beate Klarsfeld Story

 

Everything is Terrible (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Kidz Club

 

Film Movement

07/26/22 — Released Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands (Portuguese)

 

G-TV (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released 2022 - Chardon Hartley Baseball: Director's Cut - Chardon Hilltoppers vs Bishop Hartley Hawks (June 10, 2022)

 

HBO Home Entertainment

07/26/22 — Released Gilded Age: Complete First Season (3 disc set)

 

HBO Home Entertainment (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Unpregnant

 

Hartford TV (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Hardford MegaScene: Bel Air Downtown Alliance

 

Hiawatha Broadband Communication (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Winona Municipal Band Concert (July 27)

 

IFC Films

07/26/22 — Released Torch (ARR of 130 days; box office: $9,281)

 

ITN Distribution

07/26/22 — Released Ex (Russian)

 

Image Entertainment

07/26/22 — Released Hellbender, Slapface, That Dirty Black Bag: Season 1 (2 disc set) and They Live in the Grey

 

Jarrett Enterprises - Loving the Classics (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Adios Gringo, Black Lemons (Italian), Blackjack, Frontier (5 episodes), Gunman of Ave Maria (Italian), Gunmen of the Rio Grande, Kill or be Killed, Man and the Challenge (2 episodes), More Dollars for the MacGregors (Italian), Pony Express (7 episodes), Raw Timber, Slattery's People (3 episodes) and Wanted (Italian)

 

Kino Lorber

07/26/22 — Released Mysterious Island of Beautiful Women and Rocco Schiavone: Ice Cold Murders: Seasons 3 & 4 (3 disc set)

 

LMC Media (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Village of Mamaroneck Board of Trustees Meeting (July 25, 2022) and Village of Mamaroneck Harbor Coastal Zone Management Meeting (July 20, 2022)

 

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

07/26/22 — Released Mid-Century

 

MPI Home Video

07/26/22 — Released Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet: The Complete Season Three (3 disc set) and Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet: The Complete Season Four (3 disc set)

 

Magnolia Home Entertainment

07/26/22 — Released One Moment

 

Media Outlet (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Operation Torch: The Liberation of French North Africa, Props and Jets: US Cold War Naval Air Power (2 disc set) and TV Commercials: The Cable Age Classics Vol. 4

 

Movie-O-Zone (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Family Way, Rails into Laramie, Raw Edge, Station Six-Sahara and Thoughtcrimes

 

Orion Neighborhood Television (MOD)

07/19/22 — Released Lake Orion School Board Meeting (July 20, 2022)

 

PBS Direct

07/26/22 — Released COBRA: Season Two (2 disc set) and Grantchester: The Complete Seventh Season (3 disc set)

 

PEG TV (MOD)

07/19/22 — Released Castleton Select Board - July 25, 2022, GRCSU Board Meeting - July 27, 2022, Killington Select Board - July 25, 2022, Pawlet Select Board - July 26, 2022, Proctor Select Board - July 26, 2022, Rutland HS Art in the Halls - July 2022 and Time to Read a Story with Nana - Episode #3

 

Paramount Home Entertainment (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Press Play

 

RCN Telecom Services, LLC - ATVN (MOD)

07/19/22 — Released 2022 - Blue Mountain League Baseball: Northern Yankees vs. Easton Falcons

07/26/22 — Released 2022 - Blue Mountain League Baseball: Northern Yankees vs. Iron Valley Orioles

 

Remember When Classic Movies, Ltd. (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Ghost Hunters, Vol. 1, Ghost Hunters, Vol. 2 and Ghost Hunters, Vol. 3

 

Silent Hall of Fame (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Road to Mandalay (silent-1926)

 

Sony Pictures Home Ent.

07/26/22 — Released Duke (ARR of 95 days; box office: $1,523,518)

 

Strand Releasing

07/26/22 — Released Marx Can Wait (Italian)

 

Strikeback Studios

07/26/22 — Released Glamour & Squalor

 

Sundance Now

07/26/22 — Released New Gold Mountain: Season 1 (2 disc set)

 

The DVD HQ (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Accidents Will Happen, Going Places, He Married His Wife, I'm Still Alive,  Keeping Company, Kisses for Breakfast and My Bill

 

The Teaching Company, LLC

07/26/22 — Released Great Board Games of the Ancient World (2 disc set), Practical Geology (4 disc set), Reconsidering JFK (2 disc set) and Wondrium Insights: Achieve Your Potential

 

Uncork’d Entertainment

07/26/22 — Released Riki the Rhino

 

Vision Films (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released #Lucky Number, Black Wake, Boone the Bounty Hunter, Dead Men, Dead on Arrival, Dominion: The Last Star Warrior, Off the Menu, Outlawed and World's Most Dangerous Paper Route

 

Walt Disney Studios Home Ent.

