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The Blood of Fu Manchu [4K UHD + Blu-ray]
(Christopher Lee, Maria Rohm, Richard Greene, Tsai Chin, et al / 4K UHD + Blu-ray / NR / (1968) 2025 / Blue Underground)

Overview: From his secret lair deep within the South American jungle, international super-villain Fu Manchu (Christopher Lee of THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN) and his sadistic daughter Lin Tang (Tsai Chin of YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE) reveal their latest diabolical plot for world domination: ten beautiful women are infected with an ancient poison so deadly that one kiss from their lips will bring instant death and lead to a global plague.

Now the Asian madman’s nemesis, Nayland Smith (Richard Greene of TALES FROM THE CRYPT), must desperately hunt an antidote in a savage land where rape and torture reign and the ultimate evil lies in THE BLOOD OF FU MANCHU.

Maria Rohm (VENUS IN FURS) and Shirley Eaton (GOLDFINGER) co-star in this wild Fu Manchu feature written and produced by Harry Alan Towers (EUGENIE) and directed by the one and only Jess Franco (VAMPYROS LESBOS).

Also known as KISS AND KILL, AGAINST ALL ODDS, and KISS OF DEATH, Blue Underground presents THE BLOOD OF FU MANCHU in a brand-new 4K restoration from its uncut original camera negative, complete with additional scenes of nudity and violence in Dolby Vision HDR!

Blu-ray Verdict: Fu Manchu (Christopher Lee) is hidden with his evil daughter Lin Tang (Tsai Chin) in a lost city he has found in the jungles of South America. He discovers a poison deadly for men through kiss and he abducts ten women to infect them with the poison to destroy his enemies.

Then he sends one woman to London to kiss his greatest enemy, the Scotland Yard agent Nayland Smith (Richard Greene). Nayland is blinded by the poison and his friend Dr. Petrie (Howard Marion Crawford) travels with him to the jungles in South America to seek out Fu Manchu expecting to find an antidote. They team up with agent Carl Jansen (Götz George) and soon they learn the scheme of Fu Manchu for world domination.

In closing, and with most of the women being extremely beautiful actresses, there are some compelling moments, the camera work with its close-ups and focusing is looking much more creative than the traditional job in The Vengeance of Fu Manchu, therefore I have to fully get behind this film as a small, yet masterful work of cinematic art [C.C.]

Bonus Features:
Ultra HD Blu-ray (2160p) and HD Blu-ray (1080p) Widescreen 1.66:1 feature presentations
Audio: English 1.0 DTS-HD MA
Subtitles: English SDH, Francais, Espanol
NEW! Audio Commentary with Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson
The Rise of Fu Manchu - Interviews with Director Jess Franco, Producer Harry Alan Towers, and Stars Christopher Lee, Tsai Chin, & Shirley Eaton
NEW! Sanguine-Stained Celluloid – Interview with Stephen Thrower, Author of “Murderous Passions: The Delirious Cinema of Jesus Franco”
Trailers
NEWLY EXPANDED! Poster & Still Gallery
NEW! RiffTrax Edition – THE BLOOD OF FU MANCHU Riffed by Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett & Kevin Murphy (77 Mins.)

Finis Terrae [Limited Edition]
(Malgorn, Ambroise Rouzic, François Morin, Gibois, et al / Blu-ray / PG / (1929) 2025 / Eureka Entertainment)

Overview: One of the most important filmmakers France has ever produced, Jean Epstein was a film theorist, critic and a leading figure in the French Impressionist movement.

Perhaps best known today for directing the first adaptation of The Fall of the House of Usher from a screenplay co-written with Luis Buñuel, Epstein produced several masterpieces during the silent period, including Faithful Heart (Coeur fidèle), The Three-Sided Mirror (La glace à trois faces) and Finis Terrae, the story of a group of fishermen stranded off the cost of Brittany.

Four fishermen set out on a three-month expedition to the islet, Bannec. They intend to harvest seaweed, which will fetch high prices if burned and processed properly - but cabin fever soon sets in. After two of the men brawl over a broken bottle of wine, one of them cuts his thumb on a piece of glass, while the other comes to suspect that his knife has been stolen with malicious intent.

As the situation escalates, conditions at sea make it impossible for the men to leave Bannec or for help from the mainland to reach them.

Blu-ray Verdict: One of the most outstanding directors of the more avant-garde silent movements; a daring, experimental and innovative era where the silent pioneers showed how to play with the cinematograph’s enormous possibilities, Jean Epstein brought forth a film in Finis Terrae that demonstrated that his innovative character always showed in his films, especially during his aforementioned silent phase.

That said, here in Finis Terrae, Epstein forsakes the true avant-garde feel and chooses instead a more realistic cinema. The film is a kind of documentary set in French Brittany and part of a trilogy (completed by Mor Vran (1931) and L’Or Der Mers (1932)) dedicated to that French coastal region for which the director had a special predilection.

Though the film belongs in the documentary genre, Epstein is more interested in the experimentation he can do. He dramatizes the story in a way consistent with his artistic purposes but does not forget to reflect in it the area, the people and customs with their special characteristics. However, the movie lacks the evident ethnologic importance of Flaherty or Grierson’s films.

Finis Terrae is more lyrical, a visual poem to experiment with. The simple story: four algae collectors are trapped on an island and at a later time are rescued by their neighbors. This very interesting film has a rhythm in its narrative and it’s lit in harsh natural way which perfectly reflects the artistic intentions of the French director.

In short, Finis Terrae is indeed a very slow-moving film, guilty at times of putting important core points on the back burners, the plot of taking a wounded man to Ouessant Island a thin one to stretch out over 90 minutes or so, but with the feel of a documentary embedded throughout if you stick with it and give it your full attention it will cinematically nourish you back, you have my word. [F.V.G.]

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
Limited Edition of 2,000 copies
Limited edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by John Dunn
Limited edition collector’s booklet featuring a new essay on Finis Terrae by Jean Epstein expert Christophe Wall-Romana and archival writing by the director
Finis Terrae presented in 1080p HD from a 4K restoration by Gaumont Film Company
Optional English subtitles
Impressions on Jean Epstein – new interview with film historian and critic Pamela Hutchinson on the life and work of the director
Stranded – new video essay on Finis Terrae
The Bottom of the Wave – an archival appreciation of Finis Terrae by Joel Daire

www.eurekavideo.co.uk

Final Destination: Bloodlines | Official Trailer | Warner Bros. Entertainment

Final Destination:Bloodlines (4K Ultra HD+Digital)
(Tony Todd, Brec Bassinger, Richard Harmon, Gabrielle Rose, Rya Kihlstedt, et al / 4K Ultra HD + Digital / R / 2025 / Studio Distribution Services)

Overview: The newest chapter in New Line Cinema’s bloody successful franchise takes audiences back to the very beginning of Death’s twisted sense of justice.

Plagued by a violent recurring nightmare, college student Stefanie heads home to track down the one person who might be able to break the cycle and save her family from the grisly demise that inevitably awaits them all.

On June 17th, “Final Destination Bloodlines” will be available Digitally at home on participating digital platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Fandango at Home, and more.

On July 22nd, “Final Destination Bloodlines” will be available to own on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD from online and physical retailers. “Final Destination Bloodlines” will also continue to be available in high definition and standard definition from participating digital retailers.

4K UHD Blu-ray Verdict: Warner Bros. Entertainment is expanding their 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray catalog offerings this month with the release of the hotly anticipated Final Destination: Bloodlines (4K Ultra HD + Digital) in the expansive 4K Ultra HD video format this June 10th, 2025.

For my money, this Final Destination: Bloodlines (4K Ultra HD + Digital) sharpness takes a fairly large step forward from others in their 4K Ultra HD catalog and even comes with HDR (High Dynamic Range) for the complete 4K Ultra HD experience, of course.

So, what we have is Final Destination: Bloodlines presented to us as a one-disc with a sheet for a Digital HD Copy. Other stand out points you should know are: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: Native 4K (2160p), HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10 and Aspect ratio: 2.39:1.

Featuring Dolby Vision and HDR10 for brighter, deeper, and way more lifelike colors, as with most all 4K UHDs, everything that we watch features these qualities - but somehow, this film gloriously shines within them all.

Noticeably crisp with the overall clarity receiving an obvious boost here on this release, what is more is that it is enjoyably noticeable. For as well as some new nuances to the somewhat drab palette courtesy of Dolby Vision, we also get to witness sudden bright pops of color, which makes the eyes draw in, for sure.

Synonymous with excessively gory and painstaking death sequences, Final Destination: Bloodlines more than delivers on this aspect of the franchise. It has the most lethal opening disaster, as well as the longest list of those who have cheated death. Yet, its most important and memorable scene doesn’t have any blood at all; it is the inclusion of Tony Todd as William Bludworth.

Due to Death’s lack of physical form, Bludworth serves as the only true recurring character of the franchise (not including Clear Rivers (Ali Larter), who is seen in the first two movies). Todd’s presence always added to the sense of dread, as those who received premonitions normally visited him for a sense of reassurance, only to feel closer to death.

His past performances in the horror genre give him the resilient aura that counters the usual flustered appearance of the protagonists. However, his appearance in Final Destination: Bloodlines feels much more reflective and melancholic, especially since it ended up being his last ever film role.

Overall, this is a very strong 4K HDR Blu-ray presentation, and, for the most part, the audio track remains fairly similar to its DTS-HD counterpart; with much of the action occupying the surrounds with outstanding directionality and placement where effects flawlessly pan between the sides and rears.

As for the film itself, well, no one will ever quite forget the first moments of Final Destination (2000), the cult classic supernatural horror film that launched the now-25-year-old film franchise in which its protagonists try to cheat Death (that’s Death with a capital D) and wind up failing epically! It was dark, it was grim (like the Reaper), it was intense with Hitchcockian-style suspense, it was extremely gory and around the time of the second sequel Final Destination 3 in 2006, it had started to become darkly humorous!

I have long suspected that the Final Destination films are really dark-freaking-comedies masquerading as blood-soaked supernatural horror flicks, since as time has gone on with this series the gruesome accidents and mishaps that befall the series’ protagonists have steadily become grimly hilarious. I’ve even gone on to theorize that Death itself is actually the HERO here, as the human characters are simply living on borrowed time. As they say, there is no escaping the inevitable.

This last trait is what has suffused the three films that have followed it, including its latest, 2025’s "Final Destination: Bloodlines, which aims to inject new life - so to speak - into the franchise since the last entry, 2011’s Final Destination 5, which literally circled back around to the beginning.

Final Destination: Bloodlines has done the wise thing and not re-booted the series (like so many other film franchises have done lately) but instead passingly acknowledges the films of the past to provide some sense of continuity to the earlier films and thus is, in short, not a cheap cop-out for lazy filmmakers who have run out of ideas for the series. Nor is it a so-called legacy sequel, either, since only 14 years have passed since the aforementioned Final Destination 5.

Instead, Final Destination: Bloodlines takes the series in a slightly different direction while still acknowledging the films of the past. It takes the same basic premise of a poor soul having had a fateful premonition of a mass casualty event and averting the impending disaster by warning the pool of potential victims.

Said event still happens, anyway, and Death soon comes back looking for the survivors - with a vengeance. This time, the film looks at how one person, in this case college student Stefeni Reyes (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), must save her entire family from Death. The precise reasons for why Stefeni’s family is being targeted are laid out in its brilliantly constructed opening action sequence, but are also carefully (and thoughtfully), explained over the course of the picture; most films made in modern times would unwisely lay out the specifics all in one scene and thus eliminate any real suspenseful momentum the film has gained.

Co-directors Zack Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein have a competent grasp of the film’s story and characters. Regarding the latter, let’s be frank: No one goes to a Final Destination picture for characters; you only go to see the characters die in some delightfully gruesome and creative fashions!

But Final Destination: Bloodlines, due to its underlying thematic angle involving the plight of an entire family, does actually lend the picture a rare emotional bent that the series has notably lacked since the first Final Destination back in 2000. Oh, and it’s only the best sequel that the series has had to offer since Final Destination 2 (2003), in my humble opinion.

