roundup
Three reissues to tell you about, commencing with THE WRATH OF KHAN: DIRECTOR’S CUT (out now, Blu-ray). We surely don’t need to tell you that the second Trek film is the best. Nicholas Meyer’s longer edit, previously only on DVD, reinstates about four minutes of trims, none earthshattering; one establishes that a crewman who dies is Scotty’s nephew. This new edition should please fans, as it has a less blue-tinted hue than the previous HD release. Also includes the theatrical cut, old extras, and a new half-hour Making Of. There’s also a new 30th Anniversary Edition of HIGHLANDER (Blu-ray, out now), the 1986 fantasy in which Christopher Lambert discovers that a) he’s an immortal warrior and b) Sean Connery can’t do a Spanish accent. Newly remastered (like Khan) from a 4K scan, it bumps up the bonuses with new interviews with Lambert and the director. In 1985’s COCOON (Blu-ray, out now), retirement home residents are rejuvenated by swimming in the pool of neighbours who, unbeknownst to them, are aliens. It’s a simple tale with some excellent effects; your enjoyment level will depend on your tolerance for sentimentality. The extras (including commentary) are all carried over from a 2010 release. Finally, ALIEN 2: ON EARTH (Blu-ray, out now) is nothing to do with Ridley Scott; it’s a low-budget 1980 Italian horror about a slimy ET devouring cavers. There’s some juicy gore but generally slow stuff happens slowly, and tension is kept to a minimum. It’s still more likeable than Alien 3 though.