Wednesday, 3 January 2024

PSYCHO sequels and the HELLRAISER Tetralogy - Coming to UHD from Arrow Video

In February Arrow Video releases formidable standard editions of the three outstanding PSYCHO sequels in UHD, a stand alone release of Clive Barker’s legendary HELLRAISER, and the HELLRAISER Tetralogy in 4K.
 
PSYCHO II, PSYCHO III, PSYCHO IV: THE BEGINNING - On Limited Edition 4K UHD and BD
 
Twenty three years after Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho shattered expectations and shocked audiences around the world, Australian filmmaker Richard Franklin (Patrick, Road Games) boldly followed in the master’s footsteps and directed Psycho II, a sequel that not only delivered on the promise of his earlier films, but arguably lived up to the original.
 
Psycho III would see Anthony Perkins himself take the franchise’s reins for his directorial debut, bringing a stylish flair that suggested his time working with not only Alfred Hitchcock, but Orson Welles and Ken Russell had been well spent. 
 
Meanwhile, Psycho IV: The Beginning, written by Joseph Stefano (screenwriter of the 1960 original) and directed by master of horror Mick Garris, returns to the primal scene to show us how it all began in Anthony Perkins’ final franchise appearance.

The story set up by the most shocking film of all time continues in these three sequels, each more terrifying than the next, and restored from the original camera negatives.
 
4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS
 
• 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (2160p) presentations of Psycho II, Psycho III, and Psycho IV: The Beginning in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible), all restored from the original camera negatives
• Original stereo and 5.1 options for Psycho II and Psycho III, and stereo audio for Psycho IV
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin
 
DISC 1 – PSYCHO II (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY)
 
• Audio commentary by film critics Michael Brooke and Johnny Mains
• Archive audio commentary by screenwriter Tom Holland
• Behind the Curtain: The Masters of Horror on Psycho, a panel discussion with screenwriter Tom Holland and Psycho IV director Mick Garris moderated by Robert Galluzzo
• Giving Bloch His Due, an interview with Chet Williams, author of Psycho: Sanitarium on the legacy of Norman Bates’ creator, author Robert Bloch
• Anthony Perkins TV and audio interviews
• Richard Franklin audio interview
• Richard Franklin On Set featurette
• Richard Franklin scene commentary
• Vintage featurettes including interviews with Perkins, Franklin, and Vera Miles
• Psycho II demo by composer Jerry Goldsmith
• Audio press kit/promotional record
• Trailers & TV spots
• Image gallery
 
DISC 2 – PSYCHO III (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY)
 
• Audio commentary by film critics Michael Brooke and Johnny Mains
• Archive audio commentary by screenwriter Charles Edward Pogue
• Carnival of the Heart, a visual essay by film scholar Alexandra Heller Nicholas
• Scream of Love, an interview with composer Carter Burwell
• Watch the Guitar, an interview with actor Jeff Fahey
• Patsy’s Last Night, an interview with actor Katt Shea
• Mother’s Maker, an interview with special make-up effects artist Michael Westmore
• Body Double, an interview with actor Brinke Stevens
• Original Electronic Press Kit
• Alternate opening sequence
• Theatrical trailer
• TV spot
• Image gallery
 
DISC 3 – PSYCHO IV: THE BEGINNING (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY)
 
• Archive audio commentary with Mick Garris and actors Henry Thomas and Olivia Hussey
• Death by Strings, a visual essay by author and critic Guy Adams on music across the franchise
• The Making of Mother, an archive interview with make-up effects artist Tony Gardner
• Behind the scenes footage
• A Look at the Scoring of Psycho IV, an archive featurette
• Theatrical trailer
• Image gallery
 
The BD release contains the same extras, but is presented in High Definition(1080p)
 

 
 
HELLRAISER Tetralogy - Limited Edition 4K UHD
 
Introducing the world to the iconic Pinhead, HELLRAISER became an instant genre classic upon release and remains one of the most frighteningly original visions in horror. The three films that followed cemented Pinhead’s iconic status.
 
HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II expands on Barker’s original vision as screenwriter Peter Atkins takes Julia Cotton, her step daughter Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) and the sinister Dr. Channard (Kenneth Cranham) into the dominion of the Cenobites themselves.
 
HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH sees Pinhead set loose on the sinful streets of New York City to create chaos with a fresh cadre of Cenobitic kin.
 
HELLRAISER: BLOODLINE sinks its hooks into past, present and future as it tells the story of Phillip LeMarchand the 18th century toymaker who made the Lament Configuration puzzle box; his descendent John Merchant, a 20th century architect whose most recent building bears a striking resemblance to the Lament Configuration; and Dr. Paul Merchant a 22nd century engineer and designer of The Minos, a space station which is a great deal more than it seems.
 