“Final Destination Bloodlines” Digital, 4K UHD and Blu-ray contain the following special features:
Death Becomes Them: On the Set of “Final Destination Bloodlines” – featurette
Catch up with the fresh new cast and dynamic directing duo of “Final Destinations Bloodlines” to hear about their experiences on set and what fun surprises they managed to sneak in for the fans
The Many Deaths of Bloodlines – featurette
From the collapse of the Skyview Restaurant to the world’s worst MRI, get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the most gruesome Final Destination deaths yet!
The Legacy of Bludworth – featurette
Tony Todd reflects on the decades-spanning legacy of his iconic character and re-examines Bludworth’s impact on the franchise now that all has been revealed
Director’s Commentary
Commentary by the film’s directors Adam Stein & Zach Lipovsky

Shinobi: Vol 2 [Limited Edition]
(Midori Isomura, Raizo Ichikawa, Tomisaburo Wakayama, et al / 2-Disc Blu-ray / NR / 2025 / Radiance Films)

Overview: Three more spectacular tales of ninja action in this continuation of the hugely influential series.

This time, Raizo Ichikawa (Shinobi 1-3) stars as Mist Saizo, a ninja with a grudge who won’t rest until he has assassinated the supreme leader, the Tokugawa shogun.

Directed by three of the Daiei Studio’s top period action specialists, these films feature epic battles, ingenious spycraft and thrilling ninja fights.

In Siege, Raizo Ichikawa is Mist Saizo, the legendary folk hero and Iga ninja. Working in the service of warlord Yukimura Sanada (Tomisaburo Wakayama), he plots to assassinate Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa, but finds himself facing the might of the nation’s supreme ruler.

In Return of Mist Saizo, our black-clad hero continues his mission to avenge his master, even after Ieyasu has abdicated from the throne. Told as one continuous story, these two films weave their ninja action in and out of Japanese martial history, featuring epic battles, ingenious spycraft and thrilling fight scenes.

In part 6, Mist Saizo’s son Saisuke takes over his father’s name and mission. He is recruited by a rebellious warlord to assist a plot to overthrow the government, but the Shogun hires a rival ninja clan to thwart the uprising. Meanwhile, other forces are also at play.

Directed by Kazuo Mori (Shinobi 3: Resurrection, Zatoichi at Large), this film pits ninja against ninja, including a breathtaking rooftop battle scene that is one of the highlights of the entire Shinobi series.

Blu-ray Verdict: In Shinobi no Mono 4: Siege (1964), Tokugawa Ieyasu is now the ruler of all Japan, but one last loose thread must be tied up before his domination is complete – the destruction of the Toyotomi clan, now besieged in Osaka castle. Ieyasu’s ninja are the only ones who can penetrate the fortress, but unfortunately for Ieyasu, Kirigakure Saizo and the other Toyotomi ninja can just as easily get out. As armies of samurai maneuver for battle, the fate of the nation will be decided by a desperate struggle in the dark.

The best one since the first and probably the best directed of them all so far, in my humble opinion. Quite amazing how Tanaka manages to infuse another quite complicated, extremely exposition-heavy setup with his sense of romantic pictorialism, stripping away the weight of history at least temporarily in favor of pure sensual cinema. The stone prison sequence introduces a sense of existential thread that reaches far beyond the abstract scheming’s of shogun power politics.

Up next is Shinobi No Mono 5: Return of Mist Saizo (1964), on May 8th, 1615 the summer campaign of Osaka has reached the climax. This film takes place immediately following ‘Ninja 4: Mist Saizo, Last of The Ninja’. Staying one step ahead of the Shogun’s forces, “Mist” Saizo tries to save the Sanada Clan, and avenge the death of his lord by assassinating the first Tokugawa Shogun.

Following the first four films in this remarkable series, more previously unknown Ninja skills are shown to the world for the first time. The action heats up as Saizo single-handedly attacks the Shogun’s Palace.

This kicks things off with a bang - literally - as a dazzling ninja ambush on water sets the tone for a more action-packed and accessible sequel. Saizo’s fog-shrouded escape with his quarry sets up a brisker, more colorful chapter, one that sees him wheel and deal his way through political intrigue and clan conflict to try and control a gun-manufacturing island to sway the outcome of the upcoming final battle.

Leaner and more focused than its predecessor, it’s a confident slice of genre cinema - double-crosses abound, but they’re easier to track, and the ninja set-pieces are snappy and stylish.

Lastly we get Shinobi No Mono 6: The Last Iga Spy (1965), well, this is one of the most complicated plots of any of the Shinobi no Mono films! This film tells the story of Saizo’s son, Kirigakure Saisuke, who after seeing his father die at the Battle Of Shimabara, grows up to be an expert ninja. Before he dies, “Mist” Saizo tells his children Saisuke, and Yuri that they are not really brother and sister.

She, in fact, is the daughter of the late lord Sanada Yukimura, and must be saved from the shogun’s forces. In the chess match of spy versus spy, can Saisuke defeat the shogun’s chief strategist, Matsudaira Izunokami at his own game? Showing many exciting ninja tactics, it is not to be missed.

In contrast to its predecessor, The Last Iga Spy struggles under the weight of its ambition., if I am being truthful. The ninja action is still present - a rain-soaked rooftop fight is genuinely impressive - but it’s buried beneath a Game of Thrones-style web of court politics and betrayal that turns convoluted rather than compelling.

A drawn-out final act fizzles rather than explodes, clearly saving narrative heft for the next instalment. A disappointing conclusion to this new three film Shinobi Vol 2 box-set, sure, but led by the parts 4 and 5, it does hold a lot of visual strength.

Limited Edition Special Features:
Limited Edition of 3000 copies, presented in a rigid box with full-height Scanavo cases and removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings
Reversible sleeves featuring artwork based on original promotional materials
Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Jonathan Clements
Six postcards of promotional material from the films
Trailers
New and improved optional English subtitles
Interview with Japanese period film historian Taichi Kasuga (2025)
Uncompressed mono PCM audio
Interview with ninja film scholar Mance Thompson (2025)
High-Definition digital transfer of each film presented on two discs, made available on Blu-ray (1080p) for the first time outside of Japan
Select-scene audio commentary on Siege by Tom Mes (2025)

Perpetrator (Limited Edition) [Blu-ray]
(Avery Holliday, Alicia Silverstone, Audrey Francis, Casimere Jollette, et al / Blu-ray / NR / (2023) 2025 / Arrow Films)

Overview: From the exquisite mind of Jennifer Reeder (Knives and Skin and V/H/S/94) comes Perpetrator, a brilliantly original and twisted take on female suppression, dangerous male predators and the pains of adolescence, with a stunning lead performance from Kiah McKirnan.

On the eve of her 18th birthday, wild and rebellious Jonny is sent by her father to live with her estranged Aunt Hildie, where she begins to experience a radical metamorphosis: a family spell called the Forevering.

With her newly uncovered powers, alongside a growing obsession with blood, a freshly feral and self-assured Jonny sets out on a perilous hunt to find a lethal perpetrator, responsible for the disappearances of several local women.

Superbly blending a feminist coming-of-age drama with serial killer and supernatural fantasy genres, Perpetrator is beautifully shot in Bava-esque colors by director of photography Sevdije Kastrati, and features a phenomenal supporting cast, including Alicia Silverstone (Clueless), Melanie Liburd (Bad Boys: Ride or Die) and Christopher Lowell (Promising Young Woman).

Blu-ray Verdict: I actually watched Perpetrator recently on Shudder. The plot centers around a unique young woman who resides with her adopted father in a town plagued by a serial killer targeting young girls who keep mysteriously disappearing. As the bodies of the missing girls are discovered, the gruesome acts committed on their corpses come to light.

Despite ongoing self-defense classes at the local high school, the girls remain vulnerable. Amidst these mysteries, the young woman begins to uncover her extraordinary powers, which might aid in identifying and stopping the serial killer.

Written and directed by Jennifer Reeder (V/H/S/94), the film features Alicia Silverstone (Clueless), Taylor Kinkead (Utopia), Chris Lowell (The Help), Kiah McKirnan (Night Sky), and Casimere Jollette (Tiny Pretty Things).

In truth, Perpetrator does have a promising premise, intriguing characters and unique circumstances, but it squanders its potential. The acting, particularly Taylor Kinkead’s performance, is commendable and authentic. However, the horror elements, particularly the mirror and face scenes, fall short of their intended impact.

On another positive note, the depictions of the corpses and wounds are well-executed, and the torture scenes are excellent. However, the film’s major flaw lies in its pacing. It takes too long to reach a truly engaging point, leaving you wishing the conclusion had occurred much earlier. The latter part of the movie had the potential to be really good but was too little too late.

In summary, Perpetrator possesses the elements needed for a compelling film but struggles to integrate them effectively until it’s too late. That is not to say it is not worth watching, because it is, for sure, but I would definitely only really recommend it primarily to dedicated horror enthusiasts. [K.R.]

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Brand new audio commentary by writer-director Jennifer Reeder and director of photography Sevdije Kastrati
Perpetrator: Mirrors and the Monstrous Womb, a brand new video essay by filmmaker Jen Handorf
On-set cast interviews with Kiah McKirnan, Alicia Silverstone, Melanie Liburd and Christopher Lowell
Screenplay (2024), a music video for Aitis, directed by Jennifer Reeder Tiny Baby (2024), a music video for Joan of Arc, directed by Jennifer Reeder
Three short films directed by Jennifer Reeder: All Small Bodies (2018, 20 mins); I Dream You Dream of Me (2018, 11 mins); LOLA, 15 (2017, 5 mins)
Original trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork options by Creepy Duck Design and Duke Aber / Shudder
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Kat Hughes and Marianne Lampon

Through And Through [Limited Edition]
(Anna Nieborowska, Franciszek Trzeciak, et al / Blu-ray / NR / (1973) 2025 / Radiance Films)

Overview: Jan (Franciszek Trzeciak) and Maria (Anna Nieborowska) become a couple in 1930s Kraków. Jan tries to get a job as an architect but fails.

They struggle with poverty and extreme humiliation. Their attempt to survive leads to a desperate crime.

Remarkably filmed with precise close-ups and fragmented sound design creating a sense of unnerving dissonance, Through and Through was enthusiastically received on release and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival where it was compared to Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment.

Radiance Films is proud to present Grzegorz Królikiewicz’s film on Blu-ray for the first time in the world.

Blu-ray Verdict: Grzegorz Królikiewicz’s Through and Through is less concerned with recounting the real-life horrors of a murderous pre-WWII Polish couple and far more interested in deconstructing the language of cinema itself to do it: a narrative bust but a stylistic fascination, the result is equal parts maddening and mesmerizing.

Rather than lean into traditional storytelling, Królikiewicz builds his own cinematic grammar from scratch - an assaultive symphony of extended montage, skewed compositions and semi-documentary looseness. Dialogue may be minimal, but it replaces this with a moody, dread-soaked ambience. The stark black-and-white imagery gives the film a beautiful veneer behind which it can hide the brutality of its content. The two leads sell the bleakness of their descent into crime with impressive restraint, though their character is often swallowed whole by Królikiewicz’s overpowering form.

Early scenes, such as a meandering introduction in a drinking den that barely features the main pair, test the limits of even the most patient viewer. Time compresses and expands wildly between shots, with great gulfs of story leaping by unannounced. And when it comes to violence, Królikiewicz chooses obfuscation over exploitation: one murder is filmed entirely from behind a closed door, offering only muffled sounds and a trembling frame. And it’s as interesting as it is unsatisfying.

But that’s the point. Through and Through isn’t after your love. Or if it is, it fails whole heartedly. It’s a film to admire for its craft and defiance of the traditions of cinema, but not necessarily one to engage emotionally. And in that end, it’s not a story told but more a film felt (and when’s the last time you experienced something like that?)

Limited Edition Special Features:
New 2K restoration supervised by cinematographer Bogdan Dziworski
Uncompressed mono PCM audio
New interview with critic Micha³ Oleszczyk (2025)
Three short films by Grzegorz Królikiewicz: Everyone Gets What They Don’t Need (1966, 12 mins), Brothers (1971, 6 mins), Don’t Cry (1972, 9 mins)
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by critic Ela Bittencourt
Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

Poseidon [4K Ultra HD] [Limited Edition]
(Kevin Dillon, Andre Braugher, David Reivers, Emmy Rossum, et al / 2-Disc 4K Blu-ray / PG-13 / (2006) 2025 / Arrow Films)

Overview: Legendary director Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot, The Perfect Storm) brings all his talent for jaw-dropping spectacle to his 2006 epic disaster movie Poseidon, a pulse-pounding update of Paul Gallico’s classic adventure novel.

Passengers and crew members alike are celebrating New Year’s Eve aboard the cruise-liner Poseidon, the pinnacle of engineering and the height of luxury.

