Arrow Video’s February Blu-ray and 4K releases include Excalibur, Westworld, Save the Green Planet, and more!
Arrow Video, the video division of Arrow Films, is known for releasing horror and cult films on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K. Today, the company unveiled the new titles they’ll be releasing this November – and they have some interesting films in the mix, including the fantasy film Excalibur, the Michael Crichton classic Westworld, the South Korean sci-fi black comedy Save the Green Planet (which recently got an English-language remake in the form of Bugonia), and more. Let’s go over the list!
The February lineup
Excalibur is getting both limited edition Blu-ray and limited edition 4K releases:
From John Boorman, the director of Point Blank, Deliverance and Zardoz comes the definitive cinematic telling of the life and enduring legend of King Arthur, from birth to death and beyond. Behold, the Sword of Power! Excalibur! Forged when the world was young, and bird and beast and flower were one with man and death was but a dream. Given by Merlin to Uther Pendragon to unite the land in peace but wasted on lust. Driven into stone by Uther’s dying hand, there to await the coming of a true King. A journey into the wonders and horrors of the imagination, this is the story of Arthur, the knights of the round table, the golden age of Camelot, the quest for the Holy Grail and of course, the wizard, Merlin. With an extraordinary cast that includes Helen Mirren, Gabriel Byrne, Nicol Williamson and Liam Neeson, Oscar-nominated cinematography by Alex Thomson (Legend) and a thundering score by Trevor Jones, Excalibur returns in a stunning new restoration. From the blood and mud of the battlefield, to the glowing green of ancient woods and gleaming gold of Camelot, experience Excalibur as you never have before.
3-DISC LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
Brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm negative by Arrow Films presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1 for the first time on home video
Contains both the 141-minute Theatrical Cut and the 120-minute TV Version of the film
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork options
Collectors’ perfect-bound booklet containing writing by Charlie Brigden, K.A. Laity, Kimberly Lindbergs, Josh Nelson, Philip Kemp, John Reppion, Icy Sedgwick and Jez Winship
Double-sided fold-out poster featuring two original artwork options
Six postcard-sized reproduction art cards
DISC 1 – FEATURE
High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
Restored original lossless mono and DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio options
Brand new audio commentary by Brian Hoyle, author of The Cinema of John Boorman
Brand new audio commentary by filmmaker David Kittredge, director of Boorman and the Devil
Archive audio commentary by director John Boorman
DISC 2 – EXTRAS
The Making of Excalibur: Myth into Movie, a never before released 48-minute documentary directed by Neil Jordan during the production of Excalibur
To Be a Knight and Follow a King, a newly filmed interview with director John Boorman and actor Charley Boorman
When Death Was but a Dream, a newly filmed interview with creative associate Neil Jordan
The Charm of Making, a newly filmed interview with production designer Anthony Pratt
Confessions of a Professional “Pain-in-the-ass”, a newly filmed interview with 2nd unit director Peter MacDonald
Anam Cara, a new featurette on the working friendship of John Boorman and co-writer Rospo Pallenberg featuring a newly filmed interview with Pallenberg
Divided Nature, a brand new featurette by film historians Howard S. Berger and Kevin Marr
Trailers
Image galleries
DISC 3 – BONUS (LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE)
High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation of the 120-minute TV Version of the film, previously unavailable on home video
Original lossless mono audio
Excalibur: Behind the Movie, a 50-minute retrospective documentary in which cast and crew look back on the making of the film
Westworld is also getting Blu-ray and 4K releases.
