“Godzilla” fans waiting for a big Criterion 4K UHD set of their awesome “Showa-Era Films” Blu-Ray release can, at least, tide themselves in the interim over with the domestic 4K UHD debut of the original GODZILLA [GOJIRA] (96 mins., 1954) on UHD, packaged alongside a Blu-Ray of GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS.
The “pop up” cardboard package houses UHD and Blu-Rays offering (on UHD) the 96-minute “native” version of Ishiro Honda’s 1954 monster masterwork with English subtitles, as well as its faster-paced, pulpier American version “Godzilla, King of the Monsters” (on Blu-Ray) which was released in 1956 with much footage excised and newly-shot inserts with Raymond Burr (as U.S. reporter Steve Martin) inserted to give the movie local appeal.
Kaiju fans raved for years about the Japanese version of “Gojira,” which moves at a slower clip but favors character development and a more somber tone — with explicit commentary about the horrors of the Atomic Bomb and more overt parallels to Hiroshima — than the U.S. print. In fact, it’s fascinating to see how thoughtful this groundbreaking movie actually is (in its original version), particularly when the dozens and dozens of Toho films that followed offered so little in the way of “intellectual” attributes.
The American version comes off as clumsy by comparison (and some of Burr’s reactions seem odd, to say the least) but its quicker pace — accentuating the ‘50s monster craze of its time — remains a positive aspect of director/editor Terry Morse’s U.S. version. The socio-political commentary is toned down, but it’s still there to a degree, particularly in relation to the B-movie thrills that so many of its sci-fi counterparts boasted at the time.
Criterion’s UHD (1.33) of “Gojira” features a 4K remastered transfer that’s a hair more detailed and better compressed than the label’s previous Blu-Ray; as with the latter, the full-screen framing is satisfying and the mono sound as effective as can be given the condition of the source material. Similarly, supplements again include commentaries by David Kalat on both versions, plus interviews with actors Akira Takarada and Haruo Nakajima and effects artists Yoshiro Irie and Eizo Kaimai; a conversation with the great composer Akira Ikafube; a featurette detailing “Godzilla”’s effects; an interview with Japanese film critic Tadao Sato; an illustrated audio essay about the fishing vessel Daigo Fukuryu Maru, a tragic event that inspired “Godzilla”; and trailers for both versions.
DRAG ME TO HELL 4K UHD (99 mins., 2009; PG-13; Shout!): Like a veteran conductor returning to supervise the performance of a symphony he knows by heart, Sam Raimi’s 2009 effort “Drag Me To Hell” represented a coming home of sorts for the director of the “Evil Dead” and “Spider-Man” films.
The fetching Alison Lohman stars as Christine Brown, a normal, everyday young woman working in a bank who has a gypsy curse thrust upon her by an old woman seeking an extension on her mortgage payment. Soon Christine is stalked by a demon that lurks in the shadows; has nightmarish visions of the old woman sleeping in her bed; and seeks out spiritual counseling from a medium who tells her she could try to appease the demon by murdering her kitten! And if all that wasn’t bad enough, she’s been passed over for a promotion at work, while the stuffy family of her boyfriend (Justin Long) thinks she’s not prime material for their son.
After overseeing Sony’s three blockbuster “Spider-Man” films, there’s little doubt Sam Raimi could have selected basically any type of film he wanted for his next project. However, instead of trying to go “serious” and make an “important” film as other genre filmmakers have in the past – or continue along the big-budget path established by the Spidey films — Raimi chose to go back to his roots with “Drag Me to Hell.”
Working from a screenplay he wrote with his brother Ivan, Raimi’s modestly-budgeted “small” horror piece is a throwback movie in many ways: from the opening Universal Pictures logo of decades past, to the old-time morality play at the story’s center, “Drag Me to Hell” looks and feels like the kind of chiller Hollywood left behind decades ago. Eschewing the washed-out cinematography and explicit violence of modern “torture porn” movies as well as the sterile, humorless tone of Japanese horrors we’ve seen since the turn of the century (one series of which — the “Grudge” films — Raimi helped to import to these shores), “Drag Me” is an intimate, playful though not entirely lightweight tale of a girl who makes a bad decision and feverishly spends the next few days attempting to find a way out of it.