But soon after the clock strikes midnight, a gigantic rogue wave comes crashing against the vessel, sending it plummeting towards the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. As the ship sinks further down, a group of survivors must learn to work together if they are to pull through this terrifying ordeal.

With an outstanding ensemble cast including Kurt Russell, Josh Lucas, Richard Dreyfuss, Andre Braugher and Emmy Rossum, and stunning special effects by Industrial Light and Magic, Poseidon is an audiovisual tour de force, presented for the first time on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray.

4K Blu-ray Verdict: In one of the better remakes, this Poseidon is a really damn fine film all of its own. The special effects are superb and some of the scenes (the elevator shaft and the ventilation shaft) rip your nerves to shreds! Furthermore, you really have no idea who will live and who will die in this update.

Of course, one has to compare it to the original and I think a lot of people are looking at the original through rose tinted spectacles. It was good but it was Seventies kitsch with corny dialogue and cheesy characters. This film has them too, but at 98 minutes it leaves little time for artificial character development and takes you straight into the action.

Like all action films there are implausible scenes that require you to completely suspend your disbelief. But I have no problems with giant apes climbing tall buildings or lone cops fighting off armies of armed terrorists so I can certainly put up with a group of nobodies defying trying to get out of a capsized ship!

In closing, Poseidon was always meant to be about 100 minutes of cheap, meaningless thrills with a little romance and comedy thrown in for good measure. That’s what attracted it to me back in the day. Anyway, that was the goal of the movie and they did a fantastic job at achieving it. And for that, it deserves all the love that it still gets today. I mean, for God’s sake, the movie is still truly entertaining!

4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Ocean View, a brand-new interview with director of photography John Seale
Big Sets for Big-Time Directors: A brand new interview with production designer William Sandell
Surfing the VFX Wave, a brand new interview with visual effects supervisor Boyd Shermis
Bringing Out the Dead, a brand new interview with make-up effects on-set supervisor Michael Deak
Set a Course for Adventure: A brand new retrospective on the film by Heath Holland
Poseidon: A Ship on a Soundstage, a featurette looking at the film’s production featuring interviews with cast and crew
Poseidon: Upside Down, a featurette exploring the film’s challenging set design
A Shipmate’s Diary, a featurette following production assistant Malona Voigt on the set of Poseidon
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jacey
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Priscilla Page

Texas Chainsaw Massacre [Limited Edition] [4K]
(Andrew Bryniarski, Jessica Biel, John Larroquette, et al / 4K Blu-ray / R / (2003) 2025 / Arrow Films)

Overview: For its inaugural film, Michael Bay’s studio Platinum Dunes brought together scriptwriter Scott Kosar (The Machinist) and director Marcus Nispel (2009’s Friday the 13th) for a grisly update of Tobe Hooper’s classic tale of Texan terror. The result would conquer the 2003 box office, introducing a new generation of genre fans to the franchise.

A group of carefree young adults’ road trip through Texas is cut short when the panic-stricken hitchhiker they’ve picked up shoots herself in the back of their vehicle. Desperate to find help, our heroes are directed to the home of the local Sheriff, but little do they know they are stumbling into the lair of the Hewitts, the most violent family in all of Texas, including their chainsaw-wielding son.

Described by critic Roger Ebert as vile, ugly and brutal, 2003’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a boundary pushing, agonizingly violent gorefest masterpiece ready to traumatize and delight horror fans anew with this brand new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray edition!

4K Blu-ray Verdict: I actually recently rewatched the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (this 2003 version) remake on Prime and was very happy to rewatch it again on this fantastic 4K UHD from Arrow Films.

The storyline follows a group of friends driving back from a trip to Mexico. After picking up a troubled hitchhiker, who shockingly kills herself in their van, the group seeks help from local law enforcement. However, their search leads them to the wrong residence, setting off a horrifying chain of events that changes their lives forever.

The film is directed by Marcus Nispel (Friday the 13th, 2009) and stars Jessica Biel (The Tall Man), R. Lee Ermey (Full Metal Jacket), Eric Balfour (24), John Larroquette (Night Court), and Jonathan Tucker (The Ruins).

The movie does an excellent job creating a consistently uneasy and gritty atmosphere. From start to finish, the tone is dark and oppressive, with the casting, wardrobe, and overall aesthetic contributing to the tension. The performances are strong, and the horror elements are top-notch.

The opening hitchhiker sequence is incredibly effective, setting the tone for the rest of the film. Memorable moments like the legendary hook scene and the well-executed torture sequences further elevate the horror. The addition of the child character was also a nice touch, adding another layer to the story. The film successfully puts its own spin on the original while honoring its legacy.

In conclusion, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) blends classic and modern horror elements to create a gripping and terrifying experience and for that alone I would highly recommend it to any and all horror film fanatics.

4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Original DTS-HD MA 7.1 and 5.1 surround audio and lossless stereo audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Brand new audio commentary with Dread Central co-founder Steve “Uncle Creepy” Barton and co-host of The Spooky Picture Show podcast Chris MacGibbon
Archival audio commentary with director Marcus Nispel, producer Michael Bay, executive producers Brad Fuller and Andrew Form and New Line Cinema founder Robert Shaye
Archival audio commentary with Marcus Nispel, director of photography Daniel Pearl, production designer Greg Blair, art director Scott Gallager, sound supervisor Trevor Jolly and composer Steve Jablonsky
Archival audio commentary with Marcus Nispel, Michael Bay, writer Scott Kosar, Brad Fuller, Andrew Form and actors Jessica Biel, Erica Leerhsen, Eric Balfour Jonathan Tucker, Mike Vogel and Andrew Bryniarski
Reimagining a Classic, a brand new interview with director Marcus Nispel
Shadows of Yesteryear, a brand new interview with cinematographer Daniel Pearl
The Lost Leatherface, a brand new interview with actor Brett Wagner
Masks and Massacres, a brand new interview with makeup effects artist Scott Stoddard
Chainsaw Symphony, a brand new interview with composer Steve Jablonsky
Chainsaw Redux: Making A Massacre, a making-of documentary
Ed Gein: The Ghoul of Plainfield, an in-depth look at the infamous killer who inspired the character of Leatherface
Severed Parts, a look at the cutting room floor and some of the scenes excised from the final edit
Deleted scenes including an alternate opening and ending
Screen tests for Jessica Biel, Eric Balfour and Erica Leerhsen
Behind-the-scenes featurette
Cast and crew interviews
Theatrical trailers and TV spots
Concept art galleries
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Aaron Lea
Double-sided foldout poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Aaron Lea
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Michael Gingold

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning [4K UHD]
(Andrew Bryniarski, Diora Baird, John Larroquette, Jordana Brewster, et al / 4K Blu-ray / R / (2006) 2025 / Arrow Films)

Overview: After 2003’s successful remake of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes would take another trip to the Lone Star State for the terrifying prequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning.

In the summer of 1969, brothers Eric and Dean and their girlfriends Chrissie and Bailey are having one last road trip before the boys set off to Vietnam. An altercation with a shotgun-wielding biker leads them to crash their car, only for them to be rescued by Sheriff Hoyt. But their savior isn’t as benevolent as he seems, and the gang are taken hostage and dragged to the residence of the murderous Hewitt family, among them Hoyt’s brother Thomas, a hulking brute who conceals his face behind a leather mask.

Feast your eyes on this twisted and horrifying vision of the Hewitts’ origins, presented here in its original Theatrical Version and the extended Uncut Version for the first time on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray!

4K Blu-ray Verdict: In truth, after watching 2003’s version of the original, very quickly afterwards I realized that the remake of the horror classic is quite tame compared to this! It’s incredible how visceral horror/slasher movies have become for this generation.

The film starts off in a slaughterhouse and a monster is born. The quick run up of how Leatherface became a man during the credits was impressive. The slaughterhouse in which he works gets shut down. He’s got to find some new meat to chop. He sure as hell does.

On a road trip across Texas, four friends run into trouble with a biker gang and as a result have an accident and run into the vicious Sheriff Hoyt. As the female lead, Chrissie, tries to track down her friends that the sheriff has taken to that iconic house of the Hewitt residence, she’s faced with many obstacles on the way, trying not to get caught. She fails, of course, and the unbelievable begins.

The movie takes the audience on an explicitly VIOLENT journey and never ceases to grab you by the jugular. The visuals are almost too tense to bear and the acting is fantastic by the lead characters and R. Lee Ermey makes you cringe at the sight of him and at the sound of his viciously demanding tone.

Definitely a step up from the PG-13 fare that director Jonathan Liebsman of Darkness Falls is more associated with. The story of how Leatherface became such a monster is well examined. Also some interesting bits in the film to help one understand some of the circumstances in the 2003 remake are brought to surface which I appreciated.

In conclusion, if you’re a horror buff and like your slasher/horror flicks to have no holds barred terror throughout, this is the HALLOWEEN ticket for you. Be warned however, if you were disturbed by the 1973 original, this film gives the term a whole new meaning!

4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) of both the Theatrical Version and the Uncut Version
Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 audio on the Theatrical Version and DTS-HD MA 7.1, 5.1 and 2.0 audio on the Uncut Version
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing on both cuts
Brand new audio commentary on the Uncut Version with Dread Central co-founder Steve “Uncle Creepy” Barton and co-host of The Spooky Picture Show podcast Chris MacGibbon
Archival audio commentary on the Uncut Version with director Jonathan Liebesman and producers Andrew Form and Brad Fuller
Hoyt, Actually, a brand new interview with actor Lew Temple
Original Skins: KNB FX, a brand new interview with special effects makeup artist Jake Garber and special effects makeup technician Kevin Wasner Light and Sawdust, a brand new interview with director of photography Lukas Ettlin
Down to the Bone: Anatomy of a Prequel, an archival making-of documentary featuring many interviews with cast and crew members
Deleted and extended scenes with optional commentary from director Jonathan Liebesman and producers Andrew Form and Brad Fuller
Theatrical trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Aaron Lea
Double-sided foldout poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Aaron Lea
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Michael Gingold

Martial Law: Lo Wei’s Wuxia World
(Ching-Ho Wang, Angela Yu Chien, Chiao Chiao, Ching Lee, et al / 3-Disc Blu-ray / NR / 2025 / Eureka Entertainment)

Overview: A prolific writer and director, Lo Wei found fame in the 1970s following the enormous international success of The Big Boss and Fist of Fury, his collaborations with the inimitable Bruce Lee.

In the years before he kickstarted a kung fu revolution, though, he had been working on an accomplished series of wuxia pian for Shaw Brothers. Presented here are three standout films drawn from Lo Wei’s wuxia world: The Black Butterfly, Death Valley and Vengeance of a Snow Girl.

In The Black Butterfly, a good-hearted thief acts as the Robin Hood of the martial world, robbing from the rich to give to the poor - and they begin by stealing a fortune in gold from a group of five ruthless bandits holed up at Five Devils Rock.

Then, in Death Valley, the Lord of Chao Manor (Lo Wei) is murdered by his niece (Angela Yu Chien), leading to a bitter fight to claim his land and a clash between a hired swordsman (Chen Hung-lieh) and the Lord’s heir apparent (Yueh Hua).

Finally, in Vengeance of a Snow Girl, a young woman (Li Ching) takes revenge for her murdered parents, who were killed in a dispute over the legendary Tsui Feng sword - leading to a final showdown on frozen ground.

Lo Wei’s The Black Butterfly, Death Valley and Vengeance of a Snow Girl are three of the finest wuxia films produced in the years before Bruce Lee’s meteoric rise to fame would cause a tectonic shift in the Hong Kong film industry, as the era of kung fu loomed on the horizon.

Blu-ray Verdict: Up first is The Black Butterfly (1968), which in my humble opinion, is a nice looking example of late 1960’s wuxia - the restaurant on a lake where much of the film is set is a visually striking location, and the sets and costumes are of the usual Shaw Brothers standard.

The story is rather mediocre though; the plot unrolls with little real drama or tension. Even when Black Butterfly’s secret identity is revealed everybody basically goes Oh, it’s you. LOL. and moves on.

Lo Wei’s direction is typically pedestrian, taking elements from King Hu, Chang Cheh and TEMPLE OF THE RED LOTUS without adding much of his own style or vision. It’s functional, even competent direction but nothing more.

Despite being quite action packed the film doesn’t seem to have a credit for action director, but we can probably assume it was Han Ying-Chieh since he was on set. Maybe Lo Wei would have us believe it was him though, and there might even be some truth in it - he is actually pretty good with a sword, as we see in the final act - perhaps he missed his true calling.

