When Sylvester Stallone signed on for a pair of movies with the Cannon Group, producers Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus had to seek out the involvement of Warner Bros. to help pay for Sly’s astronomical salary. The first film of their two-picture deal, COBRA (87 mins., 1986, R; Arrow), followed the blockbuster success of “Rambo: First Blood Part II” in 1985, but didn’t become the hit any of its producers intended.
It’s not hard to see why: this serviceable yet drab cop thriller that Stallone himself scripted – from the same Paula Gosling novel, “Fair Game,” that later became Cindy Crawford’s one and only action movie – offers Sly in arguably the most somnambulant performance of his entire career. His Lt. Cobretti is a one-man wrecking crew here tasked with protecting a witness (Stallone’s then-wife, Brigitte “Red Sonja” Nielsen) from a gang of vile killers who like to pound axes around and…well, your guess is as good as anyone else’s in terms of their overall motivation. Helmed with all the efficiency of a tire commercial by George Cosmatos – more or less – “Cobra” is sleekly shot by Ric Waite but mostly humorless, barely stopping to develop its characters while Stallone looks like he’d have rather been anywhere else.
Not even as much fun as its basic concept of dropping an ‘80s superstar into a typical, low-grade genre exercise promises (it’s certainly no “Death Wish 3”), “Cobra” racked up enough bucks worldwide to be profitable but scarcely made good on Stallone’s then-blockbuster contract.
The movie’s apathetic feel is confirmed in Arrow’s 4K UHD Special Edition of “Cobra,” one which debuts a new 4K restoration from the 35mm OCN by the label (1.85). The film looks appropriately grainy and offers a pleasing Dolby Vision HDR grade that looks more natural, and not as “hot,” as the 2019 Shout Blu-Ray 2K remaster. A full run of audio options includes 5.1 and 4.0 DTS MA mixes along with a limper 2.0 offering from the original “Eagle Stereo” track.
Supplements, of course, shine here. A fun commentary from Kim Newman and Nick de Semlyen (check out his terrific books “The Last Action Heroes” and “Wild and Crazy Guys”) is chief among those, engagingly talking about the film, how Stallone parlayed off his aborted “Beverly Hills Cop” involvement into this project, Cannon’s efforts to land (and stay on) the “A” list, and more. Another fresh commentary by Josh Nelson and Martyn Pedler is also on-hand along with Cosmatos’ archive commentary from the 1998 DVD. For new interviews, Arrow includes an audio-only talk with Sylvester Levay, who had a busy ’86 scoring “Cobra” and rescoring parts of John Barry’s “Howard the Duck,” while visual essays are provided on the film and its genre by Abbey Bender and Martyn Conterio.
Carried over from the Shout release are 2019 interviews with supporting cast members Brian Thompson, Marco Rodriguez, Andy Robinson, Lee Garlington and Art LaFleur. These character actors are quite engaging in over 80 minutes of interviews which detail an unhappy set with a seemingly disengaged Stallone and dictatorial Cosmatos, who only calmed down whenever the star was around (and apparently directed the film himself when he was).
The TV version, which offers some alternate and discarded footage, is present here from a standard definition source, while trailers, TV spots, an EPK Making Of, image gallery, collector’s booklet, and foldout poster put the finishing touches on a deluxe slice of B-movie thrills augmented with ’80s star power.
THE STUFF 4K UHD (87 mins., 1985, R; Arrow): Larry Cohen’s goofy filmography includes this engaging spoof of consumerism and ‘80s pop culture, wherein a mysterious new food named “The Stuff” oozes its way into the households of Americans everywhere – but houses a horrifying reality inside its gooey, Fluff-like appearance. Cohen wrote and directed “The Stuff” with a (typically) eclectic cast including Michael Moriarty, Andrea Marcovicci, Paul Sorvino, Garret Morris, Danny Aiello and Patrick O’Neal, and it’s a playful, at times funny horror-comedy with some amusing takeoffs on the decade’s TV commercials.
