Bloody Disgusting Reveals Exclusive Walmart SteelBooks

Bloody Disgusting is pumping the blood into summer at a Walmart near you with their exclusive SteelBooks, arriving on Blu-ray + Digital on August 20 from Lionsgate. The featured titles include Wolf Creek, Leatherface, Sinister, Texas Chainsaw, You’re Next, I Spit on Your Grave, and Hannibal Rising.

Only at Walmart

SteelBooks in Blu-ray + Digital multi-film available 8/20/24

Wolf Creek Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook

SRP: $24.99

Leatherface Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook

SRP: $24.99

Sinister Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook SRP: $24.99

Texas Chainsaw Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook 

SRP: $24.99

You’re Next Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook

SRP: $24.99

I Spit on Your Grave Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook

SRP: $24.99

Hannibal Rising Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook

SRP: $24.99

Bloody Disgusting is pumping the blood into summer at a Walmart near you with their exclusive SteelBooks, arriving on Blu-ray + Digital on August 20 from Lionsgate. Each frightful SteelBook brings these iconic horror titles back with a new look and artwork created by the artist Bond. The featured titles include Wolf Creek, Leatherface, Sinister, Texas Chainsaw, You’re Next, I Spit on Your Grave, and Hannibal Rising, all for the suggested retail price of $24.99 individually.

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS
Terror has never looked more frightening with The Bloody Disgusting Blu-ray SteelBook collection. Available individually exclusively at Walmart, these eye-catching, specially commissioned collectible SteelBooks® contain the following fan-favorite horror films: Wolf Creek, Leatherface, Sinister, Texas Chainsaw, You’re Next, I Spit on Your Grave, and Hannibal Rising. The Bloody Disgusting Blu-ray SteelBooks are available to preorder now on Blu-ray + Digital.

WOLF CREEK
John Jarratt Django Unchained, Rogue, Picnic at Hanging Rock
Nathan Phillips Snakes on a Plane, These Final Hours
Cassandra Magrath Big Mamma’s Boy, “SeaChange,” Summer Coda

LEATHERFACE
Stephen Dorff Old Henry, Mob Land, Blade
Lili Taylor The Conjuring, “Manhunt,” “Perry Mason”
Vanessa Grasse “Shadow and Bone,” A Castle for Christmas, “Bulletproof”

SINISTER
Ethan Hawke Training Day, The Black Phone, Regression
Juliet Rylance Arthur the King, A Dog’s Purpose, “American Gothic”
Fred Thompson No Way Out, The Hunt for Red October, Secretariat

TEXAS CHAINSAW
Alexandra Daddario Die in a Gunfight, “The White Lotus,” “Why Women Kill”
Dan Yeager Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens, Metal Heads, A Wakefield Project
Tremaine “Trey Songz” Neverson Confessions of a Shopaholic, Million Dollar Arm, Blood Brother

YOU’RE NEXT
Sharni Vinson Patrick: Evil Awakens, Step Up 3D, “Home and Away”
NicholasTucci The Ballad of a Hustler, Myth, Long Lost
Wendy Glenn Genesis, 11-11-11, Clash of the Dead, “The L Word”

I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE
Sarah Butler Revenge for Daddy, Drowning, Before the Sun Explodes, “Love Vampires”
Jeff Branson Teardrop, Visions, Zoe Gone, “For All Mankind,” “The Young and the Restless”
Andrew Howard “Mayor of Kingstown,” “Perry Mason,” “The Outpost,” Tenet, The Hangover Part 2, Limitless

HANNIBAL RISING
Gaspard Ulliel Twice Upon a Time, It’s Only the End of the World
Rhys Ifans Spider-Man: No Way Home, The King’s Man
Richard Brake Doom, 31, Kingsman: The Secret Service

PROGRAM INFORMATION
Years of Production: Various
Title Copyright: See below for all titles

Wolf Creek © 2004 The Australian Film Finance Corporation, The South Australian Film Corporation, 403 Productions, The True Crime Channel. Artwork & Supplementary Materials ®, ™ & © 2024 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Leatherface © 2017 LF2 Productions, Inc. Artwork & Supplementary Materials ®, TM & © 2024 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Sinister © 2012 Alliance Films (UK) Limited. Artwork & Supplementary Materials © 2024 Summit Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Texas Chainsaw © 2013 Twisted Chainsaw Properties, Inc. and Nu Image, Inc. Artwork & Supplementary Materials ®, TM & © 2024 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

You’re Next © 2013 Snoot Entertainment LLC. Artwork & Supplementary Materials ®, TM & © 2024 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

I Spit on Your Grave © 2010 Family of the Year Productions, LLC. Artwork & Supplementary Materials © 2024 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Hannibal Rising © 2006 Delta (Young Hannibal) Ltd. Artwork & Supplementary Materials ®, TM & © 2024 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Genre: Horror
Type: Catalog Re-Release
Rating: Wolf Creek – Unrated, Leatherface – R, Sinister – R, Texas Chainsaw – R, You’re Next – R, I Spit on Your Grave - Unrated, Hannibal Rising – Unrated

Genre: Horror
Closed-Captioned: N/A
Blu-ray Subtitles: Various
Blu-ray Format: Various
Blu-ray Audio: Various
Artist Information: Bond

TAROT (2024) AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY AND DVD JULY 9

TAROT (2024) 

YOUR FATE IS IN THE CARDS…

EXPERIENCE THE HORROR ON BLU-RAY!

AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY AND DVD JULY 9

When a group of friends recklessly violates the sacred rule of Tarot readings – never use someone else’s deck – they unknowingly unleash an unspeakable evil trapped within the cursed cards. One by one, they come face to face with fate and end up in a race against death to escape the future foretold in their readings.

BLU-RAY, DVD & DIGITAL EXTRAS
- A Twist of Fate: Making the Film
- Circle of Friends

- Killer Outtakes

Blu-ray & DVD include a digital code for movie and bonus materials as listed above, redeemable via Movies Anywhere for a limited time. Movies Anywhere is open to U.S. residents age 13+. Visit MoviesAnywhere.com for terms and conditions.