The action is a bit slow and stagey but does feature some imaginative moments and quite intricate choreography. It’s not the best of its era, but it does show how Hong Kong filmmakers were starting to explore the possibilities of the form. Definitely watchable, but not essential viewing.

Then we get Death Valley (1968) and is a stunning, rip roaring wuxia that is a cut above the usual Shaw Brothers stuff by having a great bunch of characters that are fun to spend time with! Most impressive are Angela Yu Chien’s sexy femme fatale and Yueh Hua’s uber skillful hero.

Also, the action is of the fun, furniture smashing, swashbuckling variety rather than the intricately choreographed stuff that was more in vogue from the 70’s onwards.

Lastly we are brought forth Vengeance of a Snow Girl (1971) where Li Ching stars as martial arts expert Shen Ping Hong, who is out for revenge against the four brothers who killed her parents and left her crippled for life.

The story is great fun and the sets are wonderful. There were a few brief moments where I longed for more clarity, such as Yueh Hua grabbing the pearl in the volcano, or surviving his wound outside the cave, but these were small complaints in what ended up being a surprisingly touching adventure.

Others I have discussed this film with seem to be bothered by the decision to show Shen Ping Hong gliding as she uses her crutches. I thought it was a great choice. It shows her grace as an accomplished martial artist but it also shows her in a slightly menacing light; she moves like a spider!

Indeed, I have a major soft spot for any of the SB films with disabled heroes (Crippled Avengers, One Armed Swordsman etc.) because we so rarely get anything like that in the West. I mean sure, I want to also see all the dramas, comedies and musicals too, for there are many more reasons to love these films besides martial arts prowess, but films like these in this trilogy of action are always going to be my person go-to’s.p> Bonus Features:
Limited Edition of 2,000 copies
Limited edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Grégory Sacré (Gokaiju)
Limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on all three films in this set by Hong Kong cinema expert Camille Zaurin
1080p HD presentations of all three films on Blu-ray
Optional English subtitles, newly revised for this release
New audio commentaries on all three features by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
Hong Kong Hustle – new interview with Hong Kong cinema scholar Wayne Wong on the life and work of Lo Wei

www.eurekavideo.co.uk

www.MVDvisual.com

His Motorbike, Her Island [Blu-ray]
(Kiwako Harada, Noriko Watanabe, Riki Takeuchi, et al / Blu-ray / NR / (1968) 2025 / Cult Epics)

Overview: Following a painful breakup, macho biker Koh (Riki Takeuchi) skips town and hits the road on his beloved Kawasaki W3 650. On his countryside excursion, he encounters the free-spirited Miyo (Kiwako Harada, older sister of Obayashi favorite Tomoyo Harada) who quickly takes interest in both the leather-clad Koh and his motorbike.

Koh and Miyo fall in love even as Miyo’s prodigious biking talent and thrill-seeking tendencies heighten Koh’s fear that she may push it all too far.

A nostalgia-filled reminiscence, Obayashi’s monochromatic dream playfully worships the biker culture of yesteryear, delivering a sentimental and liberating take on young love.

Blu-ray Verdict: From the moment you set eyes on this movie you know it is going to be something special. If I had to explain this movie I would say it is a biker romance, but if I had to explain the feeling this movie gives I could not do it in a million years.

It is such a nice love story between two regular people that completely keeps your eyes and your heart glued to the screen. The characters are relatable and have their own rules in life and that makes them have to constantly fight between the person who they are and the person they truly want to be.

There is a defining Rebel Without A Cause backdrop to the film, which is no bad thing, and the highly melodramatic romance, complete with lots of little offbeat moments that the director is well known for, just makes the whole thing really entertaining.

The actors do their best with the little material they are given and thus kind of fill in the blanks are they go in an organic manner. Their scenes do feel true to form of people in their situation though, but for me personally it was the directorial touches that make this the visual gem that it most assuredly is.

You can instantly fall in love with the vibe of this movie and the whole biker feel. The feeling it gives you is overwhelming. A masterpiece, in my humble opinion. [B.C.]

Bonus Features:
High-definition Transfer
Audio Commentary by Samm Deighan
Becoming the Wind: His Motorbike, Her Island and the Biker Movie - Visual essay by Esther Rosenfield
Her Island: Onomichi Pt. 1 - Visual essay by Alex Pratt
Director Nobuhiko Obayashi Archival Interview
Theatrical Trailers
New improved English subtitles
New Slipcase design by Sam Smith
Reversible sleeve with Japanese original poster art
First Pressing includes repro 24-page Japanese booklet (pamphlet)

www.cultepics.com

Fear Cabin: The Last Weekend Of Summer [DVD]
(Brian Krainson, Brody Wellmaker, Jennifer Barlow, Jeremy London, et al / DVD / NR / (2024) 2025 / Cleopatra Entertainment)

Overview: In FEAR CABIN, six friends head into the woods for one last summer weekend, envisioning carefree days by a crystal-clear lake and laughter-filled nights around a secluded cabin.

Instead, they stumble upon unsettling rituals that awaken malevolent forces hidden beneath creaking floorboards and moonlit shadows.

Suddenly, their lighthearted getaway becomes a desperate fight for survival, where demonic presences are determined to keep them there forever.

DVD Verdict: From the moment you set eyes on this movie you know it is not only going to be someone’s labor of love, but one that should have enough genuinely scary moments in in that you remember it long afterwards.

A band of merry men/women head out to a remote cabin in the woods for a weekend of fun, drinking and, well, you know, the usual mid-teen and older set of sloppy debaucheries that would inevitably follow.

And yet, not everything is as it seems at this rather beautiful cabin as their fun adventure quickly turns into a big bad nightmare - one covered in blood and decorated with limbs and entrails!

Filmed on an iPhone, personally I think that the director Brian Krainson has pulled off a minor miracle of cinematic force here as sure, the dialogue can be somewhat stilted, the acting a little wooden, but the supernatural elements along with the blood routs firmly ensure that you get exactly what you hoped to see from such a named movie.

For it delivers on everything that you would expect and showcases a genuinely, at times, bone-chilling tale that allows for a series of both expected and unexpected frights, jump scares and more to play out on the small screen.

In conclusion, you get exactly what you would hope to see here in the low budget Fear Cabin: The Last Weekend Of Summer and, dare I say, a little bit more. Chock full of the usual suspects of intrigue, such as isolation, survival, fear, panic, and hope, all packaged together within the framework of a ghostly evil presence, the film is a new age gem and one that I cannot recommend highly enough.

Bonus Features:
Trailers
Behind the Scenes Footage

Official Trailer

www.cleorecs.com

DAKOTA HD Trailer (English subtitles) | Cult Epics

Dakota (Special Edition) [Blu-ray]
(Kees Brusse, Monique van de Ven, Willeke van Ammelrooy, et al / Blu-ray / NR / (1974) 2025 / Cult Epics)

Overview: A Dutch pilot (Blue Movie’s Kees Brusse) with a real passion for flying risks everything to keep his DC3/Dakota plane in the air when getting involved with contraband.

Attention to flight detail and the beautiful backdrop of the Caribbean and co-stars Monique van de Ven (Turkish Delight) and Willeke van Ammelrooy (Frank & Eva) make this seldom seen much loved Dutch classic worth watching.

DAKOTA, the last Scorpio film directed by Wim Verstappen (Pastorale 1943), with cinematography by Jan de Bont and Theo van de Sande, was recently rediscovered as a Dutch masterwork of cinema and is now available for the first time on Blu-ray.

Blu-ray Verdict: From the moment you set eyes on this absolutely dynamic movie you know it is going to be something very special. Being a pilot myself for more than 33 years, I must say that I never before enjoyed a movie with this explicit detail of profession, as the main actor performed; my sincere compliments to Kees Brusse!

This is a Dutch film about a Dutch airman who decides to attempt a Transatlantic voyage in his beloved Dakota. He interacts with various minor characters en route and encounters a fair share of problems up in the air, but other than that the film cruises along nicely.

For myself, it took me 32 years to rediscover this film, after its initial broadcasting in 1974. I was not endlessly searching for it, of course, but I never forgot it and now it is available again from the lovely people over there at Cult Epics/MVD.

Have plane, will travel is an excellent depiction of the feelings of a man driven to fly, regardless of where, what or who for. How is a challenge too, at times. Amazing flight from Dutch Antilles to Holland without refueling. Love interest on the side. Beautiful Caribbean backdrops to offset classic DC3. I mean, come on now, what more could you want from this kind of film?

In conclusion, Dakota is not only for pilots but for all DC-3 enthusiasts. Simply put, this film is a genuine, heartfelt and impassioned is a real MUST HAVE!

Bonus Features:
New Restored 2K Transfer
Audio Commentary by film historian Peter Verstraten
Dakota Press flight
Cannes Filmfestival 1978 (Vara Visie)
Photo Gallery
Scorpio Films Trailers
New artwork design by Juan Esteban R.
Reversible sleeve with original Dutch poster art
Slipcase

www.cultepics.com

Hellbender [Limited Edition]
(Emily Brown, Jessica Beveridge, Judy Rosen, Milli Lupinetti, et al / Blu-ray / NR / (2021) 2025 / Arrow Films)

Overview: The sixth feature film from acclaimed filmmakers The Adams Family (The Deeper You Dig), Hellbender is a spell-binding folk horror and coming-of-age story, boiling over with adolescent rage and wicked witchcraft.

Teenager Izzy lives in isolation with Mother because she has a rare immune disorder. Or so she is told. After befriending local girl Amber, Lizzy begins to question the reality of her disease. And when she eats a live worm as part of a teenage game, she soon develops a ravenous hunger for living things, learning that she is the latest in a line of hellbenders, supernatural beings who possess immensely powerful abilities.

Featuring a fantastic punk rock soundtrack with songs from the family’s band, H6LLB6ND6R, this truly unique film expertly blends beautiful and naturalistic cinematography, impressive and stylistic VFX and stunning performances from real-life mother and daughter team, Zelda Adams and Toby Poser.

Blu-ray Verdict: OK, telling it like it is, Hellbender may well be a C-Movie within its genre of filmmaking, but a horror film it most certainly is. And sure, it is a mixed bag, but the way the filmmakers have obviously reached far beyond what their budget permitted means this film is as impassioned, as devotedly heartfelt as it they could have ever hoped it to be.

The actors do what they have been instructed to, nothing or no one is a standout, nothing Oscar worthy going on here, but their all-encompassing performances range from acceptable to great; and that alone showcases how just they were also on in the whole let’s make this thing the best it can be.

As for the cinematography, well, overall it ranges from exceptionally competent to C-Movie quality! And I think you know what I mean by that, especially if you have ever seen a so-called C-Movie, of course. As for the editing, that ranges from highly effective to just full on questionable, but that’s half the fun of watching a movie of this ilk with its low budget.

The dialogue ranges from emotionally resonant to just downright laughably stupid, but personally that was where my humor bone lies and so I got major kicks out of it! Oh, and the visual effects range from extremely convincing to embarrassingly, er, well, unconvincing, I guess is the best way to describe it. And yet it was a joy to behold. Maybe not from start to finish, but all in all Hellbender is a film that knows it is an elevated low-budget film and thus should be praised from the rooftops! (especially, and if for nothing else, the climactic final scene!)

LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY CONTENTS:
High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
Original lossless stereo 2.0 audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Brand new audio commentary with filmmakers Toby Poser, John Adams, Zelda Adams and Lulu Adams
From the Forest She Rises, a brand new video essay by filmmaker Jen Handorf Black Magic Tricks, a featurette on the visual effects by VFX artist Trey Lindsay
Behind-the-scenes compilation footage
Fort Worden (2021), a short film by Zelda Adams
Four music videos: Hit and Run (2024), Drive (2021), Lovely (2021) and Black Sky (2020)
Original trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Beth Morris and original artwork by Sister Hyde
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Natasha Ball and Kat Hughes

Creepshow 2: 4K UHD [Limited Edition]
(Dorothy Lamour, George Kennedy, Tom Savini, et al / 4K Blu-ray / R / (1987) 2025 / Arrow Films)

Overview: Titans of terror George A. Romero and Stephen King deliver yet another selection of blood-curdling tales in Creepshow 2, the follow-up to the 1982 horror classic.

In Old Chief Wood’nhead, a group of young hoodlums face retribution from an unlikely source after looting a local hardware store. Meanwhile, The Raft sees a group of horny teens wishing they’d read the warning signs first before taking a dip in a remote lake. Finally, an uptight businesswoman finds herself with some unwanted company following a hit-and-run incident in The Hitch-hiker.

