Join the
Sixties generation

April 7

Army of Shadows

(1969 -- France) The most personal film by the underworld poet Jean-Pierre Melville, who had participated in the French Resistance himself, this tragic masterpiece, based on a novel by Joseph Kessel, recounts the struggles and sacrifices of those who fought in the Resistance. Lino Ventura, Paul Meurisse, Jean-Pierre Cassel, and the incomparable Simone Signoret star as intrepid underground fighters who must grapple with their conception of honor in their battle against Hitler’s regime. Long underappreciated in France and unseen in the United States, the atmospheric and gripping thriller Army of Shadows is now widely recognized as the summit of Melville’s career, channeling the exquisite minimalism of his gangster films to create an unsparing tale of defiance in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, with high-definition digital restoration, supervised by director of photography Pierre Lhomme, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Alternate 2.0 surround soundtrack, presented in DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray. Extras: Audio commentary from 2006 featuring film scholar Ginette Vincendeau; interviews from 2007 with Lhomme and editor Françoise Bonnot; on-set footage and excerpts from archival interviews with director Jean-Pierre Melville, cast members, author Joseph Kessel, and real-life Resistance fighters; "Jean-Pierre Melville et L’armée des ombres” (2005), a short program on the director and his film; "Le journal de la Résistance" (1944), a rare short documentary shot on the front lines during the final days of the German occupation of France; restoration demonstration by Lhomme; trailers; an essay by critic Amy Taubin, along with (for the Blu-ray) a piece by historian Robert O. Paxton and excerpts from Rui Nogueira’s "Melville on Melville." (The Criterion Collection).

Advertisement

Beyond the Door

(1974 -- Italy) Legendary filmmaker Ovidio G. Assonitis, whose "Tentacles" and "Piranha II" sought to cash in on the killer fish craze spawned by "Jaws," first hit pay dirt in 1974 with "Beyond the Door" - a gloriously bonkers riff on "The Exorcist" featuring Emmy Award-winning actress Juliet Mills and distinguished British actor Richard Johnson. Set against the backdrop of San Francisco, the film stars Mills as Jessica Barrett, a young mother who starts to develop strange behaviors whilst pregnant with her third child. Before you can say "split pea soup," Jessica is displaying signs of full-blown demonic possession -- complete with projectile vomiting and fully-rotating head! Could it be that she's carrying the child of the Antichrist himself? Described as "disgusting", "scary trash" and "maddeningly inappropriate" by film critic Robert Ebert and subject to a lawsuit by Warner Bros. (who claimed copyright infringement against a certain William Friedkin film), the devilish denizens at Arrow Video have summoned up this wickedly entertaining popcorn spiller in a brand new, extras-packed edition fit for Satan himself. Limited to 3,000 units; brand new 2K restoration of the extended Uncut English Export Version. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Exclusive bonus disc containing the alternate US theatrical version and "Italy Possessed," a brand-new feature-length documentary on Italian exorcism movies; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Marc Schoenbach; reversible fold-out poster; perfect-bound collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by John Martin and Alessio di Rocco; "The Devil and I" newly-filmed interview with director-producer Ovidio G. Assonitis; "Barrett’s Hell" newly-filmed interview with cinematographer Roberto D'Ettorre Piazzoli; "Beyond the Music" newly-filmed interview with composer Franco Micalizzi; "The Devil's Face" newly-filmed interview with camera operator Maurizio Maggi; "Motel and Devils" newly-conducted audio interview with actor Gabriele Lavia; alternate Italian Chi Sei? opening titles; alternate "Behind the Door" VHS opening titles; alternate Japanese "Diabolica" opening and ending sequence; trailers, TV and radio spots; image gallery; brand new 2K restoration of the US Theatrical Version, released as "Beyond the Door" (99 mins). (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).

BraveStorm

(2017 -- Japan) In the year 2050, mankind is extinct on Earth. The last survivors, five Kasuga brothers, must use a time machine to travel back to 2018, to collect a human capable of exterminating a group of giant robots sent to Earth by an alien race called the Killgis. Filled with massive action set pieces, robot battles, time travel, and tons of other sci-fi goodies, it's a cinematic remake of two 1970s Japanese TV series (“Silver Mask” and “Super Robot Red Baron”). Formats: DVD, VOD. (GVN Releasing).

Cats

(2019) Dir.: Tom Hooper; James Corden, Judi Dench, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen, Taylor Swift, Rebel Wilson, Francesca Hayward. A tribe of cats called the Jellicles must decide yearly which one will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new Jellicle life. Read more about "Cats" in the April Calendar.Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: "Making Music." "Singing Live," "Cat School," "Making Macavity,""9 Lives: The Cast of Cats," "The Dancers," "The Art of Dance," "Scaling Up," "A Director’s Journey," "A Little Magic." (Universal).

Citizen K

(2019) Oscar-winning writer-director Alex Gibney's revelatory documentary is an intimate yet sweeping look at post-Soviet Russia from the perspective of the enigmatic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former oligarch turned political dissident. Benefitting from the chaos that ensued after the dissolution of the U.S.S.R., Khodorkovsky was able to amass a fortune in financing and oil production and became the richest man in Russia. But when he accused the new Putin regime of corruption, Khodorkovsky was arrested, his assets were seized and following a series of show trials, he was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison. Today, as an exile living in London, he continues to speak out against Putin's two-decade stranglehold on power. Expertly researched and photographed, Gibney uses Khodorkovsky's story as a way to explore the complex interplay between oligarchy and government and its destructive effect on democracy, in Russia and beyond. Formats: DVD. (Kino Lorber).

Dead By Dawn

(2020) Jamie Bernadette, Drew Lindsey Mitchell, Kelcey Watson, Bo Burroughs, Timothy Muskatell. A suicidal man in a remote cabin is suddenly faced with protecting a kidnapped woman from three killers and their sadistic games. Unable to contact the outside world and with night falling, he falls backs on creating traps to prevent the criminals from gaining entry. It's a fight to the death where only the strongest will survive until dawn. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Uncork'd Entertainment).

Dolittle

(2020) Robert Downey Jr., Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, Harry Collett, Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, Tom Holland, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez, Marion Cotillard. A physician who can talk to animals embarks on an adventure to find a legendary island with a young apprentice and a crew of strange pets. Read more about "Dolittle" in the Aptil Calendar.Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: "Talk to the Animals," "Robert Downey Jr. & Harry: Mentor And Mentee," "Becoming The Good Doctor," "Antonio Banderas: Pirate King," "The Wicked Dr. Müdfly," "A Most Unusual House." (Universal).

From Iceland to EDEN

(2019 -- Iceland) Hansel Eagle, Telma Huld Jóhannesdóttir, Arnar Jónsson. Two drug-hazed young lovers dream about escaping icy Reykjavik to live carefree in Paradise (aka Eden). While escaping from the police, Óliver (Eagle) accidentally stumbles into a flat and saves Lóa’s (Jóhannesdóttir) life. The pair are both users and dealers but want nothing more than to escape and start a new life. However, the situation becomes much more complicated when they decide to use stolen narcotics from an infamous drug lord to fund their escape plans. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Deleted scenes, trailer. (Cinema Libre Studio).

Gold Dust

(2020) Darin Brooks, Chris Romano, David Wysocki, David Wall. Somewhere along the border with Mexico, two lifelong friends - prospectors - use moth eaten maps and passed down legends in a lifelong search to find a ghost ship rumored to have been buried in the desert sand over millennia as the seafloor dried up. A rollicking Western adventure with dancing assassins, opera in uncharted canyons, armed children on dirt bikes, mines, hostages and mirages that all form the wild whirlwind called Gold Dust. Formats: DVD, Digital. (High Octane Pictures).