CAST AND CREW
Written and Directed by: Spenser Cohen & Anna Halberg
Produced by: Leslie Morgenstein, Elysa Koplovitz Dutton, Scott Glassgold
Executive Producers: Andrew Pfeffer, Scott Strauss, Anna Halberg, Spenser Cohen
Cast: Harriet Slater, Adain Bradley, Avantika, Wolfgang Novogratz, Humberly González, Larsen Thompson, and Jacob Batalon

SPECS
Run Time: Approx. 92 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for horror violence, terror, bloody images, some strong language and drug content

Blu-ray: 1080p High Definition / 2.39:1 • Audio: English, French (Doublé au Québec) 5.1 DTS-HD MA, Spanish, English & French (Doublé au Québec) Audio Description Tracks 5.1 Dolby Digital • Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish • Mastered in High Definition • Color • Some of The Information Listed May Not Apply To Special Features.

DVD: 2.39:1 Anamorphic Widescreen • Audio: English, French (Double au Quebec), Spanish, English Audio Description Track 5.1 Dolby Digital, French (Double au Quebec) Audio Description Track Dolby Surround • Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish • Color • Some of The Information Listed May Not Apply To Special Features.

GHOULIES II (1987) (MVD 4K LaserVision Collection 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Review)

GHOULIES II (1987) 

2-Disc Collector's Edition 

4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray 

Label: MVD Rewind Collection / MVD 4K LaserVision Collection 

Region Code: Region-Free 

Rating: PG-13 & R (4K UHD), PG-13 (Blu-ray)

Duration: 89 Minutes 47 Seconds (PG-13 Version), 91 Minutes 19 Seconds (R-rated) 

Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo with Optional English Subtitles (4K UHD) , English LPCM 2.0 Stereo with Optional English, French and Spanish Subtitles (Blu-ray) 

Video: Dolby Vision HDR10 2160p HD Widescreen (1.85:1), 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1) 

Director: Albert Band 

Cast: Sasha Jenson, Kerry Remsen, J. Downing, Phil Fondacaro, Royal Dano, Damon Martin

 

Ghoulies II (1987) first popped-up on my radar as a teenager because of shock-rockers W.A.S.P. being included on the soundtrack, a tasty little tune called "Scream Until You Like It", and Blackie Lawless and company were among my favorite metal bands at that time - it was an easy sell for a sixteen year old metal-kid who already loved horror movies. At the time I do not think I had watched the original Ghoulies, but I since have seen it many times, and this is the superior flick in my opinion. This time around the setting has changed from a musty mansion to a dilapidated carnival roadshow that's on its last legs, in particular the "Satan's Den" house of horrors attraction. It's a terrifically hokey setting with a built-in atmosphere which makes for a great backdrop for a post-Gremlins pint-sized terror creature-feature. There's no Jack Nance this time around, but we do get b-movie royalty by way of Royal Dano (Killer Klowns from Outer Space) as Uncle Ned, the alcoholic proprietor of the fright house, who along with his nephew Larry (Damon Martin, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure) and the diminutive Sir Nigel Penneyweight (Phil Fondacaro, The Creeps), must fight to keep the attraction open when smarmy 80's douche-nozzle P. Harding (J. Downing, Robot Wars), a corporate financial backer who only cares about profitability, arrives on the carnival with plans to close down the attractions that are not profitable, and Satan's Den has seemingly not been a lucrative attraction the past few years. 

The opening of the film features the ghoulies hitching a ride on the semi truck carrying the attraction and taking up residence inside the Satan's Den, adding some actual demonic menace to the otherwise hokey spook-show. The ghouls drive up ticket sales when word gets around how scary the attraction is, which befuddles Ned who does not understand why it's become so popular suddenly, but when he discovers the tiny terrors he attempts to put a stop them, but his nephew Larry and the crew assume he just suffering from alcoholic hallucinations and is talking crazy. Things kick into gear on the first night they open the attraction, particularly for two jaded kids and a group of trouble-making teens who wanna cause a ruckus after the ghoulies break their beloved boom box. Also figuring into the equation are a former tightrope walker (with a fear of heights) turned burlesque dancer named Maggie (Kerry Remsen, Pumpkinhead) as the love interest of Larry. 

While I enjoyed the first film well enough the sequel is far and away the superior film with the added benefit that it amps up the creature effects, the ghoulies are front and center this time around, with more articulation and a more proactive role in the storyline. The effects by Anthony Allen Barlow (Total Recall) and John Carl Buechler (From Beyond) look pretty fantastic, the slime-covered ghoulies are well-served by tastily-lit Sergio Salvati (City of the Living Dead) lensing, and I love the giant Ghoulie that is summoned from Hell during the robust rubber-creature heavy finale. We also get some cool stop-motion animation courtesy of the late stop-motion legend David Allen (Robot Jox). The carnival setting adds plenty of lower-tier carnival charm, we get a sideshow with a she-male, a bearded lady, a firebreather, strong man, etc., burlesque dancers, and carnival midway with plenty of rides for the ghoulies to sabotage when things kick into high-gear at the finale. It's a solid '80s creature feature and this sequel remedies my issues with the first film with more screen time for the pint-sized terrors and a fun carnival setting, plus a rockin' tune from metallers W.A.S.P. certainly doesn't hurt. 

Audio/Video: Both the R-rated and PG-13 versions of Ghoulies II (1987) arrive on 4K Ultra HD from MVD Rewind Collection with brand new 2024 4K (2160p) restorations, sourced from a 16-bit scan of the Original Camera Negative, presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision HDR enhancement. Like MVD's restoration of Ghoulies (1985) this new 2023 refinement in 4K looks wonderful, an easy advancement over the previous Blu-ray releases in all the expected areas. This is a simply phenomenal looking presentation in both the PG-13 and R-rated versions. The source is in immaculate shape, gone are the nicks and scratches of the 2023 Blu-ray, and the fine film grain is uniform throughout. The 4K resolution offers a wonderful array of fine detail and filmic textures that are sure to be revelatory, the previous Blu-ray is pretty trash by comparison. The Dolby Vision/HDR color-grading is certainly a highlight of this new UHD, with deeper more nuanced black levels, and the WGC color-grading also highlights the terrifically atmospheric cinematography by the late-great Sergio Salvati (The House by the Cemetery), the colored gel lighting looks radiant, the ghoulish skin of the pint-sized demons are nicely suffused, and skin tones look warm and natural. The image is quite crisp with much improved depth and clarity, it's a banger of a transfer, this sequel has never looked better on home video. 

Audio on the UHD comes by way of English DTS-HD MA 2.0 stereo with optional English subtitles. Dialogue, effects and the Fuzzbee Morse (Dolls) soundtrack all sound clean and well-balanced. Notably it does not have the uncompressed 5.1 audio track from the Scream Factory release which was also absent on the 2023 MVD Blu-ray release. 

