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Whatever happened to Richard Franklin? The Australian auteur became a hot commodity for a while in the ’80s thanks to genre films like “Psycho II” and the kid fantasy “Cloak and Dagger,” but he saw his career fizzle out after misfires like the barely released 1986 ape thriller LINK (103 mins., R; Kino Lorber). Produced for Thorn EMI before their film division went belly-up and was sold to Cannon, “Link” stars Terence Stamp as a daffy college professor whose work with intelligent simians results in one of those predictable “don’t mess with nature” plots, forcing grad student Elisabeth Shue to battle a chimp gone wild in Stamp’s isolated British manor.

Jerry Goldsmith’s goofy score – with a few notes clearly presaging his “Gremlins 2” theme – is one of the chief assets of this tepid thriller, which for years Franklin claimed was sabotaged due to pre-release cuts. Thorn EMI’s movie division rolled out a handful of mostly disastrous flops before it went under prior to “Link”’s release – and in a brief Aussie phone interview contained in Kino Lorber’s UHD (carried over from their Blu-Ray), Franklin reveals that Universal initially supported releasing the film and suggested cutting it to 103 minutes. Ultimately, Cannon’s purchase of Thorn EMI’s slate relegated the film to very limited distribution and a fast track to home video, where it’s only been sporadically available since.

Some 25 minutes of deleted workprint scenes are a nice inclusion in Kino Lorber’s “Link” 4K UHD – yet none of them would have improved the final product. “Link” was deemed as a failure even by its director, and it’s hard not to agree with him: after Shue heads to scientist Stamp’s isolated British coastal home, she meets his trio of intelligent chimps…one of whom doesn’t take to Stamp’s plan of ridding himself of the eldest member of the group. After Stamp goes missing, the remainder of the film is strictly a chase picture wherein Shue uncovers the culprit (you know who) and Franklin tries as hard as he can to make the claustrophobic stage sets cinematically compelling as Shue and friends run from the homicidal chimp (really a thinly disguised orangutan).

Frankly “Link” may have been more palatable had it been shorn of more of its 103 minutes, as Everett de Roche’s script is painfully thin on compelling dramatic content. Once Stamp departs, “Link” becomes a tedious, ineffective thriller minus actual suspense, clumsily making its way to a feeble finish line.

Kino Lorber’s 4K UHD of “Link” offers a UHD edition of the movie’s Studio Canal 4K remaster, sporting a hair more detail and superior encoding than the label’s 2019 Blu-Ray of the movie (also included here). That said, the image doesn’t include an HDR pass, making it only a slight upgrade altogether over the Blu-Ray. The larger disappointment is that, once again, the movie’s Dolby Stereo mix has been ineffectively translated here into a muddled mono soundtrack instead, doing no favors to Goldsmith’s score. The disc also reprises the extras from its 2019 release including a commentary from film critics Lee Gambin and Jarret Gahan, the before-mentioned deleted scenes (mostly from the film’s first half), a brief phone interview extract with Franklin, a full run of trailers, and a “demo” of Goldsmith’s catchy main theme.

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS 4K UHD/Blu-Ray (127 mins., 1974, PG): First and best of the many Agatha Christie film adaptations produced with all-star casts in the ’70s and early ’80s stars Albert Finney as Hercule Poirot, who tries to sort out the murder of an American (Richard Widmark) traveling on the Orient Express. The possible suspects include a who’s-who of celebrity co-stars, including Lauren Bacall, Martin Balsam, Ingrid Bergman, Jacqueline Bisset, Sean Connery, John Gielgud, Vanessa Redgrave, and Michael York.

Paul Dehn (best known by sci-fi fans for his work on the “Planet of the Apes” pictures) adapted Christie’s bestselling novel, which was produced by John Brabourne and Richard Goodwin for EMI Films — the British company that would later turn out “Death on the Nile” and “Evil Under the Sun” among several other Christie films. Where “Murder on the Orient Express” has an advantage on its successors is in its cast and Sidney Lumet’s direction, which is taut and effective, more so than the later Christie pictures. There’s a tension in the air and lush production qualities throughout this high-class production, which garnered six Oscar nominations, including one for Richard Rodney Bennett’s superb score.