Impact Event

(2020) Margaret O’Brien, Michael Berryman, Vernon Wells, Richard Grieco. After a meteor causes a global apocalypse, a small group of survivors takes refuge in an abandoned funhouse and must fight off cannibalistic killers. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Wild Eye Releasing).

Just One More Kiss

(2020) “Till death do us part” wasn’t nearly long enough for Max and Abby, a happily married couple ... until an accident took Max away. As Abby struggles with life without Max something strange happens: Max’s ghost returns to help her get over him. But with a second chance to be together, neither wants to say goodbye again. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Indiecan Pictures).

Little Women

(2019) Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, Chris Cooper, Meryl Streep. Jo March reflects back and forth on her life, telling the beloved story of the March sisters -- four young women each determined to live life on their own terms -- in director Greta Gerwig's modern adaptation of the Louisa May Alcott novel. Read more about "Little Women" in the April Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: "A New Generation of Little Women" featurette; "Making a Modern Classic" featurette; "Greta Gerwig: Women Making Art" featurette; "Hair & Make-Up Test Sequence"; "Little Women Behind the Scenes"; "Orchard House, Home of Louisa May Alcott" featurette about Louisa May Alcott's real-life Orchard House in Concord, Mass. (Sony).

The Night Clerk

(2020) Tye Sheridan, Ana de Armas, John Leguizamo, Helen Hunt. Sheridan stars as hotel night clerk Bart Bromley who is a highly intelligent young man on the autism spectrum. When a woman is murdered during his shift, Bart becomes the prime suspect. As the police investigation closes in, Bart makes a personal connection with a beautiful guest named Andrea (Ana De Armas), but soon realizes he must stop the real murderer before she becomes the next victim. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Paramount).

Rootwood

(2018) Felissa Rose, Elissa Dowling. Thriller follows two students who host "The Spooky Hour," a podcast about paranormal phenomena and urban legends. When they're hired by a Hollywood film producer to shoot a horror documentary about the curse of The Wooden Devil, they smell their chance to become famous. Together, with their friend, they enter Rootwood Forest and investigate the area to find out the truth about The Wooden Devil and his victims. Formats: DVD, Digital. (High Octane Pictures).

Strike

(2020) Heart-warming, coming-of-age animated story following young mole Mungo Morrison (voice of Lizzie Waterworth) as he struggles to save his family and community from evil "Boss", while also trying to achieve his dream of representing his country in soccer during the Wild Cup in Russia. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).

Swift

(2019) Voices of Kate Winslet, Willem Dafoe, Josh Keaton. Manou is a sweet bird who grows up believing he is a seagull like his parents. He strives to swim, fish and fly like them … but feels that he is not very gifted. To his great shock, Manou discovers that he was adopted, and is actually the offspring of the much-hated swifts! After a tragedy, Manou has to navigate the differences between swifts and seagulls, and ultimately try to find his own identity - and save his friends and family along the way. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: "A Look at the Making of Swift," interview Willem Dafoe, theatrical trailer. (Shout! Kids).

April 10

Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool

(2019) Tells the story of the legendary trumpeter, bandleader, innovator and trend-setter who crossed musical genres and whose life was notable on and off stage. Directed by award-winning documentarian Stanley Nelson, the film features Miles’ music from live performances, studio recordings and outtakes, as well as interviews with those who knew Miles best (Quincy Jones, Santana, Wayne Shorter, etc). Pulls back the curtain of the man behind the music. The film takes an intimate look at what drove his intense, methodical approach and ravenous hunger to study all genres of music, from Baroque to classical Indian, as well as his demons, and how those elements fueled his genius and unique self-expression. Includes bonus DVD disc of live footage from the Montreux Jazz Festival. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Eagle Rock Entertainment/Universal).

The Vinyl Revival

(2019) Documentary charts the amazing revival of vinyl over the past several years. The film explores the whys and hows with industry pundits, artists, record shop owners, vinyl fans and many more. The film discusses the importance of the record shop and vinyl as a whole, answering the why's of vinyl's revival, attesting to the human need for belonging, the love of history and the stories of how the humble little record shop has shaped so many lives. Record collecting has lost its image as a hobby for middle-aged men and become instead a pursuit of the most fashion-conscious consumer. Will it last? What is the future for record shops when vinyl becomes less fashionable? Why are we in danger of another record shop decline? Why must we support these bastions of culture? Includes interviews from Nick Mason (Pink Floyd), Philip Selway (Radiohead), Ade Utley (Portishead), Joel Gion (The Brian Jonestown Massacre), The Orielles, CASSIA and others. Formats: DVD. Extras: Eight-page booklet chronicling the making of the film. (Wienerworld/MVD Entertainment).

Back to top

April 14

Agent Toby Barks

(2020) Voices Jon Lovitz, Dean Cain, Charlotte Ciano, Jonah Coppolelli. Is America’s greatest super-spy living in your backyard? Bret and Kate don’t think so until they learn that their beloved pet dog Toby is a secret agent working for the U.S. government. The two teen kids must join forces with their talking, fighting, computer-hacking pooch to rescue their beloved Auntie B—who’s also a spy—from a mad villain who wants to use B’s crazy inventions to rule the world. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Lionsgate).

Balthazar, Series 1

(2018 -- France) Two-disc set with six episodes of the mystery procedural that follows the suave, smart, and somewhat strange, Raphaël Balthazar, who can make the dead speak like no one else. As a forensic pathologist in Paris, he works with chief inspector Hélène Bach to solve the city's most disturbing crimes. But there's one case that continues to haunt him--the murder of his wife over a decade ago. Formats: DVD. (Acorn Media).

Criminal Minds: The Final Season

(2020) Three-disc set with all 10 episodes of the last season of the long-running series. After years of life-or-death standoffs, tense showdowns, and confrontations with the most dangerous killers alive, the best and brightest of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit finally reach their last cases. Led by the BAU's most experienced agent and founding member Special Agent David Rossi (Joe Mantegna), the team not only embarks on an epic manhunt for "The Chameleon," a serial killer that escaped and nearly killed David -- they also find closure in the ongoing drama of their personal lives. Formats: DVD. Extras: "And in the End" The Final Table Read": The cast and crew have an emotional final table read of "Criminal Minds" Ep. 1425 "And in the End"; "Heart & Soul": in which the cast and crew reminisce about their 15-year journey on the set; "The Finish Line": behind the scenes with the cast and crew as they take fans through the fifteenth and final season; extended scenes; deleted scenes. (CBS/Paramount).

Criminal Minds: The Complete Series

(2005-20) The 85-disc collection features all 324 episodes with over 17 hours of previously released bonus content, including table reads, featurettes, deleted scenes, gag reels and more. Guest stars include Aaron Paul, Jane Lynch, Cameron Monaghan, Elle Fanning, James Van Der Beek, Frankie Muniz, Jason Alexander, C. Thomas Howell, D.B. Sweeney, Rachel Nichols, Robert Englund, Bellamy Young, Mark Hamill, Ben Savage, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Aubrey Plaza and more. The FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit uses its team of brilliant agents to solve the country’s most twisted mysteries and shocking murders. Over the course of 15 mind-bending seasons, the BAU braves the professional risks and personal costs of bringing killers to justice. Gruesome threats. Heroic sacrifices. Each of the hundreds of cases collected here will keep you guessing from start to finish as the BAU races the clock to save lives and prove they’re the best minds for the job. Formats: DVD. (CBS/Paramount).