09/13/22 — Sets Lightyear (ARR of 88 days; box office: $117,149,203)

 

WOWnow Entertainment (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Dance the Series: Season 1, Dog Geniuses: The Best Lap Dogs Ever, Holly Hippo's Book Club: Beauty and the Beast, Valt the Wonder Deer 3 and Valt the Wonder Deer 4 Fire from Ice

 

Zeus DVD (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Black Gold, Cowboy Serenade, George of the Jungle, Lamp Still Burns, Murder of Dr. Harrigan, Nurse's Secret, Password is Courage, Sweet Ride, Trapped by Boston Blackie, Turn Back the Clock, Washington Melodrama, We're in the Money, Wings of the Morning and Young Don't Cry

 

 

 

 

New Blu-ray Additions 

AGFA

07/26/22 — Released Final Flesh

 

All Channel Films (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Slasher Triple Feature (3 film set: 4/20 Massacre, Halloween Hell, Hazard Jack)

 

Altered Innocence

07/26/22 — Released Apocalypse After

 

Arrow Video

10/25/22 — Sets Count Yorga Collection (2 film set: Count Yorga, Vampire, The Return of Count Yorga) (2 disc set)

 

Asuka the Disc Dog (aka: Fred the Blu-ray Dog) (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released #FWBL: Friends with Better Lives: The Complete Series, Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin: The Complete Series, Alba - Season 1, Billy Dilley's Super-Duper Subterranean Summer: The Complete Series, Bitten: The Complete Series, Bless the Harts: The Complete Series, Deadly Sins (Pecados Capitales): The Complete Series, Deal or No Deal: The Complete Series (8 disc set), George of The Jungle (1967): The Complete Series, Get a Life: The Complete Series, Graceland: The Complete Series (3 disc set), Honor Society, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous: The Complete Series (2 disc set), King Arthur and the Knights of Justice: The Complete Series, Light & Magic: The Complete Series, Message From Space (Japanese), Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends, Old Man - Season 1, Paper Girls - Season 1, Paradise City - Season 1, PEN15: The Complete Series, Phantom 2040, Pharmacist: The Complete Series, Poochini: The Complete Series, Richie Rich: The Complete Series, Safecrackers: The Complete Series, Saint Seiya: The Knights of the Zodiac: The Complete Series, Santa Evita: The Complete Series, Sherwood: The Complete Series, Slacker Cats: The Complete Series, Teacher's Pet (2 disc set), To Tell the Truth - 1956-1967 (8 disc set), Toriko, Two More Eggs: The Complete Series, Virgin River - Season 4, Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light and Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: The Complete Series (4 disc set)

 

Buffalo 8 (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Immanence and Joey and Rex Save the Church

 

Burning Bulb (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Fathers, Forgiving God, Horse Heroes, Rescue and Shoulder Down: Road to Redemption

 

CBS Home Entertainment (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released 4400: The Complete Series (14 disc set)

 

Canadian International Pictures

07/26/22 — Released Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives

 

ClassicFlix

07/26/22 — Released Jack and the Beanstalk: 70th Anniversary Limited Edition and Raw Deal

 

Collector’s Heaven (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Bad Exorcist - Seasons 1-2, Bakugan: Geogan Rising - The Complete Series, Boo, Bitch, Farzar Season 1, Fievel's American Tails: The Compete Series, Jessie: The Complete Series (4 disc set), Jurassic World: Dominion, Lightyear, Maggie Season 1, Myths and Monsters: The Complete Series, New Lassie: The Complete Series (2 disc set), Outlaw King, Resident Evil - Season 1, Solar Opposites Season 3, Suite Life of Zack & Cody, The Complete Series (3 disc set) and Suite Life on Deck, The Complete Series (3 disc set)

 

