One of the great cinematic entertainments of all-time, MGM’s magnificent BEN-HUR (222 mins., 1959, G; Warner) premieres in a new 4K restoration from Warner Home Video this week, offering a transfer so utterly spectacular that calling it “photo-realistic” doesn’t seem to do it full justice.
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Previously filmed in 1925 with Roman Novarro and Francis X. Bushman, not even that silent classic could eclipse the triumph of William Wyler’s 1959 production, which garnered 11 Academy Awards (including nods for Best Picture, Director, Cinematography, Costume Design, Music, Actor, Supporting Actor, Art Direction, Sound, Editing, and Special Effects) and became a benchmark for the biblical/gladiator genre with countless films following in its wake, including Ridley Scott’s 2001 Oscar winner “Gladiator.”
Any comparisons, though, between Scott’s commercially successful pop-epic and this MGM masterpiece should be dropped right there since “Ben-Hur” is very much the “real deal”: rousing, moving, thrilling, and truly spectacular in a way that no amount of computer-generated special effects could possibly duplicate.
Giving unquestionably one of his finest performances, Charlton Heston is a rock as the Jewish nobleman whose trials and tribulations in Palestine are chronicled during the time of Christ. Outstanding supporting performances from Stephen Boyd (as Messala), Jack Hawkins and Hugh Griffith are all complemented by Robert L. Surtees’ cinematography, Miklos Rozsa’s brilliant score, and a handful of unparalleled, individual set-pieces, including the unforgettable chariot race.
“Ben-Hur” looked great on Blu-Ray but this new 4K UHD presentation (utilizing the wide MGM Camera 65 aspect ratio of approximately 2.75) with Dolby Vision HDR is even better. In fact it’s absolutely brilliant. Color abounds in every beautifully composed shot, the detail level is high, the compression is fabulous, and the immersion you feel here, bringing you so close to the original elements that it’s like watching the movie for the first time, is unparalleled for a film of this vintage.
On the audio side, the new Dolby Atmos mix provides an even more regal sound stage for Miklos Rozsa’s score, which has clearer definition than heard in the 5-channel DTS MA mix also provided here, filling the surround field with vibrant audio throughout. On the downside, the music almost seemed to overpower the dialogue in certain stretches, so viewers may have to make some adjustments (or stick to the 5.0 track).
The movie is presented over two UHDs with a third Blu-Ray housing its special features (save a music-only isolated score track on the UHD and the archival commentary with historian T. Gene Hatcher and Charlton Heston). These include two very brief new talking head featurettes, totaling 15 minutes, along with superior extras from past releases: these include the lovely 2011 doc “Charlton Heston: A Personal Journey” and the 1993 “Ben-Hur: The Making Of an Epic,” along with screen tests, a couple of other, shorter vignettes and a Digital HD code.
“Ben-Hur” has typically been treated well on home video but this 4K UHD is a virtual demo-disc for the capability of the UHD format to provide a flawless restoration of a film classic. Unquestionably recommended!
Also new from Warner on 4K UHD is ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN (138 mins., 1976, PG; Warner), Alan J. Pakula’s hugely acclaimed chronicle of Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein’s Watergate reportage with Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman memorably essaying the Washington Post reporters. This 4K UHD sports yet another peerless Warner (1.85, mono) remaster with Dolby Vision HDR and a slew of extras from past releases, albeit with a couple of major omissions. On-hand are new featurettes with CNN personnel Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, plus an archival, half-hour Making Of retrospective offering interviews with the stars and Woodward and Bernstein, an additional interview with the authors, a featurette on “Deep Throat” (aka former CIA associate director Mark Felt), a vintage promo featurette, the trailer, a Digital HD code, and a seven-minute excerpt from “Dinah!” with the host interviewing Jason Robards. Absent is a two-hour doc on the movie produced since its 2011 Blu-Ray along with Redford’s commentary from the latter.
Arrow New Releases
John Boorman’s career is alternately filled with flops like “Exorcist II” and classics like “Deliverance,” but he really hit a career peak with EXCALIBUR (141 mins., 1981, R; Arrow), his fanciful 1981 retelling of the Arthurian legend, adapted by Rospo Pallenberg from Malory’s “Le Morte Darthur” with Boorman collaborating on the screenplay. Though one of Boorman’s biggest box-office hits, the movie has sadly never received a proper home video remaster until now, with Arrow’s lavish 4K UHD Limited Edition htting retail next week, enhancing the gorgeous cinematography of Alex Thomson and restoring Boorman’s film to a degree it’s like watching it outside a theater for the first time.