The only extras on the UHD are the the brief Introduction by Screenwriter Dennis Paoli and the Original Theatrical Trailer, saving those extras digital bits for the A/V. All other extras are found the second disc, a Blu-ray. 

The accompanying Blu-ray disc is a a recycle of the 2023 Blu-ray disc from MVD, having the same catalog number as that previous release, and as such only presents the PG-13 version of the film in 1080p HD widescreen (1.85:1), sourced from a 2K scan of interpositive overseen by MGM, which was the same HD master previously licensed to Scream Factory for their double-feature release in 2015. Grain is not as well-resolved as the newer 4K scan, but it's serviceable, with nice detail in the close-ups of faces and clothing textures. The source in  pretty good shape, except for a scene of the amphibious ghoulie emerging from a dunk tank at the 69:47 minute mark - see the screenshots at the bottom of the review of the 2023 Blu-ray HERE -  which has quite a bit of damage a couple of frames lasting about a second, that damage is not found on the 4K restoration, other than that blemishes are relegated to some white speckling and minor nicks and grit. The colors are also pleasing, the green skin of the creatures and the garish carnival lighting looks solid, but pales in comparison to the UHD. Audio comes by way of English LPCM 2.0 stereo with optional English subtitles. Dialogue, effects and the Fuzzbee Morse (Dolls) soundtrack all sound clean and well-balanced. Notably it does not have the uncompressed 5.1 audio track from the Scream Factory release.  

While the 4K disc features on the intro and trailer the Blu-ray carries over the full arsenal of extras that accompanies the 2015 Scream Factory double-feature of Ghoulies and Ghoulies II, plus a couple of other archival extras. The extras carried over from from the Scream Factory set include the 17-min More Toilets, More Terror: The Making of Ghoulies 2 featurette with interviews from Executive Producer Charles Band, Actors Kerry Remsen And Donnie Jeffcoat, and Special Effects Artist Gino Crognale. The actors discuss how exciting it was to be filming in Rome and touring Italy while Crognale has some great anecdotes about creating the effects for the film. Also carried over are 3-min collection of Deleted Scenes, these are alternate R-rated gore scenes that were originally included during the theatrical release of the film but have been missing since it made it's debut on home video, until this release, which restores the R-rated cut in 4K! 

Archival extras that were not present on the previous Scream Factory Blu-ray include a brief 1-min Introduction by Screenwriter Dennis Paoli who speaks of how practical effects are a better kind of movie magic than digital CGI, plus a 34-min Under A Magic Moon: Interview with Dennis Paoli, who discusses his process of writing, meeting Stuart Gordon in high school, performing as a comedy duo with him, and how Chicago is the epicenter of American comedy, his love of theater, and getting into Lovecraft, writing Re-Animator for Gordon, and working for Charles Band on Ghoulies II. Both of these appeared on the Australian Blu-ray from Umbrella Entertainment alongside a couple of other exclusive extras that are not present here; the Umbrella extras which are not found here include Shop Talk: Archival BTS Creature FX footage, Ghoulies Unflushed: Audio Only Interview with Actor Phil Fondacaro, and Ghoulies Unflushed: Audio Only Interview with Creature FX artist Kenneth J. Hall. The last of the extras are a Theatrical Trailer and a Still Gallery of promotional images and stills from the movie. I do wish we would have gotten the video for the W.A.S.P. tune "Scream Until You Like It". 

The 2-disc UHD/BD arrives in a dual-hubbed black keepcase, the Double-Sided Wrap, both options featuring the same original Ghoulies II theatrical artwork, but we get the option of having the MVD Rewind Collection of 4K LaserVision Collection branding on it, with differently numbered spines. There's also a First-Pressing Only Slipcover with the same theatrical artwork artwork, but with a fun twist, the slipcover artwork looks like a CED Video Disc with a water damaged or warped label, which is just a nice touch. Inside there's a Fold-Out Poster featuring the same CED Video Disc style artwork but slightly expanded upon so that you actually see the CED Video Disc Cartridge - I absolutely love this attention to detail for this doomed home video format! Both the slip and wrap have a numbered spine, one side of the wrap and slipcover displays #2 of the MVD Rewind's 4K LaserVision Collection, and the other side features #53 of the MVD Rewind Collection. 

 

Special Features: 

Disc 1: 4K UHD: Features + Special Features 
- 2024 4K (2160p) Restoration (16-Bit Scan of the Original Camera Negative) of the film presented in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio in Dolby Vision / HDR
- Includes both the 90 minute Theatrical PG-13 cut and the restored 91 minute R-Rated Director's Cut of the film.
- Optional English Subtitles
- LPCM 2.0 Stereo Audio
- Introduction by Screenwriter Dennis Paoli (1:15)
- Original Theatrical Trailer (1:23)
Disc 2: Blu-ray: Features + Special Features 
- High Definition (1080p) presentation of the main feature in 1:85.1 aspect ratio (2K scan of the Interpositive overseen by MGM)
- LPCM 2.0 Stereo Audio
- Optional English, French and Spanish Subtitles
- Introduction by Screenwriter Dennis Paoli (HD, 1:15)
- More Toilets, More Terror: The Making of Ghoulies 2 (HD, 16:50)
- Under A Magic Moon: Interview with Dennis Paoli (HD, 33:36)
 -Deleted Scenes (HD, 2:43)
- Photo Gallery
- Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:23)

- Collectible "4K LaserVision" Mini-Poster

- Reversible Sleeve of Artwork

Sales Points
- Written by Dennis Paoli (Re-Animator, From Beyond, Body Snatchers, The Dentist, Dagon)
- Features a soundtrack that includes “Scream Until You like It” by 80’s metal band W.A.S.P.
- Special effects and make-up by the legendary John Carl Buechler (Hatchet, Re-Animator, Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood)
- Produced and Directed by Albert Band (Robot Wars, Prehysteria, Prehysteria 2)
- Stars Damon Martin (Night of the Demons), Royal Dano (Killer Klowns From Outer Space), Phil Fondacaro (Return of the Jedi), J. Downing (Robot Wars), Kerry Remsen  (Pumpkinhead) and Sasha Jenson (Dazed and Confused)
-Sequel to the cult smash “Ghoulies”, also available from MVD Rewind Collection!

THE EPITAPH VOL. 82 - VINTAGE WARNER BROS. EDITION!

