DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray sales appear to be on the up at HMV, after a positive first half of the year.

Some very welcome good news for fans of physical media, with the HMV chain reporting that sales of DVDs, Blu-rays and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs are on the rise. Given the hammering that physical media had been taking over the last few years, this is the signs of a turnaround that had been hoped for and spectulated.

According to HMV’s managing director, Phil Halliday, “when streaming first came out I think a lot of people saw it as cheap and with huge breadth of choice, but I’m not sure people see it like that now … People are willing to pay for a physical copy of shows or films they know they will rewatch.”

Sales of what HMV describes as its ‘visual category’ are up by 5% in the first half of 2024 already. The driver for that growth is high definition disc formats, presumably 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray.

HMV’s story isn’t reflective elsewhere, on the flipside of that. Overall, the numbers suggest that physical media sales continue to decline, and that’s been the case year on year for well over a decade now. HMV, as physical media fans very well know, is about the only chain – along with its sister chain, Fopp – to stock a good range of catalogue DVDs, Blu-rays and 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays, with many stores backing away from even selling the biggest titles too.

Still, there’s an element of if you build it, they will come to all of this. What HMV has discovered is if you offer people a selection of physical media to choose from, they tend to be interested in it. And if the sales numbers being reported are anything to go, they’re willing to put their hands in their pockets too.

Here’s to more nice physical media sales numbers over the next year or two. We’ll keep you posted…

The boss of HMV has said more shoppers are buying physical movies and TV shows again despite the recent streaming boom.

Blu-ray and DVD sales are back in growth after significant decline in recent years, sparked by the rise of streaming platforms such as Netflix and Disney+.

Phil Halliday, managing director of HMV, said the retailer is “good health”, with all its core product areas back in growth despite a challenging consumer backdrop.

He said the recovery of its “physical visual” business has been a particular highlight, with collectors helping to support increased sales.

Mr Halliday added that the category has grown as households have witnessed an increase in the number of streaming services, uncertainty over which shows or films are on certain platforms, and rises in the price of many subscriptions.

Top 20 Disc Sellers

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

*Units Sold Compared to No. 1 Title

**Re-entered the Top 200

† Percentage of Overall Disc Sales in a 3D format; 3D is considered a Blu-ray version and is also part of the BD Share for each title.

†† Percentage of Overall Disc Sales in a UHD BD format; UHD is considered a Blu-ray version and is also part of the BD Share for each title.

Top 20 Selling Blu-ray Discs

1. Civil War
2. The Boy and the Heron
3. Abigail
4. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
5. Twister
6. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
7. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
8. Boy Kills World
9. Unsung Hero
10. Dune: Part Two
11. Challengers
12. Doctor Who: Tom Baker - Complete Season Four
13. Ghostbusters 2-Movie Collection: Afterlife/Frozen Empire
14. Taxi Driver
15. Starship Troopers
16. The Beekeeper
17. Monkey Man
18. Oppenheimer
19. Coraline
20. Mars Attacks!

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

Top 20 Selling 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs

1. Civil War
2. Twister
3. The Boy and the Heron
4. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
5. Boy Kills World
6. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
7. Taxi Driver
8. Starship Troopers
9. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
10. Dune: Part Two
11. The Fifth Element
12. Coraline
13. Point Break
14. Oppenheimer
15. Purple Rain
16. Le Samourai
17. The Guyver
18. Heavy Metal/Heavy Metal 2000
19. Star Wars: Andor - The Complete First Season
20. Monkey Man

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

Further reading:

• Top 20 Disc Sellers for Week Ended 2024-07-13
• Top 20 Selling Blu-ray and 4K Discs for Week Ended 2024-07-13
• Top HD Formats Disc Share Per Title for Week Ended 2024-07-13
• Blu-ray Sales: July 7-13: Civil War Battles to the Top of the Charts

NOTE I'm guessing Tank Girl is a UK only release as Shout Factory have already released it in the US.

Eureka Entertainment Announces October Releases

Posted July 18, 2024 05:52 PM by

[

PRE-ORDER NOW

](https://www.blu-ray.com/link/click.php?id=366300&c=7)

Eureka Entertainment has announced its October batch of Blu-ray releases. They are: Tank Girl (1995) and Broken Oath (1977).

Broken Oath

A Hong Kong take on Japan's Lady Snowblood, Broken Oath is an action-packed tale of righteous vengeance directed by Jeong Chang-hwa (King Boxer) and starring the first lady of kung fu cinema: the inimitable Angela Mao!

Orphaned and angry, Lotus (Mao) is raised by Buddhist nuns before she is exiled for her violent ways -- and skipping classes to improve her martial arts skills. Finding herself alone in the world, she quickly comes to discover the truth of her past: that her father was once a respected member of the Imperial Court who was murdered in cold blood, and that her mother gave birth to her in a jail cell after being unjustly imprisoned for killing one of the culprits. With revenge on her mind and a newfound accomplice in tow (Bruce Leung, Magnificent Bodyguards), she sets out to track down the men responsible for tearing her family apart -- armed with both her considerable martial arts prowess and a nest of scorpions with which to poison her enemies.

Made at the height of her fame following roles in Hapkido, Lady Whirlwind, Enter the Dragon and When Taekwondo Strikes, Broken Oath is one of Angela Mao's very best films -- and boasts action choreography orchestrated by Hsia Hsu (Drunken Master) and Yuen Woo-ping, one of the most respected stunt coordinators in both Hong Kong (The Magnificent Butcher) and Hollywood (The Matrix). Eureka Classics is proud to present the film on Blu-ray for the first time anywhere in the world from a brand new 2K restoration.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• NEW 2K RESTORATION OF THE FILM
• Original Mandarin audio and optional English dub tracks (original mono presentations)
• Optional English subtitles, newly translated for this release
• Brand new audio commentary by East Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
• Brand new audio commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
• Brand new interview with actor Bruce Leung (The Dragon Lives Again)
• Patrick Macias on Lady Snowblood -- new appreciation by film writer Patrick Macias
• Trailer
• A collector's booklet featuring new writing on Broken Oath by East Asian cinema expert Gina Marchetti and Kung Fu Cult Masters author Leon Hunt [2000 copies]
• Limited edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Grégory Sacré (Gokaiju) [2000 copies]

U.S. AND CANADA STREET DATE: OCTOBER 22.
UK STREET DATE: OCTOBER 21.