4 DISC ULTRA HD SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS
 
• 4K restorations of all four films from the original camera negatives by Arrow Films
• 4K Ultra HD Blu-rayTM (2160p) presentations of all four films in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original lossless stereo and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio for all four films
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Special edition packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin
• Reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin
 
DISC 1 - HELLRAISER
 
• Audio commentary featuring genre historian (and unit publicist of Hellraiser) Stephen Jones with author and film critic Kim Newman
• Archival audio commentary with writer/director Clive Barker and actor Ashley Laurence, moderated by Peter Atkins
• Archival audio commentary with writer/director Clive Barker
• Power of Imagination, 60-minute discussion about Hellraiser and the work of Clive Barker by film scholars Sorcha NĂ­ Fhlainn (editor of Clive Barker: Dark Imaginer) and Karmel Kniprath
• Unboxing Hellraiser, visual essay celebrating the Lament Configuration by genre author Alexandra Benedict (The Beauty of Murder)
• The Pursuit of Possibilities, 60-minute discussion between acclaimed horror authors Paula D. Ashe (We Are Here to Hurt Each Other) and Eric LaRocca (Everything the Dark Eats) celebrating the queerness of Hellraiser and the importance of Clive Barker as a queer writer
• Flesh is a Trap, visual essay exploring body horror and transcendence in the work of Clive Barker by genre author Guy Adams (The World House)
• Extended EPK interviews with Clive Barker and stars Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence, and effects artist Bob Keen, shot during the making of Hellraiser, with an introduction by Stephen Jones and Kim Newman
• Original 1987 Electronic Press Kit
• Being Frank: Sean Chapman on Hellraiser, archival interview with the actor
• Under the Skin: Doug Bradley on Hellraiser, archival interview with the iconic actor about his first appearance as ‘Pinhead’
• Soundtrack Hell: The Story of the Abandoned Coil Score, archival interview with Coil member Stephen Thrower
• Trailers and TV spots
• Image gallery
• Draft screenplays
 
DISC 2 - HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II
 
• Audio commentary featuring Stephen Jones and Kim Newman
• Archival audio commentary with director Tony Randel, writer Peter Atkins and actor Ashley Laurence
• Audio commentary with director Tony Randel and writer Peter Atkins
• Hell Was What They Wanted!, 80-minute appreciation of Hellbound, the Hellraiser mythos and the work of Clive Barker by horror authors George Daniel Lea (Born in Blood) and Kit Power (The Finite)
• That Rat-Slice Sound, appreciation of composer Christopher Young’s scores for Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II by Guy Adams
• Archival on-set interview with Clive Barker
• Archival on-set interview with cast and crew
• Behind the scenes footage
• Being Frank: Sean Chapman on Hellbound, archival interview about the actor’s return to the role of Frank Cotton
• Under the Skin: Doug Bradley on Hellbound, archival interview with the iconic actor about his second appearance as ‘Pinhead’
• Lost in the Labyrinth, archival featurette including interviews with Barker, Randel, Keen, Atkins and others
• Trailers and TV spots
• Image gallery
 
DISC 3 - HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH
 
• Alternative Unrated version (contains standard definition inserts)
• Audio commentary featuring Stephen Jones and Kim Newman
• Archival audio commentary with screenwriter Peter Atkins (Theatrical Cut only)
• Archival audio commentary with director Anthony Hickox and actor Doug Bradley (Unrated Version only)
• Extended EPK featuring interviews with Clive Barker and Doug Bradley
• FX dailies
• Time with Terri, archival interview with actor Paula Marshall
• Raising Hell on Earth, archival interview with director Anthony Hickox
• Under the Skin: Doug Bradley on Hellraiser III, archival interview with the iconic actor about his third appearance as ‘Pinhead’
• Theatrical trailer
• Image gallery
 
DISC 4 - HELLRAISER: BLOODLINE
 
• Audio commentary featuring screenwriter Peter Atkins, with Stephen Jones and Kim Newma
• The Beauty of Suffering, featurette exploring the Cenobites’ connection to goth, fetish cultures and BDSM
• Workprint version of the film, providing a fascinating insight into how it changed during post-production
• Hellraiser Evolutions, archival documentary on the evolution of the franchise and its enduring legacy, featuring interviews with Scott Derrickson (director, Hellraiser: Inferno), Rick Bota (director, Hellraiser: Hellseeker, Deader and Hellworld), Stuart Gordon (director, Re-Animator, From Beyond) and others
• Books of Blood and Beyond: The Literary Works of Clive Barker, archival appreciation by horror author David Gatwalk of Barker’s written work, from The Books of Blood to The Scarlet Gospels
• Theatrical trailer
• Image gallery
• Easter egg
 

 
 

 

No comments:

Post a Comment