John Woo, Mel Brooks, Stephen King, ‘Black Sunday’ Lead Arrow Video’s March Releases

The holidays getting you down? Look forward to Spring! Arrow Video has a big March planned, with a release slate including 4K UHD and Blu-ray versions of John Woo‘s heroic bloodshed shoot ’em up, some 1980s Stephen King goodness, a classic spoof from Mel Brooks, and more.

First up, we’re taking a trip to Salem’s Lot, being resurrected on limited edition 4K UHD in the US and UK. Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Poltergeist) directed this TV mini-series adaptation of Stephen King‘s bestseller about a small town besieged by ancient bloodsuckers. The two-disc set features new 4K restorations of both the original two-part miniseries, and the shorter international theatrical cut, a reversible sleeve, a perfect-bound booklet, a sticker, a double-sided poster, and more.

French horror gets the spotlight next with the UK-only Blu-ray release of the 2004 film Calvaire. Laurent Lucas plays a traveling cabaret singer whose van breaks down in the mountains. He’s taken in by a local innkeeper (Jackie Berroyer), who’s not quite what he seems. Special features TBA.

Things stay spooky (what is this, October?) with the release of The Birthday on 4K UHD and Blu-ray in the US and UK. Filmed in 2004, but unreleased for two decades, Eugenio Mira’s The Birthday mixes slapstick comedy, cosmic horror and Corey Feldman into a little-seen cult concoction. Restored from the original negative, special features include a commentary by Feldman and Mira, archival behind-the-scenes footage, storyboards, deleted material, and more.

Next we have Spaceballs … the 4k! The 1987 Mel Brooks-directed Star Wars spoof stars Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, John Candy, Daphne Zuniga, and Brooks himself in a dual role. The UK-only release features an audio commentary by Brooks, Spaceballs: The Documentary, a poster, four character art cards, and more.

Director John Frankenheimer’s career was stuffed with suspense from The Manchurian Candidate to Ronin, and his under-appreciated 1977 film Black Sunday also deserves a look. The disaster thriller stars Robert Shaw, Bruce Dern, and Marthe Keller, and was based on the debut novel by Thomas Harris (The Silence of the Lambs). Arrow has prepared a limited edition Blu-ray of the film for the UK only, featuring a profile of Frankenheimer, a collector’s booklet, a reversible sleeve, and more.

Next up is John Woo’s 1992 Hong Kong action extravaganza Hard Boiled, arriving on limited edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray. Chow Yun-Fat and Tony Leung star in the bullet ballet presented in a new 4K restoration. Extras include a new commentary by Woo, new interviews, deleted scenes, an archival documentary, and more, plus a reversible sleeve, a double-sided poster, a collectors’ booklet and six postcards. Arrow’s new version will only be available in the UK, with Shout Factory handling the stateside release, alongside several other Woo classics including The Killer and Bullet in the Head.
Finally in March, Samurai Revolution Trilogy will receive a limited edition Blu-ray release in the US and UK. The B&W 1960s trilogy stars Chiezo Kataoka, Ko Nishimura, Kei Sato, and Toru Abe, and was directed by Eiichi Kudo (13 Assassins). The three-disc set comes with a reversible sleeves, an illustrated booklet, new audio commentaries, video essays, archival interviews, and more.

Also be sure to check out Arrow Video’s February lineup, which includes the original Westworld, some Arthurian ’80s cheese, another Hong Kong classic, and more. Meanwhile, their January lineup features Snakes On A Plane, Under Siege, a rare UK heist film, and more.