Retaining the same EC Comics flavor that made the original such a hit, Creepshow 2 - this time directed by long-time Romero collaborator Michael Gornick - is a standout horror anthology from the minds of two of the genre’s master craftsmen.

4K Blu-ray Verdict: Three stories are featured this time, two down from the original which might have been one too long. A cheap animated wraparound surrounds the stories and is a far cry from the original. Old Chief Wood’nhead has an elderly couple (Kennedy and Dorothy Lamour) running a small town grocery store that is nearly bankrupt like the town. Outside the store is a life-size wooden Indian statue that comes to life to seek revenge on a gang of idiots who kill the old couple!

The second story is The Raft that tells of four teenagers who swim out to a barge in the middle of a lake and get trapped on it because of a black ooze floating in the water. The ooze graphically swallows and devors the group one by one.

The final story is The Hitchhiker which features cheating wife Anne Lansing (Chiles) returning home one night where she runs over a derelict (Wright) in the road killing him. She panics and leaves the scene battling with her conscience. Soon the dead hitchhiker begins appearing on the road and then everywhere she looks. This terror filled ride home has the hitchhiker attempting revenge on Anne until the very end.

The stories are from Stephen King again and George A. Romero wrote the screenplays but directing chores went to Michael Gornick Romero’s cinematographer on the original and other Romero films. Gornick does a decent job but the stories just aren’t as good this time around, in my humble opinion.

Where the original could have lost a story, this one could have added one. The three stories seem one shy of a full load. The cheap wraparound animation and simple sets make you wonder if there were budget issues because the production is surly lacking a big feel. The gore is decent and the stories are certainly watchable but I was hoping for an upgrade on the stories from the first set. Anyway, as an anthology movie, Creepshow 2 can hold its own, that is for sure and for me one of the stories does rise above the others. [L.M.]

4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
Brand new 4K restoration by Arrow Films from the original negative
4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Original lossless mono, stereo and 5.1 DTS-HD MA surround audio options
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Audio commentary with director Michael Gornick
Screenplay for a Sequel, an interview with screenwriter George A. Romero
Tales from the Creep, an interview with actor and make-up artist Tom Savini
Poncho’s Last Ride, an interview with actor Daniel Beer
The Road to Dover, an interview with actor Tom Wright
Nightmares in Foam Rubber, an archive featurette on the special effects of Creepshow 2, including interviews with FX artists Howard Berger and Greg Nicotero
My Friend Rick, Howard Berger on his special effects mentor Rick Baker
Behind-the-scenes footage
Image gallery
Trailers & TV spots
Original screenplay galleries
Creepshow 2: Pinfall, a Limited Edition booklet featuring the comic adaptation of the unfilmed Creepshow 2 segment “Pinfall” by artist Jason Mayoh
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by festival programmer Michael Blyth
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Mike Saputo

Lost In Space: 4K UHD [Limited Edition]
(Gary Oldman, William Hurt, Matt LeBlanc, Mimi Rogers, Heather Graham, Lacey Chabert, et al / 4K Blu-ray / PG-13 / (1998) 2025 / Arrow Films)

Overview: From the producers of Deep Blue Sea and Poseidon comes Lost in Space, a high-octane sci-fi adventure through time and space, where a family adrift in a distant world must overcome adversity in the face of incredible odds.

The year is 2058. With Earth on the brink of collapse, the Robinson family is chosen to lead a critical mission to colonize a distant planet aboard the Jupiter 2 spacecraft. But the mission is sabotaged by the traitorous Dr. Zachary Smith, and the ship veers off course and plunges through a rift in space-time, leaving the Robinsons stranded in an unknown universe.

Now lost in a hostile alien galaxy, the family must trek through treacherous environments, battle deadly creatures, and avoid Smith’s unpredictable schemes. As tensions rise and survival becomes uncertain, their greatest challenge may be holding together as a family.

Lost in Space is a thrilling tribute to the classic 1960s TV series with dazzling visual effects and an all-star cast including William Hurt, Mimi Rogers, Matt LeBlanc, Heather Graham, and Gary Oldman as the nefarious Dr. Smith. Dive into the epic adventure of the Space Family Robinson, available for the first time on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in a stunning new restoration!.

4K Blu-ray Verdict: The Lost In Space television series was one of my favorites when I was growing up so (back then) when I found out that it was the basis for a new movie, trepidation is the word that best described my reaction. As it turns out, my fears were unfounded as the result is one of the best, if not the best, treatment of older material and characters ever.

Unlike that year’s other movie based on a cultural icon, namely Godzilla, the producers of Lost In Space had a great deal of respect for the original TV series and this shows in the finished product. They have been able to update the story and characters, even changing the tenor of the story from farce to serious drama without losing any of appeal of the original.

In fact, the inclusion of June Lockhart, Marta Kristen, Angela Cartwright and Mark Goddard in cameos and minor parts adequately demonstrates the respect the production team has for the fans of the original series, which helps immensely in this adaptation. This is something that Mssrs. Devlin and Emmerich needed to learn before unleashing any more destruction of cultural icons as they did that summer.

All in all, the movie is great family adventure entertainment. The story is simple enough, told in a caring way and is suitable for all ages. The acting well done, the writing and direction good and the visual effects rank amongst some of the best ever committed to celluloid.

in short, and personally, this is definitely one of my favorite remakes and quite possibly one of the best science fiction films of all times! Old fans and those who never heard of Lost In Space will enjoy this movie both. [G.Y.]

4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative by Arrow Films approved by director Stephen Hopkins
4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio and lossless stereo audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Archive audio commentary with director Stephen Hopkins and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman
Archive audio commentary with visual effects supervisors Angus Bickerton and Lauren Ritchie, director of photography Peter Levy, editor Ray Lovejoy, and producer Carla Fry
A Space Odyssey, a newly filmed interview with director Stephen Hopkins
Lights in the Sky, a newly filmed interview with director of photography Peter Levy
A Journey Through Time, a newly filmed interview with producer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman
Art of Space, a newly filmed interview with supervising art director Keith Pain
Crafting Reality, a newly filmed interview with Kenny Wilson, former mould shop supervisor at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop
Sound of Space, a newly filmed interview with sound mixer Simon Kaye and re-recording mixer Robin O’Donohue
Lost But Not Forgotten in Space, a new video essay by film critic Matt Donato
Deleted scenes
Building the Special Effects, an archival featurette with visual effects supervisor Angus Bickerton and animatics supervisor Mac Wilson
The Future of Space Travel, an archival featurette exploring the film’s vision of the future
TV Years, a Q&A with the original cast of the TV series
Bloopers
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Pye Parr
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by critic Neil Sinyard, articles from American Cinematographer and an excerpt from the original production notes

Official Trailer

Proof of the Man (1977) Original Trailer [4K]

Proof Of The Man [Limited Edition]
(Broderick Crawford, Bunjaku Han, George Kennedy, Hajime Hana, et al / Blu-ray / NR / (1977) 2025 / Arrow Films)

Overview: Movie mogul Haruki Kadokawa changed the landscape of Japanese cinema for good when he introduced the concept of the blockbuster to the country with this gripping crime drama featuring an all-star cast.

When mixed-raced Johnny Hayward (Flower Travellin’ Band vocalist Joe Yamanaka) heads from his Harlem home to Tokyo, he becomes the victim of a brutal stabbing in the elevator of a plush hotel hosting a catwalk show by elite fashion designer Kyoko (Mariko Okada).

That same night, Kyoko’s son with her powerful politician husband Yohei (Toshiro Mifune) is involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident and flees the country. Suspecting the incidents may be linked, Detective Munesue (Yusaku Matsuda, The Game Trilogy) heads to New York to investigate Johnny’s background.

Here he is partnered with local detective Ken Shuftan (George Kennedy, Airport), whose own links to Japan dredge up painful memories from Munesue’s childhood.

Adapted from the best-selling novel of the same name by Seiichi Morimura by director Junya Sato (The Bullet Train, Manhunt) and screenwriter Zenzo Matsuyama (The Human Condition trilogy), and shot on location in Japan and New York by veteran cinematographer Shinsaku Himeda (Pigs and Battleships, Vengeance is Mine), Proof of the Man is a compelling exploration of racial identity and the trauma of the postwar occupation period framed in the form of a whodunnit.

Arrow Video is proud to present the film for the very first time outside Japan for the home-video market in a brand new transfer sourced from a new 4K restoration by Kadokawa.

Blu-ray Verdict: Originally known as Ningen no shômei in Chinese, this is actually a very famous 1977 Japanese movie imported to China in 1979. It was a phenomenon of a movie in the late 70’s in both Japan and China. Also, the song in the movie, Straw Hat Song was one that almost all the people was familiar with, especially since the movie was the first of several movies imported into China when China had started to open up to the world.

On the high-rise of the Royal Hotel in Tokyo, Japan, the annual Costume Design Awards exhibition is reaching its climax. Kyoko Yasugi, the wife of a Congressman, a famous fashion designer, attended the exhibition. At this time, it was reported that a black young man had died in the hotel elevator. According to the elevator attendant, the victim shouted Wheat straw hat, wheat straw, straw hat in English before he died. Saijo Yaso ... How can a black youth die here? Who is the murderer? The police launch a tense investigation soon thereafter.

The police dog sniffed the Valley Park near the Royal Hotel from the location of the victim’s death. The police found a pool of blood and a straw hat in the grass, indicating that this was the real crime scene. A pair of young men who had a tryst in the park reported seeing the deceased in the park, and before that, a woman in a suit also left the park in a white Crown sedan.

It is quickly discovered that the victim was Johnny Hayward (played by Joe Yamanaka, who himself is also of mixed blood who is also a singer and sings the famous Straw hat song in the movie and who came to Japan from New York three days ago. The Saijo Yaso Poems and the straw hat he left behind were brought in from the United States when he entered the country, as we soon learn.

After extensive searches, police learn that Johnny’s father, Wilshere Hayward, had lived in Yokosuka, Japan, as a U.S. soldier stationed there after World War II, exactly the same period as the straw hat and the book of poetry. And the word Casmi left by the victim when he was dying was also found in a poem in the poetry collection, referring to a place called Kiritsumi.

So the police detective Munesue decides to go there to investigate. The local people say that the old lady Nakayama should know the story best, but when Munesue arrived at her house, someone had already taken the lead and murdered the old woman who knew the inside story.

Munesue investigates some clues and learns that Nakayama opened a small hotel on the seaside of Hisanohama in Fukushima Prefecture that year and specialized in US troop’s business. At that time, Yasugi Kyoko was also working in the store and at the very same time the son of the designer Kyoko Yasugi, Kyohei Kori, fled to New York after killing someone in a car accident!

Detective Munesue follows the leads to New York. With the cooperation of the New York International Criminal Police, they also launch an investigation into the case of black young man Johnny. They find the home of a man named Adams based on the clues. He reported that a few months ago, when he was driving, an old black man suddenly jumped out on the road. He knocked him down before he could brake and was blackmailed for $6000!

The man’s name was Wilshere Hayward and the money was given to his son, Johnny Hayward, at his request. The police then deduce that Johnny’s father had crashed into the car in order to get money to send his son to Japan. But why did the father have to send his son to Japan?

If you are still following along, which I hope you are, I won’t give away any more of this highly engaging film plot, but will end with the fact that there is lots of well acted scenes, a brilliant car chase in New York, and the film is like a big puzzle slowly being put together. Yamamura sings a catch title song in English, but he is badly dubbed in the U.S. version, sorry. Regardless, the film is highly recommended! [H.Y.]

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
High-Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
Original lossless mono audio
Optional newly translated English subtitles
Brand new audio commentary with Asian American film scholar Rob Buscher and DJ Skeme Richards
Taking the Big Apple, a brand new video introduction by Asian film scholar Earl Jackson
A Japanese Blockbuster, a brand new filmed discussion with critics and Junya Sato biographers Tatsuya Masuto and Masaaki Nomura
Original theatrical trailers
Image gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tony Stella
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by film critic Michelle Kisner and scholar Alexander Zahlten

THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE WEIRD - Official Trailer

The Good, The Bad, The Weird [4K UHD] [Limited]
(Jung Woo-sung, Lee Byung-hun, Song Kang-ho, et al / 4K 2-Disc Blu-ray / NR / (2008) 2025 / Arrow Films)

Overview: Genre maestro Kim Jee-woon (A Tale of Two Sisters) set his sights on new frontiers and spiced them up with his rollicking kimchi western The Good, the Bad, the Weird. Wrangling three of Korea’s biggest stars, he orchestrated an audacious action epic sweeping across the dusty Manchurian plains.