It’s a movie that’s quite entertaining on balance, mixing horror with some humor, backed by a fine performance from Lohman (in a role that’s not completely sympathetic) and virtuosic filmmaking from its director. There’s gore, but the movie’s fantasy angle diminishes its edge to the degree where, these days, its PG-13 rating doesn’t feel entirely out of place. There are numerous scary moments (and some tremendous sound design), but they’re mostly of the “old school” variety where Raimi works in shadows, editing and camera work to suggest the supernatural instead of relying on an endless parade of CGI to explicitly show it. And there’s a message lurking underneath it all, which is likely to be lost on younger viewers just in it for the ride, that you’d better be a genuine person and respect others or else suffer the consequences – as in, being attacked by a demon that, as long-time Raimi fans will fondly recall, just wants to swallow your soul.
All that said, it’s easy to overrate “Drag Me to Hell” because most of what we’ve seen in the horror genre is so reprehensible these days that anything that doesn’t follow modern trends comes across as a breath of fresh air. And it’s true that the film’s structure proves repetitive, with an ending so predictable that horror fans are likely to be sitting there wondering when the “big shock” is going to happen far in advance of its reveal. What’s worse, Raimi holds that moment until the very end, concluding the film on a “that’s all there is?” type of note that really hurts this film’s replayability (in retrospect, the abrupt downer ending probably put a damper on the movie’s commercial popularity as well).
Shout’s new 4K UHD of “Drag Me to Hell offers a highly attractive new 4K scan (1.85) from the original DI film negative of both the movie’s theatrical and uncut versions, enhanced by Dolby Vision HDR and its original, supremely well-engineered 5.1 DTS MA soundtrack. A brand new behind-the-scenes doc offers Ivan Raimi, Alison Lohman, Christopher Young and many others recounting the production – this is included along with supplements produced for the label’s 2018 disc (then-recent interviews with Lohman, actress Lorna Raver and Christopher Young, etc.).
New From Arrow
THE INVASION 4K UHD (99 mins., 2007, PG-13; Arrow): Disappointing remake of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” offers a few narrative twists on the old formula but suffers from odd pacing and several unintentional yucks.
Nicole Kidman stars as a divorced psychiatrist who notices a change in her Washington, D.C. co-workers and neighbors, not to mention her ex-husband (Jeremy Northam), a CDC rep who’s one of the first respondents on the scene when a NASA shuttle blows up upon re-entry to the Earth’s atmosphere. Unbeknownst to Northam, the debris from the shuttle contains an alien life form that “takes over” its hosts, submerging their consciousness and leaving an unemotional, disconnected lifeform in its wake.
In getting to the bottom of the personality changes around her, Kidman enlists the help of her doctor-friend Daniel Craig and scientist pal Jeffrey Wright, both of whom conclude that falling alseep would not be a good idea…
This big-budget and good-looking Joel Silver production was directed — at least initially — by “Downfall” helmer Oliver Hirschbiegel, making his English language debut. Hirschbiegel’s original cut apparently played up the psychological and political aspects of David Kajganich’s script, but test audiences allegedly found it too slow and distant. Subsequently, Silver and the studio ordered a litany of re-shoots handled by Silver’s “Matrix” cohorts the Wachowski Brothers, resulting in a few chase sequences in the movie’s final third.
Needless to say, “The Invasion” not only feels like the work of too many cooks in the kitchen, but even the early-going portions of the film (which the Wachowskis apparently didn’t touch) have their problems. Northam’s discovery of the alien spores is hilariously followed by him being infected by a little girl on the street who hands him a piece of the shuttle that fell on her family’s house — the sequence is so matter-of-fact and unintentionally funny that it actually feels like a ‘50s sci-fi flick.