Kino Lorber’s UHD/Blu-Ray combo offers the premiere of a new 4K scan (1.85) of the OCN with Dolby Vision HDR. The image is a little tight compared to the 1.66 aspect ratio seen in Studio Canal’s overseas masters, and the HDR usage doesn’t always seem in sync with Geoffrey Unsworth’s stylized, lush cinematography (the movie is also grainy to begin with, which doesn’t help matters). The 5.1 and 2.0 DTS MA tracks present Paramount’s stereo remix of the original mono sound and they’re both viable options with clear dialogue and a nice multi-channel expansion of Bennett’s score.

In addition to a Blu-Ray of the same master, the disc includes a commentary by Howard Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson. Recycled from older releases are two excellent special features: “Agatha Christie: A Portrait” is a fine 10-minute interview with Christie’s grandson Matthew Pritchard, while “Making ‘Murder on the Orient Express'” is a four-part featurette sporting interviews with Sidney Lumet, producers Brabourne and Goodwin, Jacqueline Bisset, Sean Connery, and Michael York, plus Richard Rodney Bennett and Nicholas Meyer, who offers anecdotes about the composer’s score (including how Bernard Herrmann was apparently irritated by Bennett’s main title waltz!). Running about 40 minutes all told, this is an excellent Making Of that enriches a superb ’70s entertainment, while an interview with producer Richard Goodwin is ported over from more recent Studio Canal releases. Recommended!

Another classic remastered on 4K UHD by Kino Lorber, THE LADYKILLERS (91 mins., 1955) is one of the quintessential Ealing British comedies – a full-color black comedy classic starring (who else) Alec Guiness as a head thief who, along with his gang (Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom, Cecil Parker, Danny Green), decides to rent a flat from a benign old lady (Katie Johnson). William Rose’s script and Alexander Mackendrick’s direction are spot on in a genre fave later remade by the Coen Brothers. Studio Canal’s 4K restoration (1.37) offers Dolby Vision HDR support in an attractive color transfer, with an alternately framed 1.66 version also included on the Blu-Ray along with commentaries from David Del Valle and Philip Kemp, respectively; the doc “Forever Ealing”; a restoration featurette; interviews with Allan Scott, Ronald Harwood and Terence Davies, plus the trailer in the two-disc set.

THE ANTI-CHRIST 4K UHD (112 mins., 1974, Not Rated): Italian rip-off of “The Exorcist” pits Carla Gravina into the Linda Blair role – this time as an adult with hazy memories of a childhood accident that, under hypnosis, resurrects past-life memories of a profane seductress who now wants to birth the Anti-Christ into existence. Alberto De Martino directed this spaghetti-splatter horror, which is mostly light on the gore until its climax; fans of Italian genre exercises might get a kick out of it but it all seems fairly tame by today’s standards. Released in 1978 by Avco Embassy as “The Tempter,” Kino Lorber’s 4K UHD works off the same Studio Canal remaster as the label’s 2022 Blu-Ray (1.85, DTS MA mono) with extras including a featurette sporting DeMartino and Ennio Morricone, who scored the film alongside Bruno Nicolai; a commentary with Lee Gambin and fellow critic Sally Christie; both English and Italian audio; a TV spot; and opening credits for the U.S. version.

