UPDATED: April 3rd 2017
This page is a list of films that I would love to see hit Blu Ray at some time or another. Companies like Shout/Scream Factory, Anchor Bay, Vestron, and Twilight Times have been tackling a lot of back library titles, but there's still quite a few that beg for release on a more current platform. some of these movies are no-brainers, and should have hit Blu a long time ago, while others are just more personal picks that have been with me since childhood. This page will evolve and be updated as I see fit, as titles are announced, or if I think of anything that I've missed from years gone by.
The Black Hole (1979)
Next to Tron, The Black Hole was probably one of Disney's most remembered sci fi classics (pre Marvel and Star Wars). After Tron Legacy, there were tons of rumors that Joseph Kosinski was interested, if not signed to do a Black Hole remake... never happened. The performances weren't great, but for its time (shortly after Star Wars) the visual FX were fantastic, for which it was nominated for an Oscar. Just like the original Tron, The Black Hole was a huge part of my youth, and being such, it'll always deserve a spot in my collections. I even had toys and models of the ship, BOB, and Maximillian!
The 13th Warrior (1999)
Easily one of my favorite films ever made. In my top 5! To this day I'm still puzzled as to why this hasn't seen a release. John McTiernan (Die Hard) directing a film based on Michael Crichton's (Jurassic Park) Eaaters of the Dead. The story behind The 13th Warrior is basic good vs evil, the good being a village of Vikings, the bad being a tribe of canibals... need I say more. Even casting Antonio Banderas, who I'm not a huge fan of, couldn't hurt it... and he was actually good in the roll. Beautifully directed, scored, and acted, The 13th Warrior is an awesome film that should have seen Blu a long time ago!
Dragonslayer (1981)
Following in the footsteps of films like Sinbad, the stop motion dragon in Dragonslayer was pretty damn good. Mathew Robbins knew how to show just enough to satisfy the audience without sacrificing the shot. Being the huge monster fan that I was/am, I pretty much fell in love with Vermithrax Pejorative, and like a first love, I never forgot my first Dragon. That being said, Dragonslayer is also one hell of a good film, especially for its time, and although aged, its a beautifully shot piece that rings close to look and feel of Jackson's LOTR series. It would lend well to a remake, and it definitely deserves the Blu treatment.
Silver Bullet (1985)
Not one of Stephen King's best book to film outings, but then again he was slinging them like a monkey slings shit back in the 80s. Why its on my list is, well, its still one of the few King movies left to hit Blu, but more importantly its a werewolf movie and it stars Gary Busey! Like vikings and dragons, Werewolves just do it for me, and it was one of the better wolf films made in the eighties.
The Abyss (1989)
Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio are formerly married petroleum engineers who still have some issues to work out. They are drafted to assist a gung-ho Navy SEAL (Michael Biehn) with a top-secret recovery operation: a nuclear sub has been ambushed and sunk, under mysterious circumstances, in some of the deepest waters on Earth.
Again, not sure why this James Cameron classic hasn't seen Blu yet. There was talk about it, but to this day nothing concrete to suggest a release date. The Abyss is a fantastic film and a cinematic masterpiece. In my opinion one of Cameron's best. I have a feeling though, its on the short list to see Blu.
Plunkett and MacLeane (1999)
Plunkett and who? Not many people have heard of this wonderful period piece. I was in New York City for a convention perusing the shelves of a video store, and I noticed this title. I don't usually take chances on period flics, but since Trainspotting, I had become a fan of Robert Carlyle's work. I'm glad I did. Plunkett and McLeane is strongly cast, well written, and at times, balls out fun! I would love to see this painted Blu!
The Company of Wolves (1984)
Wolves and werewolves lurk throughout the dreams of young Rosaleen (Sarah Patterson), who imagines that she must journey through a dark forest to live with her grandmother (Angela Lansbury). When Rosaleen meets a rugged hunter in the woods, she discovers that she has an animal-like attraction to him, leading to a macabre turn of events. The lupine-centric film also features stories within the main tale, told by both Rosaleen and her grandma, all of which have a supernatural bent.
Neil Jordan's (The Crying Game) second film was a fantastic, dreamlike anthology spawning from the classic tales of Little Red Riding Hood. To this day elements of this film still hang in my cerebral rafters. It's a haunting film often mistaken for a common werewolf flic, but it's really more than that. The wolves aren't always bad. For the real esatate that this film has held in my mind over the decades since its release, I'd gladly pay to have it Blu.
