Arrow Video’s September Slate Includes Stephen King, ‘Forbidden Planet,’ A Humphrey Bogart Classic, And More

The good folks at at Arrow Video have unveiled an impressive slate of releases for September. Physical media fans can get their fill of Stephen King, Hong Kong action, classic sci-fi, star-driven crime thrillers from various decades, and more.

First up is the terrifying and endlessly quotable Misery on limited edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray. Directed by the late, great Rob Reiner (Stand By Me), the 1990 thriller about fan obsession is based on the novel by Stephen King, and stars Kathy Bates (in an Oscar-winning performance), James Caan, Lauren Bacall, Richard Farnsworth, and Frances Sternhagen. Special features include archival audio commentaries with Reiner and screenwriter William Goldman, a new critic commentary, interviews, a reversible sleeve, a collectors’ booklet, and more. UK only.

Next we turn to the stars with the limited edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray release of the 1956 sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet. Inspired by William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, the groundbreaking, visually stunning film stars Leslie Nielsen, Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, and Robby the Robot. It’s presented in a brand new 4K restoration of its original Cinemascope aspect ratio of 2.55:1 and features the original “Perspecta” stereo soundtrack. Special features are TBA, but it includes the requisite reversible sleeve, double-sided poster, collectors’ booklet, and more. It will be available in the US and UK.

Arrow goes criminal with a trio of under-appreciated Hollywood thrillers. First up: 1955’s The Desperate Hourson limited edition Blu-ray exclusively in the UK. Oscar-winner William Wyler (Ben-Hur, Roman Holiday) directs a late-career Humphrey Bogart opposite Fredric March for this suspenseful home invasion drama. Fully restored from the original VistaVision negative, the release includes a reversible sleeve, a collectors’ booklet, and special features TBA.

September’s next crime-focused thriller is 1987’s Tequila Sunrise on limited edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray in the US and UK. Written and directed by Robert Towne (Chinatown), this glitzy neo-noir stars Kurt Russell, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Mel Gibson, and sports a brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm negative, plus new interviews and appreciations, and more.

Then there is 1996’s Night Falls on Manhattan on limited edition Blu-ray. Legendary director Sidney Lumet (Serpico, The Verdict) takes on crime and police corruption in this little-seen thriller starring Andy Garcia, Ian Holm, Lena Olin, Richard Dreyfuss, and a pre-Sopranos James Gandolfini. The disc features a new restoration and bonus features TBA. UK only.

If it’s starting to feel like Arrow (and Shout! Studios) release a new John Woo joint every month, it’s because they do! And that’s because Woo is awesome. For proof, look no further than the A Better Tomorrow Trilogy on limited edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray. The cycle, which began in 1986, teamed Woo with super-producer Tsui Hark and rising star Chow Yun-Fat for a blood-soaked, bullet-ridden saga of the HK underworld. While Woo directed the first two films, Hark stepped behind the camera to direct the 1989 threequel, which turns back the clock and is set during the Vietnam War. The UK-only 5-disc set includes new commentaries and interviews, reversible sleeves, a double-sided poster, a perfect-bound booklet, and more.

Next is the Wicked Priest Collection on limited edition Blu-ray in the US and UK. The 1960s martial arts comedy series stars Tomisaburo Wakayama (Lone Wolf & Cub) as a warrior monk in feudal Japan. The 3-disc set offers new restorations of all five films in the series: Wicked Priest, Wicked Priest 2: Ballad of Murder, Wicked Priest 3: A Killer’s Pilgrimage, Wicked Priest 4: The Killer Priest Comes Back, and Wicked Priest 5: Blood on the Commandments. Special features include new video essays and interviews, a reversible sleeve, and a collectors’ booklet.

Finally, what’s an Arrow announcement without some spooky, gory, cult-y fun? Horror legend Clive Barker (Hellraiser) invites viewers to the Underworld on limited edition 4K UHD. Released in the US as Transmutations, the 1985 body horror thriller has been restored in 4K, and the 2-disc edition comes with both the theatrical cut and an extended cut. Extras include new interviews, a reversible sleeve, a collector’s booklet, and more.

Meanwhile, Arrow’s August offers up Brad Pitt in Troy, Bill & Ted, and, yes, even more Jon Woo. Their July slate includes Falling Down and To Live and Die in L.A. in 4K, classic Reiko Ike cult movies, and more. Lastly, don’t forget to check out Arrow’s newly announced sub-label Toy Robot, offering up Guyver 2, Sonny Chiba classics, and more.