In 1973, novelist-turned-filmmaker Michael Crichton made his directorial debut with Westworld, a groundbreaking fusion of science fiction and action-thriller that would prove decades ahead of its time, laying the groundwork for his later hit Jurassic Park and changing the face of sci-fi. Welcome to Delos, the futuristic resort where, for $1,000 a day, wealthy vacationers can live out their wildest fantasies in hyper-realistic theme parks. In the Old West zone, friends Peter (Richard Benjamin) and John (James Brolin) saddle up for adventure, unaware that their dream holiday is about to turn into a nightmare. When a malfunction sends the park’s android hosts off script, the Gunslinger (Yul Brynner, in his iconic black-clad role) begins a relentless pursuit, obliterating the line between simulation and survival. Slick, suspenseful, and eerily prescient, Westworld combines a gripping man-versus-machine chase with thought-provoking questions about technology, control, and the price of playing God. Packed with atmosphere and memorable performances, this cult classic remains a landmark in genre cinema – a high-tech nightmare that never loses its bite.
4K ULTRA HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
Brand new 4K restoration from the original negative by Arrow Films
4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Original restored lossless 4-channel stereo, 2.0 stereo, and 1.0 mono audio options
Optional remixed 5.1 DTS-HD MA surround audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Brand new audio commentary by filmmaker and film historian Daniel Kremer
Cowboy Dreams, a newly filmed conversation between actor Richard Benjamin and producer/screenwriter Larry Karaszewski
At Home on the Range, a brand new video interview with actor James Brolin
HollyWorld: Producing Westworld, a brand new video interview with producer Paul N. Lazarus III
Sex, Death and Androids, a brand new appreciation of the film by author and film scholar Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
On Location with Westworld, an archival behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film from 1973
Beyond Westworld, the 48-minute pilot episode of the 1980 follow-up television series
Theatrical trailer
Image gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Arik Roper
Collectors’ perfect bound booklet featuring new writing on the film by David Michael Brown, Priscilla Page, Paul Anthony Nelson, and Abbey Bender
Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Arik Roper
Six postcard-sized artcards
The sci-fi horror film The Visitor is coming to 4K:
You may think you’ve seen it all, but nothing can prepare you for The Visitor, an excursion into the realms of cinematic insanity! Producer extraordinaire Ovidio G. Assonitis, creator of such delicious guilty pleasures as Beyond the Door and Tentacles, brings together an extraordinary ensemble cast in a mind-bending tale of a girl and her pet hawk. Killer birds! Psychokinesis! Satanic conspiracies! Exploding basketball hoops! Any attempt to explain the exact plot of The Visitor is an exercise in futility, but in the maelstrom of madness and mayhem is the tale of an ancient intergalactic entity capable of bearing Earthly children endowed with great powers. Powers which some are keen to harness and some to destroy. Eight year old Katy Collins is one such child, and as her powers emerge, the battle for her soul is about to begin. A bizarre collision of The Omen with Close Encounters of the Third Kind and The Exorcist, The Visitor is a veritable cult phenomenon that combines stunning imagery and breathtaking setpieces with a jaw-dropping cast that includes John Huston (Chinatown), Mel Ferrer (War and Peace), Glen Ford (Superman), Shelley Winters (The Night of the Hunter), Sam Peckinpah (The Wild Bunch)… and Franco Nero (Django himself) as Jesus!
4K ULTRA HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
Brand new 4K restoration of the 109 min European version of the film from the original 35mm camera negative by Arrow Films
4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Original lossless mono audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Brand new audio commentary by film critics BJ & Harmony Colangelo
A Biblical Battle for the Cosmos, a brand new visual essay by film critic Meagan Navarro
A Cosmic Right to Choose, a brand new visual essay by film critic Willow Catelyn Maclay
Archive interview with actor Lance Henriksen
Archive interview with screenwriter Lou Comici
Archive interview with cinematographer Ennio Guarnieri
Theatrical trailer
Image gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Erik Buckham
Collectors’ booklet featuring new writing by Marc Edward Heuck, Richard Kadrey, Craig Martin and Mike White
Viggo Mortensen is the title character in the action thriller American Yakuza, which is getting a Blu-ray release:
When Japanese filmmaking powerhouse Toei Pictures decided to expand their iconic V-Cinema line to North America, the first result was the explosively violent American Yakuza, featuring an early lead performance from Viggo Mortensen in the title role. Ex-convict Nick Davis (Mortensen) gets a job in a factory that turns out to be owned by a powerful Japanese crime family. When Nick intervenes in a fiery confrontation and saves the life of family member Shuji (Ryo Ishibashi, Audition), he finds himself climbing the deadly ranks of the Yakuza in its bloody war against the Mafia. There’s one problem, however; Nick’s real name is David Brandt, and he’s an undercover FBI agent whose loyalties will soon be tested to their breaking point. Featuring an outstanding supporting cast including Michael Nouri (The Hidden), Franklyn Ajaye (Deadwood), Nicky Katt (Grindhouse) and Robert Forster (Jackie Brown), director Frank Cappello weaves an exhilarating tale of deception and betrayal in this underseen trans-continental gangster thriller.
LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
2K restoration from the original camera negative by Toei Pictures
High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
Original lossless stereo audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Brand new audio commentary with director Frank Cappello and actor Anzu (Cristina) Lawson
Yakuza Style, a newly filmed interview with director Frank Cappello
Decoding Honor, an archive interview with actor Viggo Mortensen
Newly filmed interview with actor Ryo Ishibashi
Original trailer
Image gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by OC Agency
Collectors’ booklet featuring new writing on the film by Patrick Macias
Save the Green Planet is getting the 4K treatment:
In 2003, the same year as Oldboy and Memories of Murder, Korean cinema welcomed its most audacious debut: Jang Joon-hwan’s delirious Save the Green Planet!. Manic yet focused, outrageous yet grounded, this genre-defying smorgasbord was destined to become South Korea’s ultimate cult classic. The world is in grave danger but no one seems to realise it. Thankfully, Byeong-gu (Shin Ha-kyun, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance) is our salvation. To everyone else, Chairman Kang (Baek Yoon-sik, The President’s Last Bang) is a pillar of society, but Byeong-gu sees him for who he really is: an alien from the Andromedan galaxy. Byeong-gu’s only course of action is clear: kidnap the chairman and extract the truth via torture. With his tightrope-walking girlfriend by his side and city cops on his heels, he must use any means necessary to prove himself to the world and save us before it’s too late. Boldly blending sci-fi, horror, comedy, procedural, and social commentary, Save the Green Planet! is the gift that keeps on giving. Returning to the home video market after over two decades with an electrifying new director-approved 4K transfer, this tale of conspiracy wrestling with reality beams down just when we need it the most.
4K ULTRA-HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nathanael Marsh
Collectors’ perfect bound booklet featuring new and archival writing on the film by Djuna, James Marsh, Daniel Martin, and Kim Seong-hoon
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nathanael Marsh
DISC ONE – FEATURE & EXTRAS (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY)
Brand new 4K restoration approved by director Jang Joon-hwan
4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio and lossless stereo audio
Optional newly translated English subtitles
Brand new audio commentary by critic and disc producer Pierce Conran and special effects artist Dan Martin
Archival audio commentary from 2003 with director Jang Joon-hwan and actor Shin Ha-kyun
Introduction to the film by director Jang Joon-hwan
Q&A session with director Jang Joon-hwan from the 2024 screening at the British Film Institute
Storyboard and script photo galleries
DISC TWO – BONUS FEATURES (BLU-RAY)
Extraterrestrial Perspectives, a newly filmed interview with director Jang Joon-hwan
Bringing the Truth into Focus, a newly filmed interview with director of photography Hong Kyoung-pyo
Early Imaginings, a newly filmed interview with director Jang Joon-hwan on his 1994 short film 2001 Imagine
Hair and Lazy Mirror, two original short films by Jang Joon-hwan
Archival extras, including making of featurettes, interviews, promotional videos, deleted scenes, and trailers
Promotional artwork and production photo stills galleries
What do you think of Arrow Video’s February line-up? Will you be adding any of these 4Ks and/or Blu-rays to your collection? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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