Tank Girl

Brought to the screen by director Rachel Talalay (Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare) and starring Lori Petty (Point Break) in its title role, Tank Girl is a slice of post-apocalyptic science fiction -- and a bonafide cult classic -- adapted from the hit comic strip created by Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett.

The year is 2033, and the people of Earth have been suffering through a drought for over a decade. The planet's water supply is now controlled by megalomaniac businessman Kesslee (Malcolm McDowell), the owner of the Water & Power corporation. But in Australia, at least, there is resistance. If Kesslee wants to take control of the last water well in the Outback, he'll need to contend with the Rippers -- mutant hybrids of human and kangaroo -- and Rebecca Buck, alias Tank Girl (Petty): a woman with a tank, a bad attitude, and a determination to rescue the world from the brink of oblivion.

First published by the British comics magazine Deadline in 1988, Tank Girl began life as a comic strip before becoming a cult phenomenon in the 1990s. In 1995, the central character starred in a new run of stories under DC Comics' Vertigo imprint and this big-screen adaptation, which formed one part of a boom in comic book movies that also included The Shadow, Judge Dredd and The Phantom. Eureka Classics is proud to present this limited edition of the film on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• 1080p HD presentation
• 5.1 DTS-HD MA and LPCM 2.0 audio options
• Optional English SDH
• Not a Bedtime Story -- A new interview with artist Greg Staples on Tank Girl from page to screen
• Audio commentary with director Rachel Talalay and actress Lori Petty
• Girl U Want -- A new appreciation of Tank Girl with film scholar and fan Lindsay Hallam
• A plethora of archival interviews with cast and crew, including Rachel Talalay, Lori Petty, Catherine Hardwicke, and more
• Making Tank Girl -- 1995 featurette
• Theatrical Trailer
• Limited Collector's Edition Box Set
• Limited Edition Hardbound Slipcase featuring new artwork by Tank Girl cover artist Greg Staples
• A limited edition 60-page collector's booklet featuring new writing on Tank Girl by genre film experts Stacey Abbott and Kieran Foster

UK STREET DATE: OCTOBER 28.

Collector's Edition - $150.00

The 4K UHD Collector’s Set of Arcane: League of Legends Season One serves as the definitive showcase for the award-winning series, presenting all nine episodes in glorious 4K resolution and mastered in Dolby Vision HDR. In addition to the 4K UHD version, the Collector's Edition includes standard Blu-ray discs. This limited-run set comes packed with extras inspired by the world of Arcane that you won’t find anywhere else, fit for the ultimate fanatic.

Includes:

• Episodes 1 – 9 in 4K UHD and Blu-ray Formats
• 3+ Hours of Bonus Features
• Original Artwork
• Exclusive “Hexcore” Oversized Metal d20
• 7 “Hex Crystal” Liquid Core Resin Dice
• Velvet Dice Pouch
• Double Sided Progress Day Poster with Original Jinx Graffiti
• 6 Art Cards Featuring Powder's Drawings
• Caitlyn's Piltover Map (Fabric)

SteelBook - 4K UHD Edition - $44.96

This exclusive 4K UHD Steelbook edition of Arcane: League of Legends features a stunning Jinx-themed outer design. Get episodes 1 – 9 in the highest possible quality while repping Zaun’s own demolition diva.

Includes:

• Limited Edition Jinx-Themed Steelbook Casing
• Episodes 1 – 9 on Three (3) 4K UHD Discs
• 3+ Hours of Bonus Features on Blu-ray Disc

SteelBook - Blu-ray Edition - $42.96

The Vi-themed Steelbook edition of Arcane: League of Legends contains all nine episodes of Season One across three Blu-ray discs. Featuring exclusive outer design and casing based on Zaun’s lost daughter, this edition can face off against the Jinx 4K UHD version or stand alone in a collection.

Featuring:

• Limited Edition Vi-Themed Steelbook Casing
• Episodes 1 – 9 on Three (3) Blu-ray Discs
• 3+ Hours of Bonus Features

Standard Blu-ray - $34.96

If you’re just looking for the essentials, there’s plenty to love in the Arcane: League of Legends Season One standard edition. You’ll get all nine episodes on Blu-ray for the first time ever, all-new Bonus Features, and original cover art featuring Piltover and Zaun’s iconic cast of characters.

Featuring:

• Original Artwork
• Episodes 1 – 9 on Three (3) Blu-ray Discs
• 3+ Hours of Bonus Features

Pre-order: GKIDS

Jaws 3 might be the worst 4K ever released as of this very moment. It's that bad and that horribly butchered with AI and awful DNR/Color Timing. The 2D version always looked a bit off due to the way that the film was shot specifically for 3D but with this abysmal 4K transfer it's limitations and issues are blown up and become glaringly obvious. Then on top of that you have AI interperetation the likes not even god has seen.

The film legitimately looks like it was created with Midjourney on more than one occasion. Or entire frames look like the washed out color tone SNL bumpers. Remember those from the 70's and 80's that used to show the host for the night? Entire sequences of the film look like that. No film should look like that in 4K. People look like paper cut outs in more than one frame. This is abhorrent.