The biggest problem is that, unlike every other filmed adaptation of Jack Finney’s novel, “The Invasion” never establishes a sense of normalcy before the extraterrestrial outbreak occurs. From John Ottman’s overly ominous score to the botched opening minutes, little tension is ever developed in the film because all hell breaks loose right off the bat. Even in Abel Ferrara’s uneven 1993 take on “Body Snatchers,” the set-up at least developed its core set of characters and surroundings before the invasion began to claim its human hosts one by one; here, the film tips its hand too early, and only rarely generates a chill or two (such as when Kidman’s heroine is approached by a “census bureau worker” late at night).
“The Invasion” does boast a solid performance by Kidman and a few neat twists that other versions haven’t offered (including a cure for the alien invasion in the form of Kidman’s young son), but the dismal last scene (which embarrassingly suggests that we might be better off as “pod people”!) and overall lack of execution sealed the film’s fate as one of the costliest flops of its day.
Debuting in 4K UHD (1.85) for the first time from Arrow, “The Invasion” receives a Dolby Vision HDR enhancement over its older Blu-Ray, benefiting the non-scope compositions of credited cinematographer Rainer Klausmann. New extras include an appropriate podcaster commentary and visual essays from Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Josh Nelson touching upon the various Finney movie adaptations and this film in particular. Archival extras offer a trio of basic Making Of featurettes while Arrow’s customary illustrated booklet notes boast essays from critics William Bibbliani and Sally Christie. Meanwhile, the double-sided foldout poster offers the theatrical poster plus newly commissioned artwork by Tommy Pocket as well.
A SIMPLE PLAN 4K UHD (121 mins., 1998, R; Arrow): Director Sam Raimi’s little-discussed adaptation of Scott B. Smith’s book is distinguished by sheer, straightforward storytelling.
Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton are excellent as a pair of small-town Minnesotan brothers who stumble upon a crashed airplane housing some $4.4 million in a bag in the backseat. What happens thereafter, as the brothers struggle with keeping the money and trying to do the right thing, is a rich character study about not judging individuals from their initial appearances – a point hammered home eloquently in this haunting thriller, superbly directed by Raimi.
The actors are uniformly good and the evocative cinematography captures the essence of snow-covered Midwestern landscapes just as well as “Fargo.” Danny Elfman’s score adds immeasurably to the drama, and while the final act comes off as a bit contrived (it’s like watching that Coen Brothers classic without the quirky humor), “A Simple Plan” is still potent filmmaking with uniformly excellent performances.
Arrow’s 4K UHD offers a long-overdue restoration of the film (1.85, 5.1/2.0 DTS MA) with Dolby Vision HDR that’s been supervised by Raimi himself. There are two new commentaries: one featuring critics Glenn Kenny and Farran Smith Nehme, and another with Oscar-winning production designer Patrizia von Branesntein moderated by Justin Beahm. There’s also newly shot interviews with actress Becky Ann Baker, cinematographer Alar Kivilio, and co-star Chelcie Ross. Vintage on-set interviews with the cast/crew are also on tap plus behind-the-scenes footage, the trailer, and a booklet that features critic Bilge Ebiri discussing the film and a pertinent extract on the book derived from John Kenneth Muir’s tome on Raimi’s filmography.
ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK 4K UHD (96 mins., 1988, PG-13; Arrow): Halloween may have come and gone but Elvira is always in season, as evidenced by Arrow’s lovely new UHD of Elvira’s first (and best) movie. In fact, the buxom horror hostess first hit the big-screen in this 1988 New World Pictures comedy, a co-production with NBC, with Elvira traveling to the repressive Massachusetts town of Fallwell (get it?) in order to claim her inheritance. Assorted run-ins with the townspeople pepper this passable vehicle for Elvira’s alter-ego Cassandra Peterson, which offers a few scattered laughs but many times comes off as strained, even with SNL vet James Signorelli helming the material. Arrow’s 4K UHD (1.85) offers another superb 4K scan from original film elements with Dolby Vision HDR and 2.0 PCM stereo audio; an introduction by Signorelli; a 2017 commentary with the director and an additional webcaster commentary; a 2018 edit of the documentary “Too Macabre: The Making of Elvira”; storyboards, image galleries, trailers and an illustrated booklet featuring essays on the movie from Kat Ellinger, Sam Irving, and Patterson Lundquist.