In the 1930’s, three gun-toting Koreans converge on a train with different objectives but after an explosive altercation they leave it with the same goal: track down a map leading to an unfathomable treasure. The Good is bounty hunter Park Do-won (Jung Woo-sung, 12.12: The Day), who is chasing down the Bad, the ruthless bandit Park Chang-yi (Lee Byung-hun, A Bittersweet Life), rumored to be the notorious Finger Cutter.

Meanwhile, wily thief Yoon Tae-goo (Song Kang-ho, Parasite), the Weird, is on the hunt for anything he can get his hands on. Backs are stabbed, fingers are cut, and many bullets fly as this dangerous trio blast their way through the desert in search of untold riches.

This glorious resurrection of the Manchurian Western was the biggest and most ambitious production ever undertaken in Korea. Presented here for the very first time in stunning 4K, experience this spicy slice of wild west mayhem as you’ve never seen it before.

4K Blu-ray Verdict: The Good, the Bad, the Weird is an explosive Korean reinterpretation of the Western, directed by a fully energized Kim Jee-woon. The film blends spectacular shootouts, absurd humor, and a pulp aesthetic full of style, with shades of Mad Max and a comic book spirit. The action is relentless, driven by sharp editing, tight framing, and a vivid color palette that reinforces its tone as a violent fable.

Jung Woo-sung, Lee Byung-hun, and Song Kang-ho form a flawless trio, each embodying their archetype with charisma and energy. The story is simple yet effective, serving as a vehicle for stunning set pieces and showcasing Kim’s technical prowess-skills he would refine in I Saw the Devil.

As a film with the sort of title it has and where its roots of inspiration and premise are based, you’d expect a little in the form of references to the Classical Hollywood Western. From what I garnered, with whatever knowledge I have of the Western, Kim gets most of the references and homages out of the way early on; predominantly so that he can focus on all the action and stuff he wants to include later on.

There are the somewhat obligatory Spaghetti conventions as a large, dry location is established to be setting for all the madness while the sly homage to Once Upon a Time in the West when we’re on board a train early on is cute; as are the typical close ups of eyes and faces as those primed and ready to shoot someone else at point blank range delay for a few seconds.

The film carries a very old, classical and mythical feel to it and the original, catchy soundtrack adds punch and amplifies the film’s wild adventure tone. Though light on narrative depth, the film aims for pure, self-aware spectacle-and absolutely delivers. A film is a pop-art celebration of genre cinema done with flair, rhythm, and great talent [C.S.]

2-DISC 4K ULTRA HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nathanael Marsh
Perfect bound collector’s book featuring writing by Darcy Paquet, Kyu Hyun Kim, Cho Jae-whee and Ariel Schudson
Three postcard-sized artcards
Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nathanael Marsh

DISC ONE – FEATURE PRESENTATIONS (4K ULTRA-HD BLU-RAY):
4K master approved by director Kim Jee-woon
4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Includes both the International and Korean versions of the film presented via seamless branching
DTS-HD MA 7.1 audio on both cuts of the film
Optional English subtitles
Audio commentary by film critic James Marsh and film critic and producer Pierce Conran
Archival audio commentary of the International Cut by director Kim Jee-woon and actors Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun, and Jung Woo-sung
Archival audio commentary of the Korean Version by director Kim Jee-woon, cinematographer Lee Mogae, lighting director Oh Seung-chul, and art director Cho Hwa-sung (Korean Version)
Introduction to the film by Kim Jee-woon

DISC TWO – BONUS FEATURES (BLU-RAY):
Corralling Chaos in the Desert, an interview with director Kim Jee-woon
Dusty Dust-ups and Sweaty Saddles, an interview with martial arts
coordinator Jung Doo-hong
Archival making-of films and featurettes
Trailer gallery
Image gallery

Flaming Brothers [Limited Edition]
(Alan Tang, Chow Yun-Fat, Patricia Ha, Philip Chan, et al / Blu-ray / NR / (1987) 2025 / Eureka Entertainment)

Overview: A standout Hong Kong crime thriller released amidst the wave of heroic bloodshed films that followed in the wake of John Woo’s A Better Tomorrow and Ringo Lam’s City on Fire, Flaming Brothers features Alan Tang and Chow Yun-fat (who was quickly rising to superstardom in the late 1980s) as triad brothers determined to protect their criminal operation - and each other - no matter what the cost.

Both orphaned at a young age, Cheung Ho-tin (Chow) and Chan Wai-lun (Tang) grew up together on the streets, forming a strong bond in their childhood that remains unbroken as they become triad brothers in adulthood. Having recently opened a nightclub together, they begin to feel that they have finally made it.

That is, at least, until they become embroiled in a conflict with the ruthless gangster Ko Lo-sei (Patrick Tse) and his right-hand man (Norman Chui), who threaten to take away everything that Tin and Lun have worked for.

In equal parts an action-packed thrill-ride and a rumination on the bonds of male friendship, Flaming Brothers boasts a screenplay written by Wong Kar-wai, the celebrated auteur who would go on to write and direct Chungking Express and In the Mood for Love. Eureka Classics is proud to present the film on Blu-ray for the first time in the US from a 2K restoration.

Blu-ray Verdict: Some over the years have called this film a mediocre HK action and even a tepid entry into the heroic bloodshed genre, but I completely disagree. When you have Chow yun-fat and violence so graphic it rivals the mayhem in films like The Big Heat (1987), The Killer (1989) and Full Contact (1993), what you have is a film for the ages, my friends.

I agree that it is a mish-mash of tried and tested Heroic Bloodshed cliché’s (blood brothers, scheming gangster brother, loved ones killed, revenge, etc.) but the way it is all presented will blow you away. You won’t believe how fast the movie moves along and you can give Wong kar-wai the credit for the script (this is before his brilliant As Tears Go By film in 1989). Chow gives his usual performance but he always manages to give a bit of something unique in his roles, if truth be told.

The violence is several levels above the standard. The gun battle scenes are not only bloody, they border into the gruesome (especially the shootout in Thailand). The violence includes people being blasted with shotguns in the face, a kid getting shot at point blank range and what heroic bloodshed film would be complete without the inevitable final showdown?!

In conclusion, this film is a must watch and although not as grand as the endings of A Better Tomorrow 2 (1987) or The Killer (1989), it is a larger variation of the shootout at the end of My Heart Is That Eternal Rose (1989).

Bonus Features:
Limited to 2,000 copies
Limited edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Time Tomorrow
Limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on Flaming Brothers by Hong Kong cinema expert Camille Zaurin
Flaming Brothers presented in 1080p HD from a new 2K restoration
Original Cantonese audio
Optional English dubbed audio
Optional English subtitles, newly translated for this release
New audio commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
Archival interview with director Joe Cheung
Original theatrical trailer

www.eurekavideo.co.uk

Los Golfos (Special Edition) [Blu-ray]
(Luis Marin, Manuel Zarzo, Oscar Cruz, et al / Blu-ray / NR / (1960) 2025 / Radiance Films)

Overview: A group of poor youths tear around Madrid pulling scams and petty crimes. As one of their gang prepares to perform in a serious bullfighting competition, they plan a heist that will raise the money to finance his entry.

Breaking with tradition by filming in the streets and utilizing documentary techniques to give the film an urgent resonance, Carlos Saura and producer Pere Portabella (Viridiana) were announced as a powerful new force in Spanish cinema when the film was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Suffering curtailed distribution by Francoist censorship, this new restoration reinstates previously removed footage and presents the film as originally intended.

Blu-ray Verdict: It’s a shame when you pull off a heist to finance one of your friends’ dream of becoming a bullfighter during which one of the other friends dies but it turns out that he’s actually shit at it. You just hate to see it.

So anyways, Los Golfos (aka The Delinquents) is a pretty decent portrait of the said delinquents. Little meandering but that’s by design. It clearly owes a lot to Italian neo-realism with the use of non-professionals and the on-location work. The world feels naturally grim with a strong sense of hopelessness, a world where you have to resort to crime just to survive. Overall it is a little rough around the edges but a solid debut otherwise and one that I will sit and watch again sooner rather than later, as it has that engrossing cinematic appeal to it that warrants a second viewing.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
Restored in 4K in 2024 by Filmoteca Española in collaboration with Films 59 at Digital and Electronic Systems laboratory from the 35mm acetate negative, 35mm prints and other intermediate photochemical materials
Restoration supervised by Javier Rellán
Introduction by author and former director of Filmoteca Catalunya Esteve Riambau (2025, 22 mins)
Interview with filmmaker and curator Ehsan Khoshbakht on Los golfos, its influences and makers (2025, 17 mins)
Censored scenes - scenes affected by censorship are presented alongside notes from the censorship committee and Carlos Saura (2025, 13 mins)
Two early short films by Saura: La llamada, about a solider leaving for war (1955, 7 mins) and La tarde del domingo, about an oppressed live-in maid (1957, 34 mins)
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Vincent Wild
Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Mar Diestro-Dópido, reprints of original documents including committee notes on the script and a detailed breakdown of the restoration process

The Betrayal (Special Edition) [Blu-ray]
(Kaoru Yachigusa, Raizo Ichikawa, Shiho Fujimura, et al / Blu-ray / NR / (1966) 2025 / Radiance Films)

Overview: To protect his clan, an honorable samurai (Raizo Ichikawa, Shinobi) takes the blame for a murder committed by one of his fellows. He is promised a safe return after one year in exile, but this vow is broken and he becomes a fugitive chased by his own clansmen.

Disillusioned by the bushido code of honor, he realizes there are only two ways out: vengeance or death. From director Tokuzo Tanaka (The Snow Woman), a former assistant to Akira Kurosawa, this cruel jidaigeki stands alongside such notable works of the genre as Harakiri and Sword of Doom with its classic mix of honor codes and samurai action.

Beautifully filmed in black and white scope with thrilling set pieces, The Betrayal features one of the most breathtaking finales in all of samurai cinema.

Blu-ray Verdict: A big braggart Samurai (Rytaro Gomi) barges into Master Isaka Yaichiro’s dojo to challenge the Sensei, who wasn’t there. Two students from the dojo go after this guy, bushwack and mortally wound him but he escapes to tell of the attack before he dies.

This neighboring gang comes back to the dojo and wants satisfaction. No one claimed to be the attacker.

Raizo Ichikawa, who is famous for his Sleepy Eyes of Death franchise, plays Takuma Kamuse, a young, talented, yet naive Samurai. He is engaged to Namie Katagiri (Kauru Yachigusa). Her father finds out that his nephew, Jurota Makabe (Ichiro Makatani) were the ones who killed the Samurai.

Part of this was a sense of Samurai loyalty, another part was not wanting to refuse his fiancé’s Father pleading for Takuma to run away for a year, making him seem like the prime suspect to the murder. If, after a year, this mess isn’t cleared up, the father would commit hari kari.

On the run, Tacuma befriends a sarcastic crook, Funajiro (Fujioka Takuya) who follows him around and robs him every chance he gets. Poor Takuma is also betrayed by Jurota, and the father, Katagiri who dies before the year is up, forcing Takuma to be chased by the law, the angry gang, (who wants vengeance) and his own dojo.

In a fight with his dojo’s sensei Takuma falls off a cliff. He is nursed back to health by a beautiful waitress, Shino (Shisho Fujimura) who falls in love with him, but Takuma is still in love with his Namie but has given up all hope. Later, working for a Yakuza, Takuma sees Namie working in a brothel.

This is a very good movie and thankfully the inevitable sword fight finale between Takuma and several armies of Samurai is well played and thought out. By the late nineteen-sixties, the giant fight scene against countless Samurai has become clichéd, but at the time, it was very impressive; as it is here.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
High-Definition digital transfer by Kadokawa
Uncompressed mono PCM audio
Select-scene audio commentary by Japanese film historian Tom Mes (2025)
Visual essay by film critic Philip Kemp, comparing The Betrayal with the original Orochi the Serpent (2025)
Visual essay on director Tokuzo Tanaka by Tom Mes (2025)
New English subtitle translation
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Alain Silver
Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

The Conjuring Trailer | Warner Bros. Entertainment

The Conjuring: 4K Ultra HD
(Joseph Bishara, Lili Taylor, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston, Vera Farmiga, et al / 4K Ultra HD + Digital / R / (2013) 2025 / Studio Distribution Services)

Overview: Before there was Amityville, there was Harrisville. The Conjuring tells the horrifying true story of Ed and Lorraine Warren, world renowned paranormal investigators, who were called to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in a secluded farmhouse.