– Vindicator89 on Blu-ray.com

I said this in another comment thread but will post here too:

The bigger question is why is the upscale suddenly so much worse than it was before?

Plenty of films finished at 2K had 4K UHD discs put out that were nothing more than upscales with HDR grades applied, but they were never this bad. It's like AI upscales became a thing and the studios tossed out whatever previous methods they used, that seemingly worked JUST FINE, in favour of new technology that has GLARING flaws such as this.

– /u/adamschoales on Reddit

Top 20 Disc Sellers

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

*Units Sold Compared to No. 1 Title

**Re-entered the Top 200

† Percentage of Overall Disc Sales in a 3D format; 3D is considered a Blu-ray version and is also part of the BD Share for each title.

†† Percentage of Overall Disc Sales in a UHD BD format; UHD is considered a Blu-ray version and is also part of the BD Share for each title.

Top 20 Selling Blu-ray Discs

1. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
2. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
3. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
4. Ghostbusters 2-Movie Collection: Afterlife/Frozen Empire
5. Dune: Part Two
6. Taxi Driver
7. Monkey Man
8. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
9. Point Break
10. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
11. The Beekeeper
12. The Guyvre
13. UHF
14. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
15. The Chosen: Season 4
16. Twister
17. Mars Attacks!
18. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
19. Oppenheimer
20. Coraline

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

Top 20 Selling 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs

1. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
2. Taxi Driver
3. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
4. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
5. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
6. Point Break
7. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
8. UHF
9. Dune: Part Two
10. The Guyver
11. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
12. Forrest Gump
13. Saw X
14. Coraline
15. Blown Away (1994)
16. Team America: World Police
17. Purple Rain
18. Monkey Man
19. Rango
20. The Meg

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

Further reading:

• Top 20 Disc Sellers for Week Ended 2024-07-06
• Top 20 Selling Blu-ray and 4K Discs for Week Ended 2024-07-06
• Top HD Formats Disc Share Per Title for Week Ended 2024-07-06
• Blu-ray Sales: June 30-July 6: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Chills in Second Week

cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/14808909

The Criterion Collection has revealed their October 2024 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray slate. This wave includes: I Walked with a Zombie / The Seventh Victim: Produced by Val Lewton, Masahiro Shinoda's Demon Pond, and Harmony Korine’s Gummo - all three on both 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray, plus G. W. Pabst's Pandora's Box only on Blu-ray.

Tech specs at Blu-ray.com

Coming on 4KUHD and Blu-ray!

Brand New HDR/DV Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative!

UFOria (1984) Starring Cindy Williams, Harry Dean Stanton, Fred Ward & Harry Carey Jr. – Shot by David Myers (THX 1138) – Music by Richard Baskin (Welcome to L.A.) – Written & Directed by John Binder (Endangered Species, The Lazarus Man).

From Facebook

IMDb

Tech specs at Blu-ray.com

Radioland Murders will be getting a special 30th anniversary 2K restoration Blu-ray from Kino Lorber

The George Lucas scripted film that developed a cult following will be turning 30 and celebrates with a new physical media release.

By EJ Tangonan

July 15th 2024, 10:11am

The cult classic and lesser-known work of Star Wars creator George Lucas, Radioland Murders, starring Brian Benben and Mary Stuart Masterson, will be celebrating its 30th anniversary with a brand new special Blu-ray release, according to Blu-ray.com. The 1994 film was directed by Mel Smith and the screenplay was penned by Lucas with Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz, Jeff Reno and Ron Osborn. The movie was also produced by Star Wars: Special Edition and Star Wars Episode I-III producer Rick McCallum.

The description reads,
"The secretary at radio station WBN, Penny Henderson (Mary Stuart Masterson) is frantically trying to keep things in order as a broadcast goes on the air. Chaos breaks loose, however, when a series of murders occurs in the building, accompanied by an enigmatic voice over the airwaves. Penny's writer husband, Roger (Brian Benben), tries to deduce who the killer is, but he also happens to be the prime suspect. As he evades the law, Roger gets closer to uncovering the identity of the murderer. NEW 2K RESTORATION."

The ensemble cast also includes Ned Beatty, George Burns, Scott Michael Campbell and Brion James. There has not been much in the vein of special features that have been announced. However, the technical details read:
Video
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Resolution: 1080p
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio
TBA
Subtitles
English SDH
Discs
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD-50)

Playback
2K Blu-ray: Region A

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/17467015

It's sensible for businesses to shift from physical media sales. Per CNBC's calculations, DVD sales fell over 86 percent between 2008 and 2019. Research from the Motion Picture Association in 2021 found that physical media represented 8 percent of the home/mobile entertainment market in the US, falling behind digital (80 percent) and theatrical (12 percent).

But as physical media gets less lucrative and the shuttering of businesses makes optical discs harder to find, the streaming services that largely replaced them are getting aggravating and unreliable. And with the streaming industry becoming more competitive and profit-hungry than ever, you never know if the movie/show that most attracted you to a streaming service will still be available when you finally get a chance to sit down and watch. Even paid-for online libraries that were marketed as available "forever" have been ripped away from customers.

When someone buys or rents a DVD, they know exactly what content they're paying for and for how long they'll have it (assuming they take care of the physical media). They can also watch the content if the Internet goes out and be certain that they're getting uncompressed 4K resolution. DVD viewers are also less likely to be bombarded with ads whenever they pause and can get around an ad-riddled smart TV home screen (nothing's perfect; some DVDs have unskippable commercials).

The Hitcher 4K and Blu-ray release coming from Second Sight in September

The 4K and Blu-ray release of The Hitcher from Second Sight Films has been given a September street date and pre-orders are available

It's been a few years in the making, but now Second Sight Films is finally ready to send their 4K and Blu-ray release of the 1986 classic The Hitcher (watch it HERE) out into the world! A release date of September 30th has been announced for the limited edition 4K / Blu-ray set and the standard edition 4K and Blu-ray releases. Copies are available for pre-order through the Second Sight website.

