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The Exorcist Arrives on Ultra HD Blu-ray and Digital on September 19

The Exorcist Arrives on Ultra HD Blu-ray and Digital on September 19

Burbank, Calif. – As part of the year-long centennial celebration for the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros. Studio, the iconic supernatural film The Exorcist from Academy Award-winning director William Friedkin (The French Connection) will be available for purchase on 4K Ultra HD Disc and Digital for the first time this September.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of its 1973 release, on September 19, The Exorcist will be available to purchase on Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc from online and in-store at major retailers and available for purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu, and more.

The Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs include both the 1973 theatrical version of the film and the 2000 Extended Director’s Cut of the film, which features eleven additional minutes of footage not seen in theaters.

Directed by Friedkin, who died today at age 89, from a screenplay by Academy Award winner William Peter Blatty, the film is based on Blatty’s 1971 novel of the same name. The Exorcist stars Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn (Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore), Academy Award nominee Max von Sydow (Pelle the Conqueror, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close), Academy Award nominee Lee J. Cobb (On the Waterfront, The Brothers Karamazov), Kitty Winn, Jack MacGowan, Academy Award nominee Jason Miller, and Academy Award nominee Linda Blair.

Widely regarded as a supernatural masterpiece, the film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, as well as acting nominations for Burstyn, Miller, and Blair. The film won two Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay for Blatty.
In 2010, the United States Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

The Exorcist will be available on Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc for $33.99 SRP and includes an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc with the theatrical version of the feature film in 4K with HDR, an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc with the Extended Director’s Cut of the film in 4K with HDR, and a Digital download of both versions of the film. Fans can also own The Exorcist in 4K Ultra HD via purchase from select digital retailers beginning on September 19.

About the Film
The Exorcist tells the now-famous story of a girl’s demonic possession and a gripping fight between good and evil. Linda Blair, in a breakout role, plays Regan, a young girl who starts to exhibit strange, arcane behavior. Her mother (Burstyn) calls upon a priest, Father Karras (Miller), to investigate. But Karras, who has a spiritual crisis of his own, is suddenly confronted with the unimaginable evil of Regan’s possession. Father Lankester Merrin (Von Sydow), an archeologist-priest, is called to help, and a horrific battle for her soul begins.

The Exorcist Ultra HD Blu-ray disc (theatrical version) contains the following previously released special features:
• Introduction by William Friedkin
• Commentary by William Friedkin
• Commentary by William Peter Blatty with Special Sound Effects
The Exorcist Digital release (theatrical version) the following previously released special features:
• Commentary by William Friedkin
• Commentary by William Peter Blatty with Special Sound Effects Tests
• Introduction by William Friedkin
• “The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist”
• Original Ending
• William Peter Blatty Interviews
o “The Original Cut”
o “Stairway to Heaven”
o “The Final Reckoning”
• “Sketches & Storyboards”
• TV Spots
o “Beyond Comprehension”
o “You Too Can See The Exorcist
o “Between Science & Superstition”
o “The Movie You’ve Been Waiting For”
o “Nobody Expected It”
o “Life Had Been Good”
• Trailers
o “Nobody Expected It”
o “Beyond Comprehension”
o “Flash Image”

The Exorcist Extended Director’s Cut Ultra HD Blu-ray disc contains the following previously released special features:
• Commentary by William Friedkin
The Exorcist Extended Director’s Cut Digital release contains the following previously released special features:
• Commentary by William Friedkin
• “Beyond Comprehension: William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist”
• “Talk of the Devil”
• “Raising Hell: Filming The Exorcist”
• “The Exorcist Locations: Georgetown Then and Now”
• “Faces of Evil: The Different Versions of The Exorcist”
• Radio Spots
o “The Devil Himself”
o “Our Deepest Fears”
• TV Spots
o “Most Electrifying”
o “Scariest Ever”
o “Returns”
o “Never Seen”
• Trailers
o “The Version You’ve Never Seen”
o “Our Deepest Fears”

BASICS
PRODUCT ERP
The Exorcist Ultra HD $33.99

The Exorcist
Ultra HD Blu-ray Languages: English, Spanish, French
Ultra HD Blu-ray Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, Parisian French
Theatrical Version Run Time: 122 minutes
Extended Director’s Cut Run Time: 132 minutes
Rating: R for strong language and disturbing images
Physical Street Date: September 19, 2023
Digital Street Date: September 19, 2023

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse hits Digital Aug. 8, Disc Sept. 5

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse hits Digital Aug. 8, Disc Sept. 5

SYNOPSIS
Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga (2018, Best Animated Feature Film, Spider-Man™: Into the Spider-Verse), SPIDER-MAN™: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE. After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders, and must redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.