Culture Shock Releasing

07/26/22 — Released Night Ripper

 

Dark Star Pictures

07/26/22 — Released Potato Dreams of America

 

Deaf Crocodile Films

07/26/22 — Released Time Bending Mysteries of Shahram Mokri (4 film set: Fish & Cat, Invasion, Careless Crime, Ashkan, the Charmed Ring and Other Stories) (4 disc set)

 

Decal Releasing

07/26/22 — Released Pleasure

 

Dekanlog

07/26/22 — Released Air Doll (Japanese)

 

Eastern Star

07/26/22 — Released Case Closed: The Fist of Blue Sapphire, Cyber City Oedo 808: Remastered, Heart and Yummie Collection (2 disc set), Holmes of Kyoto (2 disc set), Lupin III: Prison of the Past, Power Armor Dorvack and Violence Jack: Complete OVA Collection

 

Film Movement

07/26/22 — Released Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands (Portuguese)

 

FUNimation

07/26/22 — Released Back Arrow: Part 1 (2 disc set) and Scar on the Praeter: The Complete Season (2 disc set)

 

Image Entertainment

07/26/22 — Released That Dirty Black Bag: Season 1 (2 disc set)

 

Kino Lorber

07/26/22 — Released Coming Apart, El Cortez, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, I'm Dangerous Tonight, Night Gallery: Season Two (5 disc set), Planet of the Vampires, Rocco Schiavone: Ice Cold Murders: Seasons 3 & 4 (3 disc set) and Time Out of Mind

 

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

07/26/22 — Released Mid-Century

 

MVD Entertainment Group

09/27/22 — Sets Chocolate War

 

Media Blasters

07/26/22 — Released Karate Girl: Kick to the Groin Edition (Japanese)

 

Mill Creek Entertainment

10/04/22 — Sets The Paper

 

Movies R U.S.A. (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Baymax - Season 1, Bear - Season 1, Boys - Season 3, Devils: Unrated, Hostel Daze - Season 1, Jerry & Marge Go Large, Knight Rider 2000, Maggie - Season 1, Princess and Terminal List - Season 1

 

RCN Telecom Services, LLC - ATVN (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released 2022 - Blue Mountain League Baseball: Northern Yankees vs. Iron Valley Orioles

 

Saturn’s Core

07/26/22 — Released Red Lips

 

Sentai Filmworks

07/26/22 — Released Vinland Saga: Limited Edition (3 disc set)

 

Severin Films

07/26/22 — Released Return of Captain Invincible (2 disc set with bonus CD)

 

Sony Pictures Home Ent.

07/26/22 — Released The Duke

 

Universal Pictures Home Ent.

07/26/22 — Released Guest

 

Universal Pictures Home Ent. (MOD)

07/26/22 — Released Beginners, Captain Fantastic, Changeling, Hail, Caesar!, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Place Beyond Pines and Uncle Buck

 

Utopia Distribution

07/26/22 — Released Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché

 

Vinegar Syndrome

07/26/22 — Released Double Feature (2 film set: Stanley, Horror High), Scared to Death (2 disc set), Thriller: A Cruel Picture (2 disc set) and Voyage of the Rock Aliens

 

Walt Disney Studios Home Ent.

09/13/22 — Sets Lightyear (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack) (with Digital Copy)

 

Warner Bros. Home Ent.

08/23/22 — Sets Naomi: The Complete Series (3 disc set)

 

 

New 4K Ultra HD Additions 

 

Kino Lorber

07/26/22 — Released Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack) and Killing

 

Shout! Factory

07/19/22 — Released Lion of the Desert (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack) and Message (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack)

07/26/22 — Released Species: Collector's Edition (4K Ultra HD/2 Blu-ray Combo Pack)

 

Sony Pictures Home Ent.

11/01/22 — Sets Starship Troopers: 25th Anniversary Edition (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack) (with Digital Copy)

 

Vinegar Syndrome

07/26/22 — Released Thriller: A Cruel Picture (2 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack) (Swedish)

 

Walt Disney Studios Home Ent.

09/13/22 — Sets Lightyear (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack) (with Digital Copy)

 

Warner Bros. Home Ent.