Destry Rides Again

(1939) Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart ride high in this superb comedic western, both a boisterous spoof and a shining example of its genre. As the brawling, rough-and-tumble saloon singer Frenchy, Dietrich shed her exotic love-goddess image and launched a triumphant career comeback, while Stewart cemented his amiable everyman persona, in his first of many Westerns, with a charming turn as a gun-abhorring deputy sheriff who uses his wits to bring law and order to the frontier town of Bottleneck. A sparkling script, a supporting cast of virtuoso character actors, and rollicking musical numbers — delivered with unmatched bravado by the magnetic Dietrich — come together to create an irresistible, oft-imitated marvel of studio-era craftsmanship. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc with new 4K digital restoration by Universal Pictures in collaboration with The Film Foundation, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: New interview with critic Imogen Sara Smith; new interview with Donald Dewey, author of "James Stewart: A Biography"; illustrated audio excerpts from a 1973 oral-history interview with director George Marshall conducted by the American Film Institute; "Lux Radio Theatre" adaptation of the film from 1945, featuring actors James Stewart and Joan Blondell; an essay by critic Farran Smith Nehme. (The Criterion Collection).

Final Kill

(2020) Billy Zane, Randy Couture, Ed Morrone, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Danny Trejo, Johnny Messner. Action-packed thriller about a mercenary hired to protect a couple hiding out in Central America from a ruthless crime family. This final assignment as a protector quickly turns deadly as a group of mafia henchman descend on the tranquil Costa Rican village. Soon the agent learns that the job is far more than it seems, and it will take all his experience to get them out alive. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Cinedigm).

Goldie

(2019) Goldie (Supermodel Slick Woods) is a star -- well, not quite yet, but at least in the eyes of her little sisters Sherrie and Supreme she is. The rest of the world is bound to take note soon too. Her big break surely awaits, she's just got to pick up that golden fur coat she's had her eye on first. And land a role as a dancer in a hip-hop video. And keep child welfare services from separating her from Sherrie and Supreme, after their mother is locked up. Holding onto those dreams isn't easy when fate has placed such daunting obstacles in her path. Dutch director Sam de Jong has delivered a real New York film: raw and glamorous, unflinchingly realistic and relentlessly optimistic, with a ton of heart and at least as much attitude. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: Bonus Short Film: "We Love Moses," directed by Dionne Edwards (United Kingdom, 15 minutes. When Ella was twelve, she discovered sex. Now eighteen, Ella reflects on how her obsession with her older brother's best friend, Moses, left her with a secret she still carries. (Film Movement).

The Golem

(1920) Widely recognized as the source of the Frankenstein myth, the ancient Hebrew legend of the Golem provided actor-director Paul Wegener with the substance for one of the most adventurous films of the German silent cinema. Suffering under the tyrannical rule of Rudolf II in 16th-century Prague, a Talmudic rabbi (Albert Steinruck) creates a giant warrior (Paul Wegener) to protect the safety of his people. When the rabbi's assistant (Ernst Deutsch) takes control of the Golem and attempts to use him for selfish gain, the lumbering monster runs rampant, abducting the rabbi's daughter (Lyda Salmonova) and setting fire to the ghetto. With its remarkable creation sequence (a dazzling blend of religion, sorcery and special effects) and the grand-scale destruction of its climax, "The Golem" was one of the greatest achievements of the legendary UFA Studios, and remains an undeniable landmark in the evolution of the horror film. 4K restoration of German release version; music by Stephen Horne; music by Admir Shkurtai; music by Lukasz "Wudec" Poleszak. U.S. release version, with music by Cordula Heth. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Audio commentary by film historian Tim Lucas, comparison of German and U.S. release versions. (Kino Classics).

The Heart Guy, Series 4

(2019) Three-disc set with all 10 episodes of the series, akin to an Aussie "Doc Martin" with its fish-out-of-water premise and eccentric characters, that follows Hugh Knight, a rising star in the Sydney heart-surgery ranks. Hugh is gifted, charming, and seemingly infallible, but after an incident involving drugs and alcohol, he’s forced to practice as a GP in his rural hometown and deal with his complicated family situation. Formats: DVD. (Acorn Media).

Infernum

(2020) Suziey Block, Clinton Roper Elledge, Sarah Schoofs, Michael Barbuto, Abby Wathen, Sarah Zinsser. There is a real-world phenomenon where strange, mysterious sounds ring across towns or regions heralding the arrival of something otherworldly. These haunting sounds happen across the globe and when heard, people disappear or die. Camille Williams has been hunting this phenomenon since the disappearance of her parents, and now that she has tracked the sound down, all hell breaks loose. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Indican Pictures).

Jungle Queen

(1945) Thirteen-episode serial from the 1940s. First time on Blu-ray and produced from a new 2K scan of the 35mm nitrate fine grain studio masters. During World War II, the Nazi High Command sends agents into the African jungle to stir up the local Tongghili tribes against the British Allies. This allows them to plant Commander Elise Bork, posing as a scientist, and her subordinate, Lang, within the Tambosa Experimental Farm. Along with the help of Maati, an evil rival tribesman, they search for the legendary "Secret Sword," which has mysterious powers. Two Americans, Bob Elliott (Edward Norris) and Chuck Kelly (Eddie Quillan) arrive to aid the Allies and meet Pamela Courtney (Lois Collier), who is looking for her father, an explorer who mysteriously disappeared. Bork and Lang feign friendship with the trio in order to find out what they know, before trying several ways to kill them. Their attempts always fail though, due to the well-timed appearances of Lothel (Ruth Roman), the beautiful and mysterious Queen of the Jungle, Tongghili's spiritual leader. In desperation, the Nazis try to kill Lothel by letting loose wild animals, and setting fire to the jungle. Lothel, however, walks through the flames unharmed and seems to tame even the wildest beast. And in the end, she helps end the Nazi terror and return peace to the jungle, before vanishing into a sheet of flame. Formats: Blu-ray. (VCI Entertainment/MVD Entertainment).

Just Mercy

(2019) Brie Larson, Rafe Spall, Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Tim Blake Nelson. World-renowned civil rights defense attorney Bryan Stevenson works to free a wrongly condemned death row prisoner. Read more about "Just Mercy" in the April Calendar.Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: TBA. (Warner).

Lycanimator

(2018) Cayt Feinics, Joel D. Wynkoop, Briana Wyman. A group of friends break into an abandoned house for a weekend of partying only to discover a mad scientist in hiding ... who just happens to need subjects to try out his new monster-making formula. When some of that serum turns one of the group into a hungry, murderous were-beast, all hell breaks loose and everyone is on the menu. Formats: DVD. Extras: "Behind-the-scenes featurette, making-of Featurette, short film: "Fleshflower." (Wild Eye Releasing/Music Video Distributors).

Raiga: God of the Monsters

(2009 -- Japan) Yukijiro Hotaru, Ryan Davies, Manami Enosawa. Global warming leads to excessive melting of the southern polar ice cap, disrupting Earth's ecosystem. The receding ice brings long dormant ancient sea creatures back to life, monsters that set their sights on Japan. Among the kaiju is an enormous sea beast the locals refer to as the legendary Raiga. The monster attacks the city of Asakusa, bringing death and destruction as he tramples building and lays waste to the military. Can Raiga be stopped, or will all of Japan be destroyed by his fury? Formats: DVD. Extras: Trailers, TV commercial, "making-of" featurette (in Japanese). (SRS Cinema/Music Video Distributors).

Ricordi?

