On April 7, Tokyo’s vice-filled underworld explodes as the Wandering Ginza Butterfly Collection makes its North American debut on Blu-ray. Both Wandering Ginza Butterfly and She-Cat Gambler star the iconic Meiko Kaji, who dominated ‘70s Japanese cinema in the Female Prisoner Scorpion and Lady Snowblood film series. The limited edition release includes High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentations of both films, hours of special features, and newly commissioned extras.
Nami “The Red Cherry Blossom” Higuchi (Meiko Kaji, Blind Woman’s Curse) is a fearless drifter moving through a world of gamblers, hustlers, and ruthless killers. In Wandering Ginza Butterfly, Nami is released from prison after killing a Yakuza member and heads straight for Tokyo’s dangerous Ginza district in search of a fresh start. She reconnects with local pimp Ryuji (Tsunehiko Watase, Sailor Suit and Machine Gun), who sets her up with a hostess job, and she quickly becomes a favorite among the club’s clientele. But when mobster Owada (Koji Nanbara, G.I. Samurai) attempts to seize control of the bar, Nami proves she is more than capable of defending her turf, wielding a pool cue and anything else within reach to make sure his takeover fails.
In Wandering Ginza Butterfly 2: She-Cat Gambler, Nami returns to Ginza on a personal mission to find her father’s killer. After freeing a young woman forced into prostitution to settle her father’s debts, she once again draws the ire of the Yakuza. This time she teams with well-meaning pimp Ryuji (Sonny Chiba, The Street Fighter), and together they stand against the criminal underworld determined to drive them out of the district.
Special features include the original lossless Japanese mono audio for both films; optional newly translated English subtitles for both films; a brand new audio commentary for Wandering Ginza Butterfly; an archival audio commentary for Wandering Ginza Butterfly; a brand new interview on Wandering Ginza Butterfly 2: She-Cat Gambler with Patrick Macias and Matt Alt; an archival interview with director Kazuhiko Yamaguchi; an archival appreciation of star Meiko Kaji; original trailers for both films; and a collectors’ booklet.
On April 21, transplant horror reaches new heights as The Eye makes its 4K UHD North American premiere. The Pang Brothers (Bangkok Dangerous) terrified Hong Kong audiences with this chilling tale of a miracle surgery that turns into a waking nightmare. The limited edition release features a brand new 4K restoration by Arrow Films, along with hours of special features and newly commissioned extras.
Wong Kar Mun (Angelica Lee, Re-cycle), blind since childhood, is a gifted classical violinist given a second chance at sight through a cornea transplant. As her vision slowly adjusts, she glimpses a shadowy figure in the hospital guiding the woman in the next bed out of the room. Once discharged, Mun begins seeing mysterious figures others cannot, leaving her to question whether they are hallucinations or something far more supernatural. The Eye was later remade in the United States starring Jessica Alba (Sin City).
Special features include a 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentations in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible); Cantonese DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio and stereo audio; optional English subtitles; a brand new interview with producer Peter Ho-Sun Chan; a brand new visual essay on the film; an archival making-of featurette with interviews with actors Angelica Lee and Lawrence Chou; an archival featurette on directors Danny and Oxide Pang; original theatrical trailers; image gallery; and a collectors’ booklet.
Watch the trailer for The Eye here:
On April 28, the microscopic science fiction comedy Innerspace makes its universal debut on 4K UHD. Director Joe Dante (Gremlins) takes his brand of cinematic fun inside the body of a man with Oscar-winning visual effects. The limited edition release features a brand-new restoration from the original 35mm negative by Arrow Films approved by director Joe Dante, hours of special features, and newly commissioned extras. There is also a Blu-ray release.
Lt. Tuck Pendleton (Dennis Quaid, The Substance) takes part in a groundbreaking miniaturization experiment that will make him the smallest test pilot in the world. Along with his high-tech pod, Tuck is shrunk and intended to be injected into a rabbit’s bloodstream. But when commandos from a rival corporation storm the lab mid-procedure, the syringe containing Tuck is stolen and later accidentally injected into unsuspecting store clerk Jack Putter (Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building) instead of the rabbit. Innerspace also stars Meg Ryan (Top Gun), Robert Picardo (Star Trek: Voyager), and Orson Bean (Being John Malkovich), and was produced by Steven Spielberg (Poltergeist).
Special features include a 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentations in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible); newly restored original lossless 2.0 stereo, original 70mm 6-track mix in DTS-HD MA 4.1 surround and newly remixed Dolby Atmos audio; optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing; a brand new audio commentary; an archival audio commentary with director Joe Dante, producer Michael Finnell, visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren and actors Kevin McCarthy and Robert Picardo; a brand new documentary featuring director Joe Dante, visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren and others; behind the scenes with Joe Dante; behind the scenes at ILM; original storyboards; continuity and behind the scenes Polaroids; production stills gallery; posters and promo stills gallery; the theatrical trailer; double-sided fold-out poster; and a collectors’ perfect-bound booklet.
Watch the trailer for Innerspace here:
Also on April 28, the science fiction action-filled Soldier touches down for a world premiere on 4K UHD. What happens when the ultimate army fighter is harshly retired? The limited edition release features a brand new 4K restoration by Arrow Films approved by director Paul W.S. Anderson, hours of special features, and newly commissioned extras.
Sergeant Todd (Kurt Russell, Big Trouble In Little China) was raised from birth to be a merciless, emotionless killing machine for the military. The decorated soldier fought around the world and galaxy for decades, only to face his biggest battle at home. A unit of genetically engineered super soldiers arrives at Todd’s headquarters. Captain Church (Gary Busey, Point Break) pits Todd and his best men against the new breed, including Caine (Jason Scott Lee, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story) and led by Colonel Mekum (Jason Isaacs, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets). The brutal competition doesn’t end well for the veterans. Todd’s busted-up body is dropped on a waste disposal planet, where he finds a group of peaceful scavengers living among the scrap heaps who teach him what it’s like to be social and act human. The inner growth comes to an abrupt end when Todd’s old captain drops by so the new troops can engage in live target practice. Soldier is filled with exciting stunts scenes from action impresario Paul W.S. Anderson (Mortal Kombat & Resident Evil). The movie also stars Connie Nielsen (Gladiator), Sean Pertwee (Dog Soldiers), Michael Chiklis (The Shield), and Wyatt Russell (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters).
Special features include a 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentations in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible); original DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio and stereo audio; optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing; an archival audio commentary by director Paul W.S. Anderson, actor Jason Isaacs and others; brand new interviews with actor James Black and others; a brand new behind-the-scenes look at how the film’s special effects were created with visual effects supervisor Craig Barron and others; a brand new retrospective on the film;
