A new release Monday arrives with some big releases hitting the physical home formats. It’s definitely a quieter week release-wise, which is surprising as next week is fully loaded with some huge releases like Last Night In Soho, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Dune, and more getting a debut – but more on that in a week’s time. Here’s the best of the bunch hitting stores from today.
The Alpinist – release of the week
One of my favourite documentaries of last year is also one of the most affecting. This is another of those films set amongst the many mountains of the world and the human want to scale them. This one focuses upon Marc-Andre Leclerc who climbs solo minus rope or support – on the ice, usually without a film crew or any kind of camera to capture the moment of triumph.
If you don’t know Leclerc’s story, then refrain from Googling prior to watching. In my original review, I said: “[The film] is powerful, thrilling and enjoyable, but also very stressful stuff with an ending that will leave a definite mark.”
Available on both DVD and Blu-ray throug Dogwoof.
Sleep
I didn’t know too much about Sleep prior to assembling this list, but it looks like a supreme bollock-tightener released through Arrow Video this week. Take a look at the synopsis:
Tormented by recurring nightmares of a place she has never been, Marlene (Sandra Hüller, Requiem) cannot help but investigate when she discovers the place is real. Once there, she suffers a breakdown and is admitted to a psychiatric ward. Determined to discover what happened to her, Mona (Gro Swantje Kohlhof), her daughter, follows and finds herself in Stainbach, an idyllic village with a dark history. What is it that so tormented her mother, and the people of Stainbach? What is the source of the nightmares she suffers? And who is the mysterious Trude that lives in the forest?
As with most Arrow releases, the Blu-ray is loaded with bonus stuff that includes:
Audio commentary by film critic and historian Kim Newman & author Sean Hogan
– A Strange Dark Magic, a visual essay by film scholar Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
– Sleepwalking through National Trauma, a visual essay by film critic Anton Bitel – Dream & Folktale in Sleep, an interview with anthropologist, dream researcher, and filmmaker Louise S. Milne
– Talking in their Sleep, director Michael Venus and star Gro Swantje Kohlhof in conversation
– A Dream We Dream Together, a compilation of film festival introductions created during lockdown by director Michael Venus and the cast of Sleep
– Making Dreams Come True, a glimpse behind the scenes of Sleep – Deleted Scenes, four deleted scenes
– Marlene’s Sketches, explore the many obsessive dream journal sketches that are only glimpsed in the film, created by artist Christoph Vieweg, presented here in full
– Trailer
– Image Gallery
– Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Oink Creative
– Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Alison Peirse, an interview with director Michael Venus, and Brothers Grimm fairy tale “Frau Trude”
– Double-sided fold-out poster featuring newly commissioned artwork by Oink Creative
Mad Max Anthology
Containing every film from the original 1979 movie throught to the 2015 version with Tom Hardy, this 4K re-release is sure to be on any completist’s list. The box set will set you back in the region of £60 in the Ultra HD format, but as well as the four movies, there’s also that glorious Black and Chrome version of ‘Fury Road’ included, too.
Special features include:
Maximum Fury: Filming Fury Road
Mad Max: Fury on Four Wheels
The Road Warriors: Max and Furiosa
The Tools of the Wasteland
The Five Wives: So Shiny, So Chrome
Fury Road: Crash and Smash
Deleted Scenes
Contains the black and chrome edition on Blu-ray. In visually stunning black and white discover why mastermind director George Miller calls Black and Chrome, ‘The best version of the movie’.
For the original movie, there is also an extra DVD containing ‘The Madness of Max’, a behind-the-scenes making of. The Road Warrior has a commentary by George Miller and Cinematographer Dean Semler.
The Boss Baby 2: Family Business
Finally for this week is the physical home release of animated sequel The Boss Baby 2: Family Business. Thie one feels like it has been around for ages, but only hits DVD and Blu-ray from today.
Bonus content includes:
All-new Original Short: Precious Templeton: A Pony Tale • Never Grow Up: The Big Babies Behind The Boss Baby: Family Business • Boss Baby Art Class: How to Draw • “Together We Stand” Lyric Video • And More!
