2026 Arrow Releases

[therewillbeblus]

I don't, but I just remembered that switching the sound bar mode from "cinema" to "standard" has fixed the issue in the past and it made it better

[therewillbeblus]

As for the film itself.. Wow, this revisit felt like an entirely different movie than I've seen before. Maybe I've just become more impressed over time with the throw-everything-at-the-wall approach to comedy, but this is such an incredibly bizarre film, imbuing a looseness to its comic rhythm that leaves room for Dante and co. to try just about anything and everything - it's even a strong action movie! I was reminded of some of Tashlin's wackier outings like Son of Paleface, where even if every joke doesn't land, the film scores extra points for its full-throated commitment to each bit. This is an overplotted and disordered extravaganza that I wouldn't fault anyone for disliking (my wife was enjoying it for a while before eventually growing tired of the left-field antics and abandoned ship), but this is exactly the type of novel cinematic outing I'm craving these days, and it felt like a first-time viewing despite rewatching just a few years ago. Five stars for some odd combination of effort and performance, genre-hopping its way to a sublime chaos that still feels rooted in an eccentric internal logic. At two full hours, it somehow never wears out its welcome. Arrow's edition is stunning

[swo17]

And it appears that the US listing for the Sex & Fury/Female Yakuza Tale double has been deleted from Arrow's website.

The UK edition too is now, if not deleted, impossible to find anywhere, just a month after release. (Also, did we not already have a thread for this title? Was that also deleted? How deep does this conspiracy go? ) I know some people got copies (there's one available on eBay right now for $100+) but it seems more like a "release pulled" situation than a "sold out early from massive demand" one. I asked Arrow's customer service about it and got this coy response:

I'm afraid we don't have a release date for this film yet, but if you are subscribed to our newsletter, you will receive a notification via email.

So is the plan to eventually put it back in circulation, but there's just some rights issue or something that needs to be sorted out first? I wonder if JamesF is at liberty to say anything more about this

[dwk]

I saw someone post that they got a copy and it was coded Region AB. If that was accurate, it is possible that Toei made Arrow pull the release and fix the region code.

[swo17]

Yes, that would make sense

[P-Rock]

There's also the Eureka! release, which includes Once Upon A Time in China And America.

[swo17]

The 4K edition seems to be mostly sold out already

[WrathOfAguirre]

The 4K edition seems to be mostly sold out already

Still in stock at Amazon (as of me posting this).

[Altair]

Do we chalk this up to The Odyssey or is there really a secret cult around this film?

[ChunkyLover]

I'd say the former. Mostly, because it's Nolan-haters gaslighting themselves into thinking Troy is some undiscovered masterpiece.

[dwk]

Arrow is probably just having stock/distribution issues with some titles. A similar thing happened last year with a couple of releases (Outland and, I think, Under Siege) and those limited editions became available again.

I had considered ordering a copy because Arrow almost always drops alternate cuts (and doesn't lower the price) when they do standard editions but I watched about 30 minutes of this on YouTube and, yeah, it is not good.

[Finch]

In 1970, veteran producer Raymond Chow broke free of Shaw Brothers to form Golden Harvest, recruiting a plethora of skilled technicians, innovative choreographers and future superstars. Among them, the young Nora Miao helped put the fledgling company on the map and reinvigorated the female-led wuxia genre, showcasing all her talent and charisma in THE BLADE SPARES NONE and THE HURRICANE.

In Teddy Yip's surrealist wuxia THE BLADE SPARES NONE, Miao plays Ho Li-Chun, a swordswoman seeking revenge for her father's assassination by an avaricious fiend posing as a prince. Alongside her righteous comrades Tang Ching-Yun (Patrick Tse Yin, Shaolin Soccer) and Chen Jo-Yu (James Tien, Fist of Fury), they'll defeat anyone who stands in their way in their pursuit of the imposter prince.

Fresh off the success of The Big Boss, Golden Harvest's leading filmmaker Lo Wei directs Miao, once again alongside Patrick Tse Yin in THE HURRICANE, an action-packed tale of conspiracy and treachery, where our heroes must form an unlikely alliance to try and stop a corrupt minister from betraying the Empire.

Prior to her eventual crowning as the female kung fu protagonist par excellence playing opposite Bruce Lee, Nora Miao was at the top of her aerial swordplay form, shining as a formidable warrior with supernatural fighting prowess in two of Golden Harvest's earliest triumphs, newly restored for their Blu-ray debuts.