(2018 -- Italy) Luca Marinelli, Linda Caridi, Giovanni Anzaldo. A long love story, seen through the memories of one young couple: recollections altered by moods, their different perspectives, and time itself. The journey through the years of two individuals, united, divided, happy, unhappy, deeply in love, or in love with others, in a single stream of emotions and shades of feeling. Over the course of the film, he learns that love can indeed last, while she learns to live with nostalgia. Their memories, as well, change over time: fading or else bursting with happiness, in a present that fast slips away, becoming memories. Formats: DVD. (Icarus Films).

The Righteous Gemstones: The Complete First Season

(2019) Two-disc set with all nine episodes of the series that centers on the Gemstones, a celebrity televangelist family behind a popular megachurch that is also a major money-making enterprise. Danny McBride stars as Jesse Gemstone, the eldest of three grown Gemstone children, who sees himself as a maverick in the ministry game but, as the series begins, receives a blackmail video that could put his reputation at risk. Getting caught up in the hunt for the blackmail culprits are Jesse’s sister Judy (Edi Patterson), who is secretly “living in sin” with her fiancé and dreams of escaping the Gemstone compound, and Jesse’s youngest sibling Kelvin (Adam Devine), a pseudo-hipster who always finds a way to get under his brother’s skin. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: "Invitation to the Set" featurette. (Warner).

Sixteen Candles

(1984) In his debut film as writer-director, John Hughes immediately cemented himself as the king of teen cinema with "Sixteen Candles," and in the process also introduced one of the most iconic faces of 80s Americana: Molly Ringwald. For high schooler Samantha Baker (Ringwald), her 16th birthday might be the worst day of her life. Her entire family has forgotten about it due to her older sister's impending wedding; her biggest crush, high school hunk Jake Ryan (Michael Schoeffling) has discovered an embarrassing "sex quiz" filled out by Sam in which she details how she is saving herself for him; and to make matters worse, she is hounded by a relentless nerd (Anthony Michael Hall) who won't take no for an answer. But Sam's sweet sixteen isn't over yet, and before the end of the night, all her birthday wishes could still come true... Taking the rude and crude humor of the teen sex comedies that came before it and placing it within the intimately portrayed perspective of a girl's mid-teenage-life crisis, "Sixteen Candles" is a bombshell of 80s pop culture that continues to be debated and beloved over three decades after its release. New restoration by Arrow Films from a 4K scan of the original negative. Formats: High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation of the Theatrical Version of the film (92 mins), plus Blu-ray premiere Extended Version (94 mins), featuring the additional “cafeteria” scene newly remastered in high definition. Original lossless mono audio, plus 5.1 DTS-HD MA surround option. Extras: Alternate “home video” soundtrack prepared for VHS and laserdisc releases; option to watch additional scene from the Extended Version separately; "Casting Sixteen Candles," an all-new audio interview with casting director Jackie Burch; "When Gedde Met Deborah," a newly filmed conversation between actors Gedde Watanabe and Deborah Pollack; "Rudy the Bohunk," a newly filmed interview with supporting actor John Kapelos; "The In-Between," a newly filmed interview with camera operator Gary Kibbe; "The New Wave Nerd," a newly filmed interview with filmmaker Adam Rifkin, who shadowed John Hughes while working as an extra on set; "Music for Geeks,": a newly filmed interview with composer Ira Newborn; "A Very Eighties Fairytale," an all-new video essay written and narrated by writer Soraya Roberts, looking at the film from a contemporary feminist perspective; "Celebrating Sixteen Candles," an archive documentary featuring interviews with cast, crew and admirers, including stars Anthony Michael Hall, Paul Dooley, Justin Henry, Haviland Morris and Gedde Watanabe; theatrical trailers, TV spots and radio spots; image galleries; BD-ROM with PDF of the original shooting script; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sara Deck; FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors’ booklet featuring new writing on the film by Nikki Baughan and Bryan Reesman. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).

Underwater

(2020) Kristen Stewart, T.J. Miller, Vincent Cassel, Jessica Henwick, John Gallagher Jr., Mamoudou Athie, Gunner Wright. Thriller follows a crew of underwater researchers who must scramble to safety after an earthquake devastates their subterranean laboratory. But the crew has more than the ocean seabed to fear. Read more about "Underwater" in the April Calendar.Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Blu-ray extras: Alternate ending; deleted scene; six extended scenes; two featurettes: "Real Bunny Montage" and "Making Underwater"; commentary. (Fox).

V: The Final Battle

(1984) Two-disc set. Is there life out there? Finally, we know. Because they are here. Alien spacecraft with humanlike passengers have come to Earth. They say they come in peace for food and water. The water they find in our reservoirs. The food they find walking about everywhere on two legs. That saga that began with "V" now culminates in a struggle to save the world in V: The Final Battle. Sci-fi film stalwarts Marc Singer, Robert Englund and Michael Ironside head a large cast in this tense adventure that leaps from the stunning revelation of reptilian beings concealed by human masks to the birth of the first human/alien child to the harrowing countdown to nuclear doomsday. The future begins or ends here. Formats: Blu-ray. (Warner).

Back to top

April 21

Alastair Sim's School For Laughter

Perhaps best remembered as Ebenezer Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol," Scottish character actor Alastair Sim became a leading star of British cinema after spending five years as a lecturer of elocution at the University of Edinburgh. One of the best-loved and most prolific actors in classic British comedy, Sim, who often appeared in multiple roles, starred in more than 50 films beginning in 1935 and was both critically acclaimed and unfailingly popular, regularly topping the cinema-goers popularity polls. This four-disc Blu-ray collection spotlights his most laughter-inducing film roles -- now digitally restored in HD for optimal viewing" "The Belles of St. Trinian's" (1954, directed by Frank Launder): The schoolgirls of St. Trinian's are more interested in men and mischief than homework and hockey, but even greater trouble beckons with the arrival of two new students. Features Sim playing dual roles as the headmistress, Miss Millicent Fritton, and her twin brother, Clarence. Based on the cartoons of Ronald Searle. "School for Scoundrels" (1960, directed by Robert Hamer): Henry Palfrey (Ian Carmichael) tries hard to impress but always loses out to the rotter Delauney (Terry-Thomas). Then he enrolls in the "College of Lifemanship" run by "Professor" Stephen Potter (Sim) and learns "how to win without actually cheating!" "Laughter In Paradise" (1951, directed by Mario Zampi): Famed practical joker Henry Russell (Hugh Griffith) leaves 50,000 pounds to his four surviving relatives, including his cousin, retired army officer Deniston Russell (Sim). There's just one stipulation - each of them has to undertake a task completely out of character for one month. Released in 1951, "Laughter In Paradise" was Britain's top-grossing film. Watch carefully and see a young Audrey Hepburn in a bit part as a cigarette girl. "Hue and Cry" (1947, directed by Charles Crichton): The first of the Ealing Studios "comedies." After discovering that his favorite comic is being used to send messages between a master criminal and his gang of thieves, teenager Joe Kirby (Harry Fowler) sets out to alert writer Felix Wilkinson (Sim) and turn the page on the crooks. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Trailers, featurettes, interviews. (Film Movement).

American Terrorist

(2020) Peter Cambor, Lacey Dorn, Tarek Bishara, John Buffalo Mailer, Essam Ferris, Scott Kluge. In the wake of the September 11th attacks, two brothers decide to take matters into their own hands. Embarking on a swath of vigilante justice, the two believe they have stopped a mass casualty event. But what if they were wrong? Where does the line between good and evil fall… Formats: DVD, Digital. (Indican Pictures).

