The Disc Roundup is making a comeback, as I want to trim down my overall number of posts, but localize disc coverage and at once make the content more substantive. Standalone reviews and little bits will still pop through, but only as time and merit dictate. Assume that all titles are Blu-ray and DVD unless otherwise noted.
Release of the Week - Catalog New to Blu (tie)
M (The Criterion Collection)
I'm crowning this title sight-unseen based on recent track record of Criterion's B&W releases. All supplements from the DVD reissue are present along with the English language version, once thought to be lost.
Rock N Roll High School (The Roger Corman Collection)
Shout! Factory is kicking off their Roger Corman Collection with one of his highest-profile and most beloved movies. Shout! has informed me that a copy is in the mail to me, so I'll follow up once I've had my eyes on it.
Release of the Week - Catalog TV
Daria: The Complete Series
They had to replace some music due to music rights complications (the plague of many an MTV property). I haven't received a copy yet, but a friend and major Daria devotee assures me that it's every bit as satisfying as MTV's The State collection from last year.
Release of the Week - Movies New Release
Daybreakers
The Speirig Brothers are among the genre filmmakers out there that really know what they're doing. I was shut out of a Fantastic Fest press screening of this movie that I had put on my schedule and was told I was clear for. I was given the thumbs down by the flack at the door, because I hadn't "signed up to do an interview with talent". I said, "fine, I'd love to, I just didn't think I would have time to talk with them and didn't want to abruptly no-show or cancel on you." To that, I got a "sorry, we're all full" from the rep who obviously didn't understand the definition of the word "publicity".
Being fully cognizant of how little influence I have as just one guy, I didn't kill myself to get into the public Closing Night screening (which was sold out anyway). I also missed it in first run because there was too much going on at the time. I trusted in the Speirigs putting together something worth watching, and figured that I'd just wait for DVD/Blu.
Aside from the eleven million trailers in-between popping in the disc and the main menu, the disc is nicely put together. Extras include commentary with the directors and Steven Boyle (creature designer), a printed note from the directors in the case (a rarity these days), a feature-length Making of Daybreakers doc, Speirig Bros. short The Big Picture, picture-inpicture animatics and storyboards during the feature, and the requisite digital copy. A nice package overall, complimenting a worthy new entry into the vampire genre. [Note: future DR installments will feature more mini-reviews like this]
From Hammer Films' Sword of Sherwood Forest Release of the Week - Catalog Movie New to Disc
Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1946)
Prince of Thieves (1948)
Rogues of Sherwood Forest (1950)
Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960)
Sony put together four of the 52 film incarnations of Robin Hood in concert with the Ridley Scott-ified version of the legend premiering at Cannes this week. I'll have a screencap-laden spread on these titles tomorrow.
Movie New Releases
Edge of Darkness
I dearly love the original miniseries starring Bob Peck, which Warner put out last year. I didn't catch this one in first run, and plan on spinning it in the coming days.
North Face (DVD only)
Legend of the Tsunami Warrior
Tidal Wave
Malice in Wonderland (DVD only)
Magnolia & Magnet have this trio of curiosities out today. Tsunami Warrior and Tidal Wave are South Asian titles that interest me, but I'm just aware of their existence. Into the rental queue they go.
Legion
This is worthy of skipping according to friends. I can't see making the time, myself.
Catalog New to Blu
The Karate Kid Collection (The Karate Kid I & II)
I have a healthy amount of nostalgia attached to these movies, as I re-watched them many, many times on VHS as a kid. The AV transfers are solid, and it recreates the theatrical experience as best as I'd gather is possible. All previous extras from the most recent DVD editions are preserved. Added for Blu-ray is a fact/trivia track. I'll have more to say relative to these movies and the upcoming Chan-headlined remake.
The Edge
Mamet, Baldwin, Hopkins, and Bart the Bear: a wonderful combination. I haven't gotten my hands on this disc, though I was told I'd have it by now. Such are the troubles associated with moving and being of a million different comp lists.
The Magnificent Seven Collection (The Magnificent Seven, Return of the Magnificent Seven, Guns of the Magnificent Seven, The Magnificent Seven Ride!)
I've only seen the first two in the series, but have to say I'm tremendously impressed with MGM/Fox Home Video putting them all out in HD simultaneously. I haven't managed to get my hands on this yet, so I can't speak to the transfer quality on them. They're westerns, so I'll end up tracking the box down sooner or later.
Hang 'Em High
Ditto for this one: gotta have it as both a solid Eastwood-headlined western and as an enjoyable revenge movie.
The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)
I have no interest in revisiting this, one of the big stunt casting bores of the 90's.
Marked For Death (1990)
These are Seagal's finest 94 minutes.
Reissue/Repackaging
Kid With the Golden Arm (1980)
The original US DVD edition of this was apparently taped off of a TV screen. This has to be some sort of improvement, right?
Robin Hood: Men in Tights
History of the World Part 1
High Anxiety
Blu-rays of these all came out as part of the Mel Brooks Collection. Now you can get them separately. The box set comes out cheaper per disc if you want all the movies in it.
Catalog Movies New to Disc
One Deadly Summer (L'ete Meurtrier [1983])
"French movie arrives on Region 1 DVD for the first time": a headline not often written.
The Cantinflas Collection
El Circo
El Senor Fotografo
El Gendarme Desconocido
El Mago
Si Yo Fuera Diputado
A Volar Joven
Los Tres Mosqueteros
The "Mexican Chaplin" Cantinflas' movies have been available on extremely poor quality bootlegs in the US for years, but Sony has finally released them properly. I haven't been able to look at these discs in advance, but I've not seen a terrible DVD or Blu mastering job by Sony in years. More titles will come to their Cantinflas series this summer.
TV New Releases
Raising the Bar Season 2
Catalog TV
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Season 5
I'm prepping a short Will Smith then and now bit for tomorrow (emphasis on short).
Larry McMurtry's Streets of Laredo
Larry McMurtry's Dead Man's Walk
thirtysomething Season 3