A New World release licensed by Arrow, “The Stuff” comes as a features-packed 4K UHD that enhances Arrow’s previous Blu-Ray. The big new addition is Cohen’s original pre-release cut of the film, which runs a half-hour longer and features a different, entirely synthesized score by Daryl Dixon (Anthony Gueffen more satisfyingly scored the final cut). This never-before-seen release is presented on Blu-Ray alongside a new 4K UHD of the theatrical cut, which includes Dolby Vision HDR (1.85) and the original mono sound. Other extras are carried over from Arrow’s BD including an hour long documentary featuring interviews with Cohen and Marcovicci, the trailer, a collector’s booklet, archival commentary by Cohen, interviews shot for the doc “King Cohen,” and a feature-length doc “42nd Street Memories.”
Also New on 4K UHD
SINNERS 4K Ultra HD (137 mins., 2025, R; Warner): Box-office hit – and one of the few “original” movies to become a hit in 2025 – lands on 4K in a satisfying package from Warner.
Director Ryan Coogler’s latest excursion with star Michael B. Jordan – derived from his original script – is a mishmash of traditional vampire movie cliches mixed up with Prohibition-era settings, a dash of racial commentary, and an infusion of musical performance – both from folksy Irish vamps and the jazz-based stylings of the African-Americans who open their own rural club in the Deep South. There, two brothers (both played by Jordan) attempt to get their Mississippi “juke joint” going by spotlighting the brilliantly talented son (Miles Caton) of a local preacher none too happy his aspiring-musician offspring would rather sing the blues than preach to the local congregation.
Despite a flabby first half-hour, “Sinners” is a certainly agreeable, ambitious mix of ingredients that could have been even better with a more effective delivery – yet it’s still compelling, odd, and entertaining. The terrific soundtrack offers a wide variety of stylistic influences and the movie’s best scenes take advantage of this diversity – namely a wild sequence that illustrates how transcendent music can link generations of humanity. It’s moments like this where “Sinners” itself nearly – but not quite – transcends its pulpy horror roots, which are arguably its weakest element. By the end I’d have rather have experienced a musical showdown as opposed to a vampire bloodbath that grows tedious, yet there’s no denying “Sinners” tapped into enough components to appeal to a wide audience – which is something hard to do in 2025.
Warner’s 4K UHD features a spectacular Dolby Vision HDR presentation in 2.76 with “enhanced” large format-lensed 1.78 sequences presented accordingly. Extras include a slew of featurettes that take viewers behind the scenes plus deleted scenes and a Digital HD code. The throbbing Dolby Atmos soundtrack will give your subwoofer a proper shakedown as well.
UNTIL DAWN 4K Ultra HD/Blu-Ray (103 mins., 2025, R; Sony): A group of young people, led by a girl (Ella Rubin) looking for her lost sister, hole up in a visitor’s center – only to run afoul of wendingos and a time loop in this reasonably diverting adaptation of the hit video game series. “Annabelle” series vet David F. Sandberg’s movie is pretty much routine but the visuals and story are at least engaging enough for fans, as the picture works in multiple time lines that serve as self-contained vignettes and homages to other genre styles. Sony’s good-looking 4K UHD contains Dolby Vision HDR (1.85) and Dolby Atmos sound plus a Digital code, deleted/extended scenes, two featurettes, and commentary with Sandberg and producer Lotta Losten on the included Blu-Ray platter.