A press release informs us that "the Limited set is presented in a stunning collector's package with new artwork by Adam Stothard and a 200-page hardback book. All three versions come complete with a truckload of special features including new interviews and a new commentary plus tons of archive material, two short films and much more."

Directed by Robert Harmon from a screenplay by Eric Red, The Hitcher has the following synopsis: While transporting a car from Chicago to San Diego, Jim Halsey picks up a hitchhiker named John Ryder, who claims to be a serial killer. After a daring escape, Jim hopes to never see Ryder again. But when he witnesses the hitchhiker murdering an entire family, Jim pursues Ryder with the help of truck-stop waitress Nash, pitting the rivals against each other in a deadly series of car chases and brutal murders.

The film stars C. Thomas Howell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Jeffrey DeMunn, with the late, great Rutger Hauer delivering one of his best performances as the title character.

The Second Sight 4K and Blu-ray releases of The Hitcher come with the following special features:

• A new 4K restoration by Second Sight Films from the original camera negative supervised and
  approved by director Robert Harmon
• UHD presented in HDR with Dolby Vision
• Features Dolby Atmos and original stereo audio mixes
• New audio commentary by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
• Audio commentary with Robert Harmon and writer Eric Red
• Scene-specific audio commentary with Robert Harmon, Eric Red, Executive Producer Edward S
  Feldman, Composer Mark Isham, Director of Photography John Seale and Actors Rutger Hauer and C
  Thomas Howell
• The Projection Booth Podcast: featuring Robert Harmon and Rutger Hauer
• Bullseye: a new interview with Robert Harmon
• Penning the Ripper: a new interview with Eric Red
• Doomed to Live: a new interview with C Thomas Howell
• The Man from Oz: a new interview with John Seale
• A Very Formative Score: a new interview with Mark Isham
• Duel Runner: Leigh Singer on the evolution of The Hitcher and Rutger Hauer
• China Lake: a short film by Robert Harmon newly restored
• The Calling Card: Robert Harmon on China Lake
• Telephone: a short film by Eric Red
• The Hitcher: How do these movies get made?
• Trailers

Here are the specs on the limited edition:

• Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Adam Stothard
• 200-page hardback book with exclusive Robert Harmon interview by Lou Thomas, exclusive Eric Red
  interview by Matt Thrift, new essays by Heather Drain, David Kittredge, Craig Ian Mann, Rebecca
  McCallum, Meagan Navarro and Jon Towlson
• Eric Red's original screenplay book
• Six collectors' art cards

Top 20 Disc Sellers

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

*Units Sold Compared to No. 1 Title

**Re-entered the Top 200

† Percentage of Overall Disc Sales in a 3D format; 3D is considered a Blu-ray version and is also part of the BD Share for each title.

†† Percentage of Overall Disc Sales in a UHD BD format; UHD is considered a Blu-ray version and is also part of the BD Share for each title.

Top 20 Selling Blu-ray Discs

1. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
2. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
3. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
4. Monkey Man
5. Ghostbusters 2-Movie Collection: Afterlife/Frozen Empire
6. Dune: Part Two
7. Purple Rain
8. Team America: World Police
9. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
10. The First Slam Dunk
11. The Beekeeper
12. Blue Velvet
13. The Boys in the Boat
14. The Chosen: Season Four
15. The Hunger Games 5-Film Collection
16. Mars Attacks!
17. Forrest Gump
18. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
19. Digimon Adventure 2: The Beginnig
20. The New Adventures of Batman: The Complete Series

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

Top 20 Selling 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs

1. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
2. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
3. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
4. Purple Rain
5. Team America: World Police
6. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
7. Monkey Man
8. Dune: Part Two
9. Blue Velvet
10. Forrest Gump
11. Godzilla/Kong MonsterVerse 5-Film Collection
12. Matinee
13. Ghostbusters 2-Movie Collection: Afterlife/Frozen Empire
14. Oppenheimer
15. Lawrence of Arabia
16. Point Break
17. RoboCop 2
18. The Meg
19. Star Wars: Andor - The Complete First Season
20. Bad Lieutenant

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

Further reading:

• Top 20 Disc Sellers for Week Ended 2024-06-29
• Top 20 Selling Blu-ray and 4K Discs for Week Ended 2024-06-29
• Top HD Formats Disc Share Per Title for Week Ended 2024-06-29
• Blu-ray Sales: June 23-29: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Puts the Competition on Ice

In an alternate world history set in 1985, the murder of a government sponsored superhero draws his outlawed colleagues out of retirement and into a mystery that threatens to upend their personal lives and the world itself.

The back cover reveals that the voice cast includes Matthew Rhys, Katee Sackhoff, and Titus Welliver. A full trailer will release tomorrow.

Pre-order: GRUV.com

At the risk of making some readers feel a little old, there are now several generations of people who have probably never used or handled optical discs. Add to that, modern Blu-ray discs are much more robust than CD or DVD technology, and there's a good chance you either don't know how to handle or store them, or you've forgotten.

This wouldn't matter much if physical media weren't relevant anymore, but as we've argued in the past, physical media have several advantages over streaming, and if we rely on online, cloud-based services alone for access to content, then we'll lose some forever, or at least for long stretches at a time.

So, if you've been convinced that it makes sense to collect and preserve content on disc, let's talk about how you can make those discs last as long as possible.

Is that... Godzilla Minus One on Blu-ray? Yes, it is.

The time has come. US fans can now pre-order Godzilla Minus One and Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color in one beautiful Blu-ray box set.