07/26/22 — Released Green Lantern: Beware My Power (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack) (with Digital Copy)

 

 

DVD Smashes All Mid-Year Release Records With A Blizzard Of New Product Offerings • Meanwhile The "Hollywood" Studios Hit New Lows

A funny thing happened on the way to the graveyard for the DVD format.   From a “Hollywood” studio POV, the gates to the graveyard are wide open and the format will certainly be coming to its final resting place in the dust bin of history very soon.   The grave is all but dug … it is just a matter of time.

For the first six months of 2022, studio releases on DVD total just 213 titles.   Only the launch year of the format, 1997, saw a smaller number at the halfway mark of the year … 78 SKUs.   Even the second year of the format, 1998, saw more product offerings at the same six-month mark — that would be 223 titles — compared to this year’s graveyard output.

Clearly the ride is over.   DVD is dead.   Just ask anyone still working in the home entertainment packaged media business at one of the few remaining “Hollywood” studios these days (that would be Paramount, Sony, Walt Disney, Universal and Lionsgate).   The halcyon days are long since over … 1,117 new DVD releases by the mid-point of 2005, it’s been all downhill since then.

There is just one problem with this.   The DVD format, while the “Hollywood” studios are currently holding a death watch vigil, has just set a new record for the most product offerings during the first six months of any year since the launch of the format in 1997.

The preliminary number is 9,923.   The “Hollywood” studios chipped in 213, while other suppliers generated a whopping 9,710 new DVD releases.   Did they miss the memo?  

Last year at this point, the number of new DVD releases was 7,388.   That is a 34.2 percent jump in activity on a year-over-year basis.   Why?   What the hell is going on?   If the “Hollywood” studios have given up on the format that they launched; a format that has generated billions in profits, why are new release numbers setting all-time records?

Manufacturing on Demand.  MOD.  Anyone can get into the business.   And they are doing that with record SKU output.   Since the industry has always been studio-centric, no one in the home entertainment packaged media marketplace pays too much attention to what is going outside the “Hollywood” studio system.

So where are these numbers coming from?   Sports is a big contributor.  Back in 2013, the NFHS Network was launched.  It was a streaming service for high school sports, but they soon discovered that fans (family members) would pay for a DVD edition.   It got so popular that the NFHS Network had to cut back to just post-season games … and there are hundreds of those each year to select from.

Well, if the NFHS Network (which is, ironically, owned by CBS … a “Hollywood” studio member) can do it, then why not every local broadband indie network, which broadcasts the local high school and college sports as part of their programming.  It took a while for some to figure it out, but once they did there was no stopping them.  DVD and, in some cases, Blu-ray, for all games broadcast in their micro-markets.

And, if the locals wanted to buy their local sports broadcasts on DVD, why not the local high school band concerts, local parades, even the city council meeting (for what purpose boggles the imagination) and certainly high school graduations.   The flood gates were opened.

Another big source is piracy of “Hollywood” studio film libraries.  PD films were always a market, but once Warner Bros. turned over its Warner Archive to Amazon to manage (who really doesn’t care about such things), it signaled that the film libraries were up for grabs … the attitude is that all films from the 1930s, 40s, 50s and 60s are now without copyright (PD) and are fair game.   Guess what, the “Hollywood” studios don’t care.   A blizzard of film releases on MOD has followed.

If the “Hollywood” studios don’t monitor their film libraries and are streaming everything under the sun (oh, those lovely digital masters), why not pirate everything else … they don’t care.   DVD, and even more-so Blu-ray, has become a vehicle for anything on any streaming platform … period.

Add in the old standbys of Religion and Special Interest (How-To) and you can easily see how DVD is setting new release records in its 26^th year… so much for being on the way to the graveyard!

Director Ron Howard's The Paper Joins Mill Creek Entertainment's "Retro VHS Collection" Blu-ray Promotional Label On Oct. 04

When you literally grow up on a film sound stage, you notice how production deadlines are met and how things are done.   That’s the education that auteur filmmaker Ron Howard had growing up on the set of The Andy Griffith Show (as Opie Taylor) … that was high school and college. 

Graduate school came when Roger Corman, in 1977, produced Howard’s first feature film as a director (co-written with his father, Rance Howard), Grand Theft Auto.   The Roger Corman stable of directors is nothing short of legendary.  Ron Howard was one them.

Mill Creek Entertainment announced this past week that their very popular “Retro VHS Collection” on Blu-ray has a new edition effective Oct. 4.   That would be director Ron Howard’s 1994 film release of The Paper.