TOMIE Blu-Ray (95 mins., 1999; Arrow): One of the seeming few Japanese horror series from the ‘90s that didn’t receive a US translation (at least not yet), Junji Ito’s “Tomie” adapts a manga about a deadly high-school female ghost that jumps around, causing all kinds of expected trouble. Ataru Oikawa’s film set up a number of sequels and TV off-shoots in its native Japan, and comes to Blu-Ray from Arrow in a limited edition featuring a 1080p (1.85) transfer, 5.1/2.0 Japanese audio with English subs; a commentary by critic Amber T.; new interviews with Oikawa, actress Mami Nakamura, and producer Mikihiko Hirata; an archival documentary, trailers, and a booklet looking at the movie’s placement in the J-Horror genre with essays from Zack Davisson and Eugene Thacker.
Radiance New Releases: Marco Bellocchio’s SLAP THE MONSTER ON PAGE ONE (87 mins., 1972) delivers a must-view for Italian cinephiles, as it follows Gian Maria Volonte as a conservative newspaper editor trying to frame the death and rape of a young girl in a way to best benefit his favored political candidate. A 4K restoration (1.85, mono) supervised by the director leads off Radiance’s Blu-Ray, which also includes an archival interview with the director; an interview with critic Mario Sesti; Alex Cox providing an appreciation; and Wesley Sharer’s booklet notes framing this in the context of other Italian ‘70s crime thrillers.
Kinji Fukasaku’s JAPAN ORGANIZED CRIME BOSS (96 mins., 1969) features Koji Tsuruta as a crime lord, newly released from prison, who finds his Yokohama gang up against it as various Yakuza groups battle each other for control over the city. Fukasaku’s first collaboration with stars Bunta Sugawara and Tomisaburo Wakayama is here restored on Blu-Ray in another good-looking 4K transfer (2.39) with subtitled Japanese audio; a new interview with Akihiko Ito and a visual essay from Nathan Stuart; an archival conversation with the director; and both a vintage review and a new essay from Stuart Galbraith IV making for a top-notch release for fans of the genre.
Also on 4K UHD
TRAP 4K UHD (105 mins., 2024, PG-13; Warner): M. Night Shyamalan returns with another thriller, this one focusing on a serial killer (Josh Hartnett) who takes his daughter (Ariel Donoghue) for a night out: attending a big concert for a pop star (Shyamalan’s daughter Saleka) where the authorities have closed in on Harnett’s actions. Some effective casting (Alison Pill, even Hayley Mills) makes this typically uneven Shyamalan concoction workable with Harnett doing yeoman’s work in the lead; it basically ends up where you’d anticipate, with less of an earth-shattering twist per usual for the director, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Shyamalan fans should especially enjoy “Trap,” which is out on 4K UHD (2.39) from Warner sporting two featurettes, deleted scenes, an extended concert scene, digital code, Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos sound.
THE CROW 4K Ultra HD/Blu-Ray (111 mins., 2024, R; Lionsgate): The latest busted remake/revival from Hollywood offers Bill Skarsgard stepping into the title role occupied by the late Brandon Lee in the mid ‘90s hit derived from James O’Barr’s comic book. This unnecessary remake treads over similar terrain but director Rupert Sanders finds little reason for it to exist, the movie playing out minus the soulful elements of its predecessor, accentuating the predictable action and bombast while missing the artistic flourishes director Alex Proyas infused in its 1994 predecessor. Lionsgate’s 4K UHD (2.39) serves up the kind of attractive Dolby Vision HDR/Dolby Atmos presentation as you’d expect, but it’s an empty affair creatively. Extras include several featurettes, deleted scenes, the Blu-Ray and Digital HD code.