THE EPITAPH VOL.  82 - VINTAGE WARNER BROS. EDITION!

THE FLASH: THE ORIGINAL SERIES (1990) - THE MAN I LOVE (1947) - THE SHINING HOUR (1938) - MR. AND MRS. SMITH (1941) - DEXTER'S LABORATORY: 

THE COMPLETE SERIES (1996-2003) 

THE FLASH - THE ORIGINAL SERIES (1990) 6-Disc Blu-ray Set 

Label: Warner Archive 

Region Code: Region-Free

Rating: Unrated

Duration: 1088 Minutes 

Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo with Optional English subtitles 

Video: 1080p HD Fullscreen (1.33:1) 

Cast: John Wesley Shipp, Amanda Pays

Growing up I was a Marvel Kid, an avid reader of various Spider-Man, Avengers, X-Men and Fantastic Four books, but only a casual DC fans, who in the 80's I was only taking in via the Superman films and various DC animated properties. Like everyone else though when Tim Burton's Batman (1989) film arrived I was smitten by The Bat. Not longer after Batman was raking in big box office receipts came a new DC TV property, The Flash arrived on CBS in the Fall of 1990. The show only ran for 22-episodes but I was there for all of them, and quite sad when they stopped. The feature-length pilot episode starred John Wesley Shipp portrays Barry Allen, a police crime technologist endowed with sudden talents after a fluke lab accident, pledging to use his new ultra-speed powers with super-fast reflexes and the ability to vibrate his molecules so rapidly he can pass through solid walls, to fight crime in Central City as costumed crime-fighter The Flash. He is aided by S.T.A.R. Labs scientist Tina McGee (Amanda Pays, The Kindred) who helps him hone his powers. The big bad in this pilot is a disgraced former cop turned criminal named Nicholas Pike (Michael Nader, TV's Dynasty) who kills Barry's brother Jay (Tim Thomerson, Trancers). The pilot does great work establishing the character and supporting characters, developing a look that has a comic-feel but is not campy, and showcasing the buff-looking Flash suit which was fabrication by the legendary Stan Winston Studios. The series is certainly inthe mold of Tim Burton's Batman, scene of Central City bare a more-than-passing resemblance to Gotham, the garish Creepshow-esque styled lighting, not to mention the theme song by Danny Elfman sounds exactly like music he did for Batman, and the shows music is composed by Shirley Walker who also did the music for Batman: The Animated
Series. The series was pretty much a villain of the week type show, but for it;s time it's pretty darn entertaining, we were not inundated with superhero programming in 1990, so this was ahead of it's time in that respect. As the series continued we had some pretty cool villains pop-ups, including Mark Hamill (Star Wars) as the maniacal murderer The Trickster, 70's heartthrob David Cassidy (The Partridge Family) as Mirror Master, Michael Champion (Beverly Hills Cop) as Mr. Freeze knock-off Captain Cold, Anthony Starke (The George Carlin Show) as the Ghost. There was also some fun recurring roles with familiar faces, like Alex Désert (TV's Becker) as Barry Allen's co-worker, Jason Bernard (TV's Herman's Head) as former 1950 vigilante named
Nightshade, good ol; Dick Miller (Gremlins) as one of Barry;s informant's, and M. Emmet Walsh (Blood Simple) as Barry's father. Other notable but smaller roles include horror icon Jeffrey Combs and  Bryan Cranston as mob bosses! 

The show was pretty action-packed and had some pretty cool set design for the era. The Flash's ultra-speed sequences might be the show's weakest effect, but again, for the era I was pleased as punch when I was watching this as a teen in 1990, especially the freeze-effects the Castain Cold episode, that was awesome. All 22-episodes have been restored from film elements by Warner Archive, spread across six Blu-ray disc, framed in the original 137:1 fullscreen TV aspect ratio. They look wonderful, there;s a naturally thin layer of film grain, details rendered crisply, black levels are deep, and the garish comic-style lighting is radiant. We also get uncompressed English DTS-HD MA 2.0 audio with optional English subtitles. The track is clean and well-balanced, no issues. Absolutely nbo extras on this one, which is a bummer, but just having this series on Blu-ray looking and sounding as good as it does, is the only extras I need. 

Special Features: 

- None 

Buy it: 

Amazon

Moviezyng - use code: MOVIEDEAL at checkout to get 5% off your entire order! 

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THE MAN I LOVE (1947) 

Label: Warner Archive

Region Code: Region-Free

Rating: Unrated

Duration: 96 Minutes 37 Minutes 

Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Dial-Mono with Optional English Subtitles

Video: 1080p HD Fullscreen (1.37:1) 

Director: Raoul Walsh

Cast: Ida Lupino, Robert Alda, Andrea King

In the noir-tinged Raoul Walsh (They Drive By Night) melodrama The Man I Love (1947) sexy torch singer Petey Brown (Ida Lupino, The Big Knife) leaves The Big Apple for Long Beach, CA to visit her sisters and brother for Christmas. While there she gets a job as a singer at a seedy nightclub owned by sleazy small-time-hood Nicky Toresca (Robert Alda, The Devil's Hand) where her sister Sally (Andrea King, Red Planet Mars) is employed, finding herself caught-up in sordid affairs of not just her own, but her siblings as well; we gets mobsters, adulterous spouses, war-traumatized vets. The flick is briskly paced, chock full of salacious melodrama, has a noir tinged vibe and a terrific soundtrack chock full of American jazz standard. This new Warner Archive Blu-ray presentation looks fantastic and restores 6 minutes cut from the film and unseen for nearly seven decades, not since it was first shown during its original theatrical release. Extras include a pair of WB cartoons from the era the film was released, and the Trailer. 