Over the years there have been terrific films about the newspaper business.  Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane, of course; Billy Wilder’s 1951 gem, Ace in the Hole; James Stewart in director Henry Hathaway’s 1948 film noir thriller, Call Northside 777; Humphrey Bogart in director Richard Brooks’ 1952 film release of Deadline U.S.A.; Jack Webb and William Conrad in 30; Howard Hawks’ His Girl Friday; the various productions of Front Page; Scandal Sheet … we could go on and on.

The last great newspaper film was The Paper.   Sure, Steven Spielberg teamed up with Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks in 2017 for The Post … that was a rare occasion where Spielberg made a bad movie.   So, let’s repeat, Ron Howard’s 1994 film release of The Paper, starring Michael Keaton, Glenn Close and Robert Duvall, plus Marisa Tomei and Randy Quaid, was the last great newspaper film.           

Since 1994, a blizzard of newspapers have all folded, the big-city ones that remain, are largely staffed by sociology, psych, English-lit and women’s studies graduates, few real journalists to be found … most couldn’t work at the New York Sun (the name of the newspaper in the film), they wouldn’t be qualified and couldn’t keep up with the pace.  

Mark it down, Oct. 4, the “Retro VHS Collection” Blu-ray release of The Paper from Mill Creek Entertainment … the last great newspaper film!!

Bonus features include video sessions with filmmaker Ron Howard, and scriptwriters David and Stephen Koepp (brothers, the former adapted Crichton’s Jurassic Park, plus scripts for such films as Toy Soldiers, Mission: Impossible, Panic Room, Spider-Man, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, etc., while the latter is an actual journalist).

 

 

MVD Entertainment Group Bestows "Rewind Collection" Status On The Blu-ray Debut Of Writer/Director Keith Gordon's The Chocolate War On Sept. 27

MVD Entertainment Group has a new Rewind Collection entry, which is set to join the new-to-Blu-ray party on Sept. 27.   This is none other than actor-turned-director Keith Gordon’s 1988 film adaptation of Robert Cormier's 1974 novel, The Chocolate War.

As an actor, Keith Gordon got to work with the likes of Brian De Palma (Home Movies and Dressed to Kill) and with John Carpenter on the 1983 film adaptation of the Stephen King novel, Christine, where he played the main character, Arnie Cunningham.  

Being a bright guy and talented, he decided at some point after Christine hit theatres that it might be a good idea to take a little control over his film career. To that point, he set out to acquire the rights to Cormier’s book so that he could play the role of Archie Costello.   Gordon quickly discovered that the “Hollywood” studios had sniffed around Cormier’s book, but the word on the street was that it was too dark, too dangerous (it had been banned in several places) and too controversial.  

Hello, that’s the point, Gordon wanted to play a dark, dangerous, controversial character, who wouldn’t!!  He’s an actor and wasn’t Arnie Cunningham a dark and dangerous character in Christine?  Gordon wanted more of that!

Fortunately, he came in contact with producer Jonathan D. Krane’s newly formed Management Company Entertainment Group (or simply MCEG) and they struck a bargain.   Krane would produce and Gordon would adapt Cormier’s novel and direct, but the part that he so coveted would go to Wallace Langham (aka: Wally Ward … perhaps best known for his role as David Hodges in the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation television series … other film roles include Weird Science, Soul Man, Vital Signs, Michael, Little Miss Sunshine, etc.).

As to the story, rebels are not allowed at Trinity School, a Catholic boys-only prep school.  When student Jerry Renault (Ilan Mitchell-Smith — Weird Science, The Wild Life) comes in conflict with Brother Leon’s ambition schemes (played by five-time Emmy Awards nominee John Glover — as Lionel Luther in the Smallville TV series … films include Rocket Gibraltar, Scrooged, Gremlins 2: The New Batch), the anything-but-pious clergyman sets sociopath Archie Costello and his brotherhood of “Vigils” on him … conform, or be systematically isolated from all other students.  

A test of wills ensues.   Who breaks?   Sept. 27 will bring the answer with the Blu-ray debut of The Chocolate War from MVD Entertainment Group.

As to bonus goodies, we have commentary from director Keith Gordon and a vintage video session with Gordon.