ZYZZYX ROAD 4K UHD/Blu-Ray (86 mins., 2006, R; Dark Arts): Infamously known as the supposed lowest-grossing theatrical release of all-time, Dark Arts has tapped director Jon Penney’s “Zyzzyx Road” for a UHD (!) release coming later this month. This hysterically acted tale chronicles a married guy (Leo Grillo) who makes a bad decision during a trip to Vegas to fool around with the former girlfriend (Katherine Heigl) of a psycho (Tom Sizemore) they later dump in the desert – or did they?! Heigl shot this sometime before her short-lived theatrical career took off with “27 Dresses” and was fortunate nobody ever really saw this pedestrian three-character thriller which has been remastered for Dark Arts’ UHD. The set includes a new 4K (1.85) transfer supervised by the director; an introduction from Penney and Grillo; separate commentaries with the duo; and numerous extras (documentary, archival behind-the-scenes featurettes, etc.) on the accompanying Blu-Ray disc.
Yuletide (and Associated) Offerings
WHITE CHRISTMAS 4K UHD (120 mins., 1954; Paramount): Paramount has jumped into the holiday fray with a gorgeous 4K UHD remastering of “White Christmas,” Irving Berlin’s musical which borrowed elements from the earlier Bing Crosby hit “Holiday Inn” and reworked it as a vehicle for Crosby and Danny Kaye, who was the third choice after Fred Astaire (who starred in “Holiday Inn”) and Donald O’Connor turned them down. With Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen also on-hand, this slight but tuneful affair was one of the biggest box-office hits of the mid ‘50s, and has been a perennial on the tube at this time of year. Paramount’s UHD offers one of their best Dolby Vision HDR presentations (1.85) of the year to date, boasting good detail and lovely, warmly saturated colors with both 5.1 and mono sound options. The special features include ample archival extras from Rosemary Clooney’s commentary to Michael Buble performing a “virtual duet” with Bing and Danny and a 1954 UNICEF documentary with Kaye introduced by Buble. A digital code and lovely fold-out slipcover make for one of the year’s finest holiday releases.
Pulp crime writer Max Allan Collins wrote and directed BLUE CHRISTMAS (80 mins., 2024; VCI), a noir tale set in 1942 where a downtrodden private eye is visited by three ghosts after the apparition of his dead former partner, Jake Marley, appears, asking for his murder to be solved. This interesting noir variation on “A Christmas Carol” outperforms its low budget with an effective script; VCI’s Blu-Ray includes a doc featuring Collins, a commentary with Collins and producer Chad Bishop, Q&A highlights from various advanced screenings, a 1080p transfer and 5.1 sound…More seasonal shenanigans are in-store with SILENT BITE (90 mins., 2024; Cleopatra), director Taylor Martins’ tale of bank robbers trying to hole up in a hotel where they run afoul of numerous vampires on Christmas Eve. A trailer is included in Cleopatra’s Blu-Ray (5.1, 1.85).
Finally, Synapse Films delivers a Special Edition Blu-Ray of INFINITE SANTA 8000 (102 mins.), a bombastic animated effort about a post-apocalyptic Santa trying to save Mrs. Claus from a demented scientist. Creators Greg Ansin and Michael Neel adapted their 2013 web series into this “Director’s Cut,” adding some new material to a raunchy, expectedly over-the-top affair, one that feels like it would’ve been more palatable sitting down to view in (very) small installments as opposed to this grossly overlong “feature” edit. Commentary with Ansin and Neel is included along with the original 13-part web series in Synapse’s Blu-Ray (1.78, 2.0 DTS MA) sporting multiple cast/crew interviews, two music videos and promo trailers.
