Bayview Entertainment Looks In The Blu-ray Debut Of Fred Dryer's Highway 395 For Release On May 26

Bayview Entertainment has nailed down May 26 for the Blu-ray debut of actor/director Fred Dryer’s modern Western, Highway 395.

Dryer plays the part of Sheriff Rawley Wade, a rural lawman out in Mono County, which U.S. 395 transects as it winds its way from Southern California to Reno and points north. 

The latest bit of trouble in his backyard are the drug-running antics of a local dealer by the name of Violet (Diane Delano — Ratboy, The River Wild, Jeepers Creepers 2), who is busy pushing meth with the help of some dimwitted, but very violent, locals.   

He goes after the ring, but soon discovers that there is something else going on as bodies are being found here and there, which appear to have nothing to with the half-crazed Violet and her band of merry little criminals.   Wade, who is equally at ease driving a four-wheel or in the saddle, has to fight a war on two fronts.

If you’ve seen the Longmire television series, starring Robert Taylor as Sheriff Walt Longmire, then you have a pretty good handle on Sheriff Rawley Wade as presented by Fred Dryer in his 2000 film production of Highway 395.

Keep your cool, keep your head down, work the problem and ferret-out who the serial killer is, and, at the same time, pick Violet’s operation apart piece by piece.

Arrow Video Looks To May 5 For The Blu-ray Debut Of Writer/Director Jean-Marie Pallardy's White Fire

Arrow Video, with domestic sales and distribution support provided by MVD Entertainment Group, will be bringing a Blu-ray edition of writer/director Jean-Marie Pallardy’s (aka: Edward John Francis) bizarrely entertaining White Fire to market on May 5.

There are some films that rely on the plot narrative to carry the day.   We call this great script writing.   You likely have your favorites, films that you can watch again and again because the story is told so well.   Arrow Video certainly has released its share of these types of films on Blu-ray.

And then, yes, there are films where the narrative is simply cobbled together to get us from one action sequence to the next.   It doesn’t necessarily make films of this ilk bad, that all depends on what the cobbled-together elements add up to.   White Fire is one of those, a film that has something to do with this and that and the end results is pure entertainment.

The Donnelly kids survive the murder of their parents and are now adults living in Istanbul.   Robert Ginty (The Exterminator, Mission Kill, Maniac Killer, etc.) is the adult Bo Donnelly, while Belinda Mayne (Krull, Fatal Beauty, The Tigress) plays his sister, Ingrid.  They have a diamond-smuggling operation that is, judging from their digs, pretty successful.

Stop.  We now must take time out for Bo to ogle his sister, he has the hots for her, but reluctantly realizes that it is a love that he cannot consummate.

OK, back to the story.   Bo and Ingrid and their gang learn of the “White Fire” diamond, a massive gem that is worth a fortune … there is just one problem, reports indicate that those coming in contact with it die.  It’s worth the risk to steal and so a plan is put in place to “acquire” it.

Action (Fred Williamson gets involved), bad guys, double-cross, Ingrid is sadly killed in one of these melees.  Bo becomes a killing machine … lots of ways to kill those who double-crossed him.

Stop once again.  We are introduced to Olga (played by Diana Goodman — Curse of the Pink Panther), a hooker on the run, who Bo takes a liking to, best way to protect her from those who are after her is for her to have some plastic surgery.   Not making this up, it is an important plot element.  

The result: Olga now looks exactly like Ingrid (the special effects here are simple, Belinda Mayne simply plays Olga, while Diana Goodman exits stage left).   Bo can finish his mission of revenge and, at the same time, fulfill his sexual fantasies with Ingrid, er, Olga.   White Fire on Blu-ray … how can you say no?

Bonus features include commentary from Kat Ellinger (Editor-in-Chief at Diabolique Magazine), and a trio of newly-minted video sessions variously titled — “Surviving the Fire” (with writer/director Jean-Marie Pallardy), “Enter the Hammer” (with Fred Williamson) and “Diamond Cutter” (with film editor Bruno Zoncone).

Director Cathy Van's Birds Of Prey Gets May 12 Street Date From Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, with no screens left to exhibit director Cathy Van’s Birds of Prey, has elected to move a three-SKU array of home entertainment packaged media product offerings to market on May 12.