The Keep (1983)
A stranger (Scott Glenn) fights timeless evil in a Romanian castle occupied by a Nazi captain (Jürgen Prochnow).
Of all the movies on my list, this one is the least likely to ever see Blu. It never even got a legitimate DVD release (I own a multi region release). No matter what anyone says, I'll always love this film, but I truly believe my DVD copy is gonna be where it stops.
What’s the problem? (Quoted from Empire) Author F. Paul Wilson hates it, and Mann’s three-hour director’s cut was chopped in half by studio Paramount. Mann is doubtful that much of the cut footage still exists, and didn’t enjoy the experience anyway, so has been reluctant to revisit it - then there are the possible rights issues around Tangerine Dream’s score to consider. Released on VHS and LaserDisc and occasionally shown on TV, The Keep remains a mesmerisingly strange cult oddity that’s been difficult to see for the last couple of decades.
Rawhead Rex (1986)
Ireland will never be the same after Rawhead Rex, a particularly nasty demon, is released from his underground prison by an unwitting farmer. The film follows Rex's cross country rampage, while a man struggles to stop it.
Based on a short story by Clive Barker in his Books of Blood anthologies, Rawhead Rex is a relatively straight forward 80s monster movie. It had a cool creature, but fell prey to common 80s horror tropes. I still enjoyed it and it has come to be a classic in my eyes.... and really, that's all that matters. Gimme Blu!
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
Mr. Dark (Jonathan Pryce) brings his traveling carnival to a small Midwestern town and grants wishes, for a price.
The Sword and the Sorceror (1982)
A medieval prince (Lee Horsley) rescues a damsel (Kathleen Beller) and avenges his slain family with a triple-edged sword.
3 bladed sword with rocket propelled blades!!!!
Critters
With Killer Clowns and other classics like Deadly Spawn being released, I would have thought Critters would be a great series of flics to cash in on. They were cookie cutter eighties scifi horror. Chiodo Bros at their best, and the first one at least, is a lot of fun!
The Beastmaster
Don Coscarelli's action fantasy.... ah hell, Tanya Roberts nude... I was 14! Seriously though, Beastmaster came out right about the same time Conan did, so yeah, I didn't see Beastmaster right away. Both movies were on Superchannel (or First Choice) when I first saw them eventually (I'm dating myself here). Conan's been released a few times on Blu, so I think Marc Singer in leather strapped underpants deserves the Blu treatment.
The Wraith
A Charlie Sheen classic.... never thought I'd say that about anything Charlie Sheen has been in. I have to admit though, as far as cool sci fi revenge flics go, The Wraith definitely did a few things right and its actually a lot of fun!
Doesn't deserve Blu, but I'd still buy them
This part of my list includes titles that I miss, but it's really unlikely they'll see a Blu Ray release anytime soon. They were that bad.... but in a good way!
Yor: Hunter From the Future
While traveling across a barren landscape, caveman Yor (Reb Brown) arrives at a village in time to save the people from a dinosaur attack. During a feast held in his honor, Yor manages to rescue beautiful Ka-Laa (Corinne Clery) and her guardian, Pag (Alan Collins), from a raid by a hostile neighboring tribe. After being told about another woman who wears the same mysterious medallion he has always had, Yor and his new companions set out to find her and learn about his destiny.
This film is utter crap, but I just love the shit out of it and reference it all the time! It's a Russian fantasy sci fi that has one of the most awesome kickin' theme songs I've ever heard (sarcasm implied). Yor is a barbarian hunter running around a prehistoric land killing dinos and kicking ass... all the while to his own theme music. Terrible dubbing and amazingly silly practical FX, I mean, its really hard not to crack a smile watching this!
Megaforce
A high-tech soldier (Barry Bostwick) with a flying motorcycle leads troops to the rescue of a ruler (Persis Khambatta) and her people.
When I first saw this I instantly fell in love with the bikes, technology and man, Barry Bostwick was so cool! Again 1982... I was 14.... still getting over seeing Tanya Roberts nude... and quoting the shit outta Conan. The shit we did to our BMX bikes to feel just an ounce of Bostwick's coolness! At age 14, Megaforce was just friggin' awesome! At current age, it's awesomeness is pronounced differently, and you can't help but to laugh your ass off at the mere sight of Barry Bostwick in his skin tight unitard with his 80s quaff, and silky blue headband!
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