Special Features: 

- Classic WB cartoons "Rabbit Transit" (8:15)  and "Crowing Pains" (6:50)

- Original Theatrical Trailer (2:16) 

Buy it:

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THE SHINING HOUR (1938)

Label: Warner Archive 

Region Code: Region-Free

Rating: Unrated

Duration: 76 Minutes 49 Seconds 

Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Dial-Mono with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: B&W 1080p HD Fullscreen (1.37:1) 

Director: Frank Borzage

Cast: Joan Crawford, Margaret Sullavan, Robert Young

Romantic melodrama The Shining Hour (1938) stars Joan Crawford (Straight-Jacket) playing a New York singer Olivia who marries a wealthy farmer Henry (Melvyn Douglas, Ghost Story), leaving the big city and moving to his farm in rural Wisconsin. There she finds that she is mutually drawn to her new husband's handsome brother David (Robert Young, The Canterville Ghost). Out of respect they keep their distance as both are married, and he to the quite wonderful Judy (Margaret Sullavan, The Mortal Storm), but David and Henry's domineering older sister Hannah (Fay Bainter, State Fair) is not naive and can detect the simmering love triangle, not holding back her contempt Olivia, leading to a frenzied and emotional finale that climaxes with someone setting a house on fire and Crawford's Olivia risking life and limb to battle flames to rescue Sullavan from certain death. It's a tasty bit of melodrama with quite a finale, Crawford and the rest of the cast are terrific. The Warner Archive Blu-ray looks phenomenal, as for extras we get a vintage MGM radio program 'Good News of 1939' with scenes from the film, a Trailer, and a trio of classic period correct cartoons from the vaults. 

Special Features: 

- Audio only vintage M-G-M radio program GOOD NEWS OF 1939 with scenes from THE SHINING HOUR (23:00)

- Classic cartoons: "Love and Curse" (8:27), "Porky's Five and Ten" (7:05 and "The Sneezing Weasel" (6:43) 

-  Original Theatrical Trailer (2:58) 

Buy it:

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Moviezyng - use code: MOVIEDEAL at checkout to get 5% off your entire order!

Physical Media Land - use code: MOVIEDEAL at checkout to get 5% off your entire order!

MR. AND MRS. SMITH (1941) 

Label: Warner Archive 

Region Code: Region-Free

Rating: Unrated

Duration: 95 Minutes 21 Seconds 

Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Dual-Mono with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: 1080p HD Fullscreen (1.37:1)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock 

Cast: Carole Lombard, Robert Montgomery,  Gene Raymond

When one thinks of screwball comedies a name that probably wouldn't pop-up right away would be suspense master Alfred Hitchcock, but he truly was a master of all things cinema, and in 1941 he directed the screwball romantic comedy Mr. and Mrs. Smith that teamed-up up screwball queen Carol Lombard (Supernatural) with Robert Montgomery (The Mystery of Mr. X) and husband and wife David and Ann Smith. The couple have been married three years and are notorious for their arguments and reconciliations. After one such reconciliation Ann queries him over breakfast "If you had it to do all over again, would you have married me?", to which he rather honestly and totally foolheartedly replies that while he is happy how things turned out if he would do it over again he would not, he would have chosen to have more freedoms, which does not sit well with her. Rather preposterously the same day while at work David is visited at his law office by Harry Deever (Charles Halton, 3 Godfathers), an Idaho county official, who informs him that due to a jurisdictional mishap regarding a errant state boundary line, that his three-year marriage is no longer valid. It turns out that Deever is an old family friend of Ann;s and pays her a visit that same day, telling her of the mishap, and when David returns home that she she assumes that he will tell her of the error and suggest they get married again. He invites her to dinner at a place they used to frequent when they were dating, and she assumes a proposal is coming, however, when he offers none she gets upset. She ends up kicking her out if their apartment and things quickly get out of hand, eventually David's law partner Jeff (Gene Raymond, I'd Rather Be Rich) agrees to intercede on his behalf and he arranges to meet with Ann with the intention of having David stop by unannounced with hopes he can get their marriage back on track, but instead when Dave arrives he finds that Jeff has not only agreed to legally represent her, but asks her out on a date. The divide between the Smith's deepen, and Ann starts dating Jeff, things eventually resolve at a ski lodge on a mountaintop, and much rom-com shenanigan ensue. Lombard and Montgomery are absolutely delightful, the Hitchcock direction is tight, and Gene Raymond makes for a fantastic third-wheel complicating matters, a scene of him and Lombard;s characters stuck atop a carnival ride for hours during a torrential downpour is delightful, followed-by her getting him drunk on liquor afterwards. The film has been gorgeously restored to it's monochromatic glory by Warner Archive, looking and sounding wonderful. We also get what I would consider to be a rather large array of extras by the usual Warner Archive standards. Extras comes by way of the 16-min "Mr. Hitchcock Meets the Smiths" featurette with Peter Bogdanovich (Targets), Richard Franklin (Psycho II) Hitchcock's daughter, Patricia, and TCM host Robert Osborne talking about the terrific screwball comedy. We also get  a pair of Classic Cartoons by way of the 8-min "Holiday Highlights" and the 8-min "Stage Fright"; the rather lavish 2-Strip Technicolor short "Cinderella's Feller" that runs about 19-min, plus  Two Audio-only radio broadcasts; the 1-hour Lux Radio Theater broadcast with Carole Lombard and Bob Hope and a 30-min Screen Guild Players broadcast with Errol Flynn and Lana Turner, plus the Original Theatrical Trailer. KIt feels weird to call a Hitchcock film a gem, but this was a new one for me, and it is absolutely an unexpected screwball gem from the master of suspense. 

Special Features: 

- Featurette: "Mr. Hitchcock Meets the Smiths" (16:08) 

- Classic Cartoons: "Holiday Highlights" (7:35)  & "Stage Fright" (7:35) 

- Cinderella's Feller (19:34) 

- Two Audio-only radio broadcasts: Lux Radio Theater broadcast with Carole Lombard and Bob Hope (59:46) and Screen Guild Players broadcast with Errol Flynn and Lana Turner (29:34)

-  Original Theatrical Trailer (0:47) 

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THE COMPLETE SERIES (1996-2003) 

12-Disc DVD Set 

Label: WBDHE 

Region Code: 1

Rating: PG 

Duration: 1791 Minutes

Audio: English  Dolby Digital with Optional English, Latin America Spanish Subtitles 

Video: Fullscreen (1.37:1) (SD)

Voice Cast: Christine Cavanaugh, Kath Soucie, Jeff Bennett, Kat Cressida, Candi Milo

All 78-eposides of the Cartoon Network animated TV series Dexter's Laboratory, which created by Genndy Tartakovsky (Primal) finally get a complete series DVD set, including the  special episode Dexter's Laboratory: Ego Trip, are brought together on this 12-disc DVD set. Like Powerpuff Girls and Samurai Jack this is one of the few kids toons in the late 90's that appealed to both my kids and myself. The ongoing tale of boy-genius Dexter, the half-Einstein, half-third grader who hangs out in his secret laboratory creating the most amazing inventions, but finds himself constantly pestered by his fanciful and often annoying sister Dee Dee. His chief rival is the other boy-genius Mandark from constantly trying to one-up him. Sadly no Blu-ray upgrade for the beloved series but the DVDs look solid for SD, the wonderfully animated retro-whimsical series features vibrant colors, thick black animation lines, but there are some compression artifacts, but nothing ruinous. The 12-disc DVD set arrives in one of those cheap, oversized Epik Pak keepcases with a single-sided sleeve of artwork. At least the first-pressing of this set includes a slipcover with a die-cut feature with Dex's eyeglasses that's pretty cool. Inside there's a simple-2-page Episode Guide for all six seasons. 