In addition to a script that contains all the staple images of the story (Arthur pulling the sword from the stone, the appearance of the Lady in the Lake, and the surreal Quest for the Grail), “Excalibur” sports an excellent cast, from Helen Mirren’s sexy Morgana le Fay to Nicol Williamson’s eccentric Merlin, with early performances from Liam Neeson, Gabriel Byrne, and Patrick Stewart among others. Nigel Terry’s Arthur and Cherie Lunghi’s Guenivere are the weakest links in the cast, but both are serviceable enough so that one still holds an emotional connection to the characters at the heart of the tale.
Alex Thomson’s cinematography is outstanding but its softness has given every video release of the film issues over the years. From the use of filters to a wide display of the color spectrum — masterfully utilized by Thomson and Boorman in their cinematic visualization of the classic story – past video (VHS, laser and DVD) editions failed to fully reproduce the texture of Thomson’s visuals, and even the Blu-Ray Warner released early in the format didn’t do the film proper justice, being slightly cropped at 1.85 and offering a mushy encoding on top of it.
Arrow’s new 4K scan of the 35mm negative restores the 1.66 aspect ratio of the movie for the first time on video, and what’s remarkable is how even relatively subtle adjustments in framing prove to be significant in terms of restoring the artistry Boorman infused in the movie – some shots now look like paintings, with background details even more evident here thanks to a fresh scan that seems to remove the encoding “veil” present in Warner’s Blu-Ray release. The Dolby Vision HDR grading is exceptionally good but if it skews darker on your particular set, make sure you set your Dolby Vision to “bright” or “daytime” mode for proper playback. Colors are more intensified and the overall look of the film is more accomplished, more dynamic, here, enabling us to better appreciate Boorman and Thomson’s efforts throughout.
Trevor Jones’s score, meanwhile, has been a favorite of many listeners, even though Boorman augmented the soundtrack with ample doses of classical and operatic works (including Carmina Burana, which has been utilized to death in countless movies and trailers ever since). The audio offers two options, both different than Warner’s Blu-Ray: the original mono in a single-channel restored track, and a new 5.1 mix created by Arrow from elements of the mono mix.
The latter results in a lightly “opened up” track with mostly center-channel driven dialogue, but is mostly representative of the mono track in terms of fidelity. Note Warner’s Blu-Ray used a 5.1 “rechanneled” mix that was overly processed and phony, and often had dialogue that was difficult to hear – something Arrow’s 5.1 track does not suffer from. Intriguingly, “Excalibur” was evidently intended to be a Dolby Stereo film as evidenced by Arrow’s reported discovery of an unfinished multi-track mix, yet sadly, this track was unsuitable to be used as it was abandoned back in ‘81 due to time constraints (according to the booklet notes).
Arrow’s three-disc set is, of course, packed with extras, with the first disc offering Boorman’s archival commentary plus two new commentaries: one from Boorman documentarian David Kittredge, the other from author Brian Hoyle.
The second disc features a series of all-new interviews, many of which are quite outstanding. These include John Boorman plus Charley Boorman discussing the film with Charley in particular noting his father’s demanding precision on-set but also family atmosphere that permeated the production; a terrific, career-spanning interview with Neil Jordan, here a young “creative associate”; new talks with production designer Anthony Pratt, 2nd unit director Peter MacDonald, and Rospo Pallenberg, who discusses his creative collaboration with Boorman in a visual essay from Daniel Kremer. There’s also a new featurette and appreciation by Howard S. Berger and Kevin Marr, the trailer, and image galleries on this disc.
The big find in the supplements is “The Making of Excalibur: Myth into Movie,” a 48-minute, on-set documentary shot by Neil Jordan that’s been seldom shown over the years and never released on video. This is one of those candid, fly-on-the-wall production diaries showing Boorman’s demanding nature – he keeps calling the film a “disappointment,” which might explain why it wasn’t used as a promo piece for the film at the time of its release.
The third disc, a bonus exclusive in Arrow’s limited-edition pressing, reconstructs the 120-minute TV version of the film, which drops some of the sex and violence, while adding some new narration by Merlin. This is present in a 1080p presentation while the set is rounded out by the superb 2013 retrospective doc “Excalibur: Behind the Movie” which sports interviews with Boorman, Helen Mirren, Liam Neeson and Patrick Stewart among others.