With an estimated ship date of September, the Godzilla Minus One Blu-ray Deluxe Japan Collector’s Edition is the first home video release US fans will be able to get their hands on and the only to bundle both the original and black and white versions of the film.

Exclusively available on the Godzilla Store, the box set mirrors the 4-disc deluxe release in Japan. The Deluxe Japan Collector’s Edition not only preserves the same gorgeous packaging as the Japan release, but also all the same content with the addition of English menus and the option to select English subtitles for Godzilla Minus One and Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color.

The four discs included are:

• Disc 1: Godzilla Minus One 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
  • 125 minutes / 3 layers (100G) / 4K 2160p 16:9 scope size / Dolby Vision
  • Audio: (1) Japanese Dolby Atmos (2) Japanese 5.1ch Dolby TrueHD (3) Japanese 2.0ch Dolby TrueHD (4) Barrier-free Japanese audio guide 2.0ch Dolby TrueHD
  • Subtitles: (1) Barrier-free Japanese subtitles (2) English subtitles
• Disc 2: Godzilla Minus One Blu-ray
  • 125 minutes / Trailer compilation / 2 layers (BD50G) / 1080p High Definition 16:9 scope size
  • Audio: (1) Japanese Dolby Atmos (2) Japanese 5.1ch Dolby TrueHD (3) Japanese 2.0ch Dolby TrueHD (4) Barrier-free Japanese audio guide 2.0ch Dolby TrueHD
  • Subtitles: (1) Barrier-free Japanese subtitles (2) English subtitles
  • Trailer Collection (Japanese language only)
    • Special Announcements 1 & 2
    • Trailer
    • TV Spot
    • No. 1 Edition/That's Godzilla Edition/A Glimmer of Hope Edition/The World Praises Edition/Live and Resist Edition/Against Godzilla Edition
    • 6-Second Bumper
    • IMAX PR Video
    • ScreenX PR Video
    • TOHO CINEMAS MOVIE LINE UP
    • Cinema Mileage Announcement
• Disc 3: Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color Blu-ray
  • Main feature 125 minutes / Godzilla-1.0/C trailer / 2 layers (BD50G) / 1080p High Definition 16:9 scope size
  • Audio: (1) Japanese Dolby Atmos (2) Japanese 5.1ch Dolby TrueHD (3) Japanese 2.0ch Dolby TrueHD (4) Barrier-free Japanese audio guide 2.0ch Dolby TrueHD
  • Subtitles: (1) Barrier-free Japanese subtitles (2) English subtitles
• Disc 4: Bonus Blu-ray (Japanese language only)

  • Recording length: 240 minutes / 2 layers (BD50G) / 16:9 / 1080p High Definition (some 1080i)

  • Audio: Japanese 2.0ch Dolby Digital

  • Subtitles: NOTE - NO ENGLISH SUBTITLES

  • <Contents (Bonus DISC)>

    • Making of
    • VFX Making of
    • Release commemorative special program "Behind the scenes: The movie "Godzilla-1.0" -No.30-
    • Event footage:
      • September 4, 2023: Completion report press conference
      • October 18, 2023: World premiere red carpet event
      • October 23, 2023: Tokyo International Film Festival opening red carpet
      • November 1, 2023: Tokyo International Film Festival closing screening stage greetings
      • November 3, 2023 (National Holiday): Opening day stage greetings
      • November 8-10, 2023: North American premiere
      • November 29, 2023: Sapporo event
      • Yamazaki Takashi Selection Talk Show
        • September 15, 2023: "Yamazaki Takashi Selection Godzilla Screening" 1st (Guest: Higuchi Shinji)
        • Friday, September 29, 2023: "Yamazaki Takashi Selection Godzilla Screening" Vol. 2 (Guest: Murase Keizo)
        • Friday, October 13, 2023: "Yamazaki Takashi Selection Godzilla Screening" Vol. 3 (Guest: Kaneko Shusuke)
        • October 27, 2023: "Yamazaki Takashi Selection Godzilla Screening" Vol. 4 (Guest: Anno Hideaki) Specifications and Enclosures::
• 4-disc Digipack + outer case specifications
• Special booklet (Japanese language only)
• “Special Disaster Response Materials Compilation” Abridged version (Japanese language only)

Region Free

Pre-order: Godzilla.com

Toho surprised fans today with the long-awaited release of Godzilla Minus One to home entertainment in a four-disc 4K UHD Blu-ray box set. I also have an exclusive clip of writer-director-VFX supervisor Takashi Yamazaki and his team from their U.S. visit, plus a look at the different glorious versions of the Oscar-winning film.

The Godzilla Minus One box set is an exclusive through Toho’s official Godzilla site, and includes lots of behind-the-scenes features and making-of footage. Fans of the film have been eagerly awaiting word of a physical home media release, although the film finally arrived on streaming recently and VOD. The surprise today is part of a larger 70th anniversary celebration of Godzilla in 2024.

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The black-and-white version — known as Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color and featured in Blu-ray, not 4K, in the set — enhances the sense of hyper-realism, as well as creating an even tighter bond between this modern masterpiece and the original 1954 masterpiece that launched the biggest and longest-lived franchise in cinema history.

One thing I noticed comparing the color and monochrome versions is how much the tone and impact of the film differ. The monochrome version creates more sense of the film as from another time, the black-and-white mirroring the 1940s-1950s origins of the story and series yet incongruent with the photorealistic effects, and this makes it seem even more real and documentary in nature.

The color version, however, carries more overt kinship with Steven Spielberg’s films, which of course served as inspiration for Godzilla Minus One. It has that very unique sense of timelessness, at once modern and also of any era, while reflective of an elevated reality from our own.

This distinction between the two versions of the film is especially noticeable during the first few sequences on the boats, including the run-in with Godzilla. It’s one of the few examples of the color version seeming more photo-realistic because the water effects and boat effects are so good that the addition of lifelike color enhances everything and ties it together perfectly.