Special Features

Booklet, Commentary: 'The Blade Spares None': Arne Venema & Stefan Hammond; 'The Hurricane': Jonathan Clements', Documentaries: 'Deadly Poise', Image Gallery, Interviews: Mars (actor/stunt coordinator), Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Ilan Sheady, Trailers

[Finch]

2 DISC 4K ULTRA HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
- Brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm negative by Arrow Films
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Richey Beckett
- Double-sided foldout poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Richey Beckett
- Collectors’ perfect-bound booklet containing new writing by critics Charlie Brigden, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, David Moses, Martyn Pedler and Icy Sedgwick plus select archival material

DISC 1 - FEATURE & EXTRAS (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY)
- 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
- Restored original lossless stereo and new Dolby Atmos audio options
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Ray Harryhausen at the BFI, an archival audio interview conducted after a screening of Clash of the Titans in 1981
- Ray Harryhausen & Charles Schneer at the BFI, an archival audio interview with Harryhausen and his long-time producer Charles Schneer

DISC 2 - EXTRAS (BLU-RAY)
- Courage & Imagination: Ray Harryhausen’s Mythic Adventure, a brand new feature-length documentary by David Cairns and Fiona Watson celebrating Clash of the Titans and the work of Ray Harryhausen, with contributions from Joe Dante, John Landis, Randall William Cook and Vanessa Harryhausen
- A Conversation with Ray Harryhausen, an archival featurette in which Harryhausen discusses the film
- Myths and Monsters, a series of archival featurettes in which Harryhausen discusses the main creatures of Clash of the Titans: Calibos, Pegasus, Bubo, the Scorpions, Medusa, the Kraken and Dioskilos
- Theatrical trailers
- Image galleries

[Finch]

2-DISC 4K ULTRA HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
- Collectors’ booklet featuring new writing on the film by Sean Hogan and Paul Talbot as well as excerpts and photos from Dwayne Epstein’s Killin’ Generals: The Making of The Dirty Dozen, and Alain Silver and James Ursini’s What Ever Happened to Robert Aldrich? His Life and His Films
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tom Ralston

DISC 1 – FEATURE (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY)
- Brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative by Arrow Films
- 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
- Original restored lossless mono, 5.1 audio, and a newly restored 6.0 (70mm mix) track
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Brand new audio commentary by film scholars Alain Silver and James Ursini
- Archival audio commentary with actors Jim Brown, Trini Lopez, Stuart Cooper, and Colin Maitland, producer Kenneth Hyman, novelist E.M. Nathanson, film historian David J. Schow, and veteran military advisor Capt. Dale Dye
- Archival introduction to the film by actor Ernest Borgnine
- Theatrical trailer
- Image gallery

DISC 2 – SPECIAL FEATURES (BLU-RAY)
- The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission, a feature-length TV sequel starring Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine (standard definition only)
- Newly discovered on set footage and an interview with Lee Marvin from Peter Whitehead’s archive
- War Is Over, a brand new appreciation by film historian Kim Newman
- The War March, a brand new breakdown of Frank De Vol’s score by David Huckvale
- Armed and Deadly: The Making of The Dirty Dozen, an archive featurette on the making of the film
- The Filthy Thirteen: Real Stories Behind the Lines, an archive featurette on the history behind the film
- Operation Dirty Dozen, a original promotional featurette
- Combat Leadership: The Ultimate Challenge, a Navy recruitment film narrated by Lee Marvin

[Finch]

4K ULTRA HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
- 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
- Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround and lossless stereo audio options
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Archive audio commentary by director of photography Roger Deakins
- Brand new audio commentary by film scholar Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
- Minnesota Nice, an archive featurette on the making of the film
- Interview with the Coen Brothers and actress Frances McDormand on the Charlie Rose Show
- American Cinematographer article
- Original promotional featurette and behind-the-scenes footage
- Theatrical trailers and TV spot
- Image galleries
- Reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork options
- Collectors’ booklet featuring new writing by critics Jedidiah Ayres, Walter Chaw, and Priscilla Page

[Finch]

4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
- 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
- Original lossless stereo and DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Brand new audio commentary with filmmaker and film historian Daniel Kremer
- Archival audio commentary with director John Badham and writers Lawrence Lasker and Walter Parkes
- Playing the Game, a brand new interview with John Badham
- Hello, I Must Be Coding, a brand new interview with actor Eddie Deezen
- Mutually Assured Percussion, a brand new tribute to composer Arthur B. Rubinstein featuring musician Anthony Marinelli and film music historian Daniel Schweiger
- Doomsday on Screen: The Visual Effects of WarGames, a brand new featurette by film journalist Joe Fordham
- Command and (Out of) Control: WarGames and Cold War Cinema, a brand new featurette on the context and legacy of WarGames by critic Bryan Reesman
- Loading WarGames, an archival documentary about the film’s production and cultural impact featuring interviews with cast and crew
- Inside NORAD: Cold War Fortress, Attack of the Hackers and Tic Tac Toe: A True Story archival featurettes
- Theatrical trailer
- Image gallery
- Collectors’ booklet featuring new writing on the film by critics Priscilla Page and Keith Phipps, and original production notes
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Yvan Quinet

[The Curious Sofa]

I revisited this not long ago after not having seen it since it came out and was surprised at how much fun it still was and how well it held up.