BONUS MATERIALS
4K UHD, BLU-RAY™, AND DIGITAL
• Blu-ray™, 4K UHD and Digital Exclusives:
o Obscure Spiders and Easter Eggs
o Deleted Scene: Miguel Calling
o “I’mma Do My Own Thing” Interdimensional Destiny
o Across the Worlds: Designing New Dimensions
o Designing Spiders and Spots
o Scratches, Score and The Music of the Multiverse
o Escape from Spider-Society
o Across the Comics-Verse
o Lyric Videos
o Filmmaker Commentary
• Also Includes:
o Creating the Ultimate Spider-Man Movie
o Raising a Hero
o Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Cast

DVD
• Creating the Ultimate Spider-Man Movie
• Raising a Hero
• Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Cast

Blu-ray™ and 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
Directed By: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson
Written By: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller & David Callaham
Based on the Marvel Comics
Produced By: Avi Arad, Amy Pascal, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Christina Steinberg
Executive Producers: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, Aditya Sood, Brian Michael Bendis
Cast: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, Karan Soni, with Daniel Kaluuya with Mahershala Ali and Oscar Isaac

SPECS
Run Time: Approx. 140 Mins.
Rating: PG: Sequences of Animated Action Violence, Some Language and Thematic Elements
4K UHD: 2160p Ultra High Definition / 2.39:1 • Audio: English Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible), French (Doublé au Québec) & Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English & French (Doublé au Québec) – Audio Description Tracks 2.0 Dolby Digital • Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish • Color
Blu-ray™: 1080p High Definition / 2.39:1 • Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD MA, French (Doublé au Québec) & Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English – Audio Description Tracks 2.0 Dolby Digital Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital • Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish • Mastered in High Definition • Color
DVD: 2.39:1 Anamorphic Widescreen • Audio: English, French (Doublé au Québec), Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English & French (Doublé au Québec) – Audio Description Tracks Stereo • Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish • Color

The Inevitable Meeting Between Scooby-Doo & Krypto is Coming in Sept.

The Inevitable Meeting Between Scooby-Doo & Krypto is Coming in Sept.

BURBANK, CA – Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo have to solve what may be their greatest mystery yet in Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too!, which will be available in the US to purchase Digitally at retailers everywhere, and on DVD only at Walmart on September 26, 2023 The all-new, feature-length film brings together the Scooby gang and DC for the first time.

In Canada Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! will be available to purchase Digitally on September 26, 2023 and on DVD October 24, 2023 at retailers everywhere.

The world’s greatest heroes, DC’s Justice League, have mysteriously vanished and a terrifying phantom has taken up residence in The Hall of Justice. Now it’s up to the world’s greatest super sleuths, Scooby and the gang, to solve the mystery and save our heroes…with a little help from their new pal Krypto the Superdog!

Returning as the voices of the Scooby gang are Frank Welker as Scooby-Doo and Fred Jones, Matthew Lillard as Shaggy Rogers, Kate Micucci as Velma Dinkley and Grey Delisle as Daphne Blake as well as Wonder Woman. Also featured in the voice cast are P.J. Byrne as J.B., Victoria Grace as Mercy, Charles Halford as Lex Luthor, Nolan North as the Joker and Superman, Tara Strong as Helen, Lois Lane and Harley Quinn, Fred Tatasciore as Solomon Grundy and Perry White, James Arnold Taylor as Jimmy Olsen and Rex Ruthor and Niccole Thurman as Mayor Fleming.

Cecilia Aranovich Hamilton directs Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! from a script by T.K. O’Brian. Producers are Rick Morales and Jim Krieg (The Death and Return of Superman) and Sam Register is Executive Producer.

Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! will be available on September 26, 2023 to purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more. In the US, DVD will be available to purchase on September 26, 2023 in store and online only at Walmart, and in Canada DVD will be available on October 24, 2023 in store and online at retailers everywhere.

SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE THREE BONUS SCOOBY-DOO EPISODES

  • The Scooby of a Thousand Faces!
  • What a Night, for a Dark Knight!
  • One Minute Mysteries! Guest Starring The Flash

Pricing and film information:

PRODUCT                                                                 SRP

Digital purchase                                                          $14.99 SRP

DVD                                                                            $19.98 SRP US ($24.98 Canada)

Languages: English, Spanish, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Running Time: approx. 78 minutes

Rated: Not Rated

Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars: Battle World from Defalco & Oliffe Arrives in Nov.

Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars: Battle World from Defalco & Oliffe Arrives in Nov.

New York, NY— In 1984, Marvel’s greatest heroes and deadliest villains were pit against each other on Battleworld by the unbelievably powerful Beyonder in Jim Shooter, Mike Zeck, and Bob Layton’s SECRET WARS! Regarded as the pioneer Marvel Comics crossover event, Secret Wars had an undeniable impact on comic book storytelling and to celebrate this landmark series’ 40th anniversary, Marvel will return to Battleworld this November in an all-new four-issue limited series: MARVEL SUPER HEROES SECRET WARS: BATTLEWORLD!

Announced this past weekend at San Diego Comic-Con, MARVEL SUPER HEROES SECRET WARS: BATTLEWORLD is written by industry icon Tom DeFalco, former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief and the editor of the original Secret Wars. Joined by acclaimed artist Pat Olliffe, DeFalco will expose never-before-told secrets behind one of the significant conflicts in Marvel history. Fans can expect revelations beyond the Beyonder’s true motives, shocking appearances by characters that you didn’t even know fought in the Secret Wars, and more. Starring iconic super hero best friend duo Spider-Man and the Human Torch, MARVEL SUPER HEROES SECRET WARS: BATTLEWORLD will fit seamlessly between the pages of the beloved original series and hold the answers to questions you never knew you had!

The mysteries of the Secret Wars deepen! Get ready for an all-new cataclysmic battle from when Spider-Man first got his alien costume and a mysterious being called the Beyonder assembled super heroes and villains from Earth to do battle on a patchwork planet. Witness now an untold adventure set during the original Secret Wars!

Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars set the standard for Marvel Comics events (as well as action figures and the characters existing at the forefront of pop culture), and this new story will at last reveal some secret connections and missing characters going back to the original series! What secret test are the Beyonders conducting…and how will Spider-Man, the Human Torch and the whole cast determine the fate of the universe? (PLUS: Surprise super villain appearances inside!)

“Pat Olliffe and I were handed a daunting creative challenge,” DeFalco said. “We were asked to do a sequel/new tale of a classic Marvel story that first saw print 40 years ago and created ripples that are still felt throughout the universe today. Since we share a kinship with a certain web-swinger (and his family), we were also compelled to do a story that ripped to his core and defined his unique place in the Marvel Universe while examining the budding relationship with his new black costume. With the aid of editors Mark Basso and Drew Baumgartner, Pat and I constructed a tale that we believe has repercussions for today’s readers and creative ripples that we hope will still be felt 40 years from now.”

“The original Secret Wars was so multi-dimensional, it’s been thrilling to add new dimensions to the saga!” Editor Mark Basso added. “While the new story fully stands alone, I can tease that the connection to the original Secret Wars goes even further than just the comics pages…Old-school fans will know what I’m talking about…!”

Don’t miss Tom DeFalco and Pat Olliffe’s all-new, in-continuity tale packed with exciting surprises when MARVEL SUPER HEROES SECRET WARS: BATTLEWORLD #1 arrives on November 22! In the meantime, check out a slew of new covers including an homage variant cover by Ryan Stegman, the first part of a connecting cover series by Todd Nauck, a cover by series artist Olliffe, and more!

REVIEW: Popeye the Sailor: The 1960s TV Cartoons

REVIEW: Popeye the Sailor: The 1960s TV Cartoons

Popeye the Sailor: The 1960s TV Cartoons

By Fred M. Grandinetti

230 pages/$30 hardcover $20 softcover/Bear Manor Media

Like author Fred M. Grandinetti, I was a child of the 60s and was exposed to all the Popeye cartoons, and it took time for me to understand that some were excellent, some were good, and some were outright bad. It slowly became clear to me that the best was the theatrical shorts made in the 1930s by the Fleischer Studio. What was less clear was who made the others of varying quality.

Thankfully, Grandinetti provides us with a handy guide, breaking down which animation house did what, all in an attempt to corner the syndicated cartoon market when there were hours upon hours of time to fill.

Elzie Segar’s Thimble Theater featured the Oyl family, with new characters coming and going as needed for each serialized adventure. On January 17, 1929, readers met Popeye, who caught their imagination, and he never left. (That same month, they were also introduced to Tarzan and Buck Rogers, quite an exciting time to read the newspapers.)