The ARR, as it turns out, comes in at an industry average of 95 days and the truncated box office receipts — as a result of theatres nationwide shuttering — finished off at $84.1 million (over $100 million was certainly in the cards for this DC Comics superhero theatrical release).

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

Bonus treats include a gag reel, six featurettes — “Birds of Prey: Birds of a Feather,” “Grime and Crime,” “Wild Nerds,” “Romanesque,” “Sanity is Sooo Last Season” and “A Love/Skake Relationship” — plus the “Birds Eye View Mode” viewing option.

20th Century-Fox Home Entertainment Tabs May 12 For Director Chris Sanders' The Call Of The Wild

This past week, 20^th Century-Fox Home Entertainment joined Disney and Warner Bros. in moving the last of their current theatrical releases — the run cut short by the closing of theatres nationwide — to the home entertainment packaged media marketplace.  

The title in question is director Chris Sanders’ film adaptation of the Jack London novel, The Call of the Wild, starring Harrison Ford as Thornton (previously played by Clark Cable and Charlton Heston).

The street date will be May 12, which yields an ARR of 81 days.

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

Bonus materials appear to be a work in progress at this time.

Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 1 From Sony Pictures Home Entertainment On June 16 Features Six-New-4K Ultra HD Film Releases

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment had a stunner-of-an-announcement this past week.   Not one or two new 4K Ultra HD selections, but a six-strong collection is being launched on June 16 under the promotional banner of Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection, Volume 1.

This works out to a 17 disc Combo Pack presentation — eight 4K Ultra HD discs with eight Blu-ray discs for the six feature films, plus a bonus Blu-ray disc with extra features.

All new, first time as 4K Ultra HD product offerings … so what are the six films from the Columbia Pictures library that are getting the special treatment?

How about we start with the 1962 Best Picture winner, director David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia!   This four-disc presentation (two 4K Ultra HD/two Blu-ray Combo Pack) includes a new “Unused” International Prologue and a ton of previously released bonus features (on Blu-ray), including two documentaries, In Love with the Desert and Making of Lawrence of Arabia.

The other Best Picture winner getting the double/double disc treatment is director Richard Attenborough’s 1982 biopic starring Ben Kingsley, Gandhi.

The other four films — again, all being released for the first time on the 4K Ultra HD format — are A League of Their Own, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Jerry Maguire and Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Sends Writer/Director Dan Scanlong' Onward Home On May 19 As A Three-SKU Product Offering

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has elected to go ahead and move writer/director Dan Scanlon’s animated film, Onward, to the home entertainment packaged media marketplace.   The street date will be May 19.

Released theatrically into the teeth of the rapidly evolving coronavirus pandemic (March 6), the film generated $60.4 million in ticket sales in two weeks before theatres nationwide shutdown.   Disney quickly moved it to the various digital viewing platforms in an effort to salvage some of the film’s potential.

The ARR for this three-SKU helping of products is a very quick to market 74 days … in normal conditions, the film would have easily rolled-up over $100 million in ticket sales and would have been released by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment sometime in mid-June.

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

As to bonus features, filmmaker Dan Scanlon (Monsters University) provides commentary, plus there are deleted scenes and a half-dozen featurettes — “Quest for Story,” “Heart’s Fire,” “Dragon High,” “Wizard Rock,” “Citizens of New Mushroomton” and “Fantasy is Our Destiny.”

For the period ending March 27, 2020 ... New DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD selections added to the DVD & Blu-ray Release Report's database

 

DVD New Additions

7idea Production (MOD)

03/17/20 — Released Winter on Stevens Pass

Abingdon Press

03/03/20 — Released Acts

Annie’s Crafts

03/31/20 — Sets Crazy Quilting for Beginners, Learn to Crochet Mandalas and Learn to Crochet the Cathedral Rose

Bayview Entertainment

05/19/20 — Sets Forgotten Mountain (Albanian), Guia In Love (Cantonese), Hang In There Kids! Lokah Laqi! (Mandarin), Love Detective (Cantonese), Ninja Cheerleaders, Point Defiance, Underdogs and Waterlily Jaguar