Forced to confront a powerful demonic entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives.

Oscar® nominee Vera Farmiga (The Departed) and Golden Globe nominee Patrick Wilson (Insidious) play the investigators while Golden Globe nominee Ron Livingston (Band of Brothers) and Emmy® nominee Lili Taylor (Six Feet Under) play the Perron family plagued by sinister spirits in this dark chiller from the writers of The Reaping and the creator of the Saw films.

The Conjuring, the 2013 New Line Cinema supernatural horror film from filmmaker James Wan is available now for purchase Digitally in 4K Ultra HD and on 4K UHD Blu-ray Disc on August 26th, 2025.

4K UHD Blu-ray Verdict: Warner Bros. Entertainment is expanding their 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray catalog offerings this month with the release of the spooky The Conjuring (4K Ultra HD + Digital) in the expansive 4K Ultra HD video format this August 26th, 2025.

For my money, this The Conjuring (4K Ultra HD + Digital) sharpness takes a fairly large step forward from others in their 4K Ultra HD catalog and even comes with HDR (High Dynamic Range) for the complete 4K Ultra HD experience, of course.

So, what we have is The Conjuring presented to us as a one-disc with a sheet for a Digital HD Copy. Other stand out points you should know are: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: Upscaled 4K (2160p), HDR: HDR10 Aspect ratio: 2.40:1 and Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1.

Although the film was a completely power packed horror movie from the very off, the one scene that scared the hell out of me was what I will call The Clap Scene. Carolyn gets locked in the cellar where she finds the ball bounced in her direction. She lights the matchsticks and suddenly the Rory claps the hands. That was a heart pumping experience for me and I am sure millions of others!

Although another scary moment is when the two girls (Nancy and Christine) are in bed and Nancy’s leg gets pulled. She looks down and under the bed but nobody is there. Then she looks up and thinks she sees somebody behind the door. Christine then stands up and goes next to the door to show her nobody is there. Nancy is convinced that she sees somebody there though.

As for the audio, well we get the plentiful choice of: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French: Dolby Digital 5.1 and Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1.

As for the film itself, well, The Conjuring is an excellent, scary and suspenseful supernatural horror film that combines amazing direction, a great cast, non-stop terror and a creepy, intense score elements that showcase director James Wan at his best.

Based on a true story and set in 1971, The Conjuring tells the story of Carolyn and Roger Perron (Lili Taylor and Ron Livingston) who along with their five daughters have moved into a new house on the countryside of Rhode Island. While the Perron’s are in their new house, the family discovers that they are being haunted by ghosts and evil spirits. With nowhere to turn, the Perron’s ask for the help of Lorraine and Ed Warren (Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson), paranormal investigators to get rid of the evil spirits and save their family.

The Conjuring is an amazing and frightening supernatural horror film that right from the beginning puts viewers on edge giving people a scary and emotional experience that no one will ever forget. The Conjuring is also an old school horror movie in the truest sense because it’s a movie that takes us back to the classic stance of the supernatural horror films of the 1970’s and early 80’s.

For it combines a ghost story with a demonic possession story and merges elements of classics such as The Shining (1980), Poltergeist (1982), The Haunting (1963) with The Exorcist (1973) and The Evil Dead (1982). And whilst The Conjuring doesn’t necessarily reinvent the supernatural horror genre, the movie still manages to give a fresh and entertaining take on the haunted house genre.

Another thing great here are all the movie’s odes to the classic jump scares and taut suspense which are effective and done with great timing and detail. Created with an intense build-up that grabs you by the throat sometimes, director James Wan uses simple things to make the film creepy; whether it’s someone or something knocking on wood, moving doors, or simply showing things from a distance giving viewers a sense of dread.

Another thing that I love about The Conjuring is the way the movie uses atmosphere to make the movie scary, bending the darkness, all the haunting sounds and even the characters reactions to the chaos going on all around them, which definitely adds to the film’s dark tone.

The cast is outstanding. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson are excellent and memorable as Lorraine and Ed Warren, the paranormal investigators. Lili Taylor and Ron Livingston are great also as Carolyn and Roger Perron, the couple whose house is haunted.

The direction by James Wan is just perfect. Stylish and cultured and with Wan always moving the camera with tracking shots, hand-held movements and creative angles give the movie a creepy and frightening atmosphere. Oh, and the score by Joseph Bishara is terrific, hauntingly intense and matches the movie’s scary energy. In short, The Conjuring is an excellent, scary and suspenseful horror film that is highly recommended.

The Conjuring 4K Ultra HD contains the following special features:
• Scariest of Them All (NEW) - The cast and creators of The Conjuring take a look back at some of the greatest scares of the series, uncovering what made these films so iconic.

• Reflections on the Conjuring (NEW) - More than a decade after the release of the original film, the cast and crew of The Conjuring reflect on their experiences creating one of the most legendary horror series in history.

• The Conjuring: Face-to-Face with Terror - Relive the real-life horror as the Perron family comes together to reflect back on the farmhouse they shared with diabolical spirits for nearly a decade.

• A Life in Demonology - The real demonologist and paranormal experts from The Conjuring take you inside their life’s work and into their personal occult cellar, where they keep haunted and unholy relics from their many cases.

• Scaring the “@$*%” Out of You - Director James Wan (Saw, Insidious) welcomes you into his world and gives an inside look at the at the scenes that scare the “@$*%” out of moviegoers time and time again.

The Unholy Trinity (Blu-ray + Digital)
(Brandon Lessard, David Arquette, Pierce Brosnan, Samuel L. Jackson, Veronica Ferres, et al / Blu-ray / R / 2025 / Studio Distribution Services)

Overview: A tale of revenge, dark secrets, and buried treasures, the film is set against the turbulent backdrop of 1870s Montana. It picks up in the moments before the execution of Isaac Broadway, as he gives his estranged son, Henry, an impossible task: Murder the man who framed him for a crime he didn’t commit.

Intent on fulfilling his promise, Henry travels to the remote town of Trinity, where an unexpected turn of events traps him in town and leaves him caught between Gabriel Dove, the town’s upstanding new sheriff, and a mysterious figure named St Christopher.

Blu-ray Verdict: In truth, director Richard Gray and company deliver the goods with The Unholy Trinity. It’s a solid western. Pierce Brosnan gives a terrific performance. He owns every scene he is in. In fact, the movie was kind of getting off on the wrong foot with me until Brosnan showed up (it was only a few minutes, actually).

For once Brosnan shows up, the movie really takes off. He has a bunch of great lines and he nails every one of them. Samuel L. Jackson is also in fine form. The supporting cast is good but it’s hard to compete with those two when they’re on their game.

Director Gray stages his action very well. It’s a very exciting movie. I’m a big fan of westerns and so I’m very appreciative of having been sent this Blu-ray ahead of release date for review.

In short, I personally loved the Montana scenery and the beautiful period-correct firearms, though the expensive urn (for a prisoner?) and the sound mixing (a pump-action shick-shock effect for a double-barrel break-action shotgun?) were minor distractions from an otherwise excellent gritty Western world.

On July 1, 2025, “The Unholy Trinity” will be available Digitally at home on participating digital platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Fandango at Home, and more.

On August 26th, 2025, “The Unholy Trinity” will be available to own on Blu-ray and DVD from online and physical retailers. “The Unholy Trinity” will also continue to be available in high definition and standard definition from participating digital retailers.

The Unholy Trinity | Official Trailer

The Cat (Limited Edition) [Blu-ray]
(Gloria Yip, Waise Lee, Christine Ng, Yuk-San Cheung, Liang Chiang, et al / Blu-ray / NR / (1991) 2025 / 88 Films)

Overview: A cat from outer space teams up with a young alien girl and her knight, along with a novelist named Wisely, to fight an alien that possesses people.

An adaptation of the novel Old Cat, by Ni Kuang. A cat from outer space teams up with a young alien girl and her knight, along with an adventure novelist named Wisely, to fight a murderous alien that possesses people.

What follows is an over-the-top combination of body-swap delirium that leans more toward a Hong Kong adaptation of The Hidden than The Cat from Outer Space, but with touches of The Thing, Spaced Invaders, and Aliens! The Cat is an overlooked gem from the golden age of the VHS trading underground, completely remastered and packed with extras.

Blu-ray Verdict: From the team that brought us the outrageous prison drama STORY OF RICKY comes an equally bizarre science-fiction movie. Oh, and it isn’t ashamed to borrow ideas from sources as diverse as CALTIKI, THE TERMINATOR, THE BLOB and THE QUATERMASS EXPERIMENT. The result is certainly lively and - if you’re in the right frame of mind - quite entertaining.

The story concerns three visitors from another solar system whose mission on earth is to destroy the star-killer"=, an amorphous Lovecraftian creature that absorbs and can re-animate its human victims. The trio is seeking two relics displayed in terrestrial museums. When joined together, the relics create an amplification device for a ray beamed from their home planet. Bathed in the amplified ray, one of the visitors - a black cat called The General - will be powerful enough to vanquish the monster.

The film’s main attractions are its comely female cast members and some over-the-top action sequences. These include a junk yard battle between The General and a huge black mastiff that just have to be seen to be believed. There are also some quite graphic horror scenes, but the poor quality of the make-up effects mutes their impact.

Although it never attains the quality of the films it emulates, THE CAT is sufficiently fast paced enough to hold our attention even while we laugh at its absurdities. That all said, The Cat is HIGHLY recommended late night viewing!

Limited Edition Special Features:
LIMITED EDITION RIGID SLIP CASE WITH NEW ARTWORK BY SEAN LONGMORE
LIMITED EDITION 40 PAGE PERFECT BOUND BOOK
LIMITED EDITION PREMIUM ARTCARD
BRAND NEW 2K RESTORATION FROM THE ORIGINAL NEGATIVE
REMASTERED ORIGINAL CANTONESE MONOAURAL SOUNDTRACK
NEWLY TRANSLATED ENGLISH SUBTITLES
AUDIO COMMENTARY BY FRANK DJENG (NY ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL)
BRAND NEW FILM INTERVIEW WITH WRITER GORDON CHAN
IMAGE GALLERY

Official Trailer

www.88-films.myshopify.com

Jurassic World Rebirth (4K Ultra HD+BR+ Digital)
(Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ed Skrein, et al / 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital / PG-13 / 2025 / Universal Pictures)

Overview: A new era is born. A covert extraction team races to the most dangerous place on Earth, an island research facility where dinosaurs too deadly for the original Jurassic Park were left behind. Their mission: collect DNA from three colossal creatures to unlock a drug with huge benefits for humanity. In a terrain populated by perils, they will make a shocking discovery that has been hidden for years.

After a record-breaking box office debut, JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH is now available to own or rent for the first time exclusively on Digital platforms tomorrow, and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD September 9th, 2025, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and Amblin Entertainment.

4K UHD Blu-ray Verdict: Universal Pictures is expanding their 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray catalog offerings this month with the release of the highly anticipated Jurassic World Rebirth (4K Ultra HD+BR+ Digital) in the expansive 4K Ultra HD video format this September 9th, 2025.

For my money, this Jurassic World Rebirth sharpness takes a fairly large step forward from others in their 4K Ultra HD catalog and even comes with HDR (High Dynamic Range) for the complete 4K Ultra HD experience, of course.

So, what we have is Jurassic World Rebirth presented to us as a one-disc with a sheet for a Digital HD Copy. Other stand out points you should know are: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: Native 4K (2160p), HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 and Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1.

Which shows us its very best during what I will call the Rex River Scene. Where a sleepy rex with a full belly gets up for a drink, sees something new and decides to chase it a little. Also having the intelligence to look underwater to see what might be hiding under the raft, it then eventually gets bored/frustrated (as it has all become rather tiresome to it) and thus sculks away!

As for the audio, well we get the small choice of: English: Dolby Atmos and English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit).

As for the film itself, well, the dinosaurs are back and I personally loved seeing them again! I know they come thick and fast these days, but it felt like a hot minute or three since the ast one so this new installment had be ready and waiting.

That all said, and as much as I did actually enjoy it, somehow, and with all the money the moviemakers have to hand, these beloved dinosaurs have never felt more tired (to look at and to watch lumbering around).

