The camp classic Olivia Newton-John musical XANADU (94 mins., 1980, PG; Kino Lorber) has long been tagged a guilty pleasure: a disco-era throwback to the Hollywood movie musicals of yesteryear with some good songs, awkward performances, indifferent direction and a script that was being written as production went along. Despite disappointing box-office at the time of its release, if you have any kind of affinity for musicals, bad movies, Olivia Newton-John or Gene Kelly (or Michael Beck, for that matter), you owe it to yourself to experience “Xanadu,” which has been freshly remastered by Kino Lorber in a dynamite new 4K UHD edition.

Newton-John, making her first film since teaming with John Travolta in “Grease,” plays Kira, daughter of Zeus, who becomes a muse for frustrated L.A. painter/album cover artist Michael Beck. Beck’s just trying to make some bread when he falls for Newton-John’s elusive heroine, the girl matching Beck with Gene Kelly, playing a retired night club owner looking for a little magic himself. Against all odds (and plenty of musical montages), Kelly and Beck eventually trip the light fantastic by opening up a club complete with bands, dancers, and the most amount of “Roller Boogie” madness seen since Linda Blair kicked Pazuzu out of her body.

Highly publicized, “Xanadu” arrived in theaters during August of 1980 with a bad rep surrounding it: the picture ducked critic screenings (always the kiss of death) and launched in a fraction of its intended theater count. Despite this, the movie attracted legions of fans who grooved to the movie’s seriously good soundtrack, offering hit singles like “Magic,” “Suddenly,” and a bunch of Electric Light Orchestra tunes. Even when the music isn’t so great, it’s still infectious and impossible to forget, like the somewhat out-of-tune big-band duet between Newton-John and Kelly, who can be seen relentlessly smiling his way through what was reportedly an expensive yet slapdash production with a threadbare script written on the fly (that might explain Kelly’s inexplicable sequence where he briefly assaults a lifesized pinball machine).

Beck, meanwhile, amusingly puts up a losing battle, in over his head in a part intended for Bee Gees frontman Andy Gibb, which pretty much tells you everything about his first lead role after “The Warriors.” Roller-skating, bad fashions, a Don Bluth animated sequence, and an ending that has to be seen to be fully believed (Kelly clapping and skating at the same time!) make “Xanadu” a heaven for camp aficionados.

“Xanadu”’s soundtrack remains in print but, until now, there hasn’t been a home video release since 2009’s “Magical Musical Edition,” which arrived at the same time as the movie’s tongue-in-cheek Broadway adaptation. Kino Lorber’s new 4K UHD remaster of the 35mm OCN (1.85) is long overdue and highly satisfying, with its most abundant gains in detail seen in non-optical sequences (note the UHD is much superior to the Blu-Ray remaster included here, which looks a little blown out in terms of contrasts).

On the audio end Kino Lorber has gone the extra mile by including the movie’s 4.0 original Dolby Stereo soundtrack, last heard in Universal’s DVD edition. This track offers a superb array of surround activity and broader sound stage absent from the picture’s 5.1 remix (which is also on-hand here, along with a 2.0 mix). This makes for an appreciable step up from the old Universal Blu-Ray which was limited to that 5.1 track, while the amusing trailer and 2009 retrospective featurette are reprieved from that edition.

Kino Lorber has added in a “1980 sizzle reel” which may have been shown to theater exhibitors; it’s a 20-minute, condensed version of the film, and does include at least one demo for “Magic” that was not the Newton-John version heard in the picture. Capping the release are no less than four commentaries (!): director Robert Greenwald with Douglas Hosdale; Jennifer Clymer and Nathaniel Thompson; Samm Deighan solo; and David Del Valle and Krystov Charles, which was my favorite of this batch. As the latter mention, the film may not have been “Grease” and disappointed industry analysts at the time, yet it did, eventually, become profitable thanks to especially strong foreign box-office, all before finding the cult audience that should especially appreciate Kino Lorber’s marvelous new UHD.

HAPPY GILMORE 4K UHD (92 mins., 1996, PG-13; Kino Lorber): One of Adam Sandler’s better comedy vehicles features the comedian at the height of his big-screen appeal as a cantankerous hockey player who finds out he has a penchant for golf, and sets out to save his grandmother’s home by winning on the PGA tour. Amusing laughs include memorable supporting turns from Carl Weathers, Richard Kiel, Joe Flaherty and (of course) Bob Barker in a script by Tim Herilihy and Sandler which is a cut above the kinds of features they would soon be routinely churning out. Kino Lorber’s 4K scan of the original OCN (1.85) results in a perfectly fine Dolby Vision HDR grade with 5.1 sound, legacy home video extras (deleted scenes/outtakes), the trailer, and a new commentary by Bryan Connolly and Wilson Smith.