For the first time ever on 4K Ultra HD, the spectacular adventure based on the book by Neil Gaiman (CORALINE) shines like never before. Tristan (Charlie Cox) hopes to woo a beautiful girl named Victoria (Sienna Miller) by bringing her a falling star. But the star is really a celestial beauty known as Yvaine (Claire Danes), with a witch named Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer) simultaneously after Yvaine’s youth. STARDUST is a fairytale like nothing you’ve ever seen, with a combination of romance, action, and humor that will have you believing in pure magic. The all-star cast features Robert De Niro, Peter O’Toole, Rupert Everett, Ricky Gervais, and Henry Cavill, with the voice talents of Ian McKellen as the Narrator.

Pre-order: Amazon

Yet, the popularity of boutique Blu-Rays doesn’t seem to be waning, a sign that the interest in physical media is still going strong. The Criterion Collection is easily the biggest specialist company making Blu-Rays, having first released a series of DVDs in 1998. In 2008, they released their first Blu-Ray, Chungking Express, marking the start of several thousand high-quality editions released by the company, which they consider the finest pieces of cinema.

Criterion’s appeal resides in its attention to detail and consideration for dedicated film fans, filling every release with special features that are actually worth watching or reading, like short films, exclusive interviews, essays, and audio commentary. Each film comes with gorgeous artwork and sometimes even a poster inside, making the price tag (a single film is typically between £15 and £23) much more worth it. Additionally, Criterion takes great pride in restoring films to their original glory, with one of the most striking examples being their restoration of Jacques Demy’s The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. The company also offers boxsets for prestigious directors, like Agnes Varda, Ingmar Bergman and Wong Kar-wai, as well as film series, like the Before trilogy and Eric Rohmer’s Six Moral Tales.

Evidently, film fans can trust Criterion to deliver high-quality editions of their favourite pictures, with the company ensuring that beloved classics and newer releases all get special treatment. With frequent sale seasons allowing buyers to bulk buy some of their most-wanted titles for a more reasonable price, it’s rare you’ll meet a self-confessed cinephile who doesn’t own at least a few Criterions.

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They’re not the only company releasing collector’s editions, though. Arrow Films, an independent British distributor, offers some of the greatest cult and horror films, complete with a variety of special features, carefully designed artwork, and high-quality Blu-Ray transfers. BFI also provides an impressive collection, focusing on niches such as kitchen sink dramas, forgotten British gems, documentaries, and other acclaimed classics. Another notable company is Eureka, which specialises in films by directors they consider masters of cinema.

Each of these companies taps into a niche to attract customers, whether that be horror or foreign cinema, or in the case of Shameless Screen Entertainment, “carefully picked vile, evil, gore-soaked, demented, disturbing [and] deranged” movies. While specialist companies have existed for a while, like Tartan, which stopped selling its DVDs in 2008, the landscape is now saturated with streaming services all competing to be the best, which you would think might make it harder for these companies to thrive. Yet, it seems as though film fans are keeping physical media alive for now, with many people still wanting to own copies of their favourite films without worrying about a streaming service removing them.

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Collecting Criterions or other special edition Blu-Rays is the kind of hobby that keeps paying for itself – you can resell them for a decent price, watch them endless times, and access content, like shorts and essays, that you most likely can’t find for free anywhere else. We need physical media to survive in the internet age, and thanks to these companies and the passionate cinephiles who buy their Blu-Rays, hope is not yet lost.

Lee remains a singular presence in film history, and rewatching all his work recently reawakened me to just how good he was. He wasn’t just a great martial artist, but a tremendous screen presence. His characters don’t want to kill but they do so, without mercy but also with tremendous regret. That’s a particular kind of acting, a well-tuned harvest of subtle, authentic emotion. There was nobody quite like him before. Frankly, there’s been nobody since.

That is why studios around the world started exploiting Lee’s image mere months after his death, creating a short-lived but vast genre now referred to as “Bruceploitation.” Films with titles like Super Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, Goodbye Bruce Lee: His Last Game of Death, The Dragon Lives Again and The Big Boss Part II promised “unseen” work by Lee to audiences in the pre-information age. These films starred men with stage names that often mimicked Lee’s own, such as Bruce Li or Dragon Lee. Martial artists themselves, they mimicked his fighting styles, battle cries, costumes and famous characters.

At first blush, there’s obviously something inherently disreputable about the entire endeavor. It’s bad taste at its core, particularly if you’re a fan of Lee’s work and philosophies.

But could it also be a treasure trove of hidden gems? A library of films that capture a particular time, place and filmmaking approach that feels impossible today? What about men like Bruce Li (real name Ho Chung-Tao) or Bruce Le (Lǚ Xiǎolóng)? These were talented martial artists playing the roles available to them. To what degree does their work deserve recognition, well after generations of fans have had time to process Lee’s death and the decades of work that have honored him hence?

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Those questions form the hypothesis behind Severin Films’ new Blu-ray set, The Game of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection Vol. 1, an eight-disc set featuring 15 films curated to give new audiences an introduction to the genre and what it had to offer. The set also includes the recent documentary, Enter the Clones of Bruce, which serves as an introduction to the overall set and makes up the first disc. It’s essentially a must-watch thesis statement for why the set exists and provides a more forgiving lens through which to view the films.

As an avid reviewer of this sort of thing, it’s a unique pleasure to view a product so exquisitely crafted around asking a viewer to look at an entire genre in a new light. There’s no shortage of odd cult films receiving gorgeous restorations and fancy packages these days, filled with essays and commentaries attesting to their worth. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen something quite as deeply researched and passionate as the Game of Clones set.