Beyond Words Publishing

02/04/20 — Released Cat People

Cinedigm Entertainment

03/24/20 — Released D-Day: Battle of Omaha Beach

Frolic Pictures (MOD)

02/25/20 — Released Double Feature (2 film set: Abraxas: Guardian of the Universe, Doctor Strain the Body Snatcher), Double Feature (2 film set: Animal Protector, A Blade in the Dark), Double Feature (2 film set: Blood Beat, Bells (aka: Murder by Phone)), Double Feature (2 film set: Blood Tracks, Psycho Scarecrow), Double Feature (2 film set: The Cloning of Clifford Swimmer, The Spook Who Sat by the Door), Double Feature (2 film set: Cy Warrior, The Psycho-Tronic Man), Double Feature (2 film set: The Day it Came to Earth, Tender Dracula (aka: The Big Scare)), Double Feature (2 film set: Death Commando (aka: Killer vs. Killer), Santo and Blue Demon Vs The Monsters), Double Feature (2 film set: Death Run, The Maneater), Double Feature (2 film set: Drop Dead Rock, Cyber Bandits), Double Feature (2 film set: The Freeway Maniac, Death-Train (aka: Detonator)), Double Feature (2 film set: Linnea Quigley's Horror Workout, Battling Amazons), Double Feature (2 film set: The Last of the Knucklemen, The Witchmaker (aka: Legend of Witch Hollow)), Double Feature (2 film set: Monolith, Night Angel), Double Feature (2 film set: Necromancy, The Headless Eyes), Double Feature (2 film set: Pink Force Commando, Weapons of Death), Double Feature (2 film set: The Runstone, Psychopath (aka: Bits and Pieces), Double Feature (2 film set: The Secret Night Caller, The Love-Thrill Murders (aka: Sweet Savior)), Double Feature (2 film set: Slasher (aka: Blood Rage), Absurd), Double Feature (2 film set: The Slayer, The Evil), Double Feature (2 film set: Sledgehammer, The Love Butcher), Double Feature (2 film set: Strays, Spring Fever U.S.A. (aka: Lauderdale)), Double Feature (2 film set: Tainted Image, Fatal Images), Double Feature (2 film set: Time Walker, The Day Time Ended), Double Feature (2 film set: The Willies, Magic Island), Double Feature (2 film set: You Won't Stop Screaming, The Killer Wore Gloves) and Double Feature (2 film set: Zoo Zero, Topline)

Gravitas Ventures (MOD)

03/24/20 — Released Cabal, Find Your Groove and Stray

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

03/24/20 — Released Come to Daddy (ARR of 46 days; box office: $96,713)

MVD Entertainment Group

06/16/20 — Sets First Snow

Meridian Releasing Group (MOD)

03/24/20 — Released MRG Collective: Horror, Volume 4 (8 short films: ALLEN+MILLIE, Burned, Ghost Radio, Jameson, Psycho Therapy, Pure O, Retch, The Inside) and MRG Collective: Horror, Volume 5 (8 short films: Adam, Conversation With The Devil, Dirt, Georgie, Hell Phone, Jiating, Nervous Breakdown, Santa Baby)

Mill Creek Entertainment

06/09/20 — Sets 10 Frightening Films: A Deadly Place (10 film set: Cardiac Arrest, Day of the Animals, Grim, Tunnels, Dead Hate the Living, Don’t Go in the House, Deadly Instincts, With Friends Like These, You’re Driving Me Crazy, Shrunken Heads) (2 disc set) (with Digital Copy)

Narrow Bridge Films (MOD)

03/24/20 — Released Yellow Scare

PCN Productions (MOD)

03/24/20 — Released PA Books: Pennsylvania Patriots, PCN Tours: Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair and Pennsylvania Country Roads: Shemanski Maple Syrup Farm

Paramount Home Media

05/05/20 — Sets Ray Donovan: The Seventh Season (4 disc set) and Rhythm Section (ARR of 95 days; box office: $5,427,510)

Smart Mark Video (MOD)

03/24/20 — Released AAW: A New Dawn - Chicago, IL, Epic Wrestling Entertainment: Epic Series 2 - Jeffersonville, IN, Epic Wrestling Entertainment: Peace Out - Jefforsonville, IN, Epic Wrestling Entertainment: Raising the Bar - Jeffersonville, IN, Fight or Die: Blood, Fire & Barbed Wire, Guantos Hardcore Crew: We Want You - Guadalajara, Mexico, H2O Wrestling: Hardcore Kingdom 4 - Williamstown, NJ, IWA Mid-South: Battle Broads 3 - Jeffersonville, IN and IWA Mid-South: Shoot Style Baby & Lethal Leap Year

Sony Pictures Home Ent.