Grandinetti has written many other works on animation with a focus on Popeye so he’s the acknowledged expert. The problem with being the expert on something is that so much is in your head that sometimes you presume everyone knows this too. There’s an awful lot of context missing from the narrative.

We open with a brief background on the strip, although the current creator, R.K. Milholland, is not listed. Then we get into his screen adaptation (here, David Fleischer is not credited at all. From here, we get the handoff from Fleischer to Paramount’s Famous Studios, and then Associated Artists Productions acquired the library of 234 shorts dating back to 1933.

As children’s television programming arrived in 1949 (Crusader Rabbit), more followed with limited animation used for cost purposes. The made-for-television shorts could never compete with the hand-drawn work for features. However, by the late 1950s, cartoons vanished from movie screens and could only be found on the small black and white screens at home.

AAP’s package of cartoons was a ratings hit for countless stations and a financial bonanza for them. King Features, which owned the character, decided to get in on the act and formed King Features Syndicate Special Service, which went on to make the comic strip characters and turn them into animated fare with very mixed results.

Hired to oversee the Popeye cartoons was Al Brodax, best known today for his work on Yellow Submarine (which featured a Popeye cameo). To get 220 new cartoons made, he divided the work over six animation houses worldwide, hence the uneven quality and clear lack of quality control.

The book has an odd order, so we get info on these studios before we do the characters. Additionally, Grandietti and the book’s editor don’t like using paragraphs, so there are long blocks of type that really needed to be broken up.

Thankfully, when he does get to the characters, he clears up, once and for all, the confusion between Bluto and Brutus, so thanks for that.

Jack Mercer, Mae Questal, and Jackson Beck. The voices of Popeye, Olive Oyl, and Bluto.

We also get nice thumbnails of the key voice performers, including Jack Mercer (whom Grandinetti wrote a bio about) who was an animator that got discovered. He also wen ton to write some of the cartoons.

Grandinetti includes sections on spinoffs inspired by the cartoon, including related merchandise.

By page 77, he seems to run out of things to say about the character and the animated history. The remainder of the book is very detailed episode guides divided by the production house. Some contain additional credits; some contain one or two lines of opinion on the quality. As a result, you really have to be a fan of the character or an animation aficionado to appreciate this book.

The designer oddly clustered all the images at the end of text sections rather than intersperse them for a better overlook loo; It would have been nice to see examples from each studio as we’re reading their history or about their output.

Ultimately, this is an uneven valentine to the lesser known and appreciated animated saga of everyone’s favorite Sailor Man.

Impossible People by Julia Wertz

Impossible People by Julia Wertz

It’s reductive and not quite true to say that this book is what Julia Wertz wanted Drinking at the Movies to be – but it’s a good enough place to start.

Drinking  was her first full-length graphic novel after two collections of Fart Party stories; at the time, I thought it was more of a collage that it didn’t quite turn into a single narrative, but was definitely bigger and more ambitious that her previous work. It was also – I shudder to realize – published in 2010, almost fifteen years ago.

Impossible People , Wertz’s big new 2023 book, is her first memoir since Museum of Mistakes  in 2018, which mostly collected older work. (In between was Tenements, Towers, and Trash , a book of New York cityscapes and related material.) It’s odd to realize that: I think of Wertz as such an immediate, confessional cartoonist, her work so direct and plain-spoken. But those stories were mostly about that late-Aughts period; she hadn’t made any books about her thirties yet.

That’s what Impossible People does. It picks up Wertz’s life from where we saw it, in those Fart Party and Museum of Mistakes strips, starting in 2009. (I was surprised to see her at the Pizza Island collective, and realize how long ago that was.) It doesn’t quite get up to the present day; this is the story of the back half of Wertz’s life in New York City, and so ends somewhere in the mid-Teens.

And, as the subtitle “A Completely Average Recovery Story” signposts, Impossible People is centrally about her alcoholism in a way she couldn’t quite wrestle down in Drinking. Again, not to be reductive, but that’s probably because she was still drinking when she made Drinking at the Movies. You can’t tell the story of your recovery until you start to recover.

Impossible People is a big book, full of spaces and people and thoughts and years of Wertz’s life. As with a lot of her work, it’s a lot more carefully constructed and smarter than her cartoony avatar tricks you into thinking. She has a great style for confessional memoir: this is real and raw, says that cartoon Wertz; see how simply I’m drawn, how directly I speak – you can trust I’m giving you the unfiltered truth.