BATMAN NINJA 4K Ultra HD (85 mins., 2018, PG-13; Warner): Disappointing DC Comics effort sends Batman off to Feudal Japan, where the Joker has taken control after Gorilla Grodd’s time-placement machine causes havoc for all. Anime styled design and a wacky story make “Batman Ninja” more ambitious than most of the small-screen Dark Knight animated adventures, but Jumpei Mizusaki’s effort is ridiculously over-the-top, unimpressive in its animation and often dull instead of entertaining. Likely to engage anime fans more than Batman addicts, Warner brings “Batman Ninja” to 4K UHD in a Dolby Vision HDR remastering (1.78) with 5.1 DTS MA sound and three featurettes (East/West Batman, Batman: Made in Japan, NY Comic Con segment). The inclusion of the original Japanese soundtrack is new to the UHD edition.
THE BLOOD OF FU MANCHU 4K Ultra HD/Blu-Ray (94 mins., 1968; Blue Underground)/THE CASTLE OF FU MANCHU 4K Ultra HD/Blu-Ray (92 mins., 1969; Blue Underground): Previously available on Blu-Ray in a Double Feature set, but now fully restored from the original camera negatives exclusively by Blue Underground, are the two, late-cycle Fu Manchu movies starring Christopher Lee that found the star working for offbeat Spanish auteur Jess Franco.
These late ‘60s efforts are also a pair of Harry Alan Towers productions starring Lee as Sax Rohmer’s master villain, Tsai Chin as his daughter, Lin Tang, and Richard Greene as his nemesis, detective Nayland Smith. Both pictures offer more blood and sex – but also notably lower budgets – than earlier Fu Manchu outings, the nastiness being the result of Franco, who brings his exploitation taste for sadism to both pictures (especially “Castle”).
Blue Underground’s new 4K transfers from the OCN with Dolby Vision HDR (each 1.66 and mono, with “Blood” on-hand in its original unrated version) look dazzling and easily one-up the label’s previous Blu-Rays which were working from inferior masters. On the supplemental side, the discs each include new commentaries by Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth plus interviews with historian Stephen Thrower. Newly expanded still galleries are also included along with the RiffTrax editions with former MST3K stars Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy. Finally, archival goodies are also carried over including older interviews with Franco, Towers, Lee, Chin, and Shirley Eaton (who makes an appearance in “Blood”), plus trailers in releases that should satisfy any Fu Manchu aficionado!
New on Blu-Ray
Also New From Arrow: Indie filmmaker Larry Fessenden produced and co-wrote Chris Skotchdopole’s CRUMB CATCHER (103 mins., 2024), a generally well-received black comic thriller about a pair of blackmailers (John Speredakos and Lorraine Farris) who try and coerce a newlywed (Rigo Garay) to invest in their new invention, “The Crumb Catcher.” Satirical barbs about industry and “The American Dream” permeate the script Skotchdopole authored with Fessenden and Garay, which Arrow has treated to a Blu-Ray (2:1, 5.1 DTS MA) with ample extras. These include a director commentary, 40 minute Making Of, two additional shorts by the director, a booklet with Richard Newby-Tori Potenza notes, and reversible sleeve…Writer-director Ole Borndeal’s thriller NIGHTWATCH (107 mins., 1994) was a big hit on the art-house scene back in the ’90s, propelling star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau onto the international stage and leading to a forgettable remake from the Weinsteins back in the late ’90s. The original comes to Blu-Ray this month from Arrow in a double-feature, paired with its recent sequel NIGHTWATCH: DEMONS ARE FOREVER (113 mins., 2023), which reunites the star and director. Arrow’s package features 1080p (1.85/2.39) transfers, 2.0/5.1 DTS MA sound, commentary on the original by Borndeal, a new interview with the original’s DP Dan Laustsen, an appreciation of both movies by Barrty Forshaw, a Making Of on the original, video essays from Heather Wixson and Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, plus trailers.