Severin New Releases
Low-budget auteur Burt I. Gordon typically trafficked in sci-fi/fantasy fare, which makes his deliriously trashy THE MAD BOMBER (91 mins., 1972) well worth checking out for exploitation fans. This hard-R features Chuck Connors as the title character and Neville Brand as a nearly-as-depraved rapist who has to assist almost-as-crazed cop Vince Edwards in order to catch him; a surprisingly high degree of T&A and gore makes this a vivid genre exercise from Gordon that also serves as a splendid time capsule of the early ‘70s.
Severin’s Blu-Ray restoration offers a 4K scan (1.85) that seems to have just a bit of noise-reduction applied, while extras include an isolated score track of Michel Mention’s pokey soundtrack; a commentary by Kier-La Janisse with Mike Digby, a bomb squad expert; David Del Valle’s audio interview with Gordon; an interview with actress Cynthia McAdams; a locations featurette; and Patricia Gordon remembering her father. The alternate TV cut of the film – with some different scenes and significant reduction in R-rated elements – is on-hand (in much rougher condition) with an essay from Andy Turner looking at the production and reputation of this unusual Gordon piece.
Also new from Severin this month are a pair of foreign cult releases.
Director Rogerio Sganzerla’s THE RED LIGHT BANDIT (92 mins., 1968: Severin) offers a movie symbolic of a 21-year-old going “freestyle” in its depiction of a thief (Paulo Villaca) who robbed the rich in ‘60s San Paulo. Social commentary, crime thriller and wild, hallucinatory images combine in this 1968 landmark, newly remastered in 2K (1.33, Portuguese mono with English subs) from the original camera negative in Severin’s Blu-Ray. The disc includes an interview with producer/film conservationist Paulo Sacramento, an interview with actress Helena Ignez, and two shorts: “Comics” by Sganzerla and “Horror Palace Hotel” by Jairo Ferreira (with Dennison Ramalho’s introduction).
Paul Vecchiali’s DON’T CHANGE HANDS [CHANGE PAS DE MAIN] (92 mins., 1975; Severin) mixes up gender stereotypes in this thriller about a female politician blackmailed after receiving a porno featuring her son; she ends up hiring a detective to find them in this 1975 release starring Myriam Mezieres, Helene Surgere, Howard Verno and Michel Delahaye. Newly scanned in 2K (1.66, French mono with English subs), Severin’s Blu includes an appreciation from Yann Gonzalez; Matthieu Orlean discussing Vecchiali’s life and times; interviews with writer Noel Simsolo, Mezieres, and Jean-Christophe Bouvet; and a re-release trailer.
Docs, Special Interest & Catalog on Blu-Ray
1982: GREATEST GEEK YEAR EVER Blu-Ray (163 mins., 2022; MVD Visual): Zippy, highly enjoyable documentary recounts the numerous cinematic achievements of 1982, from Spielberg’s one-two punch of “Poltergeist” and “E.T.” to “Star Trek II,” “Tron,” “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” “The Thing,” “Blade Runner” and even “Megaforce!” Mark A. Altman wrote and also appears in this fast-moving, nearly exhaustive (there’s not much about “The Road Warrior” for some reason) documentary that’s fun and insightful, recounting controversies like Spielberg and Tobe Hooper’s “collaboration” on “Poltergeist” with pertinent cast/crew interviews (Ron Howard, Nicholas Meyer, Steven Lisberger, JoBeth Williams, Henry Winkler, Dee Wallace, etc.) interspersed with assorted critical talking heads that never linger on a single subject for long. It’s terrific stuff – my only gripe is the final third seems to peter out just a bit, by which point this superb effort will likely have you wanting to rush out and throw on the UHD of whatever ‘82 fave you feel like revisiting. MVD’s Blu-Ray includes an excellent 1080p (1.78) transfer (the various movie clips are superbly sourced and look great), 5.1 PCM sound, commentary with Altman and director Roger Lay, Jr., plus another commentary with Altman and the producers. Bonus segments include a Comic Con panel and nearly 40 minutes of deleted scenes. Warmly recommended!