This isn’t a release that just dug up a bunch of oddities, threw them on discs, shoved them in a hardshell and commissioned some artwork. This entire project is constantly, earnestly attesting to the underappreciated significance of the Bruceploitation genre and has the scholarly receipts to make its case. The commentaries by Hong Kong film expert Frank Djeng and director / actor Michael Worth (who also does introductions for each film) are informative and, frankly, a little seductive. They, along with Severin, have created a set that begs you to watch every single disc. It feels like a curated adventure. That may be the highest praise I can give a product like this.

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The Game of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection Vol. 1 is an early contender for the best Blu-ray box set of 2024. Even my beloved Shawscope sets from Arrow Video — perhaps the height of martial-arts film curation in my eyes — operate with the understanding that their sets all include a few unimpeachable classic films as a selling point.

That’s not the case with Game of Clones. Everyone involved in this production understands they are operating on their back feet. They’re the underdogs, introducing new viewers to truly cult material. They understand the indescribable pleasure of discovery that comes with being a fan of schlock, of rarities, of true cinematic ephemera. And by god, they really manage to convey it. It’s not only that, but the selection of films and supplementary material really crafts an argument that these films — exploitative as they are — remain an enduring, even positive aspect of Lee’s legacy. I’m deeply impressed.

Tech specs at Blu-ray.com

Tom Tykwer's 'Run Lola Run' Sprints For A Solo 4K UHD Disc July 30th

Matthew Hartman

Posted Mon Jul 1, 2024 at 08:42 AM PDT by

**After enjoying a rest with the 13-Film Sony Pictures Classics 4K set, Sony is sending Tom Tykwer's iconic multiversal thriller 'Run Lola Run' to the solo-disc races. All indications are this is the same disc as before, only without ten other films... and possibly without a slipcover.   **

Run Lola Runis a hell of a film with a banger of a soundtrack. It looks amazing in 4K Dolby Vision and that German 5.1 mix is a beast. But, you'd only know that if you bought the 11-film Sony Pictures Classics 4K box set. Which is a great set if you wanted all of those other films. For those you didn't want the box set, well, Lola is taking another run on 4K, this time on her own! All indications for this press release tell me this is the same great disc as before. It doesn't indicate if the English and Spanish dubbed tracks will be included or not. My guess is that they will be and this is just a simple repackage without the custom slipcover - we've put in a question about that and when we get news we'll update. until then here's to 25 years of Run Lola** Run! **

***Run Lola Run - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray ***

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SYNOPSIS

A thrilling post-MTV roller-coaster ride, RUN LOLA RUN is the internationally acclaimed sensation
about two star-crossed lovers who have only minutes to change the course of their lives. Time is running out for Lola (Franka Potente). She's just received a frantic phone call from her boyfriend Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu), who's lost a small fortune belonging to his mobster boss. If Lola doesn't replace the money in twenty minutes, Manni will surely suffer severe consequences. Written and directed by Tom Tykwer.

**DISC DETAILS AND BONUS MATERIALS
4K ULTRA HD DISC **

• Feature presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision
• German 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
• Special Features:
  • Audio Commentary with Director Tom Tykwer and Actor Franka Potente
  • Audio Commentary with Director Tom Tykwer and Editor Mathilde Bonnefoy
  • Making-Of Featurette
  • Still Running Featurette
  • "Believe" Music Video
  • Theatrical Trailer

BRING HOME 87NORTH’S ACTION-PACKED COMEDY

NOW WITH MORE THAN AN HOUR OF EXCLUSIVE BONUS CONTENT FEATURING RYAN GOSLING AND EMILY BLUNT

PLUS AN EXTENDED CUT OF THE FILM THE FALL GUY

CERTIFIED FRESH ON ROTTEN TOMATOES

ON DIGITAL JULY 2, 2024, 4K ULTRA HD, BLU-RAY™ AND DVD JULY 23, 2024

Universal City, California, July 1, 2024 – Bring home the film that is “100 percent joy from start to finish” (Fresh Fiction), THE FALL GUY, available to own with all-new bonus content on Digital tomorrow July 2, 2024 and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD July 23, 2024 from 87North and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Now featuring over an hour of never-before-seen bonus content including the filmmakers breaking down five different stunts from the film and a behind-the-scenes look at filming in Australia with the all-star cast and crew for an insider's look at turning the original TV series into a crowd-pleasing new movie, as well as a gag reel, alternate takes and much more. When you purchase, get both the theatrical version and the Extended Cut with 20 additional minutes containing more action, more laughs, more stunts, and more sexy bacon.

Directed by David Leitch (Bullet Train, Deadpool 2, Atomic Blonde), THE FALL GUY stars Oscar® nominee Ryan Gosling (Barbie, La La Land, Drive) as Colt Seavers, a battle-scarred stuntman who is drafted back into service after a near-career ending accident when Tom Ryder (Golden Globe® winner Aaron Taylor-Johnson; Bullet Train), the star of a mega-budget studio movie—being directed by Colt’s ex, Jody Moreno, played by Golden Globe® winner Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer, A Quiet Place films, Sicario)—goes missing.

Inspired by the hit 1980s TV series, THE FALL GUY also stars Emmy® winner Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso), Winston Duke (Black Panther franchise) and Academy Award® nominee Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once). From a screenplay by Hobbs & Shaw screenwriter Drew Pearce, THE FALL GUY comes from production team Kelly McCormick and David Leitch (Bullet Train, Violent Night, Nobody,) and their company 87North Productions; from Ryan Gosling and his production shingle Entertainment 360; and from Guymon Casady (“Game of Thrones,” Steve Jobs ). The film is executive produced by Drew Pearce, Entertainment 360’s Geoff Shaevitz and the creator of the original Fall Guy television series, Glen A. Larson.