Jurassic World: Rebirth, the seventh installment in the once-iconic franchise, brings a set of new characters to the fore and is, for all intents and purposes, a loud, shiny, and action-packed cinematic escape, but beneath the surface, well, there’s a noticeably creative void as vast as the prehistoric landscapes it tries to resurrect.

Lovingly chock full of a string of chase scenes, explosions, and close calls, stitched together with a plot point that is explained early on and keeps the storyline moving nicely throughout, there can be no attempts at character development as you just do not know who is going to survive an attack at any time.

Which is part of the fun of the movie, granted, but to not know means we do not get to know them before they vanish faster than a velociraptor in the underbrush! Overall, the cast, though star-studded, is not given too much to work with, at times their performances feeling robotic, a sense their characters are going through the motions when they should be scared shitless and always on their toes, eyes on stalks! But that’s ok, as the two hour movie is a visual blockbuster of a ride regardless.

Leaning heavily on nostalgia, it throws in beautiful visual callbacks, familiar music cues, and the occasional forced reference to earlier films, and it all feels just so warm and fuzzy to see/hear. All the emotional beats land, even the most glorious of surprises, which means if you are a fan of the series, well, you will not be disappointed with Rebirth.

In closing, if you have seen the first six movies, you have already seen most everything this film has to offer, sure, but I am here to tell you that Jurassic World: Rebirth is extremely watchable and extremely enjoyable.

EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURES AVAILABLE WHEN YOU BUY AT PARTICIPATING DIGITAL RETAILERS:
• ALTERNATE OPENING
• DELETED SCENES
RAPTORS - Featuring Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, David Iacono, Luna Blaise and Audrina Miranda
MUTADON ATTACK – Featuring Scarlett Johansson, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, David Iacono, Rupert Friend, Luna Blaise and Audrina Miranda
• JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH: HATCHING A NEW ERA
THE WORLD EVOLVES - Journey into a reimagined Jurassic World with Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali and the rest of the cast and filmmakers.
OFF THE DEEP END - Dive into the thrilling ocean sequence and learn about the challenges of shooting on open water, the one-of-a-kind gimbal used to toss around the Essex and Mariposa, and the VFX wizardry that brought the Mosasaurus and Spinosaurs to life.
TREKKING THROUGH THAILAND - Follow the cast and crew’s footsteps as they navigate the challenges of shooting in exotic jungles, beaches, and tall grass fields that become home to the Titanosaurs.
REX IN THE RAPIDS - Brace for a T. rex encounter that’s different than anything experienced before with a nail-biting river chase recreated from Michael Crichton’s original Jurassic Park novel.
DON’T LOOK DOWN - Soar into the Quetzalcoatlus sequence with Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Bechir Sylvain as they train for and shoot their cliff rappelling scenes.
MINI-MART MAYHEM - Go inside the heart-stopping third act of Jurassic World Rebirth and witness the process of crafting sets that allow the movie’s mutant dinosaurs to step out of nightmare-inspired designs and stop on an exhilarating rampage.
• GAG REEL
• MEET DOLORES - Meet the animatronic Aquilops with an extraordinarily lifelike personality.
• MUNCHED: BECOMING DINO FOOD - Get a victim’s firsthand view inside the frightening jaws of deadly dinosaurs that munch, chomp, and chew their way into creating unforgettable death sequences.
• A DAY AT SKYWALKER SOUND – Actress Audrina Miranda guides a personal tour of Skywalker Sound in California to meet the audio editors, foley artists, and mixers who design the movie’s wide array of sounds.
• HUNTING FOR EASTER EGGS - Find out where to look for cleverly hidden Easter eggs that pay homage to everything from the first Jurassic Park film to other Steven Spielberg classics.
• FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH DIRECTOR GARETH EDWARDS, PRODUCTION DESIGNER JAMES CLYNE, AND FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR JACK RAVENSCROFT
• FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH DIRECTOR GARETH EDWARDS, EDITOR JABEZ OLSSEN, AND VISUAL EFFECTS SUPERVISOR DAVID VICKERY

Jurassic World Rebirth | Official Trailer | Universal Entertainment

Jurassic World Rebirth | Official Website | Universal Entertainment

Jurassic World Rebirth | Official Facebook Page | Universal Entertainment

Spenser: For Hire - The Complete Series
(Robert Urich, Avery Brooks, Richard Jaeckel, Ron McLarty, et al / 16-Disc DVD / PG-13 / 2025 / Dark Arts Entertainment)

Overview: Based on Robert B. Parker’s iconic detective novels and in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the American crime drama series, Spenser: For Hire fans can once again experience every gripping moment with the release of Spenser: For Hire – The Complete Series on DVD, arriving September 9th, 2025.

In the shadows of Boston, Spenser (Robert Urich), a former cop with a poet’s soul and a fighter’s fists, solves crimes in his own uniquely stylish way. A true Renaissance man, he faces danger head-on, backed by his formidable ally Hawk (Avery Brooks) and contacts inside the police department. While he’s unstoppable on the streets, his love life stalls as his longtime love (Barbara Stock) refuses to marry a man whose life is a constant dance with death.

For the first time ever, Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment brings together all three seasons of this action-packed crime, mystery-drama in one comprehensive collection.

DVD Verdict: Including all 65 episodes from all three seasons, this brand new Spenser: For Hire - The Complete Series 16-Disc DVD box-set is as good as it gets, my friends!

When I first heard that Robert Urich was cast to play another P.I. in yet another television series I began to have mixed feelings. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Vegas and I was excited and couldn’t wait to see what Spenser: For Hire was going to be like, but at the same time I also felt a sense of been there, done that brewing.

The new series was just going to have to show me that it was worthy of my viewership ... and it didn’t take long! I fell in love with the show after just a few episodes. Mostly because of the cast and the chemistry they soon developed, and the locations around Boston that I recognized.

Robert Urich and Avery Brooks were born to play opposite each other as were Urich and Barbara Stock. As Spenser and Hawk -- and Spenser and Susan, along with Sgt. Belson and Lt. Quirk, after a few episodes, I knew I was going to like this show. I also loved how they used locations around the Boston area and was amused when they (for example) were supposed to be in Boston’s North End, yet they actually were filming in Central Square in Lynn (although most wouldn’t know that unless they were from the area).

No particular episode stands out as my favorite during the first season, but one that I like to go to when needing my Spenser fix would be Discord in A Minor (a dark episode about a troubled musical child prodigy and her equally talented father who, and without a doubt, was ten times as troubled).

Some notable first season guests included William H. Macy, Chuck Connors and Shirley Knight.

Now, the second season got an upheaval as Executive Producer Juanita Bartlett had sent Barbara Stock’s Susan Silverman packing, and Spenser needed Susan as his lady love; as in Robert B. Parkers’ hugely successful series of novels.

The stand out episode here for me has to be The Long Hunt, which is just about perfect, and as a plus we see the introduction of the temporary replacement hero car after Spenser’s prized classic Mustang is destroyed!

Spenser is a hidden gem. It was, I believe, only shown once on British TV and then never repeated. Spenser is a quality product unlike many of the modern cop shows. Oh, and one of the pluses is seeing major stars like Samuel L. Jackson in supporting roles.

Adding to that, other notable second season guests also included Marg Helgenberger, Ed O’Neill, Spalding Gray, Laurence Fishburne and Ruby Dee.

The third, and final season was, for me, the best of the best of all three seasons. Saying it like it is, Spenser: For Hire was the best TV show of all time! It was also a great detective series and the only thing I hated about the show was that it only lasted three seasons. Again, this show ended way too soon!

Both Spenser and Hawk were very complex characters and terribly difficult to cast but they pulled it off! Robert B. Parker broke the mold when he created Hawk. That said, and being as polite as possible, and this applies to the second season too, I continue to wonder how the actress who became the reinvented Susan Silverman got cast. She is awful!

My favorite episode was Play It Again, Sammy which, sure, ok, was a little over the top at times maybe, but it was an excellent showcasing of the entire cast. Also, Substantial Justice is a close second for me, and Child’s Play an extremely close third.

Some notable third season guest stars included E.G. Marshall, Ving Rhames, Andie MacDowell, William Hickey and Giancarlo Esposito.

Spenser: For Hire stars Robert Urich, Avery Brooks, Ron McLarty, Richard Jaeckel, Barbara Stock, and Carolyn McCormick, and was produced by John Wilder Productions (1985-1986) and Jadda Productions (1986-1987) both in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Original ABC Spenser For Hire 1985 Series Premiere Promo Trailer

www.warnerbros.com

The Buster Keaton Show (Blu-ray)
(Buster Keaton, Margaret Dumont, et al / Blu-ray / NR / (1949) 2025 / Liberation Hall)

Overview: By the late 1940s, it seemed Buster Keaton’s career had ended. With the exception of increasingly rare daywork, he’d barely worked in almost 5 years, other than a four-week part in a famous Paris based circus in 1947 and prior to that, touring in a summer theater production of The Gorilla in 1941.

But in 1949, comedian Ed Wynn had a variety show on the relatively new broadcast format of television and he invited Keaton to appear on his CBS show, which was televised live only on the West Coast and then recorded on kinescope, then film prints were made and distributed to other parts of the country (there was no transcontinental broadcast until September, 1951).

So it was one of the thrills of my life when I got a chance in December of 1949 to do my own weekly TV show on KHJ (KTTV), the Los Angeles Times broadcasting station. By then I had almost given up hope of getting another real chance as an actor. Buster Keaton

Of the 13 episodes produced and aired from The Buster Keaton Show, only these 9 episodes exist today and two of them are especially unique: The one from 2/2/50 has never been viewed since its original air date and the episode from 2/23/50 was never before available on any other format.

The series initially received high ratings on the West Coast but the lack of a studio audience response and its laughter (canned laughter didn’t exist) to Keaton’s brilliant physical humor, doomed the series.

These episodes were restored by renowned archivist/preservationist Jeff Joseph and have been digitally upgraded to high resolution.

Blu-ray Verdict: Sponsored by the Studebaker Dealers of Los Angeles, recalling it all as best as possible, at the end of the 40’s Buster was one of the first of the great stars to appear regularly on TV. Although his starring career in movies was long past, he made a big hit with early TV audiences and was even given two local TV series which were quite successful but were very expensive to produce.

In what is my favorite episode here of the nine - for we have lost five of them over the years, but have gained back two especially unique ones: one from 2/2/50 has never been viewed since its original air date and the episode from 2/23/50 was never before available on any other format - we see our fearless leader deciding to get fit and so has hired a trainer for the purpose.

Obviously the episode requires a bit of set up and story line so there’s a lengthy scene with some actors setting up a story before Buster appears. The story is that BK (as they call him) has decided to get fit and wants a trainer to get him into shape. Then they introduce the trainer who tells us about his girl and how he’s worried about her talking to other men.

Since most TV at this was live it’s not surprising that the actors seem quite intimidated and one guy stumbles over several lines. This material, written by Buster’s old collaborator Clyde Bruckman is pretty labored at times, in truth, sometimes unnecessary in parts, which might have put some uncertainty into the heads of those watching as to whether or not they were going to like the show or not. But all this changes when Buster enters the room and the others leave him to it.

We’re then treated to two 10-minute virtual solo’s from Buster as he proceeds from one form of exercise to the next, managing to bungle each in inventive and hilarious ways. He also gets to show off his talents with a basketball, performing a series of increasingly surreal and improbable tricks - even netting it whilst lying on his back!

You can see Buster gets a big kick out of the live audience and his delight is quite infectious. Although it’s half a century and two decades ago that these episodes were filmed, watching the great man do his thing in real time is a considerable pleasure even today.

Inevitably Buster gets himself in trouble as he accidentally conks a female who comes into the gym, knocking her spark out! As he tries to revive her, Buster hauls and throws the girl around like a rag doll in a scene reminiscent of putting the drunk to bed in Spite Marriage and then his trainer walks in and, of course, it turns out the girl is his wife!

Suspecting Buster of canoodling, the scene is set for an all too real boxing session, but Buster miraculously wins that too! At 55, Buster is still amazingly able to take the falls and you just know none of the stunts are faked in this. As in his films Buster has the uncanny ability to make all the falls and entanglements in the ropes seem completely spontaneous and natural, showing as always that he never needed words to be funny.

Bonus Features:
Three comedians in closeup (CBC-TV) (16:18) in HD
This Is Your Life (TV episode featuring Buster Keaton) (29:22) in HD
Circus Time (7:27) in HD
Cops (1922)(17:49) in SD
The Goat (1921)(19:24) in SD