Bad Boys For Life

(2020) Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Charles Melton, Paola Nuñez, Kate del Castillo, Nicky Jam, Joe Pantoliano. Bad Boys Marcus and Mike have to confront new issues (career changes and midlife crises), as they join the newly created elite team AMMO of the Miami police department to take down the ruthless Armando Armas, the vicious leader of a Miami drug cartel. Read more about "Bad Boys For Life" in the April Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: Extended & alternate scenes, outtakes & bloopers. Blu-ray adds "Ride or Die: Making Bad Boys for Life"; "Partners in Crime: Behind-the-Scenes"; "It’s About Time": 25 years of "Bad Boys" history with producer Jerry Bruckheimer, the cast and crew; Easter Eggs. (Sony).

Blood & Flesh: The Real Life & Ghastly Death of Al Adamson

(2010) "Horror Film Director Found Slain, Buried Under Floor," screamed the 1995 headlines read around the world. But the truth behind the wild life of Al Adamson -- including the production of such low budget classics as "Satan's Sadists," "Dracula vs. Frankenstein" and "The Naughty Stewardesses" -- and his grisly death reveals perhaps the most bizarre career in Hollywood history. Told through over 40 first-person recollections from friends, family, colleagues and historians -- plus rare clips and archival interviews with Adamson himself -- this documentary is the award-winning chronicle of bikers, go-go dancers, porn stars, aging actors, freak-out girls, Charles Manson, Colonel Sanders, alien conspiracies and homicidal contractors. Formats: Blu-ray; DVD due June 2. Extras: "Beyond This Earth" promo reel, trailer, bonus film "The Female Bunch," "The Bunch Speaks Out" featurette, "The Female Bunch" trailers. (Severin Films).

Carnival Magic

(1981) Al Adamson’s (see above) first children’s movie, a delightful tale of alcoholism, domestic violence, a talking chimp with a brassiere fetish, vivisection, suicide, "The Freak-Out Girl" Regina Carrol – in her final performance – flaunting an array of skintight/low-cut outfits, and not a single role for children. Don Stewart and Joe Cirillo co-star in the infamous ‘80s oddity that has been hailed as “Possibly the worst kiddie movie ever made.” Scanned from the only surviving pre-print 35mm elements. Includes his last complete feature, the Sandra Dee starrer "Lost" that reveals Aldamson's bizarre kiddie matinee legacy. Formats: Blu-ray; DVD due June 2. Extras: "A Boom to Science" critical appreciation by Zack Carlson and Lars Nilsen; audio commentary with producer Elvin Feltner; outtakes; TV Spot; trailer; "The Happy Hobo" rushes for a promo from unproduced Adamson kids film; "Lost" trailer. (Severin Films).

The Cremator

(1969 -- Czechoslovakia) Czechoslovak New Wave iconoclast Juraj Herz’s terrifying, darkly comic vision of the horrors of totalitarian ideologies stars a supremely chilling Rudolf Hrušínský as the pathologically morbid Karel Kopfrkingl, a crematorium manager in 1930s Prague who believes fervently that death offers the only true relief from human suffering. When he is recruited by the Nazis, Kopfrkingl’s increasingly deranged worldview drives him to formulate his own shocking final solution. Blending the blackest of gallows humor with disorienting expressionistic flourishes — queasy point-of-view shots, distorting lenses, jarring quick cuts—the controversial, long-banned masterpiece ."The Cremator" is one of cinema’s most trenchant and disturbing portraits of the banality of evil. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc with new 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: High-definition digital transfer of "The Junk Shop," director Juraj Herz’s 1965 debut short film; short documentary from 2011 featuring Herz visiting filming locations and recalling the production of T"he Cremator"; new interview with film programmer Irena Kovarova about the style of the film; documentary from 2017 about composer Zdenek Liška featuring Herz, filmmakers Jan Švankmajer and the Quay Brothers, and others; interview with actor Rudolf Hrušínský from 1993; trailer; an essay by film scholar Jonathan Owen. (The Criterion Collection).

The Curse of the Werewolf Collector's Edition Blu-ray

(1961) Directed by legendary horror filmmaker Terence Fisher ("Horror of Dracula," "The Curse Of Frankenstein"), this Hammer horror classic stars Clifford Evans ("The Kiss of the Vampire"), Oliver Reed ("Gladiator"), Yvonne Romain ("The Last of Sheila"), and Catherine Feller ("The Little World of Don Camillo"). The atmospheric tale of terror stars Reed as the orphan of a maniacal beggar and a mute girl. From his birth to young manhood, he discovers a horrible secret. Try as he may, the cursed man is unable to deny the dark force within him. When the moon is full, he becomes an uncontrollable, seemingly unstoppable killer incapable of distinguishing between friend and foe. Spectacular makeup effects and beautifully photographed 19th-century European locales heighten the suspense of this classic tale of horror. In a new 4K scan of the original film elements. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Audio commentary with actress Yvonne Romain, special makeup effects artist Mike Hill and composer Leslie Bricusse; new audio commentary with author/film historian Steve Haberman and filmmaker/film historian Constantine Nasr; new "The Men Who Made Hammer – Roy Ashton"; new "Serial Killer – Benjamin Frankel, Serialism and The Curse of the Werewolf"; "The Making of The Curse of the Werewolf," including interviews with actors Catherine Feller and Yvonne Romain, Mike Hill, art director Don Mingaye, art department member Margaret Robinson and filmmaker Jimmy Sangster; "Lycanthropy: The Beast in All of Us"; "Censoring the Werewolf"; theatrical trailer; "Trailers From Hell" with commentary by filmmaker John Landis; radio spot; still gallery. (Scream Factory).

The Gentlemen

(2019) Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong, Colin Farrell, Henry Golding, Hugh Grant, Jason Wong. An American expat tries to sell off his highly profitable marijuana empire in London, triggering plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail in an attempt to steal his domain out from under him. Read more about "The Gentlemen" in the April Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: "Best Gentlemanly Quips," "Glossary of Cannabis," "Behind the Scenes of The Gentlemen," photo gallery. (Universal).

Infinity Train: Book One

(2019) Single disc with all 10 of the episodes of Cartoon Network’s mysterious and critically acclaimed series. Join Tulip on a mind-bending journey aboard the mysterious Infinity Train, alongside her companions Atticus, the canine king of Corginia, and One-One, a robot with dueling personalities. With puzzles and perils awaiting them in every car, and the relentless Steward on their trail, will Tulip ever find a way off the train and return home? Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: Animatics, Infinity Train gallery, commentary, the mix of the final episode, "The Train 4" documentaries. (Warner).

Ip Man 4: The Finale

(2019 -- China) Donnie Yen, Scott Adkins, Kwok-Kwan Chan, Vanness Wu. The Kung Fu master travels to the U.S. where his student has upset the local martial arts community by opening a Wing Chun school. Read more about "Ip Man 4: The Finale" in the April Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Making-of" featurette. (Well Go USA).

The Last Full Measure

(2019) Sebastian Stan, Christopher Plummer, William Hurt, Peter Fonda, Diane Ladd, Amy Madigan, Bradley Whitford, Ed Harris, Samuel L. Jackson. Thirty-four years after his death, Airman William H. Pitsenbarger, Jr. ("Pits") is awarded the nation's highest military honor, for his actions on the battlefield. Read more about "The Last Full Measure" in the Apr Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: “The Women of The Last Full Measure” featurette, “Medal of Honor Ceremony Shoot” featurette, “The Others May Live: Remembering Operation Abilene” featurette, “USAF Museum Screening With Veterans & Pitsenbarger Family” featurette, “The Music of The Last Full Measure” featurette, “William Pitsenbarger Tribute” photo gallery. (Lionsgate).