ZOLTAN…HOUND OF DRACULA 4K UHD (87 mins., 1977, R): Before establishing Empire Pictures as one of the preeminent sources of B-grade direct-to-video terror in the ‘80s, Albert Band helmed this low-budget thriller about Dracula’s dog (also the movie’s alternate title). This canine hound of horror works his way into the home of unbeknownst Dracula relative Michael Pataki and family, causing kibbles and bits of mostly tedious horror shenanigans. Viewers nostalgic for the era might enjoy it – and seeing Reggie Nalder (“Salen’s Lot”) and Jose Ferrer in the cast – but it’s not particularly scary or even unintentionally funny. Kino Lorber’s premiere 4K UHD (1.66, mono) of “Zoltan” includes a 4K SDR transfer with good detail; the trailer and a radio spot; a commentary from John Harrison and the late Lee Gambin.

On Blu-Ray From Kino Lorber

FATAL VISION Blu-Ray (186 mins., 1984): Harrowing adaptation of Joe McGinniss’ true crime bestseller, detailing the case of a military doctor named Jeffrey MacDonald (Gary Cole), who was ultimately convicted of killing his pregnant wife and two young daughters. Getting to that point took the efforts of the slain woman’s parents (Karl Malden, Eva Marie Saint) and a number of lawyers to navigate through both assorted military and government bodies, all the while the brash and arrogant MacDonald appeared on The Dick Cavett Show while living a jet-setting life showing scant empathy for his slain family.

This rock-solid, two-part NBC mini-series was one of the highest rated of the 1980s and earned Malden a well-deserved Emmy. He’s commanding as MacDonald’s father-in-law while David Greene’s direction is superb: while the mini-series could’ve benefited from another part, as it condenses quite a few years into its second half, there are disturbing moments and chilling elements in “Fatal Vision” that linger long after you’ve seen it. Much of that is due to the mandated restraint of the network parameters of its day, which force the producers to recount its graphic murders in a manner that’s arguably even more disturbing than a more explicit approach would’ve generated. Greene also creates some quiet, heartbreaking moments throughout, especially when the jurors who ultimately decided MacDonald’s fate pass through the family’s Fort Bragg home – a moving sequence presented without music or dialogue.

Kino Lorber’s 4K scan of the OCN results in a finely encoded and detailed 1080p (1.33) Blu-Ray transfer. The mono sound is fine, though Gil Melle’s synth-heavy score is clunky and comes off as the least satisfying element of an otherwise distinguished production. The label has included a full commentary by Daniel Kremer that offers some welcome background information on the case and other sources interested viewers can check out after the production is over.

FIRST LOVE Blu-Ray (91 mins., 1977, R; Kino Lorber): An appealing lead performance from William Katt is the best thing going for this ‘70s romance between a college student (Katt) who falls in love with a girl (Susan Dey) he can’t ultimately have. That’s pretty much all there is to Joan Darling’s 1977 drama which is watchable due to Katt’s performance and early appearances from a terrific supporting cast including Beverly D’Angelo and John Heard, not to mention Robert Loggia and Swoosie Kurtz. “First Love” is a pleasant enough trip back to its era but ends on an unremarkable note; tellingly, Katt discloses in the Blu-Ray’s commentary (recorded with the late Lee Gambin) that he avoided committing to the film because he never liked the script. Paramount must’ve sensed similar issues with the movie, as John Barry’s score was mostly jettisoned in favor of songs by Cat Stevens and Paul Williams, though Kino’s solidly transferred Blu-Ray (culled from a 4K scan of the OCN in 1.85) erroneously retains Barry’s credit on the back cover.

AVENGING FORCE Blu-Ray (104 mins., 1986, R; Kino Lorber): Superior Cannon fare reteams “American Ninja” cohorts Michael Dudikoff and Steve James in a “Most Dangerous Game”-styled thriller involving a group of right-wing paramilitary extremists (led by John P. Ryan) who take Dudikoff’s rancher for their latest prey…and soon live to regret it. Sam Firstenberg delivers the genre goods with what appears to be a larger budget than normal for a B-grade Cannon action flick, James Booth’s script also developing his characters with a longer running time than you’d typically find in a film like this from the studio. Kino Lorber’s Blu-Ray (1.85, 2.0 stereo) bests their previous BD release with a healthier bit-rate across a BD-50 and all of that earlier release’s previous extras (Dudikoff/Firstenberg commentary; Dudikoff interview; the trailer and director intro).