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HOMEWORK (1982) (Unearthed Classics Blu-ray Review)

HOMEWORK (1982) 

Label: Unearthed Classics

Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: R

Duration: 89 Minutes 5 Seconds

Audio: English PCM 2.0 Dual Mono, Dolby Digital Stereo with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1) 

Director: James Beshears

Cast: Joan Collins, Erin Donovan, Michael Morgan, Lee Purcell, Wings Hauser, Carrie Snodgress

 

Teen-sex comedy / horny coming-of-age flick Homework (1982) is directed by first-time and final-time director James Beshears, and is produced Max Rosenberg, the co-founder of Amicus Films. and is one in a long line of Porky's knock-offs. This horny teen flick follows the exploits of frustrated highschool senior Tommy (Michael Morgan, TV movie Midnight Offerings), a sex-obsessed teen who is so put-off by the fact that he is still a virgin that he seeks out psychiatrist Dr. Delinguato (Carrie Snodgress, The Fury) to awkwardly spill his guts to. She tells him to channel his energies into something he loves, so he forms a garage band with his pals Ralph (Lanny Horn, Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo) and Mix (Mark Brown), layter recruiting arrogant French exchange student Gilles (John Romano). He initially wants his girlfriend Sheila (Erin Donovan) to front the group but she's too busy trying to be a swim-jock to dedicate anytime to his band. He then turns to Sheila's best friend Lisa (Shell Kepler, TV's General Hospital), but when it turns out she cannot carry a tune so they put her on bass, and they end up with Mix's gal Cookie (Renee Harris), who after years singing in the church choir turns out to have a decent set of pipes. They start practicing in hopes of blowing away the hometown crowd at the upcoming highschool talent show.


While this is going on we get a series of Tommy's male sex fantasies playe dout, scenes of a girl posing for nudie pics, another scene of Tommy being prepared for a electric shock therapy by a pair of busty nurses played by Annie Ample (Delta Pi) and Mary McKinley (Boardinghouse), and a rock star fantasy with groping groupies played by Michelle Bauer (Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama) and Lindsay Freeman (Fairy Tales).

As Tommy tries to lose his virginity to Shelia and strikes out he hits the Hollywood streets eventually settling on an unsatisfactory romp with a hooker, figuring he might never get a proper lay, that is until his girlfriend's sexy mother Diana (Joan Collins, Tales from the Crypt) has him perform some chores around the house and finds herself attracted to his tight teen ass, deciding to make a man of him on her pool table. Collins prominent inclusion in the film's advertising campaign, despite it only being a small role, lead to a lawsuit. She was also apparently quite unhappy about a body double used during the sex scenes and in the advertising for the film where they pasted her head atop the body double's body. Other notable names include Wings Hauser (Mutant) as local rockstar Reddog who Lisa is totally obsessed with, she eventually gets an audience with him under the auspices of scouting her talent, but in the end all she gets is gonorrhea! Also on board is Lee Purcell (Eddie Macon's Run) as highschool French teacher Ms. Jackson who Gilles is crushing on, only to be rebuffed when he misinterprets her intentions during after hours French tutoring at her house, which just seems weird, inviting teen boys to your home after hours.

The coming-of-age, teen-sex story is very much in the vein of Porky's, Little Darlings, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and The Last American Virgin, we even get Mel Welles (The Little Shop of Horrors), the druggist from Last American Virgin in a similar role, as an OBGYN at the VD clinic, but it's a little bit trashier and more ineptly assembled. Both the director and editor were quite green and it shows, neither did much work afterward in their credited roles, the edits and transitions in the flick are truly horrendous, there's a bizarre use of still frames and frame speed changes I think they were trying to use to cover up technical shortcomings here, it just feels very amateurish. The story itself, while nothing special, and a lot of the young cast are amateurish, but there's a heart that shines through on this one; sure it's somewhat inept and totally derivative, but still pretty entertaining stuff. I also like the hard rock/new wave soundtrack with tunes by Renee Harris, Brian Cadd, The Naughty Sweeties, Moon Martin, Wipp, and Tony Jones, I thought some of the tunes were pretty catchy, most of all "Totally Hip" by Wipp was a bit of an earworm.

Audio/Video: Homework (1982) arrives on region-free Blu-ray from Unearthed Films as part of their Unearthed Classics line-up, this having spine #15, presented in 1080p HD framed in 1.85:1 widescreen. The film looks terrific, the source showcases some minor speckling and debris but the colors are well-saturated, black levels are pleasing, and the film grain is well-managed. Audio options comes by way of uncompressed English PCM 2.0 dual-mono or Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo with optional English subtitles. The mono track sounds good but I will have to give the edge to the fuller sounding stereo track even though it's lossy Dolby Digital, the songs particularly have more depth to them.

Extras include an archival 27-min Interview with legendary producer Max Rosenberg in which the usually quite candid producer dishes on Joan Collins quite a but and how the film was a financial disaster, plus a 1-min Photo Gallery, and Unearthed Trailers for Homework, Full Body Massage, Tokyo Decadence, and Nightwish.

The single-disc release arrives in a standard keepcase with a Single-Sided Wrap featuring the illustrated movie poster of Joan Colins' character admiring Tommy's firm teen ass, but unfortunately not the original one that got them sued, featuring Collin's head pasted onto a double's body! We also get a First-Pressing Only Slipcover with the same artwork and numbered spine.

Special Features:
- Interview with legendary producer Max Rosenberg (27:20)
- Photo Gallery (1:18)
- Trailers: Homework (1:25), Full Body Massage (1:26), Tokyo Decadence (1:13), Nightwish (1:38)

If you have an affinity for early 80's sex comedies and trashy coming-of-age flicks Homework (1982) like I do this release is a must-own, capably delivering on the sleaze, humor and heart the sub-genre was known for. Unearthed have put together a solid release, and the dishy interview with the late producer Max Rosenberg is a fantastic extra.