It’s all wrapped up in an Arrow hardbound case with ample essays and, best of all, Bob Peak’s original production art, even on both sides of the UHD case. Needless to say, this is among the best of all the marvelous 4K restorations we’ve seen in the last couple of years – absolutely essential if you’ve long been an admirer of “Excalibur,” and strongly recommended.
Long before the world visited “Jurassic Park,” writer-director Michael Crichton first laid the foundation for a pleasurable playground for the public where technology ran amok in WESTWORLD (89 mins., 1973, PG; Arrow), a no-frills MGM sci-fi thriller that plays like an efficient “B-movie” with concepts the author/filmmaker would later expand upon – to even greater success – in his little novel about a theme park with living dinosaurs.
Crichton’s original script – which he directed himself – finds vacationers Richard Benjamin and James Brolin headed to a state-of-the-art theme park where guests plop down $1000 a night to live out a fantasy of their dreams at three distinct locations: Medieval World, Roman World, and Westworld. These attractions aren’t populated merely with “living history” role players but rather android creations who are programmed to cater to every guest’s desire or fantasy. Benjamin and Brolin find their Old West experience to be fairly run of the mill – cavorting with local ladies of the night, drinking in the saloon and playing poker – until they meet a Gunslinger (Yul Brynner) who displays tendencies that seem a bit more aggressive than they bargained for.
With a sub-90 minute running time, “Westworld” has always felt like a film that could’ve used a bit more embellishment. The characters are paper-thin and the dramatic element of the film a bit undernourished to the point where we don’t care really about Benjamin and Brolin’s thrill-seekers since we know so little about them. That being said, “Westworld” is still extremely effective, particularly on repeat viewing since you’re able to dial down your expectations and appreciate some of the prescient ideas Crichton was able to work into the film involving the public’s ever-increasing appetite for thrills and technology that pushes boundaries to a dangerous degree. Brynner has little dialogue but brings a compelling physicality to his role of the robotic gunslinger, incorporating some eerie, blank expressions that Arnold Schwarzenegger would employ to a similar extent in “The Terminator” over a decade later.
Shot in Panavision, “Westworld” has the look of quality even though it’s clear the movie was shot with a modest budget. For that reason, it’s hard to criticize first-time feature director Crichton too much here – this is an economical picture with a fast-moving second half and a premise that remains fascinating.
A much needed 4K dive into Warner’s ‘70s sci-fi vault from Arrow – with more to come – “Westworld” offers higher gain and a wider color gamut over Warner’s previous Blu-Ray. Like that disc, little attempt was made here to hide the movie’s grain structure, and that’s a good thing, seeing as the transfer (2.35) looks like real film and not a glossy DNR mess, with Dolby Vision HDR accentuating Crichton’s effective use of anamorphic Panavision.
A slew of audio options are included, with the default being a 4.1 DTS MA track, with 2.0 stereo, 1.0 mono, and the 5.1 mix from the Blu-Ray also included. The 4.1 track sounds the most vibrant throughout, especially when Fred Karlin’s score kicks into gear, and benefits from an appreciable amount of surround activity.
New supplements include interviews with James Brolin, producer Paul Lazarus, and Richard Benjamin, who’s joined by Larry Karazewski. There’s also a visual essay/appreciation by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and an exclusive commentary with Daniel Kremer.
Other extras are carried over from the previous Warner release – these include a vintage featurette, the trailer and the pilot for the (very) short-lived 1980 CBS series “Beyond Westworld.” Apparently only five episodes of the show – which picks up with a Delos Corporation employee tying to take over the world – were produced, and even fewer aired, with Connie Selleca playing the series’ heroine only after she replaced the original female lead in the pilot. With laughable performances and indifferent production values, it’s easy to see why “Beyond Westworld” didn’t last, but its inclusion here is more than welcome. (Regrettably, it seems as if the deleted scenes that reportedly made their way into “Westworld”’s network TV broadcasts have been lost to the passage of time).