 

ROLLING VENGEANCE Blu-Ray (90 mins., 1987, R; Kino Lorber): A Canadian-lensed production, “Rolling Vengeance” stars Don Michael Paul as a trucker whose sister and kids are killed in a crash by a gang and its leering “good o’l boy” thug leader, played by Ned Beatty in one of his most heavy-handed villainous roles. Seeking revenge, Paul constructs the ultimate monster truck which proceeds to cruise around on the backroads of Ontario. Lawrence Dane and Lisa Howard co-star in Steven Hillard Stern’s punchy little action affair, which became a minor home video/cable TV favorite in the late ‘80s, and boasts some 65 cars totaled in its path of cinematic destruction. In addition to a nicely detailed 1080p (1.85) AVC encoded transfer, Kino Lorber’s new reissue – while also offering a higher bit-rate than its previous format foray – reprises that disc’s commentary from Canadian exploitation authorities Paul Corupe and Jason Pichonsky, the trailer, and an interview with Dane.

Also New on 4K UHD

BODY DOUBLE 4K Ultra HD/Blu-Ray Steelbook (114 mins., 1984, R; Sony): Director Brian DePalma is in top form in “Body Double,” his suspenseful, playful, energetic thriller that stars “Ghost Story”’s Craig Wasson as a would-be actor who takes a gig housesitting…and then promptly gets wrapped up with femme fatales Deborah Shelton, Melanie Griffith and a stolen purse.

DePalma produced, directed and co-wrote (with Robert J. Avrech) this compelling mystery that’s a feast for the director’s devotees. The story is a bit seedy in places but between Stephen H. Burum’s cinematography and DePalma’s visual eye, “Body Double” captivates the viewer and keeps them engaged through its filmmaking finesse alone.

Finally on 4K UHD, “Body Double” receives a deluxe Steelbook release (1.85) sporting both Dolby Vision HDR and a new Dolby Atmos soundtrack for the film (the original 5.1 and 2.0 mixes are also on-hand). It also carries over the extras from Sony’s DVD edition, offering an excellent Making Of (split into four segments) recounting the production’s history via interviews with DePalma, Griffith, co-stars Gregg Henry, Deborah Shelton and Dennis Franz (oddly, Wasson is nowhere to be found). The Blu-Ray and a Digital HD code are also on-hand in a highly recommended package for DePalma buffs.

THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK 4K UHD (119/135 mins., 20143, PG-13/Unrated; Arrow): Dour, depressing sci-fi actioner picks up years after “Pitch Black,” with Vin Diesel’s Riddick running around the galaxy, trying to escape the clutches of nefarious bounty hunters. Soon, Riddick is unwillingly propelled into a war being waged by a dark race of evil doers (lead by Colm Feore and Thandie Newton), who are attempting to exterminate the good people of the galaxy (Judi Dench among them).

Writer-director David Twohy’s movies usually have a good deal of humor lurking within them, but not “The Chronicles of Riddick,” which comes across as one of the densest sci-fi movies of its kind – a far cry from the more escapist-fare adventures of this character seen in “Pitch Black” and Diesel’s later revival. This is a deadly serious, pretentious film filled with unappealing characters, claustrophobic action scenes, and a leading man who looks out of his element at every turn. It’s no surprise, then, that the film flopped at the box-office, despite a huge budget and massive advertising campaigns.

Still a movie that Diesel fans enjoyed, Arrow here serves up another one of their stellar 4K UHD presentations with Dolby Vision HDR (2.39), approved by David Twothy. The shorter theatrical cut of the movie also includes Dolby Atmos sound (the unrated Director’s Cut is 5.1 DTS MA), while new extras include a feature-length documentary on the movie sporting Twohy’s participation as well as numerous cast/crew members; a separate interview with Twohy; a talk with storyboard artist Brian Murray; and a talk with co-star Keith David. Ample archival extras abound, from deleted scenes to archival commentaries, promo interviews and, in the movie’s booklet, a “Chronicles Compendium” which tries to make sense of the movie’s characters and locations (fans should particularly appreciate this) plus writing by critic Walter Chaw.