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PURPLE RAIN (1984) (WBDHE 4K Ultra HD + Digital HD Review)

PURPLE RAIN (1984) 

4K Ultra HD + Digital HD 

Label: WBDHE

Region Code: Region-Free

Rating: R

Duration: 111 Minutes 11 Seconfs 

Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, Original Theatrical DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: HDR10 2160p Ultra HD Widescreen (1.85:1) 

Director: Albert Magnoli

Cast: Prince, Apollonia Kotero, Morris Day, Olga Karlatos, Clarence Williams III.

Directed by Albert Magnoli (Tango & Cash)
the music-drama Purple Rain stars Price, in his film debut, playing pretty much a version of himself as The Kid,  singer/guitarist/leader for the Minneapolis-based band The Revolution, performing as one of the three house bands for The First Avenue nightclub, alongside Morris Day and the Time, and the Modernaires. 

We learn of The Kid's shitty home life, living with his abusive father Clarence Williams III (Tales from the Hood), a failed musician, and his put-upon mother (Olga Karlatos, Lucio Fulci's Zombie) who he beats when drunk. Dad also takes it out The Kid from time to time when he comes to his mother's defense. Enter into the fray new-girl Appollonia (Apollonia Kotero) who is looking to make her break in the Twin Cities, and catches the eye of The Kid in the process. Things turn bitter when she joins an all-girl group put together by The Kid's musical nemesis Morris Day, dubbing the group the Apollonia 6, the group also including two of Kid's female band members who are resentful that he refuses to play any of the songs they've written. Morris creates the girl group in an effort to get The Revolution ousted as one of The First Avenue nightclub's house bands. 

The autobiographical flick is brisk and well-paced for nearly two hour flick, Prince comes off as charismatic and multi-facted, while I think the film is pretty clumsy dramatically and noy all that well-scripted I like the look of, the musical performances from The Revolutio, The Modernaires, The Time and Apollonia 6 are terrific, capturing the electric-fun sound of Minneapolis with electrifying performances, both Morris Day and Prince were both in their prime and dazzle with their charismatic showmanship, and those glitzy 80's stage costumes are something else!

The story itself is pretty threadbare, the melodrama is superficial, but the charisma of Prince and the music are what make this film. Rolled out in conjunction with his same-titled Purple Rain  album it was something of a cross-media pop culture takeover in 1984. At the time I was enthralled by metal and punk and didn't initially have interest in seeing the flick, but I did eventually catch up to it on cable TV or VHS a year or so later, and I was a convert from that moment on. As a horror fan I also get a hoot out of seeing both Clarence Williams III from Tales from the Hood and Olga Karlatos, the woman who gets that nasty splinter in her eye in Lucio Fulci's Zombie as The Kid's parents, so even if you;re not a Prince fan there is a horror movie connection. 

Audio/Video: Purple Rain (1984) debuts on 4K Ultra HD from WBDHE in 2160p UHD in the proper widescreen (1.85:1) aspect ratio with HDR10 color-grading.  

Notes about the transfer from WBDHE: "For the 40th Anniversary of Purple Rain, the film has been completely restored digitally from an 8K scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative (OCN). The picture was also conformed to the original theatrical release aspect ratio of 1.85:1 to provide the most authentic theatrical presentation framing ever to be released to the home. The digitally restored picture was color graded in High Dynamic Range (HDR). The film’s audio was also restored from the original Dolby Stereo (LCRS) archived 35mm magnetic film source elements containing the separate dialogue, music, and effects (DME) tracks. These restored elements along with the 20th anniversaries' 5.1 multi-channel print master were used to complete a newly remastered 5.1 presentation for the film."

Notes about the audio from WBDHE: "The film’s audio was also restored from the original Dolby Stereo (LCRS) archived 35mm magnetic film source elements containing the separate dialogue, music, and effects (DME) tracks. These restored elements along with the 20th anniversaries' 5.1 multi-channel print master were used to complete a newly remastered 5.1 presentation for the film."

I have not re-watched Purple Rain since the 2007 Blu-ray release, so it's been awhile. All I can say is wow, what we have here is a wonderfully filmic presentation with colors that far surpass what I remember, The image is blemish free, grain is tight and well-managed, and the HDR really does reinvigorate the colors, as well as deepening black levels, as well as improved depth and clarity. The live shows and The Kid's purple jacket and custom purple Honda motorcycle all look terrific, as do skin tones and the colored-lighting during the perfromaves look fantastic as well. Likeswise the English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround mix, which is full-bodied throughout, the live shows sounds wonderful with deep bass and crisp higher ranges, the surrounds kicking in to give it an immersive concert experience. Another nice inclusion is that we get the original theatrical stereo track uncompressed, I preferred the fuller surround track this time around, but I do believe this is the first time that the film has had the original theatrical mix on home video, which should please the purists. Truly, the film has never looked or sounded better on home video. 

Onto the extras, perhaps my only disappointment about the 40th Anniversary Edition is that not all the extras have been carried over from the 2007 or 2016 Blu-rays. We do get the archival Audio Commentary by director Albert Magnoli, producer Robert Cavallo and cinematographer Donald E. Thorin, a host of Music Videos, and the 12-min First Avenue: The Road to Pop Royalty featurette, but we do not get the 3-min Purple Rain: Backstage Pass; the 10-min Riffs, Ruffles and a Revolution: The Impact and Influence of Purple Rain; the Trailers for Purple Rain, Under the Cherry Moon, and Graffiti Bridge,or the 28-min MTV Premiere Party. So Hang onto your 2007 or 2016 Blu-ray edition if you fancy extras. Also, the 2016 Blu-ray omitted the Trailers, the 2007 edition has the most complete extras package. I have also redeemed the digital version and can confirm that it only redeemed the Digital HD (not UHD) version on both Fandango and Movies Anywhere, and there are no digital extras. 

The single-disc release arrives in a black keepcase with the traditional key artwork for the film, the wrap is single-sided, the Slipcover features a glossy metallic finish that attracts fingerprints like a magnet. Inside is the redemption code to redeem for a Digital HD version of the film. EDIT: I redeemed my digital copy pre-release date as I was sent the disc early for review by WB, on the official release date it was upgraded to digital UHD on the digital platforms. 