Few ‘70s films can attest to being as bat-bleep crazy as THE VISITOR (109 mins., 1979, R; Arrow), an insane mixture that could only have been concocted by an Italian crew shooting an “Omen” rip-off in Atlanta with a cast including John Huston, Shelley Winters, Glenn Ford, Mel Ferrer, Lance Henriksen (not coincidentally straight off “Damien: Omen II”), Sam Peckinpah (yes!) and a very special appearance from Franco Nero…as Jesus.
At least, he looks that way, even as “The Visitor” serves up religion in the form of an extraterrestrial battle being waged on Earth by good and bad sources – the evil coming in the guise of a young Atlanta girl (Paige Connor) with super powers being used not for the betterment of mankind.
Arrow’s booklet notes offer a range of theories as to what, really, is going on with “The Visitor,” and this longer European cut of the movie at least makes more sense than its comparatively cut-down US version. That said, director Ovidio “Tentacles” Assonitis’ film basically plays better if you don’t really know what’s going on, the picture serving up soft-focus location shooting of Atlanta and its environment circa the late ‘70s with “Omen”-styled kill sequences, scenery-chewing performances and a bonkers plot making for a notable genre curio with appropriate Italian flair.
Arrow’s 4K UHD remaster from the original 35mm OCN (1.85) results in a good looking transfer with Dolby Vision HDR, though the audio is confined to its original, single-channel mono mix. A new commentary from BJ and Harmony Colangelo attempts to make sense of the cinematic stew on-hand here, with new visual essays by critics Maegan Navarro and Willow Catelyn Maclay likewise doing the same. Archival extras from past releases include interviews with Henriksen plus writer Lou Comici and cinematographer Ennio Guarnieri. Trailers, the before-mentioned booklet notes and an image gallery are also housed inside Arrow’s limited-edition UHD. Recommended, with some reservations, for the right audience (you know who you are!).
Also new from Arrow on Blu-Ray is AMERICAN YAKUZA (95 mins., 1995), a Japanese-produced effort that attempted to bring Toei’s “V-Cinema” ‘90s thrillers to the U.S. Viggo Mortensen plays an ex-con who saves the life of a Yakuza member (Yuo Ishibashi) and ends up climbing their ranks – even though Mortensen is actually an FBI agent working undercover. Robert Forester, Franklyn Ajaye and Michael Nouri co-star in this B-grade effort from director Frank Cappello that strains credibility at many points, but if you’re a Mortensen fan, the picture is worthwhile. Arrow’s Blu-Ray (1.85, 2.0) includes a 2K restoration from the OCN plus a new commentary with Frank Cappello and Anzu Lawson and a fresh interview with the director, plus a new conversation with Ishibashi; an archival interview with Mortensen; and writing by Patrick Macias in Arrow’s booklet notes.
Also New From MVD
Two Jean-Claude Van Damme action favorites join MVD’s Rewind Collection this month in brand-new 4K UHD remasters.
KNOCK OFF (91 mins., 1998, R; MVD) dates from the tail end of Van Damme’s theatrical filmography and serves up a messy fusion of action-buddy comedy and Hong Kong martial arts under the undisciplined direction of Tsui Hark, who fails to get this international co-production under control.
Van Damme plays a HK fashion designer (okay…) who teams up with an undercover government agent (Rob Schneider!) while they uncover a plot to plant micro-bombs in counterfeit products, from kids’ dolls to clock radios. The lovely Lela Rochon is another agent and Paul Sorvino…well, let’s not spoil anything more here but it’s safe to say I hope Paul was both well paid and fed for his too-brief contribution to “Knock Off.”
I’m all for Van Damme’s goofy outings, even from the late ‘90s, but “Knock Off” is a mess, with veteran action writer Steven E. De Souza’s script bearing no evidence of his previous work on all kinds of genre classics. The action scenes are muddy and unattractively staged; the plot is nearly incomprehensible; and the dialogue a mishmash of overdubbed lines (very little of it shot live). The movie at least captures the moment Hong Kong was handed off to the Chinese with some location footage of the event, but this one is likely to test anyone’s patience, eventually ranking with the worst of Van Damme’s big-screen output.
MVD’s 4K UHD includes an HDR10 (2.35) presentation of what the disc claims is the OCN but there are plenty of scratches and nicks about. The transfer otherwise is solid and the details are strong, though this was not an attractively shot film to begin with so the benefits of the remaster aren’t “revelatory.” 5.1 and 2.0 DTS MA soundtracks are included while extras offer a long interview with DeSouza that’s more fun than the film, a commentary with Mike Leeder and Arne Venema (likewise), a talk with producer Moshe Diamant, a shorter 2020 talk with DeSouza, a 23-minute archival featurette, the trailer, and MVD’s terrific Rewind Collection packaging and mini-poster.