Note Arrow’s limited-edition package goes even further, including a 4K of the theatrical cut with an alternate 1.78 aspect ratio (the movie was shot in Super 35) with an awesome assembly of cut-scenes from the classic game tie-in “Escape From Butcher Bay,” which managed to be one of the few times a movie’s corresponding video game beat the film itself in terms of popularity and certainly critical acclaim.

Also new from Arrow is TORSO (94/90 mins., 1973), Sergio Martino’s wild and woolly early gaillo effort that’s regarded as one of the highlights of the entire genre. The familiar storyline stars Suzy Kendall as a college girl who finds herself and her friends fighting off a killer who’s apparently followed them to a country home they’ve left Perugia for. A dynamite new Dolby Vision HDR (1.66) presentation graces both the 94-minute original, uncut Italian version (English subtitled) of “Torso,” included here alongside the 90-minute English language cut of the film. Extras include a Kat Ellinger commentary; interviews with Martino, star Luc Merenda, co-writer Ernesto Gastaldi, Martino’s daughter Federica, and historian Mikel J. Koven, plus alternate opening/credits and plenty more in the UHD Limited Edition. The full color, typical Arrow collector’s booklet boasts writing on the film and Martino by Adrian Smith and Howard Hughes.

PARAMOUNT SCARES Volume 2 4K UHD Limited Edition (Paramount): Paramount’s second limited-edition UHD box-set of studio scare pictures includes the debut of a title previously issued on Blu-Ray in the “Paramount Presents” line, plus three others with a little more horror, in-line for the season. Here’s a breakdown, no pun intended:

BREAKDOWN (93 mins., 1997, R) is director Jonathan Mostow’s crackling good “Bad Day at Black Rock” for the ’90s which has been long overdue for a UHD release. This superlative 4K restoration (with effective usage of Dolby Vision HDR) preserves the foreboding desert vistas of this Kurt Russell thriller while extras include an alternate opening, commentary with Mostow and Russell, interviews with co-star Kathleen Quinlan and producer Martha DeLaurentiis, a fresh interview with Mostow, and a Digital HD copy.

FRIDAY THE 13th PART II (86 mins., 1981, R): A fairly hackneyed retread of its predecessor from producer-director Steve Miner, with former “Powers of Matthew Star” heroine Amy Steel taking over for Adrienne King, who’s offed in the early-going of this first “Friday the 13th” sequel. Debuting in 4K UHD with Dolby Vision HDR, like the other three titles in the box, “Friday the 13th Part II” includes a solid if glossy transfer (1.85) with 5.1 TrueHD audio. Extras include a retrospective featurette on the production (with cast and crew interviews), a featurette on fan conventions and “Friday”’s role in their popularity, the second half of the “fan” film “Lost Tales From Camp Blood,” and the trailer.

ORPHAN: FIRST KILL (98 mins., 2022, R): It’s been 15 years since the release of “Orphan,” but in this age of trying to find properties to “franchise,” it’s probably unsurprising Paramount tapped Dark Castle’s 2009 release for a continuation — though “First Kill” is actually a prequel, explaining how psycho Leena first came to impersonate the young daughter of a Connecticut family and arrive in the United States. Isabelle Fuhrmann does an admirable job once again with this character and Julia Stiles adds some class as the doomed matriarch of the family who quickly figures out that this “girl’s” not her daughter — but the movie is obviously lacking its predecessor’s (err, follow-up’s) big twist so “First Kill” fails to overcome its mostly mundane plot. No surprises here either in terms of Paramount’s HDR/Dolby Vision transfer and 5.1 DTS MA sound – they’re both solid and supportive of this prequel’s hackneyed thrills.