 

 

 

 

Arrow Video's Double-Feature From Writer/Director Bob Kelljan On Oct. 25: Count Yorga, Vampire And The Return Of Count Yorga

Arrow Video, with domestic sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, announced this past week that new 4K scans from the original 35mm camera negatives of writer/director Bob Kelljan’s June of 1970 horror hit, Count Yorga, Vampire, plus the August of 1971 sequel, The Return of Count Yorga, will be available as double disc Blu-ray collection on Oct. 25 (just in time for Halloween binge viewing)!!

If you are a genre fan, this double-bill is a must.   If you are an admirer of indie filmmaking at its best, then this too is another reason to grab this horror double-bill from Arrow Video on Oct. 25. 

Shot on a shoestring in Los Angeles, with friends as crew members, fans providing technical assistance (legend has it that a local dentist fashioned the vampire fangs because it would be a fun thing to do) and much of the production equipment was borrowed.  

All of the elements of a micro-budget film to be sure, but that is as far as it goes as all of the technical aspects are top-notch (no shaky hand-held Super 8 here) and the cast is terrific, with the little-known Robert Quarry in his first starring role (a working actor throughout the mid-50s through the 1960s … numerous small TV parts, often uncredited roles in films such as Winning, House of Bamboo, A Kiss Before Dying).  

Others in the cast include Michael Murphy (MASH, Brewster McCloud, What’s Up Doc?, Phase IV, Nashville, etc.), Donna Anderson (Werewolves on Wheels), Judy Lang (as Nadine in Roger Corman’s The Trip, and as Trish in The Psycho Lover) and Roger Perry (The Thing with Two Heads).

So successful was Count Yorga, Vampire, which had a hell of a time getting into theatres without an R-rating — six go-arounds with the MPAA and a couple of minor cuts later — that a sequel was quickly announced.   It would be ready the following summer with Quarry back as Count Yorga.

Bonus goodies, where do we begin?    Count Yorga, Vampire comes with two commentary options … a newly-minted one with film critic Tim Lucas, plus a vintage commentary track with film critics David Del Valle and C. Courtney Joyner.  

There are new featurettes — “I Remember Yorga” and “A Vampire in L.A.” — plus the archival “Fangirl Radio Tribute to Robert Quarry.”

The Return of Count Yorga also has two commentary tracks — newly prepared with film critic Stephen R. Bissette and a vintage commentary option also featuring film critics David Del Valle and C. Courtney Joyner. 

There are two new featurettes here as well — “The Count and the Counterculture” and “Chamber-music of Horrors.”

 

 

 

 

Starship Troopers: 25th Anniverary Edition From Sony Pictures Home Entertainment On Nov. 1

It was an unlikely sci-fi winner … that would be director Paul Verhoeven’s 1997 film adaptation of Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 serialized novel, Starship Troopers.  So much of the early narrative was almost nonsensical, but once the action kicked in, Starship Troopers was a non-stop adrenaline rush.   Genre fans celebrated it … and learning things too: “The only good bug, is a dead bug!”

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment announced this past week that a 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack 25^th Anniversary Edition will be available for all to enjoy on Nov. 1.

New bonus features include the “Starship Troopers 25th Anniversary Reunion,” which features scriptwriter Ed Neumeier and cast members Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, Clancy Brown, Michael Ironside, Jake Busey, Patrick Muldoon and Seth Gilliam.  There are also vintage commentary options, the documentary titled Death from Above, deleted scenes and featurettes.

 

 

Lightyear From Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Arrives In The Home Entertainment Packaged Media Marketplace On Sept. 13

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment will be moving director Angus MacLane’s animated Pixar feature presentation of Lightyear from its current theatrical venues to the home entertainment packaged media marketplace on Sept. 13.

The ARR works out to 88 days … the current domestic box office gross stands at $117.1 million.

Planned for release are Combo Pack editions for both the 4K Ultra HD (with Blu-ray) and Blu-ray (with DVD) formats, plus a stand-alone DVD SKU.

Bonus features include commentary from MacLane (Finding Dory), who is joined by co-writer Jason Headley (Onward) and the director of photography Jeremy Lasky (Finding Nemo), a half-dozen deleted scenes and three featurettes — “Building the World of Lightyear,” “The Zap Patrol” and “Toyetic.”