No one makes a three-hundred page book of comics immediately, of course. But that tone, that stance gets inside the reader’s defenses quickly. It’s a relaxing style, one that looks looser and quicker than it actually is. (Pay attention to how detailed her backgrounds are, especially when she runs through all of the finds from her urban exploring – everything is placed just so, both in her actual life and in the comics panel.)

In the end, Impossible People is the story of Wertz’s relationships. At first, she had one overwhelming one: alcohol. I won’t tell the story of how she stopped drinking – that’s what Impossible People is for – but she did manage to stop, and then had to replace that with people. From that point, Impossible is mostly about her friendships – particularly fellow cartoonist Sarah Glidden and fellow recoveree Jennifer Phippen – but also her family, some attempts at dating, the wider circle of cartoonists, and just life in general.

It’s not a happy, uplifting book: that’s unlikely for a book about recovery to begin with, and Wertz isn’t going to turn sunny that quickly. (Or maybe ever: I hope to see the books grumpy old Julia Wertz does in her sixties; those will be a lot of fun.) But it’s a smart, thoughtful book – deeper than it appears, more sophisticated than the art would have you think, more insightful than you’d expect from someone known for something called The Fart Party.

Reposted from The Antick Musings of G.B.H. Hornswoggler, Gent.

Fast X Races onto Home Screens in August

Fast X Races onto Home Screens in August

Universal City, California, July 25, 2023 – After accelerating the Blockbuster franchise to over $7 billion in global box office sales, the summer sensation FAST X races onto Digital on August 1st, 2023 and on 4K and Blu-ray™ on August 8th, 2023 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The “high-energy spectacle” (Austin Chronicle) now includes over one hour of bonus content including a gag reel, scene breakdowns with Director Louis Leterrier, two music videos from the original motion picture soundtrack, and more behind-the-scenes featurettes detailing the making of the film from the streets of Los Angeles to the Colosseum in Rome. Collect the franchise by adding FAST X to your library or purchasing the complete Fast & Furious 10-movie collection.
 
Showcasing an all-star cast with full-throttle action and high-octane thrills, FAST X stars Vin Diesel (The Fast and the Furious), Michelle Rodriguez (The Fast and the Furious), Tyrese Gibson (2 Fast 2 Furious), Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges (2 Fast 2 Furious), John Cena (F9: The Fast Saga), Nathalie Emmanuel (Furious 7), Jordana Brewster (The Fast and the Furious), Sung Kang (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift), Scott Eastwood, Daniela Melchior, Alan Ritchson, with Helen Mirren (The Fate of the Furious), with Brie Larson (Captain Marvel), with Rita Moreno, and Jason Statham (Furious 7), and Jason Momoa (Aquaman) and Charlize Theron (The Fate of the Furious) and a few surprise cameos from the franchise’s past.
 
Ever since their saga started on the streets of L.A.’s underground racing scene, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have overcome impossible odds to outsmart, out-nerve and outdrive every foe. Yet when the team took down a nefarious kingpin back in Brazil, they had no idea his son Dante (Jason Momoa) was watching from the shadows. More lethal than any other enemy they’ve faced, Dante now rises as a terrifying new nemesis who’s fueled by revenge and determined to shatter their family and destroy everything and everyone that Dom loves. From London and Brazil to Antarctica and Rome, new alliances are forged and old enemies resurface. But everything changes after Dom discovers his eight-year-old son is Dante’s ultimate target.

BONUS FEATURES on 4K, BLU-RAYTM & DIGITAL:

  • THIS IS FAMILY – Family bonds are always the strongest. Reunite with your favorite FAST family members as we introduce new characters, travel across continents, reveal intimate views of epic stunts, and get personal about the beginning of the end of the FAST franchise.
  • FAST BREAKS: SCENE BREAKDOWNS WITH LOUIS LETERRIER* – Director Louis Leterrier gives insight into some of the magic that went into making FAST X, breaking down how he filmed these unforgettable action scenes in legendary locations around the world.
  • XTREME RIDES OF FAST X – In FAST, we cast cars like we cast characters. Take a closer look at how classic FAST cars were rebuilt for FAST X, and which new vehicles are customized and introduced to enhance the lifeblood of the franchise.
  • BELLES OF THE BRAWL – The women of FAST X are not to be messed with. Watch as they add their special talents to huge fight scenes, from rehearsal to the real thing.
  • TUNED INTO RIO – Revisit FAST’s past as our story takes us back to Rio de Janeiro, where we’ll experience a non-stop party, exotic cars, and a classic FAST quarter mile street race.
  • JASON MOMOA: CONQUERING ROME* – Jason Momoa joins the FAST franchise to portray a villain that pushes the team to the brink of disaster. Watch as Momoa discusses his approach to the character, biking down the narrow streets of Rome, and performing his own stunts.
  • LITTLE B TAKES THE WHEEL – Get to know the youngest member of the Toretto family as we dive into Little B’s journey in FAST X and introduce Leo Abelo Perry.
  • A FRIEND IN THE END The FAST franchise has a history of shocking end-credit tags, and FAST X is no different. We take a special look at this scene and why, if you’re watching a FAST movie, you never want to get up before the end credits are finished!
  • GAG REEL*
  • MUSIC VIDEOS
    • “TORETTO” BY J BALVIN
    • “ANGEL PT. 1” BY KODAK BLACK & NLE CHOPPA (FEATURING JIMIN OF BTS, JVKE & MUNI LONG)
  • FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH DIRECTOR LOUIS LETERRIER*