WORLD WAR Z (115/122 mins., PG-13/Unrated, 2013): Its poor word-of-mouth and lousy trailers aside, this much-discussed, turbulent 2013 production from star-producer Brad Pitt and director Marc Forster, is a big-time surprise — a smart, exciting popcorn muncher driven by a central star performance that’s both confident and relaxed.

More of a globe-trotting pandemic thriller than a gore-soaked genre exercise (horror fans will be disappointed for that reason; on the other hand, I found the approach refreshing), “World War Z” looks at the outbreak of a zombie apocalypse through the prism of UN worker Pitt. After barely escaping his now-ravaged hometown of Philadelphia with his wife and daughters, Pitt is called into action by his boss in order to find the source of the outbreak that’s turning humans into crazed killers of the undead.

“World War Z” made headlines when the studio and Pitt decided the movie’s third act wasn’t working. The film was recut (“Lost”‘s Matthew Fox, no longer billed in the front credits, has maybe two lines of dialogue in a part obviously left on the editing room floor), the final third (originally set in Russia) was entirely jettisoned and a new finish constructed. While it’s clear the film is cut tight and there’s an underlying sense that certain story elements were abbreviated (such as Pitt’s wife and daughters being left on a naval ship), this is one of those rare instances where ample post-production and test sceenings actually helped the picture. The film’s new climax, written by Drew Goddard and Damon Lindelof, enables the star to go one-on-one with the zombies in a more claustrophobic setting as opposed to the larger-scale sequences of undead hordes witnessed in the film’s early stages — making for an interesting contrast that’s dramatically effective — while also providing the story with a clear, surprising resolution seldom seen in these types of films.

A big box-office hit that nevertheless didn’t lead to a sequel, “World War Z” receives a stellar Dolby Vision HDR rendering here (2.39) with both the original cut and an Unrated director’s cut and its original Blu-Ray features. It’s included along with the other three titles in Paramount’s oversized box-set along with a special Fangoria magazine replica, collective logo pin, iron-on patches, a domed sticker, collectible poster, Blu-Ray discs and digital HD codes.

BRINGING OUT THE DEAD 4K UHD/Blu-Ray (121 mins., 1999, R; Paramount): One of 1999’s more disappointing collaborations was “Bringing Out the Dead,” with “Taxi Driver” tandem Martin Scorsese and screenwriter Paul Schrader reuniting for an adaptation of Joe Connelly’s book about an ambulance driver (Nicolas Cage) who has seen too many victims die and searches for meaning amongst all the tragedies he encounters on a daily basis.

Cage is good, giving a nicely modulated performance (for what was the first time in a while), but while he’s supported by a terrific cast (including John Goodman, Ving Rhames, Tom Sizemore, and ex-wife Patricia Arquette), “Bringing Out the Dead” is ultimately undone by a repetitive script that’s never as emotional or insightful as it would like to be. Scorsese’s patented use of editing and his use of Robert Richardson’s stark lighting are effective, but somewhere along the line, something went amiss. When it’s all said and done, you’re left stuck wondering just what the fuss was about, solid performances and dazzling visuals notwithstanding.

The movie debuts on 4K UHD with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos sound as part of the “Paramount Presents” limited edition line. The image (2.35) is superb and the Atmos remix features a collection of songs and serviceable score by Elmer Bernstein, also pulsates with energy. New extras include interviews with Scorsese, Cage, Schrader, and Richardson, along with vintage EPK extras, the Blu-Ray, and a Digital HD code.

HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA Chapter 1 4K Ultra HD (181 mins., 2024, R; Warner): For his latest cinematic endeavor, Kevin Costner opted to spin yet another western yarn, forsaking a lot of his own cash (not to mention starring role on the hit series “Yellowstone”) to fund this impressively mounted, yet dramatically flawed, “Chapter One.” Costner of course stars as well with Sam Worthington and Sienna Miller in a sprawling look at the Old West’s formation starting off in 1861, charting the Civil War and its impacts on a populace seeking to expand. Costner directed “Horizon,” which feels less like a feature and more like a collection of episodes perhaps designed more with streaming in mind – as such, it’s harder to forgive the feature’s faults in this form, as some components in the drama seem designed to pay off further down the road than they do here. Characters are an uneven lot and little of it pays off, making for a project hard to recommend until its completion. Still, “Horizon” looks stellar in Warner’s Dolby Vision HDR (2.39) presentation with Dolby Atmos sound and a Digital HD code.

KNUCKLES 4K UHD (171 mins., 2024; Paramount): “Sonic the Hedgehog” spin-off finds the Idris Elbra-voiced anti-hero Knuckles heading to Earth and meeting Adam Pally’s hapless Wade in order for him to become his protege. Some good laughs materialize in this short but punchy Paramount+ series that captures the fun of the “Sonic” movies with a little bit of heart as well; Pally is quite amusing in a perfectly cast part. Paramount’s now-available 4K UHD of the series offers a terrific a/v presentation with Dolby Atmos sound and a vibrant Dolby Vision HDR transfer; the disc also includes special features including a gag reel, cast featurette and other brief behind-the-scenes diversions.

Quick Takes

RICK AND MORTY: The Complete Seasons 1-7 DVD (Warner): The popular cult series from Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim finds Rick Sanchez (voiced by Justin Roiland) living with his daughter’s family and causing all kinds of trouble across the universe. This off-the-wall show, which recently “removed” co-creator Roiland, is back in a new DVD anthology from Warner: a 71-episode set containing its entire first seven seasons (this most latest one minus Roiland’s participation). It includes 16:9 transfers and 5.1 Dolby Digital sound with the multi-disc set housed in a plastic, oversized clamshell case and slipcover. It reprises all the extras from its previous releases as well, including Animatics; deleted animatic sketches; featurettes; and episode commentaries from the series’ creators.

BLACKOUT Blu-Ray (103 mins., 2024, Not Rated; Dark Sky/MPI): Cult director Larry Fessenden is back with a new thriller about a young man (Alex Hurt) in upstate New York whose small town is being attacked at night by a werewolf he thinks he turns into. Whether or not the wolf is real (don’t worry, genre fans, the movie delivers the goods) and what Hurt can do about it forms the basis of this well-drawn, character-heavy picture with an emphasis on human drama as opposed to shock effects. Dark Sky’s Blu-Ray is now available with a 1080p transfer, 5.1/2.0 sound, Fessenden’s commentary, featurettes, an audio drama and trailers. Fans should note the disc is a 1,000 copy limited edition found exclusively at Dark Sky’s website.

TED: Season 1 Blu-Ray (aprx. 5 hours, 2024; Universal): Anemic serialized prequel to writer-creator Seth MacFarlane’s big-screen comedies is set in the 90s wherein Boston teen John Bennett spends his days with best-pal Ted, the foul-mouthed teddy bear (again voiced by MacFarlane). Lots of R-rated profanity permeates this Peacock streaming series, but it’s subpar even by MacFarlane standards. Fans can find the first season of the series now in Universal’s Blu-Ray (1.78, 5.1 DTS MA).

MAN OF THE YEAR Blu-Ray (115 mins., 2006, PG-13; Shout!): As a talk show host who opts to put his money where his mouth is and run for the Presidency, Robin Williams manages to score a few chuckles in “Man of the Year,” director Barry Levinson’s bizarre 2006 meditation on talk radio, modern politics and the media. Laura Linney, Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Walken and Lewis Black lend able support, but the film is wildly uneven, particularly in its final third where it takes an utterly absurd turn into the thriller genre! Never before released on Blu-Ray, this Morgan Creek release debuts on Blu-Ray from Shout! sporting a 1080p (2.35) transfer and 5.1 DTS MA audio.

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