05/12/20 — Sets Fantasy Island (ARR of 85 days; box office: $26,400,618) and Traitor (Italian) (ARR of 102 days; box office: $294,793)

The Teaching Company, LLC

03/24/20 — Released 1066: The Year That Changed Everything (2 disc set), Adobe Lightroom Classic CC: The Complete Guide (4 disc set), Great Tours: France through the Ages (4 disc set) and Language and the Mind (4 disc set)

Universal Pictures Home Ent.

04/28/20 — Sets Assistant (ARR of 88 days; box office: $1,099,322)

05/05/20 — Sets The Lodge (ARR of 88 days; box office: $1,666,564)

Warner Bros. Home Ent. (MOD)

03/24/20 — Released Gauntlet, Incredible Mr. Limpet, International Velvet, Underwater and Up the Sandbox

05/05/20 — Sets Gretel & Hansel (ARR of 95 days; box office: $15,345,133)

Blu-ray New Additions

Acorn Media

03/24/20 — Released Detectorists, Series 1 (2 disc set)

BBC Home Entertainment

03/24/20 — Released Doctor Who: Sylvester McCoy - Complete Third Season (7 disc set)

Cinedigm Entertainment

03/24/20 — Released D-Day: Battle of Omaha Beach

Cohen Media Group

03/24/20 — Released Shooting the Mafia (Italian)

Dark Force Entertainment

06/16/20 — Sets Giant Spider Invasion

FUNimation

03/24/20 — Released Appleseed XIII: The Complete Series (2 disc set), Aquarion EVOL, Season 2 (4 disc set), Silver Guardian (2 disc set) and Trickster: The Complete Series (4 disc set)

Gravitas Ventures (MOD)

03/24/20 — Released Cabal, Find Your Groove and Stray

Kino Lorber

03/24/20 — Released Downtown 81, Endless Night, Lightning Over Braddock: A Rustbowl Fantasy (2 disc set), My Gun is Quick and Return From the Ashes

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

03/24/20 — Released Come to Daddy (with Digital Copy)

MVD Entertainment Group

06/16/20 — Sets First Snow

Maiden Japan

03/24/20 — Released Maria Watches Over Us: Complete Series (8 disc set)

Narrow Bridge Films (MOD)

03/24/20 — Released Yellow Scare

Naxos

03/24/20 — Released Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem - Bremen Cathedral and Offenbach: Les Contes D'Hoffmann - Dutch National Opera

PCN Productions (MOD)

03/24/20 — Released PA Books: Pennsylvania Patriots, PCN Tours: Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair and Pennsylvania Country Roads: Shemanski Maple Syrup Farm

Shout! Factory

03/24/20 — Released April Fool's Day: Collector's Edition, Frankenstein: The True Story and Wizard: Collector's Edition (2 disc set)

Smart Mark Video (MOD)

03/24/20 — Released AAW: A New Dawn - Chicago, IL, Fight or Die: Blood, Fire & Barbed Wire, Guantos Hardcore Crew: We Want You - Guadalajara, Mexico, IWA Mid-South: Battle Broads 3 - Jeffersonville, IN and IWA Mid-South: Shoot Style Baby & Lethal Leap Year

Sony Pictures Home Ent.

04/28/20 — Sets Just One of the Guys: 35th Anniversary Edition

05/12/20 — Sets Fantasy Island (with Digital Copy)

Universal Pictures Home Ent.

04/28/20 — Sets Assistant (ARR of 88 days; box office: $1,099,322)

05/05/20 — Sets The Lodge (ARR of 88 days; box office: $1,666,564)

Warner Bros. Home Ent.

05/05/20 — Sets Gretel & Hansel (with Digital Copy)