The other JCVD remaster is the earlier – and far superior – Van Damme vehicle DOUBLE IMPACT (110 mins., 1991, R; MVD). This 1991 Van Damme outing offers twice the amount of JCVD as usual – in fact, he plays twins separated by years after their parents’ murder. One’s a SoCal fitness instructor, the other’s a Hong Kong smuggler – but together they wage a two-man assault on the men who murdered their folks. Sheldon Lettich, who guided Van Damme through several of his better outings, helmed this appealing enough if overlong vehicle for the Muscles from Brussels, produced during his “A” heyday.
Sporting a brand-new 4K scan and restoration with HDR10 and both 5.1 and 2.0 PCM stereo offerings, “Double Impact” fares better than “Knock Off” on UHD thanks to a more consistent, healthier transfer. The Blu-Ray is a reprise of its earlier MVD Rewind disc (which works off an older MGM master) and includes nearly two hours of documentary interviews with Van Damme, Lettich and cast/crew members (in HD); nearly an hour of deleted/extended scenes (in SD); Lettich’s “Anatomy of a Scene,” plus B-roll selections, promo videos, EPK materials, the trailer and PCM stereo sound. Recommended for its maximum Van Dammage!
Also new from the MVD Rewind Collection is a Blu-Ray of FORCE: FIVE (95 mins., 1981, R; MVD), martial arts vet Robert Clouse’s agreeable 1981 exercise that sends a group of elite fighters out to a remote island where the villainous “Reverend Rhee” has managed to brainwash the daughter of the President. There’s sufficient fun here for genre fans, though despite the switch to MGM in regards to licensing for the film, this 1080p (1.85, mono) transfer of the film is the same as Scorpion’s earlier, out-of-print format release, which suffered from a bit too much noise reduction. Extras are carried over from past releases also, including interviews with the stars, an archival featurette, and the trailer.
ROCKERS 4K UHD/Blu-Ray (100 mins., 1978; MVD): Low-budget, homegrown film out of Jamaica captures the struggle of reggae artists trying to make it in spite of harsh living conditions and local power players who exploit them. Theodoros Bafaloukos’ film essentially paints a Robin Hood story wherein an aspiring drummer sees his bike stolen, leading to him rallying other local musicians to take back the bike – and everything else that’s been stolen from them.
If you’re into reggae at all, “Rockers” offers sights, sounds, and the general feel of the era, all enhanced here in a MVD Rewind 4K UHD from the original 35mm camera negative with HDR10 enhancement and 5.1/2.0 audio options. This 2025 4K transfer gives a fresh and capable rendering of the movie and its environment, with extras including a scene-specific commentary from the director; a 2-hour Making Of documentary; archival interviews, music videos, trailers, and MVD’s collectible packaging with a slipcover and mini-poster.
Radiance New Releases: “Zorba” director Michael Cacoyannis earned international acclaim when he tackled classic Greek tragedy with IPHIGENIA (129 mins., 1977), adapting the play in a rich, authentic depiction of its source. A new digital transfer is included in the MGM-licensed Radiance limited edition along with an interview with Greek film expert Dimitris Papanikolaou; an archival press conference from the 1977 Cannes film festival (the film was nominated for the Palme D’Or); and archival interviews with star Irene Papas and Cacoyannis. New subtitles are included along with booklet notes by Vrasidas Karalis.
Sadao Nakajima’s JAPANESE GODFATHER TRILOGY offers big stars like Toshiro Mifune and Sonny Chiba in an expansive look at Japan’s largest crime syndicate circa the 1970s, when Japan had transformed itself into an international superpower. With various factions fighting in regards to the organization’s future, Nakajima paints an involved look at the group in a trio of films produced in three parts during 1977-78.
Radiance’s Limited Edition restores all three pictures (132/141/131 mins., 1977-78) in new high-def transfers in a 3,000 copy limited edition. The set includes a new interview with Koji Takada, an archival interview with Sadao Nakajima, an appreciation by Kazuyoshi Kumakiri, and booklet notes from Akihiro Ito, Tom Mes and archival comments from cinematographer Toshio Masuda, whose 2.35 framing greatly enhances Nakajima’s drama and provides it with proper cinematic scope.
