Criterion’s Godzilla box set is near, plus Simpsons: S19, Addams Family Values, and Rutger Hauer RIP

Wednesday, 24 July 2019 17:57

Criterion’s Godzilla box set is near, plus Simpsons: S19, Addams Family Values, and Rutger Hauer RIP

by Bill Hunt

We’ve got some quick but interesting release news for you today, but first...

Our own Michael Coate has posted his History, Legacy and Showmanship retrospective on the James Bond film Licence to Kill, in honor of its recent 30th anniversary. The piece includes a roundtable discussion with film historians Thomas A. Christie, John Cork, and Andrew McNess. Enjoy!

Now, let’s get right to that news...

It appears that Criterion is about to announce their long-awaited Godzilla: The Showa Era Blu-ray box set, based on a leaked listing that appeared on Target.com (see link here). SRP for the set is expected to be $149.99. The Showa Era (1954-1975) would include essentially the first 15 films in the series, including Godzilla, Godzilla Raids Again, King Kong vs. Godzilla, Mothra vs. Godzilla, Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, Invasion of Astro-Monster, Ebirah, Horror of the Deep, Son of Godzilla, Destroy All Monsters, All Monsters Attack, Godzilla vs. Hedorah, Godzilla vs. Gigan, Godzilla vs. Megalon, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, and Terror of Mechagodzilla. This could be Spine #1000, but we’ll have to wait and see when Criterion makes their official announcement. [Read on here...]

Speaking of the Criterion Collection, we have reason to believe that the company will announce their first 4K Ultra HD title before the end of 2019 as well, based on information from our industry sources. But again, we’ll have to wait and see.

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has finally decided to release The Simpsons: Season 19 on DVD. The set will include 20 episodes plus extras including cast and crew audio commentaries. Executive producer Al Jean apparently revealed the news at Comic-Con last Saturday. Street date is 12/3 and you can pre-order the title here on Amazon (and also below).

Also, Paramount is finally releasing Addams Family Values on Blu-ray on 10/1 (SRP $14.99) by itself and also in a Blu-ray 2-pack with The Addams Family (SRP $16.99).

And Warner’s Batman Beyond: The Complete Series is finally available for pre-order on Amazon here...

Here’s a look at the cover artwork for the other titles mentioned above, with Amazon pre-order links...

And finally today, we have terribly sad news. Actor Rutger Hauer has died at his home in the Netherlands. Hauer was best known as the Nexus 6 replicant Roy Batty in Ridley Scott’s legendary Blade Runner, but fans will also know him from his roles in such films as Ladyhawke, The Hitcher, Night Hawks, Soldier of Orange, Blind Fury, The Osterman Weekend, and many more. More than one memorial has noted today that his passing comes just 4 months shy of the fictional death of Roy Batty in Blade Runner (which was set in November 2019). Hauer was 75. He will be deeply missed, but we thank him for sharing his lifetime of talent with us. You can read more here at Variety.

Rutger Hauer

Stay tuned...

-Bill Hunt

(You can follow Bill on social media at these links: Twitter and Facebook)

Published in My Two Cents

Tagged under

Criterion’s Godzilla box set is near, plus Simpsons: S19, Addams Family Values, and Rutger Hauer RIP

Contact Bill Hunt