Version 1.0.0
KINJITE: FORBIDDEN SUBJECTS Blu-Ray (97 mins., 1989, R; MGM): The prolific action duo of star Charles Bronson and director J. Lee Thompson generated its ninth – and final – collaboration with this serviceable Cannon outing with Bronson here essaying yet another cop out to expose a child prostitution ring and take down its vile pimp (Juan Fernandez). Peggy Limpton, Jerry Lopez and a young Nicole Eggert co-star in a decent variation on the usual Bronson/Cannon formula, with MGM’s Blu-Ray offering a high bit-rate encoding of a just okay older MGM HD master (1.85, DTS MA 2.0 stereo).
NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST Blu-Ray (61 mins., 1958; Film Masters): A double-feature of ‘50s Roger Corman genre fare is on tap in another special edition Blu-Ray from Film Masters. The excitement begins when a dead astronaut’s body becomes a conduit for alien terror in “Night of the Blood Beast,” while “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman” lead Yvette Vickers wishes she were still that tall when she takes on the menaces of Corman’s “Attack of the Giant Leeches,” another 1958 production included here. Both movies, which fell into the public domain and have languished there for years, have been included here – “Beast” in a 4K scan from 35mm archival elements, and “Leeches” in a “new HD print” – in Film Masters’ Blu (1.85). Extras include commentary from Tom Weaver and friends on both movies; an alternate TV (1.37) framing of “Beast”; an 8mm silent “digest version” of the latter; MST3K versions of both movies; a Ballyhoo doc on Bernard Kowalski, who directed both movies; publicity and slideshows; and a full-color booklet with Weaver’s sage booklet notes.
TV on Disc
I LOVE LUCY: The Complete Series Blu-Ray (aprx. 90 hours, 1951-60; CBS): CBS is back with another sterling Blu-Ray – a complete series package of one of the greatest TV comedies ever broadcast.
“I Love Lucy” has already been released on DVD and with its first two seasons premiering on Blu-Ray nearly a decade ago. Viewers used to watching old syndicated reruns were thrilled with the restoration CBS performed on the show – since the programs were shot on film, CBS’ remastered edition – culled from the best surviving elements – boasts an appreciable enhancement in contrast and clarity over any prior transfer of the shows seen before.
Now fans can enjoy the full run of “I Love Lucy” in HD at last – a fitting tribute for a show that defined the television sitcom format and immediately became a phenomenon upon its debut in the fall of 1951. All 194 episodes are included here, many in multiple versions as well – for example, viewers can choose between the more commonly seen edits of the program (with the “heart on satin” opening and closing credits) as well as unexpurgated, original broadcast-length shows, complete with Philip Morris cigarette commercials, Lucy & Desi animated caricatures and occasionally extended dialogue snippets.
As you might expect, the elements for certain sequences are in rougher shape than others, with a loss of detail evident at times, though in general, the 1080p B&W transfers are outstanding. Extras are in abundance, including “I Love Lucy: The Movie,” the colorized version of the episode “Job Switching,” clips from the “Stars in the Eye” special and “The Red Skelton Show,” Season 2 flashback sequences, commentary, flubs, production notes, photo galleries, and the “My Favorite Husband” radio series.
One can only hope CBS has its eye (no pun intended) set on “Happy Days,” “The Love Boat” and other HD-ready series fans have clamoring about tabbed for future Blu-Ray releases as well.
YOUNG SHELDON: The Complete Series Blu-Ray (2017-14; Warner): This prequel series to “The Big Bang Theory” features a young Sheldon Cooper trying to make his way in the world, yet the series had its own look and feel: eschewing the single-camera “sitcom” format of its predecessor, this more “Wonder Years”-influenced show found its own footing, offering a mix of comedy and heartwarming family drama across its just-concluded seven seasons. Warner’s Blu-Ray box-set includes 16:9 (1.78) transfers, 5.1 DTS MA soundtracks, and six behind-the-scenes featurettes in its clamshell-sized plastic box housing the complete series.