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On Blu-Ray From Kino Lorber

A seemingly forgotten film in Ron Howard’s career is also newly remastered by Kino Lorber this month: the highly entertaining 1986 comedy GUNG HO (112 mins., PG-13; Kino Lorber).

Michael Keaton reunites here with his “Night Shift” director as a Pennsylvania auto foreman who’s able to convince a Japanese car manufacturer to re-open his struggling Midwestern town’s plant. The company agrees to do so, though with a decidedly Oriental flavor that the American workers have a tough time adapting to.

The Lowell Ganz-Babaloo Mandel script mixes the usual culture clash and fish-out-of-water genres to effective, if predictable, effect. Making one of his three appearances in a Howard film, Keaton utilizes his laid back charm in the lead role, though “Gung Ho” is actually stolen by Gedde Watanabe and Sab Shimono as two of the imported Japanese firm’s workers. John Turturro, George Wendt, and Ron’s brother Clint comprise three of the disgruntled American workers, while Mimi Rogers and one of my favorite unsung ’80s actresses, Michelle Johnson, appear in relatively thankless roles.

Although a moderate box-office success (later spawning a short-lived ABC series starring Scott Bakula and several original cast members), “Gung Ho” has never been treated particularly well on video. Despite being shot in Panavision, the movie was never released in its original aspect ratio on laserdisc and didn’t debut in widescreen at home until Paramount’s DVD some 23 years ago.

Kino Lorber’s Blu-Ray (2.35) is a major step up from that disc, sporting a remastered 4K scan of the 35mm OCN that is better framed, detailed and more colorful. The DTS MA 5.1 surround track is fine, highlighting a handful of ’80s tunes and an early score from Thomas Newman. Extras include new interviews with Gedde Watanabe and the late George Wendt, plus a commentary by Dwayne Epstein.

Although SAVE THE TIGER (100 mins., 1973, R; Kino Lorber) earned a number of critical kudos at the time of its release, nearly all of the attention went to star Jack Lemmon, who deservedly copped an Oscar for his performance as a beleaguered businessman watching the American Dream fade away in writer Steve Shagan’s sometimes pretentious diatribe against “The System.”

Directed by John G. “Rocky” Avildsen, “Save The Tiger” is a film that hasn’t aged well: the movie’s then-liberal use of profanity (hear Jack Gilford drop an f-bomb!) and adult themes were undoubtedly shocking to audiences used to seeing Lemmon play light comedy roles, but these days, the movie comes across as little more than a watered-down “Death of a Salesman.” Still, the picture remains worthwhile because of Lemmon’s superb, layered performance, which remains one of his finest.

Kino Lorber’s Blu-Ray usurps Imprint’s Blu-Ray from a few years ago thanks to a new 4K scan (1.85, mono) of the OCN supplied by Paramount. There’s an archival commentary between Shagan and Avildsen included – one that’s in many ways more interesting than watching the film itself – while Kino also includes a new track with Dwayne Epstein and the trailer.

REPOSSESSED Blu-Ray (84 mins., 1990, PG-13; Kino Lorber): “ReRe Repossessed!” Yes, the memorable theme song is one of the more enjoyable aspects of this hit-or-miss 1990 spoof of the “The Exorcist,” done in a Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker style from writer-director Bob Logan and co-starring — appropriately enough – Leslie Nielsen as a priest trying to drive the devil out of (who else) Linda Blair.

Back when “Repossessed” was released (and it basically went right to video outside a few markets), the movie came across as a weak, pale imitation of “The Naked Gun.” However, compared to the endless run of “Scary Movie” and similar ripoffs that dominated theaters in subsequent years, “Repossessed” is borderline genius, offering an uneven amount of gags but the occasional one that actually makes you chuckle.

The unevenness can be attributed to Logan’s original cut having been reworked with poor, crasser gags added in reshoots that he had nothing to do with (these mostly involve the framing device of Nielsen lecturing a college class). “Repossessed” undoubtedly would’ve been better off with Logan’s intended version restored – as well as Nielsen dropping his annoying imitation of Max Von Sydow’s accent – but but it’s not a total washout in its current form with Blair in particular having a good time.

Kino Lorber’s Blu-Ray includes a 1080p (1.85) Studio Canal-licensed transfer with 2.0 stereo sound; the image is serviceable if somewhat soft and lacking in fine detail. A commentary with Logan is provided, detailing the footage he didn’t shoot and which the studio (Seven Arts) felt would appeal to a younger audience accustomed to more adult gags. Now that’s funny!