Unearthed Films brings viewers GARDEN OF LOVE (89 mins., 2003), director Olaf Ittenbach’s tale of a haunted young woman being tormented by visions of her deceased, murdered family members, who need her help in executing vengeance. New outtakes and a photo gallery comprise Unearthed’s Blu-Ray extras (1.77, 5.1/2.0 PCM) alongside a “Making Of” and a “Look Behind” in this new horror release from the label.
Visual Vengeance’s Special Edition of DATE WITH A VAMPIRE (88 mins., 2000-02) includes a look at this sexy tale of a normal guy (he’s even named “Chuck”) who’s lured into and becomes part of a vampire’s web of carnal pleasure and blood-letting. An SD master (1.33) from tape elements is included in the VV package alongside ample interviews, commentary and extensive extras in Visual Vengeance’s upcoming Blu-Ray.
Quick Takes
SONG SUNG BLUE Blu-Ray (132 mins., 2025, PG-13; Universal): Melodramatic depiction of a couple of homegrown singers who form their own Neil Diamond tribute band – before suffering a series of tragedies that you’d swear were unbelievable had they not actually happened – “Song Sung Blue” works only as a showcase for Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, playing the appealing couple at the heart of writer-director Craig Brewer’s film. The music is good, too, obviously, but this one’s so depressing that it’s hard to recommend, even as a supposedly “feel good” film. Universal’s Blu-Ray (1.85, Dolby TrueHD 7.1) includes a number of special behind-the-scenes segments, Brewer’s commentary, and a Digital HD code.
FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S 2 4K UHD (104 mins., 2025, PG-13; Universal): Inevitable sequel to the hit videogame-movie adaptation brings back Josh Hutcherson as ex-security guard Mike has to deal with sister Abby’s continued fascination with the crazed animatronics at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. The same level of shocks and black comedy abound in director Emma Tammi’s follow-up, written and produced by game creator Scott Cawthon, which results in material faithful to its source — and as such, will mostly appeal to the game’s fans (again). Universal’s 4K UHD (2:1) includes Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos sound along with the Blu-Ray, a Digital HD code, and multiple featurettes.
NIGHTCRAWLER 4K UHD/Blu-Ray Steelbook (118 mins., 2014, R; Shout Factory!): Taut examination of a low-life opportunist (an electrifying Jake Gyllenhaal) who claws his way into providing crime scene footage to the third place Los Angeles TV station, where its overnight news director (Rene Russo) turns Gyllenhaal’s Louis Bloom into an aspiring media exploiter. Dan Gilroy wrote and directed this thoroughly compelling character drama that’s exciting and unpredictable, with Gyllenhaal anchoring the film with one of his most effective performances. Shout Factory’s 4K UHD Steelbook offers a new 4K scan (2.35) with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos sound; the presentation is superb, while extras include a new commentary by Joe von Appen, an archival cast/crew commentary, vintage Making Of, and a brand-new interview with James Newton Howard, whose effective score probes Bloom’s twisted psyche.
NOW YOU SEE ME, NOW YOU DON’T 4K UHD/Blu-Ray (111 mins., 2025, PG-13; Lionsgate): Latest entry in the Lionsgate series served up decent box-office returns as the “Four Horsemen” (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco and isla Fisher) trot out for another big score, this time adding a few younger magicians with tricks up their sleeve as well (Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt). Rosemund Pike is over the top as the villainess but if you liked the earlier entries in this series, Ruben Fleischer’s film is likely to go down nice and easy. Lionsgate’s 4K UHD (2.39) includes commentary, deleted scenes, featurettes, the Blu-Ray and a Digital HD code, plus Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos sound.
THE SUMMER BOOK DVD (94 mins., 2025; Music Box): Charlie McDowell directed this adaptation of Tove Jansson’s novel about a young girl (Emily Matthews) exploring the natural world on a quaint Finnish island alongside her grandmother (Glenn Close) and father (Anders Danielsen Lie). Lovely locations and a peaceful mood permeate this independent production which is slow-going and offers an ending that likely makes more sense if you read the book. Music Box’s DVD (16:9, 5,1) is out this week featuring a behind-the-scenes segment, interview with McDowell, Super 8 home movies from Jansson, an image gallery, and a Glenn Close “make-up presentation and time lapse.’
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