Like a Boss

(2020) Tiffany Haddish, Rose Byrne, Salma Hayek, Jennifer Coolidge, Billy Porter. Best friends Mia and Mel (Haddish and Byrne) are living their best lives, running their own cosmetics company until a villainous beauty mogul (Hayek) conspires to steal it from under them. Read more about "Like a Boss" in the April Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Blu-ray extras: "With Coworkers Like These, Who Needs Friends?" featurette, “Get Some With Ron and Greg," deleted scenes. (Paramount).

Looking For Alaska

(2019) Three-disc set with all eight episodes. Based on author John Green’s (“The Fault In Our Stars”) award-winning first novel of the same name, the film is a moving story of friendship, love and loss and follows Miles “Pudge” Halter (Charlie Plummer) who is searching for a deeper perspective on life and decides to enroll at the boarding school Culver Creek Academy. He finds a loyal group of friends and falls in love with Alaska Young (Kristine Froseth). After an unexpected tragedy, the close group of friends tries to cope with everything they’ve been through and find some answers along the way. Formats: DVD. Extras: Deleted scenes, exclusive interview with John Green. (Paramount).

The Love of Jeanne Ney

(1927) Edith Jehanne, Fritz Rasp, Brigitte Helm, Uno Henning. An epic of the Weimar cinema, "The Love of Jeanne Ney" follows a young French woman's struggle for happiness amid the political turbulence and corruption of post-World War I Europe. A tour-de-force for director G.W. Pabst ("Diary of a Lost Girl," "Pandora's Box"), the silent film blends a variety of cinematic approaches as it weaves its complex narrative of moral chaos and political upheaval: the American Style, evocative of the Hollywood studio blockbuster; the avant-garde techniques of Soviet montage; as well as the eerie moving camerawork and shadowy perspectives typical of German Expressionism. The result is a stunning cinematic experiment that never fails to surprise the viewer as it races towards its exhilarating conclusion. Restored German release version with music adapted and orchestrated by Bernd Thewes; U.S. release version with music by Andrew Earle Simpson. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Audio commentary by film historian Eddy von Mueller. (Kino Classics).

Pandora and the Flying Dutchman

(1951) New 4K restoration of Albert Lewin's sumptuous Technicolor masterpiece. Lewin, who specialized in fine literary adaptations ("The Picture of Dorian Gray," "The Moon and Sixpence"), based this 1951 film on the legend of the Flying Dutchman, a 17th-century ghost ship doomed to sail the oceans forever. However, here the Flying Dutchman is not a ship, but a man with a sinister yet romantic mission. A yacht arrives in the Spanish seaport of Esperanza carrying just one person, the mysterious captain Hendrick van der Zee (James Mason). There he meets American nightclub singer Pandora Reynolds (Ava Gardner), a beauty who men will kill and die for but who has never loved anyone. The stage is set for a swooning tale of ultimate love and sacrifice. This delirious drama reveals Lewin to be one of mid-century cinema's greatest stylists. It is also one of the finest achievements by cinematographer Jack Cardiff, legendary for his work with the team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger ("The Red Shoes," "Black Narcissus," "A Matter of Life and Death") as well as such classics as "The African Queen" and "The Barefoot Contessa." Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. Extras: Includes as a bonus director Albert Lewin's final film, 1957's "The Living Idol," an adventure thriller starring Steve Forrest Liliane Montevecchi; the original "Pandora" trailer; a Hedda Hopper trailer; restoration trailers; alternate opening; restoration comparison; 1957 Playhouse 90 episode "The Death of Monolete," about the Spanish bullfighting hero. (Cohen Film Collection).

Party Hard, Die Young

(2018) Elisabeth Wabitsch, Michael Glantschnig, Valerie Huber, Ferdinand Seebacher. Sun, sand, sex and all-night dancing at a beautiful island resort is the perfect graduation celebration for a group of young friends looking for one last taste of freedom before they go their separate ways. But the dancing and drinking comes to a halt when people start disappearing, and a masked murderer sends the ominous message ... this party will be their last. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (RLJE Films).

Tigers Are Not Afraid

(2017 -- Mexico) Paola Lara, Juan Ramón López, Ianis Guerrero, Rodrigo Corte. A haunting horror fairytale set against the backdrop of Mexico’s devastating drug wars, the film follows a group of orphaned children who are unexpectedly given three magical wishes. As they run from the cartel that murdered their parents and the ghosts that haunt them, they must decide how to use this special gift to save their own lives and the people they love. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Steelbook. Extras: "The Making of Tigers Are Not Afraid," director's commentary, deleted scenes, casting sessions, photo galleries. Blu-ray adds Interview with Guillermo del Toro and Issa López at Toronto International Film Festival. (RLJE Films).

The Turning

(2020) Mackenzie Davis, Finn Wolfhard, Brooklynn Prince, Mark Huberman, Karen Egan. A young governess is hired by a man who has become responsible for his young nephew and niece after their parents' deaths. A modern take on Henry James' novella "The Turn of the Screw." Read more about "The Turning" in the April Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: Alternate ending, deleted scenes, "Behind The Turning." (Universal).

When the Wind Blows

(1986) “There have been enough post-holocaust nuclear winter films to constitute a genre,” says Time Out, “but there has never been anything quite like this.” Three decades after it first shattered audiences worldwide, the animated classic about an elderly couple - voiced by John Mills and Peggy Ashcroft – attempting to survive the aftermath of a nuclear war returns. Directed by Jimmy T. Murakami ("Heavy Metal," "Battle Beyond the Stars"), adapted by Raymond Briggs from his acclaimed graphic novel, and featuring an original score by Roger Waters with the title song by David Bowie, experience what Rock! Shock! Pop! calls “A fascinating achievement in filmmaking, and one that remains timeless more than 30 years after its creation.” Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: "Jimmy Murakami: Non Alien" feature-length documentary about the film’s director; "The Wind and The Bomb" making-of featurette; audio commentary with first assistant editor Joe Fordham and film historian Nick Redman; an interview with Raymond Briggs; "Protect and Survive" public information film designed to be broadcast when a nuclear attack was imminent; isolated music and effects audio track; trailers. (Severin Kids).

Why Don't You Just Die!

(2018 -- Russia) Shades of early Tarantino, Edgar Wright and Sam Raimi abound in this violent, stylish and riotously entertaining slice of family life, Moscow style. Matvey (Aleksandr Kuznetsov) has just one objective: to gain entry to his girlfriend's parents' apartment and kill her father Andrey (Vitaliy Khaev) with a hammer to restore her honor. But all is not as it initially seems, and Matvey's attempts to bludgeon the family patriarch to death don't quite go to plan as Andrey proves a more formidable -- not to mention ruthless -- opponent than he anticipated ... and Matvey, for his part, proves stubbornly unwilling to die. Making his feature debut, writer-director Kirill Sokolov presents a rousing tale of family, modern relationships and the dark places they can take you to when things turn sour. Featuring a soundtrack that veers between Ennio Morricone-esque Western riffs and toe-tappingly catchy pop numbers, "Why Don't You Just Die!" delivers laughs, shocking twists and copious quantities of blood and gore, and establishes Sokolov as one of cinema's brightest rising stars. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: New interview with author and critic Kim Newman, exploring "Why Don't You Just Die!" within the context of the long-standing tradition of single location cinema' exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from rehearsals and the film set; four short films by Kirill Sokolov: "Could Be Worse," "The Outcome," "The Flame" and the award-winning "Sisyphus Is Happy" (Best Director and Gold Frame awards, 2013 Unprecedented Cinema International Festival of Short Film); theatrical trailer; Kirill Sokolov's complete original storyboard for the film (BD-ROM content); reversible sleeve featuring two choices of artwork; FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing by Neil Mitchell. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).