* Included on all formats including DVD

Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match Original Animated Film Coming in October.

Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match Original Animated Film Coming in October.

BURBANK, CA (July 21, 2023) – Johnny Cage embarks on his biggest journey yet in Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match. The all-new, original feature-length film inspired by the best-selling worldwide videogame will be available to purchase on October 17, 2023.

Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match, the fourth animated film in the franchise, sees Johnny Cage in 1980s Hollywood on a mission to become a famous actor. However, his world soon changes when his co-star disappears, and he embarks on a journey filled with danger and deceit.

Featuring a terrific voice cast, the film stars Joel McHale (Animal Control, Community) as Johnny Cage and Jennifer Grey (Dirty Dancing, Red Oaks) as Herself. Also starring in the movie is Gilbert Gottfried (Aladdin, Royal Crackers) as David Doubldy, Dusan Brown (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) as Chuck Golden, Grey DeLisle (Teen Titans Go!) as Kia, Robin Atkin Downes (LuckDC Showcase: Constantine – The House of Mystery) as Shinnok, Zehra Fazal (Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe) as Jataaka, Gilbert Gottfried (Aladdin, Royal Crackers) as David Doubldy, Kelly Hu (Arrow, X2: X-Men United) as Ashrah, Matt Yang King (Elemental) as Concierge, Phil LaMarr (Futurama) as Brian Van Jones, Matthew Mercer (Resident Evil: Death Island) as Director/Bully, Dave B. Mitchell (Call of Duty franchise) as Raiden and Armen Taylor (Justice Society: World War II) as Master Boyd.

Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match is directed by Ethan Spaulding (Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms) from a script by Jeremy Adams (Justice League: Warworld), who also penned the screenplays for the series’ first three films, and supervising producer is Rick Morales (Mortal Kombat Legends franchise, Bablyon 5: The Return Home). All four films are based on the Mortal Kombat videogame franchise created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. Sam Register and NetherRealm Studios’ Ed Boon are executive producers.

Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match will be available on October 17 to purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more. 4K Ultra HDTM and Blu-rayTM will be available to purchase online and in-store at major retailers. Pre-order your copy starting July 22, 2023.

Synopsis

Neon lights… Suits with shoulder pads… Jumping from explosions in slow motion… In 1980s Hollywood, action star Johnny Cage (Joel McHale) is looking to become an A-list actor. But when his costar, Jennifer (Jennifer Grey), goes missing from set, Johnny finds himself thrust into a world filled with shadows, danger and deceit. As he embarks on a bloody journey, Johnny quickly discovers the City of Angels has more than a few devils in its midst. He faces off against a sinister secret society plotting a nefarious scheme, but the brutal fight against the bloodthirsty warriors of the Netherrealm is just beginning. Can Johnny, alongside other Mortal Kombat legends, save humanity…and, more importantly, his career?

SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE:

What Would Johnny Cage Do? (featurette) – Step inside the VO Booth with Joel McHale and Jennifer Grey and go behind the scenes with the filmmakers to learn the challenges they withstood to bring Johnny Cage’s 80s action film to life.

Ninja Mime Trailer – Relive the trailer for the greatest 80s action film ever made:

NINJA MIME!

Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match Audio Commentary – Join Producers Rick Morales and Jim Krieg and Screenwriter Jeremy Adams on an audio adventure recounting the totally tubular tale of bringing Johnny Cage’s 80s awesomeness to life.