[beamish14]

I revisited this not long ago after not having seen it since it came out and was surprised at how much fun it still was and how well it held up.

It really is a very beautifully constructed and poignant film. The scene with Ally Sheedy and Matthew Broderick discussing his inability to swim is very powerful

[ChunkyLover]

Interesting about the inclusion of the new commentary. The Coen releases by boutiques (pretty much just Criterion) seem to, generally, have an aversion to “scholarly” extras. Even Kino’s Barton Fink didn’t get a commentary.

[LastMinit]

Interesting about the inclusion of the new commentary. The Coen releases by boutiques (pretty much just Criterion) seem to, generally, have an aversion to “scholarly” extras. Even Kino’s Barton Fink didn’t get a commentary.

Isn't that because the Coens themselves think scholarly extras are a bit of a joke? I remember there was one commentary (on a Blood Simple dvd maybe?) where they got some English guy to do the whole thing as a spoof.

[Drucker]

Have never watched this, but my mother in law says it's one of her favorites, so I'll grab it.

[Aspect]

I was skeptical about this one for a long time (not sure why - was it cultural ubiquity? Maybe it just looked like a grandpa movie?), but maybe five years ago I gave it a shot and found it to be a genuinely well-made and acted movie with one of the more exciting and suspenseful third acts I’ve ever seen once the mission gets underway. Anyone who hasn’t seen it yet is in for quite the treat.

[colinr0380]

Nice to see The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission on the Blu-ray disc as well.

[colinr0380]

I would add to that the great performance by John Wood as Professor Falken, going from irascible, grieving grump trying to live in seclusion away from the real world consequences of the machinations of his computerised, substitute ghost in the machine son to being dragged reluctantly back into the action to finish what he started. I sort of bracket his character together with the interlude of visiting the famous Mathematician in The Day The Earth Stood Still in how his character is performing a similar function in the story. But instead of just one isolated scene with him before our main characters have to hurriedly leave his sanctuary, he gets to tag along with our young heroes into the bunker itself for the magnificent final scene.

I really like the way that Wood plays Falken during that final scene as well, softening toward and looking on the Matthew Broderick character of David seemingly like a substitute son. Not in an overstated and overly underlined way, but more as a mentor figure in those moments where it is made obvious through his performance and the lingering editing of a scene that Falken has figured something out but instead of saying something himself is often letting the youthfully enthusiastic David take the lead in showing the crusty old-timers what to do. That's a beautifully played scene, and even though Ally Sheedy's character is a little sidelined in the final sequence, she does get that "I told you that you shouldn't have played that game!" moment that makes Falken and David come to their revelation about what to do.

I kind of love this film. It was part of that really interesting mid-80s trend of archetypally normal suburban youngsters driving the US Military bonkers by their antics (probably kicked off by E.T.), together with Flight of the Navigator and D.A.R.Y.L., which usually involved at least a couple of scenes of the kids being placed under Military Police arrest and then showing their ingenuity by breaking out of a locked room and going on the run with helicopters and army trucks in hot pursuit! I don't know what that was saying about the way filmmakers were seeing the world at that particular period around 1983-86, but I always liked it!

And WarGames is perhaps just as cutting in the way that it highlights the MAD absurdities of nuclear war as Dr Strangelove in many ways, perhaps even melding that aspect together with WOPR as the 'driven crazy (but actually only really fulfilling its tasks to the best of its abilities) by the conflicting demands of its human operators' equivalent of HAL-9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey!

The final statement of the entire film: "A strange game. The only winning move is not to play. How about a nice game of Chess?", may be some of the most perfect final lines in cinema. In its terse simplism, with an edge of black humour about a deadly serious topic, it is certainly Kubrick-worthy!
___

WarGames itself has been interestingly influential in recent years. It was the centrepiece of Ernest Cline's Ready Player One novel, where one of the 'tasks' in that story involved playtesting a game where you jump inside David's first person perspective and have to perfectly recite all of the lines of the film from memory to trigger all of the events of the narrative in the correct order! That was the aspect that was entirely changed in the Spielberg 2018 film version to instead focus on Overlook Hotel from The Shining. Which, to be fair to the film, was probably a bit more cinematic! (I do still think a first person VR-WarGames experience would be amazing, though!)

And it felt as if its influence was all over that icily dark video game Defcon! (Whilst Coldline is the more blackly comic Dr Strangelove equivalent!)

[denti alligator]

My Shout/MGM UHD is still sealed. What are the chances this one will look better? Not sure it's worth upgrading just for the commentary, but I could probably make most of my money back selling the sealed disc.