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Also New on 4K UHD

Gut wrenching, beautifully filmed and perfectly paced, THE CONJURING (112 mins., 2013, R; Warner) isn’t just one of the best supernatural chillers of recent years – it truly deserves a place next to “The Exorcist,” “The Innocents” and “Poltergeist” as one of the more memorable cinematic excursions into the paranormal ever produced. That may sound like high praise, but walking out of director James Wan’s stunning thriller, I was hard pressed to think of other horror movies (except, perhaps, for this film’s initial sequel) that have captivated me from start to end as much as this one did.

Chad and Carey Hayes’ screenplay takes the true story of a Rhode Island family’s haunting in the early ‘70s and embellishes it into a film that grips you from its earliest frames, while Wan – the director who single-handedly launched a decades worth of gory “torture porn” pictures with the original “Saw” – here demonstrates a far greater command of the screen with what many have already called a directorial tour de force. In fact, Wan utilizes a documentary-styled approach that’s closer to William Friedkin’s 1973 classic than any other supernatural film I can recall, and expertly works with John R. Leonetti’s cinematography and a masterful sound design to create one of the more brilliantly directed pictures this genre has seen in years.

The Perron family – led by parents Lili Taylor and Ron Livingston – move into their home in northern Rhode Island and quickly notice standbys of any film haunting: bumps in the night, unseen forces that cause their dog to bark, and an occasional chill that permeates the air. Their five young daughters, though, are quickly put into the crosshairs of a supernatural entity that wants more than to just make its presence known, physically announcing itself by grabbing the girls and causing bruises to Taylor that she believes are just the result of an iron deficiency. Ultimately, the Perrons call in paranormal experts Lorraine and Ed Warren (Vera Fermiga and Patrick Wilson), the earliest “Ghost Hunters,” who soon realize the family isn’t suffering from a noisy oil burner on its last legs causing a ruckus.

“The Conjuring” carries an R rating but the film’s violence is minimal and its profanity nearly non-existent. Wan eschews the gratuitousness of his past works in favor of a less is more approach that’s just as scary for what you don’t see as what you do (particularly when young Andrea Perron first encounters a ghost, standing in the corner of her room but only visible to her – not the audience). At first, it might be easy to resist the movie’s familiar structure, but as the story unfolds, it’s nearly impossible not to get wrapped up in the family’s plight as the supernatural occurrences increase. The effectiveness is all due to Wan’s direction and the uniformly believable performances of Taylor, Fermiga and Wilson, not to mention the unaffected young actresses playing the tormented Perron girls. Yet even with all the chilling moments, you come to care about these people, and the emotional catharsis that closes the picture is something few films in this genre have been able to duplicate (kudos to Joseph Bishara for a moody, effective score as well, with Mark Isham contributing a poignant “family theme” that plays a significant role in the film’s concluding moments).

“The Conjuring” is at a disadvantage compared to other genre films because it’s had to follow classics like “The Exorcist,” “The Haunting” and “Poltergeist.” For viewers resistant to horror films in general, there’s probably little here they haven’t seen before, and one could argue the more explicitly visceral elements of the haunting are its weakest asset. Nevertheless, Wan’s movie grabs you and doesn’t let go until the credits have rolled – and even then, you might be checking the rear view mirror, just to make sure nothing’s followed you home. That’s frightful filmmaking at its finest, and “The Conjuring” remains unquestionably one of the most effective cinematic haunts of this generation.

Warner’s superb 4K UHD edition of “The Conjuring” includes a superb HDR10 (1.85) transfer with an expertly mixed 5.1 DTS MA soundtrack. This new transfer is not dominated with HDR usage so it’s more a casual enhancement over the original Blu-Ray, yet one that’s still a worthwhile upgrade for fans; extras include a handful of featurettes and a Digital HD copy.

CITY ON FIRE 4K UHD/Blu-Ray (105 mins., 1987; Shout!): One of Ringo Lam’s earliest Hong Kong hits, “City On Fire” also offers a plum role for Chow Yun-fat, playing an undercover cop named Ko Chow who’s gotten in too deep with the other side of the law, and is torn between his allegiance to the shield and friendships with the people he’s investigating. After being sent one last assignment, Ko Chow infiltrates a criminal gang and befriends their leader (Danny Lee), only to have a heist go wrong and the group hunt for an informant.

Plenty of action and tension arise in this Lam favorite which has been remastered in a 4K UHD scan (1.85) with Dolby Vision HDR in Shout’s new combo pack. Part of the label’s new “Hong Kong Cinema Classics” line, the disc offers a natural amount of grain and effective black levels, plus Cantonese and dubbed English DTS MA mono tracks. A full array of extras include commentary with Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto; interviews with writer Tommy Sham, historians Grady Hendrix, Ric Meyers and Kim Newman, plus the Blu-Ray and trailer.