PRICING AND SERIES INFORMATION

PRODUCT                                                                             SRP

4K Ultra HD + Digital Version*                                               $39.99 SRP US

4K Ultra HD                                                                             $44.98 SRP Canada

Blu-ray + Digital Version                                                         $29.98 SRP US

Blu-ray                                                                                     $39.99 SRP Canada

4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray Audio: French, Spanish, English

4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray Subtitles: French, Spanish, English

Running Time: 85 minutes

Rated R for strong bloody violence and language.

*Digital version not available in Canada.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Celebrates 30th Anniversay with Remastered 4K Edition

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Celebrates 30th Anniversay with Remastered 4K Edition

BURBANK, CA (July 26, 2023) – Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the most universally acclaimed film in the Dark Knight’s legendary cinematic history when the newly-remastered animated movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, comes to 4K Ultra HD for the very first time. From Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment, the film will be available to purchase on 4K Ultra HD on September 12, 2023.

The release will also include an all-new featurette Kevin Conroy: I Am The Knight, which takes a look at the legacy of Kevin Conroy, who voiced Batman for 30 years in film, television, video games and more.

Rooted in DC’s acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series and released theatrically on Christmas Day 1993, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm has not only been ranked by Time magazine as one of the 10 best Super Hero movies ever, but is also arguably the core fans’ all-time favorite Batman film. The movie has been rated at the top of the Dark Knight film franchise by such popular entertainment media as Empire, Screenrant and Paste. And in the ultimate mainstream salute for its time, Gene Siskel & Robert Ebert didn’t initially review the film during its theatrical release, but later dedicated a portion of their At The Movies weekly TV series to pay compliment to the film – and voice their regret for not giving it the attention it deserved during its original run – when Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was distributed for home entertainment.

The 4K HDR/SDR remaster of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was sourced from the 1993 Original Cut Camera Negative and was scanned at 4K resolution. Digital restoration was applied to the 4K scans to remove dirt, scratches and additional anomalies, but special care was given to not touch the film grain or the animation cel dirt that was part of the original artwork. This is the first time since its theatrical release that it is presented in its 1.85 aspect ratio. The original 2.0 mix and the 5.1 tracks were remastered to remove or improve defects such as pops, ticks, dropouts and distortion.

The animated film features an all-star cast headed by the quintessential voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, alongside Dana Delany (Desperate Housewives, China Beach) as Bruce Wayne’s love interest, Andrea Beaumont, Mark Hamill (Star Wars franchise) as the Joker, Stacy Keach (Nebraska, Prison Break, Mike Hammer) as Phantasm/Carl Beaumont, Abe Vigoda (Barney Miller, The Godfather) as Salvatore Valestra, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (The F.B.I.) as Alfred, Hart Bochner (Die Hard) as Arthur Reeves, Bob Hastings (McHale’s Navy, The Poseidon Adventure) as Commissioner Gordon, Robert Costanzo (Forget Paris, City Slickers) as Detective Bullock, Dick Miller (Gremlins, The Terminator) as Chuckie Sol, and John P. Ryan (The Right Stuff) as Buzz Bronski. Additional voices included Pat Musick, Marilu Henner, Neil Ross, Ed Gilbert, Jeff Bennett, Jane Downs, Vernee Watson, Charles Howerton, Thom Pinto and Peter Renaday.

The Batman: Mask of the Phantasm filmmaking team is composed of the award-winning core group behind Batman: The Animated Series. Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm directed the film from a screenplay by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, Martin Pasko and Michael Reaves, based on a story by Burnett.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm will be available on September 12, 2023 to purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more. 4K Ultra HD Discs will be available to purchase online and in-store at major retailers. Pre-order your copy now.

SYNOPSIS:

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm opens with the city’s most feared gangsters being systematically eliminated, and assumed blame falling on the Caped Crusader. But prowling the Gotham night is a shadowy new villain, the Phantasm, a sinister figure with some link to Batman’s past. Can the Dark Knight elude the police, capture the Phantasm and clear his own name? Unmasking the Phantasm is just one of the twists in this dazzling animated feature, which provides new revelations about Batman’s past, his archrival the Joker, and Batman’s most grueling battle ever – the choice between his love for a beautiful woman and his vow to be the defender of right.

SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE*:

Kevin Conroy: I Am The Knight (New Featurette) – For 30 years, Kevin Conroy defined Batman for multiple generations using only his voice, best exemplified in the landmark film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Conroy passed away in November 2022, but his legacy lives on in 15 films, nearly 400 episodes of animated television series, a dozen video games, and as a live-action Bruce Wayne in the Arrowverse’s 2019-2020 “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event. Several of Conroy’s contemporaries – including animation legend Bruce Timm, Batman producer Michael Uslan and revered voice actress Tara Strong – pay tribute to the star who remains the Dark Knight for millions of Batfans.