THE FALL GUY features an Original Motion Picture Soundtrack from Back Lot Music with music by composer Dominic Lewis. The album also features a cover of KISS’ “I Was Made for Lovin' You” by YUNGBLUD and a cover of Lee Major’s “Unknown Stuntman” by Blake Shelton. The soundtrack album is also available physically on Vinyl from Mutant Records.

EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURES WHEN YOU OWN ON DIGITAL, 4K ULTRA HD, BLU-RAY AND DVD:

• EXTENDED CUT - An extended cut of the film with 20 minutes of additional footage featuring more action, more laughs and more stunts.
• GAG REEL
• ALTERNATE TAKES
• STUNTS ON STUNTS: BREAKING DOWN THE ACTION - Five breathtaking breakdowns detail the meticulous designs, careful preparation, and astonishing execution that goes into pulling off the film's death-defying stunts.
• CITY TRUCK JUMP / SIDEWINDER - Grip the wheel with stunt driver Logan Holladay, who provides a first-person view of an incredible stunt that launches a truck onto a crowded city street.
• GARBAGE BIN - Speed across Sydney's Harbour Bridge while watching Ryan Gosling and the stunt performers surf on a skidding door, trade punches in a spinning bin, and wrestle with an attack dog.
• BOAT CHASE - Blast back to the past with a classic boat jump stunt, no green screen required, complete with an awesome explosion that lights up the water around the iconic Sydney Opera House.
• CAR JUMP - Prepare for possibly the film's most dangerous stunt: a bomb-blasting ride in a tricked-out vehicle that leads into a heart-stopping jump across an enormous expanse.
• HIGH FALL - Troy Brown, the son of legendary stunt performer Bob Brown, follows in his father's footsteps with a high fall off a helicopter like only their family can deliver. MAKING A META MASTERPIECE - THE FALL GUY's filmmaking team and all-star cast take you behind the scenes in Australia for an insider's look into the creativity and camaraderie that turns the original TV series into a thrilling new movie.
• HOW TO BREAK A WORLD RECORD - Cheer along with the crew as driving double Logan Holladay and the stunt team craft a cannon roll crash that breaks a Guinness World Record.
• NIGHTCLUB MAYHEM - Fight coordinator Sunny Sun and stunt double Justin Eaton venture behind the camera to choreograph a bottle-breaking battle between Colt Seavers and Doone’s goons.
• THE ART OF DOUBLING - Meet stunt double Ben Jenkin, a man willing to be set on fire, hit by a car, and take risks with Ryan Gosling to collectively make a single character look cool.
• MAKING METALSTORM - Cowboys collide with aliens in this look at the creation of METALSTORM, THE FALL GUY's film within the film.
• FALLING FOR THE FALL GUY WITH BOB REESE - Professional parkour athlete and influencer Bob Reese recreates stunts from the movie, including a scissor-lift dive, Kong vault, and heart-stopping high fall.
• FEATURE COMMENTARY with Director/Producer David Leitch and Producer Kelly McCormick [Available on both theatrical and extended cuts]

TECHNICAL INFORMATION 4K UHD:

• Street Date: July 23, 2024
• UPC Number: 191329260050 (US) / 191329260371 (CDN)
• Layers: BD 100
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9 2.39:1 Widescreen
• Rating: PG-13 for action and violence, drug content and some strong language.
• Languages/Subtitles: English, French Canadian, Latin American Spanish
• Sound: English (Dolby Atmos for Feature, Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content), French Canadian (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1), Latin American Spanish (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1)
• Run Time: 02:06:13

TECHNICAL INFORMATION BLU-RAY™:

• Street Date: July 23, 2024
• UPC Number: 191329260241 (US) / 191329260166 (CDN)
• Layers: BD 50
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9 2.39:1 Widescreen
• Rating: PG-13 for action and violence, drug content and some strong language.
• Languages/Subtitles: English, French Canadian, Latin American Spanish
• Sound: English (Dolby Atmos for Feature, Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content), French Canadian (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1), Latin American Spanish (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1)
• Run Time: 02:06:13

TECHNICAL INFORMATION DVD (US):

• Street Date: July 23, 2024
• UPC Number: 191329260364 (US) / 191329260067 (CDN)
• Layers: DVD 9
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9 2.39:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
• Rating: PG-13 for action and violence, drug content and some strong language.
• Languages/Subtitles: English, French Canadian, Latin American Spanish
• Sound: English (Dolby Digital 5.1 for Feature, Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content), French Canadian (Dolby Digital 5.1), Latin American Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Run Time: 02:06:13

Pre-order: Amazon · GRUV.com

STUDIOCANAL announce a fantastic new 4K restoration of ORCA, THE KILLER WHALE, as part of the Cult Classics Collection. Terror is just below the surface in this ferocious action adventure of mythical proportions from legendary producer Dino Di Laurentiis (King Kong, Conan), starring screen legends Richard Harris (Oscar-nominated for This Sporting Life) and Charlotte Rampling (Oscar nominated for 45 Years). As well as a collectable 4K UHD SteelBook, the film is available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital.

From Academy Award nominated director Michael Anderson (Around The World In Eighty Days) and screenwriter Luciano Vincenzoni (The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly) comes a gripping and terrifying tale of man versus beast. Described by Scream Magazine as ‘Jaws with heart’, ORCA, THE KILLER WHALE features a marvellous lead performance from Harris as a sea captain targeted by a vengeful killer whale, and also stars Will Sampson, famous for his performance as in Chief Bromden One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Bo Derek (“10”), and Robert Carradine (The Long Riders).

With a magnificent, stirring score by Ennio Moricone (Oscar-winner for The Hateful Eight), and cinematography by Ted Moore (Oscar winner for A Man for All Seasons), you’ll have a whale of a time with this handsomely mounted and tremendously exciting adventure thriller, restored to its original glory in this beautiful restoration.