WALKER: The Complete Series DVD (48 hours, 2021-24; CBS): “Supernatural” alumnus Jared Padalecki stepped into the boots of Chuck Norris for this reworking of the long-running CBS Saturday night staple “Walker: Texas Ranger.” This Complete Series DVD features its entire three-season run following Padalecki’s Walker, who returns to Austin after a year of undercover work, tackling new cases with a female partner and reconnecting at home with his kids. Several featurettes, deleted scenes and gag reels are contained in CBS’ DVD (16:9, 5.1), which preserves a “prequel revival” that didn’t generate nearly the success of its predecessor.
Also New on Blu-Ray
BLINK TWICE Blu-Ray (102 mins., 2024, R; MGM/Warner): Zoe Kravitz directed and co-wrote this Shyamalan-esque thriller about a tech mogul (Channing Tatum) who sweeps a waitress (Naomi Ackie) off her feet, whisking her away to his private island where things are not as they seem. Ample twists and turns abound in the script Kravitz wrote with E.T. Feigenbaum, and the movie does a better job than “Trap,” at least, in establishing tension while viewers await a final resolution that manages to be appropriately off-the-wall but not unsatisfying. Warner’s Blu-Ray includes a 1080p transfer and 5.1 DTS MA sound.
IT ENDS WITH US Blu-Ray (130 mins., 2024, PG-13; Sony): Adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel provides a showcase for star Blake Lively, essaying a woman whose new relationship with a brilliant Boston surgeon (Justin Baldoni) echoes something resembling her past with an abusive father. Baldoni also directed Christy Hall’s distillation of Hoover’s novel, which offers strong messages and fine performances from Lively, Baldoni, and Brandon Sklenar as “Atlas.” Sony’s Blu-Ray of “It Ends With Us,” which became one of the year’s most profitable films (grossing nearly $350 mil worldwide on a reported $25 million budget), is now available sporting a good looking transfer (2.39) and 5.1 DTS MA sound alongside a digital HD copy.
AFRAID Blu-Ray (84 mins., 2024, PG-13; Sony): Weak Blumhouse concoction puts a better-than-the-material-deserves cast through predictable paces when couple John Cho and Katharine Waterston are haunted – along with their kids – by a brand new AI that (of course) begins to act up and take over their family. Chris Weitz wrote and directed this short and unsatisfying thriller which Sony kept on the shelf (understandably) for a year before releasing to tepid box-office back in August. The label’s Blu-ray (2.39, 5.1 DTS MA) is now available sporting an alternate ending, featurette, other deleted/extended scenes and a Digital HD code.
GENIE Blu-Ray (93 mins., 2023, PG; Universal): Melissa McCarthy attempted to placate more of a family audience with this story about a genie (you know who) who comes to the aid of harried family man Paapa Essiedu, just in time to save his Christmas too. McCarthy wisely jettisoned the work of her director husband, Ben Falcone, for this Working Title production penned by none other than Richard Curtis (“Love Actually,” “Four Weddings and a Funeral”), but the results of director Sam Boyd’s film are still mixed, the movie heavy on sentiment but light on laughs. Universal’s Blu-Ray (1.85, 5.1 DTS MA) offers a fine presentation of this well-acted yet routine production which debuted on Peacock.
DIDI Blu-Ray (93 mins., 2024, R; Universal): Finely executed coming-of-age period piece, set in 2008, follows a teenager (Izaac Wang) who skateboards, makes his first approach to the opposite sex, and learns new respect for his mother (Joan Chen) – among other episodic adventures in writer-director Sean Wang’s film. “Didi” doesn’t offer a lot of dramatic development but functions best as a slice of life examination of time and place, with Wang a likeable protagonist in a film teens of all persuasions can likely relate to. Universal’s Blu-Ray (1.85, 5.1 DTS MA) is now available sporting a Making of.
NEXT TIME: Clint classics PLAY MISTY FOR ME and THE EIGER SANCTION on 4K UHD! Until then, don’t forget to drop in on the official Aisle Seat Message Boards and direct any emails to our email address. Cheers!