Bonus episode of Justice League: Unlimited featuring a cameo from Phantasm.

*Special features are not available in 4K Ultra HD.

Pricing and film information:

PRODUCT                                                                             SRP

Digital purchase                                                                      $14.99

4K Ultra HD + Digital Version**                                              $33.99 SRP USA

4K Ultra HD                                                                            $39.99 SRP Canada

4K/Blu-ray Languages: English, Spanish, French

Blu-ray Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Running Time: 76 minutes

**Digital version not available in Canada

The P. Craig Russell Library of Opera Adaptations, Vol. 2

The P. Craig Russell Library of Opera Adaptations, Vol. 2

I love idiosyncrasy. Even if I’m not as into Idea X as a creator is, the fact that creator is so into it is appealing – I like to see the things creators are passionate about, the things they have to do, even if it doesn’t make commercial sense.

P. Craig Russell adapts operas into comics. He’s been doing it since nearly the beginning of his career, and I see from his bibliography list on Wikipedia that he has a few adaptations of songs from this past decade, though they’re still unpublished.

And what I have today is the second book collecting that work, the grandly titled The P. Craig Russell Library of Opera Adapations, Vol. 2 . (It followed a full-volume version of Mozart’s The Magic Flute and was followed by a third miscellaneous book; with those songs from the past few years, there may be enough material for a Vol. 4 at this point.) It’s a 2003 book, collecting four adaptations spanning the late ’70s to the late ’90s, and Russell worked with different collaborators on each of them, some more involved than others. I’ll take them each separately: Parsifal, Songs by Mahler, Ariane & Bluebeard, and I Pagliacci.

Parsifal is the oldest piece here, originally published as a single-issue comic by Star*Reach in 1978. Patrick C. Mason adapted the Wagner opera and wrote the script; Russell drew it. It only adapts the second act of the opera, but that’s enough drama and then some: Mason also adds in a lot of narration in that ’70s comics style, some of which may transmute lyrics or stage directions. It’s a very wordy piece as well as being super-dramatic, with an amnesiac young knight being tempted by an immortal witch while searching for a holy relic (the spear that wounded Jesus during the crucifixion), and all those words do constrain Russell’s visual inventiveness here – it’s a weird ’70s comic, but still a sequence of pages of people explaining their emotions to each other at great length, and so not a million miles away from a contemporary Chris Claremont joint.

Songs by Mahler is the shortest section, with two songs, three pages each, from 1984. The first is credited as translated by Mason; the second has no credits other than Russell. These are more imagistic, less narrative, and much more successful as comics, even if they’re not stories.

Ariane & Bluebeard is from 1988, and doesn’t credit anyone other than Russell; so I guess he translated Paul Dukas’s French opera and scripted this forty-page version. This showcases Russell’s design sense, his use of color, and his eye for high drama – there are great, striking pages here, including a few wordless ones, showing he’d gotten to a point of confidence in his art to reproduce the feeling of the music of an opera without needing to explain. This is even more dramatic than Parsifal, largely because Russell is in better control of the material, and opera is super-dramatic – at least, the ones Russell is most drawn to adapt; I don’t think he’ll do Einstein on the Beach anytime soon – to begin with. The opera is the old Bluebeard folktale: young woman is married to an older man with a secret, who has been married several times before (and the fate of those brides is the secret), and she learns the secret, amid a lot of loud singing.

Last up is the black-and-white The Clowns (I Pagliacci), from 1997. This one was translated by Marc Andreyko from Leoncavallo’s opera, laid out by Russell, penciled and lettered by Galen Showman, and inked by Russell. The art is striking, the adaption is swift and assured, and the story is presented well – a traveling troupe arrives in a town, and art imitates life as both the character of the leading lady and the woman herself have an affair, which ends in death at the hands of the title clown. This is less visually inventive than Ariane, but tighter and clearly focused – I’d say it’s the best piece in the book, but that may be partly individual taste. (I like Russell’s vibrant colors and big layouts, but find them a bit too much some of the time, and Ariane is full of that stuff.)

Again, if you want comics adaptations of operas, Russell is not only your go-to, but pretty much your only choice. Luckily, he’s good at it and chooses works that adapt well.

Reposted from The Antick Musings of G.B.H. Hornswoggler, Gent.