Back to top

April 28

Arrow: The Eighth and Final Season

(2019-20) Three-disc set with all 10 episodes. Following the arrival of The Monitor, Oliver Queen left his home, his family, and his team behind to take on his most challenging battle yet, knowing the cost may be his life. But this time it’s not just his city he’s seeking to protect – it’s the entire multiverse! Oliver’s quest will send him on a journey where he is forced to confront the ultimate question: what is the true cost of being a hero? Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. Extras: "The Best of DC TV's Comic-Con Panels San Diego 2019." "Arrow: Hitting the Bullseye" broadcast special, deleted scenes. A limited edition bonus disc featuring all five DC Crossover Events: "Crisis on Infinite Earthsepisodes," will be available exclusively for fans who purchase the Blu-ray. (Warner).

Arrow: The Complete Series

(2012-2019) Thirty-eight disc DVD set for $169.99; 31-disc Blu-ray set for $189.99. (Warner).

The Assistant

(2019) Julia Garner, Matthew Macfadyen, Makenzie Leigh, Kristine Froseth, Jon Orsini. A searing look at a day in the life of an assistant to a powerful executive. As Jane (Garner) follows her daily routine, she grows increasingly aware of the insidious abuse that threatens every aspect of her position. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Universal).

The Dark Red

(2018) April Billingsley, Kelsey Scott, Rhoda Griffis. A young woman is committed to a psychiatric hospital after claiming that her newborn has been abducted by a secret society called the Dark Red -- an ancient, underground cult that harvests and controls an incredibly rare blood type that gives one the power to hear and guide another person's thoughts. The woman, Sybil, claims she is special, that she carries a pure and powerful strain of the blood like nothing seen before, and that the society sees her and her child as central to its next evolution -- or perhaps its greatest threat, should she turn against them. Is the Dark Red entirely a figment of Sybil's imagination -- a complex coping mechanism to overcome a terrible personal tragedy -- or is there some truth behind her story? Formats: DVD, Digital. (Dark Sky Films).

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark

(1988) She's back! Elvira, Horrorland's hostess with the mostest, finally busts out on Blu-ray with this long-awaited, positively bursting-at-the-seams special edition of her big screen debut. Having just quit her job as a Los Angeles TV horror hostess, Elvira receives the unexpected news that she's set to inherit part of her great aunt Morgana's estate. Arriving in the small town of Fallwell, Massachusetts, to claim her inheritance, Elvira receives a less than enthusiastic reception from the conservative locals -- amongst them, her sinister uncle Vincent, who, unbeknownst to Elvira, is in fact an evil warlock secretly scheming to steal the old family spellbook for his own nefarious ends. Campy, quirky and stuffed to the brim with more double entendres than your average "Carry On" movie, this film helped solidify the horror hostess (played by Cassandra Peterson) as a major pop culture icon, here owning every inch of the screen with her quick wit, sass, and of course, cleaving-enhancing gown. New restoration from a 4K scan of original film elements, with original uncompressed stereo 2.0 audio. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Introduction to the film by director James Signorelli; 2017 audio commentary with Signorelli, hosted by Fangoria editor emeritus Tony Timpone; 2017 audio commentary with Patterson Lundquist, www.elviramistressofthedark.com webmaster and judge of US TV show "The Search for the Next Elvira"; archival audio commentary with Cassandra Peterson, Edie McClurg and writer John Paragon; "Too Macabre -- The Making of Elvira: Mistress of the Dark" newly-revised 2018 version of this feature-length documentary on the making of the film, including interviews with various cast and crew and rare never-before-seen archival material; "Recipe for Terror: The Creation of the Pot Monster" newly-revised 2018 version of this featurette on the concept and design of the pot monster, as well as the film’s other SFX; original storyboards; extensive image galleries; original US theatrical and teaser trailers; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sara Deck; FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring writing by Kat Ellinger and Patterson Lundquist. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).

The Europeans

(1979) New 4K restoration of Merchant Ivory Productions' classic period drama. The film marked the first Merchant Ivory adaptation of a novel by Henry James, and stars Lee Remick, Robin Ellis, Lisa Eichhorn. Set in the 1850s, the film centers on the wealthy, puritanical Wentworth family living outside Boston, whose lives are upended by the not-so-welcome arrival of their European cousins one particularly golden autumn. Remick shines as the snooty and calculating Eugenia, a baroness whose marriage to a German prince is on the fritz. Meanwhile, her dapper brother Felix (Tim Woodward) has his eye on one of the Wentworth daughters, Gertrude (Eichhorn). Exploring one of Henry James' great themes -- the social and moral clashes between the New World and the Continent -- the film was produced by Ismail Merchant, directed by James Ivory and features a witty screenplay by their frequent collaborator Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. Extras: The original trailer; the restoration trailer; a conversation with the filmmakers; "Conversations from the Quad," in which James Ivory discusses the making of the film; new interview with Ivory. (Cohen Film Collection).

The Grand Budapest Hotel

(2014) Wes Anderson brings his dry wit and visual inventiveness to this exquisite caper set amid the old-world splendor of Europe between the World Wars. At the opulent Grand Budapest Hotel, the concierge M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) and his young protégé Zero (Tony Revolori) forge a steadfast bond as they are swept up in a scheme involving the theft of a priceless Renaissance painting and the battle for an enormous family fortune — while around them, political upheaval consumes the continent. Meticulously designed, "The Grand Budapest Hotel" is a breathless picaresque and a poignant paean to friendship and the grandeur of a vanished world, performed with panache by an all-star ensemble that includes F. Murray Abraham, Adrien Brody, Saoirse Ronan, Willem Dafoe, Jude Law, Harvey Keitel, Jeff Goldblum, Mathieu Amalric, Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc with 2K digital transfer, supervised by director Wes Anderson, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: New audio commentary featuring Anderson, filmmaker Roman Coppola, and actor Jeff Goldblum; selected-scene storyboard animatics; The Making of “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” a new documentary about the film; new interviews with the cast and crew; video essays from 2015 and 2020 by critic Matt Zoller Seitz and film scholar David Bordwell; behind-the-scenes, special-effects, and test footage; trailer; two pieces by critic Richard Brody and (with the Blu-ray) a double-sided poster and other ephemera. (The Criterion Collection)

Guns Akimbo

(2019) Daniel Radcliffe, Samara Weaving, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Ned Dennehy, Grant Bowler, Edwin Wright, Rhys Darb. A video game developer is forced to play a game of survival while being broadcast online for others’ amusement. Read more about "Guns Akimbo" in the April Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Audio commentary with writer-director Jason Lei Howden, “Welcome to SKIZM” featurette, “Nix vs. Dane Stunt Sequence Exploration” featurette. (Lionsgate).

Gutterballs

(2008) Alastair Gamble, Mihola Terzic, Nathan Witte. A brutally sadistic rape leads to a series of bizarre gory murders during a midnight disco bowl-a-rama at a popular bowling alley. One by one, players of two teams meet blood-drenched gruesome deaths at the hand of a black bowling-gloved masked killer. This alley runs red with blood by sunrise. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Commentary with director Ryan Nicholson, "Behind the Balls: Making of Gutterballs," photo gallery. Blu-ray adds "Pin-etration Edition." Blu-ray Collectors Edition adds Over 40 hours worth of never-before-seen extras. (Unearthed Films).

The Incoherents

(2020) Jeff Auer, Alex Emanuel, Walter Hoffman, Casey Clark, Amy Carlson, Annette O’Toole, Kate Arrington. Bruce Flansburgh (Auer) is a bored, 40-something New York paralegal who hasn’t let go of his dream of rock stardom. While slogging through an increasingly unbearable day-to-day existence, it dawns on him that the reunions of The Pixies, Soundgarden and other alternative/indie rock bands from the 90’s could inspire his former group, The Incoherents, to reform. The group, each mired in some sort of midlife malaise, reunite their 90s indie rock band for one last shot at stardom. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Gravitas Ventures).