Special Features:
- Audio Commentary by director Albert Magnoli, producer Robert Cavallo and cinematographer Donald E. Thorin
- First Avenue: The Road to Pop Royalty - featurette (12:22) 
- Let’s Go Crazy – music video (4:04) 
- Take Me with U – music video (4:52)
- When Doves Cry – Music Video (5:57) 
- I Would Die 4 U/Baby I’m a Star – music video (17:55) 
- Purple Rain – music video (7:04) 
- Jungle Love – music video (3:26) 
- The Bird – music video (3:48)
- Sex Shooter – music video (3:49)

- Digital HD Copy

- Slipcover 

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LAST STOP IN YUMA COUNTY (2024) (Well Go USA Blu-ray Review)

LAST STOP IN YUMA COUNTY (2024)

Label: Well Go USA
Region Code: A

Rating: R 

Duration: 90 Minutes 30 Seconds 

Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo, 5.1 Surround with Optional English or French Subtitles 

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.35:1) 

Director: Francis Galluppi

Cast: Jim Cummings, Jocelin Donahue, Sierra McCormick, Nicholas Logan, Michael Abbott Jr., Connor Paolo, Alexandra Essoe, Robin Bartlett, Jon Proudstar, Sam Huntington

Set in the 1970 The Last Stop in Yuma County (2024) starts off with a travelling knife salesman (Jim Cummings, The Wolf of Snow Hollow) on his way to Carlsbad, California to visit his daughter when he finds himself low on gas passing through Yuma County, Arizona - stopping of at a dusty roadside gas station to fill 'er up only to find out from the proprietor Vernon (Faizon Love, Friday) that they are all out of gas and waiting for the fuel-tanker to arrive, which should be within the hour. As there is not another gas station for a hundred miles he recommends the salesman grab a cup of joe at the diner right next door and that's what he does. There he's greeted by waitress Charlotte (Jocelin Donahue, The House of the Devil) and grabs a seat by the window, he ends up chatting a bit with Charlotte and throws his knife-salesman pitch at her. A bit later another pair of rough looking fellas also looking for gas end up at the diner, Travis (Nicholas Logan, Dark Winds) and Beau (Richard Brake, 3 From Hell), arriving in a beat-up green Ford Pinto. They are are a sketchy duo, having just robbed a bank in nearby Buckeye, Arizona earlier that morning they're looking to get out of Dodge quick. The knife salesman notices that the damage to their car matches the description of the bank robbers getaway car from an earlier radio report, he lets Charlotte discreetly in on his observation, but Beau is no dummy, and when she tries to make a phone call to alert her husband, who just happens to be the local sheriff Charlie (Michael Abbott Jr., The Dark and the Wicked) he quickly sticks a gun in her face and cuts the phone cord. It turn into a hostage situation quickly and it's pretty obvious these two bank robbers would have no qualms about using violence if need be, but they tell Charlotte and the knife salesman to play it cool and act normal. As more diner patron arrives they are told to casually inquire about each new arrivals fuel-tank status, in the hopes that someone with a full tank might happen by so they can drive on down to Mexico before the cops show-up. 

The fuel-truck is running later than usual and more customers arrive at the diner biding their time, we have an older couple by way of Robert (Gene Jones, The Sacrament) and Earline (Robin Bartlett, Shutter Island), and the sheriff's deputy Gavin (Connor Paoloz, A Creature Was Stirring) arrives looking for coffee for the sheriff and his secratary (Barbara Crampton, From Beyond), which leads to a pretty tense scenario as Charlotte oversweetens the coffee intended for her husband in hopes of alerting him to the trouble brewing at the diner. Another wrench in the works is the arrival of a hot-headed wanna-be Bonnie & Clyde couple (or Kit & Holly from Badland) Miles (Ryan Masson) and Sybil (Sierra McCormick). 

This is director Francis Galluppi's first feature film, and it's total banger, infused with the DNA of Quentin Tarantino (Jackie Brown) and the black humored neo-noir blood of the Coen Bros. (Blood Simple) coursing through its veins. This roadside thriller is fantastic, very assured and tonally pitch perfect. The sunbaked diner in the middle of nowhere is a perfect setting, the atmosphere inside the diner slowly simmering as new elements and characters are added, eventually you know it's gonna boil over, and when it does it delivers the thrills; we get sharp dialogue, the acting is aces, and the music cues are fantastic, we get needle drops from Roy Orbison, Glady Knights and the Pips, Dusty Rhodes & The River Band, The Grass Roots and more, it's a terrific soundtrack. Also, the lensing from Mac Fisken (Pod, Darling, Carnage Park) is visually quite pleasing, capturing that dusty, sun-baked, neo-noir vibe that is the cherry-on-top of this demented thriller. 

The whole cast is terrific, but Cummings is particularly good, hos arc as just a dude trying to get home to his kid to where his character ends up was absolutely thrilling to watch, you just keep wondering how far will this go in the direction it's going, and it just keeps going to an absurdly explosive finale that had me rapt. The build-up is steadfast, the threat is palpable, and when the violence erupts beginning with a multi-facted Mexican standoff it just puts the petal to the metal and never lets up until the nihilistic mad-dash to the finish line. 

Audio/Video: The Last Stop in Yuma County (2023) on Blu-ray from Well Go USA in 1080p HD framed in 2.35:1 widescreen. The film was shot digital so there are no celluloid defects to contend with, the image us nicely sharp and detailed, colors look excellent and as it's shot throughout the day black levels are never an issue. Audio comes by way of either English DTS-HD MA 2.0 stereo or 5.1 surround with optional English subtitles. It's not a wide soundfield here, it's dialogue heavy, we do get some atmospherics, and for a brief moments a cacophonous exchange of gunfire and an explosion, which are full-bodied and piercing, and the terrific needle drops sounds wonderful. 

 

Extras include Three Audio Commentaries with the Director, Producers, Actors and Cinematographer;  a 9-min Making Of Featurette, plus a Trailer for the film and a selection of Well Go USA Previews. The making-of doc is quite entertaining, getting into how the producer sold his house to finance the picture for the first-time director, the prob alems they faced, and the joy of success. The single disc release arrives in a standard keepcase with a single-sided sleeve of artwork and a Slipcover with spot-gloss finish on the lettering of the front, back and spines, which is probably limited to the first-pressing only.

Special Features:

- Making-of Featurette (8:28) 

- Trailer (2:13)

- Well Go USA Previews: Sting (2:15), Monolith (2:17), A Creature Was Stirring (2:05)

- Director & Actors Audio Commentary Track

- Director & Executive Producer Audio Commentary 

- Director & Cinematographer Audio Commentary 

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