Radiance New Releases: Toru Murakawa’s THE BEAST TO DIE (119 mins., 1980) stars Yusaku Matsuda as a fractured war photographer looking to pull off a bank heist with the help of an equally, even more erratic Takeshi Kaga. Moody suspense works with layered character drama in this 1980 Murakawa picture, captured on Blu-Ray by Radiance in a new 4K restoration (1.85, 2.0 stereo) with ample extras. These include an interview with the director, a talk with writer Shoichi Maruyama, and an appreciation by writer Jordan Harper. Radiance’s usual limited-edition packaging is on-hand along with writing from Tatsuya Masuto and Tom Mes…Paul Vecchiali’s ROSA LA ROSE, FILLE PUBLIQUE (87 mins., 1986) shifts gears entirely in its depiction of a street worker (Marianne Basler) and her day-to-day life with clients, her pimp (Jean Sorel), and the man (Pierre Cosso) who eventually comes between them all. A well-acted picture that’s also been remastered here in a director-approved 2K master (1.66, mono) on Blu-Ray with extras including an archival interview with Vecchiali, improved English subtitles, reversible sleeve/artwork, additional vintage interviews with Basler and Sorel, and a talk with critic David Jenkins. Mariana Ashiot provides liner notes for Radiance’s now-available Special Edition.
DETONATION: VIOLENT RIDERS Blu-Ray (86 mins., 1975; 88 Films): Director Teruo Ishii recruited the great Sonny Chiba for this wild and woolly Japanese import about an aspiring motorbike racer/mechanic (Koichi Iwaki) who leverages a series of girls and competing gangs before falling for Tomoko Ai…who unfortunately is the brother of Chiba’s character, and he wants Ishii’s racing talents for his own gain. A different type of Chiba experience from the usual action fare follows in this elegantly-shot widescreen affair (2.35, Japanese mono with English subtitles) new on Blu-Ray from 88 Films. Special features include a commentary by Ashley Darrow and Jonathan Greenaway plus a video essay by Nathan Stuart, a stills gallery and the trailer.
THE TATTOOED DRAGON Blu-Ray (98 mins, 1973; Eureka): Early ‘70s Hong Kong martial arts vehicle, produced during the Bruce Lee era, propels Jimmy Wang Yu into the spotlight as a fighter who defends a local village after being taken in by a farmer (Samn Hui) and his love (Sylvia Chang). Good-looking, widescreen action from Golden Harvest offers crisp fight sequences from director Lo Wei and Yu’s charisma – he wasn’t Lee, obviously, but he was perfectly solid in this serviceable affair, on Blu-Ray for the first time ever here from Eureka. Both an English dub and Mandarin audio are included alongside a 2K restoration (2.35) from Eureka; extras include commentaries from both Frank Djeng plus Mike Leeder and Arne Venema; an interview with Wayne Wong; trailers; and a collector’s booklet with writing from critic James Oliver. Recommended!
STRANGERS WITH CANDY Blu-Ray (85 mins., 2005, R; Shout!): Amy Sedaris’ humor reached its apex with the release of this 2005 feature – a big-screen offshoot of her (funnier) Comedy Central series – wherein ex-con “Jerri Blank” returns to her childhood home after decades on the street and in prison. She attempts to turn herself around – and get her father out of his self-induced coma – by cleaning up her act and starting over…as a high school freshman. Back when Stephen Colbert was funny he starred in, co-produced, and co-wrote this cult favorite that was also funded through David Letterman and his Worldwide Pants company. The picture – not as well-received as its source material – is uneven but still scores in its funniest moments, and fans are sure to enjoy Shout’s new 4K transfer (1.85, 5.1/2.0 DTS MA) from the 35mm interpositive which also features archival extras (commentary, deleted scenes, music video and the trailer).
MONDO KEYHOLE Blu-Ray (78 mins., 1966; VCI): Jack Hill and John Lamb’s wild 1966 S&M picture joins VCI’s “Psycho Tronica” series with a new 2K restoration from the uncut, original 35mm OCN. This is a wild tale of a serial rapist whose debauchery may or may not be real – presented in a VCI Special Edition alongside a new commentary by Rob Kelly, an older commentary by Hill and Elijah Drenner, a poster/photo gallery, and double-sided cover wrap.
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