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Also New & Noteworthy

THE UNHOLY TRINITY Blu-Ray (95 mins., 2024, R; Warner): Not half-bad – and at least nicely shot – Saban Films western is set in 1870s Montana where a young man (Brandon Lessard) tries to navigate between exacting vengeance against the man who wrongly framed his father and doing the righteous thing. Pierce Brosnan is the local sheriff who tries to aid in the latter category while a mutton-chopped Samuel L. Jackson plays “St. Christopher” in a predictable yet punchy, short western that doesn’t overstay its welcome thanks to director Richard Gray; the score by Marco and Tristan Beltrami isn’t bad either. Warner’s Blu-Ray (2.39) includes a 5.1 DTS MA soundtrack and Digital HD code.

1923: A YELLOWSTONE ORIGIN STORY Season 2 Blu-Ray (443 mins., 2025; Paramount): Well-produced, acted and cast, this second season of the “Yellowstone” prequel juggles story lines involving Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) returning from Africa while his British bride (Julia Schlaepfer) endures one harrowing travail after another while traveling to Montana; the elder Duttons (Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren) trying to stave off land baron (and resident sicko) Timothy Dalton from encroaching on their ranch; and Native American runaway Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves) attempting to evade the law after her own horrendous experiences. The production values remain high but this second season of “1923” comes off as one terrible mishap after another for its characters before resulting in a blah, unsatisfying finale that ends the series on a predictably down note. Paramount’s Blu-Ray includes attractive 1080p transfers, 5.1 TrueHD soundtracks and a number of behind-the-scenes featurettes.

MATLOCK: Season 1 DVD (13 hours, 2025; CBS/Paramount): If you’re going to do a reboot of an old TV series – especially one as enjoyably formulaic as the o’l Andy Griffith courtroom drama “Matlock,” which was one of my Nana’s favorites growing up – this is how you do it. Kathy Bates is tremendous in this compelling and smart revision of its source material, playing “Matty” Matlock, an elderly woman with legal experience – quite a lot more than she initially lets on – as she takes a job at a high-profile law firm with an ulterior motive that becomes more and more evident as “Matlock”’s first season progresses. Solid performances and a surprisingly suspenseful story line make this “Matlock” well worth checking out, with Paramount’s DVD including 5.1 sound, 16:9 transfers, deleted scenes and a gag reel.

BRING HER BACK Blu-Ray (104 mins., 2025, R; A24): “Talk To Me” helmers Michael and Danny Philippou srike again with a slightly more soulful tale of a brother and sister who are sent to live with a foster mother (Sally Hawkins), who’s trying – initially unbeknownst to them – to bring her deceased 12-year old back to life by way of an occult ritual. Body swapping madness ensues in this moody downer from the Philippous which is well-acted but ends on the same kind of note as its predecessor; as such, fans of their previous work will be more receptive to this material than casual viewers. A24’s Blu-Ray (2:1) is now available featuring Dolby Atmos sound, commentary by the brothers, a casting featurette, and six collectible postcards.

BLACK TEA Blu-Ray (110 mins., 2024; Cohen): The director of “Timbuktu,” Abderrahmane Sissako, returns with a new film about an African woman (Nina Melo) who leaves her Ivory Coast home for China, where she gets a job in a tea shop owned by a local man (Han Chang) with whom she falls in love. An interesting culture clash/romantic drama brought to the screen with atmosphere and flair, “Black Tea” includes a 1080p (1.85, 5.1/2.0) transfer in Cohen’s Blu-Ray along with footage from the Berlin Film Festival press conference and the trailer.

CITY HUNTER: ANGEL DUST Blu-Ray (94 mins., 2023; Shout! Factory): Tsukasa Hojo’s long-running, immensely popular anime has been brought to the screen (and small screen) numerous times, with this particular story line serving as an ending to the franchise’s most recent animated incarnation. Here, Ryo Saeba and partner Kaori try to stop “Angel Dust” from turning its users to super soldiers, with a run of killers sent to retrieve the latest incarnation in this wild and woolly installment. Shout’s Blu-Ray (1.85) includes Japanese audio and English subtitles along with trailers, opening/ending, and PV’s.

NEXT TIME: Season 29 premiere (no way!) with LOST IN SPACE ’98 and much more! Until then, don’t forget to drop in on the official Aisle Seat Message Boards and direct any emails to our email address. Cheers everyone!