Also today, Shout Factory has finally detailed a few of their upcoming Blu-ray releases as follows...
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Collector’s Edition (due 8/16) will include (on the Blu-ray) the new 2-hour Into the 8th Dimension retrospective documentary, new audio commentary by Michael and Denise Okuda, audio commentary with director W.D. Richter and writer Earl Mac Rauch, and (on the DVD) vintage features, among them the Buckaroo Banzai Declassified featurette, an alternate opening sequence (with Jamie Lee Curtis), deleted scenes, the Jet Car trailer, and the theatrical trailer.
The Midnight Run: Collector’s Edition (due 8/23) will include a new 2K scan from the interpostive, 6 interview featurettes (Being Jack Walsh: Robert De Niro, We’ve Got The Duke: Charles Grodin, Moscone Bail Bonds: Joe Pantoliano, Hey Marvin!: John Ashton, I’m Mosely!: Yaphet Kotto, and Midnight Writer: George Gallo), a vintage “Making Of” featurette, and the theatrical trailer.
And The Thing: Collector’s Edition (due 9/20) will include a TON of extras, including a new 2K scan of the interpositive supervised and approved by DP Dean Cundey, a new 4.1 audio mix created from the original 70MM six-track Dolby Stereo soundtrack (the 5.1 audio mix is also included), a new audio commentary with Cundey, a new audio commentary with co-producer Stuart Cohen, the original audio commentary with director John Carpenter and actor Kurt Russell, the teaser trailer, theatrical trailers (U.S. and German), TV spots, radio spots, and a still gallery (behind-the-scenes photos, posters, and lobby cards). All that is on Disc One. Disc Two will add 9 all-new featurettes (Requiem for a Shape Shifter, The Men of Outpost 31, Assembling and Assimilation, Behind the Chameleon: The Visual Effects of The Thing, Sounds from the Cold, Between the Lines, Back into the Cold: A Return to the Shooting Locations of The Thing, and The Art of Mike Ploog Gallery), the vintage John Carpenter’s The Thing: Terror Takes Shape documentary (80 mins/SD), the network TV broadcast version of The Thing (92 mins/SD), Outtakes (5 mins/SD), vintage EPK interviews with John Carpenter, Kurt Russell, and Rob Bottin, 2 vintage featurettes (The Making of a Chilling Tale and The Making of The Thing), a vintage Product Reel with rare footage not seen in the film (19 mins/SD), more vintage Behind-the-Scenes Footage (2 mins/SD), and an Annotated Production Archive (featuring Production Art and Storyboards, Location Scouting, Special Make-up Effects, and Post Production – 54 mins/SD).
Whew! Here’s the pre-order links and artwork for all three...
Meanwhile, Kino Lorber has set Man on Fire (1987) for Blu-ray and DVD on 10/11. The Laughing Policeman (1973) and Trouble Man (1972) are due for Blu-ray release on 10/18. Also coming that day on Blu-ray and DVD are The Pit (1981) and Fuzz (1972). Fathom (1967) follows on Blu-ray on 10/25, along with Boy on a Dolphin (1957) on Blu-ray and DVD. And Scavenger Hunt (1979), The Sicilian Clan (1969), and Doomwatch (1972) are all coming soon from Kino on both Blu-ray and DVD.
Arrow Video has announced the Blu-ray and DVD release of Richard Wenk’s Vamp (1986) in the UK in October. The title will be release on Blu-ray only in the US. Also coming in October from Arrow is The Herschell Gordon Lewis Feast as an Amazon.co.uk exclusive, limited to 2500 copies. It will also be made available in the U.S. soon. The set will include 14 films (among them Blood Feast, Scum of the Earth, Two Thousand Maniacs!, Moonshine Mountain, Color Me Blood Red, Something Weird, The Gruesome Twosome, A Taste of Blood, She-Devils on Wheels, Just for the Hell of It, How to Make a Doll, The Wizard of Gore, This Stuff’ll Kill Ya!, and The Gore Gore Girls). And for the serious fan, you can now pre-order Shock and Gore: The Films of Herschell Gordon Lewis Limited Edition box set (just 500 copies each in the U.S. and U.K.). The set will include the same 14 films, plus a TON of exclusive extras and swag. You can only buy it here (for $221.00) and you’d better act fast if you wish to do so (click here or on the box set image below): boxofgore.com.
Here’s something interesting for you Star Trek fans: VUDU now shows the HD availability of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country – Director’s Cut. This wasn’t included on the last Blu-ray release, so it’s possible that Paramount has finally done a new transfer of the film. If so, they could release it on Blu-ray at some point in the future.
By the way, file this in the Rumor Mill category, but we’re now hearing a new Star Wars-related Blu-ray rumor from some of our retail and industry sources, and this one makes a bit more sense. Disney and Lucasfilm MAY be planning a Blu-ray 3D box set that would include The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith, plus The Force Awakens, all in 3D. As you know, the prequels were going to be 3D-converted for theatrical release several years ago, but only the 3D conversion of The Phantom Menace was released into theaters (in early 2012), the 3D conversion of Attack of the Clones screened at the Christopher B. Smith Film Center in San Rafael, CA last November (as part of a tribute to Dennis Muren), and Revenge of the Sith finally made its 3D debut at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim last year. So a Blu-ray release would make sense on a lot of levels, though Fox still owns the physical distribution rights to the prequels (which is not to say that some kind of deal couldn’t be made if the desire was there). We’re digging into this with our sources and will try to confirm one way or another.
Finally today, we want to take a moment to acknowledge the passing of legendary Hollywood producer Garry Marshall on Tuesday. As you know, Marshall created and executive produced 14 popular TV series, including Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, and Mork & Mindy, any one of which would be a tremendous legacy all by itself. He also directed such feature films as The Flamingo Kid (1984), Nothing in Common (1986), Overboard (1987), Beaches (1988), Runaway Bride (1999), The Princess Diaries (2001), and Pretty Woman (1990). He will surely be missed. Marshall was 81. You can read more here at The Hollywood Reporter.
Back on Monday with lots more. Have a great weekend!
- Bill Hunt (@BillHuntBits)