Just One of the Guys BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1985) Joyce Hyser, Clayton Rohner, Billy Jacoby, Toni Hudson, William Zabka, Sherilyn Fenn. Terri (Hyser) blames sexism when her journalism teacher refuses to enter her article in a competition to win a summer internship at the local newspaper. With the help of her kid brother, Buddy (Jacoby), she masquerades as a guy at a rival school and enters the contest there. During her charade, “Terry the Boy” tangles with a vicious bully, Greg (Zabka), and fends off an amorous classmate, Sandy (Fenn). But when she falls for a handsome loner, Rick (Rohner), she must find a way to convince him that she’s not "just one of the guys". Extras: New reunion commentary featuring director Lisa Gottlieb and actors Arye Gross, Joyce Hyser, Clayton Rohner, Toni Hudson, John Apicella. (Sony).

Me and You and Everyone We Know

(2005) With this compassionate, startling comedy that could have come from no other artistic sensibility, the brilliant Miranda July reveals a world both familiar and strange — an original vision of creativity, sexuality, childhood, and loneliness through a series of braided vignettes around a pair of potential lovers: Richard, a newly single shoe salesman and father of two (John Hawkes), and Christine, a lonely video artist and “Eldercab” driver (July). While they take hesitant steps toward romance, Richard’s sons follow their own curiosity toward their first sexual experiences, online and in real life, venturing into uncharted territories in their attempts to connect with others. Playful and profoundly transgressive, "Me and You and Everyone We Know" is a poetic look at the tortuous routes we take to intimacy in an isolating world, and the moments of magic and redemption that unite us. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc with high-definition digital master, approved by director Miranda July, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: New documentary about July’s artistic beginnings and the development of her debut feature; "Open to the World," a new documentary by July about the 2017 interfaith charity shop and participatory artwork she created in collaboration with Artangel; "July Interviews July: Deauville, 2005," a discovery from July’s archives, newly edited; six scenes from the 2003 Sundance Directors Lab, where July workshopped the film, with commentary by July; "The Amateurist "(1998) and "Nest of Tens" (2000), short films by July; several films from July’s "Joanie 4 Jackie" project, and a documentary about the program; trailer; essays by artist Sara Magenheimer and novelist Lauren Groff. (The Criterion Collection).

The Rhythm Section

(2020) Blake Lively, Jude Law, Sterling K. Brown, Max Casella, Raza Jaffrey, Daniel Mays, Richard Brake, Geoff Bell. Stephanie Patrick (Lively) is an ordinary woman on a path of self-destruction after her family is tragically killed in a plane crash. When Stephanie discovers that the crash was not an accident, she enters a dark, complex world to seek revenge on those responsible and find her own redemption. Read more about "The Rhythm Section" in the April Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo, VOD, Digital. Blu-ray extras: Deleted and extended scenes, multiple featurettes. (Paramount).

Série Noir

(1979 -- France) Patrick Dewaere, Marie Trintignant, Myriam Boyer, Bernard Blier. A sleazy slice of noir, Alain Corneau's Palme D'Or-nominated, no holds-barred adaptation of Jim Thompson's novel "A Hell of a Woman" in a 2K digital restoration. While trying to track down a deadbeat customer, door-to-door salesman Franck Poupart (Dewaere) encounters Mona (Trintignant), a teenage sexpot living with her miserly aunt. After being dumped by his wife and thrown in jail by his boss, Franck agrees to help Mona kill her aunt and make off with her millions. Unfortunately, their scheme backfires, and Franck sees his luck take an even darker turn for the worse. Dewaere, the too-soon-gone premiere wild man of 70s French cinema, gives a live-wire, no-holds-barred performance, playing the entirely-amoral Thompson protagonist to the hilt, his increasingly frenzied star turn driving the film headlong towards derangement. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: "Série Noire, The Darkness of the Soul" featurette, interview with Alain Corneau and Marie Trintignant, new essay by film critic Nick Pinkerton. (Film Movement).

The Sharks (Los tiburones)

(2019 -- Uruguay) Romina Bentancur, Federico Morosini, Fabián Arenillas. Follows 14-year-old Rosina, who ticks the days of a restless summer in a sleepy beachside town away, until she sees an ominous dorsal fin during a swim. The rumor of sharks quickly spreads, unsettling the town, but Rosina remains unphased, instead focusing on her enigmatic coworker, Joselo, who she becomes increasingly attracted to and begins circling, much like the mysterious predators lurking just under the surface. Winner of the Directing Award in World Cinema – Dramatic at Sundance. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Breaking Glass Pictures).

System Error

(2018 -- Germany) Endless growth is a tenet of capitalism—larger markets, more products, new services. But can it really go on forever? Or are we about to ram up against its limits? And if we are, what happens then? Shot in the US, Brazil, China, Germany, and the UK, this documentary explores the notion of endless growth in conversations with advocates such as a Brazilian soybean magnate, an algorithmic trader, finance journalists, and multinational executives. The film is divided into chapters on subjects including the amorality of GDP, destructive agriculture, the decoupling of finance from the real-world economy, and automation. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Icarus Films).

The Wind

(1986) What would you do if going outside meant being killed by a raging hurricane, but staying indoors meant being hacked to pieces by a sickle wielding maniac? When mystery novelist Sian Anderson (Meg Foster) arrives in the remote Greek town of Monemvasia, Elias Appleby (Robert Morley), the pompous British landlord of the house she's renting, warns her of two dangers: the wind, which gets dangerously strong at night, and Phil (Wings Hauser), his sleazy and suspicious American handyman. As night falls and the wind starts howling, Sian witnesses the shocking sight of Phil burying Elias's dead body in a shallow grave in his front garden. Trapped indoors from the raging, tree-branch-breaking wind, Sian must play a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with the murderous Phil, who'll stop at nothing to silence this inconvenient witness. A tense and thrilling blend of Euro-horror and late 80s slasher, "The Wind," from prolific genre filmmaker Nico Mastorakis, the director behind such cult classics as "Hired to Kill" and "Island of Death," is a stalk 'n' slash hidden gem, presented here for the first time on Blu-ray. New restoration by Arrow Films from a 4K scan of the original negative, approved by writer-director Nico Mastorakis. With original DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround and LPCM Stereo 2.0 Audio. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: "Blowing The Wind" new interview with director Nico Mastorakis; "The Sound of The Wind" complete soundtrack composed by Hans Zimmer and Stanley Myers; collection of trailers for the films of Nico Mastorakis; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys; FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors’ booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic and author Kat Ellinger. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).

Back to top

All listings are based on information from the home video studios. Some release dates may change and titles may come out after a specified date (with no announcement from the studio). Additionally, some titles may be released with little or no advance announcement. And since all DVDs are priced at sell-through and are available for substantial discounts at both online and brick-and-mortar stores, we only list suggested retail prices for some special editions, box sets and collections.

All DVDs are screened on a reference system consisting of a Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray Disc Player w/SACD & DVD-Audio, a Rotel RSX-972 Surround Sound Receiver, and Phase Technology 1.1 (front), 33.1 (center), and 50 (rear) speakers and Power 10 subwoofer.

E-mail OnVideo

| Home | Resources | DVD Releases | Calendar |
| Reviews | Links |

E-mail: mail@onvideo.org
© 1996 -- 2020 OnVideo. All rights reserved
April 13, 2020
(ISSN 1094-3676).